Laman Ismayilova

Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik has met with the President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova, to discuss prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and the foundation, Azernews reports.

The meeting took place in Zomin City, Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of the 2nd Maqom Art International Forum, organized by the Uzbek Culture Ministry.

Over 400 participants from 80 countries attended the event, held under the auspices of UNESCO and ICESCO.

The main objective of the forum is to safeguard traditional music, promote intercultural dialogue, and preserve and develop cultural diversity through supporting creativity. The forum program included maqom performances of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

During the meeting, the parties discussed cooperation in cultural fields, particularly in heritage preservation and valorization.

ICESCO Director-General underlined that heritage preservation and valorization are at the core of ICESCO's new vision and strategic directions, given their importance in achieving sustainable development.

The sides stressed the importance of building strong cooperation between ICESCO and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, stemming from the Memorandum of Understanding signed between ICESCO and the Organization of Turkic States on 13 June 2024.

This includes implementing programs to train a group of young men and women from Member States of the Organization of Turkic States in cultural and heritage fields, as well as agreeing to hold conferences and seminars in these countries.

With its rich cultural legacy, Azerbaijan joined the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) in 1991.

Since then, Azerbaijan has actively promoted the preservation of its Islamic cultural heritage.

The country successfully collaborates closely with various organisations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Conference of Parliamentary Union, and the Islamic Conference of Youth Forum.

Moreover, Shusha city has been designated as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2024.

Initiated in 2012, the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation focuses on the preservation of the Turkic heritage in member countries as well as conducting projects in collaboration with partners in third nations.

The foundation provides assistance in the protection, study, and promotion of Turkic culture and heritage through supporting and funding various activities, projects, and programs.

The organization carries out its activities in cooperation with TURKSOY and the Turkic Academy.
President Joe Biden speaks during his presidential debate against former President Donald Trump on Thursday in Atlanta. Speakers at the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club annual Pride Breakfast in San Francisco urged the party to remain firmly behind the president despite his poor debate performance. Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff started his speech at Sundays Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club annual Pride Breakfast in San Francisco by addressing what was on many minds in a room filled with 600 top elected leaders and activists from around California: President Joe Bidens disastrous debate performance Thursday that has some Democrats calling for him to withdraw his nomination.

Let me just start with this: We are going to win this election, Emhoff said as the crowd roared during the annual prelude to the SF Pride Parade. Donald Trump is still unfit to ever return to the White House.

Nothing has changed, Emhoff said. This is a binary election, which means you just have one or the other.

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On one side, Emhoff said, is Trump who was a terrible president  incompetent, chaotic, anti-democratic, anti-freedom. During COVID, his incompetence killed hundreds of thousands of our friends and neighbors.

On the other side, Emhoff said, you have Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who took over the mess that Donald Trump created.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff, shown at a March event, urged participants at he Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club's annual Pride Breakfast in San Francisco to support the president. Getty Images

Several speakers at Sundays event  which, as always drew top elected leaders from around California and the nation  briefly mentioned Bidens debate performance but urged Democrats to remain solidly behind him.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said that while Thursdays debate wasnt a good night, she wanted Emhoff to carry back the message that San Francisco and California are for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

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Pennsylvania Rep. Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, the first openly gay person to serve in the states General Assembly, said at this critical moment for Democrats, we don't need anybody sitting in the peanut gallery judging. Instead, whats needed in his moment is folks who care enough to do something about it.

Based on what you do, you can wake up (in November) with a president who gives a damn about you or you could wake up with the president who's gonna do everything in his power to make life miserable for LGBTQ people,

State Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco said it is important for Democrats to focus on Project 2025, a plan written by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank that is intended to be a road map for Trumps second term. The pro-LGBTQ organization GLAAD said it calls for eliminating protections for LGBTQ people.

All of this stuff that's been happening in other states  laws trying to literally make our community disappear, push people back into the closet, denied health care, ban Pride  that's just the dry run because they're going to take this national, Wiener said.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed, shown during the SF Pride Parade, earlier urged support for the president during a Democratic gathering. Ethan Swope/Associated Press

In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed said, we need to roll up our sleeves to travel, to raise money, to do whatever it takes to make sure that Biden and Harris are elected so that we save democracy.

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After Joe Biden's horrendous debate performance, current and former aides are saying the quiet part out loud and revealing what the President is like behind the scenes.

The White House and campaign blame a 'cold' for Biden's low and, at times, hard-to-understand speaking voice. Others say this is what the President is like on a day-to-day basis now.

Former White House deputy director of photography Chandler West wrote in an Instagram story: 'It's time for Joe to go.'

'I know many of these people and how the White House operates,' West added. 'They will say he has a 'cold' or just experienced a 'bad night,' but for weeks and months, in private, they have all said what we saw last night  Joe is not as strong as he was just a couple of years ago.'

Biden's campaign tried to brush-off the issue and claimed the car crash performance was merely a 'slow start.'

Current and former staffers say closest aides shielded President Joe Biden from those in and outside the White House since he took office  especially when it came to anything related to his health

Former White House deputy director of photography Chandler West (pictured with Biden) wrote in an Instagram story 'it's time for Joe to go'

Vice President Kamala Harris was pressed in a tense post-debate interview on what Biden is like every day.

'The person we saw tonight, the president we saw tonight on that stage: Is that how he is every day?' CNN host Anderson Cooper asked Harris.

'The Joe Biden that I work with every day is someone who, as I have said, has performed in a way that has been about bringing people into the Oval Office, Republicans and Democrats, to compromise in a way that is extraordinary these days, because it just doesn't happen, but Joe Biden can make it happen,' she replied, completely avoiding the essence of the question.

West, who was in his position at the White House from January 2021 to May 2022, told Axios: 'The debate was not the first bad day, and it's not gonna be the last.'

Reporters have complained for years about access to the president and claim wranglers are working to keep him with as little off-script time with the press as possible.

Speculation is swirling that those closest to the President, mainly First Lady Jill Biden, were shielding him since he took office  especially after his limitations were on full display at the debate on Thursday night.

Vice President Kamala Harrison dodged when CNN pressed her on what Biden is like every day after his disastrous debate performance. Pictured: Harris on the campaign trail in New York on June 21, 2024

A former White House residence official told Axios Jill was 'so protective of the president' and the first lady's top aide Anthony Bernal 'just protects her, and they often wouldn't let us do anything for them.'

'The separation between the family and the residence staff was so big, so divided,' the former official added. 'It's not supposed to be and usually isn't, even in the Trump White House.'

Since the first few months in office, residence staff felt that Biden's closest allies were trying to keep anything about his health on the down low.

For example, during a very hot independence day celebration on the South Lawn on July 4, 2021, Biden went back into the White House where the door was abruptly shut behind him so butlers and other residence staff were blocked from aiding the President.

Aides suggested Biden was overheated, but it raised suspicion among staff and a consensus that they were creating a barrier around health-related issues.

Campaign leaders, including DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison (left) and campaign chair Julie Chavez Rodriguez, are defending Biden and urging party members to fall in line with backing him after the debate

A poll released Sunday reveals 72 percent of voters don't think Biden has the cognitive faculties for another term in office. This is a seven percent increase from the same poll taken earlier in June before the debate.

Former White House physician Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) has repeatedly brought Biden's cognitive and physical health into question.

He suggested that debate prep for seven days at Camp David was a way to get the drug cocktail just right before the showdown with Trump.
Pro-Independence Reform UK candidates are helping Nationalist MPs win seats, the Conservatives have warned, as a poll shows one in five Scots will vote tactically to keep rivals out.

The Tories, who are facing tight battles to keep their six seats across Scotland, repeated their warning that Nigel Farages Westminster hopefuls actually want to help the SNP.

It follows reports that a number of Reform candidates have a history of turning against the Union. Polling expert Sir John Curtice has also said the popularity of Reform is a big threat to Conservative hopes of retaining their six seats in Scotland.

Polling from Norstat for the Sunday Times found the partys popularity increased by one point to 8 per cent in Scotland, while support for the Tories dropped by one point to 13 per cent. However, it found that pro-Union voters were more likely to choose whichever party would keep out the SNP.

Scottish Conservative party chairman Craig Hoy said: The Scottish Conservatives are ready to defeat the SNP in key seats up and down Scotland where its a straight fight between us and the Nationalists.

Nigel Farage has made no secret of the fact he wishes to damage the Conservatives' standing during the election campaign

If everyone who wants to beat the SNP votes for the Scottish Conservatives, we can do it and finally end their demands for independence.

But the result will be so close in many seats. Even a few votes for Reform could elect an SNP MP by the back door.

We know several Reform candidates are pro-independence, so it may well be that helping the SNP is what they really want.

He added: On Thursday, in key seats, vote Scottish Conservative to guarantee the best possible chance of beating the SNP.

Throughout the campaign, it has emerged that a number of Reform candidates have backed independence. Richard Tice, the partys chairman who visited Scotland last week, said he is unaware of how many of his party back the SNPs cause.

Gordon and Buchan candidate, Kris Callander, and Dundee Central contender, Vicky McCann, supported the SNPs independence campaign.

Reforms deputy chairman, David Kirkwood, who is standing in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, also backed them.

Professor Curtice said that small moves towards anti-Tory tactical voting could prove fatal to the partys hopes of maintaining its Scottish representation. However, the poll results suggest 49 per cent of those who plan to vote tactically are doing so to defeat the SNP; the rest, around 39 per cent, are doing so in an effort to unseat the Conservatives.

Former Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May, who campaigned in Perth on Saturday, said: The doorsteps Ive been on, both in England and so far in Scotland, dont suggest the degree of support for Reform that the opinion polls suggest. Reform is not a conservative party.

Mr Tice, who stepped aside from Reforms leadership to let Mr Farage take the top post, has said the whole point of democracy is the voters have a choice, while also stating the SNP is done with independence.

Mr Callander said in an interview he had not always been a hardline Unionist, while Ms McCann branded the 2014 ballot corrupt.

Gordon and Buchan is among the tightest of seats between the SNP and the Tories, with Tory MSP for the North East, Douglas Lumsden, warning that a handful of votes could make the difference.
The election is three days away but we already know the result. Labour, with a thumping great majority.

The Conservatives will suffer on two main fronts, with a chunk of their 2019 voters switching to Labour and another chunk going Reform. (A third chunk, I suspect, will simply stay home.)

The scale of defeat forecast points to a long sojourn in opposition, as the Tories attempt to rebuild their shattered electoral coalition. We might be talking decades rather than years.

Hell slap it into them, many will say. Look at the state of things after 14 years. They couldnt run a bus to Blackpool let alone a country.

Traditional Tory supporters are livid. Unprecedented levels of immigration, legal and illegal. Identity politics run amok in almost every institution and public body. A toxic cocktail of low growth, high taxes and big spending.

First Minister John Swinney has said that if his party wins a majority of Scottish seats he will resume his campaign for a second referendum

Many lifelong Conservatives are eager to punish their party at the ballot box. They have been let down badly. They have every right to feel angry. And make no mistake: the Conservatives are going to pay the price on Thursday.

Consequences

But punishing the Tories in England and punishing them in Scotland have very different consequences. The former gets Labour candidates elected, the latter helps Nationalist MPs cling on.

Thats the case in those constituencies where its a straight choice between the Tories and the SNP. Lend your vote to Reform and your Nationalist MP or candidate will be the beneficiary.

I say this not out of any fondness for the Tories but because it is the inescapable truth. There are five seats with a notional Tory majority under 5,000 and the SNP in second place and four seats where the inverse is the case.

The notionally Tory seats are Aberdeenshire North and Moray East; Dumfries and Galloway; Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale; Gordon and Buchan; and West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine.

The notionally SNP seats are Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber; Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock; Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey; and Perth and Kinross-shire.

In each of these constituencies, the only way to beat the SNP is to vote for the Conservative candidate. That might sound unfair to long-time Tories who wish to cast a protest vote for Reform but first past the post has never been a voting system known for its fairness.

Where its close between the Nationalists and the Conservatives, theres no avoiding the electoral reality: vote Reform, get SNP.

Take the seat of Perth and Kinross-shire. Before the boundary changes, it was called Perth and North Perthshire and the SNPs Pete Wishart held it in 2019 with a majority of 7,550. But under the new boundaries, Wisharts notional majority is slashed to 2,364, making him vulnerable to a strong Tory candidate.

The Tories, in a rare outbreak of good sense, have put up a strong candidate in the form of Luke Graham, previously head of the Downing Street Union Unit tasked with taking on the Nationalists. He has a solid record when it comes to taking seats from them, too. In 2017, he overturned an SNP majority of 10,000 to oust Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh.

But he cant unseat Wishart if Tories in Perth and Kinross-shire vote for the Reform candidate. Imagine being the Unionist voter who helps Pete Wishart hold on to his seat.

Candid

It is for every voter to make up their own mind, but it is vital to remember the context in which they must make that decision. John Swinney has been entirely candid: if the SNP wins a majority of Scottish seats he will resume the campaign for a second independence referendum. A majority is 29 seats. Every seat that stays or goes Nationalist gets him closer to that threshold.

For their part, the Scottish Conservatives have placed opposition to independence at the heart of their manifesto. That reflects the constitutional stance of a majority of people in Scotland but if the Tories are wiped out because of Reform, Swinney will say Scotland has rejected the anti-independence message.

Presented with a defence of the Union, all 57 Scottish constituencies voted for a different platform. It would be humbug but if theres one thing the SNP excels at, its spin. And what a relief it would be to Swinney if Reform voters help the SNP hang on to more seats than expected. The First Ministers coat will be on a shoogly peg if the Nationalists sustain very heavy losses. Another leadership election would plunge them into crisis. But they wont have to worry if Conservatives swoop in to save them by putting their X next to Reform.

Picture it: Thursday night, BBC One, 10pm. Big Ben begins chiming and the exit poll flashes on screen. A whacking great majority for Labour, but then something else catches your eye. The SNPs seat total. Its higher than the polls forecast, and by a good margin. Every Tory seat in Scotland has gone yellow and in those where the SNP was vulnerable the incumbent Nationalist has clung on.

Victorious

Its still not a happy night for Swinneys party. Theyve been routed by Labour across the Central Belt, but have defied the direst predictions to come a respectable second. Then the declarations pour in and, in one SNP-Tory marginal after another, you watch a victorious Nationalist punch the air as the vote tallies are read out. In each, the Conservative candidate came achingly close but the Reform vote was too big  bigger than the SNPs majority.

It hits you like a punch in the gut. You voted Reform to send the Tories a message. You didnt mean to help the SNP. You dont have long to process these thoughts before the camera cuts to your Nationalist MP and soon hes saying that his constituents have voted to restart negotiations for indyref2. No one could dispute that: after all, it was page one, line one, of the SNP manifesto.

As you watch, you become increasingly glum. Its that look on your MPs face, relief giving way to smug triumphalism. He only survived because disaffected Tories went over to Reform. And now he and his colleagues are going to spend another five years banging on about referendums, mandates and rejoining the EU.

You reach for the remote but before you can hit the off button, you hear a pundit remark on the irony of the Scotland results: the SNP was heading for a wipeout until Unionist voters stepped in and rescued them.

If that happens on Thursday night, it will go down in Nationalist lore. It was the election in which independence was on the brink of irrelevance for a generation  a real generation, this time  but Unionists kept the SNPs dream alive. And they did it by voting Reform.
Disaffected Tory voters risk 'locking in a Labour government for a generation' unless they act to prevent a Starmer supermajority, Rishi Sunak will warn on Monday.

The Prime Minister will kick off a final frantic week of campaigning with a direct appeal to 'frustrated' former Tory supporters considering a protest vote on Thursday.

It came after Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden warned 'the bigger the Labour majority, the bigger the buyers' remorse', as he told voters frustrated with the Tory record: 'Don't think about the anger just now.'

In a speech on Monday, Mr Sunak will say voters have 'four days to save Britain from a Labour government which would hike taxes by more than 2,000 for every working family, would shunt our politics to the Left and change the rules to ensure that they can stay in power for decades'.

The Prime Minister will kick off a final frantic week of campaigning with a direct appeal to 'frustrated' former Tory supporters considering a protest vote on Thursday

Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer during a rally at the Royal Horticultural Halls in central London on June 29

He will warn that if Labour gains a supermajority, the party will 'set about entrenching themselves in power' by changing the electoral system, starting with lowering the voting age to 16.

And he will caution that an 'unchecked' Labour government would be 'a disaster from which it would take decades to recover'.

Opinion polls show growing public concern about the prospect of a landslide Labour victory.

But Tory strategists fear many disaffected Conservative voters consider the outcome is a foregone conclusion and may stay at home or cast a protest vote for Reform, making a victory for Sir Keir Starmer even more likely.

Mr Sunak will acknowledge the 'frustration' felt by voters over a Tory administration knocked off course by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and party infighting.

But he will warn that failure to back the Conservatives could mean surrendering their voice 'for a generation'.

And he will caution that an 'unchecked' Labour government would be 'a disaster from which it would take decades to recover'

But Tory strategists fear many disaffected Conservative voters consider the outcome is a foregone conclusion and may stay at home or cast a protest vote for Reform, making a victory for Sir Keir Starmer even more likely

'This coming week everyone has a big choice to make  and it's a choice not just about how you feel now but what you want the future be,' he will say. 'Do you want your taxes cut or taxes raised? Your pensions protected or pensions raided? Lower immigration or higher immigration? A more secure Britain with more defence spending or lower defence spending?

'You have a voice in this election, don't surrender your voice.'

The latest election mega-poll yesterday predicted that divisions on the Right could hand Sir Keir the biggest majority in British history with a smaller share of the vote than was achieved by Jeremy Corbyn when he lost the 2017 election.

The J L Partners poll predicted that Labour would win 450 seats with just 38 per cent of the vote, while the Conservatives would be reduced to a rump of only 105 seats with 22 per cent of the vote. Reform could get 17 per cent of the vote, but end up with only two seats.

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However the poll also showed there are 77 marginal constituencies where the Tories are in second place, meaning that even a small shift in public sentiment could prevent them suffering total wipeout. As the final days of campaigning got under way:

Mr Sunak said it was 'clear' that the Kremlin wants him to lose the election, as the Cabinet Office prepared to probe claims that Russia is trying to boost support for Reform;

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron branded Sir Keir 'hopelessly naive' as he condemned Labour's failure to match Tory plans to boost defence spending;

Labour vowed to loosen controls on Britain's green belt within days of taking office in order to boost housebuilding;

The party's health spokesman, Wes Streeting, indicated he would throw money at striking junior doctors, saying that 'movement on pay' was essential to resolving the long-running dispute;

Mr Sunak claimed that Labour's plans to cut a new deal with the EU would 'reverse Brexit' and lead to restoration of 'some form of free movement';

Half of Labour's 2019 voters said they were in favour of the Conservatives' plan to protect single-sex services;

Sir Keir said Labour would 'relight the fire' of optimism. The main party leaders will spend the next few days criss-crossing the country in a final appeal for votes.

Mr Sunak yesterday insisted he could still win, despite failing to dent Labour's lead during a six-week campaign, but many Tory strategists are now focused on ensuring that the Conservative Party remains a viable fighting force at Westminster.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, tipped as a future Tory leader, suggested that the party will need to move to the Right after the election to win back supporters who have defected to Reform.

The latest election mega-poll yesterday predicted that divisions on the Right could hand Sir Keir the biggest majority in British history with a smaller share of the vote than was achieved by Jeremy Corbyn when he lost the 2017 election

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, tipped as a future Tory leader, suggested that the party will need to move to the Right after the election to win back supporters who have defected to Reform

But she appealed to disaffected voters to return to the Conservative fold this week to prevent Sir Keir winning unchecked power.

In his speech today, Mr Sunak will focus on the risk that Labour could 'set about entrenching themselves in power' if they win by a landslide.

'Once you have handed Keir Starmer and Labour a blank cheque, you won't be able to get it back,' he will say. 'They will rewrite the rules to make it easier for them to stay in office and harder for anyone to replace them.'

The PM will criticise Labour's plans to give 16-year-olds the vote 'not because they think they are adults, but because they think they will vote for them'.

And he will warn that Sir Keir could revive a previous pledge to give EU citizens the vote and introduce 'a whole new voting system designed to allow politicians to stitch things up behind closed doors and shut you out'.

He will add: 'Don't let them do that. Don't take that risk. Don't surrender to Labour.'

Mr Sunak also defended the Conservatives' record in government against what he described as a 'declinist narrative'. 'It's entirely wrong, this kind of declinist narrative that people have of the UK I wholeheartedly reject,' he told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.

In his speech today, Mr Sunak will focus on the risk that Labour could 'set about entrenching themselves in power' if they win by a landslide

'It [the UK] is a better place to live than it was in 2010.'

Asked whether he thought he would still be in Downing Street after the Election, Mr Sunak said: 'Yes. I'm fighting very hard and I think people are waking up to the real danger of what a Labour government means.'

Meanwhile, Sir Keir spent much of yesterday finalising his plans for Labour's first days in power.

The Labour leader vowed to 'hit the ground running' if his party returns to power for the first time in 14 years.

Parliament's summer recess will be delayed by a fortnight to give Labour time to relax planning rules and launch a council-led review of the green belt.

He is also planning to appoint dozens of new peers to prevent the House of Lords blocking Labour's agenda.
Sir Keir Starmer took a day off campaigning today as he looks almost certain to enter No 10 on Friday.

He plans to 'hit the ground running' as soon as he is elected with a policy blitz and a budget to kick off a 'decade of national renewal'.

Here's a look at what he's planning for his first 100 days.

DAY ONE

If the polls are proved right, he will head to Buckingham Palace on Friday morning where the King will ask him to form a government. He will then head to Downing Street as Prime Minister, where he will deliver a speech outside No 10. Insiders say he will aim to reassure voters that Labour will be 'on the side of working people'.

Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) speaks at a campaign event on June 29 - a day before he took a break

Starmer hugs his wife Victoria - who he may enter 10 Downing Street with next week

Once he is behind the famous black door, Sir Keir will appoint his top team of ministers  but there will be 'limited changes' compared to his shadow cabinet. The King's Speech will be set for July 17.

THE FIRST FORTNIGHT

MPs will return to the Commons on July 9 to be sworn in. The parliamentary recess will be delayed until July 31, with MPs set to return to Westminster on September 2.

Meanwhile, Labour will begin appointing dozens of peers  with a number of business figures such as Dame Sharon White, outgoing chair of John Lewis, tipped to join the red benches to serve as ministers.

Dame Sharon White, outgoing chair of John Lewis, is tipped to join the House of Lords

Sir Keir's first major event on the world stage will come on July 9, at a summit celebrating Nato's 75th anniversary in Washington DC. The following week, he will host a summit of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

SUMMER POLICY BLITZ

Over the coming weeks, Sir Keir will launch a policy blitz. Rachel Reeves' Treasury team will begin preparations for a Budget in September. Wes Streeting, set to become health secretary, will try to end junior doctors' pay dispute. And Angela Rayner, who is expected to become housing secretary, will announce plans to boost housebuilding  including a review of green belt land. Her radical plans to reform workers' rights are also expected to be introduced.

Wes Streeting (left) is set to become Starmer's health secretary

Ms Reeves' fiscal rules will be put into law, with a pledge to include a bill which requires the Office for Budget Responsibility to provide forecasts for budgets.

There will also be a resurrected version of Rishi Sunak's plan to ban young people from ever smoking, and mental health care reform.

Sir Keir has promised to bring in Martyn's Law to help protect venues against terror attacks. Other bills will deal with renationalising the railways, establishing a publicly-owned energy company, anti-social behaviour and reforms for renters.

But Labour will also wield the axe to some Tory policies  including the Rwanda plan, which will be gone 'on day one'.

BUDGET

Rachel Reeves' first major test will come when she delivers an autumn statement in mid-September. She has promised to give an 'initial injection of cash' into public services, but with tight public finances, it may prove tricky.

Ms Reeves has ruled out hiking national insurance, income tax or VAT  but has insisted there is 'nothing in our plans that requires further tax rises'.

Rachel Reeves (left in the pale blue suit) has ruled out hiking national insurance, income tax or VAT

Among the revenue raising measures expected in the first budget, however, is the controversial planned tax raid on private schools  charging them 20 per cent VAT and scrapping the 80 per cent relief they receive on business rates.

DAMAGE CONTROL

Labour will seek to uncover any urgent issues in need of attention to avoid an immediate political crisis over the summer. The party has already drawn up a list of 'black swans'  possible problem areas.

Chief among them are overcrowded prisons, with fears some jails may be unable to accept new prisoners within weeks. Industrial action could also waylay Labour's plans in other areas, such as healthcare.

And the party could face difficult decisions over how to respond to pay review recommendations for millions of public sector workers.
Even Labour voters are not won over by the partys stance on sex and gender, a poll suggests.

Almost half of the partys 2019 voters said they are in favour of the Conservatives plan to protect single-sex services.

Some 48 per cent said they agreed with Rishi Sunaks plan to amend the Equality Act, making it clear that sex means biological sex rather than gender identity.

By contrast only one in three supporters of Sir Keir Starmers party (35 per cent) back its plan to make it easier for transgender people to change sex legally.

Four in ten (40 per cent) of the partys voters oppose the policy to simplify the process of obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).

Even Labour voters are not won over by the partys stance on sex and gender, a poll suggests

Almost half of the partys 2019 voters said they are in favour of the Conservatives plan to protect single-sex services

The survey of 2,146 adults in Britain by PeoplePolling comes just a day after a different poll found two-thirds of Labour voters (65 per cent) agreed with the statement a woman cannot have a penis while only 13 per cent disagreed.

Last night Maya Forstater, of womens rights charity Sex Matters which commissioned the latest poll, said: This election campaign has proved that womens sex-based rights can no longer be dismissed as a fringe issue. If parties putting themselves forward for government want to represent the mainstream, they should take serious note of the overwhelming support for sex-based rights across the political spectrum.

It follows a torrid week for Labour on the contentious issue.

First JK Rowling accused the party of abandoning women then Sir Keir was forced to deny his plan to simplify the GRC system amounted to introducing gender self-ID by the back door.

He disagreed with his education spokesman Bridget Phillipson when she suggested children could be taught about gender ideology under Labour.

In last weeks head-to-head TV debate, Sir Keir said it was very important that we protect womens spaces but insisted this is already set out in the Equality Act. It prompted Ms Rowling to claim he believes men can also be women.

Sir Keir was then accused by a radio caller of speaking absolute twaddle and not listening to women who do not want to share spaces with men.

And in a TV interview he would not say if he thought a transgender woman should use the ladies or gentlemens toilets, saying only: I do want to ensure that whatever the facility, it is a safe and secure place for women.

He also had to distance himself from long-serving Labour MP Dawn Butler after she said she agreed with David Tennant that equalities minister Kemi Badenoch should shut up.
Rishi Sunak has warned that Vladimir Putin wants the Tories to lose the General Election because Labour will weaken the UK's defences.

The Prime Minister accused Sir Keir Starmer of planning to cut UK defence spending 'on day one' which he said would 'embolden our enemies'.

In a stark warning, he suggested electing any other party than the Tories would amount to appeasing the aggression of the Russian leader.

There are claims that Russian-inspired bots might be posting on social media to interfere with the election and boost support for Nigel Farage's Reform party.

'Russia does not want us to be reelected,' Mr Sunak said as he pointed to the Tories' record on standing up for Ukraine.

Rishi Sunak (pictured) issued a stark warning suggesting electing any other party than the Tories would appease the aggression of Russia

Russian leader Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony in Moscow on June 22

'Putin would like nothing more than for Britain to step back, to appease his aggression rather than face it down, and that is what will happen with another party in power.

'Nigel Farage has talked of appeasing Russia, which will only play into Putin's hands, and Labour will cut UK defence spending on day one.

'This will embolden our enemies and send a signal to our allies that Britain is not with them any more.'

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps warned in the Sun on Sunday yesterday that Labour cannot be trusted with the UK's nuclear button and would 'shred' Britain's military capability. He highlighted the fact that frontbenchers including deputy leader Angela Rayner and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy had voted against renewing Trident.

He also highlighted the fact that Sir Keir Starmer has not matched Mr Sunak's pledge to increase defence funding to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030 and claimed he would cut it. Sir Keir said that the party had brought in a nuclear triple lock and denied that Labour was weak on defence.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said that Sir Keir was 'hopelessly naive' about dangers around the world and would undermine Britain's security if he does not increase defence spending.

Mr Sunak's intervention came after his deputy, Oliver Dowden, said he had 'grave concerns' about reports that the Russians are trying to boost support for Reform.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that it had uncovered a suspected pro-Nigel Farage Russian influence operation, the Sunday Times revealed.

The channel linked five Facebook pages describing Mr Farage as the 'people's champion' and referencing white supremacist conspiracy theories. There is no suggestion that Reform was aware of this. Mr Farage called the claims 'cobblers'.

Mr Dowden told the newspaper: 'Theses revelations reveal the real risk our democracy faces in this uncertain world. Malign foreign actors promoting British political parties, policies and views that fit their agenda is just another example of the challenges in the increasingly volatile cyberspace of the 21st century  and is gravely concerning to see during an election campaign.'

The Prime Minister accused Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) of planning to cut UK defence spending 'on day one'

Tory Party chairman Richard Holden has written to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and the national security adviser Tim Barrow calling for an investigation.

A Labour spokesman said: 'Labour has stood with Kyiv since day one  backing every single UK military aid package. If we form the next government the UK's military, financial, political and diplomatic support for Ukraine will remain steadfast.

'The PM should consider what signal the Conservatives' shameful record on defence has sent our adversaries . . . Labour will make Britain better defended. We will set out a clear path to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence.'
Sunrise host Natalie Barr has confronted Barnaby Joyce over quitting alcohol after footage of him lying on a footpath following too many drinks went viral.

It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed video of Mr Joyce, 57, sprawled on the footpath at Lonsdale Street, in the Canberra suburb of Braddon, on a Wednesday night in February at 11.26pm.

On Monday, Barr asked Joyce about his no-alcohol resolution since that infamous night.

'I literally woke up the next morning and said, that'll do. I've given up the smokes, and I've given up alcohol,' Joyce said.

'It was my choice, nobody elses. I thought that it was a disgrace, and I can't do that again.'

Joyce said he had lost 15kg and felt mentally 'sharper' than ever since giving up alcohol but admitted life was 'boring' since he stopped drinking.

'Life is boring, having to talk to people at functions. Do you know the rubbish they prattle on about? It's incredible,' Joyce said.

Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr (left) questioned Barnaby Joyce (right) on his decision to quit alcohol and asked whether he would return to drinking after admitting life was 'boring' without it

'If you want to have a drink, that is absolutely and utterly your choice.

'Ive made a choice. Whether its for life or for as long as it goes, I dont know. It didnt worry me, I just woke up and stopped.'

Mr Joyce said last week from his Parliament House office that he and Ms Campion no longer have any alcohol at home and he has not touched a drop since that infamous night.

'I disgraced myself and I just woke up the next morning and said 'that'll do', so I didn't have another drink.'

His National Party MP colleagues said they have noticed a difference in his behaviour since he returned to Parliament after Coalition leaders David Littleproud and Peter Dutton ordered him to take a break.

He claimed during his time off he 'went fencing', did manual farm work, lost 15kg and was 'sharper' than ever.

Mr Joyce also revealed he was told by someone who closely inspected the footage that his phone was upside down and Ms Campion might have likely not heard what he was saying.

In the video, Joyce could be seen lying on the pavement with his legs up and his jacket splayed.

He was sporting the same blue and white tie worn during Question Time in Parliament House earlier that day.

Ms Campion said her husband was not referring to her when he called someone a 'dead f***ing c**t' during the phone call.

'I think he was calling himself one, he likes to self flagellate,' she said.

Mr Joyce said he decided to stop drinking alcohol after he was filmed rolling around on the ground muttering profanities into his phone on a Wednesday night in February (pictured)

At the time Joyce described the scene as 'very embarrassing' in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

'I was walking back to my accommodation after Parliament rose at 10pm,' he said.

'While on the phone I sat on the edge of a plant box, fell over, kept talking on the phone, and very animatedly was referring to myself for having fallen over.

'I got up and walked home.'

The couple has also this year sold their Braddon apartment that belonged to Ms Campion and Mr Joyce sold his family home in Tamworth for $1.1million.

The pair were married in a bush bash-style wedding at his property in Woolbrook, in the NSW Northern Tablelands, in November 2023.
This is the moment former Prime Minister Theresa May left a jolly Ring doorbell message while out canvassing - just days after David Cameron was caught doing the same thing.

The outgoing Tory backbencher for Maidenhead was spotted politely encouraging residents living on a quiet street in Perth to vote for hopeful Tory candidate Luke Graham.

As Brits gear up to visit polling stations this week, the former leader of the Conservatives left a polite and brief message as the party ramps up its campaigning in Scotland.

As the former PM knocked the door at around 4pm yesterday, a neighbour can be seen shouting over 'nice to see you Theresa' before Mrs May replied 'nice to see you too - even nicer if you vote for Luke Graham'.

The politician then went on to leave a message on the households doorbell where she said: 'Hello, my name is Theresa May and I am here supporting Luke Graham, the Conservative candidate for the general election on the fourth of July.

Prime Minister Theresa May left a jolly Ring doorbell message while out canvassing shocking residents

The outgoing Tory backbencher for Maidenhead was spotted politely encouraging residents living on a quiet street in Perth to vote hopeful Tory candidate Luke Graham

'As you're not in I'll pop a leaflet through your door.'

Mrs May's canvassing efforts were applauded online - with some saying it showed British democracy at its finest.

Labour councillor for Dudley Adam Aston said: 'Say what you like about Britain and its politics but there aint many western democracies where youd get a former Prime Minister leaving a lovely little message on your ring doorbell.'

Another on social media wrote: 'Only in the UK does an ex-PM knock on your door! Love it.' Someone else added 'love this' while a third said 'she's so precious'.

Earlier this month a family was left stunned when Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron appeared on their door cam in Eastleigh, Hampshire, similarly leaving a short, polite message and a leaflet when he found there was no one home.

'Hi, it's David Cameron. I was calling because of the election on July 4,' he said.

'I'm here with Paul Holmes, your local MP, who's keen to win your support on July 4 and we'll be leaving one of these in your door. Thanks very much, have a good day.'

Holly Alison, 19, posted the footage with the comment: 'Wasn't expecting that.'

In a on TikTok Lord Cameron, the former PM, was shown rocking up to a suburban home. He then left a characteristically polite message and a leaflet when he found there was no one home.

In March Ms May became one of 75 Conservative MPs who decided to stand down ahead of the general election.

The former PM said she was taking the 'difficult decision' to step down so she can focus on campaigning on modern slavery and human trafficking.

The 67-year-old, who led the Tories through three years of torrid Brexit infighting in the wake of the EU referendum, said she would 'no longer be able to do her job as an MP the way she believe is right' for her constituents.

In a statement to the Maidenhead Advertiser, Mrs May said: 'It has been an honour and a privilege to serve everyone in the Maidenhead constituency as the Member of Parliament for the last 27 years.

'Being an MP is about service to one's constituents and I have always done my best to ensure that I respond to the needs of local people and the local area.

'Since stepping down as Prime Minister I have enjoyed being a backbencher again and having more time to work for my constituents and champion causes close to my heart including most recently launching a Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.

Theresa May pictured outside Downing Street with her husband Philip in 2019

Mrs May tearfully quit as PM in 2019 after three years of bitter Tory infighting on Brexit

'These causes have been taking an increasing amount of my time.

'Because of this, after much careful thought and consideration, I have realised that, looking ahead, I would no longer be able t o do my job as an MP in the way I believe is right and my constituents deserve.

'I have therefore taken the difficult decision to stand down at the next General Election.'

Mrs May served as home secretary under Lord Cameron between 2010 and 2016 before succeeding him as PM.

She arrived in Downing Street in July 2016 on a wave of enthusiasm and was responsible for negotiating a Brexit deal with the European Union.

She triggered Article 50 on March 29, 2017 promising to take Britain out of the EU in two years.

Mrs May marked her arrival with an impassioned promise on the steps of Number 10 to tackle the 'burning injustices' which hold back the poor, ethnic minorities, women and the working classes in modern British society.

But a gamble snap election in June 2017 cost her any majority and her entire premiership was dominated by tortuous negotiations in Brussels and vicious infighting within her own party over the terms on which the UK would leave.

The 2017 result saw the Tory majority wiped out while a visibly distraught Mrs May had to turn to the DUP to prop her up in Parliament, promising 1billion in extra Government funds for Northern Ireland.

Mrs May said it was 'the honour of her life' to serve as prime minister (Pictured in March 2019)

Theresa May was responsible for negotiating a Brexit deal with the European Union (Pictured in September last year)

That December she attempted to salvage the Brexit deal by finalising a Withdrawal Agreement with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

However, the 2017 agreement introduced the controversial 'backstop' customs arrangements for Northern Ireland which were to be fiercely opposed by the DUP and hardline Tory Brexiteers in the European Research Group.

Eventually, opposition to her proposed Brexit deal saw Conservative MPs hold a confidence vote in her leadership, and although she survived her authority was diminished and she announced her resignation five months later in May 2019.

Speaking during her leaving speech at the time, she said: 'I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold.

'The second female prime minister, but certainly not the last. I do so with no ill will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love.'
North Korea has fired an unidentified ballistic missile east, days after testing a vicious new multiple-warhead bomb.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul, South Korea gave no further details about the launch, saying an analysis was under way, news agency Yonhap said.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not offer immediate confirmation of the launch.

The launch comes several days after North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a multiple warhead missile, but the South said that Wednesday's launch ended in a mid-air explosion.

Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, with Pyongyang ramping up weapons testing while bombarding the South with balloons full of trash.

The North says those missives are in retaliation to balloons loaded with anti-regime propaganda leaflets sent northwards by activists in the South.

File photo. The launch of a missile in North Korea on June 26, 2024

North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un attends a meeting in the capital on June 28

Monday's launch was the North's first weapons firing in five days.

Last Wednesday, North Korea launched what it called a multiwarhead missile in the first known launch of a developmental, advanced weapon meant to defeat U.S. and South Korean missile defenses.

North Korea said the launch was successful, but South Korea dismissed the North's claim as deception to cover up a failed launch.

On Sunday, North Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a lengthy statement strongly denouncing the U.S., South Korea and Japan over military drills and warning of an impending 'overwhelming response'.

The 'Freedom Edge' drill drew a U.S. aircraft carrier and destroyers, fighter jets and helicopters from the three countries, and the three countries practiced missile defense, anti-submarine and maritime interdiction drills.

North Korea called the drill an Asian version of NATO that revealed a U.S. intention to escalate regional military tensions, exert pressure on Russia and lay siege to China.

The North's Foreign Ministry said it will 'firmly defend the sovereignty, security and interests of the state and peace in the region through offensive and overwhelming countermeasures.'

Seoul's defence ministry said in a statement that the 'Freedom Edge' exercise was in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile program while dismissing Pyongyang's criticism.

South Korea said it would review the possibility of supplying arms directly to Ukraine, in protest against a recent mutual defence pact signed between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

South Korea and the United States have accused the North of supplying weapons to Russia that are being used in the Ukraine war.

Both Russia and North Korea deny any such transactions.

North Korea's ruling party held a meeting over Friday and Saturday presided by Kim, who on the second day addressed 'deviations' hampering economic development and laid out the focus for the second half of the year, state media said.

North Korea has long condemned joint drills between the United States and South Korea as a rehearsal for invasion and proof of hostile policies by Washington and Seoul.

Last year, the U.S., South Korea and Japan staged joint naval missile defence and anti-submarine exercises to improve responses to North Korean threats.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for parts of the North Bay, East Bay, Sacramento Valley, Lake County and Solano County, which goes into effect at 11 p.m. Monday. Hot, dry and windy conditions will contribute to favorable conditions for rapid fire spread. National Weather Service

Ahead of an anticipated extreme, lengthy heat wave, officials are warning of high fire danger across California for the holiday week.

With hot, dry and windy conditions in the forecast, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for parts of the Sacramento Valley, Lake County and Solano County. The warning includes Vacaville, Clearlake, Yuba City, Chico, Red Bluff and Redding from 11 p.m. Monday to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Red flag warnings are issued when weather conditions may result in extreme burning conditions, according to the weather service.

Daytime temperatures in the 100s, relative humidity values of 5% to 15% and northerly gusts up to 30 mph will contribute to the high fire danger. Temperatures at night are expected to remain in the 70s, and relative humidity values between 15% and 25% will keep the fire risk elevated at night.

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A separate red flag warning was issued for parts of the Bay Area and will go into effect at 11 p.m. Monday. The warning includes the East Bay hills, Marin coastal range, North Bay interior mountains and Sonoma coastal range. Gusts of 30 to 40 mph are possible across ridgetops, with relative humidity as low as 14% and temperatures as high as 104 degrees. On Monday evening the weather service expanded the red flag warning to include the Santa Cruz Mountains.

While the red flag warnings are set to expire before the Fourth of July on Thursday, the use of recreational fireworks, outdoor grilling and other activities during the heat wave will create a combustible situation that day, according to the weather service.

George Laing, a captain with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, said the usage of illegal fireworks can lead to vegetation and structure fires, potentially causing injuries. It spreads our resources out, he said.

When the weather conditions are hot, these kinds of fire with that kind of distribution of our resources can be extremely dangerous because each of these smaller fires can start and grow into bigger fires fairly quickly, Laing said.

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The fire weather risk comes as several blazes are burning throughout the state, including the Basin Fire in eastern Fresno County, which was 11,047 acres as of Sunday morning. Wildfires throughout California have burned more than 118,000 acres, or nearly 185 square miles, this year. Thats more than five times the average over the previous five years, according to Cal Fire.
We will undoubtedly ask, in years to come, how the issue of defence played no part in the 2024 General Election.

There was just a momentary spat when the Conservatives boasted that they would increase defence spending from its current level of 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of GDP 'by 2030', while Labour said they would reach 2.5 per cent 'when conditions allow'.

The latter is a meaningless statement, but the Conservatives' claim is hardly a triumph of resolve.

And it is extraordinary that the greatly increased likelihood of Donald Trump being (re)elected President, following the cruelly public exposure of Joe Biden's incapacity in their so-called debate last week, has still not caused the issue of defence to be raised in our own election.

A fortnight ago, I was at a lunch the leading Westminster think-tank Policy Exchange held for the man whom many tip to be National Security Advisor in Trump 2.0: Elbridge Colby, pictured

Colby, like Donald Trump (pictured in Philadelphia on June 22), regards China as the only serious threat to US interests. So, Colby told us, Europe must be 'de-prioritised', ridiculing what he called 'the idea we should break our spear in Europe, which is much less important to the American people'

Quit

It could hardly be clearer that Donald Trump, returned to the White House, will not just demand that we and other European countries pay much, much more of the costs of defence against the depredations of the insatiable warmonger in the Kremlin: he actually has no intention of assisting us.

Last month, it was revealed that Trump had told the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen: 'We will leave, we will quit Nato. And by the way, you owe me $400 billion, because you didn't pay, you Germans, what you had to pay for defence.'

It is said this was some sort of bluff; Trump's negotiating tactic to get Europeans to cough up more.

Not according to John Bolton, who was his National Security Advisor: 'I was there when he almost withdrew [from Nato], and he's not negotiating. His goal here is not to strengthen Nato, it's to lay the groundwork to get out.

A fortnight ago, I was at a lunch the leading Westminster think-tank Policy Exchange held for the man whom many tip to be National Security Advisor in Trump 2.0: Elbridge Colby.

The formidably articulate Colby, who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence during the first Trump administration, shocked the British military panjandrums present with his strong intimation that he did not necessarily see a Russian attack on a European Nato member as a reason for the U.S. to send its forces into action.

He was unmoved as one of the guests pointed out that when the U.S., after 9/11, sought backing for its invasion of Afghanistan (where Osama bin Laden lurked), all its Nato allies sent troops in support, too.

Colby, like Trump, regards China as the only serious threat to U.S. interests, and believes all Washington's military strategy should be directed against Xi Jinping's plans for 'Asian hegemony': Beijing taking control of the archipelago of islands that runs from Japan, via Taiwan, to the southern edge of the South China Sea.

So, Colby told us, Europe must be 'de-prioritised', ridiculing what he called 'the idea we should break our spear in Europe, which is much less important to the American people'.

Afterwards, when I spoke to him, Colby said: 'You need to realise I'm moderate on this, compared with many in the Republican Party.'

He added: 'Your Prime Minister says he will put 2.5 per cent of the UK's GDP into defence. Why not 3.5 per cent? That's what America spends.'

Fair point. Half a century ago, when there was no war in Europe, 5 per cent of our GDP was spent on defence.

Provoked

Ukraine is now the front line. This, at least, has come up in the election debates, after Donald Trump's chum, Nigel Farage, claimed in a BBC interview that the full-scale invasion of Ukraine was the result of Putin being 'provoked by Nato expansion'.

In fact, prior to the Kremlin's tanks rolling towards Kyiv in 2022, Nato's eastern borders had not moved an inch since Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined the bloc in 2004.

And Putin had repeatedly stated that their accession posed no threat to Russia's national security. They will not feel so secure themselves, now.

If Sir Keir Starmer becomes PM on Friday, he will be flying to Washington four days later for a Nato summit marking the 75th anniversary of its founding.

Over it will loom the encroaching shadow of Donald Trump  and Europe being told that when it comes to Russia, deal with it yourselves.

If that happens, here's the question not raised once in this election: how does Labour propose to pay for a generational increase in defence spending?

Starmer DID fight Corbyn: To stop Brexit

Sir Keir Starmer has never given a straight answer to the question 'Why did you say that Jeremy Corbyn would be 'a great prime minister'?' He has also struggled to explain why he served in Corbyn's shadow cabinet, while the likes of Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper refused.

But Starmer had another go last week, telling an interviewer that he was 'right to fight from within the shadow cabinet' and citing 'commitment to NATO' as an example.

Actually, NATO membership was never an issue. But Brexit was. And on this matter, Starmer definitely fought Corbyn: the then Labour leader was adamantly against the idea of a second referendum.

Sir Keir Starmer definitely fought Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit. At the 2018 party conference in Liverpool, and without warning the leadership, Starmer called for a second referendum, adding: 'And nobody is ruling out Remain as an option'. He is pictured giving that speech

Starmer, however, knew that party members (unlike millions of Labour voters) were virulently anti-Brexit, and they wanted the country to vote again on the matter.

So at the 2018 party conference in Liverpool, and without warning the leadership, Starmer called for a second referendum, adding: 'And nobody is ruling out Remain as an option.'

The delighted members rose to cheer, but instantly the Conservatives put out on social media: 'Confirmed  Labour will not respect the result of the referendum'. Waving a copy of this in Sir Keir's face, according to Tom Baldwin's biography of Starmer, Corbyn's political secretary Amy Jackson shouted: 'Look at what you have just done!'

Indeed. I wrote in the days before Labour's defeat in the 2019 election: 'Look no further for the reason the Conservatives seem poised to win a tranche of seats in the Midlands and the North, some of which have not failed to back Labour in living memory. These are all constituencies which came out heavily for Brexit.'

Even after that, Starmer, running for the Labour leadership, asked if 'free movement' of migration with the EU should remain post-Brexit, replied: 'Of course, bring [it] back.'

Now, though, he has focused his campaign on winning back the pro-Brexit voters he disdained, with every single poster mixing the Labour Party's Red with a Union Jack. How fortunate for Sir Keir that so many have short memories.
A Reform UK candidate has stepped down and backed the Conservatives, citing a 'failure of leadership' over allegations of racism within the party.

Liam Booth-Isherwood, who was standing in the Derbyshire seat of Erewash, announced he was dropping out of the race and would instead be endorsing the Tory contender Maggie Throup to 'stop Labour'.

The candidate said he had become 'increasingly disillusioned' with the behaviour of the party, which he suggested indicated a 'significant moral issue' within its ranks.

Liam Booth-Isherwood was standing in the Derbyshire seat of Erewash before he announced he would be endorsing the Conservatives

Maggie Throup (left) walks alongside Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

The Tories said that if 130,000 voters joined the Reform UK candidate who switched to back the Conservatives 'it would be enough to stop Labour's supermajority'.

A party spokesman added: 'Mr Booth-Isherwood knows a vote for Reform is a vote for Keir Starmer.'
The Tories need to do more to appeal to disaffected voters on the Right, Kemi Badenoch said yesterday.

Hinting at a potential future leadership pitch, the Business Secretary said the Tories had to provide more 'clarity' that they are still Conservative to prevent supporters being picked off by Nigel Farage.

Mrs Badenoch said the Conservatives had to a party 'that occupies the whole of the centre-Right, not just the centre, because that's where we're losing to Reform'.

She told GB News: 'We're being hit on the Left, being told that we're too Right-wing, and hit from the Right and being told that we're too Left-wing. We've got to be a little bit broader in that direction.'

The Tories need to do more to appeal to disaffected voters on the Right, Kemi Badenoch said yesterday

Hinting at a potential future leadership pitch, the Business Secretary said the Tories had to provide more 'clarity' that they are still Conservative to prevent supporters being picked off by Nigel Farage .

Asked if the Tories have become too broad a coalition, she replied: 'Clearly not so broad... we haven't been able to keep Reform voters.'

She added: 'There needs to be some kind clarity that comes into place, people need to know that we are Conservative, people need to know that we are on their side, that we will defend them, that we will not let the Left-wing activists come for them, we won't let Just Stop Oil block the roads and stop them from going about their daily business.'

Mrs Badenoch is the bookmakers' favourite to succeed Rishi Sunak as Tory leader if the party loses this week's election.

She declined to comment directly on whether she would stand as Tory leader, saying: 'People knew that I tried to run two years ago. I didn't win. Rishi Sunak is the one who had the confidence of MPs.

'And I think it's actually disrespectful if people are talking about what they're going to do after the leadership when he's still there.'

Mrs Badenoch is the bookmakers' favourite to succeed Rishi Sunak as Tory leader if the party loses this week's election

But she acknowledged 'frustration' with the level of immigration, saying ministers had been misled over the number of foreign care workers and dependants would come to the UK when a new visa scheme was introduced.

She said it 'breaks my heart' that former Tory supporters she meets on the doorstep are now planning to vote Reform, adding: 'I know they are not going to get what they think they are going to get with Reform.'

Mrs Badenoch, who is also Equalities Minister, stepped up her ward of words with former Doctor Who actor and trans rights campaigner David Tennant, who caused controversy last week when he told her to 'shut up'.

She said he was 'probably regretting make those remarks' and urged him to apologise.

And she warned that Labour would make it easier for people to change gender, and reduce protections for single-sex spaces.
A Hindu priest is being sued for up to 8million over claims he posed as 'God on Earth' to swindle and rape his disciples.

Rajinder Kalia, 68, allegedly said he could heal the sick and used videos of 'parlour tricks' to give the impression he could work miracles by squeezing blood from lemons and setting water on fire.

He then allegedly exerted 'undue influence' by groping and raping four women  three from childhood  over decades.

Married Mr Kalia is also accused of compelling three 'victims' to work unpaid and hand over large sums.

Now the ex-disciples are fighting their former guru at London's High Court. They claim he 'flamboyantly' donated 2,500 to West Midlands Police  and that, after they made rape allegations, officers dropped the case and investigated several of them over fabricated allegations of child abuse.

Rajinder Kalia, 68, being crowned as 'God on Earth'

Ex-disciples are fighting Mr Kalia (pictured) at London's High Court

Mr Kalia, a former clerk and draper, denies any wrongdoing, blaming 'a conspiracy between the claimants'.

The court, which began sitting this week, has been told that after a motorbike crash suffered as a youth in India, Mr Kalia 'miraculously' walked again following a visit to Himachal Pradesh  an area associated with Hindu god Baba Balak Nath.

He came to England aged 21 and soon launched his own Baba Balak Nath temple in Coventry in 1986.

Barrister Mark Jones, representing the seven claimants, told the judge: 'This is an unusual case, where the claimants allege to have been wholly subject to the charismatic and forceful personality of Mr Kalia over decades.

'He portrayed himself as an incarnation of God through the purported performance of miracles. The claimants' ability freely to consent to his demands for financial and sexual benefits was overridden. They were incapable of resisting.'

The first victim, a 57-year-old woman, who is not being named for legal reasons, joined the temple as a single mother and was soon attending three sermons a week, some from 4pm to 5am.

She wept on Friday as she recalled he told her he was 'omnipotent and omnipresent' and would decide if she went to Hell.

He allegedly forced her to endure 'non-consensual penetrative sexual activity on a minimum of 1,320 occasions' over 22 years of abuse, telling her his 'abhorrent' sexual perversions were 'akin to relations enjoyed by Hindu deity Krishna'.

A woman aged 48 said he began abusing her at 13, and took her virginity at 21 in a Stratford-upon-Avon hotel he made her book.

After she went to the police in 2017, she claims his disciples 'threatened her with acid attacks' before she was wrongly arrested over child abuse.

A third, 37, says she was made to play the drums at services until her hands bled, was groped from the age of 13 and had her virginity taken. 'She feared nobody would believe her if she were to allege 'God' had raped her', it was claimed. A fourth, 36, claims he inappropriately kissed her from age four.

Barrister Mark Jones said that Mr Kalia 'portrayed himself as an incarnation of God'

Another claimant says he told her to leave her husband and even alleges he made 'an absurd demand [and] that in her thrall she paid 5,000 to cure her dog's cancer'.

Mr Kalia lives with wife Sachitra, 67, in a 1.1million gated mansion in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire. His barrister, Sarah Crowther KC, told the court he made no claims to have 'divine power', continuing: 'The defendant denies all the allegations. They are fundamentally dishonest and the product of a conspiracy to extort Mr Kalia.'

The case continues.
Chilling new claims have emerged that Greg Lynn assaulted and terrorised his first wife, cheated on her and took belongings from their home before she was found dead.

Lisa Lynn was found dead in October 1999 aged 34 after consuming a lethal cocktail of booze and sleeping tablets.

It was information that was not before the Supreme Court of Victoria jury that on Tuesday acquitted Lynn of the murder of Russell Hill, but found him guilty of the murder of Carol Clay.

The two secret lovers pitched a tent near Lynn when they died in the Wonnangatta Valley, in Victoria's Alpine region, on March 20, 2020.

There is no suggestion that the explosive information about Lisa Lynn could have led to a guilty verdict in Hill's case, if admitted before the jury, or that Lynn was responsible for the death of his ex-wife.

Bronwyn Will was a close friend of Lisa and used to live across the road from the couple in Mount Macedon, in Victoria's north-west.

She claimed the mother-of-two and former flight attendant endured a tumultuous time during her marriage to Lynn.

'She did describe a time when Greg [allegedly] slammed a door on her and it hit her in head and knocked her unconscious,' Ms Will told 60 Minutes on Sunday night.

Bronwyn Will (pictured) claimed that Greg Lynn's former wife endured a tumultuous time during her marriage to Lynn

Lisa Lynn lived in fear of her ex-husband Greg Lynn and ultimately took her own life, according to court documents. The information was not before the Victoria Supreme Court jury

'There was another time where I think Lisa had too much to drink or something and Greg [allegedly] pushed her outside and hosed her down and locked her outside overnight'.

Lynn also allegedly bound the hands and feet of Ms Lynn and carried her into the backyard, according to the neighbour.

He claimed the alleged behaviour was unusual but was necessary to teach Ms Lynn not to allegedly 'drink to excess like that again'.

A former lawyer, Ms Will described the alleged behaviour as a 'dog of a thing to do' and described the alleged act as 'abusive'.

'It's a measure of violence and immaturity...my understanding is he [allegedly] laughed about it with other people around that time,' she said.

Ms Will also claimed that Lynn was seeing other women, which ultimately led to the breakdown in his marriage with Lisa.

'He was seeing another flight attendant,' she recalled.

'My understanding [is that] he'd been unfaithful to her on more than one occasion previously.'

Lynn allegedly continued to harass his ex-wife even after he moved on with another partner.

He allegedly threatened Ms Lynn several times and broke into their family home to take several belongings, including the car.

'Who [allegedly] does that to their wife?' Ms Will said.

'Who has multiple affairs unless they consider their wife to be unimportant. Who makes their wife feel unsafe?'

Lisa Lynn (pictured) was found dead in October 1999 aged 34 after consuming a lethal cocktail of booze and sleeping tablets

Ms Will said Ms Lynn 'deserved to be happy' and 'deserved a better life'.

'She was a good neighbour and a friend and she was someone I liked very much,' she said.

Detectives are now looking to have the Victorian coroner conduct a second inquest into Lisa's death.

Meanwhile, Debbie Hill, the daughter of Russell Hill revealed that she's still coming to terms with the verdict of Lynn being found not guilty of her father's murder.

'I'm angry with the result. The more I think about it, the more angry I get - to the fact that it didn't have to be this way,' she said.

'My dad was not a violent person in any way. He wouldn't have provoked anything.'

'I'm just really angry that he went camping that day, that time - that he is the person he is and he happened to be right there with my dad and Carol.

'I think it was just really bad luck for Dad and Carol that they were there at the time, but it wouldn't have happened if he wasn't such an awful person.

Ms Hill also revealed that she has lost faith in the justice system and acknowledged more heartache could be inflict if Lynn decides to appeal his sentence.

''I hope he doesn't get away with this

I'm not trusting of it now. We'll have to wait and see,' she said.

Debbie Hill (pictured) was devastated to learn that Greg Lynn was found not guilty over her father's death

Greg Lynn was accused of murdering two elderly campers

Daily Mail Australia revealed shocking allegations made against Lynn by the parents of his first wife and mother of his two children while living in Mount Macedon, north-west of Melbourne.

When the parents of Greg Lynn's estranged ex-wife heard she was dead, her mother immediately suspected it was his fault, court documents have revealed.

It was information provided by the prosecution to Justice Michael Croucher after Lynn's barrister suggested he was going to call witnesses that would give evidence backing his client's 'good character'.

'Before their separation, Lisa had told me that Greg had been making very serious death threats against her and that these continued through to her death,' Lisa's father told the coroner in a statement withheld from the trial.

'Greg had been verbally abusing Lisa since their marriage began. Lisa kept a diary from the day Greg left their marriage. The diary details the abusive phone calls and death threats and verbal abuse to their children made by Greg.'

In a series of statements provided to Coroner Graeme Johnstone at the time, Lynn's alleged torment of his ex-wife was revealed.

Lisa had left no suicide note and had not indicated to anyone that she might have been suicidal.

During pre-trial argument in the Supreme Court, it was revealed Lynn was found not responsible for his ex-wife's death, with the coroner ruling it a suicide.

Coroner heard Greg Lynn admitted to being violent toward his ex-wife Lisa Lynn

WHAT THE CORONER FOUND

Coroner Graeme Johnstone said Lisa Lynn was believed to have been deeply depressed at the time of her death. However, the Coroner was left with outstanding questions over whether she had intended to take her own life or not. Forensic doctors later revealed her blood alcohol content was a whopping 0.2 - more than three times the legal limit to drive a car. They also found traces of antidepressants in her system. Lisa was found in the foetal position out the front of the family's home in Macedon, north-west of Melbourne, while the couple's two children, aged one and three, were asleep inside. Advertisement

The Coroners Court heard Lynn accepted via unsigned statements he had been violent toward his ex-wife including breaking into the family home, stealing keys and taking the car.

In court documents provided to the Coroner's Court, Lisa's father, who was not named in court, claimed he had become aware of Lynn's verbal abuse against his daughter since the marriage began.

'I'm also aware... of the abuse and the fact that Greg broke into the house and took the car, leaving Lisa with two children and no form of transport,' he told the coroner.

'He refused to bring the car back and he left her with no money.'

Lisa's dad told the coroner Lynn had bullied and intimidated her after the breakdown of their marriage.

'I know from speaking to Lisa that she was not prepared to press charges against Greg for fear of repercussions.

'She took his threats very seriously. She was absolutely petrified and lived in terror,' he claimed.

Lisa's mother, who would travel from Tasmania to help her struggling daughter, painted an even more disturbing portrait of her former son-in-law while giving evidence, including accusations of animal cruelty, violence and 'bizarre' behaviour.

'In addition to not gaining any support from Greg, he would subject her to physical and mental abuse on a regular basis,' she told the coroner.

'These events happened too frequently to remember, specifically but things like losing his temper for no reason and blaming Lisa for anything that went wrong.

'He then would yell and throw things at her and push her around. I felt very uncomfortable when these events occurred because I was not inclined to interfere and Lisa would plead with me not to interfere.'

Greg Lynn was described in the Coroner's Court as acting bizarre and allegedly killed helpless animals

Carol Clay and Russell Hill died in the remote Victorian wilderness. Lynn was found guilty of Clay's murder, but not Hill's

Greg Lynn remarried Melanie Lynn, who stood by him during his Supreme Court of Victoria trial

Lisa's mum told the coroner her daughter told her any interference from her would result in further pain and misery at home.

'Greg's behaviour in general would be described as bizarre. In my opinion, he has a warped mind,' she told the coroner.

'He has done things in the past like killing animals and a neighbour's pet, refusing to feed the children when he was supposed to be looking after them and on one occasion, he exploded into a fit of uncontrollable rage when we went for dinner at the Macedon Hotel.'

Lisa's mum told the court Lynn verbally attacked a man in the bar after he made the mistake of speaking to Lisa.

He then flew into a 'rage' at his then wife after leaving the hotel, she told the coroner.

'The only thing that I would like to add is that as far as I'm concerned, Greg is responsible for my daughter's death by mental torture inflicted by him,' Lisa's mum told the court.

'I know that she was living in absolute fear of Greg. I accept from what (I'm told) regarding the circumstances in which she died that she was alone on the night.

'Greg was not there however her actions were a culmination of the fear and terror that she lived under.'

The court heard Lisa had kept a detailed journal and diary of her fractured relationship with Lynn.

Lynn's defence chose not to present any 'good character' evidence to the jury.

Lynn will face court at a future date for a pre-sentencing hearing over Clay's murder.

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.
Chinese electric carmakers are tipped to flood Australia with cheap imports as the Americans and Europeans embark on a trade war to protect their local vehicle manufacturers.

A dozen new Chinese car brands are expected in Australia during the next two years - a situation described as 'unprecedented' that will 'massively change the market'.

Former Labor industry minister Kim Carr predicts trade protectionism in the U.S. and the European Union will see China increasingly sell EVs for under $40,000 in Australia.

Australia has had a free trade agreement with China since 2015, which means cars from our biggest trading partner are sold to Aussie motorists with zero import tariffs or taxes.

Australians are now able to buy cheap Chinese EVs, including the BYD Dolphin for $36,890, the MG4 from $39,990 and the GWM Ora from $35,990.

'I have no doubt there will be cheaper Chinese vehicles,' Mr Carr told Daily Mail Australia.

'The international manufacturers were dropping vehicles here - a testing ground here for advanced-income economies.

Chinese electric carmakers are tipped to flood Australia with cheap imports as the Americans and Europeans increase tariffs to protect their local vehicle manufacturers (pictured is a NIO ETS EV in Beijing)

Former Labor industry minister Kim Carr predicts trade protectionism in the U.S. and the European Union will see China increasingly EVs for under $40,000 in Australia

'The U.S. will embark on a trade war with the Chinese to protect their American automotive industry; the Germans will pursue measures to seek to preserve the German automotive industry; the French has still got a very strong industry.

'There is very little virtue when it comes to the international trading relations around manufactured goods.'

Chinese-made cars already command 80 per cent of Australia's EV market, with government subsidies from the Chinese Communist Party government tipped to spark a trade war with the U.S. and Europe - leading to higher import tariffs on Chinese goods in those markets.

This would see more Chinese EVs instead sold in Australia, on top of the BYD Atto 3, MG ZS and Chinese-made versions of the popular American-designed Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Motoring expert Toby Hagon, the editor of EV Central, said a dozen Chinese car brands were expected to arrive in Australia during the next two years - including Zeekr, XPeng Motors, Geely which owns Volvo and Polestar, Lynk and Co, Leapmotor, Jaecoo, Changan and Nio.

'Not all of these are confirmed - they're either expected or have said their intention to come to Australia,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'The imminent onslaught of Chinese-made electric cars and hybrids but predominately electric cars is unprecedented in the next few years.

'It looks like we're going to have a dozen-odd new brands coming into the country; so it's going to potentially massively change the market.

'Australia's a very open market in terms of the car market; Europe and American, for example, are talking of putting trade sanctions on Chinese-made vehicles to try and protect their own carmakers.'

Mr Carr predicted Aussie motorists would increasingly embrace Chinese-made cars, like they did with Japanese cars in the 1970s and Korean cars in the 1990s.

'We saw a similar pattern with the Japanese vehicles - at first people were resistant to Japanese and Korean vehicles only to find that in time, they were a high-quality product,' he said.

'So, the Chinese quality has improved dramatically and it will improve still further - that's when you'll start to see some serious competition.

'People don't want to spend $40,000 on a motor vehicle and not be confident.'

Australians are now able to buy cheap Chinese EVs, including the BYD Dolphin for $36,890, the MG4 from $39,990 and the GWM Ora (pictured) from $35,990

Chinese carmakers are also set to bring even more EVs and petrol-electric hybrids to Australia with a BYD Shark plug-in hybrid ute planned for later this year to take on the Australian-designed but Thai-built Ford Ranger and the Toyota HiLux.

BYD, which has overtaken Tesla to be the world's biggest EV producer, is also bringing a Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid SUV to Australia.

Battery-electric vehicles had an 8.1 per cent market share in May compared with 15.8 per cent for petrol-electric hybrids and plug-in hybrids, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data showed.

'Tesla bring their cars in from China, BMW brings an electric car in from China, Kia's about to import and electric car from China and then you've got the Chinese brands,' Mr Hagon said.

'China's already dominating and it looks like they're going to build on that.'
It was the speech that came to define the late Queen's 70 years on the throne.

Speaking to the nation from Cape Town on her 21st birthday in 1947, Princess Elizabeth promised Britons that her 'whole life whether it be long or short' would be devoted to their service.

Royal writer Valentine Low revealed in his 2022 book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Throne that the future Queen was made so emotional by the stirring words that she cried.

Alan Lascelles, private secretary to her father King George VI, said to her in response: 'Good, for if it makes you cry now, it will make 200million other people cry when you deliver it, and that is what we want.'

Incredibly, a draft of the speech was briefly lost in a bar in Cape Town the month before Elizabeth uttered the words.

When it was found, Lascelles wrote to Dermot Morrah, the journalist who wrote the speech, to tell him: The missing letter has now turned up. The steward in the Protea diner had put it in the bar, among his bottles, little knowing that it was itself of premier cru.

It was the speech that came to define the late Queen's 70 years on the throne. Speaking to the nation from Cape Town on her 21st birthday in 1947, Princess Elizabeth promised Britons that her 'whole life whether it be long or short' would be devoted to their service. Above: Elizabeth delivering her speech

Elizabeth made her speech during a six-month tour of South Africa. Above: The Princess inspects a guard of honour in the country during the trip

He went on to praise Morrah for the quality of the speech. Lascelles said: 'I have been reading drafts for many years now, but I cannot recall one that has so completely satisfied me and left me feeling that no single word should be altered.

'Moreover, dusty cynic though I am, it moved me greatly. It has the trumpet ring of the other Elizabeth's Tilbury speech, combined with the immortal simplicity of Victoria's I will be good.

Elizabeth spent six months in South Africa with her father, mother Queen Elizabeth and sister Princess Margaret.

The tour came just two years after the end of the Second World War, at a time when the British Empire was being dismantled.

Low reveals how, in describing the success of the tour, Lascelles wrote in his diary: 'The most satisfactory feature of the whole visit is the remarkable development of Princess Elizabeth.

'She has come on in the most surprising way, and all in the right direction.'

He added that she had a 'good, healthy sense of fun' but could also 'tale on the old bores with much of her mother's skill.'

Journalist Dermot Morrah wrote Princess Elizabeth's speech. King George VI's private secretary, Alan Lascelles, told him: 'I have been reading drafts for many years now, but I cannot recall one that has so completely satisfied me and left me feeling that no single word should be altered'

Princess Elizabeth sits in front of a BBC microphone as she delivers her speech to Britain and the Commonwealth from Government House in Cape Town

Morrah, who had previously penned speeches for George VI during the Second World War, also published a book about Elizabeth to mark her birthday.

Elizabeth began her birthday speech, which was delivered from Government House in Cape Town, by saying: 'On my twenty-first birthday I welcome the opportunity to speak to all the peoples of the British Commonwealth and Empire, wherever they live, whatever race they come from, and whatever language they speak.

'Let me begin by saying thank you to all the thousands of kind people who have sent me messages of good will. This is a happy day for me; but it is also one that brings serious thoughts, thoughts of life looming ahead with all its challenges and with all its opportunity.

'At such a time it is a great help to know that there are multitudes of friends all round the world who are thinking of me and who wish me well. I am grateful and I am deeply moved.

She went on to mention the five-year conflict with Nazi Germany, saying: 'We must not be daunted by the anxieties and hardships that the war has left behind for every nation of our commonwealth.

We know that these things are the price we cheerfully undertook to pay for the high honour of standing alone, seven years ago, in defence of the liberty of the world.

Princess Elizabeth (right) with her sister Princess Margaret on the Royal Train in South Africa

Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret in South Africa. Behind them is Group Captain Peter Townsend, then King George VI's equerry. He and Margaret became close on the trip. Their wish to marry was thwarted

Let us say with Rupert Brooke: "Now God be thanked who has matched us with this hour".

But it was her prophetic concluding words that made the speech so historic.

Elizabeth said: 'I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.

'But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given.

God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.'
A growing number of people are ditching their smartphones for 'dumbphones' that only call and text to avoid being in 'zombie mode.'

The simple devices have skyrocketed in popularity, as 2.8 million were sold in the US last year with people proclaiming they feel calmer and more present in their ordinary lives.

A California woman told DailyMail.com that she made the switch after realizing she spent the entire summer on her smartphone, saying she barely remembered the time - she even forgot where she walked her dog.

Caroline Cadwell explained that switching to a dumbphone was impractical at first, but then became freeing.

'Space and time, is how I'd describe it. It's amazing how much your relationships can gain from giving it up,' she said.

A growing number of people are choosing to ditch smartphones for 'dumbphones' that only call and text to avoid being in 'zombie mode.' The simple devices have skyrocketed in popularity, as industry experts predict sales in the US will hit 2.8 million by the end of the year

Companies such as Dumbwireless are selling the simple devices devices to addicted smartphone users, and a growing number of anti-smartphone organizations are trying to curb the use of the devices, particularly among children.

Activists point to statistics such as the fact that the arrival of smartphones seems to have coincided with a surge in rates of depression and anxiety - which rose by more than 50 percent between 2010 and 2019.

Cadwell spent 15 years working in high-growth start-ups in Barcelona and San Francisco before she left a job due to burnout - and realized her smartphone was the problem.

'I left a job because I was burned out, and spent almost three months in what I'd describe as zombie mode, she said.

'It was summer, and I barely remember it--I did nothing. It was when I was nearly out of this time and feeling better that I started to reflect on what about my burnout was in my control, and the biggest contributing factor was a lack of boundaries with work.'

Previously she had felt the need to be available at all times, even for 11pm calls.

But Cadwell realized the depths of her addiction when she couldn't remember where she had walked her dog because she was responding to Slack messages the whole time.

She said that switching to a dumbphone was impractical at first, but then became freeing.

Caroline Cadwell told DailyMail.com that she made the switch after realizing she spent the entire summer on her smartphone, saying she barely remembered the time - she even forgot where she walked her dog

'Space and time, is how I'd describe it. It's amazing how much your relationships can gain from giving it up,' said Cadwell.

She has launched a product called Unpluq, which locks away apps on smartphones so people use them more healthily.

Cadwell said that users average 72 minutes per day less on their phones.

'I think people are starting to tune in at a large scale about the perils of social media and smartphones--very few I think would argue that they're GOOD for us, 100%, or that social media is ONLY good, she continued.

'Is there room for more people to take more action? Absolutely, and we're starting to see that, but I think the younger generations will lead the way on having a different relationship with their smartphones from the get go.'

Stay-at-home Mom and freelance copy editor Christina Dinur switched to a 'dumbphone' after being inspired by a friend who had given up her smartphone because it was distracting her from her kids.

'I had felt the same way for a while, but wasn't sure what to do about it. I was failing to set healthy boundaries around my smartphone use, but getting a dumbphone seemed so radical,' said Milwaukee woman Dinur.

'Talking to my friend about her experience gave me the courage I needed to finally make this change.'

Dinur continued to explain that she was inspired by reading the book 'The Anxious Generation' by Jonathan Haidt, which links the arrival of smartphones to a rise in anxiety in young people.

'The book persuaded me that kids should not have smartphones or social media, but the elephant in the room was my own smartphone addiction,' she said.

'I didn't see how I'd have a leg to stand on in saying 'no' when my kids started asking for a smartphone if they saw me glued to my smartphone all the time. Getting a dumbphone has solved that.'

Stay-at-home Mom and freelance copy editor Christina Dinur switched to a 'dumbphone' after being inspired by a friend who had given up her smartphone because it was distracting her from her kids

Not having a smartphone has been easier than anticipated, said Dinur - and she has not regretted it at all, even when she has to note down directions on a notepad before leaving the house.

'I feel so unburdened. I really struggled with self control around my smartphone. I used to pull out my phone constantly to check my email and social media, even though there was rarely ever anything that interesting to see there,' explained the mom.

'With the dumbphone, I don't have that option anymore, and it's a relief. I feel much calmer and more present with the physical world around me, especially my kids.'

Dinur said that she still uses social media on a laptop, but only checks a few times per day rather than constantly.

'Even when I log in for the first time in many hours, there still is rarely anything interesting to see there, which really drives home what a waste of time it was when I was checking it dozens of times a day on my smartphone,' she continued.

Dinur explained that giving up her smartphone has increased her attention span and she is reading more books - and spending more time with her family.

She is now part of the Smartphone Free Childhood US movement and is ensuring her children, aged three and five, don't grow up with unhealthy digital habits.

Smartphone Free Childhood operates via WhatsApp groups in many U.S. states, and is working with local government and school boards to limit children's smartphone use.

'Many adults don't have the healthiest relationship with their smartphones, so why would we think these devices would be beneficial for kids, whose brains and impulse control are still developing,' said Dinur.

Stephen Kurczy, author of 'The Quiet Zone,' travelled to Green Bank, Virginia - a town with no cellphone coverage due to nearby radio telescopes - and realized it was clear that many people experienced 'withdrawal'

Stephen Kurczy with his son in Green Bank, Virginia - the 'Quiet Zone'

Stephen Kurczy, author of 'The Quiet Zone,' travelled to Green Bank, Virginia - a town with no cellphone coverage due to nearby radio telescopes - and realized it was clear that many people experienced 'withdrawal'.

The book examines our relationships with smartphones through the prism of a town where any wireless transmission is rigidly policed.

'While working on 'The Quiet Zone,' I spoke with many people and heard stories of so many more people who went through smartphone withdrawal-like symptoms when visiting Green Bank, West Virginia, where by law there's no cell service,' he said.

'Younger folks seem to break out in hives when they realize their phones won't work,' a local told me.

'Even after visitors are informed that there is no cell service in the Quiet Zone, they tend to instinctively keep checking their devices, like an uncontrollable tick.

'And there's research to back that idea up: People touch their smartphone more than 2,600 times a day.'

While writing the book, Kurczy said his wife continually checked her iPhone until, after about a week, she started to adjust to the slower pace of life.

'It was freeing for her,' he said.

Kurczy has not personally given up owning a smartphone - because he has never owned one.

'It's a way of creating a small amount of quiet in my life. A ton of research now shows that humans are happier and more productive if we're not online all the time. I get that many people need to have smartphones for work or whatever, the author explained.

'But I've found a way to live without one, and I want others to have that option, too.. I now have two kids, I'll be damned if they get phones anytime soon.'

He opted never to get a smartphone because he had a hard enough time setting limits on his laptop usage.

'I know I wouldn't have the willpower to resist overusing a smartphone,' said Kurczy.

'Just today, for example, I was cooling off at a pond with my two kids and I decided it'd be nice to buy a new beach rake.

'If I'd had a smartphone at that moment, I would have logged onto Amazon and begun scrolling for the best rake, and I'd have quickly lost myself down a wormhole of rakes, texts, emails, news alerts... Fortunately, I was able to stay in the moment with my kids. Generally, it's so hard to be in the moment.\

'Smartphones make it that much harder.'
A longtime superyacht chef has offered a glimpse into what it takes to stock a vessel for one season - with $100,000 worth of food on board and some very organized storage spaces.

Dean Harrison currently works aboard the $75 million Motor Yacht Loon, which measures 221ft and has capacity for 12 guests.

It costs $580,000 per week to charter, so no expense is spared when it comes to the culinary offerings.

In a YouTube video, chef Dean - who has been in the superyacht industry for more than 13 years - reveals how the provisions are shipped to port before the tedious job of unloading it begins.

While Motor Yacht Loon is docked in Marseilles a lorry-load of goods arrives from the Netherlands a day before the charter guests arrive.

Dean Harrison currently works aboard the luxury Motor Yacht Loon, which measures 221ft and has capacity for 12 guests

Motor Yacht Loon measures 221ft and has capacity for 12 guests. It costs $580,000 per week to charter, so no expense is spared when it comes to the culinary offerings

Dean explains that the order includes guest provisions for the upcoming 17-day trip, along with supplies needed for the entire six-month season.

One of the most important jobs during the provisions drop off, Dean reveals, is ensuring each item goes into its respective box.

He explains: '[This] ensures that in the heat of the moment on charter, things can be found and used as quickly as possible, which is super important.'

While they unload the truck, some of the ingredients that are caught on camera include packets of smoked salmon, hunks of steak, and a spread of fresh fruit and vegetables.

It takes several hours to transport all of the stock from the dock to the ship's kitchen and it's a task all of the crew get involved with.

Detailing the loading process, he says: 'The sorted boxes have been passed from crew member to crew member until they reach the crew door.

'Then they are passed down two flights of stairs through the crew mess (quarters) and into the cold store where [sous chef] Sean is waiting.

'[He is] sorting each box that comes through and storing it into its final location.'

While Motor Yacht Loon is docked in Marseilles a lorry-load of goods arrives from the Netherlands a day before the charter guests arrive

Dean says one of the most important jobs during the provisions drop off is ensuring each item goes into its respective box

While the amount of food might seem excessive, Dean says it is necessary 'because we have guests on board that can request anything at anytime.'

He adds on the matter: 'We need to be completely prepared for whatever comes our way. The idea is to have everything on board, or as much as you can.

'The thing is, you get the [guest] preferences but the preferences only tell you so much, so you need to have all sorts of stuff on board for late nights.'

Dean reveals that the current 'A-list' guests onboard Loon were making requests through the night and sous chef Dean was up until 3am 'doing burgers and pizzas and chicken tenders and all sorts of stuff that you wouldn't even expect.'

Once everything is unloaded, Dean offers viewers a tour of the kitchen and the refrigerated pantry area.

He reveals that there are fridges in the kitchen, but these are for ingredients that guests ask for 'on a regular basis,' so they can access them 'nice and quick.'

On top of the $100,000 worth of food stock, Dean says the ship will pick up provisions every few days during voyages, as the guests are 'always requesting new things and we get a lot of American clients that ask for things that don't really exist in Europe.'

Once everything is unloaded, Dean offers viewers a tour of the kitchen and refrigerated pantry area

While the amount of food might seem excessive, Dean says it is necessary ' because we have guests on board that can request anything at anytime'

He reveals that there are fridges in the kitchen, but these are for ingredients that guests ask for 'on a regular basis,' so they can access them 'nice and quick'

Quizzed on what his weirdest requests have been, Dean says that he was once asked to take his top off by a group of women who had chartered Loon for a bachelorette party.

But on the food front, he says the guests generally don't ask for anything crazy.

He explains: 'You know they're not so wild [when it comes to meal requests].

'You expect them to have crazy requests but they're actually simple requests like burgers and hot dogs and all that kind of stuff.'

When it comes to his work hours, Dean says himself and his sous chef are basically on call 24/7 and they take it on turns to be on shift.

Summing up life onboard a superyacht as a chef, he concludes: 'I just want to say that this is basically the ultimate holiday and these guests are paying upwards of half a million dollars a week to stay on board.

'So it's up to us to give them exactly what they want when they want 24 hours a day and that's kind of the service that we we have to give here.'
A travel influencer has ranked some of the biggest airlines operating in the UK from best to worst for plus-sized passengers.

Becky Price posts airline reviews on her TikTok channel under the username @xBeckyPricex, and spoke to MailOnline about her experiences with Ryanair, EasyJet, British Airways and Tui.

The UK size 20 to 22 traveller rated each of the four airlines on comfort, seat size, accessibility (such as the availability of seatbelt extenders), the size of the lavatory, width of the aisle, amount of legroom and the service and helpfulness of the crew.

She explained: 'I'm a plus-size girl and I make no secret of that. Lots of plus-size people are frightened of flying due to the space available and whether they would fit.

They can fly, and will also make wonderful memories abroad, but I wish airlines would improve on the space available. This affects everyone whether you're tall, or wide.' Read on to discover Beckys favourite airline for larger passengers - and the one that she had an 'awful' experience with.

Becky Price (above in Cancun) is a UK size 20 to 22 and posts airline reviews on TikTok. She spoke to MailOnline about her experiences with Ryanair, easyJet, British Airways and Tui - and ranked them best to worst for plus-size travellers

British Airways

Becky took an international flight from the UK to Cancun, in Mexico, with BA.

She said: 'It was a large plane for a long-haul flight, but the seats were small - I was in an economy seat.'

For this reason, the TikToker gave British Airways a rating of three out of five for seat size - its lowest score in any category.

Becky noted that the seat space available is the biggest challenge, whether that's width or depth, as well as whether the seat belt will fit or [if] the tray table [will] be usable.

Becky said her British Airways plane was 'large', but 'the seats were small'

The BA tray table (left) could be opened, but only with 'a little bit of belly resting on top', said Becky, who added that she was able to pull the seatbelt across her (right)

Outside of seat size, the vlogger gave British Airways a glowing 4.5 for overall comfort, size of the loo and size of the aisle.

While the seats were small, the seatbelt did fit - the seatbelt did just go across me, it did have a little bit of room, she said - and she did not need to get a belt extender. These are available on all flights for plus-sized passengers and give added inches to seatbelts to ensure larger passengers are safely strapped in.

Getting a tray table to pull out and stay flat - to help with meals and drinks - is one of the TikTok star's main checks when jetting off.

Commenting on BA's tray table, Becky, who explains that she carries most of her weight around her middle belly section, revealed that she 'could open it, just about, with a little bit of belly resting on top'.

Becky gave BA a rating of four for legroom, 3.5 for service and helpfulness of crew and a five for accessibility.

You get little extras like a TV and blanket so I enjoyed flying with them, she noted, awarding them the highest overall score of all the airlines tested.

Overall verdict: 4.5/5

Tui

Becky flew with airline Tui to Ibiza and noted: I enjoy a Tui flight, never had a problem with them.' Above - the cabin on her recent Tui flight

She gave the holiday company a rating of four for comfort, seat size, size of the lavatory, size of the aisle, legroom and service. Noting the Tui tray table (right), she commented: 'There wasn't any room for movement and it was even worse when the passenger in front put their seat back'

Becky flew with airline Tui to Ibiza and noted: 'I enjoy a Tui flight, never had a problem with them.'

The mum, who usually flies as a family, said: We were allocated row 23, we are a family, and I took the aisle seat.

However, Becky recalled that the tray table did present a small issue if the passenger in front chose to recline. The TikToker said: 'My first test is always the tray table - does the tray table open and fully extend?

I am a UK size 20 to 22 and it did fully open, however, there wasn't any room for movement and it was even worse when the passenger in front put their seat back. It drives me mad, how selfish, it's only a two-hour flight. But, I could use the tray table.

She gave the holiday company a rating of four for comfort, seat size, size of the lavatory, size of the aisle, legroom and service, which includes the helpfulness of the crew.

Her seatbelt test came up golden, with the traveller adding: The seatbelt did do up and there was room to spare. Tui received its only five out of five rating for accessibility.

Overall verdict: 4/5

Ryanair

Ryanair received a rating of two out of five for seat size and size of the aisle. Above - a Ryanair cabin (file image)

Becky noted: 'This time I did require a seatbelt extender (above right) for the very first time in my life. Girls, please don't be embarrassed or ashamed to ask for a seatbelt extender, there's absolutely no shame in it at all

Becky said: 'It would be great if there was an option when booking so you could automatically order your extension belt.' Above - Becky's Ryanair tray and seatbelt with extender

Budget airline Ryanair didnt fare well with Becky, who declared that her flight was 'awful' - it was the worst rated of the four airlines she tried out.

The airline was given a rating of two for comfort - partially because she said the flight was unbearably hot and partly because of the seatbelt.

And when flying with Ryanair, Becky noticed some discrepancies with seatbelt size. Having previously flown from the UK to Hungary she was able to fasten the seatbelt without an extender.

But, when flying to Tenerife, Spain, this was not the case. She said: 'I recently flew with Ryanair to Budapest and had no problems - however this time I did require a seatbelt extender for the very first time in my life.'

The plus-sized passenger wishes that there was an easier, more discreet way to get extenders on all flights.

She told MailOnline: 'It would be great if there was an option when booking so you could automatically order your extension belt - some passengers are embarrassed by this.

But, girls, please don't be embarrassed or ashamed to ask for a seatbelt extender, there's absolutely no shame in it at all.

Ryanair received a rating of two out of five for seat size and size of the aisle, a 2.5 for legroom, a three out of five for size of the lavatory and four for accessibility and service.

Overall verdict: 2.5/5

EasyJet

Becky noted that easyJet had comfortable planes and she had never needed a seatbelt extension on one of its flights (file image)

On easyJet, she said: 'The tray table (right) would fully extend, but the seatbelt (left) was shorter than [some] other airlines I've used and I did use the full length of the seatbelt

Budget carrier easyJet fared well. Becky noted that it had 'comfortable planes and she had 'never needed a seatbelt extension' on one of its flights.

The vlogger flew with easyJet to Greek island Rhodes, commenting: We were allocated row 31, which was at the back of the plane. The tray table would fully extend, but the seatbelt was shorter than [some] other airlines I've used and I did use the full length of the seatbelt.'

However, Becky said that 'the flight was lovely because the 'staff are always happy and helpful' and the 'seat is comfy.

In her rankings, Becky awarded easyJet a three out of five for the size of the aisle, a 3.5 for comfort, a four for seat size, size of the lavatory, legroom, and service. Easyjet was also given a five for accessibility.

Overall verdict: 4/5

Becky travels as much as possible and this year has visited Budapest and Tenerife - she has tickets to Dublin, Ibiza and New York booked for the coming months. Becky always flies economy 'whether that's with a low-cost carrier or a scheduled airline'.

To see more of Becky visit her TikTok account - @xbeckypricex - and Instagram profile, which has has over 18,000 followers. She posts about her relatable life, fashion, travel and vlogging.
Sweeney accidently revealed she might have been committing a crime

In recent years, stars have been making headlines for all the wrong reasons

Stars such as Sydney Sweeney and Kylie Jenner love to use social media as a way to connect with fans, but sometimes they find themselves making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The Euphoria actress' recent attempt to give followers in glimpse into how she likes to relax at home accidently revealed she might have been committing a crime.

Elsewhere, Kylie's claim to not have ever enjoyed a staple breakfast meal until 2018 was quickly disputed by fans who used her own previous social media posts to question the validity of her revelation.

Meanwhile, when rapper Bow Wow decided to boast about enjoying a trip on a private jet - fans took to social media to reveal all what not as it seemed.

Then the likes of Ben Affleck have learnt that just because a comment is sent privately as a direct message, there is no guarantee it won't still make its way to public view.

Here, Daily Mail reveals the times celebrities have been caught red-handed on social media.

Sydney Sweeney, 26: Hollywood superstar caught using illegal streaming service

Sydney Sweeney's recent attempt to give followers in glimpse into how she likes to relax at home accidently revealed she might have been committing a crime

Fans pointed out the user interface she was using to watch Law &Order: Organized Crime looked extremely similar to popular illegal streaming platforms

Madame Web star Sydney Sweeney wanted to give fans a look into her leisurely afternoon while streaming the popular NBC drama, Law & Order: Organized Crime.

The 26-year-old simply shared an Instagram story post of herself watching the show on her huge flat screen TV.

However, it was quickly screenshot by fans who took to X, formerly Twitter, and pointed out the user interface looked extremely similar to popular illegal streaming platforms.

In a viral post, one user commented: 'My girl pirating so real'.

'Id recognize my favorite site anywhere,' another commented, while a third added: 'I know that layout anywhere'.

Another wrote: 'The way we all recognize the playback menu on the video player lol'.

One fan noted: 'All the shows we want to watch are all on different streaming services WE NOT PAYING FOR 8 DIFFERENT SERVICES AND NEITHER IS MRS SWEENEY'.

'damn even rich people aint payin,' another commented, while one follower stated: 'Saving money. No one is paying for all these streaming services'.

Some fans couldn't help but point out the irony of Sydney's choice of show for her potentially illegal activity as one wrote: 'the way shes watching LAW and ORDER while pirating LMAO'.

Another agreed: 'Why are we pirating law and order organized crime of all things'.

Kylie Jenner, 26: Reality star caught lying about having cereal with milk for the first time

2018 saw Kylie Jenner sending fans into a spin when she claimed to have enjoyed cereal with milk for the first time

Just days later, it was confirmed that the Life of Kylie star had actually enjoyed the common breakfast before in 2013 (pictured right)

Kylie Jenner is no stranger to going viral for her social media posts but 2018 saw her sending fans into a spin when she claimed to have enjoyed cereal with milk for the first time.

At the tender age of 21, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star claimed that she never felt the desire to pour milk on her cereal because she didn't want a 'soggy' breakfast.

Taking to her Twitter account, the TV star wrote: 'Last night I had cereal with milk for the first time. life changing. I always liked cereal dry I never bothered to put milk.'

The beauty mogul also said the cereal was Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which she added was 'amazing.'

She then took to her Snapchat account and added: 'So I think people were a little confused when I tweeted that last night was the first time that I ever tried milk with my cereal.

'That is a fact. Everyone has their personal preference, I never preferred soggy cereal. I just really enjoyed my dry, crunchy cereal, and I know there are other people out there that agreed with me.

'So I think just as a young child, always eating dry cereal and never wanting to sog up my cereal, I've just got used to it where I never wanted to do it until last night until Jordyn [Woods, her best friend] said I want some cereal and milk and I was like: "You know, tonight's the night and I'm going to try it."'

However, the brunette beauty wasn't completely sold on the idea as she concluded: 'I still prefer dry cereal but it was pretty fire and nothing was ever the same. I don't like to put too much though, I definitely like cereal with a side of milk. I'm really not being dramatic, it's not hitting the spot crazy.'

Just days later, it was confirmed that the Life of Kylie star had actually enjoyed the common breakfast before.

TMZ dug deep into Kylie's social media history and found that in 2013 the reality star posted a photo of a big bowl of cereal with milk.

The photo was just a shot of the meal - which appeared to be some sort of plain bran flakes with fresh strawberries and blueberries that were swimming in milk.

In the caption, dated April 25, 2013, she wrote: 'he keeps me healthy.'

Bow Wow, 37: Rapper caught lying about taking a flight on a private jet to New York

Rapper Bow Wow bragged to his fans on his Instagram about traveling by private jet on his promotional tour for his reality show

Unfortunately for him, an eagle-eyed airline passenger spotted him traveling to New York on a regular commercial flight, took a photo and called the recording artist out on Twitter

Weeks later, the hitmaker did his best he to make the world believe that he simply just pulling a prank

In May 2017, rapper Bow Wow - real name Shad Moss - bragged to his fans on his Instagram about traveling by private jet on his promotional tour for his reality show Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta.

But unfortunately for him, an eagle-eyed airline passenger spotted him traveling to New York on a regular commercial flight, took a photo and called the recording artist out on Twitter.

'So this guy lil bow wow is on my flight to NY. But on Instagram he posted a picture of a private jet captioned "traveling to NY today" smh,' @Al_Khee tweeted.

Soon Twitter users from all over were chiming in with their reactions to the reveal with on user sharing a screen shot from a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, VIP transportation service.

The image had the same photo of a private jet with a Mercedes transit van and a Mercedes sedan parked next to it that appeared to be the same image that Bow Wow had shared to Instagram.

Bow Wow had traveled to New York for an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show and shared a photo of himself backstage at the studio but gave no reaction to being called out over his private jet post.

Weeks later, the hitmaker did his best he to make the world believe that he simply just pulling a prank.

The Let Me Hold You rapper attempted to turn the fiasco into a way to get fans to tune into his new show.

The rapper appeared on Hot 97's Ebro In The Morning and tried to suggest it was all part of his master plan to get people to tune into his show.

He said of the drama: 'I love it because people don't understand the scientific method to my madness. They really don't understand the scientific method to my madness.

'Number one, I'm about to have the biggest show on WeTV, period. Period. I'm saying that right now.'

The reality star suggested what he does is a 'tactic' but would not explain what that tactic was or how it worked saying only, 'You gotta watch there is a method to my madness'.

When one of the hosts suggested Bow Wow was a troll which means he used the internet to get a reaction, the rapper refused to confirm or deny, 'saying again that people need to tune in to WeTV'.

Shay Mitchell, 37: Actress caught pretending to use makeup remover for a sponsored post

Shay Mitchell was mercilessly mocked her for sharing a video of herself demonstrating the cleaning power of a makeup remover  but failing to actually remove her makeup

Although she claimed the cleanser removed her waterproof mascara, her eye makeup is still perfectly intact at the end of the clip

In September 2018, actress Shay Mitchell was mercilessly mocked her for sharing a video of herself demonstrating the cleaning power of a makeup remover  but failing to actually remove her makeup.

The Biore ambassador was been accused of duping her fans after taking to Snapchat to post a seemingly staged clip of herself using the brand's cleansing micellar water.

'I have obviously tried my fair share of makeup removers, but these are by far my favorite,' she says at the start of the video, and she even goes as far as pouring the liquid onto a cotton round.

After a sharp cut, she takes the pad and makes the motion of swiping it across her eye before holding it up to the camera to show off the smudged cotton.

Although she claims the cleanser removed her waterproof mascara, her eye makeup is still perfectly intact at the end of the clip.

Twitter user @ohjlizzle thought the whole thing was so comical she recorded it and posted it for all of her followers to see.

'SHE AINT EVEN ACTUALLY RUB HER EYE IM CRYING LMFAOOOO [sic],' she captioned the footage.

'Omg this is the worst promo I've ever seen,' one person wrote, while another added: 'she.. didn't even touch her EYE [sic].'

Many commenters were quick to agree that Shay didn't touch the cotton round to her skin during the demonstration.

Others questioned why she was using a Snapchat filter while filming a sponsored post about makeup removal.

This isn't the first time Shay has come under fire over a social media snafu.

In April, she was accused of faking her Instagram photos, as followers alleged that snapshots from her exotic travels were actually taken from other sites.

Mia Farrow, 79: Actress ridiculed after phone reveals awkward search term used to find picture of daughter

Mia Farrow was ridiculed by fans in January 2015 after posting a birthday message to one of her daughters

The picture of Quincy Farrow had the search term 'Mia Farrow and her black children' visible in it

Mia Farrow was ridiculed by fans in January 2015 after posting a birthday message to one of her daughters  with a picture of her beneath the search term 'Mia Farrow and her black children'.

The photograph was of Quincy Farrow, whos just turned 21, and was quickly replaced by a new photograph with the search term removed.

However, Twitter users had already taken a screen shot of the gaffe.

Nick Carbone tweeted the picture with the message: Youd think Mia Farrow would have a photo of her daughter without having to Google it with such an awkward search.

The 69-year-old actress has 15 children  four from husbands Andre Previn and Woody Allen and 11 adopted, and quickly denied that she finds photographs of her loved ones by using internet searches.

She claims that the picture in question was one she took  but that the one she posted was sent to her and she used that in her Twitter feed, according to the New York Observer.

She wrote: 'I took the photo myself & posted it before. Then someone sent it to me & I didn't check source.'

Bella Thorne, 26: Actress gets called out for wearing animal pelt after claiming it was faux fur

In March 2016, Bella Thorne found herself caught in a little white lie by fans when she claimed to be wearing a 'faux fur' coat

Fans were quick to point out that the jacket looked much like the Alice & Olivia Tierra Striped Fur Jacket as product listings claim it is made of genuine fur

In March 2016, Bella Thorne found herself caught in a little white lie by fans.

The 18-year-old posted an outfit of the day photo of herself on Instagram rocking a fur coat but made sure trolls on the Internet did not criticize her as she claimed it was 'faux fur.'

However, savvy users were quick to point out that the jacket looked much like the Alice & Olivia Tierra Striped Fur Jacket as product listings claim it is made of genuine fur.

The product overview read: 'Crafted with super-soft rabbit and blue fox fur, it boasts a woven design with a cropped silhouette and is finished with a monochrome striped pattern.'

Things were clarified as a rep told TMZ that the coat was given to her during a photoshoot as she was 'told it was faux fur.'

Her representation added to the gossip publication that she is now aware of the actual material, she will no longer wear it.

In her original post Bella wrote: 'When you're a tomboy and trade in sweats and kicks for boots and fur. (Dear internet Trolls, it's faux fur...) #ootd #shoes #basic #mirrorselfie #hellomarch #supertuesday #positivevibes #girlpower.'

Along with the animal pelt jacket she could be seen wearing a body-clinging black jumpsuit along with brown leather booties.

Millie Bobby Brown, 20: Actress forced to admit faking video that saw her miming use of her skincare products

Millie Bobby Brown was accused of duping her fans after filming a video where she mimed washing her face using her new Florence By Mills skincare line

After she posted the video, people questioned why no lather or suds were evident as the actress applied the face wash to her face which looked bone dry

Millie took to Instagram to admit that she had faked her skincare routine in the video

In September 2019, Millie Bobby Brown was accused of duping her fans after filming a video of herself washing her face using her Florence By Mills skincare line  and failing to remove her eye-makeup.

Shortly after launching her vegan beauty brand aimed at teens, the Stranger Things star shared a video of herself demonstrating her nighttime skincare routine.

But fans were quick to note that after it was all said and done, it looked like she still had makeup on her eyes.

Some were baffled by the choice, while others insisted she faked it and never actually washed her face.

Days later, Millie confirmed that she faked the use of her skincare products, explaining that she thought simply 'replicating' her own routine was enough to give people an idea of how the products should be used.

'I'm still learning the best way to share my routines as I get to know this space better - I'm not an expert,' she wrote in the Notes app on her phone, before sharing a screengrab as a post on her Instagram.

'I thought doing a quick video replicating my personal process for that night was okay, but that's not what was conveyed.

'I understand, I appreciate all of your feedback on this journey, please keep sharing your thoughts and I will too! [I love you] guys x'

She then ended the post with the hashtag #loveandlight.

Ben Affleck, 51: TikTok user revealed actor pursued her on Instagram after she turned him down on dating app Raya

Ben Affleck went viral in May 2021 after a video emerged of him pursuing a woman on Instagram

He sent the message after she had turned him down on celebrity dating app Raya thinking that his profile was a fake

Ben Affleck went viral in May 2021 after a video emerged of him pursuing a woman on Instagram, after she had turned him down on celebrity dating app Raya thinking that his profile was a fake.

Nivine Jay posted a TikTok video about the experience with the caption: 'Thinking of the time I matched with Ben Affleck on Raya and thought it was fake so I unmatched him and he sent me a video on Instagram.'

The Batman V Superman actor is then seen in an Instagram video speaking directly to camera, attempting to confirm his identity as he asks the woman: 'Nivine, why did you unmatch me? It's me.'

The video shows Nivine - who has written a book called Cry Baby - striking a series of poses, with the caption 'Sorry Ben' alongside a slew of hashtags including the actor's name and the app Raya.

Raya is often described as the celebrity version of Tinder, as the dating app requires a membership and a vetting process, which is enticing to big movie stars like Affleck.

The app - which launched in 2015 - describes itself as being 'an exclusive dating and networking platform for people in creative industries.'

After the video went viral, Nivine insisted that Academy Award-winning actor/director wasn't being a 'creep'.

'I'm seeing a lot of comments calling him a creep and l don't think that's fair. l wasn't making fun of him in the video,' Nivine told E! News. 'l was making fun of myself for thinking he was a catfish and it was just supposed to be funny.'
Robert Irwin is the 'hot favourite' to win the Gold Logie at the 64th annual TV Week Logie Awards on August 18 this year.

And there is one very special guest he will invite along to share the monumental moment with.

Sources tell Daily Mail Australia the celebrity conservationist, 20, will be accompanied by his mother and matriarch of the Irwin family, Terri, despite recent backlash from fans who think the pair are 'joined at the hip'.

It is said producers of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, which Robert hosts alongside Julia Morris, are concerned having his mother, 59, on his arm could 'land with a massive thud with his core fans'.

'The son of the late Steve Irwin is arguably Australia's most talked about "bachelor" in the TV industry and everyone knows he wouldn't find it hard to pull a date. Which is why his decision seems a little odd,' the insider said.

'He told the producers of I'm A Celebrity he plans to share the night's celebrations with his Mum - who has been his biggest supporter.'

They continued: 'However, the producers feel his decision is going to land with a massive thud with his core fans.

'The mother and son travel everywhere together and since his break-up with Lorie Buckey they seem to be tighter than ever.

'It is an odd dynamic for a 20-year-old boy to be so attached to his mother and many think it is time for Robert to step out from under her wings,' the insider added.

Robert Irwin, 20, (pictured) is the 'hot favourite' to win the Gold Logie at the 64th annual TV Week Logie Awards on August 18 this year - and there is one very special guest he will invite along to share the monumental moment with

The question of who Robert would pick to be on his arm at the Logies this year was widely speculated among industry insiders, given most attendees aren't allowed to bring guests along with them.

'That is how packed the awards night is - the venue simply doesn't have the room,' the source said.

'Only the nominees for the Gold Logie are guaranteed the opportunity to bring a family member or a friend. Usually the nominee would bring their partner.

'Those conversations are usually discussed internally with the unspoken rule that you require "network approval" with who you bring along.'

However, it seems Robert is intent on giving that coveted guest seat to mother, who also accompanied him to South Africa and was on set while he filmed I'm A Celebrity for Network Ten this year.

Sources told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday the celebrity conservationist will be accompanied by his mother, and matriarch of the Irwin family, Terri, 59, (left) despite recent backlash from fans who claim the pair are 'joined at the hip'

Back in April, a producer for I'm A Celebrity expressed concerns for Robert and his ever-present mother.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia at the time, an anonymous producer admitted that Terri's presence on set every day was 'a little creepy', saying: 'It is giving "bringing your-mum-to-school-camp" vibes.'

Terri, who has been in charge of Robert and his big sister Bindi's showbiz careers since the death of their father Steve Irwin in 2006, apparently kept a close eye on everything Robert did while working on the program.

'The two have an excellent relationship and Terri couldn't be nicer but there are not many situations where employees will have their mum at work with them, just to make sure everything is above board,' the insider said.

It is said producers of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, which Robert hosts alongside Julia Morris, are concerned having his mother on his arm could 'land with a massive thud with his core fans'

Comparing Terri to the Kardashians' famous 'momager' Kris Jenner, the producer claimed Robert's contract even included a section that allowed him to bring his family on set.

'The deal was done when Robert signed on as host late last year. He wanted his family to come with him,' they alleged, adding: 'Maybe it will be just for this series, but maybe Terri will always be standing in the wings. Who knows.'

Robert previously confirmed the entire Irwin clan would be joining him in South Africa, telling The Daily Telegraph in January: 'I've got everyone, including my little niece Grace, coming over, so the whole family are there.'

While Terri was said to be 'in her element' watching Robert win over audiences on the show, the producer cast some doubts about the zookeeper's protective attitude - especially when it comes to her son's dating life.

Robert split from girlfriend Rorie Buckey earlier this year after nearly two years of dating, with reports claiming Terri's opinions of the relationship may have contributed to the break-up.

'It is an odd dynamic for a 20-year-old boy to be so attached to his mother and many think it is time for Robert to step out from under her wings,' the source added

'The rumour on set is that Robert has been withholding information from his mum on his dating life, which is pretty standard for most 20-year-old boys,' the source spilled, claiming that 'cracks will continue to appear' if Terri continues to get involved in his love life.

However, the following month, Terri's helicopter parenting tactics began to raise questions among Robert's fans when the pair posed together in multiple images shared to Instagram during their travels overseas in May.

In two of the photos, Terri and her son were pictured beaming for the camera, and some detractors complained the pair are frequently seen together.

'Is Robert and his mother joined at the hip. She is in every pic you see of him,' one person wrote in the comments while another said: 'He's 20 now!'

It comes after an I'm A Celebrity producer told Daily Mail Australia that Terri's presence on set every day was 'a little creepy', saying: 'It is giving "bringing your-mum-to-school-camp" vibes'

However, there was plenty of support for their close relationship, with one person replying: 'He's a lucky young man to have her.'

Another wrote: 'People saying why Robert has his mum in so many photos. Remember every day is precious. Life is fragile. The Irwin's like millions of other families have experienced loss on a monumental scale.

'Steve was larger than life. It's lovely that they do spend so much time with each other. Don't be so critical.'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Robert and Terri for comment.
Suranne Jones has revealed a shocking and gruesome discovery that was unearthed while filming her new Channel 4 documentary, Investigating Witch Trials.

The two-part documentary, which is presented by the actress, 45, looks at the most infamous witch trials in history, with Suranne on a mission to discover why so many women were accused and what their story means today.

However, there is one ghastly fact that floored the Doctor Foster star more than others, while she was in Bamberg, Germany - where nearly 20,000 women were tortured and killed as witches.

She told the Mirror: 'I was shocked to learn about the 'witch ovens' that were built so they could get through people's bodies quicker... they could put four or five people in at a time.'

The Bamberg witch trials of 16271632 were one of the biggest mass trials and executions ever seen in Europe, as well as one of the biggest witch trials in history.

Suranne Jones has revealed a shocking and gruesome discovery that was unearthed while filming her new Channel 4 documentary, Investigating Witch Trials

The two-part documentary looks at the most infamous witch trials in history, with the actress, 45, on a mission to discover why so many women were accused

TeamAkers, the production company Suranne owns with her husband Laurence Akers, 50, made the documentary as the actress has always been interested in witches.

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 also visits Salem in Massachusetts. It was there in 1692 that 14 women and five men were hanged as witches after young girls began convulsing as if possessed by demons.

The star was shocked to find out that trials have not really been left in the past and instead have moved onto social media, where women are faced with misogyny and threats.

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

Feminist campaigner Laura Bates explained to the actress: 'The witch trials have gone online. There's so many parallels to what women went through then. There was a horrible form of torture called 'pricking the witch'.

'[Now] women are being tortured through the night with the 24/7 bombardment of social media.'

Suranne also realised that some moments from the past resonated with her own life, for example when she would 'have an opinion' during her career which resulting in the 'the atmosphere changing' and being called 'too loud' or 'too brash'.

In a series of chats with folklorists and academics, she learned the story of the Pendle witches

The star was shocked to find out that trials have not really been left in the past and instead have moved onto social media, where women are faced with misogyny and threats

TeamAkers, the production company Suranne owns with her husband Laurence Akers, 50, made the documentary as the actress has always been interested in witches (pictured 2022)

The actress shot to fame on ITV soap Coronation Street, but is best known and loved as TV's feisty cop Rachel Bailey and vengeful Doctor Foster, making her no stranger to strong female characters.

Suranne is now planning to spend more time behind the camera, rather than in front of it.

She said in December: 'Me and my husband, we set up our production company and made [new drama] Maryland and we just made our first documentary'.

'We just got two commissions that will go into production next year. I love it. I'm hoping to eventually make projects that I'm not in. I can have a couple of tea and chill'.

'It would be good to not do everything. But I'm very excited about our projects next year.'

It comes after Suranne admitted she is 'constantly trying to balance her life and career as a mother'.

The star recently spoke about how she and her character DCI Amy Silva in BBC's Vigil are both women constantly striving for more.

Suranne said she and Amy are also both women who are trying to 'balance' their lives and careers, and detailed how she too has struggled with 'anxiety'.

She said: 'Being a woman who constantly wants to prove herself and feels like a responsibility of many people, when we're out filming and when crews are doing lots for us - I think Amy and I share that.

'I have a child. I share that [with Amy]. I'm constantly trying to balance my life and my career. I share that.'

Investigating Witch Trials is available to stream now on Channel 4 All4
Owning Manhattan star Jade Shenker revealed that she still has co-star Chloe Tucker Caine blocked on TikTok because her fellow Serhant agent used to troll her on the social media platform.

The feisty commercial real estate strategist, 28, is seen clashing with the broker in the new Netflix series which follows Ryan Serhant and his elite army of agents.

Though Jade and Chloe appeared to be close at the start of the eight episode series, the pair quickly butt heads over how Chloe behaved after Jade opened up about the secret breakdown of her marriage to ex-husband Matt Denham.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Jade revealed that their issues began long before the cameras started rolling as she explained: 'There were things that had happened before we started filming where I didn't feel like Chloe was a good friend.

'There were so many things that like happened off-camera, that's why I still have her blocked on my TikTok.'

Owning Manhattan star Jade Shenker has revealed that she has still has co-star Chloe Tucker Caine blocked on TikTok

The socialite explained further: 'She was trolling my TikTok. I don't know why... If I'm speaking honestly, I think that it was her getting into a competitive mode. And rather than being willing to talk about it, she just turned nasty so that's why I blocked her.

'She still has like 1000 other accounts so she probably still sees my stuff but she's still blocked on TikTok for now.'

The duo clashed early in the series after Jade opened up about the fact she had been secretly hiding the truth about the state of her marriage from her friend.

Explaining that her husband admitted to cheating with multiple women during the course of their marriage during episode three, Jade was in tears as she revealed the couple had been keeping up appearances in public when, in reality, she had been sleeping on the couch at their home.

Chloe was immediately upset to discover that her friend had not only kept the truth secret from her, but had also chosen to reveal the truth to fellow agents Jessica Taylor and Jordan Hurt first.

'Why would you not call me and tell me that something is going on? I want you to be okay,' Chloe was seen saying. 'But then I get upset, to be honest. I get upset and I get resentful. Because it is like you are talking to everyone but me.'

Jade revealed her annoyance to the reaction in a confessional as she stated: 'My husband cheated on me and she finds a way to make it about herself.'

Despite the fact the pair seemed to have made up in the finale, Jade revealed they were far from being the close friends they once were.

She claims she was forced to make the move because her fellow Serhant agent used to troll her on the social media platform - pictured together at the Owning Manhattan premiere in June

The feisty commercial real estate strategist is seen clashing with her former friend on several occasions in the new Netflix reality series

'I'm still doing press with her, creating content here and there. But it's baby steps,' she stated. 'Would I trust her? Do I trust her now? [shrugs].'

The broker - who has managed over $650 million in luxury assets - explained that she was focused on putting 'the company first' as she continued: 'So if that means making up with someone who I need to spend time with, I'm gonna make up and we're gonna move forward. I'm not here to like, start drama and cry about everything.'

Jade made it clear that she harbors no ill will against Chloe and her family as she stated: 'I don't have to be friends with everyone. I can be friendly and I can love her baby and I can want the best for her.

'But she's not necessarily someone I would do business with, personally.'

While some viewers might think much of the drama on the show was put on for the cameras, Jade revealed that she had opted not to get involved in filming at points during production.

The socialite explained to DailyMail.com: 'She was trolling my TikTok. I don't know why... she just turned nasty so that's why I blocked her'

In the show, the pair butt heads over how Chloe behaved after Jade opened up about the secret breakdown of her marriage to ex-husband Matt Denham

She explained: 'I turned down scenes because I was so hurt by things with Chloe. It was hard, this was supposed to be one of my best friends. It was like, you kinda betrayed me before we started filming. You betrayed me while we're filming.

'So now she is someone that I work with and I will be cordial with her. We'll film content you know, we'll maybe we'll be friends a again, business first. I'm always a business woman before anything.'

The SERHANT. brokerage takes center stage in Owning Manhattan, as viewers are offered an inside look into the adrenaline-filled universe of high-stakes New York City real estate.

The agents are seen facing intense competition to secure the citys most exclusive luxury listings.

Owning Manhattan is available to stream on Netflix
Bethenny Frankel got some serious pushback from her fans after she shared her latest purchase on social media.

The Skinny Girl founder, 53, may have stepped over the line when she wrote 'When you buy a car to match your outfit'

The former reality TV star  who has a reported net worth of $80million  began the photo carousel posing in a strapless baby blue knit maxi dress in front of a new blue Ford Bronco.

Frankel's makeup was camera-ready and her long, dark hair was styled in loose waves.

The accessorized with diamond solitaire earrings, a diamond necklace and several bejeweled bracelets.

Bethenny Frankel got some serious pushback from her fans after she shared her latest purchase on social media

She completed the look with brown high heel mules and a wicker purse with brown leather trim.

Frankel added the hashtags '#nightout, #bronco, #blue, #hamptons' to the post.

The next two photos showed the Real Housewives of New York alum standing next to a brand new baby blue Ford Bronco.

'People can't even afford groceries right now and you're posting this?' asked one bewildered fan.

'Not sure I'm digging the egoyou are such a real person so what the heck happened? queried another.

'Wow. That's so relatable,' wrote one sarcastic commenter.

Others were not so kind.

The Skinny Girl founder, 53, may have stepped over the line when she wrote 'When you buy a car to match your outfit'

The former reality TV star  who has a reported net worth of $80million  began the photo carousel posing in a strapless baby blue knit maxi dress in front of a new blue Ford Bronco

Some followers accused the former reality star of being out of touch with people who may be going through financial difficulties. Some were concerned Frankel was losing touch with herself

One upset follower mentioned Frankel's lambasting of The Kardashian/Jenner family and compared their behavior to hers.

'So tone deaf do u really need to show off ur in the Hamptons & got a new car?' asked an incredulous commenter.

'Like ur acting like Scott Disick. I thought u were one for the people and helping them now u show off!? Why not just make a private page for ur rich stuck up friends that u follow this isn't a good look for the public page,' she said.

In a separate comment, the same commenter wrote, 'It's so funny bc you used to make videos of Kylie Jenner on how she and Cardi be bought expensive cars or bag post and you do it now your so out of touch.'

Others were delighted with the matching dress and car.

'That blue looks great on you!' stated an admirer.

'You look STUNNING!' wrote another adding a blue heart. 'I LOVE that car!! Its beautiful,' said another.

Some were concerned Frankel was losing touch with herself

One angry fan posted twice

She called Frankel out for her criticism of the Kardashian/Jenner family and then accused her of acting the same way

But Bethenny also received plenty of nice comments from fans, with one telling her she looks 'great'

Fans accentuated their compliments with blue hearts as the expressed the approval of the vehicle and the frock

Frankel has been spending the summer break in the Hamptons with her daughter Bryn, 14

Frankel has been spending the summer break in the Hamptons with her daughter Bryn, 14.

She shares the teen with her ex-husband Jason Hoppy.

Mother and daughter attended Justin Timberlake's show together as part of their 'Cute Girl Summer.'

Meanwhile, her recent ex-fiance Paul Bernon has seemingly moved on with model Aurora Culpo, 35, who is the older sister of WAG Olivia Culpo.
Rick Harrison is proudly showing off his new lady love on social media - four years after divorcing wife Deanna Burditt.

The reality TV personality, 59  who recently opened up about his son Adam's tragic passing  has been dating a 41-year-old Las Vegas-based nurse named Angie Polushkin.

'Angie and I met 6 months ago, and she is a nurse in Las Vegas,' he told People on Saturday.

'We've been in Europe the last couple of weeks celebrating her birthday,' the Pawn Stars vet added.

The businessman has been taking the brunette beauty out on lavish dates and sharing the sweet moments to his 972k followers on Instagram.

Rick Harrison proudly showing off his new lady love, Angie Polushkin, on social media - four years after divorcing his third wife Deanna Burditt

Just last week, Harrison took the nurse to Le Jules Verne in the Eiffel Tower for a romantic dinner-for-two.

'Amazing night with @apolushkinrn83,' he wrote on the post which featured the pair posing together inside the famous monument.

Fans went wild over the TV star's new girl writing, 'Sexy nurse alert!' Another chimed in supporting him with, 'Ok unk I see ya!'

In another post, Angie posed by a birthday cake as Harrison gushed in the caption: '12:01 in Paris and @apolushkinrn83 is 29 again!'

Earlier this month the happy couple posed with former President Donald Trump during one of the 78-year-old's rallies in Las Vegas.

The three appeared to be in good spirits with Trump flashing a thumbs up for the camera.

'Let's make America great again! us,' she penned in the caption. The post racked up over 700 likes and 76 comments.

The 41-year-old's Instagram account boasts 2,682 followers and 310 posts. Her bio reads, 'RN, aesthetic nurse injector.'

'Angie and I met 6 months ago, and she is a nurse in Las Vegas ,' he told People on Saturday

The businessman has been taking the brunette beauty out on lavish dates and sharing the sweet moments to his 972k followers

'Angie and I met 6 months ago, and she is a nurse in Las Vegas ,' he told People on Saturday

Rick  whose full name is Richard Kevin Harrison  is the owner of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas

Fans went wild over the TV star's new girl writing, 'Sexy nurse alert!' Another chimed in supporting him with, 'Ok unk I see ya!'

Earlier this month the pair posed with former President Donald Trump during one of the 78-year-old's rallies in Las Vegas

'We've been in Europe the last couple of weeks celebrating her birthday,' the Pawn Stars vet told the outlet

Rick  whose full name is Richard Kevin Harrison  is the owner of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas.

From 2013 to 2020 he was married to Deanna Burditt and faced the messy split in the courts.

Harrison was also wed to Kim Harrison from 1982 until 1985, then Tracy Harrison from 1986 until 2011.

Rick has three kids: Corey, 38, Adam, 37, and Jake.
Nicola Peltz is gearing up to take legal action against a dog groomer after the sudden death of her chihuahua Nala.

The 29-year-old actress  whose husband Brooklyn Beckham recently dished on their married life  retained a lawyer and is planning to 'go after the grooming company' located in upstate New York, sources told TMZ on Saturday.

The groomers attended to Nicola's dog at the home where she was staying, shortly before Nala experienced a fatal medical emergency, per the insiders.

In an Instagram post on June 15, the star revealed that a vet had recently assessed Nala and declared her 'perfectly healthy' before she was taken to the unnamed grooming company.

However, when Nicola picked up Nala and noticed the dog was 'hyperventilating and couldn't catch her breath', she immediately rushed her to an emergency vet, but the dog tragically passed away a few hours later.

Nicola Peltz is gearing up to take legal action against a dog groomer after the sudden death of her chihuahua Nala

The 29-year-old actress  whose husband Brooklyn Beckham (pictured) recently dished on their married life  retained a lawyer and is planning to 'go after the grooming company' located in upstate New York, sources told TMZ on Saturday

According to TMZ's sources, veterinary records indicated that the dog had fluid in her lungs, neurological problems, and a rapid heart rate before her death, though the exact cause of these issues remains unknown.

Nicola and Brooklyn had previously used the grooming service without any issues, according to the outlet.

TMZ's sources claimed the actress' legal action is not motivated by money but rather by a desire to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring again.

Nicola, an advocate for animal rights, is seeking answers about Nala's time with the groomer. However, there were no cameras in the grooming van, per the sources, raising questions about what happened inside.

'Im sharing this in hopes that it might prevent this from happening to other dogs,' Nicola added in her June 15 Instagram post. 'Her life was taken away from her way too soon.

'Please be careful who you send your dogs to because you dont know what goes on behind closed doors. 1 day without nala on earth feels like an eternity. i wish i could have her back in my arms.'

Last Saturday, in an Instagram Story, Nicola stated that the grooming company had ceased cooperating with her team, per USWeekly.

'My heart has been shattered,' she wrote. 'I am relentlessly investigating the situation to find out exactly what happened in that groomers van. I am doing everything I can to uncover the truth.'

The groomers attended to Nicola's dog at the home where she was staying, shortly before Nala experienced a fatal medical emergency, per the insiders

In an Instagram post on June 15, the star revealed that a vet had recently assessed Nala and declared her 'perfectly healthy' before she was taken to the unnamed grooming company

However, when Nicola picked up Nala and noticed the dog was 'hyperventilating and couldn't catch her breath', she immediately rushed her to an emergency vet, but the dog tragically passed away a few hours later

Nicola and Brooklyn had previously used the grooming service without any issues, according to the outlet

Brooklyn had taken to his social media on June 15 to announced the loss and pay tribute to their beloved pet

Brooklyn and Nicola confirmed their relationship in January 2020 and married in April 2022

'If her death was not due to foul play, then why isnt the groomer cooperating with our investigation  they currently are not,' she added.

Brooklyn had taken to his social media on June 15 to announced the loss and pay tribute to their beloved pet.

'Dear Nala, we miss you so much, you were unexpectedly taken from way us too soon and hope others dont experience a loss after something as simple as a grooming,' he wrote alongside a snap of himself holding Nala.

'You were the cutest little baby girl and we will always think of you. We know you are looking and barking down on us. We love you so much and miss you beyond.'
The ex-partner of Married At First Sight bride Jade Pywell has spoken out about her flourishing relationship with Ridge Barredo.

The couple, who met on the reality show, have not only weathered the storm of early scepticism but have emerged stronger than ever, celebrating their journey together on social media.

Ridge recently took to Instagram to share a heartfelt video chronicling their journey from their first meeting at their televised wedding to their current life together on the Gold Coast.

The post, captioned 'How it started vs how it's going now ', featured clips from their MAFS wedding and intimate moments from their relationship since.

The video garnered significant attention, including a cheeky comment from Alex Dejonge, the father of Jade's daughter Victoria.

'I'm so happy for you two. He's much better than all the others you have had!' Dejonge remarked.

Jade, displaying her characteristic humour, responded with, 'I don't have any exes,' to which Ridge added, 'Hahah facts'.

Jade has previously been open about her amicable relationship with Alex, emphasising that there is 'no bad blood' between them.

The ex-partner of Married At First Sight bride Jade Pywell has spoken out about her flourishing relationship with Ridge Barredo

'We literally call each other when we have any inconveniences in life, and whether we are arguing or not, we put it all aside when the other needs each other,' she shared.

Season 11 cast have also shown overwhelming support for their relationship.

Sara Mesa commented, 'I'm obsessed w you guys,' while Richard Sauerman added, 'Very cool bro '.

Ridge recently took to Instagram to share a heartfelt video chronicling their journey from their first meeting at their televised wedding to their current life together on the Gold Coast

The video garnered significant attention, including a cheeky comment from Alex Dejonge, the father of Jade's daughter Victoria

Ridge's move from Sydney to Jade's hometown of the Gold Coast in May 2024 marked a significant milestone in their relationship.

Recently, Ridge expressed his joy and contentment, saying he's the 'happiest he's ever been' and addressing their critics on social media.

'Doing life with this girl is unreal. Whether it's events, family dinners or just nights in at home. I adore absolutely all of it,' he wrote.

'I'm so happy for you two. He's much better than all the others you have had!' Dejonge (pictured) remarked

Jade, displaying her characteristic humour, responded with, 'I don't have any exes,' to which Ridge added, 'Hahah facts'

The news came just weeks after Ridge gushed over Jade and her daughter Victoria, eight, as he shared his delight over relocating to live with them.

He penned: 'We really did go from 'can't wait to see you next' to 'see you at home.' After 6 months I've finally made the move to the GC to be with my girl.

'It hasn't been the easiest of roads with the ups and downs and all the rest of it but we did actually make it.

'I've finally settled in here and I'm so excited to continue to grow our lives together with little V #lovewins.'

Jade commented on his post: 'Glad you're here with us. Now I only have to check your location to see how far you are from home.'

Married At First Sight is nominated for Best Structured Reality Program at the 2024 TV Week Logie Awards. Fans can vote for the show here.
MasterChef Australia judge Andy Allen put on a loved-up display with his wife Alex as they attended the premiere of Beauty and the Beast in Melbourne on Saturday.

The 36-year-old looked stylish in velvet grey pants and a matching coloured jacket as he arrived to Her Majesty's Theatre alongside his glamorous wife.

The TV star completed his look with a white striped shirt and wore a pair of chunky black boots.

Andy was all smiles as he wrapped his arm around Alex, who dressed to impress in a shiny brown blazer and pants.

The blonde beauty finished her ensemble with a black top and wore a pair of black stilettos to the event.

Alex left her long straight locks out and let her natural beauty shine, by opting for a neutral makeup palette.

The couple were also joined by Tully Smyth and her boyfriend Ned.

The former Big Brother star put on a stylish display in a bright pink strapless dress and a pair of grey heels.

MasterChef Australia judge Andy Allen put on a loved-up display with his wife Alex as they attended the premiere of Beauty and the Beast in Melbourne on Saturday

Tully held a silver handbag and wore large statement earrings as she posed on the red carpet.

She embraced her beau, who looked dapper in a navy tuxedo, a white buttoned shirt and a pair of black dress shoes.

Meanwhile, Olivia Molly Rogers went public with her new man as they walked the red carpet at the premiere.

The beauty queen could not wipe the smile off her face as she cuddled up to the handsome mystery man, who she has not yet named.

The couple were also joined by Tully Smyth and her boyfriend Ned

The model looked gorgeous in a bright mini dress with a plunging neckline, referencing the musical's lead character, Belle, who is known for wearing a yellow gown in the Disney adaption.

She had her trims pins on display in the short frock, and matched it with satin, yellow heels.

Olivia's fella looked dapper in a striped blazer over a dark shirt, black trousers and as leather boots.

Olivia Molly Rogers went public with her new man as they walked the red carpet at the premiere

Former Neighbours star Bonnie Anderson also put on a stylish display in a long silk skirt and gathered top.

The actress completed her ensemble with a pair of floral heels and curled her short brunette locks.

Christine Whelan Browne went for a similar approach, arriving to the event in an all-white ensemble.

She accessorised her mini dress with a pair of black heels and carried a matching coloured clutch.

Former Neighbours star Bonnie Anderson put on a stylish display in a long silk skirt and gathered top
Netflix has been handed more than 32 million of taxpayers' cash to make racy costume drama Bridgerton in Britain.

The show, based on books by American author Julia Quinn, has been one of the most successful ever shows on the streaming service since it debuted over Christmas 2020.

It broke Netflix records with 625 million viewing hours in the first month.

The first four episodes of the third series were released in May and the last four earlier this month, with viewers gripped by the love affair between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, played by Luke Newton and Derry Girls actress Nicola Coughlan.

Set in the 1800s, the show charts the romantic exploits and rivalries of the Bridgerton family as they rise through the ranks of London's high society.

Netflix has been handed more than 32 million of taxpayers' cash to make Bridgerton in Britain. Pictured: Luke Newton as Colin with Nicole Coughlan as Penelope Featherington

The show, based on books by American author Julia Quinn, has been one of the most successful ever shows on the streaming service since it debuted over Christmas 2020

Viewers have been gripped by the love affair between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, in the latest series

It is produced by Shondaland, the company set up by Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes.

More than 160 million has been spent making the series since it went into production in 2018, according to accounts filed at Companies House.

This qualifies it for a tax break called the audio-visual expenditure credit, which gives studios a cash credit of up to 25.5 per cent of the money they spend in the country.

Netflix estimates the 'Bridgerton universe' has boosted the UK economy by more than 250 million through supporting around 5,000 local businesses which provide everything from food for the cast to the lavish period costumes.

Streaming shows' budgets are usually keep secret as studios combine the cost of them in their overall expenses.

Shows made in Britain are exceptions.

Accounts reveal that the crew peaked at 216 staff during season three, with pay coming to 19.5 million over the past six years.
June 29, 2024: In Ukraine a Russian offensive in early May featured a rare disruption of the SpaceX Starlink communications service that the Ukrainian forces had become heavily dependent on for radio communications and video feeds from drones, ground forces and aircraft. The cause of the Starlink disruption was a new form of Russian electronic jamming. Ukraine and Russia are engaged in a constant battle to develop new forms of jamming and adapt their equipment to deal with it.

Without Starlink, Ukrainian forces have to rely on the same radio technology that the Russian have access to. This can also be jammed, but the jamming works both ways. Ukraine has sent reports of the jamming incidents to SpaceX as well as their NATO allies who are also planning to use Starlink for military operations.

Russian jamming is also interfering with Western guided weapons, like the GLMRS guided rocks launched from HIMARS vehicles. Less frequently used guided weapons, like the Excalibur guided 155mm shell, are also affected. Ukraine already had developed a countermeasure for the jamming, but only for locally made drones (UAVs) that depend on a variety of guidance systems including fire and forget systems where the operator selects a distant target, which out of range of the jamming, and then launches the missile that is equipped with a picture of the target and homes in on that. Another version of this technology is used against Russian jammers where the Ukrainian rocket or air delivered bomb home in on the Russian jamming signal. NATO nations that have supported the Ukrainian war effort with over $100 billion in military aid, so far, are taking notes because what happens to the Ukrainians could happen to a NATO force in the future, or an American, South Korean, Japanese force in the Pacific facing Chinese aggression.
Glastonbury fans complained Coldplay took to the Pyramid Stage 15 minutes late as they headlined the iconic festival on Saturday night.

The legendary band kicked off their set at 10pm instead of 9:45pm as scheduled as they performed to Worthy Farm's 'biggest ever' crowd.

BBC viewers were left frustrated by the delay and took to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their thoughts.

'You're running late lads. Put a shift in!'; 'Always late but worth the wait'; '10 mins late FFS classic Coldplay'

'Coldplay late what's new'; It really is a Coldplay show if they are late'.

Glastonbury fans complained that Coldplay took to the Pyramid Stage 15 minutes late as they headlined the iconic festival on Saturday night

The legendary band kicked off their set at 10pm instead of 9:45pm as scheduled as they performed to Worthy Farm's 'biggest ever' crowd

The group opened their historic set with 2000 hit Yellow as the sea of festival goers joined in singing.

Chris oozed confidence as he strutted about on stage alongside fellow band members Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and performed some of the group's most famous hits.

The show was watched by a whopping crowd of 100,000 plus including Hollywood stars Tom Cruise, 61, Simon Pegg, 54, and Gillian Anderson, 55.

Viewers at home were left stunned by the huge audience and branded it the festival's 'biggest ever'.

Taking to X they said: 'Biggest crowd Ive ever seen at glasto! Amazing'; 'What an insane crowd for Coldplay at Glastonbury'

'COLDPLAY not too shabby at all @GLASTONBURY humongous crowd'; 'Wow! Look at that #Glasto crowd for #Coldplay'

'How awesome does that crowd look at Glastonbury here? Coldplay. Amazing'.

The British band made history during the night as they became the first group ever to headline Glastonbury five times.

BBC viewers were left frustrated by the delay and took to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their thoughts

The group opened their historic set with 2000 hit Yellow as the sea of festival goers joined in singing

Chris oozed confidence as he strutted about on stage alongside fellow band members Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and performed some of the group's most famous hits

The show was watched by a whopping crowd of 100,000 plus people

They sent the crowd wild during their set as they introduced Michael J.Fox on stage as their special guest.

Coldplay, fronted by Chris Martin, 47, made their debut at the iconic festival in the New Bands Tent in 1999, before headlining in 2002, 2005, 2011, and 2016.

The Back To The Future actor, 63, who is battling Parkinson's, appeared on stage in his wheelchair as he played the guitar.

After the camera searched the crowd, the frontman serenaded Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis, before the beloved Hollywood actor was revealed to the audience.

Chris sung: 'Here is another legendary Michael, one who just totally rocks, with his chuck Berry quiff and the way he punched [Back To The Future villain] Biff, ladies and Gentleman please welcome Michael J.Fox'.

The actor, who is an avid musician, was first diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's at just 30 years of age in 1991, before revealing the news publicly in 1998.

Two years after going public with his diagnosis, Fox created The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000.

Since then, the foundation - which he founded with his wife of 36 years, Tracy Pollan - has raised over $2 billion for Parkinson's research.

Coldplay made history as they became the first group ever to headline Glastonbury five times on Saturday (frontman Chris Martin pictured)

The Back To The Future actor, 63, who is battling Parkinson's, appeared on stage in his wheelchair as he played the guitar

The British band, fronted by Chris Martin, 47, made their debut at the iconic festival in the New Bands Tent in 1999, before headlining in 2002, 2005, 2011, and 2016

Viewers were left in 'tears' following his surprise appearance as he joined the group in a rendition of their hit Fix You.

Headlining this year's festival are Coldplay on Saturday night, SZA on Sunday night, and Dua Lipa who performed on Friday night.

Shania Twain, 58, will play on Sunday in the late afternoon, and she opened up about how she is preparing.
Glastonbury fans were left in tears when Michael J. Fox made a surprise appearance on stage with Coldplay on Saturday.

The Back To The Future actor, 63, played the guitar from his wheelchair, amid his battle with Parkinson's, with frontman Chris Martin, 47, poignantly crediting him for being the 'main reason' the group existed.

It was a huge milestone moment for Coldplay as they made history by becoming the first group to headline Glastonbury five times.

After Michael joined them in a renditions of their hits Fix You and Humankind, Chris told the crowd: 'The main reason why we're in a band is because of watching Back to the Future,'

He continued: 'So thank you to our hero forever and one of the most amazing people on Earth, Mr Michael J. Fox. Thank you so much, Michael'.

Glastonbury fans were left in tears when Michael J. Fox (L) made a surprise appearance on stage with Coldplay on Saturday (pictured with frontman Chris Martin)

The Back To The Future actor, 63, played the guitar from his wheelchair, amid his battle with Parkinson's, with frontman Chris Martin , 47, poignantly crediting him for being the 'main reason' the group existed

After Michael joined them in a renditions of their hits Fix You and Humankind, Chris told the crowd: 'The main reason why we're in a band is because of watching Back to the Future' (pictured in the 1985 movie)

Chris previously spoke about how seeing Michael on guitar playing Johnny B. Goode in one iconic scene from 1985's Back To The Future was his inspiration to become a musician.

Telling Kelly Clarkson on her chat show in 2022: 'That's what made me want to be in a band, you know? That scene, yeah'.

Michael previously appeared with the band during their 2016 concert in New York and played songs from Back To The Future.

Chris said: 'Michael J. Fox came and played two of the songs from Back to the Future with us. That was really wonderful'.

'Him coming to play Johnny B. Goode and stuff, that was wonderful.'

Michael's 2016 appearance was a request from Chris' then ten-year-old Moses, with the video of the lad being played to the audience.

In it he said: 'I was just wondering if you could play a song from both of our favourite movies, Back To The Future. I love you so much,'

Chris continued: 'So thank you to our hero forever and one of the most amazing people on Earth, Mr Michael J. Fox. Thank you so much, Michael'

Glastonbury cameras searched the crowd, with serenading Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis, before the beloved Hollywood actor was revealed to the audience.

Chris previously spoke about how seeing Michael on guitar playing Johnny B. Goode in one iconic scene from 1985's Back To The Future (pictured) was his inspiration to become a musician.

Telling Kelly Clarkson (pictured) on her chat show in 2022: 'That's what made me want to be in a band, you know? That scene, yeah'

Michael previously appeared with the band during their 2016 concert in New York and played songs from Back To The Future (pictured)

Chris said: 'Michael J. Fox came and played two of the songs from Back to the Future with us. That was really wonderful'

The 2016 appearance was a request from Chris' then ten-year-old Moses, with the video of the lad being played to the audience (pictured)

His latest appearance saw the Glastonbury cameras search the crowd, with serenading Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis, before the beloved Hollywood actor was revealed to the audience.

Chris sung: 'Here is another legendary Michael, one who just totally rocks, with his chuck Berry quiff and the way he punched [Back To The Future villain] Biff, ladies and Gentleman please welcome Michael J.Fox'.

The actor, who is an avid musician and famously played the guitar in the iconic 1985 sci-fi movie, was first diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's at just 30 years of age in 1991, before revealing the news publicly in 1998.

Parkinson's disease is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, according to the NHS website.

The NHS says there are three major symptoms, including tremors or shaking, slowness of movement and muscle stiffness.

Glastonbury viewers were left in 'tears' following his surprise appearance and raced to X formerly Twitter

Earlier this year actor Michael spoke about outliving his original Parkinson's diagnosis, after doctors told him in 1998 (pictured) that they were 'hopeful' he would be 'functional for at least another 10 years and maybe well into old age.'

Now more than 25 years later, Michael- who hinted at coming out of acting retirement - is still thriving, revealing that he has always believed in himself. (pictured earlier this month)

Two years after going public with his diagnosis, Michael created The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000.

Since then, the foundation - which he founded with his wife of 36 years, Tracy Pollan - has raised over $2 billion for Parkinson's research.

Viewers were left in 'tears' following his surprise appearance as he joined the group in a rendition of their hit Fix You.

Viewers were left in 'tears' following his surprise appearance and raced to X formerly Twitter.

Chris oozed confidence as he strutted about on stage alongside fellow band members Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and performed some of the group's most famous hits

The show was watched by a whopping crowd of 30K including Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, 61

Mission Impossible's Tom (L) watched the the swanky VIP area with co-star Simon Pegg (R) and Crown star Gillian Anderson (C)

Viewers at home were left stunned by the huge audience and branded it the festival's 'biggest ever'

The set featured fireworks as well as confetti enveloping the crowd

They made history after previously headlining the festival for a fifth time, pictured headlining in 2002 (L) and 2005 (R)

Pictured on stage in Glastonbury in 2011

And their final headlining set in 2016

Writing: 'Michael J Fox joined Coldplay on stage oh my god': 'I love that Chris Martin from Coldplay brought Michael J Fox on stage, love Coldplay': 'Coldplay rocking Glastonbury and then bringing out Michael J. Fox will be the best thing I see all year': 'Michael J. Fox on stage with Coldplay at Glastonbury, great to see'.

'Coldplay, wow just wow. What a show and Michael J. Fox, don't tell me you weren't in tears': 'Blown away by the selfless perfomance by Coldplay at Glastonbury a celebration and reminder of hope in our world. Brining on Michael J Fox truly beautiful': 'Michael J Fox bless his heart on stage with Coldplay'.

The show was watched by a whopping crowd of 100,000 plus including Hollywood stars Tom Cruise, 61, Simon Pegg, 54, and Gillian Anderson, 55.
Cynthia Nixon was spotted filming a scene for the upcoming season of And Just Like That in New York City on Friday.

She sat at an outside table at a cafe with Dolly Wells, who plays Joy, a potential love interest for Nixon's Miranda - as is Rosie O'Donnell's Mary who was spotted filming with Nixon earlier this month.

Cynthia looks off in the distance as if she sees someone she recognizes in one of the photos.

In another, Dolly leans over to pet a cute grey dog who has run up to them when Miranda's son Brady, played by Niall Cunningham, walks up to them.

In two other snaps, the women are deep in discussion and Dolly reaches out to put her hand over Cynthia's.

Cynthia Nixon was spotted filming a scene for the upcoming season of And Just Like That in New York City

She sat at an outside table at a cafe with Dolly Wells, who plays Joy, a potential love interest for Nixon's Miranda

Dolly appeared in the last two episodes of the second season of the Sex and the City spinoff.

She is one of two recurring characters who were promoted to series regulars for season three.

Sebastiano Pigazzi, who plays himbo Giuseppe, was also made a series regular.

Along with O'Donnell, Mehcad Brooks, Jonathan Cake and Logan Marshall-Green have joined the cast as recurring characters.

The official logline for Season 3 states: 'This new chapter of the groundbreaking Sex and the City franchise finds Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte, alongside new and familiar friends, navigating the complicated reality of friendship, family and New York in their 50s.'

Last month, Nixon talked about the departure of Sara Ramirez's character Che Diaz from And Just Like That in a new interview with Variety.

'They created such an amazing character  such a controversial character, but such an amazing character,' the Emmy winner, 58, said.

The mother-of-three continued: 'I think they felt, and Michael Patrick King [And Just Like That's creator] felt, that that character had run its course. They came in and shook everything up, and then the arc was completed.'

Nixon also reflected on how, over the years, she's grown to be more like her character on the series while Miranda has become 'much more like' her.

In January, insiders told DailyMail.com that Ramirez had been dropped from the cast as many felt her character was a 'waste of airtime' and 'annoying' viewers.

Dolly leans over to pet a cute grey dog who has run up to them when Miranda's son Brady, played by Niall Cunningham, walks up to them

Cynthia looks off in the distance as if she sees someone she recognizes in one of the photo

In another snap the two women looked deep in conversation with each other

At one point, Dolly's character puts her hand on Nixon's hand

This came after Ramirez heavily suggested their time on the show was over for expressing pro-Palestinian beliefs.

But a source close to the show ridiculed the suggestion, claiming Ramirez's head had been 'on the chopping block since last season' because their character 'held no value anymore' and was 'annoying.'

'Sara was not fired because they support Palestine and the cease fire,' they told DailyMail.com exclusively. 'Sara was fired because Che brought nothing to the show anymore. They were on the chopping block since last season.

'After Che split with Miranda, the character really held no value anymore and fans found them annoying. The storyline as a struggling comedian was a waste of airtime and Sara knew it.'
Priyanka Chopra and her husband Nick Jonas were spotted enjoying a relaxed evening at a friend's house on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The couple, who recently arrived in Australia for Priyanka's latest film The Bluff, made the most of their downtime by toasting marshmallows in the backyard of the home.

Priyanka, 41, looked effortlessly chic for the casual evening in a stylish ensemble.

She wore a light grey tank top paired with comfortable white joggers and grey Ugg boots.

Her hair was styled in a relaxed updo, and she accessorised with a pair of trendy aviator sunglasses.

Cradling their adorable daughter, Malti Marie, Priyanka looked every bit the doting mother.

Nick, 31, also showcased his laid-back style in a black Miracle Academy T-shirt and matching coloured shorts.

He completed his ensemble with a pair of white slip-on shoes.

Priyanka Chopra and her husband Nick Jonas were spotted enjoying a relaxed evening at a friend's house on the Gold Coast on Saturday

The couple, who recently arrived in Australia for Priyanka's latest film, The Bluff, made the most of their downtime by toasting marshmallows with family and friends

Nick could be seen carrying large logs over, suggesting he was in charge of the evening's bonfire.

The couple was joined by Priyanka's mother, Dr. Madhu Akhouri Chopra, who appeared to be enjoying the serene setting.

Also present were family friends Sudeep and Tamanna Dutt, adding to the intimate and relaxed atmosphere of the gathering.

Priyanka, 41, looked effortlessly chic in a casual ensemble

She wore a light grey tank top paired with comfortable white joggers and grey Ugg boots

Cradling their adorable daughter, Malti Marie, Priyanka looked every bit the doting mother

At one point, Nick handed a skewer to someone seated on a white Adirondack chair, likely getting ready for some marshmallow toasting.

He was also seen holding a bag of marshmallows and a beverage as he chatted to friends and family.

Priyanka and Nick's visit to Australia comes as she gears up to film her new movie, The Bluff, which is anticipated to be a major hit.

Her hair was styled in a relaxed updo, and she accessorised with a pair of trendy aviator sunglasses

Nick Jonas, 31, showcased a laid-back style in a black Miracle Academy T-shirt and black shorts

In several photos, Nick can be seen carrying logs, suggesting he was in charge of the evening's bonfire

The couple was joined by Priyanka's mother, Dr. Madhu Akhouri Chopra, who appeared to be enjoying the serene setting

Nick was seen handing a skewer to someone seated on a white Adirondack chair, likely getting ready for some marshmallow toasting

The couple's presence on the Gold Coast has already created a buzz among fans, eager to catch a glimpse of the stars, with the Disney star spotted visiting the nearby theme parks earlier this week with his daughter.

The Bluff is the latest effort from filmmaking duo The Russo brothers, known for their work in Marvel, directing two Captain America films, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.

The feature is a drama written and directed by Frank E. Flowers, a filmmaker from the Caribbean known for 2004's Haven with Orlando Bloom.

Born and raised in India, Priyanka made her Hollywood debut in 2017's Baywatch, based on the television series of the same name.

Nick and Malti were joined by Priyanka's mom, Dr. Madhu Akhouri Chopra, and friends Sudeep and Tamanna Dutt at the theme parks on the Gold Coast earlier in the week

She starred alongside Zac Efron and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, with Pamela Anderson and David Hasselhoff also appearing in the film.

The former pageant queen recently shared a sweet video recognising all the loved ones who have helped her juggle career and motherhood.

'Nothing like family and friends to keep you rejuvenated,' she captioned footage of various family members and friends helping take care of Malti, who she described as an 'angel baby.'

Jonas and Malti held hands and matched in denim during an outing

The pair, who married in 2018, have been enjoying the company of friends Sudeep and Tamanna

As for Nick, it was revealed in June that he is returning to Broadway after 12 years to play the lead role in The Last Five Years.

He will play aspiring novelist Jamie Wellerstein opposite Tony winner Adrienne Warren, who will star as his character's wife Cathy Hiatt.

A film version starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan was released in 2014.

Jason Robert Brown wrote the musical based on the demise of his marriage.

The revival is expected to premiere in 2025.
Josh Lucas is ready to walk down the aisle with his girlfriend Brianna Ruffalo.

The 53-year-old Yellowstone star got engaged to the Los Angeles meteorologist during their recent Italian getaway, according to a report by TMZ on Saturday.

The couple traveled extensively across the country, visiting Positano and Naples for a summer holiday, per the outlet's sources.

Lucas reportedly saw this as the ideal moment to pop the question, given Ruffalo's ancestral ties to Italy.

The brunette beauty accepted the offer, and upon their arrival in Los Angeles, the couple joyfully shared the news with their families, who are reportedly thrilled for them.

Josh Lucas is ready to walk down the aisle with his girlfriend Brianna Ruffalo; (pictured March)

The 52-year-old Yellowstone star got engaged to the Los Angeles meteorologist during their recent Italian getaway, according to a report by TMZ on Saturday

Their engagement caps off a year and a half of dating, starting with a chance meeting at a restaurant while Lucas was on the set of his new show Palm Royale, according to the insiders.

In real life, Lucas successfully won his girlfriend's heart, but his character in Sweet Home Alabama wasn't as fortunate.

Lucas gained fame for his role in the 2002 romantic comedy alongside Reese Witherspoon, playing Witherspoon's estranged husband Jake, while Patrick Dempsey portrayed her fiance Andrew.

At a red carpet event in May, Ruffalo admitted that she wasnt cheering for Lucas character in the movie, telling E!, 'Im Team Patrick Dempsey.'

Ruffalo even joked that her opinion posed an 'ongoing problem' in their relationship.

'From day one, [Brianna] was like, "Oh yeah, you were the other guy,"' Lucas chimed in at the time.

'She was like, "I didn't like you because you like, stole her from Patrick."'

Once, despite her character preference, Lucas and Ruffalo attempted to watch Sweet Home Alabama together, according to the star.

The couple traveled extensively across the country, visiting Positano and Naples for a summer holiday, per the outlet's sources; (pictured March)

Lucas reportedly saw this as the ideal moment to pop the question, given Ruffalo's ancestral ties to Italy

'We actually watched part of it once and she fell asleep, like, 10 minutes in and was still like, "Im still Team Patrick,"' he said. 'And that was it.'

The engagement news comes after Lucas spilled the tea on the final chapter of Yellowstone, hinting that fans can expect a supersized send-off.

The actor  who is busy promoting his new show Palm Royale starring Kristen Wiig  revealed that he spoke with the show's creator about the second half of Season 5, which begins production this summer after a substantial delay.

'I texted [creator] Taylor Sheridan a couple months ago, and his response was, "Absolutely, we're going to finish this with 10 episodes or so,"' Josh told ET.

The initial segment of Season 5 comprised eight episodes and concluded in January, with the anticipation of the second part's premiere in November.

The brunette beauty accepted the offer, and upon their arrival in Los Angeles, the couple joyfully shared the news with their families, who are reportedly thrilled for them; (pictured April)

The engagement news comes after Lucas spilled the tea on the final chapter of Yellowstone, hinting that fans can expect a supersized send-off.

After speaking with Taylor, Josh, who plays the younger John Dutton (Kevin Costner's character) in flashback scenes, said he expects to saddle up once again for Season 5, Part 2.

'I said, hey man, Ive loved working on the show so much' and hes like, "well well be back,"' Josh explained. 'I can't wait to go do it.'

Regarding the potential for a spin-off showcasing Lucas in the role of the Montana rancher, Josh said, 'Man, from your lips to God's ears. I would love it.'

He added: 'I mean, obviously I love the world Taylor has created. I love seeing the generational aspect, the time aspect, obviously the 1800s on. So yeah, I would be there in a second.'
TikTok sensation Keenan Chapman, who boats over 550,000 followers, has unveiled his intense 'pre-Euro' shred routine as he gears up for an exciting getaway.

The model and influencer, known for his striking resemblance to Brazilian rapper Matue, has been making waves online with his dedicated fitness regime.

In a series of photos from his recent workout session, Chapman is seen pushing his limits at the F45 gym.

Dressed in a fitted white T-shirt and beige shorts, the fitness enthusiast showcased his muscular physique as he tackled various challenging exercises.

In the footage, Chapman is captured on the ski erg pulling the handles with force.

The workout, designed to engage the entire body, also included the row erg, dumbbell skull crushers, and running shuttles.

Each exercise was performed with precision, highlighting Chapman's dedication to his fitness goals.

Another clip shows Chapman and a workout partner performing lunges into dumbbell hammer curls, a combination that gets all the muscles moving.

TikTok sensation Keenan Chapman, who boats over 550,000 followers, has unveiled his intense 'pre-Euro' shred routine as he gears up for an exciting getaway

The influencer, known for his striking resemblance to Brazilian rapper Matue, has been making waves online with his dedicated fitness regime

The pair worked in unison, their focus unwavering as they lifted weights in perfect form.

The session culminated in a gruelling AMRAP (as many reps as possible) finisher.

This included plate overheads, plate sit-ups, and more running, all completed within an 11-minute time cap.

Dressed in a fitted white T-shirt and beige shorts, the fitness enthusiast showcased his muscular physique as he tackled various challenging exercises

Chapman previously made headlines when his followers pointed out his uncanny resemblance to Matue, one of Brazil's rising rappers.

The buzz around Chapman and Matue's likeness has led to speculation about a potential meet-up during his upcoming trip to Europe.

Chapman has teased a trip to Brazil, sparking excitement among his fans eager to see the two look-a-likes together.
Andy Cohen revealed that one of his few regrets in life involved his interview with Oprah Winfrey.

The 56-year-old Bravo host admitted that he felt awkward about asking the billionaire media mogul, now 70, if she had ever slept with a woman during her 2013 appearance on Watch What Happens Live, per his interview with ET on Friday.

More specifically, Andy asked Oprah if she had ever 'taken a dip in the lady pond.'

'It meant so much to me that Oprah Winfrey did the show,' he recalled. 'It's gone brilliantly and I turn around and ask her if she's every had sex with a woman. I mean, couldn't I leave it alone?'

Cohen  who recently admitted he worries about getting 'canceled'  added: 'That's probably one of my few regrets.'

Andy Cohen revealed that one of his few regrets in life involved his interview with Oprah Winfrey; (pictured in 2013)

The 56-year-old Bravo host admitted that he felt awkward about asking the billionaire media mogul, now 70, if she had ever slept with a woman during her 2013 appearance on Watch What Happens Live, per his interview with ET on Friday

In a video clip shared by ET, the Color Purple star responded to Andy's question with a direct stare and a firm, 'No, I have not. Thank you.'

The Bravo boss went on to say that the interview was a 'huge moment' for both him and the talk show.

'I'm such a fan of Oprah,' he added.

According to Andy, Oprah remained 'super cool' and assured that 'it was not awkward' once the cameras stopped rolling.

However, Oprah's friend Gayle King later informed him that the former talk show host might not have fully understood the question.

'Gayle King told me later that week that Oprah didn't know what I meant by "the lady pond,"' Andy recalled to the outlet.

'I thought I explained it pretty well there, but listen, I was so grateful that Oprah did the show and I still am. That remains, I think, my favorite episode.'

Andy, meanwhile, said he holds Patti LuPone in high regard as one of his favorite guests.

'I mean, Patti LuPone has no F's to give so she is the perfect clubhouse guest,' he explained. 'She's been here many times.'

Andy's comments come after he claimed that 'outrage culture' has changed the Real Housewives culture in recent years.

The Bravo boss  who has been named in a bombshell lawsuit against the network by RHONY alum Leah McSweeney  said that since launching the franchise over 15 years ago, the creators have had to swiftly adapt to the evolving cultural landscape.

More specifically, Andy asked Oprah if she had ever 'taken a dip in the lady pond'

The Color Purple star responded to Andy's question with a direct stare and a firm, 'No, I have not. Thank you'; (pictured January)

According to Andy, pictured here on June 12, Oprah remained 'super cool' and assured that 'it was not awkward' once the cameras stopped rolling

'Producing a show about politically incorrect women in 2024 is different than producing a show about politically incorrect women in 2009,' Andy told The Hollywood Reporter in May.

'We are living in an outrage culture now, and everyone has had to adapt to that,' he continued.

Andy added that viewers' 'sensitivity' has grown more acute, attributing this shift to the pervasive influence of social media.

'Sensitivities have changed over the years. Social media has a huge impact. There's not a lot of room for nuance these days,' he claimed.
Kelly Bensimon kept her mind off her cancelled wedding by taking a family trip to the Hamptons on Saturday.

The 56-year-old Real Housewives of New York alum called off her nuptials to fiance Scott Litner just four days before she was set to walk down the aisle on June 29.

Instead of saying 'I do,' the former model rode her horse and took in the action at the Southampton Polo Club alongside her daughter Sea, 26.

On her Instagram Stories, Kelly shared clips from the fun-filled day, including a video of Sea playing with their dog Tarzan in a polo field with the caption, 'If you can't beat em, join em.'

Another photo captured a group of polo players and their horses in action on the field during an exciting match held on the day of Kelly's would be-nuptials.

Kelly Bensimon kept her mind off her cancelled wedding by taking a family trip to the Hamptons on Saturday

Instead of saying 'I do,' the former model rode her horse and took in the action at the Southampton Polo Club alongside her daughter Sea, 26

In a statement to Page Six on Tuesday, the former reality star said: 'I have decided that my two daughters are my priority and I wont be moving forward with this wedding.'

She has since revealed that her decision was due to Scott's refusal to sign a prenup, which she called 'the ultimate red flag.'

But Scott reportedly believes this is an 'excuse.'

'Scott still wants to marry Kelly and though it will not happen in a few days as originally expected, he believes they can get back to a place where it does happen,' a source told DailyMail.com.

'He is upset for a multitude of reasons. So many wheels were in motion for the wedding, it was going to be a very special day and now that isn't happening.'

They continued: 'Though Kelly mentioned the reason being the lack of a prenup, Scott feels that is just an excuse and that it had to be something else.

'He is looking to figure out where it went wrong and is looking to right any of this.

'Scott didn't want a prenup because he considers himself more traditional, and having a prenup makes it feel to him that you are already putting a damper on a lifelong relationship. He didn't want to make the marriage a business deal.'

The insider explained that those closest to Scott and Kelly had been left stunned by the recent turn of events.

'Friends were actually surprised and thought everything was going well with the two,' the source explained. 'So for any type of strain in their relationship that may have been going on, friends didn't see this coming at all.'

On her Instagram Stories, Kelly shared clips from the fun-filled day, including a video of Sea playing with their dog Tarzan in a polo field with the caption, 'If you can't beat em, join em.'

The 56-year-old Real Housewives of New York alum called off her nuptials to fiance Scott Litner just four days before she was set to walk down the aisle on June 29

Kelly and Scott were supposed to have two ceremonies - a backyard wedding and a large party in the Hamptons - but Scott refused to sign a prenup because he's 'old-fashioned'

Scott proposed in July 2023 with a large five-carat, emerald-cut diamond ring that was custom made by New York City jeweler Material Good

A source close to Kelly then told People that she is now taking time to focus on herself.

Just one day later, she told Us Weekly: 'I haven't come this far in business and life to start making poor decisions because of a man.

'He of all people should have understood the need to protect each other before we tied the knot. I'm truly shocked he refused a prenup.'

The reality star, who has a reported net worth of $10million, said that Scott, who is a wealth advisor, 'thought that I would enter this union without legal protections in place, that I would leave everything to faith.'

The reality television personality and financier had been preparing for an intimate June 29 ceremony.

Kelly and Scott were supposed to have two ceremonies  a backyard wedding in Boston for their closest loved ones followed by a larger party in the Hamptons.

The couple got engaged last summer over Fourth of July weekend, when the financier popped the question on a trip to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where she vacationed as a child.

'I have decided that my two daughters are my priority and I wont be moving forward with this wedding,' Kelly shared in a statement (pictured with daughters, Sea, 26, and Teddy, 23)

The trio soaked up the sun and relaxed in the Caribbean shortly before Bensimon announced she would not be going through with her planned June 29 nuptials

Kelly was famously previously married to Gilles Bensimon, the famed photographer, from 1997 to 2006 and they share daughters Sea, 26, and Teddy, 23.

Meanwhile, Scott has been married twice and also has children.

The businessman proposed on a speedboat while she was clad in a bikini, catching her completely off guard.

'Scott proposed to me, literally in Wisconsin near where I was raised,' she told DailyMail.com. 'I was raised in Rockford, Illinois, and he proposed to me in Lake Geneva Wisconsin.'
Pauline Chalamet is pregnant with her first child - and quietly debuted her growing baby bump during Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday.

The Sex Lives Of College Girls actress, 32, is notably the older sister of actor, Timothee Chalamet - who has been busy filming the Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown.

Pauline made an appearance in a photo uploaded to her friend and designer, Jeanne Damas' Instagram stories as the pair struck a lighthearted pose for the camera earlier this week.

She donned a figure-hugging, black dress that clung to her frame and showcased her burgeoning stomach.

The star flashed a cheerful smile while sporting a pair of fashionable shades as she stood next to Damas - who is also currently pregnant.

Pauline Chalamet, 32, is pregnant with her first child - and quietly debuted her growing baby bump during Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday; seen earlier this month in Beverly Hills

Pauline made an appearance in a photo uploaded to her friend and designer Jeanne Damas' Instagram stories as the pair struck a lighthearted pose for the camera

The two pals faced each other and allowed their bumps to touch as they paused for the snap outdoors.

Pauline has yet to address the baby news on her own Instagram account - and the identity of the father is also not known.

However, the actress recently attended the Patou Fall/Winter Haute Couture runway show in Paris earlier this week on Thursday.

She sported a loose-fitting, white shirt that was buttoned at the front as well as a black, pleated miniskirt.

Her locks were pulled back and styled into a half up do, allowing loose strands to border the sides of her face.

Chalamet accessorized the look with a pair of dangly, gold earrings and carried a light pink clutch bag in her hand that offered a pop of color to the outfit.

And earlier this month, Pauline made an appearance at the Elle Hollywood Rising event in Beverly Hills.

She glammed up in a white, satin dress which was layered with a chic, white blazer that was left unfastened at the front.

However, the actress recently attended the Patou Fall/Winter Haute Couture runway show in Paris earlier this week on Thursday (seen above)

The Sex Lives Of College Girls actress is notably the older sister of actor, Timothee Chalamet - who has been busy filming the Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown; the siblings seen in 2018 in Beverly Hills

The King Of Staten Island star slipped into a pair of closed-toed, nude heels and seemingly concealed her baby bump while holding a clutch bag in front of her stomach.

Pauline is known for her role as Kimberly in HBO Max's series, Sex Lives Of College Girls.

The premise follows, 'Four 18-year-old freshman roommates at Essex College in Vermont. A bundle of contradictions and hormones, these sexually active college girls are equal parts lovable and infuriating,' per IMDB.

The first season of the show was released in 2021, and in December 2022, the series was renewed for a third season.

Renee Rapp was also one of the stars in the project - but will only have a recurring role in the third season rather than a main before exiting the series.

The Mean Girls actress addressed her exit while talking to Vanity Fair earlier this year in January, and expressed, 'The people in my life that I work with now care about me as a person.'

'And I think that is a difference from things I've experienced in the past,' she further told the outlet at the time.

During a past interview with The Cut in 2022, Pauline talked about following her passion for acting and starring in the show.

Pauline is known for her role as Kimberly in HBO Max's series, Sex Lives Of College Girls. The first season of the show was released in 2021, and in December 2022, the series was renewed for a third season; seen in 2023 in Cannes

She recalled in high school while doing a scene for Antigone, 'something clicked' and remembered presenting some of it with her scene partner to her teacher - who 'tore it to shreds.'

However, on the main day of presentations, the star said, 'I was so prepared. We'd really worked, and it was the first time I understood what the work was of bringing a scene and a character to life.'

Chalamet later added, 'I always enjoyed acting but didn't put all my energy into it until relatively recently, when I was living full time in Paris.'

Her younger brother, Timothee - who is currently dating Kylie Jenner - has also made a big name for himself in Hollywood, having starred in films such as Call Me By Your Name, Wonka and Dune: Part Two.
MasterChef Australia fans have called out the controversial edit of a judge on this year's series, just weeks ahead of the anticipated finale.

Viewers flocked to Reddit on Friday to express their dismay that French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli didn't receive as much screen time as his co-hosts.

Joining the judging panel this year alongside Andy Allen, Poh Ling Yeow and Sofia Levin, Jean-Christophe, 63, has quickly become a fan favourite on the show.

But one disgruntled fan noted: 'I personally love him but I feel the contestants as well as the judges don't pay much attention to him.

'They don't really include him in the contestant discussions, don't even look in his direction while talking.

'Kinda chuckle whenever he's talking out loud, laugh embarrassingly whenever he praises or bangs the table.

'Poh gets all the attention and is part of everything. Even when he's praising the contestants, they don't take him seriously.'

The viewer went on to say Jean-Christophe is very 'sweet' and tries 'to be as helpful as possible but nobody really cares'.

MasterChef Australia fans have called out the controversial edit of a judge on this year's series, just weeks ahead of the anticipated finale. Pictured L to R: Andy Allen, Jean-Christophe Novelli, Poh Ling Yeow and Sofia Levin

Other users voiced their agreement, with many praising the restaurateur for his uplifting and positive personality on the Channel 10 cooking competition.

'He's totally our favourite judge. Total breath of fresh air,' one person said.

Another added: 'He's so insane, I love it. Banging the table, screaming with joy in the restaurant service challenge. Pinning the crab on Harry.'

Viewers flocked to Reddit on Friday to express their dismay that French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, 63, (pictured) didn't receive as much screen time as his co-hosts

'Less Andy saying, "It's a banger," and, "That's just full of flavour," and more J.C! He is so encouraging, honest, and such a funny person,' a third commented.

One user said Jean-Christophe's cut scenes may have less to do with how the other judges and contestants feel about him, and more to do with the producers.

They said: 'For some reason the producers/editors are minimizing JC's screen time, i.e. the Sue edit. So they show less interactions of JC with everyone.'

One disgruntled fan noted: 'I personally love him but I feel the contestants as well as the judges don't pay much attention to him'

The 2024 season is still ongoing, but Network 10 have already confirmed Jean-Christophe will return in 2025 alongside Andy, Poh and Sofia.

The panel of four made their debut in season 16 this year after Andy, 36, was the only judge to return to the show from last year's panel.

Melissa Leong was dropped from the series and Jock Zonfrillo tragically died in April last year, just one day before season 15 was set to air.

Andy, who joined the panel in 2020, admitted he was unsure about returning after the devastating loss of Jock but decided his friend would have wanted it.
June 30, 2024: China is building a small aircraft carrier that will carry and use droves (UAVS) instead of manned aircraft. China never revealed it was building carriers but open source satellite photos have revealed three small carriers under construction in a shipyard way up the Yangtze River from the major shipyards in Shanghai. These carriers can operate unmanned aircraft but not manned ones. The carriers will apparently carry dozens of UAVs, most of them armed for one-way attacks. A smaller number of UAVs are used for reconnaissance or aerial surveillance to protect the carrier.

While China is already using land based drones to patrol coastal waters, these carriers would enable drones to be used for reconnaissance or attacks far out at sea. The drone carriers can also be used in training exercises with the first modern Chinese aircraft carrier, Fujian. This 80,000 ton carrier is similar to the eleven American aircraft carriers. Fujian is a bit smaller and carries fewer aircraft but is very capable. Currently Fujian is spending a lot of time at sea to begin the long process of training the crew to meet the performance standards that Americans have achieved during 70 years of carrier operations in war and peace.

The Chinese drone carriers are an attempt to develop something unique in carrier warfare that the Americans dont have. The drone carriers will conduct exercises against the Fujian, which will play the role of an American carrier. This is to gain an understanding of how much of a threat the drone carriers would be to American carriers. This leaves out the American SSN (nuclear powered attack submarine) factor. These subs can stay submerged for months at a time and have sensors that can detect and track many types of surface ships, including Chinese warships and particularly the Fujian and the drone carriers. American SSNs are designed to hunt down and torpedo enemy surface ships and submarines.

Ship-operated drones can be a threat to American SSNs. That depends on many factors. But it is quite irrelevant that they are no threat to torpedoes fired by submarines.
Pip Edwards loves nothing more than bathing in the sun.

The designer overdid it this weekend however, revealing in an Instagram Stories post on Sunday that she was a tad sunburned.

The 44-year-old, who is on holiday in sunny Bali, shared a selfie in which her reddened skin was on display in a loose black dress with spaghetti straps.

'Got a little sun-kissed today,' she wrote in her caption alongside the makeup-free selfie.

On Friday, Pip flaunted her toned form in a black and white striped bikini as she lounged by the pool during her getaway.

Her rippling muscles and taut tummy was on display as she took in some rest and relaxation.

Pip added a matching bucket hat to protect her famous face from the rays and appeared to skip the makeup for her swim.

She captioned one of her images: 'All I need is that Bali sun' and indicated she is staying at the upmarket Seascape Resort by Ini Vie Hospitality.

Pip Edwards (pictured) loves nothing more than bathing in the sun. The designer overdid it this weekend, revealing in an Instagram Stories post on Sunday that she was a tad sunburned

The 44-year-old is on holiday in sunny Bali and having lots of fun in the sun

The P.E Nation co-founder hasn't shied away from giving an insight into her lavish holiday and took to Instagram on Saturday to share more stunning snaps.

She put her toned physique on display in a $175 backless red one-piece from Aussie brand Bond-Eye Swim as she sunbathed at Sundays Beach Club.

Pip shielded her eyes with a pair of $465 Gucci sunglasses and swept her golden locks back into a low ponytail as she soaked up the sun on the balmy day

The designer has not always had such a friendly attitude towards harsh UV rays in the past.

On Friday, Pip flaunted her toned form in a black and white striped bikini as she lounged by the pool during her getaway

The P.E Nation co-founder hasn't shied away from giving an insight into her lavish holiday and took to Instagram on Saturday to share more stunning snaps

Back in 2021, Pip starred in Naked Sundays' skin cancer awareness campaign, Give Melanoma The Cold Shoulder.

'Skin is everything, and is a huge focus for me as I get older, especially after years of sun damage,' the activewear guru said at the time.

'It's no secret that I love the sun, so this is why I've partnered with @naked_sundays to promote their campaign which encourages everyone to wear SPF every single day to protect your precious skin,' she added.

Pip also gave an interview to Naked Sundays about her commitment to sun protection.

'When I was young I didn't look after my skin at all, and now as I'm in my 40s and it's clear that I do suffer from years of sun damage and it can be hard to reverse,' she admitted.

'Now I put my skin first and do everything to protect it, maintain it, whilst still promoting a healthy colour and glow,' she added.
Charlotte McKinney showed off her curves on the beach in Miami Friday.

The model, 30, who has been spending time on a working vacation in the South Florida city, hit the sand in a colorful pink and teal floral bikini. The swimsuit featured a barely there triangle halter top and string bottom.

Her blonde locks were styled in a loose updo. She wore little to no makeup and protected her hazel eyes from the bright rays of the sun with a pair of dark shades.

The runway veteran took her hair down as she got into the warm blue waters of Biscayne Bay.

The Orlando-born beauty was in Miami celebrating her cover on the July issue of Ocean Drive magazine.

Charlotte McKinney, 30, showed off her curves on the beach in Miami Friday. The model hit the sand in a colorful pink and teal floral bikini. The swimsuit featured a barely there triangle halter top and string bottom

The model, who recently broke up with boyfriend Nathan Kostechko after seven years together, has been focusing on her new loves - acting and comedy. She has been building an acting resume over the past several years and spoke to the publication about her upcoming slasher film, Stiletto.

'That was on the opposite end of the spectrum for me,' the blonde bombshell admitted. 'But it was so much fun! I got this offer and thought, "This is so different for me." But again, Im at this stage in my life where Im saying yes to everything that is different and trying it.'

'It was surprisingly cathartic to let loose and scream bloody murder. The experience was a lot of fun, and we had such a great cast. Im looking forward to hopefully doing more in the horror genre.'

McKinney launched her modeling career via social media posts. After being pulled on-stage on David Spade's Lights Out show on Comedy Central, the model discovered she could make people laugh and her stand-up comedy career was born.

'This was before the pandemic, and David Spade was performing with Whitney Cummings. Suddenly, their team put a microphone in my ear and threw me onstage at The Comedy Store, an iconic place to do comedy,' McKinney explained.

'I was like, "OK, whatever, lets do it." As I got out there and performed, I realized it felt natural and could be something I wanted to do more of.'

'People were impressed with my improv throughout the performance, making me think more about getting into the field.'

McKinney said she looks to other comics such as Chelsea Handler and Sarah Silverman for inspiration.

The runway veteran took her hair down as she got into the warm blue waters of Biscayne Bay. She wore little to no makeup and protected her hazel eyes from the bright rays of the sun with a pair of dark shades

McKinney has been in Miami, celebrating her cover on Ocean Drive Magazine (Pictured in Miami June 27)

In her interview with the publications, she spoke about pursuing not only modeling, but acting and stand-up comedy. 'Learning to let go has been hard for me, but its oddly therapeutic too,' she said (Pictured in Miami in November 2023)

'I love how they dont give a flying F and are so true to themselves and say whatever they feel,' she explained.

'Im trying to learn how to have thicker skin and act more like them, she said. 'Learning to let go has been hard for me, but its oddly therapeutic too.'

Explaining her act, McKinney said, 'my humor is definitely self-deprecating,' she maintained, adding she stays away from controversial topics. 'I like to poke fun at myself, so I pull only from my own life. I dont speak on things I dont know about, such as politics.'

She's also working on her own material and posts some of it on her social media accounts. 'I work with writers to pull out the jokes, but now Ive also been writing my own sketches, which has been so fun,' she said.
Kimberley Garner sent pulses racing as she enjoyed a sunny stroll with pals through swanky Belgravia, London on Sunday.

The former Made in Chelsea star, 33, displayed her svelte model figure in a tiny white Alo bralette and matching mini skirt.

Kimberley looked sensational in the outfit which left little to the imagination, showcasing her incredibly toned abs and long legs.

The stunner completed the look with a pair of comfy Adidas trainers and toted a bag over her shoulder.

She appeared in great spirits and flashed a huge smile as she strolled along the busy street with her friends.

Kimberley Garner, 33, sent pulses racing as she enjoyed a sunny stroll with pals through swanky Belgravia, London on Sunday

The former Made in Chelsea star displayed her svelte model figure in a tiny white Alo bralette and matching mini skirt

It comes after Kimberley commanded attention at the star-studded Kinds Of Kindness red carpet on the Cannes red carpet last month.

She stepped out in a sheer nude gown which featured intricate jewel detailings, which she paired with a dramatic cream layered tulle shawl which doubled as a train.

It spread three meters down and across the red carpet stairs.

Kimberley posed confidently as she showcased her gorgeous backless dress and golden platform heels.

She was the epitome of chic as she styled her blonde tresses in a simple middle-part bun.

The ladies were showing support for Emma Stone and Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos' latest movie offering Kinds Of Kindness.

Kimberley also showed her mystery ex-boyfriend what he's missing with a set of sizzling hot swimwear snaps after revealing that she had 'just broken up with someone'.

The star - who is expanding her range to include a line for men - confirmed her relationship status at the screening of The Idea Of You at the Ham Yard Hotel in Soho, London.

She told Eden Confidential: 'I've just broken up with someone. Right decision  and I am in a really good place.'

Kimberley's last known romance began in summer 2023, when it was revealed that she was going out with financier Andreas Anthis.

It comes after Kimberley commanded attention at the star-studded Kinds Of Kindness red carpet on the Cannes red carpet last month

She stepped out in a sheer nude gown which featured intricate jewel detailings, which she paired with a dramatic cream layered tulle shawl which doubled as a train

Kimberley was spotted for the first time with Andreas last July, as they packed on the PDA while walking her dog Sasha in London.

The reality star previously dated her MIC co-star Richard Dinan.

Since finding fame on the show in 2012, Kimberley has made a name for herself as a successful swimsuit brand entrepreneur.

She recently spoke about how the lengths she had to go to in order for her business to be taken seriously.

The designer told MailOnline: 'I think people sometimes think that Im only the face, but I am responsible for every bit of the business.'

'I was 18 when I started my first company - I came up with an idea, stayed up for days learning how to register the company and teaching myself. It became very successful overnight.'

Kimberley went on: 'However, as I was only 18, no one ever imagined it was mine. I was a young blonde girl with a soft voice.

'So, I pretended to be the Intern! I handled all the meetings, phone calls, and emails for the company.

She finished: 'When it became a success, I put all the revenues into starting Kimberley London.'
Brittany Cartwright is having the time of her life in the wake of her split from Vanderpump Rules villain Jax Taylor, 44.

The beauty, 35, jetted to Las Vegas with her The Valley and VPR co-star and friend Kristen Doute, 41, for some fun in the sun.

The two reality TV stars were spotted at the Daylight pool at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas partying it up with a group of girlfriends in a cabana.

Brittany  who reunited with Jax for Father's Day on the beach  showed off her ample cleavage in a black one-piece swimsuit with a plunging neckline.

The mom of Cruz, three, pulled on a pair of cutoff denim shorts and was seen taking pictures of the pool scene.

Brittany Cartwright is having the time of her life in the wake of her split from Vanderpump Rules villain Jax Taylor , 44

Cartwright was joined by her pal Kristen Doute, 41

Kristen was dressed similarly in a brown one-piece swimsuit that showed off plenty of cleavage and cuffed denim shorts.

Cartwright announced that she and Jax were separating after almost five years of marriage earlier this year  a drama that played out on The Valley.

In April, Cartwright shared that her 'sexless marriage' with Jax made her hit her 'breaking point' and admitted they've discussed dating other people amid separation, saying 'I don't want to be unhappy for the rest of my life.'

In an interview with Us Weekly, the Vanderpump Rules alum said that her and Taylor's sex life had 'dwindled so much' in recent years and that it began to affect her self esteem.

'I felt like I wasn't good enough. If you start to feel like your partner doesn't want you and they're also being mean to you, it's like, "What am I doing here?" I'm basically living with a roommate. I hit my breaking point,' she explained.

'I don't want to be unhappy for the rest of my life. I don't want to be in a sexless marriage for the rest of my life. I don't want to be arguing with my husband for the rest of my life.'

When she tried to speak to Taylor about their lack of sex, Cartwright claimed that he would tell her he was '44 and I'm tired'  an answer that didn't suffice for her.

Recently, Jax tweeted that the couple were trying to work things out despite him accusing his estranged wife of sleeping with another man for four months in a since-deleted tweet.

Cartwright announced that she and Jax were separating after almost five years of marriage earlier this year  a drama that played out on The Valley, pictured in 2022

In April, Cartwright shared that her 'sexless marriage' with Jax made her hit her 'breaking point' and admitted they've discussed dating other people amid separation, saying 'I don't want to be unhappy for the rest of my life,' pictured in 2024

In an interview with Us Weekly, the Vanderpump Rules alum said that her and Taylor's sex life had 'dwindled so much' in recent years and that it began to affect her self esteem; pictured in 2024

Doute, meanwhile recently opened up that she skipped a chance to be on The Bachelor in favor of dating Tom Sandoval, 39; pictured in 2019

She was offered the spot on the dating show before Vanderpump Rules when she was working as a bartender at SUR

Doute, meanwhile, recently opened up that she skipped a chance to be on The Bachelor in favor of dating Tom Sandoval, 39.

She was offered the spot on the dating show before Vanderpump Rules when she was working as a bartender at SUR.

'Someone from The Bachelor or Bachelor Nation, whatever, came in and gave me a card and asked me to be a contestant on it,' Kristen told Bravo.

'But, I had just started dating Tom Sandoval so I was like, "No. This [relationship] could be forever,"' Kristen said. 'I could have been on Bachelor Nation instead of Bravo.'
Starlight Express

Troubadour, Wembley Park, London

Rating:

Stand well back and hold on tight. This eyeball-scorching, ear-blasting revival of Andrew Lloyd Webbers train-racing musical-on-roller-skates is an audio-visual blitzkrieg, the like of which Ive never seen before.

First staged at Londons Apollo Theatre in 1984, this new outing could also be the most exhausting performance Ive ever witnessed.

And yet, you cant help but salute the ingenuity thats gone into Tim Hatleys velodrome-meets-skate-park staging, in this pre-fab industrial unit a stones throw from Wembley Stadium.

As for syncing up the high-speed roller skating with the singing, the dancing  and a live band  while we, the audience, crouch in our island pens, the chances of it all going wrong are enormous.

Stand well back and hold on tight. This eyeball-scorching, ear-blasting revival of Andrew Lloyd Webbers train-racing musical-on-roller-skates is an audio-visual blitzkrieg, the like of which Ive never seen before

First staged at Londons Apollo Theatre in 1984, this new outing could also be the most exhausting performance Ive ever witnessed

The original cast on stage 40 years ago

It could so easily plunge off the rails into a theatrical train wreck. But, like a big dipper at the fair, thats all part of the fun.

Besides, the costumes are works of such glam-rock excess  including spontaneously inflating angel wings  that at times, it borders on a drag queen parade. The only problem is that the whole titanic creation teeters on a flimsy, saccharine love story between an obsolete young steam train, Rusty, and a prettily upholstered carriage, Pearl.

Yes, the plot is such a pile-up of kitsch, cliche and, pastiche that its impossible to take seriously.

But...who cares? Imagine, instead, being stuck inside a supersized Scalextric track, around which the cast, dressed as a futuristic cavalcade, flash by: singing, criss-crossing at high speed, but never quite crashing. Above them, projections of inter-stellar railway lines weave a galactic spaghetti junction and luminous planets descend like gigantic space hoppers.

And did I mention the lasers? Or the roll-on oil drums, belching tongues of fire? Or that the whole show is framed as the dream of a small boy?

Were it not for the pounding wall of sound you could almost forget Luke Sheppards production is a musical, not just a visit to a hyper-active planetarium.

But musical it is, and if the plot feels like sci-fi trainspotting, then Lloyd Webbers score is an exercise in tune-spotting as over the two-and-a-half hours (including interval), we are assailed by a tsunami of retro-pop parodies.

Mommas Blues, warbled by Rustys mother-train (Jade Marvin), mutates into something like a Diana Ross belter.

Starlight Sequence, a howling banger of a duet, finds Rusty (Jeevan Braich) responding to Big Momma in a croon that veers between Luther Vandross and Smokey Robinson.

Kayna Montecillo, as Pearl, is a petite Ariana Grande, cutely trying to win Rustys heart with Whistle At Me. Amid so much poptastic slush, the comic turn of three carriages, left on the shelf, in U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D (think Tammy Wynettes D.I.V.O.R.C.E), comes as welcome relief.

Then its back to race music and finally a Gospel-style hoedown. For a story little more than The Tortoise and the Hare crossed with Thomas the Tank Engine, thats a lot to carry.

Hugely impressive as it may be, its more like a trip to the circus than the theatre  and very much one for the school holidays.

Tickets are available at starlightexpress.com.
She enjoyed a wild weekend of partying with some of music's finest at the Glastonbury Festival.

But there was no time to rest for Maya Jama as she sought a ride from a helicopter to return to work on Love Island: Aftersun on Sunday night.

The presenter showed off her eye-popping curves in a sexy white halterneck dress as she fronted the latest episode of the ITV2 spin-off.

Hours ahead of the show, Maya revealed she flew straight from Worthy Farm to the ITV studios to front the show, and headed straight to the studio in her full festival outfit for rehearsals.

Maya gushed that getting to fly out of Glastonbury in a helicopter was a 'bucket list' moment, after joining boyfriend Stormzy for a weekend of partying.

Maya Jama showed off her eye-popping curves in a racy white mini dress as she returned to work on Love Island: Aftersun after a wild weekend at Glastonbury on Sunday

The presenter revealed she flew straight from Worthy Farm to the ITV studios to front the show, after catching a ride with her pals in a helicopter

Still wearing her muddy wellies, Maya revealed her crew offered her some much-needed supplies, including throat lozenges, shampoo and ginger tea following her weekend of partying.

And despite an exhausting few days, Maya was back to her glamorous best as she prepared to host Aftersun, sharing a glimpse of her latest look.

Showing off every inch of her eye-popping curves, Maya slipped into a sexy white studded halterneck mini dress, with her raven tresses styled into glossy waves.

On Friday, Maya and her boyfriend Stormzy were spotted cosying up to each other at the festival, with the rapper caught snapping pictures of his girlfriend on a disposable camera.

He looked trendy in a beige and red jacket and bucket hat combo with a pair of white love-heart sunglasses.

Meanwhile Maya showed off her figure in a tiny black bandeau which she layered with a patterned jacket.

On Thursday, Maya also threw herself into the festival celebrations, enjoying a tinnie as she travelled to the iconic venue with her pals.

The Love Island host had enjoyed a last-minute blow dry and Aqua Tight facial with to transform her complexion for four days of non-stop partying at the festival.

Maya gushed that getting to fly out of Glastonbury in a helicopter was a 'bucket list' moment, after joining boyfriend Stormzy for a weekend of partying

The presenter shared a glimpse of the stunning views from the chopper as she flew back to London with her pals

After flying straight to the studio, Maya got to work on rehearsals, still dressed in her full festival look

The star showed off her laid-back outfit as she headed back to work, ahead of the latest episode of Aftersun on Sunday

Maya revealed her crew offered her some much-needed supplies, including throat lozenges, shampoo and ginger tea following her weekend of partying

And despite an exhausting few days, Maya was back to her glamorous best as she hosted Aftersun in the latest glamorous look

The star styled her glossy raven tresses into gorgeous waves as she fronted the show

Maya stunned in her tight white dress adorned with silver studs

Maya and her boyfriend Stormzy were spotted cosying up to each other at the festival, with the rapper caught snapping pictures of his girlfriend on a disposable camera

Maya indulged in a pink gin and lemonade as she travelled to the festival on Thursday evening, but showed she wouldn't be enduring the hardships of a campsite, by posting a video of her lavish accomodation at Babbington House.

Sunday's Love Island saw the girls head to the famous Casa Amor villa, as the iconic show twist made its return.

In Sunday's episode, the girls headed out for cocktails only to find out that they wouldn't be returning to the villa that night.

Blade, Joel, Jake, Lionel, Moziah and Hugo arrive at Casa Amor and excitedly waited to meet the girls.

Meanwhile as the girls enjoyed their drinks the promise of six new boys waiting for them at Casa is revealed in a text, leaving them stunned - with some elated and others not so much.

Love Island continues on Monday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
A 76-year-old cancer survivor won $5 million on a ticket she bought for her birthday.

Donna Osborne from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was due to take a flight to visit family in Florida. It was delayed so many times, she decided to cancel her trip and went home instead - while her daughter took the trip.

After leaving the airport Osborne, who had just finished radiation treatment for breast cancer, purchased the Monopoly Own It All ticket scratch card at the Speedway gas station on Oregon Pike in Leola.

The decision to not take the flight meant the great-grandmother discovered become a millionaire - the ticket landed the $5million top prize.

Osborne scratched the $50 in the car park before rushing back into the store after seeing how much she has won.

Donna Osborne won millions on her 76th birthday

Osborne won $5 million on the Monopoly Own It All scratch card

'I could not believe my eyes,' she explained.

'I went back into the store and said, 'Can you please check this? Is it right or wrong?'

'Well, the clerk said, 'It's right!'.'

Osborne told Fox29 that the first thing she plans to do with the money is take a trip of a lifetime to Alaska.

However, she has no plans to retire from her job providing transportation to the Amish community.

'I don't know what I'd do with myself, I have to keep moving,' she said.

'I think I'll invest some of the prize, sure, but then go to Alaska!'

But she very nearly missed out.

'I was at the airport with my daughter. We were on our way to see family in Florida when the flight got delayed,' Osborne told Fox29.

'It was delayed so many times, I decided to go home. My daughter stayed and flew to Florida.

'If I didn't leave the airport, I would have never bought that ticket,' she added.

The great-grandmother bought the scratch card at the Speedway on Oregon Pike in Leola

The Monopoly Own It All scratch cards is a $50 game that offers 5 top prizes of $5 million.

Other prizes are available ranging from $75 to the second-largest prize of $500,000.

The chance of winning the top prize is 1 in 1,680,000 according to Pennsylvania Lottery.
India's goods and services exports are expected to cross USD 800 billion this fiscal despite global challenges, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday.

In 2023-24, the shipments stood at USD 778.2 billion (goods USD 437.1 billion and services USD 341 billion).

He said that the global situation is serious as war is still ongoing between Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas, and the Red sea crisis.

The minister added that there are also elections in some of the major democracies like in Europe.

"In such a situation it's a positive sign that our exports are growing (9 per cent growth in May) and ...This also reflects that the world wants to do trade and investments with India. We are confident that this year we will have over USD 800 billion exports and it will be a historic record," Goyal told reporters here.

He was here to participate in a programme of gems and jewellery exporters.

Goyal added that for the USD 800 billion exports, the ministry is working on specifics with Indian missions abroad and export promotion councils.

He added that last year the current account deficit (CAD) has also reduced...Our exports will increase, manufacturing will get a boost

India recorded a current account surplus of USD 5.7 billion or 0.6 per cent of GDP in the March quarter. This is the first time in ten quarters that the crucial metric of the country's external strength has turned into surplus mode.

In the year-ago period, the current account deficit stood at USD 1.3 billion or 0.2 per cent of GDP, and the same was USD 8.7 billion or 1 per cent of GDP in the preceding quarter ending December 2023.

India's merchandise exports rose by 9.1 per cent to USD 38.13 billion in May even as the trade deficit widened to a seven-month high of USD 23.78 billion during the month, according to the latest government data.

He added that focus on electric vehicles will help in reducing oil imports.

The ministry is also holding a series of meetings with plantation boards, including spices, rubber, tobacco, tea and coffee, to promote exports especially those of value added goods.

Further, he said that India has taken up on priority the issue of ban on imports of Russian-origin unpolished diamonds by the European Union (EU) and G7 nations to protect the interest of the domestic diamond polishing industry.

"Our ministry and the gems and jewellery export promotion council are continuously in touch with the European Union and G7 nations," Goyal said, adding in the last meeting, India took up the matter strongly.

"Still we are in touch with them to ensure that Indian industry does not have an impact," the minister said.

G7 countries  Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US  are major markets for Indian diamond exports.
The Gujarat government on Saturday signed memorandums of understanding with software giants IBM and Microsoft, and the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) for promoting the use of Artificial Intelligence technologies in the state.

The MoUs were signed in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, a government release said. IBM and the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat, entered into an MoU to establish and promote an "AI Cluster" to foster innovation and collaboration among financial institutions at Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City, it said. Microsoft and the Department of Science and Technology signed an MoU to establish an Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence in GIFT City. The AI Center will focus on key technologies such as machine learning, cognitive services and bot services. The department also signed another MoU with NASSCOM to enhance AI capabilities in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has prioritized futuristic technology to propel India towards becoming the world's third-largest economy, chief minister Patel said. "Our aim is to keep Gujarat among the top industrial states by promoting futuristic technology such as AI," he said. "Gujarat has emerged as a global gateway to the future. In response to the growing demand for skilled workforce in emerging industries leveraging advanced technologies, the state government has launched the Up Skilling Industry Ready Talent Program under the IT and ITES policy," the CM added. Sandeep Patel, Managing Director of IBM India-South Asia, said AI is a "pivotal need of the hour" and would be a driving force for India's development.

Through IBM's advanced AI platform and cloud infrastructure, fintech firms in GIFT City can develop actionable AI software, bolstering their ability to provide AI-driven digital solutions across the banking, financial services, and insurance sectors. Additionally, IBM will collaborate on developing AI curriculum for state schools and universities, the release said. This program has invited expressions of interest from universities and course providers across the state to participate in training youth in deep technology. IBM, NVidia, AWS, TCS, and L&T Edutech have committed to providing courses under this initiative, the release added. Additionally, four state universities - GTU, IITRAM, P.D.E.U and Ganpat University - have joined as aggregators, it said.
From displays of loyalty to controversial gestures, this year's oath-taking ceremony reveals a transformed landscape in Indian politics

Newly elected members of the Lok Sabha taking oath to adhere to the Constitution of India is a solemn occasion. I, X, having been elected a member of the Houe of the People do swear in the name of God (solemnly affirm) that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established, that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India and that I will faithfully discharge the duty upon which I am about to enter, is what they have to tell while taking the oath.It is not known what is the role of the presidents of the parties under whose label they enter the precincts of the House. Agreed, these members were either hand-picked by the bosses of their parties, or they themselves could have kept a gun on the forehead of the proprietors of the parties demanding the latter to nominate them as candidates for the Lok Sabha election.While watching some of these newly elected members taking the oath of office, one was flabbergasted by the fall in the quality of politics and the standard of our parliamentary system. Previously we had titans as members of political and social life but now, the only titans that we come across are the wristwatches and clocks made by the House of Tatas.The Dravidian politicians from Tamil Nadu were the butt of jokes as they took the oath of office. After taking the customary oath specified in the Third Schedule of the Constitution, the DMK members sang paeans to their Gods in Chennai. All DMK members except T R Balu raised slogans eulogizing the DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, the future chief minister Udhayanidhi (son of Stalin) and late M Karunanidhi (former chief minister and one of the founders of the DMK) seeking their blessings to serve Tamil Nadu!

Sycophancy and servility were at their peak while they were swearing in as members. There has been criticism against members of the DMK and the AIADMK for their servile nature and lassitude to their leaders which make them laughing stocks.

Most DMK members wore Vibhuti and holy Kumkum on their foreheads. It is not uncommon to see MPs and MLAs belonging to the DMK and the AIADMK doing Danda Namaskar, an obeisance to the presiding deity of the party. Though they do not believe in pilgrimage to temples, politicians have made it a point to fall down on the floor once they come face to face with the party head.But whether the sycophancy they exhibit in public is real or not is a major question. One of the elected MPs from Tamil Nadu who took the oath of office last day was going around astrologers and sorcerers in Kerala to ascertain whether the Karunanidhi clan had performed black magic either on him or his family members. Since his father is a bigwig in the party hierarchy, it was the mother who accompanied the son to liberate him from the evil spirits. That is the rationalism and atheism practised by the followers of Ramasamy Naicker.While the DMK MPs were happily extolling the K-Clan members, there were reservations in the minds of a section of people about what Thol Thirumavalavan of the VCK, whose antipathy for north Indians is infamous, would do.

He is the one who frequently declares that north Indians are not welcome to stay in Tamil Nadu though he has demanded that Rohingya refugees should be given a place of residence in the State. Thank God Thirumavalavan did not raise the slogan Jai Prabhakaran. Many DMK politicians in Chennai were heard asking why the newly elected MPs did not say Jai to Inbanidhi and Tanmaya (Udhayanidhis son and daughter).

The most disgusting of the lot was made by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi who shouted Jai Palestine while taking oath as a member of the House. This is a cardinal sin capable of throwing shadow over India-Israel ties. People like Owaisi are a blot on this nation as he had the audacity to describe the infamous criminal Mukhtar Ansari as a Shaheed. Owaisi is a living example that one could not have civility by attending Lincolns Inn. The day is not far when he or others of his ilk would shout Jai Pakistan from the temple of Indian democracy.

Organizations like Hamas have no place in the comity of nations and the civilized world. What happened in October 2023 should be condemned in the strongest of words. India has given enough support to the Palestinians and what it got back was just brickbats. The general public should know the truth.Shouting slogans in support of the party presidents wife and children from the Speakers podium while taking the oath of office is not secularism or pluralism.

(The writer is a special correspondent with The Pioneer; views are personal)
In the backdrop of the alleged scam in 2024 NEET exams, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to scrap the centrally organised National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for entry to undergraduate medical courses and reintroduce the age old joint entrance examinations conducted by the individual states.

Referring to the "allegations of paper leaks" and taking of bribes "by certain people and officials in the conduct of the examinations," the Chief Minister wrote "the opening of windows to accommodate certain students to apply for examinations, grace marks, etc. are some of the serious issues that need complete attention and require a thorough, clean and impartial probe. Such instances jeopardise the careers and aspirations of lakhs and lakhs of students who look forward to getting admission into these medical courses."

Asserting that such instances not only compromise the quality of medical education but also adversely affect the healthcare services as a whole Banerjee sought to draw a comparison between the system that prevailed before 2017 when the State conducted their own entrance examinations for medical and engineering courses saying the pre-2017 system where "states were allowed to conduct their own entrance examinations, and the central government also used to conduct its examinations for admission into medical courses ... "functioned smoothly and without many problems."

The decentralized system that prevailed before 2017 --- as against the present "unitary and centralized" form --- was not only in tune with the spirit of India's federal structure but also free from corruption. The present system had allowed corrupt practices and allowed the rich people to extract the benefits of the medical education.

She also said that the older system was "better attuned to the regional curricula and educational standards," insisting while her own government spent more than Rs. 50 lakh per doctor on education and internships it "should be given the freedom to select medical students through the Joint Entrance Examination."
General Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday here assumed charge as the 30th Army chief. He succeeds General Manoj Pande who retired after more than 40 years of service.

Incidentally, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and the new Army chief are classmates. They studied together in class five in Sainik School, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh in the 1970s. While they were studying in Class 5A, their roll numbers were 931 and 938 respectively.

Official spokesperson of the Defence Minister, A Bharat Bhushan Babu, said in a social media post, For the first time in Indian Military history, Chiefs of Navy and Army hail from the same school. This rare honour of nurturing two prodigious students, who would go on to lead their respective Services 50 years later, goes to Sainik School, Rewa in Madhya Pradesh. Navy Chief Tripathi took charge on May 1.

General Dwivedi, who has vast operational experience along the frontiers with China and Pakistan, assumed the new responsibility at a time India is facing myriad security challenges including along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

General Dwivedi brings with him, a wealth of experience and a proven track record, of effectively planning and executing for the unexpected, the Army said.

He was serving as the Vice Chief of the Army since February 19. Before becoming the Vice Chief, he was serving as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command from 2022 to 2024.

An alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, General Dwivedi was commissioned into a regiment of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in 1984. He has a unique distinction of balanced command as well as staff exposure across Northern, Eastern and Western theatres in varied operational environments.

The Army said General Dwivedis impetus would be to augment the infusion of critical technologies by leveraging the nations vibrant, capable and productive technology eco-system to enhance the forces overall capability.

He takes over as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), at a time when the global geo-strategic environment remains dynamic, with the challenges in the security domain becoming more pronounced due to technological advancements and the ever-changing character of modern warfare, it said.

General Dwivedi has taken charge of the 1.3 million-strong Army at a time India is facing various security challenges including along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

As the Chief of Army Staff, he will also have to coordinate with the Navy and the Indian Air Force on the governments ambitious plan to roll out theatre commands.

The Army said operational preparedness to counter security threats to a rising nation would figure prominently as a key focus area for the COAS.

Concurrently, a focused response strategy, to myriad non-traditional security challenges, too shall be a priority, towards augmenting the nations defence, it said.

General Dwivedi has tenanted critical appointments and played a pivotal role in combating grey zone manifestations in the national security canvas, it said in a release.

The Army said the officer has a deep understanding of modern and emerging technologies in the security domain and possesses a thoughtful approach to harnessing and integrating cutting-edge technologies into military systems to enhance operational effectiveness.

This vision finds congruence to the ongoing pursuit of the Indian Army to fulfil its modernisation and capability development needs through Atmanirbharta, it said.

A firm believer and follower of the Chetwode Motto, the General will also focus on promoting a culture of trust, empowerment of junior officers, well-being of the soldiers and welfare of veterans and Veer Naris, it said.

In his long and distinguished career spanning nearly 40 years, he has served in a variety of command, staff, instructional and foreign appointments.

The command appointments of General Dwivedi include command of regiment (18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles), Brigade (26 Sector Assam Rifles), Inspector General, Assam Rifles (East) and 9 Corps.

As Northern Army commander, General Dwivedi provided strategic guidance and operational oversight for the planning and execution of sustained operations along the northern and western borders, besides orchestrating the dynamic counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

During this period, he was actively engaged in the ongoing negotiations with China to resolve the vexed border issue, they said.

He was also involved in the modernisation and equipping of the largest Army command of the Indian Army, where he steered the induction of indigenous equipment as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
A three-member Congress committee on Saturday arrived in Bhopal on a two-day visit to review the recently concluded Lok Sabha poll debacle of the party.

The committee comprises Prithiviraj Chawan, former Maharashtra Chief Minister; Saptagiri Shankar Ulka, former Odisha MP; and Jignesh Mewani, Gujarat MLA.

After a brief welcome ceremony by the state Congress unit at party headquarters in Bhopal, the committee started the process of one-to-one meetings with party leaders.

MP Congress Chief Jitu Patwari left the party headquarters soon after having a closed-door meeting with the committee.

The committee will also investigate the role of Jitu Patwari, especially after the Congress Indore candidate Akashay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination papers at the last minute.

The high command has also tasked the committee to find out reasons why several party leaders, including some sitting MLAs, had switched to BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

Sources said that the role of senior party leaders including two former Chief Ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh along with other senior Congress leaders like Ajay Singh (Rahul), Arun Yadav, Kamaleshwar Patel, and Kantilal Bhuria will also be investigated.

The committee will also visit different parts of the state and hold meetings with senior leaders, district heads and candidates of the Lok Sabha elections. The committee visit comes at a crucial time as a major reshuffle of Congress' state unit is on the cards, and the final report will hold significance.

Congress lost all 29 Lok Sabha seats to the BJP in the state. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party won only one seat and also suffered a humiliating defeat in the Assembly elections held in November last year.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav addressed public meetings in support of party candidate Kamlesh Shah in Singodi and Harrai of Amarwara assembly on Saturday. He said that during the Lok Sabha elections, people used to say that Chhindwara is a stronghold of Congress. We used to say that this is not a stronghold but a mess.

Those who talked about the Chhindwara model of development used to fly in airplanes. They used to stay in the air, did not land on the ground. They kept talking about the Chhindwara model for 40 years, but Singodi Nagar Parishad could not be formed. College could not be opened here. Irrigation arrangements were not made for the farmers. People living in the submerged area did not get compensation, then what kind of Chhindwara model?

Yadav said that how important is the place of education in life, this was told by our Lord Shri Gopal Krishna ji 5000 years ago. He came to Mathura and killed Kansa, but did not sit on the chair. He handed over the throne to Maharaj Ugrasen and came to Ujjain to study.

When education was so important at that time, then why not today? Why should there not be a college here. Congress people kept winning elections from here, but neither gave a college nor a municipal council. I don't know why these people contest elections. They built the dam, but did not give compensation to the people of the submerged area. But you don't worry, we will do all those works that the Congress people did not do. Municipal council will also be formed, college will also be opened.

People of the submerged area will get compensation, this is our guarantee. When we chant the name of God, Congressmen get fever. But we will also build Hanuman Lok of Hanuman ji in Jam Sanwali. We will arrange for drinking water and irrigation in Amarwara and Harrai through the river link project.

The Patalkot area here is famous for herbs. We will set up cottage industries based on those herbs. The government will buy forest produce like pickles, Harra-Baheda at the support price. Our central government has declared support price for 14 crops. But we will also buy grains like Kodo-Kutki at the support price. First we will buy it at the rate of 4200, then 5000 rupees per quintal. We have also increased the rate of collection of tendu leaves.BJP respects tribal warriors, Congress insults themChief Minister Mohan Yadav said that Congress people kept asking for votes in tribal areas for 70 years. But they never remembered Lord Birsa Munda. BJP honoured tribal warriors by celebrating Lord Birsa Munda's birth anniversary as Tribal Pride Day.

Our government held the first cabinet meeting in Jabalpur to honour Rani Durgavati. Recently it was her Martyrdom Day and our government has announced to name Jabalpur Airport after her and give a reward of Rs 5 lakh in her name to preserve her memories. Her glorious past will be included in the school curriculum. He said that for the first time after independence, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's government has given a place to the post of President to Draupadi Murmu, a tribal sister from a common family. But look at the mentality of the Congress people, just two days ago they have re-inducted Sam Pitroda into the party, who had insulted our tribal brothers.

He called them black and African. Congressmen should apologize for this thinking of theirs. They discriminate on the basis of skin color. This was an insult to the tribals and the country will never forgive Congress for this.Chief Minister Dr. Yadav, while addressing the public meeting, said that the Congress people fooled the public for decades. They told many lies, God knows what all. Due to that, the condition of Congress has become like this.
A pivotal meeting of the District Mining Task Force was held in the Collectorate Auditorium, chaired by District Magistrate cum Deputy Commissioner Mr. Ananya Mittal. The meeting saw the attendance of key officials including Senior Superintendent of Police Kishore Kaushal, Deputy Development Commissioner Manish Kumar, City SP Mukesh Lunayat, Rural SP Rishabh Garg, and other relevant departmental officers.

The District Magistrate cum Deputy Commissioner emphasized the need for an intensive campaign against illegal mining activities. He directed immediate and effective action against cases of illegal mining, transportation, and storage of minerals. He urged all concerned officials to rigorously investigate and take strict measures to curb these activities in their respective areas.

Senior Superintendent of Police Kaushal called for integrated actions involving the departments of Mining, Forest, Transport, Pollution, and Factory. He highlighted the necessity of coordinated efforts, stating that single departmental actions are insufficient to combat illegal mining and transportation. He instructed strict actions against vehicles and individuals involved in these illegal activities, invoking all relevant sections of the law.

The Task Force was instructed to conduct joint operations at the block level. Concerns were raised about inadequate measures against illegal sand lifting in the Gudabanda and Dumariya areas. The meeting concluded with directives for immediate FIRs against vehicles caught transporting minerals illegally and for the DMO to follow NGT guidelines rigorously. Responsibility for monitoring and auctioning seized sand was assigned to local Mukhiyas or Gram Pradhans.

Officials including DTO, SDO Ghatshila, DMO, and representatives from the Pollution and Factory Departments attended the meeting in person, while COs, DSPs, and Police Station Incharges participated via video conferencing.
Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of Jharkhand, Secretary- in- charge Umashankar Singh has issued directions to create an Education Review Center under Jharkhand Education Project Council. The official issued these directions during the meeting of the State Steering Committee for National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) held at Jharkhand Council of Educational Research and Training.

Singh further emphasised on the creation of manpower for this and directed to complete the work as soon as possible. Through the Education Review Center, various indicators of schools and education of the State will be monitored and in case the work is not satisfactory as per the indicators, a weekly report will be prepared for action. After reviewing the weekly report, an action report will also be prepared.

During the meeting, Singh gave the target to State Education Project Director Aditya Ranjan and other state level officials to complete the process of appointments, formation of IT cell or documentation of best practices in one and a half to three months. Singh further ordered to give priority to the work of curriculum design and research in JCERT and also directed to conduct the work of graphics, designing, printing etc. from JEPC.

The Education Secretary said that JCERT should work only by focusing on research and curriculum. From book printing to its designing and graphics, 4 teams will be formed under Jharkhand Education Project Council, which will complete the work of book quality, content in it, graphic designing and photography.

Singh also directed to build a big auditorium with a capacity of 500 people in the Jharkhand Educational Research and Training Council campus and said that at present only Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) has a big hall and in such a situation teachers from all over the State come to JCERT as guests for training as the hall built at present does not have sufficient capacity. The official further directed to send a proposal for the hall and auditorium and also instructed to prepare an SOP for the annual magazine Pankh of JEPC.

Singh also emphasised on the documentation of the best practices happening under the education department and ordered to start work on it soon.

Singh also included the 'School Report Card' issued for self-evaluation under Project Impact in the grading process of schools. The school which performs better in the school report card of 1500 marks will get a Gold Grade Certificate. Grading of schools will be done on two bases- first gold and second silver. Gold category schools will be provided additional facilities on priority basis and additional incentives for excellent efforts in education.

Jharkhand Education Project Council teams will continuously conduct field monitoring to review the work being done in schools under "Prayas-cum-Project IMPACT-NEP". The first report card of 35000 schools of the State will be issued between August 15 and August 30. Thereafter, the process of school grading will be started by examining the evaluation by the schools. Summative assessment of 80 Mukhyamantri Utkrishta Vidyalayas or 325 Block level Adarsh Vidyalayas of the State will also be done by JAC twice a year.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, held a Janata Darshan at his official residence, where hundreds of complainants presented their grievances.

The highest number of complaints originated from Shahjahanpur, primarily concerning land encroachment and delays in land measurement, which upset the chief minister.

Chief Minister Yogi reached out to the complainants one by one, giving them a patient hearing. Several complainants from Shahjahanpur district were present, with numerous complaints about land encroachment and land measurement issues.

The petitioners also complained to Chief Minister Yogi about the negligence of lekhpals and kanungo. In response, the chief minister immediately directed the district magistrate to take action and report back within three days.

Similar cases were also reported from Agra and Kanpur. Chief Minister Yogi assured all petitioners that there was no need to worry and that prompt action would be taken.

A woman approached Chief Minister Yogi regarding issues in her treatment due to a lack of funds. Despite having an Ayushman card, she needed more money for her treatment. The chief minister assured her that the treatment would not be hindered due to financial constraints and immediately contacted the King Georges Medical University vice-chancellor and instructed him to take appropriate action.

Similarly, an assistant teacher from Unnao explained that her child was very ill and undergoing treatment in Lucknow, while her husband was away. She requested a transfer to Lucknow, and Yogi assured her that appropriate action would be taken.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the officials concerned to redress the grievances of complainants at the district level on priority basis. He emphasised that negligence in any form will not be tolerated. Regarding land encroachment cases, Chief Minister Yogi stated that it must be ensured that the victims are heard. Law breakers will not be tolerated under any circumstances, he added.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in the Sant Samagam organised in Ladpur village located in Kotkasim tehsil of Alwar district in Rajasthan on Sunday. During this time, he also took part in the large Tritiya Aathman bhandara organised at the renowned Somanath temple.

Greeting all the saints who had come from all over the country, the chief minister said, The Nath sect is an important sect of Indias Sanatan Dharma. All our programmes are dedicated to the revered deities, sages, ascetics and saints. Sanatan Dharma and India complement each other. If India becomes strong, then Sanatan Dharma will also prosper.

Yogi Adityanath said, It is my privilege to participate in the bhandara organised on the occasion of the 24 death anniversary of saint Somanath, in this village of Ladpur, which is known as the sacred place of initiation of Maharaj Bhartrihari in the Nath sect.

He mentioned that the dedicated efforts and sacrifices of saints contribute to strengthening Sanatan Dharma and India.

Yogi Khetanath Maharaj and his disciple Mahant Somanath devoted their entire lives to welfare activities. Their devotion was to the Sanatan Dharma and its followers. Rajasthan is a land of devotion and power. In the Aravalli hills, many saints practiced for the welfare of society, he remarked.

Yogi Adityanath also congratulated all the devotees from Tijara present at the conference for ensuring the victory of Mahant Balaknath in the assembly elections.

On this occasion, he also unveiled the statues of Baba Abhaynath and Baba Kartarpuri.

A large number of saints and devotees associated with the Shaddarshan sect, including Rajasthans Minister of Environment and Forest Sanjay Sharma and Tijara MLA Baba Balaknath, were present.
Nishatpura police have booked the accused for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl , the accused lived with the girl's mother. The accused raped the minor when her mother was not at home.

The police have registered a case against the accused and started investigating the matter. The search for the accused is on.

Nishatpura police station said that the 14-year-old minor lives with her mother and brothers in Karond area. The girl's father was living separately from the family for the past many years. The girl's mother was acquainted with the accused for many years. He was an acquaintance for a long time and started living with the girl's mother.

The police said that the girl's mother suffers from some disease due to which she had to get blood transfusions. In the month of March, her health deteriorated and she was admitted to a private hospital. During this time, the victim used to stay alone at home and used to cook food and send it to the hospital.

One day the accused came home and found the victim alone at home. The accused took advantage of the situation and raped the minor.
Memorandum of Understanding between Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya Bhopal has been signed by Sachidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, New Delhi and Professor Amitabh Pandey, Director, Indira Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Bhopal.

Through this MoU based on the principle of equality equity reciprocity and mutual benefits IGN CA and igrms hereby agree to explore the following avenues of academic research collaboration.

Accordingly collaborative research projects in the domain of art and culture of India.faculty and students exchange programmes for the purpose of teaching Research and field study skill development, etc. To jointly Organize exhibition workshop seminar symposium conference on various aspects of art and culture of India.To jointly organize cultural events to provide a platform and reorganization for The Artists and performers.mutual access to library and archival resources. Development of digital resources and joint Publication etc.

In collaboration with igrms for a period of 5 years IGNCA seeks to enhance. It's network with like minded institutions contribute to the promotion of study in the broad discipline of Social Sciences Humanities culture heritage and traditional art and other allied areas among the young research scholars and faculty and engage with them for a meaningful dialogue on the nature of wrk ignca seeks to promote.

The functioning of these two institutions is as follows.Ignca is an academic and cultural research institution. It has in its mandate the objective to pursue studies on culture and arts from a Holistic perspective igrms is working in the domain of preservation and propagation of various Indian culture aspects through its activities. The Museum is first of its kind in India and known for displaying several ethnographic cultures and one place in a Holistic way with 10 open air and one indoor exhibition.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stated that nature has blessed Balaghat, and Naxalite activities will not be tolerated in such a paradise. On April 1 this year, in the Pitkona area of Lanji, Hawkforce and Police Personnel set an example by demonstrating their bravery and courage in uprooting Naxalism.

Yadav honored 28 soldiers for their valor by placing ribbons and stars on their shoulders and granting them out-of-turn promotions. Additionally, he paid floral tributes at the Shaheed Smarak in Police Lines and, along with public representatives, planted a Bel Patra sapling.

Chief Minister Yadav, addressing the Police Department's investiture ceremony in Balaghat on Saturday, declared that today is a historic and proud day for India. It is a day to honor the soldiers who have demonstrated bravery, courage, and valor. Naxalite and Maoist forces have long targeted this land, rich in wealth, grains, and underground resources. The police action taken against these forces on April 1, 2024, was a significant blow. The ceremony was organized to grant out-of-turn promotions to Hawkforce and police personnel.

Regarding the action taken so far on Naxalite activities, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that in the last 5 years, Hawk Force and police personnel have killed 19 Naxalites carrying rewards worth Rs 3 crore 5 lakh in various states. This program is also a day to remember and honor those soldiers who have sacrificed their lives while on duty. Also, out-of-turn promotions will be made. The government stands with all those who have brought glory to the state.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has emerged as the third country in the world capable of eliminating enemies both within and beyond its borders, following the footsteps of Israel and America. After the program, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav spent time with the families of the police personnel and their children. He sought blessings from the parents and grandparents of the soldiers and posed for photographs with the families.

During the programme, Superintendent of Police Sameer Saurabh gave an outline of the event in his welcome address. Also, Director General of Police Sudhir Saxena explained in detail about the Naxalite incident that took place in Lanji on 1 April 24. He said that for the first time in 32 years, major action was taken in retaliation on April 1, in which two hardcore Naxalites were killed. Deadly weapons like AK-47 rifles were confiscated.

Local MP Smt. Bharti Pardhi, Katangi MLA Gaurav Pardhi, Lanji MLA Rajkumar Karrahe, Baihar MLA Sanjay Uike, Paraswada MLA Madhu Bhagat, Baraseoni MLA Vicky Patel, former minister Gaurishankar Bisen, Ramkishore Kavre and Municipality Chairperson Bharti Surjit Thakur and others were present in the investiture ceremony of Hawkforce and police personnel.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Sunday said that the political desperation of AAP leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, is increasing day by day while denying claims by the AAP who called the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a conspiracy.

He said that the AAP is embroiled in controversies and not concerned with public work. Whether it is AAP MPs, Delhi government ministers, or MLAs and councilors, they are not concerned with public interest work but are worried only about Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is embroiled in corruption charges, Sachdeva alleged.

Sachdeva questioned why Kejriwal and other AAP leaders, who are in jail, are not getting bail if they are innocent from any regular court. The Kejriwal government is completely immersed in the swamp of corruption, and the current cases that have surfaced are just the trailers. When the investigation into the Delhi Jal Board and the espionage scandal begins, the entire dark film will be revealed, he claimed.

Reacting to senior AAP leader Sanjay Singhs press conference, Sachdeva asked the MP about where he was when rain struck Delhi on Friday.

He said, MP Sanjay Singh should answer the people of Delhi that he has been an MP from Delhi for six years, constantly making statements, but where was he on Friday when the rain crisis struck Delhi?

Additionally, he added that Singh should explain what development works he has carried out in Delhi with his MP fund over the past six years.
A comprehensive traffic and road safety meeting was held under the chairmanship of District Magistrate cum Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal at the Collectorate Auditorium in Jamshedpur. The meeting saw the participation of Senior Superintendent of Police Kishore Kaushal, DTO Dhananjay, and representatives from the Education Department, NHAI, Traffic DSP, and other relevant departments. The primary focus of the discussion was on controlling road accidents and the effective implementation of road safety measures.

Key Directives and Discussions: Road Safety Workshops: Mittal emphasized the need for organizing workshops on road safety rules for school children and educational institutions. These workshops will cover important topics such as the dangers of driving in the wrong direction, the importance of driving on the left side of the road, the compulsory use of seat belts and helmets, and the proper use of indicators while turning.

Accident Statistics and Black Spots: In May, there were 29 road accidents in the district, resulting in 15 fatalities and 18 serious injuries. The meeting stressed identifying black spots and hazardous curves and making necessary improvements. Strict actions will be taken against violators, including those riding two-wheelers without helmets, overloading, overspeeding, not using seat belts, modifying silencers, and performing stunts.

Urban Traffic Management: The Senior Superintendent of Police instructed the DTO to meet with the Auto Association to establish guidelines for auto drivers, including wearing ID cards and uniforms. Non-permit autos, underage drivers, and those without driving licenses will face strict penalties. Auto drivers were also instructed to pick up passengers only from designated stands to minimize the risk of accidents.

License Suspension and Fines: In May, 114 driving licenses were suspended for violating road safety rules. The vehicle checking campaign resulted in fines totaling around Rs 7 lakh, collected from drivers without helmets and seat belts.

Compensation for Hit and Run Cases: The meeting discussed the provision of Rs 2 lakh compensation for hit-and-run victims. Out of 45 cases, compensation has been paid to the families of 22 victims, with 11 applications pending at the sub-divisional officer level and 7 at the insurance company level. Mittal directed expediting the payment of compensation and ensuring coordination between officials, victims, and insurance companies.

Public Awareness and Safety Message: Mittal issued a message particularly to the youth, urging them to avoid overspeeding and stunts, highlighting the preciousness of life. Parents were advised to ensure that minors do not drive vehicles. Private school managements were also instructed to prevent minors from driving to school.

Honorarium for Good Samaritans: In recognition of their timely assistance to road accident victims, a total honorarium of Rs 9,000 was awarded to Prakash Kumar, Bir Singh Prajapati, Rathu Das, Babulal Tudu, Vishal Mardi, and Tushar Das. The district authorities encouraged residents to help accident victims during the critical golden hour.

The meeting concluded with a call for collective efforts from all stakeholders to enhance road safety and reduce accidents in the district.
With the Samajwadi Party deciding not to field its candidate, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party candidate is set to be elected unopposed in the bypoll to the lone legislative council seat.

The vacancy in the Upper House of the state legislature was caused by the resignation of SP MLC Swami Prasad Maurya. The term of this seat ends on July 6, 2028.

The SP has decided to not to force a contest by fielding its candidate as it lacks the required number in state assembly for winning the seat.

Members to the legislative council are elected from multiple constituencies local bodies, graduate, teachers and state assembly while six members are nominated by the governor on the recommendation of the chief minister. The strength of the Upper House is 100.

As per the poll schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, the last date for filing nomination papers is July 2, scrutiny of papers will be held on July 3 and July 5 is the last date for withdrawal of the papers. If necessary, polling will be held on July 12.

As per the established tradition, the by-election to the Upper House is always won by the ruling party on account of their strength in the state assembly.

Swami Prasad Maurya, former SP MLC and general secretary, had resigned from the membership of the legislative council and party following his differences with SP president Akhilesh Yadav. Maurya had also accused Akhilesh Yadav of discriminating against him and disowning his statements.
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), a Maharatna Public Sector Steelmaker, has proudly announced its recent induction into The Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT). This announcement was made on June 25, 2024, at the Engaging India at Almedalen event held in Visby, Sweden.

Notably LeadIT, launched by the governments of Sweden and India at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019, is supported by the World Economic Forum. It is an alliance of countries and forward-thinking companies committed to achieving the Paris Agreement and net-zero transition. Members of LeadIT adhere to the belief that energy-intensive industries can and must advance on low-carbon pathways, aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

During a recent visit to Sweden to solidify the collaboration, Amarendu Prakash, Chairman of SAIL, spoke at the Samband for Climate Action session. He stated, The infrastructure push in India is set to be immense and the Indian steel industry has to take the lead in not just building infrastructure but ensuring it is done sustainably. Realizing the significance of climate change and the urgent need for action, we see it as a survival question for the world and firmly believe that only a collaborative approach on a global scale can address this challenge. We find LeadIT to be a great platform where governments and the industry come together to share ideas, bring in thoughts, and seek collaborative innovation to solve this problem.

It is noteworthy that the SAIL Chairman was accompanied by B.K. Tiwari, Director Incharge of Bokaro Steel Plant who emphasized that SAIL's membership in LeadIT highlights the company's commitment to climate action and aligns it with global efforts to combat climate change. Through LeadIT, SAIL will gain access to sectoral and cross-sectoral learning, insights into new technologies, and opportunities for collaborative innovation, all aimed at advancing green steel production and improving environmental sustainability.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, addressing farmers at the Shri Anna Mahotsav and Kisan Samman Ceremony held under the Rani Durgavati Shri Anna Promotion Scheme, emphasized that Millets is an integral part of our cultural heritage. He highlighted Balaghat district's unique identity in Millets production, noting its 3,000-year history of Kodo cultivation.

Yadav stated that the government is actively working on increasing the production and value addition of millet crops. To support Kodo-producing farmers, the state government provides an additional grant of Rs 1,000 per quintal. He reiterated the government's unwavering commitment to equal development across all sectors, ensuring that progress continues rapidly throughout the state.

Yadav announced that the Central Government has set a support price of Rs 4,290 for Kodo this year. He noted that the efforts of the government and the Millet Mission have led to an increase in the cultivation area of Millet crops. Previously, Millets were grown on 10,000 hectares in Balaghat district, but due to the growing interest of farmers, the target is now to expand this area to 15,200 hectares. Balaghat plays a significant role in contributing to the country's total cultivation area of one lakh hectares. To economically empower farmers, the Central Government provides Rs 25,000 crore annually to 80 lakh farmers under the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. Additionally, the Madhya Pradesh government transfers Rs 12,500 crore directly to the accounts of eligible farmers each year under the Mukhyamantri Kisan Kalyan Yojana. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav emphasized that, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, efforts are underway to increase farmers' incomes.

Yadav said that Balaghat is a district rich in forest and mineral resources. Here minerals like manganese, dolomite, and copper are in abundance along with the flowing nectar of Wainganga. GI tagged Chinnor rice is the heritage of the district. He said that Naxalite activities will not be tolerated under any circumstances in such a land. 28 soldiers who played an important role in the security and peace of the country were honored today. The government stands with such brave soldiers. Prime Minister Modis government has put an end to Naxal activities in ten years.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that along with providing food, farmers will also become producers of electricity. By promoting solar energy, farmers will be motivated to produce electricity from solar energy. He said that remarkable work has been done towards conservation of water structures in Balaghat district. All these works will be documented.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that no negligence will be tolerated in the matter of conservation and promotion of Bovines. Recently, 7500 cows have been freed in the state and 1000 people who were transporting them have been arrested. He said that in the direction of conservation and promotion of Bovines, grazing land in the state will now be freed from encroachment. Construction of cow shelters will be encouraged in Gram Panchayats.

The Chief Minister highlighted that Ayushman cardholders needing treatment in another city will now have access to a free air ambulance service, complete with a doctor, nurse, and advanced medical equipment. Additionally, those without Ayushman cards can avail of this service at concessional rates. He further mentioned that air taxi services have been initiated in cities like Jabalpur, Gwalior, and Rewa, and will soon expand to smaller cities with airstrip facilities.Dr. Yadav also stated that Regional Industry Conclave will be held in Jabalpur on July 20, which is expected to boost regional development and create employment opportunities. Furthermore, the Religious Endowments Department will identify and develop religious sites associated with Lord Ram and Krishna into pilgrimage destinations.
It is true that human curiosity has been responsible for fueling innovation across disciplines and fields. However, it would be naive to downplay the role of capitalism, competition and exigent situations; whether man-made, like war or otherwise, like an epidemic in pushing humankind above and beyond its limits. Consequently, contemporary technological innovation is granted traction in large part by capitalism or since it is viewed as integral to geopolitical strategy. While soft power and diplomacy have cemented their status in international relations, hard power and military might still remain the most primal and oftentimes the primary source in deciding cross border strategy for states.

With the coming of the World War, aerial technology for military use gained unprecedented momentum. Previously, it had been used solely for civilian and transport purposes. In the first World War, the aircrafts used were ordinary machines that had been retrofitted with mounted guns and their use was limited mostly to aircraft to aircraft dogfighting. The Germans possessed bombers, which long proved to be a thorn in the side of the British, who had no countermeasures or bombers of their own and therefore remained inferior to the Germans. However, World War II proved to be a completely novel war, which was decided by a combination of brute force, strategic improvisation and rapid and inspired innovation. Many would assume that it was the nuclear bomb that decided the outcome of the war but, notably, the Third Reich had fallen even before the first of the two bombs did.

In the buildup to World War II, the Allied powers realised that the key to victory lay not in the ground forces or the navy, but in strategic bombing, which meant securing aerial superiority. Consequently, the second war saw real, tangible and truly relevant advancement in, as well as utilisation of, military aviation. To provide some intriguing context, the development of the Norden Bomb Sight was almost as heavily guarded a secret as the Manhattan Project, with a budget amounting to 2/3rd of the total expense of the latter. However, the bomb sight failed to deliver on its promises and the American military high-command decided to shift to strategic bombing and combat box formations. Consequently, for their bombing tactic and new formation to succeed they had to spend immense amounts of money in developing the leading bomber of the war, the B-29 Superfortress. The development of the Superfortress far outweighed the budget of the Manhattan Project but proved to be instrumental in shifting the tide of the war. Without the strategic and unrelenting bombing by the Allied forces, the historic storming of the beaches of Normandy would have remained at best a pipe dream and at worst an absolutely demoralising failure. Moreover, the need for continually improving upon aircraft technology of the Allies was due to the fact that the Germans possessed arguably the best anti-aircraft artillery in their 88mm Flak. While the British and the Americans heavily relied on strategic bombing, the German Luftwaffe failed to appreciate its potential. The uncomplicated yet effective strategy translated marvelously into practice as the Axis powers were deprived of reinforcements and essential supplies. It also reaffirmed the theory that ground forces can only be mobilised once occupation is guaranteed i.e. for the purposes of clearing.

Markedly, the largest war in modern history is testament to the significance of having supremacy in aerial military technology. Therefore, it is important to bring out radical transformation in the Indian Air Force, IAF, as far as innovation and procurement is concerned.

While the importance of possessing future-proof military aviation technology cannot be stressed enough, the current Indian situation remains alarming. Presently, the sanctioned strength of the Indian Air Force is 42 squadrons with only 31 being operational with 18 fighter jets on average in each squadron. It is imperative that India begins to either manufacture indigenous and capable aircrafts or switch to western technology. Historically, India has relied on Russia to be its major supplier for fighter jets with the Sukhoi Su-30MKI dominating in terms of numbers. Russia has been generous enough to transfer technology too for its aircrafts, however, Indian metallurgy has proved impotent in even producing quality spare parts. Furthermore, the S-400 defence missiles to be delivered by Russia lack interoperability with western technology that India possesses, which impedes efficient integration of defence systems. Russia has also become unreliable as a supplier since it is preoccupied with fighting its own battles and cannot afford to divert resources no matter how deep and ancient the Indo-Russian ties run.

Additionally, the recent procurement of the 4.5th generation Rafales has bolstered the fire power of the IAF. Although the LCA Tejas is also a 4.5th generation aircraft, it cannot be claimed to be entirely native as the most important component of the machine, the engine, is manufactured by the American corporation General Electric. The AMCA, Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, being developed by HAL is meant to be a 5th generation vehicle, however rollout is only expected by 2030, whereas in contrast China, Russia, America and even Turkey already possess 5th generation fighters. This goes to highlight the issue that by the time India is able to produce its own 5th generation fighter, it would probably be obsolete technology. The Chinese Chengdu J-20 is considered especially lethal and impressive in its stealth capabilities. China also recently went on to place a squadron of J-20s just 150km off the border of Sikkim, which is extremely problematic as even detecting these fighters, were they to be deployed, would prove a gargantuan task in itself. The relevant Indian authorities in-charge are also prone to making borderline insubstantial claims that impact the dissemination of information about the status of national security. Recently, they claimed that India could easily detect if the J-20s were on the move, while analytical experts around the globe have categorically stated that such a statement is a gross overestimation of the limits of radar technology.

All in all, the current environment requires that procurement and innovation of military aviation technology command the respect it demands and deserves. Perhaps bureaucratic and administrative adaptability is also necessary. The two arms of procurement and innovation could be placed with a Minister of State, who would report exclusively to the PMO just as the Atomic Energy Commission and ISRO function directly under the Premier. This administrative transition would also eradicate the need to await approval from multiple different departments and ministries, which, in turn, would further reduce delays. The amount of red tape that each project would bypass if it were under the direct supervision of the PMO would greatly reduce costs and also ensure that the technologies being acquired are competitive and not archaic.

The writer is a Lawyer by profession. Views expressed are personal.
AIIMS Bhopal observed World Vitiligo Day with great enthusiasm and purpose today. The event aimed to raise awareness about vitiligo, a condition that causes the skin to lose its natural color, resulting in white patches.

Speaking as the chief guest, Professor (Dr) Ajai Singh, Executive Director of AIIMS Bhopal, emphasized the importance of understanding and treating vitiligo. "Anyone can suffer from vitiligo, but the process of color change can be stopped and slowed down through treatment. The skin color can also return to a great extent," he stated. He also highlighted the mental stress patients face due to societal misconceptions about the condition. "We need to empower patients mentally as well. This disease changes the skin's color into spots, and the colorless areas usually grow larger over time. It is crucial to contact a doctor immediately when symptoms appear."

The Department of Dermatology at AIIMS Bhopal organized the program in collaboration with the Department of Biochemistry and Community and Family Medicine. For the past month, a series of awareness activities took place in the regions of Bhojpur, Dhamdhusar, Bangrasia, and Chiklod. These activities included street plays, poster-making, and patient counseling sessions to educate the public about vitiligo.

On the concluding day, patients and their families visiting AIIMS Bhopal were further informed about vitiligo through street plays. Additionally, a painting competition was held, and the winning participants were awarded for their creativity and efforts. AIIMS Bhopal remains committed to spreading awareness and providing support to vitiligo patients, ensuring they receive the necessary treatment and mental empowerment.
The Congress Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "not finding time" yet to visit conflict-torn Manipur, with party general secretary Jairam Ramesh recalling the "drama" around Chief Minister N Biren Singh's resignation last year.

"Exactly a year ago, a big resignation drama was staged in Imphal," Ramesh said in a post on X, sharing a photograph of Singh's torn resignation letter.

"The agony and anguish of Manipur continue. The non-biological PM has time for everything else but visiting the troubled state or even talking to its elected representatives face-to-face," he said.

Manipur has been on the boil since May last year as ethnic violence broke out after a march by Kuki tribals in the hill districts to protest against the valley-dominant Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribes status.

At the peak of ethnic clashes in Manipur last year, Singh had come close to resignation in June, but was stopped by his supporters from quitting.

Hundreds of women had formed a human chain and stopped him from going to the Governor's House to tender his resignation. The resignation letter was also torn by them.

The Congress won both the seats in Manipur -- Outer Manipur and Inner Manipur -- in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Since then, more than 220 people from both the communities as well security personnel have been killed. A BJP-led government has been in power in the state since 2017.
The detailed technical study of the Delhi airport's now shut Terminal 1 (T1) is expected to be completed in a month and depending on the findings, the decision will be taken on recommencing operations at the terminal, a senior government official said on Sunday.

All flights from T1 have been shifted to Terminal 2 (T2) and Terminal 3 (T3), and all of them were being operated, the official told PTI.

On June 28, a canopy at the old departure forecourt of T1 partially collapsed amid heavy rains resulting in the death of a person and causing injuries to at least six people. Following the incident, the civil aviation ministry said structural engineers from IIT Delhi have been asked to immediately assess the partial collapse of the canopy.

The official said the technical study of T1 is expected to take about a month. After the findings come in, a decision will be taken about recommencing operations at T1, the official added.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by a GMR Group-led consortium DIAL has three terminals -- T1, T2 and T3 -- and handles around 1,400 flight movements daily.

T1 was used for domestic flight operations by IndiGo and SpiceJet.

From T1, the official said 72 flights of IndiGo have been shifted to T2 and T3, and 17 flights to T3, adding that all the flights are operational.

"All SpiceJet flights to/from Delhi from 1st till 7th Jul'24 will operate from Terminal 3, Delhi Airport. Necessary information has been communicated to all the passengers on their registered contact details (SMS/Email)," the airline said in a post on X.

Two sources in the know said it might take a few months before operations can resume at T1.

In response to a set of detailed queries related to T1, DIAL said its cross-functional teams are actively evaluating the situation and engaging with various stakeholders to ensure passenger safety and convenience.

"We remain committed to maintaining flight operations at T3 and T2, while operations at T1 are temporarily suspended. We appreciate the understanding and support of all stakeholders," a DIAL spokesperson said in a statement.

To queries about business loss of concessionaries operating shops and services at T1, the spokesperson said as the evaluation process is still ongoing, it is too early to provide specific inputs.

As a precautionary measure, all flight operations from T1 have been suspended till further notice. The expanded T1, the capacity of which has increased to handle 40 million passengers from 17 million, is yet to be fully operational.

"While the cause for the collapse of the canopy is being assessed, the primary cause seems to be the heavy rainfall. As per the Indian Meteorological Department on Friday, Delhi Safdarjung had recorded massive 228.1mm of rain in 24 hours (mainly in the early morning hours of Friday). This is the highest 24 hours of rain in Delhi in June in 85 years. The average rainfall in the area in the last 30 years is 75.2 mm," the spokesperson said in the statement on Sunday.

The roof collapse incident will be probed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as well as by a technical committee set up by DIAL.

Meanwhile, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been directed to issue a circular to all minor and major airports to conduct a thorough inspection of structural strength.

"Based on the findings, the need for increased safety measures and the development of long-term policies to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents will be formulated at priority," the ministry said in a statement on Friday.
GEGE  The state-of-the-art E10 million Melika Jericho Church in Zion was officially opened yesterday.



The church, though situated in the rural community of Gege, boasts of the same status as those in urban areas. Thousands of worshipers descended on Gege, from around the country to witness the official launch of the structure, which was also graced by His Majesty the Kings representatives. Speaking on behalf of His Majesty the King during the official opening of the church, Prince Guduza praised the church members and every person or organisation that contributed to the construction of the structure. Guduza said the King thanked each and every person who contributed to the construction of the church.

The church is designed in such a way that the ceiling is elevated higher to about six metres, leaving a large open space inside. This, according to an expert, was designed to accommodate Siguqo. This is a vigorous trans-like dance performed by members of the church. An expert said since the dance is like a workout, this can result in sweating, therefore, the large space inside the church allows air circulation . He said if the ceiling were to be low, it would create stuffiness during church sessions. Guduza said it was not only church members of the Gege community who contributed, but also included others from different areas around the country.

Addressing worshipers, Guduza said it was very important for Christians to involve Their Majesties when engaging in such projects. He said just as it was historically recorded that God appeared to King Somhlolo even before the arrival, of what today is known as Christianity, this meant that even God followed protocol. He said even God followed the protocol that one had to go through the King of that area and commended the worshipers for acknowledging the King. Also present was the Minister of Home Affairs Princess Lindiwe, as well as Prince Simelane, who is the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Samson Hlatjwako, the President of the League of African Churches revealed during the event that it was the first time that His Majesty the King had officially opened a church under the organisation. However, His Majesty the King was not physically present at the church.

Instead, Prince Guduza stood proxy for the King and he was also the same, who cut the sod on behalf of His Majesty, Also, among the attendees of the event included former Prime Minister Absalom Themba Dlamini, Army Commander Mashikilasana Dlamini and representatives from other denominations under the League of African Churches. Nontsikilelo Sisulu, a granddaughter to anti-apartheid political icon Walter Sisulu, was also in attendance as one of the special guests. She is the Head of Depart for the South African Department of Community Safety. Nontsikelelo was also yesterday mistakenly introduced as Lindiwe Sisulu, who is the South African former minister and also the daughter of the late Walter.
MANZINI  It was an emotion- filled day as members of the democratic change movement commemorated the survivors and those who lost their lives during the civil unrest on June 29, 2021, peacefully yesterday.

This was despite the heavy security that was present over the past week on all major roads around the country, which culminated in drama unfolding at Siphofaneni on Friday morning, where members of the security forces raided homes of Siphofaneni Member of Parliament (MP) Nomalungelo LaZwide Simelane and former Senate Deputy President Ngomuyayona Gamedze, in the wee hours of morning . The event was organised by the Swaziland Massacre Victims and Survivors Association (SWAVISA). The event was held at Caritas, Manzini yesterday .

The heavy security presence continued yesterday, as members of the security forces engaged on random patrols around the country, a security surveillance helicopter was also spotted hovering over the venue where the commemoration was held. It is worth noting that despite the heavy security presence, things continued as usual in the busy city of Manzini, as people went about their business despite the anticipation and uncertainty that engulfed a majority of the public, as they anticipated yet another violent encounter between members of the public and security forces.

At the event, different political activists, including members of the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO), Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS), joined in to commemorate the day, as well as pay their respects to those who lost their lives. The event which began vibrantly as the attendees sang political songs and danced, ended on a sad, teary and emotional note as all those present observed a moment of silence and lit candles in memory of those who lost their lives during the unrest.

The relatives and friends of all those who passed away during the unrest also wrote their names on a canvas in honour of their lives. The survivors and the family members of those who could not be present during the event shared their testimony on the difficulties they have faced as a result of the various injuries they sustained during the unrest. Some of the victims mentioned that before the unrest, they lived better lives and had jobs, but that was no longer the cased as they could no longer provide for themselves and their families. A majority of the survivors put the blame on government for failing them, while others advocated for the truth to be told on what happened during the unrest.

They also blamed the security forces for the violence they said was inflicted on them unnecessarily. The political parties pledged their support to the survivors, as well as the family members of the deceased. Manzini North, SWALIMO Chairperson Mbongwa Hlanze, said yesterday was a sad day for them all. He said personally, he was against the Tinkhundla system of government, since he was forced to drop out of school while pursuing his primary education because he did not have money to pay for his examination fee, as his mother was forced to take care of his father who was in hospital. That was when I realised that the Tinkhundla system of government did not prioritise the peoples interests, even minors, he said.

He mentioned that as a movement, they were aggrieved about the death and injury of all those who were victims of the civil unrest in 2021.

That was not the end of it, as yesterday, (Friday) security forces authorised by government raided peoples homes and terrorised them. This morning, many people were assaulted by security forces at Kakhoza (Manzini), he alleged. He alleged that the very same security forces, who were expected to protect the people, were the same ones who were assaulting them for apparently no reason. He said those who were expected to protect the people were their enemies.

PUDEMO National Organising Secretary, Siboniso Mkhabela said PUDEMO was also present when SWAVISA was launched and still maintained their support to the victims of the unrest. As PUDEMO, we are committed to stand by you and support you through thick and thin, he said. He added that as a political party, they understood that the victims of the civil unrest were not only those who were injured and those who lost their lives, but every liSwati was a victim. He urged SWAVISA to visit emaSwati across the country, because those who were raided by security forces without search warrants were also victims, as well as those who were allegedly assaulted at roadblocks.

He said farm dwellers who were forcefully evicted from their homes, like it recently happened at Mbondzela, were also victims and were members of SWAVISA. He said the events that unfolded on June 2021, were the reason security had been tightened and the local army was now led by mercenaries from other countries and what was left was for them to sacrifice their bodies and their lives to get the freedom they desired. Mkhabela also mentioned that as PUDEMO, they also pledged their support to SWAVISA. He pleaded with SWAVISA member to ensure that the June 29, 2021, was not a onetime occasion, but an everyday commitment to the course.

He said the victims were better placed to spread the word, as they were living proof of what happened on the infamous day. He said other political parties speak for the victims better than the survivors of the unrest. Meanwhile SNUS Secretary General, Sambulo Shongwe said as SNUS members, before being students, they identified themselves as members of the community and it was for that reason they were there to support the survivors and pay their respects to those who lost their lives during the unrest. He said they were honoured to be invited to such a significant day and they were cognisant that yesterday marked the third year since the Tinkhundla system of government showed and portrayed its brutality in full view of all emaSwati. Shongwe added that their message of solidarity as SNUS was that they were part and parcel of SWAVISA and were also victims of the system of governance, as they also had victims who had been physically brutalised by the system of governance.

It may not be a message of solidarity, but a message of affirmation of our support to SWAVISWA and its activities in line with its objectives, he said.
Laman Ismayilova

The Youth Forum of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has been held in Samarkand as part of the Global Youth Festival in Uzbekistan, Azernews reports.

The festival serves as a platform for inspiring exchanges of ideas, fruitful dialogue, and unique cultural encounters. Under the banner of harmony and cooperation, it aims to foster the unity of youth from around the globe in pursuit of common goals for peace and progress.

Global Youth Festival 2024 brought together over 1000 participants from 150 countries, including young leaders, researchers, scientists, and representatives from various fields of knowledge and cultural traditions.

Deputy Chairman of the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan Zayniddin Eshonqulov, Rector of the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan Uygun Gafurov, and OIC Assistant Secretary-General Tariq Ali Bakheet wished success in the work of the forum.

The parties exchanged views on the importance of the Islamic religion in the education of young people, its universal ideas, and cases of misinterpretation of religion.

Note that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organisation after the United Nations, with the membership of 57 states, covering four continents.

The OIC is the collective voice of the Muslim world to ensure and safeguard their interest in economic social and political areas.

The OIC has Institutions, which implement its programmes. Its Headquarters is in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Azerbaijan has been a member of OIC since 1991.

The designation of Shusha as the OIC Youth Capital for the year 2024 highlights the city's importance as a center for youth empowerment, innovation, and collaboration within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states.

Through various projects, young leaders from OIC member countries will have the opportunity to network, collaborate, and develop innovative solutions to common challenges.

By hosting a series of youth-focused programs, Shusha aims to inspire young people who will contribute to the social, economic, and cultural development of their communities.
MBABANE-Who is the supplier?

Perhaps this is the question that most emaSwati asked themselves when they learnt of the news that certain medication has been recalled by the Ministry of Health a few days ago. This publication sought answers from the ministry, headed by Siphocosini Member of Parliament Mduduzi Matsebula on Friday to ascertain what really went wrong. Besides the name of the supplier, one of the questions posed to the ministry was meant to ascertain how much of the stock had been dispatched to the public health facilities and whether the supplier will be expected to bring in a new batch.

Yesterday, the ministry then issued a press statement advising the public that two batches of the medication, Folic acid 5mg and Penicillin Syrup 125mg/mg had been called for quality purposes. A question was posed to the ministrys Communications Officer Nsindiso Tsabedze on whether there would be responses to the questions posed and he responded by saying, In relation to the matter of which you sent a questionnaire, a statement has been issued. A follow-up question was posed on whether there were responses coming to address the rest of the initial questionnaire to which he responded by saying, The statement addresses this matter at the moment. Further details will be provided in future".

According to the statement, the statement followed the discovery of black spots on Folic acid tablets from batch #003254, while the penicillin had different strengths in labelling for batch #223131144. The ministry explained that this was not an issue of expired drugs as the batch of Folic acid tablets was to expire in February 2025, and the Phenoxy methyl penicillin in January 2025. The matter is being handled with high priority, and the Ministry wishes to inform the public not to panic. The national recall is a precautionary measure recommended by the Medicines Regulatory Unit (MRU), a Unit under the Ministry of Health. The recall is in the best interest of the public and is meant to protect the consumers while an investigation is ongoing, reads part of the statement.

It was mentioned that this was done as a process of quality control done to ensure that medication used by the public is safe and efficacious. Also mentioned was that it was batch specific, meaning that only Folic acid from batch #003254 and Phenoxy methyl penicillin from batch #223131144 were affected and that other batches or similar products are not affected. All public health facilities already have been contacted and informed of the recall of the products, and they have been advised to remove the affected products from the shelves in pharmacies. Healthcare professionals also have been informed to stop dispensing the tablets and syrup of the affected batches, immediately. The public health facilities have also been advised to quarantine all remaining stock of the affected medicine and return it to the Central Medical Stores (CMS) through the approved processes, it was mentioned in the statement.

Also, the ministry shared insight regarding then medication by explaining that Folic acid was a supplement, and penicillin is an anti-biotic. It was mentioned that clients taking Folic acid tablets and the penicillin syrup were advised to check their batch of medication (the batch number) and only discontinue use if the medication is from the affected batch; safely dispose of the medication or return it to the nearest facility and ask for another medication, call the Medicines Regulatory Unit (MRU) about any concerns or to get more information, or send a message via WhatsApp number 7655 7303.

An investigation is being conducted in conjunction with the relevant. stakeholders. The public will be informed of any developments in due course, it was emphasized in the statement. It should be noted that the Funduzi forensic report into the shortage of drugs has a finding that there was allegedly a lack of testing facility for quality assurance of supplied drugs. A recommendation contained in the report was that government should institute a process towards the acquisition of a drug testing facility for quality. It was advised that government should redesign the entire system for drugs ordering system to supply.

Below is the questionnaire that was sent to the Ministry of Health last Friday;

Following a minute issued by the QC and PMS Pharmacist to all public health facilities recalling the Phenoxy methyl penicillin and Folic acid tablet BP 5mg, we request responses to the questions below:

Question 1 What or who is the name of the supplier and how much of the stock is being recalled?

Question 2 Will the supplier be made to supply new stock? Will there be action taken to ensure that such is avoided in future?

Question 3 The minute issued reflects that the incident was reported to the Eswatini Medicine and Regulatory Unit by one health facility; doesnt the CMS ensure that there are measures to safeguard the quality of imported drugs?

Question 4 This being a health issue of national concern, why has there been no formal press statement issued by the minister or PS?

Question 5 How true are reports that one of the products has actually been supplied to schools in the country? What about members of the public and patients who recently purchased the meds in question?

About the recalled drugs

Medical practitioners told this newspaper that Folic acid is indicated for the treatment of megaloblastic anaemia due to folic acid deficiency. It is also used for prophylaxis in chronic haemolytic states, in renal dialysis, and in drug induced folate deficiency. It can also be used for the prevention of recurrence of neural tube defects.

What is Folic acid?

Medical practitioners say Folic acid is a supplement used to treat folate deficiency. It is used to treat certain types of anemia caused by folic acid deficiency and it is taken by pregnant women to prevent the major birth defects, spina bifida and anencephaly, and it is also prescribed with methotrexate to prevent methotrexate-induced folate deficiency. Spina bifida is a birth defect in which a developing babys spinal cord fails to develop properly. Folic acid is the man-made form of folate (vitamin B9). When one takes folic acid, his or her body turns it into folate. Therefore, folate is important for making red blood cells and also for making and maintaining new cells in ones body. If ones folate levels are low, as shown by a blood test, his healthcare professional may recommend taking folic acid tablets.

The red blood cell's main function is to carry oxygen from the lungs and deliver it throughout the body. They also transport waste such as carbon dioxide back to lungs to be exhaled. In a nutshell, medical practitioners advised that Folic acid tablets are used in the treatment and prevention of the following -

Anaemia due to a lack of folic acid in adults and children,

Anaemia in pregnancy,

Anaemia, as a side effect from treatment with certain medicines,

Anaemia due to damaged red blood cells,

Anaemia in patients on kidney dialysis.

On the other hand, medical practitioners say Phenoxymethylpenicillin is a type of penicillin antibiotic. It's used to treat bacterial infections, including ear, chest, throat and skin infections. It can also be used to prevent infections if one had sickle cell disease, or if he has had chorea (a movement disorder), rheumatic fever, or a persons spleen removed. It usually comes as 250mg tablets and as a liquid. It is said that there are two strengths of liquid available. The lower strength is 125mg/5ml and the higher strength is 250mg/5ml. It is understood that both strengths can also come as a sugar free liquid.
MBABANE Is the investigation into the shortage of drugs being handled fairly?

This is because government, between 2021 and 2023, engaged over 100 companies to supply drugs to the public health facilities. However, it is not clear whether it is justified to single out one supplier for vilification. There is available evidence that over 100 companies were paid E1.21 billion to supply drugs and medicines for the fiscal years 2021 to 2023. In fact, government made about 122 payments. This is not to suggest that these companies did not supply the drugs after they had been paid by the Ministry of Health. It must be said though that all the audit documents seen and analysed by this newspaper indicate that these companies may also probably assist in the investigation into the shortage of drugs.

There are 10 highly paid suppliers, with E609.6 million being shared by eight companies unrelated to the one presently at the centre of controversy. The auditing samples were for 2021 to 2023. In 2021, the singled out entity was paid E137 131 831.00 and E128.17 million for 2022 and E84.3 million in 2023. In 2023, a sum of E300.7 million and E100.2 million were paid to other companies to supply drugs. Other two entities shared E57 million. Three companies had also shared E53.6 million in 2021. In 2022, three suppliers were paid E90 million to procure and deliver drugs to government.

Pertaining to the list of 10 highly paid suppliers, there were 15 payments. Five were given to the most criticised company and its subsidiary. Ten payments were made to eight companies who make the list of the highly paid suppliers. On average, the over 100 companies were paid in the region of E50 000 and E10 million. It is not clear why one of these companies did not make the list of highly paid suppliers because it received a payment of E25 million. The least paid among the top 10 highly paid suppliers received E11 million.

Impeccable sources said the issue of drug shortage was complex wherein it may be cumbersome to narrow it down to the perceived failure to supply or deliver the drugs. They said, at some point, delivered drugs were allegedly stolen from the Central Medical Stores, with assertions also flying back and forth that certain officers at the public health institutions inculcated a culture of selling drugs and medicines to some pharmacies. It boils down to the necessity to look at the issue holistically as opposed to adopting a narrative that narrow down the issue to one factor, the source said.

A senior government technocrat said the drug shortage must be understood in the context of the Forensic Investigation Proposal and Audit of Acquisition, Distribution and Management of Pharmaceuticals, which Timothy Matsebula, the Auditor General, compiled and tabled by Neal Rijkenberg in March 2023. At that time, the technocrat said emaSwati were preoccupied with the civil unrest and assassination of Thulani Maseko and never bothered much to follow the issue of drug shortage.

There were so many issues that were raised at that time which we didnt notice because shocking elements, unprecedented as they were, diverted our attention to the civil unrest, the source said. In the published report, Matsebula said pharmaceuticals amounting to E151.6 million were either missing or unaccounted for. Drugs valued at E9 308 963.02 for Mbabane Government Hospital were unaccounted for. On the other hand, the Piggs Peak Government Hospital did not account for pharmaceuticals valued at E2 283 688.91.

It clearly shows that some drugs reach hospitals and get stolen, the source said. Siphofaneni Clinic did not account for drugs amounting to E111 089.08 and Mpolonjeni Clinic had medical drugs valued at E45 990.19 unaccounted for. It was observed that there was missing stock of medicines and/or unaccounted for pharmaceuticals amounting to E18 793 823.99 in the financial years 2021 and 2022.It must be said that the Ministry of Health acknowledged missing stock of medical drugs amounting to E5 848 589.89. This was reported in the Medical Drugs Trading Account for the financial year ended March 31, 2022.

In his own investigation, Matsebula, the AG, discovered the following as some of the main causes for drug shortage in the country -

Weak information management systems;

Weak manual control environment;

Cash flow constraints;

Human resource shortages due to hiring freeze and fuel shortages.

Theft of medical drugs is an old issue. In October 2018, medicines were stolen at Central Medical Stores (CMS) and police launched an investigation which resulted in the arrest of two civil servants. They appeared before the Matsapha Magistrate Court charged with theft of government medicines. Medical sterile gloves were also stolen from the CMS, resulting in the arrest of three other civil servants. Another two males were also arrested and charged with theft of government medicines from CMS.Our sister publication, Eswatini News reported in June 2023 that an internal report by the Ministry of Health revealed how medical drugs were being stolen by some employees from the CMS.

The ministry acknowledged that the theft of medical drugs resulted in the shortage of medicines. Two former employees of the CMS recounted during a probe instituted by the Health Ministry how they were able to steal medical drugs from the shelves without anybody noticing. The Ministry of Health had commissioned a team of three members to investigate the issue in terms of Regulations 41 of Civil Service Commission (CSC) of 1963 and A944 of Government General Orders.

A certain clerk was arrested for being found in possession of government medical drugs from CMS during a police raid in his rented flat in Matsapha. He allegedly revealed during the police investigation that he was working with others from CMS in the alleged theft of the drugs.We mustnt lose sight of the theft of drugs as well. Its another serious cause for the shortage of drugs. Drugs are supplied and get stolen, the sources said.Meanwhile, the names of the over 100 companies plus the top 10 highly paid suppliers cannot be mentioned because the audit documents do not indicate any wrongdoing, except that they show the taxpayer where his money has been spent.

However, sources and analysts said, if all audit documents were carefully read and analysed, they would demonstrate clearly that the issue of drug shortages was complex and needed to be tackled fairly and holistically. For instance, the source took the Times SUNDAY to what Auditor General (AG) Timothy Sipho Matsebula queried at the Ministry of Health in his report tabled in Parliament. Matsebula said the Ministry of Health transferred funds amounting to E281 162369.68 from the Consolidated Fund to the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA) for the procurement of medical drugs (antiretroviral medications) in the financial year ended March 31, 2023.

A foreign company styled iPlusSolutions delayed the delivery of the medical drugs (antiretroviral) that were fully paid as an advance. Do you now see the problem? A foreign company is also in the mix. It delays the delivery of the drugs despite the fact that it had already been paid, the highly placed source raised this concern. For this newspaper to understand the issue, our sources tried to unpack it, now bringing a sum of E138 million to the picture. Matsebula had pointed out that the National Emergency and Response Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA) paid three advances amounting to E221.8 million to the foreign supplier mentioned above.

The crux of the matter is the undelivered medical drugs (antiretroviral) amounting to E138 611473.70. Its a concern that such issues are not flagged by the media. There is an audit query that some purchase order PO7278 had short deliveries amounting to E6 245 679.00, the source said. Other orders had short deliveries of E48 million. We never hear the media and critics in the civil society calling upon all the companies to account for the drugs, but only hear you nailing one or two of them, the source said.

At some point, Matsebula, the AG, raised a concern that NERCHA, for instance, kept E138.6 million in the hands of a foreign supplier. Expired and dumped medicals were also observed in several facilities such as the King Sobhuza Clinic, Lobamba Clinic and Mbabane Government Hospital. In an interview, Thembinkosi Dlamini, the Executive Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO), said a forensic audit, naturally or ordinarily, does not follow the person conducting the exchange but rather the transaction itself.

He suggested that the starting point should decide what was a reasonable sample, say 10, 15 or 20 per cent of all transactions? Once sampled, all in the sample are scrutinised, whether or not they followed laid down procedure and reasonability, i.e. whether the prices were not superficially inflated. If the answer is yes, a secondary enquiry would then look at the relationship between the role players who may include the company owners and the public officials, Dlamini said. He said it was on the basis of the sample and finding of the 'smoking gun' that audit findings were being drawn.

The executive director mentioned that it could be the conclusion of the sample audit that a larger sample be done or a holistic audit be done. It can be a race against time with scant resources. So, one cannot draft terms of references with 100 per cent sample size. What if after two years of audits and spending E2 billion you do not find nothing prosecutable, he said. Dlamini said the audits may turn out to be like the South African State Capture Commission, yet another wasteful and fruitless expenditure that would not yield any investment return on the fiscus or value for money.

Khanya Mabuza, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health, did not respond to our questionnaire, but this newspaper can reveal that the ministry suspended nine officers for issues related to drug procurement. The employees challenged the suspension in court. The Office of the Auditor General has published a statement clarifying its work. It said, as a supreme audit institution, it has noted with grave concern the ongoing baseless assertion made about the office. The AG Office says its audits are done to provide credibility to the executive and confidence to the public at large. The AG said accountability, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of public funds are assertions tested and proven in an audit.

Four arrested for medicine theft in SA

Sometime ago, four suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing and selling state medicine worth about E200 000 in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Police arrested three women and a man. It was reported that some of the stolen medication was allegedly found at their homes. Police have been investigating, with the help of the provincial Health Department when it received information that medication meant to be distributed to state hospitals and clinics were being sold by the officials to enrich themselves. The medication was allegedly stolen from the department's depots in the province and sold to private doctors and pharmacies.

A 32-year old male was arrested in possession of presumably stolen anti-retroviral medicines on February 9, 2023 in Bergman Square near Bloemfontein. Members of Mangaung Metro Tactical Response Team operationalised intelligence on a suspect in possession of Anti-retroviral drugs with the purpose of selling them illegally. The team arrived at the identified house and conducted a search. Three boxes containing Adco Lamivudine, Zidovudine, Aluvia and Euthyrox bottles were found hidden under the bed and confiscated. The medicines had the name of pharmacy and prescription details. The value of the ARVs was estimated at E40 000.00 when sold in the streets. The 32-year-old suspect was arrested and a case of possession of presumably stolen property and Contravention of Medicines and Related Substances Act was opened at Bloemspruit Police Station.
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The French people are sending a serious message to Emmanuel Macron, the current President of France  Fuck You Macron! Turnout for the election has been extremely high for the first round. Marine Le Pens National Rally (NR), according to exit polls, has surged ahead in the first round with over 30% of the vote at the snap French legislative election. Le Pen wins a convincing majority of the vote.

The second round of the French election will naturally see some tactical voting to somehow stop the right wing Le Pen party from winning. The second round of voting will take place on July 7 which will confirm the result.

Le Pen called on voters to give the National Rally an absolute majority at parliament.

The leftists are of course in a state of panic as Le Pen wins and will have to pull out every trick from their handbags to stop the National Rally party from winning.

Le Pens National Rally has been labelled as extreme far right but can a political party be far right if Le Pen supports Israel and the Jews? If a party is receiving over 30% of the vote, they should not also be labelled as extreme or fringe, but the hard leftists utilise this technique as a form of propaganda. Anything that is edgy these days is labelled as anti-establishment and is attacked fiercely by the leftists who control all media.
African countries urged to accelerate AfCFTA implementation

Accra, June 30 (UNI) African countries need to deliver action plans and national strategies to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and economic integration among them, experts have said.

The call was made on Saturday at the "National Consultation Forum on the Development of Ethiopia's AfCFTA Implementation Strategy" held in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

Speaking at the event, Stephen Karingi, director of the Regional Integration and Trade Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), said that the practical implementation of the AfCFTA has the potential to foster industrialization, job creation, and investment in Africa.
Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) and Maynooth University (MU) have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) confirming joint strategic engagement on future collaborations over the coming years.

MU President Professor Eeva Leinonen today welcomed Dr Diarmuid OCallaghan, President of DkIT, to Maynooth University for the signing event.

In August 2023, Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) and Maynooth University (MU) entered informal discussions regarding future collaborations. At the time, both Presidents stated their vision of future collaborations to enhance and expand higher education opportunities for students, staff and communities.

A potential partnership would have shared objectives to ensure any collaboration respects the roots of both institutions whilst bringing innovation and best practices to meet future needs.

Welcoming the signing of this letter of intent Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick ODonovan TD said:

The signing of todays letter of intent by Maynooth University and Dundalk Institute of Technology is a positive move, signifying the intention of these two fine higher education institutions to build on their individual strengths and explore together how they can strategically develop to better serve the regions in which they are based.

It is this kind of commitment to regional partnership and collaboration that will lead to sustainable and resilient development and better opportunities for all.

Support from my Department, allocated by the HEA to DkIT through the Technological Sector Advancement Fund, has enabled today's signal of intent.

Remarking on the importance of the partnership, Professor Leinonen added:

"I am delighted to advance this strategic engagement with Dundalk Institute of Technology. This partnership builds on our longstanding relationship and is a milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance higher education in the region.

By working together, we will explore new ways to collaborate, focusing on innovative research and academic initiatives that benefit our students, our staff and the wider community.

Dr OCallaghan added: Over the last twelve months we have identified our shared values and aspirations for both our institutions, and today is the next logical step in forging a strategic engagement founded on the principles of mutual respect, benefit and collaboration.

By joining our interests, we seek to create an environment whereby we can exchange knowledge covering such areas as teaching and learning, research and innovation, engagement and organisational development, in a way that is of mutual benefit to the wider region served by our two institutions.

In the coming months, DkIT and MU will actively explore and develop the nature, scope and scale of a strategic engagement between the two institutions. The activities supported by this LoI will include, but are not limited to:

Developing detail of a possible agreement between MU and DkIT on strategic engagement for consideration within a defined time window by the institutions

Establishing a Regional Research Graduate Academy for the joint registering and training of postgraduate research students within our shared region, including developing an agreed and aligned sustainable model of delivery

Scoping of potential provision of MU awards for NFQ level 8 and 9 students in DkIT in the context of quality assurance, market and financial implications

Enhancing research collaborations including successful application for at least two joint research and innovation funded projects

Investigating opportunities for development of new joint academic programmes

Supporting strategic development in both MU and DkIT in areas of mutual benefit aligned to the strategic direction of both institutions

Implementing a joint communications plan relating to the strategic engagements between MU and DkIT.

The work listed as part of this LoI is financially supported through the Technological Sector Advancement Fund (TSAF; January 2024 to June 2026). This is a HEA-managed fund which provides targeted support for initiatives that are critical to the strategic development of the technological higher education sector. This LoI is initially effective from signing until June 2026, and will be reviewed annually, unless replaced in the interim.
China's Xi to visit Kazakhstan on July 2-4

Almaty, June 30 (UNI) Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Kazakhstan on July 24 and partake in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Council of Heads of State, the Kazakh presidential press service said on Sunday.



"On July 2-4, 2024, at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan and will also take part in the 24th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation," the statement read.
IdeasLab, the entrepreneurial and innovation hub at University of Galway, has announced the winners of its student entrepreneur Start100 competition.

Most Engaging Pitch went to Dundalk student Claudine Mulihano, a first-year Podiatric Medicine student and her idea StepWise, a smart insole designed to tackle the foot condition plantar fasciitis using Bluetooth technology to transmit real-time biomechanics data to healthcare practitioners.

Damien Delaney, a first-year Psychology student from Birr, Co Offaly and the owner of Hology Photography secured the top prize and a 5,000 award for his visual-based app called FocusZen which enables individuals to use photography as a form of meditation and a way of enhancing their wellbeing.

Final year Bachelor of Commerce student David Garvey from Glenamaddy, Co Galway, received the One to Watch award and a prize fund of 1,000 for Arclo, an innovative clothing brand bringing t-shirts to life using augmented reality technology.

Alongside the three main prize winners, one of the Start100 judging panel, Paul Merriman, chief executive of Fairstone, pledged to give student Emily Donellan from Maree, Co Galway 2,000 in funding for her podcast Start Right, a by-student, for-student podcast that offers tailored advice and guidance to young people transitioning from secondary school to college.

Start100 offers students an intensive six-week programme, where ten teams refine their business model and present at a special showcase, bringing their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges from the worlds of academia, research, and enterprise.

The competition is designed to empower early-stage student startups. During the process the teams are introduced to speakers from different industries, experts in entrepreneurial development both regionally and nationally, and Start100 alumni who have successfully started their own businesses.

Each team is matched with a mentor in a relevant field, ensuring they receive the advice and the support they need to take their idea to the next level.

Professor Peter McHugh, University of Galways Deputy President and Registrar, said: University of Galway plays an important role in nurturing innovation and growth within our region and beyond. Start100 is an example of how the connections we foster with industry cultivate innovative leadership skills in our students, and provides them with the space and supports to develop ideas with the potential for broader societal impact.

Meabh Conaghan, Regional Director for the West and North-West Regions, Enterprise Ireland, said: "Programmes that encourage and support student entrepreneurship at all levels are crucial to a vibrant start-up ecosystem. The Start100 series of incubation supports is to be applauded as it helps students to explore, develop and validate their ideas in a structured and safe environment.

Enterprise Ireland West region is delighted to collaborate with Ollscoil na Gaillimhe and its IdeasLab team on Start100 2024. Enterprise Ireland warmly welcomes Start100, recognizing it as an avenue for future enterprise success and is happy to support this worthwhile initiative."

Throughout the programme students visited CREW, ComWorks in Loughrea, Platfrom 94 and the Portershed and had guest speakers from Enterprise Ireland, Westbic, the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and Start100 alumni.

They were given workshops on intellectual property, tax, presentation skills and more, and speakers from successful enterprises such as Mbryonics and Tribe Hospitality.

The judging panel for the final event were Dr Helen McBreen, Partner Atlantic Bridge; Paul Merriman, CEO Fairstone; Meabh Conaghan, Regional Director for the West and North-West Regions, Enterprise Ireland; and John Brennan, CEO WestBic, and the prize fund sponsored by AskPaul for the second year in a row.

Dr Natalie Walsh, Director of Entrepreneurial Development at University of Galway, said: "Start100 is more than a programme; it is a bridge that connects our student entrepreneurs with our vibrant regional ecosystem and beyond.

By fostering these connections, we empower our students to leverage the wealth of knowledge, expertise, and resources available right here in our region.

The collaboration with local industry leaders, visits to innovation hubs, and insights from successful Start100 alumni, all contribute to a rich network of supports that helps our young entrepreneurs turn their innovative ideas into viable businesses with global impact.
The hugely popular Culture Night will take place this year on Friday 20th September, Louth County Council have announced.

Louth County Council Arts Service is now accepting applications from those eligible to avail of funding from the Culture Night event fund for 2024.

The fund is open to applications from not-for-profit organizations, local community groups, arts, heritage and cultural groups, venues and societies.

Applications can be made by individuals but must be in partnership with a venue, community, arts, cultural or heritage group. Assistance cannot be given in relation to commercial activities.

Events should respond to the national theme of Culture Night 2024, One Night For All. See https://culturenight.ie/ for full details.

The maximum award that will be given to any one application will be 1,500. A budget breakdown must be submitted with any proposal seeking support of over 500.

The council says: It may not be possible to offer funding to all applicants and it may also not be possible to offer the full amount requested to any individual applicant. (However, inclusion in the programme will be open to all applicants).

It is therefore important to ensure that all relevant information is included in your application, including the proposed budget for the event.

We are particularly interested in projects that reflect the cultural richness of Louth and the diversity within local communities. Initiatives that specifically target the 18-35 demographic and target the night-time economy will also be looked on favourably.

Louth County Council are committed to projects that consider equality, inclusion, accessibility and diversity, and that seek to include all voices of culture. Consideration should also be given as to how best to target and engage with new / different audiences while planning an event.

The grant can cover costs related to the running of the event such as guest speaker fees, guest artist fees, arts materials, event photographer and tech support hire. Payment of the grant will be for the specific activities outlined in the application/proposal.

The grant cannot cover staffing costs on the night of the event, ongoing revenue costs, any capital costs, equipment purchase costs, charity fundraising events, cost of repaying existing debts, refreshments, publicity costs, travel or accommodation expenses.

Events must take place in County Louth on Culture Night, Sept 20th and must be free of charge and take place after 4p.m.

Successful applicants will be required to:

Ensure they have appropriate insurance cover for the event. Ensure that, where appropriate, child protection policies are in place. Ensure that all events comply with Health and Safety and legislative requirements. Ensure that Louth County Council and the Arts Council of Ireland are acknowledged in any and all publicity relating to the event. Relevant logos will be supplied to the successful grant awardees. The grant will only be paid AFTER the event and all expenditure has been processed. Vouched expenses and a short report on the event including audience numbers etc should be submitted by October 3 rd 2024 at the latest to ensure payment.

Applications should be in the form of a short two-page proposal outlining event details and target audience and they should be submitted to arts@louthcoco.ie by 4p.m on Friday 12th July 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by 31st July. Enquiries can also be sent to arts@louthcoco.ie
New Delhi, Jun 30 (UNI) Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday on a four-day official visit that aims to consolidate bilateral defence relations between the neighbouring countries and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.

The CNS is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart, Admiral M Nazmul Hassan in Dhaka, as also review the Passing Out Parade scheduled at Bangladesh Naval Academy (BNA) at Chittagong on July four, a Defence Ministry statement said.

During the visit, the CNS would also hold bilateral discussions with General Waker-Uz-Zaman (Chief of the Army Staff, Bangladesh Army), Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan (Chief of the Air Staff, Bangladesh Air Force), Lt Gen Mizanur Rahman Shameem (Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division) and senior leadership of the Bangladesh Government.

Admiral Tripathi would also address participants at the National Defence College, Dhaka and visit some key defence facilities.

Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span, which includes operational interactions through port calls, bilateral naval exercises, along with capacity building, capability enhancement and training initiatives.

The visit of the Indian Navy Chief will further strengthen the strong bonds of friendship between the navies of both countries.

UNI RBE SS
THE seizure of 160,000 worth of drugs at a hotel car park in Little Island, followed by the alleged raid on a property in Riverstown containing a cannabis growhouse, saw new charges being brought against a 43-year-old man this week.

Detective Garda Ruairi McGovern brought the fresh charges against Mindaugas Stancikas. These include one count of having drugs for sale or supply at a time when their street value exceeded 13,000  a charge with a minimum sentence of 10 years unless there are exceptional circumstances  and a money-laundering charge in respect of 2,800.

It was previously alleged that gardai observed a transaction taking place in the car park of the Radisson Hotel in Little Island between the occupants of two vehicles and, when officers moved in to carry out a search, they found 160,000 worth of cannabis and 39,500 in cash.

Mr Stancikas was charged initially with money laundering in respect of that amount of cash and having drugs and possession of them for sale or supply.

On Monday, he was charged with the more serious drugs charge arising out of alleged events in the hotel car park.

And he was also charged with a series of counts related to a search at his home on the same date.

He was charged with possession of cannabis herb and resin and having both drugs for the purpose of sale or supply, cultivation of cannabis, and money laundering in respect of 2,800 cash allegedly found at his home.

Sergeant Gearoid Davis said the DPP directed trial by indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Solicitor Frank Buttimer applied for a copy of some prosecution evidence in the case, describing the accused as a Lithuanian national resident in Ireland for the past 20 years.

Some of the previous bail conditions were relaxed, including the requirement to sign on seven days a week at his local Garda station, becoming a requirement to sign on three days a week.

All 10 charges faced by Mr Stancikas relate to December 19, 2023  at the car park of the Radisson Hotel, Little Island, and at his home in Riverstown.

In an account of the allegations given when the matter first came before the court, it was stated that, at the hotel car park, gardai carrying out surveillance observed a bag containing 39,500 in cash being placed in one vehicle and a bag containing 8kg of cannabis with an estimated street value of 160,000 being put in another vehicle.
A CORK-based carer has been announced as a regional winner of the Comfort Keepers Homecare Carer of the Year Awards 2024.

At a special day of celebrations, Phyllis Cotter received the prestigious accolade for her outstanding client care, passion, and dedication to her work in the community.

Ms Cotter, 58, received the award at an event at the Comfort Keepers Cork branch office attended by family, friends, and colleagues.

Ms Cotter, who lives in Midleton with her three beloved dogs, was among 11 branch finalists from around the country.

She was prompted onto her path to care following the death of both her mother and grandmother when she was young.

Collette Gleeson, managing director at Comfort Keepers said: Our annual awards are a really important opportunity for us to honour the hard work of members of our teams.

Our dedicated home carers are the heart and soul of Comfort Keepers, and Phyllis plays a key role in our Cork team. Phyllis exemplifies extraordinary dedication and a boundless willingness to support her clients.

She is a fabulous ambassador for Comfort Keepers and an incredibly deserving regional winner for our Carer of the Year awards.

Ms Cotter said: I am truly honoured and proud of this recognition. I love being a carer to help clients maintain their independence and live in their own homes for as long as possible.

I love my job as a carer and I always do my best for each of them, with positivity and respect.

For me, knowing they are happy, feel valued, and that their opinions are acknowledged is important too, she said.

Its a great feeling when they know that their advice is valued and that its a joy for me to hear their stories.

Comfort Keepers work closely with the HSE, their clients, and their families to deliver quality, person-centred home care services that are designed to keep people happy at home for as long as possible.

Comfort Keepers also recently won the Champion Homecare Provider of the Year 2024 award from the All-Ireland Business Foundation and the Operational Excellence in Healthcare award at the Operational Excellence Awards 2024.

Comfort Keepers is recruiting for several roles, including home support worker, office administration, clinical management, and supervisory roles.

Visit their website for more information.
Update: Gardai have charged the man aged in his 30s arrested as part of the seizure of cocaine, cannabis herb and resin with an estimated street value of over 180,000 on Friday.

The drugs were seized at a property in the Mayfield area.

The man is due to appear before a special sitting of Cork District Court this afternoon at 4pm.

A Garda spokesperson said investigations are ongoing.

Earlier: A man has been arrested following the seizure of drugs in Cork estimated to be worth over 180,000.

As part of Operation Tara, members of the Cork City Drugs Unit conducted a search operation at a property in the Mayfield area of Cork city, on Friday.

Gardai said that during the search, quantities of cocaine, cannabis herb, and resin with an estimated value of over 180,000 were recovered (pending analysis).

"A man in his 30s was arrested at the scene and detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Garda Station in the Cork City Division.

"The seized drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis," a statement said.

The man remains in garda custody, and investigations are ongoing.
Kinsale RNLI came to the aid of two sailors yesterday after their 34ft yacht lost steering and began to drift off the Old Head of Kinsale.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 4.48pm at the request of the Irish Coast Guard.

Weather conditions at the time were described as poor with choppy seas, a driving wind and rain and poor visibility due to fog.

The lifeboat helmed by Ian Fitzgerald and with Jonny Green, John Walley and Karl Dempsey onboard, launched and made its way to scene.

On route the crew received up to date coordinates from the Coast Guard and located the vessel where it had drifted seven miles towards the Seven Heads.

Arriving on scene, the lifeboat crew observed that both sailors were safe and well and were wearing their lifejackets.

However, due to the loss of steering and the yacht being unable to make any safe progress, a decision was made to tow the vessel to Kinsale Yacht Club Marina where they arrived at 7pm.

We would like to commend the two sailors who were both wearing lifejackets and had all the right communication and navigation equipment onboard, Kinsale RNLI helm Ian Fitzgerald said, speaking after the call out.

Conditions at sea were poor at the time and they made the right decision to call for help when they knew they were in difficulty and the yacht was drifting out to sea.

Mr Fitzgerald said that as summer holidays commence, Kinsale RNLI would remind anyone planning a trip or activity at sea to go prepared.

Check weather and tides before venturing out, carry a means of communication and let someone on the shore know where you are going and when you are due back.

Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 or use VHF Channel16 and ask for the Coast Guard, he said.
A CORK GP has voiced support for changes to existing legislation on the termination of pregnancy, including the removal of the mandatory three-day wait period.

According to a recently-published report from the Department of Health, 10,033 terminations were notified to the department last year  an increase of 1,877 on 2022 figures.

In Cork, 734 terminations were notified in 2022 compared with 873 last year.

Following the publication of the report, Cork GP Dr Mary Favier said changes to the legislation need to be made.

I think now would be an appropriate time to review the legislation and we should review it in accordance with the Marie OShea report, she said.

The Independent Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, published over a year ago by Marie OShea, BL, made recommendations for amendments to the legislation.

Among them was a recommendation that the mandatory three-day wait period should be substituted with a mandatory obligation on medical practitioners to advise the pregnant woman that she has a statutory right to a reflection period, which she may exercise, at her own discretion.

Under current legislation, anyone may decide to have an abortion if their pregnancy is no more than 12 weeks.

Following the publication of the report, Cork GP Dr Mary Favier said changes to the legislation need to be made. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

A doctor must certify that a woman is no more than 12 weeks pregnant and then, by law, there must be at least three days between being certified and having the abortion procedure.

After 12 weeks, abortions are only provided in Ireland in exceptional circumstances.

The three-day wait serves no medical purpose and only disadvantages women, in particular those who already have challenges, whether its disability or distance or problems with access, Dr Favier, of Parklands Surgery, told The Echo.

The three-day wait is a significant problem  something that we flagged up well in advance.

Dr Favier said the three-day wait can be particularly problematic for those who are seeking an abortion close to the 12-week limit.

They are always the most challenging cases because theres usually a reason why people have taken that long to make a decision. Sometimes its because they didnt know they were pregnant but other times because theres very complex situations going on in their social environments and when you get to the stage where you have made the decision, youre then up against this time limit and Ive seen women having to travel to the UK after 12 weeks in those circumstances, she said.
AN INCENTIVE payment for teachers which could see them paid 2,000 to stay and teach for a year in an Irish school after graduation is not going to be enough, according to Cork teacher union members.

The Department of Education told The Echo that it was working on the introduction of a bursary-type payment for newly qualified teachers (NQTs) graduating with a professional masters of education (PME).

The scheme aims to encourage newly qualified teachers to take up teaching roles, they said, explaining: A payment of 2,000 will, subject to statutory deductions, be made to each applicant who satisfies the eligibility criteria in 2025.

The details of the eligibility criteria will be set out in a circular which is to be published at a later date, and it is expected that between 1,700, and 2,000 teachers will benefit, the spokesperson said.

This scheme is intended to operate only for the 2024/25 school year, said the spokesperson.

The vice president of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), Anne Horan, from West Cork, told The Echo that the incentive payment had been suggested by the INTO, as theres a teacher crisis, a huge number of teachers are working abroad.

Here at home weve big problems with vacancies in our schools  one school that I know of wasnt able to fill eight positions this year.

This was one of a number of suggestions INTO put to the Department, and Ms Horan said more of them need to be implemented.

2,000 taxed mightnt make a huge difference; it might help with rent and childcare, but on its own its not going to be enough, she explained.

She said that recognising the years teachers have worked abroad rather than starting them on the first scale of salary, as well as bringing back API assistant principal roles to give more opportunities for promotion, would also be a huge help.

The crisis is worse in expensive areas, Ms Horan said, explaining: A few years ago it was all Dublin, now its Cork city, Limerick, Galway, and its moving to areas like Clonakilty, Bandon, Innishannon too.

Ms Horan called for the full details of the measure to be released saying, we need to know whos eligible, because people are looking at going abroad.

Its apparently going to be a one-off measure, but INTO are estimating the crisis is going to last until at least 2030, she said.

Cork English teacher and member of the ASTI standing committee executive, Conor Murphy, told The Echo that the payment was insulting.

I doubt its going to make any difference at all, even if wasnt taxed, he said.

I dont know how many teachers are going to be incentivised for two grand a year. If its taxed, it will end up about 80 a month.

Its something that might sound good, but at the end of the day, the issue for new teachers is finding a permanent job with as close to full hours as possible.

People are getting 11 or 12 hours a week, then having to top up themselves with a part-time job, so this payment isnt going to go very far, said Mr Murphy, suggesting that a grant towards the cost of the PME would have been preferable.

If I was a PME and I saw that, Id be insulted, it would probably make me more angry, said Mr Murphy.

The implication is that all they want is more money, but they want to be able to work full time, they did the PME here because they want to work here.

Thinking a taxable two grand is going to make them stay in the country is delusional.
(REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany)Relatives of victims react to coffins arriving to the Coptic church that was bombed on Sunday in Tanta, Egypt, April 9, 2017.

Church projects halted in Egypt when the northeast African nation was dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood are resuming as Christians in the country begin to reap some measure of freedom.

Catholic pontifical and charity foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International says Egypt's Christians have more freedom of worship today than they did a few years ago.

That was when Egypt was dominated by the Islamist group that ruled from 2012 until the beginning of July 2013, according to Catholic News Agency.

Alexandria's patriarch, Archbishop Ibrahim Sidrak, told ACN that even though Christians in Egypt still experience persecution, Coptic Catholics in the country  who number some 300,000  have seen a need to start the construction of churches to provide pastoral care to their members.

"Now that the government has lifted the obstacles to building new churches, all the dioceses have building projects," Sidrak said, CNA reported.

Sidrak cited Luxor Cathedral, which burned down in 2016 and is being restored with the support of ACN.

"One of the most emblematic examples of the Coptic Catholics' thirst for reconstruction is our cathedral in Luxor," he said.

"It will soon be completely restored, thanks in particular to the support of the ACN Foundation."

Delegates from the French Bishops' Conference visiting the Muslim-majority North African country replicated the tone of his message.

Catholic nun Sister Paula offered the bishops two large plates of traditional half-moon pastries typical during Ramadan in Egypt. La Croix International reported.

"These were brought to us by a Muslim friend of the congregation," she told the visiting delegation from the French Bishops' Conference.

They included Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort of Reims and president of the conference, Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris, and Bishop Matthieu Rouge of Nanterre,

There were also representatives from L'Oeuvre d'Orient, a church charity under the patronage of the Archbishop of Paris, and helping Eastern Christians from 23 countries in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, Eastern Europe, and India.

They visited Egypt from April 9 to 13.

Sister Paula and five other nuns, runs the Virgin Mary of Our Lady of Sorrows home, established in 1956 in the affluent Heliopolis neighborhood. The home currently houses nearly 100 elderly people.

"Today, we have 95 residents, three-quarters of whom are Orthodox Copts. There are no Muslims at the moment, but we welcome everyone," Sister Amelle said.

La Croix reported that while coexistence is a cornerstone of the convent founded in 1904, it hasn't always been the case in the country.

It noted that Egypt's Christian communities, especially the Copts, have experienced periods of sometimes bloody persecution, particularly during the brief tenure of the Muslim Brotherhood in power from June 2012 to July 2013.

Subsequent attacks claimed by the ISIS Islamist terror group continued to target this population until 2018.

Egyptian Orthodox Copts have an estimated 10 to 15 million adherents, and make up around 10 percent of the country's population, constituting the largest Christian minority in the Middle East region.
(Photo:  Peter Kenny)Jerusalem minarets and spires on Feb. 14, 2016.

Church leaders in Jerusalem have expressed strong opposition to city authorities imposing municipal taxes on them, arguing that this would contradict centuries of historical agreements between the churches and civil authorities.

The patriarchs and church leaders issued a joint statement on June 23 highly critical of the move.

"We declare that such a measure both undermines the sacred character of Jerusalem and jeopardizes the Church's ability to conduct its ministry in this land on behalf of its communities and the worldwide church," they said.

The heads of the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian Orthodox denominations sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advising him that four different municipalities in Israel had recently sent warning letters to the churches threatening legal action over failure to pay taxes.

"We believe these efforts represent a coordinated attack on the Christian presence in the Holy Land," the church leaders wrote, according to the Greek Reporter on June 26.

"In this time, when the whole world, and the Christian world in particular, are constantly following the events in Israel, we find ourselves, once again, dealing with an attempt by authorities to drive the Christian presence out of the Holy Land."

The church leaders said there is a longstanding tradition of not taxing their properties, including commercial properties, because funds from those properties are used in ways that provide a benefit to the state, funding schools, hospitals, and homes for the elderly and disabled.

In the past year, municipalities such as Tel Aviv, Ramla, Nazareth, and Jerusalem had started sending warnings threatening legal action, according to the Greek Reporter.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the conflict over municipal taxes on church properties in Jerusalem has been ongoing for several years.

In 2018, the Jerusalem Municipality announced plans to collect 650 million Israeli shekels (US$172 million) in taxes from properties owned by churches that are not used as houses of worship.

This decision led to a backlash from church leaders, who viewed the move as violating longstanding agreements and international obligations guaranteeing their rights and privileges.

The heads of churches called upon the Jerusalem Municipality to retract its decision and uphold the historically sanctioned status quo.

They emphasized the importance of maintaining Jerusalem's sacred character and protecting the churches' ability to carry out their work.

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches who signed the statement included:

- Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate- Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate- Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Apostolic Administrator, Latin Patriarchate- Fr. Francesco Patton, OFM, Custos of the Holy Land- Archbishop Anba Antonious, Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, Jerusalem- Archbishop Swerios Malki Murad, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate- Archbishop Aba Embakob, Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate- Archbishop Joseph-Jules Zerey, Greek-Melkite-Catholic Patriarchate- Archbishop Mosa El-Hage, Maronite Patriarchal Exarchate- Archbishop Suheil Dawani, Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East- Bishop Ibrahim Sani Azar, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land- Bishop Pierre Malki, Syrian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate- Msgr. Georges Dankaye', Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate
N Korea accuses US, Japan, S Korea of creating 'NATO of Asian version'

Pyongyang, June 30 (UNI) The North Korean Foreign Ministry has accused Japan, the United States and South Korea (ROK) of creating a "NATO of Asian version" over holding trilateral military drills earlier in the month, North Korean state-run news agency KCNA reported on Sunday.

On Saturday, Freedom Edge, a three-day military exercise involving Japan, the US and South Korea concluded in the East China Sea. The drills, which will be conducted annually, were designed at the three-way summit at Camp David last August to boost military cooperation amid tensions on the Korean peninsula amid North Koreas increased tests of ballistic missiles.

"The U.S. is now claiming that the U.S.-Japan-ROK relations are just cooperative ones for strengthening regional stability and security and do not mean NATO of Asian version, but it is nothing but rhetoric to evade international criticism of the formation of an aggressive bloc," the ministry said.
Extreme E, the premium off-road EV racing series, is pivoting to hydrogen. The series announced this week that its rebranding to Extreme H , and unveiled a hydrogen-powered race car its calling the Pioneer 25 to usher in the transition. The first season is slated to begin in April 2025 in Saudi Arabia, before heading to the UK, Germany, Italy and wrapping up in the US.

Take a sneak peek at the Pioneer 25 in action  pic.twitter.com/40gTrtQMbR  Extreme E (@ExtremeELive) June 29, 2024

Extreme E had its first race in 2021 , putting electric off-road vehicles to the test of (as you might expect) extreme environments, like the desert. It got some major teams on board, including the likes of McLaren . This year marks Extreme Es fourth season. In a blog post about the shift to hydrogen, founder and CEO Alejandro Agag said the move is not just about e-mobility; its about creating green power solutions that can be applied anywhere, from remote locations to bustling cities.

By launching Extreme H, were not only showcasing the viability of hydrogen as a fuel source but also testing the wider hydrogen ecosystem including recharging and hydrogen transportation  as well as helping to create a market for it, Agag wrote. Pioneer 25, Extreme Hs flagship race car, is powered by a 75kW hydrogen fuel cell.
"Arrested Development" and "Roseanne" actor Martin Mull has died. He was 80.

The comic actor and musician's representative, Jennifer Craig, said Mull passed away at his home in Los Angeles Thursday as a result of a long illness, TMZ reported.

Mull's daughter, Maggie, also confirmed the longtime actor's death via Instagram.

"I am heartbroken to share that my father passed away at home on June 27th, after a valiant fight against a long illness," she wrote alongside a photo of Mull and a dog.

In her tribute to her late father, Maggie joked that Mull "was known for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable and also for doing Red Roof Inn commercials."

"He would find that joke funny," she continued. "He was never not funny."

Maggie went on to write that Mull "will be deeply missed by his wife and daughter, by his friends and coworkers, by fellow artists and comedians and musicians, and -- the sign of a truly exceptional person -- by many, many dogs."

"I loved him tremendously," she concluded.

According to his IMDb page, Mull appeared in nearly 150 TV series and films before his passing.

He played Leon Carp in 46 episodes of "Roseanne" and had a recurring role in "Arrested Development" as private investigator Gene Parmesan.

Mull also recurred on "Two and a Half Men" and was a series regular on the Seth MacFarlane comedy "Dads."

His "Veep" guest role as political aide Bob Bradley earned him an Emmy nomination in 2016.

His other TV credits included "Law & Order: SVU," "Community," "Grace and Frankie" and "Life in Pieces."

As for his film projects, Mull played Colonel Mustard in "Clue" as well as appeared in "Jingle All The Way" and "Mr. Mom."

In addition to being an actor and comedian, Mull was a musician who released several albums.

Tributes for Mull from his former co-stars and fellow celebrities poured in on social media Friday.

"Martin Mull you always made me laugh. God bless the Mull family. RIP," Dane Cook wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"Liar Liar" and "Chucky" franchise actress Jennifer Tilly expressed her sadness over Mull's death and recalled their time working together in his film, "Rented Lips."

"He was such a witty charismatic and kind person. As an actress just starting out, it really meant a lot to me to be able to work with such a wonderful actor," she wrote.

So sad to hear of the passing of Martin Mull. I worked with him a long time ago on a film called Rented Lips that he wrote and also starred in. He was such a witty charismatic and kind person. As an actress just starting out, it really meant a lot to me to be able to work with pic.twitter.com/eOEOCuzN2P  Jennifer Tilly (@JenniferTilly) June 29, 2024

Director Paul Feig, for his part, described Mull as "the greatest" in his own tribute.

"Oh man, this is so sad. Martin was the greatest. So funny, so talented, such a nice guy. Was lucky enough to act with him on The Jackie Thomas Show and treasured every moment being with a legend. Fernwood Tonight was so influential in my life. RIP Martin," Feig tweeted.

Meanwhile, actor and comedian Harry Shearer recalled some of his happy memories with Mull.

"Took me a moment to grasp that Martin Mull has passed," he wrote on X. "During the late '70s, we worked together on 'Fernwood Tonight' [and] its successor series. We wrote together, often at the beach (!), and sometimes I'd come out and riff with him. Mucho [laughs]! Always a treat to be with. RIP [Martin Mull]."
Sunday, June 30, 2024

By Scott Lorenz

Westwind Book Marketing

TikTok has become a major hot spot for influencing in a range of different fields. When it comes to the literary world, influencers use this digital platform to promote different books and authors in the TikTok community known as BookTok. Read more about BookTok and its benefits in an article I wrote here.

BookToks influence has been taken to the next level with The Shadow Work Journal, written by Keila Shaheen. This journal is a spiritual guide based on the concept of the shadow self by psychoanalyst Carl Jung. It is meant to help readers acknowledge and repair their deep-rooted emotional wounds. The debut, self-published book is now a bestseller thanks to TikTok. So how exactly did Shaheen rise to BookTok fame?

An Influencers Influence

TikTok influencer Kohn Glay (@girldadsos) played a critical part in the books success. Glay passionately promoted Shaheens work, telling his viewers that they needed Shaheens workbook to shepherd them in their spiritual journey. Glays viewers began to purchase Shaheens journal directly through TikTok Shop. According to The New York Times, Shaheen went on to sell more than a million copies, of which almost 700,000 were sold through TikTok Shop.

Targeting the Audience

Shaheen promotes shadow work on her TikTok profile with aura cleansing and sound healing, as well as leading viewers through some of the exercises in her journal. The escalation of Shaheens sales further proves a point that I made in my article on BookTok, which is that many users, especially the younger generations, are drawn to organic promotions directly from their source rather than traditional advertising. TikTok users want to see videos that are short and straight to the point.

If a video drags on baiting the audience for too long, theyll lose interest and scroll. TikTok influencing is about catering to short attention spans, which is why influencers like Glay were so effective in their promotion of The Shadow Work Journal, diving right in at the beginning of his videos to get people hooked on the topic.

Not only was Glay strategic about his marketing, but his endorsement of Shaheens work is authentic and real. It is evident that he truly cares about his viewers discovering shadow work in order to better themselves, and this is what made his influence so impactful.

TikTok Sells

As stated in The New York Times, Shaheen has made history with TikTok by fully harnessing its potential not just for marketing, but for direct sales. Glays viewers were directly influenced by his videos on Shaheens work, which caused them to switch tabs and purchase it immediately through the app. This is a true testament to the ability TikTok has not only to market and promote, but to actually sell a book. With over 1 billion users, TikTok has the potential to not only reach a wide market, but its rapid and convincing format has proven to convert leads to meaningful sales.

Bending the Rules of Becoming a Bestseller

Shaheen signed with publisher Simon & Schuster after her book became a bestseller. She was able to reach this point solely because of the way the app launched her into success. Agent Albert Lee of United Talent Agency told The New York Times, It breaks all the rules of what makes a best seller, because the book was self-published by an unestablished author with no expansion beyond the United States. Shaheen is a prime example of the truly revolutionary things TikTok is doing for authors.

For advice on jumping on the TikTok train, check out David Alan Arnolds Facebook Group called How to Grow on TikTok. He is the author of Help From Above as well as the Deadliest Catch helicopter cameraman, and he has 1.8 million followers on TikTok (@davidalanarnold). I will show you the good and the bad, Arnold says, Lets help each other grow.

The Bottom Line: Start growing a profile on TikTok now! Use the app to your books advantage, and you could be the next author to go from debut to bestseller.

About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether its their first book or their 15th book. Hes handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Womans World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Book Marketing at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenzs new award-winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
Police say 2 officers seriously injured during protest in Germans Essen

Berlin, June 30 (UNI) Two police officers were seriously injured during a major protest against the right-wing Alternative for Germany party in the German city of Essen, while seven more law enforcement officers received minor injuries, Essen police said.

"While escorting a politician through a group of offenders ... unknown criminals hit two police officers on duty in the head. While the police officers were lying on the ground, they were kicked. The police officers were seriously injured and had to be taken to hospital," police said in a statement on Saturday, adding that seven more police officers were slightly injured in the attack.

The attackers managed to escape into the crowd, and their identities have not yet been established, the statement read.
SALEM, Ohio  A wet early spring will likely bring a moderate to above-moderate harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations annual HAB forecast.

The 2024 forecast is a 5 on the severity scale, with a potential range of 4.5-6. The severity index is a scale of 1-10. The forecast is on par with the 2023 bloom, which was a 5.3.

Scientists and researchers with Ohio State Universitys Stone Laboratory and Ohio Sea Grant discussed the forecast during a live and virtual event on June 27.

The forecast

Harmful algal blooms are primarily caused by nutrient runoff from farmland, particularly phosphorus, so more rainfall typically means a higher potential for phosphorus runoff.

This past spring saw average to above-average rainfall in March and April, but a mild winter and a relatively dry May and June, said Laura Johnson, director of the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University.

As we came into April, there was a lot of capacity to absorb water, she said, about the Maumee River, the highest source of phosphorus to Lake Eries western basin.

So, while discharge from the Maumee River into Lake Erie was average, the total particulate phosphorus loads were higher than expected, probably because all that rain happened in April on uncovered ground, she said.

With rain on uncovered ground, you get more (phosphorus) particles when that happens, Johnson said.

The Maumee River in northwestern Ohio contributes about 5% of the water flowing into Lake Eries western basin but nearly half of the total phosphorus load.

Updated models

The harmful algal bloom has been more severe than initially forecasted for the past three years, due to changing behavior in the blooms, said Richard Stumpf, oceanographer with NOAAs National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and lead scientist for the forecast.

They are developing earlier over the past 10 years than previously, for reasons we do not yet understand, he said. An early start does not necessarily lead to a larger bloom, but it does mean the bloom lasts longer.

To account for these changes, NOAA updated the forecast model algorithms now that two decades of data are available. For the last 10 years, the models used data from 20032012 to inform Lake Erie HAB forecasts. This summer, those models are using data from 2013 to the present, thereby improving the prediction of overall bloom severity.

The index predicts the size of the bloom, but not how toxic it will be. Larger blooms arent necessarily more toxic  while phosphorus runoff affects bloom size, nitrogen runoff influences the toxicity. Researchers are still working on tools to predict how toxic a bloom will be.

Right now, long-range forecasts show July is expected to be hot and relatively dry, meaning the forecast will likely stand the test of time. Heavy rains in July could bump up the severity of the bloom. NOAA will issue an updated forecast in late July based on observed nutrient loads in the western basin watershed.

In 2023, researchers predicted a mild bloom due to the abnormally dry spring and early summer. What was originally forecast as a 3 turned into a 5.3, or moderately severe, on the severity index. In 2021 and 2022, the bloom was also more severe than originally forecasted.

Last year, the bloom began in July and peaked in mid-August, persisting until early September when cool temperatures and elevated winds reduced its biomass. At its peak in 2023, the bloom covered 312 square miles and stayed closer to the U.S. coast, primarily from Monroe, Michigan to Port Clinton, Ohio.

Farming impact

The Ohio Farm Bureau noted that the heavier spring rainfalls occurred well before nutrients were applied to farm fields for the 2024, growing season, said Jordan Hoewischer, director of water quality research with Ohio Farm Bureau.

It will be interesting to see how the bloom acts in the heart of summer, and if the bloom is above the range of past years, we have to really assess the data and learn more about where the nutrient load is coming from, Hoewischer said.

Hoewischer said the timing of the rains, planting season and applications of fertilizer this spring should emphasize the importance of the use of cover crops, one of the programs farmers are utilizing through H2Ohio, to keep nutrients and soil in place throughout the year. There were 11,300 acres of cover crops funded through the H2Ohio in the 2023 fiscal year.

The H2Ohio program, created in 2019 by Gov. Mike DeWine, has been pumping more than $60 million a year into the Ohio Department of Agriculture to decrease agricultural phosphorus runoff through implementing best management practices.

The program was initially open to only 14 counties in northwestern Ohio near Lake Erie, but it was expanded this year to all 88 counties.
NFU Mutual is offering an increased discount of up to 25% from the agricultural vehicle insurance premium for farmers fitting fire suppression kits from June to September.

The temporary discount is available to farmers insured by NFU Mutual who fit and correctly maintain fire suppressant systems.

They must meet the following accreditations: Special Certification Rule 199?(SPCR199), Australian Standard (AS 5062-2016), and Factory Mutual (FM 5970).

The offer is available from 1 June until September 1 2024. After that date, a 15% discount will continue to be available.

Fire suppression kits work by rapidly detecting the first signs of a fire and releasing a suppressant that quickly extinguishes the fire, reducing the risk to operators and surrounding areas.

In 2022 and 2023, more than 90% of combine harvester fire claims were reported to NFU Mutual in July and August.

Hannah Binns, NFU Mutual rural affairs specialist, said combine fires can quickly spread through growing crops to engulf neighbouring fields and properties.

"Fitting a fire suppression system could help reduce the chances of combines catching fire, helping farmers avoid the challenge of getting harvest finished with no combine," she explained.

In the long term, we would like to see regulation requiring manufacturers to install fire suppression systems as standard on agricultural vehicles to protect farmers safety and food security.

Craig Codling from NFU Mutuals agricultural engineering team added that combine fire suppressant systems significantly reduce the risk of serious fire.

He said: To help farmers protect their combines, were increasing the premium discount we offer for machines fitted with an approved suppressor system from 15 to 25%.

"This offer will remain in place through harvest until September. We urge any farmers interested in this discount to get in touch with their local NFU Mutual Agent.
Turkiye's apparel exports experienced an 8.62 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline in the first five months of 2024, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute and the country's Ministry of Trade. During this period, exports totalled $7.234 billion, a decrease from $7.917 billion in the corresponding period of 2023.

The countrys exports of knitted and crocheted clothing and accessories (HS Chapter 61) reached $4,011.727 million in January-May 2024, marking a 5.7 per cent decrease from $4,254.095 million in the same period of the previous year. Meanwhile, non-knitted apparel and accessories (HS Chapter 62) amounted to $3,223.388 million, representing a 12.0 per cent drop compared to $3,663.138 million in January-May 2023, as per the trade report of the top twenty chapters.

Turkiye's apparel exports dropped 8.62 per cent YoY in the first five months of 2024, totalling $7.234 billion, down from $7.917 billion in 2023. Knitted apparel exports fell 5.7 per cent to $4.012 billion, and non-knitted apparel declined 12 per cent to $3.223 billion. In May 2024, overall exports decreased by 1.27 per cent to $1.593 billion.

In May 2024, Turkiyes exports saw a drop, easing by 1.27 per cent to $1,592.764 million. Exports of knitted and crocheted clothing and accessories gained by 7.1 per cent, totalling $914.588 million in May 2024, compared to $853.857 million in May 2023. Shipments of non-knitted apparel and accessories also declined, dropping by 4.9 per cent from $719.108 million in May 2023 to $684.176 million in the same month of 2024.

The imports of cotton, cotton yarn, and cotton textiles (HS Chapter 52) by Turkiye also dipped 11.9 per cent to $1,114.783 million in January-May 2024 from $1,265.076 million in the same period of last year. Its imports decreased by 4.3 per cent to $306.357 million in May 2024 from $315.045 million in the same period of last year. It is the only textile product featured in Turkiye's top 20 chapters in its imports in April 2024.

In 2023, the countrys apparel exports eased by 5.86 per cent to $18.321 billion from $19.463 billion in 2022. Turkiye's apparel exports were recorded at $18.294 billion in 2021.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
Reformist Pezeshkian, conservative Jalili to attend televised debates ahead of July 5 runoff

Tehran, June 30 (UNI) Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and conservative Saeed Jalili will attend two televised debates on Monday and Tuesday before the July 5 runoff in the Iranian Presidential election, the national Iranian TV said.

Iran will hold a runoff presidential election on July 5 after Friday's vote saw none of the four candidates securing an outright win, the election headquarters announced on Saturday.

Former health minister Masoud Pezeshkian and former top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili head to a runoff election on July 5, 2024, Mehr reported.
Dogelend, a revolutionary meme coin that's capturing attention due to its unique concept, "The World's First Loan Giving Doges." The platform will launch its presale soon.

In the latest record, DogeLend will launch its presale soon and aims to revolutionize the memecoin with the crypto sensation. The platform allows $DOGELEND token holders to take part in this presale and get better returns.



Holding DogeLend offers several advantages:

Exclusive Deals: Dogelend holders gain access to special offers and promotions that aren't available to the general public.

Value Appreciation: Experience the potential for tokens to appreciate in value, making your DogeLend tokens not just fun but potentially rewarding.

Community Engagement: Join a vibrant community of fellow enthusiasts. Connect, share, and grow with others who share your passion for crypto.

These benefits make Dogelend an investment as well as a gateway to a rich and engaging experience. The platform's presale aims to simplify crypto investments across multiple networks like Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, Solana, and Avalanche. By bridging these blockchains and communities, DogeLend ensures a fun and accessible experience for all users.

Apart from that, Meme coins DogeLend bring a playful aspect to the often serious world of cryptocurrency. They combine humor with functionality, creating a more engaging and relatable investment opportunity. DogeLend's mascot, a friendly doge, embodies this spirit, making it a delightful addition to any crypto portfolio.

The platform operates by leveraging its unique lending model and multi-chain approach. This innovative strategy allows users to lend and borrow across different blockchain networks seamlessly. By integrating various ecosystems, DogeLend enhances liquidity and accessibility, making it a versatile and user-friendly platform.

Crypto experts have high hopes for meme coins in 2024, especially with Bitcoin's halving event in April. DogeLend has already made a strong start, and its early adopters could see significant gains. If the token continues to grow in popularity and secure listings on more exchanges, it could reach $0.00065 by the end of 2024. Looking further ahead, DogeLend might even soar to $0.0016 by the end of 2025 and an impressive $0.0071 by 2030. The future looks bright for DogeLend and its investors.





Participating in the $DOGELEND presale is straightforward. Follow these steps:

Buy ETH or USDT: Purchase ETH or USDT from a central crypto exchange. Transfer to a Crypto Wallet: Set up a wallet like MetaMask or Trust Wallet and transfer your ETH or USDT. Connect to DogeLend Presale: Visit the DogeLend presale website and click 'Connect Wallet.' Follow the prompts to authorize the connection. Buy DogeLend: Enter the amount of ETH or USDT you want to exchange for $DOGELEND and click 'Buy $DOGELEND.' Claim $DOGELEND: After the presale ends, reconnect your wallet to the presale site to claim your tokens.

About DogeLend:

DogeLend, a pioneering force in the crypto industry, where the future of DogeLend is bright, and its growth potential is immense. By investing in Dogelend, the investors contribute to a groundbreaking project as well as joining a community of like-minded enthusiasts. With its innovative approach and strong community focus, DogeLend is set to make waves in the crypto world.

The world of meme coins is buzzing with excitement and DogeLend is well-positioned to follow suit. With its advanced trading bot and engaging doge-branding, DogeLend could see gains ranging from 10 times to 100 times.

Helpful links:

Buy Presale Coin : DogeLending.com

Telegram : Join us on Telegram

Medium : Read our articles

Twitter : Follow us on Twitter

Whitepaper: Explore our Whitepaper

Company: DogeLend

Contact name: John Yang

Email: support@dogelending.com

City, Country: London, United Kingdom

Website/URL: https://dogelending.com

SOURCE: DogeLend

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Amsterdam, Netherlands--(Newsfile Corp. - June 30, 2024) - Wallester, a leading fintech company, made a significant impact at the Money20/20 event by demonstrating its commitment to driving innovation in the financial services industry. Two of Wallester's co-founders, Sergei Astafjev, CEO and Co-Founder of Wallester, and Dmitri Logvinenko, Co-Founder and COO at Wallester AS, attended the conference, representing the company's dedication to staying at the forefront of financial technology.





Sergei Astafjev, Co-Founder and CEO of Wallester, and Dmitri Logvinenko, Co-Founder and COO at Wallester AS



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10371/214453_sergei%20astafjev%20and%20dmitri%20logvinenko%20money2020%202024.jpg

During the event, Wallester unveiled new features for its Wallester White-Label and Wallester Business card issuing platforms. These enhancements are designed to revolutionize how businesses can integrate financial services into their offerings, providing seamless and efficient solutions for their customers.

Money20/20 served as an excellent platform for Wallester to forge new partnerships and strengthen existing relationships. The conference's networking sessions were a hotspot for collaboration, with Wallester's team meeting with potential partners and clients to discuss innovative solutions and explore new opportunities.

Throughout the event, key team members Katerina Kurt and Tamara Savi represented Wallester with enthusiasm and expertise at the EAS stand. Engaging discussions on current and future finance trends captivated a diverse audience, drawing considerable interest to the Wallester booth.

The excitement peaked on Day 2 with a highly anticipated raffle event, where Wallester garnered substantial attention and enthusiasm surrounding their offerings. Amidst forging new connections with industry leaders, the team also nurtured existing partnerships, reinforcing collaborative efforts for future endeavors.

Day 3 showcased Wallester's commitment to growth and innovation, highlighted by strategic meetings and networking opportunities. Participation in the exclusive "Cocktails with Featurespace" event provided a conducive environment for fostering deeper relationships within the industry. The event culminated on a high note, affirming Wallester's readiness to capitalize on newfound insights and connections.

Reflecting on the event's impact, discussions encompassing regulatory landscapes, digital currency trends, and cybersecurity imperatives have profoundly influenced Wallester's strategic roadmap. Armed with invaluable insights, Wallester is poised to enhance its product offerings and services, solidifying its standing at the forefront of financial innovation.

About Money20/20:

Money20/20, one of the world's largest fintech events, recently concluded in Amsterdam, leaving a lasting impact on all attendees. As one of the premier platforms for networking and showcasing innovations in the financial technology sector, this year's event was a resounding success. Wallester, a leading fintech company, proudly participated, presenting cutting-edge solutions and engaging in meaningful discussions that are set to shape the future of fintech.

For more information, please contact:

Ekaterina Gaychuk

+3726720101

sales@wallester.com

https://wallester.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/214453

SOURCE: Wallester AS
Phase two of ambitious Jafurah gas development commences with award of contracts worth around $12.4bn

Contracts worth around $8.8bn awarded for phase three expansion of Company's Master Gas System

23 additional unconventional gas rig contracts valued at $2.4bn and two directional drilling contracts worth $612 million also awarded, while 13 well tie-in contracts at Jafurah worth $1.63bn have been awarded between December 2022 and May 2024

Projects aim to support growth of Aramco's gas production, diversify its portfolio, and add significant volumes of ethane, NGL and condensate

DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia, June 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aramco, one of the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, has awarded contracts worth more than $25 billion to progress its strategic gas expansion, which targets sales gas production growth of more than 60% by 2030, compared to 2021 levels.

The contracts relate to phase two development of the vast Jafurah unconventional gas field, phase three expansion of Aramco's Master Gas System, new gas rigs and ongoing capacity maintenance.

Amin H. Nasser, Aramco President & CEO, said: "These contract awards demonstrate our firm belief in the future of gas as an important energy source, as well as a vital feedstock for downstream industries. The scale of our ongoing investment at Jafurah and the expansion of our Master Gas System underscores our intention to further integrate and grow our gas business to meet anticipated rising demand. This complements the diversification of our portfolio, creates new employment opportunities, and supports the Kingdom's transition towards a lower-emission power grid, in which gas and renewables gradually displace liquids-based power generation. To get where we are today, a lot of hard work, innovation and a strong 'can do' spirit has been demonstrated by teams across our vast network of suppliers and service providers, who have joined Aramco on this journey to build and expand our world-class energy infrastructure."

Contract awards

The Company has awarded 16 contracts, worth a combined total of around $12.4 billion, for phase two development at Jafurah. The work will involve construction of gas compression facilities and associated pipelines, expansion of the Jafurah Gas Plant including construction of gas processing trains, and utilities, sulfur and export facilities. It will also involve construction of the Company's new Riyas Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) fractionation facilities in Jubail - including NGL fractionation trains, and utilities, storage and export facilities - to process NGL received from Jafurah.

Another 15 lump sum turnkey contracts, worth a combined total of around $8.8 billion, have been awarded to commence the phase three expansion of the Master Gas System, which delivers natural gas to customers across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The expansion, being conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, will increase the size of the network and raise its total capacity by an additional 3.15 billion standard cubic feet per day (bscfd) by 2028, through the installation of around 4,000km of pipelines and 17 new gas compression trains.

An additional 23 gas rig contracts worth $2.4bn have also been awarded, along with two directional drilling contracts worth $612 million. Meanwhile, 13 well tie-in contracts at Jafurah, worth a total of $1.63bn, have been awarded between December 2022 and May 2024.

Progress at Jafurah

The Jafurah unconventional gas field is estimated to contain 229 trillion standard cubic feet of raw gas and 75 billion Stock Tank Barrels of condensate. Phase one of the Jafurah development program, which commenced in November 2021, is progressing on schedule with initial start-up anticipated in the third quarter of 2025. Aramco expects total overall lifecycle investment at Jafurah to exceed $100 billion and production to reach a sustainable sales gas rate of two billion standard cubic feet per day by 2030, in addition to significant volumes of ethane, NGL and condensate.

Master Gas System expansion

Aramco's Master Gas System is an extensive network of pipelines that connects Aramco's key gas production and processing sites throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its expansion will increase access to domestic gas supplies for customers in the industrial, utility and other sectors - providing a lower greenhouse gas emission alternative to oil for power generation. From 1982, the network transported associated gas, also known as "waste gas" released during oil production, instead of being flared - illustrating Aramco's innovation and early adoption of solutions that help mitigate emissions. This pioneering network, which now transports associated gas and sales gas, has helped Aramco achieve near-zero routine gas flaring and maintain a flare volume of less than 1% of total raw gas production since 2012, contributing to the Company having one of the lowest upstream carbon intensities in the industry.

Aramco Contact Information

@aramco

About Aramco

As one of the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, our global team is dedicated to creating impact in all that we do, from providing crucial oil supplies to developing new energy technologies. We focus on making our resources more dependable, more sustainable and more useful, helping to promote growth and productivity around the world. https://www.aramco.com

Disclaimer

The press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements relating to historical or current facts included in the press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company's current expectations and projections relating to its capital expenditures and investments, major projects, upstream and downstream performance, including relative to peers. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "can have," "likely," "should," "could," and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the Company's control that could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including the following factors: global supply, demand and price fluctuations of oil, gas and petrochemicals; global economic conditions; competition in the industries in which Saudi Aramco operates; climate change concerns, weather conditions and related impacts on the global demand for hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon-based products; risks related to Saudi Aramco's ability to successfully meet its ESG targets, including its failure to fully meet its GHG emissions reduction targets by 2050; conditions affecting the transportation of products; operational risk and hazards common in the oil and gas, refining and petrochemicals industries; the cyclical nature of the oil and gas, refining and petrochemicals industries; political and social instability and unrest and actual or potential armed conflicts in the MENA region and other areas; natural disasters and public health pandemics or epidemics; the management of Saudi Aramco's growth; the management of the Company's subsidiaries, joint operations, joint ventures, associates and entities in which it holds a minority interest; Saudi Aramco's exposure to inflation, interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk; risks related to operating in a regulated industry and changes to oil, gas, environmental or other regulations that impact the industries in which Saudi Aramco operates; legal proceedings, international trade matters, and other disputes or agreements; and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements in this press release, as set forth in the Company's latest periodic reports filed with the Saudi Stock Exchange. For additional information on the potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted please see the Company's latest periodic reports filed with the Saudi Stock Exchange. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company's present and future business strategies and the environment in which it will operate in the future. The information contained in the press release, including but not limited to forward-looking statements, applies only as of the date of this press release and is not intended to give any assurances as to future results. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to the press release, including any financial data or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law or regulation. No person should construe the press release as financial, tax or investment advice. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/aramcos-strategic-gas-expansion-progresses-with-25bn-contract-awards-302186398.html
Alta Copper Corp. (TSX:ATCU)(OTCQX:ATCUF)(BVL:ATCU) ("Alta Copper" or "the Company") announces voting results for its Annual General Meeting of shareholders held on Friday, June 28, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

A total of 45,215,379 common shares, representing 53.71% of the Company's outstanding shares were represented at the Meeting and all motions put forward were passed.

The following sets forth a summary of the Annual General Meeting voting results:

Appointment of Auditor

Kreston GTA LLP were appointed as Auditors of the Company for the ensuing year at a remuneration to be fixed by the Directors.

Votes For: 97.69 %

Votes Withheld: 2.31 %

Adoption of New Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan

The adoption of a new 10% rolling Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, was ratified and approved.

Votes For: 95.97 %

Votes Against: 4.03 %

Number of Directors

The number of Directors was set at seven.

Votes For: 97.29 %

Votes Against: 2.71 %

Election of Directors

The following nominees were elected as Directors to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company or until their successors are elected or appointed.

Directors Votes For Votes Withheld Giulio T. Bonifacio 41,503,766 (93.44%) 2,913,338 (6.56%) Joanne C. Freeze 18,081,575 (40.71%) 26,335,529 (59.29%) Andrew Hamilton 40,487,565 (91.15%) 3,929,539 (8.85%) Miguel Inchaustegui 15,097,943 (33.99%) 29,319,161 (66.01%) Steven Latimer 15,391,687 (34,65%) 29,025,417 (65.35%) Christine Nicolau 40,301,785 (90.74%) 4,115,319 (9.27%) Sean I. Waller 14,503,286 (32.65%) 29,913,818 (67.35%)

In accordance with the Company's Majority Voting Policy, the Company anticipates that each of Joanne C. Freeze, Miguel Inchaustegui, Steven Latimer and Sean I. Waller, will offer their resignation as a Director of the Company, as each of these persons received a greater number of votes withheld than votes in favor of their election as a Director. Following the Company's receipt of these resignations, the Company's Board of Directors will determine whether or not to accept the resignations in accordance with the Majority Voting Policy, with each of the Directors who have offered their resignation abstaining from the decision-making process.

For each of the Withheld Vote Directors, between 87% to 99% of the Withheld Votes were cast by Nascent Exploration Pty Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortescue Ltd. ("Fortescue"). In accordance with the Company's Majority Voting Policy, Fortescue's reasons for the Withheld Votes and the views of other Company stakeholders will be considered by the Board in determining whether to accept the resignations. The Company will provide a further update once the Board has consulted with all parties. The Board intends to complete this process as promptly as possible, and within the 90 days required pursuant to Toronto Stock Exchange Policies.

The Company's Executive Chair, Giulio Bonifacio, is currently in discussions with Fortescue regarding the Withheld Votes. Fortescue has advised that it believes a reconstituted Board would prove beneficial for the Company and will result in the further accelerated development of the Canariaco Project. The Company is encouraged by Fortescue's desire to take a more active role and welcomes the opportunity to work with Fortescue as we further advance the Canariaco Project. "The Canariaco Project is a large scale, robust copper project and the involvement of Fortescue, a global mining company with deep experience in the development and operation of large scale base metal mines can only be seen as positive - we look forward to our discussions with Fortescue over the coming weeks", commented Mr. Bonifacio.

About Alta Copper

Alta Copper is focused on the development of its 100% owned Canariaco advanced staged copper project. Canariaco comprises 97 square km of highly prospective land located 102 km northeast of the City of Chiclayo, Peru, which includes the advanced stage Canariaco Norte deposit, Canariaco Sur deposit and Quebrada Verde prospect, all within a 4 km NE-SW trend in northern Peru's prolific mining district. Canariaco is one of the largest copper deposits in the Americas not held by a major.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, plans, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements with respect to the effective date of the consolidation and name change of the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. Although the Company believes the forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations and assumptions in such statements will prove to be correct. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws.

On behalf of the Board of Alta Copper Corp.

"Giulio T. Bonifacio", Executive Chair and Director

For further information please contact:

Giulio T. Bonifacio, Executive Chair and Director

gtbonifacio@altacopper.com

+1 604 318 6760

or

Joanne C. Freeze, President, CEO and Director

jfreeze@altacopper.com

+1 604 512 3359

Email: info@altacopper.com

Website: www.altacopper.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alta_Copper

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altacopper/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AltaCopperCorp

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altacopper/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AltaCopper

SOURCE: Alta Copper Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Kanye West is already in Moscow! This is great news, he is staying in the heart of the capital, the state TASS news agency quoted producer Yana Rudkovskaya as saying on social media read more

US rapper Kanye West has reportedly arrived in Moscow, according to Russian media citing a well-known Russian producer.

Amid widespread sanctions and travel restrictions due to Russias actions in Ukraine, Western artists have largely avoided performing in the country.

The news was confirmed by producer Yana Rudkovskaya, who highlighted Wests stay in the city center.

Kanye West is already in Moscow! This is great news, he is staying in the heart of the capital, the state TASS news agency quoted producer Yana Rudkovskaya as saying on social media.

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Her announcement followed rumours last month that West will perform a concert in Moscow.

But Luzhniki Stadium, where he was rumoured to perform, told state media it does not have information on possible concerts by the famous rapper.

With inputs from agencies
Frances sudden legislative election which came as a surprise, marks one of the most pivotal moments in decades for both the nation and Europe at large. It could potentially elevate the far-right National Rally (RN) to a parliamentary majority and into governmental leadership. The election will be conducted in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. What are the mechanics of this process, and what outcomes can be anticipated? read more

French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) leader and Member of Parliament Marine Le Pen is escorted by France's President Emmanuel Macron after talks at the presidential Elysee Palace, France. File Image/Reuters

Today (June 30) is one of Frances most consequential political moments in recent history, as it votes in legislative elections, which will unfold in two rounds on June 30 and July 7.

The outcome of these elections holds profound implications not only for the nation itself but also for its role within the broader European context. At stake is the potential ascendance of the far-right National Rally (RN) to a parliamentary majority, a scenario that could significantly reshape domestic policies and international relations under the leadership of Marine Le Pens party.

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How did it come to this?

The decision to call for early elections by French President Emmanuel Macron came swiftly on the heels of a devastating defeat for his centrist Renaissance party in the European Parliament elections.

This surprise move, unprecedented in recent French political history, was motivated by Macrons desire to regain control amid a political landscape increasingly dominated by polarization and populist sentiments.

French President Emmanuel Macron appears on television screen at the French far-right National Rally party election night headquarters, June 9, 2024 in Paris. Macron dissolved the National Assembly and called new legislative election after defeat in EU vote. File Image/AP

In Macrons own words, the call for elections was a response to the need for a new coalition that could better reflect the diverse political spectrum of France, while countering what he termed the extremist fever pervading the country.

His partys inability to secure a parliamentary majority has necessitated frequent resort to presidential decrees to pass legislation, a practice that has strained relations with opposition parties and stirred public discontent.

What is the electoral process in France?

The French parliamentary elections operate under a two-round system, where candidates vie for 577 seats in the National Assembly.

To secure victory in the first round, a candidate must obtain more than 50 per cent of the vote and the support of at least 25 per cent of registered voters.

Also Read: Who is Jordan Bardella, 28-yr-old Marine Le Pen protege who could be Frances next PM?

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Failing this, the top two candidates proceed to a runoff, joined by any who garnered at least 12.5 per cent of registered voters, ensuring a competitive second round.

Historically designed to curb extreme political influences, this system now faces a pivotal test with the rising mainstream acceptance of the RN, which currently holds 88 seats in parliament but seeks to expand its influence significantly.

Who are the key players in the French elections?

The contenders in this electoral showdown represent a spectrum of ideologies and strategic alignments. Macrons Renaissance, the largest party in the current assembly with over 170 MPs, champions a centrist, pro-European stance but has faltered in public approval amidst contentious reforms. Polling at 19 per cent, its electoral prospects are uncertain amid shifting alliances and voter sentiment.

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In contrast, the RN, led by Marine Le Pen and her protege Jordan Bardella, has emerged as the leading opposition force with a polling percentage of 33 per cent. Despite efforts to moderate its image, RN remains rooted in populist, nationalist rhetoric and advocates policies such as a national preference for French citizens and stringent immigration controls.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen speaks as Jordan Bardella, president of the French far-right National Rally, listens at the party election night headquarters after French President Emanuel Macron announced the dissolution of the National Assembly and called new legislative election after defeat in EU vote, June 9, 2024 in Paris. File Image/AP

The left-wing coalition, Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP), comprising Jean-Luc Melenchons France Unbowed, Socialists, Communists, and Greens, presents a formidable alternative with a potential to garner up to 30 per cent of the vote. Their platform promises to roll back Macrons reforms on pensions and immigration, highlighting a stark choice between the far-right RN and their progressive agenda.

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What may be the outcome?

Forecasts for the election outcomes remain speculative given the volatile political climate. Analysts predict that while RN may not secure an absolute majority, it could significantly bolster its parliamentary representation, potentially tripling its current seat count.

This scenario would thrust Macron into a precarious position of negotiating legislative compromises with opposition parties, possibly leading to a gridlocked government and political instability.

Also Read: Macron Warns of a Civil War in France

Moreover, the prospect of cohabitation, where a president and prime minister hail from opposing parties, looms large, a situation not witnessed since Jacques Chirac and Lionel Jospins tenure in the late 1990s.

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Macrons ability to appoint a prime minister agreeable to a potentially adversarial parliament could determine the efficacy of governance in the coming years.

How will Frances role be affected in the EU?

Beyond domestic ramifications, a shift towards a more polarised parliament could impact Frances role within the European Union and its global alliances. Issues such as economic policies, defence commitments, and international diplomacy would be subject to heightened scrutiny and negotiation, potentially influencing Frances stance on critical international matters.

From left : German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italys Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pose for a photo at Borgo Egnazia resort during the G7 Summit hosted by Italy in Apulia region, on June 13, 2024 in Savelletri. File Image/AFP

Whether France leans towards a far-right majority, a leftist resurgence, or a fractured coalition, the results will undoubtedly reverberate across Europe, influencing policies and alliances in an increasingly divided geopolitical environment. The eyes of Europe are keenly fixed on the forthcoming electoral verdict, anticipating its implications for the future of French democracy and its broader continental impact.

With inputs from agencies
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a free man now. After years-long legal battle, he finally reached a plea deal with the US prosecutors. Heres all this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers from around the world read more

What a week it was to end June!

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange finally gained his freedom.

The United States saw its first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. From the economy to abortion, every topic was on the table. But it is not each contenders reply that has made headlines.

In Kenya, protesters forced the government to withdraw a finance bill containing controversial tax hikes.

Tajikistan, which has over 90 per cent Muslim population, has banned the hijab.

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Heres all this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers from around the world.

1. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assanges years-long legal woes came to an end this week. The 52-year-old, who published hundreds of thousands of leaked government documents online, reached a plea deal with US prosecutors.

Assange flew from London to Saipan, a US commonwealth north of Guam, to get his freedom. The plea deal ended attempts by the US Justice Department to extradite him to America.

Assange is now in his homeland of Australia. His wife told reporters, Julian plans to swim in the ocean every day. He plans to sleep in a real bed. He plans to taste real food, and he plans to enjoy his freedom.

But why did he travel to the island of Saipan? We explain this in our report.

2. US President Joe Biden faced off with his Republican rival Donald Trump in a widely watched debate hosted by CNN in Atlanta. Both traded barbs and accused each other of being historys worst presidents.

Biden, a Democrat, did not shy away from bringing up Trumps status as a convicted felon or his having sex with a porn star on the night, while your wife was pregnant?

You have the morals of an alley cat, the US president declared.

Democrat candidate, US president Joe Biden, and Republican candidate, former US president Donald Trump, attend a debate ahead of the US presidential election, in Atlanta, Georgia, US, June 27, 2024. Reuters

Trump, 78, who sounded more confident (even while diverting facts) than his rival, took potshots at Biden over his lack of cohesion. I really dont know what he said at the end of that sentence. I dont think he knows what he said either.

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So, who was the winner of this nearly two-hour debate? Read our story to find out.

3. Kenya witnessed deadly protests this week, with demonstrators setting a part of Parliament on fire. Scores of people died in the protests against the countrys finance bill. The bill aimed to increase taxes or fees on several daily items and services including internet data, fuel, bank transfers and diapers.

Kenya anti-riot police arrest a man during a protest in Nairobi, Kenya, June 27, 2024. AP

As anger against the controversial tax hikes grew, Kenyans took to the streets to express their dissent. It was TikTok that spurred these protests. But how? Heres our story delving into the role of young content creators in Kenyas protests.

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4. It was not supposed to be spotted. Manta Ray, a sophisticated unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) of the US, was seen on Google Maps, garnering attention. The top-secret submarine prototype was found by Google Maps docked at the Port Hueneme naval base in California.

The incident sparked speculations about its capabilities and purpose. Read our story on this submarine drone and how it is used by the US military.

5. Tajikistan has banned the hijab, terming it as alien to its culture. The Parliament of the Muslim-majority nation passed a bill to amend the existing law On Regulation of Holidays and Ceremonies and forbid the import, sale, promotion and wearing of clothing deemed foreign to the national culture.

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Tajikistan has banned the hijab. File Photo/AFP

The move has angered several citizens and Muslim advocacy groups, who argue that people should have the freedom to choose what they want to wear. We explain in our report why Tajikistan has taken this step.

6. While the world is mulling adopting a four-day work week, Greece is moving backward. The European nation is implementing a six-day work week from July.

Although officially the 40-hour work week remains, employers in Greece can now ask staff to work up to an extra two hours per day or work for eight hours on the sixth day. Why is the country doing this? Where do other countries in Europe stand? Read our story to find out.

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You are all caught up for the week. If you like the way we explain, you can bookmark this page.
The dismissed staffers at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) include 55 teachers and 60 non-teaching staff members, as per reports read more

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has dismissed more than 100 staffers across its four campuses over the lack of funds, according to reports.

The TISS has four campuses in Maharashtras Mumbai and Tuljapur, Telanganas Hyderabad, and Assams Guwahati.

Among more than 100 staffers dismissed are 55 teachers and 60 non-teaching staff members, according to The Indian Express.

Among the teachers, the newspaper reported that 20 were dismissed from the Mumbai campus, 15 from Hyderabad, 14 from Guwahati, and six from Tuljapur.

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All of them were contractual staffers who have been let-go as there have been no funds from the Tata Education Trust which funds their salaries. The permanent teachers at the TISS have not been affected as they are on the payroll of then Union governments University Grants Commission (UGC).

The TISS is a deemed university and is funded by the Union government. Last year, the government changed the UGCs norms such that it would appoint the chiefs of all deemed universities funded to the tune of above 50 per cent by it instead of their own governing bodies. This also included TISS. The paper reported that the dismissals were linked to this but the institute denied any connection between the two developments.

We tried our best

The TISS tried its best to get the funds released from the Tata Trusts, but it could not happen, said an email to the dismissed staffers.

The institute tried its best for the release of grant from Tata Education Trust for the purpose of salary. The institute made several attempts for the release of grant through official correspondence and personal meetings with the Tata Education Trust and the decision regarding further extension of grant period has not yet been received from Tata Education Trust, said an email from the officiating registrars office to the dismissed staffers, as per The Express.

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Separately, Professor Manoj Kumar Tiwari, the head of TISS, told the Hindustan Times that the dismissed staffers were working on projects that were funded by the Tata Trusts and, as the funding stopped, the means for their salaries also stopped and they had to be let go. He further said that they would reappointed if the funding from the Tata Trusts resumes.
On his return home from New Delhi, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu described his India visit as a success. According to him, the visit played a pivotal role to enhance bilateral relations, benefiting Maldivians. In New Delhi, earlier, he said he was committed to preserve close, historic ties with India. He was honoured to be invited for Prime Minister Narendra Modis inauguration was Maldivian Presidents reaction, before it all. After delegation-level talks a day after the swearing-in ceremony, Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is continuing in office under Modi 3.0, said that India too looked forward to working closely with Maldives.

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It was Muizzus maiden visit to India after becoming president in November last. Since then, there have been new vibes, positive and not-so-positive. While the local media promptly reported PM Modis Eid greetings for Muizzu, the Maldivian authorities lost no time to clarify that the military personnel training Maldivian counterparts in southern Addu were not from India but Sri Lanka. Religious scholars interpretation of the India-sponsored Yoga Day celebrations on the High Commission premises this year too was positive compared to motivated attacks on public demonstration. On people-centric trade, India will begin delivering perishable goods to the South round-the-year, as against on specific days, thus far.

But the state of the Maldivian economy indicates that either the nation will have to go in for IMF-dictated structural reforms that accompany a bail-out package, but it may not be a popular measure, as neighbouring Sri Lankans have been complaining through frequent street-protests. The alternative would be to seek out massive budgetary support that not many nations are in the habit of extending. In the case of Maldives, India has been a near-loner in the matter, going back to the days of pre-democracy President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Today, under the changed geo-political and geo-strategic situations and also given the signals being sent out to New Delhi from Male, President Muizzu should walk the talk on bilateral ties. The spirit of what he says in Delhi should be felt on the ground in Male. Once there is clarity in the matter, it may not be impossible for the two sides to sit down and discuss a possible way out of Maldives current economic predicament. They need only to look out at common neighbour Sri Lanka, where even as the economic crisis was unfolding two years back, New Delhi rushed, almost unilaterally, food, fuel, funds and what not. India sees it all as a regional responsibility as the larger nation in the region, as a part of the Neighbourhood First Policy, which PM Modi reiterated at his third inauguration, recently.

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Sovereignty talks

However, in the Maldivian Parliament, where Muizzus Peoples National Congress (PNC) holds a super-majority after scheduled polls in April, a hard-line member from his party wanted (at least?) three of India-funded agreements of the predecessor government of President Ibrahim Ibu Solih probed by the House National Security Committee (NSC), popularly known as the 241 Committee. Prima facie, the move is seen as a motivated attempt to try and torpedo bilateral relations when President Muizzu was seeking to put them back on the track, citing national independence and sovereignty. Also, the government of President Ibrahim Solih had even given 241 committee members access to the pact on the India-funded Coast Guard boat jetty for the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) in Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF) Island  but without copying or reproducing them. No specific complaints followed.

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Incidentally, Ahmed Azaan, MP, who has racked up the issue now in his previous avatar as a journalist, sneaked into the UTF Island and produced photographs and videos, claiming to show one too many Indian soldiers  but almost none was visible. The Muizzu government, then and since, has reiterated that only 78 military personnel, who were manning the three aerial platforms gifted by India, were present and had been replaced by civilian counterparts, under a bilateral agreement to the effect. The Muizzu leaderships future moves in relation to the 241 committee proceedings in the matter will be keenly watched.

Two, as a part of his presidential poll campaign, Muizzu had promised to take the people into confidence on all overseas agreements not only of the Solih government but also those of his future regime, if elected. After assuming power, the government however refused to present the agreements signed with Turkey during the Presidents first official overseas visit in December, followed by the maiden state visit, this one to China  citing national security reasons. This double-standard, starting with the demand and access to the UTF agreement during the previous Parliament, and selective access, as is being sought with India and India alone as the target, does not send out the right signals.

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As coincidence would have it, only days after Muizzus India visit, a senior Chinese official, Bater, after calling on the Maldivian President, repeated what has become the standard national refrain that Beijing will advance cooperation with Maldives while respecting its sovereignty. It is the kind of insinuation that China has reserved for India, especially in the Maldivian context, since March 2018.

In the contemporary regional context, there is no parallel to Beijing compromising Sri Lankan sovereignty by taking over territory in Hambantota, in the name of a 99-year lease against unpaid debts  and later having the Sri Lankan Parliament to enact a separate law for the China-controlled Colombo Port City (CPC), which is being developed as an international financial market. Also, the inordinate delay in Sri Lanka getting Chinese debts re-structured as a part of a promised IMF bail-out package should not be missed, either.

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There is also a Maldivian precedent on the other side of the spectrum, especially if Muizzu intends seeking a second term. President Mohammed Nasheeds popularity nose-dived after he adopted IMF recommendations to cut down government jobs and salaries by 20 per cent, hike power-tariff, introduce tax reforms and float the US dollar, the mainstay forex currency.

Now, the Muizzu administration has begun diversification on the forex front, by deciding on trade in Chinese yuan. Maldivian forex experts should be looking at future fall-outs that may or may not work out favourably for their country.

Incidentally, Maldives Economic Cooperation Minister Mohamed Saeed met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting at Dalian, China, to take forward the bilateral FTA process stalled by the predecessor government of President Ibrahim Solih, and take forward other elements on economic cooperation contained in the 20 agreements signed during President Muizzus Beijing meeting with counterpart Xi Jinping in January.

Unsustainable promises

There are doubts if hard-liners backing the Muizzu administration are flagging sovereignty issues and the like, using India as a peg, only to distract national attention from the looming economic crisis, about which both the World Bank and the IMF have been continually cautioning the Maldivian government since the Solih dispensation. Even while criticising the incumbent Solih regime for unsustainable poll promises, Muizzu too had made some that are coming home to roost.

The list includes Muizzus poll promise to clear all pending payments to fishermen for past procurement. Now, months after the twin-polls had been won, the government has decided not to procure more yellow fin tuna for now and also declared inability to clear the dues until the fiscal situation improved  all of it leading to the continuance of the fishers strike. Going beyond the poll promises, Muizzu has gone about launching more populist schemes like the cool school programme aimed at full air-conditioning of all class rooms in government schools, which is the educational mainstay across the country. The scheme involves capital investments and also recurring expenditure in the form of electricity and maintenance charges. These are only samples.

According to official reports, the governments recurring expenditure has grown substantially in the past months. Even the creditable claims that the Muizzu dispensation has cleared MVR 1 billion towards debt-repayments has only meant that the money in the till, or whatever is there, is going only to pay for the past and not for investment in the present and the future.

Against this, the Maldives Internal Revenue Authority (MIRA) has reported a 4.5-per cent fall in May collections this year, compared to the previous one.

The Bank of Maldives (BML), in turn, claimed to have sold $ 333 million more than available to buy, and conceded that it is not sustainable. BML also declared that it was difficult to rise) card-limit over dollar-shortage, as desired by the government. This was so, even as dollar-rate began its post-poll upward journey, at MVR 18, in the open-market, euphemism this for black-market. The government has also floated further Treasury Bills worth MVR 2 billion.

Nothing explains the prevailing situation than Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ahmed Nizam, told the Public Accounts Committee that the government should reveal the state of the economy and clarify to the public if bitter medicine is needed to overcome the present downturn. Finance Minister Mohamed Shafeeq went a step further on the specifics when he declared that job-cuts will be last cost-cutting measure, as if it would not happen soon. However, the State-owned Road Development Corporation (RDC) has announced its decision to lay-off some employees forthwith.

There is an under-current of panic in the public arena, as this is being seen as a precursor for worse things to come. According to official figures, 11.53 per cent of the 262,670 working-age people in the country are government servants, up from 10 per cent, when the erstwhile Nassheed government (2008-12) decided to impose a 20-per cent cut in staff-strength and pay, in tune with IMF recommendations for loan-eligibility.

In the meantime, international credit-rating agency Fitch has downgraded Maldives long-term foreign currency issuer default-rating to CCC: from B-, or junk, owing to rising external debt and weakening foreign reserves, etc. However, unlike the predecessor Solih government, which invariably contested such downgrades or even observations by the IMF and World Bank, the Finance Ministry has claimed that the ratings can be upgraded with the implementation of the governments economic reforms measures. Finance Minister Mohamed Shafeeg also claimed that sustained cost-cutting has helped save MVR 2.5 billion thus far this fiscal, beginning January.

Based on discussions over a Finance Ministry paper, President Muizzu has also green-lit cost-reduction, revenue-growth and medium-term revenue strategy as a governmental policy. Accordingly, the government hopes to increase the revenue to GDP ratio to 35.5 per cent from 32.5 per cent as at present. The proposed measures include increased GST, Green Tax and import duty.

A ruling legislator has also presented a Fiscal Responsibility Bill in Parliament, one of whose key elements is to raise the governments borrowing-limit from the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), the nations central bank. The Bill also proposes to give greater leeway for the government to print currency, which Muizzu had despised in his election speeches. To reduce excessive spending, a ruling MP has proposed fund-cuts for Aasandha, the popular public health insurance scheme, and also for various subsidies. He also wants the number of MPs reduced from the present 93 to the original 85, as every MP has to be paid a monthly salary of $5500-equivalent.

Road-show in India

Though no one is acknowledging it, the post-Covid recovery of the nations mainstay tourism industry is not commensurate with the over-burdening of the sector, as if it were a goose that laid golden eggs. Even though China has re-captured the top-slot as a tourist-supplier nation after three years of Covid lock-out, as desired by Muizzu during his January visit, the same cannot be said of India. This was especially so after the Boycott Maldives social media campaign in India, earlier this year after three junior ministers (since suspended) posted defamatory material against India and PM Modi. Now, the Maldivian tourist operators association is planning a road-show in India, for attracting more guests back to the country, indicating a U-Turn from early Maldivian industry reaction to the Boycott Maldives call.

In this midst of all this, Nasheed, who has since voluntarily stepped aside from active politics, to be associated with an international grouping on his favourite climate themes, has claimed that his Democrats, a breakaway group of present-day main Opposition, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), had supported Muizzu in the presidential poll. In the same vein, Nasheed also said that the Democrats now backed President Muizzu, based on the prospect for India relations. However, Nasheed has since seemingly moved from that position by responding positively in double quick-time to estranged friend Solihs call for his breakaway Democrats to work again with the parent MDP. How this dynamics pans out within the MDP and at the national-level will be keenly watched, both inside and outside the country.

In the meantime, Solih has also backed the policies of his erstwhile government to revive the failing economy and said the Muizzu dispensation was not telling the truth about the Sovereign Development Fund (SDF), created by his controversial predecessor Abdulla Yameen, for repaying external debts when due. For his part, Yameen, still in home-prison, pending the High Court disposing the money-laundering conviction against him from his days as President (2013-18), cautioned the government that borrowing money from the central bank, which Finance Minister Shafeeg acknowledged, to printing money  both of which are injurious to the economy. Yameen implied that both Solih and Muizzu governments indulged in the same.

In the meantime, Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer met with US Secretary of State Athony Blinken in Washington, and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) administrator Samantha Power, and discussed bilateral matters, including defence cooperation, during a four-day visit. It is surmised that the defence talks were a take-off from where they had begun with the signing of a framework agreement during then Defence Minister Mariya Didis secret visit to Philadelphia, in the midst of Covid lock-down, in September 2020. It is however anybodys guess how Maldives under Muizzu intends balancing defence cooperation with the US and China at the same time and how it hopes to keep its immediate Indian neighbour out of what essentially is a regional affair. It is also not known why Maldivian Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon was not a part of the delegation that travelled to the US and held discussions also on bilateral defence cooperation.

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.
There is a constant buzz in the media currently about a possible visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia in July. This has not been officially confirmed by New Delhi yet, but preparations are reportedly underway in the Kremlin to host PM Modi during his first visit to the country after its war with Ukraine started two years ago. This visit will take place almost weeks after the peace conference in Switzerland where India maintained a low-key presence so as not to alienate its good friend Russia. Interestingly, this will also be the first bilateral visit of PM Modi to any country after winning the electoral mandate third time in a row.

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The choice is important because in both his previous tenures in power after winning elections in 2014 and 2019, he had chosen countries from the neighbourhood for his first bilateral visits. In 2014, he had visited Bhutan; and, in 2019 he had conducted a tour of Maldives and Sri Lanka, signalling his commitment to the neighbourhood first policy. This time, his first foreign visit was to Italy but it was to attend the G7 summit so when the Russia tour takes place, it will be technically the first bilateral visit of Modi 3.0.

This visit will be part of the annual India-Russia summit and comes almost five years after PM Modis last visit to Russia in 2019 when he had visited Vladivostok to attend the Eastern Economic Forum. Even the annual summit was on hold for two consecutive years, first due to Covid-19 pandemic and later due to the conflict in Eastern Europe. Before that President Putin had visited India in 2021 for the annual summit.

While the official confirmation of this upcoming visit is still due and till then the agenda will also remain under speculation, but one thing that is likely to be discussed during the visit would be a military logistics pact between the two countries. Just recently, Russia has announced that it is considering upgrading military cooperation with India in the form of a military logistics agreement. The RELOS or Reciprocal Exchange Logistics Agreement is a long-pending pact between the two countries which would enable mutual logistical support to each others military during joint operations and long-distance missions. As a part of this, Indian warships and aircrafts can benefit from the Russian logistics network for fuel replenishment, repairs and maintenance and any other such necessities. This will not only cut down on cost for Indian missions but also enable the Indian military to undertake operations far and wide.

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India has a similar arrangement with multiple other countries such as Australia, Japan and France; and, most importantly, it has the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement with the United States.

Russia is in the stage of finalising the agreement and one can expect some progress on this during the PMs upcoming visit. Once finalised, it will provide a significant edge to Indias outreach efforts beyond its immediate neighbourhood. Most importantly, it will enable Indias forays into the Arctic ocean region which has emerged to be a significant geopolitical theatre in recent years. The Arctic region is home to vast untapped amounts of natural resources which will be available once the ice melts down due to climate change. China has shown an early interest in this region going to the extent of declaring itself as a near-Arctic state, but sadly the lines on map dont play very well in the favour of Chinese claims. This still hasnt stopped China from seeking a foothold to corner a bigger share in mineral resources, access shipping lanes on priority basis or claim a greater stake in affairs of the region.

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In such a scenario, India will be an interesting player as the RELOS agreement would give it access to Russian logistics in the region, thus enabling it to make rapid strides. It will be a win-win equation for both countries as India is willing to back Russian forays in the Indian Ocean in return  a region which is Indias own strategic backyard. Russia has set up a naval base in Sudan, a key country in the IOR with the region featuring as a key priority area in Russias 2015 Maritime Doctrine. Russia sees itself as a great power for which supremacy in the oceans is a goal worth aspiring for. It had even explicitly mentioned India as its choice of strategic partner in this maritime doctrine.

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Interestingly, the decision to visit Russia as the first choice of foreign visit by PM Modi as well as this logistics agreement are both laced with a larger message to the global audience. Of late, the growing proximity between Russia and China has made many Indian analysts discard Russias importance for Indias strategic goals. This is also the stand of the West, which is anxious with Russia and Chinas resolve to pursue a no limits partnership. However, nothing can be farther than truth if one takes the Beijing-Moscow bonhomie to be set in stone. Putins visit to North Korea and Vietnam last week was closely watched by many as a direct challenge to the US alliance system in the region but what some have clearly missed to see is that it was also an assertion of Russias status as an independent power and not a junior partner of China that everyone seems to have declared it to be. Both North Korea and Vietnam have a rocky past with China, not to mention Hanois counter claims in South China Sea. Thus the outreach by Putin was definitely an attempt to show Beijing that Moscow also has options. This assumes greater significance when Russias displeasure with regard to Beijing making fast inroads into Central Asia, Russias strategic backyard, is also taken into account. Moscow has always wanted India to play a balancing role in the region; the upcoming visit by PM Modi as well as the logistics agreement seem to be an extension of it. Remember, for Russia, Chinas forays in the Arctic region is also unsettling. On the surface, both have a common cause in criticising NATOs involvement in the region. The Polar Silk Road project that they signed in 2017 is also an example of Sino-Russian cooperation in the Northern Sea route, an alternative connectivity passage between Europe and Far East besides the Suez Canal route. But even here Russia hasnt completely put its proverbial eggs in one basket. It is actively looking to court India as well, as evident in the signing of the RELOS agreement.

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For India, the agreement as well as the visit by Modi are perfectly timed. In Modi 1.0, India had shed the non-aligned hangover to sign similar agreements with US. In Modi 2.0, India had started showing strong signs of balancing China both internally as well as externally. Modi 3.0 has come after a long effort by the Western interference machinery to unseat a strong government in New Delhi. Few days into power and the Khalistan factor is still going strong, bringing irritants on a daily basis into Indias relationship with the West. Hence the task cut out for Modi 3.0 is to leverage whatever space is available to build its own strengths without getting totally dependent on any one actor.

The choice of Russia as first country for visit and the signing of military pact will make for great optics. After all, no one can be trusted too much in the global game of politics.

The author is a New Delhi-based commentator on geopolitics and foreign policy. She holds a PhD from the Department of International Relations, South Asian University. You may follow her on X: @TrulyMonica. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
US working through options to end conflict between Israel, Lebanon - Reports

Washington, June 30 (UNI) US authorities are working on various options to resolve the conflict between Israel and Lebanon, The Washington Post reported on Saturday.

US officials are trying to de-escalate the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, while the movement says it will not back down until Israel ends its ground offensive in Gaza, the report read. While the US officials recognize Hezbollah's demands, they are also working on backup options for de-escalation, the report added, citing sources.

On June 18, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it had approved operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz later said that Israel was "very close" to a decision to "change the rules" against Hezbollah and Lebanon, threatening to destroy the movement "in an all-out war" and to "severely hit" Lebanon. Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said that the movement could invade northern Israel if the confrontation intensifies further.
President Xi Jinping will attend the 24th meeting of the Heads of State Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held in Astana and conduct state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Sunday in a statement read more

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend a leaders meeting and pay state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan starting on Tuesday, the foreign ministry announced Sunday.

Beijing has ramped up diplomatic efforts in Central Asia, with Xi calling for a deepening of economic ties during a summit China hosted last May that was attended by leaders of several countries in the region.

President Xi Jinping will attend the 24th meeting of the Heads of State Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held in Astana and conduct state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Sunday in a statement.

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Xis two state visits during the trip  scheduled to last from July 2 to 6  came at the invitations of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan and President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, she added.

Central Asia is a vital link in Chinas flagship Belt and Road international infrastructure development project.

Beijing has sought to fill a void in the region created by Moscows 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as former Soviet states worry about an increasingly bellicose Russia.

The summit last May saw China pledge to expand transport links with the region and forge ahead with a Central Asia-China gas pipeline.
Delighted to meet PM and FM of Qatar @MBA_AlThani_ in Doha this afternoon. Conveyed the greetings and warm wishes of PM @narendramodi to H.H. The Amir and him, Jaishankar said in a post in X read more

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met Qatars Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Doha and reviewed bilateral relationship, with a focus on political, trade, investment, energy, technology, culture and people-to-people ties.

Jaishankar, who arrived here on a day-long visit, also exchanged views on regional and global issues with Sheikh Mohammed, who also holds the portfolio as Foreign Minister.

Delighted to meet PM and FM of Qatar @MBA_AlThani_ in Doha this afternoon. Conveyed the greetings and warm wishes of PM @narendramodi to H.H. The Amir and him, Jaishankar said in a post in X.

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Reviewed our bilateral relationship focusing on political, trade, investment, energy, technology, culture and people-to-people ties. Exchanged views on regional and global issues. Appreciate his sharing insights on the Gaza situation, he said.

Look forward to the further enhancement of India-Qatar relations and continued dialogue on issues of mutual interest, he added.

Jaishankars visit comes four-and-half months after Qatar released eight former Indian Navy personnel, who were sentenced to death after being arrested in August 2022.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar was received at the airport by Chief of Protocol Ibrahim Fakhroo.

The visit would enable both sides to review various aspects of bilateral relations, including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural and people-to-people as well as the regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in New Delhi on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Qatar from February 14 to 15 and held discussions with Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

India and Qatar share historic and friendly relations which are marked by regular exchange of high-level visits, the MEA said.
Stevenson, who was married to Jill from 1970 to 1975 questioned, why the First Lady is so adamant about still keeping US President Joe Bide in the race read more

US President Jill Biden is being criticised for her steadfast support of her husband President Joe Biden amid brewing concerns over his age. One of her major critics in this regard was none other than her ex-husband, Bill Stevenson.

Things became rough for the Biden campaign after the POTUS gave a lacklustre performance in his first 2024 presidential debate against former President Donald Trump. Stevenson slammed Jill for keeping the 81-year-old Biden in the race, despite the fact that he was seen struggling throughout the campaign.

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The Dr. Jill Biden who Ive seen on TV in the last five years is not the same person I married or that I recognize in any way, Stevenson, who was married to Jill from 1970 to 1975 told The New York Post. Shes matriculated into a completely different woman," he added.

Jills ex-husband remains a Trump supporter

75-year-old Stevenson of Delaware claimed that he continues to remain a proud supporter of Trump. The ex-husband of the FLOTUS has been very vocal about his support for Trump and has referred to the First Family as the Biden crime family.

I just dont understand why she is so adamant about defending him and keeping him in the race since it appears that hes struggling, Stevenson averred. It appears that hes struggling with everybody these days.

He went on to mention that he has watched Jill grow over the years and has been proud of her at certain moments.

Ive been proud of her at certain moments. I have no hard feelings  Im just surprised to see her front and centre in the middle of this battle after flying under the radar for so many years. Shes always been very driven. People say shes the one who wants to be president now," Stevenson told The New York Post.

Stevenson once supported Biden

Interestingly, Stevenson, who remarried and has a family of his own, once supported Biden when he ran as vice president with former President Barack Obama. Stevenson even supported the American Commander-in-Chief when he ran for the US Senate in 1972.

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However, when Biden was named as the 2020 presidential nominee from the democratic party, Stevenson alleged that Jill and the then-junior senators relationship began as an affair.

It makes me cringe every time he calls Trump a liar because Im telling you right now, there is no better liar than President Biden, Stevenson said in a recent interview. Hes just a bad person. Im probably one of the few people outside his family who has known him for 50 years," he furthered.

Stevenson is about to self-publish a second tome, titled The Bidens: The Early Years. While it wont cover the Presidents present journey, the ex-husband of Jill said that he has lots to say about Bidens current state of mind.

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Look, Im not a doctor or a psychiatrist but yeah, I felt he lost a step three or four years ago. Now I think its more like a couple of steps. Do I feel bad for him? No, because he did some horrible things to me and my family," he concluded.
French President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the parliament and called snap elections after the far-right parties won the European Parliament elections in the country read more

French President Emmanuel Macron had called snap parliamentary elections with the hope that the voters would rally around his centrist coalition to stop the surge of far-right in the country. The surveys do not suggest its happening.

Voters in France are casting their ballots in the first round of elections on Sunday (June 30). The second round will be held on July 7.

Since the announcement of polls, surveys have shown that the far-right party National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen is going to emerge as the single-largest party and Macrons centrists could be relegated to a distant third.

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Earlier this month, Macron dissolved the parliament and called snap elections after Le Pens RN won the European Parliament elections in the country. It polled more than double the votes than Macrons centrist coalition. In a shock-address from the presidential palace, Macron then said the people must be heard clearly through the parliamentary elections.

I have decided to give you back the choice of our parliamentary future through the vote. I am therefore dissolving the National Assembly, said Macron.

The choice of the French public does not appear to be what Macron would have thought. The condition is such that his Renaissance (RE) party appears to be out of the fight and the contest appears to be between the RE and the New Popular Front, a newly-formed coalition of leftist parties.

Macrons centrists staring at rout, say polls

The Le Pen-led RN is set to win nearly the double of votes than Macrons bloc, according to the latest surveys.

As per the opinion poll published just two days before the voting on Friday in Les Echos newspaper, the RN was set to win 37 per cent of the popular vote as against 20 per cent of Macrons bloc.

A week before, the RN was projected to win 35 per cent of the vote and Macrons bloc 22.

Marine Le Pens National Rally (RE) will be the single-largest party in French elections, as per polls (Photo: AP)

In both the polls, the newly-formed left-wing bloc New Popular Front (NPF) was set to win 28 per cent of the vote.

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The figures are in line with other polls published since the announcement of the elections. Previously, the polls by Ipsos, Odoxa, and Opinionway-Vae Solis have also similarly shown that RN is on its way to be the single-largest party, followed by the leftist coalition NPF, and Macrons RE-led bloc relegated to a distant third.

Did Macron misjudge French publics mood?

France, like much of Europe, is in the throes of a far-right surge  or so the flood of banner headlines suggest.

The right-wing forces are indeed on a march in France but neither are all of these parties far-right extremists nor the popular anger a result of a widespread acceptance of far-right beliefs. It is a mix of frustration with status quo of years of leftist and centrist rule, the concerns around immigration unaddressed by the centrists and leftists, economic insecurities, and certainly rising acceptance and mainstreaming of right-wing ideas.

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Then, what would explain Macrons decision to call elections right after a defeat from the right-wing parties in the European Union elections?

Macron appears to have been driven by the idea that faced with the choice of a far-right surge, whose antisemitic and neo-Nazi associations have shocked many, and the left-wing forces who will hike taxes and bring unpopular spending plans, the French public would rally around Macrons pragmatic right-leaning centrist bloc. As polls suggest, it appears to have been a miscalculation.

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The New York Times has reported that the chatter in Paris is that Macron has played a wild gamble after having lost touch with reality with his blinding ego. The paper reported that people are struggling to understand how Macron could risk so much.

The stakes are unprecedented in these elections. A far-right victory would mean the takeover of domestic polity by a fundamentally different dispensation. Even though Macron will remain in office till 2027 and, as president, will be in charge of foreign and defence policies, an RN government would mean he would have a constant tussle at home.

At a time when Macron has supported Ukraine to the hilt amid the worst security threat to the continent since World War II, the takeover of France by Europe sceptic RN, whose leader Le Pen has praised Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the past and has questioned the support of Ukraine, could be disastrous for the agenda of Macrons presidency.

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Swasti Rao, a scholar of Europe at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), says that the upcoming phase of cohabitation would not be easy for Macron. Cohabitation is the notion in France when the presidency and the parliament are controlled by different parties.

Macron, as president, may remain in charge of foreign or defence policies, but he would lose the domestic agenda. He would also lose strict control over the country and governments finances. Both of these developments could derail his defence spending plans and foreign policy objectives, such as the assistance to Ukraine in terms of financial aid or weapon deliveries or training of personnel. The pressure on him to resign as his party would have lost popular vote would also rise, said Rao, an Associate Fellow at the Europe and Eurasia Center at MP-IDSA.

How to understand Macrons unpopularity, far-rights surge?

Macron, who has been elected as the President of France twice, appears to have been driven into a corner. How did it come to this?

For starters, the centrist Macron faced double whammy. On immigration and national security, he initiated tough policies. That alienated sections of left-leaning voters. For many on the right, however, he was not stern enough. As voters from both sides of the spectrum drifted to extreme positions, Macrons centrist platform found itself facing challenges from converging left-wing parties and the rising right-wing party RN of Le Pen.

Even though Emmanuel Macron will continue as the President of France till 2027, he could control of the agenda if the National Rally wins parliamentary elections (Photo: Reuters)

Rao of the MP-IDSA, however, stresses that the European or French right-wing is not the MAGA-type right-wing as seen in the United States. She says that the European right-wing forces have a moderating effect once they come to power.

Rao tells Firstpost, Being in the government has a sobering effect on you. If you have to govern, you have to sober up. You may say you want to ban immigrants but, once you are in power, you have to face the reality that Europe is an ageing society and it needs immigrants. The demographic decline is way too clear in Italy. After coming to power, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has moved from her rhetoric against immigration in general to checking illegal immigration. She has largely moderated just like any other mainstream leader. The same moderation is expected to an extent to Frances National Rally if and when it comes to power.

While Frances shares the concerns over immigration and like in Italy or Germany, Rao says France also faces anti-incumbency that has been in making for more than a year now  France was hit with major violence over proposed pension reforms last year.

The anxiety around immigration is a major contributor to the support for right-wing parties in Europe. In France, the support for the far-right is further driven by anti-incumbency against Macron. The EU election results and the results of the French parliamentary elections should make the European centrists realise that if they will not address immigration or look into other grievances of people, the anxious voters will keep turning to the right-wing, says Rao.
Two people were seriously injured and one of them was in a critical condition read more

One person was killed and five others wounded in northeastern France when several masked gunmen opened fire at a wedding ceremony, police sources said on Sunday.

Sources suggested that the attack in the northeastern city of Thionville was linked to a settling of scores between drug traffickers.

The shooting took place at a reception hall overnight Saturday to Sunday, with around a hundred people in attendance.

Two people were seriously injured and one of them was in a critical condition.

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The perpetrators of the shooting have fled the scene.

It was during a wedding, a police source said.

At a quarter past one in the morning, a group of people went outside to smoke in front of the hall, and then three heavily armed men arrived and opened fire in their direction.

The assailants arrived in a 4X4 vehicle, probably a BMW, the source said.

It was not immediately clear where the vehicle had come from. Thionville is located close to the borders of Luxembourg and Germany.

Members of law enforcement believe that a settling of scores linked to drug trafficking was behind the violence.

The wedding was not targeted as such, it was people who were at the wedding, the source said.

A glass door pierced with bullet holes could be seen at the scene on Sunday morning.

In the neighbouring town of Villerupt shootings between rival gangs at a drug dealing point left five people injured in May 2023.
Ahead of UKs upcoming general election, PM Rishi Sunak and Labour Leader Keir Starmer have actively courted British Hindu voters by visiting temples in London. Their efforts coincide with the launch of a Hindu Manifesto urging protection of Hindu places of worship and combating anti-Hindu prejudice. With approximately 1 million Hindus in the UK, their influence in the upcoming election is significant read more

Sunak during his visit to the iconic BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir complex where he performed puja and praised India for winning the T20 world cup. Source: X

With UK general election scheduled for this Thursday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour Leader Keir Starmer have made efforts to woo British Hindu voters by visiting temples and making promises.

With approximately 1 million Hindus in the UK, their voting bloc holds significant sway in the July 4 election.

While Sunak (44), visited the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden Sunday, his key rival Keir Starmer (61), chose the Swaminarayan Temple in Kingsbury on Friday to vow commitment to making the community proud and sharing their vision for a for a strategic partnership with India.

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Their efforts coincided with the launch of a the first-ever Hindu Manifesto by a coalition of British Hindu organisations ahead of the election. This manifesto urges elected officials to safeguard Hindu places of worship and combat anti-Hindu sentiments.

Sunak at Neasden Temple spoke: This mandir stands as a great statement of the contributions that this community makes to Britain.

Education, hard work, family, those are my values. Those are your values. Those are Conservative values, he declared in his election pitch.

Meanwhile, Starmer echoed similar sentiments at the Kingsbury Temple, pledging to govern with the spirit of service (sewa) if elected, and condemning Hinduphobia in the UK.

If were elected next week, we will strive to govern in the spirit of sewa to serve you and a world in need, said the Labour Leader, reiterating a previous message that there is absolutely no place for Hinduphobia in Britain.

The Hindu Manifesto aims to foster recognition and protection of Hindu contributions to the UKs social, cultural, and economic fabric.

Hindu Influence in UK

Hinduisms prominence in UK, now the third-largest religion with over 1.02 million followers, is largely represented by leading organisations such as BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha UK, Chinmaya Mission, and Iskcon UK.

In England and Wales, British Hindus constitute 1.6% of the population, totaling 1,066,894 individualsa demographic that holds considerable electoral power. The communitys numbers have surged from 552,421 in 2001 to 835,394 in 2011, reflecting both internal growth and external migration patterns. In Scotland, the Hindu population stands at 29,929, contributing to the religious diversity across the UK.

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The concentration of Hindu communities is predominantly urban, with over 97% residing in areas such as London and the southeast. This demographic concentration not only highlights their significant cultural and social contributions but also enhances their collective voice in national discourse.

The political influence of British Hindus goes beyond demographic statistics. With a network of nearly 200 registered places of worship across the UK, Hindus play an active role in civic engagement and public advocacy.

As the election approaches, political parties are increasingly recognising the importance of addressing Hindu concerns and priorities, ranging from cultural preservation to socio-economic issues.

As such, the upcoming elections are poised to be a crucial juncture for British Hindus to assert their interests and aspirations within the broader political framework. Their growing presence and unity has introduced a new chapter in Hindus relationship with UK politics, marking an important moment in their quest for representation and recognition on national platforms.

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Despite trailing in pre-election polls, Sunaks Conservative Party hopes his leadership as Britains first Prime Minister of Indian heritage will resonate positively with British Indian voters.

The Hindu Manifesto is a call to action for all parliamentary candidates and political parties to engage with and support the Hindu community in their constituencies, says the Hindus for Democracy group behind the initiative.

It highlights the contributions of Hindus to the UKs social, cultural and economic fabric and seeks to build a future where these contributions are recognised, valued, protected and promoted for a better future for all, the group said.

For the Conservative Party, obviously, they have Rishi Sunak  a British Indian leader  for the first time. Its an unknown factor how much it will matter to British Indian voters that the leader of the party is from their background, notes Sunder Katwala, Director of the British Future think tank.

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With inputs from Agencies
A group of Israeli policemen assaulted protestors comprising family members of Israelis held hostages by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip read more

Israelis have been holding protests for months to pressurise the government to strike a deal to free hostages held by Hamas (Photo: Reuters)

An Israeli policeman has sparked outrage after threatening a protester with the rape of his mother.

At the weekly protest in Jerusalem, which also comprised the families of Israeli hostages in captivity in the Gaza Strip, a policeman was recorded as assaulting a protestor and threatening him.

I am going to rape your mom, the policeman was recorded as saying, according to Israeli media reports. The policeman was further caught calling the protester song of a bitch.

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Following the emergence of the incidents footage, the Israeli polices internal investigation department has launched a probe into the matter. In the second incident at the same protest, the policeman also assaulted an Opposition partys lawmaker and the incident is also under investigation.

The Police Investigations Department (PID) said that it was probing the incident in which police officers allegedly attacked a protester in Jerusalem, and an officer was heard threatening him and another one comprising attack of Labor MK Naama Lazimi in Tel Aviv, according to The Jerusalem Post newspaper.

The paper further reported that the footage also shows policeman shoving protesters on the hood of police cars.

Following the reporting of incidents and the launching of investigations, the police said that the policemans conduct at the scene is not in line with the norms of discourse and conduct expected of every policeman, as per the paper.

!       !! pic.twitter.com/K1GSxbZMhf     (@lirishavit) June 29, 2024

Police acted like its a totalitarian regime, says Labour

Following the assault of the Labour MP Lazimi, the party said that the police acted as if its a totalitarian regime.

Labor leader Yair Golan said on X (formerly Twitter) that the violence towards Lazimi and the protesters in Jerusalem was crossing a redline, [and is] alarming and reminiscent of totalitarian regimes.

This is exactly what the politicisation of the police by the criminal and terrorist supporter [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben-Gvir looks like. The role of the police is to protect the citizens and not to be a private militia of a convicted criminal and beat citizens and members of the opposition, said Golan, mentioning Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right National Security Minister of Israel in charges of internal security.

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On her part, Lazimi slammed the police for their comment that the policemen intervened because she was preventing the confiscation of a mobile phone of a protester.

In a democratic country, the police cant confiscate a protesters cell phone simply because they do not like him, said Lazimi on X.

Lazimi further wrote, There are laws in Israel and while there is no executive authority that will defend citizens in Israel, we will be their shield, and you will not prevent us from fulfilling that duty.

Protesters mount pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, the families of Israelis held in the captivity of terrorists in Gaza have been protesting to pressurise Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government into securing the release of all hostages.

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For months prior to the war, Israel had been rocked by monthslong protests over the governments judicial overhaul. Since the beginning of the war, the two types of protests have often been seen as singular movement representing the Israelis frustration with the Netanyahu government. This weekends protests were larger and more impassioned than usual and came amid renewed US efforts to strike a ceasefire and hostage release deal and comments by Netanyahu over seeking a partial deal in Gaza, according to The Times of Israel newspaper.

Protests were also held in Tel Aviv, the economic hub in Israel, where protesters sought a powerful union to declare a strike and shut the economy to pressurise the government.

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The paper further reported that the protesters have sought to shut businesses on July 7, which would mark nine months of the war.
Joe Bidens faltering debate performance against Donald Trump has sparked doubts among Democrats about his chances in the US presidential election. Though replacing Biden would be unprecedented and complex, the possibility of Kamala Harris stepping up as the Democratic nominee is a matter of intense speculation. read more

A stuttering performance by Joe Biden, the incumbent and US presidential hopeful, at the first debate with his challenger Donald Trump has created doubts among the Democrats about his ability to win the November election. Though some Democrats are worried about Bidens election prospects, replacing him would not only be unprecedented but also immensely challenging.

No party has tried to forcibly replace its presidential candidate in modern US history. In some cases, the nominees have dropped out in pre-two party dominance era but they werent replaced.

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Why Biden may not be replaced

The Democrats choose their presidential candidate through a tenuous and long process of primaries, where pledged voters vote for registered contenders state after state. Usually, contenders withdraw midway if there emerges a clear favourite, else the process would be repeated in all 50 states.

This year, Biden didnt face much difficulty in securing his second straight nomination. He won around 95 per cent of the nearly 4,000 delegates, who are pledged though not committed to backing Biden, in the primaries.

But now theres a cloud of uncertainty around his abilities, with his debate with Trump leaving many Democratic Party leaders and supporters embarrassed. Quite a few of them have gone public, expressing their frustration on and off social media.

There is no mechanism under the Democratic National Committees rules, Politico reports, to throw Biden off the party ticket in the presidential election.

But there is still a way to replace Biden

Theres a window of opportunity for those wishing to see Biden out of the race. That window would open when the Democrats gather for the Democratic National Convention (DNC), likely in early August. There are two ways to do this  Biden decides to decline the partys nomination on his own volition, and any other party leader throws it to open nomination on the floor of the DNC.

Here, the role of the pledged delegates becomes significant. Though most of them have come through the process of the Biden campaign and are pledged but not legally bound to support him at the DNC. However, practical politics would suggest they would lean towards Biden. For any other candidate to earn the nomination, they need a majority of the delegates to spurn Biden  improbable but not impossible.

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If Biden goes out of the way, there could be n-number of leaders who can throw down the gauntlet. It would be an unpredictable process of choosing Bidens replacement, unless he decides to endorse another candidate and his delegates swing in that direction.

So, who can replace Biden?

The US media is abuzz with possible names. Five of them are on the list of almost every credible observer of American politics.

Kamala Harris (Vice President)  A natural choice for having been Bidens deputy but she would need to win a majority of delegates at the DNC, and her approval ratings of late have not been encouraging.

Gavin Newsom (California Governor)  He has been building a national network of supporters and donors, and has a good relationship with Biden, defending his record post disastrous debate.

Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan Governor)  A rising star and a potential rival of Harris in the Democratic Party with a strong track record on issues like gun safety, reproductive rights with abortion access and rights protections for LGBTQ+ Americans. She has also launched a national political group to bolster her public profile, positioning her as a formidable potential candidate.

Pete Buttigieg (Transportation Secretary)  A former presidential candidate with national ambitions, who has been dealing with various crises  including the East Palestine train derailment, Southwest Airlines winter meltdown, the Baltimore Bridge collapse, and issues at Boeing  in his role as Bidens Transportation Secretary.

JB Pritzker (Illinois Governor)  A wealthy businessman who has been boosting his national profile, particularly on issues like abortion rights, and the one who can make this US presidential election a clash of billionaires.

What chances Harris has to replace Biden?

On her own, Harris may not earn the nomination if it comes to open process at the DNC. But an endorsement from Biden can swing the balance in her favour. Despite a dip in her approval ratings, Harris is an internationally acknowledged diplomatic voice from the US in the times when key regions are in the grips of wars and bilateral and multilateral tensions from Europe, West Asia to Asia Pacific.

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But she would need a vice-presidential nominee to make a credible pair. Reports in the US media suggest that of the top potential candidates, only Newsom fits the bill. A Politico report, however, says that for a Harris-Newsom presidential election pair to be possible, one of them will have to change residency. Both are from California. Harris was the California governor from 2017 to 2021 and Newsom is the current governor of the most populous US state.

So, is Biden dropping out?

There is no indication that Biden is mulling this proposition. As the chatter emerged soon after the debate about his possible replacement, CNN reported quoting sources in the Biden campaign that he will not drop out from the US presidential race.

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At a campaign speech on Friday, Biden while acknowledging the faltering performance at his debate with Trump said, I know Im not a young man. I dont walk as easily as I used to. I dont talk as smoothly as I used to. I dont debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know:

I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job, I know how to get things done. And I know what millions of Americans know: When you get knocked down, you get back up.

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So, though the situation remains fluid, with all eyes on the next few months as the party navigates this challenging period, Biden appears steadfast in his commitment to continue his campaign. Does this boost Trumps chances of a return to the office he once resisted to leave after the defeat? Well, you will have to wait for November, or January for a formal declaration of the results.
Labour Party chair and shadow secretary of state for women and equalities Anneliese Dodds claimed that the party led by Keir Starmer is confident of having cleansed its ranks of any members with extremist views against India read more

The UKs Opposition Labour Party, hoping to win a mandate to form a government after the July 4 general election, has committed itself to stamping out anti-India sentiments within its ranks and building a strong strategic partnership with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led administration.

The partys resolution during an annual conference under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in favour of international intervention in Kashmir was widely seen as having cost it British Indian votes in the 2019 general election.

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There have also been concerns over some Labour councillors espousing pro-Khalistan views.

At a Political Hustings event for Britains South Asian community organised by Asian Voice in partnership with City Sikhs and City Hindus Network in London on Friday evening, Labour Party chair and shadow secretary of state for women and equalities Anneliese Dodds claimed that the party led by Keir Starmer is confident of having cleansed its ranks of any members with such extremist views.

We would certainly never take any group of voters, wherever theyre from, for granted; were working hard for everyones votes, said Dodds, in response to a question posed by PTI on winning back Indian diaspora voters alienated in the last polls.

If there is any evidence on that [anti-India sentiment], whichever group of people, I will do something about that, she stated, calling upon the incredible diaspora community to furnish her details of any party representatives who may pose a threat to closer India-UK ties under a future Labour-led government.

Going beyond warm words, we want to build that practical, strong relationship. Labour has talked a lot about a strategic partnership with India that covers trade but we want to see cooperation in other areas as well such as new technologies, the environment, security, she said.

On the incumbent Conservative Party side, its candidate for Dudley North in the West Midlands region of England recently stoked controversy with an official campaign letter stating only he would speak up for Kashmir in the British Parliament.

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Marco Longhi, who is contesting against Labours British-Indian pick Sonia Kumar, also referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modis re-election for a third term as a cause for concern for Britains Kashmiris.

Felicity Buchan, Minister at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, sought to highlight her partys pro-India track record at the hustings including having a Prime Minister of Indian heritage in Rishi Sunak.

I think that the relationship with India is incredibly important the diaspora that we have in the UK adds so much to our life here in the UK, said Buchan, Tory MP candidate for Kensington and Bayswater in London.

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We have very strong historic and cultural ties, but there is so much to be done going forward. We are negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) at the moment its a big priority for both our Prime Ministers, but its not just the trade deal, she said, highlighting collaborations in fields such as COVID vaccines and defence and security.

Lord Christopher Fox, a Liberal Democrat peer who sits on the House of Lords International Agreements Committee which scrutinises trade deals, also referenced the FTA  which aims to enhance the GBP 38. 1 billion India-UK trading partnership but is currently stalled in the fourteenth round of negotiations amid the election cycles in both countries.

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There are clear stumbling blocks that have prevented us from getting to the point where we were supposed to have got to. But lets look at this from the UKs perspective: there is a huge benefit to getting this deal done. The economy in India is racing ahead. The technology in India is racing ahead. And its really important for the United Kingdom that were linking ourselves with this fantastic economy, said Fox.

Pallavi Devulapalli, the Green Party spokesperson for health, social care and public health and candidate from South West Norfolk, pointed to the partys new Green Friends of India group created specifically to foster India-UK relations, promote trade, promoting cultural exchange, and just really strengthening ties.

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All parties and independent candidates are now in the midst of a final dash for votes, including from a significant electorate within the UKs 1.8 million strong Indian diaspora, ahead of voting day on Thursday.
As soon as the situation got back to normal, rumours started spreading that it was Bolivian President Luis Arce who was the mastermind behind the coup that took the country by storm, earlier this month. The allegations were vehemently denied by the Bolivian leader read more

Bolivian President Luis Arce slammed his critics for claiming that he staged the short-lived military coup against his own government. Earlier this month, Bolivia witnessed the shortest military coup in the countrys history which was led by Jose Zuniga.

However, the coup soon died down after a heated exchange between Arce and Zuniga in which the Bolivian president was heard telling him: I am your captain  withdraw all of your troops right now, general. The tensions lasted for just three hours during which Arce rallied Bolivians to mobilise and defend the democracy in the South American nation.

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As soon as the situation got back to normal, rumours started spreading that it was Arce who was the mastermind behind the coup. It is pertinent to note that the Latin American nation has seen a whopping 190 coups as well as multiple military dictatorships and revolutions, since it gained independence in 1825.

How the rumours began

Just moments before he was detained, the alleged plotter Zuniga sowed seeds of doubt among people, telling local reporters that Arce had ordered him to stage a sham coup" to boost his own popularity, The Observer reported.

However, the erstwhile general gave no evidence to support his assertion. Zuniga was reportedly close to the government but he was sacked a day before the mutiny was staged.

Meanwhile, Arces opposition seized Zunigas remarks and soon started demanding for parliamentary inquiry into claims that Arce had tried to orchestrate an autogolpe (self-coup).

A legislator for the Civic Community bloc, Alejandro Reyes, told The Observer there were indications, evidence and statements that allow us to think that this [coup] has been premeditated, and could even involve the participation of the executive.

Arce strongly denies the accusation

The Bolivian president put a pause to the rumours soon after it started to swirl. Arce called these accusations lies and insisted that the ex-general acted on his own will. He went on to make it clear that he is willing to face justice.

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I am not a politician who is going to win popularity through the blood of the people, the Bolivian politician averred. Meanwhile, Arces supporters rallied outside the presidential palace on Thursday, giving some political breathing room to the embattled leader as authorities made more arrests in a failed coup that shook the economically troubled country.

With inputs from the Associated Press.
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Fintan OToole in The New York Review:

In the Jewish legend, the great warrior Samson ends up, as John Milton famously puts it, eyeless in Gaza. He is blinded by the Philistines and harnessed to a huge millstone, forced to drag himself around and around in circles, always moving but unable to go anywhere. Eventually, in the most spectacular of suicides, he gets his revenge by pulling down their temple on top of the Philistines, killing both them and himself. The story is apparently supposed to be heroic, but it feels more like a fable of vicious futility. Cruelty begets cruelty until there is nothing left but mutual destruction.

In the Book of Judges, where we find the Samson story, God has delivered the children of Israel into subjugation by their enemies as punishment because they did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. As it happens, Hamass forebears, the Muslim Brotherhood, held the same belief. The Harvard scholar of the Middle East Sara Roy tells us that, after Israels victory in the war of 1967, the Brethren in Gaza especially remained convinced that the loss of Palestine was Gods punishment for neglecting Islam. It seems that God has a peculiar way of chastising his various chosen peoples in Israel and Palestine: by inflicting them on each other.

More here.
The report said Myanmar had the help of international banks, including those from Southeast Asian neighbour Thailand, for its purchases. Facing its biggest challenge since its 2021 coup against Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyis government, Myanmars military is caught up in multiple, low-intensity conflicts and grappling to stabilise a crumbling economy read more

Myanmars central bank denied a U.N. report that the countrys military government can still access money and weapons for its war against anti-coup forces, saying financial institutions under the banks supervision followed prescribed procedures.

The Central Bank of Myanmar expressed our strong objection to the U.N. Special Rapporteurs report, it said in a statement published in a junta newspaper on Saturday. The U.N. report severely harms the interests of Myanmar civilians and the relationship between Myanmar and other countries.

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The rapporteur on Myanmars human rights, Tom Andrews, reported on Wednesday that while international efforts to isolate the junta appear to have dented its ability to buy military equipment, it still imported $253 million worth of weapons, dual-use technologies, manufacturing equipment and other materials in the 12 months to March.

The report said Myanmar had the help of international banks, including those from Southeast Asian neighbour Thailand, for its purchases.

Facing its biggest challenge since its 2021 coup against Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyis government, Myanmars military is caught up in multiple, low-intensity conflicts and grappling to stabilise a crumbling economy.

Western countries have imposed multiple financial sanctions on Myanmars military, banks and associated businesses.

The central bank said local and international banks engaged in transactions with Myanmar have undergone comprehensive due diligence measures for all business relationships and transactions.

The financial transactions are only for the importation of essential goods and basic necessities for Myanmar civilians, such as medicines and medical supplies, agricultural and livestock supplies, fertilizers, edible oil and fuels, it said.

The U.N. report said exports from Singapore had plunged to just over $10 million from over $110 million in 2022 but that Thai companies in Thailand partially filled the gap, transferring $120 million worth of weapons and materials in 2023, double from the previous year.

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Thailands foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the countrys banking and financial institutions follow protocols like other major financial hubs, adding the government will look into the U.N. rapporteurs report.
The comments from the hermit nation came days after the three countries began large-scale joint military drills under an operation called Freedom Edge read more

Amid the brewing tensions in the Korean peninsula, North Korea slammed the joint military drills that are being conducted by South Korea, the United States and Japan, accusing the three nations of forming an Asian version of Nato. The comments from the hermit nation came days after the three countries began large-scale joint military drills under an operation called Freedom Edge.

The Operation involved drills with navy destroyers, fighter jets and the nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt and aimed at boosting the alliances missiles, submarines and air attacks.

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North Koreas foreign ministry reacted to the whole ordeal and maintained that Pyongyang would not ignore the strengthening of a military bloc led by the US and its allies and would protect regional peace with an aggressive and overwhelming response, KCNA reported.

Pyongyang slams South Korea for helping Ukraine

The ministry also said in the statement that South Koreas decision to send weapons to Ukraine indicated that Washington is trying to link up Seoul and Tokyo to Nato. It is pertinent to note that South Koreas pledge to help Ukraine in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war came after North Korea signed a mutual defence pact with Russia during Russian President Vladimir Putins visit to the hermit nation.

In the past, both South Korea and the United States have accused Pyongyang of sending munitions to Russia in the war. However, both North Korea and Russia have vehemently denied such allegations.

Amid the joint military drills, North Koreas ruling party held a key meeting on Saturday which was presided over by the countrys Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. In the meeting, the North Korean leader addressed deviations hampering economic development and laid out the focus for the second half of the year, state media said.

North Korea has long condemned such drills referring to them as proof of invasion and hostile policies by Washington and Seoul. Last year, the US, Japan and South Korea staged joint naval missile defence and anti-submarine exercises with an aim to improve responses to North Korean threats.

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With inputs from agencies.
The officer who fired his gun was identified as Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran of the agency. Husnay and Officers Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti were placed on administrative leave with pay read more

Video released late Saturday shows an officer in upstate New York fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy who had been tackled to the ground after he ran from police and pointed a replica handgun at them.

The teen was killed late Friday in Utica after officers in the city about 240 miles (400 kilometers) northwest of Manhattan stopped two youths a little after 10 p.m. in connection with an armed robbery investigation, police said.

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The youths, both 13, matched the descriptions of the robbery suspects and were in the same area at around the same time the day after, police said. One was also walking in the road, a violation of state traffic law.

The body camera video released by police captures an officer saying he needs to pat them down to ensure they dont have any weapons in their possession. Immediately one of the two  identified by police as as Nyah Mway  runs away.

Authorities froze frames of the video where a running Nyah Mway appears to point the gun at the pursuing officers. Police also edited the video to insert a red circle around the weapon to show it to viewers.

The officers believed it was a handgun, police said, but it was later determined to be a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine.

During a ground struggle with the teen, one of the officers fired a single shot that struck the boy in the chest, Williams said.

The teen was given immediate first aid by the officers and taken to Wynn Hospital, where he died, the chief said.

The replica gun carried by the teen is in all aspects a realistic appearing firearm with GLOCK markings, signatures, detachable magazine, and serial numbers, Lt. Michael Curley, a police spokesperson, said via email. However ultimately it fires only pellets or BBs.

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A bystander video posted to Facebook shows one of the officers chasing after Nyah Mway and tackling him to the ground. It also shows the officer punching the teen as two other officers arrive. A gunshot rings out as the teen is on the ground and the officers quickly stand up.

The officer who fired his gun was identified as Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran of the agency. Husnay and Officers Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti were placed on administrative leave with pay.

The police department released the body camera video following a public outcry as the shooting roiled Utica, a city of more than 65,000 located some 240 miles (400 kilometers) northwest of Manhattan. It is home to more than 4,200 people from Myanmar, according to The Center, a nonprofit that helps to resettle the refugees.

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Nyah Mway, who local media reports said was an 8th grader at Donovan Middle School, has been identified as a refugee born in Myanmar and a member of the Karen ethnic minority.

Karens are an ethnic minority that are among the groups warring with the military rulers of the Southeast Asian country formerly known as Burma. The army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021 and suppressed widespread nonviolent protests that sought a return to democratic rule.

During a tense news conference Saturday, Williams would not say what prompted police to stop the two youths or what the investigation concerned. The news conference ended early as Williams, the citys mayor and an interpreter struggled to speak over repeated audience outbursts. Members of the community, including the youths family, were in attendance.

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The police department is conducting its own internal investigation to see whether officers followed policies and training. The state attorney general will open its own case to determine if the shooting was justified.

I want to offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased party during this difficult time, Williams said. This is a tragic and traumatic incident for all involved.
The European Parliament elections in early June strengthened hard-right parties overall, though their performances varied from country to country, but left unclear to what extent they would manage to work together. Until now, they have been spread across two groups in the EU legislature, plus a large number of unaligned parties read more

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Sunday presented a new alliance with Austrias far-right Freedom Party and the main Czech opposition party, which hopes to attract other partners and become the biggest right-wing group in the European Parliament.

Orban traveled to Vienna to present the Patriots for Europe alliance of his Fidesz party with the Freedom Party and former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiss ANO party, a day before Hungary takes over the European Unions rotating presidency for six months.

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The European Parliament elections in early June strengthened hard-right parties overall, though their performances varied from country to country, but left unclear to what extent they would manage to work together. Until now, they have been spread across two groups in the EU legislature, plus a large number of unaligned parties.

Orban in recent years has appeared to relish opportunities to block, water down or delay key EU decisions, routinely going against the grain of most other leaders on issues like the war in Ukraine, relations with Russia and China, and efforts to defend democracy and the rule of law. His public opposition to EU policies and stances has long frustrated other governments in the bloc and pushed him to the margins of the continents mainstream.

What Europeans want is three things: peace, order and development, Orban said through an interpreter at Sundays event. And what they are getting from the elite in Brussels today is war, migration and stagnation.

Our objective is, and we believe that this will happen, that in a short time, this will be the strongest right-wing group in the European Parliament, Orban said.

The trio would need to attract lawmakers from at least four more EU countries to successfully form a group in the new parliament.

Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl noted that the new European Parliament will meet for the first time in Strasbourg on July 16. He said that starting immediately  all political forces that want to join in our political and positive reform effort are very welcome."

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Kickl added that from what I have heard in recent days  there will be more of them than some of you probably suspect right now. He didnt name any potential partners, and the three party leaders didnt take questions.

The Freedom Party narrowly won first place in the European Parliament election and hopes to win Austrias national election on Sept. 29.

A patriotic manifesto for a European future" signed by the three party leaders assails alleged plans for a European central state" and pledges to prioritize sovereignty over federalism, freedom over diktats, and peace.
Asif claimed that the Taliban regime has been inactive over the matter and has ignored repeated requests from the Pakistani government to deal with the issue read more

Pakistans Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused the Taliban regime in Afghanistan of evading its responsibility to take action against militants who are usually involved in cross-border attacks.

Asif claimed that the Taliban regime has been inactive over the matter and has ignored repeated requests from the Pakistani government to deal with the issue.

The proclamation from the Defence Minister came in an interview with BBC Urdu. During the interview, the Pakistani minister revealed that Islamabad hoped for cooperation from the Afghan government.

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Pakistan (even) offered to grant Rs10 billion to shift the militants towards the western border; however, it was feared that they could come back from there too, Asif averred.

Asif stokes tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan

The remarks from the Pakistani minister came days after he said that under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, Pakistan could target terrorist hideouts across the border in Afghanistan. In the past, Asif had also dismissed the possibility of negotiations with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

However, Asifs stance on the matter has garnered criticism from the opposition parties. In response to Asifs remarks, Jamiat Ulema e Islam-F (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the manner in which the defence minister spoke was not a sign of improvement in Pak-Afghan relationships.

Where decisions will be taken as a result of such war training, then they will meet the same response. We will not be left with any friend in the region through such decisions, he said.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khans party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), also slammed Defence Minister for trying to meddle in other countrys affairs.

We dont allow any interference in our country, so we shouldnt interfere in any other country, members of the united opposition in the National Assembly stated in an emergency meeting on Friday, Geo News reported. The meeting took place in the Opposition Lobby in the National Assembly, with former NA Speaker Asad Qaiser and others in attendance.

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While commenting on Asifs stance, opposition leaders pointed out that such statements could endanger the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan but also regional peace. Our ties with India are based on rivalry, and now we are trying to treat Afghanistan similarly. We cannot afford further escalation of the conflict and disorder, Qaiser remarked.

Omar Ayub, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, insisted that his party does not want to drag the country into someone elses war. While Pakistan initiates an operation against terror, the different political factions within the country have a different sense of opinions.

With inputs from agencies.
While engaging directly with the citizens, PM Modi addressed a host of important matters, including the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam Campaign along with other key issues. read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modis famous monthly radio broadcast show Mann Ki Baat came back to the radio on Sunday after a three-month hiatus due to the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. In his first address after assuming the office for the third time, PM Modi thanked the voters and lauded them for showcasing faith in the Indian democracy.

While engaging directly with the citizens, PM Modi addressed a host of important matters, including the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam Campaign along with other key issues.

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PM Modi started his Sunday address by lauding Indians for their unbreakable trust in the Constitution and the democratic processes. He also mentioned that he is happy to come back again, fulfilling the promise he made back in February.

Through Mann Ki Baat, I am once again amongst you, amongst my family members. I told you in February that I would meet you again after the election results and today I am again present amongst you with Mann Ki Baat. The arrival of Monsoon has made your hearts happy as well, the Prime Minister said in his first address after coming back to power.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the 111th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat'.



He says "Today, finally the day has some for which we all were waiting for since February. Through 'Mann Ki Baat', I am once again amongst you, amongst my family members. I told you in February pic.twitter.com/m5zGtjpjaU  ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2024

Today I also thank the countrymen that they have reiterated their unwavering faith in our Constitution and the democratic system of the country. The Lok Sabha election in 2024 was the biggest election in the world. Such a big election has never been held in any country of the world in which 65 crore people cast their votes, he added.

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#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the 111th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat'.



He says "Mann Ki Baat radio program might have been closed for a few months...but the spirit of Mann Ki Baat...work done for the country, the society good work done every day, work done with pic.twitter.com/DBlWkLym73  ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2024

PM Modi honours the valour of tribal leaders

In his Sunday address, PM Modi pointed out that June 30 marks Hul Diwas and honoured the valour of Veer Sidhu and Kanhu. Today, 30th June is a very important day. Our tribal brothers and sisters celebrate this day as Hul Diwas. This day is associated with the courage of Veer Sidhu and Kanhu, who strongly opposed the atrocities of foreign rulers, said the Prime Minister.

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At the 111th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "Today, 30th June is a very important day. Our tribal brothers and sisters celebrate this day as 'Hul Diwas'. This day is associated with the courage of Veer Sidhu and Kanhu, who strongly opposed the pic.twitter.com/av3l0c8ZK6  ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2024

Veer Sidhu and Kanhu united thousands of Santhali companions and fought the British with all their might, and do you know when this happened? This happened in 1855, that is, it happened two years before Indias First War of Independence in 1857 when our tribal brothers and sisters in Santhal Paragana of Jharkhand took up arms against the foreign rulers, he added.

PM Modi promotes the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign

To commemorate World Environment Day, Prime Minister Modi promoted the new initiative named Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam. PM Modi also mentioned that he also planted a tree in the name of his mother.

A special campaign has begun on World Environment Day this year named Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, he said. I have also planted a tree in the name of my mother and I have appealed to all the countrymen to plant a tree along with their mother or in her name, the Prime Minister concluded.

At the 111th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "A special campaign has begun on World Environment Day this year named 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'. I have also planted a tree in the name of my mother and I have appealed to all the countrymen to plant a tree pic.twitter.com/8bG1vDgwTO  ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2024

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Mann Ki Baat was launched in October 2014 and the show allowed the Prime Minister to connect with the nation directly. Over the years, PM Modi has discussed various topics such as government initiatives, national issues, and inspiring messages to the people.

The radio show broadcast in 22 different Indian languages and 29 dialects. To reach a wider audience, the show is also broadcast in 11 foreign languages, including French, Chinese, and Arabic. It airs through more than 500 broadcast centres of the All India Radio.

With inputs from agencies.
With the French facing their most polarising choices in recent history, turnout soared, with 59.39 percent casting their vote by 5:00 pm (1500 GMT), the interior ministry said, some 20 points higher than at the same stage in the last such polls in 2022. This would equate to a final turnout of 67.5-69.7 percent when polling stations close this evening, the highest participation in a regular format legislative election in France since 1981 read more

France Affichage Plus workers paste official campaign posters of French Presidential election candidates on electoral panels in Saint-Herblain near Nantes, France, March 28, 2022. REUTERS

French voters flocked to the polls in numbers not seen for decades on Sunday for the first round of snap parliamentary elections which could see the far-right party of Marine Le Pen take power in a historic first.

President Emmanuel Macron stunned the nation by calling snap polls after the far-right National Rally (RN) party trounced his centrist forces in European Parliament elections this month.

But the gamble risks backfiring, with Macrons alliance predicted in opinion polls to come only third behind the rampant RN and a new leftist New Popular Front (NFP).

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Julien Martin, a 38-year-old architect, voting in the southwestern city of Bordeaux, said: These are not easy elections, the results are very uncertain, and the repercussions could be serious for society.

With the French facing their most polarising choices in recent history, turnout soared, with 59.39 percent casting their vote by 5:00 pm (1500 GMT), the interior ministry said, some 20 points higher than at the same stage in the last such polls in 2022.

This would equate to a final turnout of 67.5-69.7 percent when polling stations close this evening, the highest participation in a regular format legislative election in France since 1981, according to projections by several polling organisations.

The final turnout in 2022 was just 47.5 percent.

- The future scares me -

With Russias war against Ukraine in its third year and energy and food prices much higher, support for the anti-immigration and eurosceptic RN party has surged despite Macrons pledges to prevent its ascent.

The two-round vote could put the far-right in power in France for the first time since the Nazi occupation in World War II and give 28-year-old RN party chief Jordan Bardella, a protege of its longtime leader Marine Le Pen, the chance to form a government.

In the southern city of Marseille, Nabil Agueni said he skipped the European elections but voted on Sunday.

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As long as we have a choice, its better to go and vote, the 40-year-old said.

Nicole Cherprenet, a 79-year-old voter in Paris, added: The future scares me.

Some shopkeepers in major cities including Lyon and Rennes boarded up their storefronts in anticipation of possible riots.

According to most polls, the RN party is on course to win the largest number of seats in the National Assembly, parliaments lower house, after the second round on July 7, although it remains unclear if it will secure an outright majority.

Macron and his wife Brigitte cast their ballots in Le Touquet in northern France, with the 46-year-old president seen taking selfies and mingling with supporters.

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A beaming Le Pen was seen hugging and kissing voters in Henin-Beaumont, the far-right stronghold in the north, where she is standing to be re-elected as an MP.

- Predictions of deadlock -

Final opinion polls have given the RN between 35 percent and 37 percent of the vote, compared to 27.5-29 percent for the left-wing New Popular Front alliance, and 20-21 percent for Macrons centrist camp.

Mujtaba Rahman, Europe head at Eurasia Group, a risk consultancy, said turnout was key to the outcome of the election.

The higher the turnout, the more candidates qualify, he said on X.

He said that the left-wing alliance and Macrons centrist camp would be able to make deals to withdraw worst-placed candidates and allow the others a free run against the far right candidate in the second round of voting.

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Polling stations in major cities were set to close at 8:00 pm and will immediately be followed by projections that usually predict the result with a degree of accuracy.

Voters in Frances overseas territories had cast ballots earlier in the weekend.

In the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, where tensions remain high following deadly riots there last month, turnout stood at 60 percent compared to 32.5 percent recorded during legislative polls in 2022.

- Spike in hate speech -

Macrons decision to call the snap vote plunged the country into political turmoil and sparked uncertainty in Europes second-biggest economy.

The Paris stock exchange suffered its biggest monthly decline in two years in June, dropping by 6.4 percent, according to figures released on Friday.

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Many have pointed to a spike in hate speech, intolerance and racism during the charged campaign. A video of two RN supporters verbally assaulting a black woman has gone viral in recent days.

Macron has deplored racism or anti-Semitism.

Support for Macrons centrist camp tumbled during the campaign, while left-wing parties put their bickering aside to form the New Popular Front, in a nod to an alliance founded in 1936 to combat fascism.
The first explosion erupted at 3 pm (local time) on Saturday. Shortly after that, the second blast occurred at General Hospital Gwoza. Things became even more concerning after the third blast took place during a funeral procession read more

Series of suicide bomb attacks kill 18 in Nigeria in a state where Boko Haram is known for creating chaos. Source: Representative Image / Reuters

A series of bomb blasts rocked Nigerias northeast Borno state, killing at least 18 people and injuring 48 others. According to the states emergency services, the first blast ripped through a wedding ceremony.

The first explosion erupted at 3 pm (local time) on Saturday. Shortly after that, the second blast occurred at General Hospital Gwoza. Things became even more concerning after the third blast took place during a funeral procession.

According to CNN, immediately after the news broke out, the director general of Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Dr Barkindo Muhammad Saidu visited the site of the blast in Gwoza Town.

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As per the preliminary reports from SEMA, the victims of the deadly blast included men, women and children.

The state has been at the center of conflict for over a decade

It is pertinent to note that the state of Borno has been at the centre of a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram, the militants who have already displaced more than two million people and killed over 40,000 people over the years.

The militant group gained international notoriety in 2014 when it kidnapped more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok which is also located in Borno state.

The state agency stated that the blast that ripped through a wedding ceremony killed at least six people. The authorities are referring to them as suicide bombing incidents.

While authorities have confirmed the death of 18 people some local news outlets such as Nigerias Vanguard and This Day newspapers stated that at least 30 people have lost their lives in these blasts.

Curfew in place

Shortly after the blasts were reported the Nigerian military imposed a curfew. It is pertinent to note that no group has claimed responsibility for the attack as of now.

Interestingly, the town of Gwoza has a long history with Boko Haram. The military group seized the town in 2014 which was taken back by the Nigerian forces in 2015.

However, the group has since continued to carry out attacks and kidnappings near the town.

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With inputs from agencies.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began its offensive on the Sennar province earlier this week, attacking the village of Jebal Moya before moving to the city of Singa, the provincial capital, authorities said, where fresh battles have erupted read more

Fighting continued to rage between Sudans military and a notorious paramilitary group in a city in a central province, officials said Sunday, opening yet another front in a fourteen-month war that has pushed the African country to the brink of famine.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began its offensive on the Sennar province earlier this week, attacking the village of Jebal Moya before moving to the city of Singa, the provincial capital, authorities said, where fresh battles have erupted.

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On Saturday, the group claimed in a statement it had seized the militarys main facility, the 17th Infantry Division Headquarters in Singa. Local media also reported the RSF managed to breach the militarys defense.

However, Brig. Nabil Abdalla, a spokesperson for the Sudanese armed forces, said the military regained control of the facility, and that fighting was still underway Sunday morning.

Neither claim could be independently verified.

According to the U.N.s International Organization for Migration, at least 327 households had to flee from Jebal Moya and Singa to safer areas.

The situation remains tense and unpredictable, it said in a statement.

The latest fighting in Sennar comes while almost all eyes are on al-Fasher, a major city in the sprawling region of Darfur that the RSF has besieged for months in an attempt to seize it from the military. Al-Fasher is the militarys last stronghold in Darfur.

Sudans war began in April last year when simmering tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.

The devastating conflict has killed more than 14,000 people and wounded 33,000 others, according to the United Nations, but rights activists say the toll could be much higher.

It created the worlds largest displacement crisis with over 11 million people forced to flee their homes. International experts warned Thursday that that 755,000 people are facing famine in the coming months, and that 8.5 million people are facing extreme food shortages.

The conflict has been marked by widespread reports of rampant sexual violence and other atrocities  especially in Darfur, the site of a genocide in the early 2000s. Rights groups say the atrocities amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Boko Haram, which has one branch allied to the Islamic State group, wants to install an Islamic state in Nigeria, West Africas oil giant of 170 million people divided almost equally between a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north. In the past, Boko Haram has used women and girls in suicide bombings, prompting suspicions read more

At least 18 people were killed and 30 injured, including 19 seriously, in coordinated attacks by suspected female suicide bombers in the northeastern Nigerian town of Gwoza on Saturday, local authorities said.

The first suicide bomber detonated an explosive device during a marriage celebration at about 3 p.m., Barkindo Saidu, director-general of Borno State Emergency Management Agency, told reporters.

Minutes later, another blast occurred near General Hospital, Saidu said, and then there was a third attack at a funeral service by a female bomber disguised as a mourner. Children and pregnant women were among those killed.

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No one has so far claimed responsibility for the the attacks, but Gwoza is in Borno state, which has been heavily impacted by an insurgency launched in 2009 by Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group.

The violence, which has spilled across borders around Lake Chad, has killed over 35,000 people, displaced over 2.6 million and created a massive humanitarian crisis.

Boko Haram, which has one branch allied to the Islamic State group, wants to install an Islamic state in Nigeria, West Africas oil giant of 170 million people divided almost equally between a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north.

In the past, Boko Haram has used women and girls in suicide bombings, prompting suspicions that some from the many thousands that they have kidnapped over the years. The resurgence of suicide bombings in Borno raises significant concerns about the security situation in the region.

Saidu said the degree of injuries ranged from abdominal ruptures to skull and limb fractures.

I am now coordinating for a chopper tonight, Saidu said. I have mobilized emergency drugs to complement the shortage of drugs in Gwoza.

Authorities imposed a curfew in the city, and the community remained on a high alert following reports of another suspected bomber in Pulka, a town about 2 kilometers (just over a mile) away from Gwoza.

Gwoza is located a few kilometers from Chibok, in southern Borno, where 276 schoolgirls were abducted in 2014. Nearly 100 of the girls are still in captivity.

Since then, at least 1,500 students have been kidnapped across the country as armed groups increasingly find the practice a lucrative way to fund their criminal activities and take control of villages.
Yasemin Saplakoglu in Quanta:

In an instant, the protein folding problem had gone from impossible to painless. The success of artificial intelligence where the human mind had floundered rocked the community of biologists. I was in shock, said Mohammed AlQuraishi, a systems biologist at Columbia Universitys Program for Mathematical Genomics, who attended the meeting. A lot of people were in denial.

But in the conferences concluding remarks, its organizer John Moult left little room for doubt: AlphaFold2 had largely solved the protein folding problem  and shifted protein science forever. Sitting in front of a bookshelf in his home office in a black turtleneck, clicking through his slides on Zoom, Moult spoke in tones that were excited but also ominous. This is not an end but a beginning, he said.

More here.
Israeli police said protesters threw rocks and attacked the car of an ultra-Orthodox Cabinet minister, pelting it with stones. Water cannons filled with skunk-scented water and police mounted on horses were used to disperse the crowd. But the demonstration was still not under control late Sunday read more

Thousands of Jewish ultra-Orthodox men clashed with Israeli police in central Jerusalem on Sunday during a protest against a Supreme Court order for them to begin enlisting for military service.

The landmark decision last week ordering the government to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men could lead to the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus governing coalition as Israel wages war in Gaza.

Tens of thousands of men rallied in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood to protest the order. But after nightfall, the crowd made its way toward central Jerusalem and turned violent.

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Israeli police said protesters threw rocks and attacked the car of an ultra-Orthodox Cabinet minister, pelting it with stones. Water cannons filled with skunk-scented water and police mounted on horses were used to disperse the crowd. But the demonstration was still not under control late Sunday.

Military service is compulsory for most Jewish men and women in Israel. But politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties have won exemptions for their followers to skip military service and instead study in religious seminaries.

The long-standing arrangement has bred resentment among the broader public, a sentiment that has grown stronger during the eight-month war against Hamas. Over 600 soldiers have been killed in fighting, and tens of thousands of reservists have been activated, upending careers, businesses and lives.

Ultra-Orthodox parties and their followers say forcing their men to serve in the army will destroy their generations-old way of life. Earlier Sunday, thousands of men crowded a square and joined in mass prayers. Many held signs criticizing the government, with one saying not even one male should be drafted.

The ultra-Orthodox parties are key members of Netanyahus governing coalition and could potentially force new elections if they decide to leave the government in protest.

Party leaders have not said whether they will leave the government. Doing so could be risky, with Netanyahus coalitions popularity lagging since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war.
The proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden and endorsed by Israel seeks to end the war in the Gaza Strip and secure the release of all hostages in three phases read more

While Israel has endorsed the Gaza ceasefire proposal, Hamas has effectively rejected it (Photo: Reuters)

The United States has reworked the proposed ceasefire and hostage-release deal to bridge the gaps in the positions of Israel and Hamas, according to a report.

The current proposal being discussed, and the one reportedly being reworked now, is the one that US President Joe Biden outlined late last month in a speech from the White House. It calls for a three-step process for the end of war in Gaza and the release of all hostages held by Hamas and other terrorist groups.

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While Israel has endorsed the proposal, the response of Hamas has amounted to effectively a rejection.

Now, Axios has reported that the Joe Biden administration of the United States has reworked the language of certain parts of the proposal. The report quoted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that numerous changes were made to the proposal.

What are the changes of Gaza ceasefire deal?

The changes have been made to the Article 8 of the proposal that is related to the negotiations between Israel and Hamas between the first and the second phase of the proposal, according to Axios.

In the original plan outlined by Biden, the first phase would have a six-week ceasefire in which women, the elderly, and wounded hostages will be released in lieu of the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. The Palestinians would also return to their homes as Israel would withdraw from Gazas populated areas. In the second phase, the war will permanently end and all hostages will be released. In the third phase, Gazas reconstruction will start.

Now, Axios has reported that the new changes relate the negotiations between Israel and Hamas during the implementation of the phase one of the deal.

During these negotiations, Hamas wants to focus only on the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel for every living Israeli soldier or male hostage, the report quoted sources as saying. On the other hand, Israel wants to have the ability to raise the de-militarisation of Gaza and other issues during this round of talks, as per the sources.

The report said the United States is working with Qatar and Egypt to bridge the gap between the positions of Israel and Hamas.

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The United States has continued to maintain that it is Hamas that is blocking the deal. The report quoted a source as saying that the agreement from Hamas will allow to close the deal. It has been reported that Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, has been resisting any deal and is using the Palestinians suffering to fuel the conflict with the idea that the more they suffer, the more Israel will be isolated internationally and the more it will drive the movement against Israel.

Nothing new in revised US proposal, says Hamas

Even as the United States is working to bridge the gap to strike a deal, a senior Hamas official has dismissed the revised proposal.

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Osama Hamdan, a Lebanon-based senior Hamas terrorist leader, confirmed to the AFP news agency that the group had received the revised proposal on June 24. He said there was nothing new in the proposal. He further said that there is no real progress in the negotiations so far.

Hamdan said the proposals were merely a waste of time and provide additional time for the occupation [Israel] to practise genocide, as per the agency.

Hamas was being pressured to accept the proposal endorsed by Israel as it is without modification, said Hamdan.
PalmadexChannel at 30-06-2024 07:31 PM (3 months ago) (m) Praise GOD

GODSPOWERPROJECT



Born on the 24th of June in the mid-80s, the radio presenter, publicist, media consultant and Head of Operations at Symphonic; West Africa ranks among pioneer female major distro heads from Nigeria- but 11 years ago, she was just another face in the crowd of Nigerian presenters. Ife in her usual cheery disposition, shares with Deji Obasa of GODSPOWERPROJECT, highlights about her journey from radio girl to music queen.

It's ironic Ife is now the guest during an interview, considering she is always playing host.

There's really a thing called karma, but in Ife's case, Karma is a blessing.



Ife studied Dramatic Arts at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, completing her NYSC at Zuma FM in Suleja, and continued her radio journey as a presenter through Gold FM in Ilesa and Metro FM in Lagos.

Since then millions of people have tuned in to hear Ife from all over Nigeria. Her pet project, Celeb Stopover with Ife Ajagbe, adapted from the Tweetchat of the same title, featured the most sensational topics with the hottest artistes from all over the world, including CKay, GT da Guitarman Yemi Alade, Olamide, Aduke, Banky W (Nigeria), Marco Forster, Just Brittany, Lyriq Tye (USA) to mention a few. Shortly after resting Celeb Stopover, Ife joined Kennis104.1FM where she's currently the host of the Breakfast Show.

Now she's pushing her GOD gifted music promotions skills to an all-time high as Head Of Operations at Symphonic West Africa, a role she assumed in July 2023.



The fact that Ife's journey to greatness began as a simple passion for good music- and that she has grown it into such a powerful bond with millions across the world is mind-blowing. When she speaks, her honeyed voice always connects her audience to angelic realms.



Start reading Deji Obasa's interview with Ife Ajagbe.



Deji Obasa (GPP): What's a typical day like for you?



Ife Ajagbe: My typical day starts off as a broadcaster, actually, yes, cos I'm on the Breakfast show on Kennis104.1FM on Monday till Friday, so, l start off as a broadcaster in the morning and then at some point, l become the Head of Operations for Symphonic in West Africa. In between all of that, I'm a mom, a wife, a human being that needs to be well taken care of.

My typical day is basically, work, chilling when I can, and, that's it really.





DO: How do you feel recognized among women influencing music globally?



IA: In regards to influencing music globally, that seems like a big description of what I do. It's interesting, l feel good. I feel excited that I'm able to impact the industry quite well. I don't exactly feel special because I'm a woman really, l think its something that, primarily a service that a human being is rendering, so I'm not exactly sure that it becomes super special because I am a woman. I've seen a lot of women in the music industry, even in Nigeria, actually do very well. And I don't notice the fact that they have the kind of challenges that come with 'oh because I'm a woman'. I haven't personally had conversations with people that say 'oh because I'm a woman I'm not able to be an artiste manager or head of distro, or something in Nigeria'. I haven't seen people like that. I feel good as a human being, actually influencing music. The fact that I am a woman may be a plus, maybe some level of inspiration to some young girl out there that really wants to do things for herself, and might be in places or regions where she feels there might be some level of marginalization. No please just reach for it. Nothing is stopping you. Nothing at all.





DO: Growing up through education and career, did you envisage these heights?



IA: Growing up through education and career, no l don't think people actually, or maybe people envisage some particular heights, and I think for me specifically, I wasn't trying to get to specific heights. I was just trying to be useful, to be impactful. I just did what I loved, basically, I love music so much, that even though sometimes, artistes are not the nicest people, sometimes they are not, I really do not care. So even if you're not nice to me and your music is amazing, l will play your song on radio. That's how much I love music. I've at an early stage in my broadcast career decided that the artiste is one entity, the music is something else, so if you have true love for music, you just know that the artiste is only a creator of an art, so you could love the art and not like Van Gogh, or you know any of the biggest painters out there, but you could absolutely love the painting. So, you know, that's the thing, the moment you are able to do that, it doesn't get personal, you love the music, and you do a lot of things for the sake of the culture, for the sake of the music. For me, l wasn't trying to get to particular heights, l just followed what I loved to do and here I am.





DO: What is the secret to your career success?



IA: Well, I'm not exactly sure there's a particular secret to my career success, yes, thank you for calling it a success, but I'm not sure there's a particular secret to it. Because if you ask me, 'Ife how did you get here', I will tell you, I might not be able to tell you on radio or TV, but if you come to me personally and ask me, l will tell you, like oh, this was what I did to get to where I am now, so for me, I would just say, just go for whatever it is you want. That's what I do. So if I'm at a career level and I feel, 'ah you know what, it's time for a change, or time for a move, I simply move, I simply start doing things, taking little steps to move, or change where I am, or ask for more where I am, honestly, l know it sounds ridiculous, but it's as simple as that, so if you actually want more, go for more, so if for instance you are at a point in your life and you feel, 'oh, l should be heading a distro', just look out for the distro you want to head and reach out. Its just as easy as that. Yes, it could take time, of course, you need to prove your worth and all of that, but it is just wanting more. I think that's the secret to career success. You just get as much as you want. So if you want just a little, you get just a little, if you want more you get more. So you just go for it. That's what I would say for anyone that's looking at 'how do I scale up or get bigger', or go for more challenges. Or how do I earn more, just go for it, that's the secret, there's no big secret well kept somewhere, no, no.







DO: What do you consider most challenging project and how were you able to overcome?



IA: Well, l can't actually remember a most challenging project right now, because maybe I already did those things so they don't feel like a challenge anymore, but I know that one of the biggest challenge usually for broadcasters is so 'say you want to interview an artiste that is you know, like a million miles away from you in the world, and you're wondering, how do I go about this, you know contact this person, and I think that I have typically been able to hack that. I don't know how I got to that point, but you know, l then realized that people came to me to say 'oh, Ife we need the contact of this particular artiste, can you get it for us', I then became that person at some point in my career. So I think that's something I've been able to hack. What I basically do is make a list of priorities or artistes that I really want to interview, anybody at all, from Beyonce to whether it's JayZ, or anybody, any artiste at all in the world, and then, send emails to them. You know, look for them on socials, look for their managers or PR persons, it takes time. Send emails to them. So, say you have a list of 10/15 people, and you shoot out emails to them, at least 3/4 will respond, and you will not feel so bad because you actually shot into a pool, you didn't just say 'I just want Beyonce, and if its not Beyonce, I'm not doing this' so you then just shoot into a pool, and then you realize that you would actually catch some fish, and very good ones too at that. So I think, for me over the years, that's being one way that I've been able to connect with artistes, and been able to get as many quality interviews as possible. Also, basically I think you could just check any artist's social media, you would see their management contact there. Sometimes you could get a telephone number, it could be an email address, but for some regions, yes, they are not so email oriented. It means it takes a while, some people can respond to you after like a year, and say sorry, we were on tour or something. So you need to know how people behave in different regions also. That of course will take time, you will learn as you grow





DO: How do you balance personal and professional life?



IA: Ah well, so far so good, yes, I've not had situations where there's been major clashes, or maybe I've been working with amazing bosses, at least since maybe I got married, my boss Kenny Ogungbe is one of the most considerate people I know, and I do not take his 'consideration' for granted. He's amazing and also very professional. So he makes it easy to balance things, and then for my boss, Jorge (Brea), who is in the US, he also makes work quite easy. So for me, it's been a win-win. I do have very supportive family if I'm being fair, very supportive family that makes everything a walk in the park for me, so that makes the personal and professional life balanced and easier





DO: What's up with you and Celeb Stopover



IA: Hmm, Celeb Stopover, okay, Celeb Stopover has been rested, for now, Celeb Stopover is still my baby, and it's that show that the vision was for it to be syndicated, in practically all the radio stations in Nigeria, but that required money, requires a level of sponsorship, and while it was running on a number of radio stations actually, the production was solely funded by me. Then I thought, 'haa, you know what, let's rest this, and until we're able to get sponsors to actually invest in it'. So for now, it's still an idea that hasn't gone to die but it's been rested for now. For now.





DO: Discuss the highlights of Symphonic activities in Africa



IA: Symphonic is a digital music distribution service, that already had an office in South Africa, yes, and me being in Symphonic, is to serve the West African region, and we had very big existing clients, and we are also looking at getting onboard more clients, so far, we have actually made quite an impact. At least, if you do music, you cannot say that you have not heard about Symphonic, from one person or the other. And it's because I think that artistes have been able to sense that we truly truly care about their music, beyond the fact that we're definitely running a profitable business, but, it is primarily about the artiste, we're looking at value, it's not just that you're paying us to distribute your music, it's also what are we giving to you? Are we sure that the artist's professional health is wholesome, so that's why for instance, if you visit our website, you'll get resources on practically everything you need; I mean your starter pack as an artist. Say you wake up today and say I really don't know what to do as an artist, if you go to our website, you would know what to do. So that's how much information, resources we put into A&R, into artiste development. Things that will benefit the artist. Also we know that artistes that are just starting out might be low on funds, in regards to music promotion, so that's why we've designed the radio show 'HotSounds' so that as an artiste, you can get your song on radio and get airplay on 5 radio stations in West Africa, 4 in Nigeria, 1 in Sierra Leone. And of course we are excited about our amazing partners that have made this very possible. Its amazing, and also, we have been actually able to bring onboard more clients. I joined Symphonic in July 2023, and by now we do actually have a lot more people onboard

I've had people come to me and say 'oh, I noticed that you're with Symphonic and I'm definitely joining', and big shout-out to all of those people out there, that say 'because it's you Ife I can believe that Symphonic is a good thing for me', and we've also had partnerships with Music Business Masterclass organized by TeepSoul, that was quite impactful, also, we have a particular event coming up in Abuja. We'll keep you updated about that with more details. And there are a lot of activities going on, and a lot of partnerships going on, that we are working on. They are very beneficial partnerships. We've had partnerships with HitSound, Raw Vibes, different small creators from different parts of the country. Music producers, and all of that, so it's been a beehive of activities actually.



DO: What advice would you give your younger self?



IA: My advice to my younger self, wow, okay, i really don't have any fresh ideas for my younger self. I think I would look at my younger self and say you did well, so I don't think I'm going to give fresh advice out. I'll just say weldone you did well. I dont have anything to say to you but you did amazing, yea, I wouldn't change anything, about my childhood, about anything. I just love my journey. I take one step at a time. I'm not looking at the crowd and saying 'oh what are people saying or think'. Of course I'm a social being so what people think is important. But I just take one step at a time. Life is not that hard, really it's not.





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Jesus is Lord



Born on the 24th of June in the mid-80s, theranks among pioneer female major distro heads from Nigeria- but 11 years ago, she was just another face in the crowd of Nigerian presenters.in her usual cheery disposition, shares with, highlights about her journey from radio girl to music queen.It's ironicis now the guest during an interview, considering she is always playing host.There's really a thing called, but incase,studiedat the, completing her NYSC at Zuma FM in Suleja, and continued her radio journey as a presenter throughSince then millions of people have tuned in to hear Ife from all over Nigeria. Her pet project,, adapted from the Tweetchat of the same title, featured the most sensational topics with the hottest artistes from all over the world, includingto mention a few. Shortly after restingjoinedwhere she's currently the host of theNow she's pushing hergifted music promotions skills to an all-time high asat, a role she assumed in July 2023.The fact thatjourney to greatness began as a simple passion for good music- and that she has grown it into such a powerful bond with millions across the world is mind-blowing. When she speaks, her honeyed voice always connects her audience to angelic realms.: What's a typical day like for you?: My typical day starts off as a broadcaster, actually, yes, cos I'm on the Breakfast show on Kennis104.1FM on Monday till Friday, so, l start off as a broadcaster in the morning and then at some point, l become the Head of Operations for Symphonic in West Africa. In between all of that, I'm a mom, a wife, a human being that needs to be well taken care of.My typical day is basically, work, chilling when I can, and, that's it really.: How do you feel recognized among women influencing music globally?: In regards to influencing music globally, that seems like a big description of what I do. It's interesting, l feel good. I feel excited that I'm able to impact the industry quite well. I don't exactly feel special because I'm a woman really, l think its something that, primarily a service that a human being is rendering, so I'm not exactly sure that it becomes super special because I am a woman. I've seen a lot of women in the music industry, even in Nigeria, actually do very well. And I don't notice the fact that they have the kind of challenges that come with 'oh because I'm a woman'. I haven't personally had conversations with people that say 'oh because I'm a woman I'm not able to be an artiste manager or head of distro, or something in Nigeria'. I haven't seen people like that. I feel good as a human being, actually influencing music. The fact that I am a woman may be a plus, maybe some level of inspiration to some young girl out there that really wants to do things for herself, and might be in places or regions where she feels there might be some level of marginalization. No please just reach for it. Nothing is stopping you. Nothing at all.: Growing up through education and career, did you envisage these heights?: Growing up through education and career, no l don't think people actually, or maybe people envisage some particular heights, and I think for me specifically, I wasn't trying to get to specific heights. I was just trying to be useful, to be impactful. I just did what I loved, basically, I love music so much, that even though sometimes, artistes are not the nicest people, sometimes they are not, I really do not care. So even if you're not nice to me and your music is amazing, l will play your song on radio. That's how much I love music. I've at an early stage in my broadcast career decided that the artiste is one entity, the music is something else, so if you have true love for music, you just know that the artiste is only a creator of an art, so you could love the art and not like, or you know any of the biggest painters out there, but you could absolutely love the painting. So, you know, that's the thing, the moment you are able to do that, it doesn't get personal, you love the music, and you do a lot of things for the sake of the culture, for the sake of the music. For me, l wasn't trying to get to particular heights, l just followed what I loved to do and here I am.: What is the secret to your career success?: Well, I'm not exactly sure there's a particular secret to my career success, yes, thank you for calling it a success, but I'm not sure there's a particular secret to it. Because if you ask me,, I will tell you, I might not be able to tell you on radio or TV, but if you come to me personally and ask me, l will tell you, like oh, this was what I did to get to where I am now, so for me, I would just say, just go for whatever it is you want. That's what I do. So if I'm at a career level and I feel, 'ah you know what, it's time for a change, or time for a move, I simply move, I simply start doing things, taking little steps to move, or change where I am, or ask for more where I am, honestly, l know it sounds ridiculous, but it's as simple as that, so if you actually want more, go for more, so if for instance you are at a point in your life and you feel, '', just look out for the distro you want to head and reach out. Its just as easy as that. Yes, it could take time, of course, you need to prove your worth and all of that, but it is just wanting more. I think that's the secret to career success. You just get as much as you want. So if you want just a little, you get just a little, if you want more you get more. So you just go for it. That's what I would say for anyone that's looking at '', or go for more challenges. Or how do I earn more, just go for it, that's the secret, there's no big secret well kept somewhere, no, no.: What do you consider most challenging project and how were you able to overcome?: Well, l can't actually remember a most challenging project right now, because maybe I already did those things so they don't feel like a challenge anymore, but I know that one of the biggest challenge usually for broadcasters is so 'say you want to interview an artiste that is you know, like a million miles away from you in the world, and you're wondering, how do I go about this, you know contact this person, and I think that I have typically been able to hack that. I don't know how I got to that point, but you know, l then realized that people came to me to say '', I then became that person at some point in my career. So I think that's something I've been able to hack. What I basically do is make a list of priorities or artistes that I really want to interview, anybody at all, fromto whether it's, or anybody, any artiste at all in the world, and then, send emails to them. You know, look for them on socials, look for their managers or PR persons, it takes time. Send emails to them. So, say you have a list of 10/15 people, and you shoot out emails to them, at least 3/4 will respond, and you will not feel so bad because you actually shot into a pool, you didn't just say '' so you then just shoot into a pool, and then you realize that you would actually catch some fish, and very good ones too at that. So I think, for me over the years, that's being one way that I've been able to connect with artistes, and been able to get as many quality interviews as possible. Also, basically I think you could just check any artist's social media, you would see their management contact there. Sometimes you could get a telephone number, it could be an email address, but for some regions, yes, they are not so email oriented. It means it takes a while, some people can respond to you after like a year, and say sorry, we were on tour or something. So you need to know how people behave in different regions also. That of course will take time, you will learn as you grow: How do you balance personal and professional life?: Ah well, so far so good, yes, I've not had situations where there's been major clashes, or maybe I've been working with amazing bosses, at least since maybe I got married, my bossis one of the most considerate people I know, and I do not take his '' for granted. He's amazing and also very professional. So he makes it easy to balance things, and then for my boss,, who is in the, he also makes work quite easy. So for me, it's been a win-win. I do have very supportive family if I'm being fair, very supportive family that makes everything a walk in the park for me, so that makes the personal and professional life balanced and easier: What's up with you and Celeb Stopover: Hmm,, okay,has been rested, for now,is still my baby, and it's that show that the vision was for it to be syndicated, in practically all the radio stations in Nigeria, but that required money, requires a level of sponsorship, and while it was running on a number of radio stations actually, the production was solely funded by me. Then I thought, ''. So for now, it's still an idea that hasn't gone to die but it's been rested for now. For now.: Discuss the highlights of Symphonic activities in Africa: Symphonic is a digital music distribution service, that already had an office in South Africa, yes, and me being in Symphonic, is to serve the West African region, and we had very big existing clients, and we are also looking at getting onboard more clients, so far, we have actually made quite an impact. At least, if you do music, you cannot say that you have not heard about Symphonic, from one person or the other. And it's because I think that artistes have been able to sense that we truly truly care about their music, beyond the fact that we're definitely running a profitable business, but, it is primarily about the artiste, we're looking at value, it's not just that you're paying us to distribute your music, it's also what are we giving to you? Are we sure that the artist's professional health is wholesome, so that's why for instance, if you visit our website, you'll get resources on practically everything you need; I mean your starter pack as an artist. Say you wake up today and say I really don't know what to do as an artist, if you go to our website, you would know what to do. So that's how much information, resources we put into A&R, into artiste development. Things that will benefit the artist. Also we know that artistes that are just starting out might be low on funds, in regards to music promotion, so that's why we've designed the radio show 'HotSounds' so that as an artiste, you can get your song on radio and get airplay on 5 radio stations in West Africa, 4 in Nigeria, 1 in Sierra Leone. And of course we are excited about our amazing partners that have made this very possible. Its amazing, and also, we have been actually able to bring onboard more clients. I joinedin July 2023, and by now we do actually have a lot more people onboardI've had people come to me and say '', and big shout-out to all of those people out there, that say '', and we've also had partnerships withorganized by, that was quite impactful, also, we have a particular event coming up in Abuja. We'll keep you updated about that with more details. And there are a lot of activities going on, and a lot of partnerships going on, that we are working on. They are very beneficial partnerships. We've had partnerships with, different small creators from different parts of the country. Music producers, and all of that, so it's been a beehive of activities actually.: What advice would you give your younger self?: My advice to my younger self, wow, okay, i really don't have any fresh ideas for my younger self. I think I would look at my younger self and say you did well, so I don't think I'm going to give fresh advice out. I'll just say weldone you did well. I dont have anything to say to you but you did amazing, yea, I wouldn't change anything, about my childhood, about anything. I just love my journey. I take one step at a time. I'm not looking at the crowd and saying 'oh what are people saying or think'. Of course I'm a social being so what people think is important. But I just take one step at a time. Life is not that hard, really it's not.

Post Reply Distinguished member of the United Nations' World Trade Organisation, the ICC and has its export destinations to US, UK, Vietnam, Nicaragua, UAE, Isreal etc. Palmadex Group currently has International Operational base in Vietnam and Dubai. Posted: at 30-06-2024 07:31 PM (3 months ago) | Newbie
Russo-Ukraine War - 30 June 2024 - Day 858

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A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that in Vovchansk, Kharkiv oblast, fighting is reportedly focused on the Aggregate Plant, where Ukrainian forces are attempting to dislodge Russian forces from this strongpoint in the south-east of the town. The town remains contested. No confirmed Russian advances have been made around Chasiv Yar over the last 72 hours. Combat has reportedly been most intense in Ivanivske and Klishchiivka, to the south of the town. Ukrainian forces have reportedly counterattacked in Klishchiivka making tactical gains.

In the Kurakhiv direction, west of Donetsk City, Russian forces have made further advances within the town of Krasnohorivka and are now likely in control of most of the town, with Ukrainian forces now only present in the extreme north of the settlement.

The Avdiivka-Pokrovsk sector remains the probable Russian main effort and continues to see the highest Russian operational tempo. Russian forces have made minor advances across a relatively broad front towards the villages of Niu-York, Pivnichne, and Pivdenne. Over the next week the Avdiivka-Pokrovsk sector is likely to remain an area of significant operational focus for Russian forces as they attempt to maintain pressure on defending Ukrainian forces, and make opportunistic territorial gains.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that so far, 124 combat clashes have taken place. Pokrovsky remained the hottest destination during the day. The situation in the areas of combat is difficult, however, under the control of Ukrainian defenders.

During the day, Russian forces launched three missile strikes (four missiles) and 46 aviation strikes (total dropped 63 CAB), used 401 kamikaze drone. Conducted more than 3,300 shelling on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements using different types of weapons.

In the Kharkiv direction, there were nine Russian assault actions in the areas of vovchansk and glbokoye. Two of which are still going. The situation is under the control of Defense Forces.

Kupyan direction. There were eight clashes. Russian forces attacked in the areas of Stelmahivka, Pi any and synkivka. All attacks are called off.

In the Lyman direction Russian forces during the day 16 times tried to break through Ukrainian defense in the areas of Nevsky, Makiivka, Terniv and Torsky. 10 attacks have been eliminated, the fighting continues. The situation is under control.

In the North direction, the Defense Forces successfully repelled six Russian attacks near Spirny, Verkhnyokamiansky and Viimka. One fight is still going on.

In the Kramators komu direction, Russian forces eight times stormed the positions of the Defense Forces units in the area of Chashovoye Yar. Four attacks have been removed. The fights are heating up.

During the day, Russian forces also acted in the Toretsky direction. In general, Russian forces tried to attack six times in the areas of the northern, southern and toretsk. All Russian offensive actions have been repelled.

The situation in the Pokrovsky direction remains tense. Russia does not abandon trying to infiltrate Ukrainian combat order in the areas of the settlements Progres, Novooleksandrivka, Vozdvizhenka, Evgenivka, Novoselivka Persha, Yasnobrodivka. There have been 39 attacks so far, seven - in progress.

With preliminary information in this direction, Russian loss consisted of 387 troops, three tanks, 10 BBM, 3 artsistemi, seven units of automobile equipment. 10 tanks, 10 BBM, 10 artsistems and five cars were damaged.

In the Kurakhiv direction during the day, the Russian occupiers 17 times attacked the positions of the Defense Forces. Two clashes are still ongoing. Defense Forces take measures to strengthen borders and prevent the Russian enemy's advancement.

In the vremivs komu direction, Russian forces pressed in the areas of vodanogo, harvest, konstantinivka and makarivka. All attacks are called off. The Russian opponent was not successful.

In the direction of Gulyaipils komu, one attack was struck. There were no other clashes.

In the Orihivs komu direction, three Russian attacks in the areas of robotiny and small tokmacki.

During June, the Air Defense Forces and Missile and Artillery Units launched strikes at more than 330 personnel, weapons and military equipment concentration areas, 25 control points, 62 air defense equipment, five fuel bases and warehouses and 20 ammunition warehouses.

In total, for June, the month of the Russian losses consisted of: 33713 occupiers, 352 tanks, 589 BBM, 1393 artsistem, 22 units of rszv, 58 means of ppo, three aircraft, 997 bpla, 1758 automobile and 284 units of special equipment.

Let's celebrate the combat work of the soldiers of the 108 separate brigade of the territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In their direction, they demonstrate passionate combat, professionalism and exemplary display of the destroyed live power and technique of the Russian enemy.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that units of the Sever Group of Forces hit manpower and hardware of AFU 41st mechanised, 57th motorised infantry, 71st infantry, 34th marine, 125th, 127th territorial defence, and 13th national guard bigades near Neskuchnoye, Staritsa, Vesyoloye, Ternovaya, Zhovtnevoye, Volchansk, and Liptsy (Kharkov region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 285 Ukrainian troops, one tank, five motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M109 Paladin howitzer, two U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, one 152-mm D-20 gun, one 100-mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun, and one BM-21 Grad MLRS combat vehicle.

In addition, one ammunition depot of the AFU 57th Motorised Infantry Brigade was destroyed.

The Zapad Group of Forces' units captured more advantageous lines, defeated units of AFU 14th, 43rd mechanised, 1st national guard, 12th Azov special forces brigades near Sinkovka, Petropavlovka (Kharkov region), Grigorovka, Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

Two attacks launched by assault groups of the AFU 110th Territorial Defence Brigade were repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 515 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, and four motor vehicles.

In the course of the counter-battery warfare, one UK-made 155-mm AS-90 Braveheart self-propelled artillery system, two U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, one 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one 152-mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzer, and one BM-21 Grad MLRS combat vehicle were eliminated.

In addition, two field ammunition depots and two Bukovel-AD and Anklav-N electronic warfare stations were eliminated.

As a result of active actions, units of the Yug Group of Forces liberated Spornoye (Donetsk People's Republic), improved the situation along the front line, hit manpower and hardware of AFU 24th, 28th, 30th, 93rd mechanised, 56th motorised infantry, 46th airmobile, 79th air assault, and 144th infantry brigades near Vasyukovka, Kalinina, Chasov Yar, Kurdyumovka, Elizavetovka, Katerinovka, and Kurakhovo (Donetsk People's Republic).

One attack launched by assault groups of the AFU 214th Opfor Battalion was repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 450 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, three armoured fighting vehicles, and four motor vehicles.

In the course of the counter-battery warfare, two U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzers, four 152-mm D-20 howitzers, one 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and four 105-mm UK-made L-119 guns were eliminated.

One artillery ammunition depot and two Anklav-N electronic warfare stations were eliminated.

The Tsentr Group of Forces' units liberated Novoaleksandrovka (Donetsk People's Republic), improved the tactical situation, hit AFU 23rd, 47th mechanised, 95th air assault, 59th motorised infantry, and 2nd national guard brigades near Toretsk, Kirovo, Mikhailovka, Novgorodskoye, Volchye, Shevchenko, Sokol, Vishnevoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

Five counter-attacks launched by units of AFU 24th, 31st, 41st mechanised, and 68th jaeger brigades were repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 370 Ukrainian troops, eight motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 howitzer, one 152-mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzer, two 122-mm D-30 howitzer, two 100-mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank guns, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar station.

The Vostok Group of Forces' units captured more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of AFU 115th, 123rd, 128th territorial defence brigades close to Rovnopol, Vremevka, Novoukrainka, and Velikaya Novosyolka (Donetsk People's Republic). One counter-attack launched by the AFU 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade's assault detachment was repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 130 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, seven motor vehicles, one UK-made 155-mm FH-70 howitzer, one U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzer, and two 122-mm D-30 howitzers.

Two AFU field ammunition depots and one military equipment depot were eliminated.

Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces hit manpower and hardware of AFU 35th marine, 121st territorial defence, and 22nd national guard brigades close to Ilyinka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Zolotaya Balka, Olgovka, and Tyaginka (Kherson region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 105 Ukrainian troops, eight motor vehicles, two U.S.-made M777 howitzers, one U.S.-made 122-mm D-30 howitzer, and one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 gun.

One Anklav-AD electronic warfare station and three AFU ammunition depots were neutralised.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces hit a railway echelon with arms during an unloading process, military hardware and personnel of the AFU 117th Mechanised Brigade, as well as clusters of enemy manpower and military hardware in 127 areas.

Air defence systems shot down 72 unmanned aerial vehicles, two Neptune-MD long-range guided missiles, three U.S.-made MALD decoy missiles, and nine U.S.-made HIMARS projectiles.

In total, 616 airplanes and 276 helicopters, 26,968 unmanned aerial vehicles, 535 air defence missile systems, 16,463 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,361 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 11,129 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 23,136 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

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Sellersburg, June 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sellersburg, Indiana -

David Kummer, a young author well-known for his horror, mystery, thriller, and young adult fiction stories, has just released "The Silent Forest book." This is the second installment in his popular "The House on the Hill" series. Following the success of "The Misery House," this new release has quickly become a bestseller in several Amazon categories during its first week.

"The Silent Forest book" follows the character Kaia, who is on a quest to find Allison, missing for weeks in the changing town of New Haven. A new discovery in the forest brings hope but also threatens to unveil dark secrets about New Haven. As with Kummer's past works, readers can expect a fast-paced plot with shocking twists and unpredictable endings. Learn more about the series on the new book series section of his website.

David Kummer shared, The sequel to 'The Misery House' is finally out, and you can read it right now! Thanks to everyone who is making this a viral new release. I wanted to take some tropes from the horror genre and switch them up. So youll notice a haunted house, a creepy little boy, and an overbearing sheriff, but all of these work differently in this story than any other youve read.

In addition to being an accomplished author, David Kummer is a high school English teacher in New Albany. His writing is deeply influenced by his upbringing in Madison, Indiana, a town rich in history on the Ohio River. His background and current job give him a unique perspective that he weaves into his writing, adding depth and realism to his characters and settings.

David Kummer also keeps a blog where he shares updates about his work and insights into his creative process. This platform offers readers a behind-the-scenes look at his work, providing updates on his latest projects and sharing his journey as an author.

On his website, there is a section dedicated to his books, offering detailed information about all of his published works. The site includes descriptions, cover images, and links to purchase the books. This way, readers can easily find and explore Kummers various works. For those specifically interested in his horror creations, the DK Horror section offers a robust collection of his horror-themed books.

Another notable feature on his site is the dedicated section for his horror genre works, known as DK Horror. This area is specifically for fans of horror, making it simple to find Kummer's horror-themed books and get immersed in his unique takes on the genre.

David Kummers books have been well-received by readers and critics alike. Reviews posted on his site give potential readers insights into what to expect from his stories, helping to illustrate how others have reacted to his works.

The Faerie Review recently published an in-depth review and discussion about "The Silent Forest book," describing it as a mix of "Stranger Things" and "The Shining." The review highlights the books dark secrets and complex characters, showcasing Kummers skill in crafting intricate and gripping tales.

In an interview with The Faerie Review, Kummer shared insights about his writing process and the inspiration behind "The Silent Forest book." He explained, "I wanted to play with familiar horror tropes and present them in a new way. My goal was to create something that feels fresh, even for seasoned horror readers."

"The Silent Forest book" is now available, and David Kummer continues to captivate his audience with thrilling and mysterious narratives. As both a teacher and an author, Kummer brings a unique voice to the horror and mystery genres, blending his life experiences with a talent for storytelling.

For more information about David Kummer and his works, including "The Silent Forest book," or to stay updated on his latest news and reviews, visit his website and blog. Readers can also explore recent articles and reviews on The Faerie Review, which provide additional context and insights into Kummers latest release.

The success of "The Silent Forest book" further solidifies David Kummer's position as a notable writer in the horror and mystery genres. His ability to mix traditional horror elements with fresh, original twists makes his works stand out in a crowded field of contemporary literature. Readers looking for an exciting and thrilling read will find "The Silent Forest book" to be a valuable addition to their collection.

For more updates and information, readers can follow David Kummer author news and stay connected with his latest projects and releases.

###

For more information about David Kummer, Author, contact the company here:



David Kummer, Author

David Kummer

davidkummer7@gmail.com

PO BOX 2

Sellersburg, IN 47172
HARISH, Israel, June 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DevOpser, a pioneering provider of DevOps as a Service, is excited to announce that it has joined the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network (APN). The APN is a global community of AWS Partners that leverage programs, expertise, and resources to build, market, and sell customer offerings.



The company is also now actively seeking its first customer to beta test its groundbreaking Terraform-powered Infrastructure as Code (IaC) platform, which ensures the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) compliance for Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS).

Joining the APN signifies a significant milestone in DevOpsers mission to deliver secure, scalable, and compliant cloud solutions. The companys platform is designed to meet enterprise and federal security requirements, providing rapid go-to-market capabilities without compromising on security. This allows developers to focus on enhancing user experiences and deploying applications swiftly and securely.

We are thrilled to join the AWS Partner Network, said Liat Hoffman, Founder of DevOpser. This enables us to leverage AWS robust infrastructure to offer our customers unparalleled security and scalability. Were excited to collaborate with our first beta customer to refine our platform for general availability.

As an APN member, DevOpser joins a global network of 130,000 Partners from more than 200 countries working with AWS to provide innovative solutions, solve technical challenges, and deliver value to mutual customers.

DevOpsers IaC solution includes a suite of features tailored to meet diverse security and operational needs:

NIST CSF compliant Amazon EKS implementation

Regular security patches and updates

Automated, push-button deployment

Comprehensive AWS architecture and Kubernetes management via Terraform and Github leveraging GitOps

In addition, DevOpser has submitted its first solution to the AWS Foundational Technical Review (FTR) process for review and is working towards listing in AWS Marketplace. The platform has been in development since October 2020, and this beta testing phase is crucial for refining it to meet market needs.

DevOpsers innovative approach simplifies infrastructure management, allowing developers to focus on creating exceptional user experiences. The companys IaC platform not only ensures compliance and security but also enhances productivity by automating repetitive tasks and standardizing environment setups.

For more information about DevOpsers solutions or to book a demo, please visit devopser.io .

About DevOpser

DevOpser provides DevOps as a Service, specializing in secure, scalable cloud solutions. The companys Terraform-powered Infrastructure as Code (IaC) platform is designed to meet the highest security standards, enabling rapid deployment and compliance with NIST CSF requirements. DevOpsers mission is to empower developers to focus on innovation by simplifying infrastructure management.
SAN DIEGO, June 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers of shares of Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) common stock between July 25, 2023 and April 3, 2024, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), have until August 12, 2024 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit. Captioned Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Pension Fund v. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc., No. 24-cv-00282 (D. Idaho), the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit charges Lamb Weston as well as certain of Lamb Westons top executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-lamb-weston-holdings-inc-class-action-lawsuit-lw.html

You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at info@rgrdlaw.com. Lead plaintiff motions for the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit must be filed with the court no later than August 12, 2024.

CASE ALLEGATIONS: Lamb Weston is a food processing company and a large producer of frozen potato products. According to the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit, in November 2023, Lamb Weston transitioned some of its previous financial and operating systems to a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

The Lamb Weston class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) defendants knew of, or recklessly disregarded, problems associated with the ERP system that would hinder its successful implementation; (ii) despite those issues, Lamb Weston pushed ahead with its implementation of an ERP system that was not ready to go live, knowing that a premature roll-out would have a material negative impact on Lamb Westons business and operations; and (iii) to the extent Lamb Weston purported to warn of risks regarding the negative impacts from an unsuccessful implementation of the ERP system, defendants omitted that such risks had already begun to materialize.

The Lamb Weston class action lawsuit further alleges that on April 4, 2024, Lamb Weston disclosed significant problems with its transition to the new ERP system, including that the system did not function properly, causing Lamb Weston to lose over $130 million in sales during its third quarter of fiscal 2024 and to reduce its sales guidance for the full fiscal year by $330 million, at the midpoint. On this news, the price of Lamb Weston stock fell more than 19%, according to the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased shares of Lamb Weston common stock during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Lamb Weston class action lawsuit.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the worlds leading complex class action firms representing plaintiffs in securities fraud cases. Over the last decade, our Firm has been ranked #1 on the ISS Securities Class Action Services law firm rankings for six out of the last ten years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. In the last four years, Robbins Geller recovered $6.6 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases  over $2.2 billion more than any other law firm during that time. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs firms in the world and the Firms attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever  $7.2 billion  in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Attorney advertising.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.

Contact:

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

J.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal

655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101

800-449-4900

info@rgrdlaw.com
LOVELAND, Ohio, June 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cold Jet, a global leader in dry ice cleaning and production solutions, is thrilled to announce the winner of the 2024 NPE i MicroClean 2 Sweepstakes  Design Plastics, a plastic fabrication company based in Omaha, Nebraska! Design Plastics was selected in a random drawing from among 750 eligible entries received during the NPE2024 tradeshow.





NPE i MicroClean 2 Sweepstakes

NPE is the largest plastics trade show in the Americas. NPE2024 was a record-breaking event, attracting the most international crowd and welcoming the next generation of plastics professionals. With over 51,000 registrants from 133 countries, 63% of whom were first-time attendees, it was a vibrant showcase of innovation.

Cold Jet exhibited at NPE2024 in May in the West Hall, Booth W5371. They showcased their cutting-edge, sustainable dry ice blasting solutions. They also introduced the PE 80 pelletizer, a low-volume dry ice maker, to the plastics market. Cold Jets dry ice blasting technology offers numerous cleaning benefits in the plastics industry, making it a great choice for companies looking to improve efficiency, quality, and sustainability in their manufacturing processes. Molds and equipment must be kept meticulously clean when manufacturing plastic and composite parts to ensure product quality. Dry ice blasting can effectively remove residues, mold-release agents, and contaminants from molds, extrusion lines, and other equipment without damaging delicate surfaces. It is also a great solution for surface preparation and parts finishing, including deburring and deflashing.

Cold Jet was proud to offer their booth attendees the chance to win a state-of-the-art i MicroClean 2 smart dry ice blaster valued at $40,000. The i MicroClean 2 is renowned for its efficiency and effectiveness. It utilizes less air, operates more quietly, and delivers precise MicroParticles for blasting. Additionally, the i MicroClean 2 is IoT-enabled via Cold Jet's Industry 4.0 solution, Cold Jet CONNECT, allowing for remote monitoring and diagnostics.

"The i MicroClean 2 with digital HMI and IIoT capabilities represents the future of dry ice cleaning technology," said Steve Wilson, Director Dry Ice Cleaning Applications & ESG at Cold Jet. "This giveaway highlights our commitment to providing the plastics industry with the most efficient and effective cleaning solutions available."

About the Winner: Design Plastics

Design Plastics, an ISO 9001 registered plastic injection molder, is the lucky winner! They specialize in designing and manufacturing custom plastic parts. Their impressive fleet of molding machines, ranging from 150 to 750 tons, allows them to fabricate a wide variety of parts and serve customers worldwide. They currently have a Cold Jet i MicroClean in their inventory. Adding the new i MicroClean 2 to their inventory will boost performance and reduce overall consumable usage by more than 25% over its predecessor. Design Plastics will use their new dry ice blaster to clean molds while improving part quality and operational efficiencies.

About Cold Jet

Cold Jet provides environmental cleaning, surface preparation and parts finishing systems to global manufacturing industries that utilize particles of dry ice as a blasting medium. We also produce systems for the production, metering, and packaging of dry ice for food transportation, cold chain management, and dry ice cleaning. Cold Jet is headquartered in Loveland, Ohio, with international operations in Europe, Asia, Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit www.coldjet.com or call 1-800-337-9423 or +1-513-831-3211 (International).

For media inquiries, please contact Rachael Barnes, Marketing and Communications Generalist Global Marketing, Cold Jet, at rbarnes@coldjet.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f166a5d0-b2fa-4927-b6e1-171b46ae317b
NEW YORK, June 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Community Health Systems, Inc. (Community Health or the Company) (NYSE: CYH). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether Community Health and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On June 19, 2024, Community Health issued a press release provid[ing] an update on the planned divestiture of two North Carolina hospitals[.] The press release stated that [o]n June 18, 2024, Novant Health, Inc., a North Carolina non-profit corporation (Novant), informed [Community Health] that Novant has decided not to move forward with the acquisition of two North Carolina hospitals. The transactions were contemplated by an Asset Purchase Agreement dated February 28, 2023 (as amended, the Purchase Agreement), by and among Novant and certain subsidiaries of the Company[.] The press release further stated that Novants decision follows a ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which issued a temporary injunction blocking the sale to Novant Health, pending final resolution of an appeal by the Federal Trade Commission. The injunction prevented completion of the transaction until the Court of Appeals decides whether to uphold or overturn a previous District Court decision that allowed the sale to proceed.

On this news, Community Healths stock price fell $0.33 per share, or 9.48%, to close at $3.15 per share on June 20, 2024.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
NEW YORK, June 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Brookfield Business Partners L.P. (Brookfield or the Company) (NYSE: BBU). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether Brookfield and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

In April 2022, Brookfield purchased CDK Global (CDK), a provider of software to car dealerships, for $6.41 billion. Then, on June 19, 2024, CDK announced that it was investigating a cyber incident and had shut down all of its systems proactively, significantly disrupting operations at car dealerships across the U.S. and Canada. CDK subsequently acknowledged that it had been the victim of a cyberattack and that its systems were hacked a second time as it tried to restore services.

On this news, Brookfields unit price fell $2.19 per unit, or 11.13%, over the following two trading sessions, to close at $17.49 per unit on June 21, 2024.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Press release

Market update

Agreement reached on financial restructuring terms

between the Company and a group of banks and bondholders

Significant milestone towards reaching a final restructuring agreement by July

Main terms of Atos financial restructuring plan:

Contribution of 233 million by way of a capital increase with preferential subscription right, 75 million of which is backstopped by the bondholders participating to the new financings (described below) in cash and 100 million is backstopped by the Participating Creditors by debt equitization

Equitization of 2.8 billion of Atos financial debt (plus accrued and unpaid interests), bringing the total amount of converted debt into equity to 2.9 billion

Net indebtedness reduced by circa 3.1 billion in line with the objective of a BB credit profile by 2026, which assumes a financial leverage 1 of circa 2x by year-end 2026

of circa 2x by year-end 2026 Contribution between 1.5 billion to 1.675 billion in new secured financings (new money debt), allocated equally between bank creditors and bondholders of Atos

Implementation of the proposed financial restructuring plan will result in massive dilution of Atos existing shareholders

Existing shareholders will be able to participate in the contemplated share capital increases

Re-opening of syndication period for interim financing (additional tranches of 225 million and 350 million) to 3 July 2024, 1:00pm (Paris time)

Opening of the syndication period for new secured financings of between 1.5 billion and 1.675 billion as of today

Paris, France  June 30, 2024  Atos SE (Atos or the Company) announces today that it has reached an agreement on the main terms of a financial restructuring plan (the Agreement) with a group of banks and bondholders of the Company.

The Board of Directors of Atos has concluded, under the aegis of the Conciliator, that this Agreement is consistent with the financial parameters outlined by the Company. It provides for the conclusion of a binding lock-up agreement2 between the Company and a group of banks and bondholders and the other financial creditors willing to support the Agreement during the week of July 8, 2024, enabling the opening of a dedicated accelerated procedure3 from the week of July 22 and a targeted effective completion of all restructuring operations by the end of 2024.

The Agreement also provides for the preservation of the Groups perimeter, subject to the conclusion of ongoing negotiations (i) with the French State for the disposal of the Advanced Computing, Mission-Critical Systems and Cybersecurity Products activities of Atos SEs BDS (Big Data & Cybersecurity) division, and (ii) with Alten for the disposal of Worldgrid.

The Agreement is posted today on the Atos website and is accessible via the following link: https://atos.net/en/investissors.

The Company will now be working with all the relevant parties involved with a view to finalizing the contractual documentation formalizing the Agreement, including the lock-up agreement.

As indicated in its previous communications, the Company reminds that the implementation of the contemplated financial restructuring plan will result in massive dilution for existing Atos shareholders, who should, if they do not participate in the envisaged share capital increases, hold less than 0.1% of the share capital.

Main terms of the financial restructuring plan

The Agreement is consistent with the key financial parameters outlined by the Company in April and aligns with the interest of the Companys stakeholders, particularly its employees and clients.

It shall enable the Company to have a stronger capital structure through:

A rights issue with maintenance of the preferential subscription rights for existing shareholders, for an amount of 233 million, at a reduced subscription price compared to the Equitization Capital Increases (to the extent legally permissible), with 75 million in cash backstopped by bondholders participating in the new financings (described below) and 100 million backstopped by the creditors participating in the new financings (the Participating Creditors) by set off against the portion of their respective debts (the Rights Issue), any cash proceeds resulting from the subscription to this Rights Issue will be kept in full by the Company for the purpose of financing its business operations;





If the 100 million backstop by set-off against their respective debts provided by the Participating Creditors in the Rights Issue is not called up in full, the amount remaining to be subscribed shall be equitized on terms similar to those for the Rights Issue, through a capital increase without preferential subscription right reserved to them (with, if applicable 4 , a priority period (delai de priorite) for the benefit of existing shareholders), by way of debt equitization (the  Potential Capital Increase ). Participating Creditors will also have the option to fund, as part of the Potential Capital Increase, an additional amount of cash up to 75 million (the Optional Additional Equity);

, a priority period (delai de priorite) for the benefit of existing shareholders), by way of debt equitization (the  ). Participating Creditors will also have the option to fund, as part of the Potential Capital Increase, an additional amount of cash up to 75 million (the Optional Additional Equity); The equitization of 2.8 billion (in addition to the 100 million previously equitized) of Atos financial debt increased by the amount of accrued and unpaid interests due to Atos financial creditors as from the opening of the accelerated safeguard procedure, through two share capital increases without preferential subscription right, one reserved to the Participating Creditors (with, if applicable5, a priority period (delai de priorite) for the benefit of existing shareholders), the other reserved to creditors not participating in the new financing (the Non-Participating Creditors) (with, if applicable6, a priority period (delai de priorite) for the benefit of existing shareholders) (the Equitization Capital Increases). The Equitization Capital Increase reserved to Non-Participating Creditors will be offered on less favorable conditions than the one offered to Participating Creditors. Any cash proceeds resulting from the subscription by existing shareholders to these Equitization Capital Increases under their priority rights will be used in full to repay the Companys relevant unsecured financial creditors at par value in due proportion;

(together the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases)

A contribution between 1.5 billion and 1.675 billion of new secured financings (new money debt) (depending on the amount of cash subscriptions to the Rights Issue and of the Optional Additional Equity as part of the Potential Capital Increase) to be subscribed in equivalent proportions by (i) the bank creditors holding at the Record Date (as defined below) debt under the 1.5 billion term loan A maturing in January 2025 and the 900 million revolving credit facility maturing in November 2025 (the Loans) and (ii) the bondholders holding at the Record Date bonds issued by Atos maturing in 2024, 2025, 2026, 2028 and 2029 (the Bonds).





The aim of these transactions is to secure the Groups future financial equilibrium, with a reduction in net debt by circa 3.1 billion, that should enable the Company to achieve its target to regain a BB credit rating profile by 2026.

These transactions will guarantee minimum liquidity amount of 1.1 billion until December 31, 2026.

Changes in shareholder structure following the completion of the financial restructuring expected by 2024 year-end / Q1 2025

Following the completion of the financial restructuring transactions described above, the Company emphasizes that Atos financial creditors will become the Companys main shareholders.

The Agreement also provides the possibility for the entry of a potential anchor investor as part of the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases.

Pursuant to the Agreement, if:

a) No existing shareholder subscribes to the Rights Issue;

b) No existing shareholder subscribes to any of the other Financial Restructuring Capital Increases during the priority period (delai de priorite) (if any), and

c) Only the financial creditors supporting the Agreement subscribe to the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases under their respective backstop commitments,





the ownership percentages would be, according to the principles set out in the Agreement and the valuations adopted by the parties, as follows:

for the Companys existing shareholders, below 0.1% following completion of all the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases;

for the Companys financial creditors, circa 99.9% upon completion of all the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases.

Assuming that all existing shareholders subscribe to the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases,

the ownership percentages7 would be, according to the principles set out in the Agreement and the valuations adopted by the parties, as follows:

for the Company's existing shareholders, circa 25.9% upon completion of all the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases;

for the Company's financial creditors, circa 74.1% upon completion of all the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases.

Existing shareholders (for their current shareholding) Existing shareholders (for the shares subscribed under the 233 million Rights Issue) Financial creditors 100% participation in the 233 million Rights Issue8 0.05% 25.83% 74.12% 0% participation in the 233 million Rights Issue 0.06% - 99.94%

In view of the dilution expected to result from the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases, the Board of Directors of the Company will, on a voluntary basis pursuant to Article 261-3 of the AMF General Regulation, appoint an independent expert to issue an opinion on the financial restructuring. The independent expert will assess the financial conditions of the financial restructuring for shareholders and issue a report containing a fairness opinion that will be made available to shareholders.

It is specified that the banks and the bondholders of the Company do not intend to act in concert together.

Following the Financial Restructuring Capital Increases, the Company will remain uncontrolled.

Conditions precedent and implementation of the Agreement

The implementation of the financial restructuring remains subject to the fulfilment of several conditions precedent, including in particular:

Finalization and conclusion of the long form financial restructuring documentation, including the accelerated safeguard plan;

Approval by the AMF of the securities note (note doperations) relating to the contemplated share capital transactions;

Receipt of a report from an independent expert confirming that the terms of the proposed financial restructuring (including in relation to the share capital increases) are fair from a financial perspective in accordance with the AMF General Regulation, as customary for transactions of this nature;

Judgment of the specialized Commercial Court of Nanterre (Tribunal de Commerce specialise de Nanterre) approving the accelerated safeguard plan implementing the definitive financial restructuring agreement; and

Obtaining regulatory approvals, if applicable9.





Re-opening of syndication period for interim financing (additional tranches of 225 million and 350 million) to July 3rd,2024

Following its press release dated June 20, 2024 and as part of its interim financing process, Atos today announces the re-opening of the syndication period for the additional tranches of 225 million and 350 million of facilities (with a reallocation of banks participations within the factoring program of 75 million) from June 30, 2024 to July 3rd, 2024 at 1.00 p.m. Paris time.

The agreement on such additional tranches of facilities remains subject to a waiver from the banks under the 1.5 billion term loan of the Company and to an amendment to the Facilities previously provided by a group of bondholders.

The Company reminds that the following are invited to participate in the additional tranches of 225 million and 350 million of facilities and the 75 million factoring program:

All the holders of the following notes as at June 14, 2024, after close of market (the  Record Date ) (the  Bondholders ): 2024 Exchangeable Notes: 500 million of zero per cent. exchangeable bonds due 6 November 2024, issued pursuant to terms and conditions dated 6 November 2019 admitted to clearing under number ISIN: FR0013457942; 2025 Notes: 750 million 1.75 per cent. bonds due 7 May 2025, issued pursuant to a prospectus dated 5 November 2018 admitted to clearing under number ISIN: FR0013378452; 2026 Notes: 50 million NEU MTN (Negotiable European Medium-Term Note) due 17 April 2026, issued pursuant to the 600,000,000 Negotiable European Medium-Term Note program admitted to clearing under number ISIN: FR0125601643; 2028 Notes: 350,000,000 2.50 per cent. bonds due 7 November 2028, issued pursuant to a prospectus dated 5 November 2018 admitted to clearing under number ISIN: FR0013378460; 2029 Notes: 800 million 1.00 per cent. sustainability-linked bonds due 12 November 2029, issued pursuant to a prospectus dated 10 November 2021 admitted to clearing under number ISIN: FR0014006G24;

) (the  ):

All the lenders under the following credit facilities as at the Record Date (the  Banks ): Term loan A: 1.5 billion term loan facility agreement dated July 2022 maturing in January 2025; RCF: 900 million revolving facility agreement dated November 2014 maturing in November 2025.





):

The additional tranche of 225 million of revolving credit facility (to be drawn shortly after close of syndication) will be allocated between Banks and Bondholders as follows:

125 million to be provided by Banks;

100 million to be provided by Bondholders.

The additional tranche of 350 million of revolving credit facility (to be drawn by end of July, subject, inter alia, to signing of a lock-up agreement in respect of the financial restructuring and the entry into a dedicated accelerated procedure10) will be allocated between Banks and Bondholders as follows:

175 million to be provided by Banks;

175 million to be provided by Bondholders.

As part of the reduction of the factoring program agreed in principle to 75 million, the participation in this program will be reallocated among the Banks with effect shortly after the closing of the syndication.

All the Banks and Bondholders willing to participate in these additional tranches of 225 million and 350 million of facilities and in the 75 million factoring program are invited to formalize their commitment by filling-in the following form by July 3rd, 2024 at 1.00 p.m Paris time via: https://forms.kroll.com/orbeon/fr/is/atos-form/new?form-version=1.

Banks and Bondholders who have already participated and completed their form will be able to modify their response form by July 3rd, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. Paris time. To this end, Banks and Bondholders willing to modify their earlier response are invited to contact Kroll to have their initial form deleted. They will then be able to formalize a new commitment by filling-in a new form via the same link: https://forms.kroll.com/orbeon/fr/is/atos-form/new?form-version=1.

Following its press release dated June 20, 2024, Bondholders willing to participate in the additional tranches of 225 million and 350 million of facilities will have to provide proof of holding as at the Record Date to Kroll and to sign a cooperation agreement.

Information concerning the additional tranches of 225 million and 350 million of facilities and the 75 million factoring program to be provided (including a new version of the agreement between the Company and its financial creditors) is accessible on the following website: https://deals.is.kroll.com/atos.

Opening of the syndication period for New Secured Financings of between 1.5 billion and 1.675 billion as of today

As announced in its press release of June 13, 2024 and in connection with the provision of secured new money debt under the Agreement in an amount from 1.5 billion to 1.675 billion in the form of new secured financings (the New Secured Financings) as well as 75 million in the form of backstop in cash of the Rights Issue (the Equity Financings Backstop, together with the New Secured Financings, the New Financings), Atos announces today the opening of a first syndication period for the New Financings.

Are invited to participate in the New Financings all the Bondholders and Banks as at the Record Date.

The New Secured Financings will be allocated between the Banks and the Bondholders as follows:

between 750 million and 837.5 million by the Banks (including between 250 million and 337.5 million in the form of term loans, 250 million in RCF and 250 million in bank guarantees);

between 750 million and 837.5 million by Bondholders in the form of a new bond issue.

Equity Financings Backstop may only be subscribed by Bondholders (for the avoidance of doubt, the Optional Additional Equity will be open to all Bondholders and Banks). Bondholders willing to participate in the New Secured Financings will be required to participate in the Equity Financings for an equivalent proportion.



For Bondholders, syndication of the New Financings will be carried out as follows;

until July 3 r d , 2024 at 1.00 p.m. Paris time, Bondholders have the option: to subscribe, pro rata to their Bonds holdings at the Record Date, to the New Secured Financings allocated to Bondholders and to backstop, for an equivalent proportion, the subscription to the Equity Financings; to underwrite, pro rata to their Bonds holding at the Record Date, the portion of New Secured Financings allocated to Bondholders not subscribed at the end of the syndication period.

, 2024 at 1.00 p.m. Paris time, Bondholders have the option: for a period of ten business days following the signature of the lock-up agreement, Bondholders will have the opportunity to subscribe, pro rata only to their Bonds holding at the Record Date, to the New Secured Financings allocated to Bondholders.

For the Banks, syndication of New Equity Financings will be carried out as follows:

until July 5, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Paris time, the Banks have the option of backstopping, underwriting and contributing all or part of the New Secured Financings allocated to the Banks (i.e. up to 837.5 million);

for a period of ten business days following signature of the lock-up agreement, the Banks that did not participate in the first phase will be able to subscribe to the New Secured Financings, within the limit of their pro rata only to their Loans holdings at the Record Date allocated to Banks.

All Banks and Bondholders wishing to participate and backstopping the subscription to this New Financings under the conditions set out above are invited to formalize, by July 3rd, 2024 1.00 p.m. Paris time in respect of the Bondholders and by July 5, 2025 11:59 p.m. Paris time in respect of the Banks, their commitment by completing the following form: https://forms.kroll.com/orbeon/fr/is/atos-form-backstop/new?form-version=1.

A new syndication period will be opened after signature of the lock-up agreement to allow all Bondholders and Banks to participate in these financings on a pro rata basis.

Bondholders wishing to participate in these New Financings will be required to provide Kroll with proof of their ownership as at the Record Date and to sign a cooperation agreement.

The terms and conditions of the New Financings are set out in the Agreement published on the Companys website. Further information concerning the New Financing will be available to Banks and Bondholders via the following website: https://deals.is.kroll.com/atos.

Next steps

As indicated in its press release of June 26, 2024, the Company expects that:

The lock-up agreement allowing all financial creditors to support the proposed restructuring plan would be expected during the week starting July 8; and

The accession to the lock-up agreement would be open from the week starting July 8 to the week ending July 22.

The definitive financial restructuring agreement with the financial creditors would then be implemented through a dedicated accelerated procedure11 from the week starting July 22.

The restructuring operations will then be implemented during the second half of 2024 with a view to effective completion by the end of 2024 / Q1 2025.

*

Atos SE confirms that information that could be qualified as inside information within the meaning of Regulation No. 596/2014 of 16 April 2014 on market abuse and that may have been given on a confidential basis to its financial creditors has been published to the market, either in the past or in the context of this press release, with the aim of re-establishing equal access to information relating to the Atos Group between the investors.

***

Disclaimer

This document contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including references, concerning the Groups expected growth and profitability in the future which may significantly impact the expected performance indicated in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are linked to factors out of the control of the Company and not precisely estimated, such as market conditions or competitors behaviors. Any forward-looking statements made in this document are statements about Atoss beliefs and expectations and should be evaluated as such. Forward-looking statements include statements that may relate to Atoss plans, objectives, strategies, goals, future events, future revenues or synergies, or performance, and other information that is not historical information. Actual events or results may differ from those described in this document due to a number of risks and uncertainties that are described within the 2023 Universal Registration Document filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) on May 24, 2024 under the registration number D.24-0429. Atos does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation or responsibility to update or amend any of the information above except as otherwise required by law.

This document does not contain or constitute an offer of Atoss shares for sale or an invitation or inducement to invest in Atoss shares in France, the United States of America or any other jurisdiction. This document includes information on specific transactions that shall be considered as projects only. In particular, any decision relating to the information or projects mentioned in this document and their terms and conditions will only be made after the ongoing in-depth analysis considering tax, legal, operational, finance, HR and all other relevant aspects have been completed and will be subject to general market conditions and other customary conditions, including governance bodies and shareholders approval as well as appropriate processes with the relevant employee representative bodies in accordance with applicable laws.

About Atos

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 94,000 employees and annual revenue of c.  11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 69 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), and listed on Euronext Paris.

The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

Contacts

Investor relations: David Pierre-Kahn | investors@atos.net | +33 6 28 51 45 96

Individual shareholders: 0805 65 00 75

Press contact: globalprteam@atos.net

1 Ratio net debt pre-IFRS16 over EBITDA pre-IFR16; EBITDA computed as OMDA pre-IFRS16 minus anticipated RRI (restructuring, rationalization, integration) costs and other changes.

2 The contractual documentation will comprise in particular a lock-up agreement, which is an agreement under the terms of which the signatories undertake to support and carry out any steps or actions reasonably necessary for the implementation and completion of the Companys financial restructuring. This agreement makes it possible to secure the support of restructuring stakeholders who are not directly involved in the discussions.

3 The Company may request the opening of accelerated safeguard proceedings  whose effects would be limited to financial creditors and shareholders only  with the sole view to implement and obtain a Court approval on the terms of the financial restructuring plan agreed in the lock-up agreement. The accelerated safeguard proceedings would concern only the financial indebtedness of Atos and would not impact in any way suppliers, employees, the governance of the Company, or other creditors of the Company or its subsidiaries.

4 If the shareholders vote against the proposed accelerated safeguard plan. If the existing shareholders subscribe to the Potential Capital Increase within the priority period (delai de priorite), under the conditions of Article L.22-10-51 of the French commercial code, the new shares would be subscribed at the same price as those to be subscribed by the Participating Creditors in the Potential Capital Increase.

5 If the shareholders vote against the proposed accelerated safeguard plan. If the existing shareholders subscribe to the Equitization Capital Increases within the priority period (delai de priorite), under the conditions of Article L.22-10-51 of the French commercial code, the new shares would be subscribed at the same price as those to be subscribed by the Participating Creditors or the Non-Participating Creditors (as the case may be) in the Equitization Capital Increases.

6 See footnote 5.

7 On a fully diluted basis.

8 On a fully diluted basis (including the full exercise of the option to inject EUR 75m in cash as part of the Potential Capital Increase).

9 Ongoing analysis by the parties of the need to obtain any potential regulatory approvals required to implement the contemplated transactions.

10 See footnote 3

11 See footnote 3

Attachment
SAN FRANCISCO, June 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 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, 2024

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: July 1, 2024

Website: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/gl

Contact An Attorney Now: GL@hbsslaw.com Phone: 844-916-0895

Globe 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 AILs 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 AILs 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.



Were 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 firms investigation, submit your losses now 

If youd 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.
Even Budapest upgrade may not end Aston Martin slump

A return to form could be a long way off for the struggling Aston Martin team, lead driver Fernando Alonso has admitted.

Fernando Alonso, Austrian GP 2024

 Aston Martin Racing

Last year, the rapidly developing and investing team stunned with Alonso's early sequence of podiums - but around P15 has been the Spaniard's level this weekend in Austria.

It's going to be the same at Silverstone, he said at the Red Bull Ring.

I know I'm being a bit repetitive, because we've been saying it for several races now, but F1 is like that. You have to talk to the media on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and it becomes a mess, because you always repeat the same thing.

The 42-year-old says his engineers have been working hard to find more pace and better handling via setup.

We made some changes but we see that it doesn't change. It's not a setup problem, it's a car problem, said Alonso.

As I said in Spain, we have understood the direction a little, but we have to face this triple (header) of races so there has been no time to do anything. We have to suffer.

Alonso even suggested Aston Martin's current slump could last until after the summer break.

We're going to bring something to Budapest, but I don't think we're focusing on Budapest, we're focusing on the whole year, he said. "We don't know if it's going to be the definitive solution.

We're working hard, since the sprint race finished we changed the car from top to bottom - the mechanics didn't even have time to eat.

Alonso says his own situation has been made even worse in Austria because the engine in the rear of his green car is on its last legs.

We have to do one more race with this engine, others the numbers won't add up for 24 races, he said. We can change it here and be P14 instead of P15, but it's one of the worst races so we're trying to use the worst engine.

(GMM)
Ferrari careful before announcing Newey deal says Elkann

Ferrari is being "careful" before definitively deciding or announcing that Adrian Newey will join the Maranello based team.

Charles Leclerc, Austrian GP 2024

 Ferrari

That was the coy message given by Ferrari chairman John Elkann in a new interview with Corriere della Sera newspaper, amid rumours departing Red Bull technical guru Newey might actually end up at Aston Martin.

It is widely believed that Newey, 65, has at least signed some sort of pre-agreement with Ferrari, but the Briton is also suddenly linked with Aston Martin or even a return to McLaren.

When Elkann was asked about the rumours, he hinted that a definitive deal is not yet done.

There are many evaluations and you have to be careful, he told the Italian publication. "The right moment must be found in which to do things like this, as happened with (Lewis) Hamilton.

"With Lewis there was a convergence of intent that allowed us to work together. So there are many possibilities, Newey or others, but you have to carefully evaluate whether the conditions are there.

We need to understand the level of motivation and the ability to create new things rather than replicate others, Elkann insisted.

(GMM)
Haas admits Magnussen could be replaced for 2025

Kevin Magnussen says his team boss at Haas is being very open about the fact that talks with alternative drivers for 2026 are currently taking place.

Kevin Magnussen, Austrian GP 2024

 Haas

Rookie Oliver Bearman appears definitely set to make his Formula 1 debut with the small American team next year, but Haas may also replace Magnussen - with Alpine refugee Esteban Ocon believed to be at the top of the list.

Long-time team driver Magnussen, 31, says he appreciates that new boss Ayao Komatsu is being open about the situation.

I feel that I can trust him, said the Dane. "He does not hide that he also talks to other drivers. He's open about it and I appreciate that a lot because I've had bosses in the past who told me bullsh*t.

So I talk to him about my own potential future team as well, he added. I value openness, and then we'll see what happens.

For his part, Komatsu confirmed that it is important to him to be transparent with his drivers.

It's the least I can do, said the Japanese, because he also has other offers. He needs to be able to make his decisions with the best information.

Magnussen has had a couple of forced pauses to his long Formula 1 career in the past, but he says he is handling the prospect of life beyond the paddock with much more maturity this time around.

If I'm not in Formula 1, I don't feel like it's going to be a bad life at all, he said. "On the contrary, I feel the opposite. There is a big cost to being in Formula 1, and sometimes I question whether it is worth it.

After ten years in the sport without quite getting there, it might be getting monotonous, added Magnussen, hinting that he might have opportunities in other top categories like WEC or Indycar.

Fortunately, things also happen outside of Formula 1, he said. I've been part of it a few times when I wasn't in F1. It's a great life, and it pulls me in a bit.

(GMM)
Latest upgrade hammering Ferrari with porpoising

Mid-season in 2024, Ferrari is being 'hammered' by the recurrence of a nasty aerodynamic phenomenon - porpoising.

Charles Leclerc, Austrian GP 2024

 Ferrari

Most teams, including the Maranello-based outfit, had largely solved the issue that suddenly emerged with the debut of new ground effect rules in 2022.

But Ferrari's latest major upgrade means the issue is back again.

The car bouncing was the most annoying surprise of the weekend which also really bothers the drivers in the high-speed corners, admitted team boss Frederic Vasseur in Austria.

We've fixed it a bit even if it is not fixed enough, the Frenchman added.

Carlos Sainz, who has been behind Max Verstappen's Red Bull, the McLarens and even the Mercedes for the majority of the weekend, said Ferrari has attempted to minimise the bouncing via car setup.

We are trying to change the car a little to see if we can get rid of this phenomenon that has hammered us a little here, but also in Barcelona. We are suffering a lot with it, the Spaniard told DAZN.

Maybe I have managed to make the car faster, but I have suffered quite a bit with the bouncing and have had a couple of big scares.

Sainz admits the issue has cost Ferrari quite a bit in terms of performance.

We cannot lower the car as much as we would like to because otherwise we have the bouncing again, he said. "This in turn affects the top speed.

All of this is related to the new parts that we have had on the car since Spain, Sainz admitted. "But in turns 7 and 9 here, we lose a tenth of a second per corner to Max.

"We are already working flat out on a solution, as we can see that the upgrades work everywhere where we don't get the bouncing. But if you are so busy keeping the bouncing under control, you lose in certain sections what you have gained in others with the new parts.

None of this is ideal, he said, but I am confident that we will have it under control by Silverstone at the latest.

(GMM)
Wolff comes clean about Hamilton, Marko and Jos

Toto Wolff has opened up about three of his most fascinating relationships in Formula 1 - with Lewis Hamilton, with his fellow Austrian and key rival Dr Helmut Marko, and with Max Verstappen's father Jos.

Toto Wolff, Christian Horner, Austrian GP 2024

 Red Bull'

Relations between the Mercedes boss and Hamilton have been clearly strained in 2024, amid wild sabotage theories following the seven time world champion's shock decision to move to Ferrari next year.

What was painful is that I didn't have time to react, Wolff said, referring to the way he heard the news about 39-year-old Hamilton's decision.

It was actually the same day as the announcement. It was clear that it leaked from Ferrari. It all happened on the same day, he told Sky Deutschland.

Wolff said he knew the last one-plus-one contract extension Hamilton signed could be the precursor to a team move, but the way the news emerged did not give me enough time to do some stakeholder management, to call our sponsors and shareholders to explain what was going on .

But I think of the motto 'work hard, forgive quickly, apologise if you're wrong'. And the personal relationship with Lewis certainly doesn't suffer, Wolff insisted. I've come to terms with his choice now.

In a separate interview with Osterreich newspaper, however, Wolff vehemently denied the charge of the recently-leaked sabotage email that he is being vindictive in his 2024 dealings with Hamilton.

I am certainly not that, the Austrian insisted. "On the contrary, I am for fairness and I fight for fairness. And I speak to Lewis every day.

He thinks we should take out the negativity as well. He has also experienced much worse abuse before and thinks we should ignore it, Wolff added.

Another of Wolff's F1 relationships that has taken a fascinating turn recently is with Dr Helmut Marko - his Austrian counterpart at key rival Red Bull Racing.

The 52-year-old admits he has gotten closer to Marko, 81, amid the power struggle and conflict at Red Bull this year.

But we talk just as much or as little as we did in the past, Wolff smiled.

What I can see is that the situation there is affecting him that this team no longer has the identity it used to have. I think they wanted this (Christian) Horner story to be handled the way it probably should have been handled - and that didn't happen.

Wolff has also been heavily courting Max Verstappen for a sensational team switch for the Dutchman, which has also brought him closer together with Max's mercurial father Jos.

Jos and I are on the same wavelength and have always had a good relationship, Wolff insists. It was never the case that we didn't have the same mindset. We just had different views and perspectives, he added.

(GMM)
The Matao, Guams senior mens national soccer team, goes against Singapore in the second leg of the FIFA World Cup 26 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Joint Preliminary Qualification Round 1.
Scores of interested folks meandered through the stations of the various divisions of the Guam Department of Agriculture, and many learned that the department is much more than trees and plants.

"This morning we had a lot of signups, a lot of applicants come over...potential applicants and as well as a lot of qualified applicants. Some of our jobs that we have listed goes from a forestry aide to agriculturalists to even coordinator positions like an invasive species coordinator, said Chris Rosario, state entomologist. As a whole, the Department of Agriculture addresses the issues that revolve around natural resources.

Rosario and his team are responsible for identifying dangerous pests that make their way to Guam via plane or ship, learning about invasive species and destroying them if necessary.

All six divisions were represented at the job fair on Saturday, and the display tables took up one empty bay and spilled out into the center court of the Guam Premier Outlets. The six divisions are:

Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources

Forestry and Soil Resources Division

Agricultural Development Services

Law Enforcement Section

Biosecurity Division

Animal Health

We are not a big agency, but as you can see, what we do encompasses a lot, said Christine Fejeran, chief of the Forestry Division. So we are always busy, theres always more work to be done. But at the end of the day, we feel very satisfied about how the work we do helps the community.

Asked which booth has been getting the most traffic, Rosario wanted to say his did. He brought a living beehive and insect displays, with their subjects frozen forever under glass. They were a hit with all the kids, and plenty of adults too.

Because its land, water, air, pets, animals and insects, every division intersects with one or two other divisions. And the applicants were like that. They would visit every booth and come back to the one they wanted to learn more about, he said.

One applicant, 22-year-old Santiago Poppe, said it was nice to see all the opportunities in one area.

You get to talk one on one with all the employers. They have a lot of options here, and they are hiring, said Poppe. At first I showed up here at the forestry booth ... also I want to go and check out the DAWR booth.

Poppe said he built an early connection with the department. Wildfires often came near his home, and he remembers bringing water and drinks to the firefighters on scene. He said that although he isnt sure yet, he knows that his career will have something to do with benefitting the community.

Another popular booth was the one for the law enforcement division, staffed by uniformed conservation officers.

Leilani Leon Guerrero, a civilian volunteer conservation officer reservist and Shian Aricheta, a conservation officer I, fielded several questions from interested applicants about the scope of their work.

She said that of the four openings her department had, most people were interested in the conservation officer apprentice.

With that program, you basically dont need to have any type of experience, but the main qualification is you have to have your drivers license and firearms ID, said Aricheta.
Two years after an explosion destroyed Mangilao staple Oriental Kitchen, the sight of what looks like a rebuild at the old restaurant property may have passing motorists salivating.

A half-finished two-story building now sits on the old restaurant property, and a team of construction workers could be seen at the site Friday morning.

Restaurant owner Bay Zhang said his family still wants to reopen the cafeteria-style restaurant, and still has the recipe for the fried chicken, kimchi noodles, chop steak and other dishes that made it a hit.

I get calls every day, people asking about the kitchen, Zhang said.

But when exactly the restaurant will reopen, and whether it will stay at the Mangilao site where Zhangs aunt and uncle operated it for over 40 years prior to the explosion is still undecided, he said.

Right now, its still up in the air, Zhang said, as the rebuild cost at the old property, beside the Mangilao Mobil, has been very high.

Zhang wouldnt say just how muchconstruction was still ongoing, he notedbut he said his aunt and uncle had basically the minimum possible insurance coverage required to operate the old building legally before the 2022 disaster.

That and the swelling prices in the local construction industry have contributed to a lengthy rebuild time.

According to Zhang, its possible the restaurant could reopen in the same spot. But his family is also considering the possibility of leasing out the old property and opening up shop elsewhere, where the rent is affordable.

Weighing the options

Its a family thing. We have to talk, you know, within the family to see whatever is the most economical way, he said.

Zhang said the decision will also take into account the final prices on the menu. Keeping a small footprint on the restaurant, which was always small anyway, would help pass savings onto customers.

We want to remain small. That way, we can keep the menu price low, affordable to everybody, he said. Nowadays, you cant really get a two-choice or a three-choice without paying an arm and a leg for it.

Theyve been exploring different possible concepts to make that happen.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oriental Kitchen saw success operating drive-thru style, Zhang said. The trend of using modular or container units to open up coffee shops is also something hes been looking into.

After over 40 years in Mangilao, its even possible that Oriental Kitchen opens up in a different village, if the price is right.

All that will depend on what the final cost for construction is, according to Zhang. When that construction will be finalized remains to be seen, as they still have to clear a number of government permits.

But one thing that Zhang doesnt plan to change is whos whipping up food in the back kitchen.

All the cooks...even though now theyre into their 70s, its still gonna come from them. So the taste is going to be the same, he said.

But first, the business side of the house will have to be sorted out.

The restaurant owners say they want to come back and do things better than they did before, so they can better serve the community.

Were really appreciative of the support from everybody. Weve been here for years...we want to be back, thats no doubt, because were a part of Guam, Zhang said.

2022 explosion

Just before midnight on Feb. 23, 2022, a huge boom shook the village of Mangilao.

Zhang got a call in the middle of the night from an unknown number, and the caller told him that his restaurant was on fire.

Rubble and concrete from the restaurant were thrown out onto the sidewalk and the street.

The Mangilao Mobil gas station, which sits about 200 yards from Oriental Kitchen, was evacuated.

In the coming weeks, a Guam Fire Department investigation would determine that a buildup of liquid petroleum gas, either from a leaking gas line or appliance fitting, had caused the explosion that blew out the walls of the restaurant.

But GFD at the time the initial details were released, had not determined what ignited the gas.

What remained of the old restaurant had to be demolished.

Zhang, who was called in for questioning after the explosion, said he still hasnt received a definite answer about the cause more than two years later.

Thats something that we dont know. We still dont know, he said Friday.

The Pacific Daily News did inquire with GFD about the results of the investigation, and was awaiting any further details as of press time Friday. GFD spokesperson Lt. Nick Garrido said he was working with the Fire Prevention Bureau, and awaiting a response.

It was kind of shocking for me and my aunt and the family, Zhang said. Were still trying to kind of go through the process and figure out what went down and how did it all happen.




Haiti - Education : Minister Augustin Antoine meets the DDEs of the Great North





Friday June 28, 2024, Augustin Antoine the Minister of National Education held a meeting in Vaudreuil, not far from Cap-Haitien, with the Departmental Directors of Education (DDE) of the North, North-West, North-East, from the Center and from Artibonite, who were accompanied by several of their deputies and executives



During this meeting, Minister Augustin Antoine presented the main orientations of the Ministry in accordance with the Government's roadmap. But, beyond these strategic framing elements, the Minister focused mainly on the organization of state exams and preparations for the next school year.



For the first point, he reminded the Directors of the need to finalize the candidate registration process, as well as the examination budget. Other interventions were devoted to the logistics of taking official tests, staff management (center managers, invigilators, correctors) and the protocol for correcting copies.



On each aspect of this large-scale operation, the departmental directors detailed what has been done and what remains to be done in order to guarantee the smooth running of these examinations while requesting more substantial financial support from the Ministry.



As for the next school year, Augustin asked the DDEs to submit as quickly as possible to the General Directorate of the Ministry via the Coordination Unit of departmental education directorates, a report on the operating state of municipal, national and high schools for better planning for the start of the school year.



"By mutual agreement, as the main actors in the governance of this sector, we have agreed to work tirelessly to make public schools benchmarks [...] We must restore the authority of the school [...]" declared the Minister, evoking the duty of every Haitian to spare the school from crises which seriously affect the teaching-learning process.



After the DDEs of the Great North, Minister Antoine Augustin intends to meet, shortly, the DDEs of the Great South.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Agricuture : Minister Joseph discusses cooperation with IICA





Thursday June 27, 2024, for more than an hour, Vernet Joseph the Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development accompanied by 4 members of his cabinet, spoke at his office with Rachelle Pierre Louis, the Acting Representative in Haiti of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) who was accompanied by 2 executives from his institution.



Minister Joseph underlined the importance of technical cooperation developed with IICA, whose interventions in Haiti began in 1972. He took the opportunity to recall that this Transitional Government has a clear mandate, and in the short period of time of his mandate, he will have to lay the foundations for the development of Haiti. Stressing that the support of Partners external to the agricultural sector such as IICA is of capital importance.



In her intervention, Rachelle Pierre Louis, Acting Representative of IICA in Haiti, summarized the main lines of the IICA Medium-Term Plan 2022-2026 focused on five technical programs of continental action:



1) Bioeconomy and productive development;

2) Development of the territory and family farming;

3) International trade and regional integration;

4) Climate change, natural resources and production risk management;

5) Agricultural health, food safety and quality. She also mentioned two cross-cutting areas of intervention: (a) Innovation and technology and (b) Gender and youth.



The Representative took the opportunity to insist on the establishment of strategic and technological monitoring in order to reflect on the major challenges of the agricultural sector in Haiti.



The discussions also focused on the joint initiative of IICA and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), through a project to strengthen the climate resilience of small Haitian agricultural producers, submitted to the Green Climate Fund for financing. The Acting Representative of IICA highlighted the need for co-financing, taking into account the scale of the action, to achieve the project's objectives. Minister Joseph is committed to supporting any approach to seeking additional funding.



While thanking IICA for its constant and fruitful collaboration, the Minister took certain steps to follow up on the meeting, announcing the appointment of a Ministry official responsible for liaising with IICA.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















iciHaiti - Politic : The OAS calls on the international community for greater commitment to Haiti





Friday June 28, 2024, Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) during the closing of the 54th regular session of the OAS General Assembly, asked the international community for greater commitment towards Haiti, which is facing an unprecedented crisis marked by gang violence.



Almagro acknowledged that achieving the restoration of Peace in Haiti "will take time", emphasizing, a work that begins with the arrival this week of the first contingent of 400 Kenyan soldiers from the Multinational Mission to Support the National Police of Haiti ( PNH) in its fight against armed gangs.



The Secretary General believes that the international community has underestimated the impact of the assassination, in July 2021, of the President of Haiti, Jovenel Moise https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html which subsequently saw the country collapse and armed gangs take control of part of the country.



Recalling "The violence in which Haiti is mired was the subject of an in-depth debate within the OAS, which led to the approval of a resolution promoted by the United States." https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42650-haiti-flash-the-oas-adopts-a-resolution-in-favor-of-haiti-video.html



The document urges countries to provide more support to "enhance the capacity" of Haitian security forces and to provide "immediate" humanitarian assistance to promote the island's socio-economic development and strengthen its stability.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42650-haiti-flash-the-oas-adopts-a-resolution-in-favor-of-haiti-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html



S/ iciHaiti


















The entitled attitude of some drivers has left Adam Lucius fuming.

One car was parked in a patient drop off zone for 12 hours, leaving many, including Adam Lucius furious. Source: Facebook/Supplied

I wasn't sick before I visited my local hospital this week  but I was by the time I left. The selfishness of some people left a taste in my mouth so bitter no medicine could cure it.

And it all came down to the lack of fair and equitable sharing of free car parking spaces at the Northern Beaches Hospital.

My interest in this subject was piqued - or, more to the point, renewed - following a complaint by a fed-up carer.

They accused patients of parking their cars for up to 12 hours in the five-minute emergency drop-off zone near the front doors in a post in a local Facebook group.

The car was still there many hours later. Source: Facebook

As a result, others who wished to use the bay were forced into the seven-storey carpark where getting from your vehicle to the Emergency Department can turn a short walk into a painful shuffle.

It seems - if you believe the complaint - the cost of hospital parking could literally become a matter of life and death.

The unimpressed local wrote of their frustration on a community page saying: "It sucked for everyone else that was trying to drop off a sick passenger that was in need for emergency care (with) four other 'long stay' vehicles taking up all the other spots.

The area is clearly marked as a drop off zone only. Source: Supplied

"If you can't safely walk 50 metres from the parking station, you probably shouldn't have driven there - consider an Uber or ambo next time.

"Might be time for a traffic management plan for the hospital - it ain't working."

The post drew both condemnation and congratulations.

Some pointed out critics don't know what condition the driver was in when he/she pulled up and leaving your car more than five minutes is the least of your concerns if it's a genuine emergency.

Another said: "Ive seen heaps of families or single car users with no problems and using it because they are lazy and dont want to pay for parking."

A few selfish people make the lives of many visiting the Northern Beaches Hospital much more difficult. Source: Google Maps/Supplied

Picking up family member sparks fury

I've been there, done that at this hospital when trying to pick up a family member following overnight surgery.

The only thing you pick up is a bad case of the s**ts going around and around and around waiting for a vacant spot to open up as selfish drivers go about their business inside.

So, it was time to dig a little deeper.

Is the system being rorted by the selfish or are there really that many people in need of urgent medical attention they drive straight to the hospital and take up one of these bays for hours after being rushed into Emergency?

Or perhaps it is another example of the cost-of-living squeeze where every dollar saved is so vital it's worth potentially putting others at risk?

Is the hospital parking lot too expensive for patients?

Healthscope, which owns and runs NBH, failed to respond to Yahoo News Australia's queries about the parking controversy, so I took it upon myself to check it out.

In the two hours I spent at NBH this week, the same five cars occupied the same five emergency bays the entire time I was there.

There was not a single driver to be seen.

There is parking in nearby streets, but it's not easy to come by. Source: Supplied

That's despite it being clearly marked a drop-off zone only, with drivers warned "penalties may apply for unattended vehicles".

I asked a hospital worker if he's ever seen anyone fined for parking there and he looked at me like I'd just asked for a triple bypass, sans anaesthetic.

"Nah, mate. Who's here to book you? Anyway, the fine would probably be cheaper than paying for parking," he said.

Not quite.

The NBH's daily parking rate is $23.30, which is reasonable compared to the cost of a city hospital or the ransom money demanded at airports.

There is also some off-street parking nearby, although you'd be more likely to find a talking dog than a parking spot during peak time.

My conclusion?

Those cheating hospital parkers are in need of an operation to remove their swollen sense of self-entitlement and replace it with decency and honesty.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
That was quick: just a few months after Microsoft introduced the GPT Builder, it is being shut down again. The GPT Builder is part of the subscription to Microsoft's Copilot Pro and Copilot for Microsoft 365 AI services and allows individual chatbots to be configured and conditioned for specific tasks, similar to the GPT Builder from OpenAI/ChatGPT.

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"Copilot Pro" is the subscription that is linked to a simple Microsoft account. The service is independent of an MS 365 subscription and is primarily intended for private users. "Copilot for Microsoft 365", on the other hand, can be added to a Microsoft 365 business account on a user-by-user basis, and Microsoft is actually only switching off the GPT Builder for Copilot Pro users; business customers can continue to use it. This clearly points to product policy rather than technical reasons. This is also how Microsoft's official reasoning can be interpreted in a short FAQ on the subject, which Microsoft links to in a brief letter to all Copilot Pro subscribers:

"We continue to evaluate our strategy for Copilot consumer extensibility and prioritize the most important product experiences while remaining committed to developer opportunities. To that end, we are shifting our focus on GPTs to commercial and enterprise scenarios and halting GPT efforts in Consumer Copilot."

The last sentence is particularly relevant. It can also be translated as "private customers are not that important to us". A look at the official Microsoft roadmap for upcoming Copilot developments also speaks for itself: Copilot Pro is not even listed there as a filterable product; all announcements relate to Copilot for Microsoft 365.

Copilot Pro subscribers must take action

For all subscribers who have built their own GPTs, Microsoft recommends copying the associated configuration instructions by hand (i.e. copy & paste) somewhere else, purely for archiving purposes. From July 10, Microsoft will begin to delete all data irretrievably. In addition to the user-defined GPTs, this will also include all data collected by the GPT Builder.

Microsoft also explains that existing Copilot Pro subscriptions will not be automatically renewed due to the unilateral contract change. They will expire at the end of the next billing period and must be reactivated manually in the Microsoft account. However, this can be done at any time, even after the Copilot Pro subscription has been deactivated.

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TWO former rowers at Leander Club in Henley are to row nearly 1,000km across Mozambique and Zambia.

Former Olympian Stewart Innes and ex-Team GB rower Francis Highton are to take part in the RowZambique 2024 expedition next month.

The 20-day challenge involves rowing 600km of the Zambezi from Tete towards the Indian Ocean and then a 350km row from the HCB Dam across Lake Cahora Bassa, leaving Mozambique and finishing in Zambia.

The event is in aid of Village Water, which funds water, hygiene and sanitation projects and pump rehabilitation in two areas of Zambia and one in Mozambique.

The men, who are both 33, will be part of Row Zambezi Sculling Club, a virtual rowing club comprising rowers from all over the world.

The club was started in 2011 by the family of former Olympic rower Ollie Cook and has organised three previous expeditions.

Mr Highton took part in one with the club in 2018, spending 16 days rowing along the Kafue River in Zambia.

He said: It was a very similar expedition but in a different place. This time it will be the final stretch of the routes they completed in 2011, 2014 and 2018.

It will be about 20 days in total and there is a day in the middle where we travel from the Zambezi to Lake Cahora.

The athletes will row from about 8am to 6pm each day.

Mr Highton said: It will be two hours on and two hours off.

Some days are longer than others. The longest days row is 100km and the shortest is around 30km, which is because of where we can camp. Its not as predictable as the Thames.

You always have to wear something on your feet due to poisonous snakes and its very hot. Youd think thats great for a tan but the UV is so strong you have to cover up all the time.

They will be on constant lookout for danger from wild animals such as hippos, crocodiles and even sharks entering the Zambezi from the Indian Ocean.

Mr Highton said: We will have a guard with a gun but the idea is not to use it but to fire a warning shot first.

We will be constantly moving so if you dont fall in the water or appear weak we should be okay.

The hippos are fast, vicious and territorial so it will be a case of avoiding their paths and territories. At night the rowers will set up camp either on the riverbank or further inland depending on their location.

Mr Highton said: There will always be someone staying awake to ensure we are safe. Last time on a couple of evenings a herd of elephants came past.

You have to stay in the tent and not go out as you could startle them and may seem like an appetising snack to potential predators.

The group will be in three wide coastal-style rowing boats, with three rowers each, with two support boats following.

Mr Highton said: The boats are bigger than your standard boat and are quite heavy and less dynamic but it means they are more stable than a shell. They have extra space for a dry bag with a change of clothes, T-shirt, snacks and water and the support team will be carrying all the camping stuff, food and everything we need.

As a safety precaution, when the rowers stop to switch places, the support crews will ward off potential animal attacks by circling the boats to disturb the water.

Mr Highton said: They have to take a lot into account as its a very isolated location.

There are a lot of safety precautions built into it and trust in the team. There will be a lot of having to work together to ensure we make it through safely. I really enjoyed last time  it was

exhilarating.

The international team comprises rowers of mixed abilities. While some have competed for their countries at international level, others are relative newcomers to the sport.

The expedition is also raising funds to support learn-to-row courses across Zambia and supporting grassroots rowing in the country.

Mr Highton, who is now a geography teacher in Hampton, said that due to his work commitments he had struggled to get out on the water so most of his been training has been done indoors.

He said: A lot of the training has been about endurance and I have been doing a lot of running, swimming and ergo work.

I think my biggest worry will be the blisters.

Mr Highton lived in Henley from 2013 to 2020 and worked part-time as a manager at the Regal Picturehouse Cinema to support himself while rowing.

He said: I loved being a part of Leander and it was a formative part of my life.

Mr Highton said that one of his favourite memories with the club was reaching the final of the Visitors Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in 2014.

For more information or to donate, visit www.rowzambique.com
A MOTHER of a little girl with cerebral palsy is raising money to help pay for her care.

Zoe Quiney, 38, from Whitchurch, is particularly concerned about funding treatment and equipment for two-year-old Delilah after she has turned 18 when they can no longer be accessed via the NHS.

Her daughter was diagnosed with dystonic cerebral palsy when she was one following complications during her birth.

Ms Quiney had hoped to have a home birth but when her labour wasnt progressing properly she was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading where she had an emergency caesarean operation.

Delilah had lost the oxygen and blood supply to her brain and was born unresponsive.

She was taken by ambulance to the neonatal intensive care unit at Portsmouth Hospital to prevent further damage to her organs.

She was kept in for two weeks before she went home so mother and daughter could spend their first proper time together alongside Ms Quineys partner David Price, 34.

Ms Quiney said: I was trying to have a home birth but it was very slow and just wasnt really progressing, so I decided to go into hospital.

I was there for a while waiting to be induced when I was given a massive injection of morphine.

I wasnt sure why at the time but thats when all the complications happened.

I was like, Oh no, somethings wrong and I pulled the emergency cord and it was just a blur after that.

I knew something was wrong but because I was still heavily under anaesthetic I was in this sort of bubble.

When Delilah was a few hours old, she was rushed to Portsmouth Hospital, so we had loads of time when we werent with each other, which was horrible and all very confusing  I was in survival mode.

Delilah was diagnosed with the neurological condition after her mother noticed she was not developing normally.

Ms Quiney said: Youre really excited to have a child, as everyone thinks theyre going to have a perfect birth, and then this happens.

Youre thrust into this world of hospitals and appointments and that anxiety about the future and what its going to be like.

You just want your child to be happy and to take all the hardships away from them but you cant.

I got into this zone of What can I do? and just thought, Im just going to do everything I can.

She is now Delilahs full-time carer as the little girl struggles with eating, speaking, playing and physical movement.

Delilah has physical and speech and language therapy at the PACE centre in Aylesbury, which subsidises the costs to help families. Each month she also has an intensive three-day course in London to help her to create new neural pathways to lessen the effects of her condition.

Ms Quiney said: She has made really good progress. Weve done lots of little things, which we couldnt have done without the fundraiser.

Theres no set progress that you can expect  some kids will stay in a wheelchair forever, some will never talk and some can barely move.

Delilahs condition isnt that severe, apart from not talking and barely being able to walk without support, but we dont know what she will be able to do in future.

Its very clear that the therapies have helped her.

She hopes that by raising money her daughter will be able to attend a specialist school and eventually to be supported in an assisted living facility.

She needs 24/7 support, said Ms Quiney, who also works as a farmer with Mr Price at Tolhurst Organic on the Hardwick Estate.

They have set up an online fundraising page which to date has attracted 9,433 in donations but they need more help. They will keep it running until she turns 18.

Ms Quiney said: Its an ongoing journey so were going to keep pushing because we have only 3,500 of the funding left.

We want to exceed our goal again because there are still loads of therapies that we havent tried yet.

Ms Quiney still breastfeeds her daughter and sleeps next to her in the bed.

She said: I fought really hard to breastfeed because they recommend you to try it but it was really tough initially.

You have come out of surgery and youre not really with it. I couldnt even hold her for five days, so I was pumping and giving her my breast milk. I managed after about a month of trying to get her to latch properly.

It was something I really wanted to do because of how important the nutrients are for her development.

We sleep next to each other in bed because the closeness and the contact is so good for the brain. Its all emotional because we were separated for so long after her birth.

Ms Quiney was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and prescribed with anti-anxiety medication for a short period to help her cope but is now positive about the future.

For ages, I was very angry, she said. I had to do a lot of healing, processing and coming to terms with it. It has taken me until now to come out the other side.

I dont have that anger now and I have accepted that Delilah is beautiful the way she is and that its her journey.

There are people who have it a lot worse and you cant predict the future or control what has happened or is going to happen.

On the positive side, it has enabled me to stay at home with her because I would probably have gone straight back to work.

To make a donation, visit https://tinyurl.com/msbcx2pc
As more renewables enter the Australian energy mix, providers are coming up with cheaper ways for people to charge their electric cars at home.

Tesla owner Ryan is looking to educate Aussies about the increasing benefits of EVs. Source: TikTok/ryanjaycowan

When Ryan Cowan decided to sell his Melbourne home during the Covid pandemic and move to a rural area about 90 minutes outside the Victorian capital, he decided to spend the extra money he saved on an electric vehicle. It was a move he says now saves him about $4,500 a year on fuel and maintenance  and with home charging costs coming down thanks to new schemes from Australian energy providers, the savings are compounding.

"That surprised a lot of people, that we lived out of the city yet opted for an EV, " Ryan told Yahoo News Australia. "But the more kilometres you do, the more it makes financial sense."

While previously working in retail at an Apple store across from a Tesla showroom, he would frequently look out across at the cars before eventually taking the plunge and buying a Model 3, and more recently upgrading to a Tesla Model Y.

Today he makes educational videos about EVs, detailing what really goes into owning and maintaining a battery-powered car.

Ryan believes he's at the front of a wave that's about to crash over Australia. "This is all about to change in my opinion. We're about to see cheaper, more affordable EVs come to the market, including from the likes of Tesla," he said.

Charging Tesla is 'cheaper than snacks at petrol station'

In a perpetual hunt to find the cheapest way to charge his car, Ryan said he's changed energy providers "about eight times in the last few years".

One of his videos from 2022, which racked up more than 20 million views, outlined how it cost about 29 cents a kilowatt hour to charge his Model Y at home. But today, he is able to charge it for as little as 8c/kwh meaning he can get a full battery charge, or 400 kilometres, "for about $4.50".

With Origin, he can completely fill his battery at home for less than $5. Source: TikTok/ryanjaycowan

That's thanks to a new scheme broadly rolled out last month by Aussie energy provider Origin which finds the cheapest time for the battery to pull power from the grid when plugged in at home  and something that is now available to all Tesla owners who are customers with the company.

In one video (as part of a paid deal with Origin), Ryan described a full charge as costing less than "90 per cent off the snacks at a petrol station". Speaking to Yahoo, he noted that while using the plan, his car typically wanted to charge during the day, likely when the grid is awash with solar energy, which is fine as he works from home.

"There are other energy companies that offer [cheap] super off-peak energy charging  the difference is we always had to wait until night to charge," Ryan said.

Cheaper home charging coming for other electric car models

When it comes to Origin's EV 'Power Up' offer, which it promotes as allowing owners to fully charge their EV for less than the price of a coffee, users will need to keep their car plugged in while at home to get the best of the benefits.

Speaking to Yahoo, Brooke Pauwels from Origin's Future Energy team explained users will just need to log into the app, "and if for any reason we cant meet your target level of charge [at the cheaper rate] well send you a notification" and users can decide to charge at a higher rate or not.

It's currently only available for Tesla owners but the company is doing "testing with some other brands at the moment". While there is plenty of hype about fast selling Chinese EV maker BYD in Australia, Brooke said BYD models were not currently being worked on for compatibility with the scheme.

"We're approaching some vehicle manufacturers ... I don't think BYD will be the next one on our list," she said. "But we'd love to have them included in 'Power Up' over time."

As more renewable energy comes online, Aussies can expect more affordable and flexible ways to charge their EVs. "Increasingly you'll see more and more providers offering products that incentivise using energy at times when it's off peak or when there's lots of renewables available in the grid, which is a really good thing," Brooke said.

As noted in the poll above, plenty of Australian still have their apprehensions about electric cars.

"There's still a little bit of negativity ... People are concerned about the batteries and the charging," Ryan admitted to Yahoo.

While the upfront cost has hitherto been somewhat intimidating for many Aussie households, the increasing savings compared to petrol cars should be factored in, advocates argue.

"They are affordable when you don't just look at the sticker price and play out like a 10-year period," Ryan said. "Once that sticker price comes down, that's when it really becomes exciting," he added, noting the influx of more affordable models destined for Australia.

"I think its an exciting time to start thinking about that switch."

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.


By Nidal Al-Mughrabi

Sunday June 30, 2024



Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the central Gaza Strip on Friday, March 15. Abdel Kareem Hana/AP



A senior official of the militant Islamist group Hamas, Osama Hamdan, said on Saturday there has been no progress in ceasefire talks with Israel over the Gaza war.

The Palestinian group is still ready to "deal positively" with any ceasefire proposal that ends the war, Hamdan told a news conference in Beirut.

Hamdan also blamed the United States for applying pressure on Hamas to accept Israel's conditions."Once again, Hamas is ready to deal positively with any proposal that secures a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from Gaza Strip and a serious swap deal," said Hamdan, referring to a potential swap of hostages held in Gaza for Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

When Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7 they killed around 1,200 people and seized more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.



The Israeli offensive in retaliation has so far killed nearly 38,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry, and has left the heavily built-up coastal enclave in ruins.

The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants but officials say most of the dead are civilians. Israel has lost more than 300 soldiers in Gaza and says at least a third of the Palestinian dead are fighters.



Palestinian health officials said Israeli military strikes across the enclave had so far killed at least 35 people and wounded others on Saturday.

The Israeli military on Saturday announced the death of two soldiers killed in combat in northern Gaza, as Israeli forces pressed on with an offensive in the Shejaia neighborhood in Gaza City.

Residents said tanks advanced deeper into several districts including the area around the local market and there was heavy fire from the air and the ground.



The armed wing of Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad reported fierce fighting, saying fighters fired anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs against the forces operating there.

The Israeli military said dozens of Palestinian gunmen were killed over the past two days in close quarters combat and airstrikes in Shejaia, after forces encircled what it described as a civilian area converted by Hamas into a militant compound.

"In the area, the troops located observation posts, weapons, enemy drones and a long-range rocket launcher near the schools," the military said in a statement.

Hamas has denied assertions that it operates in civilian areas such as schools and hospitals.

More than eight months into Israel's air and ground war in Gaza, militants continued to stage attacks on Israeli forces, operating in areas that the Israeli army said it had gained control over months ago.

Israeli leaders have said in the past week that the intense phase of the war is approaching its end, and that the next stage of the offensive will mainly be smaller-scale operations meant to stop Hamas from reassembling.

Meanwhile Israeli forces operating in several districts in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, killed several Palestinians and forced families living in the far western edge of the city along the coastal areas to head northwards, according to Palestinian medical officials and residents.

Israel has said its military operations in Rafah are aimed at eradicating the last armed battalions of Hamas.
All the time and money invested by various companies in artificial intelligence may provide disappointing returns, Goldman Sachs wrote in its recent report titled, Gen AI: Too much to spend, too little benefit? Most of the money being invested into AI technology is actually spent on its infrastructure and hardware, including data centers, the power grid, and chips. (Thinkstock)

Why is AI expensive?

"AI technology is exceptionally expensive, and to justify those costs, the technology must be able to solve complex problems, which it isn't designed to do," the report read, quoting Jim Covello, the head of Global Equity Research at Goldman Sachs.

"In our experience, even basic summarization tasks often yield illegible and nonsensical results," he said in the report.

Also Read: Gujarat government signs MoUs with IBM, Microsoft, and NASSCOM for AI development

Popular examples of this would be when Googles Gemini AI began giving its users odd suggestions, including putting glue on pizza and depicting historically inaccurate imagery.

"The starting point for costs is also so high that even if costs decline, they would have to do so dramatically to make automating tasks with AI affordable," he added.

Why are AI investments so expensive?

Most of the money being invested into AI technology is actually spent on its infrastructure and hardware requirements. This includes data centers, the power grid, and chips.

How much can AI improve productivity?

AI will increase productivity in the U.S.by only 0.5% and promote economic growth by just 0.9% over the next decade, forecasted Daron Acemoglu, a professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Also Read: AI companies race to adapt chatbots to Indias many languages

Acemoglu feels that there will not be a "massive" number of jobs impacted by AI in the near future as he says that a lot of jobs such as those in manufacturing or mining are "multifaceted and require real-world interaction."

He added that it would impact "pure mental tasks" more, but the amount of these jobs will not actually be huge.

Also Read: India needs an extra 1.7-3.6 GW data centre capacity by 2028 due to high demand

However, not all experts quoted in the report are pessimistic, with some telling that while AI technology is expensive today, it will become more affordable in the future, just like any piece of technology in general.
Coca-Cola is closing down its Bottling Investments Group (BIG) under which it manages its Indian as well as global bottling operations, the Economic Times reported, citing an internal company note. HT couldnt independently verify this information. Coca-Cola is closing down its Bottling Investments Group (BIG) under which it manages its Indian as well as global bottling operation (Bloomberg)

When is Coca-Cola's BIG shutting down?

The BIG corporate office will shut down on June 30, with the India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka operations coming under the control of Coca Colas internal board, the Economic Times wrote, citing the note.

Also Read: Indian Railways' 3,776 crore order for goods wagons unfulfilled due to labour unrest

Coca-Cola India's wholly-owned bottling company, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), was controlled by BIG till now. BIG was established in 2006.

What happens to Coca-Cola's HCCB now?

HCCB, which began operations in 1997, supplies 2.5 million retailers through 3,500 distributors, another Economic Times report stated, adding that the bottling company, which runs 16 plants across the country, had earlier this year, sold a part of its operations in Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, and the Northeast to independent entities, making about 2,420 crore from the sell-offs.

Also Read: ITC has 68 more employees earning over a crore in 2023-24: How much does the top brass earn?

On the other hand, HCCB had also announced a 1,387 crore investment for a plant in Maharashtra last November and a 3,000 crore investment in Gujarat last December. In May this year, the company announced a 700 crore investment in Telangana.

Also Read: Ola Electric working on solid-state batteries, will be used on vehicles next year: Bhavish Aggarwal

Why is Coca-Cola slowly reducing stake in its bottling operations?

Coca-Cola over the recent months has been trying to reduce the size of BIG, gradually dissolving its ownership in the bottling operations, to focus more on building the brand and competing in the market, according to the report.
India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) released a draft proposal for improving regulatory control over the country's liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, as per S&P Global Commodity Insights (GPI), ANI reported. The Petronet Dahej LNG Terminal (HT Archive)

This is to address the issue of gas capacity in facilities being underutilized and also to improve transparency.

Also Read: India saved $25 billion by importing Russian crude oil: Ministry data

Many facilities, except for the Dahej terminal are currently operating at less then 50% capacity, the report read.

The proposed changes would allow new suppliers to access the terminals, foster increased competition, and face potentially lower costs, ANI wrote, quoting an unnamed source.

What are the new rules in the draft proposal?

Entities planning to build an LNG terminal will have to notify the PNGRB before making a final investment decision.

New LNG import projects will require a certificate of registration from the PNGRB.

Developers have to publicly disclose their tariffs for regasification and other charges.

The regulator's approval for new units or expansions will be based on several factors, including promoting competition among operators, avoiding unnecessary investments, ensuring an adequate national gas supply, maintaining or increasing supply for equitable distribution, protecting consumer interests, and providing the necessary natural gas pipeline infrastructure for the transportation of regasified LNG from the terminal.

Also Read: India in talks with Norway's Equinor for oil reserves and gas deal

The PNGRB can fine developers if project schedules or start-up dates are delayed.

Companies planning new capacity must have a credible business plan for capacity utilization and will need to furnish a bank guarantee equal to 1% of the terminal's estimated project cost, or 25 crore, whichever is less.

What do the new regulations mean for the LNG sector?

"While the regulation may slow down the development of LNG regasification infrastructure as licensing may take some time, it will enhance transparency for the downstream consumers as terminal information becomes publicly available and would also promote open access," ANI wrote, quoting Akshay Modi, South Asia analyst for natural gas, LNG, and hydrogen at S&P Global Commodity Insights.

Also Read: ONGC seeks foreign partners for Mumbai High oilfield as output falls

India's LNG imports surged by 44% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same quarter of the previous year, and India's reliance on LNG imports aren't expected to diminish, the report read.
Tobacco exporters have asked the government to extend the duty refund scheme RoDTEP to the sector to boost outbound shipments. A farmer dries tobacco leaves at a farm on the outskirts of Sanand, near Ahmedabad (AFP)

Why are tobacco exporters asking to extend the scheme?

In a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in Hyderabad on June 29, traders submitted that tobacco exporters are not covered under any scheme that provides export incentives.

They "requested to extend support to tobacco exporters by including them under the RoDTEP scheme," the ministry said in a statement.

Also Read: Understand your dopamine system for entrepreneurial success: Perplexity CEO

They also requested the government help in curtailing the unauthorized production and use of chewing tobacco in India due to which there is a huge loss to the government exchequer, it added.

They also informed that there is an increase in illicit cigarette sales.

What is the RoDTEP scheme?

The scheme for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) provides for refund of taxes, duties and levies that are incurred by exporters in the process of manufacturing and distribution of goods and are not being reimbursed under any other mechanism at the centre, state, or local level.

Also Read: Zomato receives GST notice of 9.5 crore in Karnataka, Deepinder Goyal's company to appeal

In the meeting, Goyal informed that the export value of un-manufactured tobacco and tobacco products surpassed all the records at 12,005.80 crore (USD 1.5 billion).

What problems are tobacco farmers facing?

The participants also flagged the problems being faced by tobacco farmers in tobacco production such as shortage of labour, lack of assistance for farm mechanization, higher cost of sulphate of potash (SOP) fertilizer, penalty on excess tobacco production, increased fuel cost for tobacco barns and sought necessary technological/financial assistance from the government.

Also Read: FSSAI cracks down on protein supplements over health risks and misleading claims

He has assured to address the issues of the tobacco farmers and industry.

Goyal said that all efforts will be made to waive the penalty on excess tobacco produced by the farmers this year. He added that the period of validity of registration will be increased from 1 year to a period of 3 years.

This will be available for all tobacco farmers in the upcoming season.
Nithin Kamath, the co-founder and CEO of online stock brokerage Zerodha said in a post on X (Formerly Twitter) that tough times are ahead for Indias broking industry due to their business model being skewed more towards earning primarily from options. Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath

What are options?

Options refer to a contract which allows an investor to buy or sell a financial instrument at a predetermined price at a predetermined future date. This is for safeguarding investments from market price fluctuations.

Also Read: Zerodha's Nithin Kamath is very worried about the food we eat: Is atta safe

Options are called so, since they allow the investor to have the option of not going through the deal if needed too. However, this does come at a small price, known as a premium fee.

What are futures and derivatives?

Futures are instruments just like options, but they dont have the option to opt out of the deal. Both futures and options come under the term, derivative instruments or derivatives.

Why does Nithin Kamath feel Indias broking industry is in trouble?

Indias markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) conducted its latest board meeting during which, Sebi Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch announced that some derivative products could be removed from the market.

Also Read: Sebi regulates finfluencers, bans registered entities from associating with them

Sebi had altered the selection criteria for stocks to be part of the derivatives segment. This was to curb potential market manipulation, on grounds of increased speculative trading that can lead to financial distress, especially for small retail investors.

What was Nithin Kamaths response?

Kamath claims that regulatory risk is the biggest risk for any regulated business, such as broking. Zerodha is one of Indias largest brokerage firms.

We are in the middle of a period of excess in options trading, Kamath wrote. Volumes in index options have gone up from 4.6 lk cr in 2018 to 138 lk cr in 2024, and, more importantly, the share of retail has gone up from 2% to 41%.

Also Read: Mix-up of mutual funds: Quantum MF clarifies it is different from probe-hit Quant MF

This is important because he highlights how this huge volume of options trading has profited brokerages, but the new regulations can significantly hurt the earnings in the future.

"Wherever there is regulation, there is regulatory risk," said Madhabi Puri Buch, highlighting the markets need to adapt. The new eligibility criteriawill be effective in three months after Sebi issues a circular.
The Punjab government is all set to come up with three more solar power plants of 12 megawatts (MW) (4MW each) in Bathinda district, said Aman Arora, Punjab minister of new and renewable energy sources. Panchayat land has been taken on lease in Bhagi Vandar, Shergarh and Kothe Malluana villages of Bathinda district for the project.

He said the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) recently commissioned a 4MW solar plant at Tarkhanawala village in Bathinda to meet the agriculture demand. The power generated from the project is exported to the nearest PSPCL grid sub/station at Sekhu village. The project will generate around 6.65 million units of power annually.

The upcoming three 12MW projects worth 50 crore are expected to be commissioned by June next year, Arora said. Panchayat land has been taken on lease near the 66 KV sub-stations of the PSPCL in Bhagi Vandar, Shergarh and Kothe Malluana villages of the district. These projects shall demonstrate the concept of solarisation of agriculture power besides supporting the PSPCL to meet its power demands at a very low cost, the minister said, adding that the solar power being supplied from these projects to the PSPCL in a long term PPA is at a tariff of 2.748 per KWh, he added.
After Waris Punjab De chief and NSA detainee Amritpal Singh registered a thumping victory in the recently held Lok Sabha elections from the Khadoor Sahib segment, his aides are gearing up to contest the upcoming assembly bypolls from Dera Baba Nanak, Barnala and Gidderbaha assembly seats from jail. The victory of radical preacher Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib in the Lok Sabha elections has enthused his aides who are detained in the Dibrugarh jail of Assam under the National Security Act.

The assembly seats of Dera Baba Nanak, Barnala and Gidderbaha turned vacant after their representatives  former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, respectively  resigned after being elected as MPs. While Randhawa was elected as Gurdaspur MP, Warring and Meet Hayer were elected from Ludhiana and Sangrur, respectively. These three assembly seats are bound to see bypolls soon.

Enthused by the victory of Amritpal and also that of Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, son of the then PM Indira Gandhis assassin Beant Singh, from Faridkot, other NSA detainees lodged in Dibrugarh jail of Assam are reportedly eager to contest elections from the upcoming bypolls.

One of the detainees, Daljit Kalsi will contest the elections from Dera Baba Nanak. The announcement was made by his wife Neeru Kalsi in a video shared on social media. She said, I met him at the Central Jail in Dibrugarh yesterday. He has decided to contest the upcoming bypoll from Dera Baba Nanak which is home to his maternal grandparents.

Kalsi is an actor-turned-Sikh activist. He was close associate of slain actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu who floated the Waris Punjab De organisation, now headed by Amritpal Singh. The National Security Act (NSA) was also invoked against him for aiding the radical Sikh leader.

Pertinently, the family of Sandeep Singh Sunny, who allegedly killed Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri in Amritsar and is lodged in Patiala jail currently, has already announced that he will contest elections from Dera Baba Nanak. Infighting is likely among the Sikh hardliners. We took this decision a month ago in consultation with the Panthic organisations, said Hardeep Singh, brother of Sunny.

On the other hand, NSA detainee Kulwant Singh Raoke, another accomplice of Amritpal, also announced to contest the bypoll from Barnala. His cousin Maha Singh shared this information with mediapersons. His father Charat Singh was taken away allegedly by the police in 1993 during the militancy era and he never returned.

Prior to this, Bhagwant Singh, alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke, a social media influencer who is in Dibrugarh jail, has planned to contest from Gidderbaha. One claiming to be Bajekes son made this announcement on social media.
The Punjab government has for the first time started the export of litchi from the states sub-mountainous districts of Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur to England. The litchi cultivation in Punjab covers 3,250 hectares with production of approximately 13,000 metric tonnes, says horticulture minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra. (Picture for representational purpose only)

Horticulture minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra virtually flagged off the first consignment of litchi, exported by the horticulture department in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

The cabinet minister informed that the litchi cultivation in Punjab covers 3,250 hectares with production of approximately 13,000 metric tonnes. He added that due to the favorable climate in Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur districts, the litchi produced here has a naturally deep red colour and sweetness superior to those from other states.

In the coming days, efforts will be made to export other horticultural crops as well in collaboration with the horticulture department and the APEDA, the minister added.

The first consignment that was sent from Amritsar to England belonged to a progressive farmer, Rakesh Dadwal, from Muradpur village in Pathankot district.
In order to promote farm diversification plan in the state, the Punjab department of agriculture and farmers welfare has decided to provide subsidy on hybrid seeds of kharif maize and cover over 4,700 hectares area under it. The purpose is to wean farmers from water-guzzling paddy crop to save the groundwater.

Agriculture and farmers welfare minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said farmers can avail 100 as subsidy on purchase of every 1 kg of hybrid maize seeds, recommended by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). The subsidy for hybrid kharif maize seeds will be provided for a maximum 5 acres of area or 40 kg per farmer. A total of 2,300-quintal seeds will be made available to the state farmers at a subsidised price.

Under maize demonstrations, he further said that 4,700 hectares will be covered for which farmers will receive a financial support of 6,000 per hectare for fertilisers, insecticides etc.

To wean farmers from water-guzzling paddy crop to save the groundwater, the minister said the state had set a target to cultivate kharif maize on a record 2 lakh hectares, almost double as compared to the last year.

Urging the state farmers to take maximum benefits of the scheme, he said the subsidy amount would be directly transferred to the beneficiarys bank accounts. For subsidy, one can apply online at agrimachinerypb.com.
An avalanche hit glacier above Gandhi Sarovar Lake in Sumeru Parvat area, over seven kilometres from Kedarnath shrine, leaving behind plumes of powdery snow early morning on Sunday. No loss of life or property was reported due to the avalanche, said disaster management authorities in Rudraprayag. The avalanche was reported near the source of Saraswati River at 5am on Sunday.. (ANI)

According to the district emergency control centre Rudraprayag, the avalanche was reported near the source of Saraswati River at 5am on Sunday. No significant change in the rivers water level was observed during the incident. Last year in September, a snow avalanche rocked Sumeru Mountain in the Kedarnath Valley leaving behind plumes of powdery snow.

Local residents and devotees quickly recorded the video of the avalanche on their mobile phones as the plume of snow from the glacier darted down over nearly a minute.

Yogendra Singh, chief executive officer of the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee said, The avalanche struck far away from the Kedarnath temple in the snow-clad peaks of Sumeru mountains and no loss of life or property was reported due to the incident.

The snow avalanche is a common occurrence during the rainy season when the fresh snow that is heavy due to excessive moisture comes down in powdery plumes after heavy rain and snow, he added.

Anand Shukla, temple priest at Kedarnath, said, The incident occurred at around 5am and we saw the plume of snow breaking away from the glacier in the form of an avalanche on Sunday.

Sumer Singh, who sells tea and mineral water bottles to the pilgrims on the Kedarnath Yatra route, said, The avalanche hit early morning leaving behind a cloud of snow. Many devotees kept looking at the spectacle and some even recorded it on their mobile phones.

Mangal Singh, a devotee from Alwar in Rajasthan said, We were heading for the temple for darshan early morning when we saw an avalanche hit the mountains away from the temple in the high snow-clad peaks of Sumeru Parvat. And many of us were quick to record the incident on our mobile phones on Sunday.

On May 3 last year, Kuber glacier broke off on the 16-km Kedarnath Dham trek route, 3 km ahead of the Kedarnath shrine. The Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel rescued four Nepalese porters who were trapped in the glacier breakage area. On May 4, again a glacier broke off at Bhairav Padav nearly 3 km ahead of the Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district. On 9 June 2023, a snow avalanche hit Chorabari Glacier area in Kedarnath Valley, leaving behind clouds of powdery snow.

Located at a height of nearly 3,500 metres above sea level, the Kedarnath Dham is located near the Mandakini River in the Rudraprayag district. The 16 trek for Kedarnath Dham starts from Gauri Kund. The shrine was the worst affected area during the 2013 flash floods, with Kedarnath town suffering extensive damage.
The Delhi high court is set to pronounce on Monday its verdict on a petition by Bibhav Kumar, a key aide of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, challenging his arrest by police for allegedly assaulting Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. Bibhav Kumar. (PTI File Photo)

The judgment will be pronounced by justice Swarana Kanta Sharma at 2.30pm. The verdict will come on a day when another bench in the high court is expected to consider Kumars bail plea that he had moved separately.

Kumar approached the Delhi high court two days after the city court denied him bail in the case saying that the allegations made by Maliwal had to be taken on their face value and could not be swiped away.

The city court on May 27 noted that a mere delay in registering the first information report (FIR) would not have much impact on the case as the injuries were apparent in the medico-legal case (MLC) after four days. Taking note of the nascent stage of investigation, the judge noted that the apprehension of influencing the witnesses or tampering with the evidence could not be ruled out.

Kumars petition before the high court said that his arrest was hasty, it circumvented his rights, and it was not in compliance with the provisions of Section 41A of the CrPC and the mandate laid down in Arnesh Kumar v State of Bihar. The said section mandates the cops to issue notice to the person accused of committing an offense before making an arrest without warrant. In Arnesh Kumar, the Supreme Court had formulated guidelines to prevent unnecessary arrests and to ensure that arrests are made only when necessary.

The plea underscored that he was apprehended during the pendency of certain legal matters concerning him including an application requesting compliance with Section 41A and an anticipatory bail application and without considering his May 17 complaint.

Besides challenging his arrest, Kumar has also sought compensation for his illegal arrest and initiation of departmental action against the unknown erring officials who were involved in the decision-making process of arresting him.

Delhi polices legal team led by senior advocate Sanjay Jain and standing counsel Sanjeev Bhandari had prima facie opposed the maintainability of Kumars plea. They argued that the plea was not maintainable as it was premised on the fact that the cops arrested him in contravention of Section 41A CrPC, the city court on May 20 rejected Kumars application requesting compliance of the said provision.

Jain argued that Kumar had an alternate legal remedy of challenging the May 20 order within 90 days by filing a revision petition. There is no interim relief and there is no urgency in this matter, Jain argued. The counsel has asserted that it arrested Kumar after following the procedures laid down under law and had complied with the provisions laid down under Section 41A of CrPC.

The lawyers had also argued that Kumar was supplied with the reasons for arrest in writing, adding that the magistrate had gone through the entire case diary and satisfied himself on the justifiability of the grounds of arrest.

Countering the claims, Kumar, represented by senior advocate N Hariharan, asserted that the plea was maintainable as his client was arrested illegally in a case which did not require any recovery, while the city court was hearing his application for anticipatory bail. The senior counsel argued that the cops arrested Kumar with oblique motives and had neither supplied his client with the arrest memo and or reasons for arrest in writing. Hariharan stressed that there was no necessity to arrest his client as he had voluntarily agreed to cooperate with the investigation. He further emphasised that the arrest has inflicted humiliation and unlawfully restricted his clients freedom causing profound mental distress to him, his family, and associates.

Kumar was apprehended by the Delhi Police on May 18, and had formally arrested amid the hearing of his anticipatory bail plea. The following day, he was remanded in police custody for five days and later sent to judicial custody. On May 20, the court rejected Kumars bail and on May 21, he was remanded in police custody for three more days.

The case pertains to allegations made by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, who claimed that Kumar assaulted her at the CMs residence on May 13. Based on Maliwals complaint, police filed an FIR on charges of attempted culpable homicide, assault with intent to disrobe, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, and insulting the modesty of a woman.

In her FIR, the Rajya Sabha MP alleged that Bibhav Kumar slapped her seven to eight times without any provocation at the CMs residence on May 13, when she went to meet Kejriwal. He slapped her, kicked her in the chest and pelvis, and deliberately pulled up her shirt, Maliwal alleged.

Kumar, in turn, filed a complaint alleging unauthorised entry and threats by Maliwal, hinting at possible political motives behind the accusations.
Kolkata: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday said that the state was facing a financial breakdown as he demanded an emergency cabinet meeting and asked the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led government to issue a white paper on the states financial situation. West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose (File Photo)

Considering the grave nature of the economic scenario in the state, Governor calls upon the chief minister upon the authority vested in him under Article 167 of the Constitution read with Rule 30 of the Rules of Business for West Bengal framed under Article 166 of the Constitution, to place a comprehensive report on the states financial situation before the council of ministers and issue a white paper for the information of the people of the state, stated a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Saturday night.

Also Read: Bengal Governor files defamation case against chief minister Mamata Banerjee

The statement came after Bose met the Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday in Delhi.

Those who waste public money should pay for it. Corruption, violence, overspending and embezzlement of public money are the three characteristics of the present (state) government and that has put Bengal in a quagmire and a financial blackhole, the statement further read.

The TMC hit back saying that Bose was staging a drama to divert attention from some controversies.

He went to give flowers to the woman who is depriving West Bengal on the orders of the Prime Minister. He should have asked the centre to release the funds. He is not fulfilling his duties as the Governor of the state. Instead, in a bid to cover up some controversial issues, he is staging a drama, Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson told the media.
The mother of an accused in the recent Aligarh lynching case, has claimed that the victim, Mohammed Fareed, fell from stairs and succumbed to his injuries. Police deployed in Mamu Bhanja locality in Aligarh to ensure peace. (HT)

On Saturday, Lakshi Mittal, the mother of Rahul, one of the six arrested accused (of total seven people booked), lodged a complaint, based on which an FIR was registered on the charge of dacoity against Fareed and eight others.

On the night of June 18, Fareed alias Aurangzeb barged into our house and tried to molest me before looting our valuables. When my family members chased him, he lost balance, fell from stairs, and later died of his injuries, the woman said in her complaint, according to a police official.

Following her complaint, we have lodged a case under Indian Penal Code sections 354 (assaults or use of criminal force with the intention of disrobing a woman) and 395 (dacoity) against the deceased and the other accused, the official further stated.

Besides Fareed, those booked from his side include six named and two unnamed individuals. However, the complaint filed by his family two weeks ago, alleged that he was returning home after work when he was mobbed and thrashed by a few locals who suspected him of theft.

As per M Shekhar Pathak, Aligarh's Superintendent of Police, by the time police reached the spot, the 35-year-old was seriously injured and was rushed to the Malkhan Singh Hospital, where he died.

The incident, which took place in the city's Mamu Bhanja locality, led to communal tensions in the area.

(With PTI inputs)
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai withdrew the termination of its 105 teaching and non-teaching staff on Sunday, a day after the decision courted a controversy. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai.

A statement from TISS said, It is important to clarify that all 55 faculty and 60 non-teaching staff were appointed under programmes funded by the Tata Education Trust (TET) and were on a contractual basis with the exact programme period.

The TISS registrar said that following ongoing discussions, TET has provided assurance that resources will be made available to TISS to resolve this issue.

TET has committed to releasing funds for the salaries of TET project or programme faculty and non-teaching staff. The letter issued on June 28 addressing all TET programme faculty and non-teaching staff concerned is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect. They are requested to continue their work, and salaries will be released as soon as the TET Support Grant is received by the institute, said the statement.

After the June 28 letter, the Progressive Students Forum (PSF), a students collective from the TISS, in a post on social media platforms said that the mass termination is expected to create a significant shortage of both teaching and non-teaching staff at the institute.

PSF at TISS strongly condemned the mass termination and called for immediate action. The body demanded that the TISS administration revoke the terminations and collaborate with the Union government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to secure funding for these positions. They also demanded urgent discussions with the Trust to reinstate funding and to protect these jobs.

TISS, established in 1936 as a Deemed University and fully funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of the Government of India, is currently governed by the TISS Society in accordance with the UGC mandate.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) interrogated 13 accused in the NEET question paper leak case at Beur jail in Bihars Patna on Sunday, after getting permission from the special CBI court. Six of them are allegedly part of the exam mafia while four are candidates and three are parents. CBI is also actively searching for the alleged mastermind, Sajeev Mukhiya, but he was still at large. (Representative image)

People familiar with the matter said that on being interrogated, almost all the accused implicated Sanjeev Kumar alias Sajeev Mukhiya and Sikandar Yadvendu as the masterminds behind leaking question papers of the NEET exam. However, there were differences in the statements provided by the accused, the people said.

They said that CBI was also actively searching for Mukhiya, but he was still at large. Mukhiyas name was mentioned by all those arrested in connection with the paper leak case. They also indicated a connection with Mukhiyas group, known as the Mukhiya gang, an official said on condition of anonymity.

On June 28, the CBI court had granted remand of Oasis school principal Ahsanul Haque along with vice-principal Imtiaz Alam and a journalist Jamaluddin for interrogation. They were brought to Patna from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand on charges of tampering with question papers. CBI interrogated them by making them sit face to face. CBI is also investigating the principals call details and his Bihar connections.

Earlier, the court had also given remand of Ashutosh and Manish Prakash for further interrogation. On June 27, CBI arrested Ashutosh and Manish Prakash from Patna. Manish was charged with arranging accommodation at the request of Ashutosh Kumar. The agency is also interrogating Baldev Kumar alias Chintu and Mukesh Kumar on remand.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is expected to announce the Civil Services Preliminary examination results (UPSC CSE Prelims result 2024) soon. The results will be announced on the commission's websites, upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in. UPSC Prelims result 2024 live updates UPSC Result 2024: Civil Services Prelims results awaited (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Talking about last year, the exam was held on May 26 and the result was declared on June 12. If the commission follows a similar pattern this year, the Prelims scores can be expected soon as the test was held on June 16.

Read: UPSC CSE Prelims 2024: AI App solves entire paper within 7 minutes, scores over 170

The exam was conducted in two shifts for general studies paper 1 and paper 2, and for a total of 400 marks. All questions were objective-type carrying four options. Candidates had to select one correct or most appropriate answer for each question.

As per experts, this year's CSE prelims paper was easier compared to the recent years and cut-off scores will likely be on the higher side.

Overall, our assessment is that the cut-off for the prelims this year will increase. The paper is on the lines of 202122, and the expected cut-off should be between 95 and 100, Jaikrit Vatsal, Head of Academic operations of the Raus IAS Study Circle, said.

Read: UPSC Paper Analysis: Know what experts said about the Civil Services Prelims exam 2024

After the Prelims examination result is announced, the selected candidates will be called for the Mains round, which consists of two parts  a written examination and a personality test.

The UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination 2024 is tentatively scheduled to be held from September 20 onwards, as per the exam calendar of the commission.

To qualify in the Prelims examination, a candidate must score at least 33 per cent marks in the GS paper 2 and the total qualifying marks in the GS paper 1.

This year, the UPSC is conducting the Civil Services examination for 1,056 vacancies in the central government services and departments. This includes the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

Of the total vacancies, 40 are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD).

How to check UPSC Prelims Result 2024 when announced
Veteran actor and TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha was admitted to a private hospital here after he developed a strong fever, said his son Luv Sinha on Sunday. It couldn't be confirmed immediately when Shatrughan was taken to the hospital. (Also Read: Luv Sinha calls out online campaign after Sonakshi Sinha's wedding: Family will always come first) Shatrughan Sinha has been hospitalised for a fever.(PTI)

Luv on Shatrughan's hospitalisation

Luv described that Shatrughan suffered from a strong fever and told PTI that he will also get his annual health checkup while at it.

My father had a strong fever and we decided to take him to the hospital so that he could recover and we could have his yearly tests done as well, Luv told the media portal in a WhatsApp message about his 77-year-old father, popular in the 70s and 80s for films like Mere Apne, Kalicharan, Vishwanath, Kaala Patthar and Dostana.

There were reports that Sinha had undergone a minor surgery but Luv denied such claims. I have been going there (to the hospital) every day, so (I) can tell you that there was no surgical procedure, he said.

Sonakshi, Zaheer visit Shatrughan

It has been quite an eventful month for Shatrughan, who emerged victorious from West Bengal's Asansol constituency for his party TMC in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, followed by the much-talked-about wedding of his actor-daughter Sonakshi Sinha to longtime partner and Double XL co-star Zaheer Iqbal on June 23. Sonakshi and Zaheer were spotted exiting the hospital on Friday, with many wondering what they were doing there.

Luv calls out online campaign

Earlier on Sunday, Luv criticised a website for allegedly running an online campaign against him on a false premise about why he didn't attend his sister's wedding. Why I chose not to attend. Running an online campaign against me on a false premise wont change the fact that for me my family will always come first, he wrote on X.

While Luv previously asked for some time to respond to questions of his absence from the ceremony, his twin Kussh had denied reports that he skipped the wedding.
That was a pregnancy with parathas

When asked if Good Newwz reminded Kareena of her pregnancy, the actor said, "I had to wear a pregnant stomach  there are different phases in the film where she's three months, six months and then nine months pregnant. They made a prosthetic swimsuit of a belly and it was made in London. I had to wear that swimsuit under my clothes. It looked so natural with a belly button. I had forgotten what it was like to be pregnant. This was a pregnancy without parathas, that was a pregnancy with parathas! I used to eat five to 10 parathas a day. Now, I eat one."

'My doctor said I am 20 kilos overweight'

Further speaking about her pregnancy, the actor had said, "I am generally an hypochondriac, so I used to ask my doctor 100 questions! There would be a question every day until he told me, 'Listen, there's nothing to ask, just relax.' Of course, it was a first-time pregnancy and my sister (Karisma Kapoor) was just a phone call away. She would guide me. My doctor would ask me to come and weigh myself because he said you are 20 kilos overweight, itna mat khao (don't eat so much)! Actually, you are not supposed to overeat during pregnancy because then you get acidity. You have to eat right. I did try to do that for six months, but after that, it was all downhill. But I enjoyed my pregnancy."

Kareena and Saif's sons, Taimur Ali Khan and Jehangir Ali Khan aka Jeh, are 7, and 3, respectively.
RIDE or DIE is the new anthem for K-pop boy band EVNNE as they return with their third mini album, five months since their Un: SEEN. Their sole focus ever since their debut in September 2023 has been on telling the story of their struggles, and overcoming the many obstacles leading to their debut. (Also Read: Lovely Runner Byeon Woo Seok beats BTS for top spot in June all star brand rankings: See list) K-pop boy band EVNNE are going on a world tour.

RIDE or DIE contains six new tracks and once again emphasizes their recklessness when it comes to pursuing their goals. As they gear up for their first world tour in August, EVNNE speaks to the Hindustan Times on their album, the thrill of performing live on stage and being fans of Arijit Singh and Jasleen Royals Heeriye.

Many congratulations how does it feel to embark on the first leg of your tour?

EVNNE: There's still some time left until the tour, so we cant truly realize it coming but we are so excited and looking forward to meeting more ENNVE. We had a great time with our fans on and off stage during our Asia tour, so we are also looking forward to this tour.

Is there a ritual you perform before taking to the stage?

KEITA: I take a deep breath, tap the shoulder to relax, and go on stage.

PARK HANBIN: Use a propolis spray, shout fighting together, and hit the butt of the member in front of you.

LEE JEONGHYEON: Everyone shouts fighting every time. I drink water often to prevent my throat from drying out during live performances, and I make sure to drink water before going on the stage.

YOO SEUNGEON: Because there are many high-range parts, I feel a responsibility as EVNNE's main vocalist! Before going on stage, I focus more on image training than talking.

JI YUNSEO: I share hand signs with the members waiting in the same direction, sip some water, and go on to the stage.

MUN JUNGHYUN: We all get together and shout fighting.

PARK JIHOO: I jump.

Whats the one thing one needs to Ride With EVNNE?

KEITA: Enjoy the concert until the end without getting tired!!

PARK HANBIN: Enjoy summer feelings while facing the ocean and listening to Badder Love.

LEE JEONGHYEON: Riding in the backseat of EVNNEs car, which continues to run with ENNVE.

YOO SEUNGEON: Hurry up and stan EVNNE! I think you will regret it if you join late. (laughs)

JI YUNSEO: I hope that you will immerse yourselves in the moment of watching EVNNEs performance.

MUN JUNGHYUN: Riding, or driving, a car along the beach while listening to Badder Love.

PARK JIHOO: I hope you run till the end to achieve your goal. I also hope that you run to find your goal.

What is the most fun thing on tour? And what's the one thing you miss on tour?

KEITA: I have the most fun when the audience sings along to our songs and has fun together with us.

PARK HANBIN: We always look forward to the encore stage the most and start our concerts thinking, 'How much more fun can we have?' The encore stage is the most enjoyable for us. When fans prepare video messages at the end of the show, we feel immense gratitude, and those memories will last a long time.

LEE JEONGHYEON: The most enjoyable part is definitely during the encore when we go down to the audience seats, walk around, and meet our fans up close. It makes us happy every time, as we can feel that they genuinely love and support us firsthand. It's the moment we enjoy the most, look forward to, and always cherish.

YOO SEUNGEON: I've always loved flying on an aeroplane since I was young, experiencing different temperatures, landscapes, and atmospheres in other countries. It was great to be able to visit so many places during our tour. For me, the most memorable times were going to amusement parks, taking a walk, and swimming with members. We truly built unforgettable memories!

JI YUNSEO: I think I will miss the times when we met ENNVE from various regions and created stages together in the same space. The most fun part was being able to experience different cultures and foods.

MUN JUNGHYUN: It was great to be able to meet and communicate with many fans during our tour. I think I will miss the cheers of ENNVE.

PARK JIHOO: It was amazing to be able to enjoy various cultures, and I miss our fans whom I had great fun with.

It has been less than a year since you debuted, how does it feel to have come so far? What has been your biggest challenge and biggest victory?

KEITA: When we won first place on a music show, I was very happy because it felt like all the members' efforts were recognized.

PARK HANBIN: It's been less than a year since we debuted, but we still feel like we need to set bigger goals and take one step further, and I think the most difficult moment was when we were preparing for our debut. It was my first time entering the professional world, and I think I was busy adjusting to the new environment. I was very happy when we won first place on a music show because it felt like we achieved a huge dream.

LEE JEONGHYEON: The most challenging moment for me was actually when we stood in front of our fans after a long time as the newly debuted team - EVNNE. I was excited and nervous about how they would welcome us, and I had many thoughts running through my mind, such as Will they like us? Even though ENNVE has always been there for us, I felt anxious during that time. I am most proud and happy about winning first place on music shows twice during our second album promotion. I never expected to achieve that goal, so I was even more grateful to ENNVE, and it was incredibly touching.

YOO SEUNGEON: When I debuted as EVNNE, I was most nervous because I wanted to show my growth even more as were starting a new endeavour. And of course, what I'm most proud of is winning first place on music shows, thanks to ENNVE! I'm also proud that we successfully finished our Asia tour, followed by our comeback for the third album!

JI YUNSEO: Everything seems truly miraculous to me and I cant thank everyone enough. However, I believe that what I and the members are dreaming of is higher, so we will continue to work hard and shine even brighter. I think the challenging times were when I felt disappointed with myself in terms of my skills or my inner self. The proudest moment was when I invited my parents to our fan concert held in a large stadium and showed them our performance on stage.

MUN JUNGHYUN: I don't think there have been any major difficulties so far, and the proudest thing is that we won first place on a music show during the UGLY promotion.

PARK JIHOO: I feel like I've achieved a lot, but I still think there's much more to do. I need to work harder and think more. One difficult aspect is coping with early morning schedules, which can make it tough for me to get up in the morning. As for a proud achievement, it's when my parents watched me on stage. That moment was truly proud and memorable.

K-pop boy band EVNNE's new album is called Ride or Die.

Is there performance pressure and how do you deal with it?

KEITA: I always practice to prevent feeling pressured about the stage while thinking, I am a person who makes the audience enjoy the show.

PARK HANBIN: I dont think I feel pressured about being on stage anymore. I always feel a bit nervous about the stage, but I can focus more on the performance since I shouldn't judge myself in a way that makes me feel small.

LEE JEONGHYEON: I think I've always felt a certain amount of pressure, but I thought that if I continued to feel that pressure even after I started performing, it would hurt me. Therefore, I think having ENNVE in front of me and believing in myself helped me shake off my nerves and perform well on stage so far.

YOO SEUNGEON: I make sure to practice until my body remembers and prepares enough for performances, so I don't feel pressured about the stage too much!

JI YUNSEO: There's always pressure, but when I go on stage, it's so much fun and the faces of the fans and the members help me relax. Most of all, its always best to prepare myself enough to ensure a good performance.

MUN JUNGHYUN: I think I feel more pressure when I take on parts with high vocal ranges, but I would reduce such pressure by singing before stepping on the stage.

PARK JIHOO: I try to get rid of any pressure by constantly practising.

From Target: ME to RIDE or DIE how would you describe your journey? How have you all evolved as performers?

KEITA: As I practised more with my members, I got to enjoy the whole process with them.

PARK HANBIN: I think I can compare the growth to a ripening fruit, starting from a green apple and gradually maturing. As I accumulate more experiences as a performer, I'm discovering which angles suit me best and when I shine the most. This allows me to come up with cooler and more appealing aspects that fans will enjoy.

LEE JEONGHYEON: I think I am slowly learning many things and growing with those lessons. I also believe that I have grown a lot both in skill and personality by experiencing many things, such as winning first place on music shows, Asia tour, various performances, and winning awards at award ceremonies. I hope I can continue to grow steadily in the future.

YOO SEUNGEON: When I was a trainee, I hadn't encountered a variety of concepts, but now as someone who expresses our songs rather than practising senior artists' songs, I feel I've grown even more in my ability to interpret songs and in the performance aspect! More than anything, I am most proud of the fact that I went from taking 100 photos to secure one selfie to taking only 10 trial shots. (laughs) It has been a whole growth process from our debut album to the third album.

JI YUNSEO: Although it was not an easy journey, I would like to say that it was a valuable time because I was able to learn so many things. I truly believe our past will play a key role in our future. In terms of areas of growth, I would say that not only I improve in skills but also I can enjoy the stage more and communicate better with the audience.

MUN JUNGHYUN: I think we have grown a lot, little by little just like climbing stairs, during the three album promotions. We have become a group that can enjoy the stage more!

PARK JIHOO: I want to be a performer and an artist; to put it simply, my goal is to sing and perform self-written songs. I believe my stage manners improved while learning various things from the debut album to our third album.

How do you keep your individuality in this competitive business?

KEITA: I believe that you can become even cooler if you know exactly what you can do well and what you like.

PARK HANBIN: I think I'm thinking more about my branding, such as what kind of person PARK HANBIN is, what kind of charm he has, and what kind of new sides he can showcase on the stage. In addition, I'm spending my free time with hobbies and things that can help me develop myself further.

LEE JEONGHYEON: I'm trying to put my personality into not only vocals, dance, and rap, but also facial expressions and gestures. Rather than thinking of our work as a fierce competition, I am constantly learning from monitoring the senior artists and newly debuted groups because they have many aspects I can look up to. I think my focus is on creating my strength.

YOO SEUNGEON: I think it's important to sharpen your uniqueness and push forward. I don't know when or how successful I will become, but I believe that someday people will believe in my value! There is a famous quote by Bruce Lee that goes, I fear not the man who has practised a thousand kicks once, but I fear the man who has practised one kick a thousand times. I strive to become a such person!

JI YUNSEO: I'm constantly thinking about what I, as a person, can do and endlessly studying about 'myself. Beyond just performance, I have interests in stage manners, fashion, makeup, composing, and lyric writing, striving to develop myself in all ways possible.

MUN JUNGHYUN: I'm trying to bring out my unique voice and dance lines.

PARK JIHOO: I want to become a person who can face fans in a more friendly way so that I can keep a friend-like relationship with my fans for a long time. I also try my best to become an all-rounder artist who can create and enjoy the choreography, beats, toplines, and lyrics.

Any plans to tour India?

EVNNE: It would be great if we were given the opportunity to visit!

Would you like to do music for a Bollywood film? Have you heard any songs?

EVNNE: If we can participate in a Bollywood movie OST, it would be an absolute pleasure. In the past, we have listened to Indian and Bollywood music through music videos for various songs such as Heeriye by Jasleen Royal and Arijit Singh, and Sage by Ritviz through content by hello82! We had so much fun from that experience.
Even as Kannada actor Darshan spends time in jail for the alleged murder of Renukaswamy, filmmakers are rushing to the film chamber to register case-related titles. A report by TOI claims that filmmakers have been turned down by the film chamber for titles related to the case as the matter is still in court. (Also Read: Telugu actor Naga Shaurya backs Darshan amid murder case: 'Anna will be proven innocent') Actor Darshan, currently in police custody, is an accused in the murder of S Renukaswamy.(ANI)

Darshan murder case-related titles

D-Gang, Pattanagere Shed, and Khaidi No 6106 were among the titles sought approval for. D-Gang is a derivation of Darshans moniker D-Boss, Pattanagere shed is where the alleged murder took place, and 6106 is the under-trial prisoner number assigned to Darshan in Parappana Agrahara Prison.

D-Gang was zeroed in on 2 years ago

Rocky Somli told the publication that D-Gang was a title he thought of two years ago and that he even had a song composed about it. But after Darshans arrest, he wanted to register it immediately. After Darshans arrest, I saw many news channels running programmes with similar titles, and that is when it struck us to register the title before anyone else.

Film chamber refuses to entertain

Rocky also claimed that the film chamber refused to entertain any titles related to Darshans case. We hope we get the title because it was planned two years ago and we have enough proof to show that. Khaidi No 6106 is popular among the actors fans who have tattooed it on bodies and stickered it on vehicles, according to the publication.

Darshans murder case

Darshan, Pavithra Gowda and their associates were taken into custody on June 11 and will remain arrested till July 4 in connection to the alleged murder of Renukaswamy. The case has been registered at Kamakshipalya police station. The Bengaluru Economic Offences Special Court recently passed the order to keep them in judicial custody, according to ANI.

Renukaswamy is a fan of Darshans who had allegedly sent abusive messages to Pavithra. His body was recovered on June 9. Following the order, Darshan and the other accused were taken to Central Jail. Darshans wife, Vijayalakshmi and son Vinish, recently met him in jail.
Actor Humhu, who played one of the raiders in Kalki 2898 AD, has spoken about his experience while working on the film. Speaking with Viral Bollywood, Humhu revealed that Prabhas gave him advice while Deepika Padukone eased his nervousness while they were shooting for the film. (Also Read | Kamal Haasan talks about Supreme Yaskin's age from Kalki 2898 AD; teases details about the sequel) Humhu spoke about Kalki 2898 AD co-stars Prabhas and Deepika Padukone.

Humhu says Prabhas is rightly called darling

Talking about working with the actors, Humhu said, "There is no scene with Amitabh Bachchan in this film. Hopefully there will be in the next part. But I got some very good scenes with Prabhas and Deepika. Prabhas is rightly called 'darling'. He taught me personally. In an action sequence, he took me to a side and gave me tips. He didn't need to do it, I'm a newcomer, and I was already a fan. But he gave me tips like an elder brother."

Humhu talks about scene with Deepika

"I remember in a scene with Deepika, I was getting nervous. So, she intentionally cracked a joke to make me laugh. This is a big deal. They are huge celebrities and don't need to do these. They are professional and big-hearted people. It was my fortune that I worked with them," he added.

Humhu on second part of film

Talking about working in the film, Humhu called it a "beautiful but difficult experience". He shared that he was injured while filming Kalki 2898 AD. On the release date of the second part of the film, Humhu said it will take happen within a year, he is "hoping, fingers crossed". He added that maximum filming of the second part is yet to be done.

About Kalki 2898 AD

Nag Ashwin's 3D spectacle Kalki 2898 AD hit the theatres on Thursday in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and English. Touted as a marriage of Hindu epic Mahabharata and science fiction, the big-budget film is produced by Vyjayanthi Movies. It features Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Disha Patani, Saswata Chatterjee and Shobhana.
When Animal hit the screens last year, Triptii Dimri suddenly became the new National Crush. Her social media following also saw a massive exponential spike as from 600k, her follower count on Instagram surpassed two million in just a matter of days. At a recent event, the actor was asked about this label of national crush, and she said, Mujhe shuru mein yahi lagta tha ki jab main actor banun, log bas mere kaaam ke baare mein baat karein, aur kisi baare mein nahi. Luckily, whenever my film have released, my work has been spoken about and all this love just motivates me to do better. How Triptii Dimri, Taha Shah Badussha, Pratibha Ranta and Abhay Verma became National crush to social media sweethearts

Triptii Dimri

We are just six months in 2024, and we have had multiple artists who became the National Crush. And that popularity has reflected virtually as well and on Social Media Day today, we speak to them about how this label and sudden surge of followers impacts them.

Pratibha Ranta

Actor Pratibha Ranta grabbed eyeballs in Lapataa Ladies, and then showed a completely different side of her in Heeramandi. Her Instagram following increased by 600k after these two successes and she says, I saw a significant growth on my social media accounts after Laapataa Ladies dropped on OTT. I am grateful that because of social media I have got recognition, people tag me as crush. Its been organic PR. And hitting a million followers does translate into better work opportunities.

Pratibha Ranta

Taha Shah Badussha

Heeramandi also gave rise to another national crush, actor Taha Shah Badussha, with his Insta following going from 183k to 1.1 million followers in just 13 days. Initially, I thought Instagram doesnt really work for me, but its reach is exponential. You garner a family even outside of India and a lot of opportunities have opened up for me in work too. I get messages like we should have always been there for you and you truly made us believe in love. There are people who had almost given up, but seeing my real-life story, they have got the motivation to keep going, he shares.

Taha Shah Badussha

Abhay Verma

However, actor Abhay Verma, who is the current favourite of social media after Munjya, doesnt believe in this number game. He says, I have never focused on the number of likes and comments, these are just by product of my work, which is my top priority. It just shows that you are reaching people for whom you are working for. The 25-year-old's Insta following grew from 98k to 467k and he adds, The reach that I have got has been the biggest boon. I got in touch with a guy on Instagram whose mother had passed away a few months ago after battling a long illness. His father got out of the house after six months just to see Munjya and he saw his father laugh for the first time after six months. Love coming from any direction feels good, but crushes keep changing quickly, I want to be a forever lover.
Isha Ambani honouring the magic of IVF or in-vitro fertilisation is a full circle moment for the Reliance heiress owing to the fact that she herself is also an IVF baby. In a recent interview with Vogue India, Isha emphasised how opting for IVF does not need to be hidden and instead must be consciously normalised so as to spread the word far and wide for those struggling to conceive. "If there is modern technology in the world today, why not use it to have children? It should be something youre excited about, not something you should have to hide", she said. Let's take a look at Isha's IVF journey in tow with some other keynote celebrities who opted to go down the same route. Isha Ambani with daughter Aadiya, Shah Rukh Khan with son Abram: Celebrities who have opted for IVF

Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal

Isha's interview revisited the topic of mother Nita Ambani too opting for IVF when it came to conceiving. Reliance tycoon Mukesh Ambani and wife Nita were blessed with their first children, twins Isha and Akash on October 23, 1991, all thanks to IVF. Thus when it came to conceiving her own children, it was a no-brainer for Isha. "Im very quick to say that my twins were conceived via IVF because thats how well normalise it, right? Nobody should feel isolated or ashamed. Its a difficult process", she said. Isha and husband Anand Piramal were blessed with twins Aadiya and Krishna on November 19, 2022, almost 4 years after their 2018 wedding.

Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan

Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan were already parents to son Aryan Khan and daughter Suhana Khan when they decided to have a third baby. The adorable Abram Khan joined the family on May 27, 2013, albeit prematurely. SRK and Gauri had reportedly been unsuccessfully trying to conceive for 2 years before they were blessed with Abram after consulting with Dr Jatin P. Shah.

Dr. Shah is an IVF and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) specialist, recommended to them by Salman Khan's younger brother Sohail Khan. Sohail welcomed his younger son Yohaan with former wife Seema Sajdeh, back in 2011, also via IVF and surrogacy.

Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao

Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao tied the knot in December 2005. Though both were adamant on having a child together, this only materialised several years later when they welcomed their son Azad Rao Khan, in 2011. Azad too is an IVF baby. Kiran and Aamir opted to go down the IVF route following a string of miscarriages and health complications that Kiran went through during her attempts to conceive a baby over a 5-year period. Being open about their IVF journey, Aamir, in an interview to PTI shared, "Kiran and I both wanted a child and when Azad was born, both of us were very happy and we both wanted to be honest with people about it". Though Aamir and Kiran divorced in 2021, they continue to be on good terms and raise Azad together.

Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan with their son Azad Rao Khan

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

Anybody who actually kept up with the Kardashians during their early years on television, are well aware that Kim's pregnancy journey with her first born North, was absolutely debilitating for her health wise. It then, did not come as a surprise that Kim opted for IVF when it came to conceiving her second child and first son, Saint West. The health complications however, only got worse with this pregnancy which led the entrepreneur to opt for surrogacy when it came to carrying her youngest ones, daughter Chicago West, born in 2018, and son Psalm West, born in 2019. Though Kim and Kanye are divorced, Kim is now a happy mother of 4 children.

Paris Hilton and Carter Reum

Paris Hilton actually opted for IVF on the advice of her former assistant and now friend, Kim K. Paris froze her first round of eggs in her thirties. She had met her now-husband, author Carter Reum, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. "Carter and I had already been talking about the future and then the world was shut down, so I was like, 'What do you think about us making embryos?' And he said, 'Yeah, let's do it' ", she told Glamour UK during an interview last year. Paris and Carter are now parents to son Phoenix, 16 months old and daughter London, 6 months old.

Other notable names who have embraced IVF to conceive their babies include Farah Khan and Shirish Kunder, Ektaa Kapoor, Tusshar Kapoor and even Michelle Obama and Barack Obama.
Silchar: The Crime Investigation Department (CID), Assam and police arrested nine persons including three government servants for their alleged involvement in the Gauhati University mark sheet scam that surfaced recently. Gauhati University (Representative Photo)

The matter was raised by the Postgraduate Students Union of Gauhati University on Thursday and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also expressed concern while talking to the media during his visit to Barpeta on June 27.

The students claimed that a racket is active in Gauhati University and they increase the marks during marksheet evaluation in exchange for a big amount of money.

For increasing marks in one paper, they demand 16,000 and for all the papers in a semester, the rate is 100,000, the students said.

The students said that employees of various departments of the university are involved in the scam.

They have their agents in the university and those agents reach out to the students with proposals of marks. For higher marks, the rates are higher, students added.

The chief minister on June 27 asked the education department and police to investigate the matter and later CID was given responsibility for the investigation.

CID with the help of the university authorities identified several individuals involved in the alleged scam. They conducted raids in Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri and some other areas in the last two days, they arrested nine accused till Saturday evening, officials said.

Police said that arrested individuals have been identified as Azizul Haque, Krishan Krishnamurti, Ismail Hussain, Alomgir Khan, Moinul Haque, Hamezuddin, Abul Baser, Aminul Islam, and Shivtosh Mahato.

Krishan Krishnamurti is a Gauhati University employee, Shivtosh Mahato works at Dhubri Law College while Aminul Islam is a librarian at a college in Barpeta, according to the police.

The CID officials said that they are investigating the matter further and the number of arrests may increase. They said that they have collected adequate evidence and the arrested persons are going through interrogations.

The vice-chancellor of Gauhati University, Pratap Jyoti Handique said that an employee of the Integrated University Management System (IUMS) is the mastermind behind the alleged scam.

He said that the matter was first noticed on June 3 in Barpeta and an internal investigation began immediately after that.

The matter was limited to Barpeta initially and we involved police in the investigation. Now some fresh sides are getting exposed and police have arrested some accused with adequate proof. We are cooperating with the police in the investigation, he said.
Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Sunday hit out at the Centre over Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged excise policy scam, claiming that the federal agency made the arrest under the instruction of the Union government. AAP MP Sanjay Singh also accused ED and CBI of contempt of court, after they have asked exception from the Supreme Court.(PTI)

On June 26, Arvind Kejriwal was sent to CBI's custody hours after being arrested in a corruption case related to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.

ALSO READ | Arvind Kejriwal sent to judicial custody till July 12 in excise policy case on CBI plea

You have made a mockery of the judiciary, you have made a mockery of the law and order, you have made a mockery of the constitution of this country, Sanjay Singh said, accusing the Centre of filing a fake case against Arvind Kejriwal after two years.

Sanjay Singh also accused the Enforcement Directorate and CBI of contempt of court after they asked the Supreme Court for an exception.

You have filed case after case in the case of one Manish Sisodia. ED and CBI have no proof, just to get their wayThis is the content of the honourable Supreme Court, and I will request that the honourable Supreme Court to take action on this contempt of its own," the AAP leader said at a press conference.

Sanjay Singh added that the the ED has neither evidence nor a money trail against Arvind Kejriwal and has also been unable to recover any money against the CM.

The AAP MP said,  The court (Rouse Avenue Court) said in its order that ED has no evidence against Arvind Kejriwal and it is working with malicious intent, reported ANI.

He also accused the ED of approaching the high court in an unconstitutional and illegal manner in order to get a stay on Arvind Kejriwal's bail.

Singh also said, The central government felt that Kejriwal will get outBJP government go immediately and file a new case against Arvind Kejriwal and arrest him, following CBIs arrest.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has been in jail since March 21, 2024 and was granted bail for a short duration to campaign for his party during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

(with inputs from ANI)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday wrapped up the first phase of its probe into the alleged NEET-UG exam paper leak in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand, and has shifted focus on the suspects lodged in the jails across Bihar and Gujarat, officials familiar with the matter said. The 2024 NEET-UG has been beset with a series of allegations ranging from question paper leaks, inflated marking and arbitrary allowance of grace marks - issues that have become a nationwide flashpoint for political parties, leading to thousands of students protesting for weeks. (ANI)

A day after the federal agency arrested the principal and vice principal of a school in Hazaribagh in connection with the alleged paper leak, CBI sleuths wrapped up their makeshift office in Chari area of the district on Saturday.

Seven suspects, including three arrested from Hazaribagh, will now be taken to CBIs Delhi headquarters for further questioning.

A Jharkhand police officer, who assisted CBI, said: The CBI probe is not over in Hazaribagh, which has emerged as the main source for the leak. Because of issues related to remand time for all suspects, and those arrested from different places, CBI team has left Hazaribagh for now. The arrested people will now need to be confronted with other accused.

ALSO READ| CBI arrests fifth accused in NEET question paper leak case, 3 on 4-day remand

Over the last six days, the federal agency has questioned officials from Oasis school, the Nutan Nagar Blue Dart courier, State Bank of India, and teachers from four different schools in Jharkhand to identify the source of the leak. Of the at least 20-25 suspects who were questioned at the rest house, CBI has arrested three, including principal of Oasis School Ehsanul Haque and vice principal Imtiaz Alam, and media marketing in-charge of a Hindi daily Jamaluddin.

Haque was the Hazaribagh district coordinator for the medical entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5. Alam was an NTA observer and centre coordinator at the Oasis School for the medical exam that has been embroiled in a raging controversy.

The two came under the scanner after a half-burnt question paper of NEET- UG, 2024 was recovered from a private school located in Ramakrishna Nagar of Patna on May 5, hours after the exam ended. On June 23, a three-member probe team of Bihar polices Economic Offences Unit (EOU) visited the school and inquired about the conduct of the test and the mechanism to open digital locks of question paper boxes. A CBI team detained Haque after questioning on Wednesday.

Haque has denied any tempering of the question paper in Hazaribagh and termed the allegations baseless.

An employee at the Nutan Nagar based Blue Dart office confirmed that the local branch employees have been directed to appear before the investigating office whenever they are summoned. Two employees were questioned. They have given their statement and identification papers. CBI officials said they will send summons if needed, he added.

It is from this Blue Dart courier branch that the NEET-UG question papers were first received from the Ranchi Airport and sent to the State Bank of India branch on May 3. In a statement, Blue Dart said that they are cooperating with the probe agencies.

Separately, CBI is likely to seek custody of some of the 13 suspects, including Sikandar Prasad Yadvendu (56), a junior engineer employed with the Danapur Nagar Parishad, who are currently lodged in Beur jail in Patna district.

The official said: The arrested media professional, Jamaluddin, will be confronted with Yadvendu and another arrested suspect, Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar. Amit Anand is a man, who runs a non-registered educational consultancy in Patna. He was in touch with both Yadvendu and absconding main accused, Sanjeev Mukhia aka Lutan Mukhia. Jamaluddin appears to be the main link connecting Hazaribaghs Oasis school with the paper leak gang members.

The 2024 NEET-UG, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS and other related undergraduate courses across India, has been beset with a series of allegations ranging from question paper leaks, inflated marking and arbitrary allowance of grace marks  issues that have become a nationwide flashpoint for political parties, leading to thousands of students protesting for weeks. This years examination was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 abroad, with 2.3 million candidates appearing for it.
Read the full story on The Auto Wire

Catalytic Converter Thief Trapped By Forklift

Nobody likes a catalytic converter thief. Weve heard even their mothers disown them. If youve ever fallen victim to these lovely individuals, well you know firsthand why theyre so loathed. Thats why we think its completely appropriate a scrapyard in Akron, Ohio who had a problem with one trespassing to steal from them finally caught him by raising the car he was hiding inside with a forklift, then called police.

See the horse a guy was riding when he got cited for DUI here.

Humiliating the guy, who decided instead of chopping cats off peoples rides in a parking lot that he would just help himself at a scrapyard, is just oh so sweet. Employees of the business told police it was the third time he had trespassed on the property, so they were pretty happy about catching the guy.

As one can imagine, the thief himself was compliant and pleasant when the forklift was lowered and police opened the back door. Actually, he was defiant, telling cops his name was Mr. Funk. Considering his lack of personal hygiene that seemed oddly appropriate. He then said it was none of your business, bro when asked for his first name.

ADVERTISEMENT

These are the morons climbing under your car with a Sawzall to hack off your catalytic converter so they can get a quick score. Theyre also criminal masterminds as this guy concocts some poorly constructed story about running from someone and hiding in the scrapyard out of fear. Three times. Yeah.

He proceeds to try having a philosophical discussion with police about the difference between a lie and the truth, which devolves into the well-groomed Mr. Funk acting like a belligerent toddler.

By the way, the police found a Sawzall in Mr. Funks backpack. Thats like a totally normal thing for someone to be carrying when they get chased by someone and hide in the backseat of a car in a scrapyard, right bro? Catalytic converter thieves sure are dumb.

Check out the hilarious video for yourself.

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More than 13,000 pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine of Amarnath on Saturday, the first day of the annual pilgrimage in the south Kashmir Himalayas that is being conducted amid tight security. The Yatra started early morning from the twin tracks. (HT File)

The first batch of pilgrims had left the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan to start their journey to the cave shrine located at an altitude of 3,880 metres.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted pilgrims at the start of the Amarnath Yatra, saying the 'darshan' of Lord Shiva is known to infuse immense energy in his followers.

"My heartfelt best wishes to all pilgrims on the commencement of the holy Amarnath Yatra. This Yatra associated with the darshan of Baba Barfani infuses immense energy in the devotees of Lord Shiva. May all devotees prosper with his blessings. Jai Baba Barfani, the prime ministe said in a post on X in Hindi.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the Modi government is committed to ensuring a safe, smooth and pleasant pilgrimage to the cave shrine.

"Shri Amarnath Yatra is an eternal symbol of the traditionalism and continuity of Indian culture. This divine Yatra is starting today. I wish all the devotees good luck for the darshan," Shah wrote on 'X' in Hindi.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, our government is committed to the safe, smooth and pleasant journey of the devotees and the government has made every possible arrangement to ensure that the devotees do not face any inconvenience. Har Har Mahadev," he added.

The Yatra started early morning from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal.

"As many as 13,736 pilgrims visited the cave shrine to have darshan of the naturally formed ice lingam on the first day," an official said.

Among the pilgrims were 3,300 females, 52 children, 102 sadhus, and 682 security personnel who visited the shrine from the two routes

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of 4,603 pilgrims from the Yatri Niwas base camp in Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu on Friday.

Stringent security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the Yatra.

Thousands of security personnel from the police, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and other paramilitary forces have been deployed along the route. Aerial surveillance is also being carried out.

The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19.

Meanwhile, central public sector undertaking ONGC has set up two 100-bed hospitals at the twin Amarnath base camps in Kashmir and announced that the facilities would continue to operate after the annual yatra.

More than 4.5 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine last year.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) led by former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, has plunged into a crisis with several legislators defecting into the Congress following the partys debacle in the recent Lok Sabha elections in the state. BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao with party MLAs and MLCs during a meeting at his residence in Erravelli, Telangana on Tuesday. (PTI)

Over the past week, as many as three senior BRS legislators deserted the party and defected into the Congress, the latest one being Kale Yadaiah from the Chevella assembly constituency on Friday. Yadaiah met Telangana chief minister and Pradesh Congress Committee president A Revanth Reddy in New Delhi. He joined the party in the presence of Reddy, AICC in-charge of Telangana Deepa Das Munshi and others.

On June 21, former state assembly speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy from Banswada resigned from the BRS to join the Congress, followed by Dr M Sanjay Kumar from Jagitial two days later.

The BRS, which lost power to the Congress in the previous assembly elections held in November 2023, drew a blank in the recent Lok Sabha elections held in Telangana on May 13. While the party won 39 seats in the 119-member state assembly, it could not win even one out of the the 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana.

After the partys defeat in the assembly elections, three BRS MLAs  Danam Nagender from Khairatabad, Kadiyam Srihari from Station Ghanpur and Tellam Venkat Rao from Bhadrachalam joined the Congress. With the latest defections, six BRS MLAs in total have switched their loyalties to the Congress.

According to a senior Congress leader who refused to be quoted, at least another eight MLAs are likely to defect from the BRS to the Congress before the commencement of the budget session in the second week of July.

One of them, Gudem Mahipal Reddy representing Patancheru assembly constituency had been in New Delhi for the last three days lobbying with the Congress high command to gain entry into the party. He is yet to get the green signal, the Congress leader quoted above said.

Following the defection of the six MLAs, the strength of the ruling Congress in the Telangana assembly went up to 71. The party, which had won 64 MLAs in the assembly elections, wrested another seat from the BRS by winning the by-elections in the Secunderabad Cantonment constituency, which was held on May 13.

As a result, the BRS is now left with 32 MLAs after the defection of six MLAs and the loss of the Secunderabad Cantonment seat to the Congress.

The Congress is aiming to lure as many MLAs as possible to consolidate its position, so that there is no threat to the party in the next four and a half years. But if the defected MLAs have to avoid attracting the provisions of the anti-defection law, the Congress should lure at least 26 BRS MLAs, said political analyst Mohd Zakeer.

Revanth Reddy strongly defended the admission of BRS MLAs into the Congress. BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao says he will pull down my government within six months. Bharatiya Janata Party leaders say our party will not last long. Why should we keep quiet? We have to take our own precautions to save our government, the CM told reporters in New Delhi on Thursday.

Soon after the defection of two BRS lawmakers into the Congress last week, KCR held a meeting with the remaining MLAs at his farmhouse at Erravelli and persuaded them to stay with the party, assuring them of a bright future.

There is no need to get disturbed or disheartened with these defections. Let us stop worrying about such leaders. The party has the capacity to groom better leaders in place of these defectors. Only the BRS has the capacity to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Telangana, KCR said.
Conducting board exams for classes 10 and 12 twice a year was not possible under current academic schedule, the Central Board of Secondary Education has told the education ministry, according to officials familiar with the development. The National Curriculum Framework 2023 released in line with the National Education Policy 2020 in August recommended that students be allowed to take board examinations on at least two occasions during any given school year, with only the best scores being retained (HT)

The board presented the current scenario to the ministry during a programme on the National Curriculum Framework 2023 on June 25 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, board and ministry officials said, declining to be named. The event was attended by hundreds of principals of schools affiliated with the CBSE.

The framework released in line with the National Education Policy 2020 in August recommended that students be allowed to take board examinations on at least two occasions during any given school year, with only the best scores being retained.

The ministry had asked the board to prepare a road map for conducting board exams twice a year, HT reported on April 27. Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in February said the plan was likely to be implemented from the 2025-26 academic year on an optional basis.

More that 150 steps were required to conduct board exams of classes 10 and 12 in the current system, according to the boards presentation seen by HT. The process involves a minimum 310 days, starting from filling of list of candidates, centre notifications, release of roll numbers, conduct of practicals, theory exams, result declaration, verification and revaluation, it said. At least 55 days are required to conduct the two exams, the board said.

The board said it has schools spread across the world and therefore conducting board examinations in two shifts in the current system and policies is not possible, said an official present in the meeting.

While main examinations are conducted between February and April and results are declared in May, the supplementary exams are conducted between July and August, with results declared at the end of August. In total, examinations in 88 subjects are conducted for class 10 and 121 subjects for class 12, the board said.

The issue of the date of competitive exams, holidays, and gaps between exams, are also taken into consideration at the time of the preparation of the date sheets besides the timing of the conduct of practical exams are different for winter bound and summer bound schools, the board said in its presentation.

Besides, the CBSE informed that over 4,000 question papers and 200,000 questions are prepared for the board exams, and about 2.5 crore answer sheets are evaluated. Teachers remained involved in board examination work for about 55 days and in evaluation for about 15-20 days. Their services are also used for other activities, including verification, the board said.

It was the first of many consultations for the implementation of the framework recommendations where stakeholders expressed their opinions, a ministry official said. The NCF recommendation of introducing two board exams is to reduce the load and pressure of students. It is to give them another opportunity to improve their performance if they want. We will work out together on how to implement the NCF recommendations. The ministry has also asked the principals of CBSE schools to send their suggestions as well, the official said.
Comedian Daniel Fernandes cancelled his stand up comedy show in Hyderabad on Saturday after receiving threats from the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA T Raja Singh over Fernandes' jokes on the Jain community. Comedian Daniel Fernandes had earlier caught headlines with his remarks about the death of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2021

The BJP MLA released a video threatening to physically assault the comedian if he decided to perform, reported TOI.

Earlier, Fernandes had posted a video making fun of an incident when Jains dressed up as Muslims to rescue 124 goats from getting sacrificed on Bakrid spending 15 lakh, reported TOI.

The joke triggered a social media uproar, forcing the comedian to take down the video. In an apology video posted on Instagram, Fernandes said despite the video's deletion he is still receiving threats.

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He said, The video that has offended people has been taken down and I posted an apology earlier today. However, we are still receiving calls, messages and email threatening us of violence and vandalism.

Fernandes also clarified in the video that it was not his intention to malign the Jain community, the TOI report added.

Comedian Daniel Fernandes had earlier caught headlines with his remarks about the death of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2021.

Regarding the trolling and threats from members of the community, he said, To the members of the Jain community I will say it again, there was no intention to malign anybody here. I can see that you are upset, I can see that you are angry, I can see how you all are expressing it.

Goshamahal BJP MLA Raja Singh sparked controversy by threatening to inflict violence on comedian Munawar Farooqui before his show in Hyderabad in 2022. Farooqui, who was arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police for his remarks about Lord Ram in 2021, called off his show but was later allowed to perform in Hyderabad.
The Congress has blamed INDIA bloc ally Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for their loss in the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal

"When we (Congress) exposed the excise scam, we demanded the then government to conduct a proper investigation. ED and CBI didn't take any action, even after 18 months of filing the case. But, just 1 month before the Lok Sabha polls, they arrested Arvind Kejriwal," Congress leader Abhishek Dutt told ANI.



ALSO READ: Electoral pact with AAP was for Lok Sabha polls only: Delhi Congress

Cong suffered due to excise scam: Dutt

Continuing his attack on AAP, Dutt added,"I believe if we had not contested the elections with them, then Congress' seats would have increased in the elections. Because of the Excise scam, the Congress suffered a loss in the Lok Sabha elections."



"Satyendar Kumar Jain is in jail because of his involvement in the scam. Manish Sisodia is in jail and because of all of them Congress has suffered the loss," he added.

Dutt trained guns on Delhi minister Atishi, who had briefly sat on a fast to press her demand before Haryana government to release additional water to the Capital.

"Atishi is doing drama by sitting on Dharna and because of that AAP is suffering from loss. The minister's job is to provide full facilities to the public. There is no water in Delhi and they are doing dharna," the Congress leader said.

This is not the first instance when the Congress has sniped at AAP, with whom it contested 2024 general elections in all seven seats of Delhi. The INDI bloc allies could not win a single seat and BJP retained all seven constituencies in the capital for the third straight time.



Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav had also attacked the AAP over waterlogging in several parts of the city due to heavy rain.



There is no area in Delhi where waterlogging did not take place today, be it railway stations, airports, parks or residential areas. For the first time, Delhi came to a standstill. We have regularly been warning the government about monsoons by writing letters but in times of crisis, the Delhi government runs away as seen today," Yadav had told PTI.



Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had hit back at the Congress, saying,"Opposition parties in the nation are fighting to save the constitution...Division among the opposition parties is not good. The local leadership in different states have the right to express their views."



(With agency inputs)
Congress lawmaker Manickam Tagore has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to revisit the restrictions imposed on journalists covering Parliament. These restrictions were imposed in 2020 following the outbreak of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Congress lawmaker Manickam Tagore said the restrictions on media were adversely impacting the free and fair coverage of parliamentary proceedings. (File Photo)

Underlining that the restrictions are adversely impacting the free and fair coverage of parliamentary proceedings, Tagore said removing the restrictions, will reinforce our commitment to a free press and ensure that our democracy remains robust and transparent.

Although protocols that were put in place during the pandemic, such as physical distancing and a cap on allowing visitors have been dispensed with, journalists covering Parliament have restricted access to galleries in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

In a post on X, Tagore shared a copy of the letter to Birla dated June 27 where he has raised the issue of journalists being restricted.

As you are aware, the press plays a crucial role in our democracy by ensuring transparency and holding the government accountable to the people. However, it has to my attention that several established journalists, many of whom have been covering Parliament for over a decade, are now facing undue restrictions in the name of Covid-19 protocols. While I understand the importance of health and safety measures during the pandemic, the continued enforcement of these restrictions is adversely impacting the free and fair coverage of parliamentary proceedings, the letter said.

Tagore has also pointed out that preventing journalists from accessing Parliament not only hampers professional duties but also restricts the flow of accurate information to the public interest of preserving the democratic ethos of our nation.

... It is imperative that all accredited reporters be allowed to cover the proceedings without any hindrance, the Congress MP has said.

Restrictions in Lok Sabha also limit the number of journalists from different media outlets. In the Rajya Sabha too, media persons have to adhere to the new rules, that limit the number of reporters covering the House proceedings.

As per the notification from the Rajya Sabha secretariat, annual passes issued to the accredited media organisations will remain suspended for the 264th session and only two persons each from accredited media organisation subject to availability of quota, will be allowed to have access to the Press Gallery of Rajya Sabha on any given day of sitting.

Annual passes issued under Long and Distinguished category service that are provided to senior journalists who have spent decades in the profession are also suspended. The new rules allow, a maximum of Four Long and Distinguished (L&D) category pass holders, on first come first served basis to cover the proceedings on any given day of sitting.

According to an official aware of the details, the restrictions cannot be lifted in any one House, unless both the Speaker and the Chairman agree to review the rules.
New Delhi: The Delhi high court will on Monday deliver its verdict on K Kavithas plea seeking bail in the cases registered over the alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, people aware of the matter said on Sunday. The judgement is likely to be delivered by a bench of justice Swarana Kanta Sharma at 2:30pm. BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 15 (File Photo)

According to her plea by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the members of the ruling party at the Centre have orchestrated a conspiracy against her with the active connivance of the ED and CBI, despite there being no substance in the allegation of her involvement in the excise policy scam.

The plea highlighted that the investigation that is being conducted by the probe agencies was compromised and was not being carried out to find the untainted truth but to further political agenda.

The BRS leader had appealed against the city courts May 6 order rejecting her bail application. Denying her bail in the case registered by the ED, the city court had ruled that there appeared to be a prima facie case indicating Kavithas involvement in the commission of the offence of money laundering in relation to the Delhi excise policy case.

While rejecting bail in the CBI case, the court had ruled that Kavithas role prima facie appeared as that of a key conspirator in the collection and payment of upfront money to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) through co-accused to get favourable provisions in the excise policy.

Kavithas legal team led by senior advocate Vikram Chaudhary and advocate Nitesh Rana asserted that the probe agencys investigation was biased, partial and lopsided. The lawyers argued that their client was arrested by the ED despite the probe agencys undertaking before the Supreme Court that it would not take any coercive action against her.

The ED and the CBI, represented by special counsel Zoheb Hossain and DP Singh, countered these claims by emphasizing that the BRS leader was a beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the Delhi excise scam.

Hossain asserted that Kavitha had influenced the co-accused to retract their statements made before the probe agency and destroyed evidence. He also highlighted that the ED had only undertaken before the Supreme Court that the agency would not summon her for the next 10 days in September 2023 but had never made any assurances regarding not arresting her. There is not a whisper on the part of the petitioner that we have breached (undertaking for not summoning her), Hossain argued.

Kavitha was arrested by the CBI on April 11, while she was lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody in the parallel case registered by the ED. She was initially apprehended by ED on March 15 in connection with the money laundering case and was sent to judicial custody on March 26.

The agencies have alleged that Kavitha is one of the key persons involved in arranging and providing kickbacks of approximately 100 crore to the AAP to get favourable provisions added to the now-scrapped policy.

The CBI had earlier on April 6 interrogated Kavitha in Tihar jail after obtaining permission from the court. However, according to the CBI, she did not give satisfactory replies to their questions and gave evasive answers despite being confronted with the evidence.

On May 10, the ED filed a fresh charge sheet in the Delhi excise policy case, naming K Kavitha, an accused among other alleged associates.

The others named in the charge sheet include Chanpreet Singh, who allegedly managed the AAP funds procured through kickbacks in excise policy during the Goa assembly elections 2022; Damodar Prasad Sharma and Prince Kumar (employees in a firm allegedly used for routing of funds); and Arvind Kumar Singh (creative head of India Ahead news channel).

The ED has so far arrested 18 people including four politicians  Kejriwal, Sisodia, Kavitha and Sanjay Singh; filed seven charge sheets against 34 people and entities; and submitted thousands of documents as evidence in the court in the excise probe.
Though the Indian airlines have been hiring pilots and cabin crew in line with the huge number of aircraft orders and trying to meet the demand in collaborations with some flying schools in the domestic and international markets , industry experts say that not much attention is being paid towards the current shortage and the potential demand for aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs), who also fall into the licensed category workforce and are equally important for the efficient operations of an airline. Indian carriers including Tata Group-owned Air India and no-frills IndiGo have placed around 1,200 aircraft orders with major aircraft manufacturers(Representative image/ Istock)

They say that India would require at least 14,000 AMEs in the coming eight years.



ALSO READ: Domestic passenger traffic up by 4.4% in May: DGCA

Indian carriers including Tata Group-owned Air India and no-frills IndiGo have placed around 1,200 aircraft orders with major aircraft manufacturers, which are to be delivered over the next 10 years. This does not include earlier orders of around 1,000 aircraft by IndiGo, which are being delivered to the carrier in a staggered manner over a period of time.

A former airline official said that the deployment of these planes into the service would require a huge workforce, such as pilots, cabin crew and flight dispatchers. At the same time, these planes would also require a huge amount of workforce to maintain and service them.

The country, according to industry estimates, has around 7,000 AMEs in various aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities. This doesn't include AMEs in various training schools as instructors.

Post covid the air traffic is booming again and major airlines like IndiGo, Air India, Akasa have placed orders for around 2000 aircraft which will need around 14000 AMEs in another eight to ten years, Dr G K Chaukiyal, professor at the Gujarat University said.



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Four-year engineering course mandatory

There are around 45 AME schools in India which are authorised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

For a student pursuing to become an AME, a four-year engineering course is mandatory.

An AME, in schools, is certified either in B1 (Mechanical-based courses that focus on aircraft systems like airframes, engines, and landing gears) or B2 (Avionic-based courses that focus on electrical and electronic equipment, instrumentation, navigation and radio systems).

Highlighting the need to have AMEs in Indian aviation, an industry expert on condition of anonymity said, Most of the airlines have come to grief because they didn't have a strong engineering background or an engineering setup. Of course, one portion of the engineering setup means technicians and infrastructure."

Other portion is fares and logistics, focusing on the AME infrastructure, he said.

"So if you don't have a strong engineering force and infrastructure experience, a strong wind experience infrastructure, then that airline will not be able to perform to its peak," he said.

Emphasising that the AME institutions need to improve the quality of education by employing good quality instructors and proper training infrastructure, Chaukyal said, The quality of intake also needs to be controlled to produce good quality engineers, without a strong engineering setup, no airline can survive.

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Poor quality of education provided in schools

An airline official said that it takes six years for an individual to become an independent AME. Even after completion of a four-year course, an individual has to be trained under an AME for him to be allowed to take the lead and conduct the task all by himself. This is because of the poor quality of education provided in the schools.

Echoing similar views, a former AME said, An adequate number of students pass out from these institutes every year. However, airlines generally complain about the quality of AMEs from these schools and their employability skills.

The AME schools need to improve the quality of education by employing good quality instructors and proper training infrastructure, he said and added that "the quality of intake also needs to be controlled to produce good quality engineers."

The rapid expansion of the airline industry in India and significant aircraft orders necessitate a swift increase in qualified AMEs," said Rituparna Chakraborty, Independent Director at various companies including TeamLease, a recruitment and human resources services company.

Traditional AME training, typically 2 to 4 years, must be accelerated through intensive courses, on-the-job training, and advanced simulations, Chakraborty stated.

Stressing on the need for government and industry support, increased training capacity, and collaboration with international bodies to prevent operational delays and ensure safety, she said, "Leveraging e-learning and technology can expedite training while maintaining quality. "

"A proactive approach is essential to meet future demands, ensuring efficient operation and safety of expanding airline fleets, and creating job opportunities in India's aviation sector, " she added.

However, of late, it seems that major players have started focusing on this crucial workforce as well along with the hiring of pilots and cabin crew training.

While Air India is starting its own pilot training school, GMR Group, which owns Indias largest airframe Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) company, is coming up with a school for AMEs with the course for the first batch set to commence from mid next month.

GMR Aero Technic has ventured into the skill development sector by establishing the GMR School of Aviation to train a large number of engineers, said Ashok Gopinath, president and accountable manager at GMR Aero Technic.

The Hyderabad-based school set up in collaboration with European aviation major Airbus, will offer a globally recognised four-year programme, including two years of academic study and two years of training at its MRO which is a few metres away from the school.

We frequently encounter gaps in training when new hires join our MRO, leaving them less than industry-ready. This necessitates additional training, resulting in a loss of man-hours," he said.

GMR has partnered with Airbus under which it will provide courseware in the form of technical handbooks, examination database and access to the Airbus Competence Training (ACT) package. Airbus will also train GMR instructors along with helping assess the training centre, according to him. It will train students for both B1 and B2 licences.

India is in dire need of such institutions and it is expected that this school will also improve the quality of engineers produced in the country, the AME concluded.
Two youths following Google Maps drove their car into a swollen river in Kasaragod, Kerala, but had a narrow escape when the vehicle got stuck in a tree. Youths rescued from swollen river in Kerala after Google Maps mishap(Representative Image/Unsplash)

The video of Fire Force personnel rescuing them to safety from the overflowing river in Pallanchi went viral on social media platforms on Sunday.

The rescued youths said they were heading to a hospital in Karnataka early in the morning, guided by Google Maps.

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'Google Maps directed us to narrow road'

Abdul Rasheed, one of the youths, said that Google Maps directed them to a narrow road.

"With the car's headlights, we noticed some water ahead. However, we didn't realize there was a river on both sides and a bridge in the middle without sidewalls," he told a TV channel.

The car was swept by the current but was halted by a tree, allowing them to call for help.

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How Google Maps are updated?

Google says its map is updated constantly, every second of every day. They collect new information from satellite images, Street View cars, Google Maps users, and local business owners to keep the map current.

There is also a dedicated team that works daily to ensure data accuracy. They use third-party resources, develop algorithms to update data and identify spam or fraud, and directly contact businesses and organizations for accurate information.

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However, even these efforts are not enough to keep Maps accurate in real-time. Last month, a similar incident occurred when tourists from Hyderabad drove into a swollen stream in Kottayam using Google Maps. They were rescued, but their vehicle got swept away.

(Inputs from PTI)
New Delhi: External affairs minister S Jaishankar will visit Qatar on June 30 for meetings with the West Asian countrys top leadership to review bilateral relations. External Affair Minister S Jaishankar (File Photo)

This will be the second visit by a senior Indian leader to Qatar since the two sides resolved an imbroglio last year over eight former Indian Navy personnel who were detained in the Gulf country, reportedly on charges of espionage, and sentenced to death.

During Jaishankars official visit to Qatar on Sunday, he will meet Prime Minister and foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

The visit will enable the two sides to review various aspects of bilateral relations, including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural and people-to-people contacts, the external affairs ministry said on Saturday. The two sides will also review regional and international issues.

The Israel-Hamas conflict and its fallout and the welfare of Indian expatriates in Qatar are expected to figure in the discussions.

India and Qatar share historic and friendly relations marked by regular exchange of high-level visits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Qatar in February and held talks with the Amir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

At the time, Modi had thanked the Amir for the release of the eight former naval personnel, who had been given lengthy prison sentences after their death sentences were commuted.

The former naval personnel, employed by a private company called Dahra Global that provided training and other services to Qatars armed forces, were detained in August 2022 on undeclared charges and spent months in solitary confinement before being sentenced to death in 2023. Following an appeal, their death sentences were commuted and they were given prison terms of varying durations.

Seven of the men subsequently returned to India, while one of them continues to be in Qatar. The external affairs ministry has said he is expected to return after the completion of certain formalities.

Qatar is home to an 800,000-strong Indian diaspora. Besides remittances from Indian nationals, Qatar has emerged as an important commercial partner for India, with two-way trade currently worth $20 billion a year.
Read the full story on Backfire News

The Tesla Cybertruck Isnt Corolla-Proof

Imagine dropping an obscene amount of money to be one of the first people to drive a stainless steel appliance down the road, the Tesla Cybertruck that is, only to have a person in a Toyota Corolla crash into you. Thats exactly what happened to someone in the Redwood City area of California, showing that while the Cybertruck is apparently bullet-proof and arrow-proof to a degree, it is not the last bit Corolla-proof.

Allegedly drunk driver tells police shes legally blind.

From what CHP Redwood City said about the incident, the Tesla driver isnt being blamed and neither is the Cybertrucks autonomous drive systems. Instead, the whole thing sounds to be the fault of the Toyota driver who turned the Corolla off the road, hit a dirt embankment, swerved back onto the road, crossed the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic, and hit the electric pickup.

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We were assured by Elon Musk and his devoted followers that the Cybertruck would be super safe and could float on rivers like a barge for a time or something. Anyway, thats curious because CHP said only the Tesla driver was injured, albeit minorly, but still. One would think the Corolla striking this stainless steel slab wouldve been demolished and the Toyota driver injured, but that wasnt so.

But as you can see in the rather blurry image posted to Reddit by someone who drove by the scene after the crash, the Corollas front end didnt fare too well. Everyone can debate about what this means, but this first Cybertruck crash sure is interesting. Wed love to know more details but wonder if any will be released later.

In the meantime, were waiting to see more Cybertruck crash scenes to gauge if the outcome of this one was an outlier or if all stainless steel refrigerators behave this way in a collision.

Images via Reddit
Five soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer, were killed during a tank exercise on Friday night in eastern Ladakh after their Russian-origin T-72 was swept away by the raging waters of the Shyok river near Saser Brangsa, officials said on Saturday. The incident comes at a time when the military standoff between India and China in eastern Ladakh is now in its fifth year, with no indication of an immediate resolution to the outstanding problems along the contested LAC even as India is hoping that ongoing negotiations with the neighbour will help restore the status quo ante of April 2020. (AFP)

The soldiers belonged to the 52 Armoured Regiment deployed at Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO), Indias northernmost military base near the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, HT has learnt.

A squad consisting of nine soldiers attempted a rescue mission in an assault boat in pitch-dark conditions, but returned after finding itself in a precarious situation in the swollen river and could not save the men, said one of the officials cited above, who asked not to be named.

Narrating the turn of events in a post on X, the army said: On 28 Jun 2024 night, while deinducting from a military training activity, an army tank got stuck in the Shyok River, near Saser Brangsa, Eastern Ladakh due to sudden increase in the water level.

While rescue teams were rushed to the location, due to high current and water levels, the rescue mission didnt succeed, and the tank crew lost their lives, the Leh-based HQs 14 Corps said. Indian Army regrets loss of five brave personnel while being operationally deployed in Eastern Ladakh.

The army identified the five soldiers as Risaldar MRK Reddy, Havildar Subhan Khan, Dafedar Bhupendra Negi, Lance Dafedar Ekeidaung Teibam and Craftsman Sadarbonia Nagaraju.

The body of one of the soldiers was recovered till the time of going to print, while a search for the others was on.

Such crossings are carried out during drills after a detailed assessment of the river conditions to ensure safety, said a second official, who also requested anonymity. The turn of events was totally unexpected because of a flashflood that seemed to have been triggered by weather patterns, said this official.

The water levels in Shyok river are still rising, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, with Leh-based scientists attributing the rise to fast melting of ice and glaciers amid high day temperatures.

It rained at many places on June 21 and 22, but the weather has remained mainly dry and hot thereafter, said Sonam Lotus, a scientist with IMD, Leh.

There has been a continued rise of day temperatures which has led to fast melting of ice and glaciers because of which water levels in rivers like Shyok and Indus rose, and are still rising, Lotus said, adding that the rise of water level in the June-end, July and August period is a regular feature every year following rainfall.

According to IMD data, there has been a significant rise in maximum temperature at Hunder Nubra since June 22 when it was 15.5C. The temperature climbed steeply in the next few days, reaching 24.1C on June 27 and 26.5C on June 28. Humidity was low during this period. In June, Ladakh recorded 14.1mm rainfall, compared to a normal of 2.7mm, with most of the rain limited only to a few days around June 20 and 21.

Data from Tangste, near the pass Chang La Pass and closer to the area of the tank accident, shows there was rainfall on June 23 and 24. This in combination with melting water from the glaciers may have contributed to the rise in water levels in the (Shyok) river, Lotus added.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh condoled the loss of lives.

Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate accident while getting the tank across a river in Ladakh. We will never forget exemplary service of our gallant soldiers to the nation. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firm with them during this hour of grief, Singh wrote on X.

The incident took place near Saser Brangsa through which the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is building a new road to provide much-needed alternative connectivity to the remote DBO outpost.

The construction of the 130-km road from Sasoma in the Nubra Valley to DBO near the Karakoram Pass is in its final phase. The existing 255-km Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DS-DBO) road runs close to LAC. Sasoma and Darbuk can be reached from Leh via two different road axes.

Work on the Sasoma-Saser La-Saser Brangsa-Gapshan-DBO road gathered momentum four years ago in the backdrop of escalating military tensions between India and China.

The incident comes at a time when the military standoff between India and China in eastern Ladakh is now in its fifth year, with no indication of an immediate resolution to the outstanding problems along the contested LAC even as India is hoping that ongoing negotiations with the neighbour will help restore the status quo ante of April 2020.

The Indian Army and the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) have held 21 rounds of corps commander-level of talks to cool tensions along LAC, but the two sides still have tens of thousands of troops each and advanced weaponry deployed in the Ladakh theatre. Diplomatic talks are also underway to find a solution.

The talks have thus far resulted in four rounds of disengagement from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A) and Hot Springs (PP-15), but problems at Depsang and Demchok are still on the negotiating table.

Last August, nine soldiers were killed when an army truck, part of a three-vehicle convoy, veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge near Kiari in Leh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi resumed his monthly radio programme, Mann ki Baat, on Sunday with its 111th episode after the show went on hiatus due to the general elections. The last episode was aired on February 25. In Sundays episode, he thanked Indians for reiterating their unwavering faith in the Indian Constitution and congratulated the Election Commission for conducting the elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)

Today I also thank the countrymen for having reiterated their unwavering faith in our Constitution and the democratic systems of the country. The 2024 elections were the biggest elections in the world. An election as big as this, in which 65 crore people cast their votes, has never taken place in any other country in the world. For this, I congratulate the Election Commission and everyone involved in the voting process, Modi said.

As examples of Indian products making their mark globally, Modi mentioned three products from different parts of the country --- Karthumbhi umbrellas from Attappady, Kerala; Araku coffee of Alluri Sita Rama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh; and snow peas of Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir.

Karathumbhi umbrellas, he said, are made by tribal women in Kerala under the supervision of the Vattalakki Cooperative Farming Society. These umbrellas are already sold online. The VCFS has established a bamboo handicraft unit and is planning to open a retail outlet and a traditional cafe, he said.

Modi said that about 150,000 tribal families are involved in cultivating Araku coffee. Girijan cooperative has played a very important role in taking Araku coffee to new heights.  The Konda Dora tribal community has also benefited a lot from this. Along with income, they are also getting a life of dignity. I remember once I got a chance to taste this coffee in Visakhapatnam with the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu Garu. And its taste! This coffee is amazing! he said and mentioned that the coffee was a hit at the G20 summit in Delhi.

The first consignment of snow peas was sent from Pulwama to London in May, Modi said. Abdul Rashid Mir of Chakura village was the first to come forward for this, he said.

Modi also encouraged citizens to plant a tree either with or in honour of their mothers.

Modi also talked about how Hool Diwas is celebrated on June 30. Bravehearts Sidhu and Kanhu united thousands of Santhal compatriots and fought the British with all their might.  in 1855. Then, in Santhal Pargana of Jharkhand, our tribal brothers and sisters took up arms against the foreign rulers, he narrated as he played a Santhali song dedicated to Sidhu Murmu and Kanhu Murmu.

Modi wished Indian athletes the best for Paris Olympics which will be held from July 26 to August 11.

Modi congratulated the All India Radio on the completion of 50 years of the broadcast of its Sanskrit bulletin on June 30. He mentioned how Samashti Gubbi had started a Sanskrit Weekend in Bengalurus Cubbon Park where people talked and debated in Sanskrit.

Modi thanked the government of Kuwait for starting a weekly 30-minute radio show in Hindi on their national radio which caters to Indian diaspora in the country. He also mentioned that the president of Turkmenistan, while celebrating the 300th birth anniversary of the countrys national poet, Magtymguly Pyragy, unveiled statues of 24 famous poets from around the world, including Rabindranath Tagores.

Modi said that Indian diaspora in Suriname celebrated the Indian Arrival Day and Pravasi Din on June 5 by the Indian diaspora while people of Indian origin in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, about six thousand in number, celebrated Indian Heritage Day on June 1.

The 10th Yoga Day was celebrated on June 21. Modi said that for the first time in Saudi Arabia, the common yoga protocol was led by a woman, Al Hanouf Saad.
Mann Ki Baat Live Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the 111th episode of the monthly radio programme.

Mann Ki Baat Highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio show, Mann Ki Baat, resumed on Sunday (June 30) following a break. The program was last broadcast on February 25 but was paused during the Lok Sabha elections. Mann Ki Baat is PM Modi's platform to discuss crucial national issues with Indian citizens, airing on the final Sunday of each month. On June 18, PM Modi announced the resumption of Mann Ki Baat on June 30. He encouraged people to contribute their ideas through MyGov Open Forum, NaMo App, or by recording messages at 1800 11 7800....Read More

Highlights of 111th episode today

- During his Mann Ki Baat address in the 111th episode on Sunday, PM Modi expressed gratitude to the nation for reaffirming faith in India's Constitution and democratic system during the 2024 elections, hailed as the world's largest. He praised the Election Commission and all involved in the electoral process.

- PM Modi highlighted 'Hool Diwas', celebrated by tribal communities, honouring the brave Sidhu-Kanhu who fiercely resisted foreign rule's injustices.

- PM Modi discussed the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign launched on World Environment Day this year, urging global participation in tree planting with mothers to celebrate both motherhood and environmental conservation.

- Ahead of the Paris Olympics starting July 26, PM Modi encouraged Indians to support athletes aiming to bring glory to the nation.

- PM Modi mentioned the 'Karthumbhi Umbrella', a special type made in Kerala by tribal women, during his radio address.

- Reflecting on history, PM Modi recounted how Veer Sidhu-Kanhu led the Santhal rebellion against British oppression in 1855, two years before India's First War of Independence in 1857, in the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand.

Mann Ki Baat

Launched on October 3, 2014, Mann Ki Baat seeks to engage with diverse segments of Indian society, including women, the elderly, and youth.

In addition to being broadcast in 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, 'Mann Ki Baat' airs in 11 foreign languages such as French, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Pashtu, Persian, Dari, and Swahili. The program reaches audiences through over 500 broadcast centers of All India Radio.
Addressing the 111th episode of his monthly radio program Mann ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his gratitude for re-electing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to power. He said people reposed their unbreakable trust in the Constitution and the democratic process in elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi(ANI)

PM Modi also spoke about the upcoming Paris Olympics and urged the people to support and cheer the athletes and sportspersons participating in the mega event. He also urged them to use '#cheer4Bharat' on social media to motivate them.

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The programme, which started on October 3, 2014, has become a key pillar of the government's citizen-outreach programme addressing multiple social groups such as women, youth, and farmers and has spurred community action. The monthly radio programme was last broadcast on February 25 but was paused during the Lok Sabha elections.

Apart from 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, Mann Ki Baat is broadcast in 11 foreign languages including French, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Pashtu, Persian, Dari and Swahili.

In the 110th episode of Mann Ki Baat, he emphasised the advancements made by women in society.

PM Modi top quotes:

1. PM Modi said that he had "missed the communication" since the last episode on February 25, when it was paused due to the electoral process. Today, finally the day has come for which we all have been waiting since February. Through 'Mann Ki Baat', I am once again amongst you, amongst my family members. I told you in February that I would meet you again after the election results and today I am again present amongst you with Mann Ki Baat. The arrival of Monsoon has made your hearts happy as well... he said.

2. He said that though the radio broadcasts were paused for a while, its spirit continued in the country. Mann Ki Baat radio program might have been closed for a few months...but the spirit of Mann Ki Baat...work done for the country, the society good work done every day, work done with selfless spiritwork that had a positive impact on the society continued unabated, he said.

3. Modi thanked the voters for electing NDA for a third consecutive term. He said, "Today I also thank the countrymen that they have reiterated their unwavering faith in our Constitution and the democratic system of the country. The Lok Sabha election 2024 was the biggest election in the world. Such a big election has never been held in any country of the world in which 65 crore people cast their votes. I congratulate the Election Commission and everyone associated with the electoral process.'

4. The prime minister also wished the country on Hul Diwas, celebrated across the country to commemorate the sacrifice of tribals for the nation. "Today, June 30 is a very important day. Our tribal brothers and sisters celebrate this day as Hul Diwas. This day is associated with the courage of Veer Sidhu and Kanhu who strongly opposed the atrocities of foreign rulers. They united thousands of Santhali companions and fought bravely with the British. This happened in 1855, that is, two years before India's first war of Independence in 1857," he said.

5. He spoke about the Paris Olympics and said that the country expects its players to put up excellent performances in the Olympics. My dear countrymen, by this time next month the Paris Olympics would have started. I am sure that all of you will also be waiting to cheer for the Indian players in the Olympic Games. I wish the Indian team the very best of luck for the Olympic Games, he said.

6. He also emphasised on EK Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign which was launched across the country on the occasion on World Environment Day on June 5. A special campaign has begun on World Environment Day this year named 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'. I have also planted a tree in the name of my mother and I have appealed to all the countrymen to plant a tree along with their mother or in her name he said.

7. PM Modi highlighted the rich culture and heritage of India and said that the way Indian culture is earning glory all over the world makes everyone proud.

8. He also mentioned special umbrellas made by Attapadi locals in Kerala. Today in 'Mann Ki Baat' I want to tell you about a special kind of umbrella. These umbrellas are made in our Kerala. Umbrellas have a special significance in the culture of Kerala. Umbrellas are an important part of many traditions and rituals there. But the umbrella I am talking about is 'Karthumbi Umbrellas' and these are made in Attappadi of Kerala. These umbrellas are made by our tribal sisters of Kerala. Today, the demand for these umbrellas is increasing across the country. They are also being sold online. These umbrellas are made under the supervision of 'Vattalakki Cooperative Agricultural Society'. This society is led by our women power, he said.

9. He talked about the speciality of Araku coffee from Andhra Pradesh. Friends, there are so many products from India which are in great demand across the world and when we see any local product of India going global, it is natural to feel proud. One such product is Araku coffee, he said.

10. He also discussed the celebration of International Yoga Day, Indian films excelling on the global stage, and achievements in afforestation among other topics.
Union minister Chirag Paswan has reacted to the NEET paper leak case, claiming that the government was in touch with all stakeholders and would make the best decision for the students at the appropriate time. Paswan said that the government would take the best decision for students in the NEET case and asked for the Opposition to stop stalling Parliament

Chirag Paswan also attacked the Opposition for stalling the Parliament's proceedings, reflecting their flawed mindset(galat soch).

The Opposition on Friday had brought up the issue of NEET row despite several adjournments. Chirag Paswan responded to their demands in Parliament, stating, The NEET case is being probed by agencies concerned and the matter is also before a court of law. Nonetheless, the government is holding talks with all the stakeholders. An appropriate decision will be taken at an appropriate time, in the best interests of students.

Read more: Parliament adjourned till Monday amid uproar over discussion on NEET

He added, "The opposition is displaying a flawed mindset. If it wants to raise issues concerning the public, it must allow the House to run properly and participate in debates and discussions".

Paswan also addressed a query about Nitish Kumar, an NDA ally and the chief minister of Bihar, stating that he will be leading the coalition in state assembly elections.

The newly inducted minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president was on his first tour of Bihar, his home state, earlier this month.

Paswan responded to the opposition's charge about increased crime in Bihar and deteriorating law and order by stating that, "The situation may be a cause for concern, but the government in the state is competent to tackle it".

The MP from Hajipur recently addressed a function where 5 newly elected MPs from his party were felicitated. He commented that unlike in Uttar Pradesh, the people in Bihar, "were not swayed by false propaganda of the opposition that the NDA was out to scrap the Constitution and do away with reservations".

Paswan announced that his party will hold a rally at Gandhi Maidan in November to celebrate the creation of Lok Janshakti Party, founded by his late father Ram Vilas Paswan.
Starting Monday, July 1, the three new criminal laws will take effect nationwide, significantly altering India's criminal justice system and replacing colonial-era legislations. The new criminal laws aim to bring in a modern justice system.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam will replace the old Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act.

ALSO READ- On implementation eve, Asaduddin Owaisi reiterates opposition to new criminal laws

New criminal laws explained | 10 points

1. Criminal case judgments must be delivered within 45 days after the trial ends. Charges must be framed within 60 days of the first hearing. All state governments must implement witness protection schemes to ensure the safety and cooperation of witnesses.

2. Statements from rape victims will be recorded by a female police officer in the presence of the victims guardian or relative. Medical reports must be completed within seven days.

3. A new chapter in the law addresses crimes against women and children. Buying or selling a child is classified as a heinous crime, punishable by severe penalties. Gangrape of a minor can result in a death sentence or life imprisonment.

4. The law now includes punishments for cases where women are abandoned after being misled by false promises of marriage.

ALSO READ- Petition in Supreme Court seeking stay of 3 new criminal laws

5. Victims of crimes against women are entitled to receive regular updates on their cases within 90 days. All hospitals are required to provide free first-aid or medical treatment to victims of crimes against women and children.

6. Both the accused and the victim are entitled to receive copies of the FIR, police report, charge sheet, statements, confessions, and other documents within 14 days. Courts are allowed a maximum of two adjournments to avoid unnecessary delays in case hearings.

ALSO READ- Put on hold three criminal laws, consult stakeholders: Stalin in letter to Amit Shah

7. Incidents can now be reported via electronic communication, eliminating the need to visit a police station. The introduction of Zero FIR allows individuals to file a First Information Report at any police station, regardless of jurisdiction.

8. Arrested person has the right to inform a person of their choice about their situation, so that he can receive immediate support. Arrest details will be prominently displayed in police stations and district headquarters for easy access by families and friends.

ALSO READ- Over 5.65 lakh officials trained to implement new criminal laws from July 1

9. It is now mandatory for forensic experts to visit crime scenes for serious offences and collect evidence.

10. The definition of "gender" now includes transgender people. For certain offences against women, victim statements should be recorded by a woman magistrate when possible.

If unavailable, a male magistrate must record the statement in the presence of a woman. Statements related to rape must be recorded through audio-video means.

(Inputs from PTI)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday carried out raids at five locations in Rajouri belonging to hybrid terrorists and overground workers (OGWs) in connection with terror attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on June 9. The NIA searches were conducted based on the interrogation of Hakam Khan, who was arrested by the J&K police on June 19. (ANI File Photo)

The searches were conducted based on the interrogation of Hakam Khan, an OGW arrested by J&K police on June 19.

Two masked terrorists opened indiscriminate fire at a 53-seater bus on its way from the Shiv Khori temple in Reasi to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, causing it to veer off the road and fall into a deep gorge near the Teryath village of the Poni area on June 9. The bus was ferrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Nine people, including a local driver and conductor of the bus, were killed while 42 received injuries in the incident.

NIA, which took over the investigation on June 15 on orders from the ministry of home affairs searched five locations linked with hybrid terrorists and Overground Workers (OGWs). The locations were pointed out by the arrested accused, Hakam Khan alias Hakin din, said the agency in a statement.

Hakam, it said, had provided them with safe shelter, logistics and food, as per NIA investigations.

The federal agency further claimed the searches led to the seizure of various items showing linkages between the terrorists and OGWs.

It is investigating a larger international conspiracy as part of a multi-pronged crackdown on the latest guerrilla type hit-and-run attacks by Pakistan-trained terrorists in Jammu region.

The investigators are not ruling out a change in pattern of use of well-trained Pakistani terrorists or even Pakistan army regulars in these latest attacks, in contrast with the use of local hybrid terrorists  who doubled up as overground workers and attackers  in 2022, when large number of labourers and Kashmiri Pandits were attacked in the Kashmir Valley.

Union home minister Amit Shah has directed the security forces to replicate the successes achieved in Kashmir valley against terrorism in the Jammu region.

He has also stressed on the importance of using modern technology to strengthen local intelligence networks, locate tunnels used by terrorists and deal with the drone intrusions, underlining that security forces and intelligence agencies need to work on mission mode and streamline coordination.

Currently, there is heightened security in J&K due to ongoing Amarnath Yatra.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at multiple locations across the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday in connection with the Reasi terrorist attack which claimed nine lives including that of a child. The attack took place on June 9 in the Pouni area of the Reasi district when terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori to Katra, causing the vehicle to plunge into a gorge. A forensic official inspects a bus that fell into a deep gorge on Sunday after being fired at by terrorists in Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir, Monday, June 10, 2024.(AP)

Following directives from the ministry of home affairs, the NIA took over the case on June 15.

The raids in Rajouri were based on leads provided by Hakam Khan aka Hakin Din, a key suspect arrested on June 19 in connection with the Reasi terror attack. The NIA in its preliminary investigation found that Din allegedly provided safe havens, logistical support, and sustenance to the terrorists involved in the attack.

According to Mohita Sharma, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Reasi, Din not only harboured the attackers but also facilitated their movements and actions leading up to the deadly incident.

"The arrested person is a prime militant associate who helped the terrorists in the execution of the attack. Further interrogation and investigation of the case is going on," she added.

During the questioning, Din revealed that three terrorists were putting up at his house, Sharma said, adding that the terrorists paid him 6,000, which has been recovered from him.

Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a series of terror attacks in June, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to review the security situation in the Union territory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government is "seriously" concerned about the recent terror attacks and no effort will be spared to teach the enemies of the country a lesson.

"The enemies of peace and humanity are not happy with the development in Jammu and Kashmir. There were some terror attacks recently... the government has taken it seriously. The Home Minister, with the J&K Administration, has reviewed the situation," Modi said at a function in Srinagar during his two-day visit.
Imphal: The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has strongly condemned the recent address by President Droupadi Murmu in Lok Sabha, following the formation of the new government, for not mentioning the the over-year-long Manipur Crisis. Manipur PCC working president K Devabrata noted that the Prime Minister has also maintained an eerie silence on the matter (Twitter/@INCManipur)

Speaking at the state party office in Imphal, Manipur PCC working president K Devabrata, during a press conference on Saturday said that the Congress party vehemently condemns the omission of the Manipur crisis, which is one of the most important issues in the country, from the Presidential speech given on the Parliamentary floor on June 27.

He added that the ongoing Manipur crisis, which is a national threat instigated by narco-terrorists, the influx of armed militants, and even represented by the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, as waging war against the nation, was ignored.

Also Read: Fresh violence in Manipur: School set ablaze in Moreh, houses gutted in Jiribam

The Presidents address should inform Parliament members about the session and outline government programmes and initiatives, Devabrata said.

He said that the ongoing Manipur crisis is unlike any other Indian state has seen before. In such a scenario, the northeastern states deserve better treatment from the Centre, said the working president.

Devabrata noted that the Prime Minister has also maintained an eerie silence on the matter for a considerable time and said that as the ruling party begins a new tenure, the people of the state expect new initiatives from the central government. However, the President chose to ignore such a pressing issue, leaving the people of the state feeling humiliated.

Quoting retired Lt. Colonel Himalaya, Devabrata said the Manipur crisis is a national security issue and should be treated as a priority by the central government.

He indicated suspicions that the exclusion of the Manipur crisis from the Presidential address might be a conspiracy to undermine the situation.

Indicating a step-motherly treatment towards Manipur, Devabrata pointed out that the President, in her address, appreciated Kashmir Valleys Baramulla region for a high voter turnout of 59 per cent while conveniently ignoring a 70 per cent voter turnout in Manipur during these tough times.

Also Read: Violence escalated in Manipur after poll results; prohibitory orders in Jiribam

This selective appreciation of one region of the country while forgetting another part has hurt and humiliated the people of Manipur, Devabrata added.

Devabrata said that according to the speech given by the President of India during her address on June 27, most of the disputes in northeast India have been resolved in the last 10 years, however, he said, the Congress party has not seen any settlement of the dispute in reality.

The Presidents speech has to be equitable and must carry a voice of justice. It should not become a mouthpiece of the ruling government, he added.

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.
Traffic movement is restricted at Okhla Underpass due to waterlogging, the Delhi Traffic Police announced on Sunday. Heavy rains lashed parts of Delhi-NCR on Friday and Saturday, causing waterlogging, traffic jams, rain-related accidents, casualties, and injuries (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

"Movement of traffic is restricted at Okhla Underpass due to waterlogging. Kindly plan your journey accordingly," the Police posted on X.

On Saturday, a 60-year-old man drowned in the waters at Okhla Underpass, which submerged following heavy rain on Friday in the national capital.

Heavy rains lashed parts of Delhi-NCR on Friday and Saturday, causing waterlogging, traffic jams, rain-related accidents, casualties, and injuries, prompting the government to take measures to tackle the situation.

Two boys died allegedly due to drowning near the rainwater-flooded Siraspur underpass in northwest Delhi's Samaypur Badli area on Saturday, police said.

According to the Delhi Police, a call about the drowning of a 12-year-old boy near Siraspur underpass was received at Samaypur Badli Police Station at 2:25 PM. Upon reaching the spot, it was observed that the underpass near the metro was flooded with almost 2.5-3 feet of water.

ALSO READ | No power in homes, water everywhere in Gurugram

Earlier on Friday, two children who had left their homes to play in rainwater drowned after falling into a deep rainwater ditch in the New Usmanpur area of Delhi, police said. The deceased were aged 8 and 10 years old and were residents of Som Bazaar, Gamri, in the New Usmanpur area.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Soma Sen told ANI that heavy rainfall is expected in Delhi over the next two days.

"Rain is expected to increase in the coming days in North India. Monsoon has advanced more in Eastern UP, and in the next 2-3 days, Western UP and Haryana will also be covered. An orange alert has been issued for UP, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and East Rajasthan. Heavy rain will be witnessed in the entire central India. Warnings have been issued for Arunachal Pradesh and Assam for extremely heavy rainfall. Rainfall will increase in the West Peninsular region by tomorrow. North Indian states will also witness extremely heavy rainfall. We have declared heavy rainfall in Delhi over the next two days," Sen said.

Despite heavy rains lashing the national capital over the past few days, the Delhi Metro saw a significant surge in passenger journeys. On Friday, June 28, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) reported over 69 lakh passenger journeys.

"The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) recorded over 69 lakh passenger journeys on Friday, even as the Metro services operated without any disruption with a punctuality of 99.95 percent despite the heavy rains that lashed the city and its peripheries," DMRC said in a post on X. (ANI)
On the eve of the three new criminal laws coming into force across the country, replacing their British era counterparts, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday accused the government of doing nothing to address what he said were major issues with the new legislations. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi (ANI)

Also Read | New criminal laws to take effect from July 1: Arjun Ram Meghwal

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Hyderabad MP shared a video of his Lok Sabha speech from December last year, in which he put forth the points on which he is opposed to the three new laws.

The three new #criminallaws will come into force tomorrow. Despite major issues in their implementation, the govt has done nothing to address them. These were the points I had raised to oppose their introduction, Owaisi posted on the social media platform.

The four-term Lok Sabha member's address was about how, according to him, the provisions under the legislations were a threat to the civil liberty and rights of of the people.

These give sweeping powers to the police to take action against anyone, he had stated.

Also Read | Petition in Supreme Court seeking stay of 3 new criminal laws

For instance, Owaisi, in his December 20, 2023 address, had pointed to the introduction of sedition in a different avatar and how the punishment for the offence was proposed to be enhanced to seven years from three years.

The laws will be a threat to Muslims, Dalits, and Adivasis of the country. 30% of prisoners across the country, and 33% of those in Uttar Pradesh alone, are Muslims, Owaisi had claimed.

Also Read | New criminal laws will tackle crime in effective manner: Former Supreme Court judge Navin Sinha

His demand also included rape being made gender-neutral.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Act (BSA), will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, respectively.
For a second consecutive day, former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren trained his guns at the BJP on Sunday, as he declared a rebellion against the feudal forces. Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren pays tribute at the 'Kranti Sthal' of Santal rebellion leaders Sidhu-Kanhu Murmu on the occasion of 'Hul Diwas', at Bhognadih of Sahibganj district, Jharkhand. (PTI Photo)

I have stepped out of my home for the first time post my release to address you on Hul Diwas. It is a day of inspiration for all of us. Like the Santhal uprising against the British, we declare Hul rebellion to drive out feudal forces not only from Jharkhand but across the country, Soren said at a rally, targeting the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

On Friday, the JMM executive president was granted bail by the Jharkhand high court in connection with an alleged land mining racket in Ranchi, the state capital. The high court observed that there is a reason to believe that the petitioner (Soren) is not guilty of the offence as alleged.

On January 31, Soren, then the chief minister of Jharkhand, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, the federal agency that is investigating money laundering charges against the ex-CM in the case. He resigned shortly before his arrest, and fellow JMM leader Champai Soren became chief minister.

Meanwhile, targeting the BJP further, Hemant Soren accused the saffron party of implicating me in false cases.

The Centre unleashes its probe agencies to harass those who raise their voices against it. It is only two days that I am out of jail, but the BJP is jittery. Its top leaders are coming to the state frequently and conspiring against me again. However, we are a land of revolutionaries and are not afraid of jail, lathi or execution, he asserted.

Also Read: Jharkhand govt plans cash scheme for women ahead of assembly elections

Jharkhand will go to polls in December to elect its next government. In the previous assembly elections, held in December 2019, the JMM-led coalition ousted the BJP from power.

(With PTI inputs)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday released three books chronicling the life and journey of former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu ahead of the BJP veteran's 75th birthday. During the virtual event, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the extraordinary achievements and milestones in Naidu's life. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a book launch event via video conference.

"Tomorrow, 1st July, is Venkaiah Naidu's birthday. His life journey is completing 75 years. These 75 years have been of extraordinary achievements. These 75 years have been of amazing milestones," said Modi.

Read: There is a message, hope people understand: BJP veteran Venkaiah Naidu on Lok Sabha elections

The prime minister expressed his happiness in releasing the biography  "Venkaiah Naidu - Life in Service" authored by S Nagesh Kumar, former Resident Editor of The Hindu, Hyderabad edition  and the two additional books, noting their potential to inspire and guide individuals in the direction of national service.

The two other books released by PM Modi include "Celebrating Bharat - The Mission and Message of M Venkaiah Naidu as 13th Vice-President of India", a Photo chronicle compiled by I.V. Subba Rao, former secretary to the Vice-President of India, and a pictorial biography in Telugu titled "Mahaneta - Life and Journey of M. Venkaiah Naidu" authored by Sanjay Kishore.

"I am happy that today I have got the opportunity to release his biography as well as 2 more books. I believe that these books will inspire people and show them the right direction of national service," Modi said.

Read: We should strengthen anti defection law: M Venkaiah Naidu

Reflecting on his long association with Naidu, Modi recounted their shared experiences across various roles and responsibilities. "I have had the opportunity to work with Venkaiah Naidu for a very long time. When he was the national president of the party, when he was a senior cabinet colleague in the government, when he was the Vice President of the country and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha," Modi reminisced.

The event was held on the eve of Naidu's 75th birthday at Anvaya Convention Centre in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to restart his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, on Sunday, June 30. The programme's last broadcast was in February, before 2024 Lok Sabha election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Earlier this week, PM Modi announced the return of the monthly radio broadcast on X, stating, Delighted to share that after a gap of some months due to the elections, #MannKiBaat is back! This month's programme will take place on Sunday, 30th June. I call upon all of you to share your ideas and inputs for the same. Write on the MyGov Open Forum, NaMo App or record your message on 1800 11 7800.

The official X handle of Mann Ki Baat added, @AkashvaniAIR will broadcast the regional versions of #MannKiBaat immediately after the original Hindi Broadcast and again at 8 pm tomorrow on its concerned regional channels.

The prime minister also urged people to contribute their ideas and suggestions for his radio broadcast through the MyGov Open Forum, NaMo App, or by recording messages at 1800 11 7800.

Previous and 110th episode of Mann Ki Baat

PM Modi's monthly Mann Ki Baat broadcast aired its last episode on February 25, after which it was paused due to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Mann ki Baat will not be broadcast for the next three months in view of upcoming Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi announced in the 110th edition of the programme.

Concluding the final episode, he said, Friends, the next time I converse with you, I will meet you with new energy and new information.

As per the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) guidelines of the Election Commission, the government is prohibited from using official events or publicly funded platforms to gain an unfair advantage over opponents. This was the rationale behind the temporary suspension of PM's Mann Ki Baat.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections were conducted in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. Vote counting concluded on June 4, resulting in the formation of the 18th Lok Sabha.

What is Mann Ki Baat?

Mann Ki Baat is a monthly radio programme hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he discusses important national themes and issues with Indian citizens.

The programme airs on the final Sunday of each month.

Launched on October 3, 2014, Mann Ki Baat aims to engage with various segments of Indian society, including women, the elderly, and youth.

In addition to 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, 'Mann Ki Baat' is broadcast in 11 foreign languages, such as French, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Pashtu, Persian, Dari, and Swahili, reaching audiences through over 500 broadcast centres of All India Radio.

A study on the impact of Mann Ki Baat revealed that over 100 crore people have tuned in at least once. It directly engages with listeners, highlights grassroots-level changemakers and achievements, and has inspired positive actions among the public.

(With ANI inputs)
The detailed technical study of Delhi airport's shut-for-now Terminal 1 (T1) is expected to be completed in a month, and a call on reopening the terminal will be taken on the basis of the report, a senior government official said on Sunday. New Delhi: Damaged roof of the Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal- 1, in New Delhi, Saturday, June 29, 2024. Operations at the Terminal 1 have been suspended following a roof collapse incident on Friday that killed one person and injured six others. (PTI Photo)

The technical study of T1 is likely to take about a month. After the findings come in, a decision will be taken about recommencing operations there, the official told PTI.

T1, which handles domestic flights  IndiGo and SpiceJet use this terminal  is closed indefinitely in the wake of Friday early morning's rain-triggered roof collapse mishap that led to the death of a cab driver and injuries to eight others. Following the incident, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) stated that engineers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, have been asked to immediately assess the partial collapse of the canopy.

Also Read: Delhi airport Terminal 1 suspends operations indefinitely after roof collapse

IndiGo and SpiceJet have moved their domestic operations to the busier T2 and T3 terminals.

Meanwhile, two sources informed the news agency that it might take a few months before flight departures and arrivals are permitted at Terminal 1.

The Delhi airport, named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, is the country's busiest airport, and the 10th busiest globally. Together, its three terminals handle around 1400 flight movements daily.

The facility is managed by the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a consortium led by the GMR Group.

"We remain committed to maintaining flight operations at T3 and T2, while operations at T1 are temporarily suspended. We appreciate the understanding and support of all stakeholders," a DIAL spokesperson noted in a statement.

Also Read: Centre asks airlines to ensure no surge in airfares amid Delhi airport incident

The evaluation process is still ongoing. Therefore, it is too early to provide specific inputs, the spokesperson replied to queries about business loss of concessionaries operating shops and services at T1.
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has retracted its notice to terminate contracts of over 100 teaching and non-teaching staff after facing strong criticism from faculty and student body. Tata Institute of Social Sciences

TISS stated that discussions with the Tata Education Trust (TET) have assured the necessary resources to address the issue.

Ongoing discussions with the Tata Education Trust have provided assurance that resources will be made available to TISS to resolve this issue. TET has committed to releasing funds for the salaries of TET project/programme faculty and non- teaching staff, it said in a statement.

ALSO READ- Cannot conduct board exams twice a year under current schedule: CBSE

Established in 1936 as a Deemed University and fully funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC), TISS is governed by the TISS Society under UGC guidelines. The contracts for its teaching and non-teaching staff were funded by grants from the Tata Trust.

The contracts at TISS campuses in Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad, and Guwahati, which were set to expire on June 30, will now continue.

TISS said that termination notice to all concerned TET Programme faculty and non-teaching staff, is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect. Staff are requested to continue their work, and salaries will be disbursed once the TET Support Grant is received by the institute.

ALSO READ- TISS suspends PhD scholar for screening banned BBC documentary

The Progressive Students Forum, a student body, criticised the TISS administration on Saturday, demanding the immediate revocation of the "termination" of over 100 faculty and staff members.

ALSO READ- TISS students body demands period leave

They blamed the current TISS leadership (appointed by Centre) and Union government for the situation. The forum warned that the mass termination would lead to a scarcity of staff and negatively impact students' futures, potentially paving the way for "politically motivated" appointments.
Two people died and 12 others were seriously injured on Sunday when a water tank collapsed in a residential area in Mathura, officials said. Rescue operation is underway. The water tank of the municipal corporation collapsed due to a heavy downpour in Mathura on Sunday. (ANI Photo) (K.K.Arora)

The incident happened around 6 pm in Krishna Vihar Colony, developed by the Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad.

The death toll might rise as some people, including children, are buried under the debris of the 2.5 lakh litre tank. Some nearby houses were also damaged, officials said.

ALSO READ- Delhi govt announces 10 lakh compensation for families of rainfall victims

District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar Singh said the injured were taken to the district hospital. Rescue operations are ongoing with fire services, police, revenue, municipal, and health department teams involved. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been called in, he added.

Additional District Magistrate Yogendra Pandey confirmed two deaths but didn't provide details. He said that debris removal is still underway, with several people trapped.

ALSO READ- Even Ayodhya could not withstand: AAP on collapse of structures due to rain

Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kumar Pandey told ANI, This incident occurred in the Krishna Vihar area where a 250kL tank collapsed due to excess rain Rescue teams of the district reached the spot immediately and rescue operation began immediately The District Magistrate and I immediately called the NDRF and SDRF teams as well. The injured have been shifted to the district hospital. We are still looking for people in the rubble to check for anyone trapped. No one is missing but we are still looking in case there are any other unknown persons

ALSO READ- Weather updates: IMD's rain alerts for these states, flash floods for Northeastern states

Tank was built by Jal Nigam in 2021

The DM said that the water tank was completed in 2021, and its collapse in just three years will be investigated. The tank, built by the Jal Nigam, cost 6 crore under the Gangajal Drinking Water Project.

Meanwhile, in UP's Moradabad district on Sunday, severe waterlogging forced residents to use boats for commuting. In Bholanath Colony, people were seen navigating the flooded area in boats.

(Inputs from ANI, PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 111th episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, June 30, praised the flavour and significance of Araku coffee from Andhra Pradesh. He recalled sharing a moment over coffee with the state chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu during his visit to Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, as shown in a picture during the broadcast where they were joined by then-state governor ESL Narasimhan. PM Modi recalled sharing a moment over coffee with the state chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu during his visit to Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.(YouTube/Narendra Modi)

PM Modi also highlighted the popularity of Araku coffee, noting its presence during the G20 Summit hosted by India in September last year.

There are numerous products from India that enjoy high demand globally, and it fills us with pride to see our local products achieving international recognition. One such product is Araku coffee, renowned for its rich flavor and aroma, cultivated extensively in the Alluri Sita Ram Raju district of Andhra Pradesh. Approximately 1.5 lakh tribal families are involved in its cultivation. I recall tasting this coffee with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu Garu in Visakhapatnam. Araku coffee has garnered several global awards and was well-received at the G20 Summit held in Delhi, PM Modi said during Mann Ki Baat on Sunday.

About 1.5 lakh tribal families are engaged in cultivating Araku coffee, with the Girijan cooperative playing a crucial role in its success. By uniting local farmers and encouraging them to cultivate Araku coffee, the cooperative has significantly boosted their income, he added.

GI tag for Araku coffee

Araku coffee received its Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2019. A GI tag signifies products originating from a specific geographical area, known for possessing unique qualities or reputation due to their origin.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal also shared the Prime Minister's mention about Araku coffee on his X (formerly Twitter) account. Truly matchless! Andhra Pradesh's GI-tagged Araku coffee is empowering tribals and strengthening brand India globally, Goyal wrote.

Araku Valley Arabica coffee is sourced from the hilly terrains of Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh, and the Odisha region is grown at elevations of 900-1100 metres above sea level.

The coffee production by tribal communities follows an organic approach, emphasising practices such as the use of organic manures, green manuring, and organic pest management

Other types of Indian coffee with GI tags

Here are other types of coffee in India that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) tags:

- Coorg Arabica coffee is cultivated exclusively in the Kodagu district of Karnataka.

- Wayanaad Robusta coffee is grown specifically in the Wayanad district in the eastern part of Kerala.

- Chikmagalur Arabica coffee is produced in the Chikmagalur district, located in the Malnad region of Karnataka on the Deccan plateau.

- Bababudangiris Arabica coffee is grown in the birthplace of coffee in India, situated in the central part of Chikmagalur district. It is meticulously hand-picked and processed using natural fermentation, resulting in a full-bodied cup with acidity, mild flavour, and a prominent aroma with hints of chocolate. This coffee, also known as high-grown coffee, matures slowly in the gentle climate, enhancing its distinct taste and aroma.

- Monsooned Malabar Robusta coffee, a distinctive specialty coffee from India, received GI certification earlier.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief S Somanath has assured that the delayed return of Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams from the International Space Station (ISS) should not be a worrying issue as the space station is a safe place for people to stay for a long time. ISRO chief Dr S Somanath and Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams (File)

Sunita Williams could be in space for months; NASA reiterates astronauts are not stranded

In an interview with NDTV, the ISRO chief said, "It is not just Sunita Williams or any other astronaut. Getting stranded or stuck in a place is not a narrative that we must have at this moment. All of them have to come back someday. The whole issue is about testing a new crew module called Boeing Starliner, its ability to go up there and then come back safely. There are enough capabilities with ground launch providers (to bring them home). That's not an issue. ISS is a safe place for people to stay for a long time."

The two NASA astronauts, Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, were scheduled to return on June 14. However, the pair has no set date to return to Earth as their return has been delayed multiple times amid several mechanical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

Somanath emphasised that instead of worrying about the astronauts' return, the testing of a new crew module and its ability to travel to space should be considered.

NASA's ISS spacesuit nightmare builds up while Sunita Williams is still stuck in space

He also praised Williams for her courage in travelling on the first flight of a new space vehicle. "We are all proud of her. There are many missions to her credit. It is a courageous thing to travel on the first flight of a new space vehicle. She herself is part of the design team and used inputs from her experience," he added.

Meanwhile, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager, Steve Stich has said that the US space agency is considering extending the duration of Starliner's mission from 45 days to 90 days, CNN reported.

The space agency said that part of that desired extension is due to the ground tests that Boeing and NASA plan to conduct in New Mexico, seeking to better understand why some of the Starliner's thrusters unexpectedly failed during the first leg of its journey.

In the latest update regarding the ongoing space mission, the Expedition 71 crew members on Friday packed a US cargo craft, cleaned up the International Space Station, studied techniques of futuristic piloting, and carried out eye exams.

Will Elon Musk's SpaceX rescue Sunita Williams from space after Starliner's Helium leak?

The astronauts lifted off on June 5 onboard a Starliner spacecraft from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida as a final demonstration to obtain routine flight certification from NASA.

The mission is part of the larger Commercial Crew Program at NASA, which wanted to see whether Boeing's spacecraft could be certified to carry out routine missions to and from the ISS.

(With inputs from agencies)
Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Sunday said that the Telugu Desam Party will work out a way for the demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh to be fulfilled.



In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times' Kumkum Chadha, Kinjarapu spoke on various issues including its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner Bharatiya Janata Party's bid to end reservations for minorities, relations with BJP and more. Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu

Andhra special status shouldn't be center of all demands

On the issue of special status to bifurcated Andhra Pradesh, the TDP leader said,"There are other things to do for the state to flourish. If you are stressing on one thing, you are making these demands look smaller. I don't want that to happen. For me, railway zone is the more important thing for me as I hail from north Andhra region."



We the people of Andhra Pradesh don't have a capital. We consider Amaravati to be an important demand. I have to stress on that also. We are stressing on Pollavaram, which is a national project. It made no progress at all in the last five years. When you pick up one thing, that's a political way of thinking, Kinjarapu, who won from Srikakulam for the third time, said.



ALSO READ: TDP's Nara Lokesh explains support to Modi 3.0, Agniveer and Andhra special status

How important is special status for Andhra Pradesh?

The Union minister said,"In the initial five years of bifurcation, we had certain support from the NDA government. We had the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu in the state. We made the state progress to a certain level. We thought if he had more support from the NDA government, we could have achieved more success."

We were more aspirational at that time. The state was just divided, we were insulted and we had the josh to show what our state is. In 2019 we lost and Jagan came to power. For five years, he took the state for a ride. Jagan made his own constitution, roads. He just made the state look like his bank account. He could do anything as per his own whims and fancies, said Kinjarapu, whose party TDP along with alliance partners BJP and Jana Sena, decimated Jagan Reddy's YSRCP in the Andhra assembly elections.



After assessing five years of Jagan's rule, we have gone back 30 years. Imagine a state which was trying to rebuild itself and achieve great things, with five years of rule by a madman, it went back 30 years, he added.

We stand with minorities

The BJP had attacked the governments in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka for providing reservation on religious grounds. When asked about quota for Muslims, Kinjarapu said,"We haven't spoken on it at all. Our leader Chandrababu Naidu has strongly said that there won't be any change in the things that are today. We stand by the minorities and their rights."






A style icon on and off screen, Kriti Sanon knows how to ace any fashion aesthetic - from sweatpants and bodycon dresses to lehengas and bralette-pants sets. In a recent video, Kriti served a quirky and sensuous summer look that girls who love experimenting would want to include in their wardrobe. Keep scrolling to see what the actor wore. (Also Read | Kriti Sanon's breathtaking green saree, bustier blouse by Masaba Gupta is a must-have ethnic look. Here's what it costs) Kriti Sanon poses for a photoshoot in a bralette, cargo pants and printed jacket. (Instagram )

Kriti Sanon's quirky and sensuous summer look

Celebrity stylist Sukriti Grover shared a video of Kriti Sanon on Instagram. The clip is BTS footage from a magazine photoshoot and shows the actor posing for the camera. For the shoot, Sukriti dressed Kriti in a mauve bikini top worn over a crochet bralette, layered with a printed jacket and cargo pants. While the jeans and bralette are from Huemnm, the jacket is by Saaksha and Kinni.

The bikini top features spaghetti halter straps, triangle cups, and a cropped hem, while the cream-coloured crochet top has a plunging neckline, sleeveless design, and a fitted silhouette. Kriti wore the top with denim cargo pants featuring distressed patches embroidered all over, a low-rise waist, a baggy silhouette, and side pockets. Lastly, she layered the printed jacket over her shoulders to complete the look. It has an open front, full-length bishop sleeves, and wide collars.

Kriti accessorised the ensemble with boho-chic-inspired jewellery, including gold rings and stacked chunky bracelets, to add a touch of glamour to the look. For the glam picks, she opted for nude eye shadow, mascara-adorned lashes, darkened brows, pink lips, rouge on the cheekbones, and beaming highlighter. She left her hair loose in a side parting and styled in soft waves.

About Kriti Sanon

Kriti Sanon was last seen in Crew with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Tabu. The film also starred Diljit Dosanjh and Kapil Sharma in poignant roles. It is produced by Rhea Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor.
Frederique Constant is a lot bigger than it appears to be, and a lot younger than you think. The Swiss watchmaker has aced the value-for-money game since it was founded in 1988 by Dutch couple Aletta Bax and Peter Staas. The Geneva-based firm sells over 100,000 watches annually, and, besides well-finished watches, it also has an entire range of complications, from perpetual calendars to tourbillons. (Also read: Best watches of 2024 for all budgets) William Besse talks about Frederique Constants 20 years in India.

The company ranked 44th on the list of top 50 Swiss watchmakers in the 2023 edition of the hotly contested but popular annual watch report released by Morgan Stanley. Not surprisingly for a brand that marries high luxury finishing and accessible pricing, India is among its top markets. In this interview with Hindustan Times, Williams Besse, international director of business development at the manufacture, talks about the evolution of the Indian market, the increasingly tough business of making affordable luxury watches, and the benefits of being part of the Citizen Group, which acquired Frederique Constant in 2016. Excerpts

Frederique Constant has been in India for about twenty years. What are the major differences youve noticed over these two decades?

Weve always had a great relationship with India, especially over the last 12-odd years. It ranks among our top seven global markets and our aim is to get it into the top five. Frederique Constant is a natural fit for Indian watch buyers, because they pursue value for money and we deliver just that. We had about 50 points of sale here ten years ago, but since 2016 we have also been working with two key partners, Ethos and Helios, and that has really accelerated our business. The market is a lot more international in many ways than it was earlier. There is a new social category of people interested in fine watches.

Watch buyers have started to enjoy automatics, and there are many who have moved to appreciating complications. On the other hand, unlike other Asian markets, where we have been strong online, Indian customers generally like to go to the point of sale, at least to pick up the watch, or they visit the boutique and get the watch delivered. So, there is always this physical context to the watch buying experience here. And women have been buying a lot more of our watches. In some months, it can represent 50% of our sales in quantity, not in value.

The general perception is that that the business of affordable luxury has got a lot tougher, and that several accessible luxury watchmakers are moving upmarket. Would you agree with that?

Yes, over the last couple of years, it has been much easier to sell a $10,000 watch instead of ten $1,000 watches. People are generally spending less than they used to. But I wont agree with the second statement. We are not moving upmarket. What we have done is to communicate that we know how to manufacture high end complications at affordable prices. In 2021, we launched the Slimline Monolithic Manufacture, in which the traditional oscillator was replaced by a one-piece silicon oscillator that beats a frequency of 40Hz. Last year we produced some 350 tourbillons, which is quite a significant number, at an exceedingly competitive price. This year, too, we plan to do the same, but at the same time, we also have the recently launched Classics Premiere collection with a La Joux Perret movement (movement maker La Joux Perret is owned by Citizen) that retails for about $1,800 and a quartz collection that starts at about $1000. So, we believe in mass production  we will remain a volume brand that lets more people enjoy luxury.

Frederique Constant was the first Swiss brand to launch a smartwatch in 2015. But then you went slow on it. How are smartwatches from established brands such as yourself faring?

We were indeed the first Swiss brand to have a smartwatch movement and we kept at it for about six to seven years. But now we are fully out of the connected watch business. Initially we believed that more brands will come into the ring and grow the market. Some did with limited success. This particular ecosystem, though, is dominated by the likes of Apple and Samsung. Apple today is among the worlds biggest watch producers, and these companies operate in a dynamic, rapidly changing environment. We realised that as a Swiss company, we wouldnt be able to keep up, and have decided to focus on what we are really good at. (Also read: Best luxury watches to gift: Unveil timeless elegance, top 10 worthy mentions)

What are some of the less obvious benefits of being part of the Citizen Group?

Distribution is of course a major benefit. They are strong in markets such as the US, Italy and Japan. Likewise, we are strong in France. So, we distribute each others products. But the thing with being part of the group is that the affiliates are very independent, so its more about how can we support each other. Theres a lot of learn from the meticulousness of the Japanese, even though we are a Swiss company, and there could maybe also be some synergy between our movements and their technologies.
Preity Zinta's fashion dominance streak continues. The actor is in Paris to attend the couture week and has been dishing out one stunning sartorial moment after another. Recently, she attended the Stephane Rolland show at the Paris Couture Week wearing a black toga dress from the designer's collection. Keep reading as we decode Preity's fashionable and elegant look inside. (Also Read | Janhvi Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Radhika Apte to Sonam Kapoor; desi stars take over Paris during Fashion Week) Preity Zinta attends the Stephane Rolland show in a gorgeous black toga dress during Paris Couture Week. (Instagram)

Preity Zinta's black toga dress for the Stephane Rolland couture show

Preity Zinta took to Instagram to share a picture of herself taking a stroll in the City of Lights, dressed in a black gown by Stephane Rolland. "The road to fashion #pariscoutureweek #stephanerolland #pfw #ting," she captioned the post. She also shared a BTS video of her dress fitting before the show with the caption, A sneak peek into my dress fitting with the amazing @stephanerolland_paris before his show for Paris couture week.

The black toga dress Preity chose for the couture show features a one-shoulder neckline, a full-length trumpet sleeve, an asymmetric hem, a figure-skimming silhouette hugging her curves, a cinched waist, and a train on the back. She accessorised the ensemble with minimal additions, including gold pumps, a black clutch, dainty earrings, and a gold cuff bracelet. Lastly, she styled her tresses in a twisted bun, leaving a few strands of her to sculpt one side of her face.

Preity Zinta attends Rahul Mishra's couture show in Paris

Earlier, Preity attended Rahul Mishra's couture show in Paris. The star populated the front row at the show in a strapless white gown featuring shimmering sequin embellishments, a corseted bodice, a sheer skirt, and floral applique work. She styled the ensemble with matching heels, a clutch, side-parted loose locks, and a bracelet.

Preity also wore another look by Rahul Mishra for attending Vogue World in Paris. She chose a dazzling silver ombre gown from the designer's Superheroes collection. A black embellished net head cover, statement earrings, a bracelet, an embellished clutch, high heels, and striking glam rounded off the look.
National Doctors Day 2024: Doctors hold the fort against all kinds of illnesses, diseases and work on making other's health better. Their contributions to ensuring that we live a good life are immense. They tend to the patients, assure them, provide the necessary medication, and make sure that the patient gets better with time. They play a valuable role in ensuring the well-being of people. Their selfless service to society should be celebrated and respected every day. Every year, National Doctors Day is celebrated to respect them for their service to the people. As we gear up to celebrate the special day for this year, here are a few things that we should keep in mind. Every year, National Doctors Day is observed on July 1. (Freepik)

National Doctors Day 2024: Date

Every year, National Doctors Day is observed on July 1. This year, the special day will be celebrated on Monday.

ALSO READ: Struggles of living with the invisible disease

National Doctors Day 2024: History

On July 1, 1882, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy was born. He was a renowned physician and served as the second Chief Minister of the state of West Bengal. His contributions to healthcare and the public health are celebrated till date. July 1 was announced as National Doctors Day in 1991 by the Government of India to commemorate the birth anniversary of the celebrated doctor  Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.

National Doctors Day 2024: Significance

National Doctors Day serves as a special occasion to express our gratitude to the doctors and healthcare professionals for their tireless service, commitment and resilience in ensuring that everyone leads a good life. This also creates the space for discussion to improve the healthcare system and fight diseases more effectively. On this day, various programmes such as free health check-up camps, conferences, seminars, and felicitation ceremonies are organised. The best way to observe the special day is by expressing our gratitude to the doctors for their selfless service.
Single mothers are one of the most vulnerable groups in societies around the world. In Sweden, the number of women with these care responsibilities has nearly halved over the past two decades. What has caused this change? Are we seeing a dramatic reversal in the global trend of increasing separations and divorce? In Sweden, divorce has led to an increase in fathers share of days off work for care. (Pexel)

No, union dissolutions in Sweden are still among the highest in the world. What we are witnessing is a change in the logistics of break-ups. Sweden not only holds a leading role in the rate of divorces, it is also world-leading when it comes to splitting child custody 50:50. Almost half of children with separated parents now split their time equally between the two households.

In our new study, published in the journal Social Forces, we wanted to find out to what extent this remarkable change in living arrangements has changed the gender division of care work within the ex-couple.

We hypothesised that the effect of such union dissolution may lead to more gender equality than when children went to live only with their mothers.

Ultimately, 50:50 residence requires fathers to take full care responsibility for the child half of the time  something few partnered fathers do. So it could push parents into a more egalitarian division of care work.

As a measure of care work, we examined one of the most stubborn inequalities between women and men in high-income countries today: taking leave from paid work to care for a child. We used administrative register data covering the entire population of Sweden  with measurements of leave-taking of each childs mother and father both before and after divorce.

Our results show that, in Sweden, divorce has led to an increase in fathers share of days off work for care. We conclude that whereas divorces have for decades been slowing the gender revolution in Sweden  with mothers traditionally shouldering all the responsibility  they are now accelerating it.

World leaders?

We are not trying to argue that divorce is a good thing. We believe instead that divorces help expose the joint household as a highly gendered environment.

Opposite-sex couples in Sweden, and more broadly across the world, tend to fall into a manager-helper dynamics, in which the mother takes on the full administrative and mental workload and only delegates specific tasks for the father to fulfil. This is a dynamic that over time seems inevitable and impossible to break.

But 50:50 living arrangements turn this kind of dynamic on its head. Because it is no longer possible to take on these heavily gendered roles  the mother cannot plan her exs household and the father cannot wait for it to happen  50:50 living arrangements seem to show the way to a more gender-equal division of labour in general.

The lesson is that men can and do look after children on their own. If Swedish men can do it, other mens inability cannot possibly be inevitable. Swedish men are not of a different biological make-up than other men, so it seems like cultural stereotypes are ultimately to blame.

The increases in divorce could change attitudes on a deeper level over time. The more we see men looking after their children, the more normal it will appear. Bosses might stop scoffing at fathers who take time off to stay home with their kids, and mothers may find it easier to trust their partners to take on more childcare and housework.

The Swedish experience may tell where other countries are headed. That said, Sweden is ahead in many ways. For example, thanks to a generous set of family policies, Swedish fathers now take three months off work as parental leave to stay home with their babies while the mother returns to work  giving a crucial opportunity to bond and grow their confidence when it comes to childcare.

In several family-related changes  including a rise in divorce and fathers being more involved in childcare  Sweden has been the forerunner in trends later observed throughout Europe and North America.

Residency with the father following divorce seems to be another such development. Although other countries cannot observe the same reversal in the overall effect of divorce on care work just yet, couples practicing 50:50 living arrangements in those countries might have already begun to experience a more gender-equal division of care work following the separation.

And this is good news, not only for women who suddenly proclaim that for the first time ever  ex-husbands are doing their fair share but also for men who no longer have to deal with the pain associated with the feeling of losing their children after a separation.
At least 18 people were killed and 19 seriously wounded in a string of suicide attacks in northeastern Nigeria on Saturday, emergency services said. At least 18 people were killed and 19 seriously wounded in a string of suicide attacks in northeastern Nigeria on Saturday, emergency services said.(Representative image)

In one of three blasts in the town of Gwoza, a female attacker with a baby strapped to her back detonated explosives in the middle of a wedding ceremony, according to a police spokesman.

The other attacks in the border town across from Cameroon targeted a hospital and a funeral for victims of the earlier wedding blast, authorities said.

At least 18 people were killed and 42 others injured in the attacks, according to the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

ALSO READ| Three including Nigerian natl arrested in drugs case

"So far, 18 deaths comprising children, men, females and pregnant women" have been reported, said Barkindo Saidu, the head of the agency, in a report seen by AFP.

Nineteen "seriously injured" people were taken to the regional capital Maiduguri, while 23 others were awaiting evacuation, Saidu said in the report.

A member of a militia assisting the military in Gwoza said two of his comrades and a soldier were also killed in another attack on a security post, though authorities did not immediately confirm this toll.

Boko Haram militants seized Gwoza in 2014 when the group took over swathes of territory in northern Borno.

The town was taken back by the Nigerian military with help from Chadian forces in 2015 but the group has since continued to launch attacks from mountains near the town.

Boko Haram has carried out raids, killing men and kidnapping women who venture outside the town in search of firewood and acacia fruits.

The violence has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced around two million in Nigeria's northeast.

The conflict has spread to neighbouring Niger, Cameroon and Chad, prompting the formation of a regional military coalition to fight the militants.
Russian forces on Saturday fired missiles at the town of Vilniansk, outside the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, killing seven people, including two children, and injuring 31 others, officials said. The body of a local resident and damaged building of a grocery store are seen at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of Vilniansk, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine (via REUTERS)

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy repeated his appeal to allies to provide Ukraine with more long-range weapons and enhanced air defences to stop what he said were daily attacks on his country.

Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said two missiles were fired on the town, damaging infrastructure, a shop and residential buildings.

ALSO READ| Drafting 'comprehensive plan' to end war with Russia: Ukraine's Zelensky

Emergency services put the death toll at seven, including two children, with 31 others injured, eight of them children. Firefighters had put out blazes in several buildings and completed rescue operations.

"Today the enemy carried out yet another dreadful terrorist act against the civilian population," Zaporizhzhia Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app.

The attack occurred in "the middle of the day, a non-working day, in the town centre, where people were out relaxing, where there were no military targets," Fedorov said.

Zelenskiy posted photos from the site showing a large crater, downed trees and a pair of tarpaulins spread out on the ground of what looked like a park.

"Our cities and communities suffer daily from such Russian strikes. But there are ways to overcome this," Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram.

"Destroying terrorists where they are. Destroying Russian missile launchers, striking with real long-range capability and increasing the number of modern air defence systems in Ukraine" were ways to defend against such attacks, Zelenskiy said.

Russia's Defence Ministry did not reply to a request for comment on the incident.

The Russian ministry, writing on Telegram, said its missiles had struck a nearby area in Zaporizhzhia region where it said Ukrainian trains unloaded arms and military equipment, killing soldiers and destroying armoured vehicles and missiles.

The post, accompanied by a photo of a strike, identified the site as the village of Ukrainka, less than 10 km (six miles) from Vilniansk.

Reuters could not independently verify battlefield accounts from either side.

The governor of Donetsk region, further to the east, said one person died in two incidents of shelling in the city of Kurakhove. Officials said two people in Kherson region, partly occupied by Russian forces in the south, were also killed.

Rescue teams also were still working at an apartment building that was badly damaged in a missile strike on Friday in the central city of Dnipro. That attack killed one person and injured 13, with a number of others still missing.
Toronto: Family members of the victims of the terrorist bombing of Air India flight 182, the Kanishka, are extremely disturbed by attempts to glorify the attacks mastermind, which they say is due to an absence of pushback against pro-Khalistan elements from Canadas political class. Mourners at a memorial service for the victims of the bombing of Air India flight 182, in Vancouver, Canada on June 23. (Supplied photo)

That bombing of the Kanishka occurred on June 23, 1985 and claimed 329 lives and remains the worst-ever incident of terror in Canadian history. But, as the outlet Globe and Mail reported on the eve of the anniversary of the bombing, a portrait of the mastermind Talwinder Singh Parmar hangs in the dining room of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, while he is also featured on a massive billboard in the town.

That, family members believe, is because pro-Khalistan elements have been emboldened by a lack of action from the government or criticism from Canadian politicians. The Public Inquiry clearly stated he (Parmar) was the mastermind who planned the bombing. They (the pro-Khalistan elements) are trying to fill a vacuum that exists through misinformation, reacted Deepak Khandelwal, who was just 17 when he lost his sisters Chandra and Manju in the tragedy.

The Canadian prime ministers office issued a boilerplate statement on the anniversary, which is recognised in the country as the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism. But, Khandelwal said, they were otherwise ignored, as he explained, The PMs office didnt even respond to our request to attend the memorial service.

Parmars glorification is increasing as the next phase of the so-called Khalistan Referendum organised by the secessionist Sikhs for Justice on July 28 in Calgary, is dedicated to him.

Professor Chandrima Chakraborty, who is curating an archive of the tragedy at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, said, The negligence and mistreatment of the families continues in the governments inability and unwillingness to address the rise of Khalistani rhetoric.

Nor has the Canadian media called out the increase in such activity. As Shinder Purewal, a political scientist with the Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, said, Canadian media, which had turned against them (the Khalistanis) in 1980s and 1990s, is now following anti-India (in the name of anti-Modi) Western narrative.

Canada has accepted the role Parmar played. Former Justice of Canadas Supreme Court John Major headed a commission of inquiry into it and submitted a comprehensive report in 2010. In an interview with this correspondent in 2017, he said, No doubt that he was either the mastermind or one of the masterminds and the evidence we heard made him clearly a top person in that operation. Whether there was somebody who secretly gave him orders, we dont know. What we know, Parmar was the leader.

An earlier report was submitted by Bob Rae, currently Canadas Permanent Representative to the United Nations, in 2005, when he was Independent Advisor to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. The report stated, In his March 2005 judgment, Justice Josephson of the British Columbia Supreme Court concluded that one of the leaders of the conspiracy was Talwinder Singh Parmar.

That reference was to Justice Ian Stephenson who presided over the Kanishka trial. Parmar, who lived in Burnaby, BC, was never tried in Canada as he was killed in an encounter with police in the northern Indian state of Punjab in 1992.

Part of the reason Canadian politicians can ignore the tragedy is that it has been erased from public memory. In June last year, survey released by the non-profit, public polling agency Angus Reid Institute (ARI) noted their study found that nine-in-ten Canadians say they have little (61%) or no (28%) knowledge of the worst single instance of the mass killing of their fellow citizens, with three-in-five (58%) of those younger than 35 saying they have never even heard of it.
French people voted on Sunday in the first round of high-stakes snap parliamentary elections which could see the far-right party of Marine Le Pen take power in a historic first. The vote could put the far-right in power in France for the first time since the Nazi occupation in World War II.(AP)

With Russia's war against Ukraine in its third year and energy and food prices much higher, support for the anti-immigration and eurosceptic National Rally (RN) party has surged despite President Emmanuel Macron's pledges to prevent its ascent.

The vote could put the far-right in power in France for the first time since the Nazi occupation in World War II.

Polling stations opened across mainland France at 8:00 am (0600 GMT) and will close 12 hours later, immediately followed by projections that usually predict the result with a degree of accuracy.

Voters in France's overseas territories that span the globe cast ballots earlier in the weekend. Some 49 million people are eligible to vote.

"These are not easy elections, the results are very uncertain, and the repercussions could be serious for society", said Julien Martin, a 38-year-old architect in the southwestern city of Bordeaux.

Voters lined up to cast their ballots in France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia, where tensions remain high following last month's deadly riots.

The vote is "decisive", said Cassandre Cazaux, a nurse.

"It should be well attended, but I don't know if everyone will play along and come out to vote," Cazaux added.

By midday local time, turnout in the archipelago, which is located between Australia and Fiji, stood at 32.4 percent, compared to 13.06 percent recorded during the 2022 legislative polls.

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy, Greens party leader Marine Tondelier and former prime minister and Macron ally Edouard Philippe were among the first high-profile politicians to vote.

Philippe, the mayor of Le Havre in northern France who has made little effort to hide his ambitions for the presidency, was seen smiling and chatting to locals on Sunday morning.

Elections for the 577 seats in the National Assembly are a two-round process. The shape of the new parliament will become clear after the second round on July 7.

Most polls show the RN on course to win the largest number of seats in the National Assembly, parliament's lower house, although it remains unclear if the party will secure an outright majority.

Final opinion polls have given the RN between 35 percent and 37 percent of the vote, against 27.5-29 percent for the left-wing New Popular Front alliance and 20-21 percent for Macron's centrist camp.

If the RN obtains an absolute majority, party chief Jordan Bardella, Le Pen's 28-year-old protege with no governing experience, could become prime minister in a tense "cohabitation" with Macron.

Many analysts say that France is facing a hung Assembly, which could lead to deadlock and political instability.

- 'Fight against hatred' -

Macron's decision to call the snap vote after the RN's strong showing in European Parliament elections this month stunned friends and foes and sparked uncertainty in Europe's second-biggest economy.

The Paris stock exchange suffered its biggest monthly decline in two years in June, dropping by 6.4 percent, according to figures released on Friday.

In an editorial, French daily Le Monde said it was time to mobilise against the far right.

"Yielding any power to it means nothing less than taking the risk of seeing everything that has been built and conquered over more than two and a half centuries gradually being undone," it said.

Wielding mops and buckets, several activists of the Femen feminist collective dressed as cleaners on Saturday demonstrated bare-breasted at the Trocadero in Paris, chanting slogans against the extreme right.

Separately, more than 100,000 joined an LGBTQ Pride march in Paris, with some carrying placards targeting the far right.

"I think it's even more important right now to fight against hatred in general, in all its forms," said 19-year-old student Themis Hallin-Mallet.

- Spike in hate speech -

Many have pointed to a spike in hate speech, intolerance and racism during the charged campaign. A video of two RN supporters verbally assaulting a black woman has gone viral in recent days.

Macron has deplored "racism or anti-Semitism".

He apparently hoped to catch political opponents off guard by presenting voters with a crucial choice about France's future, but observers say he might have lost his gamble.

Support for Macron's centrist camp has collapsed, while left-wing parties put their bickering aside to form the New Popular Front, in a nod to an alliance founded in 1936 to combat fascism.

Analysts say Le Pen's years-long efforts to clean up the image of a party co-founded by a former Waffen SS member have been paying off.

The party has promised to bolster purchasing power, curb immigration and boost law and order.

A defiant Macron has stood by his decision to call the elections, while warning voters that a win by the far right or hard left could spark a "civil war".
Israeli forces advanced further on Sunday into the Shejaia neighbourhood of northern Gaza and also pushed deeper into western and central Rafah in the south, killing at least six Palestinians and destroying several homes, residents said. Israeli tanks advance into areas in north and south Gaza, fighting rages REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo(REUTERS)

Israeli tanks, which moved back into Shejaia four days ago, fired shells towards several houses, leaving families trapped inside and unable to leave, the residents said.

Read more: 'Intense' fighting with Hamas in Rafah 'about to end': Israeli PM Netanyahu

The Israeli military said forces operating in Shejaia had over the past day killed several Palestinian gunmen, located weapons, and struck military infrastructure. On Saturday it announced the death of two Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza.

The armed wing of Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad reported fierce fighting in both Shejaia and Rafah, saying their fighters had fired anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs against Israeli forces operating there.

Read more: Israeli ministry announces new urban district plan in north Gaza

More than eight months into Israel's air and ground war in Gaza, militants continue to stage attacks on Israeli forces, operating in areas that the Israeli army said it had gained control over months ago.

Arab mediators' efforts, backed by the United States, have so far failed to secure a ceasefire. Hamas says any deal must end the war and bring a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel says it will accept only temporary pauses in the fighting until Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, is eradicated.

Rafah Deaths

In Rafah, near the border with Egypt, Israeli tanks pushed deeper into several districts in the east, west and centre of the city, and medics said six people had been killed in an Israeli strike on a house in Shaboura, in the heart of the city.

The six bodies from the Zurub family were transferred to Nasser Hospital in the nearby city of Khan Younis. On Sunday, dozens of relatives paid their respects before the bodies, which were wrapped in white shrouds, and then carried them in their arms to prepared graves.

Residents said the Israeli army had torched the Al-Awda mosque in the centre of Rafah, one of the city's best-known.

Israel has said its military operations in Rafah are aimed at eradicating the last armed battalions of Hamas.

The Israeli military said on Sunday its forces continued "targeted, intelligence-based" operations in Rafah, killing several gunmen in different encounters and dismantling tunnels.

The latest Gaza war erupted 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.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has so far killed nearly 38,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry, and has left the heavily built-up coastal enclave in ruins.

The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants but officials say most of the dead are civilians. More than 300 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza and Israel says at least a third of the Palestinian dead are fighters.
By Tim Cocks and Tannur Anders South Africa's Ramaphosa announces cabinet that includes ex-opposition leader

JOHANNESBURG, - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed former opposition leader John Steenhuisen as minister of agriculture on Sunday, bringing the Democratic Alliance and other parties into his new coalition cabinet.

Ramaphosa's African National Congress was forced to join forces with rival parties to stay in power after losing its majority for the first time in three decades in a May 29 election.

The announcement of the new cabinet of the government of national unity followed weeks of protracted and at times acrimonious negotiations.

Ramaphosa retained the ANC's Enoch Godongwana as finance minister while Ronald Lamola was appointed minister of international relations and cooperation, replacing Naledi Pandor.

Gwede Mantashe stayed on as mineral and petroleum resources minister but the president removed energy from his portfolio. The combination of mineral resources had been seen by many as creating a prejudice in favour of coal as a source of power generation.

Energy will now fall within the portfolio of Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.

"These men and women we have appointed to the executive ... reflect the diversity of our nation," Ramaphosa said. "In the spirit of partnership and collaboration, the incoming government will work together."

Wrangling over who gets what cabinet seat was the last hurdle to setting up a government, which now faces the task of reviving a moribund economy, fixing crumbling roads and power stations and creating jobs for the third of South Africans out of work.

"We look forward to being part of a new era in South Africas democratic journey, and to bringing real and tangible change to the millions of citizens who voted for it," Steenhuisen said in a statement following the announcement.

Some minor parties also saw their leaders receive cabinet posts.

ANC TOOK HIT AT POLLS

For decades the ANC had traded on its legacy of ending apartheid 30 years ago, when Nelson Mandela came to power and successfully reconciled a country deeply divided along racial, ethnic and class lines.

But voters became angered by the ANC's poor record on delivering on basic services including water, schools and electricity.

"It is a major shake-up with very few of the old faces still in there, which is a good thing," said Melanie Verwoerd, political analyst and former South African diplomat. "I think in general it's a very positive step and of course very positive that they could actually get this done."

Whether the current loose coalition of former enemies can improve on the ANC's record may depend on the extent to which they can put aside their ideological differences, analysts have said. There are several potential hurdles to policymaking.

The DA wants to scrap some of the ANC's Black empowerment programmes, saying that they have mostly made a politically connected business elite fabulously wealthy while much of the Black majority stays poor.

It opposes the ANC's desire to expropriate land - most of which is in white hands as a legacy of conquest by colonists and subsequent entrenched white minority rule - without compensation and give it to Black farmers.

The DA also seeks to phrase out South Africa's minimum wage, currently sitting at 27.58 rand a hour, arguing it makes the workforce uncompetitive.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
CE TOWN, South Africa  South African President Cyril Ramaphosa named a new Cabinet late Sunday night after his African National Congress, the former main opposition party, and nine other parties agreed on the makeup of a coalition government following weeks of haggling. South African parties agree on Cabinet positions, sealing deal on new coalition government

Ramaphosa's party retained the largest share of ministerial positions as he appointed ANC officials to 20 of the 32 Cabinet minister roles in the new coalition. But there were six ministers from the Democratic Alliance, once the main opposition and the fiercest critic of the ANC, and Ramaphosa shared out the remaining ministerial posts among some of the smaller parties.

Ramaphosa's announcement of his new, multi-party Cabinet came a month after the ANC lost its 30-year political dominance of Africa's most industrialized country in a national election, forcing it to seek coalition partners. The ANC's share of the vote slumped to 40% in the May 29 vote and it lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since it came to power at the end of the apartheid system of white minority rule in 1994.

The DA won the second largest share of the vote with 21%.

Others have also joined what the ANC called a government of national unity that is open to any of the 18 parties represented in Parliament. Some have refused to take part.

The power-sharing coalition is unprecedented for South Africa. The country briefly had a coalition government at the end of apartheid, but that was under different circumstances. The ANC held a clear majority then after the first all-race election, but new President Nelson Mandela invited others into his government in an act of reconciliation.

This time, the ANC needed the help of lawmakers from the DA and other parties to reelect Ramaphosa for a second term.

South Africans deserted the ANC in the landmark national election amid frustration over poverty and some of the highest rates of inequality and unemployment in the world, and Ramaphosa said Sunday that those issues would be priorities for the coalition government.

While there are 11 parties in the coalition, the ANC and the DA  which were ruling party and main opposition for years  are the two largest and the key players. Talks between them have been tense and drawn out and the DA was reportedly on the verge of walking away from a power-sharing agreement until a meeting between Ramaphosa and DA leader John Steenhuisen on Friday.

"We have shown that there are no problems that are too difficult or too intractable that they cannot be solved through dialogue," Ramaphosa said, noting the negotiations had been complex.

In some of his most significant Cabinet decisions, Ramaphosa reappointed Paul Mashatile of the ANC to continue as his deputy president. Ramaphosa also appointed Parks Tau of the ANC as the minister of trade and industry, an important portfolio that the DA was seeking and was at the heart of some of the tensions between the two parties.

DA leader Steenhuisen was appointed minister of agriculture, while Ramaphosa also brought the leaders of four other political parties into his Cabinet as new ministers.

We have had to ensure that all the parties are able to participate meaningfully in the national executive, Ramaphosa said.

Africa news: /hub/africa

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A former White House physician who served under both Presidents Obama and Trump has recently made a startling claim regarding President Joe Biden's health. Dr. Ronny Jackson, who was the official doctor for both administrations and is now a Republican, has asserted that President Biden is "likely suffering from a cognitive disease. Not only this but he also urged the POTUS should resign immediately due to the potential national security implications. This comes after an embarrassing debate night for the democratic party on Thursday. U.S. President Joe Biden poses for a recording as he greets supporters on arrival at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S., after participating in a presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., June 28, 2024. (REUTERS)

Former presidential physician alleges Biden likely has Cognitive Disease

This is a national security issue, Jackson told the Post on Saturday. As an American, I think he needs to step down and he needs to be immediately removed from office, the Texas rep continued. As the oldest president in U.S. history, Joe Biden has faced repeated scrutiny regarding his mental health and ability to fight his opponent Donald Trump due to numerous public blunders. The 81-year-old Commander-in-Chief, known for his gaffes, has been heavily criticised, with opponents doubting his fitness as he seeks a second term.

Also read: Obama accepts it was a bad debate night, still stands by Biden who acknowledges, Im not a young man

Earlier, during a speech attacking Biden, the presumptive Republican nominee referenced Texas GOP Congressman Ronny Jackson, though he mistakenly mixed up his name, creating a slightly awkward moment as he questioned Bidens cognitive health. He stated that the doctor who served him during his term said I was the healthiest president, he feels, in history, so I liked him very much indeed immediately.

Who is doctor Ronny Jackson?

Jackson, an ex Navy rear admiral, served as Obamas personal physician between 2013 and 2016. And then for Donald Trump between 2016 and 2018. The former White House physician believes that Biden's confused and shaky performance during the debate shows signs of severe aging. He proposed that if Biden refuses to step down from his campaign, his cabinet members might think about using the 25th Amendment. The act which permits the president to be removed if he is considered "unable to perform the duties and powers of his office," allowing the vice president to assume the presidency, as per POST.

Also read: What did Trump tell the mother of murdered Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, in a pre-debate 10-minute phone call

Even on Thursday, Trump attacked his opponent, saying, "I took two cognitive tests. I aced them, both of them, as you know. We made them public. [Biden] took none. Id like to see him take one." He made this remark as Biden continued to stumble and fumble, with a raspy voice and episodes where he appeared temporarily lost in thought.
A rescued Israeli hostage spoke out publically for the first time, recounting the horrifying ordeal in a recorded message Saturday. Noa Argamani was held captive in the Gaza Strip for 246 days after she was abducted by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 massacre. My biggest worry was for my parents, the 26-year-old said, recalling her days in captivity. Rescued Israeli hostage, Noa Argamani speaks out for the first time since her horrifying ordeal in Gaza(X, formerly Twitter)

Rescued Israeli hostage Noa Argamani speaks out

The China-born Israeli citizen expressed her fears as an only child to my parents, and a child to a mother with a terminal illness in a video released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. It is a great privilege to be here after 246 days in Hamas Captivity. It is great privilege to be by my mothers side after eight months of uncertainty, Noa said.

Her mother, Liora, who is fighting an advanced form of brain cancer, pleaded to US President Joe Biden for her daughter's recuse in December. I am terminally ill with stage 4 brain cancer, Liora wrote in a letter to Biden. All thats running through my mind before I part ways with my family forever is the chance to hug my daughter, my only child, one last time.

Noa's video, in which she addressed the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, was played at a protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday. I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone that there are 120 more hostages in Hamas captivity, and among them is Avinatan Or, my partner from whom I was separated at the moment of the abduction, she said.

Avinatan was abducted alongside her, who was seen being manhandled by a Hamas terrorist in a video recording of the attack at the Supernova music festival. Noa was also captured in the footage, screaming, Don't kill me! No, no, no! as she was being taken away by a gunman on his motorcycle.

Although Im at home now, we cannot forget the hostages who are still in Hamas captivity, and we must do everything thats possible to bring them back home, Noa continued, adding, I wish for all of us to have more peaceful days, quieter days, that to be surrounded by family, friends and good people.
After President Biden's widely criticised debate performance on Thursday night, First Lady Jill Biden's public support for him has sparked controversy among Democrats. They are now advocating for a change in presidential candidacy. She is now under scrutiny from Democratic donors for not advising the President to withdraw from the 2024 race. And now, her ex-husband Bill Stevenson expressed disappointment, suggesting that Jill Biden has changed a lot seemingly joining the chorus of people slamming her for pushing the prez for rerun. U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden laugh as they pick up an order from a Waffle House in Marietta, Georgia, after participating in a presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., June 28, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz(REUTERS)

Jill Bidens ex-husband calls out first lady for pushing prez to stay in race

In a candid statement to the Post, Bill Stevenson remarked, 'The Dr. Jill Biden I've seen on TV in the last five years is not the same person I married or even recognize.' The first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump at CNN's headquarters in Atlanta saw Trump easily declared the winner. Biden faced criticism for what were seen as embarrassing gaffes, raising concerns about his fitness to continue in the race, including fumbling, a raspy voice, and moments where he appeared lost and struggled to remember his points.

Also read: Ex-doctor for Obama, Trump claims Biden likely suffers from Cognitive disease, must resign for national security

Shes matriculated into a completely different woman. Stevenson who was married to the First Lady from 1970 to 1975 added to his statement.

The First Lady's ex-husband once supported Biden in his bid for vice-president alongside Barack Obama in 2008 and for a seat in the US Senate in 1972. However, in 2020, as Biden embarked on his campaign for the presidency, he leveled allegations against Biden, accusing him of being a home wrecker.

Bill Stevenson speaks out after Biden vs Trump debate

Adding further he said, I just dont understand why she is so adamant about defending him and keeping him in the race since it appears that hes struggling. After praising his ex-wifes former abilities and recalling how he watched her grow, he expressed his disbelief to see her front and center in the middle of this battle.

Also read: Tropical storm Beryl gains strength in Atlantic, potential hurricane eyes Caribbean by Sunday

A vocal Trump supporter, he previously alleged that Jill and Biden's relationship began while she was still married to him in 1974. However, the couple has consistently maintained that they met on a blind date in 1975 after Jill had separated from Stevenson.

Ive been proud of her at certain moments. I have no hard feelings  Im just surprised to see her front and center in the middle of this battle after flying under the radar for so many years. Shes always been very driven. People say shes the one who wants to be president now," he cont
A man on Floridas northeast coast was bitten by a shark this weekend but is now recovering, authorities said Sunday, in the third shark attack in state waters over the past month. Man recovering from shark bite on the Florida coast in state's third attack in a month

Officials from the Nassau County Sheriffs Office Marine Unit responding to a distress call Friday morning found the victim in critical condition aboard a boat, losing blood from a severe shark bite on his right forearm, according to a social media post from the sheriff's office.

The attack occurred in the Amelia River near Fernandina Beach, about 35 miles north of Jacksonville, after the victim caught the shark while fishing, according to sheriff's office public affairs officer Alicia Tarancon.

After officers applied a tourniquet, the victim was taken to shore, where he was airlifted to a local hospital, The Florida Times-Union reported.

On Sunday, Tarancon told The Associated Press that the victim is alert and still recuperating at the hospital.

Its the third shark attack in Florida in June. The other two attacks in the Florida panhandle in early June left three people injured and led to the temporary closure of beaches in Walton County.

Three more attacks were reported in the U.S.  one in Southern California and two in Hawaii, one resulting in death.

Stephen Kajiura, a Florida Atlantic University professor of biological sciences specializing in sharks, said the number of recent attacks is a bit high but is a natural result of more people in the water during summer and warmer waters.

Youre going to have a higher probability of something happening because more people are coming to the beach, he said. It is strange to get so many bites in quick succession, but when you consider the number of people in water right now, its not that unusual.

Another reason for increased shark activity is small bait fish, which sharks feed on, swimming close to the beach, Kajiura said. He also said scientists are seeing a resurgence of some species of sharks, which could mean more sharks are in the water.

According to experts, shark activity is at its peak during warmer months, but also while sharks are seasonally migrating in the fall and spring up and down the coast.

Still, Kajiura said, fatalities are rare.

Kajiura noted that Florida leads the world in shark bites.

Though none were fatal, Florida reported 16 unprovoked shark bite incidents last year, according to the Florida Museum of Natural Historys annual shark attack report. That represents 44% of the 36 total unprovoked bites in the U.S. in 2023, and a little less than a quarter worldwide.

Kajiura urged swimmers not to avoid the water  just be vigilant.

Avoid flashy jewelry or watches, which may appear similar to fish scales in the water, he said, and swim in groups and where there are lifeguards. Also, avoid swimming near schools of fish, where sharks may be lurking.

Youve probably been in the water with sharks before, and you didnt know it, he said. Just be careful.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Former South Carolina governor and Republican presidential nominee Nikki Haley spoke out about whats been on the minds of many, with reports of President Joe Bidens potential health concerns swirlingeven more so after his CNN debate with Donald Trump. (FILES) US Republican presidential hopeful and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign rally in Portland, Maine, on March 3, 2024. Former US presidential hopeful Nikki Haley has been photographed writing "Finish Them" on an Israeli shell as she toured sites near the northern border with Lebanon. (AFP)

Haley reiterated the words of Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, whos repeatedly laid stress on Democrats pushing the oldest sitting president as their sacrificial lamb.

In her latest remarks, Haley warned the GOP about the alleged Democratic strategy to dump Biden as the 2024 nominee for a young and more vibrant presidential hopeful, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

Nikki Haley's warning to Republicans

Asserting that the Democrats are going to be smart about bringing somebody younger, she emphasised that theyre going to bring somebody vibrant. Theyre going to bring somebody tested, which might bring in major trouble for Trump.

Also read | Biden to hold crucial family meeting at Camp David amid pressure to step down: Campaign end could be just days away

This is a time for Republicans to prepare and get ready for whats to come because there is no way that there will be a surviving Democratic Party if they allow Joe Biden to continue to be the candidate, she told the WSJ.

The former primary Trump challenger also shared the interview on social media, again slamming Bidens mental competency. America deserves the strongest leader possible. Thursday night was shocking. It's exactly why I have been calling for mental competency tests for anyone running for office. Joe Biden owes the American people transparency about his cognitive abilities, she tweeted alongside the article link on Saturday.

Her detailed perception in this new interview emerged just days after she alerted Republicans to get their guard up: Mark my words.Biden will not be the Democrat nominee. Republicans, get your guard up!

Despite the ugly contest that transpired between Haley and Trump while she was still contesting for this years elections, she ultimately admitted in May that she planned to vote for former President Donald Trump in the fall. In response to her extension of an olive branch, Trump said he believed the former governor would be on our team in some form.

Also read | Prince Harry fears bringing family to UK amid legal battle: How Princess Diana figures into his insecurities | Report

Haleys Journal interview also revealed that she and the former president seemingly crossed bridges and had a good conversation.

In addition to questioning Bidens cognitive abilities, Haley had previously aimed at Trumps competency when he appeared to have confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Democrats react to the alleged plans of replacing Biden from his reelection campaign

Some Democrats have also joined Republicans in calling out Bidens performance against Trump during the catastrophic debate. Liberal author Jill Filipovic called on First Lady Jill Biden to urge her husband to drop out of the election race.

Meanwhile, prominent Democratic leaders have maintained that no such secret plot is brewing behind the curtains about toppling Biden from his position. On Friday, Michael Tyler, the presidents campaign communications director, told reporters that no conversations about that whatsoever were happening. The Democratic voters elected, nominated Joe Biden. Joe Biden is the Democratic nominee, he added.

Earlier in June, Pelosi spokesperson Aaron Bennett also exclusively told HindustanTimes.com, The entire notion is ludicrous, addressing alleged schemes in motion to unseat Biden from his campaign before the August Democratic National Convention (DNC).
The US election brouhaha is raging like wildfire for possibly all contentious and questionable reasons this year. With each event coming to light, voters decisions get drastically swayed, and so they have again with the first official debate pitting the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates - President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, each vying for another term at the White House. U.S. President Joe Biden gestures as he walks from Marine One to Air Force One with first lady Jill Biden and granddaughters Natalie Biden (not pictured) and Finnegan Biden, in Burlington County, New Jersey, U.S., June 29, 2024. (REUTERS)

Even months before the debate kicked off, Americans excessively questioned each presidential nominees cognitive health and if it would be enough for them to effectively serve as the country's next president following the November election. However, the picture has only gotten hazier. While each side of the conversion roars about their preferred leader itching closer to the winning line, recent post-debate polls recall that if Biden wasnt the winner of the CNN debate, neither was Trump.

Biden vs Trump: Who should be in the running for the presidential race? Who has the mental/cognitive health to serve?

A relatively Biden-focussed CBS News/YouGov survey, based on a national sample of 1,130 registered voters, showed that an increasing number of voters bowed out of supporting Biden after the first debate. While 72% of voters claimed that Biden does not have the mental and cognitive health to serve as president, Trump only had 50% of them believing that he has it to serve.

Also read | Nikki Haley warns Trump about potential younger' and vibrant Biden replacement

Moreover, the situation looked grimmer for Biden compared to a previous higher percentage (37%) of people voting that he should be running for president in February. Nearly three in four (72%) of registered voters no longer think that he should be in the running.

In addition to worrying about his age, voters also drew focus on his campaigning and effectiveness in office as other red flags why he shouldnt run. Even Democratic numbers initially supporting him dwindled after the Trump debate. Although 64% of Democratic registered voters said he should be running for president in February, that number slipped to 54% after the debate.

When asked why Biden shouldnt be running, the registered voters top answers included his age (86%), the decision he might make in office (71%), his record as president (66%), and his ability to campaign effectively (59%).

Also read | Survey: 60% of Americans plan to spend less on 4th of July in 2024: How inflation impacted the budget decision

According to CBS News, although voters overall held on to the idea that Trump wasnt truthful during the debate, the majority of Republicans still agreed with him running in the presidential race. Voters also affirmed that he presented his ideas more clearly, exuded more confidence, and appeared more presidential than his Democratic counterpart. But, again, thats a relative comparison because neither candidate sat well with a significant number of voters.

47% of voters said that Trump presented his ideas more clearly, compared to only 21% who answered Biden for the question. Similarly, 46% claimed that Trump appeared presidential, while 28% picked Biden. Moreover, 43% of registered voters stated that Trump explained plans and policies better. On the contrary, only 35% chose Biden in this arena. The sitting president hit an even more consequential low in inspiring confidence, as only 18% of voters thought he achieved that.

On the flip side, Biden appeared more truthful than Trump. However, the percentage gap wasnt as vast as perceived. While 40% of voters agreed with Biden telling the truth at the debate, 32% said Trump did.

More importantly, 48% of voters assumed that democracy and law would be safe if Biden won, witnessing a 1% difference from those believing it would be intact if Trump did (47%).

After the debate, 45% of Democratic voters said Biden should step away from his reelection campaign and give another feasible candidate a chance to run for president. The rising number of people thinking Biden no longer has the cognitive health to serve was found to be proportional to those saying he shouldn't be the nominee. Nearly a month ago, 71% of Democratic voters claimed that he has the mental health to serve, but that number has gone down to 59% after the debate.
Prince Harry reportedly fears bringing Meghan Markle and his two young children, Prince Archie (5) and Princess Lilibet (3), to the UK as he grapples with his ongoing legal battles. FILE - Britain's Prince Harry leaves after attending an Invictus Games Foundation 10th Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London, Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Prince Harry has been given permission to appeal the British government's rejection of his police protection detail in the U.K.(AP)

The estranged royal family member is currently fighting for taxpayer-funding security for his visits to the UK. The Duke was stripped of his police protection privileges after he stepped down as a working royal in 2020.

Earlier in June, he won the right to appeal the British governments rejection of publicly funded security detail in the country. Just days after that, he requested to speed up his appeal, hoping for the hearing to be done and dusted by Julys end. However, a Court of Appeal judge eventually denied him any special treatment in the case to jump the queue.

As the wait for the same weighs down on him, a new report suggests that the lack of police protection is what is keeping his family away from his home country because he cant guarantee their safety.

Also read | Meghan Markle 'ordered Prince Harry to ignore David Beckham at Invictus Games; 4 years later, he got revenge

Why Prince Harry fears' bringing his family to the UK

The Duke of Sussex purported doesnt feel his family is safe when theyre in the UK because they do not have police protection officers with the Metropolitan Police with him, GB News royal correspondent Cameron Walker said during a recent episode of The Royal Record podcast.

The British media is notoriously renowned for indulging in the Kate Middleton vs Meghan Markle discourse, which often one-sidedly paints a favourable image of the former. Hence, Prince Harrys concerns for his familys safety arent as excessive as one would believe even if he voluntarily backed out of the royal matters.

On the same page of the discourse, the royal correspondent reminded that the Princes wife, Meghan Markle, also expressed their alarming fears regarding the familys safety even when they were members of the royal family. Meghan spoke very openly and quite emotionally about this, the fear she had in terms of her family's safety, checking all the doors were locked at night in her Montecito house and worried for her children's safety as well, Walker said.

Digital Editor Svar Nanan-Sen joined in on the conversation and chimed in, [Prince Harry] suffered a couple of court defeats now and he's still fighting his way, plus he's got another appeal coming up.

Also read | Jill Biden's ex-husband slams her for allegedly pushing Biden to run post debate setback; not the person i married

He also pointed out how the Duke is presumably very concerned about this issue as he envisages coming to the UK more regularly, both himself and his family.

Cameron Walker foregrounded that Harry doesnt feel he and his family are safe in the UK without police protection. Perhaps that is the main reason why Prince Harry isn't bringing Meghan and Archie and Lilibet over to the UK because he can't guarantee, he would say he can't guarantee their safety, he detailed.

How Princess Diana's death still affects Prince Harry in this context

The royal commentator also underlined Princess Dianas death as another possible factor that quantifies Prince Harrys fears about his familys safety. I think in the back of his mind constantly since August 31, 1997, is look what happened to my mother, Walker added.

Princess Diana died in 1997 following her fresh divorce with then-Prince Charles in August 1996. She had just started a new relationship with Dodi Al Fayed, who was with her in the car when their vehicle became the subject of a tragic accident. A driver and bodyguard also accompanied them. While Al Fayed and the driver died instantly, Diana passed away hours after medical workers tried their all to keep her alive.

GB News correspondent noted that she chose to not have her protection officers She didnt have police protection with her when she died in the car crash in Paris. And I think that really affected Prince Harry.
Experts are warning that selfies may be behind an uptick in cases of head lice, according to a report.

The parasites that typically infect the scalp and skin and are usually spread by close contact or sharing combs and brushes may be taking advantage of group self portraits to find a new host, the Washington Post reported.

Teenagers and children posing with each other for selfies, pressing their heads together to fit in the picture frame, could give lice an opportunity to crawl from one head to another, the report said.

Selfies "serve as a significant transmission source," Federico Galassi, a researcher with the Pest and Insecticide Research Center in Buenos Aires, told the Washington Post.

While there is no hard evidence that lice outbreaks are increasing, anecdotal reports suggest it may be happening.

Head lice removal clinics in North America and parts of Europe are reporting increasing requests for their services.

"We have seen growth all across the country," Krista Lauer, national medical director of Lice Clinics of America, told the newspaper.

The company reported an 18% jump in in-clinic treatments and a nearly 20% rise in lice-removal product sales over a 12-month period ending in April.

But some say countries may just be experiencing a return of pre-Covid levels of lice infestations.

Outbreaks fell off during the pandemic years because most kids were not attending school or taking part in extracurricular activities.

"We know that kids are back in the classroom, doing playdates, playing sports, doing the activities they used to do," said Albert Yan, a pediatric dermatologist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

"It's not surprising that we are returning to what I suspect are more expected levels of head lice infestation," said Yan, one of the authors of a report on head lice from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The U.S. State Department is making online training and tools available to enable diplomats to use artificial intelligence to translate and monitor global news websites and social media platforms, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Friday.

During a presentation in Washington, Blinken said the AI.State portal would be a "central hub for all things AI at the department."

It's a "home for all of our internal State Department AI tools: libraries of prompts and use cases," he said, according to an official transcript.

The State Department has an "incredible" software program that's "able to basically ingest a million articles every day from around the world ... and then immediately translate, synthesize, and give you a clear picture of what's happening in the information space immediately," Blinken said.

The software also works on social media websites and can help officials understand "what's actually happening in the information space in a given place on a given issue at a given time," he said

The program, called Northstar, was "launched a couple of months ago" and department employees "can go right now and get access," chief data and AI officer Matthew Graviss said during the presenation.

Blinken said AI could be used "as a way to combat disinformation, one of the poisons in the international system today" and "for helping negotiations in multilateral organizations."

Blinken also acknowledged concerns about the "broader threats that the misuse, the mal-use of AI could pose, including to our national security, enabling other countries, enabling other groups to weaponize technology in very, very dangerous ways."

"But I think if you look at this, as long as we're focused on these potential downsides, as long as we're thinking up front about them and taking the necessary steps to mitigate, the potential benefits far outweigh what we have to be rightly concerned about," he said.
A suspected drunken driver is accused of killing four people  including an off-duty New York City police officer  and injuring nine others when he plowed his SUV into a suburban New York nail salon.

The horrific crash took place in a Deer Park, Long Island, strip mall when Steven Schwally, 64, allegedly drove through the front window of the Hawaii Nail & Spa after speeding through the parking lot around 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

"It appears that ... a motorist drove through the building, all the way through the building, and we don't know the cause," Deer Park Third Assistant Fire Chief Dominic Albanese told reporters.

Schwally, of nearby Dix Hills, pleaded guilty in April 2014 to misdemeanor driving while intoxicated following a March 2013 arrest in Suffolk County, Newsday reported, citing records.

Schwally was sentenced to probation and a $500 fine and had his license suspended after that arrest, Newsday said.

Those killed Friday included off-duty cop Emilia Rennhack, 30, who was getting her nails done for an upcoming wedding, the New York Post reported, citing unidentified sources.

Rennhack's husband is a New York Police Department detective assigned to the same precinct as she is, The Post said.

An unidentified 12-year-old girl was among those injured, according to the Associated Press.

Schwally was semiconscious when he was pulled from his wrecked SUV and remained hospitalized Saturday with injuries not believed to be life threatening.

He was charged with driving while intoxicated and his arraigment was pending, AP said, citing a spokesperson for Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.

Neither the DA's office nor police had contact information for his lawyer.

In addition to Rennhack, those killed were two women and a man.

Seven women, one man and the 12-year-old girl were injured.

They were all rushed to local hospitals, with at least two in serious condition, police said.

Rennhack joined the New York Police Department in 2018 and was assigned to a precinct in Queens.

"Our hearts are breaking following the tragic loss of our 102 Pct. sister P.O. Emilia Rennhack in an off-duty incident yesterday," the New York Police Benevolent Association said Saturday on social media.

"Please join us in praying for her family, friends and coworkers. Funeral arrangements to follow."

Police Commissioner Edward Caban also said, "Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Police Officer Emilia Rennhack, whose life was taken far too soon," in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
A San Francisco bookstore worker is fighting efforts to ban LGBTQ+ titles from public schools and libraries by shipping them to states where they've been targeted by conservative groups and lawmakers.

Becka Robbins said she has raised the money needed to send 740 books since May through a "Books Not Bans" program sponsored by employer Fabulosa Books in the city's Castro District, one of the oldest gay neighborhoods in the U.S.

Each shipment is worth $300 to $400, depending on what books are in the box, she told the Associated Press.

"The book bans are awful, [an] attempt at erasure," said Robbins, the store's events manager.

Robbins said she started the effort based on the belief it was more important than ever to make books like Maia Kobabe's memoir "Gender Queer" and George Johnson's "All Boys Aren't Blue" essay collection available.

"Fiction teaches us how to dream," she said. "It teaches us how to connect with people who are not like ourselves, it teaches us how to listen and emphasize."

Some of the books went to the LGBTQ+ Rose Dynasty Center in Lakeland, Florida, which is run by Jason DeShazo, who performs as a family-friendly drag queen known as Momma Ashley Rose.

"I don't think a person of color should have to search so hard for an amazing book about history of what our Black community has gone through," DeShazo told AP. "Or for someone who is queer to find a book that represents them."

Robbins also sent books to a pride center in west Texas and an LGBTQ-friendly high school in Alabama, aided by Fabulosa customers who write notes of support to include in the shipments, AP said.

Florida, Texas and Missouri lead the nation in efforts to ban books, reports AP, citing information from nonprofit literature advocacy group PEN America.

A PEN America report said 30% of the bans involved books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes, and 30% had characters of color or discussed race and racism, AP said.

Many challenges are the work of conservative organizations such as Moms for Liberty, which denies being anti-LGBTQ+, and says it targets books that are sexually explicit, not because they deal with LGBTQ+ issues, AP said.
Police body cam footage released on Saturday shows an officer in upstate New York fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy who was tackled to the ground after he ran from police and allegedly pointed a replica handgun at them.

The shooting of the young Myanmar refugee has triggered outrage in the in a Utica, a city with a population of 65,000 that is home to more than 4,200 people from Myanmar.

The boy was killed shortly after 10:00 p.m. Friday in Utica after authorities stopped two teenagers as part of an armed robbery investigation.

The teens matched the descriptions of the robbery suspects and were in the area around the same time the following day, according to police.

In the video, an officer is heard telling the two that he needs to pat them down to check for weapons before one of them, identified by police as Nyah Mway, flees.

At one point on the tape he points was appears to be an actual gun at police, but it was later identified as a replica Glock 17 Gen 5 with a detachable magazine.

Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said that "during a ground struggle," one of the officers fired a single shot that struck the boy in the chest, the Associated Press reported.

Police spokesperson Lt. Michael Curley told AP that the replica gun carried by Mway "is in all aspects a realistic-looking firearm with GLOCK markings, signatures, a detachable magazine, and serial numbers."

A bystander posted footage of the confrontation on Facebook that captures officers chasing Mway and tackling him to the ground. The officer is then seen punching the teen as two other officers arrive, and a gunshot rings out.

Onlookers scream at the police throughout the recordings as the scene quickly turns chaotic.

The 13-year-old was given "immediate" first aid by the officers and taken to Wynn Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The officer who discharged his weapon and two others have been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.

Nyah Mway was an 8th grader at Donovan Middle School and a member of the Karen ethnic minority from Myanmar.

The police department released the body cam footage following a public outcry over the shooting.


President Joe Biden sought Saturday to reassure deep-pocketed Democratic donors that he can overcome the damage from his dismal debate against former President Donald Trump  but some shaken supporters reportedly aren't buying it.

Biden attended a series of fundraisers in New York and New Jersey two days after his halting performance against Trump raised alarms about his age and ability to win reelection, let alone lead the country for four more years.

A person who attended one of the events described it as "joyless," and bemoaned not getting the chance to personally advise Biden, 81, to withdraw from the race, the Wall Street Journal reported late Saturday.

Some people also reportedly said the fundraiser they attended was tightly controlled, with little one-on-one access to Biden, who addressed the crowd by reading from a teleprompter.

Major donors told the newspaper they were waiting for the results of post-debate polling before deciding whether to pour their money into Biden's campaign, the Journal said.

If his numbers tank, they believe the pressure will increase the odds he'll be forced out, the Journal reported.

Two of the fundraisers were held in the summer resort community of East Hampton on New York's Long Island, where Biden's motorcade passed a group of people who held signs calling for him to quit the race.

The messages included, "Please drop out for US," "Thank you next," "Step down for democracy" and "We love you but it's time," the Journal said.

A high-profile Hollywood donor told Variety on Friday: "With all the text chains I'm on, people are basically like, 'If he doesn't drop out, we're not giving any more money to Democrats or the Democratic Party.'"

It's "like super intense," the unidentified source added.

Potential replacement candidates include Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Associated Press noted, citing text message chains and private conversations among Democratic donors in New York and California.

Biden also appeared Saturday at a fundraiser at the home of New Jersey Gov. Gov. Phil Murphy, telling attendees that he "didn't have a great night" debating Trump, but was "going to be fighting harder," AP said.

The president who tried to bounce back from Thursday's debate with a forceful Friday speech in Raleigh, North Carolina  ended the day by heading to the presidential Camp David retreat in Maryland.

On the way, he was reportedly seen talking by phone with historian Jon Meacham, a confidant who's reportedly helped craft some of Biden's major speeches.

The White House disputed an NBC News report that Biden was expected to discuss the future of his reelection bid with his family at Camp David, saying his children and grandchildren were gathering there for a family photo planned before Thursday's debate, AP said.
A second major U.S. newspaper called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid over his stunningly bad debate against former President Donald Trump  and doubled down by demanding that he act "immediately."

The editorial board of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said that if Biden "truly hopes to defeat Trump, he must pass the torch to the next generation of Democratic leaders and urge the party to nominate another candidate at its convention in Chicago in August."

"Doing this will require a massive and unprecedented string of legal and regulatory actions to get a Biden successor named and placed on each state's ballot," noted the editorial posted online Saturday. "This is difficult and necessary work that must start immediately."

The swing state newspaper, based in the city that hosted Thursday's debate, also blasted the excuses offered for Biden's poor performance by supporters, including by President Barack Obama, who said on social media: "Bad debate nights happen."

"These responses are insulting to the American people," the AJC's editorial board wrote. "This wasn't a bad night; it was confirmation of the worst fears of some of Biden's most ardent supporters  that after 36 years in the U.S. Senate, eight more as vice president and a term in the White House, age has finally caught up to him."

The editorial was published a day after the New York Times' editorial board said Biden, 81, was "not the man he was four years ago" and should "serve his country" by quitting his race against Trump.
Famed Washington Post Watergate journalist Bob Woodward has called President Joe Biden's dismal showing in his debate against Donald Trump a "political hydrogen bomb."

Woodward expressed grave concern on Friday to MSNBC's Ari Melber over Biden's "awful" performance, and questioned how it went so horribly wrong despite extensive preparation.

He said Biden's debating was "so bad" that the American people have a right to know what was going on.

"I sat there and watched it and I could not believe it. I said, not only is this a political hydrogen bomb for him and the Democratic Party [but], you know ... what happened? What happened?" he wondered.

He added: "Look, let's step back. If a building blows up in downtown of some city, the story will be what happened, and then the story will be how did this happen, why did this happen? And that's where I'm very, very curious because this was a mega disaster."
The race for the White House remained a dead heat following this year's first debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, according to a new poll.

But fewer likely voters said they felt Biden was mentally fit to be president following his dismal performance, the Ipsos polling company reported online Saturday.

And a focus group of undecided voters immediately after the Thursday night debate showed that while they thought Biden clearly lost the face-off, Trump didn't necessarily win it, Ipsos noted.

The two-wave, Ipsos/538 poll was conducted on Wednesday and Thursday and showed 44% of respondents said they were considering voting for Biden before the debate and 46% said they were considering doing so afterward.

Trump's likely support was also 44% before the debate but was unchanged afterward, Ipsos said.

Likely support for independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was also unchanged at 18% before and after the debate, for which he failed to qualify.

The margin of error among all respondents was 2.1% and the margin among those who watched all or part of the debate was 2.5%.

Before the debate, 27% of likely voters rated Biden's mental fitness to be president as "good" or "excellent," but that figure plunged to 20% afterward, Ipsos said.

The decline was steepest among Democrats, who went from 56% before the debate to 42% after.

Trump's positive mental fitness ratings rose slightly after the debate, from 39% to 41%, a change that's within the margin of error.

A 90-minute, post-debate focus group discussion with six undecided voters in Chicago showed they were "disillusioned with both candidates, citing poor performances that failed to address key issues," Ipsos said.

"Biden's health was a concern for many, as was Trump's narcissism," Ispos said.

"Neither candidate was able to exceed expectations, leading many to express frustration and disappointment, and some respondents indicating they might be less likely to vote at all."

A CBS News/You Gov poll after the debate out Sunday found that 72% of Americans don't believe Biden has the "mental and cognitive health to serve as president." That's a 7 point increase from just three weeks ago.

Nearly half of registered voters polled in Biden's own party, 45%, said the president should not run.

Voters were essentially split on whether former Trump has the mental and cognitive health for the job, with 50% saying he does, and 49% saying he doesn't.

A separate Data for Progress post-debate flash poll found that 57% of voters surveyes believe Biden is too old to run for president (35% believe Trump is too old), but that alternative Democratic candidates would currently do no better against Trump.

While that poll found Biden (45%) trailing Trump (48%) among respondents, all other leading Democratic figures would perform the same or worse in a head-to-head match-up.

Possible alternative candidates include Vice President Kamala Harris (45-48), California Gov. Gavin Newsom (44-47) and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (44-46).
What is the best way for guests to get from Cebu City Mactan Intl Airport to Golden Prince Hotel & Suites?

Golden Prince Hotel & Suites has parking for hotel guests so for most visitors spending time in Cebu City, renting a car for around $28/day may be the best option. This will give you the ability to get to and from Cebu City Mactan Intl Airport, and also give you the flexibility to get around the area. One of the more popular options today is to take a taxi or ridesharing service directly from Cebu City Mactan Intl Airport to the hotel. This option is often cost effective, but guests must keep a lookout for peak time rates.
What is the best way for guests to get from Cebu City Mactan Intl Airport to MJ Hotel & Suites?

MJ Hotel & Suites has parking for hotel guests so for most visitors spending time in Cebu City, renting a car for around $27/day may be the best option. This will give you the ability to get to and from Cebu City Mactan Intl Airport, and also give you the flexibility to get around the area. Rideshare apps and taxis remain a very common solution for MJ Hotel & Suites guests. This is often the most cost-effective method of transportation when visiting Cebu City.
The former Crossroads Cafe has new owners and name, Bei Tempi. Elizabeth and Richard Zucco say the focus will be on food but they will have live entertainment on Saturdays.

'Bei Tempi' Wants to Bring Good Times to Pittsfield's West Side

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Owners of the former Crossroads Cafe want to bring "Bei Tempi" to the West Side with a new restaurant.



"The new name is Bei Tempi, which means good times' in Italian," Elizabeth Zucco told the Licensing Board on Monday. "Bring a little Italian to the West Side."



The Onota Street establishment was granted an annual weekday entertainment license owners Elizabeth and Richard Zucco reported that food will be returned. The interior will also see some changes to be more suitable for dining.



"We're going to be bringing back the food that was there for many years," she said.



"So there's going to be continual food and we just want to be able to offer some live entertainment, mostly on Saturday, and then, of course, the pool table, which has always been there."



Bei Tempi planned to open its doors last month but wanted to wait until it had all the licensure.



Last year, the board approved a change of stock interest for Crossroads Cafe and an application from Zuke's Soups and Variety LLC, doing business as Bei Tempi, for the transfer of license, pledge of inventory, and pledge of license from C.T. Colvin Inc. doing business as Crossroads Cafe.



Crossroads had been open for more than 20 years and was a popular place for live music.



The new owners checked all of the boxes for possible entertainment on the application, as they are keeping options open for live music events and karaoke.



"Bands that were previously playing there are contacting us and saying, 'Are you going to bring back the music?' So we are really hoping to entertain that," Zucco said.



"But we're going to take it slow. Our main focus is the food and the rest."



Chair Thomas Campoli commented that Crossroads "had a long run certainly." Zucco said there was years of fun and "we're hoping for all good times."



Neighbor Paul Stepasiuk pointed to the recent road and sidewalk work that the city did on the intersection to make it safer, calling the enlarged sidewalk a "built-in dance floor in front of the building." He said he could always tell when there was entertainment because there were empty nip bottles, condoms, and hypodermic needles on his street from overflow parking.



"I don't mind parked cars in front of my house but what I do mind is while the entertainment is going on, people coming to their cars with other people, leaving 10 minutes later, and then coming back 30 minutes later," he said.



"I don't know what they're doing but I could probably tell by looking at the debris around the cars the next morning what was happening at that time."

Campoli said it's a wonderful place.



"The pizza is awesome. It's a matter of taste, obviously," he said, with Ferris adding that it speaks for itself.
The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition holds its 38th annual meeting at the Adams Theater on Friday. Tribute to longtime volunteers lost this past year. Tribute to NBCC founder and mentor Steve Green. The meeting members build their NBCC homes. North Adams Public Schools creates a windmill with moving blades for first place. Williams College students take second place with a giant pyramid. Adams Theater owner Yina Moore speaks about collaboration and rural development. PreviousNext

NBCC Annual Meeting Filled with Gratitude, Collaboration



The family of Steve Green accepts the Community Hero of the Year Award in his honor. From left, NBCC Director Amber Besaw, Sue Walker, Caroline Green Christopoulos and her daughter Cosima, Julie Green and NBCC Board President Ben Lamb. ADAMS, Mass.  Gratitude was the theme of Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's 38th annual meeting on Friday morning but there was a heavy dose of collaboration as well.

Gratitude for the people and organizations that have aided the coalition in its mission to empower communities and families. Gratitude for the staff who show up everyday to take on the sometimes insurmountable challenges. The board members and volunteers who spend their time and energy to improve the lives of others.

And gratitude for those who have passed on, leaving a new generation to pick up their work and carry on.

"Gratitude is a wonderful thing. It is a feeling that you can fight back against the hard and difficult, propelling us into a forward momentum, seeing good things that lie ahead and appreciate those who journey with us," said Executive Director Amber Besaw.

The coalition is a hub of collaboration, connecting people with programs and support services, providing creative opportunities for teens, sponsoring parenting programs, training neighborhood leaders, listening to residents and advocating for their needs, hosting community events and bringing together residents and other stakeholders to solve local problems.

In the last year alone, NBCC has served more than 1,000 new clients, trained more than 100 community leaders, engaged nearly 600 families in parental support plans, and hosted hundreds of meetings and events at the UNO Community Center and beyond.

"One of the things that I see often is municipalities are not equipped to handle some of the social service needs or some of the communities that we have. We don't have staff. We don't have the resources and particularly we don't have the skill set," said Town Administrator Jay Green in welcoming the annual meeting to Adams. While the town has a Council on Aging, "there are other issues that exist out in space and go right to the heart of making our communities liveable, safe and welcome."

The meeting was held in the Adams Theater, still under construction but now in its second year of offering a slate of performances and events. Yina Moore, owner of the theater, spoke about her goals of rural economic development, growing community and treating collaborations as a learning experience.

"If I can summarize its existence, in one word, what's the essence of this project, I can't think of any word more appropriate than collaboration," she said.

The 1937 building had some work done in the past but when Moore purchased it three years ago, there was no floor, no bathrooms and the roof was leaking. But it held its first event, the suffrage centennial, and its network of collaborators began to grow almost organically as Moore made connections locally and beyond, including people in the theater industry.

"I think without a lot of collaboration, a lot of trust, without first-time collaborative partners, this would never have happened," she said. "I think what I get the most out of it is that from an economic standpoint, collaboration is a survival mechanism in this rural environment we all call home. And No. 2, collaboration is an opportunity to grow and expand individual communities and find intersections. And then lastly, if we can all be modest, try to trust each other and take a learning attitude."

A lot of gratitude on Friday was for the late Stephen Green, one of the "two humble guys (Al Bashevkin being the second) who were at North Adams State College wanting to make a difference in the lives of those around them, came up with the idea to create the Northern Berkshire Health and Human Services Coalition," said Besaw.

Green died unexpectedly last fall, a significant loss to not only the coalition, but the community as a whole. Besaw, with the approval of his family, read the eulogy she had written for his funeral, saying he was a great teacher, friend and sounding board.

"I'm not sure how you felt when I applied for the ED job. You never told me or made me believe you were anything but supportive and confident in my ability," she read, adding that she wished she had had one more coffee with him before he left them.

On Friday, he was named the Northern Berkshire Community Hero for the second time, the first person to be so honored.

"Steve is known to us because he knew us. For decades, he worked tirelessly supporting individuals and communities in the North Berkshire region," said board President Benjamin Lamb. "He volunteered thousands of hours to many causes, organizations and people who he authentically called his friends. For us, the coalition, we were blessed to be amongst that group of friends. We were made better and more fulfilled by Steve's investment in establishing, sustaining and inspiring the coalition for nearly 40 years."

Green's wife, Susanne Walker, and daughters Julie Green and Caroline Green Christopoulos accepted the award.

"He loved this area so much and came to love all of the people in it," said Walker. "A lot of why he was as dear as he was and as helpful as he was because of you all."

His daughter Julie said the words that really resonated with her was the "kindness with authenticity," and how he would listen in a way that made you feel "like you were the most important person in that moment."

Lamb also noted the loss of six community members who played significant roles in the coalition's work over the past 20 years: Shirley Davis, Beverly Goodell, Chip Joffe Halpren, Steven Sheppard, Dr. Thomas Hyde and Virginia Jarett.

On a lighter note, Besaw updated the meeting on work on the NBCC's new home on State Street purchased last year through a state earmark. The cost to renovate the former Tucker Toy building  which has been a church, Carr Hardware and an outlet center  is pegged at $8 million. The organization hopes to raise $5 million in state and federal grants and fund raise the remaining $3 million.

Each table of six people got a bag full of dry spaghetti and mini marshmallows and 15 minutes to build their dream NBCC building. "Celebrity" judges Otto and Willoughby Lamb gave second place to a giant pyramid constructed by Williams College students and first to giant windmill "sustainable" structure by the North Adams Public Schools team.
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Watch live on Sunday (30 June) as voters go to the polls in the first round of the French parliamentary elections.

Marine Le Pens National Rally (RN) party increased its lead in the polls as campaigning reached its final stages in Frances snap election on Friday.

It is a pivotal and polarising vote called by president Emmanuel Macron, with his centrist government risking a potentially fatal beating at the hands of the far right.

With pollsters indicating that the far right RN could greatly increase its number of politicians in the National Assembly, the election could radically alter the trajectory of the European Unions largest country and hamstring Mr Macron  who has been a driving force in EU decision-making  for the remainder of his second and last presidential term.

RN sat at 37 per cent, according to a survey by OpinionWay published in the newspaper Les Echos, up two percentage points on a week ago. President Macrons centrist bloc, Together, is predicted to recieve 20 per cent of the popular vote, down two points from the previous poll.

The survey also found the New Popular Front left-wing alliance could win 28 per cent of the vote, a level unchanged compared with a week ago.
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The family of Jay Slater have vowed to continue searching for the missing teenager, despite Spanish police calling off their operation after 13 days.

The 19-year-old from Lancashire disappeared near the remote village of Masca in Tenerife, after setting off on what should have been an 11-hour walk back to his accommodation.

Despite the efforts of mountain rescue teams, the Guardia Civil and volunteers, no trace of the apprentice bricklayer has been found in the mountain region.

The search has now been called off by the Guardia Civil ( PA Wire )

After Jay was reported missing on 17 June, his family and a number of close friends flew out to the island to assist in the search, and they have vowed to remain there until he is found.

Rachel Hargreaves, a close family friend who has joined Jays parents on the largest of the Canary Islands, told Mail Online: No one is leaving until we find Jay.

She added: We stay and we do what we need to do. Nothing has changed. We will continue to search for him.

A Guardia Civil spokesperson said on Sunday: The search operation has now finished, although the case remains open.

Casa Abuela Tina in Masca, Tenerife, where the missing British teenager was staying before he disappeared ( PA Wire )

Helicopters, drones and search dogs were all deployed in the effort to find Jay, and officers were seen combing through the rugged terrain in the hope of finding the teenager.

On Friday, the force had appealed for volunteers, such as firefighters and individual volunteers who have expertise, to assist in a busqueda masiva  a massive search  on Saturday.

However, Jays father, Warren Slater, revealed that he was disappointed that just six volunteers turned out to join in the search for his son.

The search in the village of Masca, near to Jays last-known location, took in a steep rocky area, including ravines, trails and paths.

Jay attended the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas with two friends before his disappearance, and his last known location was the Rural de Teno park in the north of the island.

He had travelled to an Airbnb in Masca during the early hours of the morning with two older men, who had rented the property. A police spokesperson later said they had been ruled not relevant to the case.

Jays friend Brad Hargreaves said he could see the teenager had gone off-road during a video call before he went missing ( This Morning )

On Friday, Jays friend Brad Hargreaves told ITVs This Morning that he had been on a video call with Jay before his disappearance and had seen and heard the teenager leave the road.

He said: He was on the phone walking down a road, and hed gone over a little bit  not a big drop, but a tiny little drop  and he was going down, and he said Ill ring ya back, Ill ring ya back because I think someone else was ringing him.

He confirmed he could see his friends feet sliding down the hill and could hear he was walking on gravel. But Mr Hargreaves said he and his friend were both laughing at that point.

He added: He didnt seem concerned on the phone until we knew how far away he was.

A search volunteer speaks of the difficulties caused by the rugged terrain ( Sky News )

The last person to speak to Jay was his friend Lucy Law, who described a frantic phone call with him at 8.50am. She said he had told her he was lost in the mountains, he wasnt aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on 1 per cent.

Ms Law set up a GoFundMe appeal titled Get Jay Slater Home, which had raised more than 43,000 as the police search came to an end.

Jays mother, Debbie Duncan, travelled to the island as the search took place. She said the money raised online would be used to support mountain rescue teams and to cover her own accommodation and food costs.
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As you drive into Clacton there are scores of pro-Farage Reform posters asking people to save Britain in what is becoming a struggle for the soul of right-of-centre politics.

Only as you travel out to the more genteel areas of the constituency, like Frinton, do they give way to I stand with Giles boards. But Giles Watling, the Tory MP defending his Clacton seat, may be the only Conservative candidate in this election with a wide coalition of support across the country willing him to win.

In the wake of the Channel 4 News expose of the Reform Clacton team and the racist comments by one of the canvassers Andrew Parker, Watling received a telephone call from Tony Blairs former spin doctor Alastair Campbell, in normal circumstances no lover of Tories.

Giles Watling is defending his Clacton seat for the Tories ( Giles Watling )

Alastair wanted to know how he can help me stop Farage, Mr Watling explained to The Independent. I have had a lot of surprising people like that offering their help from across politics because they know I am the only one who can stop him [Farage] from getting into politics.

He has even had a video message from Boris Johnson who appeared to be willing to forgive Watling for turning against him over Partygate if it helped stop Farage from winning. It says a lot that two men who detest one another  Campell and Johnson  should unite around Watling.

In contrast, Farage is set to deploy Ann Widdecombe, the former right-wing Tory minister turned Brexit Party MEP and Reform UK supporter, to persuade the locals to back him.

Less than 24 hours after the call from Campbell, Watling was at the Great Bentley show in the constituency where he ran into two young female Labour activists whose candidate, Jovan Owusu-Nepaul, now seems to have unofficially ducked out of the race.

They both told me they are thinking of voting for me. Obviously, I was only too happy to encourage them.

Before becoming an MP, Mr Watling was a well-known actor for more than 50 years, appearing in popular programs like Bread, Allo Allo! and Grange Hill.

He quips: I never saw myself being cast to play the role of St George to slay the dragon. But here I am.

Farages Clacton headquarters is in a former Chinese restaurant ( David Maddox )

The row surrounding the appearance of another actor  Andrew Parker, the alleged Reform canvasser  has galvanised what seems to be a battle for the very heart of right-of-centre politics in Britain which is being played out most of all in Clacton.

Parkers use of the racist P-word about Rishi Sunak played out on the Channel 4 News sting has confirmed the belief of Watling and those supporting him that there is something dark about the politics of Farage and the people he attracts.

Reform has made an official complaint against Channel 4 and accused it of political interference, noting that Parker is an actor and alleging he was hired to discredit the Reform campaign in Clacton.

Channel 4 News has denied this, as has Parker, although he initially also denied being an actor.

Andrew Parker the actor who is at the centre of the row ( Channel 4 )

But the conspiracy theory nonsense has certainly not convinced Watling.

Theres always an excuse. Its always somebody elses fault. Its like Farage wants to blame the vetting company for his awful candidates making racist remarks or supporting Hitler. The fact is these people are always attracted to his politics.

I know I am up against it with someone with such international celebrity but theres a real danger of people following someone with a ready smile and that sort of politics. Its like what happened in the 1930s.

A few minutes walk from Watlings campaign office opposite Clacton Town Hall is the former Chinese restaurant on Pier Avenue, near the seafront, being used as the campaign headquarters where The Independent met Peter Harris, Farages election agent.

While Watlings HQ was relatively quiet, a steady stream of volunteers in Farages peoples army were going in and out of the Reform base. There were also journalists and cameras outside the front door and round the back who were being carefully kept out.

Mr Harris is one of the reasons Farage chose Clacton. He is a local independent councillor who quit the Tories after Watling helped oust Johnson. He and a number of others resigned when Tory election bosses stepped in to prevent them from deselecting Watling. But previously he also ran Labour close in 2015 in Dagenham and Rainham as the Ukip candidate. In order to win while also campaigning as leader of a party, Farage needed an organised ground campaign; with Peter Harris, he has an effective and experienced operator.

Peter Harris, Farages election agent ( David Maddox )

It was the honour of my life to be asked to be Nigels election agent. This could be the biggest thing yet, maybe only second to the EU referendum result.

Harris had been forced to have a difficult conversation with his family when Farage decided to run. They were supposed to be on the holiday of a lifetime in Japan visiting his son and instead were forced to postpone the trip.

But the night before we met, he had wondered if all his efforts and sacrifices had come to nothing when Channel 4 News broke its inside investigation into the campaign team, revealing appalling racism from Parker.

Harris admitted to having a sleepless night on Thursday.

I could not believe it. What this guy said was utterly despicable. I was just completely shocked and disgusted. What a total lowlife.

Harris was actually shaking with anger.

Ann Widdecombe is set to be deployed by Reform in Clacton ( @reformparty_uk/Twitter )

We have had so many good and decent people come from this area and around the country wanting to help and this guy poisons everything.

But then claims about Parker began to emerge in the morning. It turned out he was a professional actor who was well spoken but could do gruff voices and specialised in playing villains on his profile.

Not surprisingly, the talk in Reforms HQ by Friday morning was of a conspiracy, although the party has yet to produce concrete evidence to suggest that this is the case.

Harris added: I have told our volunteers to remember we will be the most scrutinised local campaign in history. Other parties make mistakes and have bad apples, but ours will be blown up much more than the others because Nigel is our candidate.

Farage on the amusement arcade in Clacton ( AP )

Other campaigners were pointing out that Giles Watling, the Tory MP defending the seat, was also an actor and wondering if he had something to do with the conspiracy, with no evidence to back that up.

In some ways the truth no longer mattered; it had become the latest chapter in the great establishment conspiracy to stop Farage after the EU, banks, the mainstream media, Westminster politics and the rest.

And a quick straw poll in Clacton town centre suggested it had made little difference. Shrugged shoulders and a constant, I didnt see it were the main responses.
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Candidates can turn up just about anywhere on the campaign trail, but several families were shocked when Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg walked into their childrens first holy communion.

Sir Jacob had permission to appear with his family and a film crew for a mass at St Joseph and St Teresa Church in Somerset earlier this month, but while a sign had been put up, the families of some dozen children said they did not know he would be in attendance.

Parents, including Gideon Davey, whose 10-year-old daughter Ottilie received her first holy communion, initially believed the film crew was there on behalf of the church.

This spiritual and deeply personal occasion will forever be stained by a selfish and self-promoting stunt, he said.

The reason for the film crew accompanying the Conservative candidate for North East Somerset and Hanham has been kept under wraps.

Earlier this month it emerged Mr Rees-Mogg was in talks with Discovery+ over a fly-on-the-wall documentary.

Gideon Davey with his daughter after she received her First Holy Communion during a church service attended by Jacob Rees-Mogg and his film crew ( Gideon Davey )

He was also joined by the team while canvassing in Longwell Green, on the edge of Bristol, for general election on 4 July. Pollsters are projecting he will lose his seat in a predicted Tory wipeout.

The Independent contacted the Clifton diocese, which confirmed permission had been sought and granted by the parish priest.

Spokesperson Phil Gibbons said: All GDPR requirements were adhered to and no parishioners were filmed in the church. I have written confirmation from the producer that the only people to be featured are the Rees-Moggs.

But the assurances have not eased the concerns of Mr Davey, who said the service followed weeks of preparation for his daughter. The day was even more poignant for his family, with his brother stepping in as godparent for his own wife, who had recently died.

The politicians appearing was described as a selfish and self-promoting stunt by the furious parent ( Gideon Davey )

You can imagine how upsetting this intrusion was for him, Mr Davey said. He said he first became aware of the film crew at the beginning of the service when family and friends spotted the cameras at the back of the church.

The filming, said Mr Davey, then focused on Mr Rees-Mogg walking down the centre of the church to receive communion.

Only at the end of the service, when the politician was interviewed on camera outside, did Mr Davey realise the film crew was at the location for him.

The film crew was with the Tory politician as he canvassed in Longwell Green last week ( The Independent )

Mr Davey, who lives in the Somerset village of Pilton, said: Permission or no permission, what happened wasnt right.

Its important for people to know how low influential and powerful elected members of parliament can behave and totally disregard the privacy of the publics right to worship.

This was a special day for so many families who didnt expect, or want, the service to be hijacked in such a way.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who lives in Gournay Court in West Harptree, has been the MP for North East Somerset since 2010. That constituency has now been abolished and he is contesting the newly created North East Somerset and Hanham.

The Independent contacted Mr Rees-Mogg, who said the matter was being dealt with by the television production company, Optomen. The companys spokesperson said it did not wish to comment.

Also standing for the seat at the general election are Dan Norris (Labour), Dine Romero (Liberal Democrat), Paul MacDonnell (Reform UK), Edmund Cannon (Green Party), Nicholas Hales, (independent) and Barmy Brunch (Monster Raving Loony Party).
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It has been seven long years since the White Stripes song Seven Nation Army became an anthem for a new generation of Labour voters.

In 2017 the chant Oh Jeremy Corbyn rang out at music festivals and political rallies as young people got behind the socialist firebrand. But fast forward to 2024 and not only is Mr Corbyn not Labour leader, he is no longer a member of the party he championed for 40 years, and is instead running as an independent.

Unfortunately for the man who has served Islington North since 1983, not all of his supporters appear to know that, and that could at least partly explain why the veteran campaigner appears to have a real fight on his hands despite winning a majority of 26,000 in 2019.

Then Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn with shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer at a press conference in London in 2019 ( PA )

A Survation poll commissioned for left-wing news website Novara Media just over a week before polling day showed that he is on 29 per cent, 14 points below Labour rival Praful Nargund.

When The Independent visited the constituency to speak to the former Labour leader on the campaign trail, we found at least some voters who were still not aware he had been expelled from the party by his successor Keir Starmer.

Among them was Darren, 49, who said: Ive been a Labour voter all my life and Ill be backing Jeremy again, hes a brilliant MP and takes principled stands on things unlike others who I think are in it for the money.

Whether any voter confusion about which party he represents will translate to the ballot box will be answered on 4 July. But in the meantime, the trip to north London was a chance to see how, for some, his rather unlikely rock star persona remains undiminished.

Corbyn prepares to dance alongside a young environmental activist on the campaign trail ( Joe Middleton )

Soon mobbed by a crowd, the 75-year-old is stopped and asked for selfies as dozens of people gather on Navigator Square, at Archway, to help his campaign.

Four children wearing Arsenal shirts join Mr Corbyn in cheering Up the Gunners as their parents take pictures and he chats to them about how they are getting on at school. Their beaming parents thank him and say they will vote for him.

Next he greets young people from Green New Deal Rising and dances alongside one of the activists. The clip is later uploaded to TikTok overlaid with the viral Is somebody gonna match my freak? song.

Through a megaphone he reaffirms his values to the crowd, including his staunch opposition to privatisation of the NHS and support for the Palestinians.

The veteran MP retains his support among the young, including Elva ODonovan and Toni Kazmeier, who travelled up from Brighton to support his campaign ( Joe Middleton )

Elva ODonovan, 21, and Toni Kazmeier, 22, joined the canvassing having travelled up from their Brighton home to support him.

His policies are very appealing to young people on climate change and his stance on Gaza is a really important reason that I support him, Ms ODonovan says. He wants to tax the rich, hes a socialist, he has a lot of integrity as well, his stances never change, hes a man of the people.

Speaking to The Independent, Mr Corbyn acknowledged his campaign has faced challenges after Rishi Sunaks surprise announcement in May that a general election would be held in July. But with help from his dedicated army of supporters, he has been getting the word out despite the absence of the Labour Party machine.

Mr Corbyn is standing as an independent but do his constituents all know that? ( PA )

Weve got huge amounts of people helping, weve built the campaign in less than four weeks, he says. Weve had hundreds of people volunteering, we have knocked on probably 25 to 30,000 doors already.

Mr Corbyn admitted that some constituents did not know he had been expelled from Labour, but added that after weeks of campaigning more realise Im independent and that my values are the same.

Groups of canvassers, including his son Tommy Corbyn, head off to talk to constituents as cars beep their horns in support and another enthusiastic voter runs up to shake Mr Corbyns hand.

Shoaib Malik would prefer that Mr Corbyn was still Labour leader ( Joe Middleton )

Heading towards Archway Station there are dozens of placards supporting the incumbent. Hussain Mohammed, 42, who works at Cafe Metro, said Mr Corbyn had been an outstanding local MP.

Jeremy Corbyn is loved here, he says. Hes a professional and anytime you have a problem he will look to help. He is a wonderful man and regular customer; he was here a few days ago.

Paul Renford, 47 and who lives locally, said much the same: Everyone loves Jeremy. He helped me a couple of times and is a local person. There are not a lot of candidates who are authentic and that work hard for you.

Shoaib Malik, 30, who runs Golden Dry Cleaners on Holloway Road, said: I feel like he understands the concerns of regular local people, small businesses and the NHS.

Hes on the side of people who cannot afford to send their children to private school. Hes a fantastic candidate and I would prefer him as leader rather than Keir Starmer.

The candidates for Islington North are Vikas Aggarwal (Liberal Democrat); Jeremy Corbyn (Independent); Karen Harries (Conservative); Paul Josling (Independent); Sheridan Kates (Green); Praful Nargund (Labour); Martyn Nelson (Reform UK).
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Voters in the blue wall have seen an average of eight Liberal Democrat adverts as the party steps up its bid to oust high-profile names like Jeremy Hunt, according to sources.

The Lib Dems are climbing in the opinion polls, with some even suggesting they could be fighting for second place in the event of a Tory meltdown.

Forecasts indicate the party could take more than 50 seats on Thursday after a campaign noted for leader Sir Ed Daveys stunts.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has spent 100,000 of his own money to try to save his seat ( PA Wire )

He has fallen into Lake Windermere to highlight the sewage problems in UK waterways and attempted to conduct an interview on economic policy while being spun around on a fairground Twister.

Mr Hunt, who has spent 100,000 of his own money trying to save his Surrey seat, concedes he is in trouble.

Recently he estimated that just 1,500 votes would define whether he won or lost.

The Lib Dem adverts are also being targeted in seats held by other top Tory names, including the education secretary Gillian Keegan and the justice secretary Alex Chalk, but there is no doubt replacing the chancellor would be a coup.

A Liberal Democrat source said that the party had focused on reaching people in blue-wall seats, Tory heartlands in the south of England, from the start.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey falls off a paddleboard during his visit to Streatley, Berkshire, while on the election campaign trail ( PA Wire )

Its vital in these final few days of the campaign that voters know that they need to vote Liberal Democrat to kick out the Conservatives in seats where were the main challengers, they added.

The results in many of these seats will be really close, it could come down to just a few hundred votes. The difference between the Conservatives clinging on and suffering a historic defeat will come down to how many people vote tactically in these seats and lend us their vote on the day.

Party insiders fear younger voters in some seats are unaware that the Lib Dems are the main challengers to the Tories.

Older people who have lived in an area for a while are more likely to know who is second in their seat.

But the partys fears centre on voters who have moved out of cities like London in recent years, especially after Covid.

These voters, often sympathetic to Labour, could switch to the Lib Dems, the party believes, but only if they are aware of which party is most likely to keep the Tories out.

In the first week of the campaign, party sources say they reached two million voters in its top blue-wall seats.

Digital ads have been seen over 40 million times since the election was called, while voters in blue-wall seats have seen a Lib Dem ad an average of eight times each so far in this campaign.

The party has also run more than 1,200 variations of ads targeting switch voters, largely with messages about the NHS.

In what has been dubbed the TikTok election, the Lib Dems have reached 4.7 million people, around 80 per cent of whom are under 35. Its a key group for the party as a recent YouGov poll suggested almost one in four 18- to 24-year-olds say they plan to vote Lib Dem, sources said.

The Conservatives have been approached for comment.
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Nigel Farages latest rally was disrupted after political activists lowered a remote-controlled banner showing Vladimir Putin behind him while he spoke.

While talking at The Columbine Centre in Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex, the Reform UK leader was initially unaware that the Russian president was on the poster, with the words I heart Nigel written below.

Nigel Farage was speaking as a banner of Putin was lowered behind him ( Led by Donkeys )

He can be heard asking Who put that up there? before joking: Someone at The Columbine Centre needs to get the sack. Two staff members attempted to get rid of the banner, while audience members cheered and chanted Rip it down.

On their social media page, the group Led By Donkeys, who have previously targeted Mr Farage, wrote: We just dropped in on Farages election rally with a beaming picture of Putin. Nigel was not pleased.

Mr Farage has previously come under scrutiny for his comments on Putin, who has been president or prime minister of Russia since 1999.

When previously asked about him, Mr Farage told the BBCs Nick Robinson: I said I disliked him as a person, but I admired him as a political operator because hes managed to take control of running Russia.

He recently became embroiled in a war of words with former prime minister Boris Johnson, after he said that the West provoked Russias to invade Ukraine.

Writing in the Telegraph last Saturday, he urged readers not to blame him for telling the truth about Putins war.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he would never, ever defend Russian President Vladimir Putin, as he ramped up his row with former prime minister Boris Johnson (Jordan Pettitt/PA) ( PA Wire )

Mr Johnson shared the article on X, formerly Twitter, calling Mr Farages views morally repugnant.

Referring to the Telegraph article, he wrote: This is nauseating historical drivel and more Kremlin propaganda.

In Kent on Monday, Mr Farage said he had been more far-sighted in predicting a war in Ukraine, telling the crowd: This has been turned into Farage makes outrageous statement, Farage defends Putin  well, Ive done none of those things.

I would never, ever defend Putin and I think his behaviour in Ukraine and elsewhere has been reprehensible.

But if were going to think towards a peace at some time in the not too distant future, perhaps it might be helpful to understand what went wrong in the first place.

The Reform UK leader was holding a rally in Essex on Saturday (Paul Marriott/PA) ( PA Wire )

Turning his fire on the former prime minister, Mr Farage said: Well, perhaps its Boris Johnson thats morally repugnant and not me, I dont know. But can you see the sheer level of hypocrisy? Can you see the nonsense of all of this?

He added: This man will go down as the worst prime minister of modern times. A man who betrayed an 80-seat majority. Who opened the door to mass immigration? Boris Johnson. Who betrayed the will of Brexit voters? It was Boris Johnson. He pretended to be a Conservative but he governed as a Green.

Home Secretary James Cleverly accused Mr Farage of echoing Putins vile justification for the brutal invasion of Ukraine and shadow defence secretary John Healey said Mr Farage is a Putin apologist who should never be trusted with our nations security.
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Russian dissidents living in the UK have hit back at the deeply offensive words of admiration for Vladimir Putin spoken by Nigel Farage and another Reform UK candidate.

It comes as a British former defence attache who was previously stationed in Moscow described Mr Farage and his party, now third in the polls, as deeply malign actors ... working against the security interests of our country.

When asked about the accusations, a Reform UK spokesperson burst into laughter before suggesting that Julian Malins, a Reform party candidate who last weekend bragged about meeting Mr Putin and said that he seemed very good, was merely a highly intelligent and eccentric sort of character.

Mr Malins later sought to clarify his comments, saying that Mr Putin is a popular president and therefore a good Russian president, but adding that he is not a good man in the Christian sense.

Three dissidents, as well as the newly knighted Sir Bill Browder  who was Russias biggest foreign investor before being exiled by Mr Putin  told The Independent that comments made by Mr Farage and Mr Malins were an affront not only to them but to the British passport holder Vladimir Kara-Murza, a journalist and political activist who is serving a 25-year prison sentence in a Siberian solitary confinement cell for speaking out against the invasion of Ukraine.

After the death of Alexei Navalny in a Russian penal colony, Mr Kara-Murzas family now fear he will be Mr Putins next target.

Russian president Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting at the Russian foreign ministry in Moscow earlier in June ( AP )

In a BBC interview on 21 June, Mr Farage defended comments he had made in 2014 about the Russian president, saying that he had disliked Putin as a person but admired him as a political operator because hes managed to take control of running Russia.

Marina Litvinenko, whose husband Alexander, a former Russian spy, was killed in 2006 after he defected and moved to the UK, said she felt disgusted by the comments made by Mr Farage and Mr Malins.

It made me feel very disgusted, because we already know how many criminal cases have been opened against Putin; how many people, because of his personal order, have been killed; and how many people, now, have been imprisoned. Talking about Putin as a great leader, for me it was absolutely unbelievable.

She added that the party spokespersons description of Mr Malins as merely an eccentric was playing down the seriousness of the situation. I dont think we should say it is not serious, that it is just eccentric, because the times are very serious at the moment.

Marina Litvinenko attends the funeral of her husband, former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, on 7 December 2006 at Highgate cemetery in London ( Getty )

Grigory Chkhartishvili, a Russian-Georgian author better known by his pen name Boris Akunin, who in January was designated a foreign agent by the Kremlin for opposing the war in Ukraine, described Mr Farage and his Reform UK party as Putin understanders.

The dictator knows he can count on their support, his general message being Xenophobes and morons of the world, unite! he said.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was once Russias richest man before he was arrested on trumped-up charges of fraud and tax evasion, for which he served 10 years in prison, applauded the right of Mr Farage to voice opinions he himself vehemently opposed, but urged the Reform UK leader to consider the case of Mr Kara-Murza.

Mr Kara-Murza, who lived in London as a teenager before returning to Russia to join the opposition against Mr Putin, was arrested in April 2022 and jailed the following year. He is now serving the longest political sentence since the era of Joseph Stalin.

Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza sits on a bench inside a defendants cage during a hearing at the Basmanny court in Moscow on 10 October 2022 ( AFP/Getty )

Sir Bill  whose tireless efforts to free Mr Kara-Murza, among other humanitarian endeavours, earned him a knighthood in the Kings honours list earlier this month  suggested that the comments made by Mr Farage and Mr Malins were offensive to anyone who has been victimised by Putin. He described their ideas about the Russian president as idiocy and nonsense.

After Mr Farage said last weekend that he had admired Mr Putin, he went on to say that the West had provoked the Russian leader into invading Ukraine. He doubled down on those comments a day later, having been criticised by both the prime minister Rishi Sunak and the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for playing into Putins hands. Mr Farage said that he could not be blamed for telling the truth.

John Foreman, who served as a defence attache in Moscow from 2019 to 2022, suggested that the remarks were akin to blaming a rape victim for being attacked.

Theres a tendency to regard Farage as naive and cartoonish, he said. Hes a deeply malign and misinformed actor, who acts  willingly or unwillingly  against the security interests of our country.

Farage is no democrat. To me, he is a wannabe, fundamentally ignorant, Mosley-like figure  a plastic patriot, who wraps himself in the flag but only serves himself, not his country.

Ukrainian soldiers from the 43rd Artillery Brigade fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions, on the front line in the Donetsk region of Ukraine ( AP )

A man who admires authoritarianism and strongmen would weaken our national security by striking an unjust peace deal with Putin over the heads of Ukrainians. For all his beer and fags, he is outwith the proud tradition of the UK [of] standing up to tyranny.

When asked to respond to these claims, a Reform UK spokesperson laughed and said: What, a party that wants to increase defence spending up to 3 per cent compared to parties that have been cutting defence spending, and were the threat to national security? Youve got to be kidding me.

Theres no praise for Vladimir Putin. Theres criticism of his behaviour and his actions. Christ alive. Are you taking the tablets?

Asked about the comments made by Mr Malins, the spokesperson added: Yes hes an eccentric sort of character, but he is a single candidate. Hes a KC, probably more intelligent than you and me put together. However, a very eccentric one.

He has eccentric views on foreign policy. They are not ones that the party or Farage shares.
On Saturday evening, Sir Keir Starmer addressed hundreds of Labour activists in a large hall in central London. The Labour leader knows the opinion poll shows power is within his grasp. Forecasts suggest he could even make history with the largest ever Labour majority in parliament  winning by even more than Tony Blair achieved with his 1997 landslide.

Yet the event had an air of deliberate caution, tempered by fears of comparisons with 1992 and that the feeling a Labour government is already guaranteed will see the party leak votes to the Lib Dems and the Greens.

What was the event?

Sir Keir and his deputy Angela Rayner spoke to around 400 activists at an invite-only meeting at the Royal Horticultural Halls, a short walk from 10 Downing Street, the house he is on course to make his home on Thursday.

But he warned Labour activists the hardest mile was still ahead and asked them to imagine waking up to another five years of Tory government. That could happen, he said, because polls suggest millions of people have yet to decide how they will vote.

Despite the modest and understated air of the event, the excitement in the room was clear. When London mayor Sadiq Khan arrived about 10 minutes before kick-off, the tension that had been building up in the room could be contained no more. A huge round of applause burst out. It took him almost a full five minutes to take his seat because of the number of people queuing up to shake his hand.

Similarly, Rachel Reeves was greeted like a pop star. Young women lined up to meet and talk to the politician set to overturn 800 years of history and become the UKs first female chancellor.

And what of the actual superstars?

During the event, the party unveiled a headline-making endorsement from showbiz legend Sir Elton John. But he was far from the only one. The party also secured the backing of the actor Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow in Game of Thrones. And James Norton. And a dragon from Dragons Den. And on and on it went.

But even these big names were wheeled out in what seemed a deliberately modest way. Most appeared on video, although comedian Bill Bailey was in the hall. And even the screens, a couple of which were dotted around the room, were smaller than you might expect. More small screen than big screen, the kind of thing you might expect to see in a primary school hall.

Why was it so low key?

For a couple of reasons. Sir Keir is serious about his message that he wants to end politics as soap opera and bring back the return of grown-up government.

But he also wants no comparisons with the infamous Sheffield rally in 1992. Then, at a similar stage in the campaign, Neil Kinnock told around 10,000 in Sheffield Arena: Were all right! The event has gone down in history as one where a partys optimism about the result allowed it to get carried away.

But there are also fears the belief Labour are a shoo-in will lose them votes.

At the rally, Sir Keir pleaded with voters to give him a clear mandate to govern, large enough to implement his agenda.

Senior party figures worry many people who might be included to vote for them will not come polling day  precisely because they think a Labour government is already guaranteed.

Under those circumstances, smaller parties like the Lib Dems and Greens could pick up more votes. This could help those parties to win some seats  or allow some Tory candidates to come up the outside lane.

Either way, expect to hear plenty of Labour figures saying election victory is by no means in the bag over the next few days.




Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks at a regular news conference on Thursday.

Question: Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command said that the US military has a plan called "hellscape" to turn the Taiwan Strait into an unmanned hell using a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles, surface vessels and underwater systems in response to "attacks from the Chinese mainland". The US Naval News website also detailed the plan recently. What's your comment on this?

Wu Qian: Those who clamor for turning others' homeland into hell should get ready for burning in hell themselves. In order to contain China with Taiwan, some individuals in the US are making crazy and inhumane plans to turn the Taiwan Strait into a hell. This once again shows that the separatists who are delusional about using US support for "Taiwan independence" will ultimately be abandoned as a useless pawn.

Taiwan belongs to China and China brooks no division. The PLA is able to fight and win in thwarting external interference and safeguarding our national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Threats and intimidation never work on us.
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Rishi Sunak has said he is proud of his disastrous election campaign and claims he will win Thursdays general election.

The prime minister has come under fire in recent weeks for a series of calamities that included a rain-soaked announcement of polling day, leaving D-Day commemorations early and a gambling scandal.

But in a crunch interview with just days to go before the vote, Mr Sunak told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg this campaign is something I am very proud of as he sought to disparage Labours plans.

He also said he believes he will win the election. Asked whether he thought he would still be prime minister on Friday, he said: Yes. Im fighting very hard and I think people are waking up to the real danger of what a Labour government means.

Rishi Sunak, soaked in rain, pauses as he delivers a speech to announce the election date ( Getty )

But as the Tory blame game escalated before even a vote has been counted former cabinet minister John Redwood accused Mr Sunak of helping to deliver a large Labour majority.

He hit out at what he called the One Nation leadership of his party and said together with Nigel Farages Reform, they will visit on us a Labour government that may have a lower vote share than Labour led by Jeremy Corbyn gained in 2017 but have a large majority of MPs.

In a small crumb of good news for Mr Sunak, however, the Reform candidate in Erewash, Liam Booth-Isherwood defected to back the Conservatives. Whilst I have campaigned alongside many decent, honest and hardworking people during the course of the General Election campaign in Erewash, the reports of widespread racism and sexism in Reform have made clear that there is a significant moral issue within certain elements of the party, he said.

In a wide-ranging interview, the Leave-campaigning Tory leader also admitted that Brexit has been bad for many British businesses.

He was confronted by comments by his small business minister Kevin Hollinrake that there was no doubt exporting to the EU had been made more difficult by the UKs exit.

Mr Hollinrake said: Theres no doubt, for some businesses, it is more difficult to trade with the European Union. There is no doubt that is the case.

He went on to pick out businesses in the food and drink sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

Kevin Hollinrake admits Brexit was bad for many businesses ( Good Morning Britain )

Asked about those remarks, the prime minister said: Of course when you leave the single market and the customs union that is going to change our trading relationships.

He added: But we have the deepest, bilateral free trade agreement with the European continent that any nation has anywhere around the world.

He also claimed the UK is a better place to live in now than it was when the Tories took office in 2010, although he pointed to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine as he conceded the last few years have been difficult for everyone.

But he was then asked to look at a screen on which viewers comments were projected. One of them, Sheila, told the PM: Our biggest worry is not about tax, its about having the basics.

An at times tetchy PM also became involved in a spat with the BBC presenter, who at one point told him: Thats not what I said prime minister.

He also claimed there was a clear difference between his handling of the racism row surrounding Tory donor Frank Hester and how Nigel Farage responded to racist comments made about the PM by a Reform UK canvasser.

On the programme, he was shown a message from a viewer who expressed concern that Mr Sunaks stance on racism had not been zero tolerance and who pointed to the Hester row.

The donor, from whom the party has continued to accept donations, allegedly said Labour MP Diane Abbott should be shot and that she made him want to hate all black women.

Mr Sunak said: I think its reasonable when someone is genuinely contrite about whats happened, accepts what theyve done is wrong, then that apology is accepted.

He added: The difference here is... Nigel Farage has just described these comments as inappropriate.

Theyre not inappropriate. They were vile and racist and wrong, but hes only said that theyre inappropriate.

The person who made them has only apologised to the Reform party for the impact its had on them. Its a very clear difference. Theres no contrition or remorse or acceptance of whats happened in that case.

For his part Mr Farage insisted the bad apples are gone from Reform.

After claiming the audience on BBC's Question Time on Friday, during which he was questioned about his party's supporters, "was rigged", which the BBC denies, he said Reform would campaign to abolish the TV licence fee as "the leading voice of opposition" because it had "abused its position of power.

Earlier, Mr Sunak claimed Sir Keir Starmer could inflict irreversible damage on the UK within 100 days of entering Downing Street.

The PM said Labour cannot be trusted and predicted a plan to impose VAT on private schools would cause chaos for families.

Meanwhile, Labour said Sir Keirs first steps would be restoring economic stability and cutting NHS waiting lists as the work of change begins. The Labour Party leader said his party offered voters hope for a better future.

After the PMs interview, Jonathan Ashworth, Labours shadow paymaster general, said: Its excruciating to watch Rishi Sunak just gloss over the concerns of ordinary working people.

Rishi Sunak has no remorse for his record: prices are up in the shops, NHS waiting lists have rocketed, and mortgages have soared. He just doesnt understand what the Conservatives have inflicted on voters over the past 14 years.

Britain simply cannot afford five more years of the Tories. Their pie-in-the-sky, unfunded manifesto risks heaping 4,800 more onto family mortgages.
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A series of bomb attacks in Nigeria have killed at least 18 people and injured more than 40, the head of the local state emergency management agency said on Saturday.

Suspected female suicide bombers separately attacked a wedding, a funeral and a hospital, according to Barkindo Saidu, the director general of the Borno state emergency management agency.

So far, 18 deaths have been confirmed, with the dead including children, adults and pregnant women.

Nigerias Vanguard News, however, reported that the death toll could be higher, close to 30.

The first bomb blast occurred around 3pm in the midst of a wedding ceremony. A few minutes later, another bomb blast occurred at General Hospital Gwoza. In the midst of sorrow, the people in the community gathered for the funeral congregation of the deceased people, (and) another suicide bomber denoted a bomb, the state emergency management said.

The injured victims are being treated at Medical Regimental Services (MRS) clinic before being conveyed to Maiduguri for proper treatment, it said.

The military has imposed a curfew, and no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Director General of Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Barkindo Muhammad Saidu visits bomb blast site ( Borno State Emergency Management Agency )

The attacks took place in the town of Gwoza in Nigerias northeastern state of Borno, which has been at the centre of a 15-year Islamist insurgency.

Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), are the most active militant organisations in Borno, a vast rural area comparable in size to Ireland.

In 2014, Boko Haram seized the town but it was taken back by Nigerian forces in 2015.

However, the terrorist group has continued to carry out attacks and kidnappings near the town. It frequently uses women and younger people as bombers in the attack.

Health officials say vaccine stocks are low in Nigeria

The group also uses female suicide bombers with babies to avoid detection before carrying out attacks.

Some of the women and children carrying out suicide attacks are believed to be among the many thousands kidnapped by the group over the years.

Militants have killed thousands, displaced millions, and continue to carry out deadly attacks against civilians, despite the Nigerian militarys claims that the insurgency has weakened.

Additional reporting with agencies
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As murder suspect Eugene Gligor tossed his water bottle in a trash bin at Washington Dulles Airport earlier this month, unbeknownst to him, authorities investigating a cold case in Maryland were watching.

In New York, police had been trying for years to link DNA found on the bodies of three slain sex workers, but were unable to until they watched as Rex Heuermann threw a major clue into the trash: his leftover pizza crust.

And detectives in Oregon had been surveilling Robert Plympton, suspected of a decades-old murder, when they witnessed him spitting his gum out.

Then they pounced. In each case, authorities snatched up the trash  and the discarded DNA became a key in progressing, and in some cases solving decades-old cold cases.

Its a process called surreptitious DNA collection, which refers to the collection and analysis of DNA from a person without their knowledge and without coercion, according to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Peter Valentin, a department chair of forensic science at the University of New Haven and a former detective with the Connecticut State Police Department, told USA Today that its abandoned DNA and police dont need a warrant to grab the DNA from public property.

It works under the premise that you no longer have an expectation of privacy in things that you discard. Its abandoned DNA," Valentin said.

For the Gilgo Beach cases, what theyre doing is getting DNA from the garbage. Once you take garbage to the curb, theres no longer an expectation of privacy.

And its nearly impossible to avoid leaving DNA behind.

The water bottle tossed in airport trash

After 23 years, an arrest was made this month in the 2001 murder of Leslie Preer  and it was all thanks to a plastic water bottle.

On June 18, Montgomery County police in Maryland, charged 44-year-old Eugene T Gligor, 44, with Preers murder.

Preer, 50, was found dead in the bathtub of her home near Washington DC in May 2001. There were signs of a struggle throughout the house and another persons DNA was found under her fingernails, but police were never able to match the sample.

Eugene Gligor, 44, was arrested on June 18 in connection with a 2001 cold-case murder ( Montgomery County Police Department )

Then, in 2022, investigators found a partial match in commercial genetic databases assembled by ancestry research companies from the millions of samples sent in by customers.

According to The Washington Post, the DNA in the database belonged to a relative of Gligor. Gligorhad dated Preers daughter when they were both students at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda, Maryland, shortly before her mother was killed.

It turns out that police had received an anonymous tip nine months after the 2001 murder claiming that Gligor, who was 21 at the time, may be somehow related to the case.

Leslie Preer, 50, was found dead in the bathtub at her home in May 2001 ( Montgomery County Police Department )

Fast forward to June 2024 and an investigation subsequently tracked Gligor to Dulles Airport. Investigators watched through airport surveillance cameras as the suspect drank from his plastic water bottle and threw it away in a trash can.

They retrieved the bottle and obtained a DNA sample, which matched the genetic material found under Preers nails.

Pizza crust leads to arrest of Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect

For over a decade, nobody had faced criminal charges over the mysterious Gilgo Beach killings  until New York architect Rex Heuermann threw his pizza box in the trash outside his Manhattan firm last summer under the gaze of the police.

DNA collected from a pizza crust in the discarded pizza box helped investigators link Heuermann to a hair found on one of the murder victims.

Six weeks earlier a new investigative task force had formed and would eventually use the DNA evidence and cell phone location data to charge Heuermann for the murders of the Gilgo Four: Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello and Maureen Brainard-Barnes.

Rex Heuermann, 60, has been charged with the murders of six women ( James Carbone/Newsday via AP )

On March 14, 2022, the name Rex was first mentioned, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said shortly after the July 2023 arrest. A New York state investigator was able to identify him in a database and from that point on we used the power of the grand jury, over 300 subpoenas and search warrants, looking into this individuals background to bring us to this day.

According to court documents, the team surveilling Heuermann observed him throw out the pizza box into a trash can outside his office in Midtown, Manhattan and collected the pizza crust to be swabbed and analyzed by a forensics lab.

The DNA matched a mitochondrial DNA profile from a male hair that was collected off burlap that had been wrapped around the naked body of 22-year-old Megan Waterman when she was found on December 13, 2010, near Gilgo Beach.

The results came back on June 12, 2023, having a 99.96 degree of accuracy. Heuermann was arrested the following month and pleaded not guilty in court.

Melissa Barthelemy, top left, Amber Costello, top right, Megan Waterman, bottom left, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose bodies were found in 2010 are the Gilgo Four ( Suffolk County Police Department via AP )

In June 2024, Heuermann, now 60, was arraigned in the deaths of two more women: Jessica Taylor, 20, and Sandra Costilla, 28.

Taylor vanished in 2003 while working as an escort in New York City. Some of her remains were discovered in Manorville that year. Further remains were found during a 2011 search near Ocean Parkway, the road where the other Gilgo Beach victims were found.

Costillas remains were found on November 20, 1993, on Cove Road in North Sea, a Southampton town.

Prosecutors said they were able to use new forensic testing methods to match hairs found on or near both victims to a DNA profile that is a likely match to Heuermann.

Sandra Costilla (left) and Jessica Taylor (right) are the first alleged victims of Rex Heuermann who were murdered before 2007 ( Suffolk County DA/Remembering Jessica Taylor Facebook page )

Since late 2010, police have been investigating the deaths of at least 10 people  mostly female sex workers  whose remains were discovered along an isolated highway not far from Gilgo Beach on Long Islands south shore.

Taylor and Costilla are the first alleged victims of Heuermann who were murdered before 2007, leading prosecutors to believe he was killing women for much longer than previously thought and are investigating the possibility of more victims.

The Golden State Killer

Discarded DNA was also key evidence in the case of the Golden State Killer Joseph James DeAngelo, who was convicted in 2018 for several murders, rapes and burglaries in the 1970s and 1980s.

His crime spree began in 1975 while he was working as a police officer in Exeter, California. DeAngelo began by stalking his victims, but eventually moved on to sexual assaults, rapes and murders.

After DeAngelo was first targeted as a suspect in the cases through genetic genealogy, police followed him to a Hobby Lobby store in Roseville, California, and obtained DNA evidence from his car door handle.

Golden State Killer Joseph James DeAngelo was caught with the help of new DNA technology and he was convicted in 2018 for several murders, rapes and burglaries ( Sacramento Sheriffs Office )

They later collected items, including a tissue, from his trash outside his home and the DNA matched DNA from the crime scene.

DeAngelo admitted 13 counts of first-degree murder and multiple rapes and burglaries after pleading guilty in a deal that kept him from receiving the death penalty.

He also admitted he committed dozens of other sexual assaults that could not be prosecuted due to statute of limitation restrictions.

At 74 years old, DeAngelo was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

A piece of gum cracks the case

A 1980 cold case murder in Oregon was solved after DNA found on a piece of discarded chewing gum led authorities to the killer.

Robert Plympton, 60, was found guilty on March 21, 2024, on one count of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder in the murder of Mt. Hood Community College student Barbara Tucker.

Barbara Tucker was 19 years old when she was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and beaten to death on January 15, 1980, authorities said.

Barbara Tucker, 19, was found dead on January 15, 1980 ( Gresham Police Department )

The next morning, students who were on their way to class at the school in Gresham discovered the womans body in a wooded area next to the parking lot.

In 2000, vaginal swabs taken during Tuckers autopsy were sent to the Oregon State Police (OSP) Crime Lab for analysis and used to create a DNA profile of the suspect.

Parabon Nanolabs Chief Genetic Genealogist CeCe Moore told CNN that during her research, she discovered a history of red-headed men in the family line which led to the the prediction that the person who murdered and raped Barbara most likely had red hair.

Parabon identified Plympton as a likely contributor to the DNA profile that was developed in 2000.

Robert Plympton was found guilty on March 21, 2024, in the 1980 murder of Barbara Tucker after DNA from his chewing gum matched the profile created from DNA found on Tucker ( Multnomah County Sheriffs Department )

Armed with the new information, detectives with the Gresham Police Department found that Plympton was living in Troutdale, Oregon, and began conducting surveillance.

When they saw Plympton spit out his chewing gum on the ground, they seized their chance, collected the gum and submitted it to the OSP Crime Lab.

DNA from the gum matched the DNA profile developed from Tuckers autopsy.

Plympton was arrested on June 8, 2021. He was convicted in March 2024 and remains in custody in Multnomah County.
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The estranged husband of a missing Wisconsin woman has been charged with identity theft after he allegedly used her credit cards to buy a slew of cleaning supplies, including gloves, stain remover and carpet cleaners.

Zachariah Rasch, 42, denied using Crystal Raschs credit cards, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WISN, but when he was shown pictures and video of himself making the purchases, he admitted to police that he was lying and that he had used her cards.

Rasch was questioned by police this week after Crystal was reported missing on June 23 by her stepmother, who contacted police after discovering Crystals vehicle at her home in Dodge County, despite not being able to get in touch with her. She told police she had not heard from Crystal since June 11. Other family members say they had not seen or heard from her since June 10.

Security footage obtained by investigators revealed Rasch was alone when making purchases with Crystals credit cards since the woman had been missing. Multiple cash withdrawals were also made with her cards, the complaint revealed.

Rasch racked up $6,000 on Crystals credit cards buying chemical resistant gloves, stain remover, liquid drain opener, a hoover spot cleaner, turtle wax, OxiClean carpet cleaner, Ozium auto air freshener and OxiClean wipes, according to the criminal complaint.

Financial records detailed in the complaint showed a balance of $9,460.34 in Crystals bank account on June 3 but it had dropped to just $2,907.75 by June 24, according to WISN.

Investigators say Crystals cell phone last pinged near where her husband owns land in Adams County. Raschs 2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse was found in the area, and investigators said it had significant evidentiary value. The car is currently undergoing forensic analysis at the Wisconsin State Crime Lab in Madison.

Rasch had a domestic abuse restraining order filed against him in September 2023, and was previously charged with violating a domestic abuse temporary restraining order in November 2018, Channel 3000 reported. The couple was set to appear for a divorce hearing on August 8.

On Friday, Rasch appeared in court and was arraigned on seven counts of misappropriating identification to obtain money. He is being held on a $250,000 bond.
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A North Carolina woman has been arrested and charged with killing two of her adopted children who havent been seen in years as new disturbing details reveal they were kept in isolation, beaten and starved.

Avantae Deven, 63, faces multiple charges, including murder, in the disappearance and death of Blake and London Deven, Fayetteville Police Chief Kemberle Braden said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The chilling details released by the authorities this week revealed that the siblings, along with three other adopted children, had lived in brutal conditions while in the care of Deven.

Our evidence shows that both Blake and London are deceased, Chief Braden said, adding investigators believe that Deven abused them and ultimately killed them.

Blake Deven was last seen in 2017, when he was 10 years old, investigators determined. Investigators say evidence collected indicates that he died from starvation and abuse and that his body was burned. During the course of their investigation of Blakes disappearance, police discovered the death of London Deven, who was last seen in 2019.

On April 10, Fayetteville police found a metal burn barrel that contained partial human skeletal remains of two children. One set was confirmed to be London Deven, according to the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The second set of remains, believed to be a boy between the ages of seven and 10, has not yet been identified and is still being tested.

Avantae Deven appeared in court on Thursday and was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of concealment of death, one count of kidnapping related to Londons death, and two counts of felony child abuse related to Blakes death. She is being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center with no bond.

Avantae Deven is accused of killing two of her adopted children Blake Deven and London Deven ( Fayetteville Police Department )

Missing since 2017 but not reported until 2024

The investigation began back in November 2023 when officers responded to a mental health call at Devens home in Fayetteville, WRAL reported. The caller claimed to be Blake Devens brother and said he had not seen him in at least five years and that he had a broken arm at the time.

Lead investigator Sgt. Jeff Locklear told reporters on Wednesday that investigators were able to confirm that Blake had been missing since 2017.

However, he was not reported missing by Avantae Deven until January 2024. Deven told police she last saw her son in 2022 when he was allegedly leaving for Buddhist retreat.

Initially, she was giving us a story that Blake was possibly at a Buddhist retreat in the mountains, Sgt Locklear said.

But he said investigators believe that Blake was abused and starved at the familys former home on Eichelberger Drive, until his body could no longer take the inhumane treatment.

Then, Avantae developed a plan to hide Blakes remains, and she forced another person in the household to participate, he added. They dismembered him and burned his remains.

Sgt Locklear did not release the name of the second person.

Blake Deven, pictured here in 2012, has not been seen since 2017 ( FBI )

He said that biological evidence found at the home supported evidence of isolation, torture and starvation.

Meanwhile, Deven never reported London missing.

The last confirmed independent sighting of London was in 2019, Sgt Locklear said.

Even though London was an adult, she had special needs and depended on Avantae to care for her.

An investigation revealed that Deven had five adopted children, including Blake and London. The three boys were related, but the two girls were not related to each other or the boys.

Police and the Department of Social Services (DSS) interviewed the three remaining children who all gave graphic details of the horrific treatment they allegedly endured, which included being malnourished and physically abused while being trapped in a small, dark room.

Multiple interviews showed the appalling conditions the kids grew up in, Sgt Locklear said.

London Deven, who was last seen in 2019, has been confirmed dead after her remains were found in April 2024 ( FBI )

Deven kept them in small rooms in complete darkness at times. They were given little or no food, they could earn nourishment through doing paperwork. That meant they had to write hundreds of paragraphs to apologize for misbehavior. It is alleged some of the children were also beaten to the point of needing medical care but were only given natural cures like honey.

At the news conference, Sgt. Locklear said there is evidence supported claims of isolation, torture and starvation that led to Blakes death and that he was dismembered and his remains were burned.

We believe he was mentally abused and starved," Locklear said. His body could not sustain the inhumane treatment. Then, Avantae developed a plan to hide Blakes remains. She forced another person in the household to participate.

Its believed that London Deven died in the same painful way that Blake died, starvation and neglect, Locklear said.

She would just drag you down by your hair and beat you

Bryanna Morrow, was one of the children Avantae Deven adopted, according to WRAL. At that time, she went by the name of Cherish Deven.

She spoke to the news outlet about her life in Devens care and the alleged mistreatment she endured, which included being locked in isolation.

Days at a time, she said. It was very horrible. There were days we didnt go with showers. The only time we could turn on the bathroom or the sink was to get water.

Being locked in the bathroom, Morrow added. If we werent locked in a bathroom, having to use pails as the restroom. There were a lot of beatings because we would steal food just to survive. She would just drag you down by your hair and beat you.

When the children misbehaved, Morrow said they had to write apology letters.

The older you got, the more paragraphs you had to do, she said. So by the time I was 15, I was doing top to bottom of a page. Imagine one page [to] 2,000 pages.

Who is Blakes biological mother?

Felicia Chandler, the biological mother of Blake Deven, spoke with WRAL following the news of Devens arrest.

I really just feel like theres more questions, and Im waiting for more answers, Chandler said.

I just want to see my other two boys. I want to know if the remains are going to be sent home to where they belong with their biological families.

Authorities did not answer questions or give further details about Devens three other adopted children.
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Joe Bidens defenders rallied to his side on Sunday across the cable news circuit and rejected calls for the president to drop out of the 2024 race.

Chief among them was John Fetterman, whose own rocky debate performance in 2022 following a stroke was thought by some to have been a death knell of the now-senators campaign. Fetterman beat his opponent, Dr Mehmet Oz, despite enduring Republican attacks labelling him brain damaged and unable to carry out the basic functions of his office.

Bidens debate performance on Thursday against Donald Trump has been seen as a disaster by the political world. Polls have shown that the segment of voters who believe the president does not have the required mental fitness for the job has grown substantially, with a CBS poll finding only 27% of those polled believe Biden has the mental and cognitive health required to serve as president.

Biden during the presidential nominee debate with Trump last week ( AFP via Getty Images )

The Pennsylvania senator appeared on Fox News Sunday, where host Shannon Bream asked him about calls from Democratic supporters as well as media outlets such as The New York Times and Atlanta Journal-Constitution arguing that the president should immediately step aside and allow Democrats to pick a successor.

Theres no value in any of those things, Fetterman told Bream, after mockingly clutching his cheeks and quipping, oh no!.

There was the same kind of a freakout after my debate, and in fact I might even say that I had a more difficult evening than the president did. And here I am right now, having this conversation.

He went on to argue that Biden remained the only Democratic candidate with a proven electoral history of victory against Donald Trump, an argument the Biden campaign itself tried to make to supporters on Saturday in a fundraising email. But even the polling shared by deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty in the email to the campaigns allies depicted other Democrats including Vice President Kamala Harris and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as within a statistically negligible distance from the presidents own projected level of support.

A screenshot of polling sent by the Biden campaign to supporters on Friday, a day after Joe Bidens disastrous debate performance ( The Independent )

Fetterman was joined on the Sunday circuit by another swing-state senator, Raphael Warnock, in his rejection of the calls for the president to step aside. A CBS News poll taken over Friday and Saturday after the debate showed as many as seven in ten registered voters across the US believing that Biden does not have the mental and cognitive health to serve as president.

Warnock appeared on NBCs Meet the Press. Moderator Kristin Welker asked him directly if the president should end his candidacy, to which the Georgia senator replied: Absolutely not.

Referencing his service as a pastor for Atlantas historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Warnock said, I can tell you thereve been more than a few Sundays when I wished I had preached a better sermon. But after the sermon was over it was my job to embody the message, to show up for the people I served, and thats what Joe Bidens been doing.

Hes been showing up for the American people. Hes been showing up for seniors as theyve been dealing with the rising cost of prescription drugs, having to choose between buying food and buying medicine in the wealthiest nation on Earth. Hes been showing up for folks chasing the American dream [but] found themselves mired in student debt.

WATCH: Editorial pages across the country are calling on President Biden to step aside after his debate performance.@kwelkernbc: "Do you think President Biden should drop out of this race?"



Sen. @ReverendWarnock (D-Ga.): "Absolutely not." pic.twitter.com/FKT5RVCnvI  Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) June 30, 2024

It was a common argument heard from Bidens loyal supporters in the days and hours after Thursdays debate, when the president appeared to lose track of his point while speaking at several moments. Democrats have argued that the presidents policy record remains a major reason to support his re-election. In general, the party remains divided over how to respond to concerns about the presidents mental fitness following his first showdown with Trump, another being on the horizon.

But some have taken their defences of the president a step further. Ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi was on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, where she attacked Trump over his own mental faculties.

There are health care professionals who think that Trump has dementia, she told Dana Bash. If we're just talking about mental acuity, let's be fair about it.

.@SpeakerPelosi rips Donald Trump after presidential debate: There are health care professionals who think that Trump has dementia, she said. If we're just talking about mental acuity, let's be fair about it. pic.twitter.com/Yu5RXVKz2W  State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) June 30, 2024

The presidents campaign has also pointed to a fundraising surge in their favor following Bidens televised clash with Trump. By Sunday, the campaign said it had raised more than $33m.

It was also lashing out at NBC News over a report claiming that the president was huddling with family members at Camp David to discuss the future of his campaign, pointing out the planned travel had been announced well before the debate. Flaherty, in a tweet, called the story media-fabricated bullsh**.

Its a familiar story: Following Thursday nights debate, the beltway class is counting Joe Biden out. The data in the battleground states, though, tells a different story, campaign manager Jen OMalley Dixon added in a memo to supporters this weekend.

Our team knows a thing or two about putting our heads down and doing the work to win hard races, she continued. This will be a very close election. It was always going to be...Thats what our campaign has been planning for.

Biden himself addressed the event at a campaign fundraiser on Saturday.

I understand the concern about the debate. I get it. I didnt have a great night, said Biden at the event, attended by radio legend Howard Stern and others. But heres what I -- [whats] not getting reported: Voters had a different reaction than the pundits. Since the debate, polls show a little movement, and weve moved us up, actually.

He -- and, by the way, the Times had their editorial, the president continued. Well, guess what? They also pointed out he lied 28 times in a matter of 90 minutes.
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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went on the attack on Sunday with her fellow Democrats, coming to the defense of Joe Biden following his disastrous debate performance last week in Atlanta.

Biden, already facing serious concerns from voters about his age, appeared lost on stage at points during the debate on Thursday, even forgetting his subject mid-sentence. The presidents voice, affected by a cold, sounded raspy and hoarse.

Pelosi, responding to calls from some Democrats and newspaper editorial boards for Biden to step aside and polling showing that a clear majority of Americans believe that he does not have the mental faculties to be president, pivoted to attacking the Republican candidate.

There are health care professionals who think that Trump has dementia, she told CNN. If we're just talking about mental acuity, let's be fair about it.

Not even that he lies; that he doesnt know the truth, the former House Democratic leader went on.

She also responded directly to the criticism that she and other Democrats were enabling the president as he fought a losing campaign, a criticism she dismissed outright: We see Joe Biden up close. We know how attuned he is to the issues, how informed we is.

.@SpeakerPelosi rips Donald Trump after presidential debate: There are health care professionals who think that Trump has dementia, she said. If we're just talking about mental acuity, let's be fair about it. pic.twitter.com/Yu5RXVKz2W  State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) June 30, 2024

I debate with him on legislation. Not debate, discussion. And hes right there.

It was a bad night. Lets not...sugarcoat that. It was a bad night. It was a great presidency, Pelosi then said. And thats what the American people have to choose.

Polls have shown that the segment of voters who believe the president does not have the required mental fitness for the job has grown substantially, with a CBS poll finding only 27% of those polled believe Biden has the mental and cognitive health required to serve as president.

Joe Biden looks down during Thursdays debate against Donald Trump in Atlanta, Georgia ( AFP via Getty Images )

Other Democrats joined various news shows on Sunday to give reactions to the presidents performance. All uniformly agreed that Biden had not done well; only one, Jamie Raskin, was willing to acknowdledge that Democrats were having conversations about the path forward and whether Biden should remain on the ticket.

Most were refusing to break with the president, including senators from the key swing states of Pennsylvania and Georgia.

There was the same kind of a freakout after my debate, and in fact I might even say that I had a more difficult evening than the president did. And here I am right now, having this conversation, John Fetterman told Fox News Sunday of the reaction to Bidens debate.

James Clyburn, a top Biden ally in the Congressional Black Caucus, also echoed the argument that the president should remain in the race.

Rep. Clyburn on CNN: "I always say that the best predictor of future behavior is past performanceBiden should continue to run on his record." @atrupar

pic.twitter.com/ojPikL3eV6  The Intellectualist (@highbrow_nobrow) June 30, 2024

But behind the scenes, the party remains in various states of panic or, at a minimum, serious worry. Democratic sources who spoke to The Independent after the debate were certain that the president should make the hard choice.

Horrible, one Democratic strategist told The Independent. Need to have [Kamala] Harris take over. Cleanest option.

Polling currently shows the incumbent president trailing his 2020 opponent, Donald Trump, in several key battleground states. He retains a fundraising lead over Trump, but it has yet to bear fruit in the field. The presidents campaign says it saw another fundraising surge in their favor following the debate  by Sunday, the campaign said it had raised more than $33m.

Its a familiar story: Following Thursday nights debate, the beltway class is counting Joe Biden out. The data in the battleground states, though, tells a different story, campaign manager Jen OMalley Dixon added in a memo to supporters this weekend.

Our team knows a thing or two about putting our heads down and doing the work to win hard races, she continued. This will be a very close election. It was always going to be...Thats what our campaign has been planning for.

Biden himself addressed the event at a campaign fundraiser on Saturday.

I understand the concern about the debate. I get it. I didnt have a great night, said Biden at the event, attended by radio legend Howard Stern and others. But heres what I -- [whats] not getting reported: Voters had a different reaction than the pundits. Since the debate, polls show a little movement, and weve moved us up, actually.

He -- and, by the way, the Times had their editorial, the president continued. Well, guess what? They also pointed out he lied 28 times in a matter of 90 minutes.
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A community is grieving after a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by a police officer in upstate New York on Friday night.

The teenage victim was identified as Nyah Mway, a member of the Karen refugee community who had graduated from 8th grade earlier that week.

In body camera footage released by the department, Mway begins to run after an officer said he was about to be patted down for a weapon, leading to a brief chase during which the boy flashed what looked like a gun, according to police and their slowed-down version of footage released.

Footage taken shortly before the chase that ended in Mways death ( Utica Police Department )

During the course of his flight the juvenile displayed what appeared to be a handgun, said Utica Police Department in a statement. Authorities later acknowledged it was a pellet gun that resembled a Glock handgun.

In the footage, an officer chasing Mway yells, Gun! and tackles him to the ground. As authorities hold Mway on the ground, an officer shot his weapon once, killing Mway.

The incident occurred after officers from the Utica Police Department stopped Mway and another boy on a street in downtown Utica. Police say they stopped the boys around 10:15 p.m. at the 900 block of Shaw Street while searching for the suspects in two robbery investigations, described as Asian males or one Asian male and one dark-skinned male.

A GoFundMe fundraiser for the family, apparently started by Mways sibling, says that the family moved to the United States nine years ago seeking refugee from ethnic cleansing in Myanmar.

My brother was returning home from an 8th grade graduation barbecue. He has never gotten in trouble with law enforcement before, he was a good kid, the description of the fundraiser says.

The mother of the 13 year old boy who was shot and killed by Utica Police cries after listening to a translator inside City Hall in Utica, New York, U.S. June 29, 2024. ( via REUTERS )

The description goes on to question the polices account of the events. It says that police told Mways family that there was a shoot out when they informed them of the incident.

A family member told The New York Times that police told the parents their son was in the hospital but by the time they arrived he had already died.

Police say they stopped the two boys based on the listed identifying factors and that Mway was walking in the roadway in violation of New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law 1156a, meaning that he was just simply walking in the road.

Officer Patrick Husnay, who shot Mway, and the three others involved have been placed on paid administrative leave.

The replica handgun police recovered from the scene ( City of Utica, NY Police Department )

Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time. We will continue to be as transparent and accessible to the family and community as legally allowed as this process continues, a statement from the police department says.

Members of the local community have expressed outrage over the incident, demanding justice for the young boy and his family.

No justice, no peace, people yelled at City Hall on Saturday as the mayor and police chief gave a press conference.

A candlelight vigil was held for the teenage boy with locals bringing signs, balloons, flowers and more to honor Mway.

The Police Department, as well as the New York Attorney Generals Office, will investigate the matter. Utica city and police officials told locals they would be transparent during their investigation.
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Morgan Freeman thanked his fans for alerting him that his voice had been recreated using artificial intelligence (AI).

The Oscar-winning American actor, 87, is one of many Hollywood stars that have seen their tones replicated by technology.

Freeman wrote on X: Thank you to my incredible fans for your vigilance and support in calling out the unauthorised use of an A.I. voice imitating me.

Your dedication helps authenticity and integrity remain paramount. Grateful. #AI #scam #imitation #IdentityProtection.

It is unclear what issue with AI that the actor, known for The Shawshank Redemption, Driving Miss Daisy and Million Dollar Baby, was making in the post.

There have been reports of a TikTok influencer appearing to recreate Freemans voice using technology, while joking that she is the actors niece.

A deepfake artist also created an AI generated video of Freeman in 2022.

Freeman has lent his voice to documentaries including the Oscar winning documentary March Of The Penguins, and the more recent narration on the nature programmes Life On Our Planet and Our Universe, as well as several advertisements.

Earlier this year, Scarlett Johansson expressed being shocked and angered at how eerily similar one of the voices in ChatGPT sounded to hers.

In response, OpenAI said it will pause the use of one of the voices in ChatGPT after it drew comparisons with the Hollywood actress.

Johansson said OpenAI reluctantly agreed to take down the Sky voice after she hired lawyers who wrote to the artificial intelligence giants chief executive Sam Altman, asking about the process by which the company came up with the voice.

OpenAI dismissed the accusation saying that it is not AI and belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice.

In January, social media platform X had to temporarily block searches linked to Taylor Swift after fake, AI-generated explicit images of the pop star were posted to the site.
One thing you never think about is how beautiful the Battle of the Little Bighorn must have looked this time of year.

Its been almost exactly 148 years since the battle, fought on June 25 and 26, 1876, and you should go down to the battlefield for a visit. Its barely an hour from Billings  a little longer but more scenic if you opt for Old U.S. 87  and right now the hills around the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument are practically glowing green. The verdant landscape, which rises from the banks of the Little Bighorn River all the way to the top of Last Stand Hill, is amplified by a blanket of yellow sweet clover, the weeds fragrant flowers dancing in the hot wind.

It was hot here in 1876, too, when George Armstrong Custer led his 7th Cavalry into annihilation when they attacked a village filled with Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho. The main part of the battle was short and brutal. The American forces were outnumbered, outgunned and outfought. Renos shattered troops were able to hunker down until the Indian village moved on, but every man under Custers direct command was killed.

That story has been told and retold so many times its practically a part of the landscape out here. Its probable that no other event in Montana history has been analyzed like the Battle of the Little Bighorn. You could spend your whole life learning about it  people have  and there will still be rocks unturned when you die.

John Doerner is one of those people. He spent 21 years at the battlefield, working as ranger and interpreter and finally as chief historian. Doerner retired in 2011, but he stays busy. Last Monday, he led a tour of the battlefield for members of the Northern Cheyenne tribe.

This tour wasnt the typical thing you can get at the visitors center. For one, the group barely even entered the battlefield and monument, using it only as a place to meet. Instead, this was an effort to recontextualize this story and to emphasize the role of the victors.

On this day, there were about 20 people in total, some in a small bus that had been driven up from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation that morning, and others following behind in their cars. And the first thing this Little Bighorn Battlefield tour did was leave the Little Bighorn Battlefield.

The tours first stop was on Reno Creek Road, along some large sandstone bluffs that guard the valleys northern end.

Were here where the village stood, Doerner said, gesticulating with his arms towards the prairies beyond him.

The Indian village that Custer would later attack camped here in mid-June 1876, between the battles of Rosebud and Little Bighorn. That led to a discussion of camp life, and what the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne were doing out here.

We need to keep these stories alive, Doerner said.

So he did. The tour continued from there, stopping to overlook the Reno Creek valley. Custer came this way, too, noting these chalky bluffs, which are more of a pale off-white than the orangey-yellow of the Billings Rimrocks.

Gazing from that vista, you could barely make out the Reno-Benteen Memorial, which marks the hilltop where the surviving cavalrymen gathered.

Doerner pointed out other sites, showing how Custers forces were naturally guided through this valley to the eventual battlefield. This area doesnt have a ton of dominant features, no big mountains or well-defined ridges. You have to really read the land to figure out how people interact with it.

The tour proceeded onto the tiny town of Garryowen, named for the Irish jig Myles Keogh brought from his home country, which Custer liked so much he turned it into the 7th Cavalrys unofficial anthem.

Garryowen marks the southern end of where the Indian village was camped on June 26.

At a spot near Garryowen, the tour stopped near a field. Amongst the tall grass stood a small memorial marker for a Cheyenne warrior named Roman Nose, who died here on June 25, 1876. The memorial reads that he fell here while defending the Cheyenne way of life.

The names Benteen and Reno were barely mentioned on this tour. But there was emphasis on Two Moons, the Cheyenne chief who fought in most of the battles during the Great Sioux War. He was at the Battle of Powder River in March 1876, when U.S. forces attacked a Cheyenne village. Though they botched the attempt so badly the regiments leader Joseph J. Reynolds was court martialed, they did manage to burn the village, forcing the Cheyenne into the winter wilderness, where they met up with Crazy Horses Oglala Lakota and later Sitting Bulls Hunkpapa Lakota, forming the massive village Custer tried to attack.

Little known battlefield near Broadus is where the Great Sioux War began The Battle of Powder River was fought 148 years ago on March 17, 1876 between the Northern Cheyenne and U.S. Cavalry. Its outcome directly led to the Little Bighorn.

Two Moons was defeated at the Battle of Wolf Mountain (near present-day Birney) in January 1877, effectively ending the Cheyennes resistance.

Doerner also spent considerable time talking about Lame White Man, a Cheyenne chief who was killed in the battle. Its fitting that Lame White Man was mentioned so much, since Doerners main source, which he referenced repeatedly, was the work of John Stands-in-timber. Stands-in-timber was longtime tribal historian for the Northern Cheyenne and grandson of Lame White Man.

Lame White Man, despite being the only Cheyenne chief to die in the battle, has rarely been the focus of anything on the battlefield. Nellie Beaverhart, Lame White Mans daughter, wrote to the War Department in 1925 that there were men on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation who could point out the spot where her father died, so he could be honored during the upcoming semicentennial. She never received a reply.

That really hurt me when I learned about that, Doerner said. Little White Man did eventually get a Warrior Marker, similar to the one Roman Nose has nearby. It was dedicated in 1999.

Its not perfect, but its a start. So are tours like this one, said Eugene Little Coyote. The former Northern Cheyenne president helped facilitate the tour, along with Russell Brooks, a Southern Cheyenne man who now lives in Seattle and is the executive director of the Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theatre.

When they elevate Custer, Little Coyote said, they vilify us.

Hed like to see more cultural tours like this one, maybe including the Southern Cheyenne, Arapaho and Sioux tribes.

It will always work with a guide like Doerner. The story of the battle is a long one, full of hundreds of years of context from skeins of cultures spread all across this continent. But he was entertaining and informative throughout. He now mostly uses a wheelchair, so he addressed the group from the tour buss lift, like a sort of pulpit out on the prairies.

Doerner certainly looks the part of a history buff. Hes got long sideburns that nearly connect to his prodigious mustache, nodding to the hairstyle worn by Union General Ambrose Burnside, who wore that look so well they named it after him.

And he just explodes with stories. At times its almost hard to keep up with Doerner, like his mind is running so much faster than yours. The tour ran from 1 p.m. until the battlefield closed at 5 p.m., which meant he had to keep on a pretty tight schedule, a hard task for a guy who could probably teach a college course about every square mile of this place.

Just like Custer, I'm running out of time, he joked after being prompted to move on to the next stop.

But for now, hes still here. With the 150th anniversary on the horizon, we need to listen to historians like Doerner more than ever.

We need to look back on this battle so we can learn from it and move ahead, Doerner said. The main thing we need to remember is peace through unity. Its a special place for everyone here.
Nigel Farage claimed a Reform UK canvasser who called for English Channel migrants to be used as target practice was an actor.

When challenged that all sorts of people are actors, on Skys Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme (29 June), the Reform UK leader said of the canvasser who was filmed by an undercover reporter: Hes an actor  a rather well-spoken actor  but he has an alter ego. He does what he calls rough speaking.

I was there working in the office in Essex when he turned up and he was, from the moment he walked through the room, like a version of Alf Garnett (a character from the 1960s sitcom Till Death Us Do Part who used racist slurs).
Rishi Sunak was involved in a fiery clash with the BBCs Laura Kuenssberg over Brexit on Sunday (30 June) as the prime minister told her Youre completely wrong.

Mr Sunak was pressed about claims that the UKs departure from the EU has hit the economy since the 2016 referendum.

Ms Kuenssberg asked: Some people believe, including the Independent Climate Change Committee, that the UK has lost its status as a leader. Was it a mistake?

Mr Sunak replied: No, I fundamentally disagree. You said we lost our standing in the world. That is completely and utterly wrong.

That is not what I said, Ms Kuenssberg interrupted.
Communications masterclass: how to bring the corporate narrative to life

Practice out loud before you make your presentation to colleagues. Photo: Getty

Greetings from Vienna! As I work with a dynamic group of leaders here, I want to explore a business challenge many of us face: how to connect with an audience when presenting the corporate narrative.

This week, Im supporting a team that aims to raise their departments profile following a recent reorganisation.

They need to engage both their internal organisation and potential external market customers.

When we speak, our audience needs to grasp our message quickly

Their biggest hurdle? How to simplify and make sense of a 20-page, jargon-filled slide deck thats more likely to induce yawns than excitement.

One frustrated participant summed it up perfectly: Nobody talks like this.

Indeed, he was right. The narrative spelled out on the slide deck, though Im sure it was carefully crafted by the communications team, was just way too lengthy and laden with clunky jargon.

My solution wasnt to discard the comms teams hard work, but to help the real people tasked with delivering the talk to distil it into more engaging pieces.

We dont speak the way we write

First, lets agree that spoken language differs significantly from written language.

When we write, we have the luxury of constructing complex sentences, using technical terms, and embedding dense information.

But when we speak, our audience needs to grasp our message quickly and clearly or theyll tune out.

Practice out loud

My favourite advice and one that is obvious but so often over-looked, is to practice out loud.

This not only helps you become comfortable with the material but also lets you identify what feels natural to say and what doesnt. #

Also, as you practice, youll build muscle memory, making it easier to recall key points during the actual presentation.

Personal stories make abstract concepts real

Another powerful tool is the personal story. Abstract corporate concepts like enabling global experiences are so nebulous.

But when you share a personal anecdote illustrating this concept, it can become tangible and relatable for your audience.

Describe how you helped a client navigate the complexities of expanding into a new market. Use first names and make it interesting.

Show energy and authenticity

Dont forget to speak with enthusiasm and use gestures to emphasise your message points. Your passion will be infectious, helping to draw your audience in.

Remember, your audience is not just listening to the narrative; theyre also engaging with you as a person. Bring your authentic self to the presentation.

Consider your audiences perspective

Before you utter a word, consider your audience.

Whether speaking to internal colleagues or external clients, consider their hopes, dreams, and fears. What do they care about? What challenges do they face?

Tailoring your message to address these aspects will make your presentation more relevant and impactful.

Keep It concise

As always, brevity is key. Even if the comms teams prepared 20 pages, you dont have to say everything. Certainly not all at once.

Dont overload your audience with information. Focus on the most critical points.

Give your audience time to respond. This keeps them engaged and also provides you with valuable feedback and the opportunity to address specific concerns.

Practical example: bringing the corporate narrative to life

Lets put these principles into practice with a simplified version of a corporate narrative.

Suppose the original narrative reads: Our department leverages synergistic methodologies to enhance operational efficiencies and drive value creation across global markets.

What? Instead try: In our team, we find better ways to work together, helping our company operate more smoothly and successfully around the world.

Now, layer your personal story: Last year, I worked with a team in Japan to streamline their processes.

"I met with their MD Hakuro and we had some great discussions in Tokyo over tea and eventually were able to reduce their turnaround time by 20pc, which had a huge positive impact on their operations.

This approach is shorter, clearer, and more engaging. It also includes a personal story that makes the concept of enhancing operational efficiencies concrete and relatable.

Connecting with your audience when presenting the corporate narrative involves more than just reciting prepared text.

It requires translating complex ideas into clear, spoken language, practicing out loud, sharing personal stories, showing energy and authenticity, considering your audiences perspective, and keeping your message concise.

As I continue my work here in Vienna, Im inspired by the leaders who are embracing these strategies to tell their story. Whether youre speaking to colleagues or clients, remember that the key to effective communication is not just in what you say, but in how you say it.

So, go ahead, pick those nuggets, sprinkle them like cinnamon on a latte, and watch your audience become truly engaged.

There are so many different ways to convey the same story. Dont forget to bring yourself to every communication event!

You can write to Gina care of SundayBusiness@independent.ie
Airline software specialists Datalex to repay $6.5m warehouse debt over seven years

Datalex, the Irish-listed airline software specialist backed by billionaire Dermot Desmond, has agreed a seven-year deal with Revenue to repay its warehouse debt of $6.25m (5.83m). The seven year phased payment arrangement (PPA) is longer than most agreed between Revenue and other companies. A report in the Irish Independent from June said 95pc of PPAs will be completed within the standard five years, with Revenue allowing 600 of them to be stretched out over longer time frames. During a call with analysts, Datalexs chief financial officer, Steven Moloney said the company had entered a PPA with Revenue and was paying the balance from May 2024 over a period of seven years. Datalex secured another loan facility of 5m during the year from a company controlled by major backer Dermot Desmond, Tireragh. The warehouse scheme was set up in 2020 to help Irish businesses get through Covid. During its results, Datalex, which helps streamline retail offerings to passengers, recorded total revenue of $28.9m for 2023, up 23pc from a year earlier. Loss after tax for the year was $9.1m last year, an improvement from a loss of $11.5m reported in 2022. Datalex secured another loan facility of 5m during the year from a company controlled by Desmond, Tireragh. This brings its total loan facility to 15m, with a repayment date set for the end of this year. Around 13m has been drawn down so far. Datalex is working with advisers on planned equity funding to pay back this loan facility and provide enough working capital to invest in upcoming product launches and activations. Datalex is working with advisers on planned equity funding to pay back this loan facility The move is supported by Desmond, who owns just over 40pc of the stock market-listed software firm. Desmond has told the group he will procure support for the planned fundraising. If Datalex does not complete this fundraising, Desmonds Tireragh vehicle has confirmed it will extend the termination date of the loan facility to the beginning of July next year and will provide a new loan of 10m if needed.  

The warehouse scheme was set up in 2020 to help Irish businesses get through Covid. Photo: Getty Dermot Desmond Datalex secured another loan facility of 5m during the year from a company controlled by major backer Dermot Desmond, Tireragh.
Walking into Joe Medias office just off Dublins lively Camden Street Lower, Niamh Geoghegan is getting animated.

The 30-year-old managing director of Joe Medias Irish business is buzzing about the in-house recording studio as she describes the creative process of producing video and audio content focused on young people.
Archaeologist Michael Gibbons uncovers ancient causeway and clochans in one of richest archaeological zone is Europe

The recent discovery of more than 40 prehistoric structures on Kerrys Dingle peninsula has prompted an archaeologist to call for a new survey of the entire area before management of the States new marine park is finalised.

A previously hidden causeway to a crannog and a megalithic tomb overlooking Ventry are among the remains identified in the last six months by archaeologist Michael Gibbons.

The locations are within the new Pairc Naisiunta na Mara or marine park announced by the Government in April, which includes Kerrys Conor Pass and Mount Brandon.

This area is one of the richest archaeological zones in all of Europe and it is extremely important that the new sites are mapped, Mr Gibbons said.

Recent finds include a number of clochans and early field systems stretching over a kilometre of hillside above the Owenmore river, and overlaid by an abandoned 19th-century settlement.

He also found further clochans and a very well preserved booley settlement on the north-east of Brandon ridge, close to the Dingle Way.

On the western slopes of the mountain, yet further clochans and a possible ring cairn (prehistoric burial) have also been identified, Mr Gibbons added.

South of the main Brandon ridge and overlooking the village of Ventry I have identified a new megalithic tomb.

He believes it to be the remains of a large wedge tomb, similar to one on nearby An Chathair Aird townland which is known as Leaba an Fhir Mhuimhnigh (The Bed of the Man of Munster).

It is one of richest archaeological zones in Europe and many of its monuments are exceptionally well preserved

In the mountains east of Mount Brandon between the Conor Pass and Annascaul lake, fieldwork has identified a dozen new monuments or monument clusters, he added.

Low water levels on Loch a Duin, a glacial lake deep in the mountains, have revealed the remains of a stone causeway leading from the shore to the stone crannog in the middle of the lake: We knew about the crannog here but not about the causeway and stone causeways like this are rare in Ireland.

Causeways are very common on the Scottish lochs in the Outer Hebrides where they can date to back to before 3000 BC, and so this would suggest this crannog is older than previously thought, Mr Gibbons said.

It is one of richest archaeological zones in Europe and many of its monuments are exceptionally well preserved.

Settlement here can be traced back to the later Mesolithic era around 4500 BC when a hunter gatherer group had established a semi-permanent camp on the coast at the extreme edge of the peninsula.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 30th

A pioneering archaeological survey undertaken of the Dingle peninsula in the early 1980s was directed by archaeologist Judy Cuppage.

Mr Gibbons believes the new finds demand a comprehensive re-survey by the State before work begins and he added: It is important the resources of the new marine park, including Mount Brandon, are properly managed and any new development within it avoids unintended damage.

The monastic enclosure on the summit of Mount Brandon is already showing signs of wear and tear from the increase in visitors.

Without a proper management plan in place, the creation of a new natural park within part of the Brandon range has the potential to do more harm than good, Mr Gibbons said.

Recent damage to historic monuments within the Nephin Beg and Connemara national parks can be directly traced to the failure to have a proper management structure in place before development began.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said hes worried about the bad blood in the pay dispute between Aer Lingus and the Irish Air Line Pilots Association (Ialpa).

He said both parties need to resolve the dispute as Aer Lingus and trade union representatives will meet again at the Labour Court on Monday.

Speaking to Newstalks Anton Savage Show, he said: There has never been an industrial relations dispute in the history of the State, or any state, that ends without dialogue, engagement and compromise.

"They're going to get there, could they just get there without putting us all through the misery that comes in the meantime? The State already has made an intervention through the Labour Court.

Both sides need to dig deeper, there is absolutely zero public support for this action. That's not, by the way, me letting the employer off the hook, he added.

On Saturday, hundreds of Aer Lingus pilots marched around Dublin Airport during an eight-hour strike in a dispute with the airline over pay.

Aer Lingus pilots march around Dublin Airport as eight-hour strike begins

Most Irish people are decent and full of common sense. They want to see this resolved and they believe people should, instead of bringing the planes out of the sky and not allowing people to go on their summer holidays, they should lock themselves in a room and not leave the room until they sort this out.

"Anybody has a right to put in a pay claim. The employer side also needs to dig deep, there has to be a compromise  and that's how you resolve disputes.

"The Government will not be found wanting in terms of making the industrial relations mechanism the state-available. We don't own Aer Lingus. I have no tolerance for any site to this dispute.

He added this dispute has to be resolved as Ireland, as an island relies on connectivity.

It worries me that there is such clearly an amount of bad blood in this dispute, that the level of overwhelming rejection of any offer from Aer Lingus or other institutions, that does have to tell me something.

"If all of your pilots employees are voting by such large numbers, we shouldn't ignore that either. So whilst I'm critical of the action, I'm also saying: Hang on a second, if so 90pc of people or more are rejecting the offer that doesn't suggest to me that there's good working relations in Aer Lingus and that should be a cause for concern as well.

"We are an island nation, we do rely on connectivity.

"The Government needs two parties to this dispute to resolve it, not because the Government needs it, because the people of Ireland need it  there's people who've been saving all year, putting a few bob aside to bring the kids on a summer holiday, he said.

Separately, Mr Harris also praised Natasha OBrien whose case has drawn nationwide attention after the soldier who beat her up avoided going to jail.

We have a zero-tolerance policy in this country to domestic sexual and gender-based violence.

"That involves all of us changing the culture, in our workplaces, in our homes, in our communities, and ultimately in the country  and every single organisation, institution has to change too.

"I am frustrated and concerned.

Thank God for Natasha O'Brien, because imagine had she come out of that court and gotten home that evening, and said: Thats that. She didn't.

"I want to acknowledge this, as a result of her actions, there are now good follow-up actions that are happening and are essential, he said.
Authorities rack up bills as politicians are sent off to celebrate in New York, Chicago, Boston and Savannah

Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul in the St Patricks Day parade in New York. Photo: Getty

County councils across Ireland splurged more than 390,000 on St Patricks Day trips with one single local authority accounting for more than 60,000 of that total.

Limerick City and County Council was again the biggest spender when it came to the annual March 17 jamboree and sent 18 local politicians and officials to three separate locations at an overall cost of 61,527.

Other big-spending councils included Wexford County Council who splashed out around 42,500 on travel and Cork County Council which spent more than 50,000.

However, Limerick City and County Council  as has been the case in previous years  had the biggest outlay with trips to New York and the city of Savannah in Georgia.

Costs for the seven-person delegation that travelled to New York city included 7,913 for flights and a further 13,884 in hotel accommodation costs.

The group stayed at the four-star Lexington Hotel in Manhattan during their five-night trip with additional bills of 735 for airport transfers and just over 3,900 in subsistence expenses.

There was also a 393 bill from the Milton NYC, a tab of 437 at the Westbury Irish Bar, and a charge of 423 at the 5th & Mad bar.

The hotels in New York proved particularly expensive for the council

A seven-strong delegation made their way to Savannah for the citys famous St Patricks Day celebrations.

Costs for that trip included just over 7,000 for flights and an 11,440 accommodation bill at the four-star luxury DeSoto Hotel, which has a pool terrace and a cabana bar.

Another 1,047 was spent at the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport so the visiting group could make their early morning flight to Atlanta before a short hop to Savannah itself.

Other costs listed by the council were 2,244 in subsistence expenses and 272 for baggage fees, although the council said the luggage charges would be refunded.

A third four-person delegation travelled to Queens in New York for the annual Rockaway Parade.

Costs on that trip included 2,361 in flights, a 2,978 hotel bill, subsistence of 2,350, 430 in airport transfers, and meals totalling 1,176.

The next highest local authority bill was that of Cork County Council where 16 officials and local representatives travelled to Detroit, New York, and Chicago.

Combined costs were nearly 54,000 which were relatively evenly split between hotel and flight charges.

The hotels in New York proved particularly expensive for the council with one receipt for the Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel listing a charge of 3,195 for a room from March 15 to March 20.

The Boston St Patrick's Day parade

The hotel bill in Detroit was much more reasonable where the delegation stayed at the five-star Godfrey, with the bill for a four-night stay around 1,060.

The council provided only a composite figure of 10,500 for accommodation costs in Chicago but did not include the name of the hotel that was used.

Wexford County Council spent the third most of the countrys local authorities on its St Patricks Day voyage with a final bill of at least 42,500.

That was enough to pay for 13 councillors and staff to travel to New York, Boston and Savannah.

A group of just three travelled to the Big Apple where they were put up in the four-star Concorde Hotel while the group who went to Boston stayed in the four-star Hilton Hartford Hotel.

The most frugal of the local authorities were Galway City Council and Westmeath County Council, where St Patricks Day costs were only a little above 5,000.

In Galway, that covered the cost of travel for the chief executive and mayor to Seattle and a stay at the three-star Mayflower Hotel.

Other costs on the trip included 1,000 for a mayoral driver and 450 for gifts from Claddagh Jewellers, Elverys, Eason and Mr Price.

In all, 25 of the 31 county councils in Ireland sent a delegation abroad with costs totalling at least 391,564, or an average cost of around 15,600.

Some of the more unusual items of expenditure from around the country included two 120 tickets for the County Leitrim Society of New York dinner dance and 150 worth of Pure Oskar Curragh Sheep Soaps bought as gifts by Kildare County Council.

No representatives were sent from any of the four councils in Dublin, while Cork City Council and Waterford City and County Council also opted not to send a delegation away in March.
Freenow dismissing talk of taxi shortage around Taylor Swifts gigs as easing of regulations discussed

Company calls for traffic-calming measures and staggered pub closing times to ease concerns

There is no taxi shortage in Ireland

Wayne O'Connor Sun 30 Jun 2024 at 03:30

Freenow has dismissed suggestions of a taxi shortage in Dublin and railed against calls to loosen regulations in the sector.
Former junior minister, Fine Gael TD for 30 years, Lord Mayor of Cork in the late 1980s and chairperson of the Dail Public Accounts Committee, Bernard Allen has died at the age of 79.

Born in Cork city on September 9, 1944, the only child of a family living in Blarney Street, he attended the famous North Monastery Secondary School before moving on to University College Cork where he qualified in chemical technology and became a scientific officer in the UCC Department of Physiology

He began his political career in the 1979 local elections following the death of his uncle, Alderman Sammy Allen. He won a seat on Cork Corporation which he held until 1995 and served as the citys Lord Mayor in 1988-89, a position previously held by his grandfather James Allen in 1942.

He was elected as a Fine Gael TD for Cork North-Central in the June 1981 general election, winning his seat on the seventh count, not far behind party colleague Liam Burke (1928-2005). IRA prisoners were on hunger strike in the Maze Prison (Long Kesh) and Mairead Farrell (1957-88), who was imprisoned in Armagh Gaol, stood in Cork North-Central on an Anti-H Block ticket, where she lost out on the eighth count and was later killed by British forces in Gibraltar.

Allen improved his position in the next general election, held in February 1982, where he retained his seat with an increase of over 2,000 in first preference votes. Those were unsettled times, but when the Dail was dissolved later in the same year, he increased his share of the vote and retained his Dail membership.

Bernard Allen served as Lord Mayor of Cork

Allen held his seat again in the 1987 general election, when Fine Gael were ousted from government and he became opposition spokesperson on health. Later, in 1993, he was appointed spokesperson on social welfare.

In 1994, Fine Gael got back into government with John Bruton (1947-2024) as taoiseach. Allen was appointed as junior minister at the Department of Education with special responsibility for youth and sport and at the Department of the Environment with special responsibility for local government reform.

Fine Gael were back in opposition after three years and there was a contest to succeed Bruton as party leader in 2001. Allen was one of the candidates, focusing on delays in health treatment for lower-income patients as well as the crisis in housing. He withdrew shortly before the vote took place and the top job went to Michael Noonan who appointed the Cork TD as spokesperson for tourism, sport and recreation.

After Fine Gael went down from 54 to 31 seats in the 2002 general election, Enda Kenny became party leader and appointed Allen initially as opposition spokesperson for the environment and local government. Two years later he became spokesperson for foreign affairs and also chaired the Dail sub-committee on European affairs from 2004 to 2007.

He later chaired the Dail Public Accounts Committee from 2007 until his retirement four years later.

In July 2010 he warned of a repossession disaster unless assistance was provided to home-owners struggling with mortgage payments.

At a constituency level, he topped the poll in Cork North-Central at the 1997 general election and held his seat in two more contests, in 2002 and 2007.

He was deeply involved in the creation of Munster Technological University, chairing the committee charged with its creation by merging CIT and IT Tralee.

For such a public figure he was a very private family person

The attendance at his funeral mass, held at North Cathedral in Cork, included Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tanaiste Micheal Martin and former Fine Gael ministers Nora Owen, Jimmy Deenihan and Tom Hayes. President Michael D Higgins was represented by aide-de-camp Colonel Stephen Howard.

Allens daughter Lorraine told mourners: For such a public figure he was a very private family person. Politics was always left at the front door and he loved being home.

What was always lovely for us to hear when we were out canvassing in the numerous local and general elections was the true impact he had on people.

In a statement on Allens passing, Simon Harris said: Bernard was a pillar of his community, whose dedication and loyalty to the people he served were unmatched.

Allen served from 2011 to 2019 on the board of Sport Ireland, whose CEO Dr Una May said in a tribute: During his tenure, Bernard demonstrated great commitment, outstanding leadership, and a profound sense of integrity.

Bernard Allen passed away peacefully on June 22 at Cork University Hospital and is survived by his wife, Marie, their children Lorraine, Audrey and Deirdre and a large circle of relatives and friends.
Tommie Gorman was an affable, determined and solutions-driven journalist who became a household name with his reporting from Northern Ireland, Brussels and, famously, for his interview with the mercurial Roy Keane during the Saipan World Cup crisis in 2002.

He started his career as a journeyman reporter in provincial newspapers, but through hard work, ambition, and superb contacts, became one of RTEs best-known correspondents and although he never became the story, he inserted himself into many of them.

Tommie Gormans autobiography was aptly titled Never Better, his sunny reply when asked how he was. He had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer but he never let it become the focus of his life, although it did become the subject of a documentary.

He died last Tuesday aged 68 after an operation connected to this illness.

The journalist Mary Finnegan once said that if you knew Mike Burns, Tommie Gorman and Garech Browne you could get a phone number for almost anybody in the world with an interest in Ireland, as they were all so well connected in different spheres of influence.

Book of condolences for Tommie Gorman. Photo: Sam Boal

Although he had no academic qualifications Gorman absorbed and learned from everybody he met and had an uncanny ability to make connections. When I met him for the first time he recalled immediately that my uncle Tommy Farrell from Mullingar had once given him a lift when he was thumbing home to Sligo as a student.

From his mentor John Healy, author of The Death of an Irish Town, to RTE producer John Blackman who taught me images and sounds are the spine of a television story to his own philosophy of telling myself I was about to have a brief chat with my neighbours and it was vital to talk in terms they understood, Gorman became a trusted figure in Irish life, interviewing a myriad of politicians and others from poet Seamus Heaney to businessman Sean Quinn.

Along the way he brought his own style to memorable occasions. Keen to not look tired or ill, I always sought to dress sharply, in a formal rather than casual way, he said in his autobiography.

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern recalled in the Irish Independent Gormans role in Irish journalism. The best example of Tommie being a solutions-driven reporter that I can give was Saipan. He tried to be a mediator between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy and he put me, as taoiseach, on standby. I remember he was working in overdrive for days.

Tommie Gorman, the son of cattle dealer Joe Gorman and his wife Maureen, was born in Cairns Road, Sligo on April 3, 1956. He attended Scoil Fatima and St Johns national school before going to Summerhill College in September 1969.

Tommie Gorman on Sligo Rovers' Showgrounds pitch in 2012. Photo: Sportsfile

He was an avid and lifelong Sligo Rovers fan and among his many memorable trips was one to Glasgow to play in a tournament organised by Celtic assistant-manager Sean Fallon, who was from Sligo.

He got a place in the journalism course at Rathmines College, but left following a failed romance with another Sligo student, Mary Kerrigan, and an offer to join John Healy and Jim Maguire as the Sligo correspondent of the fledgling Western Journal.

When Sligo Rovers qualified to play Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup, Gorman missed an opportunity to sit his postponed final exams to travel instead to Yugoslavia to report on the match. At the age of 23 he was appointed editor of the Western Journal based in Ballina, Co Mayo.

In 1980 Mike Burns gave him the job of north-west correspondent of RTE. His brief included covering events in Derry. I was utterly unprepared for the full-on, vivid tableau of mayhem I encountered a two-hour journey up the road, he wrote of his first riot. But it whetted his appetite for the place and its people.

In 1989 Gorman moved to Brussels as Europe editor, where he covered the EEC as it then was and Irelands new Commissioner and Sligo man, Ray MacSharry, as well as various summits and stories like the fall of the Berlin Wall.

His producers in RTE included Kevin Bakhurst, who became a close friend and among his colleagues in the Brussels press pack was a 24-year-old Boris Johnson. The glint in his eye and his half smile gave Boris a likeability factor, Gorman wrote. He rarely gave the impression of being 100pc serious. But, as a communicator, he had a special gift for crafting headline stories that were almost true.

In 1993, at the age of 37 and based in Belgium, he was hospitalised with an appendix problem. There he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, small tumours that grow slowly and had spread to his liver. I wasnt frightened by the idea of having cancer or ashamed of it, he wrote.

It offered a ringside seat to observe and report on the peace process

I didnt feel that I was terminally ill. The low moment came when Ceara [his wife] swept into the ward with our nine-month-old daughter Moya, keen to hear how the appendix problem had been tackled. That exchange, sharing unexpected news, was the only time that I struggled to keep things together.

His illness and lengthy treatment in Sweden became the subject of the RTE documentary Ireland, Cancer and Me, which he said later drew me into a public spat with some of [Irelands] most accomplished consultants.

In 2002 Gorman secured the first interview with Roy Keane in Manchester after the bust-up in Saipan through a long-time contact, Michael Kennedy, Keanes adviser. The tournament was still in progress but his efforts to woo Keane back to the Irish squad were unsuccessful.

His family relocated to Sligo in 1997, with him commuting to Brussels until 2001, when he took over as Northern editor at RTE.

The main work-related attraction of switching from Brussels to Belfast was that it offered a ringside seat to observe and report on the peace process. It was one that he relished, becoming a familiar figure to political leaders of all persuasions.

Gorman retired in April 2021 and returned to live in Lisheen, close to the sea and under the shadow of Knocknarea mountain where he wrote his memoirs.

At a reception to launch his memoir in the Irish embassy in London, Ambassador Martin Fraser said: Like all good people, you dont have to agree with everything Tommie says, and Tommie doesnt have to agree with everything we think or say or do but we all trust Tommie and we all respect Tommie and we all love Tommie.

He was honoured to be asked to give the 2023 oration at Beal na Blath in Cork, commemorating the ambush where Michael Collins was killed.

In my working life Ive seen the ballot box replace the Armalite, the resilience of democracy, the power of generosity and the liberating force of forgiveness, he wrote in the last paragraph of his book. With the sense that these are bonus years the first thought I have on waking, most mornings, is Never Better.

Tommie Gorman, who died on June 25 in St Vincents Hospital Dublin, was buried in Sligo yesterday. He is survived by his wife Ceara Roche and their children Moya and Joe and a wide circle of friends and relations.
Sinn Feins housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin accuses housing minister of publicity stunt in war of words

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien has raised questions about Mary Lou McDonalds vow to bring the price of an average home in Dublin down to 300,000

Housing Minister Darragh OBrien has raised concerns about Sinn Feins flagship housing policy which promises to bring the cost of homes down to 300,000.

Mr OBrien criticised the partys half-baked policies which he said will jeopardise investment in future homes and damage housing supply. Sinn Feins housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin has accused Mr OBrien of a publicity stunt.

In a letter to Mr O Broin, the Housing Minister raised questions about party leader Mary Lou McDonalds vow to bring the price of an average home in Dublin down to 300,000 in a Christmas interview.

However, the party was accused of backtracking when Ms McDonald told RTE several weeks ago that this would be only in relation to an affordable purchase scheme.

I would respectfully suggest that the Housing Minister focuses on his actual job and starts tackling homelessness and delivering genuinely affordable homes for people

Mr OBrien raised concerns this would be a leasehold scheme and not an ownership scheme.

It is important that people are informed that this is not ownership, it is leasing. It flies in the face of traditional home ownership which the Government supports through Housing for All, he wrote in the letter.

I have fundamental concerns that this proposal means people will not own their home as the land will be held by the Local Authority with severe restrictions on who you can sell the property to.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien has raised questions about Mary Lou McDonalds vow to bring the price of an average home in Dublin down to 300,000

He also raised questions about whether people would be able to get mortgages from commercial banks if there are any restrictions on use and sale of a property and if there is an income eligibility criteria.

It is important for transparent, open and informed political debate that Sinn Fein finally publish its alternative housing plan and answer the above queries on the proposed affordable leasing scheme, the letter added.

Mr O Broin hit back at the Housing Minister, pointing to last weeks homelessness figures and saying he is trying to distract from his own failures.

He also said Mr OBrien should stop wasting his time.

This is nothing more than a stunt by the Housing Minister to distract from his own failures, said Mr O Broin.

Rather than wasting his time sending letters to opposition spokespeople to get newspaper headlines, I would respectfully suggest that the Housing Minister focuses on his actual job and starts tackling homelessness and delivering genuinely affordable homes for people.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald

The Dublin Mid-West TD said Sinn Fein has laid out the details of its scheme before and will do so again before the next general election.

People buy leasehold homes all the time, apartments are leasehold. For decades, people purchased leasehold homes, in fact, people still purchase leasehold homes, he said.

So of course mortgages are available for leasehold purchasers. Sinn Fein has set out the detail of its affordable purchase scheme on many occasions. In advance of the general election, we will set it out in great detail once again.

He criticised high homelessness figures and the affordable homes for sale at Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock for 475,000, saying the scheme has been exposed as a scam.

The purpose of the minister writing these letters is not because he wants answers. Those answers are in the public domain.

He should focus on his day job and stop wasting my time and his staffs time sending letters that are designed for one reason and one reason only, for cheap publicity to distract from his own failures.
Officials at the Department of Justice said there was no need for charter planes to deport asylum-seekers even as they were working on a tender process to hire aircraft for mass removal operations.

In a briefing for Justice Minister Helen McEntee the repatriation division of the department said ordinary flights and sometimes help from the Defence Forces were enough to manage deportation from the State.

The note said: At this time, there is no demand for charter aircraft and the use of commercial aviation and on occasion the Air Corps is sufficient for current needs.

The briefing was prepared for Ms McEntee last September with officials saying they were at work on finalising a tender competition to find a commercial partner to conduct larger scale deportation flights in the new year.

That competition was launched on June 17 with the department hoping to have an arrangement in place later this year for the removal of between 20 and 30 failed applicants in a single flight.

A range of actions are being taken to increase the capacity of the system

However, officials at the repatriation division had said their priority remained the removal of criminals and encouraging other migrants to return home of their own volition.

A briefing for Ms McEntee said: The division is currently working to publicise and expand the take-up of voluntary return amongst the migrant population. A return specialist has been recruited to that end.

It said a new unit had also been set up to bring greater cohesion between the department, the gardai and the providers of accommodation for asylum applicants.

Ms McEntee was told this would lead to enhanced efficiency in the area of removal and refugee accommodation.

The minister was also briefed on excellent relations with Georgia, one of the largest sources of migration to Ireland over recent years.

She was told that over a seven-year period deportation orders for 523 Georgians had been signed, 56 had been carried out, and that another 74 people had gone home by themselves.

Completing the tender for a charter plane is also an important step

The repatriation division said the Georgian authorities had been unfailingly helpful at the same time that Ms McEntee was told multiple other countries were being uncooperative due to pandemic related issues, dysfunctional administrative capacities and outright unwillingness to cooperate.

The Department of Justice said there had been a sharp increase in the issuing of deportation orders so far this year.

A spokesman said: A range of actions are being taken to increase the capacity of the system to deal with this.

Minister McEntee has already announced that 100 gardai would be freed up for front line immigration enforcement work, including deportations. Completing the tender for a charter plane is also an important step.

On the discussions with the Georgian government, the department said accelerated processing for applicants from safe countries, including Georgia, had been introduced in November 2022.

Since then the applications from those designated countries have fallen by 50pc, added the spokesman.
Decision will put Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on collision course with the Green Party

New Finance Minister Jack Chambers and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe. Photo: Jack Chambers on Instagram

26/01/'24 Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD pictured this afternoon at Government Buildings wgere she addressed matters pertaining to RTE .....Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

The TV licence fee is set to remain in place combined with annual top-ups from the Government, the Sunday Independent understands.

The decision will put Fianna Fail and Fine Gael at odds with their coalition partners, the Greens, who want the contentious 160 charge scrapped in favour of funding through the Exchequer.

The Government will instead top-up RTE funding each year in a so-called hybrid model which will replace the current charge.

This weekend, both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ministers insisted a contribution from the public will have to stay.

The Coalition will sign off on reforms for the broadcaster in the next couple of weeks but, privately, most in Government acknowledge these reforms will not be implemented by the next general election.

New Finance Minister Jack Chambers insisted the TV licence will have to stay on his first day in the job last week

There is also a push within Government to get Revenue to collect the TV licence instead of An Post. However, ministers are worried about the political optics of it being perceived as a new tax as the country goes to the polls.

A mechanism instead will be put in place which will top-up RTE with exchequer funding each year. One minister speculated this could be as high as 120m per year.

New Finance Minister Jack Chambers and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe. Photo: Jack Chambers on Instagram

New Finance Minister Jack Chambers insisted the TV licence will have to stay on his first day in the job last week.

He also ruled out an increase in the 160 charge.

I think maintaining a direct payment or contribution from the Irish public is of central importance. If the TV licence or the contribution from the Irish public is abolished, that contribution will have to be found elsewhere, he said.

Sources have suggested the 160 charge could possibly decrease if it is operated by Revenue and topped up with additional exchequer funding each year.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 30th

Both Mr Chambers and Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe are both in agreement on the annual TV licence charge staying.

However, the two money men have clashed with Media Minister Catherine Martin, and the views of the Green Party that the TV licence should be scrapped and RTE funded directly by the State.

Mr Chambers is due to meet Ms Martin in the coming weeks to discuss the contentious issue.

Ms Martin said last week it is not palatable to have a broadcasting tax through Revenue which would take in 500,000 more households.

When we look at what the future funding model would be, it needs to be sustainable and future-proofed, it needs to be free of interference but it must have public acceptance as well, she said.

It comes as the Oireachtas Media Committee is set to recommend this week that the Government scrap the TV licence and instead fund RTE through an independent agency such as the newly set up Comisiun na Mean.

The committees recommendation will cause further tensions within the Coalition but will play in Ms Martins favour. Taoiseach Simon Harris has insisted the Government will make a decision next month on RTE reform.
Best dressed winner Liz Maher from Carlow with Lisa Hogan at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. Photo: Kieran Harnett

A retired cattle buyer from Carlow took the most stylish crown while Los Angeles won the Irish Derby for Ireland.

Large crowds descended onto a sunny Curragh Racecourse today and were treated to one of the closest Irish Derbies for years as Los Angeles took the biggest crown in Irish racing for Tipperary based trainer Aidan OBrien.

Off track the coveted Dubai Duty Free Most Stylish competition was taken by Liz Maher.

Racegoers embraced the dress to feel your best theme.

Dubliner Lisa Hogan from hit TV programme Clarksons Farm joined fashion writer Bairbre Power, Alpana Cidambi, Breeda McLoughlin and stylist Marietta Doran in seeking out the spectators who they felt had nailed this years fashion trends.

Retired cattle buyer Liz Maher from Bagenalstown in Co Carlow took the crown. Ms Maher wore a Caitriona King Millinery headpiece with a white Julie Caulfield suit, all completed by a handbag, shoes and jewellery from her own collection.

As well as her Most Stylish title, Ms Maher was over the moon with her prizes including return flights for two to Dubai with five nights in The Jumeirah Creekside, and 1,000 spending money.

Ruth Norton, marketing manager for the Curragh Racecourse, said: Everyone who came to The Curragh this year really did put their best foot forward in the fashion stakes.

"The winners we selected not only exhibited style but also let their personalities shine through in the outfits they chose, which is what the theme of dress to feel your best is all about! Thank you to everyone who turned out in every way and gave us judges such a difficult decision.

We were delighted to see an Irish winner take home the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby this year and the crowd were asking in fabulous rare sunshine for the big race.

On the actual course itself the highlight of the day was the biggest classic race of the year the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby which was won by Los Angeles - who actually came third in the English Derby at Epsom a month ago but showed big improvement since to take Irish racings biggest and most prestigious prize.

The horse is trained by the maestro trainer Aidan OBrien in Ballydoyle just outside Cashel in Co Tipperary.
Revealed: Department approved abattoir owners equine slaughter  while he was before courts, charged with neglecting 54 horses

John Joe Fizpatrick, owner of abattoir exposed by RTE Investigates, three times faced charges of cruelty Fitzpatrick was convicted in one case and acquitted in the other twoIn one case, chief prosecution witness didnt testify after gardai allegedly said he wasnt needed

John Joe Fizpatrick, owner of the horse abattoir exposed by RTE Investigates

Maeve Sheehan Sun 30 Jun 2024 at 03:30

It was a cold January day in 2010 when Frank Coote, then the Clare ISPCA inspector, got a phone call about distressed horses in a field in Kilmurry, outside Sixmilebridge.
A search operation is underway for a missing male hiker off the coast of Kerry.

The Irish Coast Guard and Gardai are conducting a search operation for the missing man at Mount Brandon.

The man, aged in his 40s, was reported missing on Tuesday morning following the discovery of a vehicle at a nearby car park.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 30th

A garda spokesperson said: Gardai and local rescue services are conducting a search operation in the Cnoc Bhreanainn/Mount Brandon area of County Kerry for a missing male hiker in his 40s.

The alarm was raised on Tuesday morning, 25th June 2024, following the discovery of a vehicle at a nearby car park.

Searches of the area involving local Gardai, Kerry Mountain Rescue, Dingle Coast & Cliff Rescue and Valentia Coast Guard are continuing.

A spokesperson for the Coast Guard said: The Irish Coast Guard are assisting An Garda Siochana in an ongoing search for a missing climber at Mount Brandon Co. Kerry.

The Marine Rescue Co-ordination Sub-centre in Valentia has tasked the Coast Guard rescue helicopters based at Shannon (R115) and Waterford (R117) as well as Coast Guard Units from Dingle, Glenderry and Iveragh to assist in this search since being alerted by Gardai last Tuesday, 25th June.
I felt like I had failed. The Irish designer who dressed Taylor Swift on life after New York

Don O'Neill on the closure of his clothing label during Covid

Don O'Neill was born in the seaside village of Ballyheigue, Co Kerry. Photo: Domnick Walsh/Eye Focus LTD

Donal Lynch Sun 30 Jun 2024 at 03:30

The light playing across the surface of the sea below his apartment in Ballyheigue, Co Kerry, reminds Don ONeill of his old life. Theia is the Greek goddess of light and hers was the name he gave the hugely successful fashion brand he founded in New York, where he lived for 30 years.
US president Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump speak during a presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Reuters

President Joe Biden bet that a debate with Republican Donald Trump would boost his moribund re-election campaign. His gamble failed.

A weary president looked every day of his 81 years. Instead of proving to voters that he had the stamina for another four-year term, everything that could go wrong did.
Democrat supporters look on in dismay at the Centre for Black Innovation in Miami during the debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Photo: AP/Rebecca Blackwell

The most dramatic moment of Thursdays US presidential debate happened not during the debate  it happened immediately after it, in the CNN studio.

First to comment was veteran CNN correspondent John King. Senior Democrats, he reported, were asking themselves should we go to the White House and ask the President to step aside? or should prominent Democrats go public with that call?.
David Quinn: Weve given too much power to the EU and are leaving Leinster House toothless

The overly romantic way we look at the EU stems from a lack of confidence on our part

Simon Harris with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

David Quinn Sun 30 Jun 2024 at 03:30

For better or worse, Ireland has now signed up to the EU Migration Pact. The vote in the Dail on Wednesday was close: 79 TDs in favour, and 72 against.
Last week I was at a conference on European science held in the beautiful city of Bergen in Norway. I am the Irish representative on the European Research Council, the EUs premier funder of fundamental scientific research.

There was a full schedule of talks on science in the EU. We were there to discuss latest breakthroughs but also what the EU can do to remain competitive in science globally.
Victoria Mary Clarke has spoken with with podcasters Sarah Benner and Caroline Lyons for the first time since her husband Shane MacGowans death in November 2023.

In an exclusive interview on What A Woman Podcast, artist and author Clarke talks about Shanes death being an event she could never prepare for until it happened, and that reacting to it is an instinctive emotion rather than one a person can prepare for.

It was something I would have been afraid of [Shanes death] for a very long time because very soon after me and Shane got together, people started telling me that he didnt have long to live. That would have been in 1986, people started telling me Shane had six months to live. I did spent most of the time worrying that something was going to happen to him, she said.

Clarke, who was only 16 when she met the music legend, talks about feeling surprised after Shanes death given that grief was not the all terrible emotion she had assumed it would be. In fact, the deep depression familiar to her in a past life did not materialise.

She tells how Shane was not impressed, nor interested, in famous people and the highbrow lifestyle that went with it. He was much more interested in the regular people as Victoria puts it  something that manifested itself during his funeral.

It did surprise me that we were able to celebrate Shane. At his funeral, there was a lot of singing, laughter, and dancing. People enjoyed the funeral.It was more about the real people. It wasnt so much about the rock stars because they were a small part of Shanes life. Most times he hung out with real people. What moved me the most was seeing the people on the street, they really took it up a notch, she explained.

It will come as no surprise to hear Clarke describe Shane as a person who lived in the moment and appreciated life. She paints a personal picture of a very spiritual MacGowan who every morning would bless himself and thank god that he was alive.

He also had a deep connection with spirit and his religion. He was very devout and he prayed all day every day for other peopleI knew when I met him that my life changed completely. It was really important, like the missing piece in my life has arrived. Even though we didnt get together for a while, I said now I know my destiny and I think we helped each other in so many ways to live the way we needed to live and do the stuff we needed to do

Victoria offers insight into how she coped with Shanes primal image during the highpoint of his career when heavy drinking and fame competed with their life together as a couple. The prejudice and anti-Irish sentiment that Shane often experienced is also talked about.

He possibly managed to come along at a time when being Irish, particularly in England, was something people tried to hide Shane was like, No. Im going to make Irish music hip all over the world. And he managed to do it; he managed to make people feel good about being Irish and all the songs their parents might have played, Victoria said.

To hear the full interview with Victoria, click on below link:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5IYGR35inGAr7m2tFbs6Bb?si=2Lo14cIGQbmkeV1k67aaxA
Michael Loughran arrives in style in his 3.9 Horse Power, 1915 Ford Model T at the Louth Show held in Bellurgan Park. Photo: Ken Finegan/www.newspics.ie

All roads lead to Louth for owners of the iconic Model T Ford cars next weekend as the county pays host to the Irish Model T Ford Clubs Annual Run.

The event is being organised locally by Michael Loughran of Dundalk Radiator Services in Linenhall Street, who is looking forward to welcoming fellow Model T Ford owners from all over the country and the UK to north Louth.

"The last time the rally took place in Dundalk was in 2012 when we displayed the cars at the Market Square, he recalls.

This time there are 54 Model Ts booked for the rally, with the owners spending the weekend at the Carrickdale Hotel.

We will leave the hotel in convoy around 9.30am on Saturday morning and drive into Dundalk and onto Blackrock. Well stop there for a cup of coffee or an ice-cream before heading to Dromiskin.

There they will visit Nicholas Joseph Callan Park, named in honour of the inventor of the inventor of the induction coil, which led to the modern transformer.

The convoy will be given a garda escort from the Xerox junction as they make their back to through Dundalk en route to the Cooley peninsula, where they will visit Carlingford and Omeath, before returning to the Carrickdale Hotel for a gala dinner.

Sundays itinerary will see them travelling northwards to Co Down to take in the magnificent scenery of the Mourne Mountains.

Michael, who is the proud owner of a 1915 Model T is looking forward to meeting fellow owners from throughout Ireland the UK.

"We have people coming from West Cork and Kerry, Wexford, Galway, Dublin, Ballymena and Rathfriland, as well as some from the UK.

Its not only an opportunity to talk cars but also to show off the beauty of north Louth and south Down.

Last time we had fellows from West Cork who had never been here before and they couldnt get over the scenery.

With 55 rooms booked in the Carrickdale Hotel and drivers and their passengers stopping for coffee and snacks, it also brings a welcome boost to the local economy.

Michael has owned his Model T for at least 30 years and brings it to events around the country.

The Model T Ford was manufactured between 1908 and 1927, with over 15 million vehicles sold.

It was the first mass produced car and popularised car ownership among middle income Americans.

Henry T Fords parents had been born in Co Cork and the first manufacturing plant outside of the United States was in Cork. The the very last Model T anywhere in the world was produced off the Cork production line in 1927.
Geraldine Lynn McKeown and MairAad Egan at the mass of thanksgiving in the Church of St. Anne, Mullaghbuoy to celebrate the retirement of Mrs. MairAad Egan, Principal of Mullaghbuoy National School. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics

Mass of Thanksgiving in the Church of St. Anne, Mullaghbuoy to celebrate the retirement of Mrs. Mairead Egan, Principal of Mullaghbuoy National School. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics

MairAad and Mike Egan at the mass of thanksgiving in the Church of St. Anne, Mullaghbuoy to celebrate the retirement of Mrs. MairAad Egan, Principal of Mullaghbuoy National School. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics

The outgoing Principal of Mullaghbuoy National School, MairAad Egan with Fr. Malachy Conlon in The Church of St. Anne, Mullaghbuoy at the mass of thansgiving to celebrate the retirement of Mrs. MairAad Egan. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics

Aideen McParland, Mairead Egan and Anita Murphy at the mass of thanksgiving in the Church of St. Anne, Mullaghbuoy to celebrate the retirement of Mrs. Mairead Egan, Principal of Mullaghbuoy National School. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics

Mairead Egan has retired from teaching after 41 years of service including 14 years as Principal of Mullaghbuoy National School. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics

Mairead Egan has retired from teaching after 41 years of service including 14 years as Principal of Mullaghbuoy National School. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics

Fr. Malachy Conlon with members of staff at Mullaghbuoy NS, Kevin Short, Joanne Canavan, MairAad Egan, Grace Traynor, Dara Short, Niamh McGee and Deirdre McGlynn at the mass of thanksgiving in the Church of St. Anne, Mullaghbuoy to celebrate the retirement of Mrs. MairAad Egan, Principal of Mullaghbuoy National School. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics

It is the most scenic beautiful place to come to each day, teacher Mairead Egan says of Mullaghbuoy National School, high up on a mountain road in Louths Cooley peninsula.

The south Armagh native who now lives in Dundalk has retired after spending almost fourteen years of her 41-year teaching career as principal of the 68 pupil school.

Originally from Adavolye between Dromintee and Meigh, she studied at the University of Ulster in Coleraine and has been teaching since 1983.

During that time she has taught in numerous schools throughout Ireland, including Dundalk, Newry and Dromintee and also in Australia but Mullaghbuoy will hold a special place in her heart.

"I was just amazed by the enthusiasm and generosity of spirit in the parish, she says, praising the support she received from the Board of Management headed by Fr Malachy Conlon, the Parents Association, and vice-principal Joanne Canavan and all the staff.

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 was a difficult time, she recalls. But again my staff were amazing and got on board. The staff and myself were prepared when the announcement came on March 12 that everything was closing down. We saw it coming and knew we had to get everything up and running.

She said that all the children were sent home with packs of books and worksheets at 12noon and the teachers were ready to deliver remote learning by the time they closed the doors that evening.

"We were teaching remotely within a week. Everyone came on board. That is whats lovely with somewhere like this - its like a big family and the parents were great.

Now that shes putting away the laptop and mouse rather than the chalk and duster, she reflects on the many changes she has seen in the educational system over her career.

"I started of with a blackboard and chalk and having to make our own resources.

She believes that there have been major improvements in education since then but is passionate that the resources need to be put in place so that children can benefit from the innovations being put in place by the Department of Education.

"The children are the leaders of the future, she continues. We have wonderful young teachers out there and they need to be given the resources to give their best.

"Our children are so high in numeracy and literacy, they are right at the top and we need to keep that up.

Mairead is handing over the reins to the newly appointed principal Mrs Siobhan McClean who previously taught in Dundalk.

Staff, parents, pupils and the Board of Management gathered to bade farewell to Mairead on Tuesday evening with Mass in St Annes Mullaghbuoy with refreshments in the community centre afterwards.

Mairead is looking forward to re-charging her batteries and then doing some travelling and spending time with her family, husband Mike, sons Lorcan, James and Sean, and her five grandsons.

She admits that as a working mother and granny she, like many other women, felt the conflict between work and family life.

"I am just looking forward to spending relaxed quality time with everybody I love.
Youthreach Enniscorthy has made leaps and bounds in the area of mental health awareness over the last year.

The organisation has 11 staff members and 40 students, between the ages of 16-20, and through their programme of education and activities they strive to prepare their learners for their future education, careers, employment and all and any opportunities to help them succeed. Their large involvement in mental health has been spearheaded by Kathleen Keane and Hugh Sheridan, the Social Education Team of Teachers at the centre.

In November 2023, the students planned, organised and ran a Mental Health Awareness Week in the centre, with the promotion of good mental health strategies always at the forefront of the work they do in the Enniscorthy branch. The week involved the organisation of a tea party, a nature walk that emphasised the importance of fresh air, and a mass in St Aidans Cathedral that showed how spirituality is also important for mental health.

They also completed the 'School Mile Challenge where all learners walked, ran, jogged, skipped, hopped a mile together around the local track, highlighting the importance of physical activity, team work, friendship and comradery to promote peace of mind.

In 2024 they became the only school in Wexford to receive the FET Mental Health and Well Being 2024 Accreditation in conjunction with Jigsaw.

"This is a wonderful recognition of the positive work being done here in the Centre said Elaine Doran, the Clerical Officer.

Following on from this success, they entered the Wexford Mental Health Association Expressions Competition and gave a presentation on the importance of looking after each other. They were delighted to receive the Silver Award - after missing out on the Gold Award by a mere half-point difference.

In February of this year, the Centre Co-ordinator Hugh Dunne and the students were invited to write, story board, film, edit, and produce a short film for the Walk in My Shoes Short Film Competition. Their submitted project, called HUH  Heads Up High, centres around the anxiety, loneliness and struggles of a teenager who has been bullied in school which has impacted his mental health.

Students from Enniscorthy Youthreach with FOM judge Michael Doherty.

Through a series of positive mental health encounters and building up friendships and entering his local Youthreach Centre, this young person slowly begins to build friendships and by the end of the film he has improved his outlook and his mental health. They attended the awards ceremony in the Irish Film Institute in Temple Bar and were thrilled to take the Silver Award home.

Mr Dunne says that although the recognition is great, its impact on the youngsters is first and foremost.

Furthermore, the staff and students were excited to have been recently shortlisted for a Garda Community Award. Not only did they win the award on 13 May, but Enniscorthy Youthreach has also been put forward for National Judging in the Competition with the National Finals taking place later this year.

Due to all their effort, they were then invited as guest speakers to the FET Forum in Waterford on Friday May 31st and where they received a standing ovation from a crowd of 200 people and officials. This was a change to their usual activity of welcoming guest speakers to the centre. Previous visitors to the school came from Barnardos, Enniscorthy Fire Station, CBDI, and the ISPCA. They were also joined by Michelle ONeill, the first International female Referee and John Lonergan, the former Mountjoy Prison Governor.

They most recently participated in the Suitcase challenge in collaboration with Youthreach centres in Dublin, Dungarvan, and Kilkenny. A suitcase was passed between the different centres where students filled the case with their own resources on topics relevant to young people.

Ms Doran says that the team will continue to strive for the promotion of more mental heath awareness across Wexford and they are all incredibly proud of the change their students are making in other peoples lives for the better.
The Peace Choir travelled back to their roots in Omagh recently to perform a special and poignant concert in St Columba's Church and mark the 25th anniversary of the Omagh bombing.

The choir which is based in Gorey, performed a mix of contemporary pieces such as Fix You by Coldplay and Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol with the Taize format of a prayerful form of music known for its simple, yet rich and meditative character.

Our whole message is to promote unity, to promote reconciliation through our music, to promote peace hence why our main concert in Omagh was in the Church of Ireland. Even though, many of our members would be from a Catholic background, we feel that traditional divides need to break down and yield to something more unifying on this island so that what happened in Omagh on that day can be a watershed moment, said founder of the Peace Choir Phil Brennan.

The choir began 10 months after the Omagh Bombing 25 years ago, and has 35 members from all across Ireland including Gorey, Carlow, Tullow, Dublin, Omagh and Waterford.

Although they didnt dwell on the bombing during their visit to Omagh, it was important that people understood the story of the bombing and what happened that day. We did a tour of the town as well and we did a vigil at the memorial, not too far away from the bomb site. A local piper David Caulwell played a lament at the memorial.

"The rain came down and it was almost fitting that the rain came down at that moment because there was a sadness about it too that we shouldn't forget the 31 lives were lost including two unborn children, said Phil.

15 year old Claire Gallagher inspired the choir after being seriously injured on August 15, 1998 during the worst terrorist attack that visited Northern Ireland during the troubles.

She was in town with friends, just like so many others that day and they were ushered down to the bottom of the town, being told that the bomb was going to go off at the courthouse, they all thought they were safe and werent taking it that seriously. At 3.12p.m. a red Vauxhall Cavalier carrying explosives exploded in front of her and she lost her sight whilst many others died around her, said Phil.

Nine months after the bombing Claire travelled to Waterford where Phil was teaching at the time and they presented her with an award for her courage in the aftermath of the bombing. Their choir in Waterford linked up with a choir in Omagh to sing A Bridge Over Troubled Waters and shortly after that, the Peace Choir was established.

Within months of the bombing, Claire was back in school completing her O level exams on the way to realising her childhood dream of becoming a piano teacher. By her early 30s, she had opened her own Music Academy in Omagh and more recently graduated with a Master of Arts in Music Psychology for Education, Performance and Wellbeing from University of Sheffield. 25 years on from the bombing, Claire is married to Ryan Bowes and they have three children Oran, Conor and Cara.

One of the highlights of the Peace Choirs weekend in Omagh recently was that many of the newer members had the opportunity to meet Claire for the first time when she visited their workshop with her husband and daughter and played the grand piano for them.

The Peace Choir on their trip to Omagh recently.

"She spoke to us about coping with adversity, shes remarkable. She was determined from the day of the bombing that the bomb would define her future path in life, that she would and whilst she may not have her sight, she could still play the piano, she could still hear and communicate. As far as she was concerned she was going to live the fullest version of life possible to her.

"It was a very special and poignant weekend because we were connecting back to our routes and where it all started in Omagh 25 years ago. For the choir to meet Claire in person.

"We hear of terrorist attacked but to see and meet somebody like Claire and look at how that bombing affected her, it just makes you very angry that people from Southern Ireland would plant that bomb there that day in our name. It brings to life the futility of it and the sheer craziness of violence, said Phil.

Members of the Peace Choir thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Omagh and the warm welcome they received from everyone they met. Jacinta Wilde is one of the members of the choir from Gorey and said it was an honour and privilege to sing in St Columba's Church on Saturday 15.

It was a profoundly moving but also a very uplifting experience and I hope that we brought some comfort to those who experienced such violence in August 1998. It is comforting to know that they will never be forgotton and that love and hope will always triumph over adversity," Jacinta.

"I feel so lucky to be part of the Peace Choir, we work hard to create a sound that connects to the soul. Omagh was very special, meeting Claire, remembering Linda and singing in St. Columbas Church was inspiring, humbling and uplifting. Something beautiful was created from the tragedy of the Omagh bombing," Eleanor Leonard who is a member of the choir.

Most of choirs musicians are from Gorey such as Mandy OCallaghan who plays the piano, Aileen Kennedy on the harp and her sister Aine on the violin, Elaine Brennan played the flute while Phil played the guitar.

The Peace Choir have finished up for the summer but will hold auditions on September 7 in the Methodist Community Hall in Gorey.
Our beauty expert spills the beans on her top picks for travel and touch-ups

"Im obsessed with anything mini that I can throw into my bag." Photo: Getty Images

I love a Whats in your handbag story on Instagram or TikTok, as Im so nosy and enjoy seeing the contents of other peoples purses. It gives a glimpse into their lifestyles, and I often spot gorgeous new products that I wasnt aware of, or classics Id kind of forgotten about.

Whats that? You want to see inside my brand-new silver-metallic Peelo tote I bought recently online from Irish brand peelo.ie? Its not as big as Joanne McNallys Anxious Preoccupied tote, which I considered buying, but I settled on the Peelo as its a great everyday bag but very handy for travelling as well.

Chanel No5 LEau Drop (144, brownthomas.com)

First up, can we take a moment, please, for Chanel No5 LEau Drop (144, brownthomas.com), which has had a very chic makeover. The new bottle is rounded, transparent and ethereal, resembling a pebble in shape, and it comes with its own little bag.

Obviously, I love its floral freshness, as it contains citrus, jasmine, rose and ylang-ylang and dynamic vetiver and cedar notes. But its the ooohing and aaahing that everyone does when I take it out of my bag that satisfies my Leo showyoffness.

Im also obsessed with anything mini that I can throw into my bag. Space NK and Dublin Duty Free have a great choice  you are bound to see me there if youre passing through the airport.

Space NK Double Travel Bag (53, spacenk.com/ie)

The Space NK Double Travel Bag (53, spacenk.com/ie), is the best for popping what you need to bring with you in your handbag.

Designed for travelling, it holds products and accessories in two different but bound-together layers, so is also ideal for weekend trips and overnight jaunts. The transparent panels make it easy to see what is inside, and it looks very stylish with its faux leather accents on the top, bottom and back panel.

BPerfect Cosmetics The Cheek Liquid Shimmer Blush (15.95, bperfectcosmetics.com)

I adore a multi-tasking product  so very handy when youre out and about or travelling  and Im a fan of the new BPerfect Cosmetics The Cheek Shimmer Liquid Blush (15.95, bperfectcosmetics.com). It gives your cheeks a glow, your lips a pop of colour and your eyes a gorgeously subtle luminosity, all in one compact product. It has subtly light-reflecting pigments that blend perfectly with your base for a dewy, radiant finish.

The Smooth Company The Smooth Stick (16.99, brownthomas.com)

Not forgetting hair care, Irish brand The Smooth Companys TheSmooth Stick (16.99 brownthomas.com) is a viral sensation hair mascara  a translucent hair serum and wand, it smooths unruly baby hairs, broken hairs and flyaways, keeping them in place all day long.

As Im getting ready to look tanned all summer long, I carry VeganTans Bronzing Stick (10, Penneys) with me. Another Irish brand, it is so easy to rub this on my arms, legs, decolletage wherever I need a little glow on the go.

So thats it for this week  I think your new beauty recommendations are in the bag.

Three of the best instant tans

bBold Instant Airbrush Body Makeup (14.95, b-bold.ie)

bBold Instant Airbrush Body Makeup (14.95, b-bold.ie )

I am the queen of instant tans as I have the worst time management skills, so this full-coverage, water-resistant aerosol formula, infused with a fab raspberry scent, is perfect for popping on to transform myself instantly into Tropical Triona.

AyuGlo Instant Tan (14.50, ayucosmetics.com)

2. AyuGlo Instant Tan (14.50, ayucosmetics.com)

If you are a fan of Irish makeup brand Ayu, youre going to love how theyve got this instant tan absolutely bang on. Its fast-drying and infused with truffle extract and allantoin. I love how it blends effortlessly to deliver a subtle, chic colour.

Bare by Vogue Instant Tan (19, brownthomas.com)

3. Bare by Vogue Instant Tan (19, brownthomas.com)

I was bet into Vogue Williams s Insta on her recent safari trip. The dream! As always, she had a perfect faux tan and her instant tan formula is enriched with goji berry, oatmeal, chamomile, pomegranate and grapefruit to promote natural skin health.
Russian dissidents living in the UK have hit back at deeply offensive words of admiration for Vladimir Putin by Nigel Farage and another Reform UK candidate.

It comes as a former British defence attache posted in Moscow described Mr Farage and his party, now third in the polls, as deeply maligned actors  working against the security interest of our country.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot for the first round of the parliamentary election, in Henin-Beaumont, northern France Photo: AP Photo/Thibault Camus

Voters across mainland France have been casting ballots Sunday in the first round of exceptional parliamentary elections that could put Frances government in the hands of nationalist, far-right parties for the first time since the Nazi era.
Canada Day is around the corner, but many Canadians are not necessarily in a mood to celebrate the state of the country, a new poll suggests.

Ipsos polling done exclusively for Global News shows 70 per cent of Canadians agree that Canada is broken, a charge Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre repeatedly makes.

Hes capturing a mood. Its not something that Pierre Poilievre has created. Hes simply identifying the conditions that hes seeing out in the Canadian public and calling it out and labeling it, Ipsos Public Affairs CEO Darrell Bricker said.

1:52 Liberals stand by Trudeau after byelection loss

Ipsos surveyed 1,001 Canadians between June 12 and 14 and found feelings of pessimism were highest among Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34, with 78 per cent holding the view the country needs fixing.

Bricker says the responses point to larger frustrations.

Do people feel like their country is broken? No. They feel more like their institutions are broken and theyve lost a sense of togetherness, Bricker said.

The pollster, who has measured Canadian public opinion for 35 years, says its the worst outlook hes seen and that people do not feel like theyre succeeding in life these days, as they should be.

2:22 Can Trudeau survive Liberals stunning Toronto byelection loss?

Bricker says the millennial voting bloc, which appears to be the most disillusioned demographic, is gravitating increasingly towards Poilievre, despite Trudeaus pledge in this years federal budget to bring in policies to help generational fairness.

Older Canadians tend to be a little bit more optimistic about what the country has been because its worked for them. But younger Canadians  theyre the ones who are saying, You know, its not working for me,' Bricker said.

And as a result, theyre looking for change, and the agent of change in this particular situation is for them as the Conservative Party.

How frustration played out at the polls

Poilievre has led in the polls for more than a year and this week his party captured a stunning victory in the Toronto-St. Pauls byelection, once considered a safe seat for the Liberals.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held an event in Brampton, Ont., Thursday and criticized his Conservative rival and his mantra.

Pierre Poilievre is going around and saying Canada is broken. Hes doing that for his own narrow interests because he wants to get elected, said Trudeau.

But the prime minister has not taken questions since the Liberals loss in the Toronto-St.Pauls byelection.

The surprise defeat has raised questions about his political future. Ipsos polling done exclusively for Global News earlier this month found support for him is close to rock bottom, with nearly seven in 10 Canadians saying its time for Trudeau to resign.

While his cabinet ministers say he should keep his job, they are acknowledging losing the Toronto-St. Pauls riding is a major setback.

Watching the Conservatives win in (Toronto)-St. Pauls means that everything were working on could be thrown in a trash bin. And that doesnt worry me because Im a Liberal. That worries me because Im a Canadian, Health Minister Mark Holland said while announcing an expansion of the dental care program Thursday.

A day earlier, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said he can understand Canadians may be tired of the government in place after eight years, but Miller insists Poilievre is weaponizing public anger and called him a fake.

He doesnt present any concrete vision of Canada I support. The guy is full of slogans. Most people dont really know what they mean. They may be catchy, but he reminds me of a wrestling manager from the 1980s, the immigration minister said.

Is the political climate dampening July 1?

The Ipsos polling also found Canadians are less enthusiastic now than in the past about Canada Day celebrations and national pride.

The polling asked whether respondents were more or less likely to display a Canadian flag or attend an event marking July 1, compared with five years ago, and whether they were more or less likely to say they feel proud to be Canadian compared with then.

Thirty-two per cent said they were less likely to attend an event and 16 per cent said they were more likely to do so, while 28 per cent said they were less likely to fly a Canadian flag and 16 per cent said they were more likely to do so.

According to Ipsos, 35 per cent of respondents said they are less likely now to say they are proud to be Canadian than they were five years ago. Sixteen per cent said they were more likely now than then.

Theres this general feeling that theres really nobody celebrating our country the way that we used to celebrate our country, Bricker said.

But he also cautioned against buying easy solutions.

This is going to be a challenge for any political leader. Its also going to be a challenge for Pierre Poilievre. Its one thing to call it out. Its quite another thing to do something to fix it, Bricker said.
A burned out car is seen in the yard of a house after a wildfire at Keratea area, south east of Athens (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)

Two large wildfires were burning on Sunday near Greece's capital of Athens, and authorities sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate the area and others to stay at home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke.
Narrow victory for moderate Massoud Pezeshkian, who backs reforms and womens rights

In an election campaign dominated by hardliners, Iranian presidential hopeful Massoud Pezeshkian stood out as a moderate, backing womens rights, more social freedoms, cautious detente with the West and economic reform.

Pezeshkian narrowly beat hardline Saeed Jalili for first place in the first round vote on Friday, but the two men will face a run-off election in five days time, since Pezeshkian did not secure the majority of 50pc plus one vote of ballots cast needed to win outright.
Jill Biden has encouraged her husband to remain in the US election race despite mounting pressure on the American president to step down after his disastrous debate night.

The first lady, who has been married to Biden since 1977, has emphatically told him they would stay in the race, according to a report in the New York Times.
Photo: IBNS File

Social and cultural activist Sundeep Bhutoria has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to include 'Literature' as a part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity for corporates.

Sharing the letter on his X handle, Kolkata-based Bhutoria wrote: "Mr@sundeepbhutoria appealed to the Honble PM of India for corporate financial support 4 art & artists. CSR initiatives often overlook art, culture & lit due to challenges in identifying beneficiaries. Many cultural torchbearers struggle & need platforms & opportunities 2 thrive."

Mr @sundeepbhutoria appealed to the Honble PM of India for corporate financial support 4 art & artists. CSR initiatives often overlook art, culture & lit due to challenges in identifying beneficiaries. Many cultural torchbearers struggle & need platforms & opportunities 2 thrive pic.twitter.com/930aFpJ6Fx  ess bee (@essbeeindia) June 30, 2024

In his letter addressed to the PM, who returned to power for the third straight term in the Centre, Bhutoria said: "Access to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding will be the lifeblood for Indias artistic and cultural renaissance, under your inspirational leadership."

He said as a Trustee of the Kolkata-based non-governmental organisation Prabha Khaitan Foundation, he has supported the efforts of writers, musicians, dancers and other craftspersons in promoting their practice.

"We work across the country for the sustenance and spread of Indian culture and heritage through performance and discussion. We also provide books to educational institutions in rural and semi-urban areas. Most of our events are held in Tier B and C cities, where availability of books is restricted and many readers cant afford to buy new books," he said.

Bhutoria said without financial support from the corporate sector such events by foundations will be impossible to conduct regularly.

"For this, it is my humble request that our corporations be encouraged to earmark some of their CSR funds for artistic and cultural endeavours for our country. We request // the concerned ministry also include literature in CSR initiatives for promoting the diverse languages of our country," he said.

Art personalities support the cause

Appreciating Bhutoria for writing the letter to the PM, actress Nandita Das wrote on X: " Thank you @sundeepbhutoria for taking the initiative to speak for the art and craft communities that really struggle for sustenance. Preservation and conservation of art, craft, handloom that is fast vanishing is super important. Hope it becomes part of the CSR funds. Thank you!"

Thank you @sundeepbhutoria for taking the initiative to speak for the art and craft communities that really struggle for sustenance. Preservation and conservation of art, craft, handloom that is fast vanishing is super important. Hope it becomes part of the CSR funds. Thank you! https://t.co/RNQMCLpq4Q  Nandita Das (@nanditadas) June 30, 2024

Grammy winning Indian musician Ricky Kej sharing the appeal posted: "This is a fantastic initiative & appeal by my dear friend @sundeepbhutoria. CSR initiatives need to include art, culture & literature. As we all know, this is our soft power and our might! I hope this gets enough support. Please retweet."

This is a fantastic initiative & appeal by my dear friend @sundeepbhutoria. CSR initiatives need to include art, culture & literature. As we all know, this is our soft power and our might! I hope this gets enough support. Please retweet. https://t.co/0v6PDo5YFO  Ricky Kej (@rickykej) July 1, 2024
Image Credit : File photo/UNI

Poonch (Jammu Kashmir): Pakistan Rangers began unprovoked firing on Indian posts along the International Border in the Krishna Ghati Sector of Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir on late Friday night, media reported

The Indian Army responded 'befittingly' to the provocation, the sources said, according to India Today.

The firing was directed at a forward Indian post in Krishna Ghati, prompting an immediate retaliation by the Army troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC). The exchange of fire was brief, and no casualties were reported, the report said.

The recent ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops may have been an attempt to provide cover for infiltrating terrorists, according to sources. This incident has triggered a high alert along the Line of Control.

Security forces have heightened vigilance to prevent any infiltration attempts by Pakistani terrorists, and a search operation is currently underway.

The unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops coincides with the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, during which the first batch of over 4,500 pilgrims has arrived in Kashmir to visit the sacred site.

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police RR Swain stated that comprehensive security measures have been implemented for the annual Amarnath Yatra.

The 52-day pilgrimage will begin on June 29 from the traditional 48 km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the shorter 14 km Baltal route in Ganderbal, concluding on August 19.

Between June 9 and 12, the Jammu region experienced four terror incidents in the Reasi, Kathua, and Doda districts, resulting in the deaths of 10 people, including seven pilgrims and a CRPF jawan.

Two terrorists were killed in one of the encounters in Kathua district.

Earlier this week, three terrorists from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group were killed in a six-hour gunfight in a forest area in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district.

Heavy gunfire and explosions shook the village as security forces eliminated two more terrorists in the day.
Photo courtesy: Unsplash

New Delhi: A thief stole a car with two children inside in Delhis Laxmi Nagar area and later demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh from their parents, media reported.

The incident occurred on Friday at around 11: 40 pm when the parents left their two children, aged two and eleven, in the car with the engine running and AC on while they went to Heera Sweets located nearby.

When the couple returned, the vehicle and the children were missing.

In a matter of a few minutes, the thief managed to open the door of the car and drove away with the children inside.

He called the parents using the phone of the children's mother which was apparently inside the car and demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh.

Later, the couple approached the police and filed a complaint.

Upon receiving the report, the police formed a rescue team that started chasing the car with the help of technical surveillance.

After a three-hour high-speed chase with around 20 police vehicles in action, the kidnapper abandoned the car with the children inside and fled. Fortunately, both children were found safe and were quickly reunited with their parents.

"The kidnappers were constantly changing their route. He reached Wazirabad via Ashok Nagar and then the Outer North district. He realised that the police were chasing him, which is why he kept changing routes," Additional DCP East, Avnish Kumar was quoted as saying by India Today.

"The accused also had a hammer and a knife," the additional DCP said.

Jewellery and mobile phones inside the car were also intact as the kidnapper hurried out after realising that he was being surrounded from all sides.

The police are using the CCTV footage of the area to nab the culprit and assured that he would be arrested soon.
Photo Courtesy: unsplash

The Indian and US Embassies in Lebanon have issued advisory for its citizens as the security situation in the region remains volatile.

The embassy directed citizens to exercise caution while travelling to the Middle East nation.

Advisory for Indian Nationals in Lebanon pic.twitter.com/Zl1Eubu55L  India in Lebanon (@IndiaInLebanon) June 27, 2024

"In view of the current situation in Lebanon, all Indian nationals in Lebanon are advised to exercise caution and remain in contact with Embassy of India in Beirut through our Email address: cons.beirut@mea.gov.in or through emergency helpline number +961-76860128," the Indian Embassy said in a statement.

The US Embassy in Lebanon wrote: "We remind U.S. citizens to strongly reconsider travel to Lebanon. The security environment remains complex and can change quickly."

"The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens to review the current Travel Advisory for Lebanon. In particular, we call your attention to the Country Summary which advises that the Lebanese government cannot guarantee the protection of U.S. citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence and armed conflict," the statement said.

Tensions between Israel and Lebanon has been rising in recent times ever since Hamas attacked on October 7.

Following the attack on its soil, Israel began its campaign in Gaza.

The US is moving forces closer to Israel and Lebanon amid concerns of escalating cross-border fire, according to two US officials, including forces able to carry out an evacuation of American citizens, reported CNN.
Photo Courtesy: India at UN, Geneva @IndiaUNGeneva X page

India chaired its first meeting as Chair of the Colombo Process at the Permanent Representative Level Meeting in Geneva on 28 June 2024, at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Headquarters.

The Secretariat of the Colombo Process is hosted by IOM with its headquarters in Geneva.

Muktesh Pardeshi, Secretary (CPV and OIA), Ministry of External Affairs, delivered the special address as the incoming Chair-in-Office. He emphasised India's commitment to advancing the objectives of the Colombo Process and enhancing collaboration among member states.

India presented an outline of an action plan for the next two years, focusing on key priorities and initiatives to further strengthen the Colombo Process.

Indias priorities for Colombo Process (2024-26) include

(a) Reviewing the financial sustainability of the Colombo Process,

(b) Broadening the membership by including new member states and observers,

(c) Reconfiguring technical-level collaborations,

(d) Implementing a structured rotation for the chairmanship,

(e) Conducting a regional review of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) and

(f) Engaging in dialogues with the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) and other regional processes.



What is Colombo Process?

The Colombo Process is a Regional Consultative Process comprising 12 Member States from Asia, which primarily serve as countries of origin for migrant workers.

Also read: India, US issue advisory to nationals amid escalating tensions with Israel

The forum facilitates the exchange of best practices on managing overseas employment.

The meeting was marked by a spirit of cooperation and a shared vision towards the goals of the Colombo Process.

In May 2024, India assumed the chair of the Colombo Process for the first time since its inception.

 leadership for safe, orderly, legal migration@SecretaryCPVOIA presents Indias vision & priorities in 1st #ColomboProcess meeting after India became its Chair



We thank all Member States for endorsing s plan to revitalise the process & @UNmigration for Sectt. support. pic.twitter.com/Svikc4NeIN  India at UN, Geneva (@IndiaUNGeneva) June 28, 2024

The Process continues to play a pivotal role in enhancing regional cooperation on migration issues, and with Indias leading role, there is a renewed commitment to engaging all member states actively, improving migration governance, and fostering safe, orderly, and regular migration for organised overseas employment.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

At least 18 people died and 30 others were injured after several deadly blasts rocked Nigeria's northeastern Borno state on Saturday.

One of the suspected bombing occurred in a wedding ceremony that reportedly left six people dead.

The state's emergency management agency said the suspected suicide bombers attacked a wedding, funeral and hospital in the town of Gwoza, reported BBC.

Borno state has been witnessing insurgency activities of Boko Haram terror group for the past 15 years.

However, the group has not claimed responsibility for the blasts so far.

The group gained international attention in 2014 when its members abducted 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok.

Emir of Gwoza local government area of Borno State, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta, told Sunday Vanguard: "The entire Gwoza council area is in mourning following multiple suicide attacks on our community."

The first suicide attack was masterminded by an unidentified woman who sneaked with two children into a wedding reception of a popular young man in Gwoza. She detonated her Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) killing herself and many people," Timta said.

A few minutes after, another suicide bomber sneaked into a burial ceremony nearby and detonated Improvised Explosive Devices, and as am talking to you now, the third explosion just occurred a few minutes ago with more casualties," the official said.
Photo courtesy: Rishi Sunak Facebook page

London: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his outrage after a supporter of Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform UK party directed a racist slur at him, media reported.

A news channel reported the incident, airing a recording of a campaigner using the derogatory term "Paki"a racial slur targeting people of South Asian descentin front of Sunak's daughters, Krishna and Anoushka.

Sunak, Britain's first ethnic minority prime minister, addressed the media while on his election campaign trail.

"It hurts, and it makes me angry. I don't repeat those words lightly. I do so deliberately because this is too important not to call out clearly for what it is," he was quoted as saying by the media.

"When you see Reform candidates and campaigners, seemingly using racist and misogynistic language and opinions seemingly without challenge, I think it tells you something about the culture within the Reform Party," the 44-year-old added.

Reform UK party leader Farage condemned the remarks as "appalling" and distanced himself from the comments made by campaigner Andrew Parker.

Running for Parliament, Farage admitted that a few individuals had "let us down" and asserted that such sentiments did not reflect the views of the party or its supporters.

"The appalling sentiments expressed by some in these exchanges bear no relation to my own views, those of the vast majority of our supporters or Reform UK," Farage said in a statement.

Due to the early election announcement, the Reform UK party has faced difficulty in selecting candidates.

Amid these challenges Farage remains confident that his party will emerge as a strong opposition against the anticipated Labour government.

According to the anti-racism organization Hope Not Hate, Reform UK has withdrawn 166 candidates since the beginning of the year, many due to racist or offensive remarks.

Sunak cautioned voters that backing Reform UK might unintentionally help the Labour Party, which he criticized for its tax policies.

He also condemned Farage for saying that Western actions provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine, describing such comments as harmful and appeasing to Vladimir Putin.

The UK will go to polls on July 4.
Canada continues to rock the boat of bilateral relations with India by persisting with its support to Khalistani extremism and terrorism.

The latest illustration of this official backing came when Canadas House of Commons recently observed a moment of silence to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an individual synonymous with the violent and extremist Khalistan movement.

This development took place just at the time there was a large protest in front of Indias Consulate in Vancouver, where disturbing imagery of the mastermind behind the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing, Canadas deadliest terrorist attack, was prominently displayed.

These developments raise serious questions about Canadas stance on extremist movements within its borders.

India should consider breaking diplomatic relations with Canada for being a state sponsor of terrorism, just as India did with Pakistan.

In fact, the current situation raises one very important question that needs answering. Is Canada using Khalistani extremism as a tool to destabilise India? The attitude of the Trudeau government appears to indicate that this is indeed the case.

Far more serious from an Indian security perspective was the verdict of the so-called citizens court organized by Khalistan supporters which found Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi guilty in absentia.

The subsequent burning of Modis effigy and the Indian flag, all under the watchful eyes of the Canadian police, paint a troubling picture of Canadas permissiveness towards such extremist actions. Canada, under the leadership of Justin Trudeau, has taken a troubling stance in dealing with terrorism, in particular, Khalistan extremism.

The latest evidence of this came on 18 June 2024, when the Canadian Parliament observed a moment of silence to mark the first anniversary of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjars death. This act highlighted the disturbing evolution of Canadian policy towards Khalistani terrorism. Indias response to Canadas recent actions has been swift and unambiguous.

The Indian government has systematically reduced political and economic ties with Ottawa. When the Canadian Parliament chose to honour Nijjar, the Indian Embassy in Vancouver announced a memorial service to commemorate the 39th anniversary of the Kanishka bombing, highlighting the contrast between honouring a terrorist and remembering the victims of terrorism.

The relationship between Canada and Khalistani extremism reads like an Orwellian script and under Trudeaus leadership, the link has become overt and operational. This stark reality has been brewing for decades, tracing its roots back to the 1980s when Justin Trudeaus father, Pierre Trudeau, was in power. The parallels between the past and present are stark. Just as Parmar operated with impunity despite Indian pleas for his extradition. Nijjar was similarly given free rein in Canada until his death. This persistent failure to confront and curb Khalistani extremism has only emboldened the movement.

There is a history to the Canadian indifference or tacit sympathy to the Khalistani threat. In the 1980s this had catastrophic consequences. Talwinder Singh Parmar, a known Khalistani terrorist, was on record as early as 1982 predicting that Indian planes will fall from the sky. This ominous warning materialized with the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, known as the Kanishka bombing, which resulted in the deaths of 329 people, including 268 Canadian citizens. The Khalistan movement is inexorably linked to the 1985 Air India bombing, yet studies reveal that 90% of Canadians are unaware of the perpetrators. Despite repeated warnings and clear evidence of Parmars violent intentions, Canadian authorities failed to act decisively. Ironically, a Canadian inquiry commission identified Talwinder Singh Parmar, a British Columbia man linked to the Khalistan movement, as the mastermind behind the attack.

The Kanishka bombing, was the deadliest act of terrorism in aviation history till 9/11. Yet, the lack of urgency and seriousness in addressing the tragedy, even today, leads many to question how the Canadian government is so indifferent when the victims were majorly Canadian. The tragedy of the Kanishka bombing is a poignant reminder of this disconnect; many of the victims were also Sikhs. Glorifying those responsible for such a heinous act not only dishonours the memory of the victims but also misrepresents the true sentiments of Sikhs globally, who are known to be a beacon of selflessness and service.

Bob Rai, a former Sikh from British Columbia, recently described Nijjar as just a gangster eliminated by other gangsters. Despite this characterization, Canadian Khalistan sympathizers have gone so far as to implicate the Indian government in his murder. This accusation was sensationally echoed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, fuelling a fire that many believe is unlikely to go away. Trudeau has lately been echoing the extremist sentiments of a handful of extremists, who claim to be the representatives of the Sikh community. Bob Rais condemnation of the Khalistan movement is stark. He implores Sikhs to disentangle themselves from these criminal organizations masquerading as religious or charitable entities. Rais warnings are not without basis.

The Khalistani extremist movement found fertile ground in Canada during Pierre Trudeaus tenure, with the Canadian government turning a blind eye to Indias concerns about the threat of terrorism emanating from Canadian soil. Bill Warden, Canadas High Commissioner to India in the early 1980s, notes in his memoirs that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had explicitly accused Sikh organizations in Canada of financing violence against India.

These accusations were backed by journalist-author Terry Milewski who in his book Blood for Blood: Fifty Years of the Global Khalistan Project, highlighted that Canadian taxpayers money was indirectly funding violence against India. The situation extends beyond Canadas borders. In California, thousands of Khalistan separatists recently gathered for a non-binding referendum to push their agenda of carving out a separate nation from India.

Canadas endorsement of such movements, whether through inaction or symbolic gestures like the moment of silence for Nijjar, sends a troubling message. It suggests a willingness to overlook the violent history and the ongoing criminal activities associated with these groups. This stance not only undermines the global fight against terrorism but also jeopardizes Canadas own security and societal harmony. Canadas leniency towards the Khalistan movement is not just a domestic issue but a global concern.

However, there is little understanding in the West about Canadas wilfull support to Sikh extremism and its implications for Indias security.

India must constantly reinforce the nature and extent of Canadas support to Sikh extremism, only then will the global security architecture realise the challenge that India is facing.

If at the end of the day, India finds it necessary, it should exercise the option of cutting diplomatic relations with Canada on the grounds of national security.

(Image and text courtesy: Khasalvox.com.)
Guru Purnima 2024 date, history, rituals: Guru Purnima is a very important day in Hinduism because it honours Gurus or teachers. Guru Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Ashadha, this year is July 21, 2024. On this day, devotees thank their spiritual and intellectual gurus for their guidance and wisdom. The celebration of Guru Purnima is not just about traditional rituals; it is about acknowledging the profound impact that our teachers have on our lives. From spiritual guides to academic mentors, Gurus play a crucial role in shaping our paths and helping us grow. Whether you follow Hindu traditions, practice Buddhism, or simply wish to honour the teachers in your life, Guru Purnima is a day to express gratitude and respect.



Guru Purnima 2024: Date and Time

Guru Purnima 2024 date Sunday, July 21 Purnima Tithi Begins July 20, 2024, at 05:59 PM Purnima Tithi Ends July 21, 2024 at 03:46 PM

The Significance of Guru Purnima

Guru Purnima celebrates the Guru, the person who enlightens us with their teachings and knowledge. A Guru guides us on the path of light, helping us overcome ignorance and confusion. They play a crucial role in shaping us into good human beings and often serve as spiritual guides who impart deep spiritual knowledge.

Parents are also considered our first Gurus, providing us with foundational guidance and support. Their blessings are invaluable in navigating the right path in life.

The History of Guru Purnima

According to Hindu mythology, Sage Vyasa, a revered figure and son of Sage Parashar, was born on this auspicious day. He is credited with editing the Vedas into four parts to make spiritual knowledge more accessible. Thus, Guru Purnima is also known as Vyasa Purnima, honouring this ancient Guru's contributions.

Celebrations of Guru Purnima in Hinduism

Hindus celebrate Guru Purnima by chanting mantras, singing devotional songs, and reciting the Guru Gita, a holy text. Offerings such as flowers, gifts, and 'prasad' are made to honour the Guru. In many ashrams, a sandalwood puja is conducted, believed to represent Sage Vyasa's sandals. Devotees often visit their spiritual Gurus to rededicate their spiritual paths.

Guru Purnima in Buddhism

Buddhists observe Guru Purnima by conducting 'Uposatha,' a ritual honouring the eight teachings of the Buddha. Many monks begin their meditation journeys and other ascetic practices on this day, following the teachings of the Buddha.

Guru Purnima 2024: Rituals to Follow

Early Morning Blessings: Wake up early and seek blessings from your parents and elder siblings by touching their feet.

Wake up early and seek blessings from your parents and elder siblings by touching their feet. Sun Prayers: After bathing, offer prayers to Lord Surya.

After bathing, offer prayers to Lord Surya. Worship Lord Ganesha: As the giver of knowledge and wisdom, worship Lord Ganesha.

As the giver of knowledge and wisdom, worship Lord Ganesha. Visit Your Spiritual Guru: If you have a spiritual Guru, visit them to express gratitude and receive blessings.

If you have a spiritual Guru, visit them to express gratitude and receive blessings. Offerings: Offer clothes, shoes, fruits, and 'Dakshina' (monetary gifts).

Offer clothes, shoes, fruits, and 'Dakshina' (monetary gifts). Recite the Guru Mantra: Chanting the Guru Mantra is an integral part of the rituals.

Guru Purnima 2024: Shloka

Guru Gobind Dau Khade Kake Laagu Paye, Balihari Guru Aapno Govind Diyo Bataye..!!

Guru'r Brhama Guru'r Vishnu Guru'r Devo Maheshwara, Guru's Sakshaat Par Brahma Tasmaye Shri Guruve Namah..!!

Guru Purnima Wishes, Messages, Greetings and Quotes on Guru Purnima 2024

Happy Guru Purnima! There will be no darkness in your life when you have the light of your gurus' blessings and teachings.

Wish you a Happy Guru Purnima! Be thankful to those who helped you find yourself.

Thank you for making my life meaningful.

Happy Guru Purnima! Today is a day to be grateful, humble, and to smile.

On this special day of Guru Purnima, let's promise to follow our Guru's teachings throughout our lives.

Today is a perfect day to honor all the gurus in our lives.

May the divine blessings of your gurus fill you with knowledge, wisdom, and inner peace. Happy Guru Purnima to you and your loved ones!

On Guru Purnima, I offer my deepest respect and gratitude to all the teachers who have inspired me and taught me to love learning. Thank you for being my guiding light!

Today, I honour and thank all the teachers and gurus who have shaped my life and guided me. Happy Guru Purnima!

May your path be lit by the knowledge and blessings of your gurus, leading you to success and happiness. Wishing you a joyful Guru Purnima!

On this special day of Guru Purnima, I bow to my gurus and thank them deeply for their guidance and wisdom. Happy Guru Purnima!

Guru Purnima is a day of deep reverence and gratitude towards those who impart knowledge and wisdom, guiding us through the journey of life. Remember to honour your Gurus and follow these rituals to celebrate this auspicious day.

FAQs:

Q. What is the importance of Guru Purnima in Hinduism?

Guru Purnima is important in Hinduism as it honours Gurus (teachers) who guide and enlighten people with knowledge and wisdom.

Q. When is Guru Purnima 2024 and what are its timings?

Guru Purnima 2024 is on July 21st. The Purnima Tithi starts on July 20, 2024, at 5:59 PM and ends on July 21, 2024, at 3:46 PM.

Q. What rituals are performed on Guru Purnima?

Rituals include seeking blessings from elders, offering prayers to Lord Surya, worshipping Lord Ganesha for wisdom, visiting spiritual Gurus, making offerings like clothes and fruits, and reciting the Guru Mantra.

Q. Who is Sage Vyasa and why is Guru Purnima also called Vyasa Purnima?

Sage Vyasa edited the Vedas into four parts. Guru Purnima is also called Vyasa Purnima to honour his contributions to spiritual knowledge.

Q. How do Buddhists observe Guru Purnima?

Buddhists observe Guru Purnima by performing the 'Uposatha' ritual to honour Buddha's teachings. Monks start meditation practices and other spiritual activities on this day.

For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events.


While the world can sometimes be harsh, there are kind-hearted people who make it feel like a better place. For this British vlogger couple visiting India, one particular experience made them exclaim, "Patna could be my favourite place."

The viral video shows the couple asking an e-rickshaw driver about the fare, only to be quoted an exorbitant amount.



However, the situation quickly turned around when an elderly man intervened.

Speaking in the local language, he negotiated with the driver, urging him to agree or risk losing the fare to another auto.

Credit: Instagram

After some discussion, the elderly man secured a fair price of Rs 100 for the ride.



As they settled into the e-rickshaw, the kind man reminded the vloggers not to pay more than the agreed amount and advised the driver to treat them well as guests, ensuring they reached their destination safely.

Also read: Watch: Indian Cobbler Helps Stranded Russian Woman Caught In A 'Difficult Situation'



At the end of the video, one of the vloggers explained the incident, saying, "I think Patna could be my favourite place. The people are so nice and helpful. Not many people speak English here, so a kind local saw we were a little stuck with a tuk-tuk driver and kind of gave him a little bit of a lecture. I heard the word 'guest' so I think he was saying dont try and rip our guests off."

The caption accompanying the video read, "This Is How They Treat You in Patna, India."

Watch the video here:

In the comments, people praised the elderly man.

One person wrote, "Bihar is more than what's portrayed in Bollywood and OTT web series. The people here are incredibly kind and helpful, and there's a genuine sense of innocence and closeness among them. I urge everyone to visit Bihar once, experience the warmth of its people firsthand, and witness the genuine connection that permeates the atmosphere. It'll definitely change your perception of Bihar and Biharis."

Another commented, "Uncle is a real gem. Uncle ji embodies the meaning of 'atithi devo bhava.'"

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
No less than seven people were killed on Saturday after two suspected suicide bombers attacked some wedding guests at Marrarraban Gwoza in Borno State.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, many of the victims were said to be returning from a wedding ceremony when the first suicide bomber detonated her explosive near a motor park.

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Makama said the suicide bomber was identified as a lady in her early 20s, adding that the injured ones were taken to the hospital in Gwoza.

READ ALSO: Troops Rescue Seven Women, Nine Children From Terrorists In Borno

Another bomber, who was said to have disguised as a mourner, detonated an explosive in Gwoza Local Government Area (LGA) as residents were preparing for the burial of those killed in the first attack.



The publication disclosed that one person died and 16 others were injured during the attack.

Meanwhile, Yusuf Lawal, the State Commissioner of police, confirmed the incident.

To this end, the military imposed a curfew in Gwoza LGA to enable them secure the town from any further threat.
The Lagos State Police Command has detained a 36-year-old man for allegedly attempting to flee with his boss car after dropping her off at the market.

SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Commands spokesperson, verified this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

Hundeyin stated that the complainant, whose identity was not provided, reported the theft of the car, a Lexus ES 350 with registration number EXY 950 FZ, including her laptop, at the command at around 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday.

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After dropping her off at Tejuosho Market in Yaba, the bosss car was allegedly driven away by the unidentified driver, according to Hundeyin.

READ MORE: Sexual Assault: Appeal Court Affirms 5-Year Conviction Of Baba Ijesha

On getting this report, police detectives trailed the suspect to Shubiri Road, Ojo where he was arrested and the car recovered.

The suspect will be charged to court on the conclusion of the investigation, he said.
The Obasanjo Trailer Park in Ogere along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway axis of Ogun State has been engulfed by fire on Saturday.

It was gathered that one tanker and several makeshift shops were also destroyed by the inferno which started about 11pm.

An eyewitness, identified as Musa, told PUNCH that the fire emanated from one of the shops before burning the truck, which was under repair at the park.

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Musa revealed that it was the combined efforts of occupants in the area that brought the fire under control.

READ MORE: Suspected Gunmen Rob Travellers, Set Bus On Fire In Ogun (Video)

He said: The fire started about 11 pm when we were already sleeping.

I just heard a loud blast and before we realised what was happening, there was a fire outbreak.

People around used buckets to fetch water from the gutter to quench the fire because there were no firefighters nearby.


Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigerias economy is experiencing turbulence but it is not limited to the country.

Shettima spoke at a one-day town hall meeting organised by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) held in Abuja on Friday.

Outlining the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was the Governor of Lagos state, Shettima said the country needs to be fair to him.

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His words: This is a man we need to rally round and support. Yes, our economy is going through turbulence but is it confined to Nigeria alone? Lets take a global picture.

Is any economy immune from the challenges of the times? So, I ask you to be fair to this poor man.

There is no doubt that every thriving economy grows from the quality of reforms adopted to offer the people avenues to translate their business ideas into formidable enterprises.

Speaking further, Shettima said PEBEC is an enabler for the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

READ ALSO: FG Can Double Revenue Without Heavy Taxes  Oyedele

Our role requires a unified and collaborative effort across the councils and MDAs and we can not afford to look away.

The long-term success of PEBEC hinges on our ability to institutionalise reforms capabilities, foster deep collaboration across government and maintain a commitment to continuous improvements, he said

He said the current reforms must become ingrained in public institutions.

By doing so, we kept the way for sustained progress and lasting impact that would outlive us all, creating a better Nigeria for our children and their children afterwards, Shettima said.

He said the government must be driven by every citizen who aspires to grow businesses and who looks to the government for prosperity.

According to the Vice-President, these are peculiar times for developing solutions to improve the ease of doing business.

Shettima said Nigeria is the future of Africa and the burden is not only on leaders but on everyone to achieve set goals.


Former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has opined that the insecurity the north is grappling with was worse under the administration ex-President Muhammadu Buhari than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He stated this while speaking at the 40th anniversary and Reunion of 84 set of Kagara Old Boys Association, an association of old students of Government Science College, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

The event held at Ahmadu Bahago Secondary school, Minna on Saturday.

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Sani, who said the meeting was to allow the old boys share memories and brainstorm on how to see to reopening of the school, said security challenges would be completely addressed if government shows the desired commitment.

The college has been shut down since the invasion of the school by bandits in 2021 where which some were abducted during the incident.

His words: The security challenges would be over in the whole country because what we have now is better than the one we had during the Buhari administration. There are every evidence that many of the top terrorists have been eliminated by our security forces. And if you compare what we are having today to what we have had yesterday, it is still the best.

READ ALSO: Troops Nab 47 Suspected Rail Track Vandals In Kaduna

Under Buhari administration, we had series of attacks on schools including attacks on Green Field University, Kaduna, Bathel Batist school, Kaduna, Government Science College, Kagara, Federal Government Girls College, Yauri, Federal School of agricultural Mechanisation, Mando, Government Secondary school, Kankara, Government Secondary school, Jangibe, all under Buhari administration. So, we are hopeful that things would be better.

Sani said while he supported the temporary relocation of Government Science College, Kagara, as suggested by the Niger State Government, the school should be moved back to Kagara as soon as the security situation in the area improves.

It is unfortunate that the schools that produced some of the best hands in the history of this country are today the ruins of what they used to be. We must tell ourselves the fundamental truth that as long as we dont provide education for our own young ones, we would be creating a force that we would not be able to contain in future.

Northern Nigeria must take education seriously; we lag behind in education; we have the highest number of out of school children today. The activities of bandits and terrorists have destroyed the education fabrics and basis of northern Nigeria.

The school we used to call our own has been deserted because bandits have once attacked the school and took hostage of students and some teachers, he added.
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, on Saturday, promised to retrieve over N5.4 billion workers pension funds unremitted by the previous administration in the State.

Yusuf stated this during the flag-off of the payment of N5 billion in gratuities to 4000 retirees in the state.

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He stressed that payment of pension was not a privilege but a right.

According to him, it is unacceptable for anybody to deduct workers monthly pension contributions without remitting the funds to the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

READ ALSO: Respect Rule Of Law  Peter Obi To FG, Calls For Nnamdi Kanus Release

He further asked the pensioners to write a petition to the State government demanding an investigation into the non-remittance of their monthly pension contributions by former Governor Abdullahi Gandujes administration in the state.

His words: The debacle we are in now is that all the money deducted from your monthly pension payments, amounting to over N5.4 billion was not remitted to the state treasury. Rather the funds were taken to personal accounts. But we are determined to get them back.

The Governor revealed that he inherited N43 billion in pension arrears from his predecessor.
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested Musa Ibrahim (30) and Ibrahim Danjuma (22), two robbery suspects who attacked a woman in her shop in the Imude area of the states Ojo Local Government Area.

SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the commands public relations officer, confirmed the arrest on his X platform on Sunday.

He said the suspects were arrested with the help of community members.

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READ MORE: Violent Clashes Erupt Between Herders, Farmers In Jigawa, Eight Injured

He wrote, 30-year old Musa Ibrahim and 22-year old Ibrahim Danjuma robbed a woman in her shop at about 11pm in the Imude area of Ojo LGA. The police were alerted and a patrol team from Ilemba Hausa Division swiftly responded.

The suspects were apprehended with the help of community members. A locally made firearm was recovered. Indeed, security is everyones business.

SEE POST:
At least 60 persons have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency during a drug party organised in the Federal Capital Territory on Friday.

It was gathered that the suspects were apprehended at the party, which was said to have been organised by one Stanley Ikechukwu, comprised 25 males and 35 females.

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Disclosing this in a statement made available to the public on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, said that the drug party tagged: Go hard or Go Home. Pick Your Poison, held at an apartment in Sun City estate in the FCT.

READ MORE: NDLEA Confiscates 2,639kg Of Illicit Substances, Secures 30 Convictions In IMO

The statement partly reads: In Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Friday night disrupted a drug party dubbed Go hard or Go Home. Pick Your Poison, where 60 suspects comprising 25 males and 35 females were arrested at an apartment in Sun City estate in the Federal Capital Territory.

The raid followed credible intelligence about the drug party organised by one Stanley Ikechukwu who was arrested at the venue.

At least six of the suspects: Victoria Adoga, Hamza Yari, Joanne Joy, Socchima Valentine, Jago Imole and Charles Indobuibisi were arrested with different quantities of ecstasy and cannabis.

Babafemi said the Chairman of the anti-narcotics agency, Brig. Gen Buba Marwa (retd.) directed that 20 of the suspects who tested negative for drugs be released unconditionally.

He stated that 33 others who tested positive for illicit drugs were to be released on bail and would report at the agencys FCT command on Monday to begin treatment and counselling.
An auto accident on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos on Saturday morning resulted in the loss of a life.

The collision involved a Mini Truck with the license plate number MUS 489 XS and a Toyota Camry with the license plate number KRD 470 JD.

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Preliminary investigations revealed that the accident was caused by excessive speeding during a heavy downpour this morning, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said in a statement.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, in the statement signed by Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, said that three others were rescued at the accident scene.

He said that LASTMA operatives responded swiftly to the accident, which occured near the Unilag waterfront, heading towards the Iyana-Oworonsoki area of Lagos.

READ ALSO: Borno: Seven Killed, Scores Injured As Suicide Bombers Attack Wedding, Burial Ceremony

Giwa said that despite the governments ongoing campaign to educate motorists about speed limits, drivers continued to flout the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.

He urged both commercial bus drivers and private car owners to avoid exceeding speed limits on the Third Mainland Bridge and other roads throughout the state.

Giwa said that the deceased was promptly removed by State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) officials, while LASTMA cleared the accident vehicles to ensure smooth traffic flow on the bridge.

He extended his condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasised the importance of road safety.
Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, a social media activist, has been arrested again by Nigerian police.

Mr. Deji Adeyanju, his attorney, confirmed on Sunday that his client had been arrested once more.

He also said that VeryDarkMan had been detained for exposing a person who had allegedly duped a Nigerian overseas.

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Deji further stated that Verydarkman was taken into custody on the instructions of Commissioner of Police Benneth Igwe, with charges related to defamation.

He wondered why the police arrested the activist instead of going after the person who allegedly duped someone.

The arrest has sparked controversy, with many questioning the polices priorities in handling the situation.

READ MORE: Don Jazzy: BBNaija Star Tolani Baj Alleges Death Threats From Wizkids Fans On Podcast

Taking to his X platform on Sunday, Deji wrote, Our client Verydarkman has just been arrested by the police on the instruction of CP Igwe for exposing someone who allegedly duped a Nigerian abroad. Instead of the police to arrest the person alleged to have duped someone, they arrested VDM on allegation of def@mation.

SEE POST:
Benneth Igweh, Commissioner of Police (CP) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has issued an order prohibiting the use of vehicles without plates.

The development coincided with an increase in armed robbery, sometimes known as one chance, across the territory.

The commands Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, issued a statement on Saturday night ordering that vehicles with one or no plate number be confiscated and the driver detained for prosecution.

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According to the PPRO, the majority of one chance robberies included vehicles with single or no number plates.

READ MORE: Driver Detained For Attempting To Steal Employers Vehicle

The FCT Police Command has observed with serious concern how motorists drive around the territory with single or no number plates and car dealers beyond the stipulated time, which is 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Section 25 (5) of the Federal Capital Territory Road Transport Regulation Act, 2005.

It is no news that several recorded cases of armed robbery, popularly known as one chance, are mostly associated with vehicles with single or no number plates.

This unlawful act has pricked the attention of the populace, who have now begun to question the effectiveness of the police in addressing the menace.

Consequent to the above, the Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh, psc, mni, has given a marching order that vehicles plying the roads with a single or no number plate should be impounded, with the driver arrested and prosecuted.

Also, he warns car dealers against parking their vehicles in an unauthorised parking lot and driving beyond the stipulated time, which is six oclock p.m., as defaulters will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Also, he reiterates that in the effort to ensure the safety and security of residents of FCT, no motorists or car dealers who come in conflict with the substantive laws will be spared. He urges the residents to be vigilant and take advantage of the police emergency lines in reporting suspicious activities through 08032003913, 08028940883, 08061581938, and 07057337653 PCB: 09022222352, CRU: 08107314192.
Police in Lagos State have detained Toibu Hassan, 25, for allegedly possessing a weapon.

SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the states police spokesperson, confirmed the arrest on Saturday in a post on his X handle, @benHundeyin.

He stated that the suspect was apprehended on Saturday in the Agege region of the state.

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READ MORE: BBNaijas TolaniBaj Expresses Frustration With Single Life, Seeks Genuine Love

Today, at 6 am, under the Agege Pen-Cinema Bridge, Toibu Hassan, aged 25, was arrested by officers from Elere Division. When searched, one locally made pistol and one expended cartridge were recovered,  the police spokesperson wrote.

According to him, an investigation is ongoing.


The 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called on the Federal Government to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Obi, who made call while addressing newsmen on Saturday in Onitsha, also demanded the release of other freedom fighters and any #EndSARS protesters still in detention.

This is as the former Anambra State Governor bemoaned the deepening and widespread insecurity in the country, saying no nation can thrive without peace and security.

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Leaders, he said, must do more to provide security for citizens, adding that if nothing was done, the country may become a failed nation.

He said: The primary work of government is the security of lives and property. It is the foundation on which people can live in any nation because no one can stay in an insecure place.

It is worrisome what is happening in Nigeria with the news of killings, abductions and others which has made Nigeria one of the most insecure places on the surface of the earth. Infact, it is leading to a failed nation.

I thank government for their efforts so far, but there is need to do more, and all leaders must come together to join hands and fight this.

Speaking on the continued detention of Kanu, Obi said its illegal to continue to incarcerate him after the courts has ordered that he be released.

I dont see any reason for his continued detention, especially as the courts have granted him bail. Government must obey the court.

READ ALSO: Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu, FG Set To Negotiate Over Terrorism Charges

Rule of law is an intricate asset that we must cherish and live with. I use this opportunity to plead with government to ensure that all those who are in similar conditions are released and discussed with. We are in a democracy and we should not be doing things that are arbitrary and not within the law.

On the protest in Kenya and if he supports Nigerians to do same, he stated that he is against the vandalisation of public assets and properties but he supports peaceful protest.

He said: Im against riot or destruction of government assets and property, because it is still scarce resources that we are going to use to repair them, but Im not against peaceful protests.

Peaceful protest is allowed, but it must be for a reason and not personal interest of some people to satisfy a particular interest. It must be properly articulated and properly directed.

I recall when people said they were protesting police brutality and I said to them no, lets rather deal with the leadership. If we have good leaders, their agents cant be bad. The problem is leadership. If the leaders are competent, have the capacity and do the right thing, their agents will follow their examples.

I want to use this opportunity to say that all those who are being held because of one protest or the other should be released. Whether it is freedom fighters, #EndSARS protesters, or even because of freedom of speech, be it journalists, let them all be released immediately.

We are a democratic country and people have right under the Constitution to express themselves freely. They also have right to peacefully protest and we must listen to them. We must listen to those who say they are not happy, that is why it is a democratic nation. We should stop acting dictatorial and behave as if this is not a democratic country.

I know we are in a state capture, but then, we should act in a manner that shows some decency.
The Nasarawa State Police Command, in coordination with the military, neutralised two armed robbery suspects on Saturday after a gunfight broke out in the states Karu Local Government Area.

DSP Ramhan Nansel, the state Police Public Relations Officer, signed and made this statement accessible to journalists in Lafia.

The statement reads, On 29/6/2024 at about 0310hrs, a distress call was received by the Divisional Police officer, Karshi, about an ongoing armed robbery operation around Karshi by-pass.

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Upon receipt of the information, Police operatives, in collaboration with the military, swiftly moved to the scene. On sighting the security agents, the criminals opened fire on them, and a gun duel ensued.

Consequently, two of the criminals were fatally injured and rushed to the hospital, where they subsequently died while receiving treatment, and others escaped with bullet wounds.

READ MORE: Navy Seizes 12,000 Litres Of Illegally Refined Diesel, Arrests Two Suspects

According to the PPRO, the joint team searched the area further and apprehended two suspects: Yusuf Lawal M, 27 years old and a resident of Nyanya FCT, and Hamza Abdullahi M of Orange Market, Mararaba.

He clarified that the two individuals who were taken into custody in relation to the offence are natives of Bauchi State.

Exhibits recovered from the suspects include: 3 cartridges, 3 Cutlasses, 19 handsets of different brands, 2 Laptops, 9 pairs of shoes, a wristwatch, 1 MP 3 player, 1 power bank, 3 torches, 3 bags, 2 ear pods, a smoother, sachets of Milk and Milo and the sum of two thousand six hundred Naira, Nansel added.

According to the statement, the state Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu Nadada, praised the officers for their efforts and charged them with keeping up the pace in the fight against crime across the states 13 LGAs.
Students in College Horizons present pieces of their Native heritage at the program's closing ceremonies and "traditional night". Niayla Curley, a member of Navajo nation, is left center, and Rhacelyn Respicio, a Native Hawaiian, is right center. Native students from across the country came to the University of Pennsylvania for College Horizons to learn about the college admissions process. Read more

According to the most recent U.S. Census, there are only 27 American Indian or Alaska Native people living in State College, Pa. One of them is Lilith Thompson, a rising high school senior and member of the Cherokee nation.

Most of what Thompson knows about what it means to be Cherokee comes from her mother and her family. She and her mother have taken Cherokee language lessons together, and visited her family in Oklahoma who still live on their allotted land. But outside of those lessons from her grandparents and great-uncle, she hasnt spent much time with many other Native people, including those her age.

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Until this past week.

Thompson joined nearly 100 other Native high school students from across the country at the University of Pennsylvania for College Horizons, a program designed to prepare Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students to apply to college.

Over the course of the week, the rising junior and senior students learned from admissions representatives and faculty members from other colleges and universities about the ins and outs of the application process, and connected with each other over their Indigenous heritage.

Native students are traditionally underrepresented in American colleges and universities  according to research from the Postsecondary National Policy Institute, only 22% of Native Americans aged 18 to 24 were enrolled in college, compared with 40% of the overall population.

At College Horizons, the students and staff discussed what it is like for Native students to transition into college, and how to thrive and find community once they are there.

Its been amazing. Ive never really had something like this and its just been really informative and Ive learned so much. Ive met people who are Navajo, Ive met people who are Lumbee, and I met people who are [from the] Cherokee Nation, Thompson said.

Its just very fascinating to see all of our different backgrounds, and to see it doesnt matter who you are, the pressures that weve had, were all ... family here. Its very empowering.

Nation building

Penn has hosted College Horizons twice before, in 2012 and 2018. The program began in New Mexico in 1998, but has grown to host multiple summer sessions at different universities, and serves about 200 students a year.

At Penns College Horizons this past week, students came from 19 states and 33 tribal nations, Alaskan Native villages or Hawaiian Islands.

We get students from all walks of life in Indian country. Indian country is vast, said Christine Suina, program coordinator for College Horizons.

Weve got students who come from the reservation, who know their language, their culture. Weve got other students whose families moved to urban areas, to cities, to suburbs.

The students were split into groups of about a dozen each, and throughout the week they spent time with volunteer counselors who taught them what they will need for the demanding application process. From sharpening their essays and meeting with admissions representatives at a college fair, to learning about financial aid and how to strategize early decision versus regular decision, Suina said that the students left with all of the tools they need to be strong applicants.

But at the same time, she explained that while the focus of the program is on the next few years of the students lives, College Horizons also holds a longer view for their impacts.

 READ MORE: Whats stopping more Native Americans from graduating college? The cost, a landmark study finds.

Our program is really about nation building. Many of our students, they become the first doctors, lawyers, professors [in their families]. Some of the people in our program become the movers and the shakers of Indian country, she said.

What were working on is helping the students tell their story of who they are, where they come from, knowing that these students are going to go back to their communities and help their people and their families survive [as] weve survived all of these years.

Tina P. Fragoso, coordinator of Native American recruitment at Penn, said that even for someone like her, who has worked with College Horizons for years, bringing so many Native students together makes it the best week of our lives.

For me, to see a courtyard full of Native students, I can never unsee that again. A lot of these students, they may have come from small communities where theyre [the] only [Native] one, or they might come from communities where everybodys the same tribe, she said.

To end the week, the program held a traditional night, where students were invited to show each other pieces of their own Native heritage, including song, dance and important cultural objects.

Theyre all coming here and seeing other people that are committed to education, who are leaders in their community, and theyre going to be their colleagues. ... I think it really sets them up for whats going to happen next in our world.

Who will tell Native stories?

Grace Beard, a member of the Lumbee Nation of North Carolina and a rising senior from Warren, N.J., has been hearing about College Horizons for years. Both of her older siblings went through the program; they raved about the experience meeting other Native students for the first time, and used what they learned to get into Penn and Yale. There was a lot of hype to live up to, but her experience has been just as memorable as her brother and sisters.

Honestly, this is definitely one of the best experiences Ive had, she said.

Coming into the program, Beard was scared that she would be judged for not being Native enough. She doesnt live on a reservation and she is white-passing; outside of her family, she doesnt know a single Native person from her hometown or the schools shes attended.

But that fear quickly went away once she met other Native students whose experiences have been just like hers, and who have dealt with feelings of isolation and endured microaggressions.

I have never had the opportunity to be around this many Native people before besides tribal gatherings. And ... its really nice to be able to talk to other people about struggles that youve never been able to talk to anyone about before, she said.

The college application prep has eased her stress, too. Beard feels more confident about studying for standardized tests now, and said that working with the programs essay specialist has helped unlock a section of her brain.

Shes not sure yet of what exactly she will study in college, but knows that she wants to use what she learns to tell Native perspectives and stories.

If I dont do it and if other native people arent going to do it, then whos going to do it? Who is going to tell these Native stories if you dont take it into your own hands? she said.

In a way, its decolonizing the world to share these stories of perseverance after colonization and how so much effort was put to push my people down [yet] were still here and were still resilient.
The construction site at 2330 Sansom St. where worker Siarhei Marhunou died after falling 50 feet from a balcony in 2021. A jury has awarded his estate $68.5 million. Read more

A Philadelphia jury has awarded $68.5 million to the estate of a construction worker who was killed in a fall while working at a construction site in Center City three years ago.

Siarhei Marhunou, 38, died in December 2021 after falling nearly 50 feet from a balcony of a five-unit townhouse development at 2330 Sansom St. Months after his death, in May 2022, Marhunous widow and estate administrator, Hanna Marhunova, filed a lawsuit against OCF Construction LLC, Fitler Construction Group, and 2330 Sansom Street LLC, all of which are affiliated with Philadelphia developer Ori Feibush.

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Subcontractors on the project, HSC Construction Inc. and Hammers Contractors Inc., were also named as defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

Marhunou, who had recently immigrated to Philadelphia from Belarus at the time of his death, had been working on a fifth-floor balcony of the development installing siding ahead of the accident, according to court documents. During his work, he was suddenly and unexpectedly caused to fall, and came into contact with a temporary wooden guardrail attached to the balcony, the complaint claims.

The railing was allegedly grossly inadequate [and] defectively installed, and gave way, resulting in Marhunous fall, the complaint alleges. Marhunou, who was working for an independent contractor for siding company DPSY Inc., which was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, was also not equipped with a personal fall-arrest system at the time of the accident.

As a direct and proximate result of the carelessness, negligence, gross negligence, recklessness and other liability-producing conduct of the defendants, plaintiff was forced to suffer fatal injuries, the complaint alleges.

Attorneys for Marhunous family claimed that OCF Construction served as general contractor on the project, and was primarily responsible for the job site conditions contributing to the accident that ended in the construction workers death. The defendants, the complaint argued, should have known that workers like Marhunou were regularly required to work in areas that exposed them to fall hazards, and that fall protection was required to ensure their safety.

In court documents, OCF Constructions attorneys denied that it was the projects general contractor or construction manager, and maintained that Fitler Construction Group filled that role. The Inquirer previously reported that DPSY was a subcontractor of Hammers Construction, which itself worked under Fitler Construction. Feibush last year said that he typically fires contractors he finds subbing out work, noting thats where accidents happen more often than not, but added that policing job sites remains difficult.

While nothing can make the family whole, I am hopeful the verdict, in addition to the previous settlements will allow the family to begin to rebuild their lives, Feibush said in a statement. Several defendants settled with Marhunous family ahead of the trial, including two companies affiliated with Feibush, according to the Legal Intelligencer.

After a four-day trial, the jury issued a verdict allocating 50% of fault in the incident to OCF Construction, and another 20% each to Fitler Construction and 2230 Sansom Street LLC. The remaining 10% was split between the projects subcontractors, which are not affiliated with Feibush, court documents indicate.

Management of the construction project was a labyrinth of corporate structure designed to protect the developers, said Marhunou estate attorney Jeffrey Goodman, of Philadelphia-based firm Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky. Instead, construction projects need to be set up to protect workers. The jury saw through OCFs shell games.

An attorney representing OCF Construction did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The jurys $68.5 million award was split between Marhunous estate, and his wife and 3-year-old son as individuals, according to court records.
Philadelphia's Vision Zero plan found that 50% of the traffic-related deaths and severe injuries occurred on just 12% of Philadelphias streets. The city must do more to rein in reckless drivers, writes the Editorial Board. Read more

Years ago, the average speed of motorists along Kelly Drive reached 55 miles per hour. Despite reducing the speed limit to 25 mph recently, drivers still treat the twisting road as if they are on the Formula 1 circuit.

The reckless racing along Kelly Drive and throughout Philadelphia coincides with a steep drop in traffic citations. Over the last 25 years, the city police essentially stopped issuing traffic tickets.

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During that time, the number of tickets handed out declined 91%, according to an Inquirer analysis of court data. About a half million citations were given in 1998 compared with just 45,000 last year, records show.

No surprise, the lack of enforcement has resulted in more crashes and deaths.

 READ MORE: Traffic safety measures work. Why is Philadelphia so slow in implementing them? | Editorial

On Tuesday, two motorists died in a head-on collision on North Broad Street. Hours later, a pedestrian was killed by a shuttle bus on South Front Street near Washington Avenue.

In recent months, three police officers have been injured in traffic incidents. One police officer was struck June 23 by a hit-and-run driver in North Philadelphia. Earlier this month, an officer on a police dirt bike was hit by a motorist making a U-turn in Juniata Park. In April, a person driving a red quad intentionally hit an officer traveling on a motorbike near the Walt Whitman Bridge and sped away.

Philadelphia ranks among the worst big cities to drive in. It is also one of the deadliest. Phillys auto-related fatalities are triple the rate of New York City and double the rate of Boston, according to a 2023 city traffic study report.

Thankfully, the number of deaths has been dropping.

So far this year, 45 people have been killed in traffic collisions involving motor vehicles, 19 of them were pedestrians, according to the Philadelphia Police Departments Statistical Unit.

The number of vehicle crashes and pedestrian deaths through the first six months of this year are down compared to the same period in recent years. There were 58 deaths during the first half of last year and 63 in 2022.

In all, Philadelphia is on pace to have the lowest traffic and pedestrian deaths since 2019. The decrease in deaths coincides with the citys effort to force drivers to slow down.

In 2017, the Kenney administration unveiled Vision Zero, an action plan modeled after a successful effort to improve traffic safety first implemented in Sweden and adopted by other American cities.

The plan found that 50% of the traffic-related deaths and severe injuries occurred on just 12% of Philadelphias streets. And 53% of the traffic deaths were the result of aggressive driving, including speeding.

The implementation of red-light cameras along Roosevelt Boulevard changed drivers behavior and forced them to slow down along one of the citys deadliest roads. The result has been a 36% drop in crashes.

The expected addition of speed cameras along Broad Street should help reduce speeding, running red lights and other reckless driving along one of the citys main arteries. The same goes for the recent traffic calming measures that residents clamored for along Lincoln Drive.

Similar steps are needed in other parts of the city with high rates of collisions and deaths. But the Parker administration appears to be going the wrong way.

 READ MORE: Traffic safety, Washington Ave., and a new way of thinking about urban planning | Editorial

Despite the recent success in reducing traffic deaths, Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers budget slashed funding for Vision Zero by 60%, from $2.5 million to $1 million. The decrease in funding comes as Philadelphia needs to do more  not less  to make the citys streets safer for motorists and pedestrians.

Parker should not abandon good ideas just because they came from a previous administration. After all, she promised a safer, cleaner and greener city. Enforcing traffic laws should be part of her safety initiatives.

To be sure, police officers are writing more tickets after years of looking the other way. The department has issued 10,000 more traffic tickets this year compared to the same period last year, according to Deputy Commissioner Michael Cram.

But that remains minuscule compared to enforcement efforts years ago. The city must do more to rein in reckless motorists who believe they can drive with impunity. Setting the tone for safety starts at the top.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during an interview with Inquirer Worldview columnist Trudy Rubin inside the presidential palace in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 24. Read more

KYIV, Ukraine  When President Volodymyr Zelensky walked into the high-ceilinged, ornate conference room in the presidential office building, the exhaustion on his face was so stark I almost felt guilty about taking his time.

Wearing his trademark black T-shirt and olive drab pants, and arriving after a morning of security meetings, he appeared to be carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. That may literally be the truth: The future of Western democracies rests heavily on what happens to Ukraine.

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In a wide-ranging interview last week, Zelensky laid out how Ukraine could still win if the West can lose its fear of Vladimir Putin and recognize the Russian leaders weakness.

Zelensky defined what victory would mean. And he insisted that direct peace talks with Moscow wouldnt end the war but would encourage further Russian aggression against Ukraine, Europe  and America.

It is impossible to help Ukraine with one hand and shake Putins hand with the other, Zelensky insisted. It will not work. It is not just a question of the West protecting Ukraine, he stressed. It is Ukraine which protects all of the democratic countries that Putin will attack further on.

 READ MORE: Ukraines head of military intelligence is behind Kyivs biggest victories this year. He sees no point in peace talks | Trudy Rubin

I entered the presidential offices through a heavily sandbagged rear building door and walked down long silent corridors. All electronics, including cell phones, were banned from the visit as a safety measure. There have been numerous Russian attempts to assassinate Zelensky, the most recent in May when Ukrainian intelligence busted a network of Russian agents aiming to take the president hostage and kill him.

It has been a rough few months for the Ukrainian leader. His forces stopped a Russian offensive in the north but Putins troops are still advancing slowly in the east. The ground war is essentially stalemated.

But the tech-savvy Ukrainians have been making astonishing advances in drone warfare, which have brought the war home to Russia and driven the Kremlins ships out of occupied Crimean ports on the Black Sea and back to Russian bases.

The biggest [current] issue is with glide bombs, Zelensky told me, referring to Moscows recent use of thousands of bombs each month that can be released at a great distance from their target, protecting the launching aircraft from antiaircraft defenses. So you need to search for long-range solutions against their aerodromes where their military aircraft land, which Russia uses to launch glide bombs and missiles.

If President Joe Biden would let Ukraine use long-range U.S. missiles such as the recently delivered ATACMS to hit those airports in Russia, then the attacks could be prevented, Zelensky said. But so far that permission has not been granted. Ukraines innovative, home-produced long-range drones are hitting those airports but dont have the power of missiles.

Biden recently gave permission for shorter-range U.S. missiles to be used just across the Ukrainian border where Russian troops were massing, which halted the Russian offensive toward Kharkiv.

But that doesnt solve our issues, Zelensky told me. It is tactical, not strategic.

I asked Zelensky whether he believed Biden wanted Ukraine to achieve victory.

Yes, he answered quickly. I think that for the United States it is important and for Europe and for many countries. But we can have different ideas toward the word victory.

The West wanted to deny Putin the opportunity to fully occupy Ukraine and to put the aggressor in his place. I think for them it is the victory already, Zelensky said.

But for us, he continued, growing emotional, for the people at the front line who lost their brothers at arms, the civilians who lost their relatives, those who fled abroad but have husbands on the front line  for us, victory is a moment of satisfaction.

We are grateful that the West did not let Russia occupy us [fully], but we need justice.

In other words, Zelensky, who still maintains a 60% popularity rating among Ukrainians, must listen to the voices of his people and his soldiers, who wont accept surrendering one fifth of their land to Russia after all they have suffered. That burden is visible in the lines on his face.

In practical terms, the first part of Zelenskys real victory is not to allow the full destruction of everything Ukrainian by Putin.

In Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia, Moscow tries to wipe out use of the Ukrainian language, the Ukrainian church, and the teaching of Ukrainian history. Children are taught that Ukraine was never a legitimate state.

 READ MORE: Ukraines volunteer spirit buoys its fight against Russia | Trudy Rubin

Putins true and imperialistic aim in invading Ukraine is to rebuild the historic Russian empire  by physical force or political subversion. Zelensky described how Russia is already pursuing that goal elsewhere: in Belarus, Georgia, and next stop  if the West doesnt push back against Putin  in the Baltic states, which are NATO members. By bombing Ukraines cities he is trying to make the country unlivable and drive out the population.

The second part of real victory, Zelensky specified, is security for today and for future Ukrainian generations, and the impossibility of the repetition of aggression.

We should be in the European Union for economic security. And we should be in NATO for physical security. If we dont have these two, there is a huge risk for us that the enemy will come back, he said. Ukraine has been invited to start EU accession talks, but the process is lengthy.

Yet Zelensky fears that the West  especially the United States  is still leery of pushing for real victory. Everybody is still afraid that Russia can split apart, everybody is afraid of what will happen to Russia without Putin and whether it will stay as it is or get worse.

As a result, he said, Putin is free to pursue his strategy of taking as much as possible. Any step forward on our territory, any occupation, any village even fully destroyed is positive for them, because it is important for them to bargain as much as possible, he noted.

At the opportune moment (especially if Donald Trump wins the presidency), Putin can then say we are ready [for talks] and while they are ready, they always need a pause.

A cease-fire is the best option for the Russians so they can prepare for taking even more, Zelensky said.

Putins victory would be incompatible with life for Ukraine, Zelensky told me. Bit by bit, they are washing away Ukrainian independence. They take territory, then legislate [to annex it] or invent economic or security unions with Moscow, and then they dissolve the country in this mud, in this Russian mud.

That is why we need to be strong, not to lose our country.

I asked Zelensky how Ukraine could overcome Russias superiority in manpower and weapons.

His reply was clear. And from what I saw in my two weeks in Ukraine  including a visit to the eastern front line  it makes sense.

First of all, manpower. Really, they have much more people, and really, we are taking care of our people more. But today we have one dead Ukrainian for six Russians on the eastern and northern fronts, he said.

British intelligence sources say the Russians are now losing 1,200 men a day, the highest rate of the entire war. Even for a Russian military that treats soldiers like cannon fodder, this ratio is untenable.

Second, Zelensky explained, this is a different kind of war, a war of technologies, and the one who is more technologically advanced can win. That means the West must deny the Russians the opportunity to develop the manufacture of drones (including copies of Iranian Shaheds) and missiles, by preventing Russia from dodging sanctions on chips and spare parts that come from European allies  and from China.

Third, Ukraine is already producing advanced drones and racing toward production of advanced missiles. But we need funding so that we can be more technologically developed than Russia, Zelensky said. This presents great opportunities for joint production with Western governments or private firms.

And fourth, further sanctions on Russias oil and gas exports are needed, which would mean that in 2025, the Russian economy will be shrinking and will force Putin to raise taxes and skimp on social benefits for the public.

 READ MORE: U.S., allies must stop playing Patriot games with Ukraine | Trudy Rubin

Whats the scariest for him is a dissatisfied Russian society, Zelensky said. That is the nuclear weapon against a nuclear Putin. As soon as the West stops being afraid of Russia after Putin, Russia without Putin will happen more quickly. His circle around him will feel that.

The only possible negotiations Zelensky envisions would be talks based on his own peace plan calling for full withdrawal from Ukraine, reparations and justice for Russian war crimes.

But what about Trump, who wants to cut off military aid to Ukraine and says the can war can be over in 24 hours? The GOP presidential candidate has said hed demand a cease-fire from both sides and force them to negotiate, effectively giving Putin what he wants and preventing Ukraine from taking back more occupied land. Not to mention that Putin has broken every accord between Russia and Ukraine in the last three decades.

If Trump has such a model [to end the war in 24 hours], well, everyone would like to finalize the war. Maybe even in one hour would be better, Zelensky joked. But if the idea is to give up our territories, no, it will not solve the issue. It will not work; it will not lead to peace [globally] or between Ukraine and Russia.

What is needed is to give us security. Membership in NATO is good not only for Ukraine; it would provide security for Russia, Zelensky said. The Ukrainian border would be fixed, no further Russian invasion could cause another war, and the world wouldnt be afraid that Putin would come back again.

Sadly, the upcoming 75th NATO anniversary summit July 9-11 in Washington will not offer Ukraine a clear path to membership. We understand that the White House is not ready to give us the invitation, Zelensky said with a weary shrug. And Trump is saying the war is NATOs fault.

Unfortunately, this is the policy of one step forward, two steps back, the Ukrainian leader said, regretfully. I dont think this is the policy of world leaders. These are the very cautious steps of my de-miners in the minefield.

If the United States is afraid to annoy Putin, and this is the reason why we are not invited, then we ask our strategic partners to give us what would protect us: Patriots [anti-missile systems], a substantial number of F-16s, and the opportunity to use weapons [inside Russia].

If NATO is not ready to protect us, and to take us into the alliance, Zelensky said firmly, then we ask NATO to give us everything so we can protect ourselves.

At this moment, Putin smells American weakness and hopes for a Trump presidency that could cut off Ukraine and abandon NATO. Meanwhile, Putin is allied with Iran, North Korea, and China, which sees the fate of Ukraine as a litmus test for whether it can seize Taiwan. So it would be catastrophic if the White House failed to provide Ukraine with everything it needed  before the November election.

Watching the bone-tired Zelensky exit the conference room, bereft of the full backing he needs to defeat Putin, was painful, because Ukraine could still repel Russia. But that would require Biden to display the level of courage that Ukraines president must summon every day.
In what may be a quite active and uncomfortable Sunday in the Philly region, strong thunderstorms are possible, along with heat indexes in the triple digits, the National Weather Service says.

The governments Storm Prediction Center had Philly and its neighboring Pennsylvania counties under a severe thunderstorm watch Saturday night; however, the storms evidently had spent their ferocity well to the west of the city.

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Forecasters warned that the atmosphere would remain volatile and well-juiced on Sunday.

All that moisture in the air is forecast to make it quite uncomfortable, even if clouds keep temperatures from poking into the 90s, forecasters said.

But better days are coming, as soon as Monday.

Monday, Tuesday and perhaps even Wednesday are expected to be dry, gorgeous, and temperate, with highs in the 80s, said Sarah Johnson, the warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

But this being summer, and this being Philly, heat and humidity are forecast to arrive just in time for the July Fourth celebration, she said. While it may be uncomfortable, she said, it wont be the intensity of the heat during the hot spell that ended Monday.

Beyond next week, the governments Climate Prediction Center is calling for above-normal temperatures through July 12, with the odds favoring above-normal warmth through the summer.

A severe-thunderstorm warning was in effect Saturday night for parts of Montgomery and Bucks Counties, and a storm watch was up until 11 p.m. for Philadelphia and its neighboring Pennsylvania counties, the weather service said.

Shortly before 8:30, the weather service said that a storm capable of generating gusts to 60 mph was expected to affect northern Montgomery and central Bucks Counties, including Pottstown, Doylestown, and Schwenksville, said forecasters in the Mount Holly office.

Storms were likely on what may be a quite active Sunday in the Philly region, the agency said, adding that a heat advisory was in effect for heat indexes in triple digits.

All the moisture in the air is forecast to make it quite uncomfortable, even if clouds keep temperatures from poking into the 90s, forecasters said.
Chris Walley, 29, grew up in Glanmire, Co Cork. He studied acting at RADA in London. In 2016, he starred in his first movie, The Young Offenders, and in its follow-on television series. He won a Laurence Olivier Award for his stage performance in a revival of Martin McDonaghs The Lieutenant of Inishmore in Londons West End in 2019. He is acting in The Sugar Wife at Dublins Abbey Theatre until 20 July. See: www.abbeytheatre.ie.

Love/Hate

Laurence Kinlan as Elmo and Tom Vaughan Lawlor as Nidge in Love/Hate

Growing up, Love/Hate was appointment viewing. All week, I waited for it, until it came along every Sunday evening. It was such a well-made show: amazing writing and direction, brilliant acting. It was all-encompassing. It had everything going for it. Tom Vaughan-Lawler can't put a foot wrong. He's an incredible actor. He was riveting as Nidge. You didn't know what he was going to next. You couldn't help but be at the edge of your seat looking at him. He brought such energy to the role.

The Sopranos

I watched The Sopranos over lockdown. Its an obligation to watch it, a rite of passage. Watching that was like an education. I watched it and loved it. It felt like a necessary part of my life  that I couldnt exist here on Earth without watching The Sopranos. James Gandolfini was utterly amazing in it.

Son of Rambow

Son of Rambow is about two kids who make a short film. Its Will Poulters first film. He must have been about 10 in it. It's about a Mormon that moves into a town and the local bully takes him in at school and says, You're gonna be in my movie. It's going to be called The Son of Rambow. I go back to it constantly. I was maybe 13 when I saw it at the Omniplex cinema in Mahon Point (Cork). It was the first independent movie I saw that made me realise that's what cinema is. It changed the trajectory of how I watch things and what you can do with a performance. I loved the originality and the impression a voice can have on something. It was unlike anything I'd seen before. To this day it gives me goosebumps thinking back to that time and watching that film.

The King of Comedy

The King of Comedy is an excellent movie, especially when you think of the influence it had on, say, The Joker, which was produced by Martin Scorsese, and seeing it as part of a series of movies Martin Scorsese did with Robert De Niro which also includes Taxi Driver. In The King of Comedy, De Niro plays a comedian whos not funny, who has an obsession with this talk show host. It's very similar to The Joker, but its darker in a more nuanced way, not as black and white psychologically. Its quite funny as well.

The Motive and the Cue

I saw the play The Motive and the Cue recently in London at the National Theatre. Its written by Jack Thorne and directed by Sam Mendes. John Gielgud directed Richard Burton in Hamlet. Its a staging of the rehearsal room. Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton was just tearing the stage apart. He was unbelievable. Hes an incredible actor. The whole production was brilliant.

People, Places and Things

Denise Gough

People, Places and Things with Denise Gough was one of the first plays I saw when I moved to London. She was amazing in it. It was awe-inspiring. Some of the seats were on the stage. I went with my friend, the actor Kevin Creedon. We bought not-great seats, but during the interval we could see there were a few empty seats on the stage. So for the second half, we sat on those free seats on the stage. It felt magic to be that close  when Id just moved over to London to drama school to fulfil my dream  watching a performance like that. My jaw was on the floor watching her on stage. I was so moved by her. It was profound.

Orphans

One of my favourite plays is Orphans by Lyle Kessler. I remember being a young fella reading it, and it being so profound, and moving me so much. As an actor, it has such considered, beautiful parts. I did a duologue with my friend Kevin Creedon of that play. Then we put the play on for Cork Penny Dinners when we finished school. We raised two grand for charity. It has lived with me since. My business isn't over with that play. It'll be done again.

Gary Oldman

Youll always know if I was having a few pints because you could look at the search history on my phone when I get home, and youd find I was looking at clips of Gary Oldman. I could watch that man and study him until the cows come home. There's something about his ability that is mesmerising. It's his range, his ability to disappear into characters and become utterly unrecognisable.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tar.

Cate Blanchett is another incredible actor. I don't think she takes a wrong move. The thing that I've always been so fascinated by is her ability also to disappear into parts, to be like a chameleon. She has an amazing range. The substance she has. I remember watching Tar last year. The movie was nearly marinating in my head. I spent weeks thinking about it.

Cillian Murphy

It's amazing to look at Cillian Murphy, him being a Cork man, going, Hes not far away from where I'm from! He has such range, and within the range, he has a tenderness of touch, such delicacy and beauty. There are no broad strokes. Everything is a fine detail. Breakfast on Pluto was a hugely formative film when I was growing up, watching him in that, thinking, iOh, that's what you can do with a performance'.

Say Nothing

Last year, I read Patrick Radden Keefes Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland. It's an amazing book. Its so educational and eye-opening. People should read it to see how brilliant it is.

S-Town

I loved the podcast S-Town. I was doing The Lieutenant of Inishmore and Charlie Murphy told me, You gotta listen to this podcast S-Town. It's an American true crime series, but it goes to an unexpected place. You think it's going to be one thing, and it becomes something totally different. I remember being enthralled by it.

Listen to Me Marlon

Listen to Me Marlon is a documentary about Marlon Brando. He made these voice recordings on a Dictaphone, recording much of the latter part of his life, his thoughts. Its an amazing insight into his mind and how he worked, tracking the trajectory of his career.
It came as no great surprise to anyone who knew her when Shona Coombes decided to become a vet.

Growing up on the family farm in Church Cross in Cork, she spent her childhood surrounded by animals, laying the foundations for what would become her profession.

We always had lots of pets, says the 34-year-old. It was a small cattle farm but we had cats and dogs and hens. My mum is really the farmer down home and she was always very good with animals, so I think I learnt a lot about them from her, and my love for animals comes from being surrounded by them.

We always helped on the farm and it is hard work. But it gave me an understanding of how it works and a good work ethic, so it helped a bit when I got into the veterinary side of things.

Shona Coombes, vet

As a child, Shona would tend to the animals, pretending to be a vet on the farm. She also recalls playing a starring role in a school play and the torture of having to sing a song about being the local vet. But the real eye-opener came during transition year in school.

I remember going to do some work experience in a practice in Skibbereen, she says, and I really loved it. They all told me not to become a vet but I think thats when I decided I wanted to do it.

Having achieved the required points in her Leaving Cert, Shona was accepted into veterinary science at UCD  it remains the only college in the country that offers the course. She spent five years learning her trade there.

After a stint in a country practice in Scotland, she returned to Cork, where she now works for Abbeyville Vets in four locations across the county.

Im lucky that I do love the job, she says. Theres great variety and getting to know the pets and the owners is lovely. Being in general practice, you see lots of different cases, you get to know the animals as theyre growing up and you see them develop. Its very rewarding.

It is also nice to be there for people when they get upsetting news. It can be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but it is nice to be there for them.

The hours can be long and it can be tough. It is a job you have to love.

Vet Roisin O'Mahony at Animal Care Hospital, Douglas, Cork. Pic: Larry Cummins

According to the Veterinary Council of Ireland, the total number of registered vets in Ireland in 2023 stood at 3,529. Of those registered as vets in 2020, about 56% were men and 44% women.

When Roisin OMahony moved from Cork to Dublin to study veterinary, that split was more pronounced. I went to study at UCD in the late 1990s, says the senior vet at the Animal Care Hospital in Douglas.

We were based in Ballsbridge back then in a very old building. There were probably only 400 people in the college, so you had a great social life because everyone was away from home and from the country.

I think our year was the first year with a 50-50 split when it came to women and men, she recalls.

Today, Id say its mainly women going into it and what you see in practice Id say its maybe 70% women.

Overall, Roisin says that pay and conditions for vets have improved since she first got into the business. Still, she estimates only a quarter of those who graduated from her class in UCD are still in full-time practice.

Roisin has worked part-time for the past 12 years. She says: Most of my class have gone into the Department or industry. I dont know if I would still be doing it if I was at it full-time. The pay has improved and the hours too but there are easier ways to earn money. I enjoy doing it and Im glad I still do but part-time is grand for me.

Vet Orlaith Carr

Burnout was one of the reasons Orlaith Carr decided to leave the US for a healthier work-life balance in Ireland.

I practised for nine years in the USA and it was really great, says the Limerick native.

I worked with great people who really loved their animals but it was more intense. I was working long hours and people had my phone number so that meant I was constantly on the clock.

Orlaith was that kid at four years of age who wanted to be a vet.

At that point in her life, she was living in Ireland but her family soon moved to America, where she completed high school before coming back to Dublin to study zoology at Trinity College.

She went on to study veterinary in Edinburgh before that stint in New York. She came home two years ago and now runs Ark Vetcare in Foxrock, Dublin.

Im not a big city girl and I always wanted to live back in Dublin, she says.

It has always felt like home to me  I love it. It was definitely a different career move but, in terms of life in Dublin, I couldnt be happier.

Here, I can close the door when Im finished and its definitely healthier for me and probably better for the clients because I come in refreshed.

Orlaith works 10-hour shifts four days a week and one weekend in every four. On a busy day she can see anything from 20 to 30 animals with a wide variety of afflictions and needs, from broken bones to vaccinations.

I particularly like surgery, she says.

My initials are OC so my nickname in college was OCD. I double-check everything and Im very pedantic. So surgery for me was initially very challenging because, with surgery, you do the operation, you close up and you walk away  but I used to wake up in the middle of the night wondering if the patient was OK. That initially gave me a bit of pause but you build your confidence and competence. Surgery is always a puzzle  that keeps me excited.

Though she got into the profession because of her love of animals who, she jokes, were loved more than the children in our family, Orlaith has come to realise her clients are really the owners.

You have to love people, she says. You deal with them all day. The animals are the perk. It is all about helping a member of a family. I feel privileged to be the person who people call to look after their family. Its a fantastic career.
Donald Trump came up with the one line that will be remembered from the Big Debate. It wasnt a clever, cooked-in-advance line. It was spontaneous and  even more astonishing, given the source  it was true.

I really dont know what he said at the end of that sentence, the former president said of the incumbent. And I dont think he knows what he said either.

It summed up the horror of the broadcast, not just for the campaign, but for people in their sixties, seventies and eighties who were watching. In advance, at the back of the minds of older viewers was the hope that the ever-combative Biden would stick it to the people who said his age had overtaken his abilities. At the front of their minds, from quite an early point in the debate itself, was the sinking recognition that, rather than sticking it to the people who said he was too old for the gig, he was confirming their thesis. The man who jogged with Obama through the corridors of the White House was not present. The man who, in exasperation, begged Trump to shut up, man wasnt present, either.

Debate aficionados wanted Biden to come out with a crack about age like the one Reagan had used because humour, self-mockery, and scratching the viewers where they itch are guaranteed methods to painlessly address the age issue. Democrats wanted him to do something during the second half of the broadcast which would effectively erase the bad impression given in the earlier section. It didnt happen.

What was most upsetting to anyone who admires this man was the realisation that it wouldnt happen and couldnt happen.

But what was most upsetting to older fans was the unsought insight that they might be looking at their own future, as age liquidised their skills, their wit, their thinking processes.

The awful thing was the familiarity of it. Anybody over sixty has found themselves searching for a name that will not come, despite the owner of the name appearing in the minds eye with full colour clarity. No one viewer saw themselves precisely replicated by the Presidents performance, but many saw in play the problems and coping mechanisms they use every day.

The problems included President Bidens thought processes.

The difficulty with getting older is not that you think slower, but rather that you think faster. One idea launches another, with a third knocking on the door of consciousness, which, just as you get to it, yields to a fourth, unrelated to the previous three but desperately exigent, equally imperative, so your conversation ends up like Everest, awash in the dead bodies of the discourse and the waste products of thought.

As Biden half-captured one idea after another, each sequentially as relevant to his train of thought as the last, we watched, recognising what was going on but with hands rigid on the arms of the chair in the hope of getting him to a position where something would connect, something would link and a chain of significance would collect the random verbiage into something that retrospectively made a point.

Spin doctors

Then came the terrible aftermath. The excuses, first of all, from the spin doctors. Prime among which was that the president had a cold. He possibly did. But while a cold can make a speaker hoarse or even cause laryngitis, the presidents voice wasnt that of a man with laryngitis. It was that of a man whose voice is grievously affected by the ageing process.

Vice President Kamala Harris is big on announcements of what shes not going to do.

An early spin doctor was vice president Kamala Harris, whose confident charming ineptitude knows no bounds. If youre being defended by Kamala Harris, youre doomed. She went on CNN and  in what The New York Times described as a tense interview  started with a concession presumably designed to grant her space to make a substantive point. It didnt. And she didnt.

It was a slow start, thats obvious to everyone, Ms Harris said. Im not going to debate that.

Nobody had asked her to, but Kamala is big on announcements of what shes not going to do, as demonstrated by where she went next.

Im not going to spend all night with you talking about the last 90 minutes when Ive been watching the last three-and-a-half years of performance, she told her interviewer, Anderson Cooper.

Someone needs to tell the vice president that she doesnt get to decide what shell talk about on a programme specifically structured to elicit her take on the presidents debate performance. She didnt get an invitation to discuss President Bidens performance over the last three-and-a-half years. She was there to address how he did in a specific outing.

Instead, she made big pointless, timeless and demonstrably untrue statements like that Joe Biden is extraordinarily strong. Isnt it amazing how the Democrats rightly express outrage at Donald Trumps untruths, yet use the national airwaves to peddle equal untruths, only with less aplomb?

In this instance, Harris claimed, apparently reading from pre-scripted cards, that Biden Got into a groove where it counted. In another, later interview on another channel she several times described President Biden as clear, which millions of those viewing knew to be a false claim, based on their viewing of his performance minutes earlier. She also suggested that the election must be decided on substance, rather than on debate style. A loser argument if ever there was one and flawed with it, since Mr Biden had not provided much in the way of substance.

Kamala Harriss best defence of the president established, if anybody needed it established, that  were anything to happen that would remove him from presidential contention  the Democrats are goosed if they have to rely on the vice president.

Once the debate was over, the president should have headed back to the White House and bed, leaving the interpretation and the spinning to his troops. Instead, someone staged one of the most gruesome encounters, post-debate, I have ever witnessed. This was between the president and his wife Jill at an after-party. Jill Biden was clutching a microphone as she ignored the verdict which had already come in, loud, clear and pretty damn unanimous, instead telling her husband how well he had done.

Joe, you did such a great job! she told him. You answered every question. You knew all the facts! She was like an over-anxious mother reassuring an equally over-anxious toddler. If Biden believed her, the president is deluded. Lets not even go to the long silences or that he clearly did not know all the facts, announcing in one confused input that his administration had beaten Medicare.

An expert on dementia gave me their take on what Bidens stuttering performance best indicates. His answer was as devastating as the debate.

His gait and hesitancy as well as his clear confusion is highly suggestive of multi-infarct dementia which would certainly render him questionable for governing now, let alone for another four years.
Progressives have long counted on young people to champion their causes. Just five years ago, young Europeans voted for parties advocating climate action, social justice, and democratic reform.

But this may no longer be a viable political strategy. Junes European Parliament elections showed that many young voters have shifted to the far right, enabling eurosceptic, anti-immigrant, and anti-establishment parties to make significant gains.

This trend is not confined to Europe. Young Kenyans protesting new taxes stormed parliament this month, and several were killed when the police opened fire. Around the world, a new youth politics is emerging. While not always aligned with the far right, this movement is often anti-status quo, serving as a powerful warning to politicians about the need to reconsider both their message and their medium in appealing to disaffected young voters.

These voters rightward shift is apparent across the European Union. After overwhelmingly supporting the Greens in 2019, 16% of German voters under 25 voted for the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) in this years European elections, putting the party in second place behind the center-right Christian Democrats and well ahead of chancellor Olaf Scholzs Social Democrats. In France, 30% of the youth vote went to Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally. This outcome was in line with the 2022 presidential election runoff, when Le Pen won 39% of voters aged 18-24 and 49% of those aged 25-34.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni casts her vote for the European Parliament elections. 21% of Italian voters aged 18-34 helped prime minister Giorgia Melonis Brothers of Italy win a strong mandate to pursue its agenda. Picture: Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via AP

Meanwhile, 21% of Italian voters aged 18-34 helped prime minister Giorgia Melonis Brothers of Italy win a strong mandate to pursue its agenda. In Spain, the ultra-conservative Vox party increased its share of the youngest voters (under 25) to 12.4%. By contrast, the far-right Sweden Democrats came in fourth, despite winning 10% of voters aged 22-30.

Youth concerns

Europes swing to the right has led many politicians to harden their positions on issues like immigration.

As older generations, who have lived economically secure lives, consume a growing share of government budgets through generous pensions and health care, young Europeans grapple with a cost-of-living risis and dwindling economic prospects.

This growing frustration can be partly attributed to EU politicians failure to ensure stable, well-paid jobs for young people. Youth unemployment among Europeans aged 15 to 24 reached 13.8% in 2023. In Spain, the rate was 27.9%, compared to 27.7% in Greece, 20.7% in Italy, and 18.9% in Sweden.

To be sure, there has been some progress in addressing the problem. Youth unemployment in France declined from 25% in 2016 to 15.7% in 2023; in Italy, it fell from 42.7% in 2014 to 22.8% in 2024; in the Netherlands, it decreased from 13.2% in 2013 to 8.7% in 2023; and in Germany, it dropped from 15.5% to 6% between 2005 and 2023. Even so, support for the far right has increased across the bloc amid growing evidence that no matter how hard they work, most young people will end up poorer than their parents.

The problem extends beyond the labour market. In many European countries, young people are also navigating a housing crisis, overcrowded classrooms, and struggling healthcare systems.

In the face of rising rents, exorbitant tuition fees, and stagnant real wages, young voters are increasingly asking themselves who will address their concerns.

Far-right politicians, while wrongly blaming immigration, at least recognise that there is a problem, and they are doing so in ways that resonate with younger voters.

Medium is the message

Social media is a prime example. In the 1960s, media theorist Marshall McLuhan highlighted the importance of how messages are communicated, not just what is being said. The medium through which people communicate, he argued, shapes their interactions. His famous observation that the medium is the message is even more pertinent in the age of platforms like TikTok, which enable far-right demagogues to tailor their messaging to young people.

What veteran politicians who mistake social media for a broadcast medium fail to understand is that it can be a powerful tool for fostering engagement, bonding, and identity formation. But politicians who view social media as a round-the-clock focus group, shaping their policies according to voters whims and immediate reactions, are just as dangerous as those who ignore it entirely.

Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, both AfD federal chairmen, cheer at the party headquarters during the forecast for the European elections, in Berlin on June 9. Picture: Joerg Carstensen/dpa via AP

By fueling shared grievances, social media can help political movements expand and rally supporters. For example, while Scholz belatedly joined TikTok in April, the German far right has used the platform to create a powerful narrative  some might say an alternative universe  that speaks to young voters fears and anxieties.

Consequently, many EU policymakers feel increasingly isolated as they try to do their jobs while online groups mobilise against them.

As a generation of young voters spends much of its time on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram  in the United States, teens spend an average of 4.8 hours per day on social media  the result could be a toxic political cocktail.

To win back disaffected young people, political leaders must offer them a future they can believe in and embrace the media platforms where young people live.

Ngaire Woods is Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford.
I saw western civilisation pass before my eyes as Joe Biden drowned.

Putin is waiting for Trump, John Bolton, Donald Trumps former national security adviser, has said. When the presidential debate turned to foreign policy, the former president made an apparently startling revelation. He implied that he had a previously unknown conversation with Vladimir Putin before his invasion of Ukraine, perhaps in late 2021 or early 2022.

According to Trump, Russias president discussed the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

When Putin saw that, he said, you know what, I think were going to go in and maybe take my  this was his dream. I talked to him about it, his dream, he said. That dream, of course, is the conquest of Ukraine as the restoration of the major piece of the collapsed Soviet Union after the cold war.

Biden, overprepared to hit his voluminous talking points, was not listening closely. He did not pick up on Trumps astounding claim: I talked to him about it, his dream.

The presidents response was accurate and so concise, his words jumbled: And listen to what he said when he went in, he was going to take Kyiv in five days, remember? Because its part of the old Soviet Union. Thats what he wanted, to re-establish Kyiv. And he in fact didnt do it at all. He didnt  wasnt able to get it done. And theyve lost over  theyve lost thousands and thousands of troops, 500,000 troops. Abruptly, Biden ended speaking.

He had the time, but did not explain the meaning. He bollixed what he wanted to say about Putins effort to occupy Ukraine into re-establish Kyiv. Biden did not draw any conclusion.

He had not listened closely to Trumps winding patter. He didnt sift through the word salad to find the nugget of gold. He did not expose Trumps worship of Putin, whom he idolises, according to Fiona Hill, the Russia expert formerly on Trumps national security council, who also wrote that Trump believes Ukraine must be part of Russia.

Trump shares Putins dream to make Russia great again. He aspires to be an unfettered strongman like Putin, dictator from day one. That is why, as Bolton says: Putin is waiting for Trump.

Trumps campaign is the essential linchpin of Putins strategy. Without Trump, he faces endless winter. Trump is his indispensable useful idiot.

Trump shares Putins 'dream' to make Russia great again. He aspires to be an unfettered strongman like Putin, dictator 'from day one'. That is why, as Bolton says: 'Putin is waiting for Trump'. Picture: Justin Lane/AFP/Getty

Bidens whiff on this or that exchange was more than isolated missed opportunities. His painful performance showed him trying to spew out his numbers, often missing the main point. He often countered without making any argument. It seemed like a PowerPoint presentation missing the closing slides.

At times, he lost the plot. We beat Medicare, he said confusedly. His acuity and agility were evanescent. Yet sometimes Biden hit his mark. He tore into Trumps low character, the morals of an alley cat, though unfair to cats who dont choose to be in the alley. He called out Trumps lies, though accounting for them would have consumed every second in every response.

But Bidens physical appearance was more than a problem of optics. His stiffness was accompanied by a frequently vacant look. He was not the Biden of less than four months ago with his firm and adroit handling of his State of the Union address in which he spontaneously talked down his Maga hecklers.

Biden cannot hope for a recovery through a future performance. There is not another State of the Union. The acceptance speech at the Democratic national convention will be read through a teleprompter. There will almost certainly not be a second debate with Trump.

Whats in it for Trump? He has already banked what he needs, a gift beyond his wildest dreams, not to mention Putins. Trump will not lend Biden a second chance. And would Bidens handlers risk it?

Bidens halting image will cast a shadow over any message he wishes to make. He will not be able to deflect the fake videos because of the debate. He will not be able to have his aides explain his capability as chief executive without doubt falling on him.

Bidens age had been set aside until the debate. His accomplishments are the result of his political skill, experience, and knowledge. For the Democratic party, Biden was a political necessity. The centre held around him.

His renewed candidacy prevented a tumultuous free-for-all, but his ability to run on the platform he has built through three and a half years has been severely undermined in 90 minutes.

Biden has run again because he understands the state of the world. He has held together the centre of the western alliance. He decided he would run again because he was the crucial leader at an unprecedented, perilous time.

His premise that he must win the presidency to sustain the west against the overarching menace of Putin and his sidekick Trump has been the fundamental reason for his second candidacy.

Post-debate, Biden soldiers on. He flies to fundraisers. He campaigns. He is overcoming another obstacle in the pattern of his story, his self-image up from underestimation. But if Biden is not politically viable, the stakes not only remain but are even higher than ever. The cause is always greater than the man.

Sidney Blumenthal, former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, has published three books of a projected five-volume political life of Abraham Lincoln: A Self-Made Man, 'Wrestling With His Angel', and 'All the Powers of Earth'.

Guardian
More than 200 firefighters are battling a wildfire north-east of Phoenix in Arizona that threatens scores of homes and has forced dozens of residents to evacuate.

No structures have been damaged as the wildfire traversed nearly six square miles on the cusp of the Boulder Heights subdivision, officials said.

There were 275 people combating the fire on Saturday as temperatures surpassed 38C before midday, with wind gusts expected in the afternoon.

We still have unseasonably high humidity, hot weather, a fire official said.

We have no wind right now, but gusts were predicted.

Air tankers and helicopters have helped douse flames from the sky above the Boulder View Fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A view of the fire from the air (Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management via AP)

It began about five miles east of Carefree, just outside northern Scottsdale on the edge of the Tonto National Forest.

The Red Cross has set up an evacuation centre at a high school in Scottsdale, and shelters for horses and other large animals were established at several locations, including the rodeo grounds at nearby Cave Creek.

In central California, increasing temperatures and low relative humidity this weekend could result in worsening wildfire conditions for the Fresno June Lightning Complex.

The complex  made up of three large fires in eastern Fresno County as well as several smaller fires  took up nearly 17 square miles and was estimated to be 42% contained by Saturday morning. One structure was confirmed destroyed, and evacuation orders remained in place.

To the north, the Apache Fire in Butte County has destroyed 14 structures and damaged two others since Monday. The blaze was one square mile and 95% contained by Saturday morning.
Two large wildfires were burning on Sunday near Greeces capital of Athens, and authorities sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate the area and others to stay at home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke.

The first blaze, south east of Athens, began in early afternoon. Local authorities said it burned at least four homes and several cars. No casualties were reported by 6pm.
( Middle East Monitor )  Humanitarian aid should never be politicised though, quite often, the very survival of nations is used as political bargaining chips.

Sadly, Gaza remains a prime example. Even before the current war, the Gaza Strip suffered under a 17-year hermetic blockade, which has rendered the impoverished area virtually unlivable.

That very term, unlivable was used by the then-UN Special Rapporteur for the Situation of Palestine, Michael Lynk, in 2018.

As of mid-December, nearly 70% of Gazas 439,000 homes and about half of its buildings have been damaged or destroyed, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing experts who conducted a thorough analysis of satellite data.

As tragic as the situation was in December, now it is far worse.

Some 67 per cent of Gazas water, sanitation facilities and infrastructure have been destroyed or damaged, according to a statement by the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) on 19 June, leading to the spreading of infectious diseases, which have ravaged the beleaguered population for months.

The spread of disease is also linked to the accumulation of garbage everywhere in Gaza. Earlier, the refugees agency reported that as of June 9, over 330,000 tons of waste have accumulated in or near populated areas across Gaza, posing catastrophic environmental (and) health risks.

The situation was already disastrous. Indeed, three years before the war, the Global Institute for Water, Environment and Health (GIWEH) said, in a joint statement with the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, that 97 per cent of Gaza water was undrinkable and unfit for human consumption.

Yet, so far, any conversation on allowing aid to Gaza, or the rebuilding of Gaza after the war, has been placed largely within political contexts.

By shutting down all border crossings, including the Egypt-Gaza Rafah Crossing  which, on 17 June was set ablaze  Israel has politicised food, fuel and medicine as tools in its war in the Strip.

This is not a mere inference, but the actual statement made by Israeli Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant, who on 9 October, declared that he had ordered a complete siege and that there will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, no water entering Gaza.

The timing of the statement, which has indeed been put into action from the first day of the war, suggests that Israel did not apply the strategy as a last resort. It was one of the most important pieces in the war stratagem, which remains in effect to this day.

Al Jazeera English: Extent of forced hunger crisis in Gaza revealed in UN report

Instead of pressuring Israel, Washington tried to obtain its own political leverage, also by politicising aid. On 3 March, the US Air Force started airdropping aid into northern Gaza. A far more conducive and less humiliating option for Palestinians, however, would have been direct US pressure on Israel to allow access to aid trucks arriving through Rafah, Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing or any other.

Scenes and images of thousands of starving Palestinians chasing after boxes of aid parachuted in Gaza will remain etched in the collective memory of humanity as an example of our failed morality.

News reports spoke of whole families who were killed under the weight of the dropped aid, much of which had fallen in the Mediterranean, never to be retrieved.

Even the Gaza pier, constructed by the US military on the Gaza shore last month, did little to alleviate the situation. It merely transported 137 aid trucks, according to the US own estimation, enough to cover Gazas need for food for a few hours only.

During the years of siege, an average of 500 trucks arriving daily in Gaza has kept the 2.3 million population of the Strip alive, though malnourished.

To deal with the outcome of the war, and to stave off current starvation, especially in the north, the number of aid trucks would have to be much higher. Yet, whole days would pass without a single truck making its way to the suffering population. This is unacceptable.

Not only did the international community fail at ending the war, it has also failed in delinking humanitarian aid from political and military objectives.

The problem with politicising aid is that innocent civilians become a bargaining chip for politicians and military men. This goes against the very foundation of international humanitarian law.

According to the International Red Cross, citing the Hague Conventions, international humanitarian law is the branch of international law that seeks to impose limits on the destruction and suffering caused by armed conflict. In Gaza, no such limits have been imposed by anyone.

Providing aid to Gaza and ensuring the reconstruction of the Strip must not be a political item for negotiations. It is a basic human right that must be honoured under any circumstance.

Meaningful pressure must be placed on Israel to end the Gaza siege, and urgent plans must be drafted, starting today, by representatives of UN humanitarian institutions, the Arab League and Palestinian and Gaza authorities to be the entities responsible for delivering aid to Gaza.

Humanitarian aid to Gaza must not be used as political leverage, or a tool in a cruel war, whose primary victims are millions of Palestinian civilians.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor or Informed Comment.

Via Middle East Monitor
By Clare Pastore, University of Southern California | 

(The Conversation)  The Supreme Court has ruled that the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does not prohibit cities from criminalizing sleeping outdoors.

City of Grants Pass v. Johnson began when a small city in Oregon with just one homeless shelter began enforcing a local anti-camping law against people sleeping in public using a blanket or any other rudimentary protection against the elements  even if they had nowhere else to go.

The court confronted this question: Is it unconstitutional to punish homeless people for doing in public things that are necessary to survive, such as sleeping, when there is no option to do these acts in private?

In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, the court said no. It rejected the claim that criminalizing sleeping in public by those with nowhere to go violates the Constitutions prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. In my view, the decision  which I see as disappointing but not surprising  will not lead to any reduction in homelessness, and will certainly result in more litigation.

As a specialist in poverty law, civil rights and access to justice who has litigated many cases in this area, I know that homelessness in the U.S. is a function of poverty, not criminality, and that criminalizing people experiencing homelessness in no way helps solve the problem.



Criminalization, by Juan Cole, Digital, Dream/ Dreamworld v 3, PS Express, 2024. .

The Grants Pass case

Grants Pass v. Johnson culminated years of struggle over how far cities can go to discourage homeless people from residing within their borders, and whether or when criminal sanctions for actions such as sleeping in public are permissible.

In a 2019 case, Martin v. City of Boise, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that the Eighth Amendments cruel and unusual punishment clause forbids criminalizing sleeping in public when a person has no private place to sleep. The decision was based on a 1962 Supreme Court case, Robinson v. California, which held that it is unconstitutional to criminalize being a drug addict. Robinson and a subsequent case, Powell v. Texas, have come to stand for distinguishing between status, which cannot constitutionally be punished, and conduct, which can.

In the Grants Pass ruling, the 9th Circuit went one step further than it had in the Boise case and held that the Constitution also banned criminalizing the act of public sleeping with rudimentary protection from the elements. The decision was contentious: Judges disagreed over whether the anti-camping ban regulated conduct or the status of being homeless, which inevitably leads to sleeping outside when there is no alternative.

Grants Pass urged the Supreme Court to abandon the Robinson precedent and its progeny as moribund and misguided. It argued that the Eighth Amendment forbids only certain cruel methods of punishment, which do not include fines and jail terms.

The homeless plaintiffs did not challenge reasonable regulation of the time and place of outdoor sleeping, the citys ability to limit the size or location of homeless groups or encampments, or the legitimacy of punishing those who insist on remaining in public when shelter is available.

But they argued that broad anti-camping laws inflicted overly harsh punishments for wholly innocent, universally unavoidable behavior and that punishing people for simply existing outside without access to shelter would not reduce this activity.

In todays decision, the court rejected the citys invitation to overrule the 1962 Robinson decision and eliminate the prohibition on criminalizing status, but denied that being homeless is a status. Instead, the court agreed with the city that camping or sleeping in public are activities, not statuses, despite the plaintiffs evidence that for homeless people, there is no difference between criminalizing being homeless and criminalizing sleeping in public.

The decision is surprisingly thin on Eighth Amendment analysis. It declines to engage with plaintiffs arguments that criminalizing sleeping imposes disproportionate punishment or imposes punishment without a legitimate deterrent or rehabilitative goal.

Instead, the court returned over and over to the idea that the 9th Circuits decision required judges to make impermissible policy decisions about how to respond to homelessness. The court also extensively cited friend-of-the-court briefs from cities and others discussing the difficulties of addressing homelessness. Significantly, however, neither these briefs nor the courts decision cite evidence that criminalization reduces homelessness in any way.

In a strong dissent beginning Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, quoted extensively from the record in the case. The dissent included some shocking statements from the Grants Pass City Council, such as Maybe [the homeless people] arent hungry enough or cold enough  to make a change in their behavior.

Sotomayor noted that time, place and manner restrictions on sleeping in public are perfectly permissible under the Ninth Circuits analysis, and that the inevitable line-drawing problems upon which the majority dwells are a normal part of constitutional interpretation. She also observed that the majoritys contention that the Ninth Circuits rule is unworkable was belied by Oregons own actions: in 2021, the state legislature codified the Martin v. Boise ruling into law.

A national crisis

Homelessness is a massive problem in the U.S. The number of people without homes held steady during the COVID-19 pandemic largely because of eviction moratoriums and the temporary availability of expanded public benefits, but it has risen sharply since 2022.

Scholars and policymakers have spent many years analyzing the causes of homelessness. They include wage stagnation, shrinking public benefits, inadequate treatment for mental illness and addiction, and the politics of siting affordable housing. There is little disagreement, however, that the simple mismatch between the vast need for affordable housing and the limited supply is a central cause.

Crackdowns on the homeless

Increasing homelessness, especially its visible manifestations such as tent encampments, has frustrated city residents, businesses and policymakers across the U.S. and led to an increase in crackdowns against homeless people. Reports from the National Homelessness Law Center in 2019 and 2021 have tallied hundreds of laws restricting camping, sleeping, sitting, lying down, panhandling and loitering in public.

Under presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the federal government has asserted that criminal sanctions are rarely useful. Instead it has emphasized alternatives, such as supportive services, specialty courts and coordinated systems of care, along with increased housing supply.

Some cities have had striking success with these measures. But not all communities are on board.

Pushing people out of town

I expect that this ruling will prompt some jurisdictions to continue or increase crackdowns on the homeless, despite the complete lack of evidence that such measures reduce homelessness. What such laws may well accomplish is to push the issue into other towns, as Grants Pass officials candidly admitted they sought to do.

The decision will likely put even more pressure on jurisdictions that choose not to criminalize homelessness, such as Los Angeles, whose mayor, Karen Bass, has condemned the ruling. While this ruling resolves the Eighth Amendment claims against sleeping bans, litigation over homeless policy is doubtless far from over.

This is an updated version of an article originally published April 17, 2024.

Clare Pastore, Professor of the Practice of Law, University of Southern California

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Halfway through 2024, broadcast networks and OTT platforms were able to deliver a slew of notable dramas: from rom-coms to fantasy to thrillers, and more.

Other than the remarkable shows that made the first half of the year exciting, several stars piqued the viewers' interest.

Swooning fans with their head-turning looks, dazzling charm, and perfect portrayal of the character, these stars managed to steal the hearts of fans and make a name for themselves in the international scene.

From Byeon Woo Seok to Chae Jong Hyeop and more, here are the K-drama actors who have represented the Korean wave so far this 2024.

Byeon Woo Seok

Thanks to his hit rom-com drama "Lovely Runner," Byeon Woo Seok became not just a household name in South Korea but also on the global stage after the tvN series created a huge craze.

From supporting roles to villain, the 32-year-old actor only proves that he is not just a pretty face but a superstar in the making.

READ ALSO : Byeon Woo Seok Reveals THIS Would Have Been His Job If He Wasn't An Actor

With Byeon Woo Seok's surge of fame, the South Korean star had a sold-out fan meeting in Manila on June 22. In addition to this, he also had his first meet-and-greet in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 14 and 15.

Byeon Woo Seok's next stop is in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the 28th, followed by Singapore on the 30th. He will return to South Korea for a 2-day fan meet in Seoul.

Other than the sold-out fan meet, Byeon Woo Seok ranks first as the top influencer for Milan Fashion Week SS25 after gracing Prada's menswear show.

Chae Jong Hyeop

Chae Jong Hyeop made headlines in 2023 after starring in back-to-back K-dramas, especially in the rom-com "Castaway Diva" with Park Eun Bin.

Since then, the 31-year-old actor has continued to intrigue fans with his charisma and visuals. He is, in fact, set to make his small screen return.

After the rom-com K-drama, Chae Jong Hyeop continued to make a name for himself in Japan and starred in his first J-drama, "Eye Love You." He headlined the series together with Nikaido Fumi of "Promise Cinderella" and "Sumu Sumu," as well as Nakagawa Taishi of "Boku no Satsui ga Koi wo Shita."

From J-drama, Chae Jong Hyeop also had a successful fan meeting in Chiba for a 2-day event.

According to a report, tickets for his meet and greet called "First Love" sold out in all 20,000 seats immediately after it went on sale.

In addition to this, he also had a two-day fan meet at the Kobe World Memorial Hall on June 8 and 9.

Park Ji Hoon

The former Wanna One member showcased his amazing acting skills after joining the cast of "Weak Hero Class" Seasons 1 and 2.

Playing the role of Yeon Shi Eun, or Gray Yeon, he earned the title of Best New Actor at the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards and the 14th Korea Drama Awards for the same role.

This year, he also impressed the viewers with his versatility, as he portrayed dual roles in the dark romantasy "Love Song for Illusion," alongside Hong Ye Ji.

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article

Written by Geca Flores
This "Queen of Tears" couple's screen reunion made the fans nostalgic for their captivating love story as they showcased another adorable chemistry in a new advertisement.

Can you guess who this couple is?

'Queen of Tears' Stars Kwak Dong Yeon, Lee Joo Bin Reunion Sparks New Drama Interest Among Fans

Two months after "Queen of Tears" concluded, fans could not move on from the hit series. Led by Kim Soo Hyun, Kim Ji Won, Sung Hoon, Kwak Dong Yeon, and Lee Joo Bin, many are still hoping for them to reunite in another work.

However, on June 29, the drama's second lead couple Kwak Dong Yeon and Lee Joo Bin surprised many with their reunion.

The actor posted on Instagram the new commercial advertisement where he teams up with his QoT co-star, Lee Joo Bin.

The two acted again as a couple, who are choosing what genre of show they'll watch next since they are promoting a telecom carrier in Korea.

In less than 24 hours, the drama couple's new ad immediately delivered positive vibes to fans, and most of them expressed their joy in the comment section. Some wished Kwak Dong Yeon and Lee Joo Bin to work again in a new drama.

"We need them in another drama as leads!"

"In Seo Cheol & Da Hye, we cheered. BaekHong could never Lol"

"The best couple."

"Omg!!! My QOT heart. Even some endorsers can't move on from these two."

"I thought season 2 of 'Queen of Tears.'"

"And they are back!"

"Soo Cheol and Da Hye, my favorite second lead couple."

Kwang Dong Yeon and Lee Joo Bin gave life to Hong Soo Cheol and Da Hye's characters in the popular rom-com drama "Queen of Tears." Despite their chaotic relationship, the two warmed the viewers' hearts with their romance.

What's Next for Kwak Dong Yeon and Lee Joo Bin?

Fans who are eagerly waiting for "Queen of Tears" stars' comeback projects are opening their tabs for updates.

While Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won are having their Asian fan meeting tours, Kwak Dong Yeon and Lee Joo Bin are preparing for their projects too.

Lee Joo Bin already sealed two screen works. First, she is confirmed to star in the crime series "Guardians." It features the challenges faced by probation officers who bear the crucial duty of preventing re-offenses and aiding in the societal reintegration of former convicts within a facility dedicated to refining imperfect laws.

Adding to this, the actress will join the cast of the upcoming travel-variety show "Europe Outside Your Tent."

Kwak Dong Yeon, on the other hand, is busy working on his brand collaborations and filming other advertisements. As of this writing, he has no confirmed drama works yet. However, he will have his fan meeting in Japan this July 28, some are looking forward whether he will also visit some cities in Asia.

What can you say about Kwak Dong Yeon and Lee Joo Bin's newest collaboration? 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.






Sunday, June 30, 2024 - An Eastern Cape couple and their three accomplices have received lengthy prison sentences for conspiring to murder an employee to claim funeral policy payouts.

The couple employed the victim, who lived on the same street in Lingelihle, Nxuba (formerly Cradock), in 2021.

In October 2022, the victim and her boyfriend were attacked in their home. Her boyfriend was fatally stabbed, while she was stabbed and raped but survived to testify against the assailants.

This week, the high court in Makhanda, sitting in Nxuba, sentenced Zizipho Pani, 34, her husband Siyathemba James, 39, their relative Sinethemba Pani, 34, and Sizwesethu Jonas, 34, to life imprisonment plus 15 years for their roles in the crimes. Masixole Sokoyi, 19, a minor at the time who raped the woman, received a 25-year prison sentence.

Judge Nozuko Mviko highlighted the importance of imposing deterrent sentences for crimes motivated by insurance payouts.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali revealed that Zizipho Pani orchestrated the scheme. She had taken out funeral policies with Standard Bank and Absa in 2021 that would pay R200,000 upon the victim's death. Pani promised the men R50,000 to kill the victim.

Despite being left for dead, the woman managed to crawl to neighbours who called for an ambulance. She was able to identify her attackers.

The perpetrators initially fled but were later taken to a native doctor in Cookhouse by Zizipho Pani and her husband. Community members intervened, requiring police to rescue them. They were subsequently arrested.






Sunday, June 30, 2024  There is a video circulating social media showing hundreds of youths demonstrating in Nakuru town demanding the resignation of President William Ruto.

The youths who were waving placards and twigs chanted Ruto must go! Ruto must go! saying he must resign and pave the way for a new leader.

The demonstrators surrounded State House, Nakuru, after details emerged that the Head of State was holding a security meeting there.

However, security was beefed up around Nakuru State House but no police lobbed teargas or shot at the peaceful demonstrators.

The demos happened a day after President William Ruto said he was ready to dialogue with Kenyan youths who have been causing havoc in major cities over the last one week.

Ruto went on to request Gen Z to name three people who will engage the Government and resolve the issues they are raising during the protests.

Here is the purported video of young Kenyans demonstrating outside Nakuru State House on Sunday.

Comrades in Nakuru were briefed about Ruto's visit and this morning they chose to go say hello to him. Beautiful times to be alive. pic.twitter.com/9LQ5t6CGEV  Conrad Kulo (@ConradKulo) June 30, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Sunday, June 30, 2024 - Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has responded to North Eastern leaders demanding his resignation after his attack on National Intelligence Service Director General Noordin Haji.

On Wednesday in Mombasa, Gachagua called for the NIS boss to resign for not informing the President about the Gen-Z protests.

On Thursday, North Eastern leaders defended Haji, calling for Gachagua's resignation for attacking NIS and Haji.

But speaking in Muranga county on Saturday, Gachagua said he will not resign since it is the Mt Kenya region that formed the Kenya Kwanza Alliance government.

"Please, come slow. They are telling us that we should leave this government. This is our government. From this region, we gave 47 percent.

"You cannot come and tell me how to do my job? My work is to be on the ground and advise the president.

"You come to join us, not replace us," the DP stated.

He maintained that he would continue being truthful in his job, explaining that he could not lie to his boss.

He added that he had to expose what was happening in government to help the President govern well.

"The way to advise the President is truthfully and honestly.

"The best way to lead is to also listen to Kenyans who are our employers.

"I am sure things will stabilise soon," he added.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Sunday, June 30, 2024 - A masked gang killed one and wounded five after attacking a wedding ceremony in France.

Sources suggested that the attack in the northeastern city of Thionville was linked to a settling of scores between drug traffickers.

The shooting took place at the reception hall of Eden Palace overnight from Saturday, June 29, to Sunday, June 30, with around a hundred people - reportedly members of the local Turkish community - in attendance.

A man in his 30s was killed and three other people were seriously injured in the attack around 1am. Two of them are said to be in life-threatening condition.

A pregnant woman also suffered minor injuries and was reported to be in shock, while a man was injured by shards of glass.

The victims are between 25 and 50 years old.

The perpetrators of the shooting, three men reportedly wearing face coverings and black hoodies, had fled the scene by the time police arrived.

They have not yet been identified and are understood to still be on the run.

It was during a wedding, a police source said.

At a quarter past one in the morning, a group of people went outside to smoke in front of the hall, and then three heavily armed men arrived and opened fire in their direction.

Three of the victims were reportedly stood outside the venue and two in the entrance hall when the gunmen opened fire, shooting more than 15 rounds at the wedding guests, according to local media.

Witnesses told local media that the perpetrators used two Kalashnikovs and one shotgun for the attack.

Several dozen rounds of ammunition were fired. Four people were hit by bullets, prosecutor Nancy Francois Capin-Dulhoste said in a statement.

Currently, one has died, three others are in a state of absolute emergency. Two other people also suffered minor injuries, in particularly due to shards of glass.

The assailants arrived in a 4X4 vehicle, probably a BMW, the source said.

Members of law enforcement believe that a settling of scores linked to drug trafficking was behind the violence.





The deceased and the three injured men are known to the authorities for drug cases, according to Le Parisien.

Investigators are trying to understand how the criminals knew that their targets would be away from the other guests when they launched their attack.

The wedding was not targeted as such, it was people who were at the wedding, a source said.

At this stage, the motives for the shooting remain unknown, the prosecutor said.

It is understood that the venue has CCTV and that the attack was captured by cameras.

A glass door pierced with at least five bullet holes could be seen at the scene on Sunday morning, which is likely how some of the victims were injured by glass shards.

Thionville is located close to the borders of Luxembourg and Germany and the border area of the city is a well-known target area for drug trafficking.




Sunday, June 30, 2024 - Car dealer, Khalif Kairo, is one of the people who have been masquerading as Genz leaders yet at night he has been dining with those charlatans and conmen who have been killing young protestors in Nairobi and other cities.

This is after Kairo was spotted hanging out with state house blogger and United Democratic Alliance party apologist, Dennis Itumbi.

Kairo has been pretending to be on the frontline in protests but at night he has been meeting state operatives to sell Gen Z secrets and their plans.

Here is a photo of traitor Khalif Kairo meeting Dennis Itumbi who is working with some rogue operatives to kill, abduct, and even threaten Gen Z demonstrators.





The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Sunday, June 30, 2024 - Haitis most dreaded gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue, has vowed to fight the Kenya police officers deployed in the Caribbean nation to the death.

In a viral video shared online, Barbecue could be heard rallying his members, urging them to fire on the Kenyan contingent manning the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haitis capital.

Barbecue termed the Kenyan police as invaders and said he was ready to die for the liberation of Haiti.

"I don't care if they are white or black. If they're not Haitian and they're on Haitian soil, they're invaders," Barbecue stated.

The gang leader went ahead to clarify his recent remarks calling for peace talks following the arrival of the multinational peacekeepers.

During an interview with Al Jazeera, Barbecue dismissed claims of retreating from the battles, urging people not to confuse his call for talks to a surrender.

It's a bloodbath, its a fight for the country, and I will fight for it even if I die, I am sure there will be successors and there will be other people who will continue with this fight, Barbecue stated.

Many people think I am afraid and that we are asking for forgiveness but even as a military officer you should ask for dialogue.

The gang leader's sentiments come a day after Haiti Prime Minister Garry Conille urged the gang leader to fist lay down his arms if he wanted to hold talks with the government.

In a press briefing, Conille insisted that dialogue could only take place if the gang leader stopped engaging in illegal activities.

Lay down your arms, recognize the authority of the State before any other arrangement," Garry Conille told Barbecue.

Barbecue had initially warned that as long as his team, the Viv Ansanm Coalition, was not invited to the negotiating table, the country would not know peace.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Sunday, June 30, 2024 - Former nominated Senator Millicent Omanga has been forced to respond to questions regarding her wealth and her latest Ksh40 million Range Rover 2024.

In response to questions from Kenyans on social media, Omanga stated that she did not buy the latest model of Range Rover by herself.

She revealed that the vehicle, the centre of debate during the last anti-Finance Bill protests, was a gift from her husband.

"How did you manage to purchase a Range Rover worth Ksh40 million? From which business so that we can also venture?" Alfred Ndenge asked on x, formerly Twitter.

"Gift from my husband," she responded.

On the other hand, she maintained that she was not undertaking any business with the current administration.

She confirmed that she was a businesswoman. However, she detailed that she had no tender in any government institution.

On the other hand, Omanga clarified that she was not earning any salary from the government following her nomination as the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS).

Omanga was responding to reports that she won a tender to supply furniture to the State House to the tune of billions.

State House is currently undergoing major repairs.

"I need to clear a misconception. I neither work for the government nor am I a tenderpreneuer in this government. I'm a private person doing private business.

"I've never benefited from this government either in cash or kind," she added.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Sunday, June 30, 2024 - Narok North Member of Parliament, Agnes Pareiyo, faced the wrath of her constituents after voting yes for the punitive finance bill when she visited her constituency.

A group of protesters blocked the road and surrounded her vehicle.

The MP was forced to scamper to safety after the protesters started pelting her car with stones.

MPs who voted yes for the finance bill are living in fear, following frequent attacks from their constituents.

Some of them have been forced to take a break from politics while others have requested the government to deploy police officers to guard their homes and properties.









Watch video of Narok North MP being attacked by her constituents after she betrayed them.

Narok North MP Agnes Pareiyo amesalimiwa kama nyang'au for voting YES. You cannot betray Maasai people and get away with it. #OccupyChurches pic.twitter.com/Id6uQ0Yx4W  Cornelius K. Ronoh (@itskipronoh) June 30, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.






Sunday, June 30, 2024 - Over a hundred same-sex couples got married on Friday, June 28 in a group ceremony as part of Mexico Citys gay pride celebrations month.

The 147 couples expressed their commitment to one another in a gathering that emphasized their years-long fight for equal rights.

The ceremony started with a concert by the Gay Choir of Mexico City, followed by a civil ritual to exchange vows and formalize the marriage.

I told myself that today is just a normal day, groom Ricardo Mercado said. But I do feel the nervousness and emotion, this nice feeling especially, with all the community here united, you feel a nice energy.

Mass same-sex weddings are part of an annual ceremony that takes place during Pride Month in the city. Mexico City, the capital city of Mexico, legalized gay unions back in 2009 and the city usually funds gay marriages every year.

In 2023, hundreds of same-sex couples and transgender people in Mexico City celebrated weddings and the completion of administrative processes to change their gender.




Sunday, June 30, 2024 - Githunguri Member of Parliament, Gathoni Wamuchomba, has warned Kenya's Gen Z not to accept any dialogue with President William Ruto.

For the last few days, Ruto and his bunch of incompetent advisors have been begging young people for dialogue after last week's demos that culminated in the storming of Kenyas parliament and chasing out Members of Parliament who voted yes to the controversial Finance Bill 2024.

Ruto has formed a national Multi-Sectoral Forum (NMSF), ostensibly to dialogue with the youth.

But Wamuchomba warned the youth against agreeing to hold talks with President William Ruto as proposed by the government, terming it as an exercise in futility.

The multisectoral committee will be another theatric to buy time and scatter the already compounding voice of the disappointed youth of Kenya.

"Its my opinion that this will be another round of pounding water in a pot. No matter what energy is inputted, no Ugali can come out of it, she stated.

Wamuchomba further argued that the youth are likely to emerge from the talks without having achieved anything substantial.

She also stated some of the youths who will be picked to represent Genz will be exposed and might be killed by security men.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Saturday, June 30, 2024 - President William Ruto is clutching at the last straw, going by how government operatives are threatening CNN journalist, Larry Madowo.

Madowo is among the brilliant journalists who covered last week's demonstration where rogue Kenyan police officers killed 23 young protestors and injured hundreds.

Madowo even covered a live police shooting of a young man when demonstrators stormed Parliament on Tuesday.

Following Madowo's comprehensive coverage of the protests, world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, told the president to stop killing Kenyan youths.

"We condemn the violence reported during protests in Nairobi and around Kenya. We mourn the loss of life and injury sustained and offer our condolences to the families who lost loved ones.

"We urge restraint to restore order and provide space for dialogue," the Biden government stated.

Now, in what can be termed as a threat, government operatives and moles have started threatening Madowo after he exposed Ruto's appetite for killing young Kenyans.

In a screenshot, Madowo shared threatening messages he received on X from a Ruto apologist.

Here is the screenshot of the messages













The Kenyan DAILY POST.






Sunday, June 30, 2024 - A woman from Mutare, Zimbabwe, identified as Tambudzai Muwadi, has been fined US$120 by the Mutare Magistrates Court after being charged with bigamy.

Muwadi, aged 40, legally married two men, leading to her legal troubles.

Court records reveal that Muwadi entered into a second marriage while her first marriage was still valid.

She initially married Jonathan Kisi on January 8, 2004, under the Marriage Act Chapter 05:11, receiving their marriage certificate at the Harare Magistrates Court. Although they later separated, they did not formally dissolve their marriage.

Despite this, Muwadi went on to marry Julius Tawanda Mukajami on September 3, 2005, also under the same Marriage Act, and obtained another marriage certificate.

Muwadi's actions came to light years later when it was discovered that her first marriage was still legally binding. She was subsequently taken to court for bigamy.

The Mutare Magistrates Court found Muwadi guilty and imposed a fine of US$120 or 30 days imprisonment if the fine is not paid. Additionally, the court ordered that her second marriage certificate be forwarded to the Registrar Generals office for cancellation.






Sunday, June 30, 2024 - A 42-year-old woman from Maphisa, Kezi in Zimbabwe named Sindiaso Ndlovu, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the murder of her husband over infidelity issues.

The Bulawayo High Court convicted Ndlovu under Section 47 of the Criminal Law Act Chapter 9:23.

According to a post by the National Prosecution Authority of Zimbabwe, the incident occurred on October 19, 2019, when Ndlovu set her husband, Busani Ncube, on fire after a heated argument about his extramarital affairs.

In a fit of rage, she locked the bedroom door, poured petrol on Ncube, and set him alight.

The police were notified, and Ndlovu was arrested. Ncube sustained severe burns and was initially treated at Maphisa District Hospital before being transferred to United Bulawayo Hospital, where he died on January 8, 2020, three months after the incident.

Initially charged with attempted murder, Ndlovu's charges were upgraded to murder following Ncube's death. After a four-year trial, the court handed down a 10-year jail sentence.
For Buffalos unscrupulous debt collectors, raking in millions of dollars from thousands of people across the country rested on one rule: Stick to the script.

Those in Joseph Ciffas debt collection shop were so skilled at script reading that others running their own deceptive operations sent their employees to him to be trained on the three steps to frighten borrowers into paying back payday loans. Each step had a script, and the scripts were the foundation of the alleged fraudulent debt collection practices that prosecutors are targeting in a trial that started Wednesday in a federal courtroom in Buffalo.

The degree of threats varied in the scripted phone calls to borrowers, depending on the step.

But each step instilled fear of arrest  just trying to scare them into believing they would be arrested for this, Ciffa, 56, testified Friday.

Borrowers flown into Buffalo to testify at the trial recalled the frightening words, either left in a voicemail or spoken to them in a phone call, that left them shaken:

At this point, I will be filing two felony charges and requesting the Sheriffs Department accompany and assist me to your residence or place of employment for your detainment.

Upon my arrival, please make sure that if there are any large dogs or firearms on the premises, they are placed out of harms way.

Minor children will need adult supervision.

You have been legally notified according to state and federal laws.

A 37-year-old woman from Las Vegas said she borrowed $750 from her mother to settle the $100 loan she took out to buy groceries.

I was pregnant. I had no money, she said. I was scared.

An Austin, Texas, man said he paid $1,436 even though he had already repaid his $750 loan. He said he went into panic mode when threatened with arrest, mistakenly believing he owed money from a prior run-in with law enforcement over a check forgery.

A 35-year-old Nebraska woman testified she borrowed $350 from her grandmother after she received a call at work.

I didnt want to be arrested, she told a federal jury Friday.

A dozen people have testified so far in the trial of Angela Burdorf, with more testimony scheduled to resume Monday.

Burdorf, 44, a former Niagara Falls resident who lives in New Port Richey, Fla., stands out among the debt collectors who have been prosecuted in Western New York. She chose to go to trial, unlike others who pleaded guilty like Ciffa and Burdorfs former business partner Greg MacKinnon.

Burdorf faces one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 16 counts of wire fraud. A federal grand jury accused her of conspiring with Ciffa, MacKinnon and others to fraudulently collect millions of dollars from thousands of victims across the U.S.

Its OK to make a living as a debt collector, Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz T. Wright told jurors in his opening statement. But what you cannot do is threaten people with arrest.

In 2016, Burdorf went to Ciffas debt collection agency to see it in action, said Wright, who, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Mango, is handling the case for the U.S. Attorneys Office.

How is Joseph Ciffa making all this money? Wright said Burdorf wanted to know. She wanted to learn.

Prosecutors alleged Burdorf and co-conspirators operated debt collection agencies that not only lied to and threatened consumers with arrest, but collected on debts that had already been paid off or were for amounts in excess of what was actually owed. Sometimes the debts were legitimate, while other times the debt collectors tried to collect on debts that were already paid but repackaged in other loans with the debt collection company calling under a different name, prosecutors said.

To gain a conviction, prosecutors will have to prove Burdorf entered into an agreement with others intending to defraud consumers between March 2016 and May 2017.

Most of the governments evidence will come out of the mouths of people who are not credible, said defense attorney Peter Kooshoian, who represents Burdorf.

The steps of ruthlessness

Burdorf was not privy to every transaction or phone call, but witnesses said she played a significant role in carrying out the scheme at United Mediation Group, which she and MacKinnon controlled.

She was in charge, said Maggie Coyle, 49, of Buffalo, whom Burdorf hired and trained to work as a debt collector. Angela gave us scripts and told us to read them.

In the spring of 2016, Burdorf brought some of her employees to Ciffas operation so they could be trained. Ciffa had polished a process built on threats and lies that he and others had developed over years to make money, prosecutors said.

Ciffa and his employees trained others to follow three steps, according to witnesses and court filings.

First, a point caller would call and leave a message about fictitious court filings, cases, complaints, charges or arrest warrants.

If the debtor answered the call or called back, the point caller would transfer the debtor to another employee, known as a collector or live server, who escalated the threat. At that step, the debtor was told he or she was the subject of a felony complaint and that when the criminal charges were filed the debtor would be arrested by law enforcement officers who would come to their home or workplace  all false and fraudulent assertions.

We told debtors we were coming to take them to jail if they didnt pay their debt, testified Shauniqua Rodriguez, 45, of Buffalo.

After this, the debtors were routed to a third employee, referred to as the attorney, for the final step. These employees would instruct the borrowers how to make a payment in order to obtain a court release number that would avert a court case, another fictitious element of the script. Those reading the scripts for the third step pretended to be lawyers. And they pushed debtors to make MoneyGram payments, rather than paying with debit or credit cards. It was easier for debtors to stop payment on a debit or credit card once they discovered there was never a threat of an arrest.

Rodriguez was incarcerated for nine months after she pleaded guilty in 2019 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, plus six more months when she violated her supervised release conditions.

Ciffa pleaded guilty in 2018 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making a false tax return. He faces anywhere from 63 to 97 months in prison when hes sentenced in August.

I was guilty, and I wanted to admit what happened, Ciffa replied when asked why he was cooperating with prosecutors.

Federal agents obtained recorded phone conversations detailing the money Ciffa made from his three-step scheme. During one conversation, Ciffa said, We did 370 grand the month of March ... Were on a $300,000 a month pace right now.

When Ciffa was first charged, authorities said his income in 2015 totaled nearly $1.3 million.

Rot in hell

Coyle and Rodriguez were like so many others hired to read the scripts: mothers who needed money to feed and clothe their children.

I was a single mom of four children, Rodriguez said, recalling how she and her family lived in poverty for a long time before the job.

Working for Burdorf, she said, I was making $30 an hour, plus bonuses.

I needed work, Coyle testified Friday, recalling how she was caring for a newborn and a 2-year-old child with special needs.

Coyle got the job the day of her interview  $10 an hour but with prospects to earn more in bonuses if she was good at reading the script.

I didnt even know what a point caller was, said Coyle, who recalled taking the script home to practice.

Coyle called the scripts ruthless and Burdorf relentless.

Cmon, cmon! Burdorf would exclaim as she pushed a roomful of 20 debt collectors to wring more money out of borrowers, Coyle recalled. She was very demanding at making money.

Coyle described Burdorf as a boss with not much of a moral compass at all.

Once, in front of others, Burdorf cut up an employees electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card, which is used to pay for food and other necessities by those eligible for the food stamp program.

Youre going to make money, Coyle recalled Burdorf telling her group of employees. You wont need an EBT card working for me!

Ciffa recalled one day when Burdorf grew visibly frustrated by the slow pace of collections.

She made a bet she could collect $10,000 on one day with her assistant, Ciffa said.

She got on the phone and warned debtors to store their guns and keep their dogs away when the police showed up.

Thats how she was collecting, Ciffa said.

Coyle, who was not charged with a crime, told jurors she quit the job when my conscience got the best of me.

She said she came home from work one day, looked at her father and said, Im going to rot in hell if I do this job.
The Finance State Minister for Planning, Amos Lugoloobi has challenged insurance company proprietors across the African continent to endeavor to intensify its access and uptake as its still very low.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 46th annual general meeting for *Africa Re*, a Premier Reinsurance Company in Africa, Lugoloobi noted recent statistics indicate that in Africa health insurance is at a penetration rate of just 0.2% with a density of USD 5 per person annually.

Non-life insurance he says stands at a penetration rate of 0.64%

He has meanwhile commended companies like Africa re which are ensuring that insurance opportunities on the continent are a reserve for Africans.

This agency is responsible for re-insuring other insurance players within the continent and it was also established to make sure that we do not externalize insurance opportunities to other people outside the continent, he said.

In 2023 after the integration of the Uganda Electronic Single Window, and the Marine Insurance Platform with the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), it was made mandatory for all importers to procure marine policies from locally licensed insurance companies in accordance with the Insurance Act, 2017.

However some insurance companies have often complained that they lack capacity to effectively settle marine related claims.

On her part in a message presented on her behalf by the Jim Muhwezi the security minister, premier Robinah Nabbanja urged insurance company operators to ensure integrity and professionalism as they offer service to Africans who need it the most
The agri world has shown some changes since I was last in touch, but in the mart sector trade in Kilkenny has remained remarkably firm.



A few weeks ago factories started to reduce quotes, which was a strange move as numbers were not over big.



They did this for two weeks or so but the strange thing was that mart prices in the beef sector showed no decrease and in some cases prices edged upwards

The factories had to change course and start increasing quotes.



This whole negative episode showed that the factories need competition and their only other opposition is livestock marts, which should be supported as much as possible.



We in Kilkenny mart are lucky that we attract buyers and factory agents from as far away as Cork, Louth and all of the counties in the South East.

Northern Ireland buyers also attend from time to time.



Beef

Last Thursday beef bullocks ranged from 1550 to 2170 per head or 2.40 to 3.15 per kilo with their heifer counterparts ranging from 2.80 to 3.20 per kilo or 1650 to 2180 per head.

Quality store bullocks and heifers also sold very well with quality continentals ranging in price from 2.80 to 3.50 per kilo .

The cull cow sale seems to have taken on a life of its own with the change to a Tuesday definitely working and attracting new buyers from far and near.

Prices last Tuesday were excellent with Friesian cull cows ranging from 1.15 to 2.40 per kilo with Continentals 1.60 to 3.00 per kilo.

Remember if you are selling cull cows we would appreciate if they were entered before 4pm on the previous Monday.

The only reason we require entries is to inform our potential buyers how many animals will be present before they travel a distance.

The phone number for Kilkenny Mart office is 056 7721407 .

Calf sales are also held on a Tuesday and in the past few weeks trade in this sector has been excellent, helped by a vibrant export trade.

Remember all calves over six weeks old offered for sale should be TB tested.

Sheep

The lamb trade six weeks ago recorded excellent prices with 10 per kilo being offered by the factories, with a strong export trade which was returning 5 plus euro per kilo live weight.

This of course meant that, for a change, the early lamb producer was getting good money for his produce.

In the last few weeks there has been a dramatic fall in factory quotes but this Monday in Kilkenny a small sheep sale saw the 200 per head barrier broken on a number of occasions.

With butcher types ranging from 165 to 210 per head with factory types 155 to 185 per head.

Cull ewes were an excellent trade ranging from 66 to 220 per head.

Special Sale

This Thursday, along with our general cattle sale, we will be holding a Special Sale of in calf Friesian Heifers in Hugginstown to culminate with the Pure Friesian Open Day at Pat Clearys.

This sale kicks off at 3pm.

Relay For Life

The cancer fundraiser Relay For Life takes place in the Kilkenny Rugby Club on July 6 and 7.

We would love to see as many of you as possible attending at the special ceremony at 10pm on Saturday night or the closing of the event at 2pm on Sunday.

A nice way to remember people who have been touched by cancer and a way to remember the people who have passed away.

Auction

I would also like to remind you of a fund raiser in the Cosy Inn in Callan on Saturday, June 29, at 8.30pm.

This special auction is to raise funds for Michael Wall, an issue most people in Callan are familiar with.

I would love to see a big crowd there and you might buy something very special and support a great cause.

More information from 085 2038882.

Until next time, look after each other and good buying, good selling and good luck.
A motorcyclist in his 40s was rushed to hospital on Saturday after he was involved in a crash with a bus in Dublin.

Gardai at Clondalkin are appealing for witnesses to the serious crash which occurred on the Nangor Road in Clondalkin, Dublin, shortly before 9:15pm on Saturday.

Gardai and emergency services were alerted to the collision involving a motorcycle and a bus on the Nangor Road at the junction with Willow Road.

The motorcyclist, a man in his late 40s, was taken from the scene by ambulance to Tallaght University Hospital and later transferred to Beaumont Hospital. His condition is understood to be stable. The driver of the bus did not require immediate medical treatment.

Investigating gardai are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to come forward. They are also appealing to those with camera footage (including motorists with dash cams) from the junction of Nangor Road and Willow Road at the time of the collision, to make it available to them.

READ NEXT: Gardai in update as search for missing 12-year-old girl is stood down

Anyone with information is asked to contact Clondalkin Garda Station on 01 6667600, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
Tuath Housing delivered a record 2,482 homes in 2023, providing homes for more than 7,000 people across 16 local authorities nationwide, according to its Annual Report which was released this week - bringing to 62 the total number of Tuath homes in Kilkenny.

Tuath Housing is a not-for-profit approved housing body, providing long-term, safe, quality housing. The organisation currently manages over 13,000 homes, catering to the needs of over 33,000 people, and is active in every county throughout Ireland. For more information, visit www.tuathhousing.ie.

Tuath has a further 5,000 homes in the pipeline and working with its partners to invest in people, places, and communities, it now has 13,000 homes under its management. It has housed 34,000 people nationwide since the not-for-profit housing association was established in 2000.

The organisation continued its commitment to cost rental housing in 2023 and has delivered more than 450 cost rental homes to date, with an additional 2,000 cost rental homes on the way.

Tuaths average social rent remained affordable at 68 per week, the report said, with over 99% of social rent collected. Meanwhile, the average affordable rent of 1,264 per month for cost rental properties represented a 32% discount on Open Market Rental Values.

CEO of Tuath Housing, Sean O'Connor, said Tuath was making progress towards addressing the historic shortage of homes in Ireland, but this progress must be sustained.
Buffalo man jailed in Holding Center after arrest on sex trafficking charge

A Buffalo man is jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail after he was taken into custody Thursday in Lancaster on a sex trafficking charge, Erie County Sheriff John C. Garcia reported.

An investigation by the Western District of New York Human Trafficking Task Force led to the arrest of Andrell L. Montgomery, 21, Garcia said.

According to the report, Lancaster police detectives and detectives from the Sheriffs Office Human Trafficking Unit apprehended Montgomery after conducting an undercover probe into possible sex trafficking at a Lancaster motel.

A 16-year-old girl was turned over to her family and will be referred to survivor services, Garcia said.

Montgomery was arraigned before Lancaster Town Justice David Stabler and remanded to the Erie County Holding Center.

 Dale Anderson
The Herald reports:

A new sentencing category  Young Serious Offender  will be introduced, allowing judges to send offenders to military-style academies. It would apply to teenagers aged 14 to 17 years at the time of the offending, have had two offences punishable by imprisonment of 10 years or more proven in court are assessed as being likely to reoffend with previous interventions having proven unsuccessful.

Two offences with a maximum sentence of 10 years or more, will mean these are indeed very serious youth offenders. This will not be your ram raider or burglar. The types of offences that would qualify are:

Murder

Manslaughter

Sexual Violation

Wounding or Injuring with intent to cause GBH

Aggravated Wounding

Labours childrens spokeswoman Willow-Jean Prime said sending these kinds of children, many of whom would have experienced abuse of suffered deep trauma, to the camps could cause further harm. Forcing these kinds of children into boot camps is cruel and takes our youth rehabilitative system backwards.

I dont know about you, but if they have raped two people before they turn 18, then the rehabilitation system isnt working that well already!

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Headlines predicted the end of New York State Regents exams after the state Board of Regents heard recommendations earlier this month about how to implement new graduation requirements.

Those exams  three-hour ordeals of endurance assessing knowledge, data, details and facts that have confounded students for generations  arent going away.

The exams will continue to exist, but students will not have to pass them in order to earn a diploma under a proposal gaining steam in Albany as the Board of Regents reimagines what a well-rounded student should know to become successful in college or a job.

All too often our students may say, What is the purpose of me learning this? Why do I have to do this? And the answer can no longer just be Because its on the Regents exam, Deputy Education Commissioner Angelique Johnson-Dingle told the board earlier this month.

The Board of Regents created a blue ribbon commission on graduation requirements in 2019, with the goal of creating equity within public education and to assure that students have the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in future endeavors.

A lot of the blueprint for education was developed at a time that doesnt exist anymore, Chancellor Lester W. Young said. Theres a lot of new knowledge in the world that we didnt have an hour ago. And so one of the things we have to do is be clearer in every community about why were doing this and about the world that were actually living in.

The pandemic slowed the commissions progress. Its recommendations were presented to the Regents last November. State Education Department staff on June 10 detailed how the recommendations might be implemented.

Students would move from passing certain tests to showing proficiency in different areas in different ways. That could be through work-based or service-based learning experiences or internships, capstone projects that show academic and research learning, completing a career and technical program, high school courses, passing approved assessments or participation in the arts.

I can understand that folks might be concerned about what may come next, but they havent seen it yet, said David ORourke, superintendent of Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES.

Heres a look at how new state graduation standards may well take shape.

Changes in four areas

The state first would define the essential skills, knowledge and attributes needed for success in what is being called the portrait of a graduate.

Students would have to demonstrate proficiency in seven areas: critical thinking, innovative problem solving, literacy across all content areas, cultural competence, social-emotional competence, being an effective communicator and global citizen. Instead of spending a specific amount of time in specific classes and units of study  based on the Carnegie unit developed in 1906  diploma credits would be organized around the components of the portrait of a graduate.

Credits would be redefined, with more ways to show proficiency in the learning standards and component areas than simply taking a test. There also would be requirements for career and technical education, as well as financial literacy.

The state would eliminate the requirement to pass Regents examinations to earn a diploma. Students would continue to sit for the federally required state assessments in math, English language arts and science.

Instead of having three diplomas  local, Regents and Regents with advanced designation  there would be one. Every student who satisfies the states requirements would earn a diploma. There could be additional seals or endorsements for advanced designations.

How changes could help

Nearly 90% of the students at Lafayette International High School are English language learners, and they can struggle with Regents exams.

The traditional Regents exam poses an insurmountable barrier for these students who, despite their best efforts, struggle with an exam designed for native English speakers, said David Caban, the chairman of the Multilingual Education Advisory Committee, a parent group in Buffalo Public Schools. Providing an alternative assessment method in the district would offer these students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, thereby increasing their chances of obtaining a high school diploma.

Many educators agree.

Taking students who have never been in a formal setting before and having them take and fail exams over and over and over again, until finally they drop or age out, is not the solution, Lafayette Principal John Starkey told Buffalo School Board members earlier this month.

Starkey said an important strategy at Lafayette is performance-based project learning and assessment.

Were not saying testing does not have its value and place in education, but rather that students should learn and be assessed in a variety of ways, he said.

A gradual migration to other assessment options doesnt mean that school will be less rigorous, said Hamburg Central Superintendent Michael Cornell, president of Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association. It just means it will allow kids to demonstrate what they know and can do in a particular subject area in a different, often more authentic way.

Not everyone agrees

Some question whether there will be different levels of rigor across districts.

The flexibility, as proposed, risks creating confusion among students and exacerbating the difficulty for parents, colleges, and employers to accurately assess graduates preparedness for postsecondary success, the Education Trust-New York said in a statement on the proposed changes.

Its also concerned that the shift away from objective measures such as Regents exams could increase long-standing inequities.

The New York Equity Coalition maintains that the current graduation requirements didnt cause challenges in education in New York and that providing additional pathways to a diploma wont fix systemic issues.

In many ways, it is the wrong conversation at the wrong time, with the potential to exacerbate the inequities that plague schools across New York, the coalition said last July about the proposed graduation requirements.

Weve always had a problem with K-12 with graduation requirements, with college admission standards, because theres not one standard for either, said Nathan J. Daun-Barnett, chairman and associate professor in the University at Buffalo Department of Educational Leadership and Policy.

Pilot programs

As the shift was being planned, the state chose 23 schools across the state to become pilot schools in the Performance-based Learning and Assessment Networks, or PLAN.

In Western New York, they include the Stanley G. Falk School  Rossler Campus and Maryvale High School, both in Cheektowaga, as well as Wellsville Secondary School.

Maryvale, Falk, Wellsville excited about early jump on high school performance assessments The Performance-Based Learning Assessment Network pilot begs larger questions: While the state acknowledges a student's proficiency may not be best demonstrated through a paper exam, what do performance assessments look like, and how can they be judged equitably?

Falk  which serves students with special learning, social and emotional needs  will institute career and technical education and work-based learning to prepare students for success in the workplace.

Wellsville will focus on inquiry-based approaches and assessments designed around a learner profile.

Maryvale will take part in the project-based learning and performance-based assessments.

Data from the pilot programs will help with the development of tools and resources to support the broader implementation of performance-based learning.

The PLAN pilot is evidence of the departments commitment to give school systems opportunities to create ways for student to demonstrate learning in new and authentic ways, ORourke said.

What happens now?

More input is being gathered through forums held by the state Education Department. The feedback will be considered, and a draft comprehensive implementation plan will be presented to the Board of Regents in November, with a timeline for implementation.

There are still finer details of this vision that are still in progress, Johnson-Dingle told the Regents board this month.

Chancellor Young said there needs to be a clear learning phase in any transformational process.

Were actually preparing young people for professions that dont even exist, he said.

Any change is a lot of good work, ORourke said. In smaller districts, I think they will leverage resources such as boards of cooperative educational services, the curriculum supports they can offer, also working with one another to help pool resources.

News staff reporter Ben Tsujimoto contributed to this article.
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By Kwon Mee-yoo

As part of efforts to bridge Korean and Arab cultures, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra, unveiled a Korean translation of "The Mu'allaqat for Millennials at the Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF), where Saudi Arabia was celebrated as the guest of honor this year.

Organized in partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Cultures Literature Publishing and Translation Commission, the launch highlights Ithra's commitment to fostering cross-cultural exchanges through the power of literature.

This collection features 10 ancient Arabic odes from the 6th century, renowned for their artistic and philosophical depth.

Tariq Khawaji, Cultural Advisor to Ithra, expressed his enthusiasm about introducing the poignant collection of Arabic literature in Korean for the first time at the SIBF.

"We decided to work on something to help a new generation, the generation that been born after 2000, to understand Arabic heritage and language and (have since been publishing) books important to the Arabic world," Khawaji told The Korea Times at the Saudi Arabia's booth, Thursday.

Ithras "The Mu'allaqat" is the first to compile these poems in a single volume tailored for younger readers, complete with interpretations and explanations. Initially published in Saudi Arabia, the book has since broadened its reach internationally and is now available in six languages (Korean, English, Spanish, French, Chinese and German).

"Each chapter starts with the introduction to the poet and the historical and cultural context and the poem itself in Arabic and Korean," Khawaji explained. "(What is unique to the Korean edition is) this Arabic and Korean calligraphy of the poet's name and the poem.

Khawaji also offered insights into the growing connections between Korean and Saudi cultures, from literature to K-pop.

"Korean culture is familiar to Saudis and it has become more and more popular with the younger generation. This isnt a secret that K-pop is just the window or the door that has been opened," he said. "If you go to Saudi Arabia, you will be surprised to see the young generation watching Korean dramas about ancient times.

Also a cinema critic, he drew parallels between Korean and Saudi historical narratives and artistic expressions, suggesting a mutual appreciation for each country's unique cultural assets.

I think that is a good understanding for South Koreans to be interested in Saudi Arabia  When it comes to Arabic literature, I think translation is important to understand each other. And what happened with The Mu'allaqat, I hope it will happen with more books, including modern literature, in the future. I hope (the translation initiative) to help us to build this bridge with the Korean culture, he said.
By Choe Chong-dae

It is disheartening that some North Korean soldiers in the DMZ were injured and killed recently by land mine explosions. Although more than seven decades have passed since the Korean War, land mines in the DMZ remain a significant concern.

This issue underscores the long-term nature of land mine contamination and the need for sustained demining efforts. Mines and unexploded ordnance threaten human safety, hinder development, degrade the environment, damage cultural sites and obstruct recovery efforts, impeding progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals long after conflicts end.

Furthermore, mine explosions jeopardize human lives and significantly harm the environment. The plastic waste from these explosions negatively impacts soil structure, and unearthed mines can lead to contamination. Additionally, soil is rendered unusable as mines suffer erosion and degradation.

The Convention for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict, widely known as the 1954 Hague Convention, is a multilateral treaty adopted to protect cultural property in times of peace and during armed conflicts. This context underscores the importance of a recent conference ahead of the 29th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which Azerbaijan will host in Baku on Nov. 24 this year. Azerbaijan adopted The Hague Convention initiative during a meeting in Paris in December 2023.

Prior to this, the international Humanitarian Demining Conference, themed Mitigating Environmental Impact of Landmines: Resource Mobilization for a Safe and Green Future, was held in Zangilan and Baku cities of Azerbaijan on May 30 and 31. This conference was jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Republic Agency for Mine Action and the United Nations Development Programme. It aimed to address the problem of land mines and their consequences, including environmental impact, and to facilitate the exchange of advanced experience in mine action. The experiences and lessons learned in Azerbaijan in connection with demining its territories liberated from occupation can provide valuable insights and strategies for other countries grappling with the legacy of landmines and unexploded ordnance in conflict and post-conflict settings.

Azerbaijan is one of the most mine-polluted countries, with about 12 percent of its state territory contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance, a remnant of conflicts with Armenia. Since 2023, Azerbaijan has been mobilizing resources and advanced technologies to enhance mine clearance efficiency, deploying demining teams and funding humanitarian demining independently. The country seeks political and practical support from the international community to mitigate the humanitarian impact and clear affected areas.

It is noteworthy that the country has also launched initiatives to draw international attention to the mine problem, declaring humanitarian demining as its 18th National Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in May 2023. Additionally, Azerbaijan initiated the establishment of a Special Contact Group on Humanitarian Demining within the Non-Aligned Movement, which began operating in September 2023.

Humanitarian demining is a critical issue in conflict zones worldwide, including the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine conflicts. Land mines and unexploded ordnance in conflict zones threaten civilians, hinder peace efforts and obstruct community rebuilding.

In the Israel-Hamas conflict, explosive devices worsen the humanitarian crisis by causing casualties and blocking aid. In Ukraine, mines from the conflict with Russia pose severe risks to civilians and hinder economic recovery.

The impact of landmines underscores the urgent need for international cooperation in demining efforts. This work is essential for community safety, allowing displaced persons to return home and supporting long-term recovery and development.

Solidarity and contributions for a mine-free world extend beyond Azerbaijan to other conflict zones. Collective action can prevent casualties and foster recovery and peace. Without better cooperation to address conflict, human rights violations and the climate crisis, displacement will rise, leading to more misery and costly humanitarian responses. Ultimately, concerted efforts are necessary to achieve a dignified life for all, as peace is more than just the absence of war.

Choe Chong-dae (choecd@naver.com) is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co., and founding director of the Korean-Swedish Association.
Financial education from an early age proves crucial to promote responsible investment, avoid scams

By Lee Yeon-woo

What do parents expect from their children when it comes to money? Their highest hope may simply be that their kids use their allowance wisely rather than spending it all at once on useless things.

Yet, in Dongducheon, in northern Gyeonggi Province, 22 elementary school students prove that they are capable of more than that. They are managing a significant amount of money  and in some cases more wisely than adults.

"After deducting tax, I save almost all of my wages in a term deposit. Every time it reaches maturity, I resubscribe the total amount again, allowing my money to grow," said Kim Eun-yu, a 12-year-old attending Idam Elementary School.

Kim is also a seasoned investor, who successfully sold Coupang shares making a 40 percent profit. Her investment strategy is to "dip your feet in, reap profits and sell immediately."

The students obviously don't trade real money. It's part of the program in Idam Elementary School's sixth-grade Class 4, developed by their homeroom teacher, teaching economy and finance. All financial activities in the class are conducted with a homeroom currency called "sabal."

For instance, as the chairman of the National Assembly, Kim presides over class conferences and gathers agenda items for discussion. In return, she receives 1,200 sabals as a virtual monthly wage. She then pays tax to the teacher: 240 sabals for income tax and 300 sabals as a rental fee for her desk and seat.

With her remaining money, she can do various things, such as joining a term deposit, making investments, purchasing snacks or buying the right to be first in line for lunch.

As of May, the students can invest in stocks of the S&P 500, Apple, Netflix, Coupang and SungEel HiTech. They were all chosen by the students themselves through class meetings.

The class banker, Kim Yu-mi, updates their prices every morning in an app named "Purple." The app manages students' every financial activity.

Their investment strategies are not very different from adults.

Gang I-an seeks long-term investment by investing in stocks she carefully chose based on their growth potential. The class banker Kim never invests her wages due to fears of potential loss. Han Ju-wan, the owner of the classroom snack bar, supplements his business items first and utilizes the remaining wage depending on the situation.

"I've learned the basics now. So when I grow up and start earning a wage, I believe I will be able to manage my money very well," Han said.

Their homeroom teacher, Lee Seong-gang, makes the utmost effort to teach responsible asset management.

"Students can feel the stock market as gambling at their first encounter. It's hard to teach them how to analyze companies," Lee said. "I have set higher rates in deposits and ask students to write a consent form before investing in stocks. I also show them news of people who went bankrupt from excessive investment. I want them to start investing after knowing the inherent risks."

During the second semester of this year, the students will also establish their businesses using their sabal credits. In preparation, they finished market research and are deciding on specifics such as profit rates and material costs.

"Students feel proud in fulfilling their roles in the classroom and watching their assets grow," Lee said. "Parents also told me that even at home, students are trying to save real money."

Why is education necessary?

One might question whether such education is necessary or urgent for students at such a young age.

However, students are much more exposed to malicious circumstances than adults anticipate, according to Lee.

On social media, they frequently encounter ads offering small loans. These loan sharks lend small amounts of money, such as 50,000 won ($35.9), to students and demand 60,000 won in return a week later. They even ask children for their parents' resident registration numbers as a guarantee. Without financial knowledge, students are likely to fall prey to these schemes.

For teenagers in vocational schools, teaching asset management is also crucial. They jump into financial activity right after graduation.

Despite the importance, students are often not availed of such knowledge. Topics not directly impacting college entrance exams are not regarded as crucial educational priorities.

"It's regrettable that finance accounts for such a big part of our society, yet it doesn't receive a sufficient acknowledgment within the education sector," Lee said.

Students have also expressed their need for relevant firsthand financial education.

According to a survey from the finance ministry conducted among 5,000 elementary, middle and high school students last year, 45.4 percent of middle school students and 51.4 percent of high school students said "time allocated to economic education in school is insufficient ."

Additionally, 46.1 percent of middle school students and 52.3 percent of high school students said they wanted to learn about "financial products" the most. Over 30 percent of both middle and high school students expressed a desire to learn about basic economic principles such as market demand and supply.

It's not that there haven't been attempts made at a legislative level to solve the issue.

The most recent move came in 2023 when former lawmaker Hong Sung-kook, who has over a decade of experience in the brokerage industry, introduced a bill to add a "finance" subject to the elementary, middle, and high school curricula. But the bill failed to pass the 21st National Assembly.

As of now, the only relevant curriculum lies in the subject of economics, taught in high schools. It is one of the nine elective subjects of the social studies section taken under the college entrance exam.

But few students choose the elective. In the 2024 college entrance exam, only 4,890 students selected economics as a subject, making up just 1.1 percent of the total 444,870 test-takers.

"Economics is generally considered more difficult compared to other social studies subjects, making it less popular. Even for those who study it, it is hard to say that they receive adequate financial education that is applicable to real life," said a high school teacher based in Gwangju, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the possibility of parental complaints.

Idam Elementary School's Lee is worried that the gap in financial literacy is widening, varying significantly by region and by the income levels of children's parents.

"If it's hard to add a new subject, it would be more feasible to start with mandatory one- or two-hour sessions tailored to the student's level. Accumulating those hours will be very beneficial for the children," Lee said.

"Many college students don't even know the difference between a savings account and a fixed deposit account. Shouldn't they at least learn this much at school?"
Korea's imports of crude oil fell 2.5 percent on year in 2023, data showed Friday, as consumption of petroleum products declined last year.

Korea imported 1.01 billion barrels of crude oil last year, down from 1.03 billion barrels in 2022, according to data compiled by the Korea National Oil Corp.

The Middle East accounted for 71.9 percent of Korea's crude oil imports last year, up from 67.4 percent in 2022.

Korea's dependency on the Middle East crude oil has risen following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Imports of petroleum products totaled 372 million barrels last year, with naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas making up 64.5 percent and 26.4 percent, respectively. (Yonhap)
By Park Han-sol

GUNSAN, North Jeolla Province  On a balmy summer morning, June 26, a scratchy radio voice echoed across a compact barge anchored in the waters off Gunsan, North Jeolla Province.

Wooden object discovered.

The voice, punctuated by heavy breaths, emanated from four meters below the ocean's surface. In the barges control room, a live video feed from the divers helmet-mounted camera revealed his findings partially buried in muddy seafloor sediment.

The operator aboard swiftly responded over the radio: Proceed with the recovery.

Half an hour later, what reached the surface with the black-clad diver was a 1.5-meter-long chunk of hardwood, riddled with holes from years  likely centuries  of marine organisms gnawing at it.

Based on its shape, its presumed to be a component of an old vessel, like an oar or an anchor, noted Jeong Heon, curator at the National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage, following an initial visual examination. After preservation treatment and a more detailed analysis, we should be able to determine its age.

In addition to the wooden ship part, the days underwater findings included a net bag stuffed with pottery shards and an antler now covered in barnacles, potentially destined as a tribute to a kingdom.

The surprising abundance of salvaged items suggests the possibility of sunken vessels laden with even rarer artifacts resting somewhere in the vicinity. In fact, Gunsan's Seonyu Island had historically been a strategic location for maritime exchanges in East Asia, linking the southwestern coast of Korea with Japan and China.

Serving as a key stopover on the coastal route of the West Sea, the island witnessed the passage of numerous trade and cargo ships ferrying celadons and porcelain items to the capitals of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) in Gaeseong and the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in Hanyang, now Seoul.

It is the remnants of these historical time capsules that the institute under the Korea Heritage Service has been on a quest to recover from the oceans depths over the past three years.

Its operations off Seonyu Island began after a local fisherman diver reported stumbling upon pottery fragments scattered across the seabed in 2020.

Excavations from 2021 to 2023 uncovered a treasure trove of some 670 ancient artifacts  including a shard of a polished stone dagger dating back to the Bronze Age, giwa roof tiles from the late Baekje era (18 BCE - 660 CE), bundles of Goryeo-era celadons and Joseon "buncheong" wares (blue-green toned traditional Korean stoneware) and even Chinese porcelain items.

The fact that these objects span such a wide range of periods  from prehistoric ages to the end of the Joseon Dynasty  demonstrates the regions historical significance as a major stopover on sea routes for centuries, said Lee Kyu-hoon, director of the institutes underwater archaeology division.

This is the fourth year for researchers from the state-run agency and civilian divers to jointly continue the project, with additional hopes of discovering a complete shipwreck for the first time.

From April to October, the teams schedule alternates between 10-day shifts aboard the barge and five-day breaks on land.

In teams of two, eight divers take turns exploring designated zones within a vast 235,000-square-meter area. Each dive lasts up to 50 minutes, depending on weather conditions.

Despite the relatively shallow water depth ranging from three to seven meters, the constantly shifting currents present challenges for underwater investigation. Additionally, the soft mud on the seabed, stirred up by these currents, frequently reduces visibility.

In the face of these difficulties, Gim Tae-yeon, a seasoned diver with 20 years of experience, is one central player in the ongoing mission. He was the diver who retrieved the ships wooden component on this particular day and was responsible for finding 81 Goryeo-era celadon bowls bundled together in 2021.

I often tell my children that discoveries like these, made by divers like myself, can reshape our countrys history, he said with a smile.

Compared to our neighboring countries, the history of Koreas underwater archaeology is relatively young. I hope the government can allocate more budget for essential equipment and barges, and recruit more divers to further enhance these efforts.
By Pyo Kyung-min

NAIROBI, Kenya  The Global Peace Leadership Conference Africa 2024 (GPLC), organized by the U.S.-based non-profit Global Peace Foundation (GPF), successfully concluded its Kenyan leg, Thursday, addressing the widespread public outcry against Kenya's proposed finance bill.

Held under the theme "One Family under God: Empowering African Renaissance as a Global Catalyst for Freedom, Peace, and Sustainable Development," the conference took place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobis Upper Hill, with Kenyan President William Ruto scheduled to attend alongside religious leaders and global dignitaries.

However, prior to its commencement, the conference was overshadowed by violent protests at the Kenyan Parliament, Tuesday, where citizens demonstrated against the proposed Finance Bill 2024. The bill, which aimed to generate an additional $2.7 billion in revenue through new levies on basic commodities such as bread, vegetable oil and sugar, along with a new motor vehicle circulation tax, led to the deaths of at least 23 civilians during the protests, as reported by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

Against this backdrop, the GPLC canceled at short notice its opening ceremony and the main plenary slated for Wednesday morning.

According to a GPF official, GPF Chairperson Hyun Jin Preston Moon, made a decision to cancel the opening ceremony that included President Ruto in order to "allow the Kenyan president time to tend to the domestic affairs of his nation and find a solution together with the people."

"GPF leaders, together with the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya representatives, worked late into the night to urgently communicate this important decision to the State House of Kenya," the official told The Korea Times.

In the absence of Kenyan government representatives, the GPLC replaced its opening ceremony with a religious gathering to mourn the lives lost and acknowledge the urgency of Kenya's current crisis. The prayer session was attended by religious leaders from across Africa, representing diverse faiths including Catholicism, Islam and indigenous traditions.

After the prayers, afternoon sessions resumed with a focus on the events original purpose, exploring various themes related to the African renaissance. These included the "Family Track," "Community-Driven Peacebuilding Track," and the "Environmental Track."

The "Family Track" notably featured prominent figures  Frederic Ngoga, senior advisor for International Partnerships at the African Union; Alice Obasanjo, former first lady of Nigeria; and Nadine Maenza, president of the International Religious Freedom Secretariat  to emphasize the critical role of family values in African society.

Jun Sook Moon, chairperson of the Global Peace Women and wife of the GPF chairperson, also delivered a keynote address, highlighting the family as a fundamental bedrock of communities and nations.

Faith and family are integral parts of the peacebuilding equation. Faith guides our quest to connect to God, the source of love, truth and life, and to understand the fundamental truths and principles governing how we should live, Jun Sook Moon noted.

She extended her speech to address concerns about Koreas declining birthrate and the broader, global implications of neglecting family values. She emphasized urging a renewed focus on strengthening family bonds for the community as a whole.

When we place the family at the heart of our human experience, it transforms the way we live. Everything we do becomes a part of developing our capacity to contribute to humanity  Eventually, we marry to form strong, healthy families where we can raise children of goodness who, in their own turn, can continue a legacy of service to the world, she added.

Thursdays sessions featured talks under the themes of "Foundational Principles  Ubuntu Track," "Transforming Education Track" and "Youth Leadership Development Track," before the Concluding Plenary session drew curtains to the event.

At the concluding plenary were Hyun Jin Preston Moon; Manu Chandaria, chairperson of the Chandaria Foundation; Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former president of Liberia; Olusegen Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria; and Cardinal John Olorufemi Onaiyekan, Metropolitan Archboishop Emiritus of Abuja of Nigeria.

In a powerful closing speech, the GPF chairperson emphasized the importance of a spiritual awakening to achieve a renaissance on the African Continent.

The vision of one family under God is why I came to Kenya, because before any African renaissance, there first has to be a spiritual great awakening, the chairperson said in an unscripted speech.

There has to be a vision that can spark our hearts, our spirits, our minds and our souls so that we can become the owner to be the change agents for our nations, for our region and for the continent of Africa.

Addressing the recent protest in Kenya, the chairperson urged the youth of Africa to avoid using destructive measures for transformation, highlighting the critical role that nonviolence plays in sustainable change.

Mark my words that anything that leads to violence and destruction only begets more violence and more destruction, Moon said.

He further underscored a commitment to nonviolence and the necessity of government accountability, encapsulating the event's message of peace and development through unity and moral leadership.

Remember that transformation happens based upon moral authority, based upon a peaceful movement rooted in reason, Moon said. And you have achieved that because with the collection of the religious leaders gathered here and the Global Peace Foundation and the decisions that we had made we had given this current regime an eye-opening reality that it is the government that serves the people and that the people's voices need to be heard.
Korea's top 4 conglomerates take up 40% of GDP in 2023
North Korea's state news agency said in a one-line dispatch on Sunday there was "important news" but did not provide details.

Leader Kim Jong-un is presiding over a key meeting of the ruling party to review the performance of the party in the first half of the year.

In a separate report on Sunday morning following the "important news" dispatch, KCNA news agency said that Kim made a speech on the focus of the second half of the year during the party's gathering and addressed "deviations" hampering stable economic development. KCNA did not provide further details about his speech.

The meeting comes after Kim's recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin where the two signed a pact including a pledge of mutual defense if either is attacked.

An official at South Korea's Unification Ministry that handles inter-Korean affairs said there were no further comments to give on KCNA's report on "important news." (Reuters)
Gov. Kathy Hochul has taken blistering criticism for postponing congestion pricing, a long-planned $15 toll on drivers entering lower Manhattan meant to reduce traffic  and collect $15 tolls.

Most of the drama may be playing out in New York City, but pay attention, upstate: you stand to lose  or win  in this fight.

The main reason for congestion pricing was money. The MTA, the agency that oversees New York Citys subways, buses and commuter rail, has the highest construction costs of any transit agency on the planet.

Thats something state lawmakers and governors have, at least publicly, done their best to ignore. Congestion pricing would allow the MTA to do $15 billion in otherwise unaffordable repairs and upgrades while sparing Albany pols from answering why the MTA spends four, five, or six times what it should by global standards.

State taxpayers already subsidize MTA construction, and without congestion pricing, its likely theyll be asked to chip in even more. And thats likely to happen if people accept the premise that the MTAs high costs are unfixable.

Heres the thing: the MTA isnt special. Many of the same state laws that make subway and rail construction so expensive also affect upstate municipalities. That means lifting burdens affecting the MTA can help bring down property taxes throughout the state.

The biggest opportunity is the states so-called prevailing wage requirement, which requires companies working on public projects to match union pay and benefit levels even through most construction workers dont belong to a union. State lawmakers for years have allowed the state Labor Department to deliberately miscalculate the wage as a favor to the shrinking and struggling construction unions who support many of them at election time.

In Erie County, the just-hiked prevailing wage requires paying laborers almost $59 per hour, and still more to carpenters and other trades. A 2017 analysis by the Empire Center estimated prevailing wage alone was pushing up building construction costs for Buffalo-area municipalities and schools by 20 percent.

For the MTA, the arrangement is even more costly: it means paying laborers $99 per hour.

Reforming how prevailing wage gets calculated  to better reflect whats actually prevailing in each trade and region  would likely save the MTA billions of dollars on its next five-year construction effort. It would also make renovations and repairs in Western New York less expensive.

The best way to shield upstate from having to pay more for the MTAs inefficiencies is for Hochul and state lawmakers to tackle them head-on. Albany can, for once, let New York taxpayers be unintended beneficiaries instead of collateral damage.

Ken Girardin is research director at the Empire Center for Public Policy in Albany.
By Kim Hyun-bin

North Korean officials have been seen wearing badges bearing the portrait of their leader Kim Jong-un for the first time, suggesting an accelerated effort to glorify the leader.

The badge was prominently displayed on the chests of high-ranking officials attending the 10th plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party, in photos released by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and published in the Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun.

Such imagery is intended to symbolize loyalty and reverence to the current leader, and the badges must be worn by all North Koreans, from ordinary citizens to the highest-ranking officials, as part of the Kim family's personality cult.

The badge of Kim Jong-un also indicates a departure from the traditional practice of featuring portraits of previous leaders, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, who are the current leader's grandfather and father.

The Kim Il-sung portrait badge began to be produced and distributed in November 1970.

The Kim Jong-il portrait badges started being made on Feb. 16, 1992, to commemorate his 50th birthday. However, due to Kim Jong-il's opposition, only some officials wore them initially. It was not until the 2000s that ordinary citizens began to wear them.

After Kim Jong-il's death, badges featuring portraits of both Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il were widely distributed to the public and it became common for people to wear them.

The shift towards emphasizing Kim Jong-un's individual portrayal on these badges reflects an intensified campaign to underscore his leadership, according to North Korea watchers.

"This is the pinnacle of idol worship. It would formalize Kim Jong-un's elevation to the ranks of his predecessors, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, said. Typically, when banners like this emerge, they signify the strengthening of supreme leader dictatorship. Therefore, it seems Kim Jong-un, armed with nuclear capabilities, might engage in vigorous activities across politics, economy, diplomacy and security in the future."
By Kim Hyun-bin

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Qatar, the Embassy of Qatar in Seoul is hosting a special photography exhibition titled "The Pearl of Qatar." The event, organized in collaboration with The Korea Times, aims to highlight the rich culture, traditions and heritage of Qatar through a curated selection of stunning photographs.

The exhibition features 21 photographs taken within Doha by three talented photographers  two Qatari artists, Abdulla Hamdan Al Mannai and Yousuf Mubarak Al Dosari, and one Korean, Choi Won-suk of The Korea Times. Each photographer contributed seven photos to the display.

Besides myself, two photographers from Qatar are participating in The Pearl of Qatar. Each of the three photographers has portrayed Qatar in their own unique style, Choi said.

Choi quoted a photographer he admires who said, "Today, I cleaned my room, and a corner of the earth became cleaner. Today, I captured my daily life, and a part of history was recorded in photographs."

He added, "I believe all three photographers have captured parts of Qatar's history.

These images capture the essence of Qatar's vibrant culture, offering visitors a visual journey through its landscapes, architecture and daily life.

We tried to break away from the stereotypes often associated with Middle Eastern countries and aimed to capture the unique aspects of daily life in Qatar, Choi said.

Compared to other Middle Eastern countries, Qatar has a higher rate of women's participation in society and a higher population of foreign residents. We endeavored to showcase the diversity of Qatar.

The exhibition will provide an immersive experience, allowing attendees to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Qatari heritage and its contemporary manifestations.

"My photos portray the culture of Qatar from the past and the traditions to the future and our architecture. They capture the essence of our heritage, highlighting how we continue to acknowledge and maintain our culture and traditions through the generations," Al Mannai said. "Each image tells a story of our rich history and our commitment to preserving it while also showcasing our modern advancements. These photos are a testament to the enduring spirit of Qatar and the seamless blend of tradition and progress that defines our country."

The collaboration between the Qatari and Korean photographers symbolizes the strong cultural exchange and mutual respect that has characterized the diplomatic relationship between the two nations over the past five decades.

Participating in this project has allowed me to foster cultural convergence through photography. I am delighted to have collaborated with a Korean friend on this exhibition, promoting cultural and artistic unity, Al Dosari said.

The Embassy of Qatar and The Korea Times extend a warm invitation to the public to attend this significant event, which will be held at the Sharp Gallery in Seoul from July 1 to 4.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Seoul to promptly investigate the cause of a recent deadly fire at a battery factory in Korea, China's foreign ministry said Sunday.

The fire tore through a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, killing 23 workers, including 17 Chinese nationals.

"Korea should swiftly determine the cause of the accident and handle it responsibly," Wang said in a meeting with former Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan on Saturday on the sidelines of a conference in Beijing.

Wang also expressed his wish to continue improving ties with Seoul, which he described as a "close neighbor" and a "natural partner."

"China hopes to work together with Korea to promote healthy, stable and sustainable development in their bilateral relations," he said. (Yonhap)
By Dale Quarrington

Theres an old expression, Third time's a charm. And no truer words were ever spoken when it comes to my experience with Daeseung Temple because it took three visits to see something once.

All three visits were made in the hope of seeing the amazing wooden Amitabha Buddha altarpiece in the temple, located on Mount Sabul in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province.

The first time, it was winter. It was cold, cloudy and snowy, and there was a morning service taking place inside the main hall where the altarpiece is housed. Short on time, and with a cold chill in the air, I didnt even take the time to take a peek inside the Daeung-jeon Hall. For as long as Ive been going to temples, which is over 20 years at this point, I always make it a practice to never disturb worshipers.

The second time I visited, it was even more disheartening. This time, there wasnt a morning service taking place  it had already been completed. And as I approached the main hall, there wasnt a single shoe at the entryway, which meant the hall was empty. Excitement quickly gave way to dejection, especially since I had made the three-hour trip specifically to see the golden altarpiece. Instead, what I found inside the Daeung-jeon Hall was a poster-sized replica of the golden-colored altarpiece. It wasnt clear where the historic altarpiece had been taken, and there was no one around to ask, either.

Finally, thanks to a friend who had stayed the night at Daeseung Temple on a whim, I learned that the amazing altarpiece was back and better looking than ever before, especially after having undergone an extensive and expensive restoration. Suffice it to say, it didnt take much to convince me to boogie my way back to Mungyeong. It would mean three trips in three months, but I knew it would be well worth it.

Daeseung Temple means Great Vehicle Temple in English, and the temple was first established in 587.

This temple has one of the more interesting origin legends connected to it. According to the "Samguk Yusa" (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), there stands a mountain that soars high in the sky to the east of Juknyeong (Bamboo Pass). In the ninth year of King Jinpyeong of Sillas 579-632 reign, the mountain shook violently, and a great boulder fell from its peak. This boulder was 10 feet square, and there were Buddhist images carved on all four sides. Also, it was wrapped in a red silk cloth. Hearing of this marvelous event, King Jinpyeong journeyed to this site, where the rock had fallen from the heavens. There he prostrated himself before it and ordered a temple to be built near its location. This temple would be called Daeseung Temple, and this rock still stands near the peak of Mount Sabul near Yunpil Hermitage.

Much later, the temple would be destroyed by fire during the 1592-98 Imjin War. It would be rebuilt from 1604-1701. At this time, over a dozen shrine halls and gates were built. And more recently, the temple suffered additional fires including in 1862 and 1956. The only shrine halls to survive the 1862 fire were the Myeongbu-jeon Hall and the Eungjin-jeon Hall. The Daeung-jeon Hall and a few other shrine halls were rebuilt in 1966.

In total, Daeseung Temple is home to a National Treasure and three additional Korean Treasures. The National Treasure is the aforementioned altarpiece, officially named the Wooden Amitabha Buddha Altarpiece at Daeseungsa Temple.

Meeting my friend in the temple parking lot, we bee-lined it up to the Daeung-jeon Hall to see the magnificent altarpiece. With the morning service already completed, and with a little luck, wed be left alone with the wooden altarpiece. Entering the now-deserted main hall, the golden altarpiece was even more impressive than I could ever have imagined. The golden altar simply shimmered and filled the entire shrine hall with a brilliant golden gleam.

This wooden altarpiece was first produced in 1675. It portrays the Western Paradise of Amita-bul (Buddha of the Western Paradise). In total, it contains 24 images of Bodhisattvas, Nahan and the Four Heavenly Kings. And in the center of the symmetrically positioned images is Amita-bul. Of the six extant wood altarpieces, this is the oldest and also the largest. What distinguishes this altarpiece from the other five is the portrayal and style of the Bodhisattvas. In total, the restoration of the wooden altarpiece, which was conducted by a master artisan, would cost 10 billion won.

With my curiosity satiated, we toured around the rest of the temple grounds which have wonderful artwork and architecture, as well. Beyond whats located inside the Daeung-jeon Hall, you can also enjoy the golden reliefs of shaman deities inside the Samseong-gak Hall, the 700-year-old Gilt-bronze Seated Amitabha Buddha and Excavated Relics of Daeseungsa Temple inside the Geungnak-jeon Hall thats a Korean Treasure, as well as the haunting interior of the Myeongbu-jeon Hall. And in August, Daeseung Temple will restart its Templestay program.

On the way out, we were fortunate enough to meet the temple office worker. We had a lovely conversation about the history of Daeseung Temple and the restoration of the wooden altarpiece. However, knowing there was still one hidden treasure to be seen, we politely asked if we could see the Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva of Daeseungsa Temple, which is completely off-limits to the general public. Perhaps it was some good karma smiling down on me after a couple of discouraging trips to the temple, but whatever it was, and through the kindness of the temple worker, we were able to enter the off-limits Seon center at the temple and see yet another of the Korean Treasures housed at Daeseung Temple.

Daeseung Temple is a beautiful temple thats made even more impressive by the wooden altarpiece. It goes to show that a little persistence, and a lot of luck and kindness, can go a long way in revealing things that are usually hidden from most. Daeseung Temple was the complete embodiment of this, and in the long run, it made me better for it.

Dale Quarrington has visited over 500 temples throughout the Korean Peninsula and published four books on Korean Buddhism. He runs the website Dale's Korean Temple Adventures.
President faces growing risks over past conspiratorial remarks on Itaewon crowd crush

By Nam Hyun-woo

President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing increasing impeachment calls on the National Assemblys public petition website, with nearly 700,000 users concurring with a post claiming that Yoon should be impeached for the omnishambles that South Korea is facing.

The petition, which calls for the Assembly to table an impeachment bill for Yoon, gained approvals from 695,595 as of 11:20 a.m., Sunday, just seven days after it secured 230,000 approvals on June 23. Users have been queuing throughout the weekend, as around 7,000 of them were simultaneously attempting to enter the website, resulting in delayed access for about 20 minutes to over an hour.

A National Assembly committee is obliged to review a petition that gains more than 50,000 approvals in 30 days after being uploaded on the website. Due to this, the petition was already handed over to the Assemblys Legislation and Judiciary Committee on June 24.

The post, which was first uploaded on June 20, claimed that South Korea is facing an omnishambles after President Yoons inauguration, citing the heightening tensions between the two Koreas, Yoons vetoes on special counsel probes on major political suspicions and the worsening economic environment.

The petitioner claimed Yoon has violated laws and breached his duties by affecting the militarys investigation into the death of a marine, condoning controversies and allegations surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee such as her controversial acceptance of a luxurious handbag from a pastor, escalating the risks of a war with North Korea, employing pro-Japan resolutions on the forced labor issue, and allowing Tokyo to release wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which holds an Assembly majority and controls the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, is taking a prudent approach toward the call for an impeachment.

We know that there should be an answer soon, but we are not looking into this as an official agenda, DPK spokesperson Rep. Kang Yu-jung told reporters, Sunday. As soon as we speak about impeachment, it becomes an actionable agenda, so we are not currently focusing on or responding to that issue.

However, some hardline lawmakers are placing a greater emphasis on the petition.

The petition gained 680,000 approvals in just 10 days, and it was already passed over to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, which is headed by (DPKs) Rep. Jung Chung-rae, DPK Rep. Choi Min-hee wrote on Facebook. The committee will review whether this will be tabled at an Assembly plenary session.

Rep. Hwang Un-ha, floor leader of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party, also wrote on Facebook that the public was shocked by the fact that the president was entertaining the idea that the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush was manipulated, which is a conspiracy theory floated only by far-right YouTubers."

The public outcry is massive and the petition will soon secure more than one million approvals, and potentially reaching ten million in the near future.

Hwang was referring to a recent controversy over Yoons past remarks on the Itaewon crowd crush that killed 159 people, who were reveling in Halloween festivities in Seouls Itaewon on Oct. 29, 2022.

In his memoir which was published recently, former National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, claimed that the president said in a one-on-one meeting on Dec. 5, 2022, that the tragedy could have been orchestrated and manipulated by certain forces.

Rep. Park Hong-keun, who was DPK floor leader at the time, also wrote on Facebook that he heard, from the former speaker, that Yoon said he does not understand why there was such a crowd in Itaewon (on the night of the tragedy) and there are suspicions that left-leaning media outlets like MBC, KBS and JTBC encouraged crowds to gather there days before the incident.

Park continued that Yoon said he suspects that the incident might not be an accident, but rather a criminal act orchestrated by certain groups or individuals and if the safety minister resigns before clarifying the suspicions, the government may end up being played by the leftists, so the government should have the minister take political and moral responsibility after the investigation is completed.

The presidential office said in a statement that it is deplorable that a former National Assembly speaker has distorted and revealed a private conversation with the president and President Yoon has repeatedly instructed government agencies to investigate various suspicions raised by the media, and he specifically expressed doubts over why the traffic authority did not open even one lane, which could have prevented the accident.

After the incident, Yoon faced mounting calls to dismiss Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min in order to take responsibility for the tragedy. The president refused, and the Assembly passed a bill for the minister's impeachment, which was later rejected by the Constitutional Court.

Former Speaker Kim on Friday expressed his regrets for causing social controversies and he was able to understand the presidents hardships in considering various situations comprehensively to find the truth behind the tragedy, but did not mention anything else regarding the authenticity of Yoons remarks.

Dealing an additional blow to the president, Jin Soo-hee, a former lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), claimed in a radio interview with broadcaster CBS on Friday that the then-head of the PPPs Yeouido Institute, a think tank, was sacked after Yoon became outraged over the institutes report that suggested that the minister be replaced.

Kim Yong-tae, the head of the Yeouido Institute at the time, denied the allegation in a Facebook post, but the DPK retorted with, the president was obsessed with a conspiracy theory, rather than concentrating efforts to prevent similar accidents.

The public finally realized that the presidents irrational behaviors stem from a flawed mindset. Even a former ruling party lawmaker pleaded (with Yoon) to, Please stop watching far-right YouTube channels, DPK spokesperson Kang said. How deeply have the claims and conspiracy theories of far-right YouTubers affected the Yoon administration?
Korean and U.S. quarantine authorities have agreed on exports of fresh ginseng to the United States and imports of grapefruit from Texas, the government said Sunday.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency began talks with its U.S. counterpart in 2017 for shipments of fresh ginseng produced in areas designated by the government, the agency said in a statement.

They also started talks to import Texas grapefruits in 2019 and reached an agreement on disease and insect control measures in March. (Yonhap)
North Korea said Friday a planned plenary meeting of its ruling Workers' Party will be a "politically important" event, amid speculation on whether it would discuss follow-up measures to implement a new partnership treaty signed with Russia.

North Korea earlier said it will hold a plenary meeting of the party's central committee in late June to review its policy performances in the first half. But the North's state media have yet to report whether it opened the key party meeting.

The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, called the planned party meeting a "politically important occasion" to spur North Koreans' march toward the socialist development.

North Korea usually holds a party plenary meeting for a few days in June. But this year's meeting 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 June 19, and clinched the treaty that calls for providing military assistance to each other without delay if either side comes under an armed 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. (Yonhap)
The unification ministry urged North Korea on Friday to give prior notice if it releases water from a dam near the inter-Korean border, citing the need to prevent damage in border areas from possible heavy rains.

The request came as North Korea opened the floodgates of the Hwanggang Dam to release water during the summer monsoon season without notifying the South in advance.

"The government urges North Korea to give prior notice if it releases water from the dam to prevent flooding in border areas during the monsoon season," Kim In-ae, deputy spokesperson at the ministry, told a press briefing.

She criticized North Korea for discharging water "maliciously" in violation of an inter-Korean agreement that calls for the North to give such a notification in advance.

"This is an issue directly related to our people's lives, safety and property. It is a humanitarian issue that is not related to the political and military situation between the two Koreas," Kim said.

The official called on North Korea to immediately normalize the now-suspended inter-Korean liaison communication channel so that Seoul could receive the prior notice over water discharges.

In October 2009, North Korea agreed to notify the South in advance when it plans to release water from the dam, following an accident that killed six South Koreans after the North discharged water from the dam without notice.

But since then, North Korea has given such prior notice only three times, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)
South Korea's military released a video clip Friday showing a midair explosion of a North Korean missile after it spiraled out of control, in yet another dismissal of North Korea's claim of a successful test of a multiple-warhead missile.

The disclosure came a day after North Korea said it successfully conducted a missile test Wednesday aimed at securing multiple warhead capability, which allows a single ballistic missile to deliver multiple warheads to different targets.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) has said the North launched a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, but the missile exploded in midair after traveling some 250 kilometers, labeling the North's claim of a successful test a "method of deception and exaggeration."

The 28-second video, filmed by the South's thermal observation devices in different front-line units, showed the North's missile ascending in an abnormal manner, rolling left to right before it completely tumbled out of control.

The missile later exploded into multiple pieces of debris, contradicting the North's claim that the separated warheads were guided correctly to three targets.

"North Korea may have attempted to make a new type of missile ... but analysis is very limited as the missile exploded in the very early stage," a JCS official said, stressing the military has "completely" ruled out the possibility of North Korea even attempting to conduct a multiple-warhead missile test. (Yonhap)
North Korea has convened a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), attended by its leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported Saturday, amid expectations that it would discuss follow-up measures to implement a new partnership treaty with Russia.

North Korea held the 10th enlarged plenary meeting of the WPK's 8th Central Committee, Friday, to review state policy performances in the first half, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The meeting was also to "discuss and decide a series of important immediate issues arising in maintaining the upturn in the comprehensive development of Korean-style socialism," the KCNA said.

The report said five agenda items were approved by all members of the WPK Central Committee, and discussions on them are underway, without disclosing other details.

North Korea usually holds a party plenary meeting for a few days in June. But this year's meeting has drawn more attention due to the possibility that it could discuss detailed measures to expand cooperation with Russia following its signing with Moscow of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.

The North's leader Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit in Pyongyang, June 19, and clinched the treaty that calls for providing military assistance to each other without delay if either side comes under an armed attack.

Article 4 of the 23-point treaty could be seen as warranting automatic military intervention in the event of aggression against either country. That would amount to the restoration of a Cold War-era alliance for the first time in 28 years. (Yonhap)




Its time to get moving, Department of the Air Force.

After polluting area waterways and possibly endangering the health of thousands of Niagara County residents  for years  the DAF has not established a time-line for possible clean-up actions, according to Lindsay Mairs, a remedial program manager, who emailed this statement to News reporter Mackenzie Shuman.

Take note that six years have passed since it was discovered that per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS/forever chemicals) were present in groundwater at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station at levels up to 300,000 times greater than drinking water standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In fact, in terms of PFAS, the Niagara Falls station is one of the most polluted military sites in the U.S., according to a 2019 report from the Environmental Working Group.

The dangers of PFAS are well documented and researched. Peer-reviewed studies have found evidence of damage to the liver, immune system, thyroid and on developing fetuses; increases in cholesterol, triglycerides and uric acid; reproductive and development abnormalities; and increased risk of cancer.

Any organization aware of their presence to this extraordinary degree should embark upon an aggressive cleanup strategy without delay. What could these officials be waiting for?

Thats the big unknown here, because the reasons for the contamination are clear.

The stations high concentration of forever chemicals is due to decades-long use of firefighting foam, specifically aqueous film-forming foam, not just to put out fires, but more often in training exercises. Its mainly the training exercises that have led to the foam being released into the surrounding environment, making its way into groundwater and, most dangerously, Cayuga Creek, where Buffalo Waterkeeper detected up to 147.7 parts per trillion. EPA limits for PFAS in drinking water range from four to 10 parts per trillion, just for reference.

These chemicals are moving from Cayuga Creek into the Niagara River and, eventually, Lake Ontario, which supplies drinking water to thousands of people in the United States and Canada.

Additionally, PFAS levels of up to 3.96 million parts per trillion found in fish from Cayuga Creek have prompted a warning for people not eat any fish from the waterway.

The Niagara Falls Water Board has detected low levels of PFAS, which it has been monitoring and treating for since April 2021. Keep in mind, though, that the contamination dates years before the EPA started setting standards.

The toxic dangers from firefighting foam are well known to residents of Mayville, in Chautauqua County, where contaminated wells caused as much as six years of PFAS exposure.

Firefighting foam is only one of the many uses of these chemicals, which also go into stain-resistant clothing, moisture-resistant packaging and nonstick cookware. Its made them omnipresent as well as long-lasting  PFAS are called forever chemicals because the body doesnt flush them out as it does other contaminants.

As research continues to identify the harms of PFAS, action at personal, municipal and federal levels can and should be taken. Some states are pursuing regulations that require companies to report their use of PFAS; others are going as far as bans on their use in manufacturing.

For their parts, individuals not satisfied with the EPAs requirements  keeping in mind that any level of PFAS is considered dangerous  can use certified water filters that use activated carbon treatment and reverse-osmosis treatment. They can also avoid products known to contain PFAS; reputable advisories have been published.

For the Department of the Air Force and the officials at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, we have one simple piece of advice: Take action to clean up the PFAS contamination you have created in Niagara County, without further delay.

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 denounced on Sunday joint military drills by South Korea, Japan and the United States, calling them an "Asian version of NATO" and warning of "fatal consequences."

It comes a day after the allies wrapped up three-day exercises, dubbed "Freedom Edge," in ballistic missile and air defenses, anti-submarine warfare and defensive cyber training.

U.S., South Korean and Japanese leaders agreed at a trilateral summit last year to conduct annual drills as a sign of unity in the face of North Korea's nuclear threats and China's rising regional influence.

"We strongly denounce ... provocative military muscle-flexing against the DPRK," Pyongyang's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency Sunday, referring to the North's official name.

"The U.S.-Japan-ROK relations have taken on the full-fledged appearance of an Asian-version NATO," it said, warning of "fatal consequences."

"The DPRK will never overlook the moves of the U.S. and its followers to strengthen the military bloc."

The latest joint drills involved Washington's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, Tokyo's guided-missile destroyer JS Atago, and Seoul's KF-16 fighter jet.

Pyongyang has always decried similar combined exercises as rehearsals for an invasion.

The two Koreas have meanwhile been caught in a tit-for-tat balloon campaign in recent weeks, with Pyongyang sending trash-filled balloons southwards in retaliation to similar missives sent northwards from the South carrying pro-Seoul propaganda.

South Korea has also grown anxious over the North's warming relations with its isolated neighbor Russia.

North Korea is accused of breaching arms control measures by supplying weapons to Russia to use in its war in Ukraine, and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang this month in a show of unity. (AFP)
Medical school professors and community doctors decided Saturday to convene a one-day nationwide debate next month on the government's medical reform, a decision that will apparently result in a collective one-day walkout.

A doctors' consultative group, known as the "special committee for upright medical care," resolved to hold the debate on July 26 with participation from doctors of every discipline, including medical school professors.

Represented by medical professors as well as trainee and community doctors, the committee was launched earlier this month as the representative body to negotiate with the government over medical reform.

Committee officials said the debate will inevitably lead to a one-day suspension of medical services by participants, who are likely to be mostly medical professors at general university hospitals.

Committee members also reiterated their call for the government to abandon its medical school quota hike, which they said was decided without scientific justification.

The decision came amid the continuing standoff between the government and the doctors' community over the government's decision to increase admission quotas across medical schools nationwide by about 1,500 seats for next year in an effort to address a shortage of doctors.

Medical professors at three major hospitals of Yonsei University have been on an indefinite walkout since Thursday, demanding "tangible measures" from the government to resolve the ongoing health care crisis.

Since late February, trainee doctors nationwide have also been staying off their duties at general hospitals in protest, significantly reducing medical service capacities at the hospitals. (Yonhap)
By Kim Hyun-bin

In a poignant departure from the usual festivities, Israel's National Day was commemorated with an art exhibition at Gallery Eun in Seoul, Wednesday. Israeli Ambassador to Korea Akiva Tor delivered a heartfelt speech reflecting the current somber mood in Israel.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance," Tor began, quoting Ecclesiastes. "We have chosen this year to commemorate Israels National Day, our day of independence, differently. Not with song and with laughter, but with art of anguish."

Since the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas, many Israeli artists have given expression through art to intense feelings of grief, despair, hope and prayers. The Embassy of Israel in Seoul presented the works of 19 Israeli artists dedicated to the hostages and expressive of a collective national mourning and pain, but also deep yearning for their safety and freedom.

The exhibition, titled "Captives of Hope," features works by 19 Israeli artists and aims to convey the national sentiment of mourning and crisis.

"We are proud, and also sad, to present here in Insadong in Gallery Eun the works of 19 Israeli artists depicting the national mood, the sense of mourning and upset, of crisis and horror, the feeling of a situation which is untenable and unresolved, which Israel and its people are feeling today," Tor said.

"We have called this exhibition 'Captives of Hope.' Our hope is that the captives go free, but all of us  the hostages, you the visitors today, all of Israel  we are all captive to our hopes, prayers, determination that they go free."

The ambassador emphasized the solidarity and resilience of the Israeli people.

"Israels strength is in its solidarity, in our commitment to each other, in our feeling that we are one and cannot abandon each other, no matter what," he said. "This is why the redemption of captives is a key principle of Jewish law from the Talmud and Medieval times until today, and why Israel will not rest until we bring home our captives alive, and also, God forbid, those who are not alive. We are resolved, and we wont abandon them."

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Tor underscored that out of the 120 abducted people held in Gaza, forty-three have died. He expressed hope and belief that the remaining seventy-seven are still alive.

This art does not signify revenge. It does not signify a lack of awareness for the plight of Gaza or the suffering of many Gazans in this terrible war," he said.

"This art signifies harsh reality - the plight of the people who were murdered and wounded and raped on the Gaza border going about their lives without malice, and the plight of the hostages, the captives who have disappeared from the first moment of this conflict on Oct. 7, who have had no access to the Red Cross, people many whose plight we do not know, people who we must find a way to bring home. Our people."
By Jon Dunbar

A group of foreign residents of Seoul is putting on its own fan edition of the popular British comedy panel game show "Taskmaster" on Friday at the Craic House, an Irish bar in central Seoul's Itaewon.

Five competitors will square off to complete various tasks and challenges, some which have been prerecorded as videos for screening on Friday night.

This is the second year of "Taskmaster Seoul: Fan Edition," and a video of last year's event is available online. The first one was held as a farewell party for Joe Parkes, who was returning to New Zealand after almost 20 years in Korea.

"Joe introduced many of us to 'Taskmaster,' so putting on the show where he served as the titutlar roll was a fitting goodbye," said Robin Bortner, who played the role of the Taskmaster's assistant, designing the tasks and organizing the event. "It was such a fun and popular event that I decided to reprise it this year."

Last year's winner, Simon Lassen, will serve as Taskmaster this year, with Bortner once again as his assistant. They are joined by various volunteers, including a film crew and video editors.

Bortner stressed that this is entirely a fan activity, and there is no actual collaboration with the original TV production.

"We give all credit to the creative team there for their ideas, aesthetics and soundtrack, which we have borrowed for our tribute," she said. "The tasks themselves are my own original ideas developed around the local filming locations.

The show starts at 9:30 p.m. and is expected to run until about midnight. Entry is free, and Bortner cautions that there may be small tasks for the audience to participate in this year.

"The spirit of the show, and why we like it so much, is its embrace of the absurd," Bortner said. "The tasks are purposefully ridiculous and judged on arbitrary standards, so contestants accept likely failure before beginning. This mindset opens space for lateral thinking and hilariously ingenious actions that are fun to perform and watch."

Visit @craichousekorea on Instagram for more information.
By Jon Dunbar

Every time I drive around Mount Nam's Sowol-gil, I catch a strong aroma of what smells like someone's backyard barbecue back in North America, right before the road into Haebangchon. It took me a while to trace that aroma back to its source: The 100 Food Truck, which is one of my favorite burger joints in Seoul.

The 100 Food Truck is definitely not a food truck, at least not anymore. It's in a two-story building high up on the hill of Haebangchon, on the upper of two roads heading toward Huam-dong from the five-way intersection.

You walk in, and you're facing the ground-floor kitchen. Go up the stairs to the seating area, and you're faced with big picture windows leading to an outside space where you are presented with phenomenal views of the city. There is also extra seating on the rooftop.

The view is worth the visit, but it also happens that the food is good enough to match it. The 100 is mostly about burgers, with the signature 100 Burger that comes with a savory basil sour cream sauce and whole grain mustard. There are a handful of other variations, with the bacon cheeseburger standing with its thickly cut slice of domestic bacon that is said to have been "seasoned and rubbed for 14 days." There is also a Mexican burger that has guacamole and salsa, which I haven't tried yet because I haven't gotten bored of the more basic burgers. But simpler seems better  it's the meat that will knock you off a mountain, not the toppings.

The 100 also has sandwiches, with a pretty good Cubano panini and a BLT I've yet to try. They even have a beef ribs steak set available for what this Albertan considers a pretty high price. The place also offers a pretty good beer menu, so you have something to sip while you enjoy the view.

If there is one main problem with The 100, it is the lack of seats at dinner time (and sunset). If you want a good seat where you can enjoy the view, you might have to wait. Fortunately, there are some other good places in the same alley where you can pop in for a drink while you wait, such as The Royal and Brewers.

A few years ago, The 100 opened its second location, The 100 Terrace, in the area known as "Yongnidan" near Sinyongsan Station. It is nice and big and also seems to have outdoor seating despite not having the fantastic view provided by the HBC location. But if you want to just enjoy the food without feeling rushed to get out of the way of the next customers, this location might be a little more relaxing to visit.

There is even a third location now at The Hyundai in Yeouido, operating out of what looks like a bus serving customers in a food court area in the first basement level. This one seems to be about 1,000 won more expensive than the other locations, which probably won't hurt you if you're the kind of person who spends time in Yeouido. It also has a few unique menu items, including a chili dog, chicken burger and something they're calling a "100 Mac" Burger  or in Korean, "Baek Mac," which made me do a double take.

The hours for each of the three locations all differ slightly, and one advertises a mid-afternoon break while the others don't mention one. Importantly, they are all open every day of the week, not taking Mondays off  which wins them extra bonus points, since I had to make this article on a Monday. For whatever reason, only The 100 Terrace is available on Shuttle Delivery. Visit fb.com/the100foodtruck for more information.
By Jon Dunbar

Pride Month is almost over, but not before seven stand-up comics take to the stage at KYLDN Social Club in central Seoul's Gyeongnidan area this Friday. All seven are women and/or queer, and will be taking the stage on the theme "No Pride, Just Prejudice."

"'No Pride, Just Prejudice' is obviously a play on Jane Austen, but it also sums up how it feels to be gay in Korea sometimes when the powers that be would rather rent space to a hate group than a Pride parade," said Rory Kelly, the headlining comedian.

He was referring to last year, when the city barred the Seoul Queer Culture Festival (SQCF) from taking place as usual in Seoul Plaza. Instead, the space was given to a Christian TV station that has been criticized for broadcasting anti-LGBTQ hate speech. The event, which was supposedly a festival for children, had barely any attendees.

All this happened under a "moderate conservative" mayor who the OECD declared a "Champion Mayor for Inclusive Growth" in recognition of his leading role in mitigating inequality under his policies to focus on the vulnerable  and who has also said he "can't agree with homosexuality."

The city government pulled the rug out from under the SQCF again this year, but this time it was decided to reserve the city square for a reading event not connected with any religious organizations.

What can you do in the face of so much absurdity? Probably the healthiest thing is to laugh.

"Last year, I walked in the Seoul Pride Parade, and it was sweltering hot. We kept getting screamed at by Christian protesters," said Kristen Pimley, host of the event and a producer of Stand Up Seoul. "They kept yelling, 'You're going to Hell!' I thought, 'It's July in Seoul. We're already here.'"

Kelly shared an amusing story about being accused of bigotry himself.

"I used to be part of a language exchange, and we were discussing what we would do if we were president," he said. "One of the participants said he would ban all gay people; I said I would ban all the homophobes. He said I was being intolerant."

It's exactly because of this kind of attitude that Korea can't have an anti-discrimination law, as bigots fear being outed for their prejudices.

Both Pimley and Kelly confirmed that they have been subjected to hatred by bigots, not just in the streets during the Pride Parade or in daily life, but also in connection with their comedy routines.

"I've been heckled for being gay before," Kelly said. "The best one was I told a joke about my boyfriend being my brother, and someone shouted, 'I don't wanna hear about gay shit!' He was fine with incest."

"I like to take screenshots of any hate comments and turn them into advertisements for shows," said Pimley, who has performed on comedy stages in nine countries so far. "My favorite was an anonymous man who commented on a lot of my social media posts, saying, 'Stop calling yourself a comedian. You are just an attractive white female; you have no talent. Your comedy is insufferable and embarrassing.' I was like, 'You think I'm attractive?' (heart emojis)"

She added that their upcoming show has not yet received any backlash, but if it were to, it clearly wouldn't faze her.

"I feel that if ultra-conservative religious groups are protesting you, it's a sign you're doing something right," she said.

Although it used to be claimed that Korea had no homosexuality, those days are long gone. These days, while it's impossible to deny the existence of sexual minorities throughout Korea's history, there are still haters who claim that it only exists because it is a foreign culture brought here by outsiders...outsiders like Kelly and Pimley?

They had harsh words for this notion.

"People who think of queerness as 'foreign' are never going to change their minds and frankly don't deserve to laugh," Kelly said.

"Love, understanding and acceptance are universal values," added Pimley.

There has been a lot of social debate over whether comedy has become too politically correct, and what jokes might go too far. But while Pimley isn't silencing or canceling anybody, she made it clear what she wants to see on stage.

"There's a big difference between pushing boundaries and perpetuating hate  and hate speech is rarely funny," she said. "As a producer, I'm trying to save the stage for voices that inspire and entertain."

"Hatred already has enough of a platform," Kelly added.

"No Pride, Just Prejudice" starts this Friday at 9 p.m. Entry to KYLDN Social Club costs 15,000 won. The performers also include Jessica Lee, Alice Hong, Yobo, Sue Choe and Yena Choi.

Visit @standupseoul or @kyldnsocialclub on Instagram for more information.
South Korea commemorated the 22nd anniversary of its victorious naval skirmish against North Korea, Saturday, paying tribute to Navy sailors killed in action and vowing to honor their sacrifice with a firmer defense posture.

The ceremony marking the anniversary of the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong took place at the Navy's 2nd Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul. Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo and Vice Veterans Minister Lee Hee-wan, who fought in the battle, attended the ceremony. They were joined by Navy sailors from the skirmish and the families of those who lost their lives on June 29, 2002. Leaders of major political parties were also on hand.

The naval conflict occurred after two North Korean patrol boats crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto maritime border, and launched a surprise attack on the South's Chamsuri-357 warship near the western island of Yeonpyeong.

About 30 North Koreans are believed to have been killed or wounded, though South Korea also lost six sailors, with 19 others injured. In 2022, the Navy defined its annual anniversary event as a "victory" ceremony to honor the fallen sailors.

In his speech Saturday, Shin called out the names of the six late South Korean sailors and said, "The fighting spirit demonstrated by these six heroes and others who fought will stay in our hearts forever."

Citing a recent series of provocations by North Korea, Shin said, "North Korea has forgotten its bitter defeat from 22 years ago.

"If the enemy provokes once again, our military will respond promptly and firmly, and will battle until the end," he continued. "With our action, we will prove historical lessons that only strength can preserve peace."

Earlier Saturday, President Yoon Suk Yeol took to Facebook to mark the anniversary and express a similar sentiment.

"Peace is to be preserved by strength, not words," Yoon wrote. "We will honor our heroes' sacrifices by building an even stronger military and an even mightier South Korea."

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) offered its tributes while also calling for a more robust security posture against North Korea.

"Presently, we're faced with as grave a security situation on the Korean Peninsula as ever. With all forms of provocations, North Korea is threatening peace not only on the peninsula but all around the world," PPP spokesperson Kim Hye-ran said in a statement. "And there can be absolutely no compromise when it comes to protecting our people's lives and security in South Korea against any form of North Korean provocation. The PPP and the Yoon administration will protect South Korea and liberal democracy with a firm security posture."

Hwang Jung-a, spokesperson for the opposition Democratic Party, said her party will do its best to build "a peaceful South Korea" on the foundation of strong security.

"We'd like to once again thank our soldiers for their services in protecting our territory, water and airspace," Hwang said. (Yonhap)
By Raja Krishnamoorthi

Forget coffee. For Asian Americans, each morning begins with some sort of cognitive calculation about how to navigate potential biases we might face throughout the day.

Theres no hiding the facts. Asian Americans fear that hate crimes are rising. One in three of us faced racial abuse last year. A recently signed law prohibits Chinese nationals from purchasing property in parts of Florida. And a recent House spending bill almost revived a controversial Department of Justice program that targets Chinese academics.

Much of this results from a combination of economic and societal pressures: COVID-19, racism about Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners, and a leader of one of our two major parties who thrives on grievance and division. We must acknowledge that.

Despite these setbacks, the Asian American community has made a lot of progress: in numbers, in economic strength and, increasingly, in political power. We should acknowledge that, too.

Such was the case for me in 2017 when I became the first Indian American in Illinois to be elected to Congress. Six years later, I would become the first South Asian American in U.S. history to co-lead a congressional committee. I now represent one of 18 Asian American members in Congress, which is sure to grow in 2024.

Growing up in Peoria, I cannot say I would have envisioned this; there were not many Asian American role models at the time. But today, one of the best MLB players, Shohei Ohtani, is Japanese, as is the star pitcher, Shota Imanaga, who has Cubs fans like myself dreaming of another World Series. These players are admired by fans of every background because of what they accomplish on the field.

A legion of other Asian American leaders heads some of our nations most important industries as well. As we compete with China for businesses and jobs of the future, we see leaders such as YouTube co-founder Steve Chen and Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen paving the way for generations to follow.

Dwayne The Rock Johnson and Sandra Oh have helped redefine how we experience the arts. The restaurants Mr Chow and Nobu are altering upscale dining. The musical group BTS is credited for bringing K-pop to the U.S.

This was not the case a couple of decades ago; what we see now are Asians moving from other to mainstream, and, progressively, Asian Americans are finding success and recognition as a part of the American mosaic.

This progress shows our country at its best. Most of us admire those who succeed through their own talents and hard work, overcoming historical prejudices and outmoded ways of thinking. Its what inspired me to run for public office, even though there were few, if any, Asian Americans in office when I ran.

And its why I encourage others to follow in my footsteps. There is no limit to what can be achieved in this nation if given the opportunity  as was the case for me as I witnessed my mother and father carefully maneuver social safety nets and overcome hard times to equip me for success.

Although we have come far, Asian Americans continue to face challenges, particularly in the realm of social justice. The model minority myth, which portrays Asian Americans as universally successful, obscures the disparities and discrimination that exist within the community. This stereotype can marginalize less privileged subgroups and perpetuate harmful biases.

Moreover, the rise in anti-Asian sentiment and violence, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has highlighted the persistent xenophobia Asian Americans endure. These recent moments in U.S. history tore off the Band-Aid, revealing the persistent wound of racism that Asian Americans have endured for far too long. Hate crimes and discrimination became a daily threat, a constant undercurrent of fear. But in the face of this adversity, the Asian American community has shown incredible resilience.

These incidents have galvanized us to unite, to find our collective voice, and to advocate fiercely for greater protection and recognition of our civil rights. In Congress, we fought to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to address the surge in anti-Asian violence, which President Joe Biden signed into law. It wasnt just about safety; it was about demanding to be seen, valued and respected as an integral part of the American fabric.

Despite our nation getting it wrong sometimes, it does seem to adjust and accommodate over time. The stain of slavery, the disenfranchisement of women and the recent rise in LGBTQ+ violence are stark reminders of our nations imperfections. Yet, each of these periods of injustice has been met with eventual, if sometimes painfully slow, recognition and redress.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month may be behind us, but let us not forget our communities harrowing past. Just as important, let us be reminded of the lasting impact we have had in enriching the tapestry of American life. Our achievements extend far beyond this month, and our stories deserve to be celebrated year-round.

Even with the mental gymnastics we must perform each morning, Asian Americans should celebrate our achievements and stand in solidarity against discrimination. We should continue to champion our voices and fight for a more equitable future. And we should never give up on the promise of a society where everyone is valued and respected.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Schaumburg, represents Illinois 8th Congressional District. This article was published in the Chicago Tribune and distributed by Tribune Content Agency.
Proper safety training, better working conditions urgent

The recent fire at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, which claimed the lives of 23 workers, highlights the urgent need to protect migrant workers in Korea. Tragically, 18 of the victims were foreign nationals, including 17 ethnic Chinese and a Laotian. These workers, hired through a subcontractor on a daily basis, were not provided with essential safety training despite working with highly hazardous materials.

Lithium is a spontaneously combustible material that can reach temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius when ignited, making it difficult to extinguish with water due to the risk of a secondary explosion. Appropriate safety measures are crucial in environments dealing with dangerous substances. Unfortunately, however, the migrant workers at the plant were not prepared for the accident, as evidenced by security camera footage showing them trying to use extinguishers and struggling to find exits due to obstructed pathways. This highlights a significant deficiency in safety education and preparedness.

Industrial sites employing large numbers of foreign laborers have often come under criticism for neglecting to offer proper safety education and training, citing language barriers as an excuse. Against this backdrop, migrant laborers are vulnerable to higher risks of death from industrial accidents compared to their local peers.

According to data from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, out of 812 industrial deaths last year, 85, ot 10.4 percent, involved foreign nationals, up from 9.7 percent in 2022. The trend is worsening with foreign workers accounting for 11.2 percent during the first three months of this year.

Koreas dependency on foreign workers is growing because of its labor shortage, aggravated by a low birth rate paired with an aging population. The number of foreign workers active here stood at 920,000 last year, accounting for 3.2 percent of total employment. This represents an increase of 80,000 from the previous year. To address the shortage of workforce at the industrial sites, the Yoon Suk Yeol administration hiked the number of work permits for eligible migrants by 165,000. However, employers continue to suffer from a chronic labor shortage and call for more foreign workers.

Amid a steady increase in demand for foreign workers, however, Korea has largely failed to improve its working conditions. A large number of migrant workers, especially those on daily contracts, are usually sent to work sites without adequate safety training and education. Aricell, where the fire broke out, for instance, has more than 50 foreign workers, mostly on daily contracts, out of its total 100 or more employees. Such negligence is not acceptable given the critical roles the migrant workers play in keeping plants and other industrial sites operational.

The labor sector heaped criticism against the government. In a statement, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) criticized the government for having failed to take proper steps despite hundreds of foreign workers dying every year from industrial accidents. Despite the increasing influx of migrant workers, the government deserves criticism for abolishing an assistance center for foreign workers. Employers are also accountable as they have been coercing the migrant workers without providing them due safety training, the KCTU said.

Now is the time for the government and companies to collaborate closely in thoroughly reexamining the working conditions faced by foreign workers and developing comprehensive safety measures for them. This should include providing adequate safety education, guaranteeing concrete measures, and offering specific manuals to ensure that all foreign workers understand safety protocols.

The recent tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of how vulnerable foreign laborers in the nation are to workplace hazards. The government and the employers should recognize the contributions of the migrant workers to the Korean economy and focus on enhancing their safety at work. They should implement practical and proactive measures to protect them from future industrial accidents and prevent potential tragedies.
By Robert Neff

One of the least appreciated but arguably the most beautiful thing to see in Seoul is the evening sky  especially along the Han River. It is not uncommon to see crowds of people gathered along the river banks sipping coffee  and perhaps stronger drinks  while staring at the majestic sunset. For the young lovers, it is romantic; for the weary office worker, it is rejuvenating; and for the elderly, it is a reminder of just how insignificant we humans are when compared to the colossal might of the universe. But in the late fall of 1883, the red sky was an omen of change and a reminder of the Mother Natures devastating strength.

November 3, 1883, the port of Jemulpo (modern Incheon) was awash with brilliant colors and tremendous explosions  it was the Japanese emperors birthday. According to one eyewitness:

[A] considerable amount of gunpowder was spent at this port, in honour of H.M. the Emperor of Japan, it being the Mikados birthday; at noon a thundering [cannonade] roared forth, and Roze Island anchorage was covered with smoke for some time; the ships of war Seiki Kan, Sapphire and Leipzig having fired a salute, the same ships of war, including the British Kestrel, had dressed ship in grand style as three Japanese sailing vessels anchored off Chemulpo. His Royal Korean Majestys Custom House was also gaily decorated with flags, and most of the Japanese residents had unfurled the banner of Dai Nippon over their houses, three Japanese sailing vessels in the inner harbour were most tastefully decked all over with flags and flowers, and made a very pleasing and picturesque impression.

One can easily imagine the display of flags and naval firepower impressed the community, but the awe inspired by man was quickly eclipsed in the evening by Mother Nature.

Yun Chi-ho, a Korean working as an interpreter for the American legation in Seoul, somewhat off-handedly noted in his diary that in the morning and evening, the sky is full of [a] red aura in the east and west. It seems a rather benign observation, but these were no ordinary sunrises and sunsets.

According to an article published in The Atlantic in April 1884: The strange heavens of the later autumn [of 1883], the fiery glow of sunrise and sunset, the brownish haze that girdles the sun all day, [were] phenomena so out of the range of common experience that they could not be easily explained.

One eyewitness in Seoul described the sky as being wonderfully red for about one and a half hours to two hours after sunset and very similar to the appearance of the northern lights.

Sometimes it was just a uniform, brilliant brightness, the initial center of which always lay where the sun had disappeared, [but] on other evenings the sun shot long-fingered rays of a darker color through the clouds, [and] on one evening there was an alternation between darker and lighter evening red colors likes a ceaselessly flowing vertically folded curtain.

The Western observer and his peers viewed it with delight every evening believing it was a normal occurrence in Korea during the fall. However, they soon learned that the Korean population was greatly alarmed and stood in the streets staring at the sky. They were restless because of the signs in the sky, [believing] they meant turmoil, war and misfortune.

In Jemulpo, an officer aboard the German warship, Leipzig, was startled to discover two magnificent meteors  one with a red tail and the other with a blue tail  in the night sky. These celestial visitors likely caused further unease amongst the people  according to our eyewitness, the fire that destroyed Gyeongbok Palace on December 19, 1876, may have been caused by a falling meteor or lightning. The gods had brought misfortune upon [the palace] and [demonstrated] their displeasure through fire sent from heaven.

After several days, the brilliant red sky was no longer a diary subject for Yun Chi-ho or our Western visitor. Frustratingly, the English-language newspapers in China and Japan failed to mention the brilliant red sky. The Japan Weekly Mail apparently thought articles about cats being stoned by mischievous boys, and crows stealing dogs bones were of more interest to its readers than beautiful but mysterious sunsets.

What was the cause of these sunsets? The Atlantic provided a clue when it printed part of a poem by William Cowper, an English poet of the 18th century.





Fires from beneath, and meteors from above,

Portentous, unexampled, unexplained,

Have kindled beacons in the skies; 

And Nature with a dim and sickly eye

To wait the close of all;





The brilliant red sunsets were part of the aftermath of the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa on August 27, 1883. For several months the red sunsets and the mist-encircled noonday sun were very constant phenomena but gradually they began to diminish prompting N.S. Schaler, to conclude his Atlantic article with:

When this volcanic dust ceases to glorify our skies at dawn and eve, we shall part with what has probably been the most remarkable and picturesque accident to the earths physical life that has been known with the limits of recorded history.

Although we do not have color photographs of these brilliant red sunsets, some believe we do have paintings. It has been suggested that Edvard Munchs hauntingly beautiful but disturbing 1893 painting  The Scream  portrays the vivid red sunsets he witnessed in Europe following the volcanic eruption.

The beauty of the sunset is in the eye of the beholder and every generation lives in strange times.

Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Sadam Mangwiro, a director at GAFA Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, a South African trading company, has allegedly fallen victim to fraud by a fake clearing agent in Harare. The accused, Isaac Bachi (39), appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi facing charges of fraud. Bachi claimed to be an agent for Transmount Clearing, Shipping and Freight (Pvt) Ltd and misrepresented himself as a registered clearing agent.According to prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi, in March, Bachi allegedly instructed Mangwiro to make payments totaling R372,984 into various bank accounts and $4,730 in cash for clearing trucks carrying chrome concentrate to South Africa. Later, Mangwiro discovered that the clearance documents were fake, and the trucks had been impounded by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.Bachi has been remanded out of custody on $100 bail and is scheduled to appear in court again on July 22. The case underscores the risks businesses face from fraudulent activities in the clearing and logistics sectors, prompting caution and vigilance in business dealings.
By Robert Neff

While Jemulpo (modern Incheon) was often described in the late 19th century as the gateway to Korea, I would argue it was Fusan (modern Busan) that deserved this title, especially in the 1880s, when it appears more non-military Westerners visited it than Jemulpo. Over the next couple of articles we will examine Fusan in the 1880s.

In October 1883, one foreign resident in Fusan described the port as a Japanese settlement consisting of 600 houses, which were, for the most part substantially built specimens of Japanese architecture, two stories high, and provided housing for the 1,800 Japanese residents. The finest buildings were the Japanese consulate, the 1st National Bank, the offices of several Japanese traders, the steamship office and Kofukutsi Hotel. In addition, the port had a hospital, school, post office and police station. The two-storied Korean Imperial Customs Services office was at the western end of the port and was also considered to be quite grand. In addition, a telegraph office was in the final stages of completion. He did not refer to Korea as the Land of the Morning Calm or even as the Hermit Kingdom, but instead deemed it the Land of Promise.

While it may have been the Land of Promise to Japanese merchants, for non-Japanese businessmen, it was a forbidden land.

In October 1883, the Chinese firm of Tick Hing & Company informed Japanese Acting Consul General S. Miyamoto of its intention to open a general store in Fusan. The managers, Ah-chi and Wi-sing, were encouraged by the friendly manner in which they were received by the Japanese official and proceeded to select a building on the main street and obtain a six-month lease from the Japanese owner. The building was then refurnished and the grand opening was scheduled for Nov. 3.

In 1883, Nov. 3 was significant for many reasons. To the Japanese, it was their emperors birthday, but for the Korean Imperial Customs Service at Fusan, it was the first day they began collecting custom duties.

A day or two before the grand opening, a Japanese man appeared at the store and informed the Chinese merchants they were to appear at the Japanese consulate for an interview. One of the managers complied and was promptly told by the Japanese consul that they (the Chinese) were to immediately shut their business and leave the port on the next steamer. The Chinese merchants refused and informed the Japanese consul that they would appeal to the Korean authorities for help.

On the opening day, the shop was plagued with visits from Japanese store-keepers and merchants who threatened the occupants and ordered them to shut their store immediately. Later that evening, a large number of Japanese entered the shop and threatened not only to smash all of their merchandise but also to physically remove the Chinese from the premises. It was only with a great deal of effort that the Japanese were convinced to leave. They left, but warned they would return if the store opened again.

The Chinese merchants stoically opened their shop for business the following day and were again harassed by not only the Japanese merchants but also by the Japanese consulate. The Chinese reminded the Japanese consul they would hold him responsible for the acts of his countrymen. He ignored them.

The Chinese merchants lodged complaints with their minister in Seoul and their plight soon made its way into the English language newspapers in Japan and China. These newspapers  especially The Rising Sun & Nagasaki Express  denounced the Japanese acts. According to the newspaper:

It seems that the Japanese Consul at Fusan objects to the presence of Chinese Merchants, on the grounds that in the settlement of Fusan it is agreed between Japan and Corea that only Japanese shall be able to carry on trade there.

The editor doubted such a treaty existed, but even if it did, he argued, the Japanese consul had been informed in advance of the Chinese merchants intentions and had granted them permission to do so through his silence. It was only after a few Japanese peddlers complained of having to compete against the Chinese merchants that he took an active interest in the affair and then had the audacity to demand the Chinese merchants to leave.

He went on to write:

The Japanese have held a rich monopoly in Corea for 7 years past, but cannot do so any longer. The day has now passed when only Japanese can set foot on shore in the Land of Morning Calm, and when Japanese can rob undisturbed, valuable timber, per force majeur, from the islands on the East coast of Corea.

He also expressed a desire for the Chinese fleet to visit not only Fusan, but also Nagasaki  [as] the necessity for the presence of the Chinese fleet in these waters has been brought home to us in a most unmistakable manner

After the Chinese authorities in Seoul lodged a complaint with the Korean government, Paul Georg von Mollendorff, a German adviser, was dispatched to Fusan to mediate a solution. Apparently a compromise was reached in which the Chinese merchants were allowed to remain but they did so in great fear of the jealous [Japanese] traders.

It seems that once its lease was up, the Chinese firm moved to Jemulpo and Seoul where it enjoyed a very profitable business until the night of June 2/3, 1889, when the companys shop in Seoul was robbed. Nearly $7,000 worth of gold, silver and watches were taken. One of the employees on duty was stabbed to death and the shop was then set on fire.

The Rising Sun & Nagasaki Express reported:

This store is quite distant from any other Chinese or other foreign dwelling, and the robbers were not molested. Suspicion points to some of the Chinese roughs who have been flocking over from Chefoo for the last six months, and if the Chinese Minister wished he could most likely place his hands on the thieves without much trouble, as it is supposed that the entire contents of the store were carried away.

A Chinese newspaper added:

Tick, Hing & Co. are the agents of the China Merchants Steam Navigation Co. in Corea. Much sympathy is felt for them. They had many friends, owing to their universal courtesy and strict integrity. Whether Coreans or destitute Chefoo Chinamen did it is not yet known. But robbery of money and valuables seem to have been the object. Messrs. Tick, Hing & Co. were not insured, and their loss must be very serious.

Shortly after the fatal robbery, the Chinese Legation in Seoul offered a reward of $1,000 for the arrest of the criminals. It isnt clear if anyone ever collected the reward but the company remained in Korea at least up until the early 20th century. For the company, Korea was definitely not the Land of the Morning Calm.

Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.
By Ko Dong-hwan

INCHEON  Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS) is helping the country prepare for a potential global energy crisis by maximizing liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage at the worlds largest LNG terminal in Incheon, according to the state-run LNG supplier, Friday.

Located on the countrys west coast, the Incheon LNG Terminal receives imported fuels, stores them, and distributes them to the capital region  Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province  where half of the countrys population resides and account for 70 percent of the nation's LNG needs. To ensure the efficient management of this critical facility, KOGAS has developed technologies for fuel preservation and established routine procedures to minimize accidents and enhance site security.

The terminal began commercial operations in 1996 when the first LNG tanker from overseas docked at one of its two unloading stations. The terminal has 23 storage tanks all designed with resistance to earthquakes up to magnitude 7. Eleven of them hold 89,400 tons each, 10 holding 44,700 tons each and 2 holding 62,580 tons each. The total storage capacity is over 1.55 million tons and regasification (the conversion of LNG to natural gas) capacity is 6,270 tons per hour.

Out of five LNG terminals run by KOGAS nationwide  Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province, Samcheok in Gangwon Province, Tongyoung in South Gyeongsang Province, Jeju Island and Incheon  Incheon terminal has the highest storage and vaporization capacities. In 2010, an accumulated amount of natural gas processed at the terminal reached 100 million tons.

Built on 1.4 million square meters of reclaimed land five kilometers off the coast, the terminal has two LNG unloading docks, one for ships smaller than 75,000 tons and the other for ships smaller than 127,000 tons. Once the fuel-carrying tankers are docked, the terminal unloads and transports fuel to storage tanks. There, the fuel goes through a regasification process before being pipe-delivered to residential gas providers or local power plants for industrial use. A daily LNG supply by KOGAS amounts to 10 tons on average.

The entire process from unloading to distribution is monitored by the terminals main control computer 24 hours.

The pipes run over 5,100 kilometers all across the country connecting nine regional offices coordinating local LNG distribution, Lee Ye-ji, manager from KOGASs communication department, said. LNG consumption peaks during winter when heating demands spike and remains low in summer. In winter, you never see the docks empty as tankers keep coming in on a daily basis.

KOGAS last year shipped in a total of 35.5 million tons of LNG from 21 countries including Qatar, Australia, Oman and the United States. Incheon LNG Terminal processed 33.2 percent of the overall imports  over 12 million tons of LNG.

On Thursday, SM Eagle  an LNG tanker  was discharging fuel at the terminal after returning from New Orleans, the United States, with 85,000 tons of Shells LNG through a 45 day-long voyage passing by the southernmost point of the African continent.

The terminal saw its record LNG processing during winter in January 2021 when it converted over 90,000 tons in a single day, Lee said.

To prevent safety accidents like gas leak, Incheon LNG Terminal runs four different types of safety drill throughout each year. Using three fire engines at an emergency station inside the site, the terminal partners with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Incheon Metropolitan City and other local governments when the drills take place.

KOGAS also jointly monitors for drone infiltration around the terminal with military authorities, police forces and the National Intelligence Service. The defensive net, using radio frequency scanners and optical cameras, warns and jams drones that approach within a range of two kilometers.
By Lee Min-hyung

BUSAN  Renault Korea CEO Stephane Deblaise expressed confidence in achieving a sales rebound with the firms strategic premium SUV, the Grand Koleos, highlighting its distinctive driving performance and advanced infotainment systems, he said during an interview with reporters, Thursday.

Our primary goal is to show our evident differentiation points with the vehicle in the mid-sized SUV market, and the vision will be proven by sales figures," he said during the interview on the sidelines of this years Busan Mobility Show.

He praised the vehicle for its multifaceted strengths in driving performance and the in-vehicle software experience for drivers.

Grand Koleos offers soft and comfortable driving experiences and Bose sound systems  which we believe stands at the top level in the D-segment SUVs, he said. The vehicles hybrid system is also outstanding. We are confident that the vehicle comes with a series of clear differentiation points.

Renault Korea is particularly emphasizing boosting sales of the hybrid version of the vehicle, acknowledging that the electric vehicle (EV) industry has yet to reach a stage of widespread adoption. However, the automaker's top executive did not disclose any specific sales projections for the vehicle.

Hybrid vehicles account for around 60 percent in the D-segment SUV market, while the rest is filled by ones with internal combustion engines, he said. The market size for EVs remains too small. As the portion of EVs remains very low in the vehicle industry for now, it was not easy for us to introduce a new EV for the time being. We will move in line with demands from customers.

Grand Koleos is expected to compete with Hyundai Motors Santa Fe flagship SUV and Kias Sorento in the local market.

The head of Renault Korea, however, did not comment on the price range of the vehicle.

Its prices will be shared soon, and it will be reasonable, he said.

Renault Korea is undergoing a significant strategic overhaul. In April, the company opted to feature its iconic losange emblem on its best-selling models, including the QM6 SUV, aiming to rejuvenate its brand identity and attract younger customers. As part of this initiative, the company also renamed the XM3 compact SUV to Arkana.

The QM series are assembled in the automakers Busan plant, but are sold under the Koleos name overseas.

QM6 is a well-known vehicle in Korea, so we will not change its name, just as we have done so with Arkana, he said. After we shared our revamped brand strategy in April, we are changing details one by one.
By Baek Byung-yeul

SK Group plans to secure 80 trillion won ($58 billion) by 2026 to invest in AI and semiconductors, driven by the anticipated explosive global growth of the AI sector, Korea's second-largest business group said Sunday.

As part of the scheme, it will launch a semiconductor committee under SK Supex Council, a decision-making body of the group, and its chip unit SK hynix will invest 103 trillion won by 2028 to strengthen its edge and enhance synergy among group affiliates in AI and chip-related value chain.

The group drew up these plans during a two-day annual management strategy conference from Friday to Satursday, featuring top executives of its subsidiaries, to review the conglomerate's business operations and set future directions.

Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group who attended the meeting via video conference while on a business trip to the U.S., emphasized the need to secure future growth opportunities by focusing the group's capabilities on industries related to AI and semiconductors, which are displaying exponential growth.

In this new transition era, preemptive and fundamental changes are necessary to prepare for the future, Chey said.

In the U.S., the wind of AI-related change is so strong that there's nothing to talk about except that. We need to strengthen our AI value chain leadership from AI services to infrastructure by utilizing the group's capabilities, he added.

The chairman also forecast that the group will be able to gain opportunities for growth in the energy solution sector, where SK has strengths.

"In the green, chemical, and bio business sectors, our focus should be on achieving qualitative growth by carefully assessing market dynamics, enhancing technological competitiveness, making strategic choices, concentrating our efforts, and ensuring robust management practices," he said.

To focus on the AI and semiconductor sectors, SK will secure 80 trillion won by 2026 by improving profitability, optimizing its business structure and enhancing synergy, and invest the money into the AI and chip businesses, according to SK Inc., the holding company of the group.

SK Group intends to enhance its AI value chain and attain global competitiveness through investments in AI and semiconductors. This includes developing high-bandwidth memory (HBM), also known as AI memory chips, establishing AI data centers as essential infrastructure for the AI era, and offering AI services such as personal AI assistants.

SK hynix plans to invest 103 trillion won by 2028, with around 82 trillion won, or about 80 percent of the total, earmarked for AI fields such as HBM. Meanwhile, SK Group's mobile carrier, SK Telecom, and its internet service unit, SK Broadband, will jointly invest 3.4 trillion won over the next five years in the AI data center business.

The participating executives also decided to launch a semiconductor committee under SK Supex Council on July 1 to strengthen synergy between affiliates related to the AI and chip value chains. SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung will lead the committee.

Chey Chang-won, chairman of SK's Supex Council, underscored the critical importance of adhering rigorously to core principles, such as corporate compliance, during the business restructuring process, along with fostering active communication with stakeholders.

"We have clear goals such as qualitative growth, and there's nothing we can't achieve if we make steady efforts. We need to accelerate operational improvements currently underway in each company to meet the market's expectations and trust," he said.

Even after the management strategy meeting, SK Inc. said the group will continue to strengthen practical activities across each company by setting agenda items for discussion and key tasks at major management meetings, such as the Icheon Forum in August and the CEO seminar in October.

"The starting point and conclusion of this meeting is to secure sufficient groundwork for growth in preparation for big opportunities," a group spokesperson said. "We expect that future-oriented investments will have a positive impact on the national economy, in addition to enhancing our corporate value.
By Baek Byung-yeul

HS Hyosung, a newly launched holding company of Hyosung Group, has set its goal to create value for all stakeholders, according to the group Sunday.

On the occasion of the launch of HS Hyosung on July 1, its Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang held a town hall meeting, Thursday, where he stated that the goal is to provide value to customers, shareholders, employees, partners and the community.

"We must prioritize value as our core DNA to provide excellent value to our customers and shareholders, ensure our activities have a positive impact on the future of humanity and make all HS Hyosung family members happy," Cho said during the meeting.

"HS Hyosung will prioritize enhancing value for all stakeholders, including shareholders, customers, HS Hyosung family members, partners and the community, and pursue value management to grow together, the vice chairman added.

HS Hyosung is one of the two holding companies of Hyosung Group, along with Hyosung Corp. The group, with business areas spanning textiles, advanced materials, chemicals, heavy industries, construction and trading, approved a plan to split into two holding companies  the existing Hyosung Corp. and the newly established HS Hyosung  at an shareholders' meeting on June 14, effective July 1.

In February, around a month before Hyosung Group Honorary Chairman Cho Suck-rai passed away in March, Hyosung announced the group would be restructured into two holding companies, with the late chairmans eldest son and Hyosung Group Chairman Hyun-joon taking charge of Hyosung Corp., and the third son Hyun-sang leading HS Hyosung.

HS Hyosung includes subsidiaries such as HS Hyosung Advanced Materials, HS Hyosung Information Systems, HS Hyosung Holdings USA, HS Hyosung The Class, HS Hyosung Toyota, HS Hyosung Global Logistics Vina, and Kwangju Ilbo. The new holding company has annual sales of around 7 trillion won ($5 billion), with about 90 global bases and 10,000 employees.

A day after the town hall meeting, the vice chairman visited Purme Social Farm in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, with about 30 employees to help harvest and package crops alongside young adults with developmental disabilities.

"I find it very meaningful that HS Hyosung's first external event begins by helping others rather than focusing on ourselves," the vice chairman said.
By Ko Dong-hwan

The number of coffee shops in Korea has surpassed 100,000 as low-cost franchise brands become increasingly popular, with more people getting into the business, according to Statistics Korea and market observers, Sunday.

The figure is nearly double the combined number of the four major convenience store chains here, some 55,000, and the number of coffeehouse franchise brands, 886, is more than that of fried chicken brands, 669.

According to statistics, Korea had 100,729 coffee shops as of the end of 2022, up 4.5 percent from the previous year and almost double the figure from 2016.

Among them, 84,000 were small businesses, with four or less employees, while the rest were franchise shops.

The shops registered 15.5 trillion won ($11.2 billion) in sales combined as of 2022 and employed 270,000 workers.

The market growth has been backed largely by the rapidly growing popularity of low-cost coffee franchise brands in the past few years. Mega MGC Coffee, the most popular brand among the countrys big three low-cost coffee franchise brands, surpassed its 3,000th store in May. Compose Coffee has launched over 2,570 shops as of May and Paiks Coffee, has over 1,220.

These brands promote themselves as being convenient and accessible, with affordable prices and large-sized drinks. Such features distinguish the brands from previous top sellers in the local coffee shop industry such as Starbucks, A Twosome Place, The Coffee Bean as well as more premium brands like Paul Bassett.

The coffee shop markets growth has increased the countrys import of coffee beans. According to Korea Customs Service, Korea last year imported $1.11 billion worth of coffee beans. The figure is 1.7 times that of 2019 and 2.7 times that of 2014.

As of May, coffee imports registered $463 million, a 2.6 percent jump from the previous year. As to weight, this year has seen over 84,000 tons, an 11.4 percent year-on-year increase.

Behind such market expansion is the relatively affordable cost of launching a coffee shop. A person can open a franchise shop with 100 million won and a non-franchise shop, with even less capital. The fact that the business does not require a specific technique also contributes to more people flocking to the industry.

There are, however, mixed views toward the market. Some officials from coffee franchise companies here speculated that the market has so far shown a steep rise in growth in a short period but will soon start showing a slower pace in growth.

Having more shops than convenience stores altogether is just too much, one official said. I think the market has nearly saturated.

Another official said that concerns about the market being too saturated have been ever present since 2010 and are hardly news. The number has been increasing rather safely, step by step. This means that there have always been enough demands for the market, the official said.
By Baek Byung-yeul

SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus introduced their core technologies in quantum computing at the Quantum Korea tech event, seeking new growth through technology that will be a future game changer in the IT industry, they said Tuesday.

Organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the annual Quantum Korea is an international event where domestic and foreign quantum-related science and technology researchers, related companies and government representatives participate to explore global quantum ecosystem innovation trends.

At the three-day event, which will be held until Thursday, the country's three major telecoms exhibited technologies and products related to quantum encryption technology, which is expected to be commercialized first among quantum computing-related technologies.

SK Telecom joined the event with member companies of X Quantum, an alliance of quantum-related companies here. The members include Wooriro, Axgate, Soslab, KCS, Nokia and IDQ Korea.

SK Telecom exhibited the Quantum AI Camera, a camera equipped with vision AI algorithms and a quantum encryption chip. The company explained that this product provides accurate analysis and predictions through various functions such as object recognition and behavior analysis, while protecting user data with strong encryption and security.

Additionally, SK Telecom showcased the next-generation quantum encryption chip Q-HSM with KCS, a member of X Quantum. The company elaborated that Q-HSM is the world's first quantum encryption chip applying a quantum random number generator, physical unclonable function technology and software-based post-quantum cryptography (PQC) technology.

Through the technologies and products it is showcasing with X Quantum members, they will build an ecosystem in the nascent quantum market.

"We will continue to discover innovative quantum solutions and take the lead in securing Korea's leadership in the global quantum industry," Ha Min-yong, chief development officer of SK Telecom, said.

KT introduced next-generation technologies related to quantum cryptography communication and quantum networks under the theme "The Key to Future, Quantum."

KT successfully implemented wireless quantum encryption over 1-kilometer and 2-kilometer distances in 2022 and 2023 respectively using its independently developed wireless quantum key distribution technology, and is currently pursuing the development of 10-kilometer transmission technology, the longest distance in Korea yet.

The company said it plans to promote various quantum cryptography communication service-related projects at the event, such as disaster response using drones between local governments and military units, responding to hacking threats of autonomous vehicles, preventing leaks of industrial secrets and secure data transmission using augmented reality glasses.

LG Uplus also unveiled AlphaKey, an integrated account management solution for the cloud at the event. AlphaKey applies PQC technology to strengthen security against external attacks, allowing users to strongly protect their data, the company said.

In addition to AlphaKey, LG Uplus is also introducing technologies and commercial services that it has built up as a leading PQC provider in Korea, such as quantum communication encryption equipment that has obtained a security function confirmation from the National Intelligence Service, quantum security cameras, eSIMs, USIM sand 5G routers.
Casper Electric unveiled for 1st time

By Lee Min-hyung

BUSAN  Hyundai Motor, Kia and BMW have placed a strategic focus on compact electric vehicles (EVs) by showcasing their new lineups in the category at this years Busan Mobility Show, in an effort to overcome the frozen sentiment in the global EV market.

As the EV industry progresses toward widespread public adoption, hybrid cars are currently bridging the gap. However, carmakers have shown a strong commitment to expanding their EV lineups with smaller, more affordable models.

Hyundai Motor drew attention at the mobility fair on Thursday with the worlds first launch of the Casper Electric. This marks the debut of the brands smallest-ever crossover SUV in an all-electric version. The vehicle is equipped with a 49 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery, allowing it to travel up to 315 kilometers on a single charge.

Casper Electric, unveiled for the first time in the world here, will drive the mass adoption and popularization of EVs, Chung Yoo-seok, vice president and head for Hyundai Motors domestic business division, told reporters on the sidelines of the auto fair.

The compact EV has secured enhanced marketability, as its battery can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in only 30 minutes, according to Hyundai Motor, which added that this is fit for typical city drives. The vehicle will be priced at less than 30 million won ($21,600).

Kia displayed its full EV lineups  the EV3, EV6 and EV9  during the fair, in a show of its determination to lead the upcoming EV era. Kia also focused on promoting the EV3 out of the lineups by running a special EV3-dedicated zone. The compact electric SUV was unveiled in May.

Genesis, a luxury brand under Hyundai Motor Group, displayed its facelifted Electrified G80 mid-sized sedan for the first time on the sidelines of the fair.

BMW Korea showcased its small crossover iX2 EV and a set of other vehicles, including ones from its MINI brand.

The company was the only imported carmaker to set up a booth at the mobility show. Many other foreign carmakers opted out of participating this year due to declining popularity and minimal marketing impact of the event.

But BMW reiterated its strong will to give back to regional societies by widening its corporate activities for the co-prosperity with them.

BMW Korea will set a new stepping stone to realize sustainable corporate activities with regional communities, BMW Korea CEO Han Sang-yun said.
Transition to 4-day workweek loses momentum amid economic slowdown

By Park Jae-hyuk

A six-day workweek has returned to Korea nearly two decades after workers here began to take the entire weekend off, as more companies have ordered their executives to come to the office on Saturdays to discuss strategies to overcome the recession, according to industry officials, Friday.

Such a trend is expected to put the brakes on the recent dialogue between the government, labor and management over the introduction of a four-day workweek.

HD Hyundai Oilbank decided to ask its executives to start working on Saturdays from July, as the business environment has become more uncertain after a decline in refining margins.

Amid wild fluctuations in international crude oil prices last year, the refiners profitability was even worse than its three other competitors, all of which posted over 1 trillion won ($724 million) in annual operating profits.

We are quite serious these days as refining margins are important for our profits, an HD Hyundai Oilbank official said.

The HD Hyundai subsidiarys decision came a few months after Samsung and SK asked their executives earlier this year to work six days a week.

All of Samsungs affiliates ordered their executives in April to work an extra day either on Saturday or Sunday to step up risk management amid increasing global economic uncertainties. In February, SK Group also resumed a biweekly executive meeting on Saturday for the first time in 24 years since it adopted a five-day workweek back in 2000.

Their move even affected smaller Korean companies facing deteriorated earnings.

Executives of Samyang Group, a local chemical firm, recently started working on Saturdays twice a month to brace for the industry downturn and geopolitical risks. Some of them reportedly decided to work on Saturdays every week.

SsangYong C&E asked its executives and non-executive employees, who serve as team leaders, to attend business meetings on Saturdays, as the nations largest cement firm fell behind Hanil Cement in terms of the first-quarter sales and operating profits.

Seegene founder and CEO Chun Jong-yoon is also said to have asked executives in April to work six days a week, as the diagnostic kit maker made a loss after the government began managing COVID-19 as an endemic.

NongHyup Bank resumed a weekly executive meeting on Sunday for the first time in eight years, becoming the first Korean financial services firm whose executives have returned to a six-day workweek.

LS also reportedly considered asking its executives to work six days a week to tighten discipline, although the proposal was rejected after facing a strong backlash.

POSCO asked its executives to return to a five-day workweek as before, a couple of months after the steelmaker allowed its non-shift employees, who are expected to work a minimum of 40 hours a week, to take a Friday off every two weeks if they have worked at least 80 hours during the previous nine weekdays.

It is actually difficult for executives to work on weekends without their subordinates, said an employee at one of Samsungs affiliates. Our executives began to send emails to their subordinates on weekends, hindering non-executive employees from their rest time.

Korea Enterprises Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik also expressed a negative opinion about the recent trend of recommending company executives to work six days a week.
Hyundai Motor and its labor union on Friday reached an agreement to hire 1,100 new manufacturing workers by 2026.

The agreement was reached in the 10th round of negotiations related to wages and working conditions held at the company's plant in Ulsan, 299 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The two sides previously agreed to hire 300 new production workers next year. On Friday, they agreed to increase the company's plant workforce by an additional 500 workers next year and by 300 in 2026.

The union has been demanding an increase in hiring, considering how around 2,000 production workers retire each year, and to prepare for the company's launch of a new electric car factory in Ulsan next year.

The latest round of talks came after nearly 90 percent of unionized workers earlier this week voted in favor of a walkout following a collapse in the annual wage negotiations.

The union has yet to decide whether to actually carry out the strike. If executed, the walkout would be the first for the company in six years.

Hyundai Motor's union has not carried out a strike in the past five years, taking into consideration various factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and national trade issues. (Yonhap)
At least 18 dead in suspected suicide bomb attacks in Nigeria

At least 18 dead in suspected suicide bomb attacks in Nigeria

A series of bomb attacks in Nigeria have killed at least 18 people and injured more than 40, the head of the local state emergency management agency said on Saturday.

Suspected female suicide bombers separately attacked a wedding, a funeral and a hospital, according to Barkindo Saidu, the director general of the Borno state emergency management agency.

So far, 18 deaths have been confirmed, with the dead including children, adults and pregnant women.

Nigerias Vanguard News, however, reported that the death toll could be higher, close to 30.

The first bomb blast occurred around 3pm in the midst of a wedding ceremony. A few minutes later, another bomb blast occurred at General Hospital Gwoza. In the midst of sorrow, the people in the community gathered for the funeral congregation of the deceased people, (and) another suicide bomber denoted a bomb, the state emergency management said.

The injured victims are being treated at Medical Regimental Services (MRS) clinic before being conveyed to Maiduguri for proper treatment, it said.

The military has imposed a curfew, and no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Director General of Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Barkindo Muhammad Saidu visits bomb blast site (Borno State Emergency Management Agency)

The attacks took place in the town of Gwoza in Nigerias northeastern state of Borno, which has been at the centre of a 15-year Islamist insurgency.

Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), are the most active militant organisations in Borno, a vast rural area comparable in size to Ireland.

In 2014, Boko Haram seized the town but it was taken back by Nigerian forces in 2015.

However, the terrorist group has continued to carry out attacks and kidnappings near the town. It frequently uses women and younger people as bombers in the attack.

The group also uses female suicide bombers with babies to avoid detection before carrying out attacks.

Some of the women and children carrying out suicide attacks are believed to be among the many thousands kidnapped by the group over the years.

Militants have killed thousands, displaced millions, and continue to carry out deadly attacks against civilians, despite the Nigerian militarys claims that the insurgency has weakened.

Additional reporting with agencies
By Lee Min-hyung

Top executives from Naver and Nvidia emphasized the importance of securing sovereign artificial intelligence (AI) and pledged to enhance collaboration in AI projects, Koreas leading internet portal operator said Friday.

Sovereign AI refers to each nation's capability to autonomously develop and produce AI technologies, thereby enabling complete control over AI resources, including data and workforce, using their own resources.

This was the first meeting for Lee Hae-jin, global investment officer and founder of Naver, along with its top management, to meet with Nvidia founder Jensen Huang. They exchanged ideas on developing advanced joint AI business models. Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon also participated in the meeting with the Nvidia chief.

The concept of sovereign AI is increasingly emphasized by major big tech companies, as it allows AI models to be more advanced by incorporating regional cultures, languages, and even values into their development.

Naver stands at the forefront of the sovereign AI business in Korea, particularly after developing the HyperCLOVA X large language model. The internet firm continues to enhance its performance, particularly in terms of security.

Navers top executives discussed the importance of sovereign AI and strategies to develop AI models that effectively incorporate cultural values specific to each region, an official at Naver said. The meeting took place at Nvidias headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., Tuesday (local time).

Both companies have consistently emphasized the importance of sovereign AI. Therefore, they will closely collaborate to develop various AI models that respect the cultural values of each regional society, according to the official.

Nvidia specializes in providing hardware infrastructure for global big tech firms to develop AI models, while Naver is heavily investing in enhancing its AI capabilities, particularly focusing on Korean language models. Naver utilizes Nvidias AI chips to power its services.
Jill Biden was right at her husband's side Saturday as they exited Air Force One to head for a pair of campaign stops at luxurious vacation homes on Long Island. And she got straight to the point when it was her turn to introduce the president at a tony fundraiser.

Joe isnt just the right person for the job. Hes the only person for the job, she declared.

The first lady also told donors, Anyone can tell you what they want to do, but Joe Biden can tell you what hes done with his judgment, his experience, and his relationships with leaders across the globe.

The first lady is trying to rally support for her husband after a dreadful performance in Thursday's presidential debate created fresh worries about President Joe Biden's age and his ability to compete in November's election and to serve another four years.

The community college professor has been by her husband's side since he exited the debate stage as he faces what could be a defining challenge of his presidency  the president says that democracy itself is on the line in his race against former President Donald Trump.

It's a reflection of the first lady's influence, her love of her husband and the pressure confronting an 81-year-old candidate whom many voters worry is too old to serve another term as president. While Trump's wife has been noticeably absent from the campaign trail, Jill Biden has taken a leading role, wearing a dress Friday decorated with the word Vote.

Less than 24 hours after her husband's disastrous debate, she stood before a crowd in Greenwich Village and spoke glowingly about her husband without any nod to the swirling controversy over whether he is up to another term.

Joe will never stop fighting for this country and for communities like this one, she said at an event at the Stonewall National Monument, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride. Thats who Joe is. He wakes up every morning thinking about how he can make the lives of Americans better.

She was more frank, though, later in the day at a LGBTQ fundraiser in the city, saying of her husbands debate performance, I know its on your minds.

As Joe said earlier today, hes not a young man, she allowed. And you know, after last nights debate, he said, You know, Jill, I dont know what happened. I didnt feel that great. And I said, Look, Joe, we are not going to let 90 minutes define the four years that youve been president.

The first lady went on to deliver a spirited defense of the presidents abilities, signaling there was no stepping back from his intent  their intent, really  for him to press forward with his campaign.

What my husband does know how to do is tell the truth, she said. When Joe gets knocked down, Joe gets back up, and thats what were doing today.

Jill Biden, 73, has long been her husbands chief confidant and public defender, but her role looms larger this year and is attracting increasing scrutiny from Trump supporters, some of whom question whether she's the one doing the steering these days.

When the first lady gripped the president's hand as he left the debate stage on Thursday night after his halting performance, Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas reposted the video on X with the question, Who is the Commander in Chief?

Jill Biden, early on reluctant to embrace the role of political spouse, is all in.

Earlier in the year, when voters were in denial that Biden truly would seek another term, it was Jill Biden who squashed the idea he might not go through with it.

How many times does he have to say it for you to believe it? the first lady told The Associated Press in a February interview during a trip to Africa. She added, He says hes not done. Hes not finished what hes started. And thats whats important.

As a native of the Philadelphia area, her tone has grown increasingly feisty as she has told supporters that Trump has gotten my Philly up. But the race with the former Republican is tight and she told the fundraising gathering on Friday that, We have to work harder than weve ever worked before.

She doesn't just talk up her husband's best attributes, she regularly recounts stories of their courtship and life together for supporters. During Friday's events, she told the LGBTQ+ gatherings that Trump is a threat to their rights and we can't let him win, a sign that she won't shy from the gritty business of politics.

Last month, the first lady delivered a commencement address to community college students in Arizona, where she talked about ignoring the doubters and pushing forward with their goals.

The next time someone tells you that you cant, youre going to say, Oh yeah? Watch me, she said.

It was an echo of the words her husband has used on multiple occasions when questioned about his ability to do the job for another four years: Watch me. (AP)
China remains an onlooker while losing its influence over North Korea as Pyongyang is massively bolstering military cooperation with Russia, a White House official said Thursday, calling for Beijing to play a greater role for stability in the region.

Mira Rapp-Hooper, the senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the National Security Council, made the remarks, stressing Washington has been taking "unprecedented" action to deter North Korean threats and pursuing "greater, regularized" dialogue with Pyongyang to reduce risks of inadvertent escalation.

Her remarks came after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty during a summit in Pyongyang last Wednesday, accentuating their growing military alignment and aggravating concerns about its security implications.

"All this is happening while the PRC is standing by, slowly losing its influence, as North Korea increasingly turns to Russia instead," Rapp-Hooper said in a prerecorded speech for a forum hosted by Yonhap News Agency and Seoul's unification ministry. PRC stands for China's official name, the People's Republic of China.

"That is particularly dangerous at a time when a PRC push to maintain the status quo on the peninsula could be helpful for promoting stability and curbing North Korea's willingness to take provocative actions," she added.

She touched on China's apparent inaction, pointing to the North's continued transfer of munitions and missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine, Moscow's veto of a resolution on the renewal of a sanction-monitoring U.N. panel and its shipment of refined petroleum to the North.

Washington has persistently called on Beijing to leverage its clout over Pyongyang and play a constructive role in ensuring stability on the Korean Peninsula. Such a push has borne little fruit, although the world's second-largest economy is seen as having remained a pivotal partner for both the North and Russia, which have been under intense pressure from international sanctions.

Last week's summit between Putin and Kim stoked fears that Pyongyang could be further emboldened amid tensions heightened by North Korean troops' brief yet repeated border crossings, the regime's sending of trash-carrying balloons to the South and the suspension of a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction accord.

The summit produced a new defense treaty that calls for one party to provide military assistance to the other "without delay" in the event of an armed invasion  a pledge that amounted to a revival of the two countries' Cold War-era military alliance.

"The comprehensive strategic partnership that Kim and Putin signed makes clear that North Korea and Russia have every intention of forging an ever closer military relationship with direct implications for the Korean Peninsula and the whole of the Indo-Pacific, as well as for Europe," Rapp-Hooper said.

The official reaffirmed America's "extended deterrence" commitment to defending its allies with the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons.

"This is just one of the reasons that we have been so focused on ensuring the credibility of our extended deterrence commitments in the Indo-Pacific to send a clear message to North Korea, Russia and the People's Republic of China and to the rest of the world that the U.S. will stand by South Korea and our regional allies and uphold our own mutual defense commitments, which have served to provide for peace and stability in the region for so long," she said.

She also underscored that Washington is taking "unprecedented" action to deter North Korea, pointing to last year's summit declaration between President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden that led to the establishment of the allies' Nuclear Consultative Group, a body to discuss nuclear and strategic planning issues.

"I am very happy to report that we have made remarkable progress during the past year, and this has fundamentally strengthened the U.S.-South Korea alliance and our ability to engage in nuclear and strategic planning," she said.

Apparently mindful of growing cross-border tensions, however, Rapp-Hooper repeatedly underlined the importance of communication with the North, describing direct dialogue as the "best" way to address differences and identify ways to make "meaningful" progress.

Observers said an abrupt flare-up of inter-Korean tensions could create a foreign policy headache for Washington, particularly during the election season, as it has already been heavily consumed with Russia's protracted war in Ukraine and the war between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

"The recent incursions by North Korean soldiers into South Korea and the Demilitarized Zone ... are a sign of how close to the border North Korean soldiers are now operating and how easily an accident could occur. Resilient communication channels would substantially enhance our ability to avoid misunderstandings or inadvertent escalation in the event of such a situation," she said.

"They are just as important in a crisis. The reality is the U.S. is willing and ready to engage on any of these issues. But that won't be possible if North Korea does not pick up the phone."

While denuclearization is the U.S.' "ultimate" goal, there is much to discuss with Pyongyang, including responses to public health emergencies and climate change, she said.

"Discussions are essential for reducing mistrust and building confidence in the interest of enhancing regional peace and security," she said.

She also repeated the Biden administration's willingness to explore "interim steps" on a path towards denuclearization.

"The United States remains committed to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We are willing to consider interim steps on the path to denuclearization provided that these steps would make the regime and the world a safer place for all of us," she said.

"We know that progress takes time, and the meaningful pursuit of a Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace will not occur overnight. That is all the more reason for us to return to dialogue so that we can reduce and eventually eliminate the threats facing the peninsula."

Calling the effort a "threat reduction approach," she said that the U.S. will work "in lockstep" with South Korea to pursue "greater, regularized" communication and other "stabilizing" exchanges with the North. She did not elaborate further. (Yonhap)
The United States, Britain, France confronted Russia at the United Nations Security Council, Friday, over accusations it is violating an arms embargo on North Korea by using missiles and munitions from Pyongyang in its war against Ukraine.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia rejected the accusations as "completely false." The council meeting came after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a pact last week with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in which they agreed to provide military assistance if either faces armed aggression.

The United States also called out China, Friday, saying it should use its influence with North Korea and Russia to protect regional and global security and end "this increasingly dangerous military cooperation" between the pair.

"I appeal to my Chinese colleagues to understand that if indeed the situation on the Korean Peninsula continues on the trajectory it's going, the United States and its allies will have to take steps to defend their security," deputy U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood told the council, without elaborating.

China strongly rejected a U.S. accusation that it was emboldening North Korea by not condemning Russia's actions.

"The current situation on the Korean Peninsula continues to be tense. How did this come about?" said China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Geng Shuang. "The U.S. should reflect deeply especially on its own actions instead of blaming others and shirking its own responsibility as it habitually does."

'No reason' for concern

China and Russia say joint military drills by the United States and South Korea provoke Pyongyang, while Washington accuses Beijing and Moscow of emboldening North Korea by shielding it from more U.N. sanctions. Russia, China, the U.S., Britain and France are permanent veto-wielding council members.

Nebenzia dismissed the council meeting  called by the U.S., France, Britain, South Korea and Japan  as a bid to "disseminate baseless accusations in order to detract attention from their own destructive actions."

"Our cooperation with Pyongyang is exclusively constructive and legitimate in nature and this is exceptionally important. It does not threaten anybody, unlike the military activity of the United States and their allies," Nebenzia said.

North Korean U.N. Ambassador Kim Song also sought to give reassurances, adding that unless anyone was planning to invade North Korea or Russia, "there is no reason whatsoever to be concerned about development of their bilateral relations."

"The DPRK, Russia relations are completely peace-loving and defensive in nature as they do not target a third party, but promote progress and wellbeing of the people of the two countries," he told the council.

China reacted guardedly last week to the pact between Moscow and Pyongyang. It made no reference to it during the Security Council meeting Friday.

'More dangerous' world

U.N. sanctions monitors said in April, that the debris from a missile that landed in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Jan. 2 was from a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile. Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukrainian state prosecutors said in May they had examined debris from 21 of about 50 North Korean missiles launched by Russia between December last and February this. The U.S. has also accused Russia of firing "a total of four possible North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles toward Ukraine" in mid-June.

"Russia's actions are making the world a more dangerous place for all countries," Britain's U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council.

Formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006 for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and those measures have been unanimously strengthened over the years.

"The Russian Federation has opted to prioritize the pursuit of its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine to the detriment of the international non-proliferation regime. It has imperiled regional security and our collective security," said French U.N. Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere.

For the past several years the Security Council has been divided over how to deal with Pyongyang. Russia and China say more sanctions will not help and want such measures to be eased. They proposed some sanctions be lifted in December 2019 but have never put their draft resolution to a vote as it would fail. (Reuters)




A fired-up Joe Biden came out swinging Friday as he tried to make up for a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, insisting he was the right man to win November's U.S. presidential election.

Biden's appearance at a campaign rally in the battleground state of North Carolina came amid rumblings in his alarmed Democratic Party about replacing the 81-year-old as its nominee  and shortly before the nation's most influential newspaper urged him to step aside.

"I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to," Biden admitted to supporters in unusually confessional remarks. "But I know how to tell the truth. I know how to do this job," he said to huge cheers, vowing "when you get knocked down, you get back up."

Biden's team was in damage-control mode after Thursday's debate when he often hesitated, tripped over words and lost his train of thought  exacerbating fears about his ability to serve another term.

He had hoped to allay qualms about his advanced age, and to expose Trump as a habitual liar.

But the president failed to counter his bombastic rival, who offered up a largely unchallenged reel of false or misleading statements about everything from the economy to immigration.

On Friday, Biden delivered the lines Democrats wished they had heard in the televised debate.

"Did you see Trump last night? My guess is he set  and I mean this sincerely  a new record for the most lies told in a single debate," Biden said.

"Donald Trump is a genuine threat to this nation. He's a threat to our freedom. He's a threat to our democracy. He's literally a threat for everything America stands for."

Trump also returned to the campaign trail Friday, speaking at a rally in Virginia and launching his familiar attacks on Biden in a rambling speech.

"It's not his age, it's his competence," Trump said.

"The question every voter should be asking themselves today is not whether Joe Biden can survive a 90-minute debate performance, but whether America can survive four more years of crooked Joe Biden."

A new Democrat?

Trump addressed the chances of Biden being replaced by another candidate, saying "I don't really believe that because he does better in polls than any of the (other) Democrats."

So far, no senior Democratic figure has publicly called on Biden to withdraw, with most toeing a party line about sticking with the existing ticket.

"I will never turn my back on President Biden," California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has figured prominently on lists of possible replacement candidates, said immediately after the debate.

Forcing a change in the ticket would be politically fraught, and Biden would have to decide himself to withdraw to make way for another nominee before the party convention next month.

Biden overwhelmingly won the primary votes, and the party's 3,900 delegates heading to the convention in Chicago are beholden to him.

If he exits, the delegates would have to find a replacement.

"Bad debate nights happen," Biden's former boss, Barack Obama, wrote on X.

But the election is "still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself."

The show of Democratic loyalty and Biden's defiance in North Carolina were not enough for The New York Times, however.

The daily newspaper slammed Biden's campaign as a "reckless gamble" in the face of the threat posed by Trump, with its editorial board  which is separate from the newsroom  calling for the president to stand aside.

The "greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election," it said.

A logical  but not automatic  candidate to take Biden's place would be his vice president, Kamala Harris, who loyally defended his debate performance.

As the Democrats scrambled, Trump allies sought to project calm assurance.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a senior Republican figure, said it was clear Biden was not "up to the job."

"Donald Trump is the only man on that stage that's qualified and capable of serving as the next president," he said. "The election cannot get here soon enough."

A second debate is scheduled for Sept. 10. (AFP)
A low-key moderate candidate is leading the vote count in Iran's snap presidential election among a tightly controlled group of four candidates loyal to the supreme leader at a time of growing public frustration and Western pressure.

With over 3.8 million ballots from Friday's election counted so far, Massoud Pezeshkian won over 1,595,000 votes and his hardline challenger former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili gained about 1,594,000, Interior ministry official Mohsen Eslami told state TV early Saturday.

While some insiders said the turnout was around 40 percent, lower than expected by Iran's clerical rulers, witnesses told Reuters that polling stations in Tehran and some other cities were not crowded.

Iran's Tasnim news agency said a run-off election was "very likely" to pick the next president following the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.

The election coincides with escalating regional tension due to the war between Israel and Iranian allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as increased Western pressure on Iran over its fast-advancing nuclear programme.

While the election is unlikely to bring a major shift in the Islamic Republic's policies, its outcome could influence the succession to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's 85-year-old supreme leader, in power since 1989.

The clerical establishment sought a high turnout to offset a legitimacy crisis fuelled by public discontent over economic hardship and curbs on political and social freedom.

The next president is not expected to usher in any major policy shift on Iran's nuclear programme or support for militia groups across the Middle East, since Khamenei calls all the shots on top state matters.

However, the president runs the government day-to-day and can influence the tone of Iran's foreign and domestic policy.

A hardline watchdog body, made up of six clerics and six jurists aligned with Khamenei, approved only six from an initial pool of 80. Two hardline candidates subsequently dropped out.

Limited choices

Three candidates are hardliners and one is a low-profile comparative moderate, backed by the reformist faction that has largely been sidelined in Iran in recent years.

A source close to Pezeshkian had earlier told Reuters that "so far, from the votes counted in small towns and villages, Pezeshkian is ahead of his rivals."

Prominent among the remaining hardliners are Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, parliament speaker and former commander of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, and Jalili, who served for four years in Khamenei's office.

Critics of Iran's clerical rule say that low turnouts in recent years show the system's legitimacy has eroded. Turnout was 48 percent in the 2021 presidential election and a record low of 41 percent of people voted in a parliamentary election in March.

"Based on unconfirmed reports, the election is very likely heading to a second round. Based on the votes counted so far, Jalili and Pezeshkian will compete in a run-off election," Tasnim reported.

If no candidate wins at least 50 percent plus one vote from all ballots cast, including blank votes, a run-off between the top two candidates is held on the first Friday after the result is declared.

All four candidates have vowed to revive the flagging economy, beset by mismanagement, state corruption and sanctions re-imposed since 2018, after the United States ditched Tehran's 2015 nuclear pact with six world powers.

"I think Jalili is the only candidate who raised the issue of justice, fighting corruption and giving value to the poor. ... Most importantly, he does not link Iran's foreign policy to the nuclear deal," said Farzan, a 45-year-old artist in the city of Karaj.

Divided voters

Pezeshkian is faithful to Iran's theocratic rule, but advocates detente with the West, economic reform, social liberalisation and political pluralism.

"We will respect the hijab law, but there should never be any intrusive or inhumane behaviour toward women," Pezeshkian said after casting his vote.

He was referring to the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman, in 2022 while in morality police custody for allegedly violating the mandatory Islamic dress code.

The unrest sparked by Amini's death spiralled into the biggest show of opposition to Iran's clerical rulers in years.

Pezeshkian's chances hinge on reviving the enthusiasm of reform-minded voters who have largely stayed away from the polls for the last four years as a mostly youthful population chafes at political and social curbs. He could also benefit from his rivals' failure to consolidate the hardline vote.

"I feel Pezeshkian represents both traditional and liberal thoughts," said architect Pirouz, 45, who said he had planned to boycott the vote until he learned more about Pezeshkian's plans.

In the past few weeks, Iranians have made wide use of the hashtag #ElectionCircus on X, with some activists at home and abroad calling for a boycott, saying a high turnout would only serve to legitimise the Islamic Republic.

"The youth were punished ... young girls were killed on the streets. ... We can't easily move on from that. ... After all that happened, it's unconscionable to vote," said 55-year-old writer Shahrzad Afrasheh.

In the 2022/23 protests, more than 500 people including 71 minors were killed, hundreds were injured and thousands arrested, rights groups said. (Reuters)




Two giant pandas from China have safely arrived in Southern California, where they will be cared for as part of an ongoing conservation partnership , the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said Friday.

The pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, will spend the next several weeks acclimating to their new home in a private habitat at the San Diego Zoo and will not be viewable by the public, the alliance said in a brief statement.

They are being monitored closely by expert wildlife health and care teams who will determine when the pair are ready to meet the public, the alliance said.

A farewell ceremony was held earlier this week before the pandas departed from China.

Yun Chuan, a mild-mannered male whos nearly 5 years old, has connections to California, the wildlife alliance said previously. His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007 to parents Bai Yun and Gao Gao.

Xin Bao is a nearly 4-year-old female described as a gentle and witty introvert with a sweet round face and big ears.

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has a nearly 30-year partnership with leading conservation institutions in China focused on protecting and recovering giant pandas and the bamboo forests they depend on. (AP)
Warren Buffett donated another $5.3 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and four family charities, his biggest annual donation since he began making them in 2006.

Buffett's donation boosted his overall giving to the charities to about $57 billion, including to the family charities in the last two Novembers.

The latest donation, announced on Friday, included about 13 million Berkshire Class B shares.

Buffett donated 9.93 million shares to the Gates Foundation, and has donated more than $43 billion of Berkshire shares there overall.

He also donated 993,035 shares to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for his late first wife, and 695,122 shares to each of three charities led by his children Howard, Susan and Peter: the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the Sherwood Foundation and the NoVo Foundation.

Buffett, 93, plans to give away more than 99 percent of the fortune he built at Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire, which he has run since 1965, with his children serving as executors of his will.

Berkshire is an approximately $880 billion conglomerate that owns dozens of businesses including the BNSF railroad and Geico car insurance, and stocks such as Apple.

Buffett still owns 14.5 percent of Berkshire's outstanding shares, a Friday regulatory filing shows, despite having given away more than half of his stock since 2006.

His $128.4 billion fortune makes him the world's 10th-richest person, according to Forbes magazine.

In a statement, Buffett said he was worth about $44 billion when the donations began, but that the benefits of compounding, "simple and generally sound capital deployment" at Berkshire, and the "American tailwind" produced his current wealth.

Buffett, Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates also pioneered the Giving Pledge, in which 245 people like OpenAI's Sam Altman, Michael Bloomberg, Carl Icahn, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg committed at least half of their wealth to philanthropy.

The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation works in reproductive health. The Howard G. Buffett Foundation works to alleviate hunger, mitigate conflicts including in Ukraine, and improve public safety. The Sherwood Foundation supports Nebraska nonprofits, and the NoVo Foundation has initiatives focused on girls and women.

Friday's filing suggests based on Buffett's holdings that Berkshire has repurchased little or none of its own stock since April 19. (Reuters)
Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI could face an EU antitrust investigation as regulators singled out their exclusivity clauses while Google's artificial intelligence deal with Samsung also triggered scrutiny.

EU antitrust regulators will seek additional third-party views, EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said on Friday.

The moves underscore the unease among regulators worldwide on Big Tech leveraging its dominance into the new technology, echoing the companies' market power in other sectors.

Vestager in March sent questionnaires to Microsoft, Google, Meta's Facebook and ByteDance's TikTok as well as other big tech companies related to their AI partnerships.

"We have reviewed the replies, and are now sending a follow-up request for information on the agreement between Microsoft and OpenAI. To understand whether certain exclusivity clauses could have a negative effect on competitors," she told a conference.

Reuters was first to report that EU regulators were building a case that could lead to an investigation into the partnership between the two companies.

"We stand ready to respond to any additional questions the European Commission may have," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI will not be subject to EU merger rules because of the absence of control, Vestager said.

While OpenAI's parent is a nonprofit, Microsoft has invested $13 billion in a for-profit subsidiary, for what would be a 49 percent stake.

Vestager also cited concerns about Big Tech blocking smaller AI developers from reaching users and businesses.

"We are also sending requests for information to better understand the effects of Google's arrangement with Samsung to pre-install its small model Gemini Nano on certain Samsung devices," she said.

Google in January reached a multi-year deal with the Korean company to embed its generative artificial intelligence technology in Samsung's Galaxy S24 series smartphones.

Vestager also said she was looking into "acqui-hires," where one company acquires another mainly for its talent, as exemplified in Microsoft's $650-million acquisition of startup Inflection in March that allowed it to use Inflection's models and hire most of its staff.

"We will make sure these practices don't slip through our merger control rules if they basically lead to a concentration," she said. (Reuters)
Russian missiles slammed into a town in southern Ukraine, killing seven civilians, including children, and wounding dozens, local authorities reported.

Ukrainian officials published photos of bodies stretched out under picnic blankets in a park in Vilniansk, and deep craters in the blackened earth next to the charred, twisted remains of a building.

At least 38 people were wounded in Saturday evening's attack, authorities said, and declared a day of mourning Sunday. Vilniansk is in the Zaporizhzhia region, less than 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the local capital and north of the front lines, as Russian forces continue to occupy part of the province.

Local Gov. Ivan Fedorov said that three children were among the dead and nine more were among the 38 wounded.

He said the strike damaged a shop, residential buildings, and an unspecified critical infrastructure facility in Vilniansk, which had a population of around 14,300 prior to Russias all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Russia continues to stretch out Ukrainian forces in several areas along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front. Moscow has stepped up airstrikes in a bid to drain Ukraines resources, often targeting energy facilities and other vital infrastructure.

In the aftermath of the Vilniansk attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Kyivs Western partners to bolster its air defenses and long-range munitions to deter Russian attacks.

In Ukraines war-torn eastern Donetsk region, eight civilians died and 14 were wounded overnight, according to Gov. Vadym Filashkin, as near-daily shelling continues in much of the province.

Russian-appointed officials in Donetsk, which is partially occupied and illegally annexed by Moscow, said that Ukrainian shelling on Sunday wounded a 4-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl. According to Russias Emergencies Ministry, four of its staff also came under shelling Sunday as they attempted to put out a fire in the Kremlin-occupied local capital, also called Donetsk.

Russia's Defense Ministry on Sunday claimed its forces captured two more villages in the eastern region, as they seek gains in an apparent bid to draw Kyiv into a war of attrition.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russian shelling killed one civilian and wounded five more on Saturday and overnight in the southern Kherson region, its governor, Oleksandr Prokudin, reported on Telegram.

According to Kharkiv Gov. Oleh Syniehubov, four people were wounded in the northeastern province, the site of fierce battles in recent months following Russia's cross-border push that threatened Ukraines second-largest city.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday reported its forces overnight shot down three dozen Ukrainian drones over six regions in Russias southwest. It later said that a total of 72 were downed on Saturday and during the night.

Debris from one drone fell on a village in the Kursk region, blowing out windows and damaging roofs and fences, according to a Telegram post by regional Gov. Aleksey Smirnov. In the city of Lipetsk, farther north, a drone was shot down as it appeared to target the industrial zone, local Gov. Igor Artamonov reported. There were no casualties in either case.

In a separate attack Sunday afternoon, a drone struck a private home in Russias southern Belgorod region, wounding a man and woman inside, according to local Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov. (AP)
New Delhi, June 30: The Leader of Opposition is the strongest democratic tool for every Indian, Rahul Gandhi said on Sunday and asserted that he will raise the voice of the people of India in Parliament. In a post on Instagram, Gandhi who recently became the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, a post filled after a gap of 10 years, also shared a video message. Main Aapka Hun, Aap Ke Liye Hun: Rahul Gandhi Pledges to Champion Voice of the Marginalised as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha (Watch Video).

"LoP is the strongest democratic tool every Indian has. I assure you, I will raise your voice by raising your problems and issues with full force in the Parliament," he said. In the message, Rahul Gandhi was seen talking to youths who said reconducting the NEET examination is their demand. It then shows another clip of the Leader of Opposition raising the issue in the Lok Sabha on June 28. Rahul Gandhi Becomes Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha: From Powers to Salary, Bungalow and Other Perks, Here's What Congress Leader Will Get With LoP Post.

It also shows clips of Rahul Gandhi's meetings with the family of Agniveer Ajay Singh (23), who was killed in a landmine explosion in the Rajouri sector in Jammu and Kashmir in January, and the victims of violence in Manipur, among others.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kolkata, Jun 30 (PTI) NCW member Delina Khongdup on Sunday visited the residence of a BJP woman leader who was allegedly stripped and tortured in West Bengal's Coochbehar district.

The member of the National Commission for Women said the panel would not look into the political identity of the victim.

Also Read | NEET-UG Exam Paper Leak Case: CBI Arrests Dixit Patel, Owner of Jay Jalaram School in Gujarat's Godhra; Sixth Arrest So Far.

BJP state general secretary Agnimitra Paul, who led a party delegation to the Mathabhanga area of the district on Saturday, claimed that the woman, president of the local unit's minority morcha, was beaten and stripped by TMC miscreants on June 25 while she was grazing cattle in the field.

She demanded a CBI probe into the alleged incident of stripping and torture of the woman leader, accusing police of inaction against perpetrators.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi Says 'Leader of Opposition Is Strongest Democratic Tool for Every Indian', Asserts He Will Raise Voice of People of India in Parliament.

"I have met the victim's mother and asked for security at her residence," Khongdup said.

The NCW member also said she met the officials of Mathabhanga police station, and will talk to the SP on July 1.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and women activists of the BJP planned to organise a sit-in in front of the assembly main gate on July 1, protesting against the "barbaric assault on the woman, who belongs to the minority community".

"The TMC had sent its teams to Manipur and Hathras but West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is silent over the Mathabhanga incident which has attracted widespread condemnation," Adhikari said.

A woman was allegedly gang-raped in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh's Hathras in 2020. She later died while undergoing treatment in a hospital.

The ethnic conflict between Imphal valley-based Meiteis and hills-based Kukis in Manipur has led to the deaths of over 200 people and rendered thousands of people homeless.

A police officer said the alleged incident in Cooch Behar appeared to have stemmed from a domestic dispute, and seven, out of the ten people named in the FIR, have been arrested. The remaining three will be apprehended soon, he added.

TMC spokesperson Partha Pratim Roy countered BJP's claims, stating that the saffron camp was politicising a family dispute following its defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in Cooch Behar.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Noida, Jun 30 (PTI) The Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh police on Sunday arrested a notorious criminal who was on the run for three years and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh, officials said.

Munna Lal Rai, alias Munna Rai, was apprehended by the Noida unit of the STF from the city's Sector 58 area, they said.

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"Rai, wanted in connection with two murder cases and a total of three cases in Begusarai, Bihar, had been evading capture for over three years," the STF said in a statement.

Rai was booked under cases of murder, rioting, criminal intimidation, besides the Arms Act and SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, it said.

Also Read | BRS Leaders Remind Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi of Two Lakh Jobs Promise in Telangana, KT Rama Rao Says Seven Months Now but Not a Single New Job Notification Has Been Issued So Far.

A police spokesperson detailed the modus operandi, saying, "Munna Rai was known for his involvement in violent crimes, often using firearms and engaging in gang activities. His operations were marked by extreme brutality, and he frequently moved locations to evade law enforcement."

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
By Suchitra Mukherjee

Munich [Germany], June 30 (ANI): Overseas Friends of BJP Germany organised the MODI 3.0 celebration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term after securing a win in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 in Munich on Saturday. BJP's foreign affairs department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale attended the event.

Also Read | US Shocker: Couple Try to Sell 2-Year-Old Daughter Online for Sex in Georgia, Arrested.

Speaking to ANI, BJP Germany Co-Convener Sunil Singh said that more than 60 party workers and Indian diaspora along with family members participated in the event organised by BJP overseas to showcase unwavering support for PM Modi and BJP.

During the address, Vijay Chauthaiwale highlighted the emergence of New India and New BJP under the leadership of PM Modi. He also requested the Indian diaspora to keep spreading the news of good work done by the BJP government within and beyond the community.

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Highly enthusiastic diaspora pledged to continue working for India for New India by 2047 under our PM Modi. Indian Diaspora expressed confidence that Modi will be back once again in 2029 and the path to build a New India will continue beyond 2029.

Coming to India's election results, the counting of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was held on June 4. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA's resounding victory in the Lok Sabha elections, securing 293 seats, with BJP alone clinching 240 seats, underscored the overwhelming mandate received by the ruling party.

PM Modi's feat of winning a third consecutive term places him in the annals of history alongside India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, making him only the second leader to achieve this milestone.

President Droupadi Murmu administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other members of his Union Council of Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 9. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, June 30: Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi will be on an official visit to Bangladesh for four days from July 1 to 4. The visit is aimed at consolidating bilateral defence relations between India and Bangladesh and exploring new avenues for Naval cooperation,a Navy press release said. The Navy Chief is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Chief of the Naval Staff, Bangladesh Navy in Dhaka, and also review the Passing Out Parade scheduled at Bangladesh Naval Academy (BNA) at Chittagong on July 4, the release added.

During the visit, the CNS would also hold bilateral discussions with the chiefs of Bangladesh Army and Air Force, the Principal Staff Officer Armed Forces Division, and senior leadership of the Bangladesh Government. The CNS would also address participants at the National Defence College, Dhaka and visit a few key defence facilities. Navy Chief Admiral Tripathi Calls on PM Modi.

Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span that includes operational interactions through Port Calls and bilateral Naval Exercises, along with Capacity Building, Capability Enhancement and Training initiatives. The visit of the CNS will further strengthen the strong bonds of friendship between the navies of both countries.

India and Bangladesh share bonds of history, language, culture, and a multitude of other commonalities. The excellent bilateral ties reflect an all-encompassing partnership based on sovereignty, equality, trust, and understanding that goes far beyond a strategic partnership. The partnership has strengthened, matured and evolved as a model for bilateral relations for the entire region and beyond.

In the defence sector, significant bilateral exchanges took place in 2023 with incoming and outgoing visits of the Chiefs of the Indian and Bangladesh Armed Forces. Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff visited New Delhi from April 27-29, 2023 and on his invitation, the Chief of Staff, Indian Army paid a visit to Bangladesh in June 2023 as presiding officer for the Passing Out Parade at Bangladesh Military Academy. Delhi: Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, BL Verma Perform Yoga on 10th International Day of Yoga.

The 5th Annual Defence Dialogue and 4th Tri-Services Talks were held from August 20-21, 2023 in Dhaka to comprehensively review ongoing defence cooperation. Bangladesh Chief of Naval Staff visited India from September 12-15, 2023 in a series of exchanges under defence cooperation, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Turkey Bombs Assyrian Village in North Iraq

The Turkish army targeted Miska, an Assyrian village, during its bombardment of the Metina region. The Christian church in the village was also hit in the attack.

The Turkish army has been intensively bombing the Medya Defense Zones and especially the Metina region in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) in the past weeks. As a result of these bombardments, large fires broke out in the lands of the villages of Miska, Dergele and Baze s in the Metina region.

The latest images from the region show that the village of Miska, a Christian Assyrian community, was bombed by the Turkish army.

It is stated that the Turkish army first threatened this village to evacuate it, and then bombed it, making the villagers unable to live in the region. The Turkish army, which has been committing war crimes in Medya Defense Zones for years, destroyed the nature of the region.

These war crimes committed by the KDP and the Turkish army were documented and brought to the public's attention by different international and regional media organizations.
Gaya (Bihar) [India], June 30 (ANI): Hiroshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to India and Bhutan visited the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar on Saturday, and took an interest in the historical and iconographical importance of the Buddhist monuments built in the premises of the temple.

The ambassador arrived in Bodhgaya along with a 5-Member Delegation from Patna on Friday.

Also Read | US: Woman Charged With Manslaughter After Leaving Eight-Year-Old Daughter in Hot Car While She Worked in Charlotte.

He was received by Dr Mahashweta Maharathi, Secretary, BTMC along with the Members of the BTMC - Rev Okonogi, Dr Arvind Singh and Kiran Lama.

During his visit to the Mahabodhi Temple on Saturday morning, Suzuki spent an hour there and "took a keen interest in the historical and iconographical importance of the Buddhist monuments built in the premises of the Mahabodhi Temple. And it's rich cultural ties with the Southeast Buddhist countries."

Also Read | North Korea Executes 22-Year-Old Man for Listening to K-Pop Songs and Watching South Korean Films: Report.

The Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) stated that the ambassador offered lights and incense along with flowers and fruits at the main Shrine of the Mahabodhi Temple.

The venerable Monks of the Mahabodhi Temple chanted Sutras followed by Japanese Chanting by the Japanese Monks present in the temple invoking the blessings of the Buddha on the ambassador and the delegation.

"His Excellency was taken around the Mahabodhi Temple and offered prayers and flowers under the sacred Bodhi Tree," the BTMC stated.

Suzuki, along with his delegation sat under the Bodhi Tree for meditation for five minutes.

Later, visiting the Meditation Park, he rang the Peace Bell thrice and proceeded to see the Mucalinda Pond.

Mahashweta Maharathi explained the different sacred sites within the Mahabodhi Temple premises.

Following the visit, the ambassador was presented with mementoes, containing a replica of the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Leaf and various publications of the BTMC. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Islamabad, June 30: Eighteen people were injured in an explosion at a wedding ceremony in the Kurram district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, police said.

The incident happened when some unknown people hurled hand grenades at the ceremony where a large number of people were gathered for a celebration, the police informed, Xinhua news agency reported. The attackers fled the site after the attack, the police said. Bomb Blast in Pakistan: Three Killed, Eight Injured in Explosion in Khuzdar District of Balochistan Province.

The injured people have been shifted to a nearby hospital with three of them in critical condition. Police have cordoned off the area and an investigation is underway. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 30, 2024 03:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New laws regulating IVF, surrogacy and assisted reproduction in Ireland will come as a relief to families while bringing clarity, safety, and enhanced rights to parents, patients and all those involved in the area.

So said Laois Offaly TD and Minister of State Sean Fleming in welcoming the completion of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill in both Houses of the Oireachtas.

In a statement, he said this legislation will support people who want to have children through AHR. He said the law will regulate treatments and procedures related to surrogacy and fertility, in Ireland and for certain individuals connected to Ireland but living abroad.

He added that the bill ensures that individuals born through these treatments have the right to access information about their genetic origins. He said this promotes transparency and the well-being of individuals born through these methods.

He said an important component of this new legislation is the legal position of the children who have been born through Assisted Human Reproduction.

"I know this was a particular worry for many parents and families across the country, and this will come as a relief to them," he said.

Dep Fleming believes there will be other benefits.

"This legislation will bring clarity, safety, and enhanced rights to parents, patients and all those involved in Assisted Human Reproduction.

"Having a family is one of the most special feelings, and we in Fianna Fail want to be progressive and inclusive in how we can help people achieve that," he said.

The TD said his party is moving the country forward with the new law. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin with Sean Fleming. Pic: Michael Scully

"This is a positive and progressive step forward for our country. Fianna Fail is committed to a more progressive Ireland. We have always been a party to support progressive change for our country, and the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill is more evidence of that," he said.

The bill was passed after being voted through by TDs and Senators.
A strike-out application made by a barrister in Naas District Court was granted on Thursday, June 27 last.

Barrister Donncha Craddock made the application during a case before Judge Desmond Zaidan, in which he represented a juvenile client during an in-camera (in private) court session.

The exact nature of the charge(s) his client was facing were not detailed before the court on the date in question, although it was understood that it involved a road traffic matter.

However, it was heard that the offence was technically in the remit of another jurisdiction outside of County Kildare.

The juvenile was accompanied in court by one of their parents.

It was heard that a book of evidence was due to be served, but the court was informed by gardai that this book was not ready.

Mr Craddock told the judge that he was unhappy with the length of time the case was taking.

He said: "This has been going on for some time."

Barrister Donncha Craddock was critical of delays in the case.

Mr Craddock also pointed out his client's age: "The law should be expeditious when dealing with this matter (because of the teenager's age)."

He also took issue with the State's apparent issue of jurisdiction in the case: "Ireland is a small country, this area (where the offence took place) is basically down the road!

"It's crazy, I'm shocked that the State is using geography and his age as an excuse here!"

Judge Zaidan noted that the case first appeared before the court around 10 months ago, and noted a number of past delays and subsequent adjournments.

He ultimately agreed with Mr Craddock's sentiments and agreed to strike-out the case without prejudice.

The judge did note, however, that the State could bring back the charges against the juvenile, and he asked Mr Craddock to explain this to his client.
Marine Le Pen gives a speech during the results evening of the first round of the parliamentary elections in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, on June 30, 2024. FRANCOIS LO PRESTI / AFP

The far-right Rassemblement National made historic progress in the first round of France's snap legislative elections on Sunday, June 30, in a vote marked by a high increase in turnout. With 33.2% of the vote together with its allies, according to the Interior Ministry, the party led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella almost doubled its score from the 2022 elections, as it hopes to conquer power for the first time.

President Emmanuel Macron, who called the snap elections on June 9 after his side's defeat in the European elections, sees his coalition rank third, with 20.8%, as the alliance of left-wing parties, the Nouveau Front Populaire, reached 28%.

Le Pen called on voters to give her party an "absolute majority" in the Assemblee Nationale next Sunday. "We need an absolute majority for Jordan Bardella to be named prime minister by Emmanuel Macron in eight days," she said, saying a win would enable the RN to work on France's "recovery" and to "avoid the country falling into the hands of (...) a far left leaning toward violence."

Read the explainer Why seat projections after the first round might not be reliable

A key factor in deciding the shape of the future legislature will be how Macron and the left-wing parties instruct their voters to cast their ballot in the next vote: In recent years, the tradition of the "republican front"  when parties decide to back the candidates best placed to beat the far right, regardless of their affiliation  has broken down.

Macron, in a statement to Agence France-Presse immediately after the first estimates were published, called on voters to block the far right in the second round. "Faced with the Rassemblement National, it is time for a large, clearly democratic and republican rally for the second round," he said. He saluted the improved turnout, calling it evidence "of a will to clarify the political situation" from French voters.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal urged voters Sunday not to give the far right "a single vote." "The far right is at the gates of power," Attal said, warning that the party risked winning an absolute majority. "Our objective is clear: to prevent the RN from getting elected in the second round. Not a single vote must go to the Rassemblement National."

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the radical left party La France Insoumise (LFI), called on left-wing candidates who ranked third but still qualified for the second round to withdraw, in order to support the better-placed candidate to beat the RN. "Not one vote, not one seat more for the RN," he said. Leaders of the other left-wing parties issued similar calls.

The right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party said it would give no instructions to its voters for the second round. "We combat the outrageousness of a far left dominated by La France Insoumise, which wants to demolish our institutions, deconstruct our civilization," the party said in a statement. "The Rassemblement national is not a solution either for France, [it will] lead to chaos," it added.

Read more Subscribers only 'Emmanuel Macron and Jean-Luc Melenchon are scarecrows in their respective camps'

The shape of the new Assemblee Nationale will only become clear after the second round on July 7, but Sunday's results show the RN is closer than ever to reaching its goal. Voters in the 577 districts will have to choose next Sunday between the two best-placed candidates from the first round  sometimes three or even four, in districts where additional candidates meet the criteria to qualify. While estimates of the general power balance between the major political parties  expressed in percentages  are generally close to reality, projections of the number of potential seats for each party are much less accurate on the evening of the first round, because the outcome of the second round depends so much on the specific situation in each of the 577 constituencies.

Macron stunned the nation by calling snap polls after the RN's strong showing in the European Parliament elections earlier this month, when the far-right party clinched a historic score of 31.37%. Macron's own party had finished second in that election  in which the left-wing parties ran separate campaigns  with 14.6% of the vote.

Three blocs

In the days following Macron's decision, leaders across the political spectrum scrambled to prepare and form alliances. Three main blocs emerged from the talks, with Macron's central coalition squeezed between two large opposition alliances.

On the left, the Socialists, the Greens, the Communists, and LFI found an agreement to form a new alliance, broader than the NUPES coalition they had formed in 2022 (which had obtained 25.66% in the first round of that year's legislative elections).

On the right, the leader of LR, Eric Ciotti, called for an alliance between the mainstream right and the far right. Although his move was overwhelmingly opposed by his party's top officials, he has so far won the legal battle in their efforts to oust him. Competing candidates ran under the LR label, some backed by Ciotti and the RN, some by the rest of LR. The LR candidates not allied with the RN obtained an estimated 10.2% of the vote, ranking fourth nationwide.

Macron's decision to call the snap vote plunged the country into political turmoil and sparked uncertainty in Europe's second-biggest economy. The Paris stock exchange suffered its biggest monthly decline in two years in June, dropping by 6.4%, according to figures released on Friday. Many pointed to a spike in hate speech, intolerance and racism during the charged campaign. A defiant Macron has stood by his decision to call the elections, even under criticism from his own supporters, and warned voters that a win by the far right or hard left could spark a "civil war."

Voter participation sharply rose compared with previous elections. Turnout soared to 65% according to the Interior Ministry  a figure higher than the overall turnout in the last three legislative elections.
Preparations for the Rassemblement National election evening at the Salle de l'Abbaye in Henin-Beaumont (Pas-de-Calais), June 30, 2024. AIMEE THIRION FOR LE MONDE

Twenty days of campaigning were not enough to reverse the electoral trend observed in the European elections of June 9. The main effect of the surprise snap legislative elections President Emmanuel Macron called for June 30 and July 7, was to consolidate the position of the three blocs that dominate the national political scene and the future Assemblee Nationale: the Rassemblement National (RN) and its right-wing allies, the Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP) left-wing coalition, and the presidential coalition led by Macron's Renaissance party, with the MoDem and Horizons.

For the first time in France under the Fifth Republic, the far right has come out on top in the first round of legislative elections. The party chaired by Jordan Bardella, the RN's designated candidate for prime minister in the event of an absolute majority, obtained 34% of the vote, according to initial estimates from Ipsos Talan for France Televisions, Radio France, France24/RFI and LCP Assemblee Nationale.

This represented a score almost double that of the 2022 legislative elections, when the RN achieved 18.7% in the first round. The far-right party even managed to increase its momentum compared with its result in the EU elections (31.37%), thanks to the alliance forged with Les Republicains' (LR) contested president, Eric Ciotti.

Macron's failed political gamble

These results suggest that the party led by Marine Le Pen is likely to win a majority of seats in the Assemblee Nationale in the second round. With a relative majority? Or an absolute majority even, which implies attaining at least 289 seats? This will be one of the main issues at stake in the second round. "We need an absolute majority for Jordan Bardella to be appointed prime minister in the next few days," Le Pen said from her stronghold of Henin-Beaumont, northern France.

A possible accession to power through the parliamentary route is all the more unprecedented for the former Front National. The two-round first-past-the-post system, which until 2022 was a major obstacle to the far-right party that had existed for a long time on the margins of the political institutions, now favors its ascent, thanks to its amplifying effect for the party that comes out on top.

Read more Why seat projections after the first round might not be reliable

The left-wing alliance got 28.1 % of the vote, according to initial estimates. The four main forces on the left  La France Insoumise (LFI), the Parti Socialiste, the Greens and the Communist Party  have done better than their previous electoral alliance, forged in 2022 under the NUPES label, who scored 25.6%. But their score in this first round remains below the sum of each party's results in the European elections (31.6%).

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Some were born in Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon or Cameroon before emigrating with their parents. Others were born in France to foreign parents. And some settled here as adults, and acquired French nationality through marriage. Since Monday, June 24, when the far-right party's president, Jordan Bardella, presented the Rassemblement National (RN) program for the legislative elections, the announcement of his intention to ban dual nationals from certain so-called "strategic" jobs has worried, hurt and outraged these French people who have retained dual nationality. "I feel like a guest in my own home," said Hanane (who declined to give her full name), a French-Moroccan real estate manager who lives in the southern Paris suburb of Kremlin-Bicetre.

Even before expressing their anger, all were keen to point out that the examples put forward by Bardella didn't fool anyone  he repeatedly cited the example of a "French-Russian" who would run "a nuclear power plant." "French-Africans, whether from sub-Saharan Africa or the Maghreb, have clearly understood that this proposal is not aimed at Swedes or Finns," quipped Benoit Onambele, a French-Cameroonian working in an international organization in Paris. The meaning of the word "strategic" is also a source of concern. "Flying a plane, driving public transport, caring for patients: don't these jobs also hold lives in their hands?" asked Djillali Annane, head of the intensive care unit at Garches Hospital and president of the Union of Intensive Care Physicians.

Ghassan Rachidi is a radiologist based in Voiron, Isere. He holds dual French and Lebanese nationality. He arrived in France at the age of 17 to study medicine. Here, in his medical practice in Voiron (southeastern France), on June 27, 2024. "France has given me a lot, but I've also given a lot to France. I studied at the same time as other French-born students, most of whom went into the private sector after their internship. I chose the public sector, with all the hardship that entails, and I don't regret it." SOPHIE RODRIGUEZ FOR LE MONDE

Everyone has their own approach to dual nationality. Some have never really thought about it, like Ghassan Rachidi's four daughters, said the French-Lebanese radiologist based in Voiron (southeastern France), who moved to France for his studies. But for him, who is "100% French and 100% Lebanese, and even 200% French," the feeling of being questioned about his attachment to France is all the more difficult to bear as he chose to become French through marriage, as an adult.

"How can you tell someone who has chosen France, who has adopted its values, often even before arriving, that he's not French enough? It just doesn't make sense," asked Ghada Hatem, a French-Lebanese obstetrician-gynecologist and founder of the Maison des Femmes in the northern Paris suburb Saint-Denis.

'A bit absurd'

Hatem is well aware that she is a "luxury dual national," who would not be the first to suffer the discrimination threatening those deemed "not French enough," if the RN came to power. But this era of suspicion is already generating a deep sense of injustice among those who know they have been chosen for their skills. Annane uses medical vocabulary to demonstrate the absurdity of this reasoning: dual nationality is "certainly not a reliable 'diagnostic test' for deciding who to trust for a mission, a function or a position," he said, advocating the need to "consider people for what they do rather than for what they are."

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THERE'S few in Clare or Limerick who dont know the name of Manuel Di Lucia.

He features in some of my earliest memories of Kilkee, wearing a thick diving wetsuit and standing in the Pollock Holes, surrounded by a crowd of children hes teaching to dive and snorkel.

I have a drawer there full of letters and cards from kids who I taught, I kept them all, he remembers fondly, as we sit in the sun-soaked conservatory of his home, overlooking the coast just north of Kilkee.

Di Lucia might not sound like your typical Kilkee name, but, as Manuel (a little indignantly) points out to me, it, and he, have been a part of Kilkee for 83 years. Born in Belfast in 1940, his parents moved there when he was just 6 months old to take over the lease of a chipper owned by his mothers uncle.

Hes been an integral part of the west Clare resort since, having worked as a fisherman, lifeguard, restaurant owner, diver, and founder of the Kilkee Marine Rescue Centre.



Manuel di Lucia, outside his seafood restuarant in Corbally, Kilkee, August 1981

Its those last two roles that serve as the backbone of his new book You Only Live Once - launched in Ennis on June 14 - about his years working in rescue and recovery all along the Clare coastline.

A keen diver since his youth, Manuel was often called on by the gardai to help in recovering bodies from the sea, in the days long before any rescue service existed in Kilkee.

Back in the 70s, there were a lot of people getting lost here from standing on the rocks, getting washed into the sea. There was hardly ever a swimmer that got drowned in the bay, because its so safe, but it was people falling off cliffs and rocks, he explains.

It was one such tragedy in particular, when he had to hunt around for a boat to search for two apprentices from Moneypoint who had driven off the cliffs on a motorbike in the dark, that led Manuel to set up the Kilkee Marine Rescue Service in 1982.

READ ALSO: Limerick pupils win eco field trip to Lahinch for beach exploration workshop

I said to myself this isnt good enough, Ill have to do something, so I set off to set up a rescue service.

The book grew out of long conversations reminiscing with friends. Working with one in particular, retired primary school principal and writer Kevin Haugh, Manuel put not only his memory to use but also the 60 years worth of press clippings hes collected in four huge scrapbooks.

From way back in 1958/1959, I have been collecting press releases and all that, and they contain all that information, photographs and everything about what I did; lives saved, bodies recovered, things I did in the town.

With his distinctive moustache, Manuel is instantly recognisable in the clippings. Another famous face that also jumps out frequently is of course Richard Harris, a frequent visitor to Kilkee and a great buddy of mine.

The late Hollywood legend figures in some of the happier memories in the book, which focuses primarily on rescues and recoveries Manuel has taken part in over the years.



Competing in the Tivoli Cup Racquets Competition in 1970 were Hollywood icon Richard Harris and Mary O'Connor, on the right, and Kilkee Marine Search and Rescue founder Manuel Di Lucia with a Miss Kennedy from Limerick|PhotographerThomas Byrne from the collection of Manuel De Lucia

One particularly tragic incident that features is that of nine children who were lost when a boat carrying too many people capsized in Newquay in north Clare on June 29, 1969.

You could cut the atmosphere up there with a spoon, Manuel tells me as we look over clippings of that sad day.

You have a job to do, and you do the job, and within you, you would have this grief, but you cant express it.

We only extracted a certain amount of stuff from the four scrapbooks, mainly stories about bodies I have recovered and all the trauma that youd go through when youre looking for somebody like that.

These scrapbooks are almost as impressive as the career they document. As I flick through them during our conversation, Manuel points out that they contain not only his history, but the history of diving in Clare.

You Only Live Once is now on sale in the Kilkee Dive Centre, and the RNLI shop in Kilrush, and in shops in both towns. All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to RNLI Lifeboats at Kilrush Lifeboat Station and the West Clare Cancer Centre, Kilkee.
Democrats are finally talking about the Comstock Act  and they are finally trying to repeal it.

The act is a dormant 19th century federal law thats still technically on the books and could be used to implement a national abortion ban. Named for activist Anthony Comstock who pushed for it, the 1873 law prohibits the mailing of every article or thing designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion, or for any indecent or immoral use.

Dubbed the Stop Comstock Act, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, a Minnesota Democrat, announced legislation last week that would repeal portions of it. A House version of the bill is co-sponsored by Virginia Democrats Jennifer McClellan and Abigail Spanberger.

More broadly, the Gilded Age-era law focuses on obscene materials such as pornography, but other provisions of it have included abortifacients and contraception. The contraception components were stripped away over the years. While its abortion components have not been enforced, the law has been used in child pornography prosecutions.

Four previous attempts from decades ago to repeal the abortion components of the act have failed, and McClellan was candid about how her bill may not see success in the U.S. House right away due to its current GOP control.

That doesnt mean we dont start fighting, McClellan said, noting how it took her about a decade to pass legislation to remove abortion barriers when she was a state senator in Virginia. Hopefully it will be the next Congress, under Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, that we pass that bill.

Jeffries, the House minority leader from New York, stands to become the next speaker of the House if Democrats are able to take control of the chamber in this years elections.

Showing their work on Comstock can help Democrats communicate about threats to abortion access amid this years presidential and congressional elections, said Erin Covey, an analyst for the Cook Political Report.

I think the reason that this is coming up now is because were getting closer to the presidential election, she said. The potential reality of a second Trump term is something that Democrats in Congress are reckoning with right now.

Why does this particular law matter?

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has taken credit for how his Supreme Court picks during his presidency ushered in the fall of Roe v. Wade, the ruling that federally protected abortion for nearly 50 years. With speculation at how far he would seek to regulate abortion, hes said different things in interviews with national press over the past year.

While President Biden has made abortion protection a pillar of his reelection campaign, Trump has made various statements ranging from supporting a national 15- or 16-week ban, to leaving regulation to the states and feeling strongly about Comstock.

In an April interview with Time magazine, he said hed have a big statement within two weeks, but he never did.

He also said earlier this month that he would work side by side with a group that wants to see abortion eradicated.

And though Comstocks abortion provisions were not enforced during the nearly 50 years of Roe, it has been a looming specter for the abortion rights movement all along. Activists and legal scholars have cautioned about its potential as it is still technically on the books.

It was a Trump-appointed Texas judges interpretation of Comstock that helped propel the Federal Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine to the U.S. Supreme Court. Though the Supreme Court, which has several Trump appointees, did not rule in the alliances favor, justices kicked the case back down to lower courts where it will continue to be litigated.

Most directly, the Comstock Act applies to mailing abortion medication, but some think it can be interpreted further to prohibit transport of supplies to establish abortion clinics.

While not literally a ban, legal historian Mary Ziegler explained how abortion opponents can interpret it to be used as one.

The question is if you cant put anything in the mail or through a common carrier or potentially into interstate commerce, then how do you get surgical tools or whatever? How do you get any of the items you would need? she said.

Comstocks legal code appears in a conservative manifesto called Project 2025 that Trump could tap into should he win a second term.

Chapter 14 of the policy guidebook by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation recommends that promotion and approval of mail-order abortion medications cease and alleges they are in violation of long-standing federal laws that prohibit the mailing and interstate carriage of abortion drugs. Comstocks legal code is then cited in footnote No. 16.

Local government officials have tried for years to use Comstock to limit abortions in their communities.

The law has surfaced in local ordinances around the country, such as in Virginia where it was voted down last year and New Mexico where legal challenges have ascended to the states supreme court.

Assisted by former Texas Solicitor General Jonathan Mitchell, Texas activist Mark Lee Dickson has encouraged localities to pass such ordinances. Dickson also has said that they offer legal representation to localities that goes up to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Be it Trump utilizing Comstock if elected or legal challenges progressing successfully in Dicksons favor through courts, Dicksons confident it can be a path for a national ban.

If enforced, it would have the same impact as a national ban on abortion, he said. That is because it is a de facto national abortion ban.

Legal historian Lauren MacIver Thompson, who specializes in Comstock, echoed Zieglers theory of how that could work.

If Trump is reelected, [abortion opponents] basically have a clear path to enforce it with a newly reformed Department of Justice, said Thompson. They can kind of read the act however they want it to be read.

This story was originally published in the Virginia Mercury.
A LIMERICK man has been charged in connection with a firearm seized by gardai in Limerick city, at a special court sitting this Sunday.

Craig ODonnell, aged 27, of OMalley Park, Southill, Limerick is charged with the possession of a converted 9mm semi automatic pistol and possession of 9mm calibre ammunition at Bishop Street, Limerick city on Thursday, June 27 in suspicious circumstances.

Garda Stephen McEntegart gave evidence of arrest, charge and cautioning the accused.

He made no reply to the charges after caution, said Garda McEntegart.

Inspector Liz Kennedy, prosecuting, said the State was objecting to bail. Barrister Liam Carroll, instructed by Darach McCarthy, solicitor, who represented Mr ODonnell, applied for bail on behalf of his client.

Garda McEntegart said he was on patrol at the Island Road, Limerick city on Thursday, June 27 at 11.38pm.

I observed a male on an electric scrambler wearing a balaclava with his hood up and wearing red and black gloves. I attempted to stop him. He abandoned the bike and fled on foot.

"After a short foot chase I arrested him on Bishop Street. He attempted to discard a carrier bag which contained what I believed to be a firearm. I contacted the Armed Support Unit who confirmed it was live, alleged Garda McEntegart.

The garda said he was objecting to bail due to the nature and the strength of the evidence and seriousness of the charges. Garda McEntegart alleged that Mr ODonnell was wearing a surgical glove over one of the gloves which shows he is forensically aware.

If granted bail it is my belief the accused will commit further serious offences, said Garda McEntegart.

Mr Carroll put it to the garda that it was not an intelligence led operation and there is no evidence prior to the arrest.

The garda agreed.

Mr Carroll said it was an area of Limerick city where young people may be asked to move things.

I cant say, said Garda McEntegart.

Mr Carroll said there were no admissions made during garda interviews, no fingerprints, no DNA evidence and no evidence that Mr ODonnell knew what was in the contents of the bag.

He is entitled to the presumption of innocence, said Mr Carroll.

READ MORE: Concerns raised about dialysis in UHL as opening of new unit is delayed

Garda McEntegart alleged there was a live round in the chamber and seven more rounds in the magazine.

Insp Kennedy said the State has grave concerns if Mr ODonnell is granted bail.

Judge Alec Gabbett said Mr ODonnell is innocent until proven guilty.

The judge said based on the evidence he is satisfied to refuse bail based on the evidence, the seriousness of the charges and to prevent further serious offences.

Mr ODonnell was remanded in custody to appear at Limerick District Court on Tuesday via video-link for DPPs directions.

Mr ODonnell, who was wearing a black sweatshirt and black tracksuit bottoms, covered his face as he was being led into a garda van.
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A LUCKY Limerick primary school class were chosen as the winners of a beach exploration workshop and were rewarded with a field trip to Lahinch beach in Clare.

First class students from Limerick School Project NS took part in the green schools programme, and were chosen as the winners from 118 classes from 70 primary schools around the country.

The SeaKeepers Project gave teachers the resources and lesson plans to teach about marine life focusing on six native marine species.

The project aims to improve young people's knowledge of the marine biodiversity of Ireland, while also encouraging them to appreciate the coastal habitats and sea life around and on the island we live in.

Twenty-four students from the class went to Lahinch and did a range of activities including games, a rocky seashore BioBlitz, seaweed tasting, a marine litter relay race and a sand art competition.

Green schools senior coordinator of the global citizenship marine environment theme, Caoimhe OBrien Moran said: We were delighted to have so many classes, from all over the country, take part in the SeaKeepers Project this year and learn all about the wonderful marine life we have here in Ireland. We hope that the SeaKeepers Project and the green schools programme will encourage children to enjoy and value our coasts, and hopefully visit the seaside with their families over the summer and into the future.

READ ALSO: Mayor of Limerick revives centuries-old tradition on River Shannon

The Limerick city school are also currently working towards their eighth green flag and are focusing on the global citizenship marine environment theme.

As part of this, they are learning about the impacts of marine litter on the ocean and coastal environments, raising awareness and looking at ways to reduce single-use plastic.

The Limerick School Project NS is a co-educational primary school with around 200 students in the heart of the city.

In 2010, they were awarded their first green flag.
The 20FIFTY Partners Sustainability Practitioners Conference, held in association with the Skillnet Climate Ready Academy at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, brought together over 200 attendees from diverse industry sectors to address the pressing issues of climate change and sustainable business practices.

The conference underscored the critical need for robust research and standardized frameworks to drive sustainable transformation across organizations.

The event featured keynote addresses and presentations from prominent figures including Harold Pauwels from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Paul Healy, CEO Skillnet Ireland and representatives from the IDA, Bord na Mona, Business Stream, the DAA, and Uisce Eireann. These leaders shared insights on the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in sustainability reporting and transformation.

Opening the conference Paul Healy, CEO, of Skillnet Ireland said: Businesses need to develop the skills and competencies to integrate sustainability into their core operations, models and business strategy and understand what is material for their business in the years ahead. But most importantly, business need talent to lead this charge and businesses depend on the talent and practitioners in the room to continue their efforts and inspiring work at the forefront of this economic, environmental and social reset.

Harold Pauwels, Director of Standards at GRI, said "The role of the evolving Environmental Disclosure Landscape in supporting sustainable transformation is critical. Every organisation has a broad range of stakeholders who need clear, standardized, and structured information to evaluate the economic, environmental, and social performance. This enables us to obtain a clear picture of the human and ecological impact of business and make informed decisions about sustainable development."

He noted the significant progress made in harmonizing sustainability reporting with financial reporting, citing the alignment of the European ESRS impact reporting with GRI standards as a pivotal development.

READ ALSO: Limerick man charged in connection with death of student Joe Drennan sent forward for trial

Key discussions at the conference focused on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requirements, the skills and leadership needed for sustainability initiatives, and the strategic planning essential for business transformation. Insights gathered from industry practice including case studies from Bord na Mona and APB Food Group were shared with the potential to inform policy and standard setting across Europe.

The conference also emphasized the role of transparent communication in building trust and fostering a culture of sustainability within organizations while avoiding the pitfalls of communicating green.

Ken Stockil, CEO of 20FIFTY Partners, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaborative efforts displayed at the conference.

It is inspiring to see researchers and practitioners from public and private sectors across Ireland and Europe come together to tackle shared challenges. Exploring how businesses engage in transformational planning processes to fully embed sustainability principles, policies, and practices is a key outcome of the conference. We wanted to provide further information on the various standards and reporting requirements. Participants gained valuable insights from experts on CSRD, evolving global standards, and transition planning, said Mr Stockil.
Amazon built a $2 trillion company through years of aggressive spending on its retail and logistics businesses. Its future gains will likely be determined by the billions designated to fund its artificial-intelligence push.

Amazon is planning to spend more than $100 billion over the next decade on data centers, an impressive level of investment even for a company known for its spending ways. The Seattle company is now devoting more investment money to its cloud computing and AI infrastructure than to its sprawling network of e-commerce warehouses.

Amazon Web Services, the arm that manages Amazons cloud business, has opened data centers for years, but executives said there is a surge in investment now to meet demand triggered by the excitement around AI.

We have to dive in. We have to figure it out," said John Felton, who took over as AWSs chief financial officer this year after spending most of his career in Amazons retail fulfillment operations.

The companys financial commitment reflects the importance and high costs of AI. Felton said building for AI today feels like building that massive delivery network in years past. Its a little uncertain," he said. AWS is expanding in Virginia, Ohio and elsewhere.

The companys overall capital expenditures decreased last year primarily because it reined in fulfillment and transportation spending, but the share of that spending on infrastructure mostly for AWS has surged. The increase represents a new era of expansion for Amazon, in which investing in cutting-edge cloud equipment is more critical to its growth than developing its network of retail warehouses.

Amazons spending on data-center capital expenses, including leases, compared with total capital expenditures hit a decade-high last year of 53%, according to market-research firm DellOro Group. Amazon said it expects AWS infrastructure spending to remain high this year, and the company has announced many AWS investments in recent months.

Amazons cloud business has long been the companys profit engine, and AI is expected to catapult demand for cloud computing to new heights. Executives are aiming to take advantage of the AI boom, which relies on cloud services because of the intensive computing resources required. Amazon expects tens of billions of dollars in revenue from AI in the next several years.

Were just keeping our heads down and focusing on delivering that capacity right now," said Kevin Miller, AWS vice president of global data centers.

Amazons shift represents the changing needs of a company that, despite having the worlds leading cloud-computing business and years of experimenting with AI, is seen by some experts as trailing in AI behind its big tech peers. Amazon has said it isnt falling behind others in AI and its AI capabilities at AWS have been well-received by customers.

Amazon has a long history of spending big to stay ahead. It had years of heavy capital investment in its delivery infrastructure to establish its e-commerce dominance and then to meet explosive demand during the Covid-19 pandemic.

That heavy investment contributed to Amazon this past week becoming the fifth-ever U.S. company to reach the milestone of $2 trillion in market value. The stock closed Friday at $193.25, valuing the company at $2.011 trillion.

Amazons increased focus on data centers is also reflected in the companys senior leadership, which has increasingly become stocked with people with connections to the cloud business. Andy Jassy served as the AWS chief executive for more than two decades before becoming Amazons chief executive in 2021.

There is a natural tendency to invest more in AWS and technology for the folks left behind because thats what they grew and built," said Cayce Roy, chief executive at e-commerce fulfillment company Standvast and a former vice president at Amazon.

Amazon plans to add at least 216 new data-center buildings in the next several years, said Marc Wulfraat, president at logistics consultant MWPVL International. Amazons retail capital expenditures probably wont grow much through 2025, he said, in part because Amazon has extra capacity in that segment after overbuilding during the pandemic.

With high demand for AI infrastructure, Amazon and other tech companies have struggled to get the parts, property and power that data centers with supercomputers require. Amazon and other big tech companies have sought nuclear power to feed their energy needs. The companys fulfillment build-out took many years to accomplish and didnt require the same technical equipment that data centers do.

Jassy has reoriented Amazon to focus on AI products throughout its various businesses. He has said generative AI could be a critical element of its next pillar of growth in addition to its online retail business, Amazon Prime and AWS.

In May, the company named Matt Garman, a veteran executive with a strong engineering background, as the new AWS CEO, as it moves to better capitalize on AI.

Amazon is still by far the biggest online retailer in the U.S., and its recent financials have shown that it is in as strong a position as ever. The company continues to invest in its retail arm and open new delivery facilities. It has expanded its shipping capabilities to reach more Americans faster as it has faced competition from newer e-commerce entrants.

But now it is also time to invest in the AI opportunity, Felton said

Its a fascinating time to be here and think about how we can really think differently about how cloud computing works and how we can think differently about serving customers in the world of GenAI," he said, referring to generative artificial intelligence.
New Delhi: Infrastructure fund manager A.P. Moller Capital has emerged as the frontrunner for BlackRock-owned Global Infrastructure Partners' 57% stake in Pristine Logistics & Infraprojects Ltd, two people aware of the development said.

The transaction, which involves a primary equity raise and secondary sale, may peg an enterprise value of around $500 million for the Delhi-based company, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

Also read | CDC invests $25 million in Pristine Logistics

Among others competing for the deal are US freight rail company Midrail LLC, and a joint venture of European alternative asset manager EQT and Singapores state investment firm Temasek Holdings Pte. EQT and Temasek already jointly operate O2 Power, an Indian renewable energy platform they had launched in 2020.

"APM Capital, EQT and Temasek and MidRail are in the fray for acquiring the stake. APM Capital is leading the process," said one of the two people mentioned above.

GIP looks for exit

New York-based GIP, which was acquired by the asset management major Blackrock Inc. in January this year for about $12.5 billion, is looking to exit its investment in Pristine Logistics. It holds about 57% through the Indian Infrastructure Fund II, which it manages after its acquisition of IDFC Alternative Fund in 2022. Prior to the acquisition, IDFC Alternatives had raised two infrastructure funds -- India Infrastructure Fund and India Infrastructure Fund II.

ET Infra had earlier reported that A.P. Mller Capital P/S, part of the A.P. Moller Group, is said to be among entities seeking to buy GIP's Pristine Logistics stake.

Queries sent to Pristine Logistics, AP Moller Capital, MidRail and EQT remained unanswered till press time. A Temasek spokesperson said: "As a matter of policy, we do not comment on behalf of our portfolio companies, including our JVs".

Pristine Logistics, which is in the rail-focused logistics business, was founded in 2008 by former Indian Railways officials Amit Kumar and Rajnish Kumar. The company operates five logistics parks through its subsidiaries, in Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Ludhiana (Punjab), Siliguri (West Bengal), Patna (Bihar) and Birgunj (Nepal). According to the company website, Pristine owns warehousing area of around 900,000 sq. ft and approximately 2,624 domestic standard containers and 395 dwarf containers. It also operates around 390 trailers and 37 rakes.

Last year, Pristine acquired debt-ridden Sical Logistics, a listed entity, for about 400 crore through the National Company law Tribunal. In November, it also acquired Distribution Logistics Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd and its group companies (DLI India) from the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) London-listed Infrastructure India Plc in a stock and cash deal.

In 2022, the company had filed for an initial public offering (IPO) to raise about 250 crore, and Sebi had approved the the IPO in October that year. The company, however, did not go ahead with a listing. Its prospectus showed that IIF-II, the fund currently managed by GIP, holds about 30.86 million shares or about 57% of the stake. Through the IPO, GIP aimed to sell 17.77 million shares.

Pristine had planned to use the IPO proceeds to invest in its subsidiaries for the purpose of repayment or pre-payment, in full or part, of certain borrowings availed by its subsidiaries, apart from general corporate purposes.

Focused on transport infrastructure

AP Moller, meanwhile, is focused on investments in critical transport and logistics infrastructure along with energy, including renewables. "We focus on investments that support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the markets where we operate while delivering consistent and competitive returns," says the company website.

In May this year, the fund manager signed a memorandum of understanding with JSW Infrastructure Ltd to create a joint venture and develop ports and logistics infrastructure in India.

Also read | AP Moller-Maersk to expand India distribution network with more than 500 EVs

In February, the asset management arm of AP Moller Group opened an office in Singapore, stating it plans to invest over $750 million in South and Southeast Asia.

India's logistics space seems to garner investor interest amid policy push from the government including the infrastructure status accorded to the segment and the rollout of the National Logistics Policy. According to India Investment Grid, a platform under the Union commerce ministry, India has investment opportunities worth nearly $11 billion in logistics infrastructure.
Scale AI, an artificial-intelligence startup focused on data, raised a $1 billion venture round from prominent investors in late May, elevating the company in the hypercompetitive AI race. But with a nearly $14 billion valuation, expectations are high for the eight-year-old company.

Scaleand its investorsare betting that it can grow beyond being a tool to help customers ready their data for AI and become a software platform that plays a deeper role for them to build their own custom AI.

Scales latest round was led by venture firm Accel, and involved additional commitments from investors including Y Combinator, Founders Fund and Tiger Global Management.

New strategic investors included Cisco Investments, Amazon.com and the venture arms of chip companies Qualcomm, Intel and Advanced Micro Devices. Existing investor Nvidia, the semiconductor giant, also joined the round for the San Francisco-based startup.

Field Chief Technology Officer Vijay Karunamurthy spoke with The Wall Street Journal at the Collision conference in Toronto last week about Scales ambitions and how it will deploy its new war chest in the AI arms race. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

WSJ: Youve talked about being a platform that enables artificial general intelligence," or AGI, where a machine can learn and think like a human. What does it mean for Scale AI, and how do you work with AI labs such as OpenAI and Anthropic?

Karunamurthy: We really have changed our role to being the data foundry for AGI. This is a journey were going to be on for the next couple of years. We work pretty much across a range of all the large [AI] research labs, at some level or another. Were starting to see a lot of interest from them, not just in specific capabilities, but how can you get a model that generally reasons about the world and answers questions reliably at the level like a human being can be trusted? Thats a really huge impact on society. As the research labs try to keep their eye on the ball, we are also keeping our eye on the ball.

WSJ: Why is data so important for advancing generative AI, AGI and other future technologies?

Karunamurthy: As those models get more powerful and can store more knowledge and reasoning, the amount of data it takes to saturate that model increases exponentially. That data needs to be diverse. We often now are being asked to power sophisticated data sets about how the world around us works. How do you answer a question about this table? Will the coffee stay in this cup if it tilts at a certain angle? Thats really important if were going to get robots to interact with the world around us. But the data is still lacking. Even if you believe were still far off from AGI, theres still going to be advancements in the next few years with embodied agents able to use robotic arms or hands around a physical environment.

WSJ: Whats unique about your recent $1 billion fundraise?

Karunamurthy: We wanted to add more strategic investors. All their customers are asking about the data side of the equation. The [venture investments that companies are making] are concentrated around how they can improve their enterprise product offerings. I met with some of our more strategic investors to figure out how well work with them. When you talk to Intel or Cisco, theres a huge focus on security and trust that their private knowledge thats fine-tuning those models doesnt leave the bounds of its enterprise. They want to be able to audit and have strict access control over how those models are accessed.

WSJ: Scale has fresh capital to work with. How will that get deployed throughout the company?

Karunamurthy: Were hiring across the boardgrowing [Scales full-time employees] over 20% year-over-year. Were growing internationally as well. We just announced London is our first official international office. We know theres a lot of talent in London, and Europe in general has a huge range of AI talent, so some of the funding is going to that expansion, too. A lot of our funding is helping build the human side of the equation and the model side of the equation. Theres a hybrid role to play with both humans and technology.
Canada's second largest airline, WestJet, said it canceled 407 flights affecting 49,000 passengers after the maintenance workers union announced it went on strike.

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association said its members started to strike Friday evening because the airlines unwillingness to negotiate with the union made it inevitable.

The surprise strike affecting international and domestic flights came after the federal government issued a ministerial order for binding arbitration on Thursday. That followed two weeks of turbulent discussions with the union on a new deal.

Also Read | Canada minister to meet with WestJet Airlines, striking mechanics

WestJet said it will continue to park aircraft through Sunday for the long weekend culminating in Canada Day on Monday. The airline has about 200 aircraft and says theyll operate approximately 30 by Sunday evening.

The airlines CEO, Alexis von Hoensbroech, put the blame for the situation squarely on what he said was a rogue union from the U.S. that was trying to make inroads in Canada.

Von Hoensbroech said that, as far as the airline was concerned, bargaining with the union had come to an end once the government directed the dispute to binding arbitration.

This makes a strike totally absurd because the reason you actually do a strike is because you need to exercise pressure on the bargaining table, he said. If there is no bargaining table it makes no sense, there shouldnt be a strike.

He added the union had rejected a contract offer that would have made the airlines mechanics the best-paid in the country."

Also Read | Emirates Defers First Airbus A350 Service Due to Aircraft Delay

In an update to its membership, the union negotiating committee referenced an order by the Canada Industrial Relations Board that does not explicitly bar any strikes or lockouts as the tribunal undertakes arbitration.

Sean McVeigh, a WestJet aircraft maintenance engineer picketing Saturday at Toronto Pearson International Airport Terminal 3, said the strike is an attempt to force the airline to return to a respectful negotiation.

McVeigh said the union regrets any inconvenience caused to passengers.

However, the reason they (passengers) have possibly missed a flight or had to cancel is due to the reason that WestJet is not respectfully sitting down at the table and negotiating, he said alongside roughly 20 others on the picket line.

We take on a lot of responsibility and we would just like to be appreciated financially, he said.

At Pearson, WestJet passengers Samin Sahan and Samee Jan said they had been planning to leave Saturday with extended family members on a trip to Calgary that had been planned for six to eight months.

Sahan said they had received emails earlier in the day telling them their flight had been rescheduled for Monday, but they went to the terminal anyway. He said their efforts to seek clarification combined with the strike had left their travel plans up in the air.

This inaction is hurting a lot of people, their own company as well as their customers who will likely no longer be their customers ever again, Sahan said.
Prague: Czech carmaker Skoda Auto is looking to partner an Indian automaker to grow its business in a market that's brutally price-competitive, and one that it's been unable to crack in more than two decades of its existence there.

It believes that finding a local partner is a 'very attractive' scenario, as it aims to make deeper inroads into the Indian market with the help of a domestic entity that has close linkages in the supplier ecosystem, a rich understanding of local customer preferences and scale that can drive down the European carmaker's costs in the country's 'predatory' market.

The Skoda brand has been present in India for more than 20 years, but it now wants to double down on the world's third-largest automobile market. Klaus Zellmer, chairman of the board of management of Skoda Auto, said that the company is in talks with multiple potential partners at this point in time, 'carefully' seeking out a company in tune with the industry and customer preferences to help Skoda achieve cost-effective manufacturing in the country, so that India can become the 'second leg' for the brand, after the European market.

Skoda Auto is part of the German Volkswagen Group.

Read more: Indias economy scored higher in May riding cars and tractors: Mint tracker "We very much believe in a scenario that we find a partner in India to be more in tune with the society, with customers, with the industry, with all the prerequisites, in order to be successful. We're going to be very careful choosing the right one, which has to be complementary. We're in this bringing something to the table. We want our partners to bring something to the table, too. We want this partnership not to be opportunistic - but full of opportunities", Zellmer said.

Zellmer said that while India is Skoda's most important global market after Europe, it is also the most competitive and predatory, with price wars often erupting in highly sought-after segments like compact SUVs.

"India is not only the most attractive region for us outside Europe, (but) it is also the most competitive environment that you probably find currently in the automotive market. You have many new competitors, new entrants, new cars. So it really is a predatory environment," Zellmer said.

Skoda is preparing to launch a sub-4-meter compact SUV with 75% local contentits highest for any product so far. This segment commands 50% of the SUV market's volumes, and is extremely competitive where models such as Tata Nexon and the Maruti Suzuki Brezza reign supreme. The product will be available for customers at the beginning of next year.

According to Zelmer, the company is also adding more retail touchpoints to attract "as many customers as possible" for the product.

Zellmer said Skoda has 'learnt its lessons' from its experience of being in India for 20 years, and being unable to achieve sales milestones it had initially set out. Skoda is expecting its new compact SUV, which will also be exported to other markets from India, to give it a 4% segment share in the sub-compact SUV market.

Read more: Hyundai's journey in India has been through SUVs "... It's lessons learnt. Often we build cars according to our own expectations and they tend to be over-engineered. And over-engineering always comes at a price tag and this price tag then, of course, is something that weakens our competitive position. So, we need to learn, we need to be aware of the switch. Where is the engineering ingenuity of a Skoda brand, and how to strike a balance between cost and price. We need to be competitive on cost without sacrificing the quality, fit, and finish that European cars are known for. The sub-4 meter car is a good example of this. We've been able to significantly reduce costs while maintaining quality. This approach will continue with future models, making them more attractive to the market.", Zellmer said.

According to Zellmer, a local Indian partner can further help it achieve better cost efficiencies by helping the company strike more beneficial deals with potential suppliers.

"We can benefit from their local competence (of a local partner) from them being much closer to the market than we are. In terms of procurement and sourcing, they have certain connections that we probably don't have and and therefore they are then able to get the best prices", he added.

Skoda is hoping India will become its second-largest market, once sales of its sub-compact SUV and refreshed model line-up begin to pick up pace from 2025. Despite the fragmented nature of India's automotive market and its competitive nature, Zellmer argued India is still an attractive bet for Skoda.

"In terms of leverage, India is by far the biggest potential going forward. In absolute numbers, we're looking at 4.2 million cars sold in India. It is the third biggest automotive market in the world. Now, of course, United States and China are way ahead. But if you want to be part of a game where you know the growth is going to be extensive and something you are going to be part of, you have to be in that full throttle and early," Zellmer told Mint, adding, "What is very compelling for us is to use India also as a hub for the ASEAN region. This is a perfect combination of sourcing and engineering in India, and delivering to other parts of this world".
Zomato Ltd., the food delivery provider received a Goods and Service Tax (GST) demand notice of 9.45 crore from the Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Audit), Karnataka, said the company in a BSE exchange filing.

The tax regulator of Karnataka has demanded a GST of 5,01,95,462 ( 5.01 crore), which will be marked up with an interest charge of 3.93 crore, and a penalty of 50.19 lakh, bringing the total up to 9.45 crore, according to the filing.

The company has received the tax order for the financial year 2019-20 under the audit of GST returns and accounts, according to the filing.

Zomato shares closed 0.10 per cent higher at 200.35 on Friday, June 28th compared to the previous close at 200.15.

We believe that we have a strong case on merits and the company will be filing an appeal against the order before the appropriate authority, said the company in response to the tax notice.

This is not the first time the food delivery company got a tax notice. Zomato received a tax notice from the Additional Commissioner, Central Goods and Services Tax, Gurugram in 2021. That notice demanded the company to pay 11.82 crore including interest and penalty charges, according to media reports of that time. The company had the same response of taking a stance, appealing against the tax order.

Also Read | Govt may amend standards for baby food
AS PUPILS AND students return to classrooms and lecture halls for the new year, it is striking to reflect on how little education has changed in recent decades. Laptops and interactive whiteboards hardly constitute disruption. Many parents bewildered by how their children shop or socialise would be unruffled by how they are taught.

The sector remains a digital laggard: American schools and universities spend around 2% and 5% of their budgets, respectively, on technology, compared with 8% for the average American company. Techies have long coveted a bigger share of the $6 trillion the world spends each year on education.

When the pandemic forced schools and universities to shut down, the moment for a digital offensive seemed nigh. Students flocked to online learning platforms to plug gaps left by stilted Zoom classes. The market value of Chegg, a provider of online tutoring, jumped from $5 billion at the start of 2020 to $12 billion a year later.

Byjus, an Indian peer, soared to a private valuation of $22 billion in March 2022 as it snapped up other providers across the world. Global venture-capital investment in education-related startups jumped from $7 billion in 2019 to $20 billion in 2021, according to Crunchbase, a data provider.

Then, once covid was brought to heel, classes resumed much as before. By the end of 2022 Cheggs market value had slumped back to $3 billion. Early last year investment firms including BlackRock and Prosus started marking down the value of their stakes in Byjus as its losses mounted. In hindsight we grew a bit too big a bit too fast," admits Divya Gokulnath, the companys co-founder.

If the pandemic couldnt overcome the education sectors resistance to digital disruption, can artificial intelligence? ChatGPT-like generative AI, which can converse cleverly on a wide variety of subjects, certainly looks the part. So much so that educationalists began to panic that students would use it to cheat on essays and homework.

In January 2023 New York City banned ChatGPT from public schools. Increasingly, however, it is generating excitement as a means to provide personalised tutoring to students and speed up tedious tasks such as marking. By May New York had let the bot back into classrooms.

Learners, for their part, are embracing the technology. Two-fifths of undergraduates surveyed last year by Chegg reported using an AI chatbot to help them with their studies, with half of those using it daily. Indeed, the technologys popularity has raised awkward questions for companies like Chegg, whose share price plunged last May after Dan Rosensweig, its chief executive, told investors it was losing customers to ChatGPT.

Yet there are good reasons to believe that education specialists who harness AI will eventually prevail over generalists such as OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and other tech firms eyeing the education business.

For one, AI chatbots have a bad habit of spouting nonsense, an unhelpful trait in an educational context. Students want content from trusted providers," argues Kate Edwards, chief pedagogist at Pearson, a textbook publisher.

The company has not allowed ChatGPT and other AIs to ingest its material, but has instead used the content to train its own models, which it is embedding into its suite of learning apps. Rivals including McGraw Hill are taking a similar approach. Chegg has likewise developed its own AI bot that it has trained on its ample dataset of questions and answers.

What is more, as Cheggs Mr Rosensweig argues, teaching is not merely about giving students an answer, but about presenting it in a way that helps them learn. Understanding pedagogy thus gives education specialists an edge. Pearson has designed its AI tools to engage students by breaking complex topics down, testing their understanding and providing quick feedback, says Ms Edwards.

Byjus is incorporating forgetting curves" for students into the design of its AI tutoring tools, refreshing their memories at personalised intervals. Chatbots must also be tailored to different age groups, to avoid either bamboozling or infantilising students.

Specialists that have already forged relationships with risk-averse educational institutions will have the added advantage of being able to embed AI into otherwise familiar products.

Anthology, a maker of education software, has incorporated generative-AI features into its Blackboard Learn program to help teachers speedily create course outlines, rubrics and tests. Established suppliers are also better placed to instruct teachers on how to make use of AIs capabilities.

AI for effort

Bringing AI to education will not be easy. Although teachers have endured a covid-induced crash course in education technology, many are still behind the learning curve. Less than a fifth of British educators surveyed by Pearson last year reported receiving training on digital learning tools.

Tight budgets at many institutions will make selling new technology an uphill battle. AI sceptics will have to be won over, and new AI-powered tools may be needed to catch AI-powered cheating. Thorny questions will inevitably arise as to what all this means for the jobs of teachers: their attention may need to shift towards motivating students and instructing them on how to best work with AI tools.

We owe the industry answers on how to harness this technology," declares Bruce Dahlgren, boss of Anthology.

If those answers can be provided, it is not just companies like Mr Dahlgrens that stand to benefit. An influential paper from 1984 by Benjamin Bloom, an educational psychologist, found that one-to-one tutoring both improved the average academic performance of students and reduced the variance between them.

AI could at last make individual tutors viable for the many. With the learning of students, especially those from poorer households, set back by the upheaval of the pandemic, such a development would certainly deserve top marks.
NEET UG 2024 re-exam result: The National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to release the results of the NEET UG re-exam on June 30. The testing agency released the answer key for the NEET UG re-exam on June 28 and allowed the candidates to raise objections up to June 29 on exams.nta.ac.in/NEET.

The NTA conducted a re-examination on June 23 for 1,563 candidates who were previously awarded grace marks in the NEET UG exam due to a 'loss of time' and was later scrapped by the honourable Supreme Court, giving candidates the choice to opt for a re-test or to retain the original scores excluding the grace marks.

After the re-exam results, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will begin the counselling process, likely starting on July 6.

Also Read | CUET UG 2024 result delayed as answer key not released yet. Direct link

Only 813 of the 1,563 candidates took the re-exam. The remaining 48% of candidates opted for their original scores, excluding the grace marks.

It is important to note that Haryanas Jhajjar centre, which came under scrutiny due to several top rankers emerging from there, 287 out of the 494 candidatesrepresenting approximately 58% appeared for the NEET UG 2024 re-exam.

Also Read | NEET PG 2024 revised dates likely to be announced by July 1 or 2

NEET UG 2024 re-exam: Steps to check the results Go to the official website of NEET UG 2024: exams.nta.ac.in/NEET

Click on the ' NEET UG re-exam results 2024' tab available on the homepage

Enter login credentials such as Application Number, DOB and Security PIN

A new window will open, and the scorecard will be reflected on the screen

Download the scorecard and save

Print the NEET UG 2024 scorecard for future reference. Candidates must ensure their scorecard includes their photo and barcode, or re-download it if it is missing.

The NEET UG exam 2024 was held on May 5, with more than 24 lakh candidates taking the exam. The NTA declared the results on June 4, 2024, with 67 students securing a perfect score of 720.

Six out of 67 perfect scorers were from Haryanas Jhajjar centre, which created suspicions of possible irregularities. The NEET-UG 2024 is under scrutiny due to paper leaks and other irregularities. After a review, the Ministry of Education has handed over the matter to the CBI for a comprehensive investigation.

Also Read | How this dentist is saving for his retirement and his sons education

Separately, the CBI, which is probing the alleged irregularities in the NEET UG 2024 exam, conducted searches at seven location in Gujarat, officials said on Saturday. The search operation started at several locations of suspects spread across four districts Anand, Kheda, Ahmedabad and Godhra on Saturday morning, reported PTI.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested Dixit Patel, owner of a private school in Gujarats Godhra, for alleged malpractices in the NEET-UG 2024 exam.

Patel was arrested in the early hours of Sunday from his residence in Panchmahal district, said public prosecutor Rakesh Thakor adding that adding that the central probe agency was taking him to Ahmedabad to seek his remand.

"As the case has been handed over to the CBI by the Gujarat government, a CBI team will produce him (Dixit Patel) before a designated court in Ahmedabad to acquire his remand," PTI quoted public prosecutor Thakor as saying.

Also Read | NTA to conduct CSIR UGC-NET 2024 exam from July 25

Jay Jalaram School was one of the designated centres where the NEET-UG exam was held on May 5. It has been alleged that the school was the epicentre of alleged malpractices and fraud in connection with the exam.

Patel is the sixth person to be arrested in this case wherein the accused had allegedly demanded 10 lakh each from at least 27 candidates to help them clear the test.

The other five persons, who were arrested earlier by the Panchmahal police, include Vadodara-based education consultant Parshuram Roy, Jay Jalaram School principal Purushottam Sharma, school teacher Tushar Bhatt, and alleged middlemen Vibhor Anand and Arif Vohra.

Also Read | CUET UG 2024 result delayed as answer key not released yet. Direct link

After taking over the probe a week back, the CBI had sought custody of four accused except Roy. On Saturday, the Godhra district court remanded Sharma, Bhatt, Anand, and Vohra to CBI's custody till July 2.

A preliminary investigation by the CBI has uncovered that the accused persons had asked candidates willing to adopt illegal means to obtain high scores in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-Under Graduate) to opt for Jay Jalaram School as the exam centre.

As per Gujarat Police, the accused persons allegedly asked the candidates not to attempt a question if they did not know the answer.

Prima facie, Bhatt, a physics teacher, filled the correct answers on the papers while they were still at the school premises post-exam.

The CBI on Saturday raided seven locations in Gujarat, further intensifying their probe into the alleged NEET malpractices. Statements from six candidates who allegedly paid bribes were recorded last week, linking them to the accused.

A case was registered by Godhra Police on May 8 against Bhatt, Roy, and Vohra for attempting to manipulate the NEET-UG process by extorting 10 lakh from 27 candidates each. Authorities, who were tipped off about potential malpractice, preemptively intervened at the school, averting irregularities.

Also Read | Shatrughan Sinha hospitalized, confirms son Luv

Bhatt, appointed as the exam's deputy superintendent at the school centre, was apprehended before the test, and 7 lakh in cash was seized from him.
Top Democrats on Sunday ruled out the possibility of replacing President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee after a feeble debate performance and called on party members to focus instead on the consequences of a second Donald Trump presidency.

After days of hand-wringing about Biden and the outcome of the Nov. 5 election, Democrat leaders firmly rejected calls for their party to choose a younger presidential candidate. Biden, 81, was huddling with family members at the Camp David presidential retreat, with his political future a likely topic of discussion.

But the drumbeat of calls for Biden to step aside continued, and a post-debate CBS poll showed a 10-point jump in the number of Democrats who believe Biden should not be running for president, to 46% from 36% in February.

"The unfortunate truth is that Biden should withdraw from the race, for the good of the nation he has served so admirably for half a century," the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said in an editorial on Sunday. "The shade of retirement is now necessary for President Biden."

"Absolutely not," responded Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, one of several Democrats seen as a possible replacement for Biden.

"Bad debates happen," he told NBC's Meet the Press program. "The question is, 'Who has Donald Trump ever shown up for other than himself and people like himself?' I'm with Joe Biden, and it's our assignment to make sure that he gets over the finish line come November."

House of Representatives Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who could become speaker next year if his party can take control of the House in November, acknowledged that Biden suffered a setback in his debate with former President Trump, the Republican candidate.

"I believe a setback is nothing more than a setup for a comeback," he told MSNBC. "So the moment that we're in right now is a comeback moment, and it's going to require all of us to lean in, articulate a forward-looking message as to why the Democratic platform is best equipped to deal with the challenges facing the American people."

Another top House Democrat, Representative James Clyburn, agreed.

"He should stay in this race. He should demonstrate it going forward his capacity to lead the country," he told CNN.

During the debate, a hoarse-sounding Biden delivered a shaky, halting performance in which he stumbled over his words on several occasions. Some Democrats later said privately that the showing could prove to be a disqualifying factor.

Biden Family Meeting Republicans blasted Democratic claims that Biden's poor debate performance was a one-off.

"This idea that Biden had a bad night, that's not the story. He's had a bad presidency, had a disastrous debate," Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told CNN.

But in his own debate performance, Trump unleashed a barrage of criticisms, many of which were well-worn falsehoods he has long repeated, including claims that migrants have carried out a crime wave, that Democrats support infanticide and that he actually won the 2020 election.

After a frenzied run of seven campaign events across four states since Thursday's debate, Biden headed to Camp David on Saturday for a pre-planned family gathering that includes a family photo shoot, according to two people familiar with the scheduling. The attendees include his wife, Jill Biden, as well as the Biden children and grandchildren.

While the trip had been planned for months, the timing and circumstances of Biden being surrounded by family members who have weighed heavily in his past decisions to run for the presidency have added to the scrutiny around the visit.

With Democratic leaders rallying around his candidacy, it will be up to Biden to decide whether he wants to end his re-election bid.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez held a Saturday afternoon call with dozens of committee members across the country, a group of some of the most influential members of the party.
The winner of Irans presidential election will inherit domestic discord and an economy battered by sanctions, but also a strength: Tehran has more sway on the international stage than in decades.

Iran, under Supreme Leader Ali Khameneis leadership, thwarted decades of U.S. pressure and emerged from years of isolation largely by aligning itself with Russia and China, giving up on integration with the West and throwing in its lot with two major powers just as they amped up confrontation with Washington.

Irans economy remains battered by U.S. sanctions, but oil sales to China and weapons deals with Russia have offered financial and diplomatic lifelines.

It also effectively exploited decades of U.S. mistakes in the Middle East and big swings in White House policy toward the region between one administration and the next.

Today, Tehran poses a greater threat to American allies and interests in the Middle East than at any point since the Islamic Republic was founded in 1979.

Irans military footprint reaches wider and deeper than ever. Iranian-backed armed groups have hit Saudi oil facilities with missiles and paralyzed global shipping in the Red Sea. They have dominated politics in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, and launched the most devastating strike on Israel in decades, when Hamas attacked in October.

Iran launched its first direct military attack from its soil on Israel in April. It has also orchestrated attacks on opponents in Europe and beyond, Western officials say.

The consequencesdrones for Russia in Ukraine, the threat from Iran-backed militias, Tehrans recent expansion of its nuclear programwill remain pressing issues regardless of who wins the second round of the Iranian election on July 5 or the U.S. election in November.

In many respects, Iran is stronger, more influential, more dangerous, more threatening than it was 45 years ago," said Suzanne Maloney, director of the foreign-policy program at the Brookings Institution, who advised Democratic and Republican administrations on Iran policy.

Irans foreign-policy choices have come at a great cost at home for Iran. Its economy lags far behind the growth and living standards of its Gulf Arab rivals Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Islamic regime has lost much of the public support that brought it to power, with numerous protests prompting brutal crackdowns.

The regime has lost legitimacy, and I dont think they have a good solution for that problem," said Eric Brewer, a former National Security Council director for counter-proliferation. Every time Khamenei has had a choice to open it uphes clamped down further."

Irans growing strength marks a failure for the West. Since Jimmy Carter was president, finding an effective strategy to contain Iran has been the great white whale of Western foreign-policy makers.

The Wests go-to policy tool, sanctions, is no longer effective at isolating Tehran internationally. Iran has responded by deepening an axis with Russia and China, complicating diplomacy with Tehran even more, analysts say. Outside the Middle East, Irans drone industry has helped Russias war in Ukraine.

Western sanctions have cost Iran billions of dollars, but what was the objective?" said Seyed Hossein Mousavian, a former longtime Iranian foreign-policy official, now a research scholar at Princeton University. Iran is more influential in the region than everChina has captured the Iranian economy and Iran has moved closer to Russia."

For more than two decades, Western policy on Iran has vacillated. American presidents repeatedly shifted the balance between diplomacy and force, outreach and attempted isolation.

Case in point: When the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001, Washington sought from Iran and received military assistance and intelligence to help topple the Taliban. Months later, President Bush labeled Iran part of an Axis of Evil," along with Iraq and North Koreaa reversal that Iranians saw as a threatening insult.

Iran, meanwhile, has for decades followed a consistent long-term strategy, which it calls forward defense," deterring attacks by enemies while building out a network of loyal militias.

U.S. policy has at times unintentionally contributed to Irans strength. The 2003 toppling of Saddam Hussein removed a sworn enemy from Irans borders. Washingtons failure to stabilize postwar Iraq bolstered Tehrans influence.

After the U.S. ousted the Taliban in 2001, American power in the Middle East was formidable. A few months after the Bush administration invaded Iraq in 2003, citing Saddams alleged development of weapons of mass destruction, Tehran largely halted its secret work building atomic weapons, according to U.S. officials. It also began what proved to be 20 years of international negotiations on its nuclear program.

Yet the invasion of Iraq began a reversal of American fortunes that still benefits Iran. Its influence through politics and militias has only grown. The protracted U.S. occupation of Iraq, during which close to 4,500 U.S. soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians were killed, turned the American public against lengthy wars in the region.

Iran is still short of its goal of pushing the U.S. out of a region that hosts thousands of American troops and an array of alliances, with both Israel and Arab nations. Washington remains the pre-eminent power broker in the Middle East. But in Russia and China, Iran now has two heavyweight allies that also have ambitions of turning back American influence across the world.

Iran has built regional strength while staying clear of red lines that could trigger direct American military action. The consistency was possible because matters of national securityincluding the nuclear program and military strategyare determined not by Irans president but by unelected bodies, primarily the supreme leaders office and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has grown increasingly powerful.

Tehrans long-term planning is also evident in its domestic efforts to defend the clerical rule against its own people. For the past five years, a secretive unit under the Revolutionary Guard, known as the Baqiatallah Headquarters, has spearheaded the regimes efforts to push back against secularism and what it sees as corrosive Western influence, according to a new report by researchers at United Against Nuclear Iran, a U.S.-based advocacy group.

The unit, headed by a former Revolutionary Guard commander, imposes Islamic dress codes and engineers elections, among other tasks. It aims to mobilize its own religious civil society of four million loyal young Iranians as a way to implement the ideological and cultural policies of the clerical leadership, bypassing the bureaucracy of the elected government, according to the researchers, drawing on original material from the Revolutionary Guard.

Inside Iran, policy isnt monolithic. Divisions have long split moderates who favor engagement with the West and hard-liners who believe Iran is best placed in an alliance with Russia and China.

The debate has resurfaced during the presidential election, which will now be contested by reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian and hard-liner Saeed Jalili after neither gained a majority in the first round of voting with low turnout. The election is being held after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month.

Irans nuclear program illustrates how adept Tehran has been at exploiting wavering U.S. policy.

The Obama administration saw a solution to the nuclear issue as necessary to reduce U.S. involvement in the Middle East after more than a decade of war. In 2015, Iran and six world powers, including the U.S., Russia and China, agreed to a landmark deal to impose strict restrictions on Irans nuclear work for at least 10 years. In exchange, Tehran won relief from international sanctions the U.S. had campaigned for in previous years.

Supporters saw it as a vindication of their dual policy of pressure and engagement. They hoped it would lead to long-term containment of Irans nuclear program and easing of tensions in the region.

Opponents believed the agreement allowed Iran to wait 10 years and resume work on nuclear weapons with most international sanctions gone. Some criticized the deal for not addressing Irans regional military activities.

Meanwhile, Irans regional footprint grew. Iranian support helped Syrian President Bashar al-Assad survive the Arab Spring and a civil war. Iran gained deeper influence in Syria and established a land corridor leading from Tehran to Syrias Mediterranean coast via Iraq, which it used to transport weapons and personnel. It positioned allied militias near Israels border in Syria and Lebanon.

In Syria, Iran also forged a partnership with Russia, which came to Assads aid in 2015. The relationship grew with war in Ukraine, where Iran supplies Russia with drones.

Iranian-backed militias became politically dominant in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, where the Houthi rebels in 2014 took control of the capital, Sana. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emiratesimportant regional security partners for Washingtonbecame enmeshed in the Yemen war.

Israel, where the government perceived the threat from Iran to be growing, didnt follow through on threats to attack Irans nuclear sites. The Obama administration, Israels government and some Gulf Arab states were in open dispute over U.S. Middle East policy.

I think we were overly preoccupied with the nuclear issue and not enough on regional issues," said Robert Einhorn, a former senior State Department official and architect of the Iran nuclear deal in the Obama administration. Einhorn said President Obama was right to keep Irans regional influence separate from the nuclear talks and push back hard against Irans destabilizing regional activities outside those negotiations.

The problem is he didnt follow through on that," Einhorn said.

In 2018, President Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal and imposed a maximum pressure" sanctions policy on Iran that punished foreign firms doing business with the country and largely killed off reviving European trade with Iran.

Despite renewed economic hardship, Iran refused to be coerced into new talks. President Biden made a revival of the nuclear deal a top foreign-policy goal, but renewed talks collapsed in August 2022 when Tehran walked away from a deal.

Iran has since rebuilt its nuclear program, going much further than it had at the time of the 2015 nuclear deal and effectively reaching the threshold of developing a weaponsomething it says it isnt trying to do.
In science fiction writer Lavanya Lakshminarayans The Ten Percent Thief , shortlisted for the Arthur C Clarke Award 2024, a brutal meritocracy rules the worldone based on productivity and conformity A. former game designer, the 35-year-old author, who lives in Bengaluru, has had several short stories published in anthologies like The Best of World SF (Vol 2) and The Big Book of Cyberpunk . In this, her first novel (published in Asia as Analog/Virtual ), Lakshminarayan takes corporate practices such as assessing human labour and contribution on a two-dimensional scale to its logical conclusion: a future where society itself is plotted on the notoriously problematic bell curve.

The technology-led dystopia, brought to life through a series of interconnected stories, feels urgent and real. In an interview with Lounge ahead of the announcement of the Arthur C Clarke Award on 24 July, the author talks about meritocracy, cultural conformism, and creating a richly imagined world. Edited excerpts:

What led you to explore the idea that a meritocracy, often thought of as desirable compared to the other ways in which we categorise humans, creates its own, exploitative hierarchy? Do you think it is a good concept to base a social order on?

Meritocracy is an outright terrible idea, but its a dangerously popular one, emerging as a driving force in any system shaped by technocapitalism. The idea of merit evokes the notion of a fair" system, and its based on the assumption that reality is a level playing field. Nothing could be further from the truth; look at the blatant economic and social disparity in our country and across the world. Well, lets imagine that we miraculously manage to level the playing field, implement social reparations until no disparities exist, and then implement a meritocracy to evaluate the worth of a human being based on their successes and failures. We come to a fundamental question: What counts as success? To define this is to give rise to a dominant ideology, and the worth of a human being to society is assessed along its parameters. Those who conform thrive, and those who do not, or cannot toe the line, are disadvantaged. I examine this in an extreme form in this novel, where value systems are set within a recognisable framework of technocapitalism. It doesnt end well for anyone involved.

Also read: Crooked Seeds: Karen Jennings dystopian Cape Town novel examines water crisis

You also look at dominant culturethe right things to learn, be interested in. Is the real world more tolerant of a diversity of interests?

Were always experiencing some form of thought-policing in the real world. It exists all around us, in varying degrees of harmfulness, attempting to bend our individual capacities for expression and identity towards an imposed version of whats acceptable", often through violence. The horrifying shape vegetarianism is currently taking our country, often expressed militantly, is an expression of a dominant social groups complete intolerance.

On the more trivial side, according to Twitter, its apparently impossible to be a feminist if you arent a Taylor Swift fan. Except, its not trivial to people who experience an entire fandom coming after them for expressing an honest personal opinion, is it? From extreme hate crimes to fandoms harassing people for differences of opinion, our ability to engage in dialogue from a place of empathy, instead of snap judgement and lashing out, is alarmingly non-existent.

View Full Image The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

The idea of resistance is built into your work, as it is in many fictional dystopias. Could you share a few examples of resistance in science fiction that you especially admire?

My earliest idea of resistance was formed by Star Wars, and the romance of all its big ideas is still incredible. Over the years, Ive come to understand that resistance can be expressed in a million ways. Theres violent oppression resulting in violent mutiny in Ursula K. Le Guins The Word for World is Forest. Her Earthsea series is a meditation on resisting the trappings of ultimate power. N.K. Jemisins The Broken Earth trilogy features resistance across a sweeping spectrumfrom the personal to that which is larger than life. Samit Basus The City Inside, published in India as Chosen Spirits, examines resilience as a form of resistance. Then theres the classic lone hacker taking down an entire system, which is a big theme in William Gibsons work, or the coming together of the disenfranchised to challenge the powers that be, which China Mieville does so well. Its a long list.

Which aspects of writing science fiction do you enjoy more: exploring the overarching themes, or the detailed world-building?

All of it. I think the overarching themes help me establish the shape that a work is going to take. Theyre the mood board that determines my research, my characters belief systems and the large movements that shift the story forward. They ask all the big questions that I think are important concerns were facing as humanity today. The details are where I get to express playfulness; theres an exuberance with which the specifics of any world Im building pop up on the page, usually unexpectedly. Pop culture is a ton of fun to createits inevitably based on everything I consume, and there are a ton of Easter eggs scattered all the way through this book.

In your head, is the world you have built more expansive and detailed than you use in the book? How important is it to have this framework in your head?

I end up with folders filled with notes for anything that I write. The words on the page are a microcosm of the wider universe Ive built in my head. The actual imagined realities of these worlds are far more expansive. Its like peering up at the night skyI know theres an entire universe out there, and there are some star systems Im fascinated by, so I use a telescope to zoom in and study them up close. All their details are mapped in my mind, and my readers catch a glimpse of them. And there are other star systems Im content to leave alone, unless I need to study them to better understand the universe itself. Readers dont need the encyclopaedia, though; they need star charts and a spaceship on autopilot. Thats what ends up on the page: everything I think a reader needs to know, in order to form meaning and understanding, for as long as theyre on board for the ride.

Having been a game designer, what elements of that universe did you bring into writing this novel?

I loved being a game designer because it taught me how to frame the process of creating, almost de-romanticising it if you will. Its really easy to get stuck in a rabbit hole of research and not-writing, day-dreaming and not committing to any decisions. Ive learnt how to find balance, giving myself enough time to explore big ideas and distil their possibilities, while also trusting myself to make decisions that are right for the story. Then, my characters run off and do what they will on the page.

Ive learnt to trust my compass, which gets easier the longer you do it. And that includes letting gochasing perfectionism is running to stand still. With writing, I know I can let go when the only edits I make involve tinkering with synonyms.

What does it mean to you to be a South Asian woman writing science fiction, and being nominated for this prestigious award?

Its an incredible honour to be nominated for the Clarke Award, both as a woman and as a South Asian, and I think the intersection of these identities makes it all the more meaningful. Growing up, most of my reading was constrained by what was available in India, and it usually reflected white, male perspectives. It always felt like I was on the outside looking in at the infinite possibilities that the future held, except the future didnt seem to include people like me. Anyone writing from a space that isnt a traditional source of power brings a unique lens to science fiction. The more diverse the voices we have in science fiction, the healthier the genre. South Asia exists in multitudes, and no two South Asians express themselves the same way. Whats important is that were writing our versions of the future, and theyre being read and appreciated.

What are you working on currently, and what broad themes does it explore?

My next novel is set in the far-future, and is about the future of food. It's titledInterstellar MegaChef, and it examines the politics of food and its impact on culture. Culinary traditions are often seen to divide humanity, but the kitchens of the world can also bring us together, giving rise to new expressions of culture. It's a perspective on how food is a reflection of cultural dominance, but it's also an exploration of food as a source of joy.

Also read: Kairos review: Love and loathing in the shadow of Berlin Wall
I invested in sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) in FY16 and received the maturity proceeds in FY24. According to the terms, the proceeds are exempt from long-term capital gains tax if redeemed on maturity. My question is: Am I required to declare my earnings from these bonds in my ITR2 for AY25? If so, where? I do not find any provision in Schedule Capital Gains in the ITR2 return. - Praveen Godbole

SGBs are government securities issued by the Reserve Bank of India, and are denominated in grams of gold. Capital gains arising on redemption of the bonds on maturity would be considered as an exempt transfer under section 47(viic) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 and hence, not liable to tax.

While HUFs, trusts, universities and charitable institutions are also eligible to invest in these bonds, exemption from capital gains can be availed only by an individual.

While the tenor of the bonds is eight years, they can be redeemed after the fifth year. The exemption provision does not distinguish between redemption on maturity and premature redemption. Therefore, one may be able to take a view that capital gains arising on redemption of the bonds, irrespective of whether on maturity, or a premature redemption, would be exempt from tax.

You should disclose such exempt gains under 'other exempt income' in Schedule EI of your income tax return. In the utility drop down, select 'any other' as the nature of income, and provide a description.

Note: not all capital gains from the transfer of the bonds is exempt from tax. These bonds can also be traded on a recognised stock exchange. Capital gains arising on sale of the bonds to another investor would be taxable.

If the bonds are held for more than 12 months, the investor will be able to claim the benefit of indexation of the cost of acquisition for computing long-term taxable capital gains.

Such long-term capital gains would be taxable at 20% plus applicable surcharge and education cess after considering the indexation, or 10% plus applicable surcharge and education cess without indexation, whichever is more beneficial.

If the bonds sold to another investor, are held for 12 months or less, short-term capital gains on the sale will be taxable at the rate applicable to the investor.

The taxable gains have to be be disclosed in the return of income in Schedule CG, dealing with capital gains.

In addition to the increase in the value of the bonds in line with the price of gold, an investor also receives interest on the initial issue price of the bonds, twice a year. Furthermore, in case of redemption, interest is paid to the investor along with the maturity amount.

Interest on these bonds, including amounts received upon redemption, is taxable as 'Income from other sources. You should disclose this interest in Schedule OS of your income tax return.

Mahesh Nayak is director at CNK & Associates LLP
Gujarat weather update: On Saturday, visuals of the rain's wrath emerged from one of the largest cities in GujaratAhmedabad. Trees uprooted and fell on parked cars. Amid heavy rainfall, Ahmedabad was battling water-logging on several busy roads.

Later in the day a road collapsed in the Shela area of Ahmedabad city, due to heavy rainfall.

Notably, two underpasses have been closed in Ahmedabad due to heavy rainfall. According to reports, Akhbarnagar and Mithakhali underpasses have also been closed. In addition, four gates of Vasna barrage have been opened.

In Ahmedabad, areas including Ahmedabad SG Highway, Pakwan, Chandkheda, Sarkhej, Chanakyapuri, Satellite, and Vejalpur have received heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning.

The IMD has issued a Red Alert for extremely heavy rainfall in Ahmedabad till 30 June. According to IMD data, Ahmedabad has recorded an average of 2.84 inches of rainfall this season.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that as the monsoon advances rapidly, after a delay, rainfall will increase in the coming days in North India. The IMD has also issued a flash flood risk for the next twenty-four hours in coastal Gujarat, Karnataka, and Kerala.

IMD stated that the monsoon has advanced in Eastern Uttar Pradesh and will cover Western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in the next 2-3 days.

An orange alert has been issued for Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and East Rajasthan.

"Heavy rain will be witnessed in the entire central India", IMD forecasted.

Intense spells of rain, accompanied by isolated thunderstorms, cloud-to-ground lightning, and gusty winds, are expected in Punjab and adjoining Himachal Pradesh, southwest and adjoining extreme northwest Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh and adjoining extreme north Chhattisgarh, southeast Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, south Gujarat, south Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, south Karnataka, north Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, and Meghalaya, as per the IMD.
Mumbai: Senior IAS officer Sujata Saunik on Sunday took over as Maharashtras Chief Secretary, becoming the first woman in the states 64-year-old history to occupy the top post.

Saunik, an IAS officer of the 1987 batch, succeeds Nitin Kareer who retired as the chief secretary on Sunday.

She will have a years tenure before retiring in June next year, an official said.

Kareer handed over the charge to Saunik at a ceremony held at Mantralaya, the state secretariat in south Mumbai.

Before her elevation as the chief secretary, Saunik, whose husband Manoj Saunik is also a former state chief secretary, was the additional chief secretary in the state home department.
A water tank collapsed in Mathura's Krishna Vihar Colony killing two people and leaving twelve injured. According to media reports, several are feared trapped inside. Rescue operation is underway informs Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. The Indian Army has reached Mathura to conduct rescue operations as several are feared trapped.

The incident took place at around 6.00 pm in the Krishna Vihar Colony, developed by the Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad, officials said. According to DM Shailendra Kumar Singh, the water tank was built three years ago.

Also Read | Water-logging, road collapse plagues Ahmedabad amid heavy rainfall

"Six people were injured in the incident. A rescue operation is underway to save those who are feared trapped inside the debris," says BJP leader Shrikant Sharma after a water tank collapsed in Mathura's Krishna Vihar Colony, injuring six people.

Meanwhile, the PRO of Mathura SSP said the injured persons are undergoing treatment at the district hospital.

A number of nearby houses also came under the debris of the water tank and some people, including children, got buried under the debris of the tank and the houses.

Dr Bhudev Prasad, the in-charge of the Rapid Response Team of the Health Department said that initially four injured were pulled out from the debris, but now this number has reached a dozen, and added that more people may still be trapped under it.

Mathura District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar Singh said all the injured were immediately sent to the district hospital for treatment. He said that apart from the fire service and police, teams of revenue, municipal corporation, and health department are engaged in the rescue work.

The DM said it has been learned that the construction of the water tank was completed in 2021. The collapse of the tank in this way in just three years raises many questions, which will be investigated, he said.

He also said the tank of 2.5 lakh litre capacity was built by the Jal Nigam at a cost of 6 crore under the Gangajal Drinking Water Project (Gangajal Peyjal Pariyojna).

He said that teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been called for the rescue work.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) interrogated multiple suspects held at Patna's Beur jail regarding the NEET-UG paper leak case.

According to a report from India Today TV, many of the accused implicated Sanjeev Mukhiya and Sikandar Yadvendu as the alleged masterminds behind the case during the questioning.

Sources told India TV that there were significant differences in the statements provided by the accused.

Sanjeev Mukhiya, identified as the mastermind in the NEET-UG paper leak case, held a position as a technical assistant at a government college in Bihar's Nalanda district. According to officials, the CBI, now leading the investigation into the NEET-UG case, is actively searching for Mukhiya.

Officials stated that Mukhiya's name was mentioned by all those arrested in connection with the paper leak case. They also indicated a connection between Mukhiya's group, known as the Mukhiya gang, and another group led by Ravi Atri, previously implicated in paper leaks for various recruitment exams.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu Assembly passes resolution to scrap NEET amid paper leak and grace marks row

On June 23, the CBI launched a criminal case investigating alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Special teams have been formed by the agency to thoroughly investigate the matter.

According to the CBI's FIR, there were reported "isolated incidents" during the NEET (UG) 2024 examination held on May 5. The exam took place across 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 cities abroad, with more than 23 lakh candidates participating.

NTA is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in this year's National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) exams and NET 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 out of 720 marks, sparking widespread protests across the country.
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has withdrawn its notice to terminate 115 teaching and non-teaching staff members after the Tata Education Trust (TET), whose chairman is Ratan Tata, assured it of necessary resources to address the issue.

TISS said it has withdrawn the notices given to 55 teaching and 60 non-teaching staff of non-renewal of contracts and asked them to continue their work.

Ongoing discussions with the Tata Education Trust have provided assurance that resources will be made available to TISS to resolve this issue. TET has committed to releasing funds for the salaries of TET project/programme faculty and non- teaching staff, TISS said in a statement.

"The letter numbered Admn/5(1) TET-Faculty & Staff/2024, dated 28th June 2024, addressed to all concerned TET Programme faculty and non-teaching staff, is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect," the circular stated.

Staff are requested to continue their work, and their salaries will be disbursed once the TET Support Grant is received by the institute, it added.

On June 28, TISS had issued termination letters to around 100 staff at its campuses in Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad, and Guwahati, saying that the contracts would not be renewed and their services would end on June 30, 2024.

Professor Manoj Kumar Tiwari, in-charge VC of TISS had said: These staff were appointed under various projects under the funding of Tata Trust. The fundings for these projects have stopped in the last few months. Considering this, we allowed these teachers to work under clock hour basis in the institute. But now we are unable to garner financial aid, so we decided to stop their services. We will reappoint them once funding from the Trust resumes.

The move was strongly criticised by the TISS community.

In a reaction to mass termination by TISS, the Progressive Students Forum (PSF), a students group from the institute, had said: TISS, a prestigious institute with a history spanning nearly 90 years, has earned its status as a leading social science institution through the contributions of its faculty and staff. Last year, the union government transformed TISS into a fully public-funded institute. However, this transition has led to delays in student aid and increased financial pressures on students from economically and socially marginalized backgrounds. The latest decision to terminate staff positions further highlights the BJP governments perceived anti-education and anti-TISS stance.

The prestigious institute was established in 1936 as a Deemed University. In 2023, the Centre had converted TISS into a fully publicly funded institute.
On Sunday, the Indian Army got its 30th Chief in Upendra Dwivedi as Manoj Pande superannuated on 30 June. Pande handed over the command of the Indian Army to General Upendra Dwivedi, who took over his new appointment today. The 30th Chief of the Indian Army, who hails from the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles regiment, previously served as the Vice Chief of Army Staff starting in February of this year.

Also Read | Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi appointed next Army chief

Indian Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi: 10 points -Chief of the Indian Army Upendra Dwivedi hails from Madhya Pradesh. He has studied at Sainik School Rewa.

-Upendra Dwivedi is married to Sunita Dwivedi, a science graduate who is a homemaker. Sunita Dwivedi has been associated with Aarushi, an institute for special-ability children in Bhopal. The couple is blessed with two daughters who work with NGOs.

-Dwivedi enrolled in the National Defence Academy in January 1981 and was commissioned into the 18th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles on 15 December 1984. He subsequently commanded this battalion in both the Kashmir valley and the deserts of Rajasthan.

-Dwivedi served as Inspector General of Assam Rifles at the rank of Major General and later as Sector Commander as a Brigadier. During his tenure, Assam Rifles played a crucial role in intense counterterrorism operations, and he held several key staff command appointments in the North East. He also initiated the first-ever compendium on Indo-Myanmar border management during this period.

-Dwivedi played a pivotal role in modernizing and equipping the largest command of the Indian Army. Under his leadership, there was a significant focus on the induction of indigenous equipment as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Also Read | Indian Army commemorates Kargil Vijay Diwas with motorcycle expedition | Watch

-The officer's two overseas tenures include Somalia, as part of HQ UNOSOM II and Seychelles, as Military Advisor to the Government of Seychelles

-Upendra Dwivedi focused on elevating technological capabilities across all ranks of the Northern Command. He advocated adopting critical and emerging technologies such as big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and blockchain-based solutions.

-As Deputy Chief, he gave impetus to automation and the absorption of niche technology in the Indian Army

-As the DG Infantry, Upendra Dwivedi steered and fast-tracked capital procurement cases of weapons for all three services, leading to significant and visible capability enhancement for our Armed Forces

-Besides attending the Staff College, Wellington & Higher Command Course at AWC, Mhow, the officer was conferred 'Distinguished Fellow' in the coveted NDC equivalent course at USAWC, Carlisle, USA.

From classmates to Army Chiefs: Upendra Dwivedi and Dinesh Tripathi

Chief of the Army Staff Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, both alumni of the Sainik School Rewa of Madhya Pradesh, to be serving as the chiefs of the Indian Army and Indian Navy respectively, in New Delhi on Saturday. Lt General Upendra Dwivedi and Admiral Dinesh Tripathi attended school together from class 5.

In a historic first for the Indian military, classmates from Sainik School in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa will lead the Indian Army and Navy as service chiefs. Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, the 30th Army Chief, and Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, appointed Navy Chief, shared a classroom during their early education in the 1970s.

Also Read | Javed Akhtar slams Israel after ex-Indian Army officer gets killed in Gaza
A disabled Punjabi youth was coerced to join the Russian army after being allegedly tricked by travel agents.

Mandeep Kumar from Goraya, Jalandhar was promised by a travel agent to be sent to Italy but was tricked to Moscow, where he was forced to join the Russian army, Indian Express reported.

My brother has a congenital limb (left leg) defect. Mandeep and his friends were misled into travelling to Italy via Armenia, but they ended up in Russia instead. They were exploited and threatened by agents demanding more money, the report quoted Jagdeep Kumar, brother of the victim.

In his last interaction with Mandeep, his family said that he was in army uniform and pleaded to be rescued.

It was extremely distressing for the family when we heard reports that Mandeep and other young Punjabi boys were forcibly recruited into the Russian army for deployment in war-torn Ukraine, Jagdeep Kumar told the Indian Express.

Also Read | Two Indians in Russian Army killed in Ukraine war, MEA warns Moscow

The report noted that the family sought help from the Centre. They approached Balbir Singh Seechewal, a Rajya Sabha member, who then raised the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs for quick action to ensure the secure return of Balbir and others stuck in a similar situation.

Seechewal was quoted in the report saying, This is very disturbing when innocent youths are lured by unscrupulous agents. We must caution our youth against falling prey to such traps.

This is not the first case of youths getting trapped to work for the Russian Army.Several such cases have been reported in different parts of the country. In March, a Hyderabad youth was killed in the Russia-Ukraine war. He was a victim of a job scam, where he was promised a job of a helper but was later forced to join the Russian army and was deployed to the Ukraine border

Hamil Mangukiya, originally from Surat, applied for a job in Russia via an online advertisement and travelled from Chennai to Moscow. He was hired as an assistant in the Russian Army. Mangukiya lost his life in an airstrike conducted by Ukraine on February 21 in the Donetsk region near the Russia-Ukraine border.
Prince Harry is hesitant to bring his kids, Archie and Lilibet, to the UK, according to GB News. In a recent podcast, Cameron Walker and Digital Editor Svar Nanan-Sen discussed this and Harry's case against the Home Office.

Prince Harry lost his police protection in the UK after stepping down as a royal in 2020. The Duke of Sussex is now fighting this in court. Cameron argued that Harry hesitates to bring his children to the UK due to the lack of taxpayer-funded protection.

"You remember in the Netflix documentary series, Meghan spoke very openly and quite emotionally about this, the fear she had in terms of her family's safety, checking all the doors were locked at night in her Montecito house and worried for her children's safety as well, Walker said.

"You can see how passionately Harry feels about that and how important of an issue it is to him. He suffered a couple of court defeats now and he's still fighting his way, plus he's got another appeal coming up, Nanan-Sen said.

Nanan-Sen indicated that it was evident the matter was of great concern to them. He also believed that Harry would not be taking these steps unless he planned to visit the UK more frequently with his family. Nanan-Sen emphasised that Harry clearly considered it important to bring his family over.

"Well, that's the crux of it because Harry's case is he does not feel safe. He doesn't feel his family is safe when they're in the UK because they do not have police protection officers with the Metropolitan Police with him. Walker said.

"So perhaps that is the main reason why Prince Harry isn't bringing Meghan and Archie and Lilibet over to the UK because he can't guarantee, he would say he can't guarantee their safety.

Lady Diana connection Walker stated that he believed Prince Harry had been constantly reminded of what happened to his mother. Lady Diana, since August 31, 1997.
EAST HAMPTON, N.Y.  Jill Biden was right at her husband's side Saturday as they exited Air Force One to head for a pair of campaign stops at luxurious vacation homes on Long Island. And she got straight to the point when it was her turn to introduce the president at a tony fundraiser.

Joe isnt just the right person for the job. Hes the only person for the job, she declared.

The first lady also told donors, Anyone can tell you what they want to do, but Joe Biden can tell you what hes done with his judgment, his experience, and his relationships with leaders across the globe.

The first lady is trying to rally support for her husband after a dreadful performance in Thursday's presidential debate created fresh worries about President Joe Biden's age and his ability to compete in November's election and to serve another four years.

The community college professor has been by her husband's side since he exited the debate stage as he faces what could be a defining challenge of his presidency  the president says that democracy itself is on the line in his race against former President Donald Trump.

It's a reflection of the first lady's influence, her love of her husband and the pressure confronting an 81-year-old candidate whom many voters worry is too old to serve another term as president. While Trump's wife has been noticeably absent from the campaign trail, Jill Biden has taken a leading role, wearing a dress Friday decorated with the word Vote.

Less than 24 hours after her husband's disastrous debate, she stood before a crowd in Greenwich Village and spoke glowingly about her husband without any nod to the swirling controversy over whether he is up to another term.

Joe will never stop fighting for this country and for communities like this one, she said at an event at the Stonewall National Monument, a symbol of LGBTQ pride. Thats who Joe is. He wakes up every morning thinking about how he can make the lives of Americans better.

She was more frank, though, later in the day at a LGBTQ fundraiser in the city, saying of her husbands debate performance, I know its on your minds.

As Joe said earlier today, hes not a young man, she allowed. And you know, after last nights debate, he said, You know, Jill, I dont know what happened. I didnt feel that great. And I said, Look, Joe, we are not going to let 90 minutes define the four years that youve been president.

The first lady went on to deliver a spirited defense of the presidents abilities, signaling there was no stepping back from his intent  their intent, really  for him to press forward with his campaign.

What my husband does know how to do is tell the truth, she said. When Joe gets knocked down, Joe gets back up, and thats what were doing today.

Jill Biden, 73, has long been her husbands chief confidant and public defender, but her role looms larger this year and is attracting increasing scrutiny from Trump supporters, some of whom question whether she's the one doing the steering these days.

When the first lady gripped the president's hand as he left the debate stage on Thursday night after his halting performance, Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas reposted the video on X with the question, Who is the Commander in Chief?

Jill Biden, early on reluctant to embrace the role of political spouse, is all in.

Earlier in the year, when voters were in denial that Biden truly would seek another term, it was Jill Biden who squashed the idea he might not go through with it.

How many times does he have to say it for you to believe it? the first lady told The Associated Press in a February interview during a trip to Africa. She added, He says hes not done. Hes not finished what hes started. And thats whats important.

As a native of the Philadelphia area, her tone has grown increasingly feisty as she has told supporters that Trump has gotten my Philly up. But the race with the former Republican is tight and she told the fundraising gathering on Friday that, We have to work harder than weve ever worked before.

She doesn't just talk up her husband's best attributes, she regularly recounts stories of their courtship and life together for supporters. During Friday's events, she told the LGBTQ gatherings that Trump is a threat to their rights and we can't let him win, a sign that she won't shy from the gritty business of politics.

Last month, the first lady delivered a commencement address to community college students in Arizona, where she talked about ignoring the doubters and pushing forward with their goals.

The next time someone tells you that you cant, youre going to say, Oh yeah? Watch me, she said.

It was an echo of the words her husband has used on multiple occasions when questioned about his ability to do the job for another four years: Watch me.
Step out of the train station at Himeji, a mid-sized Japanese city about 80 kilometers from Osaka, and one thing grabs the eye.

Himeji Castle, a centuries-old fortress once home to the great Japanese unifier Toyotomi Hideyoshi, is the best surviving example of such structures from the Warring States era, many of which were destroyed in air raids during World War II. In 1993, it became Japans first World Heritage site; for readers of a different generation, it might be better known as the location of Tiger Tanakas training school in the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice.

Recently, its grabbed attention for a different reason. Hideyasu Kiyomoto, the mayor of the city of half a million, generated international headlines last month when he suggested that foreign tourists ought to pay more  about four times more  than the 1,000 the castle currently charges for admission.

Under a dual-pricing plan, Kiyomoto suggested city residents might pay even less than now. His office told me that since many World Heritage sites charge more than the castle, discussions were ongoing over the appropriate price for tourists and locals, but that no decision had yet been made. The reality is that the costs of maintaining the castle, which miraculously survived the war thanks to being painted black to disguise it from air raids, are undoubtedly rising.

The debate comes at a time when Japan is grasping for solutions to a problem of its own making. Less than two years after the borders were reopened post-Covid, the country is struggling to cope with the flood of overseas tourists. Visitors are commandeering buses in Kyoto, crowding out convenience stores near Mt. Fuji, and generally being blamed for nuisances everywhere they go. Tourism has exploded over the past decade, and the recent weak yen has taken the trend to extremes. Some restaurants are also exploring ways to charge foreigners more, with many citing the cost of dealing with customers in other languages and adjusting menus.

Tourist spending is set to soar to 7.2 trillion this year, making it Japans second-largest export after cars, adding more to the economy than steel or semiconductor parts. Yet many people in places like Himeji dont feel rich. And when I arrived off an early evening Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo, I couldnt immediately see much sign of foreign spending, either.

It didnt take me long to find out why. Everywhere I went, I heard the same thing: Throngs of foreign tourists arrive during the day, but few stay overnight. Visitors prefer to return to Osaka , or further west to Hiroshima, the next major port of call. Because no one hangs around, there are no luxury hotels and none being built. I myself was staying just one night, and was due the following evening in Osaka, where the nightlife is considerably livelier.

Thats one reason that, to my surprise, all the Himeji locals I spoke to favored the mayors dual-pricing scheme. Hayato Miyazaki, who runs a local brewery and taproom, told me he fully supported such a system, as did everyone he knew in the restaurant business. He gets one or two groups of foreign tourists a day, he said, but shuts up shop at 10 p.m.

When I put it to him that a dual-pricing structure felt like Japan was slipping back into being a developing country, he nodded in understanding, but protested: Its too late for that! Having lived in the US and Australia, hes familiar with how much Japanese wages have stagnated by comparison.

Himejis mayor is certainly correct to note that many World Heritage sites overseas also charge much more. Londons Tower Bridge, for example, costs the equivalent of $17 for a basic ticket, nearly three times what Himeji Castle asks.

Two-tier pricing isnt necessarily a feature of developing nations, where the practice is more widespread at tourist spots because of the vast gap between local salaries and what visitors can afford. The Louvre museum in Paris, which is included in a broader World Heritage encompassing the Banks of the Seine, offers tickets free to under-25s  but only if theyre residents of the European Economic Area. In Hawaii, locals are entitled to a Kamaaina discount for residents. The National Gallery in Singapore proudly proclaims free access for locals and permanent residents; visitors are charged the equivalent of $15.

Himeji residents told me of the Donguri Card, or Acorn Card, a seemingly beloved local scheme that allows kids up to junior high free entry to museums, aquariums and other local attractions. What would be the difference, they contended, if that was extended to adults? As it happens, Japans government has been looking for ways to promote the My Number Card, an oft-troubled national ID scheme that for practical reasons policymakers want everyone to have. Flash a My Number Card and get a discount, or receive payment back in the form of points.

Whats needed here, with respect to Mayor Kiyomoto, is top-down guidance from Tokyo in the form of guidelines and best practices. Theres a way to charge tourists more, but a municipality-by-municipality scattershot approach isnt it. If the country can make clear who pays what, and how, there will likely be few objections. Himeji Castle is easily worth four times the cost.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

If your knowledge of Japanese history comes from Shogun, the Taiko is his fictional counterpart.

Somewhat counter-intuitively, spending by foreign visitors is counted as an export in GDP statistics.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Gearoid Reidy is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Japan and the Koreas. He previously led the breaking news team in North Asia, and was the Tokyo deputy bureau chief.

/opinion
US President Joe Biden had already scheduled time at Camp David for a family photo session on Sunday and Monday, contradicting an NBC News report suggesting discussions about his re-election campaign.

AP reported citing White House officials on the condition of anonymity.

Before heading to Camp David on Saturday night, Biden was observed speaking on the phone with historian Jon Meacham.

Earlier in the day, Biden and US First Lady Jill Biden attended a private campaign event in East Hampton, New York. The event, held at the residence of Avram Glazer, a co-owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was closed to the media.

We can waste time comparing debate nights, she continued. But you know what? Its more meaningful to compare presidencies.

AP reported that Democratic donors in New York, Southern California, and Silicon Valley are privately voicing concerns about the future of President Biden's campaign following the debate, which has sparked widespread discussion and criticism online. Clips and memes from the debate have circulated widely, fueling public pressure for Biden to reconsider his candidacy.

They have begun discussing potential replacements, with a shortlist that includes Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Vice President Kamala Harris.

As of Friday, there was no organized effort to pressure Biden into stepping aside, and some believed such a move would be impractical given the logistical hurdles of replacing a presumptive nominee just four months before Election Day.

However, some donors indicated they planned to suspend their personal contributions temporarily. They acknowledged that receipts from Biden's weekend fundraiser were likely to remain robust because tickets had been sold and paid for prior to the debate.

Many donors, party strategists, and members of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) are expressing both publicly and privately their desire for 81-year-old Biden to step aside, allowing the party to select a younger replacement at the Democratic National Convention in August. Despite these sentiments, Biden's closest allies maintain that he is still well-positioned to compete against Republican Donald Trump. They have not indicated any intention to pressure him to end his campaign.

AFP reported that many stakeholders are now eagerly awaiting the release of the first major post-debate public opinion polls to gauge their next moves.

Early polling from CNN and 538/Ipsos immediately after the debate indicated that most viewers believed Trump performed better than Biden. However, the favorability ratings for both candidates remained largely unchanged, mirroring the aftermath of Trump's recent legal troubles related to a hush money scheme during the 2016 election.

In contrast, Biden spent much of his Saturday to engaging with affluent donors in the Hamptons enclave of New York.

I didn't have a great night, but neither did Trump," Biden said of the debate at one gathering in East Hampton.

Speaking about Trump, Biden said, The big takeaway was his lies.

Trump, meanwhile, gloated about Biden's performance at a rally on Friday, asserting that Biden had faltered "under tremendous pressure." On Saturday, Trump suggested on his social media platform that Biden's performance had weakened.
The nation is yet to recover from the shock of how the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) has crumbled under the weight of its own contradictions, discommoding over 2.3 million aspirants who took the centralized examination for admission to undergraduate medical courses.

Its collapse shows all that is wrong with the governments education policy, highlights biases in its people selection policy and also underscores its centralization tendencies.

The NEETs introduction was not such a bad idea, considering the systemic malaise that existed earlier. The surging demand for medical education collided against limited availability of seats in government colleges; private-sector entrepreneurs stepped into the breach, repurposing admission tests and cut-offs as extortionate revenue sources, with blessings from the political class.

In addition, many states conducted separate entrance tests. An earlier attempt to consolidate most entrance tests under the All India Pre-Medical Admission Test, NEETs predecessor, was scrapped by the Supreme Court due to similar problems of paper leaks and testing irregularities.

NEETs breakdown has led to the usual hand-wringing, followed by a routine reshuffling of personnel and boilerplate promises of tighter supervision. This only manages to kick the problem down the road, giving time to ingenious and corrupt forces to regroup and find new ways of gaming the system.

There is simple economics at work here: when 2.3 million students vie for only 106,000 medical seats, something has to give. It is therefore doubtful whether standardized entrance exams, which have become more like lotteries, can bridge the demand-supply gap. There should also be a national debate on whether the government should be feeding the nations obsession with medical and engineering education.

The lack of diversified employment opportunities is forcing desperate students to seek medical education even in violence-torn countries such as Kyrgyzstan.

In all the column centimetres and prime-time slots devoted to discussing and dissecting the NEET controversy, there will hopefully be some dialogue about the governments recruitment policy for the education sector. There seems to be a fond belief that hiring engineers or management graduates will solve all governance problems: NEETs former chief Subodh Kumar, who was replaced after the recent NEET scandal, was an engineer and an MBA.

Manoj Kumar Tiwari, an engineer with a teaching career largely confined to engineering colleges, has been appointed vice-chancellor at one of Indias leading social sciences universities, Tata Institute for Social Sciences. The chairman of University Grants Commission, M. Jagadesh Kumar, is also an engineer who taught at IIT-Delhi. In their recruitment, the primary considerations seem to have been their engineering degrees and political affiliations rather than expertise.

Most institutes of higher learning today are run by administrators, rather than specialists trained in the science of education. With administrators focused on conducting tests and infantilizing students, rather than achieving educational excellence, the skew has set in motion a chain reaction of misunderstandings and mis-steps.

Consequently, the cycle of exam paper leaks, errors in question papers, badly written text books, tests not conducted on time and sale of answer keys before an exam continues unabated.

The education sector is replete with instances of misguided staffing. The director of the National Council of Educational Research and Training, D.P. Saklani, has been in the news for allegedly rewriting history textbooks with half-truths.

Another example is the government entrusting career bureaucrats with powers to decide how clinical psychology should be studied at the post-graduate level across the country; these officials have used their training and natural instincts to create roadblocks and artificial shortages.

This kind of centralized administrative control has created a fertile breeding ground for untrained amateurs and poseurs playing havoc with the mental health of unsuspecting patients. The rationing mindset, or call it licensing reflexes, probably has more than nine lives, but it is mercilessly cutting many legitimate careers short before they even had a chance to blossom.

One clear villain in all this is the governments reflexive tendency to centralize, and that is creating multiple friction points. Centralization of powers in the National Testing Agency, responsible for conducting the NEET and other entrance tests, was meant to achieve standardization and uniformity. However, this sits uneasily with the nations diverse cultural and social fabric, as well as with its varied geography.

The National Education Policy of 2020 prompted noted educationist and scholar Krishna Kumar to observe in the Economic and Political Weekly (June 2023): a new national policy has recommended a stronger and larger architecture for the states supervision, firmly in the centres domain. How it will gain provincial acceptance is something for the policy writers to worry about in future. But then, Indias diversity was not their major concern."

India faces a crisis in the education sector, both at the school and higher education levels. This requires long-term solutions, not jugaad or a seat-of-the-pants management style that eschews planning, skills, systems and structure.
Looking for the sexiest, most fun-loving destination in France this summer? Avert your eyes from Saint-Tropez and look farther east to Nice, dismissed for too long as a retirement community for Europes aristocracy.

Youll still spot plenty of heavily tanned white-haired people walking alarmingly over-groomed dogs on the famous seaside Promenade des Anglais. These days, however, theyre joined by joggers, skateboarders and cyclists taking advantage of the countless new bike lanes that have been created since 2008.

Early risers can catch the fruit-and-vegetable vendors setting up their stalls in the open-air Cours Saleya food market as they have for centuries, but those early birds will also come across residents practicing yoga on mats rolled out over the gray pebbles of the citys main beach. Nices new energy has been a long time coming.

Queen Victoria often fled Londons fog for the year-round sunshine of Nice, quickly making it the most fashionable winter destination for the British aristocracy during the 19th century. Since then, the dial of style on the French Riviera, which runs from Saint-Tropez east along the Mediterranean coastline to Menton on the Italian border, has fluctuated a lot.

From Nice, the action went west to Antibes during the 1920s, when summering in the South of France became fashionable, then turned to Cannes a couple of decades later after the film festival took off. Most recently its been set to Saint-Tropez, a hot spot for bling, nightlife and Instagrammers who love both. But in recent years, Nice has been quietly making a comeback.

I first visited Nice with a group of fellow backpackers in the 1970s. We admired the faded pastel-painted Belle Epoque villas, visited the Chagall and Matisse museums, scarfed down delicious bowls of soupe au pistou, a vegetable soup garnished with basil puree, and left the following day. The city was just too geriatric for college boys looking to party.

Now, thirty years after the rapid ascent of budget airlines like Ryanair and easyJet broke the citys torpor by attracting a younger crowd, a new generation of arty, self-employed people are moving in. Unlike the highfliers of old, todays travelers visit year-round, hitting the beaches and taking in the citys museums, galleries, antique stores and flea markets.

In step with the international contingent, French creatives with remote-work jobs are choosing to move to Nice for its good weather, reasonable rents and laid-back atmosphere.

Nice isnt just a beach resortits a fascinating city, with great art and architecture," said Valery Grego, a hotelier who built the 88-room Hotel du Couvent in a former 17th-century convent, perched on a steep hill in Le Vieux Nice, the old town.

The hotel, which Grego opened on June 20, has immediately become the most talked about among a spate of stylish new hotels catering to worldly well-heeled bohemian types. Its tastefully austere decor comes courtesy of Paris design firm Festen Architecture, and an in-house apothecary dispenses herbal teas and beauty products made with local botanicals.

Other newcomers include the renovated 151-room Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, originally built in 1848 as the Hotel de France, but relaunched last year. For proof that Nice no longer caters exclusively to the bejeweled crowd, look to the 102-room Mama Shelter, an outpost of the frisky, easy-on-the-wallet hotel brand popular with 30-somethings, which opened on June 13 near Nices Old Port.

The shift has brought other benefits to Nice, too. Theres finally some really good coffee here," said Rosa Jackson, a Canadian food writer and cook whos lived in Nice for more than 20 years. Her favorite spot for a quiet sip before teaching a class at her cooking school, Les Petits Farcis, is La Claque, a small, friendly cafe with a communal bench inside and a couple of tables out front. Local barista Emmanuel Buschiazzo buys and roasts his own beans, and hell make a macchiato with oat milk with nary a sneer.

And then there are the restaurants. Its always been a seriously good food town, too, with a distinctive cuisine all its own," said Jackson. She recommends starting with local Niccoise comfort-food like pissaladiere, a tart topped with caramelized onions, tiny black olives and anchovies. Find that and other classics like les petits farcisveal-stuffed baby vegetablesat traditional restaurants like Chez Davia, Le Bistrot dAntoine and La Merenda. Then start working your way through the newer upstarts.

Nice is a perfect place to be a chef," said Samuel Victori, who, along with his culinary and life partner Juliette Busetto, helms the kitchen at the Michelin-starred Les Agitateurs. The produce is incredible, and its a sophisticated international city with diners who are receptive to creative cooking."

Expect unusual combinations like oysters with stracciatella cheese and seaweed-infused condiments. At the recently opened Onice, the Argentine-Italian husband-wife team of Lorenzo Ragni and Florencia Montes take a creative approach to modern Mediterranean cooking with dishes like prawns with tomatoes, cherries and fresh almonds

You could easily spend a week exploring everything Nice has to offer, but if youre looking for a taste of the citys newfound cool on your first day in town, do the following: Start by renting a sun bed on the beach of the Hotel Amour, home to some of the Rivieras best people watching.

Cool off with a swim in the Mediterranean, and then have lunch at the Hotel Amours beach restaurantmaybe some oysters with Banyuls vinegar and a Salade Amour of walnuts, pears, Comte cheese and Morteau sausage. Follow that with a visit to the gorgeous terrace over the sea at Babel Babel, where youll find a Negroni featuring olive-oil-infused gin and zaatar-spiked vermouth.

After the obligatory siestaone of the great pleasures of a vacation in the South of Francehead for Le Plongeoir, a bar-restaurant built on a craggy rock sticking out of the sea at the entrance to the port of Nice.

Its ideal for a light dinner, maybe a bottle of Sainte Ombeline, a crisp Chardonnay made by monks at the Abbaye de Lerins on an island off the coast of Cannes. It pairs nicely with the restaurants zucchini-flower fritters and marinated octopus with pickled lemon. Go for an evening stroll along the promenade and get to bed earlytheres plenty to do tomorrow, too.
Local News, Crime

By Long Island Published: June 30 2024

Officers also seized a large quantity of cannabis and cannabis oils from the business.

Suffolk County Police today arrested an employee for selling cannabis to an underage person at a Coram business today.

Following an investigation by Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers a compliance check was conducted at Koncept Smoke Shop, located at 35 Middle Country Road, and an employee of the store, Ahmad Subhan, was arrested for selling cannabis to an underage person at 1:55 p.m

Officers also seized a large quantity of cannabis and cannabis oils from the business.

Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers previously investigated employees of the smoke shop on May 23 during which an employee was charged with possession of cannabis products and selling to an underaged person.

Subhan, 18, of Coram, was charged with Unlawful Sale of Cannabis and Criminal Possession of Cannabis 3rd Degree. He was issued a Field Appearance Ticket and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Children who have a phone with an app have a potential open door to an online sexual predator.

The combination of internet access, prevalence of smartphones, rise in social media and a decrease in internet stranger danger has created the ideal breeding ground for online sexual predators. Those predators can contact children to solicit explicit photos and video, or share their own images and videos with victims and other predators.

Lewiston police detectives Cody Bloomsburg and Zach Thomas investigate the cases where either the victim, defendant or sexually exploitative material is in Lewiston or Nez Perce County. The cases are then prosecuted by the Nez Perce County Prosecutors Office where Chief Deputy Prosecutor April Smith works to hold the sexual predators accountable and seek punishment for their crimes.

Although Bloomsburg, Thomas and Smith work in Lewiston, they say that sexual predators are everywhere in every city, country and phone application.

If a child is on the internet, no matter if its Snapchat, Telegram, anything, any application, if they are on the internet communicating with someone they dont know, its tantamount to dropping your child off at a bar and saying, Go in there and make some friends, except everyone in that bar is a sexual predator in a brilliant disguise, Bloomsburg said. Thats what Ive seen in my investigations. There is nowhere safe on the internet.

Bloomsburg said that although the problem is everywhere, investigators and prosecutors in this region are motivated to go after online sexual predators.

As bad as these predators want to meet your kids, I want to meet those predators worse, Bloomsburg said.

Catching a predator

Reports that spark an investigation can come from anywhere: a parent bringing in a phone, a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and once, someone found a phone on Memorial Bridge with an SD card that contained a video of a child being sexually abused that eventually led to an arrest. Once a report is made, investigators are quick to take action to find the suspect and make sure evidence isnt lost.

Investigators can trace IP addresses to find where a person is and there use surveillance to identify the person and make an arrest. If its a social media account, they can use subpoenas to learn the name of the account user. If its through a phone, Thomas can use the International Mobile Equipment number to identify the phone. The number is more specific than a serial number and is assigned to only one unique device.

Lewiston police also work with other local agencies, including Clarkston police, Moscow police, Asotin and Nez Perce county sheriffs offices, as well as the FBI and the North Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

There are times where the suspect is outside the U.S. and those cases are handed over to the FBI. Bloomsburg is deputized with the FBI and Smith is a special assistant to the U.S. Attorneys office in Coeur dAlene; that means both have good access to the federal system to pursue cases to a higher level.

Cases involving interstate commerce, using a phone or internet across state lines or distributing or soliciting child sexually exploitative material can be pursued in the federal system. With Lewiston being so close to the Washington border, there are many cases that qualify but not every case goes to the federal level.

We just look for the best way to hold the person accountable and get the greatest punishment, Smith said.

The details in the data

When Thomas receives a phone in a case, he can forensically extract the data on the phone to see whats on the device. He explains the process like a filing cabinet and someone taking out a folder, pulling out a document, getting a photocopy of it, then placing it back. Using that process means he can be sure the information from the phone is an accurate copy from the device for evidence collection purposes.

Sometimes people try to hide their data and use fake apps to store photos. For example, an app can look like a calculator app but if someone puts in a specific number or equation, it will reveal a photo storage app. Even deleted photos on a phone can sometimes be recovered.

A persons phone has more data stored on it than most people realize, Thomas said. It can track where people are and who they are with, which can then be used for data marketing companies. For investigative purposes, that data can be used to corroborate or disprove a suspects statements on where they were or who they were talking with on an app.

Thomas doesnt always need a persons phone to build a case. For a phone to work, it has to be connected, either through a cellphone service or internet connection. Using that information can help investigators single out which user is using a certain phone or account.

Professional predators

Online sexual predators can come from every socio-economic, race, religion, gender and sexual orientation, Thomas said. Bloomsburg said they have a lot of experience and time to manipulate children online.

They have nothing but time to figure out what works, he said. It doesnt matter how smart your child is. It doesnt matter how good of a parent you are. It doesnt matter how good a home you have, youre up against a professional.

Predators will often have multiple victims at the same time. If they try to initiate a conversation and it doesnt work, theyll move on to the next person, Bloomsburg said.

Sexual predators will send a message through an app and try to groom their victim. Bloomsburg and Smith said the grooming process conditions a child to think that sexual contact, conversation and images are OK and that they are special. Bloomsburg said the predators always have an excuse or reason for their actions.

That predator is gonna get in (the victims) head and manipulate their emotions, Bloomsburg said. It takes deep roots, the words theyre using, the things theyre doing, they take deep root in that childs head and emotions. Its hard to clean that out.

Thomas said sometimes a conversation will start with a request for a regular photo of the victim and then theyll compliment the victim. Then the predator will start sending or requesting more sexually explicit photos, like telling the child to go to the bathroom and take a nude photo.

The predators work up to sending and requesting pictures and explicit messages from the children, Smith said. This is a gradual process.

Predators will sometimes have the conversation move from one app to another or move it to text messages. Most of the time, the grooming will remain online, but sometimes they will try to meet in person to physically harm the child. In those cases, the predator has been grooming the victim for a longer period of time.

Bloomsburg used the example of one case in 2020 when a 15-year-old was groomed by an adult man who was a registered sex offender and picked her up from school. She was gone for three days before she was found in Spokane, where Bloomsburg said the victim was potentially going to be trafficked. That case highlights that there is a wide range of outcomes in these cases, from only messages to missing children  and a sexually explicit message is likely the better of those possibilities.

Its a terrible thought that the best-case scenario if one of these predators is messaging your child (is) your child is going to get a video of an adult man masturbating, Bloomsburg said. That is the first thing that comes across in all these cases.

Many of the suspects are also repeat offenders. Bloomsburg knows of a case where a convicted sex offender was in prison, got a phone and began sending messages online.

So you put a window into prison in your childs hand, Bloomsburg said.

Apps to avoid

The problem for parents is how to avoid the dangers of the internet when it can be so readily available at the touch of a download. Flip phones are thought to be safer compared to smartphones, but Bloomsburg said there are chat apps that can be used on flip phones.

Theres no way to get a phone dumb enough to stop this now, he said.

All chat apps have the potential for someone to cause harm, but some apps are more sinister than others. One that Bloomsburg and Thomas both warn about is Telegram, a cloud-based messaging platform. If a child has that app on their phone, parents should talk with their kids about why they installed it and who told them to, Thomas said.

There is no good reason for a child to be on Telegram, he said. If the internet is a cesspool of humanity, Telegram is like the drain at the bottom of that cesspool. It is a terrible, terrible place that a lot of pedophiles use.

The reason that Telegram is commonly used by online predators is because its based out of the U.S. and doesnt honor U.S. search warrants or subpoenas, so investigators cant get records. It also had end-to-end encryption, which means the only way to get messages and content from the app is to have someones phone and password. But Bloomsburg said they still have ways to search the app in investigations.
Is a China-Taiwan Conflict Likely? Watch the Region's Stock Market Indexes

By Mark Galasiewski | Elliott Wave International

The U.S. government in early May sanctioned 300 Chinese entities for supplying machine tools and parts to Russia for its war against Ukraine, while in mid-May Russian president Vladimir Putin made a two-day visit to China. In turn I found myself thinking about how tensions between China and the United States could lead to open conflict, specifically over Taiwan.

The likelihood of conflict depends in part on the region's social mood, as reflected in Asia's stock market indexes. When social mood is negative, countries are more likely to behave aggressively.

Tensions in the region have been high. On May 23, China conducted a military drill that sent 111 warplanes plus several navy destroyers and frigates close to Taiwan and its outer islands. China said the drill meant to punish Taiwan for an offense committed by its new head of state, Lai Ching-te, who used his May 20 inauguration speech to suggest that Taiwan is not part of China.

Yet China appeared to end the provocative move after just two days, much like Iran quickly ended its reprisal drone attack on Israel in April. Both examples reflect the desire to limit the scope of new conflicts, consistent with the improving social mood and burgeoning rally in emerging markets.

As our "Bull versus Bear" chart shows, the mood in Taiwan remains positive amid the global tech boom: The Taiwan Index rose right through the military drill. In contrast, the mood in China remains severely negative, as reflected in the Shanghai Composite's long-term pattern. That does raise the risk of Chinese aggression -- or at the least increases the risk of accidents and miscalculations. As Singapore's deputy prime minister Gan Kim Yong recently said at the Nikkei Forum in Tokyo, bad outcomes tend to follow during periods "when each side views the other as an adversary."

Some geopolitical observers frame the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a proxy battle in a new cold war between the United States and its democratic allies, versus the China-dominated axis of autocratic states that includes Russia, North Korea and Iran.

Long-term charts offer perspective.

In 2020, the MSCI Asia-Pacific Ex-Japan Index ended a 26-year sideways pattern, while the MSCI World Ex-U.S. Index ended its own, similar 20-year-long sideways trend. This two-decade period is comparable to the 1929-1949 corrective period in the U.S. stock market. The Covid pandemic erupted toward the end of the triangless much like the 1948-1955 polio epidemic spread across the globe and killed half a million people a year at its peak.

The first proxy battle in the current cold war -- Russia-Ukraine -- erupted two years post-Covid during the correction in the index, much like the first proxy battle -- the Korean War -- in the earlier Cold War erupted in 1950 and lasted until 1953. The Russia-Ukraine war could follow that precedent by ending in a stalemate sooner than most observers imagine, even as the developing bull market in world ex-U.S. stocks contributes to years of relative peace. Then, once China becomes much stronger militarily, the next proxy battle in the cold war rivalry -- perhaps over Taiwan -- would be analogous to the Vietnam War when the U.S. dramatically escalated the fighting in 1965 and pulled out eight years later, as the communist government of North Vietnam in turn took over South Vietnam to reunite the country.

We're watching the region's stock market indexes closely.

If you'd like to learn more about Elliott wave price patterns, including the triangles mentioned above, EWI has made available the entire online version of the book Elliott Wave Principle: Key to Market Behavior.

This article was syndicated by Elliott Wave International and was originally published under the headline . EWI is the world's largest market forecasting firm. Its staff of full-time analysts led by Chartered Market Technician Robert Prechter provides 24-hour-a-day market analysis to institutional and private investors around the world.

 2005-2022 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




The Celtics dont have much that they can offer players heading into free agency this offseason. The teams salary commitments have put them over the second apron, leaving them with just veterans minimum contracts for the open market. Adding to the team via trade will be very challenging as well with new harsh salary-matching trade rules for high-spending teams. All of this increases the odds that there will be a lot of continuity with next years roster, simply because Brad Stevens doesnt have a lot of options otherwise.

The one area where Boston could have an advantage as free agency kicks though is their standing in the NBA. They are the defending champions and are already favored to repeat for the 2024-25 season with their core under contract. In theory, that should bring some level of appeal to some veterans who have made their money and are in search of a ring.

Boston can also present some opportunity from a playing time standpoint that they didnt have last year with free agents. Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss the first two months of the year and should be limited after that on back-to-backs. Al Horford is 38 years old and wont be playing more than 25-30 minutes a night in the regular season. Theres an opportunity to be had from a playing time standpoint for bigs or forwards and for veterans who just want to win.

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We already covered some centers who could be available on the free agent market for bargain basement prices. Lets expand our search now though for Boston to the entire veteran pool as they fill up the back end of the roster. Its possible the Celtics could simply bring back their own free agents (Kornet, Tillman, Brissett) if the price is right. If their markets are bigger than the minimum or the Celtics think they can find a cheap upgrade on the open market, here are some names that will be hitting free agency and may have to settle for a minimum.

Stretch bigs

Analysis: This is clear area of need for Boston off the bench with Porzingis missing significant time. If Celtics are going outside of last years team to fill roster spots, this is an area to watch.

Robert Covington: Injuries limited him to 29 games last season between the Clippers and 76ers. He probably will have some kind of market above the minimum but may be looking for opportunity.

Dario Saric: Played for the minimum last year with the Warriors. With Golden State a bit away from contending, Saric would be a good target to provide a stretch big option with Porzingis sidelined.

Kevin Love: The sharpshooting big man is widely rumored to be interested in a Heat reunion but Celtics should make the call anyway in case he wants a better chance at at a ring. A defensive liability but an ideal stretch weapon within Bostons offense as a depth piece.

Marcus Morris: Maybe that Game 5 in Boston impressed Brad Stevens enough to bring him back.

Wings

Analysis: Unlikely the Celtics go after these guys or guards unless they are clearing out another bench wing (Springer?) in a separate deal or Joe Mazzulla wants to play a lot more small ball with Porzingis out.

Gordon Hayward: It didnt look like he had anything left in the tank in Oklahoma City. Unclear if he will find meaningful opportunity anywhere at this point with a contender but if Celtics wanted to play small ball in the early season, he could be another bench option.

Jae Crowder: An ugly year for him in Milwaukee last season as hes gotten a lot slower and the shooting has dropped off. Given the way things ended here, would be surprised if a reunion was in the cards.

Doug McDermott: A spot for a guy like him is probably gone now after the Baylor Scheierman pick.

Malik Beasley: Another guy who had a big shot with a contender last year but underwhelmed in a bigger role. He will be looking an opportunity more than anything else in his next role so its hard to see him being a fit.

Cedi Osman: Had a productive year with the Spurs off the bench but they may be trending younger than him as a squad. Probably going to get more than a veterans minimum but would be a good depth add if he wants a chance at a ring.

Justin/Aaron Holiday: The family connection could come in handy for the Celtics here.

Guards

Evan Fournier: Just kidding

Alec Burks: A little too productive to settle for the veterans minimum and seems like a good candidate to stay with the Knicks.

Lonnie Walker: Probably searching for more opportunity somewhere but was playing for the minimum in Brooklyn last season.

Bonus Bigs

Dom Barlow: Could the Celtics lure him for the minimum or a two-way with the opportunity they could offer in the first two months of the year?

Check out full center rundown here from earlier this week at MassLive.
A Framingham woman has received a prison sentence for carrying out a COVID-19 business relief loan scheme that netted her over $450,000, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorneys Office.

Vanessa Nixon, 45, owner of Framingham real estate business Nixon Homes, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud in March after being charged in the case in February, the U.S. Attorneys office said in a press release. Last week, a federal judge sentenced her to five months in prison and three years of supervised release and ordered her to pay nearly $470,000 in restitution and forfeiture.

In addition to Nixon Homes, Nixon owned and operated other Massachusetts businesses, including Mass Homes Investments and Alpha Auto Body, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. Between April 2020 and November 2022, she submitted multiple fraudulent COVID-19 business relief loan applications in the names of her businesses that fabricated millions in income.

Nixon also created fake tax documents that she submitted with the loan applications to substantiate the fabricated earnings, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. In total, Nixon received more than $450,000 as a result of the fraudulent loan applications.
A Lawrence woman who fled the U.S. after being charged with fraud and identity theft has pleaded guilty to stealing over $2 million in COVID-19 relief funds, among other schemes, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorneys Office.

Luz Paulino, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud conspiracy, one count of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft in federal court last week, the U.S. attorneys office said in a press release. She was initially charged in December 2019 and indicted by a grand jury in January 2021, but fled the U.S. while on pretrial release and remained a fugitive until authorities in Panama returned her to the U.S. after 19 months.

Paulino is the former owner and operator of Agape Financial Services  a Lowell-based tax prep and notary service company, the U.S. attorneys office said. In early 2020, she filed false and fraudulent 2019 federal tax returns using stolen identities. The fake tax returns reported false wage, employer and dependent information in an attempt to claim tax refunds.

To hide her involvement in the fraudulent tax returns, Paulino falsely reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that the returns had been prepared by two former Agape employees. She then used the fraudulent returns to obtain advance refund loans and cashed the checks using fake identification documents and forged signatures.

Paulino also used stolen identities to apply for $2.1 million in COVID-19 emergency business loans, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Between June 2020 and October 2021, she filed applications reporting lost revenue on behalf of fake companies and used the money she garnered from the loans to buy an $86,000 2020 Cadillac, among other purchases. She also wired more than $395,000 to a jewelry business in the Dominican Republic.

Paulino is set to be sentenced on Oct. 9. She is facing decades in prison, over a decade of supervised release and fines of up to $2 million, as well as restitution and forfeiture.
A former CEO and Mashpee resident has pleaded guilty to charges related to a scheme to artificially inflate the stock price of Getty Images, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorneys Office.

Former Stream Global Services and 3Com CEO Robert Scott Murray, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud on Thursday, the U.S. Attorneys office said in a press release.

In April 2023, Murray issued press releases and sent emails on behalf of Trillium Capital  a venture capital firm that he owned and operated  urging that Getty Images Holdings add him to its board of directors, the U.S. Attorneys office said. His efforts failed, but at this time, he owned approximately 300,000 shares in Getty Images.

Murray then proceeded to make false and misleading statements in press releases and media interviews in an attempt to artificially inflate Getty Images stock price, the U.S. Attorneys office said. His goal was to be able to sell his holdings at the artificially high price.

On April 24, 2023, Murray sent out a press release claiming Trillium Capital had made a proposal to buy Getty Images at $10 a share, causing its stock price to increase by nearly 56%, the U.S. Attorneys office said. He then proceeded to sell all his shares in Getty Images in less than an hour for nearly $1.5 million. A friend of his who hed previously told to buy Getty Images stock also sold her shares at Murrays direction for nearly $560,000.

In an attempt to cover up the scheme on Dec. 6, 2023, Murray told his friend to delete their text messages and to mislead law enforcement agents by telling them they hadnt communicated about the stock, the U.S. Attorneys office said. He told her that text messages are like virginity, once you delete your virginity you aint getting it back. Additionally, when approached by law enforcement agents in February 2024, Murray falsely denied telling his friend to buy stock in Getty Images.

Murrays sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 3, the U.S. Attorneys office said. A securities fraud charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million.
Good Sunday morning, everyone. Happy Almost July for those of you who celebrate. Lets get right to it.

Its been a rough seven days for Democrats at home and abroad, and its one thats been filled with object lessons.

Things got rolling on Tuesday with the entirely unsurprising primary defeat of U.S. Rep. Jamal Bowman, D-N.Y., who got sent packing in the most expensive House intramural campaign ever.

Well stipulate from the jump that Bowmans defeat at the hands of Westchester County Executive George Latimer was living, breathing proof of the late Tip ONeills maxim that all politics is local.

From annoying one of the countrys most powerful political lobbies  the American Israel Public Affairs Committee  to failing to tend the home fires, Bowman proved to be his own worst enemy, providing Latimer, a centrist Democrat, with no shortage of campaign fodder.

Some have cast Bowmans defeat as the first warning shot for The Squad, arguing that the partys progressive base doesnt speak for all Democrats.

That claim doesnt bear up under closer scrutiny; two very progressive Democrats, U.S. Reps. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of New York beat back primary challengers.

Tests still loom, however, for U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. And U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, isnt sweating a primary.

Still, some Massachusetts political observers say there are takeaways for home-state Democrats  particularly in the wake of President Joe Bidens less-than-stellar debate performance on Thursday.

Lesson One: Voters will forgive almost anything. But they wont forgive you if you forget about them. That was true of Bowman, who beat a 16-term incumbent by hammering him for slacking on constituent services.

Voters were fed up. They were embarrassed by [Bowman], political consultant Tony Cignoli told MassLive.

It wasnt enough to just go to Washington, you have to be Richie Neal, Cignoli continued, referring to the dean of Massachusetts U.S. House delegation. You have to show up at home ... When a mayor calls, and you dont respond, you exit the Congress.

Lesson Two: Messaging matters. In the case of the Empire State, at least, Bowmans defeat was seen as a sign that the partys centrist establishment had spoken.

The pendulum has swung back, New York Democratic Chairperson Jay Jacobs told ABC News. Its a clear indication that the Democratic Party has moved toward wanting common sense solutions, common sense governance and wants to favor those candidates, rather than those from the extreme.

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-6th District, speaks during an event on Capitol Hill (Photo courtesy of the Office of U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, File).Ike Hayman

Some Massachusetts Democrats, such as U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-6th District, have sounded similar alarms, UMass Amherst political science professor Ray LaRaja said.

But such progressive lawmakers as U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-5th District, have scaled the partys leadership structure. And other progressive lawmakers, such as U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-2nd District, continue to run and win elections, LaRaja noted.

Still, on key issues, such as the Israel-Hamas War, its important to heed what voters are saying.

The national Dems are playing this like the party is self-correcting, LaRaja said. Im sympathetic to the Democrats who want to build a bigger coalition.

In the end, however, Democrats may not pay much of a price, veteran analyst Mary Anne Marsh said.

Campaigns matter, candidates matter, she said. But if youre comparing Summer Lee to Bowman, there are a lot of differences there.

Dept. of Endorsements

Endorsements rarely turn the tide of a political campaign. For candidates, however, theyre a key signal to donors and others about the seriousness of their intentions  and the probability of their eventual success.

Thus, its worth noting that Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ian Cain notched the backing of former Gov. Jane Swift last week, who said the Quincy pol represents the next generation of Massachusetts leadership.

Cains energy along with his commitment to fighting for what matters most to the commonwealth separate him from the out of touch politicians he is running against, Swift continued in a statement issued by Cains campaign. Im proud to offer him my support and am confident he will do what it takes to keep Massachusetts safe, secure, and prosperous once in the Senate.

Important plot point: Swifts endorsement represents a grab for the states political establishment, since his primary challenger, Swansea lawyer John Deaton, has the backing of former members of Gov. Charlie Bakers administration.

Secondary plot point: Deaton reshuffled his campaign last week as he pursues the GOP nod to run against U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., this fall.

Deatons campaign manager, Michael Gorecki, left for a gig in New Hampshire, while scheduler Kevin Chrisom also headed for the exits, Politicos Massachusetts Playbook reported last week.

That kind of churn isnt uncommon headed into the thick of the campaign. But instability also can signal deeper problems.

State Auditor Diana DiZoglio talks about her fiscal 2025 budget request at a Joint Ways and Means Committee hearing on Feb. 7. (Sam Dornan/State House News Service) State House News Service

They said it

I am your state auditor. A lot of folks, when I say that, run out of the room instead of running towards me. I just want to say I am not the IRS. I do not audit any of your personal finances. I am actually elected by the people of the commonwealth to audit state government for you.

 In case you were wondering: State Auditor Diana DiZoglio explains to a radio audience what she does (and doesnt do) all day long.

On the calendar

The Northampton-based Center for New Americans will hold its 16th annual Citizenship Ceremony at 11 a.m. July 4 at the Hampshire County Courthouse at King and Main streets in Northampton, the group said in an email last week.

Some 55 people, hailing from countries ranging from Afghanistan and Ghana to Syria and Peru (and all points between) are set to swear the oath of citizenship during the mass naturalization ceremony.

The annual ceremony is a labor of love. And its the result of a collaboration across a wide group of organizations and agencies.

Turned up to 11:

When English DJ and producer Mike Skinner emerged in the early Aughts under the banner of The Streets, his mix of UK Garage and hip-hop was, at once, comfortingly familiar and bracingly brand new. Skinners debut record Original Pirate Material, remains an essential document of the time. With Skinner on the marquee for this years Glastonbury festival, now seemed like a good time to revisit one of that records standout tracks. Heres Has it Come to This?

Jeremy Allen White is seen leaving Joan's on Third on Wednesday in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)Getty Images

Your Sunday Long Read:

The Bear is back. And you know what that means.

Cue the drama, the pathos, the precision knifework and some first-rate interplay between its stars: Dorchester native Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White.

There was no shortage of think pieces last week as the Emmy award-winning shows third season dropped on Hulu last week.

One of my personal favorite threads to emerge from the sea of stories: The Bear is as much a show about menswear as it is about cooking. And if youve paid attention, you know what I mean.

From our corporate cousin GQ, heres a meditation on the killer looks the stars sported on the red carpet. And from the outfitting and lifestyle site, Huckberry, heres how to channel the Chefcore look at home.

Not gonna lie, I lost some time to these pieces last week. You probably will too.

Thats it for this week. See you all back here next week.
Whoever is going through this, just mind yourself and mind your family as well. At the end of the day, you will get through this. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but you cant see it when you are in the early stages of it.

LINDA Claxton and her three children have endured hell on earth to rebuild their pyrite-stricken Westport home.

The worst of what they have suffered was divulged off the record after The Mayo News was politely asked to pause our voice-recording app 48 seconds into our interview.

Our latest conversation begins with a nod to the first words Linda uttered when this newspaper visited her now-destroyed home: This is a f**ing nightmare.

The nightmare is over for me, begins Linda in a sitting room equal in size to the one The Mayo News first sat in - minus the fireplace.

Im back in my house, my kids are settled again. Its going to take me a long time to pay it off. The past seven months, we have gone through so much, mentally, physically theyre seven months that well never get back. The mental health of myself and my children has been knocked completely.

Whirlwind

A whirlwind of joy, sadness, hope and regret blows through the story told during our hour-long chat in the Claxtons cosy, unfinished new house.

Linda has been central to every brick, floorboard and slate that was laid here. For half a year, seven days a week, she rose at 6am from her rented house in Kylemore to open the site for the builders at 7.45am.

This was often after dropping her exhausted daughter, Tia, to the bus for Sancta Maria College, and right before working a full shift in a local restaurant.

There were days I sat outside waiting on people to turn up and them not to turn up, telling me that theyd be there at half-eight, and Id be sitting there waiting for them and nobody coming. And Id ring and theyd say, Oh, no, we wont be there for another two or three days, Linda explains.

One or two times I did have to put my foot down and ring people and say its not good enough. Were on a timeframe here. If you cant be here, tell me youre not going to be here, she recalls, but adds: It worked out in the end, and we got it built.

Overcoming fear

Linda knew nothing about building before being cursed with pyrite. Some months ago, she laid the first brick in her new house  which was built with pumped concrete rather than old-school building blocks, for obvious reasons.

She has handled nearly every floorboard in the house and assembled an entire flatpack kitchen herself.

Why dont you just pay somebody to do that? her children had asked.

Because I cant afford to, their mother had replied.

And why would I ask somebody else to do something that I can do?. They just looked at me and said: Youre nuts, Linda chuckles.

Though arduous at times, Linda enjoyed every part of the rebuild and will gladly lend a hand, a screwdriver or an electric saw to any pyrite homeowner who needs it.

We were the first ones up here to do this [to rebuild their house], so we didnt know anything. And I just stood there, and I realised that I was making myself and my [three] kids homeless, Linda says, recalling the moment the digger tore the roof of her old home on a bright, frigid November morning.

The fear hit me. Was I going to be able to do this? Was I going to be able to afford this? Whats going to happen if I cant? I had nobody to talk to, because nobody up here had gone through it. I just thought, I had to do it, if not for me, for them three. They need a roof over their head.

A sign outside of Pairc na Coille in Westport (Pic: The Mayo News)

Were home

Hundreds of Mayo families have had to endure, and have yet to endure, what Linda describes as the mental torture of pyrite.

Her advice to them is simple.

Whoever is going through this, just mind yourself and mind your family as well. At the end of the day, you will get through this. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but you cant see it when you are in the early stages of it.

The Friday that I moved back in here, I cried, and I said to my kids, Were home. Ill never put you through that again.

Lindas house is not yet finished, but it will forever be her home.
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UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The head of a research organization that has been tracing weapons used in attacks in Ukraine since 2018 told the United Nations Security Council on Friday it has irrefutably established that ballistic missile remnants found in Ukraine came from North Korea.

The United States and its Western allies clashed with Russia and North Korea at the meeting, saying both countries violated a U.N. embargo on arms exports from the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the countrys official name. Russia dismissed the baseless accusations, and the DPRK dismissed the meeting as an extremely brazen act to discuss someones alleged 'weapon transfers.

Jonah Leff, executive director of Conflict Armament Research, gave the council a detailed analysis of the remnants of the missile that struck Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, on Jan. 2.

He said the organization documented the missiles rocket motor, its tail section and almost 300 components manufactured by 26 companies from eight countries and territories, and it determined the missile was either a KN-23 or KN-24 manufactured in 2023 in the DPRK.

The organization reached its conclusion based on the missiles unique characteristics  its diameter, distinct jet vane actuators that direct the missiles thrust and trajectory, the pattern around the igniter, the presence of Korean characters on some rocket components, and other marks and components dating back to 2023, he said.

Following the initial documentation, our teams inspected three additional identical DPRK missiles that struck Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia earlier this year, Leff said. They also observed additional conventional weapons, including an artillery rocket produced in 1977, that had been seized on the front lines and had not been observed on the battlefield previously in Ukraine that were manufactured by the DPRK, and might have been part of a recent larger consignment of rockets.

The council discussed illegal arms transfers from North Korea at the request of France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The meeting followed Russias March 28 veto that ended the monitoring of sanctions against North Korea over its expanding nuclear program by a U.N. panel of experts. The U.S. and its European and Asian allies accused Moscow of seeking to avoid scrutiny as it allegedly violates sanctions to buy weapons from Pyongyang for its war in Ukraine.

U.N. disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu told the council Friday that before its mandate expired, the panel of experts was reviewing a report from Ukraine on missile debris it recovered following information about short-range ballistic missiles manufactured in the DPRK and used by Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

While the mandate of the experts, which had been extended since 2009 with Russias support, was terminated, Nakamitsu said it is important to note that the Security Council committee responsible for monitoring the implementation of sanctions against the DPRK continues its work and will oversee the implementation of the sanctions regime.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood called Leffs presentation with its many technical details quite compelling, and told the council that while Russia may have ended the panels monitoring with Chinas tacit support, the briefing showed that Moscow and Beijing cannot prevent the public from learning about the unlawful arms transfers occurring between the DPRK and Russia.

He said the independent findings by Leffs research organization corroborate open-source reports and analyses. And he said that, in addition to the dozens of missiles Russia has transferred from the DPRK, it has also unlawfully transferred over 11,000 containers of munitions.

As a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia has a responsibility to uphold and strengthen international peace and security, Wood said. Yet, Russia is launching ballistic missiles, which it unlawfully procured from the DPRK, against the Ukrainian people.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the meeting's Western sponsors of attempting to use the Security Council to trot out an anti-Russian and anti-North Korean narrative and to disseminate baseless accusations in order to detract attention from their own destructive actions which foment escalation in the region.

He called the claims that Russia is using DPRK missiles in Ukraine absolutely false, questioning the professionalism and expertise of those who examined the wreckage in Ukraine.

Nebenzia accused the United States of constantly stepping up the militarization of the Asia-Pacific region and said Washingtons policy of extended deterrence on Russias eastern border poses a real threat not just for the DPRK but also for our country.

He said the purpose of the June 19 strategic partnership agreement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is to play a stabilizing role in northeast Asia amidst an unprecedented escalation of tensions. As for Article 4 of the agreement, providing for the delivery of mutual military assistance if either country is subject to an armed attack, he said this should not arouse national security-related concerns for countries that dont plan to attack the DPRK.

North Korean Ambassador Kim Song called the United States the worlds biggest arms exporter, and accused the Western countries that called the council meeting of being the main culprits of disturbing global peace. They have caused tragic bloodshed by extensive shipment of weapons " and have cast a cloud of war in every corner of the world.

Song detailed U.S. arms shipments to South Korea and Japan and accused the U.S. and its followers of trying to obstruct the development of DPRK-Russia relations. He defended those relations as completely of a peace-loving and defensive nature.

China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Geng Shuang, warned that peace and security in all of northeast Asia will be affected if there is more chaos on the Korean peninsula.

He called on all parties to be rational and pragmatic and work together to cool down the situation.

China will play a constructive role to realize long-term peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, Geng said, and he called on the United States to end its pressure campaign against the DPRK and the myth of deterrence, and demonstrate its sincerity in holding an unconditional dialogue through concrete action.

U.S. envoy Wood retorted: If, indeed, China is so concerned about the security situation on the Korean peninsula, then it needs to use its influence with the DPRK to persuade it from undermining regional and global security.

It should also use its influence that it has with Russia through its new 'No Limits partnership to end this increasingly dangerous military cooperation between DPRK and Russia, he said.
The Rockies announced this afternoon that infielder Alan Trejo has cleared outright waivers and opted to elect free agency rather than accept an outright assignment to the minor leagues. While Trejo does not have the requisite three year of service time typically necessary to reject the assignment, he was nonetheless able to do so after being outrighted previously back in January.

Trejo, 28, was a 16th-round pick by Colorado in the 2017 draft but didnt make his big league debut until 2021, when he served as an up-and-down utility depth option for the Rockies around the infield. Trejo hit just .217/.260/.326 (36 wRC+) in 50 trips to the plate spread across 28 games that saw him split time between second base and shortstop. He enjoyed a bit more action the following year and had a career season at the plate, hitting a roughly league average .271/.312/.424 (92 wRC+) in 135 plate appearances, once again as a bench player. Much of that playing time came when Trejo was made one of the clubs September call-ups that year, and he slashed .291/.341/.468 in 24 games.

That hot September (combined with an early-season injury to Brendan Rodgers) earned Trejo a larger role for the 2023 season, but he found himself unable to capitalize on it as his offense came crashing back to Earth fairly quickly. While he received 227 plate appearances across 83 games that year, Trejo posted a lackluster slash line of .232/.288/.343 (56 wRC+). The infielders struggles reached the point where the Rockies decided to option him to the minors in early June of last year, and while he returned in July to post a slightly improved .221/.306/.379 slash line across his final 41 games, 2024 proved to be his worst performance yet as the 28-year-old hit just .142 with a .182 on-base percentage and zero extra-base hits across 67 plate appearances for the Rockies.

That brutal performance in 2024 was enough for Colorado to decide to part ways with Trejo, and the club designated him for assignment yesterday in order to make room for infielder Aaron Schunk on the clubs roster. The Rockies second-rounder from the 2019 draft, Schunk figures to fill a similar role on the roster as Trejo did, sacrificing the ability to play shortstop for stronger offensive numbers. That left the Rockies to place Trejo on waivers, where he went unclaimed by all 29 other clubs. Now a free agent for the first time in his career, Trejo figures to search for a minor league deal in an organization light on middle infield depth. While the infielder has never hit much in the majors, his glovework has generally been well-received by defensive metrics, as indicated by his +2 Outs Above Average in part time duty with the Rockies last year.
The Cardinals announced that pitching prospect Gordon Graceffo has been optioned to Triple-A, in order to clear a 26-man roster spot for righty Jacob Bosiokovic. In a corresponding move for the selection of Bosiokovics contract, lefty Kolton Ingram was designated for assignment.

A 19th-round pick for the Rockies in the 2016 draft, Bosiokovic is now poised to make his debut as a big leaguer. The 30-year-old Bosiokovic was drafted as a first baseman but, after his progress at the plate was stalling out, he turned to pitching during the 2019 season. That position change has now paved Bosiokovics path to the Show, as he continued to develop on the mound after joining the Cardinals organization in late 2019.

Bosiokovic spent two years in the Cards system before becoming a free agent and signing with Charleston of the independent Atlantic League for the 2023 season. Resigning with St. Louis this past winter, Bosiokovic has a 3.00 ERA in 30 innings for Triple-A Memphis, along with a 29.7% strikeout rate. While the right-hander can miss bats and can keep the ball in the park (47.8% grounder rate), Bosiokovics control is a big concern, as he has a 17.2% walk rate during his time in Memphis this season.

St. Louis will give Bosiokovic a look while also bringing a fresh arm into the bullpen, as Graceffo pitched 4 1/3 innings in yesterdays 9-4 loss to the Reds. Making his own MLB debut, Graceffo looked pretty solid in the long relief outing, limiting Cincinnati to a run on three hits and two walks, while Graceffo racked up four strikeouts.

Ingram has become a familiar name on MLBTRs pages in 2024, as the southpaw has been designated for assignment four times by four different teams, and then claimed away on waivers from another club. Beginning February as a member of Detroits organization, Ingram has bounced from the Tigers to the Angels, Mets, Rangers, and Cardinals without getting any time in the big leagues. The left-handers Major League resume still consists of his five appearances and 5 1/3 innings with the Angels last season.

Ingram has a 4.26 ERA over 25 1/3 combined innings with three different Triple-A affiliates this year, which is quite solid considering the added tumult of continually changing teams. Given how his 2024 has gone, nobody would be surprised if yet another team in need of left-handed bullpen depth claims Ingram off the Cardinals waiver wire.
The Giants announced that right-hander Spencer Howard has been designated for assignment. Fellow righty Landen Roupp was called up from Triple-A Sacramento in the corresponding move.

Howard signed a minor league deal with San Francisco last September, and he made it to the big league roster a month ago when his contract was selected to the Show. Working as a starter, reliever, opener, and bulk pitcher behind an opener, Howard was holding his own until a rocky outing against the Dodgers yesterday, when he was tagged for six earned runs over 2 2/3 innings.

The tough night boosted Howards ERA to 5.63 over 24 innings, and prompted the Giants to remove Howard from the roster in order to bring a fresher arm in Roupp back to the majors. Howard is out of minor league options, so the Giants had to designate him in order to attempt to send Howard down to Triple-A.

The DFA is the latest twist in the career of the former top-100 prospect, who was a second-round pick for the Phillies in the 2017 draft. Howard was once seen as a future star during his time in Philadelphias farm system, but the Phils sent him to the Rangers as part of a six-player trade at the 2021 deadline, and the righty has yet to find any form against Major League batters.

Howard has a 6.93 ERA over 139 career innings with the Phillies, Rangers, and Giants, and the transition to relief pitching from starting work hasnt seen much of an improvement in his results. Given his past prospect pedigree, another team might put in a waiver claim to see for themselves if any late bloomer potential is there for Howard as he approaches his 28th birthday.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrived in South Korea Sunday afternoon for an official visit until July 3.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (3rd, L), his wife Le Thi Bich Tran (2nd, L) arrive at Seongnam Air Base in South Korea, June 30, 2024. Photo by Nhat Bac

Chinh, his wife Le Thi Bich Tran and the Vietnamese delegates landed at Seongnam Air Base at 2:30 p.m.

They were welcomed by Minister of SMEs and startups Oh Young-joo, South Korean Ambassador to Vietnam Choi Yong-sam, Director-General for Protocol Affairs in the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seo Won-sam, Director General of the ASEAN and Southeast Asian Affairs Bureau at the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kim Dong-bae, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Korea Vu Ho, along the airport's commander and a group of Vietnamese in South Korea.

An official welcome ceremony was then held at the airport, where Chinh reviewed an honor guard.

PM Pham Minh Chinh reviews an honor guard at at Seongnam Air Base in South Korea, June 30, 2024. Photo by Nhat Bac

Chinh is scheduled for more than 30 activities during the visit, which is the first official visit of a high-ranking Vietnamese leader to South Korea since the two countries elevated their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022, the first visit by a Vietnamese prime minister over the past five years, and the first by Chinh as the PM of Vietnam.

Besides official events with South Korean leaders, Chinh will attend forums on business and labor cooperation, tourism and culture promotion, as well as dialogues with economic organizations and South Korean scientists about semiconductors and AI. He will also meet with representatives from a leading South Korean investor in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese PM is also expected to deliver a speech at Seoul National University and visit Samsung's semiconductor factory in Gyeonggi Province.

PM Pham Minh Chinh and his wife Le Thi Bich Tran is welcome at Seongnam Air Base in South Korea, June 30, 2024. Photo by Nhat Bac

Nguyen Minh Vu, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, said Chinh's trip "is very comprehensive," with more than half of activities focusing on economic matters."

Vietnam and South Korea established diplomatic ties on Dec. 22, 1992, and economic cooperation has been a major part of the relations.

South Korea is the largest investor in Vietnam with US$87 billion in accumulated investment. It is also the second largest partner in ODA cooperation of Vietnam, the third largest partner in terms of labor and trade, and the largest source of tourists to Vietnam in 2023.

Bilateral trade reached nearly $80 billion in 2023.
GLENDALE, AZ -- A huge match that will determine the final quarterfinal spot coming from Group B at the CONMEBOL Copa America, as Mexico prepares to take on Ecuador on Sunday.

Watch Copa America on FuboTV (7-day free trial)

With both teams holding one win on their record heading into Matchday 3, whoever wins this battle down in Arizona will at least finish second in the group. If the two sides were to come to a draw, Ecuador would advance based on goal differential. There is a chance that either Mexico or Ecuador could sneak into first place, barring that Venezuela loses to Jamaica, if the margin of victory is enough.

Mexico looked to be in a good spot after starting their tournament off with a 1-0 win over Jamaica last Saturday. However, things are in question after a tough loss to Venezuela in their second match on Wednesday. El Tri needs a good performance on Sunday if they want to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since their last invitation to the tournament in 2016.

Ecuador was stunned in its first contest in this years Copa, falling to the Venezuelans. Thankfully, their 3-1 victory over Jamaica on Wednesday gives them the advantage. A good result on Sunday will send La Tri into the quarterfinals for the third time in the last four tournaments.

Mexico is 17-5-4 against Ecuador, though Ecuador won their last meeting in the Copa America during the group stage in 2015.

2024 COPA AMERICA: GROUP B

Mexico (1-0-1) vs. Ecuador (1-0-1)

When: Sunday, June 30

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Where: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Ariz.)

Channel: FOX, TUDN, Univision

Stream: FuboTV (Free Trial), Sling, DirecTV Stream

Follow Copa America here
by Jonathan Edward, Wang Yi, Mao Pengfei

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, Malaysia expects more Chinese companies to bring experience and technology, promote Malaysia's industrial upgrading, and facilitate closer economic and trade cooperation in the future, a Malaysian official told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Citing his recent visit to China, Malaysian Investment, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong said he was impressed by China's cutting-edge technologies. In the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen, he visited high-tech enterprises and their automated production lines.

"I can see how technology has taken root and how technology has propelled exponential growth in Shenzhen particularly. Shenzhen is an experience that is very worthy of learning for us," said Liew.

China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years and is also one of the major sources of foreign investment for Malaysia. In recent years, Malaysia has introduced a series of policies to promote the upgrading of traditional industries and expand high-value manufacturing industries, thereby enhancing its competitiveness in the global value chain. China-Malaysia cooperation in emerging industries such as digital economy, new energy, and e-commerce has gradually strengthened.

For future bilateral relations, Liew has many expectations. He hopes more Chinese companies will help drive technology development in Malaysia, especially help Malaysia's manufacturing industry achieve automation and digital development, reduce the manufacturing industry's dependence on labor, and increase added value.

Liew said Malaysia's areas of interest also include the green economy, in which China commands a huge lead, especially in electric vehicles and other aspects of mobility including public transport. "China has a lot of experience in mobility. We're happy to work with China on different fronts, and we hope to see that we can really do green transition," he stressed.

Speaking of Malaysia's advantages, Liew noted that Malaysia occupies a middle position in the regional and global industrial chain, upholds neutrality, enjoys a superior geographical location, and is committed to increasing the number of middle-class people in the future. He believes that the economies of Malaysia and China can be complementary and achieve win-win cooperation.

He also expressed hopes that Chinese firms will establish their regional headquarters in Malaysia and in doing so empower Malaysia in its development efforts. "From there, we can build high-end services as well as high-end manufacturing to work together," he said.

In Liew's view, China not only has a sufficient market, but also is a source of new technologies and investments, which will benefit Malaysia's development.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 30. On June 27-29, a delegation led by Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov visited Croatia for the Dubrovnik Forum, where he spoke at the "Leaders' Panel. Connecting the Dots: Reliable Supply Chains and Maritime Security," Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Recalling that Azerbaijan will host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), the deputy minister outlined cooperation with foreign partners in developing and transmitting renewable energy sources, including the Black Sea submarine cable project.

During the visit, several bilateral meetings took place. In discussions with Croatian State Secretary for Political Affairs Frano Matusic, both sides addressed key issues in Azerbaijan-Croatia cooperation, emphasizing the intensification of political dialogue and collaboration in economy, trade, transport, energy, culture, humanitarian activities, and demining, stressing the need to harness existing potential for further expansion of relations.

Deputy Minister Elnur Mammadov informed about the current post-conflict situation in the region, the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the promotion of the peace agenda, and the extensive reconstruction efforts in the territories liberated from occupation.

In addition, Azerbaijani official met with Damir Trut, General Director at the National Protection and Rescue Directorate of the Croatian Interior Ministry. The meeting highlighted the successful development of Azerbaijani-Croatian relations, particularly in humanitarian demining, a priority for Azerbaijan, and included discussions on further development prospects in this area.

The importance of strengthening cooperation and expanding the exchange of experience between Croatian demining companies and the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) was emphasized.

The deputy minister also gave an interview to Croatian HRT1 state television.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 30. Azerbaijan's national air carrier, AZAL, is set to begin regular flights to Karabakh for the first time ever, Trend reports.

Starting July 17, the airline will offer regular flights between Baku and Fuzuli.

Flights will be operated twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

A one-way ticket to Fuzuli costs 78 manat, which includes hand luggage up to 10 kg and checked luggage up to 23 kg. Tickets will soon be available on AZAL's website.

Additionally, the Board of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan has decided that, given the social importance of the Baku-Nakhchivan-Baku route, the ticket price for Azerbaijani citizens will remain unchanged. For foreign citizens, fares will be set according to commercial conditions.
ALMATY, Kazakhstan, June 30. The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is open to the participation of Azerbaijan and Turkiye, Chairman of the Board of the EDB Nikolay Podguzov told Trend on the sidelines of the bank's Annual Meeting and Business Forum in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

There are plans for expansion. Probably the immediate plans are for Uzbekistan to join the bank. And we, I hope, will complete these procedures this year and begin financing projects. As for Azerbaijan and Turkiye, taking into account the geographical location of these countries, they are in Eurasian region. They are also neighbors of the bank's members. Taking into account the very significant volumes of trade turnover between Turkiye and Azerbaijan and the countries of the Eurasian region, the participation of these countries in the Eurasian Development Bank is certainly important and would be useful both for the countries already in the bank and for Azerbaijan and Turkiye. We are open to the participation of Azerbaijan and Turkiye, he said.

According to Nikolay Podguzov, decisions on countries' accession are made at the shareholder level.

To do this, we need to receive appropriate applications from countries about their intention to join the bank and then we could begin official procedures for joining. But we are ready, the perimeter of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye with the countries of the region allows us to quickly prepare a list of current joint projects and I believe that we could successfully implement them if these countries were members of the Eurasian Development Bank, he said.

EDB is an international financial organization that carries out investment activities aimed at developing economies, trade and economic relations and integration processes in the countries of the Eurasian region.

Currently, the bank's member-shareholders are six countries - Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, June 30. President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Tajikistan, the Tajik Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports.

The visit will take place on July 4-6 at the invitation of President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

According to the information, the visit will feature bilateral negotiations in narrow and broad formats.

The president of China will also take part in other official events.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, June 30. The amount of trade turnover between Turkmenistan and the UAE increased by 15.8 percent in annual terms last year, Trend reports.

This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan, Kerimberdi Kurbanov, at the Turkmen-Emirati Business Forum held in Ashgabat city.

According to him, last year the trade turnover between Turkmenistan and the UAE reached $1.29 billion, which is 15.8 percent more than in 2022.

Furthermore, Kurbanov noted that exports from Turkmenistan to the UAE increased by 13.3 percent over the past year, and imports also increased by 16.2 percent.

"The main part of Turkmenistan's exports to the UAE are products of the chemical industry, fuel and energy complexes, agricultural products, and imports are products of the metallurgical industry, vehicles, and equipment," he added.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan and the UAE are strengthening their trade and economic cooperation through diverse initiatives, including the active development of mutual investments, the expansion of trade in various goods and services, and joint projects in the fields of energy, infrastructure, and digitalization.

Both countries strive to strengthen partnerships that promote sustainable economic growth and cooperation within the framework of international economic initiatives and organizations.
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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, June 30. Uzbekistan's volume of exports and services amounted to $6.5 billion (excluding non-monetary gold) from January through May 2024, Trend reports.

As per data from Uzbekistans Statistics Agency, this figure has increased by 6.5 percent compared to the same period in 2023 ($6.1 billion in JanuaryMay 2023).

In the structure of exports, goods account for 79.8 percent, out of which other goods account for 38.9 percent, manufactured goods for 15.9 percent, food products and live animals for 5.8 percent, and chemicals and similar products for 5.6 percent.

Services accounted for 20.2 percent during this period. In the composition of exports of services, the largest share falls on transportation services (42.2 percent), tourism (42.1 percent), telecommunication, computer and information services (9 percent), and other business services (1.3 percent).

The main export partners of goods and services in the foreign trade turnover were Russia ($1.3 billion), China ($821.9 million), Turkiye ($493.7 million), and Kazakhstan ($485.5 million) from January through May 2024.

In the export structure of the country, a significant share was noted in the city of Tashkent, which is 19.3 percent, or $2 billion, and the smallest share was recorded at the level of 0.8 percent, or $82.5 million, in the Jizzakh region.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover volume amounted to $26.7 billion from January through May 2024. This is 3 percent more year-on-year ($25.9 billion in JanuaryMay 2023).

Uzbekistan's exports reached $10.8 billion from January through May 2024, while imports amounted to $15.9 billion.
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DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, June 30. Trade turnover between Georgia and Tajikistan amounted to $11.948 million from January through May 2024, which is a decrease of 26.1 percent compared to the same period in 2023 ($16.167 million), Trend reports.

According to the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat), Georgia's exports to Tajikistan totaled $11.752 million during the reported months, a 27 percent decline from $16.131 million recorded in JanuaryMay 2023.

Specifically, Georgian reexports to Tajikistan amounted to $9.719 million in the reporting period, declining by 29.2 percent compared to January through May 2023 ($13.723 million).

Tajikistan's exports to Georgia reached $195,740, which is an increase of 5 times compared to $36,030 in JanuaryMay 2023.

Trade turnover between the countries amounted to $37.281 million in 2023, which marks a 62 percent increase compared to $22.923 million in 2022. Exports to Tajikistan reached $37.012 million, while imports amounted to $268,630.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 30. Iraq's Baghdad will be the venue for talks between Syria and Turkiye to normalize bilateral relations, a government source in Damascus told Al Watan newspaper, Trend reports.

According to the source, the upcoming Syrian-Turkish meeting marks the start of a prolonged negotiation process aimed at achieving political understanding and agreements regarding the border areas.

As noted by Al Watan, the Turkish side has requested the presence of Russia and Iraq at the negotiations, which will be conducted away from media attention. The parties will discuss all the details necessary to restore relations between the two neighboring countries to their previous status.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
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American rapper Kanye West has once again shown his love for Russia by flying to Moscow to celebrate the birthday of Russian fashion designer Gosha Rubchinsky. It is known that he has been working as the head of the design department of Yeezy, West's company, since December 2023.

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But it seems that the Russian does his work from Moscow, so the rapper decided to exclusively visit his homeland to congratulate the birthday boy. The artist, accompanied by his team and bodyguards, was spotted by Russians on the streets of the capital, and video evidence was published in local media. Subsequently, the artist confirmed his arrival on his own, writing on the Russian social network VKontakte in the language of the aggressor country: "Hello, Moscow".

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Kanye West is staying at one of the popular hotels in the city center. The number of days of his trip is unknown. Interestingly, he left his wife Bianca Censor in the United States, probably afraid that she might be "pelted with tomatoes" in Russia for her too revealing outfits. Meanwhile, she is not wasting time at home - she decided to visit the children of Kanye West and his ex Kim Kardashian, writes HOLA!

According to Russian media, West and Rubchinsky have known each other for a long time. That's why the rapper, who, according to insiders, is about to go bankrupt, decided to spend several thousand dollars to personally fly in and congratulate the 40-year-old.

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The propagandists claim that the rapper first plans to take a walk around Moscow and then go to a private party in a secret location.

Earlier, Russian influencer and TV presenter Yana Rudkovskaya said that she would not mind listening to Kanye West's songs at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. However, the information about the possible concert was quickly "blown to smithereens." Interestingly, this scenario could have been quite logical against the backdrop of news about the artist's lack of money.

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There was information that he was supposed to perform in Russia on June 8. The rapper was supposed to not only sing, but also celebrate his name day.

It is known that Gosha Rubchinsky celebrated his birthday on June 29. It was he who initiated the idea to dress Kanye West in clothes with Russian inscriptions: "I'm Russian" and "F*ck Adidas. Go f*ck yourself" after Adidas refused to cooperate with Yezzy following the rapper's anti-Semitic statements. It is worth noting that later on, items in the typical style of the Russian Federation with the inscription "Black Dogs" also appeared on sale.

Kanye West supports dictator Vladimir Putin and even calls himself "young Putin" and "Nazi". In particular, he respects the greatest tyrants of the XX-XXI centuries, the head of the Russian Federation and the Fuhrer of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler. The artist called himself a "pro-Russian person" and denied the Holocaust in a conversation with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

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Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that popular Russian propaganda artists have been sanctioned by the European Union. From now on, "I'm Russian" will be sung in Russia, North Korea, and Iran.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
AFL urges election officials in all states to halt voter registration of non-citizens

An American conservative public interest organization is urging elections authorities from all 50 states to stop sending voter registration forms to non-U.S. citizens a few months before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

America First Legal (AFL) wrote to chief elections officers, secretaries of state, attorneys general, lieutenant governors and governors, calling on them to verify immigration statuses on voter rolls using Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data and boot any non-Americans they find. So far, Arizona is the only state that already passed a law preventing this, but it applies only to state forms, not federal ones.

"If DHS fails to respond to an inquiry, you can sue in federal court to obtain the necessary information that Congress has required DHS to provide," AFL Executive Director Gene Hamilton said in the letter. "Given widespread public concern over the presence of foreign nationals on voter rolls in jurisdictions across the United States and unprecedented levels of illegal immigration across our southern border since January 20, 2021, the time to act is now," he added.

It was earlier reported by the National Pulse that illegal aliens and other "non-citizens" can receive voter registration forms without needing to show proof of citizenship in at least 49 states. They can use these forms to access welfare benefits and obtain drivers licenses and mail-in ballots. Tens of thousands of non-citizens have been discovered on voter rolls, recent audits and investigations have shown. Hundreds later ended up voting without being discovered beforehand.

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Under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993, states must provide applicants for welfare benefits with voter registration forms that do not require proof of U.S. citizenship. NVRA also mandates that states facilitate voter registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and welfare offices. At least eight million more migrants are expected to be living in the U.S. by October of this year, many of whom are eligible for welfare benefits that would put them within reach of voter registration opportunities.

To combat this, the House Administration Committee has approved the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) also emphasized the need for increased enforcement measures.

Meanwhile, AFL President Stephen Miller in a statement accused the Biden administration of a "direct effort to sabotage the 2024 election through potential mass illegal alien voting."

More than half of non-citizens, or 59 percent, take advantage of at least one major federal welfare benefit, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to Census Bureau data analyzed by the Center for Immigration Studies. Nineteen states and Washington, DC, also allow non-citizens to obtain driver's licenses, a move that President Joe Biden backed during his 2020 campaign.

DEBATE: Trump highlights open border crisis, an issue proven to be Biden's most vulnerable

During the much-awaited CNN debate, former President Donald Trump complained about how the current administration is treating illegal aliens better than U.S. citizens. He cited how migrants who arrive in the country illegally are housed in "luxury hotels" while veterans are on the street.

He also tackled migrant crime and accused some illegals who are coming into the U.S. from "mental institutions" and "insane asylums" during the Biden regime which listed historic levels of migration at the U.S.-Mexico border. He also claimed that the illegal aliens are "killing our citizens at a level that we've never seen."

Trump also said that he recently spoke to the mother of a girl, who was recently killed, adding "We had the safest border in the history of our country. All he had to do was leave it." He accused Biden of undoing much of his restrictive border policies "just because I approved it, which is crazy," saying Biden has "killed so many people at our border."

Since the start of campaigning, Trump has vowed to implement strict immigration policies as soon as he gets back in the White House. He has promised to execute mass deportations of people who are in the U.S. without legal status. He would also seek to end birthright citizenship, screen prospective immigrants for "Marxist" ideologies and use the military to target drug smugglers. (Related: Migrants rushing to cross the U.S. southern border before Biden loses in November.)

Meanwhile, Biden stuck to his talking points on immigration, highlighting a 40 percent drop in arrests for illegal immigration since issuing an executive order suspending asylum during the said debate. Just a few months before the election, Biden issued an executive order that allows border officials to quickly turn back migrants who illegally cross the border, without a chance at asylum, when border crossings meet a certain threshold. He also made a path to citizenship "easier for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for years and are married to U.S. citizens."

According to an AP-NORC poll from June, just three in 10 Americans approve of Biden's handling of immigration. About six in 10 Democrats approve of Biden's approach to the issue, but only about two in 10 independents and fewer than one in 10 Republicans agree.

Follow Migrants.news to read stories related to Biden's illegal immigration policies in the United States.

Sources for this article include:

NYPost.com

TheNationalPulse.com

PBS.org

Axios.com
Bidens catastrophic performance in the debate raises more questions about his fitness for office

The U.S. presidential debate, hosted by CNN and initiated by President Joe Biden's team to shift focus onto former President Donald Trump, backfired as it drew more attention to Biden's performance.

The mainstream media, including the BBC, highlighted concerns about Biden's age and fitness for office which were already prevalent among many Americans.

The debate did little to alleviate these worries. The president, despite having a low bar to clear, faltered. He appeared flat, often rambled and was frequently unclear in his responses, according to BBC.

Midway through the debate, the Biden campaign attributed his raspy voice to a cold, but this explanation sounded more like an excuse than a valid reason.

For 90 minutes, Biden seemed to struggle, particularly during the initial stages of the debate when some of his answers were incomprehensible. At one point, he bizarrely stated, "We finally beat Medicare," referencing the government-run healthcare program for the elderly, after losing his train of thought.

Kate Bedingfield, Biden's former communications director, appeared on CNN after the debate and bluntly said: "There's no two ways about it, that was not a good debate for Joe Biden." She highlighted that Biden needed to demonstrate energy and stamina, which he failed to do. (Related: Biden appears FATIGUED and CONFUSED during 80th anniversary celebration of D-Day landings in France.)

As the debate progressed, Biden attempted to regain momentum by taking aggressive swings at his opponent, which provoked some angry responses from Trump.

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.

However, the initial topics  economy and immigration  favored Trump, according to polls.

Trump delivered a disciplined performance, avoiding the interruptions and belligerence that had marred their first debate in 2020. He frequently returned to attacking Biden's record, and the incumbent was unable to effectively counter his predecessor's statements.

When the discussion shifted to abortion, Trump diverted attention to Democratic extremism, claiming that Democrats support post-birth abortions. Biden's counterattacks were ineffective. His comment, "It's been a terrible thing, what you've done," fell flat.

VP Harris acknowledges Biden's "slow start"

Vice President Kamala Harris later acknowledged Biden's "slow start" but claimed he finished strong, a statement that seemed overly optimistic. Biden did manage to steady himself as the debate continued, making a notable remark about Trump's morals by referencing his conviction related to an alleged affair with Stormy Daniels.

Trump also appeared to struggle when addressing the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, initially attempting to deflect responsibility.

Biden persisted, stating: "He encouraged those folks to go up to Capitol Hill. He sat there for three hours as his aides begged him to do something. He didn't do a damn thing." Additionally, Trump evaded questions about whether he would accept the 2024 election results.

Biden's performance became the primary talking point following the debate. But the timing allows Biden more opportunity to recover from a weak showing, with another debate scheduled for September.

Despite the shaky performance, the Biden campaign has almost two months to stabilize the situation. It would take a significant revolt for Democrats to abandon their candidate, who has already secured the necessary primary delegates.

Prominent Democratic officials have not publicly broken ranks, even though some have expressed concerns privately.

When questioned about potentially replacing Biden, Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks dismissed the notion. "President Biden is going to be the Democratic nominee and President Biden is going to win this election," Fulks said.

The campaign now faces the challenge of rallying support and addressing the doubts raised by Biden's debate performance. While Trump has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity, many Democrats are now questioning Biden's prospects for the upcoming election.

The latest news about the 2024 presidential election can be found at Rigged.news.

Watch this video of the presidential debate between Trump and Biden.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Biden campaign adviser scoffs at poll that shows majority of Americans support MASS DEPORTATION of illegals.

Biden's $42B broadband plan HASN'T CONNECTED a single user to the internet.

Biden's new executive order FAILS to stop border crossings.

Sources include:

BBC.com

Brighteon.com
Denmark to introduce worlds first CARBON TAX on livestock as globalists target food supply chain to engineer famine

Denmark is set to become the first country to impose a carbon tax on its farmers , with a tax on livestock to be implemented in 2030

This tax targets the greenhouse gases emitted by cows, pigs and sheep, addressing a significant source of methane emissions, which mainstream scientists claim are highly potent contributors to so-called climate change.

Announcing the initiative, Minister for Taxation Jeppe Bruus claimed this tax aims to cut Danish greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 by 70 percent from 1990 levels.

The tax will start at 300 kroner ($43) per ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent in 2030 and increase to 750 kroner ($108) by 2035. Due to an income tax deduction of 60 percent, the effective cost will be around 120 kroner ($17.30) initially and rising to 300 kroner by 2035.

While carbon dioxide is often highlighted in climate change discussions, methane is about 87 times more effective at trapping heat over 20 years, per the United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Methane levels have surged since 2020, with livestock contributing around 32 percent of human-caused methane emissions.

Bruus emphasized that this move would bring Denmark closer to its goal of climate neutrality by 2045 and set a precedent for other countries. New Zealand earlier attempted to introduce a similar tax by 2025, but the plan was scrapped due to backlash from farmers and a shift in government.

The methane from livestock primarily comes from digestion and is released through burps, especially in cows. About 90 percent of livestock methane emissions are from this process, with the remainder from manure ponds.

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.

Denmark's decision followed negotiations between the government, farmers, industry representatives and unions. The Danish Society for Nature Conservation hailed the tax as a "historic compromise" that will set the stage for the transformation of the country's food industry beyond 2030.

A cow generates about six metric tons (6.6 U.S. tons) of CO2 equivalent annually. Denmark, a major exporter of dairy and pork, will also be taxing pigs even though they produce significantly lower emissions.

The tax proposal, supported by a broad-based agreement, is expected to pass in Denmarks 179-seat parliament. As of June 2022, Denmark had approximately 1.48 million cows, slightly fewer than in 2021. (Related: EU climate extremists reach agreement to completely shut down Europes economy by 2050 through "carbon zero" scheme.)

Denmark pursuing carbon tax initiative despite scrutiny over plan's effectiveness

Denmarks new carbon tax on livestock  targeting methane emissions from cows, pigs and sheep aims to address so-called climate change. Denmark is one of over 150 governments that have pledged and committed to cut methane emissions by targeting agriculture and inefficiencies in fossil fuel infrastructure.

In an article deconstructing New Zealand's previous attempt to tax methane emissions from cows, Kevin Trenberth of the University of Auckland noted that the science behind policymakers targeting of methane emissions is fundamentally flawed.

Trenberth  who believes in man-made climate change  noted that the current spike in methane "has no effect after about 30 years because the methane is well gone by then."

"So, methane's effects on temperature are greatly overstated over centuries," wrote Trenberth for Australian media outlet The Conversation. He added that, if policymakers truly were interested in stabilizing methane emissions from livestock, it would be sufficient to study the effects changing their feed would have or even steadying  not reducing  their numbers.

Watch this video about Denmark's livestock carbon tax.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Canadian legislators receive SALARY INCREASES on the same day Trudeau announces 23% carbon tax hike.

Worlds largest carbon tax scheme just imposed by EU; more inflation and less trade to follow.

Carbon taxes are here: Worlds largest carbon capture pipeline to be constructed in the Upper Midwest.

Sources include:

The-Express.com

APNews.com

TheConversation.com

GlobalMethanePledge.org

Brighteon.com
Documents reveal Israeli governments concerted effort to promote Zionist propaganda across U.S. media

Amichai Chikli, a prominent member of Israel's Likud Party and a minister in the Israeli government, has been actively leading a concerted effort to influence public opinion and policy discussions in the United States in favor of Israel.

His initiatives, including the rebranded "Voices of Israel" program, are part of a broader strategy to shape perceptions and legislation related to Israel, particularly on college campuses and in legislative bodies across the United States. (Related: Corrupt U.S. intelligence regime now handing over massive intel dumps to Israel.)

According to a detailed report by the Guardian, Chikli recently presented before the Knesset to address concerns about rising anti-war sentiments among American youth, particularly visible through protests on university campuses. This effort underscores a proactive approach by the Israeli government to manage its global image and combat criticism, especially regarding its military actions and human rights records.

"Voices of Israel," which has received substantial funding amounting to at least $8.6 million, is implemented through various non-profit organizations and entities that often operate with undisclosed sources of financial support.

This funding is aimed at bolstering pro-Israel advocacy and reshaping the discourse around Israel in influential spheres like academia and media.

Collaborating closely with organizations such as the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), Chikli's ministry has been instrumental in pushing for legislative measures that redefine antisemitism in ways that align with Israeli perspectives.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

This includes efforts to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in several U.S. states, potentially linking criticisms of Israel to legal penalties or institutional sanctions.

Moreover, Chikli's ministry has been implicated in employing sophisticated lobbying tactics, including the use of a public relations firm to exert pressure on American elected officials through extensive social media campaigns.

These efforts involve the creation of numerous fake accounts to disseminate pro-Israeli content and discredit dissenting viewpoints, reflecting a broader strategy to manipulate public opinion.

In addition to legislative efforts, Chikli's ministry has forged strategic partnerships with influential groups like Hillel International and CyberWell, leveraging their platforms to amplify pro-Israel narratives and suppress criticism.

These collaborations extend to social media giants like TikTok and Meta, where efforts to censor content deemed critical of Israel have been actively pursued.

Israel's influence operations undermine U.S. sovereignty

Critics argue that such foreign influence operations undermine U.S. sovereignty and democratic processes by prioritizing Israeli interests over domestic concerns and freedoms of expression. Calls for legislative measures to curb or eliminate foreign influence in American politics have intensified, emphasizing the need to safeguard national interests and uphold democratic principles in policymaking.

In conclusion, Amichai Chikli's leadership role in promoting Israeli interests in the U.S. underscores the complex dynamics of international lobbying and influence campaigns, raising significant questions about the extent of foreign influence on American policymaking and public discourse.

Chikli has signaled a significant shift in focus with a new ministry name. The rebranding underlines Chikli's intention to prioritize addressing issues within the Jewish Diaspora, diverging from previous administrations that predominantly promoted Israel to Diaspora Jews.

Chikli, whose background includes Conservative Judaism roots but has distanced himself from Reform Judaism and liberal American politics, rose to prominence within Israel for his break with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett over political alliances. His views have sparked controversy, particularly his criticism of Reform Judaism and his equating of public criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

In his new role, Chikli faces the challenge of navigating Israel's evolving relationship with American Jewry amid a right-wing government's controversial policies, including proposals to narrow the definition of Jewish identity and restrict rights for minority groups in Israel.

Despite ideological differences, combating antisemitism remains a shared priority between Chikli's ministry and Diaspora Jewish leaders.

Chikli has also taken a stance against movements like BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), warning against associating with anti-Israel sentiments and emphasizing the potential consequences for Jews aligned with such movements.

Visit IsraelCollapse.com to read more stories on the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel.

Watch this video exposing how Israel funneled millions into buying off Congress and the elite U.S. Universities.

This video is from the alltheworldsastage channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

ZIONISTS GONE WILD: Former Trump-appointed U.S. ambassador to Israel says Americans must be imprisoned for "antisemitism."

AIPAC-funded House Democrat wants to railroad passage of "Countering Antisemitism Act."

The Israel lobby is First Amendment's "principal enemy," former senior diplomat warns.

Sources include:

Bigleaguepolitics.com

Haaretz.com

Brighteon.com
Hot weather is returning to Ukraine. Unfortunately, not everyone can use air conditioners, and electricians do not recommend overloading Ukraine's energy system. Therefore, it is important to remember simple rules that will help prevent the negative effects of heat on the body.

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Experts from the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine showed how to do this. Their advice applies primarily to vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, infants, people with chronic diseases and those who work outdoors, but it will be useful to anyone anyway.

The tips are quite simple but effective:

Keep cool

During hot weather, it's important to stay cool to avoid the negative effects of heat on your health. Reschedule activities for another time.

Stay away from the heat

Avoid going outdoors and doing strenuous work during the hottest times of the day. Stay in the shade, don't leave children and animals in parked vehicles, and spend 2-3 hours a day in a cool place if possible.

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Keep your home cool

Use night air to cool your home. Reduce the heat load inside your apartment or house during the day by using curtains or blinds and turning off as many electrical appliances as possible.

Keep your body cool

The most important thing is to drink enough water. Also, wear light and loose clothing and light bedding, and take a cool shower or bath.

Drink water. Remember to avoid sugary, alcoholic beverages and caffeine.

Staying in direct sunlight for long periods of time can be dangerous, as almost everyone knows. However, staying in hot rooms can be just as dangerous. Heat stroke is no better than sunstroke.

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Sunstroke is a pathological condition. It is a disruption of brain function due to prolonged exposure to sunlight on the head not covered by a hat. Heat stroke is a form of hyperthermia that causes a sharp rise in body temperature. Heat stroke differs from sunstroke in that it overheats the entire body, not just the head.

Signs of heat and sunstroke:

heat rash: clusters of red pimples or small blisters

muscle cramps in the arms, legs or abdomen

short-term loss of consciousness

increase in body temperature

nausea

vomiting

fatigue

weakness

headache

dizziness

lack of sweating

hot, red or flushed dry skin

rapid pulse

shortness of breath

hallucinations

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If you suspect heat or sunstroke, experts strongly advise you to call the emergency medical service.
Geoengineering project in California may cause heatwaves in Europe, scientists warn

(Article republished from YourNews.com)

A recent geoengineering experiment designed to reduce temperatures in California has raised concerns about potentially causing heatwaves in Europe. Researchers from the University of Washington conducted an experiment last month, spraying reflective aerosols, commonly known as chemtrails, into clouds over the ocean near San Francisco Bay. This technique, known as marine cloud brightening, aims to cool the surface below by reflecting solar radiation back into space.

However, a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change indicates that while this method might effectively reduce heat in the region in the short term, it could lead to increased heat stress in the Western United States and globally in the future. The study warns that such interventions might even exacerbate heatwaves in Europe.

It shows that marine cloud brightening can be very effective for the US West Coast if done now, but it may be ineffective there in the future and could cause heatwaves in Europe, explained Jessica Wan, team lead and UC San Diego oceanographer, to The Guardian.

The experiment was subsequently halted by city officials due to health concerns. The researchers emphasized the need for regulation to mitigate the risks posed by experimental geoengineering projects worldwide.

According to The Guardian, the studys authors expressed alarm over the lack of regulations governing geoengineering practices. They pointed out that the absence of controls could lead to individual countries, cities, companies, or even wealthy individuals attempting to modify local climates, potentially causing detrimental effects on other regions and sparking conflicts.

In recent years, rising global temperatures have prompted increased interest in geoengineering, a field that was once considered taboo. For example, scientists in Australia have been trialing marine cloud brightening strategies for several years to protect the Great Barrier Reef. Similarly, earlier this year, University of Washington scientists sprayed sea-salt particles over the USS Hornet, a decommissioned aircraft carrier docked in Alameda, San Francisco Bay, before the local government halted the experiment to assess potential health risks.

Read more at: YourNews.com
Agents who falsely claimed Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation were on CIA payroll at the time

One story that stands out among the many painfully obvious examples of election interference and government collusion with social media is the Hunter Biden laptop story, and a new report exposes the role that active CIA agents played in this outrageous turn of events.

The drama initially unfolded in 2020, just three weeks before the election, when the New York Post published a story on its front page based on the contents of a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden that was left at a repair shop.

The story was a disaster for the Biden campaign, revealing the influence peddling activities that then-Vice President Joe Biden engaged in with his son that earned them generous profits, along with videos showing Hunter smoking crack cocaine and having sex with prostitutes.

The Biden campaign pulled a lot of strings to censor the story and ensure it couldn't be shared on social media, and a congressional report now shows how the CIA collaborated with them to wave off the story as Russian disinformation.

In fact, 51 CIA contractors signed a statement at the time claiming that the reporting had all the telltale signs of being part of a Russian disinformation campaign, and this was often cited by the media as it doubled down on claims the laptop story wasnt real.

It has since been proven to be 100% real  so real, in fact, that it was used as evidence in federal prosecutors case against Hunter for lying on a firearms application about his drug use, and an FBI agent testified the messages and photos on it confirmed he had been using drugs.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

The 51 cosigners of the letter are now often referred to as the Spies Who Lie, and it turns out they were on the CIA payroll when they did so.

Thanks to the House Judiciary report, we now know that high-ranking officials with the CIA, including Gina Haspel, who was the director of the agency at the time, knew about the statement before it was approved and published. This means they could have taken the time to review it and make sure it was properly vetted  something they should presumably be quite good at  but failed to do so.

In addition, some of the CIA agents who signed the statement were working on active CIA contracts at the time. This flies in the face of claims by the signatories that they did not have access to classified information at the time and the claim in the letter itself that they were all former officeholders. These include former CIA acting director Michael Morell, former CIA Inspector General David Buckley, and possibly others, while some of those who signed the statement still had special Green Card access to secure CIA facilities.

Although the federal Hatch Act prevents most CIA employees from political partisan activity, it is less clear how this applies to contractors. Either way, its not a good look for the CIA.

CIA employees were unhappy about the letter

After the statement was published, the report recounted how some CIA employees were unhappy about it, sharing concerns internally about how political it was. One said it was not helpful to the Agency in the long run.

The media talking points submitted by former Senior Intelligence Service Officer Marc Polymeropoulos, the co-author of the statement, were another topic of discussion, with one CIA official asserting: It appears [Polymeropoulos] is actively involved in a pro-Biden campaign and may be disclosing classified information in his efforts.

In fact, an internal review by the CIA concluded that there was classified information in the talking points that needed to be removed prior to publication.

Their efforts could well have helped Biden secure the presidency. A TIPP Insights poll from 2022 found that 71 percent of Americans think that more truthful reporting of the laptop and its contents could have influenced the election.

The letter was even cited by Biden at the second and final presidential debate that year when he falsely claimed the report was fake. Referring to Trump, Biden said: There are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what hes accusing me of is a Russian plant. Five former heads of the CIA, both parties, say what hes saying is a bunch of garbage.

Sources for this article include:

GreatGameIndia.com

Judiciary.House.gov
Rep. Jamaal Bowman LOSES New York primary after AIPAC dumps $14 million on single House seat race

The Zionist lobby has successfully removed "Squad" member Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) from his House seat and replaced him with AIPAC-approved George Latimer.

It cost the American Israel Public Affairs Committee $14 million to do it, but Bowman's removal and replacement with Latimer in New York's 16th District primary means that Israeli special interests will gain tighter control over the Israel-Gaza war narrative in the United States.

The Democrat executive of Westchester County, Latimer will not criticize Israel's ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, which is why AIPAC wants him on the ticket instead.

Reports indicate that the race between Bowman and Latimer was the most expensive in the history of the House of Representatives. The various candidates and their respective backers spent a combined total of $23 million on advertising alone to try to take the primary spot.

"Bowman felt that he wasn't running a race against Latimer, but rather battling against powerful interest groups seeking to oust him and his closest colleagues over their criticism of Israel," and their genocide in Gaza Rolling Stone reported.

"This race against AIPAC is a really good litmus test as it relates to that because [they're] a big-money lobby [that's] spending more money in this race than has ever been spent in primary history," Bowman is quoted as saying.

"They're doing that because they do not want a progressive agenda to move forward."

(Related: Remember when Bowman called on Americans to "welcome" the hordes of Palestinian refugees the Zionists want to transfer from Gaza to the United States so Israel can expand its borders?)

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

AIPAC spending $100 million to remove lawmakers critical of Israel's genocide in Gaza

In the aftermath of the October 7 incident, Bowman was one of the most outspoken politicians calling for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Gaza. He also spoke up about the "mass rapes" and "babies beheaded" lies that Israel and its puppets were spreading about Hamas.

Calling such lies "propaganda," Bowman was not going to let Israel push him around, at least not initially. After he drew much ire from the Zionist crowd and could see that his job was at stake, he publicly stated that he "regretted" telling the truth about Israel's October 7 lies.

Bowman is a particularly sore subject for the Zionist lobby because his 2020 win ousted 16-term political dinosaur and incumbent Eliot Engel, described by Information Liberation as "a diehard Zionist."

"AIPAC saw an opportunity to get him out and took advantage of it," Chris Menahan writes. "That said, while the results are not fully in yet, it's looking like they had to spend over $300 a vote."

AIPAC is not only going after Bowman, either. The Zionist lobbying group, which largely controls American elections, is spending at least $100 million to oust other U.S. politicians who are opposed to Israel's genocide in Gaza.

"The fact they're having to come out from behind the shadows and interfere in our elections while the whole world is watching is an entirely new situation which they're clearly panicked over," Menahan says about AIPAC and the Zionist lobby.

"We now have sitting congressmen openly stating the Israel Lobby controls our Congress."

Congressman Thomas Massie reveals to Tucker Carlson that his Republican colleagues have an AIPAC babysitter to ensure they vote in the interests of Israel at all times. Its the only country that does this, Massie adds. Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/zNOA35t32u  AF Post (@AFpost) June 7, 2024

The latest news about AIPAC's treasonous control over America can be found at Corruption.news.

Sources for this article include:

InformationLiberation.com

NaturalNews.com
Pentagon is silent on deadly Ukrainian attack on Crimean beach that killed four  including two children

The U.S. Department of Defense has been silent about Ukraine's cluster munition attack on a crowded beach in Sevastopol, Russia. The said military operation used the United States-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles and it left at least four people dead, among them two children, and injured hundreds, according to local officials.

When Russian news agency RIA Novosti asked the Pentagon about using U.S.-supplied weapons in the strike on Sunday, an official replied, "We have seen the reports and have nothing to say."

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, air defenses intercepted four missiles. The fifth one deviated from its trajectory and detonated its cluster warhead over the busy Black Sea beach. Data from the flight tracker Flightradar revealed that a U.S. RQ-4B Global Hawk reconnaissance drone was patrolling in the Black Sea south of Crimea during the Ukrainian missile strike.

Sevastopol's Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said that the operation left 151 injured as of Sunday night. A joint team of specialists from the Health Ministry's Federal Center for Disaster Medicine arrived in the city to work with the victims, he wrote early Monday.

Meanwhile, Russia blamed the United States as it should be responsible for a Ukrainian attack on the Russian-annexed peninsula with its country's supplied artillery. "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 defense ministry said.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov even called the strike "barbaric." "You should ask my colleagues in Europe and above all in Washington  why their governments are killing Russian children," he told the reporters. "We perfectly understand who is behind this, he said, adding that it was clear who supplied weapons to Ukraine, aimed them and provided data for them.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also argued during a meeting in Minsk on Monday that the system "cannot be used without the direct participation of the American military, including satellite capabilities." Following the said attack, he also summoned U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy and accused the U.S. of waging a "proxy war" and said retaliatory measures would "definitely follow."

"Such actions by Washington will not be left without a response," the ministry said in a statement on Monday as it summoned the ambassador. "There will be response measures."

Footage on Russian state television showed people running from a beach and some people being carried off on sun loungers during the strike. Authorities said that missile fragments had fallen just after noon on the beach in the Uchkuyevka where locals were on holiday.

Ukraine has previously targeted the Crimean Peninsula with U.S.-provided ATACMS missiles. In May, ten ATACMS were shot down on a trajectory aimed at the strategic Crimean Bridge, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said at the time.

A White House National Security Council spokesperson, on the other hand, claimed: "Ukraine makes its own targeting decisions and conducts its military operations." The U.S. has been supplying ATACMS missiles to Ukraine for over a year. The system allows Ukrainian forces to strike targets up to 300km (186 miles) away, according to manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

Lavrov: U.S. should mind discussions on the possible amendment of Moscow's nuclear doctrine

In an interview published on Thursday, Lavrov urged the Biden administration to pay attention to the possible alteration of Russia's nuclear doctrine to suit changed conditions in international relations, especially nowadays. He also said Moscow did not rule out downgrading diplomatic relations with certain Western countries if they failed to alter their "Russophobic" approach to ties. (Related: U.S. expands sanctions against Russia, which will only accelerate dedollarization and global shift into BRICS.)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has asserted in recent weeks that Russia's nuclear doctrine, setting down when such weapons could be used, was being reassessed. Lavrov told a local news agency that the doctrine was drafted "in a different era and different circumstances" and that he hoped the discussions now "are being taken seriously by our opponents."

"They are playing with fire and must learn not to indulge in dangerous illusions, but to try to look at the world soberly and understand that we have immutable national interests which we are prepared to defend to the end," he said. "I am not anticipating the outcome, but I urge our adversaries to think about what the president is saying."

According to the nuclear doctrine, Russia is allowed to use nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack or in the event of a conventional attack that poses an existential threat to the Eurasian country.

The senior official also said that Moscow had never initiated a downgrade in relations with any country "despite all the vicissitudes of the most difficult phase in our relations with the so-called collective West. "We believe that embassies and the work of ambassadors are a particularly difficult job in the current circumstances and they should not be neglected," he said. "We do not rule out any options in the future. Everything will depend on how our adversaries conduct themselves."

Head over to RussiaReport.news for updates on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

Reuters.com

Aljazeera.com

BBC.com

Yahoo.com
U.S. escalates economic war on Russia by deploying financial sanctions against secondary parties who conduct business with Moscow

In what thebusiness newspaper is calling the threat of "secondary sanctions," the Russian division of the Bank of China has reportedly suspended operations with all Russian lenders currently sanctioned by the United States in order to avoid being sanctioned itself.

Industry insiders told the media outlet that the Bank of China's Russia division, which specializes in facilitating yuan payments between Russia and China, is frightened of what the West might do as the situation escalates. The Russian division of the Bank of China is currently the second-largest Chinese banking subsidiary with 592.4 billion rubles ($6.7 billion) in assets as of spring 2024.

"This is not very good for the Russian market," commented an anonymous industry insider about how the decision to suspend payments with sanctioned local banks in Russia will only increase the risk of fraud as those banks shift to questionable intermediaries willing to process payments between Russian and Chinese entities.

"There will be additional costs both in time and the price of processing payments. But the most important problem is that payments go beyond the banking sector, resulting in the state having less control."

The news comes just two weeks after the U.S. expanded its original sanctions against Russia to also target any and all foreign financial institutions that continue to conduct business with any persons or entities under sanction.

(Related: Every time the West tries to punish Russia for invading Ukraine, the world shifts closer towards dedollarization.)

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.

Trade between China and Russia skyrocketed after invasion of Ukraine

After Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing back in May, an alternative payment platform was established for the continuity of business transactions between China and Russia. Reuters reported that the new payment channel involves smaller regional banks located along the Russia-China border.

This newly established workaround will allow Moscow to "fly below the U.S. sanctions radar," at least for a time as the U.S. Treasury Department will probably eventually go after it, too, as the federal agency spends a lot of time targeting smaller banks that help the Russian military.

Currently, China is Russia's most important economic partner. This has been the case ever since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine back in February 2022, which prompted a surge in trade between the two nations.

More than one third of all Russian exports use the Chinese yuan for settlement. This is up from just 0.4 percent before the special military operation was launched, this according to Russia's Central Bank.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry says that the U.S. is hypocritical for continuing to provide weapons to Ukraine while "shift[ing] the blame of undermining peace," adding that China-Russia trade is "inherently logical and resilient."

China continues to purchase Russian oil and natural gas, which has helped to keep Russia's globally isolated economy afloat amid all the chaos. Russia is increasingly reliant on the Chinese yuan for international transactions with Beijing's trade partners, which in turn has allowed China "to experiment in its efforts to diversify from the U.S. dollar on a larger scale," to quote one media source.

"There's that new world order starting to take shape," one commenter noted about the direction this all seems to be moving.

"Russia has the absolute right to retaliate in any way it deems necessary," wrote another. "The U.S. deep state and its cells worldwide have been undermining Russia with impunity for about 20 years now. Russia has had to work extra hard just to maintain it. It's an unholy war and totally unnecessary as the Russians have just wanted to get along with the West since the fall of communism."

How will Russia respond to all this provocation? Find out more at Chaos.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheMoscowTimes.com

NaturalNews.com

Newsweek.com
Woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) are an extinct species of ancient elephants that once roamed the cold environments of Asia, Europe, and Nort America from 300,000 to 10,000 years ago, coinciding with the end of the last ice age or on Earth.

However, the last mammoth population did not end there as some mammoth groups survived for another 6,000 years before becoming completely extinct.

These surviving mammoths made their last stand on Wrangel Island in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. Yet, their population also became extinct around 4,000 years ago. Even until the 21st century, scientists are still not certain as to how exactly the large, tusked mammals disappeared from the face of the Earth. Amid the mystery, various concepts have emerged to potentially answer it once and for all.

Throughout the decades, proposed mammoth extinction theories range from excessive human hunting to prey competition, climate change, and global warming. Recently, a study led by researchers from Sweden and Denmark revealed that genetic inbreeding depression and purging contributed to the extinction of the Wrangel Island mammoths.

These findings provide new insights into the existing theories.

Last Mammoth Population

In the new research paper published in the journal Cell on Thursday, June 27, scientists examined the Wrangel Island mammoths to determine what exactly caused their demise.

This last mammoth population on Earth has been found to make a partial recovery that lasted for more than 200 generations between 10,000 and 4,000 years ago. However, this population rebounding did not last long, the study says.

To address the woolly mammoth extinction mystery, the authors of the research paper analyzed long-term genomic changes from 21 woolly mammoth genomes. Based on the results, there was a severe population bottleneck among the Wrangel Island mammoths when they became isolated starting 10,000 years ago. Eventually, genetic inbreeding depression, and purging led to the group's extinction.

While the new study offers a fresh perspective on the complete eradication of the last mammoths, there is still no definitive conclusion that explains not only the extinction of mammoths on Wrangel Island but also in other parts of the world at that time. In recent years, some reports say that humans are not fully responsible for the wiping out of the global mammoth population thousands of years ago.

Also Read: Woolly Mammoth Extinction: Excess Hunting Killed Them, Not Climate Change [VIDEO]

Woolly Mammoth Extinction Theories

Novel research about woolly mammoth extinction theories suggests that a combination of anthropogenic and climate change factors contributed to the decline of woolly mammoths. News about this scientific development was posted on Reddit in 2021, which also drew a mixture of reactions from the social media platform's users.

Since 2023, the continued interest in the ancient elephants has gained momentum, leading to renewed efforts to revive the extinct animals. Earlier in 2024, the company Colossal Biosciences announced the anticipated birth of genetically modified woolly mammoth calves in 2028, a story also covered by Nature World News.

Related Article: First Woolly Mammoth Calves to be Born in 2028, Thylacine and Dodo are Next: Biologists Say
Trilobites are extinct animals that lived in marine environments hundreds of millions of years ago, known for their appearance resembling the helmet of Darth Vader.

They first appeared about 542 million years ago during the beginning of the Cambrian Period. The name "tri-lo-bite" means three-part-body in Latin, describing that these extinct marine arthropods are covered with segmented exoskeletons.

Despite the known resilience of trilobites against the forces of nature, they mysteriously disappeared by the end of the Permian Period around 251 million years ago. In a prehistoric mass extinction phenomenon known as the "Great Permian Extinction."

Scientists discovered the oldest trilobite fossils dating back about 550 million years ago. Since then, biologists have described over 20,000 trilobite species in the last 200 years.

Now, a new study makes a breakthrough discovery in Morocco, where the ancient remains of the arthropods have been well-preserved by volcanic ash. It is for this reason that researchers involved in the study called these specimens "Pompeii" trilobites. This attribution is in comparison to the inhabitants of Pompeii, Italy, where the majority of them perished following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Trilobite Extinction Mystery

Prior to the trilobite extinction event, these ancient arthropods not only survived for almost 270 million years but also thrived on Earth, filling the planet's oceans from the Early Cambrian until their demise during the Late Permian periods, according to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). While there is no single definitive cause of their extinction, scientists believe it was caused by many factors.

However, evidence shows that the series of natural disasters during the Great Permian Extinction, which killed almost all marine life at that time, is the greatest contributor to the trilobites' demise. In fact, more than 96% of all oceanic species and even 70% of terrestrial organisms died during the mass extinction event, which included the blocking of sunlight following multiple volcanic eruptions.

Also Read: Trilobites Possessed Clasper-like Limbs for Mating, According To Fossil Discoveries

Trilobite Fossils in Morocco

To better understand these ancient marine animals, an international team of scientists, including from France and the United Kingdom, went to the High Atlas of Morocco and discovered almost whole 500-million-year-old trilobite fossils. The excavated specimens retained their quality due to rapid volcanic ash entombment, according to their study published in the journal Science on Thursday, June 27.

Being buried under volcanic ash, the fossilized remains of trilobites were able to retain their 3-dimensional (3D) anatomy. These recent findings contrast with previous discoveries of related trilobite specimens which are 'flat' and lose their biological features when the animals are still alive.

In a YouTube video, posted by the channel Science X on Friday, June 28, researchers present a 3D image of the recently unearthed Moroccan trilobite fossils, which contains their bodies, legs, and even their hair-like features along their appendages. This new fossil evidence further confirms that trilobites are unique in their way.

Related Article: What Did a 465-Million-Year-Old Trilobite Eat? Synchrotron Tomography Gives a Clue
Michael Sarnoski, the director of "A Quiet Place: Day One," told China.org.cn that the new prequel in the franchise is "very exciting and interesting," with a story that unfolds on a global scale and features terrifying alien monsters.

A Chinese poster for "A Quiet Place: Day One." [Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures]



The apocalyptic horror film, the third installment in the "A Quiet Place" series, is written and directed by Sarnoski based on a story he conceived with John Krasinski, the original film's creator. Serving as a spin-off and prequel to the first movie, "A Quiet Place: Day One" stars Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn and Alex Wolff.

The film follows a terminally ill woman as she navigates the early stages of an invasion in New York City by blind extraterrestrial creatures with an acute sense of hearing. Like its predecessors, the film offers a unique and immersive silent horror experience for viewers.

Sarnoski said that the idea for the prequel originated from a moment in "A Quiet Place Part II" when a character talks about "day one" of the alien invasion. He and Krasinski wanted to explore that story further, particularly in a noisy urban setting as opposed to the quiet rural environment of the previous films. Krasinski, who had seen Sarnoski's 2021 film "Pig," wanted the director to bring some of that film's sensibility to the "A Quiet Place" universe.

"But at its core, the 'A Quiet Place' films tend to be really dramatically driven character stories. The first movie was very much a family drama. I liked the idea of having the opportunity to do a really intimate drama in the context of a large apocalyptic invasion movie," he said.

The director also discussed some of the challenges in creating the movie, such as working with cats, as the film features a feline character. Eliciting an authentic and realistic performance from the cat proved quite tricky, he said. Another challenge was capturing a believable sense of New York and designing the setting to feel like a version of the city that people haven't seen before.

"It's set after this destruction has happened, but you still feel like you're journeying through a place that has a real sense of presence and history. We spent a lot of time really figuring that out," he said.

Set in a world where making any sound attracts deadly alien monsters with acute hearing, the film features minimal dialogue, forcing the characters to navigate their surroundings in near-complete silence.

"For actors, it's probably harder but different. One of the most exciting aspects of the 'A Quiet Place' series is watching these characters navigate without sound. I think the actors did an incredible job conveying so much just through their eyes and expressions. Here, we just couldn't use the tool of dialogue as much. We had to lean on other tools, which was really fun to see them explore," Sarnoski said.

But he added, "So it was a challenge, but it was also a very exciting challenge."

"A Quiet Place: Day One" hit Chinese theaters on June 28. The franchise's previous two installments performed well in China for the horror genre, with the first film grossing 220 million yuan ($30 million) in 2018 and the second earning 250 million yuan in 2021.
In the summer heat, it is impossible to maintain good lawn condition without regular watering. But improper care can actually cause even more damage to the grass.

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Experts from a British lawn care company told us how to properly water plants in the hottest weather. And what you should and shouldn't do to make them look their best.

How to choose the right time for watering

Grass needs additional water when the temperature exceeds +20 degrees C. When it gets hotter than +25 and it stops raining, watering becomes a matter of lawn survival.

To find out if your lawn needs additional watering, conduct a bounce test. Stand on the lawn and then immediately step off. If the grass easily returns to an upright position, it does not need additional moisture at this time. If it crumples, it is time to adjust the moisture regime.

Choose the right time to apply water. Do not do it during the day. Firstly, the water will evaporate too quickly, and secondly, the active sun's rays, passing through the water droplets, will leave burns on the grass.

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Watering the lawn at night is also not worth it. It will remain wet for too long, which can provoke the development of fungal infections and plant decay.

Try to water your lawn early in the morning, ideally before sunrise, and late in the evening when the sun has already set. Alternatively, you can purchase a timed sprinkler that will do everything for you at a specific time.

Avoid fertilizing

In hot weather, it is best to postpone fertilizing your lawn. No matter how safe a mixture you choose, it still needs to be spilled with water. And under the scorching sun, this combination will only increase the risk of burns on the grass.

Do not walk on the lawn

Hot weather puts the grass under stress, and intensive movement on it only makes the situation worse. Try to avoid walking on the lawn as much as possible in the heat if you want to preserve it. Moreover, compacting the surface of your lawn can lead to the formation of more moss and straw, and waterlogging. And in some cases, it can slow down grass growth.

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Refrain from mowing the grass

Give your mower a rest until the heat dies down. Longer blades of grass create a shadow that helps retain moisture in the soil, while too short grass quickly turns into straw.

Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.
As Army Chief, Gen Dwivedi likely to address both external as well as internal security challenges

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w Delhi: Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, who is currently serving as the 46th Vice Chief of the Army Staff, with vast operational experience in dealing with China and Pakistan, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff with effect from the afternoon of June 30.

He will succeed General Manoj Pande, the 29th and the current Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army.

Lt Gen Dwivedi, born on July 1, 1964, is an alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and then the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. The COAS (Designate) was commissioned into the 18th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army on December 15, 1984, from the Indian Military Academy. He later commanded the same Battalion at Chowkibal in Kashmir Valley during Operation Rakshak and the deserts of Rajasthan.

As a Sector Commander, he commanded a Sector of the Assam Rifles in Manipur during Operation Rhino, served in Assam as Inspector General of Assam Rifles (East), and held various other Staff & Command appointments in the North East. He has had a unique distinction of balanced exposure to both Northern and Western Theatres in India.

The General Officer has held several important command, staff, instructional, and foreign assignments throughout his nearly 40-year-long distinguished career prior to his appointment as the Chief of the Army Staff.

During his illustrious career, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi has tenanted various staff appointments in Headquarters Armored Brigade, Mountain Division, Strike Corps and Integrated HQ, MoD (Army). Among his previous appointments were as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy, directing staff at the higher command wing in the Army War College, Mhow where he shaped the future leaders of the three services of the Indian Armed Forces and Friendly Foreign Countries in  Art of Warfare and  Military Leadership. His two overseas tenures include Somalia, as part of HQ UNOSOM II and Military Attache to the Government of Seychelles. As Director General Infantry, he fast-tracked the long pending Capital procurement of modern and state-of-the-art weapons for all three services thereby enhancing the combat capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.

In February 2020, the General was appointed as a commander of a Corps. A year later in April 2021, he took over as the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Information Systems and Coordination) wherein he provided an impetus to automation and absorption of niche tech in the Indian Army.

On February 1, 2022, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command. Being a technology enthusiast, he worked towards enhancing the tech threshold of all ranks in Northern Command and pushed for critical & emerging Technologies like big data analytics, artificial Intelligence, quantum and blockchain-based solutions. He was also involved in modernisation and equipping of the largest Army Command of the Indian Army, where he drove the induction of Indigenous equipment as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He synergised with the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for convergent nation-building and infrastructure development.

On February 19, 2024, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the 46th Vice Chief of Army Staff. An alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Tamil Nadu & Higher Command Course at Army War College, Mhow, the National Defence College and the US Army War College in Carlisle, USA, where he received the award of Distinguished Fellow, the General Officer has a M.Phil. in Defence & Management Studies, two Masters Degrees in Strategic Studies and Military Science, including one from United States Army War College.

Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi has been honoured with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, and three General officer commanding-in-chief (GOC-in-C) Commendation Cards.

As the Northern Army Commander, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi provided strategic guidance and operational oversight for sustained operations along the northern and western borders. He restored normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir by providing strategic directions for the successful conduct of effective counter-terrorism operations that led to the emergence of a conducive environment for infrastructure and socio-economic developments as also the smooth conduct of the G20 in Srinagar. The unprecedented tourist footfall of over 2.11 crores in 2023 in Kashmir Valley, besides the increasing economic activities, is a testimony of the General Officers professional acumen and commitment towards the national interest.

During this period, he further enhanced Indias security architecture along the northern borders into robust defences in response to the extended stand-off triggered by China. He also actively participated in the ongoing negotiations with China to address the complex border issues.

Playing a significant role in modernising and equipping the largest Indian Army command, he oversaw the induction of indigenous equipment as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative.

General Pande, initially due to retire on May 31, was given a one-month extension, which sparked speculation within the military regarding a potential supersession and deviation from the seniority principle in the appointment of service chiefs.

The standard procedure is to elevate either the highest-ranking Army commander or the Vice-Chief of the Army to the position of Army Chief upon the retirement of the current Chief of the Army Staff. Presently, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM holds the position of the most senior officer in the Army.

In what seems like a well-orchestrated plan, some critics are still continuing with their tireless attacks on the ruling government for giving a one-month extension in service to Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande by labelling it as an unusual move even though Modi 3.0, right at the start of its third consecutive term, has appointed Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi as the next COAS with effect from the afternoon of June 30.

Creating controversy out of thin air, many so-called experts on defence matters tried to shape a particular narrative around the governments decision, speculating that there could be plans in store to break the succession line by ignoring the seniority principle.

The General Officer is married to Sunita Dwivedi, a science graduate, who is a homemaker. Sunita Dwivedi has been associated with Aarushi, an Institute for specially-abled children, at Bhopal. The couple is blessed with two daughters.

The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine, Hamas-Israel conflicts and the strategic rivalry in the Indo-Pacific, especially the South China Sea occupy the centre stage of geopolitics and geo security presenting numerous challenges as also opportunities to India.

Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi would have his hands full as the COAS at a juncture where India marching ahead to be the third largest economy in the world in the foreseeable future is expected to address both external as well as internal security challenges so that the economy can ride on stability, normalcy and peace.

As the 30th Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army, the following 10 major issues may merit focus in short, medium and long-term addressed at local, regional and global levels as relevant: Robust defences along the northern border; zero-terrorism/insurgency and hybrid warfare, especially in J&K and northeast respectively; normalcy in Manipur; secure Siliguri Corridor; operational effectiveness of the Agnipath scheme; Atma Nirbhar Bharat; counter China, especially in AI, auto/semi-auto weapon platforms, space, electromagnetic radiation, cyber, information warfare and precision-guided weapons; settle borders; effective surveillance; military diplomacy.

(Maj Gen Sudhakar Jee, VSM (Retd) is a former colonel of the Mahar Regiment with over 37 years of service in the Indian Army)

 As Army Chief, Gen Dwivedi likely to address both external as well as internal security challenges

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Monsoon brings surge in dengue cases: Doctors advise caution, early detection

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hile the monsoon brought in relief from the sweltering heat, cases of dengue have spiralled in various parts of the country including in Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Maharashtra. Doctors on Sunday advised caution and also stressed the need for early detection to boost outcomes.

Dengue is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes thrive in warm and humid environments, causing the disease that is endemic to more than 100 countries.

"Children have a higher risk of getting dengue fever with varied presentations than in earlier years. The classical presentation would be a brief period of febrile illness with vomiting and pain in the abdomen, decreased appetite, and generalised myalgia. But during this season even children with atypical upper respiratory infections and Gastroenteritis are also positive for dengue," Santosh Kumar, Senior Consultant, and Lead - Paediatrics & Neonatology, Motherhood Hospitals, Banashankari, Bengaluru, told IANS.

Karnataka reported 5,374 cases and five deaths from dengue; Telangana 882 cases, while Andhra Pradesh reported cases of both dengue and malaria, Odisha 288, Ernakulam in Kerala has seen 400 cases.

Symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, and rash all are early indications of dengue.

Dengue fever is usually a community outbreak and early diagnosis is crucial, the experts said, noting that while majorly it is self-limiting, in some cases, it can progress to severe dengue, also known as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.

Persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, mucosal bleeding, and signs of circulatory failure may indicate a more severe case of dengue.

"Early diagnosis allows for timely administration of medications to alleviate these symptoms, improving the patient's comfort and quality of life during the illness," Aravinda S N, Lead Consultant - Internal Medicine, Aster RV Hospital, Bengaluru, told IANS.

"Early diagnosis not only benefits the individual patient but also plays a crucial role in preventing the spread of dengue virus to others. Identifying and isolating infected individuals early in the course of the illness can help prevent further transmission of the virus to mosquitoes, breaking the cycle of dengue transmission in the community," he added.

The doctors called for maintaining adequate hydration levels due to fluid loss due to fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

The experts also advised people to take protective precautions like avoiding standing water, where mosquitoes can breed, and using mosquito repellents, wearing protective clothing.

 Monsoon brings surge in dengue cases: Doctors advise caution, early detection

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Shraddha Kapoor ignores her ill-health and heads to Lucknow to fulfil a professional commitment

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ctress Shraddha Kapoor, who is gearing up for her upcoming horror-comedy movie 'Stree 2', is feeling a bit under the weather.

The actress took to the Stories section of her Instagram on Sunday and shared a picture of herself from her flight to Lucknow.

In the picture, Shraddha can be seen wearing an orange top and a turquoise jacket.

The actress is also wearing a surgical face mask as part of health protocols in the post-pandemic world. She completed her look with a pair of transparent glasses.

Shraddha wrote on the picture: "Tabiyat down lekin Lucknow aana hai toh aana hai (feeling unwell, but if I have to come to Lucknow, I have to come)."

The actress headed to Lucknow for a brand event.

Earlier, Shraddha spent her holiday in the mountains and shared glimpses from the trip.

The actress also recently confirmed her relationship with writer Rahul Mody.

On the work front, Shraddha, who was last seen in 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar' opposite Ranbir Kapoor, will next be seen reprising her role as a mysterious woman in the upcoming horror-comedy franchise 'Stree 2'.

The film is a sequel to the 2018 runaway hit 'Stree', which starred Rajkummar Rao, Aparshakti Khurana, and Abhishek Banerjee.

The original film narrated the story of the spirit of a female ghost who abducts men at night when they are alone, leaving only their clothes behind in the town of Chanderi. It was inspired by the urban legend of Nalle Baa.

 Shraddha Kapoor ignores her ill-health and heads to Lucknow to fulfil a professional commitment

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10 things PM Modi spoke about in his Mann Ki Baat address

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rime Minister Narendra Modi resumed the broadcast of Mann Ki Baat with its 111th episode on Sunday. From Kerala's Karthumbi umbrellas to Andhra Pradesh's Araku coffee to Kashmir's snow peas, he spoke extensively about the contributions of various communities among other things to celebrate in India.

Mann Ki Baat resumed after a gap of three months in the light of the Model Code of Conduct enforced before the 18th Lok Sabha election. The Prime Minister congratulated 65 crore voters of India and all others associated with the poll process for keeping faith in democracy and executing the worlds largest election this year.

IANS condenses 10 things PM Modi specifically spoke about in his Mann Ki Baat address.

1. Beginning with commemorating June 30 as Hul Diwas, the Prime Minister recounted the sacrifice of the brave Murmu brothers, Sidhu and Kanhu, who in the Santhal Rebellion of 1855, rebelled against the foreign (British) rule. This had happened before the popularly believed earliest Revolt of 1857 against British rule. The PM dedicated a Santhali song in honour of these bravehearts.

2. Invoking the emotion of attachment to ones mother, PM Modi initiated #PLANT4MOTHER: plant a tree dedicated mother as a gesture of acknowledging the "unpayable debt to her." He encouraged citizens to share their picture of planting a tree with their mother or her picture as a mark of respect to her and Mother Earth.

3. Further, in the view of monsoon, PM Modi spotlighted Karthumbi umbrellas made in Attappadi in Kerala. These umbrellas are made by tribal women and are sold online under the supervision of Vattalakki Cooperative Farming Society, headed and led by tribal women of Attappadi. They have also established a bamboo handicraft unit. With the aim of introducing their culture to the world, they will open a retail outlet and a cafe.

4. Speaking about the Paris Olympics that will take place next week, he wished the Indian contingent the best for the upcoming games. Refreshing memories of the Tokyo Olympics when athletes won medals and did India proud, he mentioned that these athletes have participated in about 900 international competitions. Paris Olympics will have some firsts from India. He cheered for them with #CHEER4BHARAT.

5. Subsequently, with an audio clip (in Hindi) from a Kuwaiti radio broadcast, he said that the government of Kuwait has started a half-hour programme in Hindi on its national radio every Sunday. This show will be about the vibrant Indian culture, films, and art that is popular among the Indian community there, as well as among Kuwaiti natives. He thanked their government for this initiative.

6. Speaking about the popularity and respect commanded by Indian culture across the globe, PM Modi mentioned that Turkmenistan celebrated in May the 300th birth anniversary of their national poet. On the occasion, their president unveiled statues of 24 famous poets of the world, including Rabindranath Tagorean honour for both Gurudev and India

7. Likewise, Indian communities in two Caribbean countries celebrated their Indian heritage with fervour: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on June 1 and Surinam on June 5. Along with Hindi, Bhojpuri is a popular language here.

8. PM Modi also spoke about the 10th International Day of Yoga observed across the world on June 21. He said: Several records have been created across the globe. For the first time in Saudi Arabia, a Saudi woman instructed the main Yoga session. A photo of a Yoga session conducted on beaches of Red Sea at the bank of Nile River in Egypt has gone viral.

The PM also mentioned the special Yoga sessions conducted in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, US and Bhutan. He also advised people to include Yoga in their daily routine to bring positive changes in life. PM Modi, this year, had celebrated Yoga Day in J&Ks Srinagar.

9. Talking about Kashmir, the PM said that the first consignment of snow peas was dispatched from Pulwama to London last month, putting the regions exotic vegetable on the world map. An inspired Abdul Rashid Mir of Chakura village consolidated land and began growing snow peas. This pursuit has ushered prosperity for many people in J&K.

10. Stating that there is no dearth of unique products in India, and in a bid to promote Vocal for Local initiative, PM Modi spotlighted Araku coffee produced in Andhra Pradeshs Alluri Sitharama Raju district on a large scale. This coffee is known for its rich flavour and aroma.

He said: Around 1.5 lakh tribal people are associated with Araku coffee cultivation. Girijan Cooperative has played a huge role in taking Araku Coffee to new heights. This has brought farmer brothers and sisters together. Because of this, farmers income has also increased and they are now leading a respectable life.

PM Modi also recounted his experience of tasting this coffee with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Visakhapatnam.

The Prime Minister concluded his address with a pitch for the promotion of Sanskrit language, PM Modi congratulated All India Radio family for connecting people with the ancient language. He said: On June 30, the Sanskrit Bulletin of Akashwani is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Sanskrit has played a big role in the progress of ancient Indian knowledge and science.

He also mentioned an initiative in Bengaluru where these days, local people gather in a park once a week and converse in Sanskrit.

 10 things PM Modi spoke about in his Mann Ki Baat address

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PM Modi highlights Kashmiri snow peas in 'Mann Ki Baat'

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rime Minister Narendra Modi, on his Mann Ki Baat radio programme on Sunday, said that Jammu & Kashmir has achieved a major milestone by exporting locally grown snow peas to London.

Srinagar, June 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his Mann Ki Baat radio programme on Sunday, said that Jammu & Kashmir has achieved a major milestone by exporting locally grown snow peas to London. Addressing his monthly radio programme, PM Modi said: Jammu and Kashmir achieved a big milestone when the first consignment of snow peas was sent to London from south Kashmirs Pulwama district last month."

What Jammu and Kashmir achieved last month is an example for people across the country.

The Prime Ministers comments on the subject were posted by J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on his X, along with a photograph of the snow pea pods.

The snow pea has flat pods, thin walls and is edible. It is eaten whole -- both the seeds and the pod -- while it is unripe.

Kashmiris relish the snow pea dish as an important part of greens consumed by the otherwise non-vegetarian people.

Snow peas contain vitamin C and antioxidants.

PM Modi also fondly recalled the International Yoga Day celebration in Srinagar. He especially appreciated the local youth who participated with him during the exercises there in large numbers.

 PM Modi highlights Kashmiri snow peas in 'Mann Ki Baat'

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EAM Jaishankar holds talks with Qatar's PM & Foreign Minister in Doha (Lead)

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ndia and Qatar on Sunday discussed further enhancement of bilateral relations and continued dialogue on issues of mutual interest during External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar's day-long official visit to Doha.

The EAM held talks with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Sunday, immediately after his arrival in Qatar's capital."Reviewed our bilateral relationship focusing on political, trade, investment, energy, technology, culture and people-to-people ties. Exchanged views on regional and global issues. Appreciate his sharing insights on the Gaza situation," Jaishankar posted on X after his meeting with Al Thani.

He also conveyed the greetings and warm wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Amir of Qatar.

"India and Qatar share historic and friendly relations which are marked by regular exchange of high-level visits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Qatar on 14-15 February 2024 and held discussions with Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani," the MEA had stated ahead of Jaishankar's visit.

"EAM's visit will enable both sides to review various aspects of bilateral relations including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural and people-to-people as well as the regional and international issues of mutual interest," the Ministry mentioned.

During his Doha visit earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi thanked the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for taking care of the over eight lakh strong Indian community in Qatar and conveyed India's commitment to further expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation with the country.

The Qatari Amir reciprocated PM Modi's sentiments and expressed appreciation for India's role as a valued partner in the Gulf region. He also appreciated the contributions of the vibrant Indian community in Qatars development and their enthusiastic participation in various international events held in Qatar.

"India-Qatar bilateral trade roughly stands at close to $20 billion and the two countries also have a multi-faceted partnership in the field of energy, which includes energy trade as also other segments of energy supply chain contributing to a stronger partnership in the field of energy security," Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra had said after the PM's visit.

In February, on the sidelines of India Energy Week held in Goa, the two countries signed an agreement for the supply of 7.5 MMtpa LNG from Qatar to India for 20 years, starting 2028 onwards.

This is EAM Jaishankar's third official visit during the third term of the Modi government. He had earlier visited Sri Lanka (June 20) and the UAE (June 23).

 EAM Jaishankar holds talks with Qatar's PM & Foreign Minister in Doha (Lead)

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Tampere University researchers developed a method to map mechanistic connections between diseases, revealing deeper associations beyond traditional classifications based on affected organs and symptoms. This multi-dimensional approach presents paradigm shift in disease classification and drug discovery, potentially leading to more personalized and effective medical treatments.

A recent study by the Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE) introduces a novel approach to understanding human diseases by mapping their relationships using a multi-dimensional framework. The article "A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Map Disease Relationships Challenges Classical Disease Views" was published in Advanced Science on 5 June 2024.

Traditionally, diseases are categorized based on affected organs and observable symptoms, but this new method integrates genomic, chemical, and clinical data to reveal deeper mechanistic connections. This endeavor confirmed known associations between inflammatory and cardiometabolic conditions and further underscores their link to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

The study was carried out in Professor Dario Greco's ERC project ARCHIMEDES that aims to make chemicals and drugs safe for consumers and reduce animal testing in the experiments. The study was led by Dr. Lena Mobus. Co-authors were Angela Serra, Michele Fratello, Alisa Pavel and Antonio Federico.

The researchers utilized data from six data dimensions: disease-associated genes, pathways, symptoms, drugs, chemicals targeting genes, and chemicals medicating diseases. This comprehensive analysis of 502 diseases highlights significant distinctions from the classical International Classification of Diseases (ICD) system, suggesting the need for an updated classification that incorporates these mechanistic insights.

Using this multi-dimensional approach, the authors found that psoriasis, which manifests primarily in the skin, is closely related to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), affecting the gut.

Although a link between these diseases has been known before, it is interesting that a completely data-driven approach can recapitulate this relationship. Similarly, the disease map suggests a strong link between type 2 diabetes, a metabolic disease, and Alzheimer's disease, a degenerative brain condition. These close relationships are not easily explained by anatomical proximity, indicating deeper underlying connections." Dr. Lena Mobus, lead author

Towards more personalized medical treatments

The study also found a strong correlation between the number of publications on a gene and the number of associated diseases for that gene. A similar correlation was found for symptoms. This suggests that the more a gene or symptom is studied, the more diseases it is linked to, driven by the overall disease burden indicated by mortality rates. To account for the varying data richness for different diseases, the team implemented multiple strategies, such as using a consensus of different methods to quantify the relationships among diseases as well as integrating various data layers.

The research identified distinct clusters of cancerous and non-cancerous diseases. Within the cancerous clusters, the study observed groupings based on the cellular origin of the cancers rather than the organ where they manifest. Carcinomas, which arise from the epithelial linings of organs, were clearly distinguished from sarcomas, which arise from soft tissues. This mechanistic clustering could help in understanding complex disease interactions and developing more targeted therapies.

Overall, this multi-dimensional mapping of diseases presents a potential paradigm shift in disease classification and drug discovery.

"By integrating diverse data sources, this approach offers a more nuanced understanding of disease relationships, which could enhance the development of effective drugs and address the growing challenge of multimorbidity. This data-driven perspective may benefit future research and clinical trials, and thus pave the way for more personalized and effective medical treatments", Mobus states.

This research was supported by the EU Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 (IMI2), Academy of Finland, the European Research Council (ERC) program and Tampere Institute for Advanced Study (IAS).
In the aggressor country of Russia, two prominent officials have spearheaded different ways to combat religious extremism amid rising ethnic and religious tensions. We are talking about the head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin and the leader of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, who responded to the June 23 terrorist attacks in Dagestan.

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This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). They expect that dictator Putin will soon try to resolve the situation, although Russian ultranationalists have expressed doubts about the Kremlin's ability to prevent new terrorist attacks.

It is noted that Bastrykin, commenting on the events in Dagestan, said that Islamic terrorists "managed to bring their flag of terror" to Russia, so the State Duma should respond to the threat of their existence to the Russian Federation.

This accusation provoked a negative reaction from Kadyrov, who called on Bastrykin and other Russian officials to choose their words carefully and "avoid characterizing all Muslims as terrorists." He warned that such statements "threaten the unity and stability" of the socio-political situation in Russia.

"Russian bloggers and lower-level officials have previously participated in similar debates, and it is noteworthy that Kadyrov was willing to openly criticize another high-ranking Kremlin official on this issue," ISW emphasized.

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They recalled that Bastrykin had previously positioned himself as a prominent figure in Russia's ultranationalist movement and today he is at odds with Kadyrov, who often speaks as a representative of the Muslim minority in Russia.

After the March 22 terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall, Russian dictator Putin has already tried to suppress concerns in the media about the threat posed by migrants and Muslim communities. At the same time, he called for unspecified changes in migration policy and condemned Islamophobia and xenophobia.

"Putin may speak his mind in the Bastrykin-Kadyrov debate in the coming days in the hope of also calming concerns among Russians about a possible future conflict between Bastrykin and Kadyrov," ISW believes.

At the same time, the analysts noted that after the June 23 terrorist attacks in the Republic of Dagestan, Russian ultranationalists continue to express doubts about the authorities' ability to prevent such an attack. They believe that the Kremlin is generally incapable of eliminating ethnic and religious tensions within the aggressor country and expect new terrorist attacks.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, earlier experts pointed out that Putin's regime is trying to maintain the appearance of stability in Russia in response to the terrorist attacks in Dagestan. In particular, after the terrorist attack on June 23, dictator Putin did not even make a special address to Russians.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Findings from a new mouse study suggest that elenolic acid, a natural compound found in olives, can lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. The research could pave the way to the development of safe and inexpensive natural products for managing obesity and type 2 diabetes in people.

The researchers found that after just one week, obese mice with diabetes that were given oral elenolic acid weighed significantly less and showed better blood sugar (glucose) regulation than before treatment and compared to control obese mice not receiving elenolic acid. The glucose-lowering effect was comparable with that of the injectable diabetic medication liraglutide and better than metformin, one of the most common oral medicines for type 2 diabetes.

Lifestyle modifications and public health measures have had limited impact on the rising prevalence of obesity, one of the top risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Available obesity drugs are ineffective in weight loss maintenance, expensive and/or carry potential long-term safety risks. Our goal was to develop safer, cheaper and more convenient multi-targeting agents that can prevent the occurrence of metabolic disorders and type 2 diabetes." Dongmin Liu, PhD, research team leader, professor, Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise at Virginia Tech

Hana Alkhalidy, PhD, a research scientist in Liu's lab at Virginia Tech, will present the findings at NUTRITION 2024, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held June 29July 2 in Chicago.

Liu's research team focuses on discovering bioactive compounds from natural products for diabetes management. Previously, they looked for specific molecular targets for natural compounds in parts of the body that actively help regulate metabolism, such as the pancreas, muscle, fat tissues and liver. However, since natural products typically have poor bioavailability, they decided to see if they could instead target metabolic hormone secretion in the gut to indirectly regulate metabolic function.

For the new work, the researchers began by identifying natural compounds that act on L-cells, which contain two metabolic hormones released during a meal. These hormones, called GLP-1 and PYY, work together to promote satiety and prevent overeating while also controlling blood sugar levels and metabolism. The screening process revealed that elenolic acid, which is found in mature olives and extra virgin olive oil, can induce the release of these hormones in the gut. They were able to make elenolic acid by breaking down its precursor oleuropein, which is less expensive than extracting it directly from olives.

Tests of the compound in obese mice with diabetes revealed that mice that received oral elenolic acid experienced significant improvements in their metabolic health compared to obese control mice. After four to five weeks of treatment, the mice showed a 10.7% reduction in obesity as well as blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity that were comparable to those of healthy lean mice.

The elenolic acid also significantly reduced food intake and promoted weight loss, which are associated with improved circulating levels of PYY and GLP-1 and the downregulation of agouti-related peptide in the hypothalamus. Agouti-related peptide is known to increase eating and weight gain when overexpressed.

"Overall, the study showed that elenolic acid from olives has promising effects on hormone release and metabolic health, particularly in obese and diabetic conditions," said Liu. "The compound seems to mimic the physiological conditions of eating to directly promote gut metabolic hormone secretion, which helps regulate energy balance and metabolic health."

According to the researchers, the concentration of elenolic acid in olive oil or olives is very low, so the benefits seen in this study would most likely not be gained from olive products alone.

The research team is now working to understand how this compound creates metabolic benefits by analyzing its journey through the body to find out how it is absorbed, distributed, metabolized and excreted. This will also reveal insights into its safety for future clinical trials.

Alkhalidy will present this research at 3:12-3:25 p.m. CDT on Saturday, June 29, during the Bioactives in Health and Disease oral session in McCormick Place (abstract; presentation details).
Air India Express cabin crew union has alleged unfair labour practices by the airline, including in issuance of charge sheets to its members, and sought the intervention of the labour commissioner to resolve the issues.

The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), which is affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, has written a letter to the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) in this regard.

The communication also comes at a time when conciliation proceedings are going on before the CLC (C) on the disputes between the cabin crew members and the airline management.

The union has alleged that the management is adopting various measures that are not conducive to creating good industrial relations.

 their actions are spoiling the industrial relations already affected by their unfair labour practices and violations of labour legislation, it claimed in the letter dated June 28.

There was no comment from Air India Express.

Among other issues, the union has claimed that charge sheets have been issued to the cabin crew who had availed sick leave from May 6 to 8 and that enquiry is being initiated against selected union members.

On May 7, around 200 cabin crew members of Tata Group-owned Air India Express went on strike to protest against the alleged mismanagement at the airline, resulting in the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

Consequently, the airline management terminated the services of 25 cabin crew members and warned the others to join work or else face the same action.

On May 9, the strike was called off after a conciliation meeting between the representatives of the union and the management convened by the CLC (C). The termination letters were also withdrawn later.

In the letter on June 28, the union claimed that the issues had occurred due to the monopoly and adamancy behaviour of the management and sought the intervention of the CLC (C).
Stock Market Trends: Analysts said that market sentiments this week will be influenced by domestic macroeconomic data announcements, global trends and foreign investor trading activity.

Following a record rally, markets might experience volatility due to elevated valuations. Investors will also monitor the global oil benchmark Brent crude and the rupee-dollar exchange rate for additional cues.

Potential volatility in the stock market is anticipated this week. Elevated valuations remain a concern, with investors now focusing on monsoon progress and its impact on the rural economy. The upcoming Union Budget in July has become the next focal point, with high expectations for growth-oriented policies, said Pravesh Gour, Senior Technical Analyst, Swastika Investmart Ltd.

Market sentiment will be gauged by closely monitoring foreign and domestic institutional investors activity (FII and DII) and crude oil prices, he said.

On the global front, the US market has experienced some profit-booking from higher levels. Key economic data, such as the US job openings report, will be released on July 2, 2024, followed by the US ISM Services PMI data on July 3, 2024, he noted.

Additionally, the US Federal Reserve Chairperson Powells speech is scheduled for July 2, 2024, and the US FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) minutes will be released on July 3, 2024. The movement of dollar index and US bond yields will also be crucial factors to watch, Gour added.

Last week, the BSE benchmark jumped 1,822.83 points or 2.36 per cent, and the Nifty climbed 509.5 points or 2.16 per cent.

The Sensex recorded the best monthly gain in June by climbing 7.14 per cent.

The Sensex breached the historic 79,000 mark on Thursday, and the Nifty hit the 24,000 level for the first time in intra-day trade.

The outlook for the market will be guided by major domestic and global economic data such as HSBC India Manufacturing PMI, HSBC India Services PMI, S&P Global Manufacturing PMI, Fed speech, initial jobless claims this week, Arvinder Singh Nanda, Senior Vice President, Master Capital Services Ltd, said.

After hitting a fresh all-time high level in early trade on Friday, the BSE 30-share index declined 210.45 points or 0.27 per cent to settle at 79,032.73. During the day, it jumped 428.4 points or 0.54 per cent to hit a record peak of 79,671.58.

The Nifty went lower by 33.90 points or 0.14 per cent to 24,010.60. During the day, it climbed 129.5 points or 0.53 per cent to hit a new lifetime high of 24,174.

We expect this positive momentum to continue at a steady pace with stock-specific action. However, the release of economic data points this week would keep a little volatility in the market. Sector like auto is expected to be in the limelight with release of their monthly sales number, said Siddhartha Khemka, Senior Group VP, Head  Research, Broking & Distribution, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd.

As the new month begins, market participants will closely watch auto sales data to start with, said Ajit Mishra  SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd.

Besides, progress of monsoon will also be in focus. Global cues, especially from the US, indicate a supportive outlook, with major indices continuing their upward trend despite intermittent consolidation, he said.

Mcap of Nine of Top-10 Most Valued Firms Jumps Rs 2.89 Lakh Cr

Nine of the top-10 most valued firms together added Rs 2,89,699.42 crore in market valuation last week, with Reliance Industries emerging as the biggest gainer, in line with a rally in equities.

While Reliance Industries, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, State Bank of India, Infosys, Hindustan Unilever and ITC were the gainers, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) emerged as the laggard.

The market capitalisation (mcap) of Reliance Industries jumped Rs 1,52,264.63 crore to Rs 21,18,951.20 crore.

TCS added Rs 34,733.64 crore taking its valuation to Rs 14,12,845.09 crore.

The mcap of ICICI Bank soared Rs 30,286.99 crore to Rs 8,44,201.88 crore and that of Bharti Airtel surged Rs 18,267.7 crore to Rs 8,22,530.35 crore.

The market valuation of Infosys climbed Rs 14,656.3 crore to Rs 6,50,602.10 crore and that of HDFC Bank zoomed Rs 13,808.74 crore to Rs 12,80,865.43 crore.

State Bank of Indias valuation rallied Rs 11,111.14 crore to Rs 7,57,565.68 crore.

The mcap of Hindustan Unilever went up by Rs 7,953.37 crore to Rs 5,81,570.83 crore and that of ITC climbed Rs 6,616.91 crore to Rs 5,30,475.82 crore.

However, the valuation of LIC tumbled Rs 22,042.61 crore to Rs 6,25,573.90 crore.

Reliance Industries remained the most valued firm, followed by TCS, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, State Bank of India, Infosys, LIC, Hindustan Unilever and ITC.

(With PTI inputs)
Investor Warren Buffett, 93, is making a major shift in his philanthropic plans. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, he revealed hes revising his will to direct his vast wealth after death through a new charitable trust managed by his three children. This means his significant donations to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will cease upon his passing.

The Gates Foundation has no money coming after my death, Buffett told the Wall Street Journal.

In an exclusive interview with the Journal, Buffett announced that he has updated his will to halt donations to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation after his death. Instead, his fortune will be redirected to a new charitable trust managed by his three children.

In a recent interview with the Journal, Warren Buffett revealed he has revised his will multiple times. His latest decision reflects his strong faith in his childrens judgement and their ability to responsibly distribute his fortune. Notably, each of Buffetts offspring leads their philanthropic organisation.

I feel very, very good about the values of my three children, and I have 100% trust in how they will carry things out, Buffett told the Journal.

Previously, Buffett had indicated that his will allocated over 99% of his estate to philanthropic purposes, specifically to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and four family-affiliated charities: the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation.

For the time being, however, Buffett appears to be planning to continue his donations to the Gates Foundation during his lifetime.

On Friday, Berkshire Hathaway announced that Buffett converted around 9,000 Class A shares into over 13 million Class B shares. Of these, approximately 9.3 million shares will be donated to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, with the remainder distributed among the four Buffett family charities.

In his original pledge to the Gates Foundation in 2006, Buffett stated his intention to include the foundation in his will.

I will soon write a new will that will provide for a continuance of this commitment  by the distribution of the remaining earmarked shares or in some other manner  after my death, he wrote then, referring to the annual gifts of Berkshire Hathaway stock that he was pledging.

In a Friday statement, Buffett clarified that his initial donation pledges only apply during his lifetime.

Howard Buffett, who currently serves on Berkshires board, is expected to assume the role of chairman following his fathers passing. However, Buffetts children are not expected to be involved in the companys day-to-day operations.
The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has released the re-examination dates of the BPSC Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE) 3.0. Candidates who have applied for the exam can now check the latest schedule at bpsc.bih.nic.in, the official website of BPSC. The exam, earlier conducted on March 15, was cancelled owing to a paper leak. It has now been rescheduled from July 19 to July 22.

BPSC Exam 2024 Exam Schedule: Steps to Download

Step 1. Go to the official website of BPSC, www.bpsc.bih.nic.in.

Step 2. Check for the latest notification link TRE 3.0  School Teacher Written (Objective) Competitive Re-Examination from the homepage.

Step 3. The detailed BPSC 2024 re-exam schedule will appear on screen in PDF format.

Step 4. Check the exam dates carefully and download it for future purposes.

Detail exam schedule here: https://www.bpsc.bih.nic.in/Notices/NB-2024-06-28-01.pdf

The re-exam will be conducted on July 19, 20, 21, and 22. The exam will be administered in single shifts on the first three days from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.There will be two shifts  9:30 am to 12 pm and 2:30 pm to 5 pm for the test on July 22. The exam will be held in around 26 districts across Bihar.

Those who applied for the exam are entitled to retake the BPSC TRE 3.0 exam, which is being held for various government teaching positions in Bihar.

The BPSC TRE 3.0 re-exam admit card is expected to be available soon. Candidates will have to use their registration number and password to obtain the admission card, which can be downloaded from the BPSC website.

Candidates will be required admit cards and government-issued identification (ID) cards for entry into the exam centre.

The recruiting campaign intends to fill 87,774 teaching positions in Bihars government institutions. It is recommended that candidates should check the official website for additional information regarding the BPSC TRE 3.0 re-exam and admit card.

Stay ahead with all the exam results updates on News18 Website.
Arvind Kejriwal is in judicial custody till July 12 in connection with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to irregularities in the Delhi governments excise policy.

The arrest comes days after Kejriwals previous detention by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in a money-laundering case related to the now-scrapped excise policy. Though he was initially granted bail by the court, the decision was stayed by the Delhi High Court.

What are CBI and ED Cases Against Kejriwal?

The CBI and ED began probing the irregularities in the Delhi Excise policy 2021-22 that was aimed to maximise revenue for the region and combat sale of counterfeit liquor. The policy was scrapped in August 2022 over procedural irregularities.

On March 21, the ED arrested Kejriwal on money laundering charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2022 (PMLA). In May, it filed it first charge sheet naming Kejriwal as accused in the case.

Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) lists concealment, possession, acquisition, use, projecting as untainted property, or claiming as untainted property as crimes.

The document, which is the eighth in the series of charge sheets filed by the ED since November 2022, claimed Kejriwal directly involved in formulating the excise policy and demanded kickbacks of Rs 100 crore from the South Liquor Lobby.

The liquor lobby refers to a cohort of influential persons from South India who purportedly secured undue favours to establish wholesale businesses and paid political parties in return.

The CBI began its probe in the alleged irregularities in the excise policy in 2022 on Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommendation in July. Although Kejriwal was interrogated by the CBI in April, he was not named as an accused in the case.

The agency has so far filed four charge sheets against 17 accused persons including former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Bharat Rashtra Samithi legislator K. Kavitha.

What CBI Said in Its Remand Application

The CBI sought 14-day judicial custody for Kejriwal, alleging non-cooperation and evasive responses during his custodial interrogation in the excise policy-linked corruption case.

Advocate DP Singh, representing the CBI, argued that during Kejriwals police custody remand, he was uncooperative and provided evasive responses contrary to the evidence.

The agency said that Kejriwal could not justify why the revised excise policy was hurriedly approved by the cabinet during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, when individuals involved in the case were meeting with this close associate Vijay Nair in Delhi.

The agency argued that crucial witnesses were yet to be examined and additional evidence, including documents and digital data, needed to be collected.

Why Kejriwal was Arrested Now?

The CBI always had the option of arrested Kejriwal, but it would have needed strong evidence on his direct involvement in the alleged scam. This direct link is suspect in the EDs case as well. The ED has made a case alleging vicarious liability, both Chief Minister of Delhi and as convener of the Aam Admi Party, to link Kejriwal to the alleged tainted funds, as mentioned in a report by The Indian Express.

Also, to secure a bail under PMLA is tough, which allows for the prolonged custody of the accused.

Bails in Corruption Cases

An accused in a corruption case can move the trial court for bail under the provisions of the CrPC. He or she is also entitled to anticipatory bail. However, as per a 2014 amendment, no accused shall be released on bail under the Prevention of Corruption Act unless an opportunity has been provided to the public prosecutor to oppose the bail application.

The factors that are considered while deciding a bail application under the Prevention of Corruption Act are: (i) the nature of accusation and the severity of the punishment in the case of conviction and the nature of the materials relied upon by the prosecution; (ii) reasonable apprehension of tampering with the witnesses or apprehension of threat to the complainant or the witnesses; (iii) reasonable possibility of securing the presence of the accused at the time of trial or the likelihood of his abscondence; (iv) character, behaviour and standing of the accused and the circumstances which are peculiar to the accused; (v) larger interest of the public or the State and similar other considerations.

The top court had in 2022 in Satender Kumar Antil vs CBI had asked the Union government to enact a separate bill to streamline the grant of bail as per the right to bail under Article 21 of the Constitution.
From lauding the election process, a campaign to boost the morale of the athletes participating in the Paris Olympics to tributes to tribal freedom fighters and special mention of Keralas umbrellas, Prime Minister Narendra Modis first Mann Ki Baat after the Lok Sabha polls on Sunday covered a wide range of issues.

Modi on Sunday said people had reposed their unwavering faith in the Constitution and the democratic system of the country by their participation in the 2024 general elections.

The radio broadcast had taken a break in February ahead of the general elections.

Delighted to connect with people through #MannKiBaat once again. Do tune in! https://t.co/ohZ7kzbBlS Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 30, 2024

Heres a look at the top five points:
Two men narrowly escaped death when they drove their car into a river following Google Maps on their way to the hospital in Kerala. The incident took place on the Pallanchi Forest road in Kasaragod on Thursday morning.

Following the accident, they contacted the Fire Force personnel as their vehicle was carried away by the water currents and got stuck in a tree.

The rescued youths, Abdul Rasheed and A Thashreef said they were going to a hospital in Karnataka early morning on Thursday, following the directions shown on Google Maps.

Rasheed and Thashreef met with the accident at 6:00 am on Thursday while heading towards a hospital at Uppinangady in Karnataka. Rasheed, who was behind the wheel, said Google Maps showed a narrow road, and he drove the car through it.

Using the vehicles headlight, we felt that there was some water in front of us. But we didnt see a river on both sides and a bridge in the middle. There was also no sidewall for the bridge, Rasheed was quoted by PTI as saying.

It was dark and the path was not visible, leading to the accident, Rasheed added.

The car then got carried away in the water currents and got stuck in a tree on the rivers shore.

They managed to escape by lowering the side windows. They informed their relatives about the accident via phone, who subsequently alerted fire force officials.

(With PTI inputs)
Monsoon has hit the national capital and heavy downpours are likely in the region during the next three days. The Met Department has issued an orange alert for Delhi with the forecast of heavy rainfall in the coming days.

The national capital has been witnessing rainfall for the past two days and is expected to experience moderate to heavy downpours in the coming week. According to the IMD, heavy rain is likely over Delhi on June 30 and July 1.

Delhi, including Rohini and Burari, received rain on Saturday morning. According to the Met Department, 8.9 mm of rainfall was recorded at Safdarjung, the citys primary weather station, and 12.6 mm at Lodhi Road between 2.30 pm and 5.30 pm on Saturday.

According to the IMD, moderate rain is defined as rainfall amounting to between 7.6 and 35.5 mm in a day, and heavy rain is defined as rainfall amounting to between 64.5 and 124.4 mm in a day.

The IMD issues four colour-coded warnings  green (no action needed), yellow (watch and stay updated), orange (be prepared) and red (take action).

The maximum temperature recorded on Saturday was 35.6 degrees Celsius, which is 1.6 notches below normal, according to the IMD. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius.

Delhi on Friday recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall, the highest since 1936 for June and received one-third of its total monsoon rainfall on the first day of heavy rain this season.

Noting that Delhi receives nearly 650 mm of rainfall in the entire monsoon season, weather experts suggested these could be extreme weather events.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Sunday in the 111th episode of the Mann Ki Baat radio programme and spoke about unique umbrellas made in Kerala and their cultural importance in the southern state of India.

Resuming his monthly radio programme after the break for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi talked about the Karthumbi Umbrellas that are made in Attappadi of Kerala.

I want to tell you about a special kind of umbrella. These umbrellas are made in our Kerala. Umbrellas have a special significance in the culture of Kerala. Umbrellas are an important part of many traditions and rituals there, said PM Modi.

Modi highlighted that culturally significant umbrellas from Kerala are crafted by tribal women in the state. These umbrellas have become popular merchandise, even available in the e-marketplace.

The umbrella I am talking about is Karthumbi Umbrellas and these are made in Attappadi of Kerala. These umbrellas are made by our tribal sisters of Kerala. Today, the demand for these umbrellas is increasing across the country. They are also being sold online. These umbrellas are made under the supervision of Vattalakki Cooperative Agricultural Society. This society is led by our women power, said PM Modi in Mann Ki Baat.

PM Modi further said that the Karthumbi umbrella, from small villages in Kerala, has reached multinational companies. This not only underscores its commercial value for the country but also its role in showcasing our culture to the world.
In the Lipetsk region of the Russian Federation, Ukrainian drones attacked the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant, which works for the military-industrial complex of the aggressor country. As a result, an oxygen distribution unit, the roof of a building and a shed were damaged, and a garage caught fire.

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The governor of the Lipetsk region, Igor Artamonov, said on his Telegram channel at 7 a.m. local time (and Kyiv time) that "today was a difficult and restless night for everyone." According to him, nine UAVs were allegedly shot down over the industrial zone of Lipetsk.

Special services arrived at the site of the crash, and there were no casualties, Artamonov said.

"One of the fragments landed on the roof of a residential building in the private sector. No one was injured," the governor said in a statement.

Russian media reports that the attack on the plant began at 2 a.m. and lasted more than an hour.

According to them, a total of seven drones crashed and exploded on the plant's territory during that time.

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One of the fallen drones damaged an oxygen distribution unit.

Four more tried to attack the oxygen station building. One also damaged the garage.

The garage caught fire, but the fire was extinguished.

Also, a fragment of the downed drone damaged the roof of a house and a shed at 17 Ilyich Street, according to Russian media.

As you know, Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant is actively working for the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation. Raw materials from this enterprise are used to manufacture Russian missiles, artillery, UAVs, etc.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, on the morning of June 30, a fire broke out in warehouses in Nizhny Novgorod, tanks with paint and varnish materials were burning, and Russians heard explosions.

A fire also broke out in Bratsk, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. According to Russian media, a "finished goods warehouse" was on fire there.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
In the first edition of Mann Ki Baat after the Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people throughout the country to plant trees in honour of mothers as a dual tribute to both motherhood and the environment.

In the 111th episode of Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi announced the launch of a special campaign called Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam on World Environment Day this year. He urged citizens worldwide to join this initiative, highlighting the unparalleled importance of the mother-child bond and its universal recognition.

I appeal to all my countrymen, to the people of every country in the world, to plant a tree along with their mother or in her name, he said during Sundays episode. The campaign of planting trees in the name of mother will not only honour our mother but will also protect Mother Earth.

Delighted to connect with people through #MannKiBaat once again. Do tune in! https://t.co/ohZ7kzbBlS Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 30, 2024

This message comes as Modi resumed his monthly radio programme following its last broadcast in February before the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Earlier this week, PM Modi announced the return of the monthly radio broadcast on X, saying, Delighted to share that after a gap of some months due to the elections, #MannKiBaat is back.

This months programme will take place on Sunday, 30th June. I call upon all of you to share your ideas and inputs for the same. Write on the MyGov Open Forum, NaMo App or record your message on 1800 11 7800, he added.

Launched on October 3, 2014, Mann Ki Baat aims to engage with diverse segments of Indian society, including women, the elderly, and youth. Besides being broadcast in 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, Mann Ki Baat is aired in 11 foreign languages such as French, Chinese, and Arabic, among others.

It reaches over 500 broadcast centers of All India Radio. According to news agency ANI, a study evaluating the impact of Mann Ki Baat revealed that it has connected with more than 1 billion people at least once.
The Delhi High Court will on Monday deliver its verdict on the issue of maintainability of a plea by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals close aide Bibhav Kumar challenging his arrest in connection with the alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal at the CMs residence.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma had reserved the order on the maintainability of Kumars petition on May 31 after hearing his counsel as well as the lawyers appearing for the Delhi Police.

Kumar, presently in judicial custody, allegedly assaulted Maliwal on May 13 at Kejriwals official residence. He was arrested on May 18.

The senior counsel, appearing for the police, had opposed even the issuance of notice on the petition on the grounds that it was not maintainable.

Kumar, in his plea, has sought a direction to declare his arrest as illegal and in gross violation of the provisions of Section 41A (notice of appearance before police officer) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and against the mandate of the law.

He has claimed he was arrested with an oblique motive while his anticipatory bail was still pending in the trial court, in violation of his fundamental rights as well as the law.

In the petition, Kumar has also sought appropriate compensation for his illegal arrest and initiation of departmental action against the erring officials who were involved in the decision-making of his arrest.

The Tis Hazari court had on June 7 refused to grant bail to Kumar, saying he was facing grave and serious charges and that there was an apprehension that he could influence witnesses.

Kumars first bail plea was dismissed on May 27 by another sessions court which said there appeared to be no pre-meditation by Maliwal in lodging the FIR and that her allegations could not be swiped away.

His bail plea is now pending in the high court.

The FIR against Kumar was registered on May 16 under various Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions, including those related to criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe, and attempt to commit culpable homicide.
In the past decades, communication was mostly dependent on the postal services as most people used to write letters to each other. Postal workers have played an important role in society for several decades, and National Postal Worker Day is observed every year on July 1 to celebrate their service. The day is also dedicated to honouring and acknowledging the hardships of people working in the postal service department. Even in the harshest working conditions, these unsung heroes walk or travel miles a day to ensure that the letters and packages reach their intended destinations on time, connecting people and communities in the process.

Lets delve into the significance and history of the day that highlights the importance of National Postal Worker Day:

National Postal Worker Day 2024: Date

National Postal Worker Day is celebrated annually on July 1. This day is observed to acknowledge the efforts of everyone, from the clerks to the drivers who carry the letters to faraway places to the delivery partners, in the postal service.

National Postal Worker Day 2024: History

National Postal Worker Day traces its roots back to 1997 when a Seattle-area postal carrier began to honour fellow employees. Since then, July 1 has been designated to annually celebrate and show appreciation for postal workers who work in postal services. In the United States, almost 490,000 postal workers walk an average of 48 miles to deliver letters and packages. No matter how the weather or condition is, they work tirelessly and deliver mail.

National Postal Worker Day 2024: Significance

Regardless of the areas of service, cities, or towns, postal workers tirelessly and diligently work for seamless communication and trusted delivery.

From picking up the mail and packages to delivering them to the right addresses on time, postal workers keep an eye on all the details and brave gruelling schedules, various weather conditions, and challenging circumstances to deliver mail and packages to homes and businesses.

Hence, this day is commemorated to encourage people to take a moment and acknowledge all that they do for us.

Even though modern technology has become widespread, postal services remain a vital part of effective communication, especially in small towns and rural areas.
National Doctors Day celebrates the role doctors play in society and national building by ensuring the well-being of the citizens. Every year on July 1, India commemorates the day, to honour millions of medical professionals, and organisations for their dedication and selfless service.

ALSO READ: Happy National Doctors Day 2024: 50+ Wishes, Quotes, Images to Share!

National Doctors Day 2024: History

National Doctors Day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, a renowned physician and the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, who dedicated his life to serving and treating countless individuals.

The day also serves as a platform for highlighting the importance of doctors and their efforts in promoting healthcare. Observed on July 1, 1991, National Doctors Day was established by the Government of India to commemorate Dr. Roys invaluable contributions, legacy, professionalism, and humanitarian values to the field of healthcare and public health.

National Doctors Day 2024: Significance

National Doctors Day serves as a platform to acknowledge, appreciate, and raise awareness about the heroic efforts that doctors put into ensuring people are free from illness.

Appreciation for DoctorsNational Doctors Day is an opportunity to express gratitude and admiration towards healthcare professionals who risk their own lives to save others. Addressing ChallengesIt draws attention to the challenges doctors face, including resource constraints, long working hours, and stressful environments. Advocating for Improving Healthcare ServicesThis day also serves as a reminder to promote improved resources, infrastructure, and working conditions for doctors in the healthcare industry. Inspiring GenerationsDoctors dedication and tireless work encourage young individuals to pursue a career in the medical profession.

National Doctors Day 2024: Theme

The theme for National Doctors Day 2024 is Healing Hands, Caring Hearts. This theme emphasises the compassion and dedication that doctors have for their patients. It also underscored the role that they play in offering comfort and care to people suffering from any disease or illness.

Healing HandsThis refers to the medical skills and expertise doctors possess. Their knowledge and ability to perform procedures are crucial in restoring health and well-being to patients. Caring HeartsThis emphasizes the compassion and empathy doctors bring to their practice. They dont just treat medical conditions, they care about their patients as individuals and their overall well-being.

National Doctors Day 2024: Celebrations

National Doctors Day is commemorated by honouring and appreciating medical professionals by organising events and activities like seminars, award ceremonies, and public recognition programs at hospitals and healthcare organisations.

Moreover, patients and families participate by sending cards, flowers, and messages of thanks to express their gratitude and make it memorable for the doctors. Social media campaigns and awareness drives are also conducted on this day.
Munawar Faruqui recently took to Instagram to share glimpses of his Dubai trip through a carousel of photos. The stand-up comedian, who was in the city for a show, documented his days spent exploring and performing.

In the first photo, Munawar is seen lounging comfortably on a couch, setting a relaxed tone for the rest of the series. The other photos include moments of tea time and breakfast, each highlighting the leisurely side of his trip. One of the standout photos captures Munawar delivering a speech to a packed audience during his show. The carousel ends with a heartwarming photo of Munawar and his wife, Mehjabeen, standing with their backs to the camera, taking in the stunning Dubai skyline. It was the first time that Munawar tagged Mehzabeen Coatwala in a photo.

Meanwhile, weeks after reports of Munawar Faruquis second marriage with Mehzabeen Coatwala made headlines, his Bigg Boss 17 co-contestant Firoza Khan aka Khanzaadi has made a shocking comment. In a recent interview, Khanzaadi shared that she does not believe Munawar has married for the second time and added that she will not accept it unless the stand-up comedian himself issues a statement.

Yes, I got to know about the reports of his wedding. I am actually still not sure. I dont think that he (Munawar Faruqui) is married. Jab tak woh khud nahi bolta hai tab tak main nahi manane wali (Unless and until he himself confirms it, I will not believe that he is married), Khanzaadi told Telly Talk as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Reportedly, Munawar Faruqui married Mehzabeen Coatwala on May 26, 2024, in a close-knit affair which was attended by only their family members. Even though the comedian did not issue any official statement announcing his wedding, photos of the couple surfaced on social media in which they were seen cutting a cake together. Munawar sported a white shirt with brown pants. On the other hand, Mehzabeen looked prettiest in a purple sharara suit. It was said that the picture was from their secret wedding.
Sanjeeda Shaikh has been a popular name in the Indian television industry for long. Recently, she once again proved her mantle as an actor with her stellar performance as Waheeda in Sanjay Leela Bhansalis debut OTT series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. The actress who also likes to keep her fans updated on social media has set the internet on fire with her latest pictures.

On Sunday, Sanjeeda took to her Instagram handle and shared a couple of pictures. In the first snap, Sanjeeda can be seen standing inside a swimming pool, sporting a Pink and Green swimsuit, while sipping something from a cup. Meanwhile, the second picture captures Sanjeeda smiling. While the post was without any captions, the Heeramandi actresss outfit truly sizzled the internet.

Take a look:

Sanjeedas character in Heeramandi is one of the most complex, having been deceived by both her family and fate. Since the series started streaming on Netflix, the audience could not help but praise the actresss nuanced performance. In a recent podcast, Sanjeeda revealed that she had not auditioned for the role of Waheeda.

In conversation with Filmygyan, Sanjeeda Shaikh said that she was aware that Sanjay Leela Bhansali was making a show called Heeramandi, and she had a meeting with him. She stated, It was a brief meeting of 10 minutes, and sir mujhse 10- 15 saal pehle mil chuke the, I thought he would not remember about the meeting, but he did, and he was like, You are looking better, looking fresher, and looking happier. And then he asked me not to tell anyone about this meeting. The actress stated that she went home hoping that she would get the role.

Sanjeeda recalled, There was no auditionSir did not audition, he just called for a look test after 3 4 months of the meeting. She added that when she went for the look test the team started doing prosthetics because the character had a scar on her face, which made her feel like,  wow this is getting intense. She further tried different outfits, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali was taking the look test himself. He asked her to do various elements for her character. The actress stated, I was doing everything, and suddenly he said, Ye hai meri Waheeda.

Heeramandi is set in the 1940s against the backdrop of the struggle for independence. It looks at the cultural reality of a major district in pre-partition India through the eyes of courtesans and nawabs. The series stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Sharmin Segal. The star cast also included Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman. The series premiered on Netflix on May 1.
Triptii Dimri is making heads turn and how! At the recent trailer launch event of her upcoming film Bad Newz, the actress glammed up in a sequin little black dress and looked all things charming and elegant. She recently dropped a bundle of photos flaunting her curves on her Instagram handle.

Have a look at the photos:

Fans couldnt stop gushing over her look. One of them took to the comments section and wrote, Beauty is power and a smile its sword, piercing through everyones heart. You are beautiful , read another one. Another comment read, Too Hot to Handle.

Earlier this week, the makers unveiled the highly anticipated trailer of Bad Newz. The trailer surely promises that the film will be a roller coaster ride with the perfect blend of laughter and emotions. In the trailer, Triptii first meets Vicky Kaushals character, and they quickly fall in love. She soon reveals that shes expecting a baby, but shes unsure if Vicky is the father.

Later, Ammy Virks character enters the picture, and she falls in love with him too. She then discovers that the baby might be his as well. The chaos intensifies when doctors suggest that due to a rare condition, both Vicky and Ammy could potentially be the father. The trio embarks on a journey to determine the babys true father, all while competing against each other to prove their claim.

The film comes from the makers of Good Newwz  which featured Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kiara Advani and Diljit Dosanjh  and promises the same fun and emotional journey.

The upcoming entertainer is being helmed by Bandish Bandits fame director Anand Tiwari. The film is a Dharma Productions venture. Last year, several photos of Vicky Kaushal and Triptii Dimri went viral when they were shooting in Croatia. In the pictures, Vicky Kaushal was seen holding Triptii close as they shot for a song. In one of the photos, the actor was also seen lifting the Animal star in his arms. The film will be released in theatres on July 19.
A Canadian couple Justin Stevenson and Danielle Daniels-Stevenson had a shocking encounter on May 14 when they reportedly witnessed unidentified flying objects (UFOs) hovering over the Winnipeg River in Fort Alexander, Manitoba. While driving, they spotted two sun-like objects in the sky, leading Justin to stop the car while his wife captured the strange scene on video. The footage shows the sun-like objects hanging in the air without making noise. While they were recording, two more lights appeared out of nowhere, leaving them more confused. The two-minute clip captures the couples shocked reaction as they sit in their vehicle, trying to figure out what they were witnessing.

In the clip, the man can be heard saying, Were looking at something here, I dont know what that is. Is that a plane or what that is? Were in the Northshore, were trying to figure what that is. Its like fire in the sky or something. Are they going farther away or closer? It was brighter. Two bright lights above the tree line. Oh, theres another one, what the f*** is that? I think were seeing some aliens, for real."

Reacting to the clip, a user wondered, Could it be army training?"

Another shared, Wonder if its government UFOs or the OG ones."

We used to see this stuff too around my area. It was a long time though. Whatever it is, it hasnt stopped coming around," a comment read.

Another wrote, Oh my word. What is that? Pretty scary."

An individual shared, Last week something similar followed us on the highway and hovered over my truck for about 5 minutes while driving my passengers saw it. It was intense."

One more suggested, Flares, seen them before. Army doing army stuff."

According to the New York Post, Justin Stevenson feels that the flying objects he and his wife saw were not from Earth. He shared, It felt like we were in a sci-fi movie. They were super bright like a fire in the sky. I was skeptical before I saw this but now this has given me the proof I need that theres something out there other than humans."

Since the couple shared the video on Facebook, it has garnered more than 78,000 views.
North Korea denounced on Sunday joint military drills by South Korea, Japan and the United States, calling them an Asian version of NATO and warning of fatal consequences.

It comes a day after the allies wrapped up three-day exercises, dubbed Freedom Edge, in ballistic missile and air defences, anti-submarine warfare and defensive cyber training.

US, South Korean and Japanese leaders agreed at a trilateral summit last year to conduct annual drills as a sign of unity in the face of North Koreas nuclear threats and Chinas rising regional influence.

We strongly denounce provocative military muscle-flexing against the DPRK, Pyongyangs foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency Sunday, referring to the Norths official name.

The US-Japan-ROK relations have taken on the full-fledged appearance of an Asian-version NATO, it said, warning of fatal consequences. The DPRK will never overlook the moves of the US and its followers to strengthen the military bloc.

The latest joint drills involved Washingtons nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, Tokyos guided-missile destroyer JS Atago, and Seouls KF-16 fighter jet. Pyongyang has always decried similar combined exercises as rehearsals for an invasion.

The two Koreas have meanwhile been caught in a tit-for-tat balloon campaign in recent weeks, with Pyongyang sending trash-filled balloons southwards in retaliation to similar missives sent northwards from the South carrying pro-Seoul propaganda.

South Korea has also grown anxious over the Norths warming relations with its isolated neighbour Russia. North Korea is accused of breaching arms control measures by supplying weapons to Russia to use in its war in Ukraine, and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang this month in a show of unity.
A plane bearing a banner displaying the sign BI-DONE! flew over a high-profile fundraiser in New York on Saturday, where US President Joe Biden sought to shore up support among Democratic donors following a lackluster debate performance against Donald Trump.

The aircraft, sponsored by a local Republican donor, flew from Montauk to Sag Harbor, passing over the lavish event hosted by a hedge-fund billionaire, according to the New York Post. On Saturday, Biden embarked on a series of fundraising events across two states as he works to stamp out a crisis of confidence in his re-election campaign following a feeble debate performance that dismayed his fellow Democrats.

READ MORE: Watch: Biden, 81, Stumbles During US Presidential Debate; Trump Mocks Him For Rambling Answers

Biden loses train of thought, stumbles on words for 30 seconds during debate with Trump.Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/KGo96yupzM  AF Post (@AFpost) June 28, 2024

The events are being held as many nervous Democratic donors are lamenting Bidens weak showing against Republican rival Donald Trump on Thursday night and wondering what, if anything, they could do to change the course of the race, according to interviews with more than a dozen Democratic fundraisers.

Biden and First Lady Jill Biden visited the upscale New York beach enclave known as the Hamptons for a campaign fundraiser hosted by hedge-fund billionaire Barry Rosentein. Later in the day, he will travel to New Jersey for a fundraiser hosted by wealthy New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat.

Didnt have a great night

I understand the concern about the debate. I didnt have a great night, Biden told the room of about 100 supporters gathered in the Hamptons. The point is I didnt have a great night, but neither did Trump. He added, I promise you were going to win this election. Another hedge-fund founder, Eric Mindich, and his Tony Award-winning producer wife Stacey, celebrity couple Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, and actor Michael J. Fox were all listed as members of the host committee at the New York event, according to an invitation seen by Reuters.

Biden told a rally in North Carolina on Friday he intended to defeat Republican rival Donald Trump in the November presidential election, giving no sign he would heed calls from Democrats who want him to drop out of the race. The race is very close, according to polls, and will likely come down to voters in a few battleground states. Bidens verbal stumbles and occasionally meandering responses during the debate heightened voter concerns that the 81-year-old might not be fit to serve another four-year term. Trump, meanwhile, unleashed a barrage of criticisms.

The Biden campaign on Saturday boasted it had raised more than $27 million between debate day through Friday evening, but questions remain about whether the debate performance will hurt fundraising, at least in the short term. The donor class is being closely watched for signs of whether he can ride out the doubts. Biden held a $100 million advantage over Trump just a couple of months ago, but the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee entered June with $212 million in the bank, compared with $235 million for the Trump operation and the Republican National Committee.

Dont Run?

Many top donors called political advisers in recent days to inquire about little-known rules under which Biden might be removed from the ticket against his will and replaced at or before the Democratic National Convention in August, according to two people who fielded the inquiries. Some donors were actively trying to reach Jill Biden, the first lady, who in turn could persuade her husband not to run, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

Reid Hoffman, a co-founder of LinkedIn and one of the Democratic Partys most influential donors, wrote in an email to friends on Friday evening that he had been inundated. I got a lot of emails in the last 24 hours asking whether there should be a public campaign to pressure President Biden to step aside after his (very) bad debate performance last night, he wrote in the email. It certainly delivered a blow to the mood among donors and organizers.

(With agency inputs)
There are certain words and phrases in the Ukrainian language that true Ukrainians can understand and that the enemy will not understand without proper training. Our language is rich and melodious, so it's worth regularly adding interesting lexical items to your vocabulary.

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Linguists have compiled a list of words that can lead the enemy into a dead end. Read the OBOZ.UA article to find out which lexemes have no equivalents in Russian at all.

A unique feature of the Ukrainian language is the formation of names of places and objects. For example, there is no one-word Russian equivalent of the Ukrainian word "knyharnya" (bookstore), you can only say "knizny magazin". Similar word forms with the endings -arnia or -yarnya are used to form the names of certain shops and establishments:

vynarnya - wine shop;

brovarnya - a beer factory;

syrovarnya - a cheese factory.

In Ukrainian, there is a nice-sounding word called vyriy, which is the name of a place where birds fly away. The enemy will not understand, and is unlikely to be able to pronounce this word without an accent. There is no analog for vyriy in Russian. They say that birds fly to warm lands.

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Words like railroad and chessboard are also authentic. It is also not easy to find a Ukrainian equivalent to the word "nivroku" (not bad). Alternatively, you can say "nichego sebe" or "neploho".

The Russians will never win because they don't even have a one word for it (win - pobeda, a single verb is non-existent there - pobedyu? pobezhu?). The Ukrainian word for " I win" - "peremozhu" is two Russian words "oderzhu pobedu".

Often, for one Russian word, you can find many of our equivalents:

"boltat'" (to chat) - balakaty, homonity, hutoryty, patyakaty; motlyaty, telipaty;

"vklyuchat" (to include/turn on) - zavodyty, vklyuchaty; zarakhovuvaty; vmykaty;

"maslo" (butter; oil; lubricant) - maslo (vershkove); oliya; mastylo:

"otkryvat''" (to open) - vidchynyaty (a door, a window); vidkryvaty (gather); vynakhodyty (new means of treatment); rozplyushchuvaty (eyes); rozhortaty (book); vidkorkovuvaty (a bottle);

"razoytis', razhoditsya" (disperse) - roziytys, rozkhodytys; roztsuratys, rozsvarytys; riznytys; ne pohodzhuvatysya; rozpalytysya; rozsokhnutys; rozmynutys

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The enemy is unlikely to understand the meaning of the words confuse, hint, benefactor, artist, and hoop.

Today, researchers say that the Soviet government committed a real linguistic crime by "repressing" Ukrainian words that had been used in everyday life and literature for centuries.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met Qatars Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Doha and the two leaders reviewed bilateral relationship, with a focus on political, trade, investment, energy, technology, culture and people-to-people ties.

Jaishankar, who arrived in the Gulf country on a day-long visit, also exchanged views on regional and global issues with Mohammed, who also holds the portfolio as Foreign Minister.

Delighted to meet PM and FM of Qatar @MBA_AlThani_ in Doha this afternoon. Conveyed the greetings and warm wishes of PM @narendramodi to H.H. The Amir and him, Jaishankar said in a post in X.

Reviewed our bilateral relationship focusing on political, trade, investment, energy, technology, culture and people-to-people ties. Exchanged views on regional and global issues. Appreciate his sharing insights on the Gaza situation, he said.

Look forward to the further enhancement of India-Qatar relations and continued dialogue on issues of mutual interest, he added.

During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed the cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them, in addition to several issues of common interest, the state-owned Qatar News Agency reported.

Jaishankars visit comes four-and-half months after Qatar released eight former Indian Navy personnel, who were sentenced to death after being arrested in August 2022.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar was received at the airport by Chief of Protocol Ibrahim Fakhroo.

The visit would enable both sides to review various aspects of bilateral relations, including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural and people-to-people as well as the regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in New Delhi on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Qatar from February 14 to 15 and held discussions with Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

India and Qatar share historic and friendly relations which are marked by regular exchange of high-level visits, the MEA said.

India-Qatar cooperation has been steadily growing in diverse sectors over the last few years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised Kuwaits new Hindi radio programme dubbed Namaste Kuwait during the first broadcast of Mann Ki Baat following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Highlighting the launch of a special programme on Kuwait National Radio, PM Modi expressed gratitude to the Kuwaiti government and its people for embracing Indian culture through this weekly half-hour broadcast on Kuwait Radio.

Kuwait government has started a special program on its National Radio and that too in Hindi I thank the government of Kuwait and the people there from the core of my heart for taking this wonderful initiative, says PM @narendramodi during #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/cWDZ8nmLMt PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 30, 2024

Wonderful initiative

Kuwait government has started a special program on its National Radio and that too in Hindi I thank the government of Kuwait and the people there from the core of my heart for taking this wonderful initiative, the prime minister said in a post on X after the 111th episode of Mann Ki Baat.

In his speech, PM Modi noted the programmes popularity among the Indian community in Kuwait, attributing it to the vibrant portrayal of Indian films and discussions on the arts. He also mentioned growing interest among Kuwaiti locals as he underlined the programmes role in fostering cultural exchange between the two nations.

Delhi: The Kuwait government has started a special program on its National Radio and that too in Hindi. It is broadcast every Sunday for half an hour on Kuwait Radio. It includes different colours of Indian culture. Our films and discussions on the art world are very popular pic.twitter.com/yQ7wKS13S0 IANS (@ians_india) June 30, 2024

The Indian mission in the country also expressed gratitude to Kuwaits Ministry of Information for starting Namaste Kuwait. PM Narendra Modi in his #MannKiBaat lauded the initiative of Kuwait Government for starting Namaste Kuwait  a Hindi language programme on #KuwaitNationalRadio every Sunday. Embassy conveys its gratitude to Ministry of Information of Kuwait in this regard, the Indian embassy said in a post.

India and Kuwait enjoy traditionally friendly relations, which are rooted in history and have stood the test of time. The Indian community with a strength of over 1 million is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait and is regarded as the community of first preference among the expatriate communities. The Indian Business Community in Kuwait has carved a niche in the Kuwaiti market in retail as well as distributorship. Many of the business houses have been present in Kuwait for two to three generations.
A day after Joe Bidens dismal showing at the first presidential debate against Donald Trump, leading US media outlets have commented that the incumbent US President should leave the race for the White House for the future of American democracy and prevent a second innings for his Republican rival.

Biden, seeking a second term in the White House, stumbled and fumbled during the televised presidential debate with his predecessor Trump on Thursday night in Atlanta, setting off alarm bells among top Democrats about whether the 81-year-old president can stay atop the gruelling months ahead of the elections on November 5.

The 78-year-old Trump, who is the presumptive Republican Party candidate for the presidential election, clashed right from the start with Biden and by the end of the 90 minutes debate, gave enough fodder for serious editorials and opinions as well as memes on social media.

The New York Times Editorial Board on Friday went on to say how President Biden has repeatedly and rightfully described the stakes in this Novembers presidential election as nothing less than the future of American democracy and how Trump has proved himself to be a significant jeopardy to that democracy and someone who has systematically attempted to undermine the integrity of elections. Mr. Biden has been an admirable president. Under his leadership, the nation has prospered and begun to address a range of long-term challenges, and the wounds ripped open by Mr. Trump have begun to heal. But the greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election, it said.

The Washington Post editorial, How Biden and the Democrats should think through what to do now said its incumbent on this incumbent (President Biden) to determine, whether continuing to seek re-election is in the best interests of the country as it continued: Former president Donald Trump proved emphatically on Thursday why preventing another Trump presidency is the paramount consideration. The Los Angeles Times editorial For the sake of the nation, Biden must reassure Americans he is up to a second term presented a gloomy picture but with a ray of hope.

If all one was confronted with was a transcript of the debate, Bidens performance would look better. He effectively confronted Trump on the former presidents complicity in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and scored several policy points. Alas, for many viewers, especially those who dont follow politics carefully, that mattered less than the fact that Biden confirmed Trumps caricature of Sleepy Joe, it said.

But it also added: Nor, despite the visible jitters of many Democrats, does the disappointing debate performance mean that Biden should step aside from running for reelection  a scenario fraught with its own problems for the Democratic Party. However, it does mean that the president has to reassure Americans who might now have doubts about his fitness for another term. The Chicago Tribunes editorial titled As America sank into the couch, Joe Biden and Donald Trump combined for a depressing farce. Enough. was the most uncharitable as it said, defend the honour and service of the man. But to pretend he (Biden) is the partys best choice for four more years? For a party that loves to accuse Republicans of mendacity, its pretty rich. Biden, if weve not made that clear, should announce that he will be a single-term president who now has seen the light when it comes to his own capabilities in the face of the singular demands of being the president of the United States. He can do so with honour, but he is the only person who can do so. Certainly, his family can help. But, again, he is the only one, it asserted.

The Wall Street Journal started by saying the Trump-Biden debate was painfulfor the United States. President Bidens halting, stumbling debate performance Thursday night showed all too clearly that he isnt up to serving four more years in office. For the good of the country, more even than their party, Democrats have some hard thinking to do about whether they need to replace him at the top of their ticket, were its scathing remarks only to be added with a disclaimer: This isnt a partisan thought; its a patriotic one. No one spared Trump either.

Apart from pointing out how Trump repeated and brazenly lied about so many things, The New York Times editorial did not forget to point out how he refused to promise that he would accept defeat, returning instead to the kind of rhetoric that incited the January 6 attack on Congress. But it also had a word of advice for the Democrats: There is no reason for the party to risk the stability and security of the country by forcing voters to choose between Mr. Trumps deficiencies and those of Mr. Biden. Its too big a bet to simply hope Americans will overlook or discount Mr. Bidens age and infirmity that they see with their own eyes. The Washington Post editorial said, Mr. Biden bowing out would not guarantee a Democratic victory in November. History does not provide any precise precedents and took to examples from the past, way back from 1952 and 1968, when the then Republican challengers prevailed after the then incumbent presidents opted out not to seek re-election.

The editorials had all but warnings for a danger supposedly clear and present.

The Los Angeles Times said, For the rest of the campaign, Biden needs to do more  and not just on the debate stage  to defend his record in the authoritative way he did at this years State of the Union address. The stakes for the nation are too high. The warning by the NYT was even clearer.

If he (Trump) is returned to office, he has vowed to be a different kind of president, unrestrained by the checks on power built into the American political system, the NYT Editorial Board warned about Trump and later added: If the race comes down to a choice between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, the sitting president would be this boards unequivocal pick. That is how much of a danger Mr. Trump poses.
Prince Harry fears bringing his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two young kids, Archie and Lilibet to the UK. The Duke of Sussex discussed his concerns about bringing his family to his home country in a recent podcast with Cameron Walker and Digital Editor Svar Nanan-Sen.

Prince Harry, 39, no longer has police protection in the UK after stepping down as a royal in 2020. The Duke of Sussex fighting for taxpayer-funded security when he visits the UK.

GB Newss royal correspondent Cameron Walker hinted that Harry is hesitant to bring his children to the UK due to the lack of taxpayer-funded protection.

He doesnt feel his family is safe when theyre in the UK because they do not have police protection officers with the Metropolitan Police with him. So perhaps that is the main reason why Prince Harry isnt bringing Meghan and Archie and Lilibet over to the UK because he cant guarantee, he would say he cant guarantee their safety, Walker said.

Svar Nanan-Sen also reminisced how Meghan Markle spoke about the fear she had in terms of her familys safety very openly and quite emotionally in the Netflix documentary series.

You can see how passionately Harry feels about that and how important of an issue it is to him. He suffered a couple of court defeats now and hes still fighting his way, plus hes got another appeal coming up, Nanan-Sen added.

Nanan-Sen indicated that the issue of safety was of great concern to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Seventy years ago, as the post-World War era sought a new framework for international relations towards peace and harmony, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, also known as the Panchsheel, emerged as a beacon of hope.

Formally outlined in 1954, these Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence were articulated during an Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between the Tibet region of China and India. These principles formed part of the legacy of the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his Chinese counterpart Zhou Enlai in their unsuccessful quest to find a solution to the vexed boundary issue that affects India-China ties to date.

What are the Panchsheel principles?

Mutual respect for each others territorial integrity and sovereignty,

Mutual non-aggression,

Mutual non-interference,

Equality and mutual benefit, and

Peaceful co-existence.

Bandung Conference

In a Joint Statement in June 1954, Zhou Enlai and Jawaharlal Nehru elaborated on Panchsheel, hoping not only to shape bilateral relations but also to serve as a foundational framework for international peace and security. This vision gained international recognition when Panchsheel was included in the Ten Principles of International Peace and Cooperation at the Bandung Conference in April 1955, attended by Afro-Asian countries.

Panchsheels universality was underlined by its incorporation into a United Nations General Assembly resolution on peaceful co-existence in December 1957. Subsequently, in 1961, it became a core principle of the Non-Aligned Movement during the Belgrade Conference. Over the decades, Panchsheels ethos continued to influence global events, resonating in the stance of developing countries during the North-South dialogue and other international forums.

What Nehru Said

Nehrus belief in Panchsheels enduring value was evident in his assertion that true equilibrium and stability demand the cessation of aggression, imperial domination, and interference in other nations affairs.

These principles are good not only to our two countries but for others as welleach country would have freedom to follow its own policy and work out its own destiny learning from others, cooperating with others, but basing itself essentially on its own genius, Nehru said while speaking at a banquet held in honour of then Chinese Premier in New Delhi on June 26, 1954.

A year later in the Lok Sabha on September 15, 1955, Nehru said, It is in no spirit of pride or arrogance that we pursue our own independent policy. We would not do otherwise unless we are false to everything India has stood for in the past and stands for today. We welcome association and friendship with all and the flow of thought and ideas of all kind, but we reserve the right to choose our own path. That is the essence of Panchsheel.

Referring in January 1958 to the UN Resolution on Co-existence adopted on December 11, 1957, Nehru further said, I do think it was a very considerable achievement for the United Nations, and for the world, to have passed such a declaration unanimously and accepted in substance those principles. The principles represent the approach of tolerance, of non-interference, of living ones life, learning from others but neither interfering nor being interfered with.
In Japan, where birth rates are low, it's not unusual to see local governments hosting matchmaking events to encourage people to hook up and start a family. Now, the country's capital is taking things a step further and launching a dating app, expected to be released this summer, reports the Japan Times. "Please use it as 'the first step' to begin marriage hunting," says the website for the app, which is managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, per CNN.

Stats: Japan's fertility rate has plummeted in recent years. Just under 728,000 births were logged in the nation of nearly 124 million people, per Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. Meanwhile, there were 1.6 million deathsdouble the number of births. The fertility rate, which signifies the total number of births a woman experiences over her lifetime, fell to 1.20, from its previous 1.26. For a country to stay stable, that fertility rate has to jump to 2.1.
Earlier this year, federal authorities announced that a 43-year-old Utah man had been sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to hire a hit man online. What makes the case especially unusual are the particulars about Christopher Pence and his motives, as laid out in detail in New York magazine. For starters, Pence is a devout evangelical Christian, a Microsoft engineer, and the father of 16. Eleven of those 16 are his biological children with wife Michelle, and the other five were adopted from a young couple in Massachusetts. And it was that young coupleChristina and Francisco Corderothat Pence sought to have murdered. The reason? He and Michelle thought the Corderos weren't honoring their part of the adoption agreement that limited their contact with their five children. In Pence's view, "the Corderos had been pushing it," writes James D. Walsh.

Even as the Pences reached out to their pastor in Cedar City for advice, Christopher was exploring other options on the dark web. He came across a murder-for-hire siteit was actually a scam run out of Romaniaand shelled out $16,000 in bitcoin for the double hit. "I'm wondering if a mugging-gone-wrong might be an option," Pence wrote. "Or maybe you have another suggestion?" The Corderos were never harmed. Acting on information turned over to them by a British hacker, the FBI raided the Pence residence and arrested the "unfailingly polite" Christopher, writes Walsh. The story explores the backgrounds of both couplesincluding the unusual initial transfer of custody of the five children while the Pences were on a family road tripas well as the arrest's aftermath. Michelle continues to raise all 16 children, but on her own now. Read the full story. (Or read other Longform recaps.)
Russian pilots are afraid to fly closer than fifty kilometers to the front line. Therefore, they launch their bombs from a considerable distance.

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As a result, this year alone, more than 100 such bombs failed to reach Ukraine and landed on Russian territory. Ivan Tymochko, Chairman of the Land Forces Reservists Council, spoke about this and the reasons behind it on the We Are Ukraine TV channel.

The fact that the Russian occupiers regularly drop the bombs on the territory of the Russian Federation by mistake is caused by a number of reasons, including technical ones.

"This year, as of today, it has been recorded that more than 100 such bombs have fallen on the territory of Russia, in particular in the Belgorod region and nearby. They do not reach our territory because they are not only inaccurate but also because the gliders are not always perfect, they do not always open. And then these bombs fall on Russian territory," Tymochko said.

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In his opinion, another reason is psychological: Russian pilots are afraid that their planes will be shot down by the Defense Forces if they fly too close to the front line.

"Despite the density of Russian aviation, they do not fly close to the front line because then their downing is almost guaranteed. Therefore, they try to launch the bombs from a distance of at least 50 kilometers from the front line. This causes a number of technical problems and affects the accuracy of targeting," said Tymochko.

The head of the Land Forces Reservists Council emphasized that despite this, the FABs have been and remain a serious threat. And they would have been even more dangerous if not for the "unqualified Russians".

"Of course, such bombs are very destructive, of course, they pose a danger, especially to the civilian population because their flight paths are very difficult to calculate. Unfortunately, the enemy has a lot of them. But, as we can see, the quality of these bombs is low. And we have to thank unqualified Russians and their haste because they are also in a hurry to remove these bombs from storage and use them now. And it is a burden on the industry. And the Russian industry, as we can see, does not always cope with the requests that are made. And this is a good thing for us," he said.

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President Biden worked to raise money and reassure donors on Saturday at a pair of big-money events in the Hamptons. The appearances follow a successful period of fundraising Thursday and Friday, CNBC reports, built around his debate against Donald Trumpa halting performance that has Democrats worried. The developments:

A record: The Biden campaign reported Saturday that it raised $27 million on Thursday and Friday. The hour after the debate ended was its best grassroots fundraising hour since Biden kicked off his reelection campaign, per the Hill. Trump's campaign reported collecting $8 million on the day of the debate.
Voter turnout in France on Sunday was running historically highreflecting the stakes and interest in elections that could weaken Emmanuel Macron's presidency and have major effects on domestic and foreign policy. All 577 seats in the lower and more critical house of Parliament are up for grabs. Macron has said he won't resign no matter the result, the New York Times reports, but a new majority of lawmakers aligned against the president would force him to name a political opponent as prime minister. At 5pm, the Interior Ministry said, turnout was more than 59%.

For the first time since the Nazi era, a nationalist, far-right parties could come into control of the government. Macron and his centrist alliance, Together for the Republic, also face a threat from a new coalition on the left, per the AP. The New Popular Front includes the French Socialists and Communists, the greens, and the hard-left France Unbowed party. The allies want to toss Macron's pension changes that raised the retirement age to 64. A possible outcome is that no clear majority emerges, which could put France in for months of deadlock and turmoil. Macron, who gambled by calling this vote after the far right's success in European Parliament elections, will not be able to call another for a year.

The second round of French voting will be July 7. Few of the 577 races are likely to be settled in the first round, per the Washington Post. So although it will be a week or so before the nation knows whether the far-right National Rally has enough seats to form a government and install Jordan Bardella as prime minister, the first round will give an indication of the extent to which voters will boost populists on the right and radicals on the left at the expense of Macron's centrists. Official results will be released throughout Sunday night. Independent projections, which the Times notes are usually reliable, will start coming in mid-evening, which is mid-afternoon Eastern time. (More French elections stories.)
Female suicide bombers targeted a wedding, a funeral, and a hospital in coordinated attacks in northern Nigeria that killed at least 18 people, local authorities said Sunday. The first bomber detonated during a marriage celebration in the northeastern town of Gwoza, Barkindo Saidu, director-general of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, told reporters. "Minutes later, another blast occurred near General Hospital," Saidu said, and the third bomber at the funeral service was disguised as a mourner. Children and pregnant women were among those killed, the AP reports. At least 30 others were wounded, and Saidu said injuries included abdominal ruptures and skull fractures.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the the attacks. Borno state has been heavily affected by the insurgency launched in 2009 by the Boko Haram Islamic extremist group. In the past, Boko Haram has used women and girls in suicide bombings, prompting suspicions that some attackers come from the many thousands of people the extremists have kidnapped over the years, including schoolchildren. The insurgency, which has spilled across borders around Lake Chad, has killed over 35,000 people, displaced over 2.6 million and created a massive humanitarian crisis. Boko Haram, with one branch allied to the Islamic State group, wants to install an Islamic state in Nigeria, West Africa's oil giant of 170 million people divided almost equally between a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north. Authorities imposed a curfew in Gwoza, which is close to Chibok, where 276 schoolgirls were abducted in 2014. Nearly 100 of the girls are still in captivity.

(More Nigeria stories.)
A handful of US military bases in Europe are on a heightened state of alert over new fears of a terrorist attack. Among the installations is the Army garrison in Stuttgart, Germany, where US European Command is headquartered. It was put on condition "Charlie" on Sunday. One military official said it's the highest threat level "in at least 10 years," CNN reports. Army guidance says that alert level "applies when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating some form of terrorist action or targeting against personnel or facilities is likely."
One of the grooms from the first season of Three's Married at First Sight New Zealand has died.

Andrew Jury, 33, who was a builder in Auckland, took part in the Kiwi premiere of the popular show in 2017 when he was 26 years old.



His fellow former contestant Benjamin Blackwell announced his death on Instagram in a joint statement.
On a fine June day, she stands alone in the Auckland Domain, basking in the winter sun, soaking up what could be her final weeks in her adopted home, her safe haven.



But Masters still can't escape her biggest fear: it plays heavily and constantly on her mind.

"I used to be most fearful that my daughter would be shot and killed by my ex-husband, but I am more fearful if he doesn't - because he will torture her like he did me," she told Newshub.

Masters fled the US for Auckland with her young daughter Fayth in late 2019, leaving behind an abusive man and marriage, she said.

"I Googled safe places for women. New Zealand came up".

And was it what she hoped for?

"I just got goosebumps because it was immediate freedom," she smiled.

But five years on, that freedom is nearly over. She's being deported back to the US; she must return her daughter.

She can't understand why.

Masters told Newshub her ex-war veteran husband isn't the biological father of her daughter - she used a sperm donor and has the paperwork to prove it.

"I was successful, I didn't need him, and I wanted a child. I was able to go to the doctor and conceive her on my birthday. It was a gift," she said.

But this is where it gets tricky. She said when Fayth was born, her ex put his name on the birth certificate, while Masters was being tended to by doctors.

So, when the couple officially divorced, he was given visitation rights. She was terrified.

"I had already turned in his AR-15 with thousands of bullets to police, [plus] shotguns and pistols. I knew what would happen. I knew he would kill my daughter. Where could I go? How could I keep her safe? I can't protect her from bullets," she said, her voice breaking.

It was at that point she packed a couple of suitcases and fled to New Zealand.

Before long, she got a job at Auckland University as a top animal lab scientist. She also moved into a home in Mt Roskill, and immersed herself in the local Christian community.

For two-and-a-half years, life for mum and daughter was safe and secure, total bliss.

But in June 2022 - when she had nearly secured her work-to-resident visa - she and her daughter were served the deportation papers.

"I remember my ex-husband saying: 'if you ever leave me, there is nowhere on Earth I won't hunt you down'," she said.

Newshub has seen court documents where she alleges he faked having post-traumatic stress disorder and had been physically abusive.

He argued he had made progress in therapy.

The deportation order meant she lost her well-paid job and her health benefits - and then her home.

She now has less than $10 in the bank.

And her legal fight to stay in New Zealand has so far failed, despite applying for a family violence visa, pleading with her local MP, and submitting strong recommendations from her work.

Mum and daughter have to be gone by September, broke and broken.

"We give so much to New Zealand and believe me New Zealand gives back. We are an asset to the country," she said.

Green Party immigration spokesperson Ricardo Menendez-March told Newshub the situation is heartbreaking and wrong, and he has a message for the Government.

"We have two key messages," he said. "Fix the family violence visa so we don't have situations like this again. Secondly, intervene so we have a strong message that we are going to be supporting victims of family violence," he said.

Newshub asked Immigration Minister Erica Stanford for her response.

We were referred to her Associate Minister Chris Penk, who in a statement said: "The Immigration Act does provide for ministerial intervention as a last resort to migrants who have exhausted all other options. No formal request for ministerial interventions has been received to date in this case."

In response, Masters said she did explore this option.

But after Immigration had denied her so many times, she felt too insignificant to ask for ministerial intervention. Now, she's decided to try again, saying it could be the difference between life or death.
Contact will build a 100MW grid-scale battery at Glenbrook, rural South Auckland.

In an announcement to the NZX, Contact said the development will provide the company and the market with an important source of renewable electricity flexibility, and ultimately reduce reliance on traditional fuel sources as the company transitions to a low-carbon future.

The Glenbrook location was chosen because of its proximity to the NZ Steel plant and Transpower's grid connection point.

Tesla will supply its Megapack 2 XL battery energy storage system and will provide long-term maintenance at the facility.

The agreement also includes a provision to expand the capacity to 130MW over time.

Construction is expected to start immediately, costing $163m2 and is scheduled to be online early-2026.

"With the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter now confirmed to stay for the long-term, providing improved market certainty, Contact is advancing its plans for investment in new intermittent renewable generation across New Zealand," the company said in the NZX announcement.

"The battery will support new wind and solar on an intra-day and intra-week basis and ultimately reduce reliance on gas peakers as Contact transitions to a low-carbon future."
Defence Minister Judith Collins is heading to Tonga for three days for the opening of an Armed Forces Leadership centre.

The $6.5 million centre, partly funded by New Zealand's Defence Force and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be opened by King Tupou VI on Tuesday, providing a programme adapted from the New Zealand Pacific Leadership model.

"New Zealand has a long, shared military history with Tonga and the development of this leadership centre is an excellent example of that partnership in action," she said in a statement.

"This type of partnership is important as the Pacific is our home and we all benefit from sharing knowledge and working together to support a secure, stable and prosperous region."

Departing on Monday, Collins will also meet with ministerial counterparts "to discuss regional challenges and opportunities in advance of the South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting in Auckland later this year".

She will also visit the Tongan National Disaster Risk Management Office to hear about NZDF's role in humanitarian and disaster relief and training, and travel to a Tongan army camp, before returning to New Zealand on Wednesday.

RNZ
"Efforts to expand the scheme by 100 per cent (i.e. from 800 up to 1600) during the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic had been the greatest challenge for the NZDF," it said.

Struggling to fill those new spots, the Ministry of Social Development began referring trainees who previously would not have been deemed "physically and mentally fit" for the course, the briefing said.

In 2022/23, as many as 60 percent of the intake were deemed to have complex needs. The number of physical assaults on staff increased, resulting in a blow to morale, wellbeing and retention.

Ten NZDF staff suffered "serious mental harm including several cases of suicidal ideation", the memo said.

"From this experience, it is clear that NZDF staff are not trained to deal with more than 50 per cent trainee complexity before suffering serious harm."

The Ministry of Social Development and NZDF were working together to resolve the situation "as a matter of urgency", the briefing said.

Defence Minister Judith Collins told RNZ she had been advised that work was continuing and she was not worried about the state of the programme.

"There is now a more robust system in place since [a memorandum of understanding] was signed between the two agencies late last year, which has seen an increase in social workers assigned, and a more robust trainee selection process."

During last year's election campaign, National leader Christopher Luxon described LSV as "the programme National has modelled our boot camps for serious young offenders around".

In its briefing, NZDF also provided advice on the development of the boot camp scheme, but nearly all of it has been redacted.

NZDF: Minister's comments could cause 'public misunderstanding'

In a separate email to Collins in March, NZDF cautioned the government against overstating the military's involvement in the proposed boot camps and said the policy was "not comparable" to the Limited Service Volunteer course.

National MPs have repeatedly rebuffed criticism that boot camps are ineffective by pointing to the purported success of the Limited Service Volunteer scheme.

Appearing on RNZ's Morning Report on 6 March, Police Minister Mark Mitchell heaped praise on the scheme and said the proposed youth academies were "exactly the same thing".

"The LSV's hugely successful. If you extrapolate that out over 12 months, I think we've got a really good fighting chance of making a really positive influence in these young people," he said.

In an email to Collins later that morning, an advisor to the Defence Force chief stressed it was "not accurate" to suggest the boot camps would be extended LSV programmes.

"The [Youth Offender Military Academies] are not comparable with the LSV programme," the advisor said.

The email listed major differences between the schemes: the LSV course was a short-term volunteer programme for young adults, aged 18 to 24, with the goal of gaining employment.

In contrast, the youth military academies were then expected to be year-long custodial sentences for children, aged 14 to 17, following serious criminal offending.

Youth academies would have vastly different needs and security than LSV given the much more complex cohort of participants, the email said.

The advisor also noted that the Defence Force was assisting with the policy at a governance level only, not staffing facilities or delivering programmes.

"The minister's comments about the success of the LSV course could lead to public misunderstanding about the nature and extent of NZDF's role in [Youth Offender Military Academies]."

A spokesperson for Mitchell referred questions to Minister for Children Karen Chhour.

As recently as last week, Chhour also pointed to the LSV programme's success as evidence to support the boot camps, in response to queries from Te Ao Maori News.

Chhour told RNZ the government knew from the start that its policy was not going to be exactly the same as LSV, but it had learnt from how it had been run.

"I've been advised that planning for the military style academy pilot has looked at what parts of LSV programme could be relevant, have been shown to have success and could be applied to the pilot."

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told RNZ that the two programmes were different but their "principles" were the same.

"Carrying on the way we are ... not innovating, not trying to make interventions in these young people's lives ... it isn't working."

Oranga Tamariki is due to trial a version of the boot camp policy in Palmerston North in late July with 10 young people already in youth justice facilities.

The young people would spend three months in residence, followed by nine months transitioning back into the community.

Where to get help:

Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.

Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357

Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.

Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202

Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)

Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@youthline.co.nz|

What's Up: free counselling for 5 to 19 years old, online chat 11am-10.30pm 7 days/week or free phone 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 11am-11pm

Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm or text 832 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and English.

Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254

Healthline: 0800 611 116

Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155

OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

RNZ
Russian propagandists boast online about the queues near the Kerch Bridge at the entrance to occupied Ukrainian Crimea. They claim that despite the regular "cotton", "thousands of Russians" are traveling to the peninsula to rest, and the beaches on its southern coast are allegedly already overcrowded.

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A video of the queues on the Crimean bridge was published by Russian media. According to the propagandists, the queue for "visits" to Crimea already takes more than three hours and "continues to grow."

The "informer" of the illegally constructed Kerch bridge claims that as of 14:00 (Kyiv and Kerch time), 810 vehicles are queuing on the Russian Taman side. The wait in line is "about three hours".

The propagandists also claim that "at least ten thousand" vehicles with tourists - logisticians and road workers - are allegedly heading to the Crimean bridge on June 30.

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According to them, there are allegedly "already a lot of tourists on the South Coast".

RosMedia also published a video from Massandra Beach in occupied Yalta, where Russian vehicles are seen near the beach.

At the same time, the beach itself, judging by these shots, can hardly be called crowded.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, on June 23, the Russian Space Surveillance and Communications Center, a military component of the satellite communications and navigation system that helped the enemy to target civilian targets in Ukraine, was hit in occupied Sevastopol.

Due to the operation of Russian air defense and the fall of fragments of Russian Tor anti-aircraft missiles, there were deaths and injuries on the beach in the village of Uchkuyivka near Sevastopol.

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The occupiers went into hysterics, accusing Ukraine of a terrorist attack, and the Russian Defense Ministry accused the United States of involvement in the strikes, as they were allegedly launched by ATACMS missiles programmed by American specialists. The US State Department called these accusations "ridiculous and hyperbolic."

And the Office of the President of Ukraine stated that Crimea is an occupied territory alien to Russia, where there are hostilities and a full-scale war, so there can be no "beaches," "tourist zones," or other fictitious signs of "peaceful life."

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The aggressor country Russia continues to manufacture combat aircraft, including Su-34/34M frontline fighter-bombers. These aircraft are carriers of guided aerial bombs, which Russians are actively using to attack the positions of the Ukrainian military and civilians.

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This was reported by military analyst and volunteer Taras Chmut on his page on the social network X. He noted that this month, the Russian Aerospace Forces received a second batch of aircraft (probably 2 sides), which were built at the Novosibirsk Chkalov Aircraft Plant.

In total, they produced:

- 7 prototypes and 5 pre-production aircraft;

- 126 production aircraft under contracts in 2010-20;

- 20  2022;

- 12  2023;

- 4 in 2024.

"And that's 160 production aircraft. There are no conclusions here, just numbers," Chmut wrote.

As a reminder, the Russian planes that strike Ukraine daily are based at airfields less than 200 kilometers from the border. However, Ukrainian defenders cannot destroy them because of a U.S. ban.

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This includes dozens of Su-34s that are regularly parked in the open air at the newly renovated Baltimore base in the Voronezh region.

Earlier, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces noted that the only way to fight enemy CABs is to destroy their carriers.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, in the first six months of 2024, the Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down more than 30 aircraft of the Russian occupation forces. Most of them were in Donbas. In particular, about 13 Su-34s were hit.

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

Following the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and in line with the Kingdom's presidency of the 33rd Arab Summit, Bahrain has expressed deep concern over the escalating military tensions on the Lebanon-Israel border.

In coordination with the Lebanese Republic, Bahrain emphasised the need to avoid further escalation and prevent the conflict from widening in the region, safeguarding the security of Lebanon. Moreover, the Kingdom stressed its commitment to achieving security, peace, and stability in the region.

Furthermore, Bahrain called for an immediate ceasefire between the two sides and for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, urging both countries to pursue peaceful solutions through dialogue to protect civilian lives and ensure the security and stability of the region.

Additionally, Bahrain expressed its support for the efforts of the US Special Envoy to Lebanon and the French Special Envoy to Lebanon in de-escalating tensions and achieving security and stability on the Lebanon-Israel border.

The Kingdom also called on the United Nations Security Council to urgently intervene and address the military clashes on the Lebanon-Israel border with due attention. Finally, the Kingdom urged the Council to issue an immediate ceasefire resolution to prevent the conflict from escalating, recognising the grave implications for regional and international security and stability.

It's worth noting that the situation between Lebanon and Israel is nearing the brink of a full-scale war as Hezbollah and the Israeli army are escalating their attacks against each other. This escalation has been fuelled by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The situation has prompted several countries, including Kuwait, to begin evacuating their citizens from Lebanon due to fears of a full-blown war.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Shura Council and Council of Representatives have reaffirmed the paramount role of parliamentary diplomacy in promoting peace and understanding to mark todays International Day of Parliamentarism.

This years theme, Parliamentary Diplomacy: Building Bridges for Peace and Understanding, resonated with the Kingdom of Bahrains enduring efforts to foster global cooperation and dialogue.

Legislators praised the royal vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, supported by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for positioning parliamentary diplomacy as a strategic partner in promoting peace and coexistence. This vision has enabled Bahrain to manifest its dedication to global understanding and showcase its rich cultural heritage.

Jamal Mohamed Fakhro, First Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council, emphasized the ongoing collaboration between the legislative authority and the government, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Progress and prosperity

This partnership aims to integrate efforts and unify objectives to achieve progress and prosperity for the Kingdom on all fronts.

He lauded the governments endeavors in strengthening Bahrains standing in foreign policy and international relations, constructing bridges of understanding and peace, in alignment with the goals of sustainable development.

Council of Representatives Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam highlighted the values enshrined in the National Action Charter (NAC) and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, which promote institutional democratic work and responsible freedom of opinion and expression.

These principles support international efforts to enhance security and peace worldwide.

Comprehensive support

Karima Al-Abbasi, Secretary-General of the Shura Council, affirmed the resolve of the General Secretariat to provide comprehensive support to members of the Shura Council.

This includes harnessing administrative, technical, and technological capabilities to enhance their readiness and efficiency in fulfilling their legislative responsibilities and advancing parliamentary diplomacy efforts.

This coordination and cooperation with various countries align with the aspirations of His Majesty The King by consolidating the contributions of the legislative authority in supporting cultural and comprehensive development plans.

Legislative renaissance

The Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and National Security of the Council of Representatives highlighted the significant legislative renaissance and development witnessed in Bahrain over the past twenty years.

This progress reflects the consistent support and attention the legislative authority receives from His Majesty the King.

The International Day of Parliamentarism was established in 2018 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution and is celebrated annually on June 30th, the date in 1889 when the IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union) was founded.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB) has announced plans to host the "Bahrain Banks Annual Reception" from October 25 to 27 in Washington, DC.

The event will feature a distinguished Bahraini delegation comprising leaders from the government and private financial and banking sectors, central bank governors, ministers of finance and development, senior private sector officials, academics, sovereign wealth fund managers, asset managers, hedge funds, insurance companies, and multinational corporations.

Mr. Adnan Yousef, Chairman of BAB, affirmed that the "Annual Reception for Bahrain's Banks" coincides with the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. The reception aims to highlight Bahrain's financial services sector and showcase the investment opportunities available in the market. The goal is to attract international institutions to establish their regional headquarters in Bahrain, supporting BABs ambitious vision to strengthen international ties and promote economic cooperation for sustainable development in the financial sector.

"This event is a significant occasion for bank leaders and influential figures in the financial services sector from Bahrain and the world to meet, in addition to identifying the advantages that Bahrain can offer as a gateway to the GCC countries and the region," Mr. Adnan said. "It also comes within the framework of efforts to promote investment advantages in the Kingdom in line with the government's policy of attracting more regional and global investments, I also express my appreciation for the great support received by the association from its active members, enabling it to move forward with the implementation of the strategy set by its board of directors."

Dr. Waheed Al Qassim, CEO of the Bahrain Association of Banks, pointed out that the main objective of this event is to highlight the leading role played by banks in the renaissance of the financial and banking services

sector, and to discuss the latest developments in the financial services industry, as well as the importance of cooperation and knowledge exchange to achieve development and innovation in the financial sector.

Dr. Al Qassim emphasized the significance of the annual World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund meetings, highlighting their role in fostering dialogue among member country officials through various formal and informal consultations. Additionally, several seminars are held in parallel with the meetings, including those organized by media personnel, as the Annual Meetings Seminar Program aims to encourage creative dialogue between delegates from the private sector, governments, and senior IMF and Bank staff.
Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said that Germany is too hesitant to provide military support to Ukraine. According to him, the German government was slow to make decisions when it came to important decisions on the supply of weapons.

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He also expressed confusion as to why Taurus missiles are not yet on the battlefield in Ukraine. He said this in an interview with the German TV channel n-tv.

According to him, German politicians have been discussing Leopard tanks for months, and now Germany is looking for excuses not to send Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Fogh Rasmussen emphasized that such an ambiguous position of Germany gives Russian dictator Vladimir Putin an additional incentive to continue the war. In addition, he said that due to such fluctuations, Chancellor Olaf Scholz will not become a chancellor of peace, but a "chancellor of eternal war."

"Therefore, I continue to urge Chancellor Scholz to approve the delivery of Taurus missiles as soon as possible. We must lift all restrictions on arms transfers. Both in terms of what weapons we supply and how they are used," said the former NATO Secretary General.

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As a reminder, Scholz said that Germany allows the Ukrainian Defense Forces to use German weapons to strike military targets in Russia to protect the Kharkiv region. However, Berlin will not be transferring long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv.

Earlier it was reported that Scholz strongly opposed an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. He said that without deep negotiations and a clear roadmap to a just and lasting peace, such a pause would only legitimize Russia's seizure of Ukrainian territories and create a new frozen conflict.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The Supreme Court overruled the Chevron Deference. This ruling has existed for 40 years. It was the courts letting regulatory agencies of the US government decide about ambiguous situations. The courts would decide about facts but let the agencies interpret many things.

The Agencies are not allowed to make things up as they go along. Congress creates laws and was letting the Executive Branch through agencies determine how to interpret things. Now, the judicial branch has taken back its power as interpreter of laws. If laws are unclear then either the judicial branch makes it clear or kicks it back to Congress to work and agree on clear laws. If Congress is unable to agree on some of the laws then there will be no law or regulation in those specific cases.

The Courts will interpret anything ambiguous or undefined or require Congress to specify. The agencies do not get primacy in these interpretations. Power and the work goes to the courts and Congress. Congress will have to do more work and get more detailed agreement on laws. Interpretation of the law will by the courts.

Electric vehicle regulations are most at risk.

Powerplant regulations are at risk.

Climate regulations that were poorly defined will go to the courts and to Congress.

Healthcare and labor laws, communication technology and many other areas are impacted.

Companies and US states can challenge poorly defined areas will enable clawing back power and pushing back on agencies.

The new situation is that the agencies still do everything explicitly authorized by Congress. However, the agencies and bureaucracy cannot go beyond explicit authorization of their own.

This means for self driving cars and driver assist then the Department of Transportation NHTSA cannot regulate driver assist and self driving cars without creating a standard for driver assist and self driving cars. The Congressional authorization is that the NHSTA must create the standard and then force compliance to that standard. The NHTSA has been lazy and has been giving itself authorization to just decide to regulate everything about cars even without creating the standards to inform companies what compliance is needed.

This is across all of the government where regulations were being made without getting that explicit authorization by Congress. The Environmental Protection Agency chose on its own to extend its pollution control authorization to include carbon dioxide.
The Supreme Court SEC decision took away the major method of penalizing those found to have committed fraud in the securities industry. Congress strengthened law in 2010 by authorizing the SEC to use independent administrative law judges to conduct hearings, to make factual findings, and to impose fines on those accused of securities fraud. Congress creation of administrative law judges violates the Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial. In the current system the accused do have the right to appeal in federal court, Roberts said that is not the same thing as having the right to be tried by a jury of ones peers in a courtroom supervised by a federal judge.

The decision will have a significant impact on the forum in which the SEC can enforce the statutes it administersin the agencys in-house administrative court, or in federal court before an Article III judge and a jury. The Court explained that if a suit is in the nature of an action at common law, then the matter presumptively concerns private rights, and adjudication by an Article III court is mandatory. The Court also emphasized that the form of relief the SEC sought in this casecivil penaltieswas all but dispositive on the issue of whether the Seventh Amendment applied because civil penalties are a type of remedy at common law that could only be enforced in courts of law. Thus, going forward, if the SEC seeks civil penalties on a claim that resembles a traditional common-law action, the SEC very likely must proceed only in federal court, not in the administrative court.

In the near term, the decision may have little impact on SEC enforcement because the agency hasnt pursued contested actions seeking penalties in its administrative forum.

But long term, requiring the SEC to bring enforcement actions in federal court will afford defendants access to independent judges and juries, the rules of evidence and civil procedure, and other procedural protections.

The Courts decision could have broader implications for other agencies and other theories of liability. Many agencies have in-house courts that adjudicate alleged violations of the statutes they implement. If an agency seeks monetary penalties on a ground that resembles a traditional action at common lawsuch as a fraud or negligence claimthe Seventh Amendment presumptively requires the agency to proceed in federal court.

The public rights exception to this principle will be construed more narrowly than suggested by some prior Court decisions. Defendants facing agency enforcement actions therefore should carefully consider the nature of the agencys claims and requested penalties and assert their constitutional rights to a jury trial. Parties to agency investigations should consider asserting those constitutional rights in the event the agency signals it intends to take enforcement action.

Because the Seventh Amendment question resolved the case, the Court declined to reach the other constitutional questions that the petitioner presented. The Supreme Court has yet to decide whether Congress unconstitutionally delegated to the SEC the power to choose the forum in which to proceed or unconstitutionally insulated the administrative law judge from removal.
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Postal Code
Russian propaganda has begun to spread the fake that the West allegedly intends to destroy Russia as a state in its current form. As a result of the "conspiracy of Western elites," Russia is supposed to be replaced by "10-20 parts".

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At the same time, Russian propaganda claims that the West is going to achieve this goal by turning Ukraine into an "anti-Russia." The fake was denied by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, which operates under the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy.

"The West wants to break Russia into 10-20 parts with the help of Ukraine. This is not true," the Center said.

They cited the content of a fake news story spread by Russian propaganda. According to it, Western countries are allegedly implementing an "anti-Russian project" in Ukraine and the goal of this "project" is to achieve systemic changes within the Russian Federation. The relevant theses, citing political scientist Kostyantyn Bondarenko, are being spread by Russian media.

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"Claims that the West is allegedly implementing an "anti-Russian project" in Ukraine to break up the Russian Federation are a long-standing conspiracy theory invented by Russian propaganda. In addition, it is part of the Kremlin's narrative that in Ukraine, Moscow is allegedly at war with the "Anglo-Saxons" and NATO, not against the Ukrainian people. Its goal is to justify the genocidal war and convince Ukrainians that "their main enemy is in Washington, not Moscow," the Center for Strategic Communications emphasized.

The Center's experts added: "Ukraine is defending itself against the aggressive war that Russia has unleashed and continues to wage. Therefore, all the consequences that have already befallen the aggressor state and that await it in the future are the "merit" of the Kremlin's criminal policy, and not the result of the mythical "conspiracy of Western elites" that Russian propagandists love to talk about.

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The Center also drew attention to the activities of Bondarenko, who is quoted by Russian propaganda.

"As for Bondarenko, he consistently promotes the interests of ex-regionalists, including Serhiy Tihipko, Vasyl Horbal, and Natalia Korolevska. His name is mentioned among the experts in the hacked mail of Vladislav Surkov, who is close to dictator Putin," the statement said.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA told what Kremlin propagandists have been lying about recently. In particular, the top key Kremlin narratives promoted by Western bloggers and journalists to Western audiences over the past week were collected by the Center for Countering Disinformation.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
Four off-duty Coast Guard members helped rescue a distressed swimmer at a lake secluded in a South Jersey township on Thursday afternoon, according to local police.

The lake is behind patches of trees on Harbor Avenue in Mays Landing in Atlantic County.

A witness told NJ Advance Media a group of people with at least two vehicles were gathering at the pit. The group, the witness said, paused their gathering, watching as they ran toward the lake before first responders arrived.

It was unclear if the Coast Guard members were with the group congregating beside the water. An email to the Coast Guard by NJ Advance Media for comment was not immediately returned.

The four Coast Guard members, whom police said are stationed in Atlantic City, performed first aid to the swimmer, who was then taken to a hospital by township rescue crews, police said.

An update on the swimmers condition was not available, but police told NJ Advance Media the incident did not end in a fatality.

At least two New Jersey Forest Fire Service trucks responded. A Hamilton Township police car blocked off access to the pit around 3:15 p.m., leaving about five minutes later.

The lake sits a few hundred feet from the roadway, covered from view by patches of trees. The lake is surrounded by sand that gives motorists access to the secluded body of water from the road.

Township police urged residents to swim only in guarded places.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.
The Who reportedly sold 43.4 million albums since storming on the rock scene in the late 1960s, but Pete Townshend, co-founder, guitarist and principal songwriter of legendary band, recently told a British website he has little to show for it.

While promoting a ballet adaptation of The Whos 1973 album Quadrophenia for next summer in the United Kingdom, Townshend told NME the classic rock band didnt make money from their records because their managers bilked them early in their career.

Its never been about the money, Townshend told NME. The Who never made any money from (expletive) records anyway. Our managers were criminals.  There are black swans in our business, and theyre the ones that always mop up all the money.

Townshend, who along with bandmate Roger Daltrey produced six platinum-selling albums, including Tommy, Whos Next," Quadrophenia," and Who Are You," recalled a meeting with legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix when they complained about being the victims of illegal activities.

Look at the legendary Jimi Hendrix, I saw him in LA in the last two weeks of his life," Townshend said. He was happy, he was really nice to me, and he hadnt been always in the past. I said, How you doing? and he said, Pete, Im broke. He was huge, and he was broke."

In March, Townshend, 79, hinted that The Who may hit the road for a farewell tour in an interview with The New York Times.

It feels to me like theres one thing the Who can do, Townshend told the New York Times. And thats a final tour where we play every territory in the world and then crawl off to die.

He continued that refrain in his interview with NME, saying the bands Royal Albert Hall shows last March likely wouldnt be the last time the band hits the stage.

Im pretty sure there will [be more]," he told NME. I cant really see the point of making a big deal of [last Who shows], apart from the fact that it might help sell a few tickets.  The story of the end of The Who is gonna be when either Roger or I drop dead or cant function anymore on the stage."

The last time The Who toured the United States was two years ago, when The Who Hits Back! 2022 Tour" made stops in Philadelphia and New York.

More music coverage

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Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com.
A centuries-old building is getting a new life on the Delaware River.

The Stockton Inn, which was first constructed in the 1700s but has been vacant for seven years, has announced on its website it will reopen this summer. The inn will be soon be home to an upscale Italian restaurant, a tavern and nine hotel rooms, as reported by MyCentralJersey.com.

An official opening date has yet to be announced, but the revamped riverside establishment in Stockton is reportedly expected to open by August.

MyCentralJersey.com reports the centerpiece of the renovated inn will be an Italian restaurant called The Finch, led by James Beard Award semifinalist Bob Truitt. The Finchs food offerings will include pasta, seafood and other Italian staples with ingredients sourced from local farms. The website also reported a 50-seat bar called The Dog and Deer Tavern will be located near the entrance of the inn serving burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, draft beer and more.

The large stone building is believed to have been constructed in 1710 as a private residence before it was renovated in 1832 and turned into a bar that was called the Farmers Bar and later the Old Town Bar. The space operated as a speakeasy called Colligans Stockton Inn during Prohibition. The Colligan family owned the space until 1983, when it was sold and renamed The Stockton Inn.

It isnt just the building that has historical significance  the events that are said to have taken place here are of note as well.

Legend has it Margaret Mitchell wrote a portion of the classic novel Gone With the Wind in the dining room, and composers Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart reportedly used an outdoor waterfall and wishing well from near the building as inspiration for the song Theres a Small Hotel which debuted in their 1936 musical On Your Toes. Many writers like Damon Runyon, who covered the Lindbergh kidnapping and murder trial, lodged at the inn. Novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, actor Clark Gable and former first lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis stayed at the inn as well.

Numerous proposals to revive the building have been discussed since its closing in 2017 but nothing has come to fruition until now.

More food coverage

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Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SwishBurch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips/.
While no winning tickets were sold for Saturdays $113 million Powerball jackpot, a ticket worth $1 million was sold in New Jersey, according to the Powerball website.

The winning numbers were 26, 51, 54, 61 and 69. The Powerball was 25, with a Power Play of 3X.

A winning $1 million ticket that matched five numbers was also sold in Indiana.

The jackpot stands at $125 million for the next drawing on Monday night with a cash option of $59.6 million.

No one has hit the jackpot since a lottery player in New Jersey won the $221 million jackpot on June 10. Since then, eight drawings have been held without a top prize winner.

The odds of hitting the Powerball jackpot are 292,201,388 to 1. A player who buys a $2 ticket has about a 1 in 11,688,053 chance to match five numbers and win at least $1 million. The odds are 913,129 to 1 to win a third prize of at least $50,000.

Powerball drawings are held each Monday, Wednesday and Saturday in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com.
NEW YORK  The Mets appeared to be rolling into another win  their fifth straight  before the bullpen unraveled in the eighth inning against the Astros on Saturday at Citi Field.

Mets relievers have been mostly steady in June. But over the last week, a crack was revealed with Edwin Diaz being suspended for having too much sticky stuff against the Cubs on Sunday. This forces New York to play one man short during the 10 games hes on the shelf.
The official July 4th holiday falls on a Thursday in 2024, setting the stage for fireworks, parades, concerts and special events throughout New Jersey this weekend and into next week.

From small town celebrations to the massive fireworks displays in New York and Philadelphia visible from New Jersey, scores of events are planned to celebrate Independence Day.

NJ Advance Media has combed through events scheduled throughout all 21 counties to provide our readers with this list. Many towns have celebrations scheduled for multiple days. (Have an event we should add? Send the information to press@njnpublishing.com.)
This should be interesting. State Attorney General Matt Platkin is going big game hunting. His quarry is South Jersey power broker/party boss/guy who has never been elected to anything, George Norcross.

Platkin isnt the first try his luck in the land of Norcross. Ol George has been big-footing his way through Trenton and South Jersey my entire adult life and nobody, not even the feds, have been able to stop him. Has Platkin divined some new information that makes him think he can nail Norcross on the notoriously hard-to-prosecute charge of racketeering? I hope so, because if not, Norcross is the kind of guy who can make life extremely uncomfortable for a public servant. In fact, hes already started.
Countless inmates in New Jersey are serving extreme prison sentences after being offered a plea deal. They rejected the offer and chose to exercise their Sixth Amendment right to a court trial -- only to serve decades longer for trusting their fate to the justice system and prosecutorial discretion.

Multitudes of female inmates who are victims of violence or sex trafficking are also serving long sentences, because they responded to savagery with lethal force. Their circumstances -- the abuse, the trauma -- were not mitigating factors at their trials, as they are in states like New York.

These are the two groups that Gov. Murphy will prioritize for the clemency program that he announced last week, and for an executive whos never issued a pardon or commutation during his first six years in office, it is a bold effort to bring a level of mercy to people who have already served time, and fairness to a criminal justice system that is systemically flawed.

We especially liked how Murphy addressed his moral obligation as he signed an executive order that launched the initiative at Saint James A.M.E. Church in Newark on Juneteenth:

There are generations of families that have been torn apart by a broken criminal justice system that for too long has prioritized excessive punishment over healing and rehabilitation, the governor said. And at this very moment, here in New Jersey, there are thousands of our neighbors living in incarceration, many of whom have been denied the justice they deserved.

With their stories in mind. . . .our state is reaching a major milestone in our own journey -- not only for racial justice, but justice for every New Jerseyan.

The executive order establishes a six-member clemency advisory board and the criteria for applications that will be expedited for delivery to the governor, who in our state has sole authority to issue two forms of clemency -- pardons, which erase the conviction and restore legal rights; and commutations, which shorten the length of a sentence a person is currently serving.

And clearly, the categories of offenders selected for the front of the line were chosen wisely.

To our neighbors who have been denied a second chance under our system of justice, I promise you this: I am going to use my clemency powers as Governor to remedy that injustice.



To learn more, visit: https://t.co/jbvQ9uJU2X pic.twitter.com/7KpqLyIrJt  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) June 20, 2024

The ACLUs Rebecca Uwakwe, a decarceration attorney who has spearheaded this project in just 16 months since shes arrived in Newark, can cite dozens of examples of offenders forced to endure years of extra prison time because they turned down a plea offer.

Not only do you have people that are getting double, triple, sometimes quadruple of what the prosecutors offer, you also have people that are deciding to go to trial because they are less culpable  and then their co-defendants decide to take a plea, Uwakwe explains. I had a case in which my client was not the shooter: He was 18, and his plea offer was 20 years. After he turned it down and lost at trial, his sentence was 50 years.

Indeed, the plea bargain process can be useful, but defense attorneys attest that it can be deeply coercive, and that people should not be subject to punitive extremes just because they rejected it.

The abused women who serve time for attacking their assailants, meanwhile, are often double victims: One national study shows that half of all female offenders in American prisons have experienced physical or sexual abuse throughout their lives, but that number ran as high as 90% in a study of New York female prison inmates.

But while their ordeals are often factors in their crime, They may confront a court or legal standard in which their abuse is not deemed relevant, a 2023 report from The Sentencing Project states. Their conduct may fall outside the bounds of a traditional legal defense.

Most Americans support the concept of clemency by an overwhelming margin. A 2022 poll found that 68% of voters  including 52% of Republicans  support ending or shortening prison sentences for people who met selected criteria and didnt pose a threat to public safety. The same poll found 76% support clemency for women serve time for killing or attacking their abuser.

These are the people Murphy now seeks to help  the ACLU has already delivered dozens of petitions to the advisory board  and it adds to the stellar list of recent reforms in New Jerseys criminal justice system.

Among our proudest achievements: The elimination of cash bail during the Christie Administration, which is a national model -- 99% of those released pretrial do not commit serious crimes while theyre out, and court appearance rates have actually increased. The Public Health Emergency Act, ordered by Murphy during Covid, released thousands of offenders from our prisons a few months early without raising the level of risk to the community.

The governor also restored voting rights for 80,000 New Jerseyans on probation or parole and made our expungement system one of the most progressive in the nation.

Still, justice cannot rest. Clemency wont remediate all the flaws in our system, but we are judged by the effort we make to improve it. This may be years overdue, but it is a historic step. And these are lives that cannot be wasted.

Murphys record on clemency: Six years, zero pardons. That should change | Editorial https://t.co/M2FQvlJLGJ  richard p. mchugh The Great Democrat (@gorevidal) March 4, 2024

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On paper, at least, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez was headed to Egypt for official government business.

His wife was making her own plans.

Is there any chance he can sit on a camel in Egypt? Im dying for him to be on a camel, Nadine Menendez texted an Egyptian official with whom shed recently become friendly, according to testimony in the seventh week of the New Jersey senators second federal corruption trial.

Of course there is a chance for that! the woman replied. Leave that to me.

What followed was a strange excursion even by the standards of the U.S. Senate, where congressional staff regularly wrangle legislators, spouses and other dignitaries on frantic foreign trips, one seasoned staffer testified.

Thats because the powerful Democratic lawmaker and his wife were doing some freelance consulting on the side  renting out Bobs sway in Washington to the government of Egypt, federal prosecutors allege.

The U.S. government rested its case against Menendez this week, stitching up a complicated tale of a senator on the take that includes a gifted Mercedes and gold bars, allegations of meddling in criminal investigations and some international influence peddling.

Its a high-stakes legal drama with massive, international consequences, one thats already rattled the halls of power in Trenton and Washington.

Its also no slam dunk.

The government hasnt proven its case, Menendez told reporters before ducking into an awaiting car outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. District Courthouse in Manhattan on Friday.

Bobs beaten the charges before, leaving his reputation tarnished but squeaking past a primary challenge for his Senate seat after a 2017 corruption mistrial.

Could he pull it off again?

He was indicted last fall on fresh corruption charges, alongside three businessmen accused of bribing him. His wife, Nadine, was also charged, but her trial has been postponed while she recovers from cancer surgery.

Menendez, running a quixotic independent bid to keep his seat after being abandoned by the Democratic establishment, is the first sitting U.S. congressman to be tried for conspiring to act as a foreign agent.

He has refused calls to resign, saying hed soon be exonerated.

Even if this trial ends like the last one, observers of the case so far say its exposed the political underbelly of Trenton and Washington, highlighting behavior that, if not criminal, sure seems gross.

It really doesnt matter what the legal hairs are that Sen. Menendez can split, said Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University.

Im sure it matters for him. Im sure it matters in terms of his guilt or innocence. But there is no justification for accepting gold bars and wads of cash from people, for things that youre doing as senator.

This is not what we sent him to Washington to do.

But under federal law, bribery is a tough crime to prove, and a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions  including one involving the Bridgegate scandal in 2020, and another issued just this week  have made it harder for corruption charges to stick.

The government has brought receipts, however.

Text messages. Voicemails. Fingerprinted bank envelopes. Even surveillance images from a steakhouse stakeout  though no photographic evidence of the senator sitting atop a camel.



Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, leave federal court together last fall amid a scrum of media. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)AP

The Egypt trip gets weird

The Egypt trip was official business, part of a September 2021 congressional delegation organized by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for which Menendez served as chair.

But something about the way the junket was coming together was off, Sarah Arkin, a senior staff member for the committee testified on Tuesday.

All of this Egypt stuff is very weird, her boss, Damian Murphy, wrote her in a text message entered into evidence.

Weird how? For one, Bob was insisting that Arkin, a Senate staffer, coordinate with someone shed never heard of at the Egyptian embassy in Washington  an intelligence officer named Mai Abdelmaguid, the same woman Nadine had been texting about getting Bob onto a camel.

Nadine had also had a lot of opinions about what she wanted to do on the trip, mostly tourist things and vacation things but was very involved in the planning or trying to be involved in the planning, Arkin told the jurors.

It was  it was weird.

Nadine had more interest in Egypt than pyramids and camels.

Her old friend, co-defendant Wael Hana, had recently gotten into the international meat exporting business and hired her as a consultant as he was working to land and later keep an exclusive contract with the Egyptian government.

Prosecutors say the gig was a no-show job for Nadine, part of a package of bribes including gold bars, new carpets and an elliptical exercise machine in exchange for Bob helping Hana maintain a U.S.-Egyptian meat monopoly.

Menendez was previously a critic of Egypt over human rights abuses, but as his wifes old friend was looking to do business there, prosecutors contend, his position softened.

Arkin, the Senate staffer, said Menendez told her he wanted to be less publicly critical of the Middle Eastern nation and engage privately with its leaders.

Outside the courthouse on one of his daily dashes past the media, Menendez denied selling out his position on foreign affairs.

There was no one harsher on Egypt than I was, he said.



In this courtroom sketch, defendant Fred Diabes, left, defendant Wael Hana, third left; defense attorney Ricardo Solano, foreground right; and defendant Robert Menendez, far right, watch as Adam Fee, the senator's attorney, cross-examines witness Jose Uribe. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)(Elizabeth Williams via AP)

The rich friend defense

Until his indictment last fall, Menendez was a force in Garden State politics.

Now 70, the trailblazing Latino lawmaker was known for handling international negotiations as head of the powerful Senate Foreign Relation Committee as deftly as he steered infrastructure projects along the crowded highways of his home state.

He also had tastes that stretched the constraints of a government salary.

He survived his most serious scandal after his last trial ended with a hung jury in 2017. But testimony in that case exposed how far Menendez went to help out another of his wealthy chums, Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen, including helping his girlfriend and some other 20-something models land visas to come the U.S.

Prosecutors dropped their case against the senator after the mistrial, while Melgen was convicted of bribing Menendez  only to get pardoned by former President Donald Trump.

The senator was severely admonished by the Senate Ethics Committee, which noted Menendez took official actions on behalf of a guy who didnt even live in his state.

This time around, prosecutors say they can prove Menendez and his wife accepted lavish gifts including a Mercedes convertible in exchange for Bobs considerable influence.

To convict him, theyll have to prove quid pro quo  Latin for this for that  basically, that the senator made promises to take specific actions in return for the cash, gold and other alleged bribes, said Christopher Gramiccioni, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice at the firm Kingston Coventry.

How will the jury know whats a bribe, and whats merely a gift between pals?

A bribe is accompanied with corrupt intent to trade official influence in exchange for something of value, Gramiccioni explained  essentially, prosecutors have to show Menendez knew he was being bribed.

Its no easy task.

On top of proving intent, a series of Supreme Court rulings in recent years also took the teeth out of federal anti-bribery statutes, leading to reversed convictions for Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni  the two former Chris Christie administration officials charged in the bizarre scheme that became known as Bridgegate  among other tossed corruption cases.

The senators pugnacious legal team, meanwhile, has sought to poke holes in the governments case, casting much of the blame on Nadine and claiming she kept her husband in the dark about her financial dealings.

The prosecution and defense can agree on a few things, though.

Menendez did help his rich friends get things done in New Jersey and Washington, D.C. And, he and his wife did receive gifts from some of those same pals.

But thats politics, folks. Menendez attorney Avi Weitzman complained prosecutors were casting the routine work of a senator in the least favorable light, leaving jurors with misimpressions left and right.

That help in Washington? Thats constituent services, part of bringing home the bacon to your voters, the defense argues. The payments on the Mercedes? A mere loan from a friend.

So what, its a crime to have rich friends now?

It might be a solid legal strategy, but none of this is good for the publics rapidly declining faith in government institutions, from townhall to the White House, said David Shapiro, a former New Jersey prosecutor who runs the masters program in inspection and oversight at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Now, I dont want to convict Menendez ahead of time, Shapiro cautioned, searching for the right words.

It just seems that the pattern smells.

Every time the public sees a government official engage in shady behavior  and get away with it  the American experiment suffers another intangible blow, Shapiro said.

Its not just New Jersey.

The same Supreme Court that overturned the Bridgegate convictions and could end up hearing a Menendez appeal has recently found itself under scrutiny over undisclosed gifts and wealthy friends, Shapiro noted.

As Menendez sits in a Manhattan courtroom, New Jersey politicos are still dealing with the fallout from the indictment of political powerbroker George Norcross, another rich guy who never held elected office but held immense sway over the machinations of government. (He denies the charges.)

All this comes in a presidential election year featuring two deeply unpopular candidates, one of them a convicted felon.

The greatest threat to society at large is the sense of an illegitimacy, of bad faith in government actors, Shapiro said.

Its the sense that the game is rigged. Its the sense that some people are treated way better than others.

On Monday, the Menendez trial will turn to defense witnesses, giving the senator his best chance yet to explain himself to the New York jury, as well as his constituents across the Hudson River.

He has declined to say whether hell take the stand.



Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that the biggest problem for Ukraine today is attacks by guided aircraft bombs and missiles. However, Ukraine cannot use the Patriot air defense system to combat Russian guided bombs, as the Russians produce significantly more guided bombs every month than the West produces missiles for the Patriot system.

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The President said this in an interview with Trudy Rubin, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The occupiers use guided bombs to strike along the entire front line in the east.

"If you and I take the cost and number of Patriot missiles and take guided bombs, we will never have thousands a month. I'll tell you honestly, we won't even have a hundred. Each such missile costs about three million (dollars - Ed.). And it's not just a matter of money. You know that they simply do not produce that many of them," the president said.

According to the head of state, no air defense system is able to effectively fight against guided bombs. Therefore, it is necessary to look for "long-range solutions" to strike the airfields where Russian aircraft are based, from which the occupiers drop the UAVs on the territory of Ukraine.

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Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that this week alone, the Russian terrorist army had used more than 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine. Civilians and civilian infrastructure remain in the crosshairs of the Russian invaders. Therefore, Ukraine needs means to destroy enemy aircraft.

Also, the President of Ukraine, commenting on the occupiers' attacks on the civilian population, promised new solutions to protect people.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
Strong thunderstorms are continuing to sweep across eastern Pennsylvania and into parts of New Jersey Sunday afternoon, prompting the National Weather Service to issue severe thunderstorm warnings and flash flood warnings for several counties.

The first thunderstorm warnings, issued shortly before 2 p.m. for Sussex and Warren counties, were effective through 2:45 p.m. Sunday. Another warning covers parts of Morris, Sussex and Warren counties and was effective through 3 p.m.

A new warning covering parts of Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties, was effective through 3:45 p.m. Sunday. (See the latest warnings listed below.)

The weather service said storm cells are moving through northern and central New Jersey and generating wind gusts as strong as 50 to 60 mph, which could knock down trees and power lines or cause structural damage.

Eighteen of the states 21 counties are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 7 p.m. Sunday because of the threat of severe storms developing as a cold front moves through and interacts with hot and humid air. Three counties  Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland  are under a severe thunderstorm watch through 11 p.m. Sunday.

Forecasters say they cant rule out the possibility of an isolated tornado forming during the intense thunderstorms because of the high humidity and wind shear in the atmosphere.

Latest N.J. weather alerts

Here are the latest weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday. (The newest ones are listed on top.)

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Vineland NJ, Millville NJ and Bridgeton NJ until 9:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/znvVko62Ht  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) July 1, 2024

Flash Flood Warning including Philadelphia PA, Camden NJ and Lindenwold NJ until 9:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/4wz8gPnCCF  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Villas NJ, Cape May Court House NJ and Wildwood NJ until 8:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/yjJesIRe2M  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Vineland NJ, Glassboro NJ and Williamstown NJ until 8:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/1EozgLnieh  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Flash Flood Warning continues for Brooklyn NY, Staten Island NY and Newark NJ until 8:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/lgbjuJOKlk  NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Smyrna DE, Port Norris NJ and Cedarville NJ until 7:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/awMWWy7x5e  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

A flash flood warning was issued for northeastern Middlesex County, south-central Morris County, central Somerset County and central Hunterdon County at about 4:55 p.m., effective until 7:45 p.m., because of heavy rain that has been falling from thunderstorms.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Long Branch NJ, Old Bridge NJ and Tinton Falls NJ until 7:30 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/F0zASsaaUQ  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Glassboro NJ, Williamstown NJ and Pine Hill NJ until 7:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/rh7xkW8dw6  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Vineland NJ, Millville NJ and Bridgeton NJ until 6:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/cQuEiYklgJ  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including New Brunswick NJ, Perth Amboy NJ and Sayreville NJ until 6:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/VYtNQO186S  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Camden NJ, Wilmington DE and Chester PA until 6:30 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/SowUI75sMa  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Bethlehem PA, Quakertown PA and Perkasie PA until 5:30 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/H6pGOMce3D  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Perth Amboy NJ, South Plainfield NJ and Carteret NJ until 5:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/h4gYyHppIn  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including New York NY, Brooklyn NY and Queens NY until 5:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/DJwKj1hMHe  NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Philadelphia PA, Camden NJ and Levittown PA until 5:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/iOl6BQP4vu  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

A special weather statement has been issued for New York NY, Manhattan NY and Newark NJ until 5:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/1Sx7bLxUGW  NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Perth Amboy NJ, South Plainfield NJ and Carteret NJ until 4:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/i9wTzFSrtP  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Easton PA, Morristown NJ and Phillipsburg NJ until 4:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/Hg3aSvX0Jl  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Morristown NJ, Dover NJ and Madison NJ until 3:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/DjS53KvNoe  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

A special weather statement has been issued for Yonkers NY, Paterson NJ and Clifton NJ until 3:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/KrKDWuukAD  NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including East Stroudsburg PA, Hackettstown NJ and Budd Lake NJ until 3:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/yrh4l38Dtq  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Lake Mohawk NJ, Newton NJ and Franklin NJ until 2:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/pNodHXCSU6  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia until 11 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/IdbahbP2p2  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 30, 2024

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania until 11 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/sxVhCX8g94  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 29, 2024

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island until 7 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/M33XfMNqjc  NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 30, 2024

Heavy rainfall totals in N.J.

Some areas of New Jersey were saturated with a full month and a half worth of rain in less than eight hours on Sunday as thunderstorms and heavy pockets of rain moved across the region. These are among the preliminary rainfall totals reported by the Rutgers NJ Weather Network between 4 a.m. and 11 a.m.

6.44 inches in Dennis Township, Cape May County

6.24 inches in Woodbine, Cape May County

3.88 inches in Cape May Court House, Cape May County

2.42 inches in Fortescue, Cumberland County

1.83 inches in Hammonton, Atlantic County

Current weather radar

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local weather news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality.
TORONTO  For the second time this month, the Yankees ducked disaster with Juan Soto.

Sotos forearm pain earlier in June turned out to be inflammation. What couldve been a season-ender was nothing more than a three-game absence, a sigh of relief and a blip in an MVP-caliber campaign thus far.
Saudi Arabian Oil Company, commonly known as Saudi Aramco, has signed definitive agreements to acquire a 10 percent equity interest in HORSE Powertrain Limited, a global powertrain solutions company formed by Renault Group and Chinese automaker Geely Auto Group, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Saturday.

According to a statement by Aramco, after the acquisition, Renault and Geely will each retain a 45-percent equity stake, and the price to be paid by Aramco at closing, which is subject to customary closing conditions including the receipt of regulatory approvals, will be based on an enterprise valuation of 7.4 billion euros (7.93 billion U.S. dollars).

The investment aims to enhance Aramco's contribution to the global energy transition through the development and commercialization of more efficient mobility solutions, the SPA reported.

"Aramco's investment is expected to directly contribute to the development and deployment of affordable, efficient, and lower-carbon emission internal-combustion engines globally," said Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Aramco's executive vice president of technology and innovation.

"With Geely and Renault, we plan to leverage our collective expertise and resources to support ground-breaking advances in both engine and fuel technologies," he added.

Meanwhile, HORSE Powertrain Limited said in a press release on its website that the investment by Aramco will support its growth and contribute to the development of competitive powertrains and synthetic fuel solutions.

It noted that the company is expected to produce 5 million powertrain units annually, encompassing a complete portfolio of advanced powertrain technologies for partners around the world.




Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that at this stage, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is focusing on weakening the West. At the same time, there is no talk of a rapid seizure of Ukraine.

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At the same time, the Kremlin leader wants to freeze the war. Rasmussen said this in an interview with the German TV channel n-tv.

According to him, the Russian-Ukrainian war could drag on for a long time. Rasmussen emphasized that Putin's initial plan to conquer the whole of Ukraine had failed. Now the dictator wants to freeze the conflict and retain the occupied territories.

"I am afraid that this will be a war for a long time. Putin's plan A - to conquer all of Ukraine in a few days - has failed. His plan B is a frozen conflict and Russian occupation of eastern Ukraine, hoping that the West will weaken and give in," Rasmussen said.

He also added that the war in Ukraine will last at least until the end of 2024. Rasmussen explained that Putin hopes that the US presidential election will bring changes that will help him in one way or another.

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"In my opinion, next year will be crucial. If we give the Ukrainians everything they need to not only survive but also win the war, they have a good chance of pushing the Russians back," Rasmussen said.

As a reminder, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has put forward cynical conditions for negotiations with Ukraine to end the war and attempted to threaten. In particular, he said that to start negotiations, Ukrainian troops must be completely withdrawn from the territory of the so-called DPR, LPR, as well as from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Earlier it was reported that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz strongly opposed an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. He said that without deep negotiations and a clear roadmap to a just and lasting peace, such a pause would only legitimize Russia's seizure of Ukrainian territories and create a new frozen conflict.

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Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
WASHINGTON  Among the flurry of major U.S. Supreme Court decisions last week was a minor one that impacts whether Louisiana could send one or two Black representatives to Congress.

Justice Samuel Alito gave the state and intervening parties of Black voters until July 30 to submit arguments on why the high court should decide whether to back the Legislatures map from January, which drew districts that could lead to two Black and four White representatives; draw a different map; or return to the 2022 map that elected five White Republicans and one Black Democrat.

What the Supreme Court would decide, should the justices agree in September or October to take up the Louisiana case, is whether the Legislatures new map adheres to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Those standards include requiring minority-majority districts to be geographically compact, politically cohesive" and subject to majority bloc voting that usually defeats the minority groups preferred candidate.
Ukraine and the United States coordinated further steps to supply additional Patriot air defense systems to our country. In addition, the parties discussed joint efforts to provide Ukraine with additional weapons and ammunition.

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This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba on June 29. He met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James O'Brien in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

During their conversation, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister thanked the United States for its firm support of our country.

"We highly appreciate the recent important decisions of the United States to support Ukrainian strikes on military targets in Russia, to prioritize Ukraine in the supply of air defense ammunition, and to work with third countries to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities," Kuleba wrote.

He noted that the main topic of the meeting was the provision of additional Patriot systems and other weapons to Ukraine.

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The Minister also discussed with O'Brien the upcoming NATO summit in Washington and its expected results. The event will take place on July 9-11.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A total of 171 new Indiana laws were approved this year by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and enacted by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, mostly during the month of March.

While a few statutes took effect immediately, such as Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 5, expediting lead water line replacement, and House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1133, requiring disclosure of artificially generated images, recordings or videos used in campaign ads, the bulk of the new state laws  as usual  take effect July 1.

Here's a look at 17 notable new laws, in alphabetical order, Hoosiers should know:

Age verification: Every adult-oriented website is preemptively prohibited from publishing its content in Indiana unless it employs an age-verification method intended to prevent individuals younger than 18 years old from accessing the website. Failing to comply with the age-verification mandate may result in a civil penalty of up to $250,000 from each non-compliant website. (SEA 17)

Beekeeping: Homeowners associations (HOAs) may generally regulate the number and location of active beehives maintained on property subject to HOA authority. But residents with active beehives prior to the adoption of any HOA beekeeping rules are entitled to maintain the same number of beehives and locations for the duration of their residency, and the rules cannot prevent a resident from keeping state-compliant beehives for pollination or honey production purposes. (HEA 1337)

Bobcat hunting: The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is required to adopt rules for establishing a bobcat hunting season to begin sometime after July 1, 2025, in counties where the population of bobcats  an endangered species in Indiana until 2005  is sufficiently large to sustain regular hunting. (SEA 241)

Contraceptives: Indiana hospitals must offer women who give birth in the hospital, and are covered by, or eligible for, Indiana Medicaid, the option of having a subdermal contraceptive implanted in their arm after delivery and prior to discharge. It's part of a one-year effort to try to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in Indiana by relying on long-acting reversible contraception. (HEA 1426)

Dog sales: A total of 21 municipal ordinances banning the sale of puppies and dogs at retail pet stores as a means of combating animal abuse are void. In their place, a new package of one-size-fits-all state dog sale regulations  championed by Petland  are replacing the dog sale restrictions formerly in effect in Cedar Lake, Crown Point, Dyer, East Chicago, Hebron, Highland, Lake Station, Lowell, Munster, Schererville, Valparaiso and Whiting. (HEA 1412)

Food and beverage tax: The city of Hammond is authorized to enact a food and beverage tax of up to 1%  on top of the 7% state sales tax  on all dine-in and take-home prepared food and drinks sold at Hammond eateries, bars and similar outlets. The revenue must be spent in connection with the West Lake commuter rail project, downtown redevelopment, and expansion or improvement of the Hammond Sportsplex or Wolf Lake Pavilion. (HEA 1121)

Foreigner land acquisition: Individuals and businesses associated with "foreign adversaries" to the United States are prohibited from purchasing or leasing any real property within 10 miles of a military installation and all farmland located in Indiana. The prohibited persons include citizens of, and companies based in, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela. (HEA 1183)

Gary gun lawsuit: The city of Gary, along with every other local unit of government in the Hoosier State, is prohibited, retroactive to 1999, from holding gun companies legally responsible for the design, manufacture, import, export, distribution, advertising, marketing, sale or use of their products  whether lawful or unlawful. The statute is expected to terminate a pending Gary lawsuit seeking hold several gun companies financially liable for the costs of gun violence in the Steel City. (HEA 1235)

Happy hour: Alcohol retailers are permitted to sell discounted drinks up to 4 hours a day, but for no more than 15 hours a week, following repeal of a not always vigorously enforced 1985 anti-drunk driving statute prohibiting "happy hour" in Indiana. However, the law also imposes a new ban on selling or serving an unlimited or indefinite number of alcoholic beverages for a fixed price, such as "bottomless" mimosas. (HEA 1086)

Intellectual diversity: The boards of trustees of Indiana's public universities must regularly review whether each faculty member and course instructor is helping the institution foster a culture of free inquiry, free expression and intellectual diversity, and consider terminating, demoting or reducing the pay of any teacher found lacking as part of the review or following an investigation upon receipt of a student complaint. (SEA 202)

Lake Michigan: Northwest Indiana municipalities located adjacent to Lake Michigan must ensure life rings and similar safety equipment intended to prevent drownings are installed at each pier and public access point along the shoreline. (SEA 253)

Phones in schools: Every Indiana public school corporation and charter school must adopt and enforce a policy prohibiting student use of mobile phones and other wireless communication devices during instructional periods  except when the device is being used for an educational purpose or in case of an emergency. The policy must be published on the school's website. (SEA 185)

Reading: Indiana elementary school students, with limited exceptions, cannot advance beyond 3rd grade if they are unable to achieve a passing score on the state's reading assessment. Schools must annually screen students for reading competency beginning in kindergarten and offer additional reading skills training if a student is not on track to pass the 3rd grade reading test. (SEA 1)

Religious instruction: Public school principals are required to allow students to skip classes for up to 120 minutes a week to attend off-campus religious instruction following a request by the student's parent. Previously, principals had discretion on whether to allow a student to leave school each week for religious instruction. (HEA 1137)

Sanctuary cities: Attorney General Todd Rokita is authorized to sue East Chicago, Gary and any other Hoosier locality if he believes their "Welcoming City" policies  which let immigrants in danger know they can seek assistance from the police without worrying about whether they'll be asked about their immigration status  violate the state's 2011 prohibition on sanctuary cities. Similar prior lawsuits against the Region cities were dismissed because courts found the plaintiffs lacked legal standing since they suffered no harm as a result of the policies. (SEA 181)

Thirteenth check: An estimated 88,000 state and local government retirees will receive a one-time payment of $150 to $450 by Oct. 1, depending on their total years of public service, after state lawmakers last year omitted the customary supplemental pension payment known as the "13th check." (HEA 1004)

Wetlands: The definition of some Class III wetlands  the most rare and ecologically important type  is changed to potentially make them eligible to be drained or filled for agricultural purposes or residential development, in accordance with the wishes of the Indiana Builders Association. (HEA 1383)

Meet the 2024 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago State Sen. Dave Vinzant, D-Hobart State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr. State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie
Martha J. Egan has spent decades rummaging around markets and antique stores across Latin America in search of the rare, carefully crafted devotional pendants called relicarios.

Her hunt has led her to amass more than 400 of the objects  pronounced reh-lee-CAR-yos; in English, reliquaries  and to write two books about what she has come to view as an overlooked genre within the body of religious art created during the Spanish colonization of the New World.

Of course, there was not much art in the colonial era that was not religious, said Ms. Egan, 78, who has a bachelors degree in Latin American history.

Typically, the pieces (sometimes called medallones or miniaturas) were pendants with painted, carved or printed depictions of favorite saints or the Virgin Mary on both sides, set in metal bezels under glass. Made for people in a range of social and economic classes, some relicarios were plain while others were elaborately decorated; their creators were usually anonymous.
Last year, a California task force issued a seminal report urging reparations for Black residents that could add up to hundreds of billions of dollars. But the states new $298 billion budget, signed Saturday after a woeful run for California finances, is offering a much more modest beginning: $12 million.

The budget does not call for immediate cash payments for Californians whose lives were shaped by injustices. Instead, it promises some state money if lawmakers agree on proposals that supporters see as early steps to repair the consequences of Californias past.

The states approach has drawn criticism as offering far too little in the face of a sprawling, methodical report that laid bare a troubling history and offered recommendations on how to make up for it. Some lawmakers, though, have nevertheless welcomed the money as a start after the state scrambled to close a $47 billion shortfall.

I thought it was a win, Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, a Democrat who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus and represents a Northern California district, said in an interview on Saturday. To see it in the budget means that we were listened to.
Two miniature horses, Aidan and Pearl, stood on the terrace of a tiny TV studio in SoHo earlier this month on a sweltering evening, one more equine guest than the producers of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen anticipated. They were part of a bit for taping the late-night talk shows 15th anniversary special and, apparently, booking a horse requires also booking it an emotional support horse.

Andy Cohen, the shows host and creator, brought his two children Ben, 5, and Lucy, 2, to meet the mini horses as producers whispered questions about the surplus. He soon headed back inside to provide emotional support of a different kind for the shows humans. Gliding effortlessly between posing for photos with guests, including Sonja Morgan, a mainstay of The Real Housewives of New York who arrived in a diamond-studded (she said theyre fake) tiara, Cohen listened to instructions from his producers while also recording behind-the-scenes footage for social media.

It was a lot of wrangling, even for Cohen  the core moderator and pot-stirrer of W.W.H.L., the recap show that somehow manages to lure A-list celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Lawrence to marvel at the antics of the stars in Bravos ever-expanding reality universe. Five nights a week, viewers can see Oscar-winners re-enact scenes from Real Housewives of Salt Lake City; so-called Bravo-lebrities dish about just-aired dirty laundry; or Cohen and Hillary Clinton drink from a shotski, a ski with shot glasses glued to it that allows multiple people to simultaneously knock one back.
The far right appears to dominate the French elections

The National Rally party crushed its opponents in the first round of voting for the French National Assembly, according to early projections, bringing its long-taboo brand of nationalist, anti-immigrant politics to the brink of power.

Pollsters projections, which are normally reliable, suggested the party would take about 34 percent of the vote, far ahead of President Emmanuel Macrons centrist Renaissance party and its allies, which got about 21 percent. A coalition of left-wing parties won about 29 percent of the vote, the projections showed.

The scores, in a two-round election that will end in a runoff on July 7 between the leading parties in each constituency, do not provide a precise forecast of the number of parliamentary seats each party will secure. But the National Rally now looks very likely to be the largest force in the lower house, although not necessarily with an absolute majority.

For Macron, the result represented a severe setback after he gambled that his partys stinging defeat to the National Rally in the recent European Parliament election would not be repeated. His decision to hold the election now, just weeks before the Paris Olympics, astonished many people in France  not least his own prime minister, who was kept in the dark.
In the summer of 1964, Italian fishermen recovered an antique bronze statue from the seabed off Italys Adriatic coast. They landed it in the small port of Fano, where it disappeared for almost a decade; apparently it spent some time in a priests bathtub and a cabbage patch. It reappeared in the gallery of a Munich art dealer who dated it to around 400 B.C. and claimed that it was the work of Lysippos, an Athenian sculptor. The Getty Foundation bought it in 1977 for almost $4 million and put it on display as the Victorious Youth at the Getty Villa, where it still is.

Though maybe not for much longer. In 2018 Italys highest court declared the statue the property of Italy  while conceding that it might have been discovered in international waters and that the sculptor was probably Greek.

Some of the reasoning was technical: The statue had been landed at an Italian port by an Italian-flagged vessel and had remained on Italian soil for several years. Some arguments depended on historical interpretation: When the statue was created, the judge said, the artist had most probably visited Rome and Taranto. The judge added, At the relevant time, Greece and Rome had enjoyed good relations, and thereafter, Roman civilization developed as a continuation of Hellenic civilization. These considerations were, in the judges view, sufficient to establish a significant connection with Italy, a state that came into existence in 1861. In May, the European Court of Human Rights upheld Italys right to seize the statue.

This is a time of reckoning for museums. There is widespread agreement, even in museums, that questionable pieces in collections should be returned. But returned to whom? If a statue cast in Greece 2,000 years ago is discovered off the coast of Italy, is it part of the heritage of modern Italy? The Italian courts seem to think so. If a statue cast in Rome 2,000 years ago is discovered in Greece, Cyprus or Turkey, would it belong to one of those states, or would Italians have a claim over Roman antiquities on the ground that they share a culture  whatever that may mean  with ancient Romans? Is the modern Italian Republic the heir to the multiethnic Roman Empire, which spanned most of Europe, the Near East and parts of North Africa for more than four centuries?
Ive been marching in Pride parades since 1995, but I wont be marching this year in New York, where I live.

Pride Month has always been about a political and progressive embrace of our rainbow of choices. But lately I find myself feeling alienated by loud voices among activists in the L.G.B.T.Q. community on all sides of the Israel-Gaza war. Theyre intolerant of nuance, complexity and opposing views.

Im an Israeli American queer faith leader and social justice activist. My brother, my cousins and I are the 39th consecutive generation of rabbis in our family, according to our family history, and I am the first openly queer rabbi in our lineage. Long before Oct. 7, 2023, Jewish progressives like me protested the Israeli occupation and preached a just two-state solution. I have helped to pioneer faith-led Pride programs that are grounded in Jewish values, fighting for freedom and liberation for all.

So its painful to admit that I dont feel welcome as my full self in many queer public places that once felt like home.
I couldnt comprehend: Im standing in front of doctors who know exactly what to do and how to help and theyre refusing to do it.

NICOLE MILLER, who was put on a plane from a Boise, Idaho, hospital for a 14-hour ride to Salt Lake City for an emergency abortion to protect her health since abortions are banned in Idaho.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that one of the reasons for the breakthrough of Russian troops in Kharkiv region was the lack of opportunity to strike at the concentrations of occupiers in the territory of the Russian Federation. According to the head of state, the Defense Forces could only strike with HIMARS, which required official permission from the United States.

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Zelensky made the statement on June 30 in an interview with Trudy Rubin, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, which was published by the President's Office. In particular, he noted that the US permission to use the provided weapons against Russia has had positive results, but it was needed earlier.

"There are also disadvantages in the fact that the breakthrough took place in the Kharkiv direction. Of course, they had some concentrations on Russian territory along the border, and they knew that we would not hit them because we had no right to, and frankly, between us, we did not have the capabilities. We have never used (Western weapons against Russia - Ed.)," Zelensky said.

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He added that at the time of the Russian breakthrough in Kharkiv region, Ukraine had a significant shortage of ammunition.

"What could we hit with? A long-range artillery shell, which at that moment we had been in great short supply for the past year and a half, had a range of no more than 20 kilometers. And to be honest, we even forgot about shells with a range of more than 40 kilometers. Therefore, we could only use Haymars from the available equipment, and we needed an acceptance from the United States," the President said.

According to the head of state, Kyiv managed to agree on the possibility of using the relevant equipment in the Kharkiv region and north of Kharkiv.

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"Why? Because it's clear that Russia is stretching our troops from Donbas, from the east of Ukraine, eastward into the Kharkiv region, and then northward, to stretch our troops completely and to make us use additional reserves. They need, if not a breakthrough, then a pretense of a breakthrough. Like in Sumy region, when the subversive groups came in, they even installed a Russian flag in some border villages to disinform, just to have it there," the president said.

Zelensky added that Ukrainian defenders have repeatedly shot down such Russian flags. And today, at about seven in the morning, he received a report from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky with some photos, according to which the Ukrainian military "found something, some weapons, along the border."

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"I mean, it's clear that we can use some weapons today, but of course, everyone understands that the biggest problem is with QABs and missiles today. They are using KABs all over the east. And here we are talking about Kharkiv. Of course, it's very difficult for them, but also in Donbas, the same Pokrovsk, Toretsk, the whole area, they also use MANPADS, and it's thousands of them every month," the Ukrainian head of state said.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as of 10:00 am on June 30, the Defense Forces have successfully repelled one attack in the Kharkiv sector since the beginning of the day near Hlyboke. The enemy lost 168 personnel, one armored personnel carrier, an artillery system and 11 vehicles there yesterday. A tank, four artillery systems and four vehicles were damaged.

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Recently, the US Congress called on President Joe Biden's administration to lift all restrictions on the use of US weapons by Ukraine. According to the lawmakers, the United States should allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use ATACMS to strike military targets deep in Russia.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Nevada residents will vote on whether to protect the right to abortion in the state this November, as abortion rights groups try to continue their winning streak with measures that put the issue directly before voters.

The Nevada secretary of states office certified on Friday the ballot initiative to amend the State Constitution to include an explicit right to abortion after verifying the signatures required. The group behind the measure, Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, submitted 200,000 signatures in May, nearly 100,000 more than needed. The secretary of states office told the group that it had verified just under 128,000 signatures.

Since the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs ruling in 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade and stripped the constitutional right to abortion, 18 Republican-controlled states have banned the procedure in almost all circumstances or prohibited it after six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. At least a dozen states, most of them led by Democrats, have passed new protections to abortion since the decision.

The ruling has sparked a movement among abortion rights supporters to enshrine the right to the procedure in state constitutions through ballot measures. They have been successful in putting them on the ballot in at least five other states this year: Florida, Colorado, New York, Maryland and South Dakota. Similar initiatives are also underway in states like Arizona, Arkansas and Nebraska  which all face deadlines to submit signatures this week  and come November, voters in as many as 11 states could get a chance to weigh in.
Seventy-two hours after the debate in Atlanta last week, President Biden and those closest to him have settled on the same strategy police officers use to shoo bystanders away from a car crash: Nothing to see here.

According to the talking points being repeated by the presidents aides and surrogates, the debate was a 90-minute blip in a long campaign. Mr. Biden didnt have a great night, as he told donors Saturday, but fund-raising is going strong and he has already bounced back.

Aides have been pushing a similar message for more than a year, as polls have shown that voters are worried about the presidents age. They have brushed off such concerns, calling them little more than a creation of the media and the MAGA movement supporting the campaign of former President Donald J. Trump.

Jen OMalley Dillon, the presidents top campaign strategist, said on Saturday that any drop in the polls would be the result of overblown media narratives. Senator John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, dismissed anxiety about the presidents performance, saying on Fox News Sunday that its like one debate.
At least 18 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in a series of suicide bombings, all carried out by women, on Saturday afternoon in northeastern Nigeria.They included one explosion that went off at the wedding of a young couple and another at a funeral, according to local officials.

Barkindo Saidu, the director general of Borno States emergency management agency, said that three female attackers had struck distinct locations in Gwoza, a bustling city in Borno State that has been the center of an insurgency by the militant group Boko Haram over the last 15 years.

The victims included children and pregnant women, Mr. Saidu said. Some Nigerian news outlets reported that at least 30 people had been killed.

As of Sunday afternoon, no group had claimed responsibility for the bombings. The blasts resembled attacks carried out by Boko Haram, whose fighters have killed tens of thousands in Nigeria and whose aggression in the region has led to the displacement of more than two million people.
Japan is the only country among the worlds wealthiest democracies that has not legalized same-sex unions. Few celebrities are openly gay. Conservative groups oppose legislative efforts to protect the L.G.B.T.Q. community.

But now, Netflix is introducing the countrys first same-sex dating reality series.

Over 10 episodes of The Boyfriend, which will be available in 190 countries beginning on July 9, a group of nine men gather in a luxury beach house outside Tokyo. The format evokes Japans most popular romantic reality show, Terrace House, with its assembly of clean cut and exceedingly polite cast members, overseen by a panel of jovial commentators.

The vibe is wholesome and mostly chaste. The men, who range in age from 22 to 36, operate a coffee truck during the day and cook dinner at night, with occasional forays outside for dates. One of the biggest (among very few) conflicts of the series revolves around the cost of buying raw chicken to make protein shakes for a club dancer who is trying to maintain his physique. Sex rarely comes up, and friendship and self-improvement feature as prominently as romance.

In Japan, the handful of openly gay and transgender performers who regularly appear on television are typically flamboyant, effeminate comic foils who are shoehorned into exaggerated stereotypes. With The Boyfriend, Dai Ota, the executive producer, said he wanted to portray same-sex relationships as they really are.
Voters in France flocked to the polls on Sunday for the first round of snap legislative elections that President Emmanuel Macron unexpectedly called this month, a gamble that has thrust the country into deep uncertainty over its future.

At 5 p.m. local time Sunday, the participation rate was 59.39 percent, the Interior Ministry said. That was far higher than in 2022, during the previous legislative elections, when the participation number at the same time was only 39.42 percent  reflecting intense interest in a vote that will determine the future of Mr. Macrons second term.

Voters are choosing their 577 representatives in the National Assembly, the countrys lower and more prominent house of Parliament. A new majority of lawmakers opposed to Mr. Macron would force him to appoint a political opponent as prime minister, radically shifting Frances domestic policy and muddling its foreign policy.

If no clear majority emerges, the country could be headed for months of turmoil or political deadlock. Mr. Macron, who has ruled out resigning, cannot call new legislative elections for another year.
Follow live updates on Frances election here.

The National Rally party on Sunday won a crushing victory in the first round of voting for the French National Assembly, bringing its long-taboo brand of nationalist and anti-immigrant politics to the threshold of power for the first time.

Official results published by the Interior Ministry showed that the party and its allies won about 33 percent of the vote, far ahead of President Emmanuel Macrons centrist Renaissance party and its allies, which took about 20 percent to end in third place.

A coalition of left-wing parties, called the New Popular Front, won about 28 percent of the vote. Ranging from the moderate socialists to the far-left France Unbowed, the coalition was boosted by strong support among young people.
Iranian voters signaled their disenchantment with Irans system of clerical rule in the countrys presidential election on Friday, going to the polls in record-low numbers to help two establishment candidates limp to a runoff.

The runoff on July 5 will offer voters a final choice between a reformist former health minister, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, and an ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, neither of whom managed to get more than the 50 percent of votes needed to win the presidency. That postpones for another week the question of who will steer Iran through challenges including a sickly economy, the gulf between rulers and ruled and a nearby war that keeps threatening to drag Iran further in.

But despite belonging to two different camps, neither man is expected to bring major change to Iran, given that they must govern with the ultimate approval of Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Here are the most important takeaways emerging from Fridays election.

Iranians continue to reject the system.

Only 40 percent of eligible Iranians voted on Friday, according to government figures, a historically low turnout for an Iranian presidential race  even lower than the 41 percent level reported for Irans parliamentary elections this year.
Thousands of anti-government protesters gathered on Saturday outside the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, renewing calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a cease-fire in Gaza that would allow the return of hostages taken during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7.

One protester held up a sign that called Mr. Netanyahu the enemy of Israel, while others covered themselves in fake blood and bandages and lay in the street.

Relatives and family members of hostages have held weekly street demonstrations since October to pressure the government to bring their loved ones home. Some hostages were released as part of a temporary cease-fire in November and others have been rescued. But more than 100 remain in Gaza. It is unclear how many are still alive.

Noa Argamani, a hostage who was rescued on June 8, called for the release of the remaining captives in a video by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents families of hostages held captive in Gaza.

We must do everything possible to bring them back home, Ms. Argamani said in the video. She was kidnapped and taken to Gaza along with her partner, Avinatan Or, on Oct. 7. He is still being held.

Efrat Yahalomi, the sister of Ohad Yahalomi, a French-Israeli hostage who was taken from the Kibbutz Nir Oz, said it was incredibly painful to know that Israeli hostages were languishing in captivity.

Almost nine months have passed, and Im still standing here with a heavy heart, while you, Ohad, are still not here, she said in a statement released by the forum.
The Taoiseach has admitted he was frustrated over an ongoing controversy in the Defence Forces.

It comes after earlier this week Simon Harris stated that information on how many serving members had criminal convictions was not immediately available to him.

The Defence Forces later said a total of 68 members have been convicted or are before the courts charged with criminal offences.

They include public order, drink-driving, drugs, physical assault and sexual offences.

Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheal Martin asked for a review of members of the Irish military who were charged with offences after the case of an Irish soldier who assaulted a woman until she was unconscious prompted protests across Ireland in the past week.

Victim Natasha OBrien called on politicians and the Defence Forces to do your job to protect women and other civilians.

Speaking to reporters at the Night and Day festival in Co Roscommon, Mr Harris said: I think its fair to say that I did express kind of visible frustration during the week  and that was motivated from a place of good because I had watched what Natasha OBrien had been going through.

Zero tolerance isnt a political slogan, zero tolerance is cultural change we need to bring about in Ireland.

Mr Harris added: Were not yet where we need to be culturally in relation to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and the last couple of weeks have been a stark reminder of that.

We already have Defence Force regulations  that Im paraphrasing now  that say if somebody is convicted of a crime and sentenced to prison, suspended or otherwise, that the dismissal process should begin.

That process needs to be efficient, and if theres any blockages or any reasons why it isnt, we need to know that.

We do, in my view, need to go further than that.

If theres an allegation of a serious crime against you in the domestic, sexual or gender-based violence area  I fully appreciate your due process, I fully appreciate the difference between a conviction and allegation  but I do think people shouldnt be allowed continue in active service during that period of time.

He added: These are people who wear the uniform of our country. And I should say this too, because I do know when any when any controversy blows up in any organisation. I know it can sap the morale of people.

Theres many many thousands of good men and women in Oglaigh na hEireann and they do us proud at home and abroad  and its for them we have to get this right.
Despite the fact that President Joe Biden did not perform well in the debate with Donald Trump, this did not change the opinion of voters about both candidates for the presidency of the United States of America.

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This is evidenced by the results of a poll conducted by 538/Ipsos. Thus, the majority of respondents (60%) consider Trump to be the winner of the first round of debates, while only 21% of respondents have the opposite opinion, and 19% have not decided on the answer.

However, as a result of the speeches of both politicians, voters have not changed their decisions about which candidates they plan to vote for in the elections this November.

The survey showed that Biden lost only a small share of potential voters: after the debate, 46.7% of potential voters said they would consider voting for him, which is 1.5% lower than before the debate.

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At the same time, support for Trump remained almost unchanged. The share of potential voters who said they would consider voting for Trump after the debate increased from 43.5% to only 43.9%.

Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The totalitarian regime of the DPRK has called for the formation of a so-called anti-Western alliance across Asia. North Korea claimed that it was making efforts to prevent "acts that violate peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of the world."

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In particular, the threats were directed at the United States, Japan, and South Korea. This was reported by the North Korean propaganda outlet KNCA.

North Korea has accused the West of "repeated reckless and provocative military actions against the DPRK and other independent states." Also, speaking on behalf of the "international community," the DPRK stated that the recent exercises hide the "US strategic plan to escalate regional military tensions."

Moreover, the DPRK complained that the West is allegedly putting pressure on the Far East, Russia, and China. At the same time, echoing the narratives of the terrorist country Russia, North Korea spoke of "red lines."

"The regular trilateral joint military exercises of the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea clearly show that the US strategy for world domination, aimed at surrounding and deterring independent and sovereign states and ensuring its military hegemony, has already crossed the red line and is causing very negative changes in the global security environment and geopolitical structure," the statement said.

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The North Korean authorities noted that the situation "requires independent sovereign states to steadily build up their defense capabilities to protect the security of the state." The DPRK also called for strengthening mutual cooperation "in order to create a force structure capable of effectively deterring the collective military intervention of hostile forces."

"The expansion of the US aggressive bloc and its vassal forces, as well as the escalation of military confrontation, undermining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, will undoubtedly be stopped by the powerful and coordinated counteraction of independent sovereign states," the DPRK threatened.

As a reminder, following a series of visits by Russia's top leadership to North Korea, the latter may begin supplying millions of rounds of ammunition to Russia. Such supplies are already in place, but experts do not rule out that their number could grow rapidly.

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Earlier it was reported that North Korea could send Russia at least 1.6 million artillery shells in six months. Putin's army probably received this amount of weapons from the DPRK between August 2023 and January of this year.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, the regime of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, who is friends with the aggressor country Russia, is preparing to send military "construction and engineering forces" to the territory of Ukraine. They will allegedly take part in the so-called reconstruction work in the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk region starting in July 2024.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
What are your legal obligations when using crypto for gambling adventures? Which cryptos are the best for online gambling transactions? How easily are your crypto transactions tracked? We will answer these and other essential questions in this dive into the Wild West that is crypto gambling. Discover current and future crypto regulations today with this simple dive into everything crypto!

It has been a decade and a half since Bitcoin hit the market. Fifteen years of development and community input have allowed it to blossom into a handy payment solution. What is more, it has laid the groundwork for countless cryptocurrencies and crypto-related investment opportunities. It is, therefore, blatantly obvious that crypto is here to stay. The question now is, how will governments around the world try to tax it?

What Bothers Governments

The reasons why individuals love cryptocurrencies are the same reasons that make governments hate them. Cryptocurrencies are decentralized, which means that no central authority controls them. Their decentralization is joined by the highest level of anonymity out of all currently available payment methods. It is this combination of decentralization and anonymity that prevents governments from seizing private assets or imposing taxes on them. While certain criminals, such as money launderers, love to exploit these mechanisms for illegal purposes, most crypto enthusiasts just want to throw away the shackles of infinite regulations and outdated banking practices. However, it is this criminal activity, especially tax evasion, that governments use to legitimize various regulations.

Government Solutions Around the World

An unwritten rule in the world of crypto regulations is that most countries do not have any regulations. While every country expects you to inform your local tax organization of your overall income, few countries impose direct tax regulations on your crypto transactions. But there are always exceptions to every rule.

The complete opposite of no crypto regulation was implemented in China and India, where the local governments have taken a hard stance against crypto gambling. While some operators in India ignore these government regulations, those in China follow the rules to a T. These types of bans come from either a desire to completely control the populations payment methods or a realization that regulating completely anonymous transactions may be futile.

An interesting middle ground between no regulation and an outright ban is the United States. There, the legal landscape for crypto gambling is complex, to say the least. While there are currently no federal laws addressing crypto gambling, there are states such as Nevada and New Jersey that place regulations on crypto gambling. Most other states do not have any regulations directly targeting crypto, so those are essentially the Wild West.

Blockchain Islands

While ignoring crypto regulations often comes from a lack of crypto understanding, creating smart regulations comes from a place of exceptional crypto understanding. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that the world leaders in crypto regulations are Malta and Curacao, two of the worlds most respectable gambling hubs.

Let us first look at Malta and its Virtual Financial Assets Act, or VFAA for short. The latter is a licensing system for various crypto-related activities like exchanges, custody services, and initial coin offerings (ICOs). The core components of these are anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) procedures. While these are not direct tax regulations, they are essential to keeping the crypto sphere regulated. However, there are also more liberal regulations from the worlds best gaming islands.

The government of Curacao goes hand in hand with iGaming. Their crypto regulations are far less stringent. They currently do not require a license for crypto activities. Moreover, they do not have specific laws for cryptocurrencies, and their regulatory framework is less robust. However, their new National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK) has been allowing crypto payments since 2023, hinting at potential broader crypto regulations. While these were certainly progressive, they will not be as progressive as those of the following government.

Progressive Government Solutions

El Salvador shocked the world in September 2021 when it recognized Bitcoin alongside the US dollar as a legal tender. The government started its crypto incentives by launching a digital wallet called Chivo to facilitate Bitcoin transactions. This rocked the value of Bitcoin and led to odd fluctuations that eventually led to an increase in value. However, it proved that cryptocurrencies can help people access banking from even the most remote and disadvantaged areas. Moreover, it laid the groundwork for a new technological revolution.

From Legal Trouble to The Future of Tech

There are no regulations that can make crypto disappear. Moreover, most countries have completely ignored crypto outside of tax obligations. You can, therefore, use any cryptocurrency that you please for your online gambling transactions. While your transactions are recorded on the blockchain, you cannot have your personal identity leaked. We cannot predict exactly what will happen in the world of crypto regulations tomorrow, but we can say that crypto will integrate into broader metaverse solutions, which will eventually receive regulations all around the world.


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When my step-daughter heard about the book being read to the students at Saticoy Elementary School last year she was a little jealous: "I wish we had that assembly when I was in school. When my parents got divorced I thought that made me different. In my experience, all families had a mom and a dad. Mine did not have that anymore."

While "The Great Big Book of Families" was being presented as part of Pride Month, its message is an important one, even for children beyond the LGBTQIA+ community. Exclusion is like a cancer enveloping additional groups as it metastasizes. Elementary school students can be inoculated from this by ensuring they all feel accepted as they gather around a teacher for story time.

The Armenian immigrants who comprised a large segment of those who violently protested the reading of "The Great Big Book of Families" should have understood this message. Their community has fought to have the crimes committed against them by the Turks recognized by the history books. Genocide, like the one committed against the Armenian people, is only possible when ordinary citizens give in to hatred.

The protestors and their apologists have made repeated claims that their protests had nothing to do with hate. Instead, they were trying to "protect" children from "indoctrination." They do not explain how reminding students that "some children have two mummies or two daddies" is harmful, especially when the page starts with: "Lots of children live with their mummy and daddy." Why should celebrating diversity ever be controversial?

The protest outside Saticoy Elementary School also put on display the fact that hatred in these groups extended beyond the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to using homophobic rhetoric, protestors were documented hurling antisemitic insults. Additionally, one speaker on the group's PA system engaged in fat shaming. None of these behaviors should be accepted in society.

In remembrance of the events that occurred last June 2nd, the Northridge East Neighborhood Council's Education Committee sent the following email to the Los Angeles City Council asking them again to support the LAUSD's attempts at diversity and inclusion publicly:

It has been a year since the group calling themselves "Saticoy Parents" violently protested against an assembly at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood celebrating the diversity of families. Members of this group, who are often seen wearing matching "Leave Our Kids Alone" t-shirts, hurled homophobic, misogynistic, and anti-Semitic slurs as they tried to prevent "The Great Big Book of Families" from being read at the school. Parents had the choice to opt their children out of this program. The protestors wanted to eliminate the ability of parents to choose to have their children participate.

In the aftermath of this violent protest, the Northridge East Neighborhood Council unanimously passed a resolution urging the City of Los Angeles to support the LAUSD's efforts at promoting inclusion and diversity. While we did not receive a response to our July 12, 2023 email asking for the Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee to express this support to the school district, the problem has continued to grow in our city. These same protesters continue to confront the school boards of the LAUSD and other Los Angeles school districts demanding the elimination of inclusivity and diversity programs.



Last March the NENC Education Committee experienced this hatred directly when members of the Saticoy Parents group and their supporters attended our Zoom meeting. Homophobic statements were regularly used during public comments and the religious beliefs of those who disagreed with them were attacked.



As we celebrate Pride Month, we ask again that your Committee publicly support the LAUSD attempts at diversity and inclusion. Students come from many different types of families, and they all have a right to know that the city they call home supports and welcomes them.

Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for public education, particularly for students with special education needs, who serves as the Education Chair for the Northridge East Neighborhood Council. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Dr. Diane Ravitch has called him "a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles." For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.
Donald Trump:

The Moscovite Candidate?



Trump plane and Russian Diplomats Plane

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I learned two things during the presidential debate of June 2024, of which few people are speaking about, but the statements are of a rattling magnitude. I already knew Joe Biden was old and I was already aware that Donald Trump is incapable of coherency and honesty except by way of insults and insulting ideas.

I already knew that opportunity for substance was going to have to take place in two-minute templates and one-minute retorts. I was surprised that the moderators were not going to present follow up questions, instead it appeared they could have been replaced with robotic speech for there was no investigative questions and no challenge to the piles of manure posing as answers. It is hard to blame them because the amount of excrement was indeed hard to keep up with let alone pile up properly.

Joe Biden looked both old and also flabbergasted by the excremental diversity of Trump's propositions which he used to make reference to non-related and decent ideas. Trumps skill at presenting a foundation of sand and manure to then equate to decent ideas is profound. And I believe left most of The US and world agape with astoundment. I believe the amount of excrement floated upon that stage explains why the following two statements have not been more eloquently and more critically questioned and explored.

Donald Trump called Joe Biden a Manchurian Candidate, suggesting that Communist China somehow has Joe Bident by the psyche and that he serves The CCP. Now we all know that Donald Trump is easily understood as someone who projects his faults and his crimes upon other parties. So was Donald Trump projecting his collusion with foreign powers? His possession of extensive secret documents when it was also well known he did not read daily briefings is highly suspect in relation to his foreign servitude or his seeking to use information to carry influence.

The more important thing I learned, which the moderators did not notice amidst the funneling spew, provides a glimpse into the mind of two manure spewers of the world. Trump revealed his communication with Putin and that it was Putin's dream to invade Ukraine. And that he wouldn't have followed his dream if Trump were president because trump strong, or some such other utter crap. Now this certainly could be more imaginary flim flam trumpery made up by Trump, however we really should take a look around. It certainly would appear that Trump is Putin's little affluent asset.

Serious questions need to be asked here beginning with did Putin tell Trump his dream was to invade Ukraine before Trump was impeached? Impeached because he was using the withholding of pledged assistance to Ukraine to get Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden. And obviously Putin told him this before the invasion. Why is Putin telling Trump his dream? If Putin wanted to invade Ukraine before 2022 no one can carry the collectivist invader idea that the invaders are fighting nazis and NATO aggression. The theft of Ukrainian life, liberty and property was arguably planned since 1991 without this knowledge though. Serious questions need to be asked here, but the manure pile is very deep and needs to be cleared, I guess.

The very next day Trump had a rally in Virginia and look who his plane parked next to, the Russian Diplomatic plane. As if they had tea and a planned meeting. It really is collectivism versus liberty and the collectivists have a really nice club, apparently.

The critical statement, Putin's dream of invading Ukraine .youtube.com/watch?v=RoEmqaCVh4g

The planes parked next to each other tu.be/E0zk3QIKKQo?t=254
Forget about Biden's past performance And How Bad Trump Is

The lying and dissembling media and Democratic politicians apologizing and defending Joe Biden are using three strategies.

First, they point to how bad Trump.

Then they say how great Joe Biden has been in the past. Neither of those matter now.

Last, they point out how well he did the next day at a stump speech in South Carolina. The problem is, there, he was reading other people's words on a teleprompter.



Watch: Biden Stumbles Over His Words During Debate Against Trump | WSJ News President Biden stumbled and appeared to lose his train of thought as he discussed healthcare, while on the debate stage with ...

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The truth is that Joe Biden clearly demonstrated, repeatedly, in the Thursday night debate, that he cannot handle challenges requiring a spontaneous response. It is terrifying to think that in his current mental capacity, he is the one who makes important decisions that could affect lives, wars, major economic policies, and more.

President Joe Biden should be removed from office immediately. He is unable to function competently. This was not just a cold, or stuttering or exhaustion from travel. This was a clear sign that his competence has diminished greatly since the State of the Union. He is no longer the man he was. He is no longer the man who accomplished all the things that he accomplished in the past. Forget about that. We have to focus on his competence now. And that is a disaster. That is why so many leading thinkers have called for him to step down as a candidate. But that is not enough. He must step down as president and allow Kamala Harris to replace him.

We have to ask who is really in charge in the White House. I believe it is Jill Biden and Biden's chief of staff, Jeff Zients. This cannot stand. It is shameful and outrageous that the Democratic party leadership and elected officials have circled the wagons to defend such a profoundly impaired candidate and president. It will be interesting to see which elected Democratic officials will have the courage to be the first to come out and call for Biden to step down from the presidency and leave the campaign. Because this is something they cannot wait. It is unimaginable to consider the Joe Biden we saw Thursday night making major decisions of any kind as president. And every day that goes by with elected Democratic officials using the distraction techniques that I've described above to excuse Biden is another day where the United States does not have a president who is able to function competently.
The human mind certainly is a marvel, but too often it is mysterious and perplexing as well. It is quite capable of holding two beliefs and, even after admiring how they appear to contradict one another. Though quite capable of clear logical thinking and of great cleverness, usually the mind is content to simply recall familiar nostrums and with undeserved confidence, continue to trust them.

We know that plurality voting produces questionable outcomes whenever faced with more than two candidates, but we nevertheless trust this unreliable system for most elections, even elections with great abundance of candidates. Foolishly, perhaps thinking there is no alternative, we take this approach even for our very important primary elections, which so often require selecting just one from among many more than two candidates.

While voters do deserve to have a substantial collection of candidates to choose from, we foolishly allow this to happen without providing them a voting system (such as balanced approval voting) that can sensibly negotiate the more complex interactions that a wide selection of candidates unavoidably introduces. Instead, we use plurality voting which cannot even cope with three candidates. Ranked-choice voting offers no more than a minor improvement. Even approval voting, though a much better approach, is not quite up to the job.

With three or more candidates, no voting system can guarantee that the winning candidate will gain majority support; at most, a plurality can be assured and even for that we must assume there is not a tie. But influential people dearly want to brag about the support of a majority of voters. So, to facilitate the illusion of a majority win, we tolerate a distortion of the notion of a majority. No longer insisting it should mean a majority of all voters, we accept that well, maybe it means only a majority of the few voters whose ballots survive to be significant in the very last phase of vote tallying.

Ranked-choice voting provides one example of this. It adopts a series of simulated plurality votes, removing just a single candidate with each iteration. But we conveniently ignore that voters can also be removed from participation in subsequent iterations. Supporters of this voting system will emphasize that the final step will be to choose between only two candidates. Not so surprisingly, this may not always be true either, but we let that pass. But even then a skeptic would observe, quite rightly, that many in that claimed majority would likely have much preferred one or another of the candidates who were eliminated prior to that last step in the tally. Support only at the very last might, in reality, be less than enthusiastic, merely an expression of opposition to the other even worse alternatives. And even then, the claimed majority would be only a majority of the voters who submitted ballots which chanced to survive for participation in the very last round of tallying ballots.

An analogy to this would be a slick salesman who urges a prospective new car buyer to judge a car only on last job that was completed at the end of the assembly line. The salesman insists that (while

ignoring that the brakes fail or that the engine runs poorly) that the customer should take account of only the outstanding paint job. While this seems to be quite foolish in the context of automobiles, it seems for some it is easy to accept in the context of elections.

Outcomes of plurality elections should be viewed with great skepticism whenever there are three or more candidates. Nonetheless, in the special case of an election between only two candidates, this traditional voting system is a perfectly good way to achieve a quite satisfactory election. In fact, for this special case, it is hard to imagine the plurality outcome could ever be improved. And aside from the possibility of a tie, with only two candidates, plurality voting ensures that one of the two candidates will win with a majority of votes. So, it is tempting to somehow fit a plurality vote into a better voting scheme in the way that ranked voting does. So long as the last step in the scheme resembles a plurality election there will be the rational for claiming the winner to have majority support. This serves as a sketch of the plan for star voting.

A star voting election uses the same ballots as for score voting (a.k.a. range voting}. Typically, score voting makes five scores available for voters to assign. Although the score election (provided there is not an inconvenient tie) is perfectly capable of choosing a single winner, it seems problematic because it fails to provide a rational for the winner to claim having majority support. To remedy that perceived inadequacy, the star voting system first conducts a score-voting election, not for choosing a single winner, but merely to reduce the count of candidates to two. Star voting then simulates a final runoff election using plurality voting to decide between the two finalists from the earlier score election.

For its use in the final (simulated) plurality runoff, the star-voting ballots must be re-interpreted as plurality votes for one or the other candidate. When a ballot shows A with a higher score than B, that ballot is interpreted as a (plurality} vote for A. Likewise, if a ballot rates B higher than A then that counts as a vote for B. Superficially this may seem quite reasonable, but unfortunately it fails to stand up under more careful examination.

An obvious question to ask is whether, using star voting, it is even possible for the winner of the runoff election to differ from the winner of the score voting election. That does turn out to be possible, so we might then ask whether that change is truly an improvement.

Both questions can be settled with an example. The table below shows that it is possible for the two outcomes to differ.



Example Election

(Image by Paul Cohen, screen capture from Word Document) Details DMCA



This example is of a star election with 11,300 voters in which voters are asked to assign one of the scores 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 for each candidate. The vote-counts for the top two contenders are not widely different because 10,000 voters choose to assign the maximum score of 4 to each. The remaining 1300 voters can only play a minor role in the selection of the top two candidates. It seems surprising then, that in the simulated plurality runoff, the remaining 1300 votes become the only votes that matter. The winner, A, of the initial score election receives a score of 3 on 1000 of these remaining 1300 ballots and the second-place finalist, B, receives a score of 4 on these ballots. The remaining 300 ballots rate A with a score of 4 but B with a score of 0.

In the simulated runoff, candidate B is promoted to become the winner of the star election. It seems troubling that such a large majority of voters might be simply ignored in the runoff, but what else could be done? The 10,000-vote majority are ignored because their ballots rated A and B equally, showing no preference between A and B. Much as with ranked-choice voting the final round results in a majority for the winner but it is a majority of only the 1300 voters whose ballots survived to participate in the final runoff election.

What this example illustrates is that the approach described above for how star voting simulates the runoff election, despite appearing quite sensible, is nevertheless ill-conceived. The larger lesson is that we should be very cautious about simulating runoff elections. In this example, it seems clear that this voting pattern would never have happened had there been a genuine plurality runoff election with voters submitting a second round of ballots. In that case, surely the 10,000 voters would split roughly evenly between the two runoff candidates; that simply is what happens in a plurality election with two similar candidates; voters are coerced into choosing arbitrarily between them. It is a phenomenon called vote splitting or sometimes, the spoiler effect.

It is thought-provoking to consider what clever innovations in strategic voting might be offered to avoid the anomalies that simulated runoff elections cause.

The appeal of star voting rests largely on the fact that the runoff election is simulated, introducing no significant costs. But it would seem very difficult to justify calling for an extra election using plurality ballots; that proposal would involve considerable trouble and expense and likely it would lead to a public discussion likely revealing an absence of significant benefit to the public. The benefits would seem to be limited to providing the winner a dubious claim to majority support from the voters; it would seem better to simply choose the winner based on score voting.

In the United States, anyone is free to write letters to their newspapers, to legislators and even to the President. The Constitution even guarantees the right to hold protest demonstrations to demand a redress of grievances. But typically, voters communicate their concerns only by voting; unfortunately, many potential voters fail to even do that.

Pundits tell us that our elected leaders are the ones that the voters have chosen. And it is true that voters have a significant voice in choosing those leaders. But there are other factors that distort our election outcomes, and which constrain the choices available to voters. Gerrymandering, voter suppression, ballot access restrictions, misleading propaganda and archaic structural flaws like the Electoral College and with disproportionate political strength of low-population states all conspire to distribute the electoral power of voters unequally. And quite likely, these issues contribute to the low voter turnout.

Significant also is that we continue using an antiquated voting system which provides voters too restricted a range of choices. Plurality voting is a large factor in perpetuating a two-party duopoly. For many decades, ordinary citizens have been lulled into complacency, convinced, despite its apparent flaws, that we have the world's greatest democracy. But today there seems to be a renewed awareness of a need to strengthen that democracy. How do we do that?

I have tried in this series of articles to make the case that widespread adoption of balanced approval voting would contribute significantly to improving democracy. It could not eliminate every flaw in our elections, but it would provide voters with more freedom of expression, and it would provide more choices for voters by aggressively undermining the two-party duopoly. It could be a good first step.

In turn, the diminishing power of two dominant political parties would surely dampen the toxic polarization that we now suffer, and it seems quite possible that this would also improve our dismal record of voter participation. Moreover, reduced polarization should make progress on solving the other important issues much more feasible.

(Article changed on Jul 04, 2024 at 11:41 AM EDT)
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator

The International Criminal Court (ICC), and its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, have come under attack by Israel and its main sponsor, US President Joe Biden and the lawmakers in Washington, after Khan requested on May 20 the court to issue arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders.

Khan said that Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders - Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed Deif - "bear criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The US has a policy of selectively supporting ICC rules when it is in the interests of the US, and attacking the court if the ruling goes against those interests.

The ICC is shackled by the US and its whims, which leaves the actual purpose of the ICC, which is finding justice, unfulfilled and frustrated. If there is an ICC ruling against an African warlord, such as the cases involving Uganda, Sudan and the Congo, then the US is supportive, but in the case of crimes committed by Israel, then the US denies the credibility of the court.

The US constantly preaches on the need for an international rules based order, but Washington wants to be the master of those rules, and they want the option of bending the rules when its suits them.

The highest value for Americans is the concept of freedom and individualism. Israel has denied the freedom of the Palestinian people for 75 years, and prevented them from the human rights that every American enjoys. It is clear that Israel and the US do not share the same values, and yet the US government indoctrinates its citizens in the unconditional support of Israel.

The Biden administration and the US Congress are held hostage to AIPAC, the Israel lobby. All American elected officials, from the top to the bottom, know they can never criticize Israel or its leaders, because their political life depends on their unwavering support of Israel. If they should dare to voice their support of justice for the Palestinian people, they would face political problems which could extend as far as their private life.

The US is experiencing a serious rift in the society, with Republicans and Democrats viewing the other as the enemy. However, in this ultra-polarized political landscape, both parties are supportive of the Israeli attack on Gaza.

In the 1990s, the US supported the creation of a permanent international criminal court. However, the US voted against the Rome Statute that created the court in 1998, with the US voicing concerns that the court would possibly prosecute Americans without US consent.

The US remains a non-member state to the ICC today, and adopted laws to restrict its interactions with the court.

The US supported the ICC prosecution of Saddam Hussein, Slobodan Milosovic, Osama bin Laden, other members of al-Qaeda, leaders of Islamic Jihad and other foreign nationals. This is selective justice: the US supports its enemies going to jail, but not its friends, regardless of whether they deserve prosecution.

In 2020, the ICC investigated alleged crimes committed in Afghanistan, which included the US, Afghan and Taliban forces. Instead of supporting the search for truth and justice, the US imposed sanctions on the ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, and another senior ICC official.

The ICC and the US are again at odds. Khan's request for arrest warrants for Israeli leaders exposes the US vacillation between seeking international justice, but only when it is in line with US foreign policy goals.

On June 5, the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives voted 247-155 in favor of the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act. The bill would bar US entry and restrict any US-based property transactions for ICC officials involved with the request by Khan for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.

Neither Israel nor the US is a member of the ICC, whose 124 member states will ultimately decide whether to enforce any warrants issued by its judges.

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Hundreds of cars and trucks crowded the four lanes of Southwest Barbur Boulevard on Saturday as a total closure of 4 miles of Interstate 5 forced commuters onto detour routes.

By mid-afternoon, it took about 30 minutes to drive through the detour on Southwest Terwilliger and Barbur boulevards and back onto I-5 at the Capitol Highway overpass where the construction ended.
The terrorist country Russia could have mined critical underwater infrastructure in the North Sea. NATO noted that any Russian vessel is suspicious because they all work for the state.

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The North Atlantic Alliance justifies its concern with information received from companies that operate key oil and gas rigs, pipelines, electricity and telecommunications cables. This is stated in the article by The Times.

According to preliminary data, the Russians use ships for their criminal intentions as satellite images do not allow monitoring the seabed. The West warns that the key targets of the Kremlin regime may be electricity and telephone cables, as well as oil and gas pipelines.

Thomas De Spiegeleire, a representative of the Belgian maritime security unit, said that espionage is more difficult to detect today as before that, research vessels or warships were used for this purpose, but now even civilian vessels can be engaged in reconnaissance.

At the same time, the Belgian security services noted that no evidence of cables being mined in the territorial waters of Belgium or the Netherlands in the North Sea was found. However, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, explosives were found on one of the British cables.

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At the same time, the Russian Federation was engaged in similar activities even before the outbreak of a full-scale war. In particular, over the past ten years, more than 160 non-military Russian vessels have committed 945 suspicious acts. At least 749 of the 945 suspicious maneuvers took place within a one-kilometer radius of pipelines in the North Sea. Another 72 suspicious actions occurred near electricity cables, and the remaining 124 were in areas where telecommunications cables are laid.

"Russian ships are already suspicious even if they are following a completely normal mode of navigation. This is because every Russian ship, even if it works for a private company, still works for the state. Anomalies in navigation are not necessarily suspicious. But it is suspicious if it happens over pipelines and cables," De Spiegeleire explained.

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To recap, Germany, Sweden and Denmark launched an investigation into the incident, which was soon recognized as sabotage. Germany believes that the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines were remotely blown up by a device launched from a ship. The main suspect is Russia. Russia itself, as expected, accused the West and Ukraine.

Earlier, the head of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, who for many years was a foreign policy adviser to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said that the biggest mistake of her last government was the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

As reported, the NATO military alliance is working on the implementation of technology to detect suspicious activity around underwater critical infrastructure in real time. We are talking about underwater drones and artificial intelligence, which the Alliance is currently testing in special exercises.

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Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
In 1957, four couples gathered at a cocktail party to see which of four daylight ranch houses would be theirs. Together, they had purchased about an acre of land in Southwest Portlands Hillsdale neighborhood and hired modernist architect John Storrs to design a floor plan with vaulted ceilings and glass walls. Two of the divided lots were a quarter acre. One lot was larger, one smaller.

When construction was nearly completed, each couple drew a number that represented a lot.

Fortunately, everyone was delighted with the house they got and believed they got their preferred location, said Brad Wilson, who grew up in one of homes on or near Southwest 18th Drive. They were able to do a little bit of customization and all lived in their home for 30 or more years.

The cost to create what is known as Storrs Quadrant? Under $50,000 per couple. The contractor and subcontractors charged less per home since they were working on four at a time, and Storrs, now celebrated as an architectural change maker, was still building his reputation.

Wilson heard from his parents that Storrs thought it was a fun project and his fee was low on the compensation scale even though the young architect had designed the 1954 Portland Garden Clubs headquarters, a modern building now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The couples, three in creative fields, plus Oregons U.S. attorney Sidney Lezak and neuropsychologist Muriel Lezak, liked the spare, clean lines of modern. Storrs positioned the houses and decks to maximize natural light and views of the Southwest hills and valley, while providing privacy for the households.

I dont picture my parents being as analytical as (home shoppers are) today, said Wilson, who lived in the house from 5 years old until leaving at 18 to attend the University of Oregon in Eugene. He said his parents didnt consider commute time, property taxes or future resale. They just liked the area, said Wilson, who lives in Lake Oswego.

For the first time, all four of the privately owned Storrs Quadrant homes will be open, from noon to 4:30 p.m. July 13, as a fundraiser for the nonprofit Restore Oregon, a statewide preservation and educational organization.

Admission to Oh My Storrs! A Four Home Tour is $125. Guests will explore each residence at their own pace, said Restore Oregon executive director Nicole Possert. Then, they will follow in the footsteps of the original owners, meandering the terraced and gardened pathways in between the homes to a central patio area. Here, they can enjoy the scenery, mingle with other Restore Oregon Modernism supporters and chat with the current homeowners. Adding to the cocktail atmosphere: Wine and appetizers will be served.

Theres no better way to gain insight into the creativity of modern designs by John Storrs than by standing on that central patio and having a 360 degree view of the four homes intentionally designed for this setting, Possert told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

She also thanked the current homeowners for their gracious understanding of the important role home tours and education play in saving and stewarding Oregons modernist design heritage.

This daylight ranch is one of the fabled Storrs Quadrant, where four couples hired architect John Storrs to design lookalike daylight ranch homes, completed around 1957, on land partitioned into four lots on and around Southwest 18th Drive in Portlands Hillsdale neighborhood.Restore Oregon

The Connecticut-born Storrs received a masters of architecture degree at Yale University in 1949 and crossed the country five years later, inspired by Portland architect Pietro Belluschi, who lectured at Yale about the Pacific Northwests take on modern design.

Storrs, whose projects include Salishan Lodge in Gleneden Beach, the World Forestry Center in Portlands Washington Park and more than 80 private residences, enjoyed a long architecture career. He died in 2003 at age 83.

His widow, Fran Storrs, said they were often invited by their good friends, Sid and Muriel Lezak, to social events on the Lezaks large front deck John Storrs oriented to face away from the other Quadrant houses. Fran said her husband, who was an absolutely memorable person with a charismatic, outrageous personality, designed to accommodate peoples personal and social interactions.

The Lezaks Friday afternoon gatherings were large, legendary and loud, but the neighbors never complained, said oldest daughter Anne Lezak. Every one of the houses has a lovely deck and they are all used, she told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Although the adults were friendly, they had different interests and outside social circles, Lezak said, while the kids ran around together all the time, using the entire area as a playground.

Lezak called John Storrs a genius in creating a relaxed environment surrounded by nature. We all lived in a beautiful and special place, said Lezak, who moved into her familys new house when she was 3. My parents could not have been happier and we were very lucky.

Storrs accomplished an open, indoor-outdoor feel with all four homes by having windows that span across the rooms, and some interior walls and closets that stop below the ceiling. Sliding glass doors open to a deck, stone patio and terraced grounds, depending on the slope of the land.

He saw unpainted and textured wood as an understandable, romantic material. The Storrs Quadrant houses have clear grain Douglas fir panels walls, wood beams or a wood-clad ceilings, and built-in cabinets.

Storrs homes are known to incorporate beautiful natural materials mirroring the outdoor setting while keeping the flow relaxed and accessible, said Susan Gibson Stier, who bought Brad Wilsons childhood home eight years ago.

Over time, the living space expanded as new owners upgraded the daylight basements. In the 1950s, downstairs space was usually just concrete, said Stier, a broker with Windermere Real Estate. Large home offices, guest rooms and bonus media space now play a more important role, so unfinished basements are too precious not to be remodeled.

The space where Brads dad, Willard (Bill) Wilson, had a workshop  he was a putterer, said Brad of his father, an advertising executive  and Brads dad and mom, Ellen Wilson, held informal bridge parties now has two bedrooms, a media room and office.

Other features popular then and now remain: A fireplace with a roman brick surround rising to the tall living room ceiling, three or four bedrooms, some with privacy-providing clerestory windows, and two or three bathrooms.

Storrs, an affable perfectionist, had a hands-on, responsive approach to his projects and spent time on the site tweaking his construction drawings, according to Restore Oregon.

On Aug. 18, Restore Oregon Modernism 2024 program will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the birth of Storrs mentor, architect Pietro Belluschi.

Storrs was hired as a consultant on one or two Quadrant home remodels, said Stier. The current owners of another home restored their updated home, reverting it back to the midcentury modern style.

The homes are unique, and our neighbors all share the special bond to restore and preserve them together, said Stier.

Decades ago, the original couples would occasionally get together in the common area between the houses.

Everyone remained friends, but they had other friends too, Wilson said. It wasnt an exclusive arrangement, wasnt like Lucy and Ethel (in the 1950s sit com I Love Lucy). No ones feelings got hurt if there was a party and someone wasnt invited. It was just a simpler time.

 Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman
Sprinter Noah Lyles doubled up on his gold medals Saturday at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. Lyles, the headliner in the last event of the night, the mens 200-meter final, lived up to expectations by winning in a world-leading time of 19.53 seconds at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Kenny Bednarek finished a close second, in a personal-best 19.59, followed by Erriyon Knighton in 19.77. All three will be headed to Paris in the event to represent Team USA at the Olympics.

Lyles and Bednarek will be doubling in Paris, with the pair also finishing 1-2 in the mens 100 earlier at these Olympic trials.

ShaCarri Richardson was expected to star in the womens 200 final, but she finished fourth and missed out on the U.S. team for Paris in the event. Instead, Gabby Thomas pushed to the front of the field and won the womens 200 in a time of 21.81 seconds. Brittany Brown finished second in 21.90, followed by McKenzie Long (21.91). Thomas, Brown and Long make Team USA for the Paris Olympics.

Richardson previously won the womens 100 title at the trials, so she still is on the team for Paris.

Meanwhile, Oregon Ducks thrower Jaida Ross made Team USA for the Paris Olympics by finishing third in the womens shot put. Chase Jackson won the event and Raven Saunders took second to round out the Olympic womens shot put team for the U.S.

Also winning finals on Saturday were Andrew Evans (mens discus), Tara Davis-Woodhall (womens long jump) and Weini Kelati (womens 10,000 meters). Karissa Schweizer, who trains in Eugene with the Bowerman Track Club, finished third in the womens 10,000.

Saturdays events began early with the finals in the mens and womens 20-kilometer race walk in Springfield. Nick Christie won the mens race, with Robyn Stevens taking home the womens title.

Heres a recap of how the action unfolded on Day 9 of the Olympic trials.

Live updates, results

(Latest updates on top)

Mens 200 meters final: The field lines up for the start of the mens 200 final. Noah Lyles hits the finish line in 19.53 seconds. Thats a world-leading time for this year and a new Olympic trials record. Kenny Bednarek finishes second in a personal-best 19.59. Erriyon Knighton grabs the third spot for the Paris Olympics with a season-best time of 19.77. Christian Coleman finishes a disappointing fourth in 19.89, with Kyree King fifth in a PB time of 19.90. Courtney Lindsey crosses sixth in 20.00, followed by Robert Gregory (20.56), Jeremiah Curry (20.57) and Jamarion Stubbs (20.60).

Womens 10,000 meters final: Parker Valby, Karissa Schweizer and Weini Kelati move away from the pack with several laps to go in the womens 10,000 final. Schweizer moves to the front just before the bell. Kelati moves with her and takes the lead on the backstretch of the final lap. Schweizer moves to the outside on the final turn and goes back to the front. But Kelati shows off a kick down the final stretch to win it in 31 minutes, 41.07 seconds. Valby out-leans Schweizer for second place at 31:41.56. Schweizer settles for third, also timed in 31:41.56. Kelati has the Olympic standard, but Valby and Schweizer do not. So we will have to see if they both make the U.S. team for Paris in this event. The final U.S. team will be announced July 7.

Jaida Ross competes in the women's shot put final during the U.S. Olympic track and field trials on Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Eugene. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)AP

Womens shot put final: Jaida Ross quickly moves into second place in the womens shot put final with a toss of 63 feet, 7 inches on her first attempt. Raven Saunders uncorks a season best of 65-2 on her first attempt to take the early lead.  Chase Jackson moves to the lead in the shot put with her fourth-round throw of 65-11. Saunders dips to second, with Ross third. The competition now is in the fifth round.  Thats how the competition ends up. Jackson wins it, at 65-11, followed by Saunders at 65-3 and Ross at 64-3. They will represent the U.S. in the womens shot put at the Paris Olympics. (Correction: This entry has been updated to reflect the final marks for Saunders and Ross. A previous version incorrectly listed their early marks in the event final.)

Womens 400-meter hurdles, semifinals: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone crushes the rest of the field in her semifinal of the 400 hurdles. She wins the heat in 52.48. Dalilah Muhammad crosses the line in 54.16 to also qualify for Sundays final.  Shamier Little pushes to stay ahead of Rachel Glenn down the stretch to win the second semifinal in 53.49. Glenn crosses second in 53.68, followed by Sydni Townsend in 55.26.  Anna Cockrell runs a personal best to win the third and final heat in 52.95. Jasmine Jones takes second in 53.66. There is one time qualifier from each heat, with Cassandra Tate (54.66) from heat 1, Townsend (55.26) from heat 2 and Akala Garrett (55.34) from heat 3.

Tara Davis-Woodhall competes in the women's long jump final during the U.S. Olympic track and field trials on Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Eugene. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)AP

Womens long jump final: After two rounds of the womens long jump final, Jasmine Moore holds the lead with her leap of 22 feet, 5 inches. Monae Nichols is second at 22-2 and Quanesha Burks third at 21-10. Tara Davis-Woodhall has fouls on her first two jumps and is down to her last chance for a fair jump.  Lex Brown moves to third with a jump of 22-2 on her third attempt. Davis-Woodhall moves up to fifth on her third attempt, with a jump of 21-9, so it seems as though she will be safely into the top eight to get three more attempts.  Tara Davis-Woodhall moves into the lead of the womens long jump in the fifth round with a jump of 22-11. And thats where things wind up. Davis-Woodhall wins the long jump with that effort. Moore finishes second with her third-round jump of 22-10. And Nichols takes third with her final jump, a season-best 22-6. That equals the Olympic standard as well, so Nichols should be headed to Paris with Davis-Woodhall and Moore. Burks finishes fourth.

Gabby Thomas celebrates after winning the women's 200-meter final during the U.S. Olympic trials for track and field on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at Hayward Field in Eugene. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)AP

Womens 200-meter final: Gabby Thomas moves to the front in the first 100 meters and stays in the lead all the way to the finish line, crossing in 21.81 seconds to win the womens 200 final. Brittany Brown clocks a personal-best 21.90 to finish just ahead of the third-place McKenzie Long (21.91). Those top three make Team USA for Paris. ShaCarri Richardson finishes fourth in 22.16, followed by Tamara Clark (22.20), Abby Steiner (22.24), former UO star Jenna Prandini (22.58) and Oregons Jadyn Mays (22.60).

Alaysha Johnson wins a heat in the women's 100-meter hurdles semifinals during the U.S. Olympic trials for track and field on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at Hayward Field in Eugene. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)AP

Womens 100-meter hurdles, semifinals: Former Oregon Ducks standout Alaysha Johnson posts the top time of the day in the womens 100 hurdles semifinals, winning the second heat in a season-best 12.36 seconds. Masai Russell (heat 3) and Tonea Marshall (heat 2) also are timed in 12.36. Christina Clemons wins heat 1 in 12.52 seconds, followed by Keni Harrison at 12.55 and Nia Ali at 12.55. Grace Stark is second in heat 3, finishing in 12.45. Ali is the top time qualifier, and shes into the final along with Alia Armstrong (12.67) and Talie Bonds (12.77).

Andrew Evans competes in the men's discus throw final during the U.S. Olympic trials for track and field on Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Eugene. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)AP

Mens discus final: Sam Mattis takes the early lead in the mens discus final with a season-best throw of 216 feet, 9 inches. With one round complete, Mattis leads it, followed by Turner Washington (215-5) and Brian Williams (213-0).  Andrew Evans moves up from eighth to third with a toss of 213-2 on his second attempt. Through two rounds, Mattis still is in front, followed by Washington and Evans.  Evans, Reggie Jagers and Marcus Gustaveson each move up in the third round. Gustaveson unleashes a toss of 214-6. Then Jagers uncorks one that goes 215-8. And finally, Evans takes the lead with the biggest toss of the day, a throw of 218-6. The final eight moving on for throws 4-6 are: Evans, Mattis, Jagers, Washington, Gustaveson, Williams, Jordan Roach and Joseph Brown. Eliminated are Mitchell Weber (201-11), Jeff Williams (200-5), Dallin Shurts (195-3) and Milton Ingraham (188-2).  On his final attempt, Joseph Brown moves up to third place with a toss of 215-10. That bumps Jagers down to fourth.  Andrew Evans wins the mens discus with a toss of 218-6. Mattis finishes second, but he has not achieved the Olympic standard distance. Brown takes third and Jagers fourth. It is unclear whether Mattis will be on Team USA for the Paris Olympics, or whether the spot will go to Jagers because of Mattis issue with the Olympic standard. The full track and field team for the U.S. will be announced July 7.

Womens 20-kilometer race walk: Robyn Stevens led throughout and hit the finish line in 1 hour, 37 minutes, 38 seconds to win the womens race walk. Miranda Melville finished two minutes back to take second in 1:39:38 and Michelle Rohl placed third in 1:42:27.

Mens 20-kilometer race walk: Nick Christie wins the mens race in a time of 1 hour, 24 minutes, 46 seconds. Christie led throughout to control the race and earn his second berth to the Olympics. Emmanuel Corvera finished second in 1:30:15, while Jordan Crawford crossed third in 1:30:52.

Day 9 | Saturday, June 29

TV and live stream schedule

All times Pacific

NBC: 5-7 p.m.

Peacock: 7:30-9 a.m.; 4:30-7 p.m.

Event schedule

Event finals in bold

All times Pacific

Morning session

7:30 a.m.: Mens 20-kilometer race walk final

7:31 a.m.: Womens 20-kilometer race walk final

Evening session

4:30 p.m.: Mens discus final

5:04 p.m.: Womens 100 hurdles, semifinals

5:20 p.m.: Womens long jump final

5:27 p.m.: Womens 200 meters final

5:41 p.m.: Womens 400 hurdles, semifinals

5:50 p.m.: Womens shot put final

6:09 p.m.: Womens 10,000 meters final

6:49 p.m.: Mens 200 meters final

-- Joel Odom
EUGENE  Oregon Ducks shot star Jaida Ross stellar season isnt over.

Ross claimed third place Saturday in the U.S. Olympic trials at Hayward Field to earn one of three spots on the U.S. team that will compete next month in Paris.

Two-time reigning U.S. champion Chase (Ealey) Jackson won the competition with a best throw of 65 feet, 11 inches. Raven Saunders, the 2021 Olympic silver medalist, had just two legal throws in her six attempts. But both sailed over 65 feet, including the second-place mark of 65-3.

Ross, the 2024 NCAA champ and collegiate record-holder, stayed with the international veterans throughout the competition, finishing with a mark of 64-3.

She said she felt some pressure coming heading into the trials as the hometown hopeful.

I dont view it as bad, Ross said. I love pressure. I love having expectations on myself. It felt good. Some good nerves out there. It felt really good. It helped me out a little bit.

Ross had a good nights sleep, and showed up at Hayward ready to do some damage. Afterward she basked in the spotlight after securing her third-place finish, receiving her medal and making her victory lap around the track.

I did the little victory, walk lap, Ross said. So many people just love it here, love Oregon, love track. Im so grateful for anyone that has come out and supported this sport and me and Oregon and everyone competing out here.

They make this experience. This sport wouldnt be the same without them. Coming face to face with the crowd and seeing how supportive everyone is felt really amazing.

Here are results from the Olympic trials.

-- Ken Goe for The Oregonian/OregonLive
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is considering strengthening his support for the anti-Israeli and anti-Western coalition known as the Axis of Resistance. In particular, the Russian terrorist state has asked Saudi Arabia for permission to arm the Houthis with anti-ship cruise missiles.

ADVERTISIMENT

Thus, Moscow wants to further strengthen military relations with Iran. This is stated in the article by Middle East Eye.

Representatives of the US Department of Defense are concerned that the escalation between Israel and Lebanon could further strengthen Iran's military cooperation with Russia. The fears are fueled by US intelligence, which claims that Russia is considering strengthening its support for the so-called Axis of Resistance in Iran.

In particular, Kremlin dictator Putin has considered providing the Houthis with anti-ship missiles. However, arms supplies to the Houthis are potentially a more sensitive issue than aid to Hezbollah because of Russia's attempts to win over the oil-rich Gulf states.

According to U.S. intelligence, Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohammed bin Salman intervened to prevent Putin from supplying the Houthis with missiles. The talks took place after Putin's visit to Saudi Arabia and the UAE in December 2023. According to Western media, Putin and Mohammed bin Salman agreed to "ease tensions" in the region.

ADVERTISIMENT

Fabian Hinz, an expert on ballistic and cruise missiles at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said that supply and demand coincide between the Houthis and Russia. The Houthis typically use drones and ballistic missiles to attack ships. Their cruise missile arsenal includes Iranian-made models. According to Hinz, the two most prominent Houthi demonstrations are the Quds and Al-Mandeb-2 missiles.

The expert also noted that Russia could supply the terrorists with the X-31 supersonic anti-ship missile, which is launched from the air but can be converted for ground launch and was widely exported, in particular to Venezuela and Yemen during the civil war.

To recap, another country has become concerned about the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia has called on its citizens to leave Lebanon. They are also banned from visiting the country from now on.

ADVERTISIMENT

Earlier, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Germany and Canada appealed to their citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately. The Foreign Ministries of Canada and Germany cited the threat of an armed conflict.

As reported, Iran threatened Israel with a "war of annihilation" in the event of an Israeli attack on Lebanon. Tehran said it is considering "the full involvement of all resistance forces."

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Samuel Tetteh and Abubakar Sadick, have been committed to stand trial at the High Court for murdering 21-year-old Private Sherif Imoro at Ashaiman by the TDC Magistrate Court in Tema.



The court presided over by Magistrate Mrs. Benedicta Antwi, first discharged all accused persons standing committal trial following an application from the prosecution to withdraw the charge sheet filed in April 2023, and a fresh charge of murder was filed against Tetteh and Sadick.



Consequently, Ibrahim Abdul Rakib, Safianu Musah, and Yusif Mohammed were discharged as their names were omitted from the new charge sheet.



According to the counsel, the three discharged individuals were only linked to the phone involved in the case because the two accused of murder allegedly took the phone from the soldier, sold it to one person, who then sold it to another, and so on.



Mr. Lawyer Abdul Fatau Abdallah, counsel for one of the discharged Ibrahim Abdul Rakib, told the Ghana News Agency that they were only involved in dishonestly receiving the stolen phone from the slain soldier as they bought it.



However, shortly after their discharge, Rakib and Musah were rearrested and placed into police custody to arraigned before the court at a later date, while Mohammed was released due to his minimal connection to the crime.



The facts as presented to the court when the accused persons first appeared in court in 2023, has it that Tetteh and Sadick, at about 1:45 hours on March 4, 2023, attacked the deceased at Taifa Ashaiman in an attempt to rob him of his phone and a backpack.



During the struggle, Tetteh allegedly pulled out a knife, stabbed the deceased in the arm, and fled with the phone, leaving the knife stuck in the victims arm.



Further investigations disclosed that Tetteh and Sadick sold the stolen phone to Rakib, who resold it to the others.

Source: GNA









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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Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt has raised an objection against the supposed Free Senior High School bill.



The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, contributing to Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show, noted that the bill is irrelevant, arguing the constitution of Ghana already captures free education.



In his view, if the constitution has already made provision for free education, "what then is the basis for the Free SHS bill?"



"The constitution is the supreme law of the land. Free education is in the constitution. What is therefore so important that we should do another law while the constitution already accepts free education?", he further said.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Lawyer Kweku Paintsil representing Lighthouse Chapel International in its ongoing legal battle with investigative Journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni and three others has questioned Manasseh's legal knowledge , Journalism training as well his allegations made against Lighthouse Chapel International (LCI) in a series of publications titled "Darkness in Lighthouse"



The Journalist while undergoing cross examination by Lawyer Paintsil was quizzed about whether he was aware that Article 164 which guarantees that every Ghanaian has the right to good reputation, balances Article 162 which protects the freedom of the Press. Manasseh in his response agreed.



Manasseh Azure was presented with exhibits establishing that, the articles under contention were published by the third defendant, Sulemana Braimah on his Facebook wall.



Manasseh Azure was presented with those exhibits in response to his defence that, the third Defendant, Sulemana Briamah was not involved in the Fourth Estates publications. He however confirmed that Sulemana Braimah was the publisher of the exhibits when they were presented to him.



When Azure was asked if could remember a speech he delivered at the University of Ghana in March 2023, where he stated that he had never been held liable by a court for his publication, he responded that, he could not remember the specifics from the speech, but if he did  refer to not being found liable then it was in reference to defamation.



Lawyer Paintsil proceeded to ask him if he recalled that, with regards to the article Darkness in a Lighthouse, he and the other defendants were found guilty of contempt of court on October 25, 2022, which he admitted.



Azure after the admission clarified that, a contempt case is different from a defamation case.



Lawyer Paintsil reacting to Azure's response, indicated that the defendant was conveying the notion that, when dealing with press matters, a civil judgment is more important to him than a criminal conviction resulting from his publications but Azure disagreed.



When asked if he understood the significance of disclosing information that was not before the court while reporting on a court matter, Azure responded that he did in his capacity as a journalist.



He was asked about whether as a journalist he received training on publication of matters before a court as a journalist.



He responded that what he remembers from such training was to refrain from passing judgement or opinions about the possible outcome of a case.



Azure was also confronted with allegations he made in his publications over the refusal of Lighthouse Chapel International to pay SSNIT benefits of six Pastors who had resigned from the church.



In his response he said, those were the allegations made by the six Pastors who resigned and same were also found in the documents they filed in court.



He admitted that, the documents filed by the six Pastors before the court were the Judge's assessment and determination only at the conclusion of the trial. He also admitted that he did not expect the Judge to be bound by any conclusion that he, Manasseh Azure reached at the end of the case.



Despite a SSNIT report that exonerated LCI regarding the contributions for the Six Pastors, Azure admitted he published an article titled " Evidence- How Lighthouse Chapel Incriminated itself and SSNIT looked away"



Lighthouse Chapel International following the August 2021 report has told the court that, Azure and the three others do not have any proof to support their claims that, the Church has failed to pay over 42 years of SSNIT contributions for some former Pastors.



The church has also said, the defendants do not have evidence to give credence to their claims that, the three church structures, the publication showed which belongs to the church, were built by former Pastors Larry Odonkor, Edward Laryea and Seth Duncan with their own resources.



Justice Joseph Adu Owusu has adjourned to July 22 for further cross examination.

Source: Philipa Atanga/Court Reporter/Despite Media









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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Benjamin Kwasi Gagba, the esteemed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana's premier Ocean Green Beach Resort, has been honored as Ghana's Most Outstanding Personality in Hospitality at the Business Executive Excellence Awards 2024. The event took place at the Ghana Marriott Hotel in Accra.



The impressive award recognizes his exceptional leadership qualities and unwavering dedication to delivering high-quality accommodation and hospitality in the country. Additionally, he is highly regarded for advocating best business practices in the tourism sector.



The 10th edition of the event, held on Friday, June 28th, 2024 seeks to identify and publicly recognize private enterprises, public institutions and individuals that have displayed exemplary conduct and chalked up extraordinary accomplishments regarding their business activities over the previous one-year period.



After receiving the prestigious honor, the CEO of Ocean Green Beach Resort spoke to the media, stating that the award is a testament to the team's dedication to excellence and unwavering focus on meeting and exceeding customer expectations while adhering to rigorous quality standards over the years.



" I am very grateful to God for such a wonderful milestone at this highest level of providing excellent services. This means a lot to our consistent determination to build a formidable and Proficient brand" Benjamin noted.



Ocean Green Beach Resort has positioned itself as a leader in the hospitality and tourism industry marking a significant stride in its business portfolio.



About Benjamin Kwasi Gagba



Mr. Benjamin Kwasi Gagba is a Developer of Ocean Green Beach front Recreational Destination. With a focus on Business and Leisure, on the principles of Peope Planet Profit (The 3Ps). An ecologically friendly environment, engaging sustainable environment with local stakeholders, filling the market void for serene beach properties with good proximity to landmarks in the Accra and Tema metropolises.



Business Overview: A brief overview of OceanGreen Beach Resort



Ocean Green Beach Resort, we develop, sell and manage recreational, retirement and investment opportunities.

Beach resort with beach houses for sale, and beach hotel rooms for weekends, holidays, and conferences.



Large swimming pool on the beach with cocktail bar & lounge, restaurant and scenic beach views.



There is no cleaner beach in the metropolis than Ocean Green Beach! There is no environmentally friendlier development in Ghana than Ocean Green beach recreational destination development. Our team, our facilities and environment are second to none in the metropolis.



Call-to-Action



Looking for a most serene beach resort destination in the Tema metropolis, enjoying the sea breeze and view directly from your hotel room, good local and continental dishes, a fully furnished cocktail bar and a lounge all set in a beach ambiance, come to Ocean Green Beach Resort.

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 defeat of Custer and his Seventh Cavalry at the hands of the Sioux and Cheyennes at Little Bighorn in 1876 was not at all a matter of bad luck on the part of the general and his troops. Rather, it was the logical and expected result of the Indigenous people being better strategists, more familiar with the terrain and tactically superior to the American soldiers.

By no means was this the only time in which the so-called redskins  a derogatory term  proved to be very capable of defeating the whites and imposing their own military dynamics from the beginning of the 16th century until the end of the 19th century. In a fascinating history of the American Indian Wars  Indigenous Continent: The Epic Contest for North America (2022)  Finnish historian Pekka Hamalainen calls into question the inevitability of colonial expansionism. The researcher  who holds a doctorate in History from the University of Helsinki and is considered to be one of the worlds specialists in the conquest of North America  reveals how, on several occasions, the Indigenous people came close to inflicting a definitive defeat on the European colonial powers, as well as the United States. In fact, they nearly expelled these settlers from North America entirely.

In the revolutionary account by the 57-year-old Hamalainen  who is currently the Rhodes Professor of American History at the University of Oxford  the Indigenous tribes of North America cease to be the usual passive victims, subject to an inexorable and irreversible destiny. Instead, in the book, they become powerful agents who dominated the continent for centuries after the arrival of the colonizers and represented a very serious threat to their plans of conquest.

The siege of Fort Detroit during the Pontiac Revolt of 1763, depicted in a painting by Frederic Remington.

The continent, Hamalainen points out, was in the hands of the Indigenous peoples for much longer than we usually think. They had political entities with extraordinary warlike capacity, such as the Iroquois League  whose power, he reminds us, lasted from the 16th to the 19th century, which makes this nation the oldest and gives it a more central historical role than the United States  or the Comanche and Sioux equestrian empires, which he compares to other powerful tribes of horseback nomads, such as the Mongols.

On a date like 1776  when the independence of the United States was proclaimed  the scholar tells EL PAIS that the Europeans claimed most of the continent but the natives, as a whole, effectively controlled it. The expert affirms that instead of talking about a colonial America, we should talk about an Indigenous America that became colonial only slowly and unevenly. In fact, it remained overwhelmingly Indigenous until well into the 19th century. Countless native nations, he claims, fought fiercely to keep their territories intact and their cultures unscathed and came to thwart the imperialist pretensions of France, Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands and, later, the United States.

The scholars narrative follows the Indian Wars in a meticulously-documented and very engaging way, contrasting sharply with the somber and traditional structure of classics such as Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (1970), by Dee Brown. This book established an idea in the popular consciousness  reinforced by the film Dances with Wolves (1990)  that the fight against the whites was an unavoidable march towards the disaster of Indigenous societies, which were doomed since the first settlers set foot in North America. However, Hamalainen shows how, in fact, the colonizers often moved on the margins of powerful Indian tribes and confederations, retreating on many occasions, with their colonial project bordering on disaster. And the Indigenous people didnt sit around nursing feelings of melancholy or disaster: rather, they were muscular, full of vitality and equipped with the resources and weapons needed to fight.

Throughout Indigenous Continent, Hamalainen portrays the native people as strong, creative and resilient historical actors. In the work, he highlights that they were by no means one-dimensional tribes, as they have been shown in a traditional narrative entrenched in our [Western] culture and our mentality.

The kidnapping of Jemima Boone by the Shawnee people, depicted in a painting by Karl Ferdinand Wimar.

Along with the word empires  which draws so much attention in relation to Indigenous peoples of North America, who are popularly associated more with veritable gangs  the researcher chooses to refer to the native warriors as soldiers (which equates them militarily with white combatants) and uses Indigenous terms for the leaders and authorities of tribal nations, instead of the standard use of chiefs. Its also notable that, in several cases, he uses the names that these nations prefer to use, instead of the more common ones given to them by the whites or their enemies. For instance, he uses Wyandot people instead of Hurons and Meswaki Nation instead of the Fox tribe.

Finnish historian Pekka Hamalainen, who specializes in history of the conquest of North America.

In his account of the overwhelming and persistent Indigenous power in North America  after some chapters in which he explains the past of the societies that faced European colonization, highlighting their horizontal and consensual concept of leadership  Hamalainen reviews the early conflicts with the Spanish, French and English, while touching on how the pilgrims from the Mayflower were allowed in because they were useful in the Wampanoags strategy against their Indigenous enemies. The historical Uncas and their manipulation of the Connecticut settlers to achieve primacy over the Pequots also appears in the book. As does the central role of women in the politics of the League of Five Nations  which so surprised the French (other Indigenous women, such as the Cherokees, could even go into battle)  and the overwhelming military superiority of the Iroquois. The Mohawk, Hamalainen emphasizes, had gone beyond containing the Europeans they demanded obedience from them.

The Seminole people attack a fort, in a vintage illustration.

New England was nearly destroyed in 1675. And all colonial projects on the continent seemed to falter or expire entirely between that date and 1690, during what Hamalainen refers to as an Indigenous backlash. King Philips War (1675-1676) forced New York to be defended. The scholar emphasizes that the cruelty that the whites deployed was a sign of weakness: its no coincidence that the terror they felt was expressed in a psychosis of demons and witches. In 1692, Salem was only 50 miles away from the Indigenous border.

In the southwest, the rebellion of the Pueblo Indians broke out in 1680. Colonialism receded throughout North America at the end of the 17th century. In 1763 came the Pontiac War. And, in the 18th and 19th centuries, the threat came especially from the Comanche and Lakota equestrian empires, whose Seven Council Fires were the most powerful Indigenous force on the continent, after the weakening of the Iroquois and Cherokee peoples in the Seven Years War (1756-1763).

Hamalainen also points out that the Sioux and their allies defeated the United States in two wars: first in Red Cloud (1866) and then in the campaign that ended at Little Bighorn. He writes how the Lakota Empire  also known as the Teton Sioux  served as an involuntary protective shield for a multitude of smaller Indigenous nations, keeping the US militias and soldiers at bay for decades.

The chronicle of the powerful Indigenous resistance is lengthy. It includes Osceola  the leader of the Seminoles of Florida  or Black Hawk, the Sauk leader west of Lake Michigan. The Kiowa and Apache people are also mentioned. Indeed, there were fires of resistance everywhere. The United States was only able to finally extinguish them after four centuries of Indigenous power by applying a genocidal policy. The Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, Hamalainen states, was a sign of settler weakness and fear. The US was exhausted after more than 1,600 official armed clashes against the natives. Theres a direct link between Indigenous success and the sense of vulnerability  and the magnitude of revenge  of the Americans.

A Sioux depiction of the Battle of Little Bighorn. HECTOR JUAN

Could the history of North America be different from what has been taught? As historians, we can only point out the possible forks in the road but in 1776, it was certainly possible to imagine a future on the continent in which [Indigenous] peoples controlled it.

For Hamalainen, the military technology of the European settlers wasnt as superior as is believed. It was important, without a doubt. But it must also be taken into account that there wasnt a single moment in North American history in which that technology wasnt also available to the [Indigenous people], or even transferred by them to others. Success in war often lies less in technology per se and more in social, cultural and strategic issues of access to technology and whats done with it. Were making a mistake if we conceive the continents military history as having been a battle between Europeans with modern military technology against Indigenous peoples without it. Much more important is the scale at which communities can access and effectively deploy such technology.

A scene from 'Dancing with Wolves' (1990).

Among the most exciting pages of Indigenous Continent is the chapter on the acquisition and mastery of horses by the Comanche and Sioux nations. It was a thrilling turning point and Ive always enjoyed writing about it. Fortunately for me, European authors of the era were obsessed with native equestrian peoples and wrote about the subject in great detail. My ability to describe the phenomenon is largely based on theirs.

The use of the term empires for Indigenous tribes may appear surprising at first glance. There have been different kinds of empires throughout history. The last thing I wanted is to suggest an equivalence between empires such as the Comanche or the Sioux with the current United States. If theres a similarity, its with other empires of horsemen. Thats the center of the project we launched at Oxford a few years ago. One of the books that came out of it was [French historian] Marie Favereaus seminal The Horde: How the Mongols Changed the World (2021).

When asked what he thinks about Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, the Finnish historian notes that it was an extraordinarily popular book that arrived in the early 1970s at the time of the anti-Vietnam War protests and the civil rights movement, when people were disillusioned with stories of frontier progress and were hungry for new narratives that shed light on the violence and inhumanity of Western expansion. [But were now] in another moment, he clarifies, in which historians are [centering Indigenous narratives] in the context of the history of the continent.

As for movies about Indigenous peoples in North America, Hamalainen is firm: I cant remember any that dont present problems, but I reserve my particular distaste for Dances with Wolves, which is full of historical errors and has a protagonist  a very intelligent white man  who guides the Native American characters. Black Robe (released in 1991, based on Brian Moores novel about a Jesuit trying to convert the Hurons in Canada) is less known, but better and more historically accurate.

Translated by Avik Jain Chatlani.

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There was massive joy at Sorbelle in the Sissala West district of the Upper West Region when Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, commissioned a state-of-the-art mosque for the community over the weekend.



The mosque, fully funded by the Vice President, is to serve the Muslim population in the community.



Prior to the commissioning, Dr. Bawumia and the community observed one of the five daily Muslim prayers, Asr, in the mosque.



The Paramount Chief of the area, on behalf of the community, expressed their profound gratitude to Dr. Bawumia and prayed Allah to reward him abundantly.



"This beautiful mosque you have built for us here in the community will not only help us to get closer to our Maker, it will also turn the place into a tourist attraction. May the Almighty Allah reward and bless you abundantly for this wonderful gesture", the Chief said.



Dr. Bawumia, on his part, said "I am happy todayWhen I made the promise to build the mosque, I prayed to Allah to make it possible and Allah said it is possible. So, I thank the Almighty Allah for making it possible to build this mosque for you."



Although the mosque will primarily be used by Muslims, the entire community joined in the celebration of having such edifice, sharing tears of joy and thanked the NPP presidential candidate for his thoughtful service to them.



They believed the mosque will serve them well and trusted that with Bawumia honoring his word to them by constructing this mosque, he will indeed fulfil his promises to the entire nation should he become Ghanas President in 2025.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The attention of the Ghana Police Service has been drawn to some media reports suggesting that the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has been asked to proceed on leave.



We would like to urge the public to disregard this fake news and treat same with the contempt it deserves.



The Inspector-General of Police remains committed to his patriotic duty of leading the Ghana Police Service as per the mandate given to him by the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo.

Source: Ghana Police









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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Government has so far distributed a total of two hundred and eighty thousand nine hundred and three (280,903) laptops to teachers across the country as at June this year.



The figure leaves some thirty-four thousand five hundred and sixty-two laptops yet to be distributed.



Exclusive data chanced on by kasapafmonline.com also reveals a 15th June to 30th July 2024 scheduled deadline for remaining laptop computers to be distributed.



Among those to benefit from the outstanding distribution are 21,482 Primary school teachers; 3,402 teachers on Study Leave and 9,678 staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES).



The government of Ghana, in its quest to enhance education delivery through information technology, launched the One Teacher One Laptop programme to highlight the importance of ICT-mediated Teacher Professional Development (TPD).



Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched the initiative in September 2021 under an aggressive programme to strategically influence teaching and learning outcomes in pre-tertiary educational institutions nationwide.



Under the programme, every teacher in the public school from Kindergarten to the senior high school are to receive a computer laptop each to aid them in teaching lessons preparation, research and learning.



Government will pay 70 per cent of the cost of the laptop while each teacher pays the remaining 30 per cent.



K A Technologies, a locally based ICT firm, is the manufacturer of the laptops.



Earlier this year, there were agitations from a section of teacher groups that some 10,000 of their members were yet to benefit from the programme even though many other teachers had received their computers in previous phases of distribution.



Our checks reveal that some 92,071 primary school teachers nationwide have so far received laptops while 91,678 and 62,292 of their counterparts in junior high schools and senior high schools respectively have benefited from the initiative. The number of Kindergarten teachers who have received laptops stood at 34,859 as at the time of filing this report.



On regional basis, the Ashanti Region tops the list with 54,852 beneficiary teachers, followed by Eastern Region with 31,892 teachers; 27,514 in Central Region; 22,666 teachers in the Greater Accra Region and 20,584 teachers in the Volta Region.



The Savannah Region have so far received the least number of laptops going to some 3,859 teachers in the Region.



It is expected that by 30th July, 2024 every teacher in the public school including those on Study Leave and selected GES Staff would have received their laptops.



Many education watchers including teacher unions and education think-tanks have commended government for the initiative, describing it as a demonstration of the willingness on behalf of the Government of Ghana to shift toward ICT-based teaching and learning.



The laptops also allow teachers to easily access digital online training through National Teaching Council approved modules  reducing the barriers to digital tools so that teaching remains in line with National Teachers Standards across the country.







Source: GNA









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 Ashanti Region is well positioned to experience significant developmental strides with the return of John Dramani Mahama, the former President of Ghana.



Godson A. Amponsah, the Organizer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) chapter in Denver, Colorado, USA and NDC Subin Constituency Branch Chairman, said during a recent engagement with the media.



Amponsah emphasized the commitment of John Mahama and the NDC to driving substantial progress in the Ashanti Region, which is known as a critical economic hub in Ghana.



He said the assertion that the NDC is not a party for the Ashantis particularly in this modern day of inclusive Ghana politics cannot be true.



According to him the NPP does not cherish Ashantis more than NDC because John Mahama has done lots of developmental projects in the region.



He continued that, "John Mahama's return is a beacon of hope for the Ashanti Region."



"The NDC has always prioritized the development of this region, and under Mahama's leadership, we anticipate even more impactful projects and initiatives," he said.



He said John Mahama has always said that if not for his defeat in 2016, the Ashanti Region would have been far developed by the end of his 8-year term.



John Mahama and the NDC is therefore humbly appealing to all Ashantis to vote for his return to power, in order to come and fulfill his vision for the Ashanti Region to attain this enviable high level of development.



During his previous tenure, Mahama launched numerous infrastructure projects across the country, including the Ashanti Region.



These projects spanned various sectors, such as education, healthcare, transportation and energy.



The return of Mahama is expected to revive and accelerate similar projects, addressing key developmental challenges and enhancing the quality of life for residents.



Amponsah highlighted several specific areas where the Ashanti Region stands to benefit.



"We are looking at substantial improvements in our road networks, which are crucial for economic activities and connectivity."



"There are also plans to boost healthcare facilities, ensuring that quality medical services are accessible to all."



"Additionally, we will focus on educational infrastructure to provide better learning environments for our children," he noted.



John Mahama considering the congestion at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital built alternative hospitals and healthcare facilities across the Ashanti Region.



"Projects like the Afari Hospital, Kejetia Market, Rattary Park, Sewua and Kumawu health facilities and even opening a water supply point for Kumawu are worth mentioning," he said.



John Mahama has also assured that the Kumasi Krofrom Market will be completed when he returns to power in 2025, since the project was an NDC government project.



He said it is sad how the NPP and Akufo-Addo have spent 8 years in power and have abandoned such a project meant to benefit the Ashanti people and the region at large.



He assured that John Mahama will complete all NDC Projects abandoned by the NPP in the Ashanti Region.



The NDC USA Denver-Colorado chapter, under Amponsah's leadership, has been actively engaging the diaspora community to rally support for John Mahama's return.

















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Mark Chesnutt has had a rough couple of months, and that is probably putting it lightly because the country music star very nearly lost his life a couple weeks ago.

The 60-year-old was rushed into emergency surgery where he underwent quadruple bypass surgery. It sounds serious because it is, and that is something that will obviously take time to come back from.

But the 60-year-old Chesnutt is apparently one, tough dude because he is already back on social media addressing fans.

Well folks, doc says I got a new heart! Chesnutt wrote on Instagram earlier this week. Im recovering comfortably at home with my family. Today we sat on the porch just soaking in the sun and that beautiful Texas weather. But I cant wait to get back to pickin and singin with all my favorite fans! Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers. They have helped and meant the world to me in my time of need. I appreciate you all so very much. See yuh soon!

It was a welcomed sign for fans of the country star, and incredible to see his positive energy so soon after such a serious operation.

You can see Chesnutts post and all of the responses here.

The medical scare came just months after Chesnutt was forced to cancel a pair of shows last November. A post to his X, formerly Twitter, account back then said that he was undergoing a medical evaluation after being admitted to a local hospital.

Chesnutt rose to stardom in the early 90s and has a long list of albums and hit songs in his catalog. Among those, Chesnutt has had 20 top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. Eight of those 20 songs  Brother Jukebox, It Sure Is Monday, Ill Think of Something, I Just Wanted You to Know, Gonna Get a Life, Almost Goodbye, I Dont Want to Miss a Thing, and Its a Little Too Late, all hit number-one on the charts.
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When Daniel Day-Lewis read the name of Kathy Bates, there was some surprise in the Shrine Civic Auditorium. In the 1990 race to win the Oscar for Best Actress, she was up against Hollywood royalty (Anjelica Huston and Joanne Woodward), Academy favorite (Meryl Streep), and Americas new sweetheart (Julia Roberts). The press were not counting on her winning. At age 40, Bates was a virtual unknown. Whats more, she was nominated for playing a villain in a horror movie. Four decades later, her performance Annie Wilkes in Misery has become iconic, and there are no doubts that it was deserving of an Oscar.

That Oscar was also an award for perseverance. For a large part of the public, she was an unfamiliar face, but behind her splendid performance there were two decades of respected and award-winning work in the theater. This, however, made her no less invisible to the film industry. Tired of being ignored and realizing that Hollywood refused was not going to open its doors to her, she was forced to tear them down.

Prior to Misery  the movie adaptation of the Stephen King book , Bates had seen how roles she had played on stage went to other actress when the productions were made into films. She wasnt even given an audition. This happened with night, Mother, where after performing the role of Jessie Cates on Broadway for 11 months, Bates was overlooked for Sissy Spacek in the 1986 movie. And again in Crimes of the Heart, where Diane Keaton was given the lead role.

I got tired of developing material for Sissy Spacek and other stars, she told The New York Times. So I told myself, Let me see what I can do with this. After 11 years in New York, she moved to Los Angeles, but that didnt mean things were going to change any time soon. She still had to go through one of those humiliating experiences that mark a career.

Promotional portrait of Kathy Bates and Anne Pitoniak in the Broadway play 'night, Mother', 1983. Brownie Harris (Getty Images)

Kathy Bates, Margie Impert and Andrea Howard in the 1977 television movie 'Vanities'. Walt Disney Television Photo Arc (ABC)

If there was one role that had built her reputation on Broadway, it was that of Frankie, the disheveled waitress in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. Frankie was the kind of woman who asks her boyfriend to turn off the lights because she feels self-conscious about her physique. Shes a nondescript person, used to being invisible and resigned to never having felt desired. Playwright Terrence McNally wrote the role specifically for Bates, and she responded with a masterful performance. After the plays overwhelming success, there soon rumors of a film adaptation. The role of Frankies partner Johnny  a chatty ex-convict cook  had been played by F. Murray Abraham on the stage. But for the film, they cast Al Pacino, an undisputed star, but also a guy who, like Murray, could fit in behind the bar of a nightclub.

However, when it came to Frankie, they chose Michelle Pfeiffer  an actress known for her stunning looks  to play a woman self-conscious about her parents. Bates told Interview that when she found out that Pfeiffer was going to be Frankie, she laughed hysterically. I was in Brazil, and it was 6 a.m. I went down to breakfast and handed the fax around the table to my pals and said, Youve got to read this!

Indeed, Pfeiffer was a name that Bates heard frequently. When I first went to interview for Misery, they were saying things like, Youre not Michelle Pfeiffer, you know. And I just dont get the relevance of that remark. Im not Elizabeth Taylor, either. Im not Sean Connery. I dont understand why its so importation to compare people to Michael Jackson or to Madonna, or whoever.

Kathy Bates and James Caan at the premiere of 'Misery' in 1990. Ron Galella, Ltd. (Ron Galella Collection via Getty)

Kathy Bates and James Caan in a scene from 'Misery' (1990). Archive Photos (Getty Images)

But the movie Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune was not able to repeat the success of the Broadway production, and no one failed to highlight the obvious: that despite her unquestionable talent, Pfeiffer had been miscast. Garry Marshals film made little impact. Perhaps reading the negative reviews wasnt enough consolation for the snubbed Bates, but polishing her Oscar in the meantime surely alleviated some of her resentment.

Kathy Bates was aware that her physical appearance had affected her career. I have always had a problem with my weight, she admitted to The New York Times. Im not a stunning woman. I never was an ingenue; Ive always just been a character actor. When I was younger it was a real problem, because I was never pretty enough for the roles that other young women were being cast in. The roles I was lucky enough to get were real stretches for me: usually a character who was older, or a little weird, or whatever. And it was hard, not just for the lack of work but because you have to face up to how people are looking at you.

That not-so-subtle discrimination was no surprise to her: in her youth she had gone through several episodes of depression and she herself admits that she found flirting difficult. She was a teenager who locked herself in her room and spent her time composing sad songs. But that did not stop Bates from pursuing a job with as much public exposure as acting. After graduating from theater school, she moved to New York, where she began to consolidate her name in the theater circuit, while playing small TV roles in series such as The Love Boat and L.A. Law and waiting for an opportunity to make the leap to the big screen.

Kathy Bates with the Oscar she won for 'Misery' with actor Daniel Day-Lewis in 1991. Vinnie Zuffante (Getty Images)

Kathy Bates in 'Titanic'. CBS Photo Archive (CBS via Getty Images)

Although today it is impossible to think of another person playing Annie Wilkes  the psychotic fan in Misery who first helps then kidnaps a novelist  the role almost went to Anjelica Huston, who ended up turning it down to film The Grifters. Bette Midler was also offered the part, but she passed on it because she thought it too violent. Thats when screenwriter William Goldman pressured Rob Reiner to give the woman he had in mind while adapting Stephen Kings book a chance. Bates didnt take long to win Reiner over. She had a whole scene prepared. After the first line, I was like You dont have to read; I know youre great  you have the part, he recalled.

It could have been the beginning of a fairytale story, but we know from Goldman that the shooting was no bed of roses. There were no broken ankles, but James Caans acting style  based on intuition and improvisation  clashed with the iron discipline of Bates, who was used to long days of rehearsals from her days in theater and always wanted to know a little more about her character. Her effort paid off. The critics loved her performance.

Firstly, she is not a face we know, which aids rather than undermines conviction. Secondly, she is not your conventional American screen actress, glamorous unto death. She almost looks like a real person the sort you might find in a deserted area of Colorado in comfortable snow boots. Thirdly, she is a fine actress who knows that less in the way of a performance is often more and that strong moments have to be severely rationed, praised The Guardian.

Bates had become an icon of horror cinema without needing a mask, makeup, or prosthetics. Her performance put Annie Wilkes on the same level as Norman Bates and Hannibal Lecter and like them, she is named on the American Film Institutes list of the 100 Greatest Villains.

Kahy Bates and Keanu Reeves at a premiere in 2008. Patrick McMullan (Patrick McMullan via Getty Image)

But it didnt take long for the old ghosts to surface. Barely a week after finishing filming Misery, she went to Brazil to play the docile wife of a missionary in At Play in the Fields of the Lord, a film that failed in all respects, however, many critics preferred to focus on Bates physique rather than on the clumsy work of its director, Hector Babenco. Enormously overweight and unattractive was how John Simon described her in his review in Playbill.

Many years later, the actress said she was so distraught at how she was treated by a journalist at a press conference that when it was over she went up to her room to cry. She did not finish the promotional tour despite the producers pleas for her to be tougher in the face of criticism. I got on a plane and went home. It was so cruel, so unnecessarily cruel, she recalled in The Guardian.

She overcame criticism by displaying her incredible versatility. She was one of the first female characters to deal with menopause in Fried Green Tomatoes; she wore a corset and starred alongside Madonna and Jodie Foster in Shadows and Fog (1991), Woody Allens homage to Fritz Langs films; she worked with Allen again, playing Gertrude Stein in Midnight in Paris (2011), and she played the title role in another Stephen King movie adaptation, Dolores Claiborne, which she believes is underrated. This was Bates favorite part.

The actress received another Oscar nomination for her role in Primary Colors (1998), Mike Nicols political satire about the rise of the Clintons, and a third for her candid role in About Schmidt (2002). The scene where she is in a bathtub with Jack Nicholson became one of the most talked about of the year (Nicholsons less than Apollonian physique received fewer comments). I was at the premiere... and there are a lot of women who are shouting, You go, girl!. I think there are a lot of women in the audience who are thrilled to see a real woman up on the screen in all her glory, Bates told Hello magazine.

Jack Nicholson and Kathy Bates at the premiere of 'About Schmidt.' Jim Spellman (WireImage)

Kathy Bates would shudder at the idea of herself as a crusader for the rights of full-bodied women, wrote Ruthe Stein. Nonetheless, her nude scene in the forthcoming About Schmidt will surely pave the way for large actresses to feel OK about shedding their clothes onscreen.

Before accepting the scene, Bates said that she discussed with director Alexander Payne exactly what part of her body would and would not be shown and that the two had come to an agreement. And before entering the bathtub, she drank a Cosmopolitan to relax just enough.

And then her career came to a halt. It was not that her phone had stopped ringing, but rather because she had ovarian cancer. She didnt announce it. She only stopped working when chemotherapy made it impossible for her to go on set. Just a decade later, she was diagnosed with another cancer, this time breast cancer, which she describes as a punch in the gut. She thought her career had come to an end, she had a double mastectomy and overcame the disease, but since then, she has suffered from lymphedema, a little-known but not uncommon disease.

Since then, raising awareness about this disease and lobbying for funding for research has been one of Bates top priorities. After her health battles, Bates received more bad news. NBC canceled her series Harrys Law, in which she played a peculiar lawyer who practices out of a shoe store. Our audience was dismissed because they were too old. So the message I was getting was, get the fuck out of here! Youre too old, or youre sick, you dont have any more tits, you had ovarian cancer, nobody wants you anymore. That was in my head, she told Vanity Fair.

Jessica Lange hugs Kathy Bates during a tribute to the actress. Jamie McCarthy (WireImage)

Bates is clear about who she has to thank for her comeback: Ryan Murphy has resurrected my career. A fan of American Horror Story, which is directed and written by Murphy, Bates called her friend Jessica Lange for breakfast one day and asked her to talk to Murphy about the possibility of working together. Murphy jumped at the chance: her first role under the director was playing the terrifying Madame Delphine LaLaurie in American Horror Story: Coven. Since that first collaboration, the two have worked together on many other projects. Because of Ryan, my career opened, Bates told Vanity Fair. He brought me back to life during a difficult period in my life.

The movie industry has not forgetten her either. After recovering, she continued working with the same intensity. Her latest Oscar nomination was for playing the devoted mother in Richard Jewell (2019) by her hero, director Clint Eastwood, who was the main reason she accepted the role. I think I said, Im happy to just get him coffee, she told Readers Digest, on her reply on being offered the part.

Bates  who turned 76 on June 28  is still keeping busy. Last year, she was part of the adaptation of Judy Blumes novel Are You There, God? Its Me, Margaret? and this year, she stars in the romantic comedy A Family Affair, alongside Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron. Also coming out this year is Thelma, the story of the struggle of Thelma Toole, the mother of the author of A Confederacy of Dunces, to see her sons work published, and Matlock, a remake of the 1980s series, where she will once again play a lawyer. Kathy Bates career is still in great shape. She thinks it is because she is a normal woman audiences can relate to, but really it is because she is an extraordinary actress.

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Nikolay Fal is the latest victor at the 2024 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, having bested 611 fellow competitor's across three days of play to secure $153,730 and his first WSOP gold bracelet. Fal defeated Venezuela's Christian Roberts in a long heads-up match to secure the win, dashing his opponent's hopes of a second bracelet in as many years.

"I'm very happy to win a bracelet in stud hi-lo", said Fal before specifying that stud "is my favorite game."

Fal demonstrated his passion for the variant through skilled play at what he described as a "very tough final table" particularly the "heads-up match...that last very long."

It was a grueling day for sure, but Fal came out on top in part because of a boisterous rail of fellow Russian poker players who, for hours, switched between singing "Yellow Submarine" and "When the Saints Come Marching In" in their native tongue Fal noted their contribution, saying "it is very important for me that my friends are there supporting me. These guys, they are my old friends".

When Fal sealed the win, the now mostly empty Horseshoe Event Center exploded with chants of "Nikolay, Nikolay" as his friends mobbed him to celebrate one of the highlights of the player's career. But for Fal, the summer is far from over.

"Yeah, yeah, I am going to play out the full series," assured Fal. He did not elaborate on what his planned schedule looks like, though with the nice boost to his bankroll that his first place finish provides, there may be some new options on the table.

Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize (USD) 1 Nikolay Fal Russia $153,730 2 Christian Roberts Venezuela $102,492 3 Joseph Hertzog United States $70,288 4 Kenneth Kemple United States $49,127 5 Dekel Balas United States $35,006 6 Yuval Bronshtein Israel $25,442 7 Nikolay Ponomarev United Kingdom $18,866 8 Jon Turner United States $14,280 9 Joey Couden United States $11,038

Day 3 Action

A total of 17 players returned for the third and final day. Action was quick at the start with Gregory Yohn hitting the rail in one of the first hands of play. He was soon followed to the exits by Daniel Blum, Robert Stevanovksi and James Cheung.

Five-time bracelet winner Eli Elezra was looking to add to his already stellar resume but fell just a couple spots shy of nothing another WSOP final table after falling to Kenneth Kemple in 11th place.

The unofficial final table was set following Japanese bracelet winner Ryutaro Suzuki's elimination in 10th place.

Final Table Play

The pace of eliminations did not initially slow down at the final table. It only took a few minutes for Joey Couden to be sent to the payout desk in 9th place courtesy of Dekel Balas.

Jon Turner began the day with a large stack and to begin with only built it further. His luck turned, however, and, after a series of stinging setups, Turner lost his remaining chips to Fal to hit the showers in 8th place. Nikolay Ponomarev then busted in 7th place when Roberts hit a straight.

Yuval Bronshtein had at times earlier in the day been short stacked. Yet, he somehow managed to find a number of double ups to stay in contention. That is until Kemple got him all in and at risk in a rough spot and Bronshtein failed to improve, as a result getting felted in 6th place. Balas was next to go in 5th place after first being cut down to a mere two antes before losing the rest to a rampant Kemple.

While Kemple had been enjoying a surge at the final table, momentum did eventually swing back the other way. Joseph Hertzog ultimately finished Kemple off in 4th place to bring the tournament down to the last three players.

Three-handed play continued for a long time. In fact, it was only after a few hours that the only live bracelet winner left in the field, Hertzog, hit the rail in 3rd place when he could not hit any of his draws against Roberts. That set the stage for a heads-up match between Roberts and Fal.

The two players began with roughly even stacks, though it was Fal who took the early lead, establishing a 2:1 chip advantage. Roberts did fight back, at one point almost returning to an equal division. Then, just as it looked like the duel would be going on for a while longer, Roberts called down in a massive pot only to be shown trip threes by Fal to leave him with just two big bets.

Not long after, Fal took the remainder to condemn Roberts to a runner-up finish and a $102,492 consolation prize. Fal was left standing alone to claim the title of champion and the largest slice of the prize pool.

This wraps up coverage of Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews as its live reporting team continues to provide comprehensive coverage of the 2024 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Lupita Nyongo may be scary in her latest role, but shes not afraid of anything. The actress of Kenyan descent, who was born in Mexico City, has starred in all kind of projects, from romance movies and animation to documentaries and Star Wars sagas... And now, the 41-year-old actress  who won an Oscar for her role in 12 Years a Slave  has decided to make a foray into sci-fi horror.

Nyongo stars alongside Joseph Quinn in A Quiet Place: Day One, one of the most anticipated feature films of the summer. The movie is a prequel, taking place before A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II, which were directed by John Krasinski and starred Emily Blunt. Krasinski was also involved with the prequel, but this time, the director is Michael Sarnoski.

In the movie, which premiered on June 28, Nyongo plays Sam, a terminally ill cancer patient who must hide in the noisy city of New York from extraterrestrial creatures that hunt humans through sound. In the company of her inseparable cat, who has become the star of the film, Sam embarks on a search for salvation, in what is also a personal journey to feel alive again.

Nyongo has been promoting the feature film and, accompanied by her mother, Dorothy Nyongo, and her brother, Peter, attended the premiere on Wednesday night at the AMC theater in Lincoln Square, in New York. Fellow cast members Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff and Djimon Hounsou also attended the event. The actress stopped to talk to EL PAIS upon her arrival at the premiere.

Question. What was it like for you to join the franchise?

Answer. I have had a wonderful experience joining the A Quiet Place family. The first two films made a difference in the world of cinema, people loved them, and I feel honored to be able to carry on with that legacy. And I cant wait to see what effect this film has.

Q. Was it a challenge to play this role, where you barely speak and had to rely more on body language?

A. Yes, it was, but it was so pleasant, and inspiring, and refreshing to be able to do away with words and turn to the way in which we really do communicate as human beings. We are always communicating with more than words, and when the words are stripped away, you have to get real honest with what youre trying to say, like your body and facial expressions. So yes, it was a good acting exercise, I liked it, actually a good life exercise.

Q. What was it like working alongside actor Joseph Quinn (who is known for his role in the series Stranger Things)? You met when filming started.

A. I absolutely adored working with Joseph. He is in a class of his own. He is talented, hes committed, hes humble, hes generous, hes receptive. So, it was so easy to work with him. And we had a lot of fun and I think we grew a lot together.

Q. On Monday you visited the top of the Empire State Building to promote the release of the film. How was the experience?

A. Im afraid of heights. This film has been getting over all my fears. But it was nice.

Q. What would you say to fans of the franchise?

A. I think the fans of the first two will be pleased to know that weve carried on with the touched tones of this universe, but we made it bigger and we are in New York City.

Q. Before making this film, you were afraid of cats. How did you overcome that fear?

A. I overcame that fear with a lot of help. Paramount hired a cat trainer to come over to my home with cats and expose me to them very, very slowly. I learned about their behavior and gained the confidence to touch them with one finger, and then two, and then my whole hand. And before you know it, I can carry one. By the end of this movie, I was madly in love with them.

Q. And now you have your own cat.

A. And now I have a cat of my own, or he has me. Hes my boss.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
The Hugh Leatherman Terminal in North Charleston, which has been mostly idled since opening more than three years ago, could see the return of container ships in the coming month, according to an agreement between the S.C. State Ports Authority and the International Longshoremens Association.

That agreement, approved by both sides on June 25, envisions a July 2024 re-opening of HLT for the receiving of cargo, giving the Port of Charleston additional capacity to handle up to 700,000 20-foot containers per year.

No ships had been scheduled to call on the terminal as of June 28, but SPA President and CEO Barbara Melvin has vowed to get Leatherman back in business as quickly as possible.

That means convincing the U.S. Maritime Alliance, a consortium of container ship lines, that Leatherman now meets the terms of the ILAs 2012 contract amendment that calls for an all-union workforce  including ship-to-shore crane operators  at any new terminal at an East Coast or Gulf Coast port. Leatherman, which opened in 2021, was the first test case of that contract, and the resulting labor dispute went all the way to the Supreme Court before the dockworkers union could claim victory.

The ILA has agreed to provide any necessary assurances to the alliance  known as the USMX  and its members, including a guarantee that no container ship operator will be sued if it calls on Leatherman.

The dockworkers union sued a pair of container lines for $300 million for berthing at Leatherman shortly after it opened. That lawsuit is now in arbitration, but the threat of further legal action has scared off container lines ever since. The agreement calls for the ILA to convince alliance members, which hire dockworkers, that Leatherman visits will no longer be considered a violation of the unions contract or otherwise subject to penalties.
So, buyers can put as little as $1,000 of their own money down and get up to $15,000 toward buying a home.

Why is FHL Bank Atlanta doing this? Federal Home Loan banks are government-sponsored enterprises and are required to devote at least 10 percent of the prior year's profits to affordable housing efforts.

FHL Bank Atlanta is currently using 15 percent of its prior-year profits toward such efforts. The bank has several other programs for home buyers, mostly for buyers earning up to 80 percent of their area's median income, including one to help people repair their homes after a disaster.

So, people who earn too little for the Workforce Housing Plus+ program could explore the bank's other initiatives. The first-time homebuyer program offers up to $12,500, and the Community Partners program offers up to $15,000 for people in certain professions including education, health care, and law enforcement.

Several of FHL Bank's programs are more generous than those offered by the South Carolina State Housing Finance & Development Authority (known as SC Housing), but buyers can check out those options at schousing.com.

Anyone hoping to buy a home should familiarize themselves with the various programs offered by FHL Bank Atlanta, SC Housing, and others. Some offer downpayment money, favorable mortgage loans rates, or a federal tax credit called a Mortgage Credit Certificate that's only available prior to buying.

These programs can make it easier to buy a home, easier to pay the mortgage, or both.

Have questions about FHL Bank Atlanta's Workforce Housing Plus+ program or need help finding a participating lender? Contact the bank's Community Investments Services department at 800-536-9650 (Option 3) or Maxima Sims, Vice President, Homeownership Portfolio Manager, at 800-536-9650, Ext. 8325.
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
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a decree of the State Council, unveiling a set of regulations on rare earth administration.

The regulations, which will take effect on Oct. 1, stipulate that the country will pay equal attention to resource protection as well as development and utilization of rare earths, following the principles of making overall planning, ensuring security, and boosting technological innovation and green development.

The country will promote the high-quality development of the rare earth industry, and encourage the research, development and application of new technologies, new materials and new equipment, according to the regulations.

The regulations specify punishment for illegal activities in areas including rare earth mining, smelting and extraction, product distribution, as well as unlawful imports and exports.

Rare earths consist of 17 elements that are widely used in high-tech products ranging from flat-screen TVs to lasers and hybrid cars.
The prime minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, with the United Kingdoms ambassador to her country  Ross Allen  on a return flight after a visit to a NATO military exercise in the former Soviet republic, in May 2024.

In the small town of Voru, in the southeast of Estonia, militarization  occurring at a rapid pace  is evident. The locals have become accustomed to the presence of British, French and U.S. soldiers in its bars, or military trucks driving down its cobblestone streets.

The enemy  Russia  is only 18 miles away. And the fear of a possible invasion  which the Estonian authorities dont rule out at all  is increasingly palpable among the population. Evidence of this is that many of the 12,000 inhabitants of Voru have a full tank of fuel in their cars and a suitcase with the essentials at the ready, in case they have to flee at a moments notice.

Very close by, at the Taara Army Base, Colonel Mati Tikerpuu  commander of one of the two brigades of the Baltic countrys army  highlights that, in the event of an enemy incursion, his intention would be to deal with the invaders as soon as possible.

The colonel speaks with EL PAIS in the Officers Club. On his uniform, he wears two patches: one with the Estonian flag, the other with the Ukrainian. In addition to being the headquarters of the infantry brigade led by Tikerpuu, the Taara base has a recruit training center (military service is mandatory for men in Estonia) and hosts rotating troops from the United Kingdom, the United States and France: the three nuclear powers of NATO.

Russias war in Ukraine  particularly the massacre of civilians  has resurrected the traumas of Stalinism, along with fears of the Kremlins expansionism in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the only three former Soviet republics integrated into the EU and the Atlantic Alliance. Its in this area of the continent where NATOs credibility is most threatened. In the first months of the large-scale invasion of Ukraine  launched in February 2022  the Russian army occupied 46,000 square miles, almost triple the size of Estonia, which has an area comparable to Switzerland, the Netherlands, or Denmark.

The vulnerable situation of the Baltic republics  three allies that are especially threatened by Russia, all of them lacking strategic depth and sizable armies  has forced NATO to reconfigure its defense strategy for the region over the last 24 months. Under the provisions in force since 2022, in the event of an invasion, enemy troops would occupy part of the territory before being repelled by a multinational force, in an operation that could last several months. At last years NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, new plans were adopted to defend every inch of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, while increasing the presence of NATO troops in the region.

We would be able to resist an invasion for a couple of weeks, Tikerpuu estimates, long enough until allied reinforcements arrive. During a trip organized by the Estonian Ministry of Defense, the colonel tells EL PAIS that a large part of the 19,000 Russian soldiers who were posted just a few miles from Estonia in 2022 are now in Ukraine, or dead. Even so, Estonias intelligence services stated in a recent report that Moscow plans to increase its troop presence near the border to almost 40,000 in the coming years.

Estonia has only 4,500 professional soldiers, along with 90,000 reservists. Despite having raised defense spending above 3.5% of GDP (one of the highest percentages among NATO members), its army doesnt have a single tank, much less a combat aircraft. And its entire population of only 1.3 million inhabitants is comparable to the number of soldiers in the Russian Armed Forces (according to official figures).

Shadow War

The relationship between Tallinn and Moscow has deteriorated deeply over the last decade. In September 2014, coinciding with the NATO summit in Wales  during which leaders discussed plans to protect Eastern European allies after the illegal annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea  an Estonian police officer was kidnapped at the border by agents from Russias Federal Security Service. Ultimately, he was exchanged for a Kremlin spy. But since then, the Estonian authorities have denounced countless hybrid warfare attacks. These include sabotage to underwater cables, interference with the GPS signals disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks originating from Russia.

Kaja Kallas  the Estonian prime minister  insists that Russia is waging a shadow war against the West. The liberal politician  who aspires to succeed Spanish politician Josep Borrell as high representative for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy  has emerged as one of the main hawks in Brussels, where she urges the approval of even tougher sanctions against Moscow. Kallas  who is accustomed to being labeled a warmonger for demanding the rearmament of Europe and the sending of much more military aid to Ukraine  was placed on a wanted list by the Russian authorities in February.

Prime Minister Kallas in Switzerland, during the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, on June 16, 2024 Urs Flueeler (via REUTERS)

In Luhamaa  one of the four border posts between EU community territory and Russia that remain open  dozens of truck drivers and a few families in private vehicles suffer the consequences of the tension between Estonia and its gigantic neighbor. They try to be patient while the customs line remains motionless. Vehicles cross in trickles: some wait there for many hours, while others have to spend several days idling until their turn comes. Estonian agents carefully inspect the merchandise of each truck, almost all of which are registered in Serbia or Central Asian countries (Russia doesnt allow the circulation of long-haul vehicles with European plates). On a good day, when there arent too many obstacles from the other side, about 60 vehicles cross. The Russians stopped answering our phone calls in April 2022, says Peter Maran, head of the border guard.

Around Luhamaa, Estonia is erecting a robust border fence that will be equipped with cameras, sensors and radar. In addition to the construction of the wall (which is set to be completed next year), the government is planning a network of 600 bunkers to be built along the 182 miles that separate the country from Russia. At the end of May, three Baltic countries  along with Norway, Finland and Poland  agreed to create a coordinated drone system along their eastern borders. A couple of days earlier, in the north, Russian border guards removed 25 buoys marking the boundary along the Narva River from Estonian waters.

In addition to doubling military spending, Estonia is one of the allies that has donated the most aid to Ukraine (1.7% of its GDP). In the Estonian Ministry of Defense, most officials feel that countries such as Germany, Italy and Spain must make a greater effort to prevent the Kremlin from achieving its objectives in Ukraine.

Different Western intelligence services agree on the possibility of Russia attacking a NATO member between the next five and 10 years. They dont contemplate the option of an entire country being invaded, but rather a ground operation in which a strip of land is occupied to test the principle of collective defense, the cornerstone of the transatlantic organization.

Lieutenant-Colonel Meelis Vilippus  head of the International Cooperation Section of the Estonian Defense Forces  believes that Russia will maintain the imperialist attitude that it has never renounced since the 17th century if its not defeated in Ukraine. They could attack us in two or three years, Vilippus predicts.

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 30, 2024 / Alta Copper Corp. (TSX:ATCU)(OTCQX:ATCUF)(BVL:ATCU) ("Alta Copper" or "the Company") announces voting results for its Annual General Meeting of shareholders held on Friday, June 28, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia.A total of 45,215,379 common shares, representing 53.71% of the Company's outstanding shares were represented at the Meeting and all motions put forward were passed.The following sets forth a summary of the Annual General Meeting voting results:Appointment of AuditorKreston GTA LLP were appointed as Auditors of the Company for the ensuing year at a remuneration to be fixed by the Directors.Votes For: 97.69 %Votes Withheld: 2.31 %Adoption of New Omnibus Equity Incentive PlanThe adoption of a new 10% rolling Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, was ratified and approved.Votes For: 95.97 %Votes Against: 4.03 %Number of DirectorsThe number of Directors was set at seven.Votes For: 97.29 %Votes Against: 2.71 %Election of DirectorsThe following nominees were elected as Directors to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company or until their successors are elected or appointed.DirectorsVotes ForVotes WithheldGiulio T. Bonifacio41,503,766 (93.44%)2,913,338 (6.56%)Joanne C. Freeze18,081,575 (40.71%)26,335,529 (59.29%)Andrew Hamilton40,487,565 (91.15%)3,929,539 (8.85%)Miguel Inchaustegui15,097,943 (33.99%)29,319,161 (66.01%)Steven Latimer15,391,687 (34,65%)29,025,417 (65.35%)Christine Nicolau40,301,785 (90.74%)4,115,319 (9.27%)Sean I. Waller14,503,286 (32.65%)29,913,818 (67.35%)In accordance with the Company's Majority Voting Policy, the Company anticipates that each of Joanne C. Freeze, Miguel Inchaustegui, Steven Latimer and Sean I. Waller, will offer their resignation as a Director of the Company, as each of these persons received a greater number of votes withheld than votes in favor of their election as a Director. Following the Company's receipt of these resignations, the Company's Board of Directors will determine whether or not to accept the resignations in accordance with the Majority Voting Policy, with each of the Directors who have offered their resignation abstaining from the decision-making process.For each of the Withheld Vote Directors, between 87% to 99% of the Withheld Votes were cast by Nascent Exploration Pty Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortescue Ltd. ("Fortescue"). In accordance with the Company's Majority Voting Policy, Fortescue's reasons for the Withheld Votes and the views of other Company stakeholders will be considered by the Board in determining whether to accept the resignations. The Company will provide a further update once the Board has consulted with all parties. The Board intends to complete this process as promptly as possible, and within the 90 days required pursuant to Toronto Stock Exchange Policies.The Company's Executive Chair, Giulio Bonifacio, is currently in discussions with Fortescue regarding the Withheld Votes. Fortescue has advised that it believes a reconstituted Board would prove beneficial for the Company and will result in the further accelerated development of the Canariaco Project. The Company is encouraged by Fortescue's desire to take a more active role and welcomes the opportunity to work with Fortescue as we further advance the Canariaco Project. "The Canariaco Project is a large scale, robust copper project and the involvement of Fortescue, a global mining company with deep experience in the development and operation of large scale base metal mines can only be seen as positive - we look forward to our discussions with Fortescue over the coming weeks", commented Mr. Bonifacio.About Alta CopperAlta Copper is focused on the development of its 100% owned Canariaco advanced staged copper project. Canariaco comprises 97 square km of highly prospective land located 102 km northeast of the City of Chiclayo, Peru, which includes the advanced stage Canariaco Norte deposit, Canariaco Sur deposit and Quebrada Verde prospect, all within a 4 km NE-SW trend in northern Peru's prolific mining district. Canariaco is one of the largest copper deposits in the Americas not held by a major.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, plans, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements with respect to the effective date of the consolidation and name change of the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. Although the Company believes the forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations and assumptions in such statements will prove to be correct. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws.On behalf of the Board of Alta Copper Corp."Giulio T. Bonifacio", Executive Chair and DirectorFor further information please contact:Giulio T. Bonifacio, Executive Chair and Director gtbonifacio@ altacopper.com +1 604 318 6760orJoanne C. Freeze, President, CEO and Director jfreeze@ altacopper.com +1 604 512 3359Email:info@ altacopper.comWebsite:www.altacopper.comTwitter:https://twitter.com/Alta_CopperLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/altacopper/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AltaCopperCorpInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/altacopper/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@AltaCopper SOURCE: Alta Coppe
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Backlinks: More Important Than Ever in the Wake of Recent Algorithm Updates - "Any SEO who actually ranks websites"MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / June 30, 2024 / In the ever-evolving landscape of search engine optimization (SEO), one constant remains: the significance of backlinks. Despite recent algorithm updates by major search engines, backlinks continue to play a critical role in determining website rankings.Recent updates have focused on enhancing the quality and relevance of search results, placing a stronger emphasis on user experience, content quality, and trustworthiness. While some may speculate that these changes could diminish the value of backlinks, industry experts assert that backlinks remain a cornerstone of effective SEO strategies.Why Backlinks MatterBacklinks, or inbound links, are links from external websites that point to a specific page on your website. They are a key factor used by search engines to gauge the authority and relevance of a site. High-quality backlinks from reputable sites signal to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy, which can significantly boost your search engine rankings.The Impact of Recent Algorithm UpdatesRecent algorithm updates have refined how search engines evaluate backlinks, prioritizing quality over quantity. The focus has shifted towards backlinks from authoritative, relevant sources that enhance the user experience. These changes aim to eliminate the influence of spammy, low-quality backlinks that previously could have manipulated rankings. SEJ does a great job at keeping this up to date - https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-algorithm-history/ The Power of Country-Specific BacklinksAn emerging trend that has proven particularly effective is the acquisition of backlinks from websites based in the same country as the target audience. Country-specific backlinks are crucial for businesses looking to attract organic traffic from specific regions. These backlinks not only enhance local relevance but also build trust with search engines, indicating that your content is pertinent to users in that region.The New Era of Link BuildingIn this new era, link-building strategies must adapt to meet the updated criteria. Businesses and SEO professionals should focus on:Quality Content: Creating high-quality, engaging content that naturally attracts backlinks.Relevance: Securing backlinks from websites within the same industry or niche.Authority: Prioritizing backlinks from reputable, high-authority websites.Country-Specific Links: Targeting backlinks from local websites to boost regional SEO.Diverse Link Profiles: Maintaining a diverse and natural link profile to avoid penalties.Expert Insights"Backlinks are still a critical component of SEO," says Callum Sherwood, CEO at Worldwide Backlinks. "The recent algorithm updates emphasize the need for quality over quantity. Securing backlinks from local, reputable sources is particularly effective for businesses aiming to enhance their regional search engine rankings. This strategy aligns with the goal of providing users with the most relevant and high-quality search experience." About Worldwide BacklinksWorldwide Backlinks is a leading outreach backlink building and SEO firm based in Australia. With a commitment to staying at the forefront of SEO best practices, we strive to help businesses navigate the complexities of search engine optimization to achieve sustainable, long-term growth.Contact UsMedia: Callum SherwoodEmail: support@ worldwidebacklinks.com Phone: 1800 840 999 Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/callum-sherwood-574636100 SOURCE: Worldwide Backlinks
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 30, 2024 / Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces it has filed a lawsuit against UiPath, Inc. ("UiPath" or the "Company") (NYSE:PATH) and certain of the Company's senior executives.Investors have until August 19, 2024 to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in UiPath securities between December 1, 2023 and the close of trading on May 29, 2024 inclusive (the "Class Period"). The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and is captioned Zack Steiner v. UiPath, Inc., No. 1:24-cv-4702.If you suffered losses on your UiPath investment, you are encouraged to submit your information at https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/uipath-inc-investigation What is the Lawsuit About?The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements concerning the success of UiPath's turnaround strategy. For instance, defendants represented that the Company was "executing against that strategy, and we're 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 "there's no doubt there's [been] better execution" since the implementation of the turnaround strategy.These statements were allegedly materially false and misleading. In truth, UiPath's turnaround strategy had failed. Fruitless investments and inconsistent execution plagued the Company's overhauled go-to-market strategy. Additionally, UiPath's AI-powered Business Automation Platform caused "confusion" among customers and was not able to be adequately scaled. As a result, UiPath experienced significant difficulties closing and/or expanding large multiyear deals.On May 29, 2024, UiPath announced the sudden departure of CEO Robert Enslin. On the same day, UiPath announced disappointing 1Q 25 financial results and significantly cut its FY 25 revenue guidance by 10%, or $150 million. The Company attributed the poor results and guidance to several factors related to its failed turnaround strategy, including an inadequate "execution strategy to scale" the Company's AI-powered growth products "to reach their full potential," and that AI had "create[ed] a little bit of confusion with our customers." Ui Path also described how the "investments we have made to reaccelerate growth have fallen short of our expectations, [and] made us less agile in responding to customer needs" while experiencing "contract execution challenges on large deals." This news caused the price of UiPath stock to decline $6.23 per share, or more than 34%, from $18.30 per share on May 29, 2024, to $12.07 per share on May 30, 2024, resulting in significant harm to investors.Click here if you suffered losses: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/uipath-inc-investigation What Can You Do?If you invested in UiPath, Inc. you have rights and are encouraged to submit your information to speak with an attorney.All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The Firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses. Submit your information:Or contact us at:Ross Shikowitz ross@ bfalaw.com 212-789-3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors (pending court approval), as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP
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GODALMING, UK / ACCESSWIRE / June 30, 2024 / Condor (AIM:CNR)(TSX:COG) is pleased to announce that at the Company's AGM held earlier today, all resolutions were passed.- Ends -For further information please visit www.condorgold.com or contact:Condor Gold plcMark Child, CEO+44 (0) 20 7493 2784Beaumont Cornish LimitedRoland Cornish and James Biddle+44 (0) 20 7628 3396SP Angel Corporate Finance LLPEwan Leggat +44 (0) 20 3470 0470H&P Advisory LimitedAndrew Chubb and Nilesh Patel+44 207 907 8500Adelaide Capital (Investor Relations)Deborah Honig+1-647-203-8793About Condor Gold plc: Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM in May 2006 and dual listed on the TSX in January 2018. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Nicaragua.The Company's principal asset is La India Project, Nicaragua, which comprises of a large, highly prospective land package of 588 sq km comprising of 12 contiguous and adjacent concessions. The Company has filed a feasibility study technical report dated 25 October 2022 and entitled "Condor Gold Technical Report on the La India Gold Project, Nicaragua, 2022" (the "2022 FS") which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com and was prepared in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The 2022 FS indicated that La India Project hosts a high grade Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") of 9,672 kt at 3.5g/t gold for 1,088,000 oz gold in the indicated mineral resource category and 8,642 kt at 4.3 g/t gold for 1,190,000 oz gold in the inferred mineral resource category. The open pit MRE is 8,693 kt at 3.2 g/t gold for 893,000 oz gold in the indicated mineral resource category and 3,026 kt at 3.0 g/t gold for 291,000 oz gold in the inferred mineral resource category. Total underground MRE is 979 kt at 6.2 g/t gold for 194,000 oz gold in the indicated mineral resource category and 5,615 kt at 5.0 g/t gold for 898,000 oz gold in the inferred mineral resource category.The 2022 FS replaces the previously reported Preliminary Economic Assessment ("2021 PEA") as presented in the Technical Report filed on SEDAR in October 2021 as the current technical report for the La India project.The 2021 PEA considered the expanded Project inclusive of the exploitation of the Mineral Resources associated to the La India, Mestiza, America and Central Breccia deposits. The strategic study covers two scenarios: Scenario A, in which the mining is undertaken from four open pits, termed La India, America, Mestiza and Central Breccia Zone ("CBZ"), which targets a plant feed rate of 1.225 million tonnes per annum ("Mtpa"); and Scenario B, where the mining is extended to include three underground operations at La India, America and Mestiza, in which the processing rate is increased to 1.4 Mtpa. The 2021 PEA Scenario B presented a post-tax, post upfront capital expenditure NPV of US$418 million, with an IRR of 54% and 12 month pay-back period, assuming a US$1,700 per oz gold price, with average annual production of 150,000 oz gold per annum for the initial 9 years of gold production. The open pit mine schedules were optimised from designed pits, bringing higher grade gold forward resulting in average annual production of 157,000 oz gold in the first 2 years from open pit material and underground mining funded out of cashflow. The 2021 PEA Scenario A presented a post-tax, post upfront capital expenditure NPV of US$302 million, with an IRR of 58% and 12 month pay-back period, assuming a US$1,700 per oz gold price, with average annual production of approximately 120,000 oz gold per annum for the initial 6 years of gold production. The Mineral Resource estimate and associated Preliminary Economic Assessment contained in the 2021 PEA are considered a historical estimate within the meaning of NI 43-101, a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify such historical estimate as current, and the Company is not treating the historical Mineral Resource estimate and associated studies as current, and the reader is cautioned not to rely upon this data as such. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Company believes that the historical Mineral Resource estimate and Preliminary Economic assessment is relevant to the continuing development of the La India Project.In August 2018, the Company announced that the Ministry of the Environment in Nicaragua had granted the Environmental Permit ("EP") for the development, construction and operation of a processing plant with capacity to process up to 2,800 tonnes per day at the La India Project. The EP is considered the master permit for mining operations in Nicaragua. Condor has purchased a new SAG Mill, which has mainly arrived in Nicaragua. Site clearance and preparation is at an advanced stage.Environmental Permits were granted in April and May 2020 for the Mestiza and America open pits respectively, both located close to La India. The Mestiza open pit hosts 92 Kt at a grade of 12.1 g/t gold (36,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 341 Kt at a grade of 7.7 g/t gold (85,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. The America open pit hosts 114 Kt at a grade of 8.1 g/t gold (30,000 oz) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 677 Kt at a grade of 3.1 g/t gold (67,000 oz) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. Following the permitting of the Mestiza and America open pits, together with the La India open pit Condor has 1.12 M oz gold open pit Mineral Resources permitted for extraction.DisclaimerNeither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.Qualified PersonsThe technical and scientific information in this press release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Andrew Cheatle, P.Geo., a director of Condor Gold plc, and Gerald D. Crawford, P.E., the Chief Technical Officer of Condor Gold plc, each of whom is a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101.Important Notice(s) Forward Looking StatementsAll statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information' with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to future development and production plans; projected capital and operating costs; mine life and production rates; metal or mineral recovery estimates; Mineral Resource; Mineral Reserve estimates
Veteran Nollywood actor Olu Jacobs is alive and well. This clarification comes directly from his family.

Earlier on Sunday, reports of the veteran actors death dominated social media, prompting fans to panic and share condolences.

It is the third time in four years that the award-winning actor would be rumoured dead.

In response, the family has assured the public that the much-loved veteran actor is alive.

Soji Jacobs, the actors son, confirmed to Channels Television that his father is very much alive.

To further discredit the rumours, Mr Jacobs shared a video with Channels Television showing his father, though frail, in good spirits while having his beard shaved and engaging in light conversation with his barber.

The video showed the son informing his father (Olu Jacobs) about the death rumours that surfaced Sunday, and the actor appeared shocked.

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Mr Jacobs, also speaking with QEDNG newspaper, expressed the familys frustration with the recurring death rumours which surface yearly.

He mentioned receiving numerous calls from concerned people worldwide and described the situation as annoying and distressing for the family.

Betty Irabor, Genevieve Magazine publisher and a close friend of Joke Jacobs, the actors wife, also debunked the news. She tweeted, Olu Jacob is well and alive. Please ignore all rumours of his passing. He is alive, please.

Similarly, the Actors Guild spokesperson, Kate Henshaw, expressed displeasure over the death rumours that emerge regularly.

Rumour thread

In June 2020, similar unfounded reports spread across Twitter (now X) and Facebook. The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) promptly refuted the false reports.

Monalisa Chinda-Coker, AGNs spokesperson, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that the legendary actor was alive and well.

Again, in August 2022, death rumours surfaced, which were debunked by his wife, Joke Silva, who even threatened legal action against those spreading the misinformation.

Health challenge

Since November 2021, Jacobs health has been a topic of concern after his wife revealed his battle with Dementia Lewy body (DLB), a degenerative disease that affects the brain.

In an interview, his wife explained, Its almost like Parkinsons; it affects the brain, so you dont see the shaking. Its been hard on him and the family.

Despite his health challenges, Jacobs continues to make occasional public appearances.

In 2021, he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Africa International Film Festival Awards in Lagos.

He later posted a picture of himself on Instagram, receiving an outpouring of sympathy and well-wishes from fans.

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Movie Title: Oloture: The Journey

Date released: 28 June 2024

Episodes: 3 (around 35 minutes)

Director: Kenneth Gyang

Cast: Sharon Ooja, Omoni Oboli, Beverly Osu, Ikechukwu Onunaku, Adebukola Oladipupo, Daniel Etim Effiong, Patrick Doyle, Bucci Franklin, Stan Nze, Amarachukwu Onoh, Pearl Wats

After the release of the 2020 movie Oloture, the story of the journalist entrapped in her investigations is far from over.

The Nollywood Netflix series Oloture: The Journey is a sequel to the 2020 movie Oloture. It is a powerful social commentary on Nigeria, blending the intensity of a documentary with storytelling.

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Inspired by a 2014 trafficking investigation by PREMIUM TIMES, the movie follows the story of Oloture, a young journalist who goes undercover as a prostitute in Lagos to expose the dark world of prostitution and human trafficking. What she uncovers is a sprawling web of violence, corruption, and exploitation.

Four years after the movies 2020 release, Netflix, in collaboration with EbonyLife Studios, continues the story of Olotures journey.

Plot

After surviving the harrowing experiences of her undercover journalism and several failed escape attempts, Ehi finds herself among other young girls disguised as missionaries on a bus crossing the porous Nigerian border with fake passports en route to Europe.

The journey takes them from Nigeria to Niger, with the girls being moved from one vehicle to another at various points along the way.

Meanwhile, Lindas murder after being caught with a phone and her sister Beautys escape at the border caused chaos.

Alero, the woman organising the smuggling operation, had a fallout with her boss, Tony. Tony faced pressure from Antonio, his Italian human trafficker contact, due to the missing girls.

As the girls journeyed through Niger, their bus was ambushed by unknown gunmen sent by Ade. The attackers killed everyone except for Ehi and another girl, Peju, who managed to survive.

On the other hand, Aleros problems deepened when Sir Philip, who had raped Ehi, discovered her diary and placed a bounty on Alero. Sensing Aleros vulnerability, Chucks saw an opportunity to replace her in the trafficking network and began building a relationship with Tony.

Meanwhile, Beauty, who had escaped earlier, returned home only to find her house and mother destroyed by fire. Overwhelmed by frustration, she blamed the charms and oaths taken at a shrine before their journey. Facing rejection and with no family left, Beauty returned to prostitution, this time with Chucks as her middleman.

Meanwhile, at Niger, Ehi meets two immigrants, Ben and Andrew, who were encountering Europe top; they paired together and headed to Libya, but what had started as a quest for greener pastures became for them a journey in the valley and the shadow of death. What will become their fate? Where would Ehis undercover journalism lead her to?

Character Analysis

The series maintained some key characters from the original, such as Sharon Ooja (Oloture), Omoni Oboli (Alero), Ikechukwu Onunaku, and Patrick Doyle (Sir Philip).

And introduced some new characters like Daniel Etim Effiong (as Tony), Stan Nze (as Ben), and Amarachukwu Onoh (as Andrew) Oloture: The Journey has some excellent actors who do a splendid job of bringing their characters to light.

The series continues to showcase Sharon Ooja as the titular protagonist, Oloture, who goes undercover as Ehi. Oojas performance captures the characters internal struggle and resilience.

Her portrayal makes viewers empathise deeply with her plight as she balances the drive to uncover the truth with the need to stay alive.

Oojas ability to convey complex emotions and maintain the intensity of her character from the original film is a testament to her acting prowess.

Omoni Oboli, as Alero, the orchestrator of the smuggling operation, delivers a compelling performance. Her portrayal of a character caught in a web of crime and betrayal adds depth to the narrative. Obolis ability to convey ruthlessness and vulnerability makes Alero a multifaceted antagonist.

Stan Nzes portrayal of Ben stands out, especially with the characters mix of Ghanaian and Nigerian origins. Nzes ability to shift accents and mannerisms adds authenticity to his character, making Bens journey and struggles more relatable.

Amarachukwu Onoh as Andrew, paired with Ben, enhances the narrative. Their shared journey towards Europe, filled with peril and hope, is brought to life through Onohs performance, which complements Nzes portrayal of Ben.

The supporting cast delivers strong performances, each contributing to the rich tapestry of the story. Though not as central, their roles provide essential context and depth to the main narrative.

Oloture: The Journey benefits significantly from its talented cast, both returning and new.

Movie Analysis

Oloture; The Journey is a hauntingly factual portrayal of the horrors of human trafficking, making its emotional appeal palpable even to viewers unfamiliar with Nigeria.

The series does not shy away from depicting sexual assault or shocking violence, using these elements to present a raw and theatrical reality. Themes of corruption, criminality, grinding poverty, and the hope for a better life at the next level drive the narrative.

The film offers a glimpse into the desperate lives of Lagos prostitutes, highlighting the human reasons behind their choices and the overwhelming exploitation and violence they endure. The story also delves into the difficult journey of migrants through the Sahara Desert seeking greener pastures in Europe.

As Oloture, the protagonist, runs from traffickers who are aware of a mole among them, she must do whatever it takes to get her story out. Concurrently, Beauty returns home only to discover that her home is not what she thought it was.

Oloture: The Journey is an emotional story of resilience and the seedy underbelly of human trafficking, showcasing Olotures journey through a series of relentless adversities. Her sad experiences that led to her trip to Europe knitted into a fraught with friends and enemies, and the storytelling is so compelling that its difficult to look away even for a moment.

The series vividly portrays the horrific challenges people face to survive and the bleak reality of those who choose a difficult life due to a lack of alternatives. This portrayal is nothing short of heartbreaking.

However, the series disappointingly ends without resolving many of its storylines, leaving viewers with incompletion. The pacing is frantic, and the story feels unfinished despite the short runtime per episode. This abrupt ending leaves viewers on a cliffhanger, with many questions unanswered.

The series doesnt clarify whether Oloture and her group reached their destination, what became of Beauty, or the outcome of the impending gang war. Although more episodes are anticipated, this leaves the current season feeling incomplete and half-baked.

Despite strong ties to the original storyline, the series must effectively integrate some pivotal elements from the past. For instance, in the original story, Emeka, Olotures editor, made efforts to rescue her, which were ultimately thwarted. However, in the sequel, it is revealed that Emeka is dead, though the details of his death remain unclear. Additionally, the series fails to explain how Sir Philip came into possession of Olotures diary, which was initially given to Emeka.

Nevertheless, the series excels in its realistic depiction of those attempting to travel to Europe through the desert. It boasts impressive cinematography, sound, and lighting effects, which enhance the storytelling experience and keep viewers intriguingly glued to their screen.

Oloture: The Journey is streaming on Netflix

Oloture: The Journey | Official Trailer | Netflix

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The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, has commended President Bola Tinubu for assenting to the Executive Order (EO) on healthcare, which aims to improve local production of health products, reduce the cost of health equipment and investments.

Mrs Adeyeye described this as a huge step towards achieving the administrations goal of refining the health sector as the EO sets the stage for sustainable and quality healthcare.

The director general, in a statement issued on Saturday, said the decision to sign the EO underscores the presidents commitment to transforming Nigerias health sector.

She said: This initiative, part of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), addresses longstanding challenges and aims to improve health outcomes for Nigerians.

It aligns with the broader objectives of the NHSRII and the Presidential Initiative on Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC).

By addressing core challenges and providing a clear path for improvement, this EO sets the stage for a sustainable and high-quality healthcare system for all Nigerians.

New order

PREMIUM TIMES reported that President Tinubu signed an executive order to boost local production of health-related material as a part of the national effort to revitalise the health sector.

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Enhancing local production will essentially improve access to health materials and reduce the purchase cost for health seekers and providers across the country.

It will reduce the cost of medications, which has been skyrocketing in the past months partly due to the countrys over-reliance on import and foreign products.

The dependence on importation became glaring when pharmaceutical companies, like GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi, exited the country.

The new order introduced zero tariffs, excise duties, and VAT on specified machinery, equipment, and raw materials to give local manufacturers a chance to excel and be competitive with multinationals dominating the market.

It exempts specified pharmaceutical machinery, equipment such as needles and syringes, biologicals, and medical textiles from tariffs and excise duties to reduce production costs and make healthcare products more affordable.

Announcing the EO on Friday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said the order is pivotal to the success of the initiative for unlocking the healthcare value chain, which was approved in October 2023 by the President.

It provides for establishing market-shaping mechanisms, such as framework contracts and volume guarantees, to encourage local manufacturers, he disclosed.

NAFDACs effort

In the last six years, NAFDAC has vehemently pursued policies and directives targeted at boosting local production and strengthening local manufacturers, according to the agencys DG.

These efforts, she claimed in the statement, are beginning to yield the desired result.

Mrs Adeyeye said in 2019, the agency issued the Five-Plus-Five RD directive, which sought to ensure that the capacity of local manufacturers is maximised by limiting import renewals of medicines that could be locally produced.

Two years later, she noted that the agency, through its Ceiling 34 Regulatory Directive, limited the number of medicinal products that could be imported into the country after detecting an increase in local capacity.

At the time, the director general said: Along this path, importers started migrating to local manufacturing or forming partnerships with local manufacturers, thus resulting in a 30 per cent increase in new facilities being built.

However, the perennial and persistent costly challenge of importation of ALL materials needed for manufacturing (except water) by local manufacturers became an open sore.

I have advocated for zero tariffs since my assumption of office with a limited moratorium to give local manufacturers industrial breathing space to do what they know how to do best  manufacturing quality medical products, she stated.

She noted that this zero tariff policy has come to life with the executive order signed by the president.

Implementation

The executive order, by boosting local manufacturing, will, among other things, also create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and ensure a reliable supply of essential healthcare products.

With the Presidents approval, the next line of action is for the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to take the next steps towards codifying the new order, Mr Pate earlier stated.

He said implementation of the order will be carried out by NAFDAC, alongside the Nigeria Customs Service, SON and FIRS, with special waivers and exemptions effective for two years.

He also noted that the order mandates the Ministers of Health, Finance, and Industry, Trade and Investment to develop a harmonised implementation framework, expediting regulatory approvals and reducing bottlenecks.

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The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has visited three steel manufacturing firms in Ogun and Lagos States to investigate alleged production of substandard iron rods and alleged involvement in other trade anti-competition practices.

The affected companies are African Foundries Limited (AFL), Ogijo, Lagos; the Monarch Steel Mill Limited, Sagamu, Ogun, and the Kam Steel Integrated Company, Sagamu, Ogun State.

The Acting Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, who led the operation, told journalists on Friday at the premises of AFL, that the agencys visit to the three companies was informed by intelligence that they might be involved in unfair and anti-competitive practices.

The visit was a joint operation of FCCPC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Mr Abdullahi said the team was there to take samples of their products and examine their records to determine what they do.

There have been reports of false, misleading, deceptive as well as unfair market practices. Some manufacturers would produce 10mm iron rods but label and market the same as 12mm iron rods. This practice is among the major causes of building collapse in Nigeria.

We are talking about the issue of safety of Nigerians, which is the core essence of consumer protection. We have to ensure the safety of our population. What is happening in the building space is worrisome to the government and all well-meaning citizens. So, we have to look at their process to find out if they are cutting corners. If they are doing so, we will apply the full wrath of the law. That is why we are here, he said.

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Commenting on the companies attitude during the fact-finding mission, Mr Abdullahi said all three companies were very cooperative with the commission.

That is why we had no issues. Naturally, we would expect that their lawyers would have advised them that our laws allow this process, he added.

He emphasised that the FCCPC was still at the fact-finding stage and was yet to find any of the companies liable.

We are still at the information gathering stage after which we have to go back to our office and allow forensic experts to look at the information that we returned with. Whatever they take out from all the materials we have gathered will then guide our findings, he said.

Mr Abdullahi revealed that the agency was working in collaboration with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), to ensure compliance with industry standards.

We have held meetings with them and they have given us technical advice on what we should look out for during these fact-finding trips. And that is exactly what we are doing, he added.

In recent times, building experts have expressed concern that the presence of low-quality steel and iron rods in the markets and their subsequent use in building projects are partly responsible for incessant building collapses and structural failures across the country.

Earlier in June, the Iron Rod and Steel Distributors Employers Union of Nigeria (IRSDEUN) issued a strong call to action to the Federal Government, urging it to crack down on substandard steel producers.

This was in the aftermath of another building collapse that left five construction workers dead in Obingwu, Ukwa West local government area of Abia State.

The National President of the Union, Gbenga Awoyale, noted that the unchecked proliferation of substandard iron rods and steel products in the market has led to a series of tragic incidents, including the recent collapse in Abia State. He emphasized the need for the government to take decisive action to prevent further loss of lives.

Also, in 2023, the House of Representatives ordered the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to crack down on the spread of substandard steel production in the country, as stipulated in section (4) subsection (l) of the SON Act, 2015.

The House also urged the FCCPC to take decisive action to eradicate the dangers occasioned by the production of low-quality steel from the markets.

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By the end of 2024, Volodymyr Zelenskiy wants to have Ukraines proposal to end the war ready to be presented to the Russian government. On June 16, during the Swiss Peace Summit, the Ukrainian president stated that the next and final summit with his allies should be held in months, not years.

At this second meeting, a document must emerge. Third countries  on behalf of Ukraine  will subsequently present it to President Vladimir Putin to commence negotiations. On June 25, Andriy Yermak  Zelenskiys right-hand man  confirmed to Time magazine that the goal is for a conference to be held in Saudi Arabia before the end of this year. This meeting will determine the final proposal.

On June 21, Igor Zhovkva  a member of Yermak teams  told the Interfax news agency that there are three reasons to hurry: the first is that Ukraine desires peace as soon as possible. The second is that the multinational work thats being done to specify each of the 10 points of Zelenskiys proposal is advancing rapidly, according to this representative of the Ukrainian presidency. And the third reason has to do with the US presidential elections in November. As Zhovkva acknowledged, everyone is watching for a possible victory for the Republican candidate  former President Donald Trump  who is openly opposed to continuing economic and military aid to Ukraine. Yermak added that the war in Gaza has further complicated the global geopolitical situation.

The Trump factor

Trump has a plan on the table to end the war. This is what the candidates two advisers who developed it  Keith Kellog and Fred Fleitz  told Reuters on Tuesday, June 25. This document states that Ukraine must be required to open a dialogue with Russia if it wants to continue receiving American weapons. And Moscow  according to the plan  will be asked to agree to negotiate with Kyiv because, if it doesnt, the White House will increase military support for Ukraine.

Mijailo Podoliak  an advisor to Zelenskiy  told the same agency that the plan proposed by Trumps team is strange, because it involves legitimizing the violation of international law. It also doesnt contemplate Russia paying compensation for the destruction caused.

On June 16, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis ventured that the most practical thing would be for the second summit to be held before the US presidential elections. Yet, not everybody agrees. On June 24, Mijailo Gonchar  one of Ukraines most senior defense policy advisors and president of the Strategy XXI Centre for Global Studies  assured EL PAIS that the ideal month to present the peace proposal is December: Before November, in the middle of the US elections, could seem like a pressure operation on Joe Biden. In December, the elections will have passed [well] know who the new president is, who wont have taken office yet. Gonchar  who was involved in the negotiations in Switzerland  emphasizes that the main pressure to start talks as soon as possible comes from the European powers.

The 10 points of Zelenskiys so-called Peace Formula are the basis of the summit that was held in Switzerland. 89 countries ultimately signed the joint statement that supported Zelenskiys proposal. However, there has been intense debate in Ukraine about whether the summit was truly positive. The media outlets opposing the president have been critical of the lack of important support from the Global South, including India, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Saudi Arabia and  the most prominent nation  China, which is Russias main diplomatic support.

Negotiating directly and through third parties

The structure of Zelenskiys Peace Formula assumes that 10 governments will develop the content of the 10 points, so as to obtain the maximum possible number of states that support it. It remains to be determined how the final document will be presented to Russia, but on June 21, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba noted in state media that the model to follow will be similar to the one that managed to launch the Black Sea Grain Initiative in 2022, which allowed for the export of Ukrainian wheat through Black Sea ports. Russia broke the pact a year later, but Kuleba pointed out that this is the way to go: The participation of the Russian Federation in the second peace summit is possible according to the format of the Black Sea grain initiative. We [had a] very successful experience in negotiations on the grain initiative. Then, Ukraine negotiated with Turkiye and the UN, then Turkiye and the UN negotiated with Russia. The agreement looked like a document signed between Turkiye, the UN and Ukraine, as well as Turkiye, the UN and Russia.

Yermak  who is the most influential politician in Ukraine, along with Zelenskiy  assured Time magazine that the final scenario must involve Ukrainian and Russian officials sitting at the same table to seal the agreement.

The Kremlin considers Ukraines Peace Formula to be unacceptable. The Russian government doesnt intend to return even a square foot of the territories occupied since 2014. The Zelenskiy administration also isnt contemplating giving up one bit of Ukrainian sovereignty, not even in the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014 (which Russia considers to be an inalienable part of its national identity). This past week, a meeting of the Crimea Platform  a diplomatic summit that Zelenskiy founded in 2021  was held in Kyiv, precisely when, in the negotiations with Russia, Crimea didnt appear anywhere, details Maria Tomak, head of the Crimea Platform, in a conversation with EL PAIS. The Platform was established precisely to make it clear that Crimea wont be a bargaining chip.

A report published this past spring by defense experts from the Crimean Platform asserts that liberating the peninsula is critical to the outcome of the war and even to Russias future: Crimea has been used by Russia as a springboard for its offensive and, currently, Crimea is used as a base for the occupation it remains the center of gravity of the war and its liberation will block Russias war efforts and may trigger the collapse of Vladimir Putins regime.

From Kyiv, Refat Chubarov  president of the Crimean Tatar Peoples Council  insists that military experts are convinced that its possible to isolate Russian troops in Crimea and close the invaders logistical supply in southern Ukraine. A diplomatic representative of an EU country that borders the Black Sea  who asked not to be identified  explained to EL PAIS that one of the priorities of his presence at conferences held by the Crimea Platform was to gather information about the real possibility of expelling the invader from the peninsula. The Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, are trying to convince NATO that Russias departure from the Crimean Peninsula will bring stability to the entire Black Sea.

Independent voices within Ukraine are beginning to question the realism of some of these proposals. On June 22, Anatoliy Amelin  founder of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future  published a short essay in the Italian magazine LEspresso, in which he concluded that the best option for all parties involved in the war is to freeze the conflict. He argued that this meant ensuring Ukraines access to the Sea of Azov and tripling the countrys military potential. Amelin estimated that the end to hostilities on the front could come by the fall of 2024 or the spring of 2025, depending on the outcome of the US presidential elections. He also wrote that Zelenskiys peace proposal has little chance of succeeding, because it represents a defeat for Russia.

Earlier in June, Mikola Bielieskov  a researcher at the National Institute for Strategic Studies, an organization dependent on the Office of the President of Ukraine  summarized to EL PAIS that Washington, above all, doesnt want the war to worsen levels of global instability. The United States follows the old doctrine of Russia cannot win this war but it also cannot lose it.

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Sunday, said it raided a drug party in Abuja and arrested 60 suspects.

Its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, said the Friday party was dubbed: Go hard or Go Home, Pick Your Poison.

The suspects comprised 25 males and 35 females; they were arrested at an apartment in Sun City estate in the Federal Capital Territory, he said.

He said the raid followed credible intelligence about the drug party organised by one Stanley Ikechukwu, who was arrested at the venue.

Six of the suspects  Victoria Adoga, Hamza Yari, Joanne Essein, Socchima Valentine Jago Imole and Charles Indobuibisi  were arrested with different quantities of ecstasy and cannabis.

The NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa has directed that 20 of the suspects who tested negative for drug tests be released unconditionally.

Thirty-three others, who tested positive to illicit drugs, were to be released on bail and will report at the FCT Command of the agency on Monday to begin treatment and counselling, he said.

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In another development, four suspects  Endurance Okon, 24, Joseph Michael, 23, Ovoco Bright, 43, and Goday Abanum, 23  have been arrested in a forest at Ugun, Igueben LocalGovernment in Edo.

They were arrested on Saturday, 29 June, when NDLEA operatives raided and destroyed 18,632.22 kilograms of cannabis on a 7.452 hectares of farmland, he explained.

Mr Babafemi said that no less than 40.32kg of Loud, an imported strong strain of cannabis, was, on Friday, 28 June recovered in a vehicle along Lekki-Ikoyi road.

This, he said, was when the driver jumped off the vehicle after noticing that NDLEA operatives were on his trail.

He said that commands and formations of the agency across the country had continued their War Against Drug Abuse(WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities in the past week.

Among areas visited for the WADA enlightenment are First Technical University, Ibadan, Government Day Secondary School, Yola, and Ezeike High School, Nibo, in Anambra, among others.(http://www.nannews.ng)

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Nigerias Minister of Education, Tahir Maman, a professor, will on Thursday inaugurate the newly appointed members of the governing council of universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) disclosed this in a letter addressed to heads of the federal government-owned institutions on Friday.

The acting spokesperson for the NUC,

Offiong Edoh confirmed the letter to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday evening.

Following the approval of Mr President of the reviewed list of Governing Councils of Federal Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education, I write to inform you that the Honourable Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, SAN, CON, will inaugurate the newly appointed Chairman and members of the Governing Councils of Federal Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education, the letter reads in part.

Reviewed List, postponed inauguration

The institutions have operated without a council since President Bola Tinubus sweeping dissolution last June. The development has resulted in industrial unrest at the University of Abuja, where members of the academic union, ASUU, accused the management of taking decisions reserved for a council.

In May, the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU declared a two-week ultimatum for the government to reinstate councils whose tenure had yet to elapse and reconstitute those whose tenure had elapsed.

A few days later, the education ministry published a list of approved members of the council for the 111 tertiary institutions. The statement, signed by the ministrys Permanent Secretary, Didi Walson-Jack, listed the names of chairpersons and members of governing councils for the 111 tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

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However, the education ministry was forced to postpone the councils inauguration earlier scheduled for 30 May, after Mr Tinubu directed that the list be reviewed following criticisms by members of the public who said the list did not adhere to the federal character regulations.

The ministry, therefore, released another list two weeks ago.

Inauguration

The inauguration, according to Mr Maiyakis letter to heads of the institutions, will be held on 4 July at the agencys headquarters in Abuja.

Mr Maiyaki wrote: The retreat for the newly appointed Governing Councils will take place immediately thereafter

Due to the size of the Council to be inaugurated (Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education) and limited space at the venue, there is a need to curtail external participation at the event.

NUC also asked the respective institutions to take responsibility for the travel and accommodation arrangements of their respective councils.

Vice Chancellors are, therefore, invited to, kindly note that only the Vice Chancellors and Registrars can accompany their Council Members to the inauguration, the letter added.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe

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A member of the House of Representatives says the House will support the campaign for the privatisation and commercialisation of the federal teaching hospitals, to enhance efficiency and better healthcare delivery.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Amos Magaji, who represents Zangon Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, disclosed this to journalists on Saturday evening, after the committees oversight visit to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria.

Mr Magaji said the House of Representatives would support the initiative to strengthen service delivery, adding that the federal government should also take a critical look into health insurance, and increase its capitation before venturing into such a project.

He added that the health insurance should capture senior citizens aged 70 years and above into the scheme because, with good capitation from health insurance, people will be able to pay their bills when the hospitals are commercialised.

At the moment, there is a huge burden of out-of-pocket expenses on health, and so if you privatise or commercialise the National Teaching Hospital, it is similar to giving Nigerians death sentences, Mr Magaji said.

The chairman said governance was for the people, and as such, government policies should have a human face and align with the peoples aspirations.

On the visit to ABUTH, Mr Magaji expressed the committees dissatisfaction over the number of personnel of the hospital, noting that the prestigious tertiary health facility with a 1000-bed capacity, should have adequate workers to man the facility.

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The chairman pledged the committees commitment to tackling all grey areas in the health sector in the overall interest of all Nigerians.

READ ALSO: Female medical professionals advocate collaboration for improved healthcare delivery

The oversight visit to the hospital was not to find fault or witch-hunt anybody, but to assist the facility in its business of delivering quality and affordable healthcare services to Nigerians.

Earlier, the hospitals Chief Medical Director, Hamid Umdagas, told the committee that the dearth of manpower and electricity supply were the major challenges of the hospital.

Mr Umdagas said that the hospital, which had six satellite stations and 40 clinical and non-clinical departments, was barely managing with only 2,805 personnel as of June 27.

According to him, the Japa syndrome was hitting hard on the facilitys human resources, as some of its health personnel simply disappeared, while a few had retired.

(NAN)

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A former Chief of Defence Staff, Ibrahim Ogohi, has passed on after a brief illness at the age of 75.

According to a brief statement by the Acting Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, on Sunday, the former defence chief died in the early hours of Sunday, at his Abuja home.

He was the defence chief between 1999 and 2003, and was the first Nigerian Navy officer to attain a four-star general rank.

With deep sorrow, I announce the death of Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi (rtd), a former Chief of Defence Staff (1999-2003).

He passed on in Abuja in the early hours of today. More details will be communicated later, Mr Gusau said.

Born on 14 November 1948, Mr Ogohi hailed from Okura Olafia in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.

According to his public profile, he had his early education at St Johns College, Kaduna, from 1962 to 1966 and enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1967 of regular course 4, passing out in 1970.

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Mr Ogohi attended his Midshipman course in the UK in 1971, and technical course in India in 1972, under water Warfare Course India in 1976, then the US Naval War College Course in 1980 and 1992.

He was Commanding Officer, Eken NNS France in 1982; Commander NNS Anansa in 1985, and Director of Administration at the NDA from 1986 to 1987.

In 1992, he was Directing Staff in the National War College, and Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command Staff College, Jaji in 1995.

In May 1999, he was appointed Chief of Defence Staff till 2003.

(NAN)

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President Bola Tinubu has condemned the bomb attacks, which resulted in loss of lives and maiming of citizens in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno.

Mr Tinubu, in a statement by Ch Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, media and publicity, on Sunday, declared that the purveyors of wanton violence would have a certain encounter with justice.

He said the cowardly attacks were only but an isolated episode, as his government would not allow the nation to slither into an era of fear, tears, sorrow, and blood.

The President described the attacks as desperate acts of terror and a clear manifestation of the pressure mounted against terrorists and the success achieved in degrading their capacity to launch offensives.

He stated that his administration was taking necessary measures to secure citizens.

Mr Tinubu emphasised that efforts would be redoubled to ensure that those who troubled the nation, dispatching precious lives and disrupting law and order, were completely removed.

He condoled with the victims of the attacks, the families of the deceased, as well as the government and people of Borno State.

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PREMIUM TIMES reported that there were four different suicide incidents on Saturday in the Gwoza area of Borno. The locations of the four incidents are areas where the Boko Haram faction led by Ali Ngulde operates.

The group has been suppressed by its breakaway faction, Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), following the death of its leader, Abubakar Shekau.

The group under the late Shekau had used female members and captives to carry out suicide bombing attacks.

(NAN)

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President Bola Tinubu and one of his major contenders in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, have condemned the suicide bombing attacks that reportedly killed at least 18 people in some parts of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

While Mr Tinubu declared the incidents as an act of terrorism, Atiku charged the federal government not to allow the North-east region to slide back into a theatre of terrorism and extreme violence.

It is unfortunate that much of the pushback that had been achieved against the Boko Haram terror sect is being cancelled, Atiku posted on his X handle, blaming the federal government for laxity to hold firmly on the frontline.

However, the President, in a statement released by his media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, said the attacks were a clear manifestation of the military onslaught against the terrorists and the success achieved in degrading their capacity to launch offensives and the success achieved in degrading their capacity to launch offensives.

The purveyors of wanton violence shall have a certain encounter with justice, he stated, reiterating his government is taking necessary measures to secure Nigerians.

He further emphasised that efforts will be redoubled to ensure that those who trouble the nation, dispatching precious lives, and disrupting law and order are completely removed.

Mr Tinubu sympathised with the victims of the attacks, the families of the deceased, as well as the government and people of Borno State.

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The US Mission in Nigeria, Amnesty International condemn attacks

In a statement posted on its X handle, The US Mission in Nigeria described the Saturday bomb attacks as acts of violence show a cruel and heartless disregard for human life.

We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed and wish a full recovery to the injured, the statement partly read, noting the incidents are a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by terrorism in the region.

The diplomatic mission, thus, pledged its partnership with Nigeria as it works to defeat terrorism and bring the perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice.

Amnesty International, on its own, in an X post, described the attacks as vicious and unlawful and demonstrated a contemptible disregard for human life.

Boko Haram must end its campaign of vicious and unlawful killings of civilians. These deplorable attacks that took place at a time people were mourning demonstrate complete disregard for human life, it stated.

The coordinated bomb attacks

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how four female suicide bombers, suspected to be members of the Boko Haram group operating in Gwoza, detonated bombs at different locations, resulting in the deaths of military personnel and other civilians.

Initially, the police in Borno estimated the casualties at six, but subsequent official reports said the toll increased to 18.

A source familiar with the insurgents operations in the North-eastern state told PREMIUM TIMES that the first bombing was recorded at a wedding ceremony in Mararaban Gwoza.

The second one took place at a security checkpoint, killing a soldier and two civilians, the source told our reporter in confidence.

According to him, the third incident happened at a shopping mall and the fourth one at a burial ground.

The incidents, he said, took place between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. all around the same area.

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The Ekiti State Government on Sunday rejected the planned outage of electricity for 23 days out of the two months of July and August by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), saying that it amounts to an unacceptable economic, financial and social price to be paid by the citizens of the state.

The BEDC had, in a public notice aired on radio and other social media platforms, announced the planned outage for certain periods in July and August.

In a letter written by the state Commissioner for Public Utility, Mobolaji Aluko, to the MD/CEO, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Abuja, the MD/CEO, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Benin-City, and the Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Company (NERC), Abuja, dated 30 June, he said no direct notification/communication was made to the state government.

The letter, titled, Re: Notification of power disruption/outage in Ado-Ekiti and Akure for two months (July, August 2024) for nine hours each day (8.00am to 5.00pm), which was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES read: Our attention has been called to public notifications, both in print and in jingles in English and in Yoruba, of the intention of BEDC under advice by TCN to disrupt power supply to the transmission stations in Akure and Ado-Ekiti and effect to adversely affect Ekiti and Ondo State areas  for nine hours each day (8.00am to 5.00 pm) from 1 July to 31 August, 2024.

No direct notification/communication was made to the Ekiti State Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities (MIPU) on this matter, nor was approval sought and obtained from the Ekiti State Electricity Regulatory Bureau (EKSERB), saddled by law with the full authority to regulate the electricity industry in Ekiti State.

The planned disruption of electricity for three-eighths of each day for sixty-two days, amounting to five hundred and fifty-eight hours (558) total and twenty-three days of outage in these two months amounts to an unacceptable economic, financial and social price to be paid by the citizens of Ekiti State, and we totally reject such a plan.

The commissioner asked for an immediate suspension of the plan and called for an emergency meeting with the regional heads of TCN, BEDC and NERC.

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The meeting is slated for Tuesday, 2 July, in the commissioners office at the Government Secretariat, Ado-Ekiti.

Mr Aluko said the meeting would help all stakeholders to devise an alternative and far less adverse plan to achieve the same stated aims.

The TCN had announced that it planned to carry out critical maintenance work on the 132KV Akure Osogbo transmission line, and also install Optical Ground Wire (OPGW), among other activities.

We request prompt attention to this matter while we are eager to work collaboratively toward a sustainable solution that will benefit both citizens of

The state and the Ekiti State Electricity Supply Industry. In the time being, accept our highest regards, the letter stated.

Customers in the affected areas will experience service interruptions during the period of the planned outages. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this may cause and kindly solicit your patience and understanding, the TCNs notice read.

Meanwhile, some electricity consumers in Ekiti State have described the planned outage as unacceptable and a disincentive.

A consumer, Taiye Paul, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, described the plan as wicked, noting that the BEDC has never been proactive in maintaining their facilities.

Another customer, Kemi Asubiojo, said that BEDC could not add the outage to the epileptic supply and outrageous billings which consumers were already experiencing in the hands of the agency.

She called for a decisive intervention by the state government to save citizens from the impending harrowing experience.

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The Governor of Zamfara, Dauda Lawal, has hosted Keshinro Ismaila, whose recent appointment as a federal permanent secretary his government earlier rejected.

The governors spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, in a statement, said the governor hosted Mrs Ismaila on Sunday, commending her for her achievements and pledging to support her as the permanent secretary representing the state.

PREMIUM TIME reported how the Zamfara State Government rejected the appointment of Mrs Ismaila.

The appontment of Mrs Ismaila and seven others as permanent secretaries by President Bola Tinubu was announced on Friday.

However, the Zamfara State Government said Mrs Ismaila is not an indigene of the state and is, therefore, not qualified to be appointed to represent the state.

Its protest goes back to May when the states Head of Service, Ahmad Liman, wrote to the Head of Civil Service of the Federation that Mrs Ismaila is not an indigene of Zamfara and, hence, must be dropped.

Although the state government claimed that Mrs Ismaila is not from the state, PREMIUM TIMES understands that she hails from the Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.

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Her paternal and maternal grandparents were from Tsafe town.

PREMIUM TIMES has learned that the Keshinro in her name is that of her husband, who is Yoruba. Her late parents were Christians from the Hausa minority Christians in Tsafe LGA. Her late father was an ECWA church pastor and a famous clergyman.

Acceptance

The governor, while hosting her, congratulated Mrs Ismaila and urged her to be a good ambassador of Zamfara State.

I want to use this opportunity to congratulate you on your recent appointment as a federal permanent secretary.

This is indeed a remarkable milestone that we hope and pray you will utilise for the service of our dear nation and also help us in our quest to rebuild our beloved state.

Zamfara State government will provide you with all the support you need, and we are proud of your achievements.

I host you today to appreciate you and to let you know that on behalf of the state, we are all proud of you, Mr Idris quoted the governor saying.

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The truth is that we were never God worshippers. A God worshipper never has any other option. A God worshipper never has any other alternatives. If we have options outside of God, even though we remain in the church, we are adulterers. Yes, we are faithful to our wives physically but are unfaithful in our hearts. We are faithful to God with our lips, but unfaithful in our minds. (Matthew 15:8).

A distraught Christian laments: Pastor, I have been so worried, I have not been able to pray. This is like falling off a cliff, hanging by a shrub and refusing to cry out for help. If there ever was a time to pray, it is in time of trouble. Gods promise is the strength of our hearts:

Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. (Psalms 50:15).

My brother had left the country unannounced. For years we did not know where he was. But one day my Aunty, who is a Christian, came with a wonderful suggestion.

I am not saying that God is not powerful, she said, starting on an apologetic and defensive note. But what I am saying is that sometimes we need to mix things with our own native and local abracadabra.

Her suggestion was that we should go to the babalawo (the voodoo man or fortune teller), who would be sure to tell us exactly where my brother was. Her logic was impeccable: God sometimes needs local help.

But the message of the Bible is unambiguous:

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Why are you trying to find out the future by consulting witches and mediums? Do not listen to their whisperings and mutterings. Can the living find out the future from the dead? Why not ask your God? (Isaiah 8:19 TLB).

A god who needs help is not God. A god who needs help does not deserve our worship. When man decides to help God, he ends up with Ishmael instead of Isaac. When man decides to help God, he arrogates himself as God and sometimes ends up dead like Uzzah, who tried to help the ark from falling and met his end.

When a man decides to help God, he will get a lorry-load of problems. That is how people get children from the god of the river and start eating the bread of sorrows. That is how people make deals with the devil, get rich quickly and within a short time, the god of mammon receives them into his everlasting habitations.

All our lives, we have dealt with men who have disappointed us. We have dealt with men, and they have lied to our faces. We have dealt with men, and they have betrayed us. We have dealt with men, and they have deceived us.

Many have even used God to deceive us. Many use the name of God to defraud us. Many swear by God and then stab us in the back. So, when we deal directly with God, we become hostages of our past. But we need to remember one thing. God is not a man even though He became man.

God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfil? (Numbers 23:19).

Let God be true even if all men were liars. Jesus can never fail us; He can never disappoint us.

A man was on a plane and the plane was having some difficulty. Everyone became anxious. Some were already saying their last prayers. Suddenly, he recognised a passenger sitting several rows ahead of him as cool as a cucumber. He was a renowned man of God. The man relaxed. If this man of God is on this plane, he reasoned, there is no way this plane will crash.

Our worries and anxieties testify that we have failed to enter into the rest of God. If Jesus is not our Prince of Peace and if we cannot enter into Gods rest on earth, we may not be allowed to enter into His rest in heaven:

Since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Hebrews 4:1-3).

If God is with us, why do we fear? Why are we lonely? Why are we sad? Why are we anxious? Why are we troubled? If Jesus is in the boat, why should we be afraid of perishing? The answer is simple: We fear because we do not know Him. We fear because we do not believe in Him. But eternal life is in the knowledge of God. (John 17:3).

Is God not enough? God says do not worry and we are still worried. Is there any other reassurance that we need? If God cannot reassure us and we keep our peace, then who can?

Are the consolations of God too small for you, and the word spoken gently with you? Why does your heart carry you away, and what do your eyes wink at, that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth? (Job 15:11-13).

God, I thought everything would be smooth sailing because I have You. But things were getting worse and worse. God, You deceived me, cried Jeremiah. You said You would defend me, so why am I here in this dungeon?

John the Baptist experiences a similar crisis of faith. Are You the Messiah, he asked. Or should we look for another? If You are the Messiah, why should I end up in prison for doing Your work?

My case was different, said one of my parishioners. I was a faithful servant. I waited for God. But He kept me waiting forever. I had to do something before it was too late.

I could not but sympathise with the fellow. The problem with God is that He always takes too long. Where was He all this time? Where was He when all those problems were piling up? I had told Him that I could only wait for Him until eleven oclock. After eleven oclock, I had no choice but to look for other options.

We have other options because we have other gods. We have gods as insurance policies. We have gods as fallback positions. Just in case God fails to act, let us not be entirely godless. But God is never late with people who truly put their trust in Him. And he that believes never makes haste. (Isaiah 28:16).

Many of us are wonderful starters, but bad finishers. We can build a temple over ten years but destroy it in one day with one missile. We can establish a strong relationship over the long haul but destroy it by one act of frivolity. We can shipwreck it by one casual act of unfaithfulness. Sometimes, we give up at the very last minute. Not knowing the time, we often give up at eleven-thirty.

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now, our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11).

We must be careful not to waste all our effort by running out of patience. Patience is the twin brother of faith. If we cannot be patient, we cannot have faith.

I was a student at St. Catherines College, Oxford. Oxford University had a strange system. You had to belong to the university, as well as the college. You had to pay fees to the university and then to the college.

I was a foreign student and I objected on principle. As a doctoral student, I did practically nothing in the college. None of my tutors were in my college. I did not live on college grounds. So why should I be paying fees to the college?

Sometimes, I was invited to wine and cheese parties in the college. But how much wine and cheese could I consume to justify my fees? So, I refused to pay my college fees. I put the money in a bank account. With every request, I told the college I was from a poor Third World country. How could I be expected to pay double fees when the college had nothing to offer me?

This prevailed for an extended period, while I remained adamant that paying fees to St. Catherines College was a rip-off. Then one day, I got a summons. I was ordered to come and see the Master of the College on the question of my outstanding fees.

I panicked. The Master of the College, I thought. I did not know it would get that far. I hurriedly wrote a cheque and paid the college fees.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I was required to come and see the Master of the College because a decision had been taken to waive my fees on compassionate grounds. I lost everything as a result of a last-minute panic attack.

The truth is that we were never God worshippers. A God worshipper never has any other option. A God worshipper never has any other alternatives. If we have options outside of God, even though we remain in the church, we are adulterers. Yes, we are faithful to our wives physically but are unfaithful in our hearts. We are faithful to God with our lips, but unfaithful in our minds. (Matthew 15:8). CONTINUED.

Faribisala@yahoo.com; www.femiaribisala.com

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The evidence of judicial malpractice in this case is compelling. Lets begin from the beginning. On Thursday, 20 June, Abdullahi Liman delivered a 22-page ruling precluding the substantive dispute before any opportunity to consider it. The ruling, which purports to nullify every step taken by the Kano State government under the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law assented to by the Governor on 23 May, began as follows: This Court on the 23rd of May, 2024, made an order via virtual proceedings, which was enrolled on the same date. Notably, the judge failed to say when the case was filed.

In the month since 23 May, when  during hours reserved by nature entirely for meetings of witches and wizards  he began sitting as Kingmaker for the Emirate of Kano, Abdullahi Liman, a senior judge of Nigerias Federal High Court, has handed down at least five rulings. Defying settled Supreme Court jurisprudence, he has asserted federal jurisdiction to decide for the people of Kano who their Emir should be; proceeded unperturbed, even after being shown that the subject matter of his proposed decision-making had entered the docket of the Court of Appeal; and ordered the government of Kano State not to implement state law, which he is incapable of invalidating.

The scandal about the course that Abdullahi Liman has chosen in his self-designated role as Kanos federally-appointed Kingmaker is not in what he has done, however. It lies in what he has failed to do. The most significant thing in this case is the near certainty that there was no lawful case on the docket when the judge purported to remotely issue a night-time order on 23 May, requiring the parties to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law. A more serious judicial scandal would be difficult to invent. It is, therefore, important to clearly consider the facts that show that what has occurred in the court of Abdullahi Liman is judicial misconduct of the most spectacular kind.

Abdullahi Liman has been a lawyer for four decades and a judge for nearly a quarter of a century. Born on 11 February 1959, he became a lawyer in 1984 and was in private legal practice in his home state, Nasarawa, and in neighbouring Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, until his appointment as a judge at 42 on 27 July 2000. He is presently the fourth senior-most judge of the Federal High Court. The week preceding his assumption of office as Kanos sole Kingmaker, the National Judicial Council recommended Abdullahi Liman at the head of a list of 22 judges for elevation to the Court of Appeal. Whatever anyone may say of his work, judicial inexperience is not a charge that can be sustained against him.

The evidence of judicial malpractice in this case is compelling. Lets begin from the beginning. On Thursday, 20 June, Abdullahi Liman delivered a 22-page ruling precluding the substantive dispute before any opportunity to consider it. The ruling, which purports to nullify every step taken by the Kano State government under the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law assented to by the Governor on 23 May, began as follows: This Court on the 23rd of May, 2024, made an order via virtual proceedings, which was enrolled on the same date. Notably, the judge failed to say when the case was filed. His anger and the entire basis of his orders, as Abdullahi Liman claimed in his ruling, was that the Government of Kano defiantly went ahead to implement the law that is sought to be struck down.

It is standard practice for judges in Nigeria to begin their judgments and rulings by clearly reciting details of when the case was filed that they are called upon to decide. As Kanos Kingmaker, Abdullahi Liman cannot be bothered with such routines. For context, a claimant who wishes to file a case will usually take the relevant papers to the court registry. There, registry staff will assess the necessary fees, which the person filing the case must pay. Upon payment, a Remita electronic payment record is generated as proof of payment and of the amount paid, together with a time stamp of when the payment occurred.

The only basis on which he could have issued the orders that he did on 23 May, therefore, must be that the case was filed after the Governors assent. As a matter of law, that is impossible in the absence of a record of a prior decision by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, extending the opening hours of the registry. As a practical matter, the staff of the Federal High Court in Kano do not have any record of any such filing.

The working hours of Court registries in Nigeria are well known. On 23 May, 2024, the Governor of Kano State assented to the law at 5:10 pm or 17:10 hours. At that time of day, the registry of the Federal High Court in Kano had long closed for the week. So, no case could have been filed thereafter on that day to challenge the law. The only other possibility was that the filing happened before the Governor indicated his assent. If so, that filing could not have provided any basis for Abdullahi Limans peregrinations later that night in a judicial coven.

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The only basis on which he could have issued the orders that he did on 23 May, therefore, must be that the case was filed after the Governors assent. As a matter of law, that is impossible in the absence of a record of a prior decision by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, extending the opening hours of the registry. As a practical matter, the staff of the Federal High Court in Kano do not have any record of any such filing. Off record, some people close to the bench suggest unconvincingly that a Remita record for the filing exists at the Federal High Court Registry in Lagos. If so, no one has found it. Lagos and Kano are not in different time zones and the rules governing office hours for the Federal High Court in Lagos are presumably not different from those applicable in Kano.

Three weeks after his first order, on 13 June, Abdullahi Liman finally ruled to claim jurisdiction over Kanos Emirate tussle. In doing so, he considered the Supreme Courts 1988 decision concerning the deposition of the Emir of Muri but blightly dismissed it as distinguishable with the facts of the instant case and, therefore, inapplicable. He failed to say how or why.

One week later, when he ruled to nullify everything done by Kano State Government since his implausible order of 23 May, Abdullahi Liman clarified the basis of the case as concerning traditional and cultural rights which are vested rights and which are penumbral to fundamental rights. He alone could possibly understand this verbiage because the fundamental rights guaranteed by Nigerias constitution do not include any traditional and cultural or penumbral rights, whatever those may mean.

There is no human right in Nigeria to be a Kingmaker or a King. At best, a claim for such could be made by way of judicial review, not as a fundamental rights claim. But to concede that would be to admit that Abdullahi Liman lacked jurisdiction over the matter. That was not his brief.

Disregarding the word valid, however, he proceeded to claim on 20 June that the question was whether the Government of Kano State knew of the order before 27 May. For proof, he said his order was everywhere on the social media. This is rank duplicity from a man who, only the previous week, on 14 June, refused to credit evidence that the Court of Appeal had entered an appeal against his assertion of jurisdiction

The scandal in this case goes beyond the fact that there is no filing record to foreground or precede the order of 23 May, around which Abdullahi Liman affects judicial hyperventilation; or his invention of enforcement for rights that dont exist in Nigerias constitution. According to his own claim, the hearing that preceded his order of 23 May was remote or virtual. He also says he enrolled the order on the same day.

It is indeed the case that the Rules of Court in Nigeria were adapted in the aftermath of COVID-19 to allow for remote proceedings in certain cases. However, there has to be a valid case filed to begin with. It is also not clear from where Abdullahi Liman procured for himself the power to extend remote hearings to include remote enrolment of court orders.

Reminded that his order of 23 May was not in fact served on the Government of Kano State until 27 May, four days later, Abdullahi Liman cited a 2002 decision of the Court of Appeal saying that anyone who is served with or becomes aware of a valid order of court should ensure that he obeys it in full. The underlining here is his not mine.

Disregarding the word valid, however, he proceeded to claim on 20 June that the question was whether the Government of Kano State knew of the order before 27 May. For proof, he said his order was everywhere on the social media. This is rank duplicity from a man who, only the previous week, on 14 June, refused to credit evidence that the Court of Appeal had entered an appeal against his assertion of jurisdiction, preferring instead to hurtle with malice aforethought towards a predetermined outcome. Once he had procured that on 20 June, he adjourned the case indefinitely.

Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer, teaches at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and can be reached through chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu.

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The recent video of a lady who narrated her terrible experience at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport made embarrassed Nigerians cover their faces in shame. The lady was scandalised that every other airport worker or law enforcement agent she encountered was either a beggar (Didnt you bring anything for me?) or an extortionist who would waste your time with stupid questions and merry-go-rounds until you wisened up and greased his palms.

Nobody gets a second chance to make a first impression. If you go to the river for a swim and, in your very first attempt at testing the depth, a crocodile attempts to snatch your foot, would you still dive in and give the croc a hearty breakfast?

That is exactly how tourism functions. There are no sentiments. You travel to countries that are likely to give you the treasures of good memories. At times you take a chance, even after being warned by the plethora of consular and travel agency sites. If you make an enquiry about Nigeria on the Canadian site, it would tell you, Avoid non-essential travel to Nigeria, including in Abuja, due to the unpredictable security situation throughout the country and the significant risk of terrorism, crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks and kidnappings.

Travel Advisories

The United States, on its part, advises that Nigerias threat position is Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed gangs.

If those are the only threats a foreign visitor would be expected to cope with, perhaps some could still venture here. Indeed many still do because they have to. Dont believe the baloney that Nigeria is broke. Go to the major airports and see the hundreds of foreigners begging to be allowed to experience our inhospitable airport setup and procedures on a daily basis.

But soon, pretty soon, many will have to damn the consequences and look elsewhere for their fortunes, rather than continue to expose themselves to the embarrassment and indignities guaranteed to be served to arriving passengers at our airports.

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The recent video of a lady who narrated her terrible experience at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport made embarrassed Nigerians cover their faces in shame. The lady was scandalised that every other airport worker or law enforcement agent she encountered was either a beggar (Didnt you bring anything for me?) or an extortionist who would waste your time with stupid questions and merry-go-rounds until you wisened up and greased his palms.

We see these things every day but they no longer make any impression on our psyche. We have failed to heed Tai Solarins admonition that we must confront evil at every turn or risk the affliction of being unshockable. We tolerate bad behaviour among public officials manning the gateway to our country, thereby poisoning the stream of first impression from source.

Shakedowns

There are levels to the programmed stress on offer at our international airports. The immigration officer may simply ask stupid personal questions for a prolonged length of time, just to appear friendly, before begging for alms. Experienced visitors to Nigeria simply squeeze a $50 bill into the hands of the official to cut the crap.

With Customs, the style is different. Even when you pass through the Nothing To Declare lane, their hawks will still swoop on you and insist that you open your suitcase. In other countries, once your luggage passes through the scanner and theres nothing suspicious in it, you are free to exit the airport. But here, Customs officials rifle their dirty hands with the same gloves theyve been wearing for ages, in search of items they can beg you to dash them.

Then, there is the horde of NDLEA officers, Port Health Quarantine Services, airport security, and several unidentified characters wearing reflective jackets. Many of them are piercing arriving passengers with hungry eyes, thinking up stratagems to make hay. By the time the passenger finally scales the Arrival hurdle, he needs to relieve himself. He makes for the restroom only to be confronted by another Nigerian invention  toilet mendicancy.

Airport users, Nigerians and foreigners alike, dont care whose business it is to rid our airports of the multiple leeches infesting them. They just want to be able to use our airports without hassle as they do in other climes  and that cant be too much to ask.

I drew attention to this embarrassing development in a column I wrote for the Daily Trust in 2016. Titled, Amaechi and Sirika Must Read This!, the article told the story of the embarrassment passengers were being subjected to by alms-seeking cleaners in the restrooms.

Toilet Beggars

A throwback: Good morning sir; welcome! said the young man in a cleaners uniform in the restroom of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The passenger answers grudgingly. There is solicitation for alms written all over the cleaner and the passenger was not in the mood for such a game, more so as it was just 6.30 a.m. The cleaner follows the passenger to the urinal as if the traveller needed assistance to unzip.

My friend, can I have some privacy, please? Why would you be following me like this?

The cleaner backed off and moved over to the wash-hand basin. As soon as the passenger was done, the cleaner was ready with liquid soap and tissue paper to assist him in washing his hands.

The passenger was exasperated: Please put the soap and toilet paper where they should be. Nobody needs your assistance to put soap in their hands and dry them after washing.

Sorry, sir, Im only trying to help.

The passenger ignored him and washed his hands. As he brought out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his hands, the cleaners face fell as if he had just been bereaved. But he wasnt done yet.

Journey mercies, sir. I am just like your child. Have a nice day, sir. The passenger understood that code. It was the airport equivalent of the police greeting at checkpoints: Happy weekend, my Oga; your boys are greeting you!

Beggars, beggars, everywhere!

It is bad enough that foreigners have to contend with negative advisories discouraging them from visiting Nigeria; what really rankles is having them discover that the advertised banditry and stylised robbery actually starts from the international gateway.

The Arrival Terminal at the international airport is similarly rigged to shake down passengers. An excellent expose on the scandalous state of affairs was made by Premium Times Oladeinde Olawoyin in his November 2018 report titled, INVESTIGATION: At Lagos airport, officials still extort travellers.

I was surprised last week at the surprise expressed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the prevalence of touts and extortionists at the countrys international airports. Where has he been all this while? And his attempt to exculpate his ministry did not gain any traction. 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.

Airport users, Nigerians and foreigners alike, dont care whose business it is to rid our airports of the multiple leeches infesting them. They just want to be able to use our airports without hassle as they do in other climes  and that cant be too much to ask.

Nothing less than the image of Nigeria is at stake.

Edun, Tunji-Ojo, Keyamo

The three ministers in charge of the parent ministries supervising the Customs, Immigration and FAAN, respectively, are Wale Edun of Finance, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo of Interior and Festus Keyamo of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

Between these three gentlemen, it should be possible to retrieve whatever is left of our national pride and for once cleanse our airports of uniformed beggars and other supplicants in mufti. We are not the only country with poor people in the world (and how poor is an official who already has a job)? What is at play at our airports is not caused by poverty but by greed, shamelessness, lack of self esteem and habitual impunity. Corrupt officials know that they will not be sanctioned for bad behaviour because sleaze has become an accepted way of life. Aviation watchers are convinced that nothing short of a massive overhaul of the personnel (replace with only the best), and re-introduction of electronic gadgets (CCTVs and scanners) will do the trick.

It is bad enough that foreigners have to contend with negative advisories discouraging them from visiting Nigeria; what really rankles is having them discover that the advertised banditry and stylised robbery actually starts from the international gateway.

Wole Olaoye is a Public Relations consultant and veteran journalist. He can be reached on wole.olaoye@gmail.com, Twitter: @wole_olaoye; Instagram: woleola2021

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Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency has warned pilgrims against carrying excess luggage during the outbound flight to Nigeria because weight limits will be strictly enforced.

A statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Agency, Yunusa Abdullahi on Friday reminded them that the recommended weights for both small and big bags remain eight and 32 kilograms respectively. Kaduna pilgrims are expected to start returning to Nigeria on 30 June.

The statement recalled that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) had earlier given the warning during its post Arafat meeting in Makkah, adding that the reminder becomes necessary as pilgrims are being given their carry-all bags.

The Agency also cautioned pilgrims against packing prohibited items in their hand luggage, which include sharp objects like knives and scissors, toy guns, firearms, explosives, flammable materials, meat cleavers, and razor blades.

The statement further advised pilgrims not to pack Zamzam water in their main luggage to avoid being impounded by the Saudi authorities during inspection at the airport.

Mr Abdullahi promised that each pilgrim would be given five litres of Zamzam water upon arrival in Kaduna.

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The Zamfara State Government has rejected the appointment of one of the newly named eight federal permanent secretaries.

The presidency announced the appointment of Maryam Ismaila Keshinro and seven others as permanent secretaries in a press statement on Friday.

The new appointees have yet to be officially deployed to federal ministries.

Announcing the appointment, presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale stated that the appointees were to fill existing and impending vacant slots for some states and geopolitical zones in the top administrative cadre of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Mrs Keshinro, a vastly exprienced consultant paedetrician, was appointed to represent Zamfara State.

The rest of the appointees with the states or regions they represent are Emanso Umobong Okop (Akwa-Ibom) Obi Emeka Vitalis (Anambra), Mahmood Fatima Sugra Tabia (Bauchi), Danjuma Mohammed Sanusi (Jigawa), Olusanya Olubunmi (Ondo), Akujobi Chinyere Ijeoma (South-East), and Isokpunwu Christopher Osaruwanmwen (South-South).

The presidency said the appointees were picked after a diligent selection process by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

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Rejection

However, the Zamfara State Government said Ms Keshinro is not an indigene of the state and, therefore, not qualified to be appointed to represent the state.

Its protest goes back to May when the Zamfara States Head of Service, Ahmad Liman, wrote to the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, claiming that Mrs Keshinro is not an indigene of Zamfara State.

The Zamfara State governors spokesperson, Suleiman Idris, repeatedly told our reporter over the telephone on Saturday and Sunday that he has yet to receive a briefing about the governments stance regarding the matter.

In the letter dated 24 May seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, the Zamfara State Head of Service Mr Liman said Mrs Keshinro, not being from the Zamfara State, could not legitimately represent the people of the state and, hence, must be dropped.

The letter cited eligibility criteria in the Public Service Rules and a 2023 tenure policy circular.

Consequent upon the commencement of the appointment process of the Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, issues arose that stirred the collective attention of the good people of Zamfara State as the par representative capacity of candidates deployed in the process, most especially the potential candidate pencilled for the appointment on the post of a permanent secretary purported from Zamfara State, the letter read in part.

It added that moves to appoint her selection failed to meet the requirements provided under the eligibility criteria enshrined in the Public Service Rules (as revised).

It also said the selection offended the requisite for the said post offends the content of a recent Federal Government Circular No. MH.7205/T/31 dated 7 September 2023, on tenure policy regarding clinical Officers/Personnel since the potential candidate that wrongly claimed representation of the good people of Zamfara State is clinical personnel.

Its worthy of note to clarify from the onset that the candidate infracted the key provision of Eligibility Criteria of the PSR, especially Rules 020811 (e) (f), which linked the requirements to indigeneship.

For all purposes and intendment, the candidate is never an indigene of Zamfara State and would not legally claim or enjoy representation for the sake of the good people of Zamfara State. Furthermore, no purported documentation in that respect will legally qualify her to be a bona fide indigene of Zamfara State, the letter stated.

The letter added that the state was unfairly treated at the federal level, and the appointment of Mrs Ismaila would continue the long cry of marginalisation of the state regarding representation at the federal level.

Secondly, the circular cited above haplessly deprived the candidate of taking undue advantage of representation of the good people of Zamfara State, most especially the Federal Civil Servants of Zamfara extraction, since the candidate is a clinical officer/personnel exempted from tenure policy, thus, could not legally vie for the post of a permanent secretary in the Federal Civil Service by the extant circular.

Its against this background that I am, therefore, directed to appeal to the collective conscience of the offices of the Head of the Federation and indeed all critical stakeholders to drop the candidacy of MARYAM IBRAHIM ALIYU or by whatever name called (Keshinro Maryam Ismaila) for the post of a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service in representation for the good people of Zamfara State to allow indigene of Zamfara extraction in the Federal Civil Service to legally and positively compete for the post.

Lest we may recover from being the least represented state in the Federal Civil Service and at the same time seek the satisfaction of the Constitutional requirements enshrined in section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the state Head of Services letter also stated.

Appointees profile

According to her LinkedIn page, the new appointee is an experienced paediatrician with over two decades of working and leadership in medical practice at different levels.

She is keenly interested in Preventive Pediatrics and skilled in Childhood infectious diseases, Nutrition and Development.

She holds a masters in science (Public Health) focused on Health System Policy and Management from KIT Royal Tropical Institute/VU, Amsterdam.

Before her latest appointment, she was a consultant Pediatrician/Director at State House Clinic, Consultant Paediatrician at Kaduna State Health Management Board, and Consultant Paediatrician at the Hajiya Gambo Sawaba General Hospital Zaria from June 2009 to December 2020.

She was also the central facilitator for the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) at Tofa Local Government Area, Kano State.

Appointees true state of origin

Although the Zamfara State Government claimed that Mss Ismaila is not from the state, PREMIUM TIMES understands that she hails from the Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.

Her paternal and maternal grandparents were from Tsafe town.

PREMIUM TIMES has learned that Keshinro is the surname she adopted from her husband, who is Yoruba.

Mrs Keshinros late parents were Christians from the Hausa minority Christians in Tsafe LGA. Her late father was an ECWA church pastor and a famous clergyman.

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A state High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has sentenced a 41-year-old man to 17 years imprisonment for raping and impregnating his 14-year-old daughter.

The convict, Baridapsi Needem, was prosecuted for rape, Punch newspaper reported on Saturday.

The newspaper, however, did not state when the court sentenced the man.

The survivor gave birth to a baby girl while the matter was pending in court.

The prosecuting counsel, Pere Egbuson, a deputy director in the Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice, told the court that investigations revealed that the convict began raping his daughter when she was seven.

The convict, Mrs Egbuson said, started by inserting his fingers into the survivors vagina and later followed up with having sex with her in 2020, and impregnated her in 2022.

Satisfied with the evidence, the judge, D.E. Adokeme, held that the prosecution had credible evidence and referenced the DNA result, which revealed a 99.99 per cent positive that the convict was the father of the baby girl that his daughter gave birth to.

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Justice Adokeme said the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Needem committed the offence and, therefore, sentenced him to 17 years imprisonment.

Addressing reporters after the judgment, Mrs Egbuson said that the verdict will serve as a deterrent to others who engage in such acts, and added that the court has sent a strong message that it will not tolerate such acts.

She commended the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo, for his immense support in ensuring that the DNA analysis was carried out to aid the prosecution in pursuit of justice in the case.

The convict, according to Punch newspaper, hails from Ogani Wily Kaira Community in Ogoni in Rivers State.

Members of the state gender advocacy group  Gender Response Initiative Team  reported the convict to the police in 2022 after a concerned neighbour noticed that the survivor was five months pregnant amidst suspicion that he (the father) was responsible for the pregnancy.

Mr Needem reportedly replaced his deceased wife with his 14-year-old daughter who was in JSS3 and was sleeping with her on his matrimonial bed while her two younger brothers were made to sleep on the floor, according to the newspaper.

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Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has vowed to stop attacks on security operatives in the state.

The governor was reacting to the recent killing of two police operatives in the state.

Mr Otti spoke on Saturday when he visited the families of the slain operatives as well as the families of two injured officers, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Ukoha Njoku.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how gunmen, on Friday, killed the operatives who were conducting a routine stop and search operation at Opobo Junction in Aba, the commercial hub of the state.

This is a time to reassure the security agencies that the state is behind them. And, then also reassure Abia citizens that the state is equal to the task and we are not going to let this go away without identifying and bringing to book all those who are directly or remotely involved, he said.

The governor described the attack as unfortunate, saying he was disappointed that the incident happened despite everything his administration did, including the arrest of suspects behind the killing of five soldiers in a separate attack in the state.

For this (latest attack) to happen so quickly, we have also met and we have decided to change strategy, he said.

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Scholarship for children of slain operatives

Mr Otti announced the award of scholarships to all the children of the two slain officers up to university level.

The governor also promised that the state government would be supporting the families for their upkeep.

He urged residents of the state not to panic but to go about their normal businesses, assuring them that the state would do everything to protect them.

The people know that this government will not rest on its oars. We are equal to the task and this is a wake-up call.

Security agencies have also intensified all their efforts to ensure that this does not happen again, the governor said.

Meanwhile, the police authorities in the state were yet to speak on the attack and killing of the operatives.

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Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has asked the Nigerian government to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Mr Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, stated this while speaking to reporters in Onitsha on Saturday, according to a report by Punch newspaper.

The LP candidate said there was no reason for the continuous detention of the IPOB leader given that a Nigerian court earlier acquitted him, although that acquittal was overturned by the Supreme Court.

I dont see any reason for his continuous detention, especially as the courts have granted him bail. The government must obey the court.

The rule of law is an intricate asset that we must cherish and live with. I use this opportunity to plead with the federal government to ensure that all those who are in similar conditions are released and discussed, he said.

We are in a democracy, and we should not be doing things that are arbitrary and not within the law.

This is not the first time Mr Obi has publicly called for the release of Mr Kanu.

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The former governor, in March 2017, asked the Nigerian government to release the IPOB leader and stop the use of force in fighting Biafra agitators.

Insecurity in South-east

Mr Obi lamented the rising insecurity in the south-east and other parts of Nigeria, saying leaders should double their efforts in tackling the situation.

He expressed fear that if nothing was done to address Nigerias insecurity, the country might slide into a failed nation.

It is worrisome what is happening in Nigeria with the news of killings, abductions, and other vices that have made Nigeria one of the most insecure places on the earth. In fact, it is leading to a failed nation.

I commend the government for their efforts so far, but there is a need to do more, and all leaders must come together to join hands and fight this. In the South-east, there is a need for the governors to come together to be able to tackle it, he said.

Even in economic agenda, I want to see the South-east governors work more closely. We want to see them come together and also bring together other groups in the zone.

Background

Mr Kanu was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on 13 October 2022, held that the IPOB leader was extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria and that the action was a violation of the countrys extradition treaty and also a breach of his fundamental human rights.

The court, therefore, struck out the terrorism charges filed against Mr Kanu by the Nigerian government and ordered his release from the facility of the SSS.

But the government refused to release the IPOB leader, insisting that he (Kanu) could be unavailable in subsequent court proceedings if released, and that his release would cause insecurity in the South-east, where he comes from.

The government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, later appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained an order staying the execution of the court judgement at the Supreme Court.

Delivering judgement on the appeal on 15 December, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal granted to Mr Kanu by the lower court and consequently ordered continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court Abuja.

The court had repeatedly dismissed Mr Kanus applications for bail.

Meanwhile, several Igbo leaders, such as Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State and his Enugu State counterpart, Peter Mbah, separately appealed for Mr Kanus release. But the government ignored the requests.

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On 29 June, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, claimed Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was being detained by the Nigerian government against a court order.

Mr Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, stated this while speaking to reporters in Onitsha, a commercial hub of the state.

I dont see any reason for his continuous detention, especially as the courts have granted him bail. The government must obey the court.

We are in a democracy, and we should not be doing things that are arbitrary and not within the law, he had said.

Bola Tinubu is the current Nigerian president.

He assumed office as president on 29 May 2023 after his victory in the 25 February 2023 Presidential Election.

What transpired

Mr Kanu was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

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The IPOB leader was being tried for alleged terrorism, among other charges.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on 13 October 2022, held that the IPOB leader was extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria and that the action was a flagrant violation of the countrys extradition treaty and a breach of his fundamental human rights.

The court, therefore, struck out the terrorism charges filed against Mr Kanu by the Nigerian government and ordered his release from the facility of the State Security Service.

But about one week later, the government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained a Supreme Court order staying its execution.

Delivering judgement on the appeal on 15 December 2023, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal granted to Mr Kanu by the lower court and consequently ordered the continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The Supreme Court is the highest in Nigeria.

The trial is currently ongoing at the lower court.

Verdict

The claim by Mr Obi that the Nigerian government was detaining Mr Kanu against a court order is factually incorrect and misleading.

This is because the Supreme Court overturned the ruling of the lower court in December 2023.

The continued detention and trial of Mr Kanu are, therefore, in compliance with the judgement of the Supreme Court.

President Tinubu, meanwhile, assumed office about seven months after the former administration of Mr Buhari had appealed and obtained the order staying the execution of the court judgement, which initially freed the IPOB leader.

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BEIJING, June 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Marking the 70th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence was held on Friday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the conference and delivered an important speech entitled "Carrying Forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind." This speech summarized the essence of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and their prominent contribution to the cause of peace and progress of mankind. This high-level commemoration shows China's image as a contributor to peace, its position as a developing country and its mission of promoting the common welfare of mankind.

China initiated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and is an active practitioner. Over the past 70 years, the international situation has undergone profound changes, but China has always held high the banner of the five principles, namely mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence. China has always been a staunch advocate of peace and development as well as a major contributor to regional and global prosperity. The vast majority of countries are becoming increasingly aware of the great importance of the Five Principles in building international consensus and promoting harmonious coexistence among countries.

Facts show that the major conflicts or crises in today's world are all caused by individual countries ignoring the sovereignty of other countries and interfering in their internal affairs. Unilateralism, hegemonism and other behaviors have become important factors endangering international security. The key to solving the current chaos in the world is the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which embody the essence of "equality and mutual benefit" and "mutual respect."

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which originated in Asia, are being accepted by more countries because they meet the needs of the times. Wherever the Five Principles are fully implemented, stability and prosperity will be promoted. This has become a fact verified by the 70-year history of international relations. It originates from history, serves reality, and guides the future. It is a profound concept that has been tempered by the times and become complete and mature with strategic vision.

Today, with a long way to go to maintaining world peace and promoting common development, the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence will not be weakened, but will only be permanently strengthened. A recent commentary published by Modern Diplomacy stated that the essence of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence is that all countries have equal sovereignty and oppose any country's monopoly on international affairs. This provides "a powerful ideological weapon for developing countries to defend their national sovereignty and independence."

As today's world enters a new period of turbulence and change, geopolitical conflicts are frequent, hegemonic power politics is still rampant, and the shadow of a new Cold War plagues the international community. The Vision of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind, which is consistent with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, has answered the historic question of "what kind of world to build and how to build it." This is the best inheritance, promotion and sublimation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence under the current situation. Practicing the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and working together to build a community with a shared future for mankind has been accepted by more and more countries around the world. The vigorous development of countries in the Global South has convinced the world that the continued growth of a community with a shared future for mankind is the most powerful guarantee for human peace and prosperity. As a developing country and a member of the Global South, China has and will continue to consolidate the common interests of developing countries and seek a global development partnership that is united, equal, balanced and inclusive, so that the international landscape can better reflect the concept of fairness and justice.

In an era of great changes, the core principles guiding international relations, the international system and the international order will directly affect the future and destiny of all countries around the world and the international community. Carrying forward the spiritual connotation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and working unremittingly toward the lofty goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind is the clear answer provided by China. We believe that the vibrant Chinese wisdom and Chinese solution will bring more peace, tranquility, prosperity and development to the world.

SOURCE Global Times
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KYODO NEWS - Jun 30, 2024 - 10:39 | All, Japan

A town on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido has been working on producing a new local specialty by submerging sake in a brackish lake, in the hope that the vibrations in the water will impact the taste of the alcohol.

Following field tests in May, the town of Yubetsu plans on sinking 100 bottles of sake at a depth of around 10 meters in Lake Saroma from late July. The alcohol to be used in the project comes from Kamikawa Taisetsu Sake Brewery, located west of Yubetsu.

"We hope that by utilizing the domestically famous Lake Saroma to make sake, it will make our town more widely known," a local official said.

Some of the bottles will be pulled out from the waters every two to three months to examine changes to the flavor of the sake, with the final batch to be lifted out after about one year.

The submergence will be administered by Sapporo-based firm Hokkaido Ocean Aging Japan Co., which has worked on aging alcohol in bodies of water in other municipalities in Hokkaido.

The company's alcoholic beverages have previously been used in the country's hometown tax program, which allows people to direct some of their tax payments to a municipality of their choice in return for gifts or experiences.

Ikkei Honma, 45, representative director of the firm, believes that submerging sake in Lake Saroma "could take the edge off the alcohol" to create a richer flavor, as the currents in the lake differ as it is connected to the Sea of Okhotsk.

Yubetsu has budgeted 1.6 million yen ($9,950) in the current fiscal year to cover payments to local fishermen helping with the project and analytic costs.

The town hopes to commercialize the sake, branded "Yubetsu," from next summer and promote it with locally produced scallops and oysters, according to a town official.

"Through brewing sake, we want to build momentum toward creating a local specialty and extending cooperation across industries," the official said.

Related coverage:

Japan's Nikka whisky maker ramps up investment to increase exports

FEATURE: Struggling sake breweries getting revamped, eye on overseas markets
Tehran, June 30 : The final result of Iran's 14th presidential election will be decided in a runoff between top contenders Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili on July 5, said Spokesman of Iran's Election Headquarters Mohsen Eslami.

Announcing the first round's results at a press conference in the Iranian capital Tehran on Saturday, Eslami said Pezeshkian and Jalili garnered 10,415,991 (42.6 per cent) and 9,473,298 (38.8 per cent) votes respectively.

The two candidates will now face a runoff to determine who will assume the country's top executive position, Xinhua news agency reported.

Eslami added the other two candidates, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Mostafa Pourmohammadi, collected 3,383,340 (13.8 per cent) and 206,397 (0.8 per cent) votes respectively.

He put the total number of votes at 24,535,185, noting that the turnout stood at 40 per cent.

The voting for the presidential election began at 8 a.m. Friday local time at 58,640 polling stations across the country and abroad, and lasted until midnight, after being extended three times, with each extension lasting for two hours.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cast the first ballot at a polling station and made a brief speech calling for the unity of the Iranian people during the election.

To secure the presidency, a candidate must obtain more than 50 per cent of the total votes in the first round.

For the run-off, whoever gets more votes will claim the victory.

Currently serving as a lawmaker, Pezeshkian previously held the position of Health Minister. Jalili, on the other hand, is a member of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran and previously served as a top negotiator for Iran's nuclear talks with world powers.

Iran's 14th presidential election, which had initially been set for 2025, was rescheduled following the unexpected death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19.
Gaza, June 30 : At least 40 Palestinians were killed and 224 others injured in Israeli attacks across the besieged Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, according to health authorities controlled by Hamas.

The latest casualties bring the total Palestinian death toll to 37,834, with 86,858 injuries reported since the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in October 2023, the health authorities said on Saturday.

Officials added that rescue teams faced significant obstacles in reaching areas targeted by attacks due to fuel shortages and intense clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed factions, particularly in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza and the Shujaeya neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City, Xinhua news agency reported.

Avichay Adraee, an Israeli military spokesperson, said in a press statement on Saturday that the Israeli forces are continuing the attack on "terrorist" targets in the Shujaeya area, fighting simultaneously above and below ground.

During the past hours, the forces eliminated many "saboteurs" in clashes, and the troops found a weapons depot inside a school complex in the area, he added.

In Rafah, the Israeli forces eliminated several "saboteurs" and destroyed many "terrorist" infrastructure, including tunnel openings, according to Adraee.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East highlighted on social media platform X that hundreds of thousands of Gazans continue to endure severe shortages of shelter, food, medicine, and clean water, exacerbated by restricted access through border crossings.

A temporary floating aid pier operated by the US, anchored off the coast of Gaza to facilitate humanitarian deliveries, has been removed due to adverse weather conditions, the Pentagon announced on Friday. This marks the third interruption since mid-May.

"Temporarily relocating the pier will prevent potential structural damage that could be caused by the heightened sea state," said Sabrina Singh, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary, during a briefing on Friday.

The pier is not an end-all solution to getting aid into Gaza, Singh said, adding that land routes are the most effective delivery method.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage.
Lucknow, June 30 : Surgeons at SGPGIMS have claimed to have conducted the world's first multiport transvesical robotic radical prostatectomy involving a complicated surgery to remove cancer in the prostate gland through the urinary bladder route with the help of a robot.

More advanced single-port medical robotic systems are being used globally for this purpose. Lead surgeon Dr Uday Pratap Singh described the work as a 'landmark achievement' and 'beacon of hope for prostate cancer patients worldwide'.

He said, "The procedure was conducted on June 26 and the patient was kept under observation. Now that he is stable, we have broken the news to the world."

Regarding his work as the 'world's first', Dr Singh said, "Medical robots are being used by experts across the world. Available medical literature has spoken well of single-port medical robotic prostatectomy. However, at our institute, we had a multiport medical robot. We decided to use the same for our patient and it worked."

He said the procedure involves the removal of the prostate gland through the bladder using robotic assistance. "This is less invasive compared to traditional methods and offers benefits to patients like faster recovery, reduced pain, and minimised risk of complications," he said.

The most notable advantage of this type of surgery is its impact on postoperative recovery, specifically concerning incontinence and sexual health.

"In the older methods, prolonged periods of incontinence were common but with medical robots and transvesical approach, damage to the surrounding tissues and nerves is minimised enabling patients to regain bladder control much sooner," he explained. Another advantage of this procedure is the preservation of sexual function, a concern for many patients, he said. The precision and minimally invasive nature help preserve the neurovascular bundles responsible for erectile function, leading to a quicker and more complete recovery of sexual health.

An Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) spokesperson said the successful surgery underscores the institute's commitment to advancing medical science and also places India at the forefront of innovative cancer treatments.
New Delhi: The results of the recent Parliamentary election do have the effect of strengthening India's democratic state. They made it possible for a stable coalition government to return to power -- in the absence of any single party securing a majority. India badly needed to have that in the current geopolitical environment. With stability is linked to the factor of continuity that would enable people to further evaluate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government's performance over its past two terms while providing also an opportunity to Prime Minister Modi of making course corrections if any.

Above all, the polls validate the robust character of this country's electoral democracy built on 'one man one vote' and bring out how an active opposition -- its strength varying from state to state -- helps the citizens in exercising their choices based on the relative appeal of the ruling dispensation compared to those politically opposed to it.

In a vast country of diverse socio-political equations like India, it is not surprising that the degree of opposition unity reached in states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra this time did impact the prospect of the ruling party -- which had otherwise gone on to acquire new grounds in states like Orissa, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

State-based parties with caste, communal and regional appeals have been a traditional feature of the Indian political scene which makes it important that the country should have all-India parties working in healthy competition at the national level.

Over the decades after Independence, the Congress once ruled the nation suffered a decline but fortunately, the BJP rapidly rose to become a challenger to the Congress on the strength of its political merit and nationalist appeal.

The recent Parliamentary election saw a natural interplay of the two largest national parties and their state-level allies -- its outcome is to be welcomed in terms of the advance of democracy that it represents in India.

The BJP is doing well to go into a systematic examination of what caused its tally to fall short of its expectations in certain states.

It is only appropriate politically that the Prime Minister should choose to draw strength from the victory of the National Democratic Alliance and express his determination to carry forward the national agenda of governance envisaged by the BJP.

It is natural for him to continue with the same Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) as was in existence before and accommodate the allies in the Ministry honourably but without giving in to any pressure from them.

India needs to be governed with strong hands with a sense of accountability and effective execution of policies flowing top-down and the Prime Minister promises to do that -- his credibility concerning governance is intact in the eyes of the people and this is his main asset.

His contribution to pushing India up in the comity of nations as the acknowledged voice of reason on issues of global conflicts and also on matters of advancement of humanity is well established and so is his policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and forces threatening national unity and internal security.

These are among the major paradigms of successful governance in India and the Prime Minister would be right in pursuing this path undeterred by any other political factors. For him, the legacy of successfully safeguarding national interests during his rule is all that should matter to him at this stage.

He is an astute political combatant, is cognisant of the weaknesses in the opposition camp and is likely to keep NDA rule going as long as this was possible.

The first hurdle faced by PM Modi's government in the election of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha has been crossed over successfully as amid a noisy backdrop of contest, Om Birla, the candidate of BJP was elected by a voice vote -- the strength of NDA demonstratively holding out against the opposition.

However, the fact that there was a contest for Speakership for the first time, reflected the distrust of the opposition in the ruling alliance and the former's intention of keeping up its pressure on the government.

It is to be seen how the Prime Minister goes ahead with legislation that requires only a simple majority, to keep his agenda of governance on the move.

The course of campaigning in the election, content-wise, was of the type that could produce long-term consequences for the politics of the future in as much as the caste, communal and regional divides in the country might get accentuated in the period ahead.

Anti-India forces abroad in possible collusion with anti-establishment civil society groups inside the country had before the election built narratives designed to run down Indian democracy as a system vulnerable to 'majoritarianism', 'authoritarianism' and 'centrifugalism'.

The electioneering revolved around the realpolitik of numbers that convinced the opposition that in a situation of multiple divisions among the Hindu majority of 80 per cent a determined support of the Muslim minority of nearly 20 per cent would prove to be the match-winner.

This aroused an equally strong response from BJP leadership in which it accused the opposition of indulging in 'minority appeasement' at the cost of national interests and tried to arouse a Hindu backlash that did not necessarily happen because of the complex Indian polity playing around the Indian phenomenon of 'caste vs creed' loyalties.

Divisions of Hindus along Backwards and Dalits showed up in the north in a big way and had a bearing on the poll results.

The caste pulls were accentuated by the environment of economic distress. Further, it is relevant to note that the legacy of Partition had created Hindu-Muslim tensions and riots over the decades in Independent India and kept communal politics alive mainly due to the role of many minority leaders -- including the Ulema and the communal elite -- who demanded a share in political power based on religion.

The facts of the adoption of universal franchise, grant of absolute freedom of worship and pursuit of policies of development that would not make any community distinction, seemed to have mattered little for these leaders.

The Hindu-Muslim divide became pronounced in the run-up to the just concluded election and this should be a cause for concern.

All parties in a democratic dispensation must subscribe to the concept of nationalism to keep the state strong.

Nationalism is a perfectly secular call that helps to keep national security above politics and provides a shared sense of purpose to all in a country ridden by cultural diversities and differing political viewpoints.

It is not clear why some opposition parties shunned the idea of nationalism and left the credit for its advocacy to the BJP.

Apparently in a country with a historic majority-minority division, the concept of nationalism was deliberately mixed up with Hindu majoritarianism and by a twisted logic projected as an idea that was against the sensitivities of the Muslim minority.

The expressed view of Islamic fundamentalists opposing the mandate of standing up while the singing of the national anthem was on or saluting the national flag, was not discounted.

Some opposition elements have even endorsed the idea that this mandate should be considered optional.

Moreover, Western lobbies hostile to India do not take kindly to a strong nationalistic country asserting its independent stand on issues of war and peace and trying to be self-dependent in the spheres of development and defence.

Prime Minister Modi's visit to the G7 summit in Rome, on the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the middle of Cabinet formation, showed the importance he attached to India's image abroad and could not therefore be faulted.

His first policy announcements at home indicated that his political will in running the country was intact.

It would do India no good if Prime Minister Modi was looked upon as a leader presiding over a weak government.

In the months ahead political campaigns in the country are likely to get intensified as the opposition continues to find fault with Prime Minister Modi's government on one count or the other.

The appointment of Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of the Opposition will further add to this trend.

The external threats to internal security can also mount largely because of the covert operations of Pakistan and China working in concert against India.

Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and the North East apart, it is the communal front that would require a close vigil.

The pro-minority politics of many in the opposition makes India more vulnerable to the plans of its adversaries to inject militancy in communal situations and even instigate faith-based terror.

An example of this in the past was the emergence of Indian Mujahideen (IM) as an offshoot of the Students Islamic Movement of India(SIMI) that indulged in terrorist activity some years ago.

The new Penal codes enacted by the Parliament in December last year have to be put into action in an unbiased manner.

Impartial law and order management is an essence of democracy and issues of internal security being kept above party politics is another prerequisite of a democratic dispensation.

Prime Minister Modi is aware of the organised campaign against the 'arrogant' style of work attributed to him -- which could as well be the impression created by his impatience with mediocrity, high expectations of delivery and notions of leading by example by highlighting the leader's achievements.

He should not, however, while making any course corrections, allow 'the sense of drive' associated with his governance, to get diluted in any manner.

The people of India have that expectation from him as for them this was the prime symbol of stability of any government.

The challenge of safeguarding internal security will likely outweigh the task of bringing about economic development in the times ahead and Prime Minister Modi's government will be tested more for its ability to maintain peace at home rather than for advancing the cause of India abroad.

The political scene in the months ahead would be keenly watched by strategic analysts.

(The writer is a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Views are personal)
Vancouver, June 30 : Canada's second-largest airline, the WestJet Group, has announced an additional 235 flight cancellations due to a strike by its aircraft maintenance engineers.

The new round of flight cancellations is expected to impact about 30,000 more guests, according to the company, following an initial cancellation of 150 flights earlier Saturday that impacted about 20,000 passengers.

A strike by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) led to the flight cancellations. AMFA, representing about 670 WestJet maintenance engineers, began strike action at 4.30 p.m. local time on Friday, reports Xinhua news agency.

A statement from Diederik Pen, president of WestJet, noted that the company is "seeking every avenue for intervention and working around the clock to maintain a stable network, while we reduce our flying in a safe and controlled manner."

With more than 2,50,000 passengers scheduled to fly during the long weekend, WestJet is seeking immediate intervention from the minister of labour and the Canada Industrial Relations Board, while parking its aircraft in stations across Canada, according to the company.
New Delhi: Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, who is currently serving as the 46th Vice Chief of the Army Staff, with vast operational experience in dealing with China and Pakistan, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff with effect from the afternoon of June 30.

He will succeed General Manoj Pande, the 29th and the current Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army.

Lt Gen Dwivedi, born on July 1, 1964, is an alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and then the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. The COAS (Designate) was commissioned into the 18th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army on December 15, 1984, from the Indian Military Academy. He later commanded the same Battalion at Chowkibal in Kashmir Valley during Operation Rakshak and the deserts of Rajasthan.

As a Sector Commander, he commanded a Sector of the Assam Rifles in Manipur during Operation Rhino, served in Assam as Inspector General of Assam Rifles (East), and held various other Staff & Command appointments in the North East. He has had a unique distinction of balanced exposure to both Northern and Western Theatres in India.

The General Officer has held several important command, staff, instructional, and foreign assignments throughout his nearly 40-year-long distinguished career prior to his appointment as the Chief of the Army Staff.

During his illustrious career, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi has tenanted various staff appointments in Headquarters Armored Brigade, Mountain Division, Strike Corps and Integrated HQ, MoD (Army). Among his previous appointments were as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy, directing staff at the higher command wing in the Army War College, Mhow where he shaped the future leaders of the three services of the Indian Armed Forces and Friendly Foreign Countries in ' Art of Warfare' and ' Military Leadership'. His two overseas tenures include Somalia, as part of HQ UNOSOM II and Military Attache to the Government of Seychelles. As Director General Infantry, he fast-tracked the long pending Capital procurement of modern and state-of-the-art weapons for all three services thereby enhancing the combat capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.

In February 2020, the General was appointed as a commander of a Corps. A year later in April 2021, he took over as the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Information Systems and Coordination) wherein he provided an impetus to automation and absorption of niche tech in the Indian Army.

On February 1, 2022, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command. Being a technology enthusiast, he worked towards enhancing the tech threshold of all ranks in Northern Command and pushed for critical & emerging Technologies like big data analytics, artificial Intelligence, quantum and blockchain-based solutions. He was also involved in modernisation and equipping of the largest Army Command of the Indian Army, where he drove the induction of Indigenous equipment as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He synergised with the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for convergent nation-building and infrastructure development.

On February 19, 2024, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the 46th Vice Chief of Army Staff. An alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Tamil Nadu & Higher Command Course at Army War College, Mhow, the National Defence College and the US Army War College in Carlisle, USA, where he received the award of 'Distinguished Fellow', the General Officer has a M.Phil. in Defence & Management Studies, two Masters Degrees in Strategic Studies and Military Science, including one from United States Army War College.

Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi has been honoured with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, and three General officer commanding-in-chief (GOC-in-C) Commendation Cards.

As the Northern Army Commander, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi provided strategic guidance and operational oversight for sustained operations along the northern and western borders. He restored normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir by providing strategic directions for the successful conduct of effective counter-terrorism operations that led to the emergence of a conducive environment for infrastructure and socio-economic developments as also the smooth conduct of the G20 in Srinagar. The unprecedented tourist footfall of over 2.11 crores in 2023 in Kashmir Valley, besides the increasing economic activities, is a testimony of the General Officer's professional acumen and commitment towards the national interest.

During this period, he further enhanced India's security architecture along the northern borders into robust defences in response to the extended stand-off triggered by China. He also actively participated in the ongoing negotiations with China to address the complex border issues.

Playing a significant role in modernising and equipping the largest Indian Army command, he oversaw the induction of indigenous equipment as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative.

General Pande, initially due to retire on May 31, was given a one-month extension, which sparked speculation within the military regarding a potential supersession and deviation from the seniority principle in the appointment of service chiefs.

The standard procedure is to elevate either the highest-ranking Army commander or the Vice-Chief of the Army to the position of Army Chief upon the retirement of the current Chief of the Army Staff. Presently, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM holds the position of the most senior officer in the Army.

In what seems like a well-orchestrated plan, some critics are still continuing with their tireless attacks on the ruling government for giving a one-month extension in service to Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande by labelling it as an "unusual move" even though Modi 3.0, right at the start of its third consecutive term, has appointed Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi as the next COAS with effect from the afternoon of June 30.

Creating controversy out of thin air, many so-called 'experts' on defence matters tried to shape a particular narrative around the government's decision, speculating that there could be plans in store to break the succession line by ignoring the seniority principle.

The General Officer is married to Sunita Dwivedi, a science graduate, who is a homemaker. Sunita Dwivedi has been associated with Aarushi, an Institute for specially-abled children, at Bhopal. The couple is blessed with two daughters.

The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine, Hamas-Israel conflicts and the strategic rivalry in the Indo-Pacific, especially the South China Sea occupy the centre stage of geopolitics and geo security presenting numerous challenges as also opportunities to India.

Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi would have his hands full as the COAS at a juncture where India marching ahead to be the third largest economy in the world in the foreseeable future is expected to address both external as well as internal security challenges so that the economy can ride on stability, normalcy and peace.

As the 30th Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army, the following 10 major issues may merit focus in short, medium and long-term addressed at local, regional and global levels as relevant: Robust defences along the northern border; zero-terrorism/insurgency and hybrid warfare, especially in J&K and northeast respectively; normalcy in Manipur; secure Siliguri Corridor; operational effectiveness of the Agnipath scheme; 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat'; counter China, especially in AI, auto/semi-auto weapon platforms, space, electromagnetic radiation, cyber, information warfare and precision-guided weapons; settle borders; effective surveillance; military diplomacy.

(Maj Gen Sudhakar Jee, VSM (Retd) is a former colonel of the Mahar Regiment with over 37 years of service in the Indian Army)
New Delhi, June 30 : While the monsoon brought in relief from the sweltering heat, cases of dengue have spiralled in various parts of the country including in Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Maharashtra. Doctors on Sunday advised caution and also stressed the need for early detection to boost outcomes.

Dengue is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes thrive in warm and humid environments, causing the disease that is endemic to more than 100 countries.

"Children have a higher risk of getting dengue fever with varied presentations than in earlier years. The classical presentation would be a brief period of febrile illness with vomiting and pain in the abdomen, decreased appetite, and generalised myalgia. But during this season even children with atypical upper respiratory infections and Gastroenteritis are also positive for dengue," Santosh Kumar, Senior Consultant, and Lead - Paediatrics & Neonatology, Motherhood Hospitals, Banashankari, Bengaluru, told IANS.

Karnataka reported 5,374 cases and five deaths from dengue; Telangana 882 cases, while Andhra Pradesh reported cases of both dengue and malaria, Odisha 288, Ernakulam in Kerala has seen 400 cases.

Symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, and rash all are early indications of dengue.

Dengue fever is usually a community outbreak and early diagnosis is crucial, the experts said, noting that while majorly it is self-limiting, in some cases, it can progress to severe dengue, also known as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.

Persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, mucosal bleeding, and signs of circulatory failure may indicate a more severe case of dengue.

"Early diagnosis allows for timely administration of medications to alleviate these symptoms, improving the patient's comfort and quality of life during the illness," Aravinda S N, Lead Consultant - Internal Medicine, Aster RV Hospital, Bengaluru, told IANS.

"Early diagnosis not only benefits the individual patient but also plays a crucial role in preventing the spread of dengue virus to others. Identifying and isolating infected individuals early in the course of the illness can help prevent further transmission of the virus to mosquitoes, breaking the cycle of dengue transmission in the community," he added.

The doctors called for maintaining adequate hydration levels due to fluid loss due to fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

The experts also advised people to take protective precautions like avoiding standing water, where mosquitoes can breed, and using mosquito repellents, wearing protective clothing.
Shraddha Kapoor ignores her ill-health and heads to Lucknow to fulfil a professional commitment. Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai, June 30 : Actress Shraddha Kapoor, who is gearing up for her upcoming horror-comedy movie 'Stree 2', is feeling a bit under the weather.

The actress took to the Stories section of her Instagram on Sunday and shared a picture of herself from her flight to Lucknow.

In the picture, Shraddha can be seen wearing an orange top and a turquoise jacket.

The actress is also wearing a surgical face mask as part of health protocols in the post-pandemic world. She completed her look with a pair of transparent glasses.

Shraddha wrote on the picture: "Tabiyat down lekin Lucknow aana hai toh aana hai (feeling unwell, but if I have to come to Lucknow, I have to come)."

The actress headed to Lucknow for a brand event.

Earlier, Shraddha spent her holiday in the mountains and shared glimpses from the trip.

The actress also recently confirmed her relationship with writer Rahul Mody.

On the work front, Shraddha, who was last seen in 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar' opposite Ranbir Kapoor, will next be seen reprising her role as a mysterious woman in the upcoming horror-comedy franchise 'Stree 2'.

The film is a sequel to the 2018 runaway hit 'Stree', which starred Rajkummar Rao, Aparshakti Khurana, and Abhishek Banerjee.

The original film narrated the story of the spirit of a female ghost who abducts men at night when they are alone, leaving only their clothes behind in the town of Chanderi. It was inspired by the urban legend of Nalle Baa.
Baghdad, June 30 : The Iraqi Foreign Ministry rebuked the threat by a US congressman to designate Faiq Zidan, head of Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), as a "tool of Iranian influence" in Iraq.

The ministry on Saturday said in a statement that the remarks by US Congressman Mike Waltz against Zidan were "a blatant interference in Iraqi internal affairs."

Waltz on Thursday retweeted a US media report about him preparing to label the SJC and its president Zidan "Iranian-controlled assets" via a legislative move by submitting a draft law amendment that includes a clause to back up his claim, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Iraqi ministry stressed that "attempting to influence the judiciary is a violation of the most important components of the (Iraqi) state's entity, which is responsible for achieving justice, equality, and national stability."

The Iraqi parliament's Acting Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi noted that Iraq, as a sovereign country, builds its relations with all countries "upon mutual respect."

Al-Mandalawi said that if the draft law is approved, it will constitute a dangerous turning point that will affect, in one way or another, Iraq-US relations.
New Delhi, June 30 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi resumed the broadcast of Mann Ki Baat with its 111th episode on Sunday. From Kerala's Karthumbi umbrellas to Andhra Pradesh's Araku coffee to Kashmir's snow peas, he spoke extensively about the contributions of various communities among other things to celebrate in India.

New Delhi, June 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi resumed the broadcast of Mann Ki Baat with its 111th episode on Sunday. From Kerala's Karthumbi umbrellas to Andhra Pradesh's Araku coffee to Kashmir's snow peas, he spoke extensively about the contributions of various communities among other things to celebrate in India.

Mann Ki Baat resumed after a gap of three months in the light of the Model Code of Conduct enforced before the 18th Lok Sabha election. The Prime Minister congratulated 65 crore voters of India and all others associated with the poll process for keeping faith in democracy and executing the world's largest election this year.

IANS condenses 10 things PM Modi specifically spoke about in his Mann Ki Baat address.

1. Beginning with commemorating June 30 as Hul Diwas, the Prime Minister recounted the sacrifice of the brave Murmu brothers, Sidhu and Kanhu, who in the Santhal Rebellion of 1855, rebelled against the foreign (British) rule. This had happened before the popularly believed earliest Revolt of 1857 against British rule. The PM dedicated a Santhali song in honour of these bravehearts.

2. Invoking the emotion of attachment to one's mother, PM Modi initiated #PLANT4MOTHER: plant a tree dedicated mother as a gesture of acknowledging the "unpayable debt to her." He encouraged citizens to share their picture of planting a tree with their mother or her picture as a mark of respect to her and Mother Earth.

3. Further, in the view of monsoon, PM Modi spotlighted Karthumbi umbrellas made in Attappadi in Kerala. These umbrellas are made by tribal women and are sold online under the supervision of Vattalakki Cooperative Farming Society, headed and led by tribal women of Attappadi. They have also established a bamboo handicraft unit. With the aim of introducing their culture to the world, they will open a retail outlet and a cafe.

4. Speaking about the Paris Olympics that will take place next week, he wished the Indian contingent the best for the upcoming games. Refreshing memories of the Tokyo Olympics when athletes won medals and did India proud, he mentioned that these athletes have participated in about 900 international competitions. Paris Olympics will have some firsts from India. He cheered for them with #CHEER4BHARAT.

5. Subsequently, with an audio clip (in Hindi) from a Kuwaiti radio broadcast, he said that the government of Kuwait has started a half-hour programme in Hindi on its national radio every Sunday. This show will be about the vibrant Indian culture, films, and art that is popular among the Indian community there, as well as among Kuwaiti natives. He thanked their government for this initiative.

6. Speaking about the popularity and respect commanded by Indian culture across the globe, PM Modi mentioned that Turkmenistan celebrated in May the 300th birth anniversary of their national poet. On the occasion, their president unveiled statues of 24 famous poets of the world, including Rabindranath Tagorean honour for both Gurudev and India

7. Likewise, Indian communities in two Caribbean countries celebrated their Indian heritage with fervour: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on June 1 and Surinam on June 5. Along with Hindi, Bhojpuri is a popular language here.

8. PM Modi also spoke about the 10th International Day of Yoga observed across the world on June 21. He said: "Several records have been created across the globe. For the first time in Saudi Arabia, a Saudi woman instructed the main Yoga session. A photo of a Yoga session conducted on beaches of Red Sea at the bank of Nile River in Egypt has gone viral."

The PM also mentioned the special Yoga sessions conducted in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, US and Bhutan. He also advised people to include Yoga in their daily routine to bring positive changes in life. PM Modi, this year, had celebrated Yoga Day in J&K's Srinagar.

9. Talking about Kashmir, the PM said that the first consignment of snow peas was dispatched from Pulwama to London last month, putting the region's exotic vegetable on the world map. An inspired Abdul Rashid Mir of Chakura village consolidated land and began growing snow peas. This pursuit has ushered prosperity for many people in J&K.

10. Stating that there is no dearth of unique products in India, and in a bid to promote 'Vocal for Local' initiative, PM Modi spotlighted Araku coffee produced in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitharama Raju district on a large scale. This coffee is known for its rich flavour and aroma.

He said: "Around 1.5 lakh tribal people are associated with Araku coffee cultivation. Girijan Cooperative has played a huge role in taking Araku Coffee to new heights. This has brought farmer brothers and sisters together. Because of this, farmers' income has also increased and they are now leading a respectable life."

PM Modi also recounted his experience of tasting this coffee with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Visakhapatnam.

The Prime Minister concluded his address with a pitch for the promotion of Sanskrit language, PM Modi congratulated All India Radio family for connecting people with the ancient language. He said: "On June 30, the Sanskrit Bulletin of Akashwani is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Sanskrit has played a big role in the progress of ancient Indian knowledge and science."

He also mentioned an initiative in Bengaluru where these days, local people gather in a park once a week and converse in Sanskrit.

--IANS

/kvd-uk/
By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jun 30, 2024 - 07:08 | All, Japan

About a week after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida marks 1,000 days in office, the Tokyo gubernatorial election will take place on July 7, drawing nationwide attention as a "presidential race."

Japanese voters only indirectly participate electing the country's leader as the prime minister is chosen by lawmakers under a parliamentary Cabinet system.

But the Tokyo governor is elected through direct voting from candidates, often including celebrities such as athletes, comedians, novelists and former lawmakers, creating excitement similar to presidential races in other nations during the campaign period.

Decisions by the leader of the Japanese capital of around 14 million with an annual budget of more than 16 trillion yen ($100 billion), almost the same as the national spending of Sweden or the Czech Republic, sometimes affects state policies.

But concern is mounting that more people are running in the election just to gain fame through campaign broadcasts and posters, causing controversies about how the race should be conducted.

Moreover, there is also criticism among political pundits that the governor election focuses less on policies and more on popularity, given that swing voters -- those not affiliated with particular parties -- hold the key in the race.

The latest election is seen as a proxy war between national parties, as incumbent Yuriko Koike, who is seeking to secure her third four-year term with the effective support of the ruling bloc, is challenged by the main opposition-backed politician Renho.

The ruling coalition comprises the Liberal Democratic Party headed by Kishida, who became the eighth premier since 1945 to reach 1,000 days in office on Saturday, and its junior partner Komeito party backed by Japan's biggest lay Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai.

In the Tokyo gubernatorial election, it is "crucial" how candidates pitch themselves, political commentator Atsuo Ito said, adding that residents should make a "wise choice without being distracted by catchy words and actions."

For the first half-century since the first race was held in 1947, all four elected governors graduated from the University of Tokyo and three of them were bureaucrats before becoming the leader of the metropolitan government.

But since Yukio Aoshima, who had been a scriptwriter, actor, comedian, novelist and House of Councillors lawmaker, was elected in 1995, celebrities frequently appearing on television and other media have won Tokyo gubernatorial elections.

In 1999, Shintaro Ishihara, an author and former transport minister, was elected. Known for his hawkish and nationalistic views, he served as Tokyo governor for 13 years before returning to national politics later in his life in 2012.

Months before he left office, Ishihara abruptly announced the metropolis would buy some of the Japan-controlled but China-claimed Senkaku Islands from a private owner, prompting the central government to put the islets under state control in September that year.

In December 2012, Naoki Inose, a prize-winning writer who became Tokyo's deputy chief, scored an overwhelming victory in the gubernatorial election. He succeeded in the bid for the Tokyo Summer Olympics and Paralympics, held in 2021.

After Yoichi Masuzoe, an expert on international affairs and former health minister, became Tokyo governor in 2014, Koike, a former TV anchor and Japan's first female defense minister, was elected as Tokyo governor in July 2016.

Due to the high-profile nature of the job, the Tokyo governor is vulnerable to scrutiny. Inose and Masuzoe were compelled to step down midway through their terms over a campaign-funding scandal and for misusing taxpayers' money, respectively.

Political analysts, meanwhile, have warned that for the past 30 years, the Tokyo governor election has become a "festival," which has provided less qualified candidates with opportunities for media exposure, in turn undermining fair democracy.

A record 56 people have thrown their hats into the ring this year. Notable candidates are former Air Self-Defense Force chief Toshio Tamogami and Shinji Ishimaru, a former mayor of Akitakata in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan.

Some candidates in Tokyo's upcoming gubernatorial race, however, have been criticized for making a mockery of the electoral process by posting sexually explicit posters or covering large parts of official campaigning boards with their materials.

Regarding attempts to erode the integrity of Tokyo's race, Masahito Tadano, a professor of constitutional law at Hitotsubashi University, called for the amendment of the legislation related to the electoral system.

"Japan's electoral system has, to some extent, relied on the good sense of voters and candidates. If problems like this one continue, we will need to establish an even more restrictive system," Tadano said.

Related coverage:

FOCUS: Koike-Renho leadership contest to have ramifications far beyond Tokyo

Poster pranks cause chaos in Tokyo gubernatorial election campaign

Tokyo governor race begins with Koike, opposition-backed Renho clash
Mumbai, June 30 : Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led MahaYuti government in Maharashtra, which completed two years in office on Friday, faces a major challenge to retain power in the Assembly election slated for September-October due to anti-incumbency and a very combative opposition.

Although Shinde and allies rule out a repeat of the Lok Sabha debacle, the opposition is gearing up to corner the grand alliance, cashing in on growing unease among the ruling partners.

Despite the oppositionas taunts and jibes, the government formed in June 2022 following the Shinde-led rebellion, has survived.

The MahaYuti partners received a major setback in the recently held general elections as the voters gave more support to the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Undeterred by dismal performance in the general elections, CM Shinde is confident to convert the challenges into an opportunity by effectively projecting the state governmentas slew of initiatives for Maharashtraas transformation and betterment of all sections of society.

"The loss in the Lok Sabha was due to fake narratives set by the opposition but the people of Maharashtra will not believe in the same during the Assembly election as they will give another chance to the MahaYuti based on its performance. Two years are not enough to analyse any governmentas performance but based on various decisions it is quite visible that it is the government which has not just fast-tracked the infrastructure development but it has succeeded in convincing the people that it is the government of weaker sections, women, youth, farmers and labourers,aa said CM Shinde.

aaDue to the love given by the people of the state, the support of the Shiv Sainiks and the good coordination of the parties in the grand alliance, hundreds of works of public interest are being carried out. Smiles of satisfaction could be seen on the faces of farmers, labourers, women, senior citizens and youth of the state. We are proud of the fact that the people of the state also supported the decision taken by us by expressing their faith, and we are also aware of the responsibility created by it,aa said CM Shinde.

"Development is to be achieved and trust is to be further strengthened,aa he noted.

After the release of the 'please alla budget, the Shinde-led MahaYuti government is geared up to reach out to the people explaining the pro-farmers, women, youth, minorities, Dalits and pro-development proposals ahead of the Assembly elections. In addition, the government proposes to encash its decisions made during the two-year rule.

Although Maharashtra faced tough competition from various states during the era of competitive and cooperative federalism, it has become the first state to cross the $500 billion economy. The government has set an ambitious target to become a $1 trillion economy by 2028 and $3.5 trillion by 2047. The state remains to be the favoured investment destination as it ranked first in FDI inflows in India.

Maharashtra ranks second in installed capacity of electricity (10.4 per cent) and also in the total exports contributing 16 per cent. Further, the state ranks second in the country in organic farm production (27 per cent share) after Madhya Pradesh.

Some of the key policy initiatives included the Manila Samman Yojana for 50 per cent relief in tickets in MSRTC buses, Lek Ladki Yojana for the empowerment of girls, Mission Shakti for women's welfare, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, construction of 10 lakh houses, scrapping of Maharashtra Casino Act, labour code, implementation of the single window system to attract more investments, Shiv Bhojan scheme, Maharashtra Green Hydrogen policy will also be highlighted in the run-up to the Assembly election.

However, the insiders from the MahaYuti believe that the ruling partners will have to skilfully handle the protests from Maratha, OBC, Dhangar and Muslim communities for reservation in a serious bid to avoid caste divide endangering the social harmony and rout in the Assembly election. The MahaYuti was hit hard in the general elections due to the widening divide between Maratha and OBCs.

Moreover, the government will have to counter the oppositionas charge of the flight of industries and investments to Gujarat and other states by putting up a strong defence and a monitoring mechanism giving details about the present status of investment proposals both those in implementation and those in the pipeline.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)
Gaza, June 30 : Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh discussed with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel the course of ongoing negotiations to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

During a phone call on Saturday, Kamel also extended his condolences to Haniyeh for the killing of his older sister and other relatives in an Israeli airstrike a few days ago, according to a press statement issued by Hamas, Xinhua news agency reported.

The call came after Israel's Hebrew public radio Kan reported that the US administration presented a revised version of a prisoner exchange deal that includes a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The new offer is based on the proposal approved by the then-Israeli war cabinet and presented by US President Joe Biden last month, the radio said.

On Friday, a Hamas source said the movement received a new message from the US regarding the prisoner exchange deal with Israel, noting that the message was passed through intermediaries to continue negotiations for a truce in Gaza.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators, in addition to the United States, are seeking to reach a prisoner exchange deal and a second truce between Israel and Hamas, following the first truce that lasted a week until early December 2023.

Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage.
Islamabad, June 30 : Eighteen people were injured in an explosion at a wedding ceremony in the Kurram district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, police said.

The incident happened when some unknown people hurled hand grenades at the ceremony where a large number of people were gathered for a celebration, the police informed, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attackers fled the site after the attack, the police said.

The injured people have been shifted to a nearby hospital with three of them in critical condition. Police have cordoned off the area and an investigation is underway.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
New Delhi, June 30 : Congressman Pawan Khera criticised PM Narendra Modi as he returned to Mann Ki Baat on Sunday after the 18th Lok Sabha elections. This was his first address after officiating as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term.

Heading Congress' Media & Publicity Department, Khera pointed to the conspicuous absence of certain issues that have been making headlines lately.

He said that he expected "Dhang Ki Baat" in this broadcast but there was none as there was no mention of the NEET scam, nor of the collapse of infrastructure, the latest being the canopy collapse at Delhi airport leading to the death of a person.

Khera said: "There was no mention of matters that the country's youths, middle-class wanted to hear in places like Delhi, Patna, Gujarat where incidents have happened."

He said that the PM, as expected, flipped the agenda.

"To deflect attention from matters like NEET, despite the constant criticism, he is talking about umbrellas of Kerala and Araku [coffee] of Andhra Pradesh -- after having criticised southern India previously," he said.

"Do you think people forget? What you are doing now is aadambar (ostentation) as the common Indian does not connect with your Mann Ki Baat," Khera concluded.
NaNavy Chief reaches Dhaka, to visit key defence facilities in Bangladeshvy Chief reaches Dhaka, to visit key defence facilities in Bangladesh. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, June 30 : Navy chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi began his four-day official visit to Bangladesh on Sunday as both countries continue to explore new avenues for cooperation and further strengthen the strong bonds of friendship between the two navies.

The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart Admiral M Nazmul Hassan in Dhaka and also review the Passing Out Parade scheduled at Bangladesh Naval Academy (BNA) at Chittagong on July 4.

According to the Ministry of Defence, during his visit, the CNS would also hold bilateral discussions with Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Bangladesh Air Force Chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, Lt. General Mizanur Rahman Shameem (Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division) and senior leadership of the Bangladesh government.

The CNS is also scheduled to address participants at the National Defence College, Dhaka and visit a few key defence facilities.

"Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span which includes operational interactions through port calls, bilateral naval exercises, along with capacity building, capability enhancement and training initiatives," stated the Defence Ministry.

On Saturday, Indian Navy Destroyer INS Ranvir arrived in Chattogram for a week-long visit that coincides with the visit of Admiral Tripathi. The Guided Missile Destroyer forms part of the front-line combatant fleet of the Indian Navy on the Eastern Seaboard.

Last week, India and Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further consolidate cooperation between the two countries in the field of military education.

The MoU was signed between Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) Wellington and the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Dhaka's Mirpur during the State visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.

Both colleges impart training to officers of tri-services, preparing them for higher staff and command responsibilities.
NaNavy Chief reaches Dhaka, to visit key defence facilities in Bangladeshvy Chief reaches Dhaka, to visit key defence facilities in Bangladesh. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, June 30 : Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi began his four-day official visit to Bangladesh on Sunday as both countries continue to explore new avenues for cooperation and further strengthen the strong bonds of friendship between the two navies.

Admiral Tripathi is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart Admiral M Nazmul Hassan in Dhaka and also review the Passing Out Parade scheduled at Bangladesh Naval Academy (BNA) at Chittagong on July 4.

According to the Ministry of Defence, during his visit, the Indan Navy chief would also hold bilateral discussions with Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Bangladesh Air Force Chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, Lt. General Mizanur Rahman Shameem (Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division) and senior leadership of the Bangladesh government.

He is also scheduled to address participants at the National Defence College, Dhaka and visit a few key defence facilities.

"Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span which includes operational interactions through port calls, bilateral naval exercises, along with capacity building, capability enhancement and training initiatives," stated the Defence Ministry.

On Saturday, Indian Navy Destroyer INS Ranvir arrived in Chattogram for a week-long visit that coincides with the visit of Admiral Tripathi. The Guided Missile Destroyer forms part of the front-line combatant fleet of the Indian Navy on the Eastern Seaboard.

Last week, India and Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further consolidate cooperation between the two countries in the field of military education.

The MoU was signed between the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) Wellington and the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Dhaka's Mirpur during the state visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.

Both colleges impart training to officers of tri-services, preparing them for higher staff and command responsibilities.
New Delhi, June 30 : Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, will launch the special campaign for effective redressal of family pensioners' grievances in New Delhi on Monday.

The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DOPPW), as part of its 100 Days Action Plan, has undertaken a month-long special campaign for effective redressal of Family Pensioners' Grievances during the period July 1-31 in which 46 Ministries/Departments will be participating. This Special campaign seeks a substantial reduction in the pendency of family pension grievances.

Secretaries of Departments of Pension and Pensioners Welfare, Ex-Servicemen's Welfare, DG BSF, Controller General of Accounts, Deputy Managing Director State Bank of India along with Nodal Public Grievance Officers of 46 Ministries/Departments, representatives from all Pension Disbursing Banks and representatives of Pensioners' Welfare Associations will participate in this event.

Presently, around 90,000 cases are being registered on the Centralised Pension Grievance and Redress System (CPENGRAMS) in a year. The grievances can be registered either directly on the portal (URL:www.pgportal.gov.in/PENSION/) by the applicant or by DOPPW on receipt of details through e-mail, post or toll-free number 1800-11-1960.

"Out of total grievances, Family Pension grievance cases account for about 20-25 per cent. Major segment of Family Pensioners' grievances is constituted by women pensioners. The family pension-related grievances to be redressed in the Special Campaign have been shortlisted from the grievances registered on the CPENGRAMS Portal," the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions said in a statement.

A total of 1891 (as of June 15, 2024) family pension-related grievances pertaining to 46 Ministries/Departments/Organizations have been identified for redressal during the campaign period. The majority of the grievances pertain to Defence Pensioners, Railway pensioners and CAPFs pensioners under MHA. Bank-related issues also constitute a sizeable number.

"DOPPW will monitor and provide all assistance to the concerned administrative Ministry/Department/Organization for effective redressal of grievances on a mission mode approach. Ministries/Departments will disseminate success stories through tweets and PIB statements. DoPPW has created a hashtag i.e. #SpecialCampaignFamilyPension for the success of the campaign," the ministry added.
Beirut, June 30 : Three Hezbollah members were killed on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike in the southeast village of Houla, a media report said.

An Israeli drone targeted, with four air-to-surface missiles, a two-story building in Houla, killing three Hezbollah members and causing severe damage to neighbouring homes, Lebanese military sources told Xinhua.

The Israeli army conducted five air attacks on the villages of Taybeh, Rab El Thalathine, and Houla, and targeted eight towns and villages in the eastern and central regions with approximately 40 artillery shells, the sources added.

For its part, Hezbollah announced that it attacked the Israeli sites of Misqav Am, al-Motella, and Al-Alam.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on October 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

Since the start of the confrontations on both sides of the border between Lebanon and Israel, 553 people have been killed, including 356 Hezbollah members and 100 civilians, according to Lebanese security and medical reports.
Hyderabad, June 30 : The Centre has extended the Smart Cities Mission till March 2025, and this has been communicated to the states.

The Telangana government said on Sunday that the Centre sent letters to states on Saturday informing that it has extended the Smart Cities Mission till March 31, 2025.

The official letter clarified that the approved works will be continued and no new works will be sanctioned. The funds for ongoing works will be released on a first come first basis till September this year. The centre suggested completing the works at the earliest.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's initiative drew a positive response from the Centre, said the Chief Minister's Office.

During his visit to New Delhi on June 24, the Chief Minister met Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar and requested him to extend the deadline for Smart Cities Mission till June 2025.

The Centre had earlier set the target of completing the Smart Cities Mission by June 30, 2024.

Telangana's Warangal and Karimnagar were among the cities selected under the Smart Cities Mission in the state.

According to the state government, 45 works have already been completed in Warangal. Another 66 works at the cost of Rs 518 crore are under progress.

A total of 25 works were completed and another 22 works costing Rs 287 crore are in progress in Karimnagar. The Chief Minister informed the status of the works to the union minister.

In the larger interests of the public, CM Revanth Reddy pleaded with the Central government for the extension of the Smart Cities Mission until the works are completed.
Doha, June 30 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar arrived in Doha on Sunday on a day-long official visit to Qatar during which he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

He was received at the airport by Chief of Protocol Ibrahim Fakhroo and the Indian Ambassador.

"India and Qatar share historic and friendly relations which are marked by regular exchange of high-level visits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Qatar on 14-15 February 2024 and held discussions with Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani," the MEA stated ahead of Jaishankar's visit.

"EAM's visit will enable both sides to review various aspects of bilateral relations including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural and people-to-people as well as the regional and international issues of mutual interest," the Ministry added.

During his Doha visit earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi had thanked the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for taking care of the over eight lakh strong Indian community in Qatar and conveyed India's commitment to further expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation with the country.

The Qatari Amir reciprocated PM Modi's sentiments and expressed appreciation for India's role as a valued partner in the Gulf region. He also appreciated the contributions of the vibrant Indian community in Qataras development and their enthusiastic participation in various international events held in Qatar.

"India-Qatar bilateral trade roughly stands at close to $20 billion and the two countries also have a multi-faceted partnership in the field of energy, which includes energy trade as also other segments of energy supply chain contributing to a stronger partnership in the field of energy security," Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra had said after the PM's visit.

In February, on the sidelines of India Energy Week held in Goa, the two countries signed an agreement for the supply of 7.5 MMtpa LNG from Qatar to India for 20 years, starting 2028 onwards.

This is EAM Jaishankar's third official visit during the third term of the Modi government. He had earlier visited Sri Lanka (June 20) and the UAE (June 23).
KYODO NEWS - Jun 30, 2024 - 19:39 | All, Japan

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike is leading the polls by a small margin in the Tokyo gubernatorial election that will take place on July 7, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.

The incumbent 71-year-old Koike, who is seeking to secure her third four-year term, is effectively backed by the ruling bloc. She is closely followed by key challenger Renho, 56, a former upper house lawmaker supported by the main opposition.

Among other candidates, Shinji Ishimaru, the 41-year-old former mayor of Akitakata in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan, has seen a strong surge in support, while former Air Self-Defense Force chief Toshio Tamogami, 75, has not gained much ground.

Over 10 percent of voters have yet to decide on who they will be voting for, the survey showed.

Kyodo's figure was based on a telephone survey of eligible voters in Tokyo as well as other data and analysis from other sources.

The telephone survey was conducted over two days from Saturday, yielding 523 valid responses from landlines and 515 from mobile phone users.

The latest election is seen as a proxy war between national parties, with the ruling bloc comprising the Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition Komeito party supporting Koike, and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, along with the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, backing Renho.

By political party, over 50 percent of LDP supporters and around 70 percent of Komeito supporters in the telephone survey have indicated they will vote for Koike. Renho, meanwhile, has garnered support from 70 percent of the backers of the CDPJ, and around 80 percent of those of the JCP.

Among supporters of the Japan Innovation Party, which has decided not to field its own candidate, over 40 percent favored Ishimaru while around 30 percent leaned toward Koike.

Non-aligned voters largely supported Koike at just under 30 percent, while Ishimaru and Renho each received backing from around 20 percent.

Asked what the top policy priority is for the capital, 22.7 percent of survey respondents said medical care and other welfare, followed by 22.4 percent with economy and employment and 20.3 percent with education and child care.

Related coverage:

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Paris, June 30 : The first round of France's snap legislative elections kicked off Sunday in Metropolitan France for voters to elect 577 members for the National Assembly out of over 4,000 candidates.

Polling booths are open for the 49.5 million registered voters from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time (0600 GMT to 1600 GMT), while in major cities, such as Paris, Lyon and Marseille, the booths will close at 8 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).

At many polling stations, the officials see a higher turnout compared with the 2022 legislative elections and the European Parliament elections earlier this month, reports Xinhua news agency.

Given the importance of the snap legislative elections, more than 2.6 million eligible voters have also chosen to vote by proxies, four times of those in 2022, according to the French Interior Ministry.

Each deputy is elected by direct universal suffrage for five years in a constituency, of which Metropolitan France has 539 and the overseas territories 27. A further 11 deputies will represent French nationals living abroad.

If a candidate scores an absolute majority in the first round -- more than 50 per cent of the vote and a turnout rate of no less than 25 per cent -- he or she is elected without needing a second round.

If no candidate wins an absolute majority in his or her constituency, those candidates who win the support of at least 12.5 per cent of registered voters in the first round can advance to the second round on July 7.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on June 9 the dissolution of the National Assembly and called new legislative elections after his Renaissance party coalition suffered a heavy defeat in the European Parliament (EP) elections.

The Renaissance party coalition gained 14.6 per cent of the vote in the 2024 EP elections, much behind the opposition far-right National Rally (RN), which received 31.37 per cent of the vote.

French media outlets describe the snap legislative elections in France as "a historic moment to face."

Samy Benzina, professor of public law at the University of Poitiers, told Le Monde if the RN wins the legislative elections, France would undoubtedly enter a period of unprecedented institutional uncertainty.

"A far-right party has never come out on top in a French general election," he said.

"The RN, as a far-right party, is historically and structurally anti-liberal, and does not adhere to certain constitutional principles that are at the heart of the French Republic, notably the principle of equality or the principle of national solidarity in favour of the disadvantaged," he told Le Monde.

According to several pre-election polls, the National Rally should lead the first round. Provisional results are expected from 8 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).
In Afghanistan, fruit exports are stranded but poppy trade zooms.(photo:India Narrative). Image Source: IANS News

Kabul, June 30 : Afghanistan exported commercial goods valued at 304 million U.S. dollars from March 20 to June 20, said the country's Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

"Afghanistan's exports and imports during the first quarter of the Persian calendar year 1403 totalled approximately 2.577 billion U.S. dollars, with 304 million dollars in exports and 2.273 billion dollars in imports," the ministry's spokesperson Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad told local media outlet Ariana News on Saturday.

Afghanistan primarily exports goods to Pakistan, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, India, Austria, Uzbekistan, and Russia, according to Jawad, reports Xinhua news agency.

The main exports included fresh and dried fruits such as pistachios, pine nuts, figs, pomegranates, grapes, raisins, melons, and watermelons. Other significant exports were carpets, handicrafts, and medicinal herbs.
Gurugram, June 30 : Haryana is soon to get a waste-to-charcoal plant, also known as the green coal plant. An MoU for this plant will be signed between NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVNL) and the Haryana government soon.

After setting up the plant in Gurugram-Manesar and Faridabad, this initiative will be expanded to other cities in Haryana. NVVNL officers will soon visit a few sites to establish green coal plants.

The district administration spokesperson said that to implement these plants, a meeting was held at Shram Shakti Bhawan in New Delhi, chaired by Minister, Manohar Lal.

The government is highly committed to reducing the problem of the increasing quantity of municipal solid waste and using it beneficially for renewable energy production.

During the meeting on waste-to-energy, detailed discussions were held on NVVNL's initiative to produce green coal from solid waste.

It is noteworthy that green coal, also known as bio-coal, is a sustainable alternative to traditional waste, as it can be blended with regular coal for electricity generation in thermal power plants.

NVVNL recently established a plant in Varanasi to produce green coal from solid waste. Once fully operational, this plant will consume 600 tons of waste and produce 200 tonnes of green coal, leaving very little residue. NVVNL is also working in various stages to set up green coal plants in Haldwani, Vadodara, Noida, Gorakhpur, and Bhopal.

Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) Narhari Singh Bangar mentioned that the MCG has already initiated this process and shown some sites in Gurugram to the NVVNL officials.

The Union Minister instructed that the civic body, in collaboration with NVVNL, should set up a green coal plant at Bandhwari or alternative sites around Gurugram and Manesar.

He stated that this plant should be capable of consuming around 1200 tons of solid waste daily. Similarly, Faridabad Municipal Corporation (FMC) should start the process with NVVNL to set up a plant with a capacity of 1000 tonnes per day on the available land in the village of Mothuka.

Establishing waste-to-green coal plants in Gurugram-Manesar and Faridabad will not only provide a permanent solution to the waste problem but also increase energy production.
Dehradun, June 30 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed public grievances on Sunday at the Mukhya Sevak Sadan located at his camp office.

During the session, he issued crucial directives to officials at the Chief Minister's office aimed at expediting the resolution of public issues by ensuring each problem or complaint is promptly forwarded to the relevant department, with tracking of actions taken.

Chief Minister Dhami emphasised that issues resolvable at the police station, tehsil, or district level should not unnecessarily escalate to the state government. He instructed officials to assign responsibility to the concerned officers for resolving such complaints promptly.

Various concerns were raised during the programme, including health services, road infrastructure, drinking water availability, financial assistance, electricity supply and land-related matters.

Dhami instructed officials to take immediate action to address all raised issues. He further directed district magistrates to regularly conduct tehsil days and Block Development Committee (BDC) meetings, ensuring the presence of senior officials at these gatherings.

In a proactive move, Chief Minister Dhami mandated that district magistrates dedicate one hour daily to address public grievances directly. The event was attended by IG Garhwal K.S. Naganyal, Additional Secretary Sanjay Tolia, Additional District Magistrate Dehradun Jay Bharat Singh and other officials.

Dhami's directives underscore his commitment to enhancing administrative efficiency and accountability in resolving public concerns swiftly. This initiative is expected to contribute significantly to the progress and prosperity of Uttarakhand.
Amaravati, June 30 : A team of international experts on water resources on Sunday began a visit to the Polavaram project site in Andhra Pradesh for a study on how to salvage "damaged" portions of the mega irrigation project across the Godavari River.

The experts from the US and Canada went around the project site and discussed with the officials concerned.

The four experts, two each from the US and Canada, had reached Rajahmundry on Saturday night after a meeting with officials of the Central Water Resources Department in New Delhi.

On Sunday, they reached Polavaram and after having a meeting with the officials, they inspected the project site, including the diaphragm wall, the two cofferdams and the guide bund.

These experts in water resources are expected to stay at the project site till July 3 to have a detailed study of the project design.

After completing their visit to Polavaram, these experts will again be holding review meetings with the officials of the Central Water Resources Department and the representatives of the construction companies.

The state government has taken the assistance of these foreign experts in water resources as the prevailing situation is such that the "actual loss" to the project caused in the past five years due to the "faulty" decisions of the previous government could not be assessed, according to an official statement.

While releasing a white paper on Polavaram on June 28, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that his government would rope in international experts to assess the project's current status.

He said the government would also take the help of experts from IITs, the Central Water Commission and the Central government to overcome the challenges.

The Chief Minister alleged that his predecessor Jagan Mohan Reddy betrayed the state by destructing Polavaram.

He alleged that funds given by the Centre for the construction of the project were also diverted.

Naidu claimed that while 72 per cent of the works were completed during the earlier TDP regime, the YSRCP government did only 3.84 per cent of the work.

CM Naidu outlined the potential benefits of Polavaram, including irrigation of 7.2 lakh acres and stabilisation of 23.50 lakh acres, along with an abundant water supply for industries.

He attributed significant damages at the Polavaram project site, including to the diaphragm wall and cofferdams, to what he described as Jagan Mohan Reddy's negligent governance approach.

CM Naidu highlighted that during the TDP regime in 2018, the diaphragm wall was completed for Rs 436 crore. However, officials indicated that an additional Rs 447 crore would be required to rectify damages incurred under the subsequent government. Moreover, the construction of a new diaphragm wall was estimated to cost Rs 990 crore and could potentially span three to four seasons for completion.
New Delhi, June 30 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday said that it has arrested two persons after extensive searches at 10 locations in five districts of Tamil Nadu in the Hizb-ut-Tahrir case.

"The arrested accused are members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, an international pan-Islamist and fundamentalist organisation which is working to re-establish Islamic caliphate and enforce the constitution written by Hizb-ut-Tahrir's founder Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani," the agency said in a statement.

The NIA has identified the accused as Abdul Rehman and Mujibur Rehman Altham Sahib, both from Thanjavur District.

NIA investigations revealed that they were involved in conducting secret classes to radicalise youth in extremist ideologies, promoting democracy and the Indian Constitution, law and judiciary etc as anti-Islamic.

"The trainees were taught that India was now Darul Kufr (land of non-believers) and it was their duty to transform it into Darul Islam by establishing an Islamic state in India by waging violent jihad," the statement said.

Sunday's searches led to the seizure of digital devices, including mobile phones, laptops, SIM and memory cards, besides several other incriminating documents, including books and printouts containing ideology of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Khilafa, Islamic State and proposed Khilafa government and its funding structures, etc.

The agency said that investigations in the case are continuing.
Khartoum, June 30 : The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on Sunday refuted the claim that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had taken control of Singa, the capital city of Sinnar State in central Sudan.

"Our forces in Singa are ... fighting the enemy with steadfastness and high morale," Nabil Abdalla, the SAF's spokesman, said in a statement, noting that the forces "are holding to their positions," reports Xinhua news agency.

Late Saturday, the RSF's spokesman Al-Fateh Qurashi announced on social platform X that the RSF fully controlled Singa and had seized all institutions in the city, including the state government's headquarters.

In the meantime, the Al-Sinnari Observatory, a local legal organisation, warned in a statement on Sunday of a new humanitarian catastrophe in the city.

"Singa has witnessed armed clashes and violent artillery shelling on a number of civilian objects and innocent citizens amid reports of casualties among civilians that are being counted," the statement said.

The observatory said thousands of citizens were displaced and moved towards the Blue Nile State in southern Sudan.

The clashes between the SAF and the RSF have been escalating over the past week in central Sudan, including in Gezira and Sinnar states and at the outskirts of Gedaref State in eastern Sudan.

Sudan has been embroiled in a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which has claimed more than 16,650 lives, according to the Sudan situation report updated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs earlier this week.
Amaravati, June 30 : Andhra Pradesh's Minister for Transport, Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy said on Sunday that the state government will soon roll out free travel facility for women in Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses.

He said the government would soon give good news to women by implementing its poll promise.

The minister announced the free bus travel scheme will be launched from Visakhapatnam.

Ramprasad Reddy said the officials would visit Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka to study implementation of free bus travel scheme for women in neighbouring states.

The transport minister alleged that the previous government of YSR Congress Party did not fully merge APSRTC into the government.

He said the coalition government would take up cleansing of APSRTC without causing any problems to employees and workers.

Free travel for women in APSRTC buses was one of the promises made by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) under 'Super Six'.

The schemes were included in the election manifesto of TDP and its ally Jana Sena Party (JSP).

Third alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not release a state-specific manifesto in line with its national policy. It, however, endorsed the TDP-JSP manifesto.

The 'Super Six' includes the 'Thalliki Vandhanam' scheme, under which Rs 15,000 will be given every year to every school-going student.

The amount will be credited to the bank account of the student's mother.

Additionally, every woman in the age group of 18-59 will receive Rs 1,500 per month through Aadabidda Nidhi (women's fund).

The scheme is aimed at empowering women and making them financially strong.

Under the Deepam Scheme, three free gas cylinders will be distributed per year.

Under Yuvashakti, the TDP has promised Rs 3,000 per month for every jobless youth.

Similarly, under 'Annadatha', the party promised annual financial assistance of Rs 20,000 to every farmer.
There is a Sandeshkhali in every Bengal village, says Amit Malviya after Trinamool worker beats couple publicly. Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, June 30 : BJP IT Chief and the party's Central Observer for West Bengal Amit Malviya said that there is a Sandeshkhali in every village of the state, after a video of a couple beaten by a local Trinamool Congress worker Tejemul aka JCB, went viral on Sunday.

"There is a #Sandeshkhali in every village and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a curse for women. There is no semblance of law and order in Bengal. Will Mamata Banerjee act against this monster or defend him like she stood up for Sheikh Shahjahan?" Malviya wrote on X.

Earlier, a video had gone viral in which JCB was seen beating up a couple mercilessly at a Kangaroo Court in the open streets at Chopra block in North Dinajpur district of West Bengal.

Malviya also claimed that the accused is a close associate of the Trinamool Congress legislator from Chopra Hamidul Rahman.

Locals claimed that the victim woman was summoned by JCB over allegations that she was in an extra-marital relationship.

The youth, with whom the victim woman has been accused of having a relation, was also mercilessly beaten up by JCB at the same Kangaroo Court.

Trinamool Congress District President Kanhaiyalal Agarwal has called the incident unfortunate. "Police have been informed and the cops are looking into the matter," Agarwal told media persons.

Chopra legislator Hamidul Rahman said that he has already summoned JCB to know what actually happened. The inspector-in-charge of Chopra Police Station Amaresh Singh confirmed police have taken up the case and the investigation is going on.
Ankara, June 30 : The head of the Turkish Intelligence Organization Ibrahim Kalin on Sunday met with Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, the state media reported.

They discussed the latest status of the ceasefire negotiations, the necessary measures to secure a lasting ceasefire, hostage exchange, and the delivery of humanitarian aid, state-run TRT broadcaster reported.

Kalin expressed his condolences for the deaths of Haniyeh's sister, who was killed in a recent Israeli attack, and the Palestinian people killed in the ongoing offensive, saying that TArkiye will continue to stand by the Palestinian people, according to the report, Xinhua news agency reported.

The broadcaster did not identify the venue of the meeting.

Israel has been carrying out a massive offensive in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for a Hamas rampage on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken hostage.

The Israeli assault caused a severe humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave and killed more than 37,700 people, according to the health authorities in Gaza.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 30, 2024 - 21:24 | All, Japan, World

The Japanese government is set to overhaul its international symposium on women's empowerment to focus more on building up the next generation and strengthening cooperation with the United Nations, sources close to the matter said Sunday.

The move comes as the government has deemed it necessary for the World Assembly for Women, launched in 2014, to adopt a more practical approach by involving men and younger generations to address issues related to women and gender.

Japan continues to lag behind its peers in closing the gender gap, ranking 118th among 146 countries in the 2024 report by the World Economic Forum.

There are plans to hold the next international conference in 2025 centered on the theme of "women, peace and security," emphasizing women's involvement in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, the sources said.

The inaugural symposium, spearheaded by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as part of his efforts to boost female participation in the workforce, was held in September 2014 with Christine Lagarde, then managing director of the International Monetary Fund, among the attendees.

The fourth annual meeting in November 2017 featured Ivanka Trump, daughter and senior adviser of then U.S. President Donald Trump, as a speaker.

At the sixth event in December 2022, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged his commitment to promoting policies that reflect the perspective of women. However, by this time the conference's role had diminished as most of the key issues regarding women's empowerment had been covered.

The government is set to rename the forum and shift the focus on sending Japanese youth to U.N. meetings and international events, as well as creating networking opportunities between young researchers from Japan and abroad.

The new program will also incorporate the women, peace and security agenda driven by Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa.

In relation to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, the government is also considering organizing a symposium to discuss solutions to climate change and other global issues from a gender perspective, according to the sources.

Related coverage:

Japan to appoint first female prosecutor general in July

Japan ranks 118th in 2024 gender gap report, still far worst among G7

Japan plans to require more firms to disclose gender pay gap data
Doha, June 30 : India and Qatar on Sunday discussed further enhancement of bilateral relations and continued dialogue on issues of mutual interest during External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar's day-long official visit to Doha.

The EAM held talks with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Sunday, immediately after his arrival in Qatar's capital.

"Reviewed our bilateral relationship focusing on political, trade, investment, energy, technology, culture and people-to-people ties. Exchanged views on regional and global issues. Appreciate his sharing insights on the Gaza situation," Jaishankar posted on X after his meeting with Al Thani.

He also conveyed the greetings and warm wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Amir of Qatar.

"India and Qatar share historic and friendly relations which are marked by regular exchange of high-level visits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Qatar on 14-15 February 2024 and held discussions with Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani," the MEA had stated ahead of Jaishankar's visit.

"EAM's visit will enable both sides to review various aspects of bilateral relations including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural and people-to-people as well as the regional and international issues of mutual interest," the Ministry mentioned.

During his Doha visit earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi thanked the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for taking care of the over eight lakh strong Indian community in Qatar and conveyed India's commitment to further expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation with the country.

The Qatari Amir reciprocated PM Modi's sentiments and expressed appreciation for India's role as a valued partner in the Gulf region. He also appreciated the contributions of the vibrant Indian community in Qataras development and their enthusiastic participation in various international events held in Qatar.

"India-Qatar bilateral trade roughly stands at close to $20 billion and the two countries also have a multi-faceted partnership in the field of energy, which includes energy trade as also other segments of energy supply chain contributing to a stronger partnership in the field of energy security," Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra had said after the PM's visit.

In February, on the sidelines of India Energy Week held in Goa, the two countries signed an agreement for the supply of 7.5 MMtpa LNG from Qatar to India for 20 years, starting 2028 onwards.

This is EAM Jaishankar's third official visit during the third term of the Modi government. He had earlier visited Sri Lanka (June 20) and the UAE (June 23).
New Delhi, June 30 : Snap polls to elect the new Iranian President saw a new low in turnout and went into a runoff, as widely predicted. However, the position of the two candidates for the run-off - the first since 2005 - is revealing about public sentiments, the limitations of political labelling, and more significantly, the divergent mood in the establishment.

Masoud Pezeshkian, the sole reformist candidate allowed in the race after being debarred in 2021, secured first place with 10.41 million votes, ahead of his ultra-conservative rival and former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, with 9.47 million, out of the 24.5 million votes cast, or just about 40 per cent of the 61 million-odd electorate.

Surprisingly, Majles Speaker and former Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, whom some polls had tipped as a prime contender over both Pezeshkian and Jalili, was the distant third with 3.38 million votes, while, the only cleric in the contest, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, had to be content with 206,397 votes

Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani and Vice President Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi - both conservatives - had quit days before Friday's election.

The vote count suggests that the combined votes of the conservatives in the run-off next Friday will be enough to propel Jalili to victory - unless more voters from the widely disenchanted abstaining majority jettison their apathy and head to the polling booths to support Pezeshkian.

In the present instance, appeals for support to him by former Presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hasan Rouhani and former Foreign Minister Javed Zarif did not seem to have been enough to galvanise the reformist-leaning vote.

While Qalibaf, Zakani and Ghazizadeh have now asked their supporters to vote for Jalili in the run-off in order to ensure victory for the "revolution front", Pourmohammadi's response was more meaningful and nuanced.

"Greetings to all of you who came to vote on June 29, and respect to all of you who did not believe us and did not come. Your presence and absence are full of messages that I hope will be heard. Your message is clear and unambiguous," he said in a social media message.

In fact, Pourmohammadi, who though deemed a conservative and targetted for his role in extrajudicial executions in the 1980s - along with late President Ebrahim Raisi, whose death in a helicopter crash last month, caused the election, surprised people with his disapproval of internet bans. He also batted for more women's participation in the Majles.

His stand may be seen as unexpected not unprecedented - since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran had eight Presidents, out of which five were clerics, spanning from hardline conservatives (current Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Raisi), to moderative conservative (Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani), to reformists (Mohammad Khatami and Hasan Rouhani).

On the other hand, the relative performances of Jalili, an acknowledged hardliner and Qalibaf, who sought to portray himself as a more pragmatic conservative - or the fact that both remained in the contest, raises some interesting questions.

Jalili, who had contested the 2013 poll but lost to Rouhani and filed nominations in 2021 where he withdrew in favour of Raisi, and Qalibaf, who was also a rather perennial Presidential candidate (2005, 2013, 2017), like former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaee (2005, 2009, 2013, 2021), have many similarities.

Both are close to Supreme Leader Khamenei and the IRGC and have extensive security credentials with Jalili being a nuclear deal negotiator and currently the Supreme Leader's representative to the Supreme National Security Council, while Qalibaf was a former commander of the IRGC air force and then, the country's chief of police.

However, Qalibaf, who secured the endorsement of prominent security establishment figures like Major General Rezaee (retd) and former Defence Minister and navy chief, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, among others. ended up securing nearly one-third of the votes that Jalili got, indicating the establishment does not think or operate in a monolith manner. However, the more doctrinaire element seems to be maintaining its predominance over the realistic part.

With Jalili favourite to win in the run-off as the conservative votes coalesce, it is tempting to view his Presidency as a continuation of the Raisi era as he was a key influence on the late President, but the situation is not so clear-cut.

While foreign or nuclear policy may not see many changes under Jalili - or for that matter, under Pezeshkian, for all his rhetoric, given the limitations of the President's role, both have a policy overlap in several domestic issues, particularly, on economic development, welfare and employment creation. However, Pezeshkian is more upfront on social issues, especially the role of the morality police, which he opposes.

However, it remains to be seen if more reformists, enthused by the prospect of a Pezeshkian win, will turn out.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)
Kolkata, June 30 : The North Dinajpur District Police registered a suo motu case in the Chopra beating incident in which a local Trinamool Congress worker mercilessly beat up a couple over an alleged extra-marital affair.

North Dinajpur District Superintendent Jubi Thomas told media persons that police have already started search operations in the area to track the prime accused and others who are involved in the case.

The principal accused, identified by the locals as Rejemul a.k.a. JCB, is known to be close to the local Trinamool Congress MLA Hamidul Rahman.

Sources said that, as per the preliminary investigation, the incident took place in the Laxmipur village panchayat area, a couple of days back.

Meanwhile, the CPI-M State Secretary Mohammed Salim has alleged that ruling activists torturing people has become a trend in West Bengal.

Salim said that the state is witnessing misrule under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the entire legal system has failed to stop such incidents.

BJP's Rajya Sabha member and state Spokesman Samik Bhattacharya said that the Chopra beating incident is nothing for the people of West Bengal. "In most cases, such events are suppressed by the ruling party with the help of local police," he said.

Former Trinamool Congress state Spokesman Kunal Ghosh said that it will be too early to come to a conclusion based on this video. He also alleged that interference in personal matters was a regular practice during the previous Left Front government as well.
Bhubaneswar, June 30 : Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Sunday announced that the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Jagannath Temple at Puri will be opened soon.

Speaking at a felicitation ceremony of newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs and MLAs of the state organised here on Sunday, CM Majhi said: "There is an emotional question in everybody's mind that when the Ratna Bhandar will be opened. I want to say that Ratna Bhandar will be opened soon and inventory will be carried out of the ornaments of the holy triad kept there. Stern action would be taken against those who will be found guilty and nobody will be spared."

The Chief Minister said that a new Odisha has taken birth for the safeguard of Odia Asmita (Odia Self-Identity) following the end of the rule of those who were maligning the heritage, culture and language of Odisha by distorting the image of Utkal (Odisha).

He said that the BJP government will work hard to protect Odia Asmita and make Odisha the number 1 state in India. Odisha is included in the pledge of PM Modi of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Majhi further asserted that BJP succeeded in forming the government on its own after a long struggle only due to the hard work of the workers and leaders.

CM Majhi again reiterated that the much-hyped Subhadra Yojana will be launched in the state on September 17, the birthday of PM Narendra Modi.

The women beneficiaries will get a cash voucher of Rs 50,000 under the yojana, one of the major poll promises of BJP.

Senior party leaders including CM Majhi, two Deputy CMs K.V. Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, three Union Ministers, Dharmendra Pardhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jual Oram, state unit BJP president Manmohan Samal, other MPs and MLAs of the party were present on the felicitation programme held here on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that new railway projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore will be implemented in Odisha in the next five years.

He said that Odisha was neglected in the past by the previous Congress-led UPA government at the Centre and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government in Odisha.

"With the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we will bring railway projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore to Odisha in the next five years," said Vaishnaw.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the BJP government in the state will work hard to fulfil the expectations of the people of Odisha with the blessings of Lord Jagannath and the support and guidance of PM Modi.

The senior BJP leaders assured the people at the event that all the promises made in the election manifesto of the party will be fulfilled.
Aden : , June 30 (IANS) A fresh round of negotiations between the Yemeni government and Houthi representatives began Sunday in Muscat, focusing on the exchange of prisoners and detainees.

The talks, held under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), aim to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis surrounding prisoners in the conflict-ridden nation, reports Xinhua news agency.

Majid Fadail, spokesperson for the government delegation, confirmed to Xinhua that the initial session took place during the past hours. The meeting was attended by Sarhad Fattah, deputy special envoy of the UN secretary-general to Yemen, along with representatives from the ICRC and the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

According to Fadail, the primary objective of these negotiations is to secure the release of all prisoners and detainees without discrimination, based on an "all-for-all" principle. He emphasised "the government delegation's commitment to addressing this humanitarian issue responsibly."

A key point of discussion is the fate of Mohamed Qahtan, a prominent Yemeni politician held by the Houthis nine years ago in Sanaa. The government delegation stressed that "progress in the negotiations is contingent on revealing Qahtan's status and securing his release," according to Fadail.

On the other side, Abdul Qader Murtada, head of the Houthi negotiating team, expressed optimism on social media platform X, stating, "We hope it will be a successful round that a new exchange deal will be agreed upon, and the humanitarian file will be resolved."

The current round follows a series of UN-sponsored talks between the Yemeni government and Houthis over the years. The most recent discussions, held in Amman in June 2023, ended without an agreement.

However, a previous round in Switzerland in March 2023 led to a successful exchange in April 2023, resulting in the release of over 800 prisoners and detainees from both warring Yemeni sides.
Seoul, June 30 : North Korea vowed Sunday to take "offensive and overwhelming countermeasures" to protect its sovereignty as it condemned South Korea, the United States and Japan for their recent joint military exercises.

The move came amid a growing North Korea-Russia alignment after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty that calls for providing military assistance to each other without delay if either side comes under an armed attack.

North Korea will "never overlook the moves of the US and its followers to strengthen the military bloc ... but firmly defend the sovereignty, security and interests of the state and peace in the region through offensive and overwhelming countermeasures," North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency.

The ministry did not elaborate on what it meant by countermeasures, reported Yonhap news agency.

On Saturday, South Korea, the US and Japan wrapped up their first, three-day trilateral multi-domain military exercise, titled "Freedom Edge," aimed at strengthening their deterrence against North Korean threats.

The three nations have had combined maritime and aerial exercises before, but Freedom Edge was the first trilateral exercise held across multiple domains, including air, maritime, underwater and cyber.

South Korea's defence ministry said the trilateral exercise is "defensive in nature."

"Our military will firmly respond to any threat or provocation from North Korea that destroys peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula based on the overwhelming South Korea-U.S. combined defence posture," the ministry said.
Agartala, June 30 : Eleven more Bangladeshi nationals, including five women, were arrested from the Agartala railway station for entering India illegally as they sought to make their way to other states of the country in search of jobs, officials said on Sunday.

Acting on reports, Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel conducted a thorough search of a Guwahati-bound train and apprehended the Bangladeshi nationals on Saturday night, a GRP official said.

He said that during questioning, the Bangladeshi nationals could not show any passport or any other valid travel document for entering Indian territory.

The detainees, aged between 20 to 36 years, told the police that they had plans to go to Chennai or Mumbai or Kolkata in search of jobs.

"We are investigating whether these Bangladeshi nationals are part of human trafficking attempts," the official said.

With these 11 fresh detainees, over 70 Bangladeshi nationals have so far been arrested in Tripura in the last two months.

All of them had entered Tripura illegally, in search of jobs in various states of India. Despite most parts of the 856 km India-Bangladesh border in Tripura being already fenced and strict security put in place, Bangladeshi nationals are often being caught in the northeastern state.
Kolkata, June 30 : Tejemul a.k.a. JCB, a local Trinamool Congress worker accused of beating up a couple over an alleged extra-marital affair in West Bengal's Chopra block was arrested by police on late Sunday evening.

Kolkata, June 30 (IANS) Tejemul a.k.a. JCB, a local Trinamool Congress worker accused of beating up a couple over an alleged extra-marital affair in West Bengalas Chopra block was arrested by police on late Sunday evening.

Police officials said that he was arrested from Chopra and brought to the Islampur police station.

Earlier, a video had gone viral in which JCB was seen beating up a couple mercilessly at a Kangaroo Court in the open streets at Chopra block in North Dinajpur district of West Bengal.

Locals claimed that the victim woman was summoned by JCB over allegations that she was in an extra-marital relationship.

The youth, with whom the victim woman has been accused of having a relation, was also mercilessly beaten up by JCB at the same Kangaroo Court.

Trinamool Congress District President Kanhaiyalal Agarwal has called the incident unfortunate.

CPI-M State Secretary Mohammed Salim has alleged that ruling activists torturing people has become a trend in West Bengal.

BJPas Rajya Sabha member and state Spokesman Samik Bhattacharya said that the Chopra beating incident is not new for the people of West Bengal.
New Delhi, June 30 : India is now set to enforce new criminal laws, replacing colonial codes. The three new criminal laws -- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam -- will be implemented nationwide on Monday (July 1).

They are set to replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

The new laws aim to modernise the justice system by introducing features like Zero FIR, online police complaint registration, electronic summonses via SMS, and mandatory videography of crime scenes for all serious offences.

Following the notification of the three new criminal laws on December 25, 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) initiated several preparations to ensure their effective implementation and to raise awareness among all stakeholders, including police, prisons, prosecutors, judicial, forensic personnel, and the general public.

Here are the initiatives undertaken by the MHA to ensure effective and smooth implementation of the new laws.

Twenty-three functional updates were applied to the existing CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems) application to align with the technological requirements of the new criminal laws, including FIR filing.

Technical support was provided to states/Union Territories (UTs) to facilitate a smooth transition to the new system.

Support teams and call centers were established to provide continuous monitoring and assistance to states/UTs in implementing the new criminal laws.

C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) is developing the CCTNS 2.0 application, which will incorporate secure cloud storage and features for crime scene videography and forensic evidence collection.

Significantly, the MHA launched a mobile and web application called NCRB Compendium of Criminal Laws.

It was made available on NCRB, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), iGot websites, as well as on Google Play Store and iOS.

The e-Sakshaya app was developed that enables videography, photography of crime scenes, and document onboarding.

It has been distributed to all police departments across states and Union Territories, with comprehensive testing completed.

The Nyayashruti App facilitates electronic judicial hearings and document onboarding, shared with all states/UTs and the e-Committee of the Supreme Court for court implementation. The e-Summon App facilitates electronic service of court summonses.

Additionally, necessary updates were made to CCTNS, e-Prison, e-Prosecution, and e-Forensic apps in accordance with the new laws.

The MHA implemented comprehensive training initiatives to build capacity among various stakeholders, including police, prisons, prosecutors, judicial officers, forensic experts, and central police organisations.

Several training modules were developed specifically for capacity building.

Over 250 training courses, webinars, and seminars were conducted, resulting in the training of a large number of officers and personnel.

Control rooms have been established with teams comprising law and police officers to manage and address queries and challenges raised by field personnel during the implementation of the new laws.

Extensive publicity campaigns on social media were carried out.

Ministries published advisories, press releases, and infographics on social media platforms to inform the public about the three new criminal laws.

Dialogue workshops held in state capitals, focused on regional media, to highlight the benefits of implementing the new laws.
Kolkata, June 30 : National Commission for Women (NCW) member Delina Khondup on Sunday said that the police must ensure the safety of family members of the BJP woman activist who was allegedly beaten by Trinamool Congress women workers on June 25.

"I need to further interact with the victim. She and her family members have a feeling of insecurity. I have informed the police about their situation and they must ensure their security," Khondup told media persons after meeting the victim and her family members.

Sources said that police have arrested four persons based on the complaint filed by the victim and her family members at Ghoksadanga Police Station in Mathabhanga of Cooch Behar District.

In the police complaint, the victim alleged that on June 25, she was surrounded by some women activists of the ruling Trinamool Congress and badly beaten. She alleged that the Trinamool women activists took off her sari and dragged her for nearly a kilometre.

The local Trinamool Congress leadership has claimed that the incident took place due to the family feud and Trinamool's name is being unnecessarily dragged into the controversy.

BJP legislators have also called for a sit-in demonstration within the state assembly premises from Monday to protest against the assault.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 30, 2024 - 13:49 | Japan, All

Japan's antitrust watchdog has found that a Toyota Motor Corp. subsidiary forced about 50 subcontractors to store auto parts molds without paying the costs and plans to warn the group company to take measures to prevent a recurrence, a source familiar with the matter said Sunday.

Toyota Customizing & Development Co., in which Toyota holds a 90.5 percent stake, has admitted to violating the subcontract law, the sources said.

The subsidiary, which makes auto parts, ambulances and racing cars, allegedly forced around 50 suppliers to retain more than 650 molds and inspection instruments for parts used in its past vehicles, even though it did not plan to place new orders.

The suppliers apparently complied as they feared losing orders from Toyota Customizing & Development.

The Japan Fair Trade Commission also suspects that the Toyota group company returned over 50 million yen ($310,000) worth of parts to more than 60 suppliers without valid reasons.

The FTC issued a warning to Nissan Motor Co. in March for illegally reducing payments to 36 subcontractors, with the underpayments totaling more than 3 billion yen ($19 million) over about two years.

Related coverage:

Toyota shareholders reappoint chairman Toyoda amid testing scandals

Japan gov't inspects Honda, Mazda over improper vehicle certification

Toyota, Mazda halt production of 5 models amid certification scandal
Jodhpur, June 30 : Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Sunday said that the government will work towards increasing the contribution of tourism to GDP to 10 per cent from the current 6.2 per cent.

Speaking to the media here, he said: "Tourism contributes 6.2 per cent to the country's GDP, how can we increase it to 10 per cent? We will work in this direction.

"Tourism is a state subject and the Rajasthan government has been asked to make its own plan for tourism. When the government submits its plan, the Central government will work on the basis of the priority of that plan. We will soon hold a meeting with other states as well and get information about their preparation and proposal and will work on that basis."

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was talking to the media after arriving at his home constituency on Sunday for the first time after assuming the charge of Union Cabinet minister.

He thanked the workers and the public for his hat-trick of victory in the Lok Sabha.

Talking to the media at the Circuit House on Sunday evening, the Union Minister said that India is a huge centre of tourism and there are many verticals of tourism here, which mainly include culture, nature, wildlife, activity, adventure, among others.

"We will work under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on how these verticals of tourism can be further developed, so that, along with increasing the contribution of tourism to the country's GDP, employment opportunities can also increase," he said.

Shekhawat said that the world of tourism has changed and India is one such country where tourism can get wings.

He said that domestic tourism is also a great strength of India.
Chandigarh, June 30 : In a first, luscious litchis from Punjab's sub-mountainous districts of Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur have been exported to Britain, state Horticulture Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra said on Sunday.

He virtually flagged off the first shipment of litchi, exported by the Horticulture Department in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

He said the litchi cultivation in Punjab covers 3,250 hectares, with a production of approximately 13,000 metric tonnes.

"Due to the favorable climate in Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur districts, the litchi produced has a naturally deep red colour and sweetness superior to those from other states."

Jouramajra said through the state government's initiatives, litchi growers will be able to earn higher profits through exports.

"In the coming days, efforts will be made to export other horticultural crops as well, in collaboration with the Horticulture Department and APEDA," said the Horticulture Minister.

He said the litchi produce of progressive farmer Rakesh Dadwal from village Muradpur in Pathankot has been sent for export to Britain from Amritsar.

"The day is not far away when Punjab's fruits will put the state's name on the map in important foreign markets, and litchi growers will gain recognition internationally," he added.
Srinagar, June 30 : Jammu and Kashmir Police along with security forces have arrested a terrorist associate at Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district and recovered incriminating Improvised Explosive Device (IED) materials and arms and ammunition from his possession, the police said on Sunday.

"At about 7:40 p.m., Sopore Police along with Army (22 Rashtriya Rifles) and CRPF (179 Battalion) established a joint Naka at Machipora, Bomai. During checking, a vehicle (white coloured Maruti Swift) bearing registration number JK01AK-4452 coming from Bomai towards Machipora was intercepted," the police added.

"The driver of the vehicle tried to flee from the spot but the alert party apprehended him."

He has been identified as Waheed-ul-Zahoor.

Police said during the search, two Turkish pistols, three Turkish pistol magazines, 41 pistol rounds, two Chinese grenades, one Turkish pistol silencer, incriminating IED materials and other materials were recovered from the vehicle.

Police have registered an FIR and further investigation is underway.
Yangon, July 1 : Myanmar authorities seized 500,000 stimulant tablets in southern Myanmar's Yangon region, according to a statement from the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC).

Acting on a tip-off, Anti-Narcotics Police intercepted a vehicle at the Aung Mingalar Highway station in Mingaladon township of Yangon region on June 25 and confiscated the drugs, the CCDAC reported on Sunday.

The seized drugs were valued at nearly more than 500 million kyats (about $238,095), and investigations revealed that they were being transported from Shan State to the Yangon region, the committee said as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Four suspects were arrested in connection with the case, and they were charged under the country's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law. Further investigations are ongoing, it added.
Jerusalem, July 1 : Eighteen Israeli soldiers were wounded, one seriously, in a drone strike in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights, as reported by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

According to an IDF statement on Sunday, the attack took place in the northern sector of the Golan Heights, although the origin of the drone was not specified.

The injured soldiers were swiftly evacuated to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care, Xinhua news agency reported.

In response to the incident, the Israeli Air Force conducted strikes on Sunday night targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.

The strikes included hitting a Hezbollah observation post near Markaba and a launcher near Ayta ash Shab, which had been used earlier on Sunday to launch a projectile toward northern Israel.

Additionally, the IDF artillery engaged multiple locations in southern Lebanon.

The latest incidents mark a continuation of the cross-border violence between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group and political party, which has been ongoing since October 2023.
Seoul, July 1 : North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile eastward on Monday, South Korea's military said, marking its second launch in a week.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launch but gave no further details, saying an analysis is underway.

The latest launch comes after North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, Yonhap news agency reported.

North Korea claimed to have successfully conducted a multiple warhead missile test, but South Korea has dismissed the claim, saying the launch failed as the missile exploded in the air.
The first level platform at a railway station in the state of Vermont in the USA has been built at a new station in the town of Brattleboro, about ten miles from the states border with Massachusetts.

Built as a partnership between the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), New England Central Railroad (NECR), and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), providing platform-level boarding improves accessibility as it removes the need for steps to get on or off of trains, especially as the platform is 4 feet above rail level.

50th anniversary commemorative painted. locomotive crossing the Connecticut River at Enfield, Connecticut. // Credit: Amtrak

The new station also has both internal and external accessible waiting areas, and other modernisation and accessible improvements inside the station, on the platform, and in the parking lot.

There is a waiting room with 36 fixed seats and extra standing room, and a new ADA-accessible single-occupant restroom. Outside is a covered waiting area with benches and more standing room.

Platform upgrades include a new electric system for melting snow, lighting, and railings, and a detectable warning edge and signage for extra safety.

50th anniversary commemorative painted locomotive at Wallingford, Connecticut. // Credit: Amtrak

On the outside, the wall of the building facing the track has an art installation depicting the Brattleboro Words Trail.

This is a multi-media installation produced by the community as a tribute to the rich and unique literary and cultural history of the Brattleboro area, which has mainly been funded by the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA)/Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

The improvements at Brattleboro follow other recent improvements and investments Amtrak has made in the state of Vermont.

This includes a $50 million investment in modernising the infrastructure, signalling, and track between Springfield, Mass. and White River JunctionVt. which is due for completion later this year.

Services to benefit from these improvements include the Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express and freight trains.

To supplement those improvements, Amtrak has recently completed upgrades to the Ethan Allen Express that saves 15 minutes of journey time.

Midnight Blue at Hartford Union Station in Hartford, Connecticut. // Credit: Amtrak

Since 2011, Amtrak has invested more than $880 million in accessibility upgrades and improvement at 124 stations across the national network for a safer, more efficient, and comfortable travel experience for customers with disabilities.

Another $165 million has been designated to complete upgrades at 35 more stations during this fiscal year.

Amtrak has recently completed a $1.5 million renovation of Durham station in North Carolina, and has started a four-year project to rebuild its station in Philadelphia.

Celebrating the groundbreaking for a new station and the states first-ever level boarding platform is a milestone were proud to accomplish with our partners. Combining these investments with other recent improvements Amtrak has made in the state of Vermont, creates a better overall train travel experience for the states residents and visitors. Dr. David Handera, Amtrak Vice President, Accessibility, Stations and Facilities
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BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- China's meteorological and water resources authorities on Sunday evening renewed a red alert -- their highest-level alert -- for mountain torrents as rainstorms continue to soak parts of the country.

From 8 p.m. Sunday to 8 p.m. Monday, mountain torrents are very likely to occur in parts of Hunan and Guizhou, according to the Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration.

The two departments also issued an orange alert for mountain torrents in the northeast of Guangxi.

Mountain torrents could also be triggered by temporary heavy downpours in other areas, the authorities said.

Localities have been advised to strengthen real-time monitoring and flood warning procedures, prepare for possible evacuation, and take precautionary measures to minimize risks.

In a separate update, the National Meteorological Center on Sunday evening issued an orange alert for rainstorms.

Parts of Jiangsu, Anhui, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi should expect downpours, with some regions likely to experience heavy rains of up to 260 millimeters within 24 hours, ending at 8 p.m. Monday, according to the National Meteorological Center.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

In a separate update on Sunday, the Ministry of Water Resources said that floods have occurred with water levels rising above warning level in 98 tributaries or trunk streams in the Yangtze River basin, the Xijiang River in the Pearl River basin, and the Taihu Lake basin.

Taihu Lake and Dongting Lake are experiencing their own 2024 "No. 1 Floods" as of Sunday, and their water levels continue to climb, authorities have said. 
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GREAT NATURE WILDERNESS MODOC COUNTY This property is inside a Mobil Home Park in CALIFORNIA PINES in Modoc County; It is a beautiful community surrounded by 2 million acres of the Modoc National Forest in Northern California. California Pines is a peaceful and uncrowded retreat... with green meadows, towering pines and trickling streams. It's a place to get away from the stress of the big city. If you want to get back to nature, if you want to escape and become part of a tranquil and laid-back ...

Price: $ 650 Seller State of Residence: California Type: Homesite, Lot Zoning: Residential State/Province: California Location: 928**, Anaheim, California

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ATLANTIC PALACEAtlantic City, NJ Bordered by Atlantic Citys deep, spectacular beach and world-renowned boardwalk, this luxurious 31-story resort offers intrinsic oceanic views amidst myriad nightlife venues, casinos, dining offerings and retail shops. Whether being entertained by a headline performer, dancing the night away, shopping, surfing, or solving the crime at a mystery dinner theater, Atlantic City will give you an unforgettable experience Resort Amenities Elevator Beach Salon Game Ro...

Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Missouri Property Address: 1507 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ Number of Bedrooms: 1 Number of Bathrooms: 1 Zip/Postal Code: 08401 City: Atlantic City State/Province: New Jersey Location: 658**, Springfield, Missouri

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BLUEGREEN'S VACATION CLUB LAUREL CREST RESORT Pigeon Forge, TN In the foothills of the Smoky Mountains lies Laurel Crest, a cozy country haven less than a mile from the action of Pigeon Forge, but far enough away to offer rest and relaxation. Enjoy mountain views from the outdoor hot tubs and keep an eye out for local wildlife including wild turkey and black bear from the from the wraparound clubhouse deck. You can do the same from the comfort of your vacation suite. Resort Amenities BBQ Grills ...

Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Missouri Property Address: 2628 Laurel Crest Ln, Pigeon Forge, TN Number of Bedrooms: 2 Number of Bathrooms: 2 Zip/Postal Code: 37863 City: Pigeon Forge State/Province: Tennessee Location: 658**, Springfield, Missouri

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MOUNTAINVIEW RESORTJACKMAN, ME Mountainview Resort offers a unique experience in one of the last pristine frontier areas in the Northeast. 40 acres provides plenty of room for its 10 spacious log cabins, and 10 lodge suites, assuring that you will enjoy comfortable private accommodations as you reconnect with nature. It is difficult to find a view that is not breathtaking. Located in beautiful Jackman, Maine, Mountainview Resort is the perfect home base for all your outdoor adventures year round...

Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Missouri Property Address: 263 Main St, Jackman, ME Number of Bedrooms: 1 Number of Bathrooms: 1 Zip/Postal Code: 04945 City: Jackman State/Province: Maine Location: 658**, Springfield, Missouri

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PALM BEACH SHORES RESORT West Palm Beach, Florida Overlooking the ocean, this elegant beachfront resort is 7 miles from the Flagler Museum and 8 miles from the Norton Museum of Art. Chic suites come with balconies, kitchens and living rooms with sofa-beds, as well as free Wi-Fi, TVs and DVD players. Some suites have ocean views. A relaxed restaurant serves American fare, and there's also a poolside tiki bar. Other amenities include a private beach, 2 outdoor pools, a fitness center, a spa, and a...

Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Missouri Property Address: 181 S Ocean Ave, Palm Beach Shores, FL Number of Bedrooms: 1 Number of Bathrooms: 1 Zip/Postal Code: 33404 City: Palm Beach Shores State/Province: Florida Location: 658**, Springfield, Missouri

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PALMERA VACATION CLUBHilton Head Island, SC Palmera Vacation Club helps members create customized vacation experiences year after year. The vacation club gives you the opportunity to choose to return to Hilton Head Island whenever you vacation at any of these famous resort: Coral Sands Coral Reef Island Links Port O' Call Or getaway to an array of RCI Affiliated Resorts with the exchange program. There are 4,300 RCI Resorts worldwide and all these resorts are eligible to book using your Palmera ...

Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Missouri Property Address: 33 Office Park Rd Suite #218, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 Zip/Postal Code: 29928 City: Hilton Head State/Province: South Carolina Location: 658**, Springfield, Missouri

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SEA CREST SURF & RACQUET CLUB Hilton Head Island, SC Sea Crest Surf and Racquet Club is nestled among the beaches of gorgeous Hilton Head Island. Choose to splash in the waves or build sandcastles on the shore of the beach or explore the waters by kayak, boat, or jet ski. Grab your loved one for a night of drinks at the local bars or bring the whole family along for the incredible seafood restaurants around town. The historical attractions, boutique shops, and guided tours for all will keep your...

Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Missouri Property Address: 3 Avocet Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC Number of Bedrooms: 1 Number of Bathrooms: 1 Zip/Postal Code: 29938 City: Hilton Head Island State/Province: South Carolina Location: 658**, Springfield, Missouri

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TAHITI VILLAGE RESORT & SPA 7200 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89119 Tahiti Village is a 27-acre resort located right on the famed Las Vegas Boulevard. This Tahitian themed resort includes three multi-unit residential towers surrounding a lushly landscaped courtyard. The heart of Tahitian themed resort is the beautiful main pool area, complete with a lagoon style pool, with sandy beach, a lazy river, a cascading waterfall, wet decks for lounging, hot tub, and other on-site amenities. Resort Am...

Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Missouri Property Address: 7200 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV Number of Bedrooms: 1 Number of Bathrooms: 1 Zip/Postal Code: 89119 City: Las Vegas State/Province: Nevada Location: 658**, Springfield, Missouri

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Dominic Rains, who has played trauma surgeon Dr. Crockett Marcel since 2019, will not return for Season 10 of the NBC drama, Chicago Med.

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EW.com and Deadline reported the news Friday.

It is unclear whether Rains might return as a guest star on the medical drama at some point.

The May 24 Season 9 finale saw Dr. Marcel take a break after a young patient died and the boy's father committed suicide.

Rains has not publicly discussed his exit from the show.

Rains' other credits include Burn Country, Captain America: The Winter Solider and General Hospital.
GENEVA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- After a landslide hit southern Switzerland over the night, rescuers found two bodies on Sunday.

Local media said the incident occurred at the Maggia Valley in canton Ticino and one person is still missing.

Thunderstorms and heavy rain affected southern and western Switzerland on Saturday evening and into the night.

The Ticino cantonal police initially did not provide any information about the victims' identities, stating that identification is underway. According to the local daily La Regione, the deceased were two women on holiday in the region.

Local media also reported that a bridge collapse made several valleys inaccessible and disrupted the power grid. People camping in the area were also evacuated.

Swiss President Viola Amherd said on social media flatform X (formerly Twitter):" The heavy storms have caused major damage in several regions. People are missing in Ticino."

She expressed her condolence to those affected, adding that "the situation remains tense. Please take care and follow the instructions of the authorities." 
An increase in the farmer income support scheme PM Kisan Nidhi, the introduction of a 'robot tax' to fund reskilling of people who lose their jobs to artificial intelligence (AI), and a reduced income-tax (I-T) to bring relief to the middle classes  these are some of the items in the Budget wish list submitted by Sangh Parivar affiliates to Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman.

Representatives of the affiliates of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), such as the farmer organisation Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS); trade union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS); Laghu Udyog Bharati, which works for micro and small industries; and Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), which works on economic and policy issues, met the FM and other officials over the last couple of weeks as part of the pre-Budget consultations.

The SJM's Ashwani Mahajan met the FM along with other economists on June 19. He appreciated the Centre's production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, which has helped increase private investments, but stressed that it should now cover micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

He said such a step would contribute to job creation. Mahajan, the national co-convenor of SJM said the upcoming defence corridors should have space for MSMEs.

On the looming challenge of AI, Mahajan suggested introducing a 'robot tax', which could fund the reskilling of those who lose jobs or finance research in improving labour-displacing technologies.

His other suggestions related to ensuring a level playing field for domestic venture capital funds, and taking steps to reduce red-tapism for Indian startups that are reverse flipping.

Representatives of the BMS met the FM along with those of the other dozen trade unions but submitted a separate memorandum.

The Mazdoor Sangh suggested extending the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to 200 days a year.

It said MNREGA should also include work done in agriculture and allied activities.

The BMS suggested restoring the Old Pension Scheme and demanded that the Centre take "quick steps" to fill all central government vacancies, which it said currently stand at close to 2 million.

The trade union said the Centre must create permanent posts for sanitary and sewerage workers in civic bodies and panchayats.

It said sewerage workers employed as contract workers for two decades should get permanent jobs.

The suggestion came in the wake of criticism of the government for reducing the number of government jobs available to Scheduled Castes.

The BMS, whose national organising secretary B Surendran attended the meeting with the FM, demanded steps to create jobs through entrepreneurship development, setting up the 8th pay commission and reducing I-T to "give relief to the middle class".

The BKS demanded an increase in the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, which was introduced in 2018-19, from Rs 6,000 to help farmers meet the challenge of rising input costs.

The BKS said that the Centre needed to increase allocation for irrigation and for connecting rivers to offset climate imbalances.

It said the Centre should stop providing "huge subsidies" to "companies in the name of farmers" since not all farmers benefit from these subsidies as they use other sources to procure fertilisers, implements, and electricity.

Such subsidies, it said, should go directly to farmers. It said farmers should get an input tax credit on agricultural tools since they are also producers, or this should be GST-free, Kisan Sangh general secretary Mohini Mohan Mishra said.

The Laghu Udyog Bharati suggested changes in the goods and services tax regime, and also presented an "8-point plan on 'grassroots-centric economic development' for India to become a $10 trillion economy by 2030."

Key expectations

Swadeshi Jagran Manch
Following a disastrous performance at the debate stage in Atlanta, there is a growing clamour within the ruling Democratic party and the mainstream American media for President Joe Biden to step down from the presidential race.

IMAGE: US President Joe Biden gestures as he walks from Marine One to Air Force One with first lady Jill Biden, in Burlington County, New Jersey, on June 29, 2024. Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

However, the 81-year-old President and his campaign have asserted that he is not giving up and is determined to successfully run for the November 5th presidential elections.

"Biden is the nominee (of the Democratic party. No switching of the nominee," campaign leadership has asserted.

Biden, the 46th president of the United States, has won the Democratic presidential primary.

As of June 29, he had 3,894 delegates as against 1,975 delegates required to win the nomination of the party. These delegates would meet in Chicago from August 19 to 22 to formally nominate the winner of the primaries to run for the November 5 presidential elections.

Biden, seeking a second term in the White House, stumbled and fumbled during the televised presidential debate with his predecessor Donald Trump on Thursday night in Atlanta, setting off alarm bells among top Democrats about whether he can stay atop the gruelling months ahead of the elections on November 5.

The 78-year-old Trump, who is the presumptive Republican Party candidate for the presidential election, clashed right from the start with Biden and by the end of the 90 minutes debate, gave enough fodder for serious editorials and opinions as well as memes on social media.

Over the last 50 hours after the first presidential debate in Atlanta on Thursday night, wherein his performance was seen far below par against his rival Trump, multiple media outlets, including The New York Times and his own party supporters and key decision makers, are calling him to step down from the race.

'Dropping out is Biden's most patriotic option,' The Atlantic said Saturday.

'To serve his country, President Biden should leave the race,' The New York Times editorial board wrote Following the debate.

The New York Times wrote, 'That is no longer a sufficient rationale for why Mr Biden should be the Democratic nominee this year.'

Similar messages are coming from inside the party as well.

However, his inner circle is standing by the side of Biden.

A post-debate poll says that 10 per cent of the independent voters have moved towards Biden after the debate, a point that is being made by his team.

'It wasn't my best debate ever as Barack (Obama) pointed out. I understand the concern after the debate,' Biden told his fundraisers in New Jersey.

'I get it. I didn't have a great night, but I'm going to be fighting harder,' he said.

'Research during the debate shows us converting more undecided voters than Trump did, in large part because of his conduct on January 6,' Biden said.

He argued Trump's lies were the biggest takeaway: 'People remember the bad things during his presidency.'

'I didn't have a great night but neither did he,' he said again of Trump.

Several prominent columnists -- Paul Krugman, Tom Friedman, Nicholas Kristof, Jonathan Alter, and David Ignatius -- argued that the chance of a diminished Biden losing to Trump is too high to risk.
The Central Bureau of Investigation, probing the alleged malpractices in conducting the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Under Graduate exam at a private school in Godhra of Gujarat in May, on Sunday arrested its owner.

IMAGE: AAP MPs including Sanjay Singh (third from left) and others protest against the NEET UG paper leak issue, at the Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi, June 28, 2024. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo

With the arrest of Dixit Patel, owner of Jay Jalaram School situated near Godhra in Panchmahal district, the number of persons arrested so far- five of them were held by Gujarat Police- has gone up to six.

Jay Jalaram School was one of the designated centres where the NEET-UG exam was held on May 5.

Patel was arrested in the early hours of Sunday from his residence in Panchmahal district, said public prosecutor Rakesh Thakor.

"As the case has been handed over to the CBI by the Gujarat government, a CBI team will produce him (Dixit Patel) before a designated court in Ahmedabad to acquire his remand," said Thakor.

Patel is the sixth person to be arrested in this case wherein the accused had allegedly demanded Rs 10 lakh each from at least 27 candidates to help them clear the test.

The other five persons, who were arrested earlier by the Panchmahal police, include Vadodara-based education consultant Parshuram Roy, Jay Jalaram School principal Purushottam Sharma, school teacher Tushar Bhatt, and alleged middlemen Vibhor Anand and Arif Vohra.

After taking over the probe a week back, the CBI had sought custody of four accused except Roy. On Saturday, the Godhra district court remanded Sharma, Bhatt, Anand, and Vohra to CBI's custody till July 2.

A preliminary investigation by the CBI has uncovered that the accused persons had asked candidates willing to adopt illegal means to obtain high scores in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-Under Graduate) to opt for Jay Jalaram School as the exam centre.

Notably, last year's NEET exam at the same school had exposed a crucial vulnerability wherein answer sheets were stored overnight, prompting the accused to conceive a plan to tamper with Optical Mark Recognition sheets during this period, the CBI had told the court.

As per the Gujarat police, the accused persons allegedly asked the candidates not to attempt a question if they did not know the answer.

Prima facie, Bhatt, a physics teacher, filled the correct answers on the papers while they were still at the school premises post-exam.

The CBI on Saturday raided seven locations in Gujarat, further intensifying their probe into the alleged NEET malpractices. Statements from six candidates who allegedly paid bribes were recorded last week, linking them to the accused.

A case was registered by Godhra Police on May 8 against Bhatt, Roy, and Vohra for attempting to manipulate the NEET-UG process by extorting Rs 10 lakh from 27 candidates each. Authorities, who were tipped off about potential malpractice, preemptively intervened at the school, averting

irregularities.

Bhatt, appointed as the exam's deputy superintendent at the school centre, was apprehended before the test, and Rs 7 lakh in cash was seized from him.

The investigation showed that Roy had allegedly convinced at least 27 of his students that he could help them clear the exam for Rs 10 lakh.

In a subsequent raid, cheques amounting to Rs 2.30 crore were discovered in Roy's office.

Roy had allegedly asked his students to opt for the Godhra centre so that Bhatt, Sharma and others could help them.

Of the 27 students who had either paid in advance or agreed to pay money to Roy and others, only three managed to clear the exam with a passing score, while the remaining 23 failed.

Investigations continue as the CBI seeks to unravel the full extent of the malpractice network.
Gen Upendra Dwivedi, who has vast operational experience along the frontiers with China and Pakistan, on Sunday assumed charge as the 30th chief of the Army staff at a time India is facing myriad security challenges including along the Line of Actual Control.

IMAGE: Outgoing Army chief General Manoj Pande hands over the command of the Indian Army to General Upendra Dwivedi (right) who takes over his new appointment, in New Delhi, June 30, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Gen Dwivedi succeeds Gen Manoj Pande who superannuated after more than four decades of service.

"Gen Dwivedi brings with him, a wealth of experience and a proven track record, of effectively planning and executing for the unexpected," the Army said.

He was serving as the Vice Chief of the Army since February 19. Before becoming the Vice Chief, he was serving as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command from 2022 to 2024.

An alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, Gen Dwivedi was commissioned into a regiment of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in 1984.

He has a unique distinction of balanced command as well as staff exposure across Northern, Eastern and Western theatres in varied operational environments.

The Army said Gen Dwivedi's impetus would be to augment the infusion of critical technologies by leveraging the nation's vibrant, capable and productive technology eco-system to enhance the force's overall capability.

"He takes over as the Chief of Army Staff, at a time when the global geo-strategic environment remains dynamic, with the challenges in the security domain becoming more pronounced due to technological advancements and the ever-changing character of modern warfare," it said.

Gen Dwivedi has taken charge of the 1.3 million-strong Army at a time India is facing various security challenges including along the Line of Actual Control with China.

As the Chief of Army Staff, he will also have to coordinate with the Navy and the Indian Air Force on the government's ambitious plan to roll out theatre commands.

The Army said operational preparedness to counter security threats to a rising nation would figure prominently as a key focus area for the COAS.

"Concurrently, a focused response strategy, to myriad non-traditional security challenges, too shall be a priority, towards augmenting the nation's defence," it said.

"Gen Dwivedi has tenanted critical appointments and played a pivotal role in combating grey zone manifestations in the national security canvas," it said in a release.

The Army said the officer has a deep understanding of modern and emerging technologies in the security domain and possesses a thoughtful approach to harnessing and integrating cutting-edge technologies into military systems to enhance operational effectiveness.

"This vision finds congruence to the ongoing pursuit of the Indian Army to fulfil its modernisation and capability development needs through Atmanirbharta," it said.

"A firm believer and follower of the Chetwode Motto, the General will also focus on promoting a culture of trust, empowerment of junior Officers, well-being of the soldiers and welfare of veterans and Veer Naris," it said.

In his long and distinguished career spanning nearly 40 years, he has served in a variety of command, staff, instructional and foreign appointments.

The command appointments of Gen Dwivedi include command of regiment (18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles), Brigade (26 Sector Assam Rifles), Inspector General, Assam Rifles (East) and 9 Corps.

He has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and three GOC-in-C Commendation Cards.

As Northern Army commander, Gen Dwivedi provided strategic guidance and operational oversight for the planning and execution of sustained operations along the northern and western borders, besides orchestrating the dynamic counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

During this period, the General officer was actively engaged in the ongoing negotiations with China to resolve the vexed border issue, they said.

He was also involved in the modernisation and equipping of the largest Army command of the Indian Army, where he steered the induction of indigenous equipment as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
Heavy rains lashed several parts across India, including Gujarat and Rajasthan, on Sunday affecting normal life as monsoon further advanced towards the northern states.

IMAGE: A road caves in amid heavy rainfall, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, June 30, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Several deaths were reported across the country due to rain-related incidents like lightning strikes and drowning.

Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh were among the states that witnessed heavy downpour on Sunday, according to the India meteorological department.

Gujarat is experiencing a wet spell due to cyclonic circulation over the northeast Arabian Sea adjoining the Saurashtra region, it said.

Heavy downpours caused waterlogging and affected traffic movement in Surat, Bhuj, Vapi, Bharuch and Ahmedabad cities due to inundation in low-lying areas, rendering some roads and underpass inaccessible, officials said.

Palsana Taluka in Surat district received 153 mm of rainfall, the highest in the state, in just ten hours.

The wet spell will continue in the next four days in Gujarat, as per the Met department.

Isolated places in south and central Gujarat and Saurashtra region are expected to receive heavy rains over the next two days, IMD stated in a release.

With the IMD predicting heavy rains in Delhi till July 2, civic bodies have started boosting manpower and equipment deployment to address waterlogging and keeping field units on high alert.

The national capital was brought to its knees on Friday morning as 228.1 mm of rainfall on the first day of monsoon, the highest for the month of June since 1936, submerged several parts of the city and claimed multiple lives.

In Rajasthan, several parts were lashed by heavy showers, with Churu recording the highest rainfall -- 51.4 mm -- on Sunday even as the temperatures remained high in the city at 40.2 degrees Celsius.

In the last 24 hours, some parts of the Bharatpur division recorded heavy to very heavy rainfall.

The Met Department has predicted heavy rains in some parts of eastern Rajasthan and light to moderate rains in some parts of western Rajasthan in the next 4-5 days.

The highest maximum temperature in the state was recorded at 41.3 degrees in Sri Ganganagar.

In Uttar Pradesh's Deoria district, two people, including a priest, died in separate incidents of lighting, which also left seven others injured, on Sunday, the police said.

According to police, the incident happened around 1 pm when it was raining heavily in the area. Some people, including the temple priest Radheshyam Giri (50), had taken shelter in the temple at the Goplapur village when lightning struck the structure.

In the second incident, Rajnath Kushwaha (40) was struck by lightning when he was sowing paddy in his fields. He died on the spot.

In Maharashtra, a woman and a 13-year-old girl drowned in a waterfall close to the backwater of Bhushi Dam in Pune's Lonavala area on Sunday, while three children in the 4-6 age group are missing, a police official said.

The incident happened at 1:30 pm, after which search and rescue teams rushed to the spot, a police officer said, adding that "it seems they are part of a family and slipped into a waterfall some two kilometres away from Bhushi Dam and drowned at the reservoir downstream."

In Jammu and Kashmir, a massive landslide blocked Kishtwar-Paddar road Sunday as light to moderate rains lashed isolated places across Jammu division, providing some sort of relief to the people from the scorching heat.

The landslide, triggered by rains, hit the road near Patharnaki in Kishtwar district this afternoon, forcing suspension of vehicular movement.

The weather in most parts of Jammu province remained overcast throughout the day with reports of light to moderate rains in different areas, especially in the hilly districts of Kishtwar, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur and Ramban.

The summer capital Jammu also witnessed light rainfall in the early hours of the day.

The weather office predicted light to moderate rain or thundershowers at many places of Jammu division towards late night or early morning hours till July 3 followed by intermittent light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy showers or rainfall at few places from July 4 to 7.

The weather office has also issued an advisory of flash floods, landslides and shooting stones

Several roads were waterlogged after heavy rains in Uttarakhan's Haldwani, Ramnagar, Dehradun, Haridwar, Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad, Patna and Hyderabad.

Rainwater entered into a hospital in Bihar's Jehanabad.

The IMD on Saturday predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in northwest and northeast India over the next four to five days.

The IMD also said that the southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of east Uttar Pradesh and some areas of west Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

Conditions are favourable for the monsoon to advance into more parts of west Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, and the remaining areas of west Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu over the next two to three days, it added.
Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said his party, Congress, and the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray led by Uddhav Thackeray will jointly contest the Maharashtra assembly polls, due in October this year.

IMAGE: NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar (second from left) arrives for a meeting of the INDIA bloc floor leaders, at Kharge residence in New Delhi, June 27, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Addressing a news conference in Pune, Pawar also said it is the moral responsibility of the major opposition parties in Maharashtra to protect in the state assembly polls the interests of smaller allies, which were part of the coalition in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The NCP-SP, Congress and the Shiv Sena-UBT are constituents of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, which was in power in the state from November 2019 till June 2022 before the collapse of the Thackeray-led government.

Pawar said the opposition will keep a collective face before the people of Maharashtra.

There is need for a change in the state and it is the moral responsibility of the opposition coalition to discharge it, Pawar said.

"As Arjuna's target (in the epic Mahabharata) was an eye (of a fish), our eyes are all set on the elections in Maharashtra. The Congress, NCP-SP and Uddhav Thackeray's Sena-UBT will jointly contest the Vidhan Sabha polls," he said.

The former Maharashtra chief minister said talks on seat-sharing in the state have not begun, but will commence soon.

The people gave a good response to the NCP-SP, Shiv Sena-UBT and Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he noted.

"But like these three parties, the Left parties, Peasants and Workers Party were also a part of the coalition but we could not give them seats in the Lok Sabha. It is our moral responsibility to protect the interests of these parties," he said.

"So the efforts will be to go ahead with them (in the state assembly polls)," Pawar added.

Asked about the state budget presented on Friday by the Eknath Shinde government, the NCP-SP chief said, "What happens if you go with an empty pocket in a market? It's a matter of a few days, reality will be seen soon."

A monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 to women in the 21 to 60 age group, three free LPG cylinders a year for households, farmer-friendly steps and a stipend of Rs 10,000 per month to youths for skill training were highlights of the Maharashtra government's budget for 2024-25 presented on Friday, four months ahead of the state polls.

Asked if he will participate in the Wari (pilgrimage) palkhi procession which began here on Friday, Pawar said, "The palkhi travels to Pandharpur from my village in Baramati (in Pune district). I will welcome the Wari procession in Baramati."

The palkhis (palanquins) carrying the footprints of revered saints Tukaram and Dnyaneshwar Maharaj set out from Pune's Dehu and Alandi, respectively, to Pandharpur in Solapur district over the last two days.

They will reach Lord Vitthal's temple in Pandharpur on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi on July 17.

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said the state government will send a proposal to United Nations agency UNESCO for world heritage nomination for the annual Pandharpur 'wari' which has a tradition of 1,000 years.

He said the government will also set up a separate corporation to provide facilities to devotees of Lord Vitthal (called warkaris), who undertake the annual pilgrimage from Alandi and Dehu in Pune district to the Vitthal-Rukmini temple in Pandharpur.

The Deputy CM also said the government has decided to provide a sum of Rs 20,000 per 'dindi' (group of devotees) of the pilgrimage from this year. An allocation of Rs 36.71 crore has been made for this in the budget.
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Four people were killed and another four injured as a heavy truck crashed into four cars early Saturday morning in east China's Zhejiang Province, local authorities said.

According to the public security bureau of Nanhu District, Jiaxing City, the accident occurred at 6:27 a.m. at an intersection, when the four cars were waiting to pass.

The truck driver, surnamed Yang, is in police custody as investigations continue. A preliminary investigation ruled out any suspicion of Yang drunk or drug driving.




HONG KONG, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Fixing leaking bathrooms, helping elders with smartphones, assisting in disaster relief -- care teams across Hong Kong are becoming a hand in need and a shoulder to lean on for local people.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive John Lee pledged in his 2022 Policy Address to set up care teams in the 18 districts of Hong Kong to support the HKSAR government's district work. With a service period of two years, each team consists of eight to 12 volunteers and can receive government funds from 800,000 to 1.2 million Hong Kong dollars (about 102,444 to 153,666 U.S. dollars).

So far, 452 care teams have been established. Over the past eight months, they have reached out to about 90,000 households, offered services on over 9,000 accounts and helped handle some 200 emergencies, data showed.

JOINING FORCES

In the home of an 80-year-old man surnamed Maa in Tsuen Wan District, members of a care team are installing grab rails in the bathroom. The volunteers are construction professionals from China State Construction (Hong Kong) Limited who will go on to visit over 10 households on the same day to change light bulbs, install doorbells or rewire power cables in old buildings.

"We once helped out at dozens of households a day as care team members," said one volunteer, adding that care teams made community services in Hong Kong more well-planned, targeted and efficient.

The improvement is thanks in no small part to Ng Chun Yu, captain of the care team and a member of the Tsuen Wan District Council. A long-time devoted volunteer, Ng rallied a team of diverse backgrounds including teachers and lawyers who can provide a wide range of services to meet the needs of local communities. They have also partnered up with a number of companies for additional support.

"It's no problem, Mrs. Maa. You practically raised me, remember?" Ng said replying to an outpouring of gratitude.

BUILDING TRUST

When typhoon-induced rainstorms lashed Sha Tin District last September, Guo Xuantong, a member of the Sha Tin District Council and a care team captain, led the team to remove tree trunks blocking main roads and put bus stop signs back in place. They also kept an account of all the damage and notified relevant government departments.

"It was my first time doing disaster relief through team efforts," said Guo who had about five years of experience in community social work. Winning trust from residents as a care team member meant the world to her.

Guo also noted that care teams can help inform government efforts to improve local lives, especially by means of documenting and reporting the individual needs of victims of emergencies like fires and burglaries.

"The residents' trust in us is their trust in the HKSAR government," said Guo.

BRINGING HEARTS CLOSER

In Ma Wan, an island with an area of less than 1 square kilometer, a single hospital provides medical care for nearly 20,000 residents, which made free medical services a priority to be undertaken by the care team of the island.

The team has two Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners come to Ma Wan every first Thursday of each month to treat elder patients. For those who find it hard to travel outdoors, volunteers would chaperone them to their appointments and send them back home.

Vice captain Pao Siu Wai, a retired policeman, was a busy man on site using his people skills to ensure everyone's needs are attended to. Having engaged in community services for over a decade, Pao said the local community feels more like a family than ever.

A case in point is the remarkable turnout at regular beach cleaning activities organized by the Ma Wan care team, as residents readily join hands to create a better home.

To extend the outreach of care teams, the HKSAR government has vowed to add 10 teams specifically for supporting ethnic minority households. The cause of neighborly support will be carried forth by the younger generation who are already deeply involved, said Henry Chan, member of the Tsuen Wan District Council and captain of a care team, noting that over one-third of volunteers in the district are under 35. 
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday declared a 'rebellion' against 'feudal forces', asserting that the Opposition INDIA bloc will drive out the Bharatiya Janata Party from across the country.

IMAGE: Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren pays tribute to Veer Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu on the occasion of Hul Diwas, at Barhait in Sahebganj, Jharkhand, June 30, 2024. State Chief Minister Champai Soren is also seen. Photograph: ANI Photo

Soren, addressing a rally in Bhognadih on the occasion of 'Hul Diwas', also claimed that the saffron party has turned 'jittery' after his release from jail and its leaders are 'conspiring' against him again.

"I have stepped out of my home for the first time post my release to address you on 'Hul Diwas'. It is a day of inspiration for all of us. Like the Santhal uprising against the British, we declare 'Hul rebellion' to drive out feudal forces not only from Jharkhand but across the country," he said.

The day marks the 1855 Santhal rebellion against the British.

"I was implicated in false cases... The Centre unleashes its probe agencies to harass those who raise their voice against it. It is only two days that I am out of jail, but the BJP is jittery. Top party leaders are frequenting Jharkhand and conspiring against me again," he said.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha executive president also asserted that Jharkhand is known as a land of revolutionaries and "we are not afraid of jail, lathi or execution."

"It has come to my knowledge that they (BJP) are making plans to prepone assembly elections (in Jharkhand)... I dare them to conduct the elections any day they wish to... We are prepared. They will face a crushing defeat," he said, urging people to be ready to face 'testing times ahead.'

Soren, who began his speech with 'Hul Johar' - a salutation in Santhal language meaning 'revolutionary solution', claimed that when he started demanding the rights of tribals, including Rs 1.36 lakh crore from the Centre in lieu of coal resources, he was sent behind bars.

"But, the task I initiated and the war I waged will not stop," the former CM asserted.

He said a legislation will be brought in, which will ensure that benefits of the mines and minerals reach the people of Jharkhand first, contending that resources from the state were "making other places rich while its inhabitants were forced to live in poverty and backwardness."

Soren also hit out at the Centre, alleging that prices of essential commodities were soaring, and examination papers were getting regularly leaked.

The former CM was released on Friday from the Birsa Munda Jail after the Jharkhand high court granted bail to him in a money laundering case.

He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Chief Minister Champai Soren, speaking on the occasion, alleged that his predecessor was put behind bars as he was talking about the welfare of the poor, dalits and tribals.

"He (Hemant Soren) was sent to jail on false allegations made by those who have been looting Jharkhand," the CM said.

Champai Soren also inaugurated and laid the foundation of 396 projects worth about Rs 290 crore.

Those present in the rally included Hemant Soren's wife and JMM legislator Kalpana Soren and brother Basant Soren, who is also a minister.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme paid rich tributes to tribal freedom fighters Veer Sidhu and Kanhu, who led the Santhal uprising against the British rule in 1855.
The Congress on Sunday said Parliament should pass a law to enable reservations to exceed the 50-per-cent cap, a day after National Democratic Alliance constituent Janata Dal-United demanded that the quota increase in Bihar be included in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution.

IMAGE: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi leaves the Parliament House after attending the 18th Lok Sabha session, in New Delhi, June 28, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

At a meeting of the Janata Dal-United's national executive here on Saturday, the party expressed concern over a recent Patna high court verdict striking down the Bihar government's decision to increase the quota for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes to 65 percent from 50 percent.

In a political resolution passed at the meet, the JD-U urged the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre to put the state's law under the Constitution's 9th Schedule to rule out its judicial review.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said throughout the Lok Sabha poll campaign, the Opposition party has been saying that all state laws related to reservation for the SCs, STs and all backward classes should be included in the 9th Schedule, as was the case for a Tamil Nadu law in 1994.

"It is a good thing that JD-U has made the same demand in Patna yesterday. But its ally BJP, both in the state and at the Centre, is completely silent on this matter," Ramesh said.

"However, bringing reservation laws beyond the 50 percent limit into the Ninth Schedule is also not a solution, because according to a 2007 Supreme Court decision, such laws are also subject to judicial review," the former Union minister said, adding that a Constitution amendment law is required for the purpose.

"In such a situation, the only way out is for the Parliament to pass a Constitution Amendment Bill which will enable the reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and All Backward Classes to exceed 50 percent," he said.

Ramesh said the current limit of 50 percent is not explicitly mandated by the Constitution, but has been decided through various Supreme Court decisions.

"This was and remains one of the main guarantees of the Indian National Congress for the Lok Sabha elections.

"Will the non-biological Prime Minister clear his stand? Our demand is that such a bill should be introduced in the next session of Parliament. JD-U should not be limited to just passing resolutions," he added.
On the final weekend of campaigning ahead of the UK general election on Thursday, both Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the man who is fighting for his job at 10 Downing Street  Labour Leader Keir Starmer, have hit the temple trail to woo British Hindu voters.

IMAGE: Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty visit BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in London, Britain, June 29, 2024. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Pool via Reuters

While 44-year-old Sunak was at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden on Sunday to promise to keep trying to make the community proud, 61-year-old Starmer chose another north London Swaminarayan Temple in Kingsbury on Friday to reiterate his commitment to building a strategic partnership with India.

The move follows a Hindu Manifesto' being launched by an umbrella group of British Hindu organisations for the first time ahead of a British general election, calling on elected representatives to take proactive steps to protect Hindu places of worship and tackle anti-Hindu hate.

"This mandir stands as a great statement of the contributions that this community makes to Britain, said Sunak, in his speech at the iconic Neasden Temple, where he offered prayers and sought blessings from the elderly in the gathering.

Education, hard work, family, those are my values. Those are your values. Those are Conservative values, he declared in his election pitch.

Meanwhile, Starmer was welcomed to the tunes of an India-Scottish pipe band at the Kingsbury Temple, where he also began his speech in the same way as Sunak with Jai Swaminarayan.

"If we're elected next week, we will strive to govern in the spirit of sewa to serve you and a world in need, said the Labour Leader, reiterating a previous message that there is absolutely no place for Hinduphobia in Britain.

According to the 2021 census, around 1 million people living in Britain identify as Hindus, making this electorate quite a sizable chunk in the July 4 general election.

"The 'Hindu Manifesto' is a call to action for all parliamentary candidates and political parties to engage with and support the Hindu community in their constituencies, says the Hindus for Democracy group behind the initiative.

"It highlights the contributions of Hindus to the UK's social, cultural and economic fabric and seeks to build a future where these contributions are recognised, valued, protected and promoted for a better future for all, the group said.

While the incumbent Sunak-led Tories have been trailing in all pre-election surveys, how the diaspora votes line up this time with Britain's first Indian heritage Prime Minister in the race remains to be seen.

"For the Conservative Party, obviously, they have Rishi Sunak -- a British Indian leader -- for the first time. It's an unknown factor how much it will matter to British Indian voters that the leader of the party is from their background, notes Sunder Katwala, Director of the British Future think tank.

With just days to go before polling day on Thursday, both leaders are expected to undertake a so-called campaign blitz -- zig-zagging different parts of the United Kingdom including other places of worship to clinch any remaining undecided votes.
French voters are now casting their ballots in the initial round of the country's unexpected parliamentary elections, a pivotal event that could reshape President Emmanuel Macron's political landscape, CNN reported.

IMAGE: French President Emmanuel Macron leaves a voting booth, as he visits a polling station to vote in the first round of the early French parliamentary elections, in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, France, June 30, 2024. Photograph: Yara Nardi/Pool/Reuters

The outcome may determine whether Macron's centrist coalition retains power or if France faces a period of political cohabitation with the far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen.

Voting commenced at 8 am local time (2 am ET), marking the start of the process to elect the 577 members of the National Assembly.

This election, scheduled three years ahead of the regular term, follows a significant setback for Macron's Renaissance party in the recent European Parliament elections, where the RN emerged victorious.

Responding swiftly to this defeat, Macron opted for the snap election, the first in France since 1997, acknowledging the electorate's message, as reported by CNN.

Regardless of the election's outcome, Macron has committed to serving until the next presidential elections in 2027.

The National Assembly, responsible for enacting domestic legislation ranging from social policies to economic reforms, plays a crucial role alongside the president, who oversees foreign affairs, European policies, and defence strategies.

The prospect of political "cohabitation," where the president and parliament are from different political camps, looms large.

Such a scenario, historically challenging for governance, could complicate matters for France as it prepares to host the upcoming summer Olympics.

France has experienced cohabitation before, notably during President Jacques Chirac's tenure, when a conservative president worked alongside a socialist prime minister appointed after snap elections.

This historical precedent underscores the potential challenges of divided governance.

The electoral process involves two rounds: the current first round, which narrows down the field, and a subsequent round where candidates compete for the majority needed to secure parliamentary seats. Candidates must secure more than 12.5 percent of the vote to advance to the second round, where final outcomes are decided, according to CNN.

The electorate faces a choice among several political blocs: the RN-led far-right coalition, the New Popular Front representing the left, and Macron's centrist Ensemble alliance. Each bloc presents distinct visions for France's future, appealing to voters with diverse ideological leanings.

Leading the RN bloc is Jordan Bardella, handpicked by Marine Le Pen to lead the party's efforts to broaden its appeal beyond its historically contentious issues of racism and antisemitism.

Bardella's leadership marks a significant shift as the RN seeks mainstream acceptance and potentially positions itself to lead the government.

On the left, the NFP has emerged as a coalition uniting various factions, from staunch progressives like Jean-Luc Melenchon to more moderate figures such as Raphael Glucksmann.

This coalition aims to revive the spirit of the original Popular Front, which historically countered fascist influences in French politics.

Representing Macron's centrist Ensemble alliance is outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, appointed just months before the snap election was announced. Attal, like Macron, faces the challenge of retaining support amid a competitive electoral landscape reshaped by recent political developments.

Polling stations will close at 8 pm local time (2 pm ET) on Sunday, with final results expected early the following day.

The election's outcome will not only determine the composition of the National Assembly but also set the tone for Macron's presidency going forward, influencing his ability to implement key policies and navigate France's role in global affairs.

The anticipation surrounding these elections reflects broader concerns about the direction of French politics and its implications for Europe.

As voters cast their ballots, the stakes are high, with potential ramifications extending well beyond domestic policy to shape France's international standing and alliances, CNN reported.
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BRATTLEBORO  If you're coming by the Royal Diner on a Friday evening for ice cream or a smash burger and fries, you might find yourself walki
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Carol Jenkins is CEO of World Learning and Dr. Sophia Howlett is president of the School for International Training. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media.
Law enforcement agency from all over the Green Mountain State are urging boating safety this coming holiday weekend.
An aerial drone photo taken on June 29, 2024 shows the China Coast Guard assisting injured Filipino fishermen in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao. The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday assisted two Filipino fishermen injured in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the CCG announced on Sunday. The Filipino fishermen sustained injuries when an engine exploded on their boat, and their situation became dire. As soon as they were spotted, two CCG vessels patrolling the area approached the site, prepared a lifeboat, and dropped buoys and life jackets to the sea. The CCG later informed the Philippine side about the incident, it said, adding that the Philippine vessel expressed gratitude for CCG's act of humanitarianism via radio. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday assisted two Filipino fishermen injured in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the CCG announced on Sunday.

The Filipino fishermen sustained injuries when an engine exploded on their boat, and their situation became dire. As soon as they were spotted, two CCG vessels patrolling the area approached the site, prepared a lifeboat, and dropped buoys and life jackets to the sea.

The CCG later informed the Philippine side about the incident, it said, adding that the Philippine vessel expressed gratitude for CCG's act of humanitarianism via radio. 

An aerial drone photo taken on June 29, 2024 shows the China Coast Guard assisting injured Filipino fishermen in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao. The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday assisted two Filipino fishermen injured in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the CCG announced on Sunday.

The Filipino fishermen sustained injuries when an engine exploded on their boat, and their situation became dire. As soon as they were spotted, two CCG vessels patrolling the area approached the site, prepared a lifeboat, and dropped buoys and life jackets to the sea.

The CCG later informed the Philippine side about the incident, it said, adding that the Philippine vessel expressed gratitude for CCG's act of humanitarianism via radio. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

An aerial drone photo taken on June 29, 2024 shows the China Coast Guard assisting injured Filipino fishermen in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao. The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday assisted two Filipino fishermen injured in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the CCG announced on Sunday.

The Filipino fishermen sustained injuries when an engine exploded on their boat, and their situation became dire. As soon as they were spotted, two CCG vessels patrolling the area approached the site, prepared a lifeboat, and dropped buoys and life jackets to the sea.

The CCG later informed the Philippine side about the incident, it said, adding that the Philippine vessel expressed gratitude for CCG's act of humanitarianism via radio. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

An aerial drone photo taken on June 29, 2024 shows the China Coast Guard assisting injured Filipino fishermen in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao. The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday assisted two Filipino fishermen injured in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the CCG announced on Sunday.

The Filipino fishermen sustained injuries when an engine exploded on their boat, and their situation became dire. As soon as they were spotted, two CCG vessels patrolling the area approached the site, prepared a lifeboat, and dropped buoys and life jackets to the sea.

The CCG later informed the Philippine side about the incident, it said, adding that the Philippine vessel expressed gratitude for CCG's act of humanitarianism via radio. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

An aerial drone photo taken on June 29, 2024 shows the China Coast Guard assisting injured Filipino fishermen in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao. The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday assisted two Filipino fishermen injured in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the CCG announced on Sunday.

The Filipino fishermen sustained injuries when an engine exploded on their boat, and their situation became dire. As soon as they were spotted, two CCG vessels patrolling the area approached the site, prepared a lifeboat, and dropped buoys and life jackets to the sea.

The CCG later informed the Philippine side about the incident, it said, adding that the Philippine vessel expressed gratitude for CCG's act of humanitarianism via radio. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

An aerial drone photo taken on June 29, 2024 shows the China Coast Guard assisting injured Filipino fishermen in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao. The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday assisted two Filipino fishermen injured in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the CCG announced on Sunday.

The Filipino fishermen sustained injuries when an engine exploded on their boat, and their situation became dire. As soon as they were spotted, two CCG vessels patrolling the area approached the site, prepared a lifeboat, and dropped buoys and life jackets to the sea.

The CCG later informed the Philippine side about the incident, it said, adding that the Philippine vessel expressed gratitude for CCG's act of humanitarianism via radio. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

An aerial drone photo taken on June 29, 2024 shows the China Coast Guard assisting injured Filipino fishermen in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao. The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday assisted two Filipino fishermen injured in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the CCG announced on Sunday.

The Filipino fishermen sustained injuries when an engine exploded on their boat, and their situation became dire. As soon as they were spotted, two CCG vessels patrolling the area approached the site, prepared a lifeboat, and dropped buoys and life jackets to the sea.

The CCG later informed the Philippine side about the incident, it said, adding that the Philippine vessel expressed gratitude for CCG's act of humanitarianism via radio. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

China Coast Guard assists injured Filipino fishermen in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao on June 29, 2024. The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday assisted two Filipino fishermen injured in waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the CCG announced on Sunday.

The Filipino fishermen sustained injuries when an engine exploded on their boat, and their situation became dire. As soon as they were spotted, two CCG vessels patrolling the area approached the site, prepared a lifeboat, and dropped buoys and life jackets to the sea.

The CCG later informed the Philippine side about the incident, it said, adding that the Philippine vessel expressed gratitude for CCG's act of humanitarianism via radio. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)
Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, arrives at his hotel in New York on June 23, 2024. He was discharged from the hospital June 29 after knee surgery.

The Dalai Lama was discharged from a New York City hospital Saturday after undergoing successful knee replacement surgery, hospital staff said.

The Tibetan spiritual leader, who turns 89 on July 6, has experienced health problems for years. His knee issues required medical attention outside northern India where he has lived in exile for 65 years following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet.

After being discharged, he went to the Park Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan, where he is staying.

He is expected to make a full recovery and was discharged Saturday morning, June 29th, said Dr. David J. Mayman, chief of the adult reconstruction and joint replacement service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

His Holinesss personal medical team and office were in constant communication with the surgical and medical staff at HSS, Mayman said. We are grateful for their trust and assistance.

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, arrives at his hotel in New York on June 23, 2024. (Reuters/Jeenah Moon)





The Nobel Prize winner enjoys strong support in the United States, especially among prominent lawmakers who have spoken out about human rights issues in Tibet, despite objections by China which views him as a separatist and bristles at his interactions with foreign officials.

Tibetans and well-wishers gathered outside the hospital and the Park Hyatt to greet His Holiness, holding khatas  Tibetan white scarves  and flowers, offering their blessings for his swift recovery.

First of all, I am so happy to hear about the success of His Holinesss surgery, said Chemi Youdon, waiting outside the hotel to welcome the Dalai Lama with a bouquet in hand.

Secondly, this is his visit to the United States after such a long time. And thirdly, though I had a glimpse of him at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey when he first arrived, as a Tibetan, you never get enough of his blessings.

Pema Sonam, waiting outside the Park Hyatt in New York, said the surgery highlighted the importance of the Dalai Lamas health. Its a blessing that His Holiness has visited the U.S., allowing us to receive his blessings after so many years. I want to thank the attending doctor and his team, staff, and everyone involved for doing such a wonderful job.

No public engagements are planned for the immediate future, as His Holiness focuses on his health and well-being.
After the Taliban's de facto government cut ties with a number of diplomatic missions operated abroad by diplomats loyal to the ousted Afghan republic, the British and Norwegian authorities have opted to shut down Afghan embassies on their soil.

Both Oslo and London say their decisions in no way represent official recognition of the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan, which no country recognizes due to concerns over a woeful human rights record and other failures to live up to promises it made before seizing power in August 2021.

But experts say the embassy closures are likely to pave the way for more engagement with the Taliban, which controls all of Afghanistan's territory and has increased its hold on power.

Diplomats who served the former Afghan government were left in limbo when the Taliban took control, but remained open for business in some Western states and continued to assist Afghan citizens.

The window on their operations began to close when the Taliban announced in July that it was cutting ties with 14 such missions in Western countries and that it would not accept any consular documents they processed, a critical source of funding to keep them running.

Many of the consular services, such as verification of identity documents or police clearance, offered by the embassies do require a degree of cooperation from the country's government because diplomatic missions might not be able to access all government data.

This month, the British Foreign Office announced that it was shutting down the Afghan Embassy in London, explaining to RFE/RL on September 9 that the decision was made after the "dismissal of its staff by the Taliban."

Norway quickly followed suit, announcing that the Afghan Embassy in Oslo would be shut down on September 12.

Both the British and Norwegian governments have indicated that the move does not amount to a formal recognition of the Taliban's hard-line government. And the embassy buildings, which are Afghanistan's properties, will be eventually handed over to a "recognized" government of Afghanistan.

But Hameed Hakimi, an Afghanistan expert, says the decisions to shut the embassies can be taken as "reality setting in" that the Taliban is "unlikely to be replaced in the immediate future."

And for the Taliban, he says, it creates an opportunity to argue that its rule is being acknowledged, even without formal recognition.

"The Taliban can use this to their advantage in their pursuit of claiming legitimacy with the Afghans and internationally," said Hakimi, an associate fellow at London's Chatham House think tank.

More than a dozen countries, mostly Afghanistan's neighbors, already operate embassies in Kabul, and some have accredited Taliban diplomats. The Taliban government also partially controls diplomatic missions in some countries, and has established working relations with Afghan diplomatic missions in the Czech Republic, Spain, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, and the Afghan Consulate in Munich.

The missions operating in Western countries staffed by diplomats appointed by the previous government are the outlier.

Hakimi said that if all those missions are shut down, it "truly signifies the closure of the chapter of the Afghan Islamic Republic."

The Afghan Islamic Republic, as it was formally known, emerged soon after a U.S.-led military alliance toppled the Taliban government in November 2001 following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Nearly two decades later, the internationally recognized Afghan republic collapsed as the Taliban seized power in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Taliban, meanwhile, recreated its brutal emirate from the 1990s by imposing harsh bans and discriminatory laws that resulted in widespread human rights violations. Afghan women and girls are deprived of education and employment in most sectors and lack fundamental freedoms.

These Taliban policies have so far kept its government from being officially recognized. This absence of recognition has complicated engagement with the Taliban government on important issues, such as humanitarian aid, and made it difficult for the estimated 2 million Afghans living in Western countries to access consular services.

Graeme Smith, a senior Afghanistan analyst at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, says Western governments might be acting on the UN special coordinator's recommendation to facilitate the processing of documentation for Afghans abroad.

In his report endorsed by the UN Security Council in December 2023, Feridun Sinirlioglu, the UN special coordinator for Afghanistan, called for better cooperation between the Taliban regime and the outside world to ensure that Afghans can obtain the paperwork they need to continue with their daily lives.

"Afghans have been suffering in limbo without clarity about where to go when they need identity papers or travel documents," Smith said, describing how Afghans who still do not have travel documents from another country suffer from the lack of consular services.

"The steps we are witnessing now may represent practical efforts by some governments" to remedy the situation, Smith said.

The challenge remains, he said, to ensure that efforts "aimed at pressuring the regime do not sabotage the lives and livelihoods of Afghans."

Many Western capitals are also grappling with the complex issue of what to do with Afghan asylum seekers whose applications were rejected.

Last month, Germany deported 28 Afghan men convicted of crimes in the country to Kabul, with Qatar playing an intermediary role in securing the Taliban's cooperation in accepting the returning Afghans.

Smith said that some countries "are discovering the usefulness" of having a consular presence "connected to the authorities in Kabul" if they need to arrange the return of Afghan migrants.

"But it's unclear if that motivated the recent closures," he said.

Both Britain and Norway have not said anything about whether they will allow the Taliban government to offer consular services in London and Oslo.

The fates of the Afghan Embassy in Berlin and consulate in Bonn are not clear, although the consulate in Munich is likely to remain open because it cooperates with the Taliban government on consular services.

In London, Afghanistan expert Hakimi said the closure could create an "opportunity for the Taliban to lobby with the Western countries" and allow its representatives to at least run counselor services.

These Afghan diplomatic missions can remain closed indefinitely, similar to what happened in the United States, where the Afghan Embassy and two consulates have been closed since March 2002. The Afghan Embassy in Canada offers remote consular services to Afghans living in the United States.

In Norway, Afghans have mixed feelings about their embassy's closure.

Sima Nouri, an Afghan woman living in Oslo, is worried over how her compatriots will now access consular services.

"There is a possibility that the process of forced deportation of Afghan refugees will begin," she told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. "This process, however, must be stopped."

Mina Rafiq, another Afghan woman in Norway, prefers shutting the embassy down to cooperating with the Taliban.

"This might work to the advantage of Afghan asylum seekers," she said, "because the Norwegian government will now have to give them necessary documents."
Floods and mudslides have killed at least eight people in Kyrgyzstan, authorities say. RFE/RL filmed Kyrgyz rescuers and troops evacuating people through a flooded canyon in the Nookat district on June 29. The area is located in the country's southern Osh region, which has been hit by heavy rainfall. According to the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry, four of the casualties are children from neighboring Kazakhstan.
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.
Maria Ressa was jointly awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for her "efforts to safeguard freedom of expression" as a journalist and co-founder of the Rappler news website, which exposed rights abuses by the Philippine government.

Ressa, a Manila-born, U.S.-educated former CNN correspondent whose conviction for cyberlibel in the Philippines in 2020 was condemned by rights groups as politically motivated, produced some of her best-known investigative reporting as her native country tumbled down the international press-freedom rankings.

She spoke to RFE/RL's Georgian Service last week at the ZEG Tbilisi Storytelling Festival, of which RFE/RL is a media partner. Ressa talked about defending democracy and the connection between digital platforms and autocracy, and her 2022 book How To Stand Up To A Dictator: The Fight For Our Future.

RFE/RL: On the question of how to stand up to a dictator, I know the answer is in this book. But I wonder if your answer to this question changes as time passes.

Maria Ressa: I look at it in three ways: There's strategic, there's tactical, and the last, which is constant throughout, is actually maintaining your faith in people[and] that people ultimately will do the right thing.

That you believe in the goodness of human nature, that democracy brings the best of what we can do as a system of governance, right. It isn't perfect, and in fact, globally, there's a kind of perfect storm of reasons why democracy became so vulnerable. In the Philippines, it was a combination of the trickle-down theory not trickling down; it was people being afraid that they're not going to get something more. After the pandemic, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. And so more of our mass base needed more support.

I think for all of it, you have to just have faith. I think there were moments when I was wondering whether we were being just naive or foolish. Are you being naive or foolish in believing that doing the right thing is the right thing? And you know what? That's what the Nobel Prize did; doing the right thing is the right thing. And people will always surprise you. If you believe in the best of people, they will give you the best.

RFE/RL: Your example of not giving up and of fighting is so inspiring. At the same time, I know that this is not easy; this is very difficult. What is your superpower that made you decide to stay in the Philippines, and to not give up and to not be afraid? Or maybe you are afraid sometimes.

Ressa: Yes, you're always afraid. I think that's the first step. Who wants to fight a government? No one does, right? In Indonesia, there's a phrase that "the nail that stands up gets the hammer." So if you stand up, you're going to get hammered. Who wants to be the nail that stands up?

But I think what happened to us, and the reason I kept coming back, was I had spent all my career, my life, as a journalist living by the standards and ethics of journalism. And I went home to the Philippines in 2005 and headed the largest news organization.

When democracy gets too chaotic -- because democracy's hard, especially if you really want everyone's opinions -- there are some people who do not have the patience for it; they just want a strongman to make the call."

And then I began to really understand how, when you head the news, you become part of the power structure, and you get pressure from every side. Then you learn to navigate [that] and you learn to stick to your standards and ethics....

When I began Rappler [in 2012] and headed Rappler when, [between 2016-2022,] the [Rodrigo] Duterte administration began attacking news organizations, it was very easy to silence corporate media because, like my old network, it had other business interests. Rappler has no other interest but journalism.

And so I felt like, if I never went back -- because I have a U.S. passport along with my Filipino citizenship, right -- symbolically I become a coward, and it means that everything I'd spent decades building was a sham. When it matters, you have to stand up. So, it's almost like there's a relay race and the baton was passed to me at the wrong time to be a news head; but I had to take the baton and carry it to the next person. And that's my goal; I'm going to carry it to the next news head.

The citizens of Georgia, the journalists, are going to have to carry the baton to the next generation. Will democracy survive? That's your challenge today.

RFE/RL: Right now, Georgians are protesting the Russian-style "foreign agent" law. What would be your advice?

Ressa: I think that, first, it's OK to be afraid, it's normal to be afraid. It's what you do that defines who you are. And I think, from what I've seen of Georgians -- I mean, you've already gone through this before -- you have to be pragmatic and you have to be prepared if you decide that fascism is not a system that you want. Because this is literally what the world is turning to, because the technology allows surveillance in a way that we never had before. The technology allows behavior modification, you know, pounding a lie a million times so that it becomes a "fact," triggering your cognitive biases, triggering your fear and your hatred. It's like politics became a gladiators' battle to the death.

I think with Georgia it's more power and money again; it's the same thing in the Philippines, power and money. And what will give a better future to your children, to your country. You can't do this alone. And as a journalist, you have to call a spade a spade. If there are consequences to that, build the alliances.

I think the reason I'm not in jail is because the Duterte administration forgot that I spent 20 years of my life reporting for an international network, and these journalists knew me; and my peers were now heading news organizations, and they helped.

It's shining a light. That's the other part. You have to capture the world's attention at a time when the world has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). But Georgia actually has the world's attention; it certainly did more than the Philippines had it at the start.

RFE/RL: In one of your interviews, you say that "dictatorship is formed step-by-step." What are the signs? We are also afraid to be there one day.

Ressa: I called it "death by a thousand cuts" of democracy, of the body politic. What a dictator wants is for you to look away as they slice away at the rights. I came from counterterrorism research. "Death by a thousand cuts" is not [only] a Taylor Swift song, it was what Al-Qaeda wanted to do to America, right?

Now, it's exactly what authoritarians are doing, what social media is doing. Because it's like every single time your rights are being taken away, it's a cut; but they're small cuts, and they want you to look away, because "it's only a small cut." Imagine that you bleed from these cuts, and at a certain point the body politic becomes so weak that you die. That's what we don't want to happen.

The Philippines went from the hell under the previous administration to now being in purgatory. I had 11 criminal charges, and now, I have two left. It took a long time.

RFE/RL: If I'm not mistaken, they tried to detain you like 10 times?

Ressa: Yeah, arrest warrants. I had 10 or 11; I can't even remember now. I think my friends get mad at me because I try to forget all the bad things.

I think for Georgia, and for Georgians, it's a choice you make; and some people may decide that they want an authoritarian leader.

RFE/RL: Or not.

Ressa: Or not. That's the other part. In Southeast Asia, the nostalgia for strongman rule is so strong. In 1986, we kicked out [Ferdinand] Marcos. There was a people-power revolt. And the beginning of my career was all about how these authoritarian leaders were being replaced by democracies, up until 1998, which was the end of almost 32 years of [authoritarian Indonesian President] Suharto in Indonesia. And then, the tail end of my career, it feels like it's going back down.

When democracy gets too chaotic -- because democracy's hard, especially if you really want everyone's opinions -- there are some people who do not have the patience for it; they just want a strongman to make the call.

RFE/RL: Have you ever thought of leaving everything?

Ressa: Oh my gosh, no. I've lived a life of no regrets. I'm 60; I still live by my ideals, and this is the way I'm going to live my life. It's possible to be 60 and to be idealistic.

RFE/RL: What is your best advice to journalists?

What tech did is it atomized us into individuals[and] this battle that we're facing is an individual battle for integrity. It's in our cell phones."

Ressa: First of all is to know that you are not alone, whether it's a Georgian citizen or a journalist. There were times in the Philippines when I was angry at citizens who weren't speaking [out] at the powerful, who were quiet because they wanted to protect their money. Fear does incredible things to people, so I can't get mad at them.

The only thing we can control is ourselves. So, advice? Know who you are. Draw the lines where "this side you're good, this side you're evil." And live a life that is you.

RFE/RL: And news reporting made you the person that you wanted to be?

Ressa: Yes, so much. The standards and ethics of journalism...and I love the discipline. Because it draws lines for you, but you're not emotional about it. Emotion is a strength, yes. But in journalism, learning how to push your emotions down so you have clarity of thought, so you make the right decisions -- and the humility to realize that you don't know what you don't know.

I would never want to be Big Tech and make decisions for everyone about the kind of world we want. I want you to make that decision and give you the facts to be able to do that; that is journalism. I get angry at Big Tech.

RFE/RL: What's your favorite part of your book?

Ressa: For every single instance in the book, there is a macro-lesson, which is the big picture. But the subtitle is the personal lesson that I have. We -- and I -- had to negotiate [as] three of my journalists were kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in 2008, and there's no handbook, if you're a news head, for how to get your journalists back. [Or] how do you deal with terrorists, right? (Editor's note: ASG was a violent Islamist separatist group in the southern Philippines that, in the 1990s, waged a campaign of kidnapping for ransom.)

And I think what I wanted to do here is to give a holistic handbook for journalists and for our societies. What tech did is it atomized us into individuals[and] this battle that we're facing is an individual battle for integrity. It's in our cell phones. The war in Ukraine is not [only] in Ukraine, it's [also] here -- it's in our cell phones, right, because you're being targeted by Russian disinformation. But let me pull up [and address your question].

Among the micro-/macro-lessons, which one did I like the best? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When I didn't know which direction to turn, it was simple: Treat others the way you would want to be treated. Why would you treat them any differently? And that plays out in journalism. Be fair. Listen.
BELGRADE -- President Aleksandar Vucic said on June 30 that Serbia's heightened security alert will likely stay in place for at least two more days after a "well-trained" attacker was killed after shooting a police officer with a crossbow in a presumed terrorist incident in front of the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade.

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic called it a "heinous terrorist attack."

Police in Serbia have detained two further individuals and are continuing related operations all over the country following the midday incident 0n June 29, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told Serbian state broadcaster RTS on June 30.

Dacic had previously said the entire country had been put on red alert with an increased police presence.

He identified the slain suspect as a religious convert to Islam named Milos Zujovic and said the man had moved to Novi Pazar, a southern city near the border with Kosovo with a long tradition in both Orthodox and Muslim history.

Dacic said the dead attacker was a member of the radical Wahhabi movement.

Dacic said another individual who was nearby at the time of the incident had been arrested on suspicion of being connected with the attack.

He identified the second person of interest as a man arrested two years ago for "being the administrator of several militant groups on the Internet that called for jihad," including against police.

Vucic later said "the attacker was extremely well-trained" and had fired the crossbow while it was still inside a sack "so the attack would be completely unexpected." He also said authorities were searching for at least a third individual who is known to be in Serbia.

"I think we will resolve everything by Tuesday [July 2] and everything will be fine by then," Vucic said in a June 30 appearance on TV Prva.

Police were carrying out searches at multiple locations in Novi Pazar in first hours after the attack.

The injured police officer, who reportedly fired multiple shots at the attacker after he was hit in the neck by an arrow from a crossbow, was not said to be in life-threatening condition.

Dacic said the suspect had approached the officer multiple times asking about a museum before returning and opening the door of a building in front of the embassy grounds. He then "shot the gendarme in the neck" with the crossbow. The attacker was pronounced dead about half an hour later, Dacic said.

President Vucic visited the recovering officer, Milos Jevremovic, and said he was in "very good condition."

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called it an "attempted terror act on the Embassy of Israel" and thanked the Serbian government and those involved for their "prompt response" and cooperation. "Terrorism cannot be tolerated!" Katz added via social network X.

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said it was a "heinous terrorist attack" and "an act of insanity, which cannot be attributed to any religion or any nation." Writing on X, Vucevic said "the State of Serbia will be able to resolutely respond to the threat of terrorism."

"Anyone who thought that they could destabilize us with such inactions was mistaken," he said.

"Our country was and will remain peaceful, stable and prosperous, and interfaith harmony will continue to adorn our society," Vucevic added.
Ukraine's State Emergency Service on June 30 raised the number of injured to more than 35 in an apparent Russian rocket attack the previous night that killed seven people in the city of Vilnyansk, in the southern Zaporizhzhya region.

It reported that building and car fires had been put out at the scene, where Governor Ivan Fedorov said three children were believed to be among the dead and nine more children among the dozens of injured.

Initial reports had put the number of injured at around 10.

How can we be expected to live? a resident of Vilnyansk said in comments to RFE/RL.

There is a burned corpse there, she said, pointing to rescue workers wrapping the body of a blast victim.

This is a very popular area. There is an ATB [supermarket]. There are benches. People are walking. Children are walking. Some people were driving by from work. They just disappeared [in the blast] and we cannot find them.

The attack in Vilnyansk came with Russian forces putting heavy pressure on Ukrainian defenders along the 1,000-kilometer front line and with increased air strikes in the 28-month-old full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his June 30 video address, urged Ukraine's Western allies to allow the country's forces more freedom to conduct attacks inside Russia.

"The sooner the world helps us to deal with the Russian warplanes dropping these bombs, the sooner we can attack the Russian military infrastructure, the Russian military airfields, the closer we are to peace," Zelenskiy said

On June 30, local leaders in Kyiv and Kharkiv -- Ukraine's two largest cities -- reported attacks on residential and civilian areas.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said fragments of a Russian-launched missile caused a fire in the Obolon district of the capital. There was no initial report of casualties, but authorities said emergency crews were at the site.

Separately, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekho said Russia had fired guided bombs into a residential area of Ukraines second-largest city, causing casualties.

"Unfortunately, we already have information that one person has been killed. Inspection of the site of arrival continues," he said.

Also on June 30, Ukraines military released video it said was filmed from a drone that showed what appears to be bodies in a civilian area in Toretsk, claiming that Russia had used powerful glide bombs on the mining town in the Donetsk region.

Highly destructive Soviet-era glide bombs are launched from warplanes that are out of the range of air-defense systems.

Johan Norberg, a senior analyst and expert on Russias military at the Swedish Defense Research Agency FOI, has said jet-dropped glide bombs have been used to a devastating effect and have been key to allowing Russia to make gains in recent months.

Late on June 29, Zelenskiy cited a huge Russian strike that gutted four floors of an apartment building in the central city of Dnipro on June 28 as further evidence that his country needs more air-defense systems from its allies.

"There are ways to overcome the daily Russian terror from which Ukrainian cities and communities suffer," Zelenskiy said. "For this, it is necessary to destroy Russian terrorists and launchers where they are, as well as increase the number of modern air-defense systems in Ukraine."

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

The previous night, Kyiv had reported thwarting 10 aerial drone attacks, and said Russian forces had dropped anti-tank missiles on the city of Derhachi, in the central Kharkiv region.

Russia has stepped up air strikes this year in a bid to drain Ukraines resources, often targeting energy facilities and other vital infrastructure, and deal psychological blows to the population.

Ukrainian officials have said that half of the nation's power system has been damaged by Russian strikes.

Russia said that Ukraine launched attacks on Sevastopol in Crimea as well as Kursk on June 29.

The Ukrainian General Staff said late on June 29 that the "hottest" combat situation continued to be in the area of Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donetsk region.

Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry meanwhile said four of its employees had been injured in what it said was Ukrainian shelling in Donetsk.

Russia said on June 29 that it had captured Shumy, a settlement located about 7 kilometers southeast of Toretsk.

RFE/RL cannot confirm claims by either side in areas of the heaviest fighting.

With reporting by AP
BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) released a statistical report on Sunday, one day ahead of its 103rd founding anniversary.

According to the report issued by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, the CPC had more than 99.18 million members at the end of 2023, up by over 1.14 million from 2022.

The CPC had about 5.18 million primary-level organizations at the end of 2023, an increase of 111,000 compared with the previous year.

The CPC has maintained its great vitality and strong ability by focusing on the primary level, continuously reinforcing the foundations and shoring up weak links, and strengthening its organizational system and membership, the report says.

Data from the report shows that nearly 2.41 million people had joined the CPC in 2023, with 82.4 percent of them aged 35 or below.

Party membership has seen positive changes in terms of its composition. The report reveals that more than 55.78 million Party members, or 56.2 percent of the overall membership, held junior college degrees or above, 1.5 percentage points higher than the level recorded at the end of 2022.

By the end of 2023, the CPC had over 30.18 million female members, accounting for 30.4 percent of its total membership, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous year. The proportion of members from ethnic minority groups grew by 0.1 percentage points to 7.7 percent.

Workers and farmers continue to make up the majority of CPC members, accounting for 33 percent of all members.

Education and management of Party members continued to improve in 2023, with over 1.26 million study sessions held by Party organizations at all levels.

Also in 2023, the incentive and honorary mechanism for Party organizations and members continued to play its due role. During the year, 138,000 primary-level Party organizations and 693,000 Party members were commended for their excellence.

CPC organizations at the primary level continued to improve in 2023. At the end of the year, there were 298,000 Party committees, 325,000 general Party branches and about 4.6 million Party branches at the primary level in China.

In 2023, the team of leading Party officials continued to strengthen, facilitating China's rural revitalization drive. At the end of 2023, there were nearly 490,000 secretaries of Party organizations in villages, 44 percent of whom held junior college degrees or above.

In the meantime, the practice of assigning "first secretaries" to CPC village committees has continued. There were a total of 206,000 "first secretaries" working in villages at the end of 2023. 
Taoiseach Simon Harris spent several hours at Lough Key Forest Park in Boyle on Saturday afternoon where hundreds of festival goers were enjoying the music at the Night and Day Festival.

With big names like Damian Dempsey and The Undertones on stage on Saturday, the Taoiseach took time to enjoy the music, meet festival goers and address the media.

He was greeted on arrival at Lough Key by the Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, Cllr Paschal Fitzmaurice, Coillte representatives, festival organisers and Roscommon's Tourism Officer Lisa Joy.

The festival, which has attracted several thousand people over the course of the weekend continues today Sunday with some big names like BellX1.

Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, Cllr Paschal Fitzmaurice welcomes Taoiseach Simon Harris to Lough Key Forest Park for the Night & Day Festival. Pic. Enda Regan

Speaking to the media the Taoiseach admitted he was frustrated over an ongoing controversy in the Defence Forces.

It comes after earlier this week Simon Harris stated that information on how many serving members had criminal convictions was not immediately available to him.

The Defence Forces later said a total of 68 members have been convicted or are before the courts charged with criminal offences.

Speaking to reporters in Boyle Mr Harris said: I think its fair to say that I did express a kind of visible frustration during the week  and that was motivated from a place of good because I had watched what Natasha OBrien had been going through.

Zero tolerance is not a political slogan, zero tolerance is cultural change we need to bring about in Ireland. Mr Harris said: Were not yet where we need to be culturally in relation to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and the last couple of weeks have been a stark reminder of that.

There are many thousands of good men and women in Oglaigh na hEireann, and they do us proud at home and abroad  and its for them we have to get this right.
By Rebecca Black, PA

Sinn Fein wants to maximise the number of progressive MPs returned from Northern Ireland in this years General Election, vice president Michelle ONeill has said.

The party is running 14 candidates, standing aside in East Belfast, North Down and Strangford where Alliance is challenging unionists, as well as South Belfast where the SDLP is hoping to return to the green benches.

Ms ONeill said it had not been an easy decision to stand aside in the four constituencies but said the party wants to see a rejection of those who had propped up the last Conservative government.

First Minister Michelle ONeill, who is vice president of Sinn Fein, speaks with PA Media at Parliament Buildings at Stormont (Liam McBurney/PA)

It comes after the DUP maintained a close relationship with the Conservatives, including taking part in a confidence and supply deal in 2017 following the return of a hung parliament.

We want this election to return the maximum number of progressive candidates, Ms ONeill told the PA news agency.

The maximum number of MPs that want to make politics work here at home, the maximum number of MPs that reject Tory austerity and the cuts that have decimated our public services for the past 14 years, and also to reject those people that actually propped up the Tories throughout that tenure, so that we set aside in those constituencies to actually make space for that progressive candidate to come through.

Sinn Fein won seven seats at the last general election in 2019.

This year, Ms ONeill said the party is hoping to maintain the seven and potentially build its vote.

The party is targeting gains including attempting to win Foyle over SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.

This General Election comes after a disappointing showing for Sinn Fein in the Republic of Ireland where it was widely seen as the government in waiting, but suffered a major setback when its support in the European and local government elections dropped well below what was projected.

Ms ONeill said she does not expect any repeat of that disappointment north of the border.

She said: Obviously, we didnt realise our full ambition in the south but we did make some gains.

Weve work to do there, and well do that, and well regroup and be back in time to fight the next contest in the south but I dont think its having any sort of link into here.

People know this is a Westminster election, and they know that July 4 is about politics here in the north, for making politics work in the north, for that strong leadership and for positive change.

Ms ONeill also rejected criticism over Sinn Fein MPs continuing their long-held policy of not taking their seats at Westminster, insisting the party makes a difference.

Michelle ONeill at Parliament Buildings at Stormont (Liam McBurney/PA).

Sinn Fein MPs work very hard for the constituencies, and people know that whenever they vote for a Sinn Fein MP, that theyre getting that hard-working local MP, she said.

They also know that theyre getting the all-island team that Sinn Fein represents, in the local Executive here, with having the First Minister and other ministers also in the Dail in Dublin, in London and in the United States and now in Europe, with their two MEPs, no other party in the North has two MEPs.

So that strong representation where it counts actually is making the difference. The finest examples I can point to in that regard are Brexit and the international support that we got for protection of the Good Friday Agreement and the Brexit position was borne out.

Also, on a more local basis, our finance minister Caoimhe Archibald knocking on the door of the Treasury has been able to make strong advances in terms of the funding arrangement that we have for the North.

That shows that Sinn Fein can make a difference in terms of going directly to the door of the Treasury or the prime minister of the day in the aftermath of this election.

Westminster has shown that they never have and never will act in our interests.

So I think that people understand that their fortunes are best served by politics working here at home and I think thats the message that certainly I engage with people on the doors, day and daily.

In terms of the next government in London, Ms ONeill said Sinn Fein would hope to build a good relationship with Labour if it wins the election.

I know from the Labour manifesto that they talk about public services and the need to improve public services here so thats something that clearly (we) would want to work with Labour on, she said.

Also, we need to advance the conversation around how were funded, how our public services are funded, and weve made some progress there, but I think weve more to do so that would be the day one conversation for Labour.

We would expect that we would want to build a better relationship with Labour, for the good of all the people that live here.
The Sunday Show  June 30, 2024

A special installment of the Sunday Show, devoted to the anniversaries of two cultural institutions in Romania.

Listen to RRI in English

Ana-Maria Popescu, 30.06.2024, 14:10

A special instalment of the Sunday Show, devoted to two anniversaries.

First, we talk to Julien Chiappone-Lucchesi, the head of the French Institute in Romania, an institution which in 2024 celebrates 100 years of existence.

And next, we discuss the 10-year anniversary of KineDok, a programme affiliated to One World Romania which organizes documentary screenings in alternative venues.
When launched, Vinfast VF e34 will rival the likes of Mahindra XUV400, MG ZS EV and upcoming Tata Curvv EV and Maruti eVX

Looking forward to ceasing their opportunity in the Indian electric car market, Vietnamese carmaker, Vinfast, is soon to launch a product offensive here. The company is expected to kick things off with their popular VF e34 offering. Latest spy shots of VF e34 credited to automotive enthusiast Karan Dogra are the clearest ones to date and show quite a few interesting attributes.

Vinfast VF e34 Clearest Spy Shots

The Vietnamese car manufacturer, Vinfast, has commenced work on their local manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu state, India. Ahead of full-scale manufacturing, Vinfast is speculated to commence the sales of VF e34 via the CBU route.

This way, Vinfast might benefit from Governments revised taxation for EVs where manufacturers pledge vast capital investments in an upcoming manufacturing setup. Vinfast recently held the groundbreaking ceremony for its manufacturing facility and is likely to be qualified for this tax benefit to launch EVs ahead of full production.

Test mules of VF e34 have been making multiple appearances and seem pretty unchanged from their global version. Is this just the case for the first set of vehicles launched via CBU route or all vehicles, that is not clear yet. In this sense, we can see test mules carrying privacy glass at the rear, which is a luxury car feature.

Overall design is quite nice and is likely to appeal to a vast array of audiences. However, the front design might come off as convoluting and may split opinions. Think, Renault Captur. We get a sloping bonnet and an overall curvy front fascia. Oval-shaped projector headlights and moustache-like convergence for the logo look interesting.

In profile, the car looks sharp and rides on nice-looking 5-spoke (split spokes) alloy wheels. Door handles are conventional and charging port is on rear right quarter panel. As opposed to the front, rear design has strong SUV-like appeal and looks very sharp. Connecting design tail lights, large roof spoiler and tough-looking rear bumper are notable attributes.

Specs and Features

Dimensions-wise, Vinfast VF e34 measures 4,300 mm in length, 1,768 mm in width, 1,615 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,611 mm. Crossover elements like body cladding and all-four disc brakes are notable too. None of the spy shots to date have revealed Vinfast VF e34s interiors, but we should expect a similar design to global model.

Expected features include a 10-inch portrait-style touchscreen infotainment screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a 7-inch TFT colour display for drivers instrument screen. Ventilated seats, a built-in air purifier, multiple USB ports, Wi-Fi features, keyless entry, push button start, 6 airbags, ADAS suite and other features are expected.

Powertrain-wise, Indian model is expected to come with a 41.9 kWh battery pack, powering a 150 bhp single electric motor driving e34s front wheels. To modulate power, there are Eco, Comfort and Sport driving modes and Vinfast claims 0-100 km/h sprint in under 9 seconds, a top speed of 130 km/h and a NEDC certified range of 318 km on a single charge.
BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- With the Communist Party of China (CPC) celebrating its 103rd founding anniversary on July 1, the CPC is set to unveil a new round of deep and comprehensive reforms to better serve China's 1.4 billion people.

On July 15, the CPC will convene the third plenary session of its 20th central committee in Beijing, with a host of reforms on the table that could chart the course forward for the world's second largest economy.

"It is imperative to plan and advance reform with a focus on the people's overall, fundamental and long-term interests," Chinese President Xi Jinping said at a symposium attended by representatives of businesses and academia in May.

The CPC never forgets that the ultimate goal of pursuing reform and development is to ensure that people live better lives. And the touchstone of any reforms should be the approval of the general public.

"As many reform measures as possible should be taken addressing the most pressing concerns of the people and responding to their will, and as many concrete approaches as possible should be adopted that deliver real benefits to the people, win their approval and respect their will, so that the reform can ensure that the people have a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security," said Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

The secret to the CPC's success in the world's most populous country is to put people's interests and wellbeing above all else.

While Western political parties are obsessed with short-term partisan interests even at the cost of people's wellbeing, the CPC focuses on the happiness of the people, making relentless self-reform and self-improvement. It knows well that without the acknowledgment and support of the mass of people, its governance would be like a tree without roots or water without a source.

The CPC's history bears witness to its pursuit of the happiness of the people. As a political party that is of the people, by the people and for the people, it has always regarded the Chinese people as the supreme and ultimate judge of its work.

China has witnessed profound changes over the modern era that transformed the country from untold sufferings to splendid modernity. History proved that only the CPC could lead the Chinese people in fighting the enemy and winning the revolution. Since then, lives have been saved, humiliation has ended and the destiny of the Chinese people has been illuminated.

The CPC believes that only through development can people's lives be improved and national strength be enhanced. Since China ushered in the reform and opening up in 1978, earth-shaking changes have taken place in people's lives.

The country's gross domestic product (GDP) now ranks the second largest in the world. Just within a decade, nearly 100 million people shook off poverty. The middle-income population has exceeded 400 million, the world's largest.

China also has the world's second largest consumer market, the biggest online retail sales market and the second largest import market. The country is also backed by a stable and bumper output of grains, and has built the world's largest carbon market and clean power generation system.

The speed and quality of infrastructure construction in China has often astonished those who have traveled in this land of wonders. Foreigners are stunned when they board the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, impressed with the comfortable carriages and bullet-like speed.

Rome was not built in a day. Similarly, China's achievements have been built through days and nights of hard work, led by the CPC, which always summons the necessary resources and responds to people's demands as its top priority.

Whether in earthquake-relief or the anti-poverty mission, it was the CPC that led the people in rising anew from the ruins and shaking off poverty in a relatively short period of time.

The CPC's attractiveness cannot be resisted. With close to 100 million members, the CPC is the world's largest ruling Marxist political party. The Party's appeal is sharpened by its broad range of perspectives, as it is willing to listen to opinions from a wide array of members, from the top level to the grassroots, which encompasses some very talented people from across China.

No one can deny that these have made the CPC's governance effective, efficient and highly responsive to people's needs.

If a political party becomes self-assertive and disconnected from the masses, it risks being abandoned by the people. This is an iron law of historical development, and has no exception in any era.

The CPC is able to navigate in the choppy waters of uncertainty, develop new theories and formulate blueprints because it remains on high alert to new challenges and realities, and adapts to changes in line with the times.

In the face of evolving changes, the CPC's approach is pragmatic and realistic. The much-anticipated third plenary session will unveil more details of a new round of reforms in the "deep-water" areas that aim to fix the hard-nut problems arising from decades of development.

The CPC has not only led reforms in economy, environmental protection and many other fields, but also carried out constant self-improvement. In view of the major risks and tests facing the Party and the prominent problems within the Party, the CPC has waged a sweeping war on corruption. It unswervingly promotes comprehensive and strict governance of the Party to keep its blood clean and healthy.

The CPC's people-centered philosophy can be traced back to the country's traditional culture. The Party's inherent genetic code includes fine traditional Chinese culture, from which the notion of putting people's interests above all else originates. China's path to the pursuit of peaceful development under the leadership of the CPC is also inseparable from traditional Chinese culture.

The Chinese people do not have the gene of expansive aggression and oppose the zero-sum game mentality. With respect to equality and mutual benefit in international relations, China is committed to being a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. It stands ready to work with other countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

China needs a peaceful international environment on its road to prosperity. Without peace, neither China nor the world can develop smoothly. Without development, there can be no lasting peace for China and the world.

China unswervingly follows the path of peaceful development and hopes that all countries in the world will do so too. China will neither pursue its own development at the expense of other countries' interests, nor will it give up its legitimate rights and interests. No country should expect China to compromise on its core interests.

There has never been a textbook or a ready-made answer to China's own problems. The Party's path to success in its century-long struggle was blazed by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Party. China's problems must be addressed by the Chinese people in light of China's basic national conditions.

The values featuring "peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom" put forward by China echo with the common values of mankind. China's efforts to promote the common values of mankind reflect the broad mind of the Chinese Communists and have been widely recognized by the international community through a range of initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative.

From the narrow angle of one's own country, the world is small and crowded, and there is fierce competition all the time. From the perspective of a shared destiny, the world is big enough for everyone and there are opportunities for cooperation everywhere.

Today's world faces many common challenges, such as climate change, sluggish economy, rising unilateralism and protectionism and regional conflicts. No country can escape from these issues or solve them single-handedly. The only way out for mankind is to work together.

As it celebrates its 103rd birthday, the CPC is leading the Chinese nation toward the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country. It will lead the Chinese people to national rejuvenation while seeking common development with the world. 
MWENSE, Zambia, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Ten-year-old Benson Mwila from Mwense district in northern Zambia, is not an average boy.

While many of his peers spend their free time playing, Mwila, a grade two student at Mukomansala Primary School in Mwense, is usually busy making things from recyclable waste materials.

It all started about a year ago when Mwila noticed discarded bottle lids lying around in his neighborhood located in Kashiba Chiefdom. He saw the potential in the plastic rings of the lids and began to experiment with ways to repurpose them using his imagination.

"I started by making a bag for carrying school books because I did not have a school bag," he explained.

After learning how to make bags from plastic bottle lids, Mwila embarked on a mission to teach other children at his school to make bags for carrying books.

"I wanted to help my classmates who didn't have school bags. Most of them use plastic carrier bags to carry books. Plastic carrier bags wear out easily," he said in a soft tone.

In addition to the bags, Mwila has been able to make various toys and leisure hats using rings from plastic bottle lids.

One of his peers, nine-year-old Mwila Simeoni, who recently learned from him how to make a bag expressed his admiration and appreciation for Mwila's ingenuity.

"He taught me to make a school bag using the rings from the bottle lids. Now I can carry my school books in a neat way," Simeoni shared, proudly displaying his handmade bag.

Mwila's willingness to share his skills has had a positive influence on other children at his school. According to school authorities, about 12 learners at Mukomansala Primary School have received knowledge from Mwila of how to make bags and other items from recyclable materials.

They said children are now able to weave rings from bottle lids into colorful and durable school bags.

School head teacher Eric Chishala explained that most children at Mukomansala Primary School come from very low-income households and that their families can not afford to buy school bags.

"As a school we are encouraging our students to learn from him and to make these very durable bags to enable them carry books and other learning materials properly" Chishala stated with admiration.

He further revealed hat Mwila's work has sparked a sense of empowerment and creativity among students and has prompted discussions about sustainable practices and the importance of utilizing available resources to make things.

"We are working on establishing a crafts center for the school where learners can learn how to make things from recyclable materials. This idea has been inspired by Mwila's eco-friendly work," Chishala revealed. 
BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- A symphony concert was held at the Museum of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing on the eve of the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the CPC, which falls on Monday.

Approximately 800 people, including laureates of major national honorary medals and titles, representatives of outstanding CPC members working at the primary level, experts from various fields, and members of the public from all walks of life, attended the concert.

It featured more than 20 musical works reflecting the CPC's endeavors in various stages over the past century and more. Multiple orchestras and institutions, such as the China National Symphony Orchestra, the China National Opera House and the National Ballet of China, participated in the performance.

The concert was co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the China Media Group (CMG), and will also be broadcast in prime time on CMG channels on Monday. 
"I'd give a bag of gold to visit Khiva."

The ancient complex of Ichan-Kala in Khiva, an Uzbek city, has a history of over 2,500 years. Thanks to joint restoration projects between China and Uzbekistan, the splendor of Khiva continues to fascinate the world with its rich culture.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A New York City Housing Preservation & Development employee faces a charge after he was arrested Saturday evening, according to a spokesperson for the NYPD.

Michael Gibbs, 36, was allegedly driving a vehicle with excessive window tints in the confines of the 120th precinct just before 8 p.m., when police stopped him.

Authorities have yet to share exactly where Gibbs was stopped.

Authorities allege that after running Gibbs information through their database it was discovered that Gibbs was driving on a suspended license.

Gibbs was then taken into custody and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, according to the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Creating an immersive experience for Staten Island, Hub17s Theatre will unveil a walk-through, interactive exhibit created by Kimbra Eberly and Carissa Pignatelli this upcoming August.

As a way to showcase the most endangered animals on Earth, Project Extinction will capture some of the homes of these endangered animals with five large murals, a retro 60s black light room, an underwater scene, Galapagus Island, a desert watering hole, and forest and field murals.

The animals featured in our project are among the most endangered on Earth. When a species becomes endangered, it is a sign that the ecosystem is slowly falling apart. The extinction of one species results in the extinction of other species in its ecosystem, as they each have important roles to play. How much is climate change to blame? The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List shows the impact on 10,967 species, with projections indicating that a 2C temperature increase could put 18% of land species at high risk of extinction by 2050, said the creators in their exhibit biography.

In recognizing animals that are approaching extinction, ten percent of sales will go to the World Wildlife Fund, to help protect freshwater resources, and landscapes, while also rebuilding food systems to nourish people and nature. This fund will help achieve healthy oceans and nature-positive seascapes, and conserve the worlds most important forests, wildlife, and wild places.

The exhibit will be open from Aug. 9 at 6 p.m. ET until Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. ET at Hub 17s Theatre, located at 73 Wave Street, Staten Island, New York. General Admission tickets will be available until Aug. 18 and can be purchased online or at the door for $10.

The public can also look forward to surprises and giveaways. As well as prints and assorted merchandise.
Editors note: Welcome to Inside Out, our weekly roundup of stories about Staten Islanders of all ages who are making waves, being seen, supporting our community and just making our borough a special place to live. Have a story for Inside Out? Email Carol Ann Benanti at cbenanti@siadvance.com.

West Brighton resident Andrew Ostrowski has penned "Just For the Asking." (Courtesy/the author)Andrew

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  He took all of your questions, all 3,000 of them!

West Brightonite Andrew Ostrowski has penned a new book  and you could say its quite questionable.

The 400 plus page heavyweight is a compilation the author calls Ostrowskis book, Just for the Asking.

Ostrowskis latest is a collection of more than 3,000 questions and comments that have been submitted to him  as well as his answers  over the past 15 years while he worked as a journalist for two newspapers in New York State.

Ostrowski, who alternates a weekly commentary column with a question and answer for the Buffalo-based Am-Pol Eagle News, and had been for the now-retired Pol-Am World News based in Long Island, has amassed a following over the years which led to the idea.

Year after year as circulation expanded and subscribers grew in both newspapers, questions about almost everything just kept coming in and the Q & A column became a mainstay feature, says Ostrowski. The column turned into another Dear Abby, but boundless in content. Many people have heard of the Dear Abby syndicated column which offers advice mainly on relationships, family, health, and etiquette, and which first started running in 1956 by Pauline Phillips.

Whats more, its all for a good cause: 100% of the proceeds is being donated to Popcorn Park Animal Refuge in Forked River, N.J.

The author begins the book with a segment called All about the Question, where he discusses the emergence of being inquisitive beginning in the age of the caveman and traveling through the years right up to todays executive era.

The motivating forces behind asking questions as well as why it was once taboo to do so are also focal points.

An analysis of the kinds of questions people ask is also spotlighted.

The authors nephew, a former Hunter College honor student in philosophy, also joins a discussion as the author explains, the potential dangers of not questioning our very own existence when it comes to understanding life and possibly colonizing other planets in the distant future.

To this day, there are some questions that mainstream institutions simply discourage asking about, Ostrowski points out. Although these kinds of questions may upset the apple carts in our societal life, not asking them, and subsequently pursuing answers, stagnates life and may be the ultimate shame being that we can only learn and grow by asking.

Several noteworthy full-length interviews conducted by Ostrowski are presented in the book, including one with Dr. Nikodem Poplawski, a theoretical physicist who Forbes magazine dubbed as being the next Einstein, as well as world-famous soprano Julianne Baird, one of the most recorded voices in American history.

Whether its someone asking how to bake a cake or what European shoe size equivalents are, a plethora of subject matter is presented.

Politics, religion, health, sports, relationships, pets, and travel are just a few of the topics that are questioned and discussed.

I equally welcomed both praise and punishment, as some folks treated me as a god and others wished to burn me at the stake, based on my answers which kept feeding weekly fervor among readers., Ostrowski added. This book is a living testament to that fervor and inspires the kind of engagement that ultimately defines journalism.

Ostrowskis book, Just for the Asking, is available on Amazon.com in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle versions.

THE STATEN ISLAND BLIND SOCIETY

The Staten Island Blind Society monthly social brunch staged at Z-One in Bulls Head was a smashing success. In attendance were members, volunteers and possible new members.

Annamarie Kaplon, president of the Staten Island Blind Society, center and Donna Ranello, left, vice president, enjoy a luncheon social at Z-One in Bulls Head along with friends. (Courtesy/Annamarie Kaplon)Staten Island Advance

Annamarie Kaplon, president of the organization, commented: The brunch was a great success and the event continues to support our efforts in attaining new members and bringing support to the community.

Members of the Staten Island Blind Society enjoy a luncheon social at Z-One in Bulls Head. (Courtesy/Annamarie Kaplon)Staten Island Advance

She indicated the societys goal is to get neighbors within Staten Island who are blind or visually impaired to get out and meet others who are struggling with vision loss.

Members of the Staten Island Blind Society.. (Courtesy/Annamarie Kaplon)Staten Island Advance

Our group is a safe space to speak out about their needs, and to let others know how to manage their vision loss, she added.

(Courtesy/Annamarie Kaplon)Staten Island Advance

Those interested in obtaining further information about the Staten Island Blind Society, either for themselves or for a family member or a friend, should contact Kaplon at 718 232-5427.

CELEBRATIONS - JUNE 30 TO JULY 6

JUNE 30

The happiest of birthdays Sunday to Tom Checchi, Dennis DiCicco, Lisa Rosenfeld, Lauran Messina., Kirsten Swenson, Pat McGrath.

Sunday is wedding anniversary time for Flo and Mike Azzara, Evelyn and Phil Toro and for Jaime and John Cucuzza.

JULY 1

Happy birthday Monday to Doreen Minogue, Taylor B. Haas turns 27, Shannon McGinley, Frank DeMeo Jr., John Errichiello, Meghan Eileen Byrnes, Nicholas Peragine, Gerri Barajos and Jason Bock.

JULY 2

Birthday greetings Tuesday to Katie LaBetti, Denise Sparnroft, Phyllis Cregg, Christopher Nielsen, Annmarie Marronaro and Alberto Cervantes.

Happy wedding anniversary Tuesday to Gail and Artie Fernandez.

JULY 3

Wednesday is birthday time for Gregory Creamer, Devon Colbeck, Taylor OHalloran who turns 28, John Yoffredo, Steven Huberto Mitchell, Joyce Pelle, Joann Newell and twins, Gregory and Melissa DeBiase.

JULY 4

Happy Fourth of July birthday Thursday to Dennis Dale, Nancy Tierney, Keith Stapleton, Ellen McGinley, Mike Haliskoe, Sarah Mazzeo, Juliet Agnes Schroder, Ellen McGinley Pascucci, Matthew Giordano, Thomas Gelormino and twins Danielle and Lauren Salvadeo.

Happy wedding anniversary Thursday to Merylee and Dr. Stevan Peters.

JULY 5

Dr. Michael Reilly, Joanne Corradi, Theresa Ann Pratti, Beverly J. Davis. Minire Zuberi, Michele DeBiase, Anthony Romano and Michael Cassidy of West Brighton who turns 39, all celebrate birthdays on Friday.

JULY 6

Celebrating birthdays on Saturday are Tony Viola, Cydia Fong, Greg Fox, Richard Klien, Bob Sohmer, twins Lauren and Allison Sterner, as well as Madyson Lee Dalrymple, Erin Cavorley, and Timothy Foley Sr. and his son Timothy Foley Jr.
KIGALI, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda's National Electoral Commission has released the final list of voters, indicating 9.7 million people are eligible to vote in July presidential and legislative elections across Rwanda's 30 districts and the diaspora.

With over 13 million people, the final list released after the update of the voter register closed on Saturday, showed 3.7 million youth are eligible to vote.

"All Rwandans aged 18 years and above with national identification cards appear on the list. Voters will be required to present their national identification cards to polling officials to be allowed to vote unlike previously when a voter's card was used," the commission chairperson Oda Gasinzigwa told national television on Sunday.

The commission also announced that 2,591 polling stations have been demarcated to facilitate free fair election.

The election will be conducted over a three-day period between July 14 and 16.

Rwandans abroad will cast their ballots for the president and 53 members of parliament on July 14 at the country's diplomatic missions while in the country voters will head to the polls on July 15.

On July 16, 24 female members of parliament will be elected by electoral colleges.

There are three candidates in the presidential race, including incumbent President Paul Kagame, Frank Habineza of the opposition Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate.

The electoral body also cleared over 500 parliamentary candidates vying for 80 seats in the lower chamber of parliament. 
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Andy may sell candy, but in reality, hes doling out inspiration at a deep discount.

For nearly a decade now, the 39-year-old Great Kills resident has been peddling his treats and water to commuters at the intersection of Narrows Road South and Hylan Boulevard six days a week, rain or shine, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Despite having cerebral palsy, a condition that affects his bodys motor functions, muscle movement, coordination and communication aside from a few words, Andy takes his job seriously -- getting up after his alarm sounds at 5:30 a.m. and loading his vehicle with treats before heading off to his usual spot.

Every menial thing in life you could think of from going to the bathroom to getting something to eat is 10 times harder for him than any of us, said his brother, Maxwell Velikodny, the youngest of three siblings. But to see him happy and smiling with this, it just brings me so much joy.

Andy has been vending near the intersection of Narrows Road South and Hylan Boulevard for nearly a decade. Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon)Staten Island Advance

Andy had a difficult childhood from getting around to education, he added. But very early on my parents kept telling him, Youre normal, just like everyone else. You can do it!

Their parents, who were doctors in war-torn Kyrgyzstan, immigrated to the United States with essentially nothing in their pockets in search of a better life for their family. Leaving behind their lives as doctors to work blue-collar jobs like construction and house-cleaning in America was a sacrifice not lost on the brothers.

Andy, or Andrey as he is known by his family, saw how hard his parents worked, which inspired him to wotk as well. At the age of 16, he started walking the streets of Brooklyn, selling candy to bring in money for his family. He did that for about a decade before his family moved to the Island.

Today, Andy is a mainstay at his usual spot in Concord, working 50-plus hours a week with rare exception.

Andy has been selling his candy at the intersection of Narrows Road South and Hylan Boulevard for nearly a decade. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon)Staten Island Advance

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

During that time, hes had virtually every reason to stop what he was doing. Hes out there in all types of extreme weather. Hes been robbed on more than one occasion. And then there was a worldwide pandemic that took away most of the commuters who were his customers.

But with every obstacle, there were multiple people in the community stepping up to lend a helping hand.

There have been multiple GoFundMe campaigns dedicated to his cause from chance encounters, including one that got airtime on NY1, which raised $11,000 to keep him afloat during the pandemic.

Joseph Gualtieri, a partner in multiple Staten Island businesses, also took notice of Andys work ethic and took it upon himself to create new signage for his business.

I noticed that the numbers following his name on the Venmo were the numbers 88852, said Gualtieri. I took it as a sign because my birthday is May 5, and the number eight was my number in sports. I couldnt believe it. Its as if I was meant to help him.

A partner in a marketing business, Gualtieri also created an Instagram and Facebook page where patrons can tag Andy and further promote the business.

The hardest part, he said, was getting Andy to accept it.

I got the feeling that he really didnt want help, but after I pulled out a couple more signs he finally accepted them.

INSPIRING HIS FAMILY

That sentiment appears to be a common theme with Andy, according to his brother.

He loves the fact that he can make a living out of his situation and that he doesnt have to rely on the government or family. Hes able to be self sufficient, his brother added.

Velikodny said that Andys work ethic and his parents sacrifice are the main reason he was named the valedictorian of the College of Staten Island in 2022.

Andy (left) poses with brother Maxwell who was the valedictorian at the 2022 College of Staten Island 2022 Commencement Ceremony. (Photo courtesy of Maxwell Velikodny)Courtesy of Maxwell Velikodny

Upon graduating from the Macaulay Honors College, Velikodny enrolled at New York Law School while working full time at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Whenever I hit a point that I felt I couldnt go on, Id think of my parents who gave up everything. I think of Andrey, hes working six days a week, over 50 to 60 hours at times and I pull myself together. I wouldnt be where I am without them.

And despite his brothers success, Andy is typically reluctant to accept his help.

Ive helped him out with finances and budgeting, but for the most part, hes pretty autonomous, added Velikodny.

Andy has a vendors license, a tax ID and works with an accountant on his taxes.

Added his brother, I think about from early on when he was going through these bouts of insecurities, he pushed forward and has become a ray of sunshine for us and for many others.

***

Andy can be found Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at his usual spot. He can be supported through CashAPP ($andycandy88825), Venmo (@andycandy88825), and Zelle (andycandy88825@aol.com). He also can be found on Instagram (@andyscandy8) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090423241741).
UPDATE, 5:35 p.m.: A flash flood warning has been issues for Staten Island and other parts of New York City until 8 p.m., says Notify NYC: Heavy rain of between 0.5 and 1 inch of rain have fallen. Additional 1 to 2 inches are expected and will cause flooding in the city, including on highways, streets, and underpasses as well as other poor drainage areas and low-lying spots.

NEW YORK, N.Y.  Tonight, a severe thunderstorm can potentially bring down wires, transformers, and trees, cutting out power for residents, Con Edison warns.

In a written statement, Con Ed said that they are preparing crews to respond to any outages that occur due to the severe rain and windstorms expected to hit New York City and Westchester County.

The National Weather Service declared a severe thunderstorm warning and a flood advisory, projecting that Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens will be at the mercy of inch-sized hail and 60 mile-per-hour winds.

Anywhere from half an inch to an inch of rain will pour down onto New York City, spurring floods in places like small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage areas and low lying spots, the advisory said.

Should areas lose power tonight, Con Ed will prioritize restoration based on importance. Mass transit, hospitals, police and fire stations, and sewage and water-pumping stations, come first. Then, employees will work on areas with widespread outages, before tending to tinier nucleuses without electricity.

AccuWeathers website states that the thunderstorm will roll in during the evening hours, sparking flash flooding and localized damaging wind gusts, on top of hail and downpours.

This thunderstorm is the first one anticipated to hit Staten Island this week, but it wont be the last.

The Fourth of July, with all of its bright, bursting fireworks, may be hampered by potential thunderstorms and humidity as temperatures reach a high of 86 degrees.

I certainly wouldnt be cancelling the outdoors plans yet, but [its] something to keep in mind, Senior AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines told the Advance/SILive.com today, as the weather becomes a bit more unsettled later this week.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will follow a similar pattern to the Fourth of July, with the humidity blanketing Staten Island and thunderstorms lurking in the skies above.

Con Eds statement advises residents to stay away from any downed wires or transformers, as they can still be live. If you should lose power, the statement additionally states that you shouldnt plug a generator into a wall unit, use it indoors, or set it up outdoors near open home windows or air-handling vents.

To report an outage or a downed wire or transformer, Con Ed customers can opt into a text thread with Con Ed, or by calling Con Ed directly at 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633), the statement detailed.
A scooter struck two pedestrians after it jumped a curb in Midtown on Saturday evening, according to the New York Post.

Police said to the outlet, around 9:15 p.m., the vehicle careened onto the sidewalk at W. 34th Street and Sixth Avenue near Macys.

A man and a woman were hit, one was left in critical condition while the other was in stable condition, the outlet reports.

The driver was also injured in the crash, The Post reported.

All three were taken to Bellevue Hospital and the investigation is ongoing, police said, according to the outlet. No arrest has been made.
Dozens marched in Manhattan in protest of what wouldve been eve of congestion pricing, according to a report by Gothamist.

According to Gothamist, the protestors gathered on 60th Street in Manhattan, near the northern edge of what wouldve been the start of the congestion relief zone.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  In honor of those who have died, here is a compilation of obituaries posted on SILive. Viewing times and guest books can be seen here.

Jane F. Johnson, 93, a longtime Staten Island resident, nurse, teacher, and artist died on June 22 in Middletown, New Jersey. Jane lived most of life on Staten Island, starting work as a nurse at Seaview TB Hospital, then St. Vincents and Staten Island Hospitals and as a nursing educator at Curtis High School for 28 years and then at the College of Staten Island. Read the full obituary on SILive.com.

Yesterdays obituaries

Jeanne Meisels, 90, a devoted and beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, and art instructor, died on Monday, June 17. Jeanne was a talented artist and gifted art instructor. Excelling across various media, but particularly in oil, pastel, and printmaking, Jeanne is known for her work depicting homes, neighborhoods, and waterfronts on Staten Islands North Shore and throughout New York City. Read the full obituary on SILive.com.

Barbara Ann Martin, 59, died on June 25, in Freehold, New Jersey, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born on April 17, 1965, in Staten Island, New York, she was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend who will be remembered for her intelligence, kindness, strength and generosity throughout her life. She moved to Howell, New Jersey in 2018. Read the full obituary on SILive.com.
Editors note: This story is part of a series of stories exploring New Yorks controversial proposed Medical Aid in Dying Act. At stake is how the law defines what is permissible as people face heart-wrenching decisions about how to spend their final days. Are you a Staten Islander who supports or opposes medical aid in dying? Do you have a terminal illness? Email this reporter at llovallo@siadvance.com.

***

Update: Longtime Staten Islander Brian Moffett, medical aid in dying proponent with ALS, dies at 66

***

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Its been just over three weeks since the New York state Legislature again failed to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act, but the sting is still fresh for advocates of the proposed legislation.

The act  which was first introduced in the state Senate in 2015 yet has failed to advance past the committee stage in each two-year-long legislative session since  would have allowed qualifying mentally competent, terminally ill patients over the age of 18 the choice of self-administering prescribed life-ending medication.

Had it passed in the state Senate and Assembly, and been signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York would have become the 11th state to allow medical aid in dying. That designation may now go to Delaware after that states Legislature narrowly passed the End-of-Life Options Law on June 25, which currently awaits Gov. John Carney signature.

What they did is wrong

With the 2023-24 New York legislative session now complete, lawmakers will have to wait until January 2025 to reintroduce the proposed bill that counts Staten Island state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton as its prime co-sponsor.

Its an impossible timeline for some whose time is running short.

Im hurt by it not passing. I really needed it to pass, former longtime Staten Islander Brian Moffett told the Advance/SILive.com.

Moffett, 66, was diagnosed with the incurable, hyper-progressive disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) almost three months ago. It has stolen a majority of his manual dexterity, arm function and mobility, and is quickly diminishing his ability to speak. His son, Jake, has since set up a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for his fathers extensive and necessary at-home care.

Im getting a lot worse. It should have happened, said Moffett. Its wrong. What they did is wrong. I want to go already. I dont want to be here, Im in pain.

Brian Moffett, 66, on May 28, 2024. The former longtime Staten Islander, was diagnosed with ALS around three months ago. He wanted New York state to pass the proposed Medical Aid in Dying Act, and hoped to be the first New Yorker to use it. (Courtesy of Brian Moffett)(Courtesy of Brian Moffett)

Moffett, who previously told the Advance/SILive.com he wanted to be the first to use medical aid in dying in New York state, said he was tired of lawmakers telling me what I cant do.

Its improper, and Im the one thats suffering. Im getting worse. Im hurting, always. Im losing my voice. And I dont want to live. Other states have it, why cant New York?

Despite being previously deemed too medically compromised to move, Moffett said he is once again considering leaving New York to use another states medical aid in dying law.

New York is forcing me to leave. Theyre forcing me.

Knowing Moffett wont be able to use medical aid in dying in his home state has deeply distressed Scarcella-Spanton.

Its incredibly disappointing every year that this doesnt get done, said the Staten Island senator. My heart breaks because a lot of the advocates are people who are actively suffering from terminal illnesses, and were taking this choice away from them.

She pointed to surrounding states, like New Jersey, which implemented its Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act in 2019, and noted New York was doing a disservice to its residents.

She wasnt surprised by Moffetts potential last push for relocation, and understood he likely wont be the only New Yorker to do so.

Were forcing people who really want this option to move from the place theyve called home their whole life. Its unfair.

Its a complicated issue until it becomes your issue

Amy and Daren Eilert, too, are frustrated with the stalled bill. The pair have advocated tirelessly for the past two years following the death of their daughter, Ayla, a Manhattan resident who was just 23 years old when she learned she had squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Less than seven months after her diagnosis, Ayla was dead. Throughout her excruciating battle with a relentless cancer  one that would eventually express tumors through her neck, and waste away her body until it was a skeletal 80 pounds  Ayla repeatedly begged for relief by way of medical aid in dying, according to her parents.

Ayla Rain Eilert was 24 when she died from a cancer that ravaged her body. She wanted the choice of life-ending medication, according to her parents, who have become fierce advocates for the law. (Courtesy of the Eilert family)Family Photo

Certain life experiences re-train ones focus on whats important. Death of ones child can be one of them, said Amy Eilert. She said Aylas death re-framed the way she could relate to the world, and the loss of her daughter had blown a cosmic hole in my universe.

Im not surprised that again [medical aid in dying] was not brought to the floor for a vote in Albany. But I am saddened that those who think that inaction is the right action dont realize the harm they are perpetuating. And its unfortunate that they cannot make room for my experience, and need to have their own cosmic blow-out before their ears and hearts open. When will enough people have died screaming from the pain of disease? Apparently only when it becomes personal.

Daren Eilert pointed to a recent 2024 poll released by research group YouGov  which was commissioned by medical aid in dying proponent Death With Dignity  that showed over 70% of New Yorkers want to see the Medical Aid in Dying Act pass.

But [lawmakers] keep saying no, its complicated, we dont have enough data, said Daren Eilert. They just keep coming up with other things. Theyre not doing their jobs, because theyre afraid. ... Theres incredible fear, grief, maybe pain and anger around death as an issue, and they avoid it. Unfortunately, thats not your job. You stepped up to a role. You have to stand in the fire and do whats right.

Its a complicated issue until it becomes your issue, added Amy Eilert. And then it becomes very simple.

Corinne Carey, senior campaign director for the New York and New Jersey chapter of Compassion & Choices, echoed the Eilerts.

According to Carey, and others, the measure failed again this session because of lawmakers discomfort at even having a conversation about the bill.

Its going to take some people right-sizing their discomfort, said Carey, who has worked on Compassion & Choices campaign for almost a decade. If its uncomfortable to talk about death and dying, imagine how uncomfortable it is to be a health care provider ... whose patient is begging to die, or the discomfort of a family member who has to sit by and watch as their loved one suffers when theres nothing they can do. Or, God forbid, the discomfort of someone whos dying. That is discomfort.

Carey encouraged those interested in seeing the Medical Aid in Dying Act become law reach out to their state-level representatives to voice their support, follow Compassion & Choices on Facebook, LinkedIn and on X, and email the organization at ny@compassionandchoices.org if they would like to become involved in the campaign.
The National Weather Service issued a report at 1:54 a.m. on Sunday for strong thunderstorms until 2:30 a.m. for Erie, Genesee and Wyoming counties.

Residents may experience wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

"At 1:54 a.m., Doppler radar tracked a cluster of strong thunderstorms over West Seneca, moving east at 45 mph," says the weather service. "Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects."

Locations impacted by the alert include Buffalo, Cheektowaga, West Seneca, Lackawanna, East Aurora, Darien Lakes State Park, Elma, Marilla, Bennington, Orchard Park, Alden, Wales Center, Elma Center, Billington Heights, Sheldon and Cowlesville. This includes Interstate 90 between exits 54 and 56.

The weather service comments, "If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service."

When lightning looms: Expert safety tips for thunderstorms

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 protect yourself during a thunderstorm, take these recommendations into consideration:

Lightning safety plan:

When venturing outdoors, it's crucial to have a lightning safety plan in place.

Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it's a clear indication of nearby lightning.

Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.

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.

Wait for the all-clear:

After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.

It's important to remember that lightning can strike even when a storm seems to have passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn't available:

If you find yourself outdoors with no access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which 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. 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.

Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain

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 swollen waterways:

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 drive with care:

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:

Stick to the middle lanes to minimize the risk of hydroplaning. Outer lanes are more prone to accumulating water.

Prioritize visibility

Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by activating your headlights. Be particularly vigilant 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:

Don't follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or sheltered spots.

When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate 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.
The National Weather Service issued an updated report at 4:29 a.m. on Sunday for strong thunderstorms until 5:15 a.m. for Wyoming, Livingston, Ontario, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties.

Residents can look for wind gusts of up to 40 mph.

"At 4:28 a.m., Doppler radar tracked strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Mount Morris to Ashford. Movement was east at 40 mph," according to the weather service. "Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects."

Locations impacted by the alert include Dansville, Letchworth State Park, Alfred, Mount Morris, Conesus, Ashford, Franklinville, Belfast, Rushford, Naples, Houghton, Portageville, Groveland, Caneadea, Springwater, Nunda, Pike, Castile, Angelica and Ossian. This includes the following highways: Interstate 390 between exits 4 and 6. Interstate 86 between exits 31 and 33.

The weather service states, "Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to localized flooding. Radar suggests that these storms have a history of producing an inch of rain in less than an hours time. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service."

Preparing for impending lightning strikes: Expert safety recommendations

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 guarantee your safety in the midst of a thunderstorm, take into account the following recommendations:

Lightning safety plan:

When venturing outdoors, it's crucial to have a lightning safety plan in place.

Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it's a clear indication of nearby lightning.

Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.

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.

These precautions help reduce the risk of electrical surges, as lightning can follow conductive pathways.

Wait for the all-clear:

After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.

It's important to remember that lightning can strike even when a storm seems to have 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, which expose you to greater lightning risk.

Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In wooded 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

When heavy rain strikes, safety is paramount. Equip yourself with these guidelines from the weather service to navigate wet roads and avoid hazards:

Beware of swollen waterways:

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:

Use the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and allow an extra two seconds in heavy rain.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes.

Visibility matters:

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 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:

Don't follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or sheltered spots.

When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate 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.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Its summer in the Northeast; naturally, its going to get somewhat warm. However, the latest outlook from the National Weather Services (NWS) Climate Prediction Center reveals that temperatures in July are forecasted to measure above the historical average.

Just last weekend, temperatures peaked at 95 degrees for three straight days on Staten Island, as reported by the Advance/SILive.com weather station. While thats not unheard of, it is certainly warm for June.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) Online Weather Data for Central Park, gathered between 1991 and 2020, shows that typically, the mean high temperature for June 21 through June 23 (the days that reached 95) is 81/82 degrees. That means the heat exceeded the average high by more than 10 degrees.

Turning away from consistent heat, the last week of June is bearing a shift in the weather pattern that will juggle between hot, humid days, and mild days.

But once we get into July, what should the residents of New York expect?

A HOT JULY ON HAND

Its looking like its going to be a hot July throughout New York, and for the Northeast for that matter.

A monthly temperature outlook issued on June 20 by the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center calls for warmer-than-average temperatures across New York for July 2024. (Courtesy of the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center)(Courtesy of the National Weathe

The latest outlook by the NWS shows that the entire state of New York has a high likelihood of witnessing temperatures exceeding the norm. The tri-state area has a 70-80% probability of experiencing warmer-than-average temperatures this July.

Now, while its unknown by just how much these temperatures will surpass the average, it is worth noting that the NOAA data for Central Park reveals that the average high temperature for the month is 84.9 degrees.

This limited forecast does not detail whether temperatures will simply rest a few degrees higher, or whether we could see figures approach 100 degrees, it simply indicates that there is a good chance of temperatures clocking in above what we normally can expect.

THE CHANCE OF RAIN IN JULY

Most of the state looks to steer clear of any rainfall anomalies this July. However, those in the western end of the state may see a decreased amount of precipitation in the coming month.

A monthly precipitation outlook issued on June 20 by the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center calls for less-than-average precipitation amounts in parts of New York for July 2024. (Courtesy of the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center)(Courtesy of the National Weathe

According to the Climate Prediction Center, residents in the western half of the state have a 33-40% chance of experiencing less rain than typically expected.

While perhaps not as confident of a probability as the temperature outlook, it could be a sign for a drier-than-average July in areas such as Buffalo and Rochester.
VANCOUVER, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Canada's second-largest airline, the WestJet Group, began canceling a significant number of flights on Saturday due to a strike by its aircraft maintenance engineers.

The initial 150 flight cancellations forced by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) strike will impact approximately 20,000 guests, said WestJet on its website.

AMFA, representing about 670 WestJet maintenance engineers, began strike action at 4:30 p.m. local time (2330 GMT) on Friday.

Additional cancellations are expected by Saturday morning if the strike is not called off or immediate intervention does not occur, the airline said in a statement.

WestJet said it is seeking immediate intervention from the minister of labour and the Canada Industrial Relations Board, noting the airline had more than 250,000 guests scheduled to fly for the long weekend.

Starting Saturday, WestJet will begin parking aircraft in stations across Canada to operate a significantly reduced schedule by the end of the day, it said. 
TORONTO  For the second time this month, the Yankees ducked disaster with Juan Soto.

Sotos forearm pain earlier in June turned out to be inflammation. What couldve been a season-ender was nothing more than a three-game absence, a sigh of relief and a blip in an MVP-caliber campaign thus far.

The Yankees could exhale again on Saturday at Rogers Centre in Toronto after another scare.

Soto woke up on Saturday morning feeling swelling in his right hand. He suffered a bruise while sliding into home plate in the fourth inning of Friday nights 16-5 win over the Blue Jays. The superstar outfielder landed hard on his right hand after contorting his body to touch the base and avoid the tag from Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen.

When Soto got to the ballpark and tried to swing a bat Saturday afternoon, it was clear to the Yankees that he wasnt good to go.

He was scratched from the lineup and sent for imaging.

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A few hours later, after a miserable 9-3 loss to Toronto, Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed that X-rays on Sotos hand came back negative.

Boone didnt rule out more tests for Soto when the Yankees get back to New York on Sunday night, leading into an off day on Monday, but nothing is scheduled at the moment. Itll depend on how Soto feels throughout the weekend as he continues to get treatment.

Swinging didnt go real well today, Boone said. Hopefully, its just that. Its banging the hand and having some inflammation in there and hopefully, we can get that out of there and its not too big a thing. But well see.

Its safe to assume Soto wont be back in the lineup for Sundays series finale, but its feasible he could play on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. Either way, it doesnt appear to be a significant injury for the superstar outfielder.

Crisis averted. At least for now.

Having him in the lineup is going to be very key for us going deep in the year, Yankees catcher Austin Wells said. For him to be healthy, thats great. Im happy to hear that.

Max Goodman may be reached at mgoodman@njadvancemedia.com.
Last year was a year of reopening and recovery of the world but the conflict in Ukraine still forced Europe  that built enough LNG infrastructure  and other LNG consumers to diversify from the Russian pipeline gas. The US has well played the role of filling the gap that Russia left and become the worlds largest LNG exporter. The UK alone spent 7 billion ($13.3 billion) buying LNG from the US last year, representing a 33-fold increase since 2018. This means that Britain, along with much of Western Europe, is now reliant on the US for much of its energy security. While that may seem more secure than the Wests previous reliance on Putin, experts are warning that this could create problems of its own.

This came to the fore earlier this year after President Joe Biden temporarily paused approvals for new LNG gas terminals, raising questions over how quickly US suppliers could ramp up production to meet growing demand. However, analysts expect this policy to be reversed should Donald Trump triumph in the November election. As a fuel growing rapidly in production, LNG is created by cooling natural gas to below -161 celsius to turn it into a liquid. Unlike pipeline gas, which is restricted by geography, it can then be shipped around the world to any country with an import terminal. Breaking Russias stranglehold on the West Over the last two decades those properties have helped to transform energy markets by unleashing LNG across the world, helping to break Russias stranglehold on the West.

While the US dominates the LNG market, figures show that Britain last year also bought fuel from Qatar, Peru, Angola, Egypt and Trinidad. It meant that 25 per cent of Britains total gas supplies were made up of LNG in 2023, with America by far the largest supplier. A lot of the world is now reliant on the US for much of its energy security. Credit: AP Put another way, the UK secured around 17 per cent of its gas from the US as LNG, with another 37 per cent imported as piped gas from Norway. Overall, it means the UK will this year be more reliant on foreign energy supplies than it has ever been.

That, said the report, is a pattern repeated across Europe  with LNG imports now supplying almost half of the Continents gas  and placing it in direct competition with Asia for future supplies. Loading Europe is now an LNG importing heavyweight, maintaining the second-largest importing region spot at 121 million tonnes of LNG [last year], said the report. With LNG supplying almost half of Europes gas, the competition between Asian and European markets remains a key market dynamic. Gas industry insiders see the flexibility of LNG and its ability to break regional pipeline-based monopolies as a massive benefit.

Li Yalan, president of the IGU, said: The LNG industry has demonstrated incredible agility and innovation through some of the toughest tests over recent years. This is an industry that continues to play a pivotal role in navigating through an energy crisis that has not yet been fully resolved and an energy transition that has been challenged. Americas energy industry has emerged as the main beneficiary of the war in Ukraine, as the countrys gas suppliers have filled the void left by Russia. Credit: AP LNG is a tool that will be critical to providing greater resiliency for rapidly changing energy systems around the world, and it will have an essential role in mitigating the inherent risk of uncertainty through that process. However, it is worth noting that the 21 billion Britain spent importing LNG last year is money all being shipped overseas, supporting jobs and suppliers elsewhere rather than in the UK.

It costs the country the equivalent of 750 per household to import LNG. And given the dwindling output from the North Sea, that bill can only increase if we stay hooked on gas. That, says the Labour Party, will undermine the whole economy  which is why Ed Miliband, Labours shadow energy secretary, has pledged to break the link with gas and move the nation towards low-carbon energies. He argues that breaking that reliance will bring other benefits, particularly in energy security. The case for clean energy is now also a case for energy independence, energy security and lower bills, Miliband said last week. That was graphically and tragically demonstrated by the invasion of Ukraine, where we were in the grip of Vladimir Putin. However, industry experts warn that Milibands plans, which include banning new oil and gas licenses in UK waters, may make the nation even more reliant on LNG and other imports.

Thats because 180 of the UKs 284 oil and gas fields are expected to cease production in the next five years, and with no one new ones to replace them, domestic production will dwindle by 2030. LNG is largely expected to fill that void. Experts describe how the industry is already preparing for a boom in demand by spending billions of pounds on new LNG terminals and fleets of ships to ferry fuel around the world. Gas industry insiders see the flexibility of LNG and its ability to break regional pipeline-based monopolies as a massive benefit. Those ships are already some of the worlds largest vessels, with some capable of carrying enough gas to supply the entire UK for almost a full day.

The IGU report said many more of those vessels were under construction. The global LNG shipping order book had a staggering 359 newbuild vessels under construction at the end of February 2024, equivalent to over 51 per cent of the current active fleet. This illustrates shipowners expectations that LNG trade will continue to grow in line with scheduled increases in liquefaction capacity, particularly from the US. An expected 77 carriers will be delivered in 2024. Americas LNG production to triple by 2050 As for where that gas comes from, much of it will be American.

Loading The US Energy Information Administration predicts Americas LNG production alone will triple by 2050  no matter what the environmental groups say. America is now even supplying the Middle East, as Sempra, a US energy firm, recently struck an agreement with Saudi Arabias Aramco to supply 5m tonnes of LNG a year. The size of the expansion expected in global LNG trade is evidenced by the fact that 700 million tonnes are to be delivered by 2030, up from 401 million tonnes today. This potential massive increase is an emphatic demonstration that the world still needs more LNG, said the IGU.
Back when Kings Cross was still a red-light district, the real-life porn hub of the global city of Sydney, I was at a party in one of the luxury apartments rented by cool, hip young things who wanted to be close to the action. Out on the balcony smoking, as one did in those days to meet the most interesting people, was where I met my friend the pornographer. Within seconds wed said see you next Tuesday  and that was before wed even agreed to catch up again.

It was on that night that I first heard, from the pornographer, about what the government was doing to womens vaginas. The outrage came rushing back to me when Womens Health Victoria recently released a report which finds that women are increasingly seeking cosmetic labiaplasty  a procedure that removes some of the labia (the inner and outer lips of the vagina)  because they believe theirs are ugly, unusual or disgusting.

Nearly a quarter of Gen Z women are anxious, ashamed or embarrassed by how their labia look. Credit: Getty Images

Nearly a quarter of Gen Z women (those surveyed for this study were aged 18 to 24) are anxious, ashamed or embarrassed by how their labia look, according to the report. And almost a third of them associate their labia with negative words. One in five were obtaining their information on what labia should look like from porn and 30 per cent from social media.

Which recalled something the pornographer told me that left me incensed (and cemented our friendship forever): womens vaginas all look very different but they were not allowed to reflect that in their porn.
St Albans Anglican Church has stood unencumbered in the centre of Five Dock in one form or another since 1859. But it may soon look entirely different.

Next door, a metro station is under construction, part of the $25 billion Metro West line, which by 2032 will connect Five Dock to the Sydney CBD in eight minutes.

What were experiencing right now is the turbulence of change: senior minister Andrew Katay says the impact of the metro will be seismic. Credit: Janie Barrett

The church wants to amend planning controls on its land to allow buildings up to 75 metres. It proposes two residential towers of 20-plus storeys each, with about 162 units, retail and a childcare facility. The heritage church and rectory would be retained at ground level.

Canada Bay Council has other ideas. Last year, it endorsed a local planning study limiting development around the metro station to between five and seven storeys, including along Great North Road. The plan stipulated Five Dock town centre should retain a strong village feel.
They earn double the median salary, some have had high-paying professional careers, but more state MPs on $172,000 a year are not immune to the states housing affordability crisis.

Fewer MPs sitting in parliament have extensive property portfolios, while a small but growing cohort of Macquarie Street backbenchers do not own the property they live in.

Seventy MPs in NSW parliament now have two or more properties. Credit: Oscar Colman

A Herald analysis shows unlike MPs elsewhere in the country, a NSW backbencher would struggle to afford a mortgage on the median-priced home in their capital city, with Sydney unsurprisingly being the least affordable state capital for housing affordability.

The number of MPs who own two or more properties shrunk from 84 in 2022 to 70 last year, according to politicians disclosures.
At Wheelers Hill Primary School, the science on phonics was settled years before last months announcement that all Victorian public schools will be required to use the explicit teaching method.

The 700-student school in Melbournes south-east says teaching phonics helped make it the states best performing government school on NAPLAN scores last year, with an average score of 580.2.

Wheelers Hill Primary School pupils (from left) Adam, Clara, Akein and Hasti, all aged 7, play a spelling game that uses hula-hoops. Credit: Wayne Taylor

Learning games at the school use hula-hoops, flash cards and whiteboards to help pupils start their reading journey.

Its very hands-on, and physical, which we find is great for all learners, Wheelers Hill structured language specialist Maddy Gallagher said.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size What does it say about the current state of America, that with a population of more than 340 million people who have already been willing to spend over $4 billion supporting their presidential candidates, it can only come up with Joe Biden and Donald Trump as its two best candidates (Panic strikes after Biden nightmare, June 29)? It might be time for Australians to seriously think about cutting the Pacific cord and let them drift away. Laurie Dicker, Forest Glen Matt Golding Credit: As an octogenarian myself, I sympathised with President Joe Biden as he struggled through his confrontation with an oafish and ignorant opponent in the so-called debate. What I would wish the US voters to consider is the extent to which the skills and aptitudes required in that contrived context are related to the tasks associated with being the nations president, where decisions need to be coolly taken after careful deliberation and dispassionate consideration of the evidence or arguments and in the company of informed colleagues. In this context, characteristics such as sagacity, integrity, humanity and commitment to truth take primacy. The debating performances, though mismatched in terms of theatricality, showed that only one candidate possesses these traits. Don Squires, Lake Cathie Bidens car-crash debate highlighted yet again the innate human reluctance to recognise the distinction between our best-before and use-by dates. The food standard test is pertinent  consuming products after the best-before date might be OK, but to be on the market after the use-by date is illegal. From presidents and politicians to a myriad other professions, if you want to quit while youre ahead, accepting youve reached your use-by date is key. Joy Nason, Mona Vale Biden and his advisers over-prepared him for a debate on policies. That was never going to happen to Trump because he has no policies other than what pays and what helps him. Elaine Hoyle, Avalon Beach Given the Democrats have been able to deceive the world for so long about the mental acuity of Biden, it makes one wonder what else have they been lying about so successfully? Peter Fleming, Northmead What is worse: a sequence of stumbles or a litany of lies? Herman Beyersdorf, Bangalee

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Pass the baton Joe, for all our sakes. Gregory Don, Galston Who should replace Joe Biden? How about the most respected woman in the US: Michelle Obama. She doesnt want it, but even thats a recommendation.

Max Fossey, Oakville The current Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is their man. Hes a polished diplomat and appears to be a man of integrity. And who could not want another President Blinken?

Hugh OKeefe, Elizabeth Bay How quickly can the Democratic Party get Caroline Kennedy on a plane back to America?

Dawn Hope, Wahroonga Bidens refusal to step aside is clear evidence that he should.

Tony Re, Georges Hall Tell them you love them: Last times really matter Julia Baird has written many powerful articles, but for me, her admonition to savour the memories of the simple and taken for granted things of the past, and to appreciate those in the present, is the most moving, wistful and memorable one of them all (So much love in last times. Treasure them, June 29). Ill definitely be sending it to my three daughters, who are having preciously exasperating moments with their young children, and I challenge anyone to be able to read it without tears clouding their eyes when it comes to the last moments recounted by Maura and Susan. I will hang an abbreviation of the quote from Bairds mother on my wall, reminding those who are embedded in my heart that Just in case, if anything ever happens to me, I want you to know that I love you. Anne Ring, Coogee

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Julia Baird once again has gone to the core of life and relationships. I was reminded of Khalil Gibrans reflection on friendship: For in the dew of little things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. Paul Casey, Callala Bay Dionne Credit: Thank you, Julia Baird. May I also reference Harry Belafontes Turn Around: Turn around and youre a young wife with babes of your own.

Graeme Morriss, Balgowlah Its November 30, 1961, and I am a young student teacher preparing lessons for the next day. My dad, an airline pilot, comes to my door, says goodbye and see you tomorrow. I barely acknowledge him. Off he goes to fly to Canberra but a fierce electrical storm forms and the plane is struck by lightning and plunges into Botany Bay. All on board are killed. Even after more than 60 years, I regret not saying my last goodbye. Pamela Williamson, Ryde Another lovely article from Julia Baird. My beloved wife, Carol, died suddenly alone at home while I was out and I will forever regret not having the chance to say goodbye. Still, I console myself with the memories of 65 wonderful years together. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer A few years ago, Ed Sheeran wrote a beautiful song entitled First Times. This song came to mind as I was reading Bairds exquisitely written column about last times. Both deal with the magical personal moments of life we need to cherish in a world dominated by trouble and distress. Thank you, Julia, for again reminding us of the things that really matter. Phil Peak, Dubbo Scotland the gold standard for new coercive control laws

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Our family is greatly encouraged that NSWs coercive control laws will come into effect today (New law says violence more than physical, June 29). Finally, mostly women and children, who are living with every aspect of their lives minutely controlled by their partner, in some cases for decades, will be supported by these new laws. Sadly, it will be too late for my relative and her children as the legalisation will not be retrospective, but what a start to changing the landscape around this unseen type of domestic violence. However, I am perplexed as to why NSW chose not to copy the 2018 Scottish laws. They are considered by everyone working in this space as the gold standard. A two year wait to review this law to consider if the threshold of intent should be lowered will enable more perpetrators to go about their evil ways. Rhonda Seymour, Castle Hill Difficult whistleblowers Whistleblowers are often difficult people (Difficult, paranoid and polarising, June 29). They may be stubborn, abrasive, have problematic interpersonal relationships and defy all authority. But it is precisely these qualities that give them the strength and determination they need to perform their essential democratic role. We should judge them by their achievements rather than by their personalities. George Skowronski, Darlinghurst John Shakespeare Credit: Reading Peter Hartchers article was a sobering reminder of how easy it is to make a cult of someone who has become a controversial figure in our increasingly conflicting world of politics and media Free, but on probation at home, June 29). It was a reminder of the necessity for probity in journalism more than ever in our time of fake news. His comment that Assanges clenched fist pumping the air was not a gesture of a contrition or humility; it was a statement of triumphal defiance made me stop and think. Will Assange become the scorpion in the folk fable Hartcher quotes? I, as do many, certainly hope for the best, that the frog will be able to carry the scorpion to the other side. Maureen Casey, Breakfast Point New blood

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Indu Balachandran rightly points to the dysfunction of opposition for oppositions sake (How to add density to a NIMBY suburb, June 29). Here in Ku-ring-gai, many of us deplore the councils failure to liaise with the state government regarding new housing. We want more constructive engagement that can produce excellent outcomes we can be proud of. Simple opposition to change keeps us stuck in the past. Where can new energy, new architecture, and new community facilities emerge if we are simply determined to resist change? I wish Indu Balachandran well in her campaign for the coming elections. She sounds like a breath of fresh air. Gillian King, Roseville Sydney, we have been here before. I grew up in an inner suburb in the midst of the baby boom. The back lane was our playground and many migrant families enriched our community. Those streets have long since been razed but I cant mourn their passing. Fond memories - but community consists of people, and kids are the glue. Leafiness is good, but in all the push to build it is absolutely vital to prioritise young people, especially families. That means the mix of apartments must include three bedroom homes and open spaces for unstructured play and, of course, preschools and schools. Basic, really, but planners and developers need to be reminded. Build it right and whole new communities will emerge. Margaret Johnston, Paddington Having just moved into our downsizer I strongly endorse the need to not wait too long (Letters, June 30). But downsizing does not necessarily equate with down pricing. Seniors are not all downsizing from multimillion dollar homes. So the funds available after moving can be modest, with the cost of stamp duty biting off a significant slice of the pie. But stamp duty is not the only cost that can eat away at whatever profit one has made from the downsizing process. Essential costs extend well beyond stamp duty. While the emotional upheaval of bidding farewell to a long held family home is enormous and to be expected, the sheer physical demands of the move are exhausting and need support. Essential costs extend well beyond removalists. Without fit young relatives to assist, there are costs of getting help to sift and recycle ones excess possessions, pack and unpack, renovate/repair/refresh the new home, not to mention agents, legal and banking fees all adding up. Downsizing should not be considered a profit making venture. Its a lifestyle investment and it costs money. Sue Ellyard, Epping Not needed Even if Peter Dutton gets his way on nuclear energy, it will make up only a small percentage of our grid capacity in 2050. So why are we even considering it (Nuclear not enough to avoid rush to renewables, June 29)? South Australia is showing the way. It now gets 75 per cent of its electricity from wind and solar, and is set to reach 100 per cent by 2027. As backup, its relying on battery storage and peaking gas. No one there fears that the lights will go out when the sun dont shine and the wind dont blow. We shouldnt either. Nuclear may be viable in nations that lack our endowment of renewables, but not here. We just dont need it. Ken Enderby, Concord For Petes sake. Credit: Matt Golding Not enough

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NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakmans hold on the top job will be tested as senior Liberals resist any push to split the Coalition after firebrand Nationals MP Wes Fang sparked an internal war over a rogue Facebook post.

Speakman has summoned his Liberals MPs to a meeting on Tuesday as Nationals leader Dugald Saunders continued to back Fang despite repeated cases of bad behaviour from the upper house MP, including against his own side.

NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders (left) and Opposition Leader Mark Speakman (right). Credit: Kate Geraghty

The latest was a social media post by Fang in which he slammed Speakman for visiting his hometown of Wagga Wagga without prior warning and said his leadership was under threat.

Speakman sacked Fang from his shadow cabinet for his comments, but Saunders returned serve and refused to accept the demotion, prompting a bitter divide between the two Coalition leaders.
Sitting around the dining table in 2021, Anthea Stevanovic and her family decided to leave Sydney for a more self-sufficient lifestyle despite not knowing anything about farming.

They created Thinami, a Greek-style resort in the Northern Rivers that became a multi-generational love affair for the family.

Anthea, husband Aleks, mother Voula, stepfather David and sister Niki dreamt of living off the land and working together in a family business. After a year of searching for properties that met their extensive criteria, they found a run down seven-bedroom retreat in the Northern Rivers with three houses, a swimming pool, a shed and a studio.

Buoyed by the propertys potential, Anthea hand wrote a letter to the vendors introducing the family and their vision. While many ached to leave the city during the lockdown years for a tree-change, the family planned out how they would do it. The letter worked a charm and their offer of $2.25 million was accepted in May 2022.
SHENZHEN, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent a congratulatory letter as a cross-sea passage opened, linking the cities of Shenzhen and Zhongshan in southern China's Guangdong Province.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link is another large-scale transportation project in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area following the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The project managed to overcome multiple world-class technical challenges and set multiple world records.

All participants, through their hard work and unwavering determination, have successfully completed the project with high quality, Xi said.

"This fully illustrates that Chinese modernization can only be achieved through solid work, as all great causes are accomplished through concrete actions," he said. 
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, June 27, 2024, the Honorable Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports, Mr. Lyndon Lewis orchestrated a highly successful Meet and Greet event in the Netherlands.

The primary aim of this event was to provide St. Maarten students studying abroad with an opportunity to meet and engage in discussions with Minister Lewis.

The event also extended an invitation to all St. Maarteners residing in the Netherlands.

A total of 15-plus individuals from St. Maarten participated in this enriching experience.

The event commenced with Minister Lewis delivering an introductory speech, where he provided a comprehensive overview of his extensive portfolio, encompassing responsibilities across two vital ministries.

One of the highlights of the event was a presentation by two students who showcased a business plan aimed at integrating new initiatives in St. Maarten.

Minister Lewis expressed his pleasure and optimism regarding the innovative ideas presented, emphasizing the importance of such contributions to the islands development.

Minister Lewis expressed his gratitude for the participation and enthusiasm of all attendees, reaffirming his commitment to supporting St. Maarten students and citizens abroad.

This event marked a significant step in strengthening the bond between the government of St. Maarten and its citizens residing in the Netherlands.
'Can I be here?' was the pressing question that was central to the event 'Empowering my Caribbean Identity' organized by the WeConnect Foundation. The educational foundation brought together about 50 Caribbean students in The Hague on June 28th. To talk about racism, discrimination and feelings of exclusion. It became an open dialogue in which people made themselves vulnerable and at the same time showed their strength.

Painful

The 'Can I be here?' question was part of a sketch devised and performed by two WeConnect employees. Do they see me or just my color? they asked the attentive audience. Various young people shared their often extremely painful experiences. Being asked about your loyalty to the Netherlands during a job interview. Not being taken seriously as a doctor because you are from Curacao and then being challenged about your neutrality. Always have an empty seat next to you on the bus, even if people have to stand.

Resilience

Durwin Lynch, lecturer and master's coordinator in Health Science at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, led the main part. He let the students talk to each other about moments when they feel strong or not. 'Embrace yourself' , was one of his advices and Be authentic.

We wanted to strengthen that resilience by offering young people a safe environment to speak out. It is beautiful and moving to see how they do that. WeConnect manager Tanja Fraai explains.

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One of those present was Rabin Baldewsingh, the National Coordinator against Discrimination and Racism since 2021. He said his name also appeared on the infamous lists of the Dutch tax authorities that were part of the benefits affair. What would he see as a concrete action point to accommodate these young Caribbean people? It would be nice if the Dutch government worked on canceling student debt, he suggested. Baldewsingh received loud applause for this remark.

Remembrance year

Director General Roald Lapperre was personally present on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. He was impressed by the stories. This meeting was part of the commemoration year in which the abolition of slavery was explicitly commemorated. Various activities have been organized both in the Netherlands and in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. That commemorative year ends on July 1 this year, with the celebration of Keti Koti.




PHILIPSBURG:--- On June 28, 2024, the students who will participate in the first round of the Kingdom Scholarship 2024-2025 were presented in Aruba, Curacao, and St. Maarten.

As of September 1, students from various countries within the Dutch Kingdom will go on internships or exchanges within the Dutch Kingdom. A total of 72 students have been awarded a scholarship to go on internships or exchanges in the coming semester of the 2024-2025 academic year.

The Kingdom Scholarship is a mobility program for all students within the Kingdom and is intended to increase short-term student exchanges. The grant is also one of the measures to support Caribbean students in their study career. Exchange or internship not only enriches your study career; it offers Caribbean students in particular the opportunity to first try out with financial support whether studying within the Kingdom suits them before opting for a full academic program abroad.

The student will take courses for a maximum of six months at an institution in the Netherlands, for example, or do an internship for up to six months within the Dutch Kingdom. The aim is to prevent dropouts and disappointments if a full advanced education is to be chosen immediately.

"The Kingdom Scholarship program is a great opportunity for our students, offering them the chance to explore academic and professional pathways within the Dutch Kingdom. This initiative enhances their educational journey and strengthens the bonds within our Kingdom. We are proud of our scholars and excited for the future prospects this program opens up for them," said Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport Lyndon Lewis, wishing all scholarship recipients the best on this journey.

During the 2023-2024 academic year, a total of 20 students from Aruba and Curacao already used the Kingdom Scholarship on a trial basis. The next registration round starts on September 1 and will last until October 14, 2024. Students who register for the next round may be eligible for a Kingdom Scholarship that offers them the opportunity to do an internship or exchange as from February 1, 2025.

For more information, the website https://www.rijksdienstcn.com/onderwijs-cultuur-kennis/koninkrijksbeurs can be consulted or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
You are here: China

The 2024 China Green Computing (Artificial Intelligence) Conference held in Hohhot, June 29. [photo provided to China.org.cn]

The 2024 China Green Computing (Artificial Intelligence) Conference was held Saturday in Hohhot, the capital of northern China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, marking the second consecutive year the event has been held in the city since it began in July 2023.

Located less than a two-hour high-speed train journey from Beijing, Hohhot boasts an average annual temperature of around 7.7 degrees Celsius, making it an ideal location for data centers.

In recent years, China has launched a national initiative to build data center clusters by shifting computing resources from the more developed eastern regions to other areas of the country.

Hohhot has capitalized on this opportunity, leveraging its resources to make significant progress in developing green computing power. The city has established a dedicated international internet data channel and the Horinger data center cluster as part of its efforts.

Hohhot has created a new development model that revolves around data centers, is driven by green computing, and focuses on artificial intelligence.

The city has emerged as a national leader in green computing and is poised to play a significant role in the development of China's national integrated computing power system.
DAMASCUS, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Four Syrian soldiers were killed in an attack carried out by the Islamic State (IS) in central Syria on Sunday, a local radio station reported.

The radio station, Sham FM, confirmed that the attack took place at a military point in the area of Tal Shihab in the desert region of eastern Homs countryside.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, also reported the attack, saying an officer with the rank of "Second Lieutenant" was among the casualties. The observatory added that IS cells used medium and light weapons to target the military point.

Scattered in pockets in the expansive Syrian desert, IS militants often launch sporadic attacks on Syrian military sites, and ambush buses carrying Syrian soldiers and civilians. 
by Liu Hong

China and the United States are both major world countries, but in recent years, frictions and tensions between them have been on the rise. This is largely due to the inevitable clash between the United States as a global hegemon and a rising China. However, the fundamental ideological differences and oppositions between them cannot be ignored.

The United States is a long-established capitalist country that consistently protects the interests of a minority upper capitalist class. Alexis de Tocqueville noted that American democracy avoids the "tyranny of the majority," reflecting the U.S. political and economic system's protection of the upper bourgeoisie. Francis Fukuyama declared the end of history with the triumph of Western-style liberal democracy, predicated on the idea that people seek not equality, but superiority, meaning that the superior bourgeoisie should govern the country. Under the long-term influence of these cultural and ideological factors, socialism has never gained significant traction in the United States, making it a unique case in the capitalist world. In many countries, such as those in Europe, socialist parties have long existed and have come to power. Influenced by the United States, its ally Japan has also long been ruled by the center-right Liberal Democratic Party, while the former Socialist Party had become a "perennial opposition party."

Due to the weak influence of socialist thought in the United States, it has become a typical right-wing capitalist state. Political scientist Steven Hill described contemporary American society as a "cancerous spread of oligarchic rule." Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman pointed out that U.S. government policies often go against the interests of the majority of middle- and lower-class citizens, making the United States resemble an oligarchy more than a democracy. In the U.S. Senate, policy preferences often reflect those of donors, and in the House of Representatives, "millionaires representing just 5 percent of the population receive twice the representation as the poorest 50 percent." According to a report by Princeton and Northwestern universities, nearly 1,800 American policies do not represent the interests of the general public or mass organizations but rather those of economic elites and organized interest groups.

China, on the other hand, is a rising socialist power, adhering to the leadership of the Communist Party of China and practicing a socialist system with Chinese characteristics. Capitalism has never maintained a long-term dominant position in China. China is committed to safeguarding the fundamental interests of the majority and emphasizing the welfare of the majority, the highest embodiment of socialist principles and objectives. This has unique significance in the context of world history.

How to coexist with the United States has become an extremely important question, necessitating political philosophical reflections on how to seek common ground while reserving differences with others. This includes considerations such as the relationship between minorities and majorities, state and people, elites and masses, capital and labor, and tolerance and intolerance. Different people have different answers to these questions, and different responses lead to different outcomes. John Rawls, in "A Theory of Justice," discusses how tolerance should treat intolerance, suggesting that when the tolerant sincerely and reasonably believe that their own safety and that of the institutions of liberty are in danger, they should restrict the freedom of the intolerant. Kent Calder posits that the bourgeoisie only compensates economically and materially when public dissatisfaction threatens to unseat them, as the so-called democratic age precludes the use of force to suppress the public. How should China respond to a United States long dominated by capitalism?

There are four possible modes of interaction with others: first, living in isolation; second, hostility and confrontation; third, abandoning one's own stance and being completely assimilated by the other; fourth, emphasizing harmonious coexistence and seeking cooperation through competition.

In the history of U.S.-China relations, the first scenario occurred during the Cold War when the United States and China belonged to different camps and cut off relations. The second scenario often poses a risk, manifesting in partial or localized wars and conflicts, such as the Korean War. The third scenario includes the United States proposing the "peaceful evolution" of China. The fourth scenario, "self-assertion" and "competitive cooperation," is the fundamental policy that the United States and China should adopt and needs to be increasingly accepted by the people of both countries.

In this article's view, assimilation results in the loss of one's nature and dignity, making it the least desirable option. Isolationism may protect oneself to some extent but does not align with the trends and dynamics of globalization, leading to frequent obstacles. Hostility and conflicts often result in significant loss of property and life, being a shared disaster for humanity that should be avoided. Insisting on "self-assertion" while advocating "competitive cooperation" can ultimately achieve peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit.

Both the United States and China should adhere to their self-assertion, choosing development paths that suit their histories, cultures, economies, and people. American culture emphasizes individualism, placing personal interests at the core and opposing centralization while pursuing equality. American culture often encourages individuals to be their true selves, reflecting positive aspects. The U.S. economy values the market, encouraging it to play the largest role in achieving efficient resource allocation. Experience has shown that this is the correct path for promoting economic growth and achieving national and personal prosperity. American society values the rule of law, which is the cornerstone of its society and government, ensuring fairness, justice, and order.

Chinese culture emphasizes collectivism, effectively inspiring individuals to contribute to the collective and the nation, playing a vital role in maintaining long-term development and unity. The core feature of China's socialist system is the pursuit of the interests and happiness of the broad masses, fundamentally different from the capitalist system. As a large country with 1.4 billion people, this reflects China's unique historical mission and makes significant contributions to global peace and development. China has consistently adhered to an independent and peaceful foreign policy, a core principle of its diplomacy and a common demand of the international community.

While maintaining their own systems, the United States and China should engage in "competitive cooperation." The 20th-century international landscape shows that capitalism cannot rely solely on "accumulated advantages" to defeat socialism, nor can socialism replace capitalism in the short term without undergoing long-term historical development. Seeking cooperation amidst competition, while maintaining competition in cooperation, not only corrects the intrinsic development trajectory of capitalism but also has profound implications for the theoretical goals and practical paths of socialism.

This model of competition and cooperation not only benefits both countries but also provides more opportunities and benefits globally. As the two largest economies, the United States and China should demonstrate the ability to cooperate and coordinate in international affairs, jointly addressing global challenges such as climate change, trade imbalances, and geopolitical conflicts. This spirit of competitive cooperation helps maintain international peace and stability and promotes global economic prosperity.

In conclusion, the United States and China, as major world countries, differ in many ways, even fundamentally. Beyond ideological opposition, there are many other significant differences. China is one of the oldest countries in history, while the United States is one of the youngest. China is the largest developing country, while the United States is the largest developed country. Therefore, handling U.S.-China relations requires a political philosophical approach, thinking dialectically about how to seek common ground while reserving differences, thereby actively promoting the development of U.S.-China political, economic, and cultural relations.

Editor's note: Liu Hong is a research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.
New row arises over fledgling Liberian war crimes court



Monrovia, June 30 (AFP) Jun 30, 2024



Liberia's president may be moving to get a long-awaited war crimes court up and running but he already faces criticism over his choice for a key post at the tribunal.

The row is a fresh reminder that justice for victims of the country's civil wars remains still a long way off.

President Joseph Boakai signed a decree on May 2 creating an office responsible for setting up the court to judge war crimes, after years of international and domestic pressure.

But in late June, he appointed lawyer Jonathan Massaquoi to head up the process.

It was Massaquoi who represented former president Charles Taylor's ex-wife against war crimes accusations.

And when Agnes Reeves Taylor sued defenders of the victims of war crimes for defamation, he was also her lawyer in that case.

Massaquoi also defended former rebel commander Gibril Massaquoi, a Sierra Leonean with no relation jailed by a Swiss court for 20 years in 2023 for a string of murders, rapes and acts of torture that he or rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) carried out in Liberia between 1999 and 2003.



- Charged, then released -



The West African nation's two civil wars left an estimated 250,000 people dead between 1989 and 2003 and resulted in massacres, mutilation, rape and cannibalism.

Reeves Taylor was arrested in Britain, where she was living, in 2017.

She was charged there with torture for her alleged participation in atrocities committed by Charles Taylor's group, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), during the first civil war.

But she was released in 2019 after a court decided to dismiss the charges against her.

Among the rights activists Reeves Taylor targeted in her defamation action was Hassan Bility, director of the NGO Global Justice and Research.

He told AFP the case had yet to be resolved. Asked about Massaquoi's appointment to the tribunal, he said: "We do not think that the pains of the victims should be commercialised in any way or form."

Peterson Sonyah, head of the Liberian Massacre Survivors Association, was also unhappy.

"It hurts me to see those who fought against us war victims in court going to spearhead a position at the war crimes special court of Liberia," he said. "We feel hurt."

It showed a complete lack of respect for the activists who had pushed so hard over the years to get the tribunal set up.

Massaquoi did not respond to requests for comment from AFP.



- Convictions abroad -



President Boakai has said the process would bring "justice and closure to the scars and memories" from the "senseless" conflicts.

But rights groups, while welcoming recent moves to get the tribunal off the ground, have stressed in a report to the UN that much remains to be done.

They have pointed out, for example, that Boakai has so far made no provision for the awarding of reparations to victims.

While no trials have taken place within Liberia, a number of convictions have been secured abroad.

Charles Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in prison for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in neighbouring Sierra Leone, and is serving his sentence in the United Kingdom.

But he has not been prosecuted for his actions in Liberia.

A number of accused warlords remain influential in their communities.

One of the most prominent of these is the senator Prince Johnson, once filmed in a video sipping beer while his men tortured then-president Samuel Doe to death in 1990.

The country's Vice-President Jeremiah Koung is a known ally of Prince Johnson.

Johnson in April endorsed a parliamentary resolution in favour of a court, which he had previously opposed.

But he quickly backtracked, warning that enforcing the establishment of such a court was "looking for trouble in the country".
Russia defence ministry says destroyed 36 Ukrainian drones



Moscow, June 30 (AFP) Jun 30, 2024



Russian forces destroyed three dozen Ukrainian drones in areas near the border, Moscow's Ministry of Defence said Sunday.

"Air defence systems on duty destroyed fifteen UAVs over Kursk region, nine UAVs over Lipetsk region, four UAVs each over Voronezh and Bryansk regions and two UAVs each over Oryol and Belgorod regions," the ministry said in a Telegram post.

Voronezh Governor Aleksandr Gusev said on Telegram that air defences had "destroyed several Ukrainian UAVs" and "there were no casualties or damage".

Both sides have used drones, including larger self-detonating craft with ranges stretching hundreds of kilometres, extensively throughout the conflict, which began in February 2022.

Ukraine has stepped up its attacks on Russian territory this year, targeting both energy sites that it says fuel Russia's military, as well as towns and villages just across the border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a major new land offensive on Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region last month in what he said was an operation to create a "buffer zone" and push Ukrainian forces back to protect Russia's border Belgorod region from shelling.
The two restaurants both have wide-ranging menus and traditional Four Seasons A-grade service. The EDGE Brasserie and cocktail bar has inside and outside tables and serves a seasonal menu that can include oysters, Wagyu steak, branzino (sea bass). Sunday brunch here is a Miami favourite. By the pool but set back from any splashing and well-sheltered by greenery and large parasol umbrellas, the second restaurant, Bahia, has Mediterranean options and at the weekends, with open-fire cooking and live DJ sets.
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ISLAMABAD, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Eighteen people were injured in an explosion at a wedding ceremony in the Kurram district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, police said.

The incident happened when some unknown people hurled hand grenades at the ceremony where a large number of people were gathered for celebration, the police added.

The attackers fled the site after the attack, the police said.

The injured people have been shifted to a nearby hospital with three of them in critical condition. Police have cordoned off the area and an investigation is underway.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. 
There are over 140 million poor and low-income people in the U.S. In most cases, in the richest nation on Earth, their lives are defined by what they dont have  healthcare, food, housing, a job that pays a living wage.

The Right Rev. William Barber, an anti-poverty activist and community organizer, worked to change that narrative this weekend by reminding politicians what poor people do have: the power to vote.

On Saturday, Barber, the founding director of the Center for Public Theology at Yale Divinity School, convened the Mass Poor Peoples and Low-Wage Workers Assembly and Moral March on Washington D.C. and to the Polls, a gathering on the National Mall designed to flex the political muscle of low-income Americans.

Though it echoes a similar rally Martin Luther King Jr. held some six decades earlier, the Mass Poor Peoples March [launched] a season of continued outreach to 15 million poor and low wage infrequent voters ahead of the 2024 U.S. elections and beyond, Barber said in a statement.
CANBERRA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has accused social media companies of ignoring legitimate concerns about the impact of their platforms on children.

Albanese on Saturday said that executives from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, showed how "arrogant" they are by telling a parliamentary hearing on Friday that social media provides tremendous benefits for children.

"Meta are showing how out of touch they are and how arrogant they are," Albanese told reporters.

"Every parent knows that social media can have a damaging impact on the mental health of young people, on social exclusion, on the bullying that can occur online, on grooming that can occur in a dangerous way online as well."

Antigone Davis, global head of safety at Meta, told the parliamentary Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society on Friday that there was no clear evidence linking social media to rising rates of mental illness.

Albanese told Seven Network television on Saturday that Davis's comments showed how contemptuous social media companies are of parents' legitimate concerns.

The government has committed 6.5 million Australian dollars (4.3 million U.S. dollars) in funding to trial age verification technology to restrict children's exposure to inappropriate content online.

In May Albanese endorsed a campaign to raise the minimum age for registering social media accounts from 13 to 16. 
A lake off Harbor Avenue in Mays Landing, N.J., sits calm on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Eric Conklin, nj.com/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Four off-duty Coast Guard members helped rescue a distressed swimmer at a lake secluded in a South Jersey township on Thursday afternoon, according to local police.

The lake is behind patches of trees on Harbor Avenue in Mays Landing in Atlantic County.

A witness told NJ Advance Media a group of people with at least two vehicles were gathering at the pit. The group, the witness said, paused their gathering, watching as they ran toward the lake before first responders arrived.

It was unclear if the Coast Guard members were with the group congregating beside the water. An email to the Coast Guard by NJ Advance Media for comment was not immediately returned.

The four Coast Guard members, whom police said are stationed in Atlantic City, performed first aid to the swimmer, who was then taken to a hospital by township rescue crews, police said.

An update on the swimmers condition was not available, but police told NJ Advance Media the incident did not end in a fatality.

At least two New Jersey Forest Fire Service trucks responded. A Hamilton Township police car blocked off access to the pit around 3:15 p.m., leaving about five minutes later.

The lake sits a few hundred feet from the roadway, covered from view by patches of trees. The lake is surrounded by sand that gives motorists access to the secluded body of water from the road.

Township police urged residents to swim only in guarded places.

econklin@njadvancemedia.com.

2024 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit nj.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Adm. Robert P. Burke, who is retired, faces federal bribery charges accusing him of awarding a sole-source contract to a company in 2021 in exchange for accepting a $500,000-a-year job and stock options. (U.S. Navy)

Two top executives of a New York-based technology services firm charged alongside the highest-ranking U.S. Navy admiral ever to face criminal indictment for bribery are fighting the charges, challenging federal prosecutors decision to bring what one of their lawyers called a politically motivated military corruption case.

Charlie Kim, 50, and Meghan Messenger, 47, are set to plead not guilty Monday in Washington, D.C., with retired four-star Adm. Robert P. Burke, 62, formerly the Navys former second-highest-ranking officer and top commander in Europe and Africa. The three were charged four weeks ago with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery for Burkes alleged agreement to award a sole-source contract to Next Jump and to help it win future Navy business, in exchange for the promise of a $500,000-a-year job and stock options after he retired.

In their first public statements about the case, lawyers for the company and its charged co-CEOs criticized the Justice Departments handling of the investigation, suggesting prosecutors were fixated on landing a trophy target.

For 30 years, Next Jump Co-CEOs built an impeccable reputation for having developed some of the most well-respected leadership programs utilized by the U.S. Government, and it appears they are now unjustly caught up in a bureaucratic, politically motivated, governmental crossfire, Messenger attorney Rocco F. DAgostino said in a written statement.

Next Jump attorney Reed Brodsky, a former Manhattan federal prosecutor who co-chairs the litigation practice at the Gibson Dunn & Crutcher law firm, said it was very disappointed in how the government proceeded in the months preceding the indictment.

We tried on multiple occasions to present evidence and witnesses to the government after one presentation, but surprisingly the government refused to hear anything we had to say, declining to meet with Next Jumps counsel or even question Next Jump about the additional evidence we said we had in our possession, Brodsky said.

Kim attorney William A. Burck, co-managing partner of one of Washingtons premier white-collar law firms, Quinn Emanuel, has also joined the case. A former lawyer in the George W. Bush White House, Burck has represented a roster of high-profile Republican clients including former Trump White House counsel Donald McGahn and political strategist Stephen K. Bannon in the Justice Departments Russia investigation. He also represented Robert K. Hur, the special counsel who investigated President Bidens possession of classified documents after he left the vice presidency; and former Virginia first lady Maureen McDonnell, whose federal corruption convictions with her husband, then-governor Bob McDonnell, were overturned on appeal.

Charlie Kim would never put at risk - for any reason - everything hes built and his standing in the global business community, much less for a contract that was at most inconsequential to his business, Burck said in a statement. To be clear, Mr. Kim vehemently denies any involvement in the alleged conspiracy or bribery scheme and has no intention of backing down. We are confident he will get a fair shake from the Court and the jury and that he will ultimately be exonerated.

A spokeswoman for the D.C. U.S. attorneys office and the Justice Departments public integrity section declined to comment saying, We cannot comment on an ongoing prosecution.

Legal experts said Kim and Messengers combative defense is striking because prosecutors almost always seek to flip lower profile co-defendants in conspiracy cases and leverage their cooperation against top targets like Burke. The defense claims also raise the stakes for the Pentagon and Justice Department, which would be expected to have an airtight case given Burkes senior rank and recent setbacks in public corruption cases, legal experts said.

The Department of Justice hopefully has put its ducks in a row and has a prosecution that would withstand scrutiny, because these cases are very difficult to prove, said Scott Amey, general counsel of the Project on Government Oversight watchdog group. Its very important for the Justice Department and the Defense Department to protect our contracting system, and to ensure the people we have at the senior-most levels arent thinking about lining their pockets or their future employers pockets.

The Justice Department is still dealing with the fallout from its handling of the worst corruption scandal in Navy history, involving disgraced defense contractor Leonard Fat Leonard Francis, which was tarnished after defense attorneys alleged that prosecutors relied on flawed evidence and withheld information favorable to the defense. U.S. prosecutors in May moved to drop felony charges against five convicted defendants and said as many as two dozen more cases could be affected by an ongoing review of 34 prosecutions that included 29 guilty pleas.

Meanwhile, the Navy has faced criticism that junior officers were arrested and prosecuted while top brass have dodged accountability, as internal discipline for senior-most leaders is almost always handled internally. Burke has said he was introduced to Next Jump in 2016 around the time the Navy was seeking to overhaul its leadership training programs in the wake of the Fat Leonard scandal. He has said that as Chief of Naval Personnel the following year, he reached out to the company when the Navy faced another crisis over leadership and readiness breakdowns exposed by two deadly collisions in June and August 2017 involving the USS Fitzgerald and USS John McCain, in which 17 sailors were killed.

Burkes case is critically important to the Justice Department to rebound from the utter disaster of the Fat Leonard investigations, said Michael R. Sherwin, a former federal prosecutor who served as acting U.S. attorney for D.C. in 2020 and 2021. Sherwin recently represented a defendant in another recent federal Navy bribery case in which prosecutors abandoned claims of a $50 million fraud.

Virtually all federal corruption cases are built on cooperators to get to a top target, such as Burke, Sherwin added. The fact that Kim and Messenger are fighting charges tells me either the government made a run at them, and they refused; or prosecutors think the evidence against them is so strong - such as emails, text messages or recordings - that they dont need them.

According to charging papers, Burke supported a Next Jump workforce training pilot program to a small Navy component from August 2018 through July 2019 before the Navy terminated a contract with the company in November 2019. That same month, an aide to Burke directed the firm not to contact him further because of upcoming contracting actions and because of his recent promotion to Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Burke served about a year as the services No. 2-ranking officer, from June 2019 to June 2020, after his predecessor unexpectedly retired before taking over as the Navys top officer in August 2019.

Despite the admonition, a 16-page indictment alleges, Kim, Messenger and Burke agreed in a July 2021 meeting that he would use his position - then as one of nine four-star Navy admirals - to award a sole-source contract to Next Jump in exchange for a future job, and to influence other officers to award a larger training contract valued at or more than $100 million.

Senior government officials generally are required to notify ethics offices about the initiation of job talks and to recuse themselves from matters involving a potential future employer, but Burke misled and concealed his conflict of interest from the Navy, prosecutors charged.

Burkes lawyer, Tim Parlatore, has said his client never accepted a job at the initial meeting and that he left the firm within months of joining it in October 2022. Parlatore questioned the logic of the governments allegation that Next Jump offered a $500,000-a-year job to get a $355,000 award.

Kim and Messengers defenders inside the company agree. In documents posted in company social media accounts and internal communications, employees say Burke misled Next Jump executives about what he and the Navy were doing with the company, while telling them his actions were permitted.

Burke attorney Parlatore rejected that characterization, saying Burke never misled anybody. At the time Burke had serious employment conversations with Next Jump, he had authorization from the Navy, Parlatore said, adding, Admiral Burke has done nothing wrong here, hes been above board at all stages. There was no bribery, and we expect to go to trial and win.
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz pulls into port at Naval Base Kitsap, Wash., in December 2017. (Greg Hall/U.S. Navy)

Delays with the construction of new aircraft carriers and how to dispose of older nuclear-powered ships slated for retirement are fueling a housing crunch at Naval Base Kitsap, an expensive location at which to serve in the Navy.

The Kitsap commander has announced the public-private operator of base housing has been told not to renew leases for units occupied by retirees, reservists and others to make way for an influx of sailors expected in the summer.

We certainly appreciate the inconvenience, Capt. John Hale, commanding officer of NB Kitsap, said in a statement. Were focused on our support to the active-duty family members, those who the Navy has ordered here, and they need to find a place to live.

Pressure on housing at the base is expected when the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan arrives at Kitsap in the summer. Its crossing the Pacific after nine years as the Navys forward-homeported carrier, based in Yokosuka, Japan.

The Reagan will go into Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Kitsap for a two-year overhaul. It was to replace the USS Nimitz, which finished a six-month maintenance period last week at the Bremerton, Wash., base.

The Nimitz had been slated to move to Naval Base Norfolk in Virginia in 2025 to be decommissioned and eventually dismantled. The Nimitz is the Navys oldest active carrier, having been commissioned in 1975.

But the timeline for the Nimitz move has been pushed to 2026 at the earliest. In the meantime, the Nimitz will remain at Kitsap along with the Reagan.

The Navy has problems with the delivery delays of new carriers and how to dispose of old carriers, said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and now a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, D.C., think tank.

The Nimitz was to be replaced in the fleet by the USS John F. Kennedy, the new Ford-class carrier being built at Newport News, Va.

However, delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic and new technology, such as electromagnetic systems to catapult aircraft off the deck, have put delivery behind schedule.

The Navy is also tackling how to dismantle the highly radioactive power plants in nuclear aircraft carriers. The USS Enterprise, the Navys first nuclear-power carrier, was deactivated in 2012 and decommissioned in 2017. But it still sits at Hill Shipyard in Newport News awaiting a final disposal plan.

The Pentagon has already solicited interest in subcontractors to work on the eventual dismantling of the Nimitz, but where and when the work will be done is still under discussion.

The impact for Kitsap is finding a way to accommodate the crews of two aircraft carriers while the base is undergoing renovations that have caused a shortage of offices and other facilities.

The sprawling 12,000-acre installation is the third-largest Navy base after Norfolk and San Diego in California. Its home to a carrier strike group, attack and ballistic missile submarines, the naval shipyard, a fuel depot and 70 tenant commands.

Naval Base Kitsap has about 33,800 military and civilian personnel, including 10,000 uniformed active-duty service members, according to the Navy. Another 7,500 defense contractors work at the base. An estimated 18,700 military dependents and 35,000 retirees live in the area.

Nimitz-class carriers have a crew of about 5,200 at sea, but the aircraft squadrons move to nearby naval stations during their time in homeport, cutting the number of crew members who must be housed, fed and assigned.

We had a crew of about 2,800 during maintenance, said Lt. Cmdr. Tim Pietrack, the Nimitzs public affairs officer.

In the past, the Navy solved the housing problems of ships in maintenance by requiring most crew to remain aboard in the shipyard.

However, studies have shown living inside the equivalent of an industrial factory leads to deteriorating mental and physical health of the crew and, in some cases, an increase in suicide attempts.

Shipyards are notoriously bad for morale, according to a 2019 Naval Institute report. While some members of the crew are sent off for individual or team training, only a minor percentage of the crew is off ship at any given time. One thing is certain: The ships professional capabilities and capacities are in rapid and serious decline during shipyard availabilities.

Sailors man the rails of the USS Ronald Reagan as the aircraft carrier returns to Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on Nov. 19, 2023. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)

Kitsap officials said last week that they are confident they can find housing for the Nimitz and Reagan crews.

The crew and families will be accommodated through unaccompanied housing  barracks, on-base family housing and housing in the local community, said Katharine Crabtree, spokeswoman for NB Kitsap.

In preparation for Reagans arrival, the base has sent notices to non-active-duty personnel living in base housing that their leases will not be renewed when their current ones run out.

The move was triggered by a Navy rule that non-active personnel can live in base housing if the percentage of active-duty personnel seeking housing is less than 95%. While Kitsap has experienced vacancies in recent months, the increase in personnel will cross the limit during the summer.

As the demand from active duty starts to increase above 95%, they will have to start not renewing leases, said Hale, the base commander.

The Ronald Reagans arrival will be the first time that two carriers shared the naval base since 2021-23 when the USS Theodore Roosevelt was in the shipyard dry dock for an overhaul.

The move order would affect up to 15% of non-active-duty families living in base housing, and 2.5% of all homes. To date, about 40 families have received the notices.

The Navy is following Washington state law and giving tenants at least 60 days notice that they must move out.

No evictions, Hale said. Leases are ending.

He said the bases Navy Family Housing Office is assisting with relocations.

The move means more personnel will have to live off base, where the cost of living is above the national average.

Apartments.com, a major online housing monitor, reported for June that there were 486 apartments available in Bremerton, with an average rent of $1,575 for a one-bedroom, $1,741 for a two-bedroom and $2,008 for a three-bedroom.

The rents are about 2% lower than the national average, though they are higher than the East Coast naval base for carrier overhauls at Norfolk. The average rent for a three-bedroom apartment in the Norfolk area is $1,706 monthly  about 18% below the national average.

Rep. Marilyn Strickland, D-Wash., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, has cited the high cost of living for soldiers and sailors who must live off base in the Puget Sound area as a reason for proposing a $1.2 billion increase in the Basic Housing Allowance targeting enlisted personnel.

Service members are being priced out of options to live near their bases, putting strain on our military families, Strickland said in late May.

The plan is up for debate in Congress now as part of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which sets policies and recommends expenditures for the Defense Department.

Cancian said the space crunch at West Coast naval stations is likely to continue.

The shift in focus to the Indo-Pacific is going to mean more ships in more homeports on the West Coast, he said. Even if the problems with production of the Ford class and dismantling of the Enterprise are solved, the long-term reality is we will see more ships in the Pacific.
Museum curator Ron Batley, right, explains a display to visitors. Standing next to him in a leather jacket is William Buzz Fitzroy, pilot in the 350th Squadron, 100th Bomb Group. On his 35th mission on July 29, 1944, Fitzroy's B-17 was hit by flak and went down. He spent the remainder of the war as a POW in a German prison camp. (Ron Jensen/Stars and Stripes)

This article about WWII veterans from the 100th Bomb Group returning to Thorpe Abbots, England, first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Sunday magazine edition, Aug. 4, 2002. It is republished unedited in its original form. The Apple TV+ miniseries Masters of the Air, about the 100th Bomb Group and based on the 2007 book of the same name by Donald L. Miller premiered January 2024.

The field of wheat, spread under a blue sky sprinkled densely with clouds, bobs and weaves in the ever-present English breeze, rippling like a farm pond.

Quiet now, there is little evidence  save for a couple of buildings and some concrete slabs of the brief period 60 years ago when this patch of earth roared with life. It was a time when flying machines lifted off from this field and flew into combat, returning some of them, at least with men thankful to have survived another day.

On a recent weekend, some of those men returned to the wheat field outside Thorpe Abbots, England, about 20 miles south of Norwich and in the middle of nowhere.

The veterans of the 100th Bomb Group looked across the growing crop and with their minds eye saw a time when they danced with death, a time when they risked everything. It was a time when they were young.

Young and stupid, said William Buzz Fitzroy. You always thought it wasnt going to be me, its going to be someone else. Thats the thought you had.

William "Buzz" Fitzroy explains to Lorraine McDaniel the layout of the former airfield at Thorpe Abbots, England. Fitzroy and about 20 other veterans of the 100th Bomb Group visited the site of their old base. (Ron Jensen/Stars and Stripes)

Fitzroy, 82, and living in Clinton, Mississippi, had not been on this piece of ground since July 29, 1944. That day, he left on his 35th mission as pilot of a B-17. All he had to do was return safely and he could turn his back on the war. Thirty-five was the magic number.

That was my last one, he said.

It was, too. But not the way he had hoped. His bomber was shot down and he spent the rest of the war in a German prisoner-of-war camp on the Baltic Sea.

Camp life was bearable, but the first few hours of captivity were horrid.

They beat the hell out of me, he said. They shot and hung five of my men.

His parents were told he was dead and were presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross he was awarded. Several months passed before they heard the unbelievable news of their sons survival.

Walking up to the site of the old airfield for the first time since that day nearly 60 years ago, Fitzroy was asked how it felt to be back.

He managed only, Its  before emotion prevented any more words from leaving his throat.

Thorpe Abbots was one of scores of airfields built around eastern England from 1942 and on through the war. From the bases, mostly carved from farm fields, the U.S. Army Air Force took the war to the enemy on the European continent.

This plaque is attached to the wall of the control tower at the old airfield near Thorpe Abbots, England. Now a wheatfield, the airfield was the wartime home of the 100th Bomb Group. (Ron Jensen)

Most of the bases have disappeared, returned to farmland. At Thorpe Abbots, only a control tower and one building remain from the base, along with some patches of concrete here and there.

But local Englanders, not wanting to see this chapter of the areas history die, created a museum in the tower and with the help of the 100th Bomb Group Association have created a memorial museum that tells the story of the crews and aircraft of the Bloody 100th.

Ron Batley, the museum curator, said the museum has a free 999-year lease from the landowner.

About 20 veterans, most in their 80s, visited the museum in late June. Some had wives and children and grandchildren in tow, some had been there many times before. And some, like Fitzroy, were making their first post-war visit.

The guys I knew here were the most extraordinary people in the world, said Alvin Meiklejohn, 79, from Denver, Colo. It just has a mystical attraction. You cant believe what went on here the simply extraordinary things I saw people do.

The 100th BG flew from Thorpe Abbots from June 1943 until the end of the war in 1945. In those 22 months, the crews flew 306 missions and dropped more than 19,000 tons of bombs.

The gunners were credited with downing 261 enemy aircraft. Additionally, 1,010 were probably destroyed and 139 possibly destroyed.

On the negative side, 177 aircraft from the 100th were reported missing in action. About 800 crewmen lost their lives.

On the day of the return visit, there was much reminiscing and storytelling.

George McLeod's hand serves as a B-17 while he explains an episode during World War II. McLeod and several other veterans of the 100th Bomb Group visited their old airfield at Thorpe Abbots, England, June 22, 2002. (Ron Jensen/Stars and Stripes)

It was an important part of my life, said George McLeod, 81, of Anacortes, Wash. I was one of the lucky ones. I survived.

He almost didnt.

On one mission over Germany, his Flying Fortress took three simultaneous flak hits just after releasing its bombs. One of them wounded McLeod, the pilot, and knocked him unconscious, causing him to fall into the controls.

The co-pilot, putting the aircraft into a diving turn as was standard after releasing the bombs, had to hold his commander off the controls and fly the airplane at the same time.

Hes flying with his right hand and holding me off the stick with his left, McLeod said. My co-pilot saved my life.

There were many close calls.

Glenn Rake, 79, from Sparks, Nev., remembered flying back to Thorpe Abbots in a B-17 with two engines shot out, a flat left tire, a flat tail tire and 234 holes in the aircraft.

And not a single man wounded. Not one of my men scratched, he said, still a bit amazed at the luck.

Not everyone was so lucky. Officers shared quarters, Rake said. The four officers on one crew would share a building with officers from six or seven other crews.

We came home twice and saw all the beds rolled up except for our four, he said, an indication that all of the other crews had been shot down that day.

Ken Summers examines a painting hanging in the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum at Thorpe Abbots, England, site of the unit's airfield during World War II. Summers was a bombardier in the unit. The museum is in the airfield's old control tower. (Ron Jensen/Stars and Stripes)

Ken Summers, 81, a former bombardier from St. Louis, wondered aloud about the fate of a big tree at the end of the runway.

Being the bombardier, I was right in the nose, he said. Every flight, he said, he worried about the pilot smacking that tree, but he pulled up just in time.

Summers didnt have to worry about the tree after his eighth mission. His plane was shot down over Leipzig, Germany, on Sept. 12, 1944, and he spent the remainder of the war as a POW.

The museum is filled with uniforms, medals, equipment from the B-17s and on and on, the paraphernalia of an air combat unit. It is an impressive display run by volunteers and free to the public.

But the most popular part of the exhibit for the vets was the area that displayed photographs taken by the men of the 100th during their time at Thorpe Abbots and provided to the museum. The vets loved to linger in the photo section, looking for and often finding photos of their particular airplanes.

More than a few photos show the B-17s in less than pristine condition. It was standard to take pictures of an aircraft that had returned to base despite having taken tremendous hits during the mission.

That toughness gave the men great respect for their aircraft. They still insist the B-17 was the best combat aircraft ever to join the U.S. military arsenal.

They could fly, Meiklejohn said. Ive seen them come back with holes in them big enough you could ride a horse through.

Fitzroy casually mentioned the time his Fortress was flipped upside down by a burst of flak. The bombs tumbled out of their carriage and tore through the roof of the plane. He turned it back over and flew it home.

The men of the 100th Bomb Group took pains to point out that they do not think they are heroes. Most interviewed volunteered that opinion. They are, they said, simply survivors

They reserve the term heroes for the men of the Bloody 100th who never returned.

Im here, said Bob Wolff, 80, from Oxnard, Calif., a pilot who was shot down on his eighth mission. Im alive.

And everyone readily admitted they were scared. Meiklejohn said he and another vet still argue about who was more scared. He claims he was and I say I was, Meiklejohn said with a laugh.

But then the retired accountant and lawyer turned serious.

The funny thing is, while we were scared to death all the time, nobody ever thought of not doing it.
The remains of U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. John E. McLauchlen Jr., who was killed during World War II, will be interred July 8 at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Fort Leavenworth, Kan. (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency)

The remains of U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. John E. McLauchlen Jr., who was killed during World War II, will be interred July 8 at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

McLauchlen, a native of Detroit, was a member of the 436th Bombardment Squadron, 7th Bombardment Group during World War II. He went missing in action Dec. 1, 1943, at age 25, after the B-24J Liberator bomber he was piloting during a bombing mission from Panagarh, India, to the Insein Railroad Yard north of Rangoon, Burma, was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire.

McLauchlen was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency on Jan. 25, 2024, after his remains were exhumed from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, also known as the Punchbowl, for laboratory analysis and identification.

McLauchlens name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in the Philippines, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

McLauchlen will be buried with full military honors, according to a news release from U.S. Army Human Resources Command.
U.S. personnel visit the mall food court during lunchtime at Ramstein Air Base in October 2020. Service members may have more lunch options because of a new policy that allows them to eat off base in uniform. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany  U.S. service members at some European installations may wear their uniforms off base in certain instances, as the military relaxes a policy put in place for personnel across the Continent in 2014 for safety reasons.

Each component commander has the authority and latitude to determine what uniform posture is best to their particular mission and security situation, U.S. European Command said in a statement Tuesday.

The 86th Airlift Wing, headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, the Armys 21st Theater Sustainment Command and other commands in Europe announced relaxed rules for off-base uniform wear Tuesday, effective immediately.

The policies apply to airmen and soldiers in the Kaiserslautern area as well as to 21st TSC soldiers assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, Kosovo, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.

After many years and regular assessment of the threat environment, leaders agree it is time for a return to normal and allow airmen more flexibility in their daily routines, Lt. Col. Will Powell, a spokesman for the 86th Airlift Wing, said in a statement Tuesday.

Members of both services are permitted to stop at or visit off-base establishments in their commuting area while in uniform, when they are traveling between work and home, according to the policies.

Uniforms may be worn at restaurants, markets, shops, vehicle maintenance facilities, gas stations, drugstores, medical clinics, barber shops and similar locations, Powell said.

This graphic shows the authorized and unauthorized wearing of uniforms off base for 86th Airlift Wing airmen. (Madelyn Keech/U.S. Air Foce)

Service members may also wear their uniform when taking children to school and to off-base extracurricular activities.

Uniformed airmen at Ramstein may travel by private vehicles, taxis, motorcycles and bicycles. They may not use public transportation, airports or fly on commercial aircraft while in uniform, according to the new rules.

Airmen are also restricted from wearing uniforms off base in the city of Trier, according to a 3rd Air Force memorandum. The reason was not specified.

Uniforms remain off-limits at bars, nightclubs, dance clubs and hookah lounges. Service members are also prohibited from drinking alcohol off base while in uniform, Powell said.

The 21st TSC said activities in public while in uniform, such as dining and convenience stops, should be as expedient as possible.

The new rule also prohibits 21st TSC soldiers from using commercial airports while in uniform. In 2011, a gunman shot at a group of U.S airmen at the Frankfurt airport, killing two and seriously wounding two others.

The Army command said soldiers may wear their uniform while using local public transportation as long as they use the most direct route. Soldiers also may wear their uniforms to walk to their destination as long as they try to take the shortest route possible.

Both the Air Force and the Army said the off-base uniform policy could change based on threats and risks to personnel.

For 21st TSC soldiers, the Army fitness uniform can be worn only going between home and work, and the only stops permitted are for fuel or emergencies. Airmen may wear their official fitness gear while traveling between home and duty locations.

Last year, the Bavaria-based 7th Army Training Command was the first to announce changes when it allowed troops to wear uniforms off base in limited circumstances as a trial run.

It was hugely successful and well-received by our host communities around U.S. installations in Bavaria, said 7th ATC spokesman Lt. Col. Michael Weisman.

In 2014, EUCOM ordered all U.S. personnel in Europe to refrain from wearing uniforms off base except while they were commuting to work in their personal cars or riding on base buses.

EUCOM said at the time that the intent was to ensure safety, although it did not cite any specific threats.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, the 3rd Air Force commander, authorized wing commanders in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom to implement uniform policy changes at their discretion, officials said.

The 31st Fighter Wing in Aviano, Italy, said Tuesday that servicemembers may wear uniforms off base within a 25-kilometer radius of their homes for no more than 15 minutes. Reasons for doing so include official business, banking, picking up food, transporting children to school or day care, vehicle refueling and maintenance, and trips to the pharmacy, a wing statement said.

Spangdahlem Air Base authorized off-base uniform wear in the commuting area between service members homes and duty stations. The policy was drafted in close coordination with the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein, base officials said in an email to Stars and Stripes.

The policy balances security and convenience for service members, while also serving as a reminder to the local population that we live amongst them as neighbors and friends, the statement said.

Air Force officials at RAF Lakenheath, England, did not immediately say Tuesday whether their off-base uniform rules were changing.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy is allowing uniform wear off base tied to necessity and convenience, an emailed statement said. Paratroopers can make brief stops but shouldnt eat out at restaurants or go for long walks in town while in uniform, the statement said.

Stars and Stripes reporters John Vandiver and Norman Llamas contributed to this report.
Senior Airmen Ariana Howard and Dom Ingram, the hosts of AFN Europe's popular shows "Brunch Bites" and "Tactical Lunch," pose together at the AFN Europe studio. The new programming schedule launches on July 1, 2024. (AFN Europe)

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany  American Forces Network Europe is expanding two of its live radio programs on AFN The Eagle radio stations starting Monday, according to network officials.

The expanded schedule will feature two three-hour shows broadcast directly from the AFN headquarters studio in Sembach, Germany, and represents one of the most significant changes to the Eagles radio schedule in over 40 years, station officials said.

The extended hours and new show formats are direct responses to listener feedback, said Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Kakaris, senior radio producer at AFN Europe. Were always listening to our audience and looking for ways to improve, always with the goal of at better serving Americas best stationed here in Europe.

The new programming includes an extended version of Brunch Bites with Senior Airman Ariana Howard, from 9 a.m. to noon, offering updates from the music industry, celebrity news and pop culture.

After Howard, Senior Airman Dom Ingram takes over the airwaves with his Tactical Lunch, from noon to 3 p.m. Ingram focuses on military news, command information and high-energy discussions relevant to the service community.

Were excited to bring more dynamic and relevant content to our audience, Howard said. This change allows us to dive deeper into topics and engage more with our audience.

Both shows are designed to engage and entertain while providing vital information to their audiences, the DJs said.

AFN Europe radio show times are changing, featuring "Brunch Bites" with Ariana Howard from 9 a.m. to noon and "Tactical Lunch" with Dom Ingram from noon to 3 p.m. (AFN Europe)

What we do is really all about what we can do to serve our audience, Ingram said. Its such a great experience being here and doing this every day.

The shows are primarily run by service members from various branches of the military. These disc jockeys in uniform, made famous by Robin Williams portrayal of DJ Adrian Cronauer in the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam, are trained at the Defense Information School in Maryland, where they learn the skills necessary to produce and broadcast radio content.

Each day they comb through the days news and command information to inform their peers at military installations around Europe.

There are a few guidelines but then we really make the shows our own and try to be as creative as possible, Howard said.

Under the legacy format, each AFN affiliate station in Europe aired eight hours of live radio a day, Monday through Friday, with AFN headquarters staff contributing four hours of live content. The new changes expand the Europewide programming across AFN Europes network of 15 affiliate stations, Kakaris said.

The goal is to streamline our efforts and provide more centralized, high-quality content, Kakaris said. This move is designed to free up time for our local stations, allowing them to focus more on their unique local needs while we handle broader regional topics from headquarters.

Senior Airman Ariana Howard prepares for her show "Brunch Bites" in the AFN Europe studio. Revamped programming at AFN Europe is slated to include more regional content and interactive segments for listeners throughout Europe. (AFN Europe)

AFN Europe has already started promoting the new format through social media. While details remain under wraps, the team said the new programming will feature engaging content for listeners across the network.

We have some really cool interviews with some special guests lined up that were excited to announce, Howard said. Stay tuned on the air or Facebook for details.

Listeners can tune in via the AFN Go app, which offers genre-specific channels and talk radio, or through traditional FM signals.
The Spangdahlem Air Base main gate March 2020. Spangdahlem issued an alert that said 52nd Fighter Wing airmen were prohibited from wearing their uniforms off base as a precaution, and must commute in civilian clothing. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

STUTTGART, Germany  U.S. military bases in Europe were put on a heightened state of alert over the weekend as installations urged vigilance among their members.

At U.S. European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, the Army garrison on Sunday issued a communitywide alert that the force protection threat level was elevated to condition Charlie until further notice.

Similar directives were sent to other bases in Germany, including the Armys Rheinland-Pfalz and Ramstein Air Base, which together form the largest U.S. military community overseas. The Rheinland-Pfalz garrison alert includes Baumholder and outlying installations in Romania and Bulgaria.

Aviano Air Base in Italy also rose its condition level to Charlie, and other installations in Italy introduced enhanced security measures.

The Charlie threat level applies when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating some form of terrorist action or targeting against personnel or facilities is likely, according to the Armys website.

Service members and others should anticipate significant delays at gate entry points because of increased security, according to the alerts.

U.S. Army garrison in Stuttgart referred questions about the change in force protection to EUCOM.

EUCOM said in a statement Sunday that it is constantly assessing a variety of factors that play into the safety of the U.S. military community abroad. As part of that effort, we often times take additional steps to ensure the safety of our service members.

Military community members should report any suspicious activity, monitor State Department travel advisories and take precautions to minimize personal risk, the statement added.

Typically, military commands decline to get into specifics about changes in force protection measures for security reasons.

On Saturday, Spangdahlem Air Base, an installation in rural western Germany, issued its own alert that said 52nd Fighter Wing airmen were prohibited from wearing their uniforms off base as a precaution, and must commute in civilian clothing.

Spangdahlem officials on Saturday said that measures are in place to protect the community but that for operational security reasons, the base could not provide more details.

In years past, commands have taken similar action on uniform wearing over concerns about terrorism threats. In 2010, EUCOM issued a directive that temporarily prohibited troops from wearing uniforms off post.

In 2014, EUCOM limited uniform wearing off base to commuting, a restriction that the command began to relax in 2022.

The military sets force protection levels at either Normal, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie or Delta, the highest state of alert. Bravo became common on bases for many years following the 9/11 attacks.

Charlie sets in motion curtailment plans for nonessential personnel, according to the Army.

Garrison officials in Stuttgart said that a variety of services would not be available because of the increased threat level. From Sunday until further notice, some of those reduced services included access to some eateries and on-post barber shops.

Many other services will have significant numbers of employees teleworking or offices will be opened with reduced staff. Customers should maintain flexibility and allow for longer-than-normal service times, the garrison said in a statement.

In recent weeks, U.S. officials have been sounding the alarm on increased terrorism threats, stemming from the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the ongoing war in Gaza.

Weve seen the threat from foreign terrorists rise to a whole nother level after October 7, FBI director Christopher Wray said in June 4 written testimony before the Senate.

Stars and Stripes reporter Jennifer H. Svan and Phillip Walter Wellman contributed to this report.
by Chen Junxia, Lian Yi

GENEVA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The world needs a strong Chinese economy, and its domestic market still offers "massive opportunities," particularly in the clean energy, digital technology and advanced materials sectors, David Bach, incoming president of the world-renowned business school International Institute for Management Development (IMD), has said.

China, as an increasingly wealthy economy, faces a number of challenges, Bach, who will assume the presidency of the IMD in September, told Xinhua during a program at the IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland. "I'm hoping that China can tackle those challenges effectively, and then sustain its growth for many, many years to come because the world needs a strong China, needs growth in China."

"At China's level of development, we should be seeing a shift from being a manufacturing-based to being service-based economy, from being primarily export-oriented to one increasingly focusing on the domestic consumer market," said Bach, highlighting the role that Chinese digital companies play in economic transformation, such as the country's largest online travel agency Trip.com, and the WeChat ecosystem, which integrates various online applications.

China's combination of the ability to innovate and scale up in a large domestic market is something that most developed countries do not have, which brings enormous opportunity, he added. "Just by developing its domestic market and bringing more people into the modern economy it has built, it can drive growth. That's a massive opportunity."

In May, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its forecast for China's GDP growth in 2024 to 5 percent from the April projection of 4.6 percent, driven by a strong first-quarter GDP growth in 2024 and recent policy measures.

China's economic development over the past few decades has been remarkably driven by market-oriented reforms, trade liberalization and integration into global supply chains, according to the IMF.

Discussing China's ongoing efforts to foster new quality productive forces, Bach highlighted the sectors of clean energy, digital technology and advanced materials.

First introduced in 2023, new quality productive forces refer to advanced productivity freed from the traditional economic growth mode and productivity development paths. It features high-tech, high efficiency and high quality.

The former deputy Dean at the Yale School of Management also warned of the risk of doubling down on manufacturing, as further trade conflict with Western economies becomes more and more likely.

In the West, many misconceptions about the Chinese economy persist, with accusations that Chinese companies produce cheap manufacturing goods by utilizing Western ideas, intellectual property, and innovations, said Bach.

"What it completely misses is how many innovative products and services are made in China and originate from China. Where you can see it most clearly is when it comes to electric vehicles. Chinese companies have understood that the real value added in EVs is in batteries and the software."

In June, the European Commission announced provisional tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China, ranging from 17.4 to 38.1 percent, on top of the existing 10 percent tariff. The move would negatively impact the normal bilateral economic and trade exchanges in automotive and relevant sectors between China and Europe and challenge bilateral relations, said the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU.

The China-EU relationship is closely related to the China-U.S. and U.S.-EU ties, because the transatlantic relationship remains paramount, while the China-U.S. relationship is the defining relationship of the century, said Bach. 
The sun sets behind the buildings in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (Leo Correa/AP)

JERUSALEM  Humanitarian workers have started moving tons of aid that piled up at a U.S.-built pier off the Gaza coast to warehouses in the besieged Palestinian territory, the United Nations said Saturday, an important step as Washington considers whether to resume pier operations after yet another pause because of heavy seas.

It wasnt known when the aid might reach Palestinians in Gaza, where experts have warned of the high risk of famine as the Israel-Hamas war is in its ninth month. This is the first time trucks have moved aid from the pier since the World Food Program, a U.N. agency, suspended operations there because of security concerns on June 9.

In just the last week, more than 10 million pounds were moved ashore, according to the U.S. military.

WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told The Associated Press this is a one-time operation until the beach is cleared of the aid and is being done to avoid spoilage. Further U.N. operations at the pier depend on security assessments, Etefa said. The U.N. is investigating whether the pier was used in an Israeli military operation last month to rescue three hostages in a raid that killed more than 270 Palestinians.

If WFP trucks successfully bring the aid to warehouses inside Gaza, that could affect the U.S. militarys decision on whether to reinstall the pier, which was removed because of adverse weather on Friday. U.S. officials said they were considering not reinstalling it because of the possibility that the aid would not be picked up.

Lawlessness around humanitarian convoys is another challenge to aid distribution. The convoys have come under attack in Gaza. While most aid deliveries come by land, restrictions around border crossings and on what items can enter Gaza have further hurt a population that was already dependent on humanitarian aid before the war.

An attempt to revive stalled talks

Meanwhile Saturday, a senior Biden administration official said the U.S. has presented new language to intermediaries Egypt and Qatar aimed at trying to jump-start stalled Israel-Hamas negotiations.

The official, who requested anonymity to discuss the effort that the White House has yet to publicly unveil, said the revised text focuses on negotiations that are to start between Israel and Hamas during the first phase of a three-phase deal that U.S. President Joe Biden laid out nearly a month ago.

The first phase calls for a full and complete cease-fire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all densely populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages, including women, older people and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

The proposal called for the parties to negotiate the terms of the second phase during the 42 days of phase one. Under the current proposal, Hamas could release all of the remaining men, both civilians and soldiers. In return, Israel could free an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The releases wont occur until sustainable calm takes effect and all Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza.

The new proposed language, which the official didnt detail, aims to find a workaround of differences between Israel and Hamas about the parameters of the negotiations between phase one and phase two. Hamas wants negotiations centered on the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released from Israeli jails in exchange for remaining living Israeli soldiers and male hostages held in Gaza, the official said. Israel wants negotiations to be broader and include the demilitarization of the territory controlled by Hamas.

Hamas political official Osama Hamdan said the group had yet to receive a new cease-fire proposal from mediators. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh spoke by phone with the head of Egypts general intelligence service to discuss the negotiations, Hamas said in a statement.

Fighting in Shijaiyah and thousands flee

More than 37,800 Palestinians have been killed in the war since it began with Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants in its toll. The ministry said the bodies of 40 people killed by Israeli strikes had been brought to local hospitals over the past 24 hours.

At least three people, including a 5-year-old girl, were killed and six others were wounded in a strike in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. The Israeli military didnt immediately comment.

The Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and another 250 people were taken hostage.

Israeli forces have been battling Palestinian militants in an eastern part of Gaza City, Shijaiyah, over the last week. Israels military on Saturday noted close-quarters combat. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled their homes, according to the U.N.

Its like the first weeks of the invasion, one resident, Mahmoud al-Masry said of the intensity of the fighting. Many people were killed. Many houses were destroyed. They strike anything moving.

Elsewhere, thousands of Palestinians who remained in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah fled Friday for Muwasi, a coastal tent camp designated by the Israeli army as a safe zone. Some told the AP that they evacuated because Israeli gunfire and missiles had come close to where they sheltered.

More than 1.3 million Palestinians have fled Rafah since Israels incursion into the city in early May, while aid groups warn there are no safe places to go.

With the heat in Gaza reaching over 89 F, many displaced people have found tents unbearable. The territory has been without electricity since Israel cut off power as part of the war, and Israel also stopped pumping drinking water to the enclave.

Death is better than it. It is a grave, said Barawi Bakroun, who was displaced from Gaza City, as others fanned themselves with pieces of cardboard.

Wafaa Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Aamer Madhani in Asheville, North Carolina, Samy Magdy in Cairo, and Abby Sewell in Beirut, contributed to this report.
A DOD-contracted driver transports pallets of humanitarian aid from the USNS GySgt Fred W. Stockham onto the U.S. Army vessel LSV-5 in support of the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) operation off the coast of Gaza, June 14, 2024. (Isaak Martinez/U.S. Navy)

Gazas remaining hospitals, health centers and oxygen stations will stop working within 48 hours as the fuel needed to operate generators runs out, Gazas Health Ministry said in a statement shared to Telegram at noon local time Sunday.

Israels closure of the vital Rafah border crossing last month severed key supply lines, limiting access to food, fuel and medical supplies inside the enclave, aid groups say. A U.N. report released this month said more than 1 million people in Gaza are expected to face death and starvation by mid-July.

Many of Gazas medical facilities have been damaged, raided or evacuated since Oct. 7. Israel has made hospitals a key target of its military campaign, alleging Hamas uses them for militant activity.

UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, said last week that a severe shortage of medicine & fuel was delaying lifesaving operations by its teams inside the enclave. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned Friday that the lack of medicine and fuel has forced aid organizations to scale back their services.

Fuel shortages in Gaza also mean water sanitation and hygiene services are hanging by a thread, OCHA added.

Rabih Torbay, CEO of the aid organization Project Hope, said his teams were minimizing movements to conserve fuel.

Hospital generators are running out, and our team is desperately trying to get some so the surgeries dont stop, he said.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to operate in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City, the Israel Defense Forces said Sunday. Last week, the IDF ordered residents to evacuate the densely packed area, citing the presence of militants, as strikes intensified. OCHA said Friday that between 60,000 and 80,000 people had been displaced as a result.

Israels military said it killed dozens of militants in close-quarters combat and with aerial fire support, and raided Hamas hideouts and weapons warehouses.

In Rafah, in the south, Israeli soldiers discovered several significant tunnel shafts and destroyed a rocket launch site, the IDF said.

This is a difficult fight that is being waged above ground, sometimes in hand-to-hand combat, and below ground as well, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a government meeting Sunday, vowing absolute victory over Hamas.

Heres what else to know

 Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered in Jerusalem Sunday night to protest last weeks Supreme Court ruling that yeshiva students be conscripted into the Israeli military. Protesters lobbed rocks at police and held signs that read, We will not sacrifice our children on the alter of Zionism. Ultra-Orthodox parties have threatened to withdraw from Netanyahus government if he fails to find a workaround, which could lead to the collapse of his coalition.

 Lebanons Hezbollah militant group said Sunday it targeted a command headquarters in the Beit Hillel barracks in northern Israel. The Israeli military later said that sirens sounded in the area after a launch was identified crossing into Israeli territory and falling in an open area. No injuries or damage were reported, the IDF said.

 Six people, including children, were killed in an Israeli strike on a family home in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, according to WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency. The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strike.

 Hamas official Osama Hamdan accused Israel of holding up cease-fire negotiations, adding in a news conference Saturday that the groups officials follow with regret the position of the American administration, which insists on holding Hamas responsible for obstructing reaching an agreement. The White House has urged Hamas accept the proposal. Netanyahu on Sunday said Hamas is the only obstacle to the release of our hostages, though he said last week that he would only accept a partial deal that would free some hostages but allow Israel to continue the war.

 Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday defended a government decision to expand Israels footprint in the West Bank. He said he intended to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, which he said would be an immediate, existential danger to the state of Israel. Israels security cabinet on Thursday approved the legalization of five West Bank outposts as well as sanctions against Palestinian Authority officials, Smotrich said in a statement. Most countries consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal under international law.

 An Israeli airstrike Sunday targeted the home of relatives of the militant commander known as Abu Shujaa in the Nur al-Shams refugee camp, in the West Bank town of Tulkarm. Abu Shujaa is the top commander of the Islamic Jihad-affiliated Tulkarm battalion. One person was killed and five injured in the attack, according to Palestinian health authorities.

 At least 37,877 people have been killed and 86,969 injured in Gaza since the war started, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority of the dead are women and children. Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamass Oct. 7 attack, including more than 300 soldiers, and it says 316 soldiers have been killed since the start of its military operations in Gaza.

Alon Rom and Suzan Haidamous contributed to this report.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference with the in Jerusalem on March 17, 2024. (Leo Correa, Pool Photo, AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Israel is committed to fighting Hamas until the Iran-backed militant group is eliminated and all the other goals of the war are achieved, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

The Israeli leader spoke after an Axios report on Saturday that the Biden administration has circulated amended language for some elements of its proposed deal on hostage releases and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Axios cited three people with direct knowledge who werent identified.

Israels goals continue to include freeing the remaining hostages held in Gaza and ensuring the area never constitutes a threat to Israel again, Netanyahu said at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting.

The Israeli government also aims to restore security in the areas bordering Gaza and Lebanon so that residents can safely return to their homes, he said.

To whoever doubts the achieving of these goals, I reiterate: there is no substitute for victory. We will not end the war until we achieve all of these goals, said Netanyahu.

Israel has been at war with Hamas since Oct. 7, when the group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and Europe, invaded southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages to Gaza. About 120 are still held in Gaza.

Some 37,000 people have been killed in the ensuing war, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the E.U.

Theres no change in Israels position on hostage releases outlined this month by U.S. President Joe Biden, Netanyahu said, adding that Hamas is the only obstacle to the release of our hostages.

In its report on Saturday, Axios said the U.S. is working with Qatari and Egyptian mediators to make changes to what would up for discussion in the first stage of a proposed three-stage peace deal, in an effort to get both Israel and Hamas on board.

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Guests gather for a campaign event with President Joe Biden at the Scranton Cultural Center on April 16, 2024. (Joe Lamberti for The Washington Post)

President Bidens decision to pursue a second term crystallized during the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday, as he gathered on Nantucket island with his large family to discuss his political future.

At the time, the choice in some ways seemed straightforward: better-than-expected results in the midterm elections had buoyed the incumbent and silenced many of his doubters, he had successfully enacted an ambitious legislative agenda and he felt strong and healthy days after celebrating his 80th birthday.

Now, after a debate performance where his stumbles and meandering responses sent shock waves through the Democratic Party, Bidens enormously consequential decision to run as an 81-year-old after initially saying he would be a transitional figure has come under harsher scrutiny, raising fresh questions about his small circle of advisers and the Democratic leaders who facilitated his unprecedented push to remain in office until age 86.

I think theres real consternation, not only among his inner circle, but in the family, said Chris Whipple, author of The Fight of His Life: Inside Joe Bidens White House. Everybodys wondering, What happened, and can this be fixed?

Driving the Democratic spasm of doubt and anxiety is the prospect that Donald Trump, whom Democrats see as a dishonest, anti-democratic demagogue, now appears to have at least a reasonable chance of winning. More than at any other time in his presidency, Bidens decision to pursue another term - and his ability to carry out his duties for another four years - faces a torrent of public questioning.

In the hours since the debate, Biden and his top officials have sought to reassure donors that he is staying in the race and is capable of doing the job. People familiar with the fundraising operation say no major donors have pulled support, and the campaign touted raising more than $27 million from the debate day through Friday evening.

Biden seemed to quell the panic at least slightly with a fiery post-debate rally on Friday in Raleigh, N.C., where he addressed the anxiety over his age while signaling that he was not rethinking his decision to run.

I know Im not a young man, to state the obvious, Biden said, acknowledging publicly for the first time that his speech, gait and debating skills are all showing signs of age. But he added, I give you my word as a Biden: I would not be running again if I didnt believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job.

For most of his adult life, Biden has undergone grueling decisions every four years about whether to run for president, holding prolonged discussions with family and friends about pursuing the nations highest office.

President Biden during a campaign event at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh on Friday, June 28, 2024. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)

Despite voter concerns about his advancing age, Bidens choice to run a final race in 2024 was in some ways easier than his previous such decisions. He was an incumbent, after all, and had enjoyed a record of unexpected legislative success while rebuilding global coalitions he deeply believed in.

His family was on board, most crucially his wife Jill and his sister Valerie Biden Owens. He viewed himself as the best positioned to compete against Trump, whose political resurgence was worrying many Democrats.

If Trump wasnt running, Im not sure Id be running, he told Democrats at a Boston fundraiser last December. And asked by Time magazine in May if he ever considered stepping aside due to his age, he replied, No, I didnt.

Just two years earlier, Biden had envisioned himself as a temporary steward of a Democratic Party that was nurturing a new and more diverse generation of leaders. I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else, a 77-year-old Biden said in March 2020.

But shortly after he turned 80 on Nov. 20, 2022, making him the first octogenarian in the White House, Biden decided the bridge would be much longer than many anticipated. He would run for reelection, casting his presidency not as a transition, but as a transformational era in and of itself.

There were always warning signs. A Washington Post-ABC News poll in September 2022 showed that 56 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents said the party should pick someone else as their nominee.

Republicans were already circulating videos of Biden looking confused or seeming to stumble over his words or his feet, often taken out of context. Kevin OConnor, Bidens physician, observed that the presidents gait seemed stiffer, while also saying he was more than capable of serving as president. And a second presidential run would clearly be more physically taxing than in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic confined Biden to his home for long stretches.

Amid this uncertainty, the November 2022 congressional midterms instantly reshaped the dynamic in Bidens favor, as Democrats defied widespread predictions of a red wave by retaining control of the Senate and keeping Republicans to a razor-thin majority in the House. To many Democrats, it suddenly seemed the party could do quite well with Biden as their leader.

President Biden and Jill Biden make their way to board Marine One on Nov. 21, 2022. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)

My intention is that I run again, Biden told reporters a day after the midterms. But Im a great respecter of fate. And this is, ultimately, a family decision.

The decision was also heavily influenced by a tight circle of longtime advisers - some of whom still resented top Democrats who had sidelined Biden for Hillary Clinton in 2016. His victory in 2020, coming after many of those same Democrats wrote him off due to poor showings in the early primary states, only increased his resolve to rely on his own instincts and the counsel of his family members.

Jill Biden was especially supportive of a reelection bid, and in campaigns early days was blunt in characterizing the election as a choice between corruption and chaos and stability. His other family members, including his son Hunter and grandchildren, were also in favor, according to people familiar with their thinking.

Hed spent his whole life trying to get there, Whipple said. He was certainly not going to walk away from the opportunity to fulfill the work hed started in his first term. And I think thats just the nature of people who reach that job.

Equally important, the Democratic Party appeared to make a collective, if informal, decision not to challenge Biden, with the exception of a short-lived bid by Rep. Dean Phillips (Minn.). Unlike other campaigns, the partys left flank failed to put forth a charismatic challenger such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), in part because many left-leaning Democrats grudgingly appreciated some of Bidens progressive accomplishments.

Democratic governors with star power, like Californias Gavin Newsom and Michigans Gretchen Whitmer, initially appeared to be running shadow campaigns, but the midterms ended such efforts. Some have suggested that former president Barack Obama could have prevailed on Biden not to run had he chosen, but the two mens relationship had been strained since Obama discouraged Biden from running in 2016 in favor of Clinton, who then lost to Trump.

When Biden officially announced his reelection on April 25, 2023, doubts still simmered. A poll from the Associated Press showed that only 47 percent of Democrats wanted him to run again. In the 24 hours after his announcement - typically a moment of surging excitement that fuels campaign donations - the result was extremely underwhelming, The Post reported at the time.

Biden never faced a serious challenge in the Democratic primary, handily winning contests across the country in what amounted to a coronation. Phillips launched his campaign declaring its time for a new generation, but never rose above the nuisance level to the incumbent and his advisers. No Labels, a group that explored a potential bipartisan third-party ticket, failed to come up with a nominee, partly due to the countrys sharp polarization. The Democratic National Committee rescheduled the primary calendar to benefit Biden and declared there would be no primary debates.

As Biden ramped up his campaign, he sought to address his age by making light of it, telling one audience he was a little under 103 and jokingly referring to my good friend Jimmy Madison. More seriously, his advisers pointed to special election wins for Democrats, saying they reflected the partys strong position under Biden.

That mood of nervous acceptance blew up on Thursday.

People gather to watch the CNN Presidential Debate between Biden and Trump at Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna, Ga. (Kendrick Brinson for The Washington Post)

During the debate, held in a CNN studio without an audience, Biden spoke in a raspy voice, struggled to parry Trumps attacks, often rambled or appeared to lose his train of thought, and at times stared blankly while Trump spoke.

Obviously that debate was a [f----ing] disaster, Jon Favreau, a former Obama speechwriter and podcast host, wrote on X afterward, suggesting that Democrats needed to have a serious discussion about replacing Biden as their nominee.

He seemed unprepared, lost, and not strong enough to parry effectively with Trump, who lies constantly, wrote Julian Castro, the former Democratic mayor of San Antonio who served in Obamas Cabinet.

Bidens frequent admonition to skeptics to watch me suddenly seemed like a warning rather than a reassurance. Some Democrats privately questioned whether his choice to run one final race would ultimately be remembered as an act of selfishness rather than emblematic of a lifetime service.

Even those who accepted that Biden was unlikely to step aside argued that he needed a major strategy shift.

The onus is on the folks who have a personal relationship with the president to have real conversations about how to improve his performance and really take stock of the moment, said one Democratic official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak bluntly about the presidents family members and close friends.

Incumbent president have traditionally struggled during their first debates, having grown unaccustomed to being challenged in such a sharp manner. But Bidens performance was so jarring that it should prompt a fresh reassessment of his public appearances, said Joel Payne, a Democratic strategist who nonetheless supports the decision to seek another term.

Bidens struggles Thursday were all the more unsettling to some Democrats because he had spent several days preparing for the debate. The group of advisers who helped Biden prepare at Camp David included many of the confidants who originally encouraged the president to seek another term.

Advisers to the president say the reaction to the debate has been wildly disproportionate.

Biden, they argue, has survived hard moments and has a track record of defying doubters. While they acknowledge that Bidens performance was disappointing, they frame it as just one moment in what will be a long, tempestuous campaign.

In the first days after the debate, Democratic lawmakers have largely stuck by the president, dismissing suggestions that the party select a younger nominee. Donations have continued to stream in, with the Biden campaign declaring the hour after the debate its best fundraising moment so far.

Trumps steady stream of falsehoods and bluster at the debate, meanwhile, may be prompting some Democrats to rally around Biden. The presidents campaign team met Friday to reassure staffers and recommit to the mission of defeating Trump in November.

Russell Riley, a presidential historian at the University of Virginias Miller Center, agreed that the debates significance will fade in weeks to come, saying, A combination of time and the electorates short attention span mitigates damn near anything in presidential electoral politics.

Ashley Parker and Tyler Pager contributed to this report.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators rally in New York City on May 27, 2024. (Adam Gray/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

NEW YORK (Tribune News Service)  Scores of pro-Palestinian protesters hurled smoke bombs and fought with police as they tried to disrupt a deep-pocketed fundraiser for President Joe Biden on the heels of his poor performance in his first debate with former President Donald Trump, officials said Saturday.

Waving Palestinian flags and holding up signs reading Joe Biden  retire b! protesters converged on the Hammerstein Ballroom on West 34th Street near Eighth Avenue in Midtown at about 6:30 p.m. Friday, where dozens of Biden supporters shelled out up to $500,000 a table for the fundraiser.

Protesters gathered at Madison Square Park at East 26th Street before heading north and then west to the Hammerstein Ballroom, police said. Cops stopped the protesters about a block away.

As protesters threw smoke bombs, cops clashed with demonstrators, taking 37 people into custody, an New York City Police Department spokesman said.

No injuries were reported. Videos posted online show cops in riot gear and demonstrators, many either wearing surgical masks or obscuring their faces with headscarves, shoving each other in the smoke.

The protest was organized by the group Within Our Lifetime, which distributed online fliers recommending that demonstrators confront Genocide Joe on his support of Israel during the ongoing Hamas war.

Genocidal politicians are not welcome in New York City, the fliers read. Genocide Joe and anyone who supports him or his genocide in Palestine will be met with protest everywhere they go.

Biden, 81, left the event within two hours and never came face-to-face with the protesters.

Of the 37 protesters taken into custody, 25 received summonses for disorderly conduct, cops said. Ten others were given desk appearance tickets on charges of obstructing government administration.

Protester Alexander Taam, 38, was arrested for assault and reckless endangerment for hurling an object into the large crowd, cops said. A second protester, Salim Moataz, was charged with resisting arrest for pulling another protester away from police as the officers tried to take him into custody.

On X, Within Our Lifetime declared the protest a success.

Despite severe repression, police brutality and dozens of arrests, hundreds flooded the streets of Manhattan tonight to stand with Gaza and confront Biden during his visit to NYC, the group wrote.

During the Thursday night debate with Trump, Biden reaffirmed the U.S. support of Israel, which outraged city protesters.

He came to NYC but was met with nothing but protesters (sic) flooding Manhattan for Palestine, Within Our Lifetime wrote.

Trump blasted Bidens calls for a cease-fire, saying he doesnt want to help Israel finish the job against Hamas.

He doesnt want to do it. Hes become like a Palestinian  but they dont like him because hes a very bad Palestinian, hes a weak one, Trump said during the debate in Atlanta.

Critics called Trumps comments blatantly racist toward Palestinians.

Using Palestinian as a slur shows the depths of racism that exists here, Ayah Ziyadeh, director of American Muslims for Palestine, told Al Jazeera.

Bidens visit to New York came as he tried to quiet widespread concern over his poor debate performance as well as calls for him to drop out of the race against Trump.

During his trip, he attended an LBGTQ community ribbon-cutting for the new Stonewall National Monuments visitor center. Gov. Kathy Hochul, other Democratic leaders and musician Elton John also attended.

The protest against Biden was one of dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrations to take place in New York since the beginning of the Hamas war on Oct. 7.

In recent weeks, protesters have gone beyond unfurling banners and calling for an end of hostilities. On June 12 about a half-dozen demonstrators splattered red paint outside the home of Brooklyn Museum Executive Director Anne Pasternak and other board members in Brooklyn and Manhattan as they called on the Brooklyn Museum to divest from Israel.

On Wednesday, the NYPD arrested a masked pro-Palestinian protester recorded terrorizing a crowded Manhattan subway train at the Union Square station by screaming Raise your hand if youre a Zionist!

The protester, Anas Saleh, was charged with attempted coercion.

2024 New York Daily News.

Visit nydailynews.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(Tribune News Service)  An Air Force veteran accused of repeatedly sharing classified information on U.S. aircraft and weapons vulnerabilities to multiple people was arrested in his Florida hometown last week, according to court records.

A federal grand jury has indicted retired Lt. Col. Paul J. Freeman, 68, of Niceville, Fla., of unauthorized possession and transmission of classified national defense information, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Florida announced in a June 27 news release.

Freeman had reason to believe the military information he possessed, without permission, and transmitted between November 2020 and March 2021 could be used to harm the U.S. or to the advantage of any foreign nation, a nine-count indictment says.

An attorney for Freeman wasnt listed in court records the morning of June 28.

The U.S. Air Force aircraft and weapons information Freeman shared was provided to those who werent authorized to access the intelligence, prosecutors said.

Hes also accused of sharing classified capabilities of U.S. aircraft  and withholding information on weapon systems from the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it, according to the indictment.

Freeman was arrested June 27 in Niceville, which is a 10-mile drive northeast from Eglin Air Force Base and located along the Florida Panhandle.

The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the FBI are leading the investigation, prosecutors said.

If convicted on all nine counts against him, Freeman could be sentenced up to 10 years in prison for each count, according to prosecutors.

A detention hearing has been set for Monday at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.

2024 The Charlotte Observer.

Visit charlotteobserver.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
One student described how he did not have enough money to travel to his home country to visit his mother before she died

A man who defrauded almost 30,000 from 18 international students who wished to study at English language schools in Dublin has been jailed for nine months.

Raul Rodriguez Ramirez (36) was the owner of an agency specialising in facilitating students wishing to study at English language schools in Dublin. He used the money to invest in a restaurant business, which failed during the pandemic, instead of using it to directly book their courses.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that Ramirez set up the agency business in 2018, and until 2020, it had run legitimately, assisting international students in securing English language courses.

Ramirez, with an address of Stearne House, Patrick Street, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to inducing 18 foreign language students to pay sums of money with intent to make a gain for himself on dates between June 2020 and June 2021. He has no previous convictions.

At a previous hearing the students outlined in victim impact statements how they were at a loss of between 1,100 and 3,800 each. Some students then had to pay the colleges again directly. The total amount involved was 29,042.

The court heard how not having a place secured at a college put the victims student visas at risk.

One student ended up sleeping in a church doorway for two nights and had no money for food as she was unable to work without a valid visa. Another had to pay for surgery herself as she was unable to get insurance when she was not registered with a college.

Victims of the fraud carried out by Raul Rodriguez Ramirez outside Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Photo: Collins

The court heard of the devastating psychological and emotional difficulties encountered by the students, most of whom were alone in the country and did not have good English.

The students described borrowing money from compatriots or relatives for food or rent.

One student described how he did not have enough money to travel to their home country to visit his mother before she died. He said he was shattered emotionally and psychologically by the events.

Imposing sentence on Thursday, Judge Orla Crowe said: There were 18 injured parties and 18 charges in this case. These students travelled a long distance to come here, and it only came to light when they found out they were not registered for a course.

Judge Crowe also noted mitigating factors: that Ramirez had paid 18,050 as a token of remorse to date, returned to Ireland by arrangement, made full admissions to the gardai when questioned, entered an early guilty plea, and has shown remorse.

The judge said the aggravating factors in this case were that there were 18 injured parties, that nearly 30,000 was taken from these injured parties and that the offending continued for an extended period of 53 weeks.

Judge Crowe said the custodial threshold had been passed and noted that the maximum sentence available to the court was five years on each count. She sentenced Ramirez to 18 months in prison on each count to run concurrently. Judge Crowe said in light of the token of remorse that Ramirez has paid she would suspend the final nine months of the sentence for two years.

The judge ordered that the 18,050 handed over by Ramirez be divided on a pro-rata basis among the 18 injured parties.

Detective Garda Paul Griffin told David Perry BL, prosecuting, said at an earlier hearing that Ramirez, originally from Guadalajara, sent up an agency in 2018 with offices in Dublin and Mexico. The company acted as an intermediary between students and English schools in Dublin.

The company would get 20 to 30pc commission for each student placed in a course.

Gda Griffin said the company operated legitimately, employing four people, until 2020, when Ramirez began to take the payments from the 18 injured parties on a fraudulent basis.

The students contacted the agency in order to secure a college place and paid the fee requested by Ramirez by bank transfer or cash. They believed that they were then enrolled in a course.

Ramirez had told some of the students they were getting a discount if they paid quickly, and some described feeling pressured to make the payments. They received contracts by email.

The students' money was not used to secure their place on course, with many of them having to contact the colleges themselves to find out their fees had not been paid and they had no course.

The court heard some of the students attempted to contact Ramirez to find out what was happening. He stopped communicating with most students and told others he had spent the money but would return their money when he sold his business.

The students involved were from countries including Mexico, Bolivia, Japan and South Korea.

Gardai became aware that Ramirez, who had returned to Mexico, was back in Ireland in October 2022 and contacted him. He came to speak to gardai by arrangement.

Ramirez made full admissions during garda interview. He told the gardai he had established the agency in 2018, and as it was going well, he decided to open a Mexican restaurant. This did not do as well as expected and was impacted by the pandemic.

Ramirez said he took money from the agency to pay the restaurant bills. He then used money from later students to pay the college fees for earlier students already in the system.

Ramirez said he thought he would have enough time to get everyones money back. He said he had returned to Mexico with 50 in his pocket and had made efforts to raise money but was unsuccessful.

I think the students think I took the money and went away, he told gardai, but at the time, I lost everything.

I feel bad as I did bad things and made bad decisions.

Gda Griffin agreed with Keith Spencer BL, defending, that he did not believe Ramirez was intentionally scamming the students at the start.

Mr Spencer submitted that his client was borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, and it all caught up.

The garda agreed with counsel that it would have been difficult to extradite Ramirez after he returned to Mexico. Gardai became aware he was travelling in Europe with a comedian friend, who was paying for the travel, and he made contact with gardai when requested.

He agreed Ramirez has remained in Ireland since his arrest and charge, relying on friends.

Mr Spencer submitted this was a case that would not have occurred if not for the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic and said it was against that backdrop the offences were committed.

He said Ramirez had been borrowing from one person to pay another, and when the pandemic went on for an extended time, he was unable to keep treading water. He said Ramirez was not making himself out to be a victim but was in some shape or form a victim of the pandemic.

Counsel said his client had an unblemished record until now. He said on his return to Mexico he had spent time in a mental health facility before travelling with his friend. He said he was not living the high life. He said Ramirez is deeply regretful and intends to put things right.

Ramirez took the stand and made an apology to his 18 victims. He said it was not his intention to cause them problems and he was going to work hard to repay them.

He told the court he was unable to work in Ireland due to his visa but has some work organising music events in Mexico.

Mr Spencer had previously told the court that his client had 14,050 in court and was seeking further time to gather the balance to reimburse the students in full as a gesture of remorse. Mr Spencer said that the amount has increased to 18,050 on Thursday.

He told the court that the bulk of the money came from Ramirezs father and the rest from friends. He said his client is in a difficult situation as his visa has expired and he cannot work.
Gerard Cullinan was handed an 11-month prison sentence suspended for three years

A Belfast pharmacist who admitted selling drugs without a prescription for his own financial gain has walked free from court.

Gerard Cullinan was handed an 11-month prison sentence suspended for three years.

The 48-year-old, of Hillside Crescent, appeared in the city's Crown Court for a plea and sentence hearing.

In April, Mr Cullinan entered guilty pleas on behalf of his company Castlereagh Pharmacy Ltd to selling or supplying prescription drugs, namely the painkiller drug Co-codamol and the opioid drug Fentanyl, without a prescription on dates between January 2017 and June 2020.

He further pleaded guilty on behalf of the Castlereagh Road-based pharmacy in east Belfast to five counts of failing to keep a register of drugs at the premises, namely Morphine, Morphine Sulphate, Methylphenidate, Tapentadol, Fentanyl and Oxycodone.

As the director of the company, Mr Cullinan, a registered pharmacist since 1997, separately pleaded guilty to selling or supplying drugs, namely Co-codamol and Fentanyl without a prescription.

He also entered guilty pleas that as a director of Castlereagh Pharmacy Ltd he failed to keep a register of drugs at the premises.

Under legislation, drugs dispensed in community pharmacies are strictly controlled and pharmacies are required to keep records of all supplies.

The court heard they must be updated on a daily basis and failure to comply with this is an offence under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act.

Up to 32 Co-codamol tablets can be purchased over the counter but to sell more than that "in the 100s'' requires a prescription.

On January 15, 2020, a pharmacy investigator visited Castlereagh Pharmacy for a routine inspection. He identified discrepancies in relation to missing drug registers and asked the defendant to explain but he was unable to do so.

The investigator made contact with a number of wholesale drug companies and asked them to supply records of supplies to Castlereagh Pharmacy.

On June, 17, 2020, another officer carried out a test purchase at the pharmacy. He asked a member of staff for a box of 100 Co-codamol tablets.

Said prosecutor David McNeill: "The staff member turned to Mr Cullinan who was behind the counter. He shook his head and said 'no'.

"The member of staff said they were short of boxes of 100 Co-codamol tablets and gave the customer a box of 32.

"Further investigations revealed there were in fact 11 boxes of 100 Co-codamol tablets in stock at the time and one box of 90.''

Wholesale records showed the pharmacy had purchased 3,085 boxes of 100 Co-codamol tablets during the period from January 1, 2020, to June 17, 2020.

A review of the private prescriptions for that period showed no private sales. Subscriptions sent from the pharmacy to the Department of Health showed it was paid for 68.7 boxes during that period which left 3,000 boxes unaccounted for.

"There would have been a profit to him which could have run into the tens of thousands of pounds,'' according to the prosecution.

The defendant attended an interview under caution but made no comment to all questions.

The offending went on for a considerable period of time, spanning three-and-a-half years.

The court heard the Department of Health had referred the case to the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland who had placed interim conditions on Cullinan since July 1, 2020.

Mr McNeill said that following the conclusion of the criminal proceedings, there would be a 'fitness to practice hearing' with the Pharmaceutical Society.

Defence counsel Kieran Mallon KC said: "There has been an avalanche of consequences in this case for this accused as a result of his criminality.

"There has been a significant impact on the accused's reputation. His professional reputation has suffered which is extremely significant.

"There is ongoing fitness to practice proceedings before the High Court by the Pharmaceutical Society.

"A term of imprisonment would have a very significant impact on how the Pharmaceutical Society would consider any licence or future practice on the part of this accused as a pharmacist.''

Mr Mallon said the defendant recognises the "level of shame he has brought upon himself and the profession and has demonstrated to the author of the pre-sentence report his contriteness and fully recognises what he has done to himself, his profession and his family''.

He added: "There has been a complete and absolute fall from grace for this accused. He is under absolutely no illusion of the shame he has brought on his family. His motivation was purely financial.''

Judge Gordon Kerr KC said Cullinan's offences were a "serious breach of the high degree of trust placed on him as a registered pharmacist and failing to keep a proper record undermines the trust essential for the operation of the community pharmacy system''.

"The offences were committed over a significant period of time and concerned a number of different drugs.

"The motive for this appears to have been a desire for additional income for the pharmacy by operating outside the rules.''

Judge Kerr fined the company a total of 8,000.
Twenty-nine-year-old Patrick Gavin, of 7 Grange Lawns, Mullingar, Westmeath initially denied any knowledge of having been part of a group of burglars that smashed their way into a house at 14 Ennell Park, Mullingar on February 3, 2023.

This is the slipshod raider who was caught by gardai when his hand print was found on drinks bottle after a four man gang broke into a house in a county Westmeath town.

Twenty-nine-year-old Patrick Gavin, of 7 Grange Lawns, Mullingar, Westmeath initially denied any knowledge of having been part of a group of burglars that smashed their way into a house at 14 Ennell Park, Mullingar on February 3, 2023.

The recovering drug addict was initially arrested and detained by detectives when details surrounding the break-in and the subsequent damage to the newly built house were reported to gardai.

Read more Keith Duffy makes first public appearance with wife Lisa Smith since split rumours

Sgt Paul McNally, in presenting the States case at Mullingar District Court, said Gavin and three other unidentified males forced their way into the house which was at completion point on a building site in the town by breaking a rear window.

Recovering drug addict Patrick Gavin reads his bail bond after being told by Judge Bernadette Owens to return to court in September with 300 in compensation for his part in a house burglary in Mullingar in February 2023.

Once inside, Sgt McNally said the quartet caused significant damage to the propertys internal furnishings, most notably to its plasterboard, upstairs walls and an electric socket.

The overall damage caused as a result of the break-in amounted to 1,000, the court was told.

Sgt McNally said in the immediate aftermath of the incident, detectives recovered a series of empty drinks bottles which had been discarded by the raiders and examined by forensic officers.

Gavin was arrested soon after and questioned but denied any knowledge or involvement in the burglary.

During that period of detention, Gavin was photographed, finger-printed with a sample of DNA also being taken as part of the investigation.

Sgt McNally said when results from its forensic science laboratory were returned, a hand print taken from one of the abandoned bottles matched that of the accused.

Patrick Gavin.

The father of two was subsequently rearrested and later admitted to his culpability during interview, added Sgt McNally.

The court was told Gavin, who pleaded guilty to the Section 12 burglary charge had 25 previous convictions to his name including drugs, criminal damage and public order offences.

Defence solicitor John Quinn said his client was aware of his drug issues and had spent time previously in Cuan Mhuire, Irelands largest voluntary provider of addiction treatment services.

He said Gavin was hopeful of securing gainful employment in order to offer up compensation money to the owner of the property.

He would be prepared to come up with compensation of at least 250 or 300 because the victim is out 1,000 by virtue of the damage that was done, said Mr Quinn.

Judge Bernadette Owens acceded to that request, ordering Gavin to return to court in a little under three months time with 300.

She said provided Gavin complied with that direction, the court would be willing to consider issuing the accused with a community service order.

Gavin was remanded on bail to appear back before a sitting of Mullingar District Court on September 12.
HEFEI, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The Yangtze River, China's longest river, has seen water levels in its section in the eastern province of Anhui exceed their warning marks, and levels continue to rise, local authorities said on Sunday.

As of 4 p.m. Sunday, water levels at the hydrological stations of Anqing, Datong, Wuhu and Maanshan in the Yangtze's trunk stream have exceeded their warning marks by between 20 centimeters and 42 centimeters, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

Torrential rains have also pushed waters above their alert levels in another 19 rivers in the province.

Local authorities have ordered 24-hour patrols of dikes and reservoirs, and the timely evacuation of people living in regions prone to flooding.

China's Yangtze River is experiencing its 2024 "No.1 Flood," according to the Ministry of Water Resources, as water levels at the Jiujiang hydrological station, one of the major monitoring sites for main stream water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze, have risen to 20 meters, reaching their warning level at 2 p.m. Friday.

The ministry raised the emergency flood response level to Level III in the provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hunan on Friday, and urgently dispatched four additional working teams to provide guidance for flood relief efforts. 
Inmate serving 19 years behind bars for brutal abduction and rape, plus 16 years for death threats

Convicted rapist Michael Murray has emerged as the prime suspect in phoning in the hoax bomb threat on Taoiseach Simon Harris home from prison.

The Sunday World understands Murray is suspected to have used another inmates identification number to place the call to the Samaritans from his landing in the Midlands Prison.

Its suspected the call was made from a handset which is used by inmates for the purposes of calling permitted numbers, including the Samaritans Helpline.

Murray, who was previously convicted of making a bomb threat to the house of Justice Minister Helen McEntee from behind bars, is currently serving a 19-year-sentence in the prison for rape.

A separate bomb threat targeting Helen McEntee and phoned into the Samaritans in April is also suspected to have been made by a prisoner.

Read more Brother of Padraig OConnor appears in court charged with his murder

That call was traced back to an inmate serving a sentence in Wheatfield Prison.

If proven that Murray was behind the latest threat, sources say the manner in which prisoners are granted access to the Samaritans Helpline will have to be examined.

Taoiseach Simon Harriss family was threatened

Gardai have been investigating the bomb threat made against the Co. Wicklow home of Mr Harris since the incident occurred on Wednesday evening.

The probe is being led by the Garda Special Detective Unit, which is the States counter-terrorism investigative branch.

Sources said the caller made the threat to the Samaritans helpline, shortly before 6pm.

He claimed there was a bomb at Mr Harris family home in Wicklow.

The alarm was immediately raised and gardai rushed to the Taoiseachs home to carry out a search for explosive devices.

No device of any kind was found and officers believe the call was a hoax.

Mr Harris was in the Dail at the time, but his wife and young children were at home..

Addressing the matter at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday, Mr Harris described the threat as unacceptable.

I dont really wish to comment on it other than to say obviously this is clearly unacceptable situation.

Even the word hoax Im not sure is a fair word as Ive no doubt these things are done to intimidate and upset. I have young children, I have a wife, he said.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee

Such threats represented a really unacceptable situation, Mr Harris said, adding when people turn up outside his house it should not be described in media reports as a protest.

Sources said rapist Michael Murray is looking at a serious penalty if it is proven the call originated from him.

Last March, he was sentenced to an additional two years in prison for making an earlier hoax bomb threat to Ms McEntees home from the Midlands Prison.

Murray (54), formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on March 7, 2021.

The eight-day trial heard that an anonymous caller phoned the Samaritans claiming to be from the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) and said explosives had been planted at the home of the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee.

During the trial of hoax bomb caller Michael Murray, a Samaritans volunteer told the court she was left really shook after receiving a call saying explosives had been planted at the Minister for Justices family home.

The volunteer said she had been on duty on March 7, 2021 when the phone rang. She answered the phone and, after a few moments of silence, heard a male voice say: Can you take a message?

She told the court the caller then said: This is the Irish National Liberation Organisation. Explosives have been planted at the home of the Minister of Justice and her family. The password is Red October. This is to do with a court case happening in Dublin tomorrow.

A senior garda told the jury that the call was considered a criminal offence at a serious level that might threaten the security of the State.

One call was traced to Wheatfield Prison

Superintendent Dermot Dray said his objective was to try and establish the phone number and identity of the person who had contacted the Samaritans hotline and made the threat.

He made an application to his superior officer to find out the callers number and where they had called from.

He received information two days later that the call came from the Midlands Prison.

Noel Reilly, who worked in the IT department of the Irish Prison Service at the time, said the call was traced back to a number associated with Murray.

He explained that before a call can be made from within an Irish prison, prisoners must enter a number given to them to access the phone system. He said calls to the Samaritans and solicitors are not recorded.

The court heard the call to the Samaritans was traced to the extension within Murrays cell, that his unique identification number was used and he was alone inside his cell overnight.

Mr Reilly said it was his observation that Murray made the phone call to the Samaritans at the exact time.

When interviewed by gardai, Murray agreed to having well-known links to the paramilitary group named in the threat.

Video footage of his arrest and Garda interview on March 26, 2021 was played to the jury.

When asked if he had been aligned with the INLA in the past, Murray responded: Thats well known.

He said his issue with Ms McEntee was that she represents a department that does not release material in a defence trial.

He also said he had no personal problem with her, but with the department she represented.

In 2013, Murray was convicted of abducting a mother and her four-year-old son and repeatedly raping the woman for hours.

He received a sentence of 19 years imprisonment for this.

He was then sentenced to 16 further years in prison for a campaign of harassment and death threats directed at his victim and the prosecuting lawyers in that trial.
The Dubliner is the fifth Lotto Jackpot prize winner this year, following wins by two players from Dublin, one from Louth and one from Limerick.

A Dublin Lotto player has become Ireland's newest multi-millionaire after scooping nearly 6.8 million jackpot in Saturday night's draw. Pic: Stock image

A Dublin Lotto player has become Ireland's newest multi-millionaire after scooping nearly 6.8m jackpot in Saturday night's draw.

The Dubliner is the fifth Lotto Jackpot prize winner this year, following wins by two players from Dublin, one from Louth and one from Limerick.

The National Lottery has urged Dublin Lotto players to check their tickets from Saturday's draw.

It comes as the winning numbers last Saturday, June 29, were: 1, 4, 8, 21, 27, 28 and the bonus was 34.

The store location where the winning ticket was purchased will be revealed by the National Lottery on Tuesday, July 2.

More than 91,000 players in Ireland won prizes across the Lotto and Lotto Plus games on Saturday as the Dublin player has become the biggest winner of the night with a ticket worth 6,788,177.

The newest Lotto millionaire is advised to sign the back of their ticket, keep it safe, and contact the National Lottery prize claims team.

National Lottery spokesperson Sarah Ruane has appealed to all Dublin players to check their tickets.

It was an incredibly busy and colourful weekend in Dublin with massive concerts and parades taking place across the capital," she said.

"To round up a memorable weekend, one Lotto player from Dublin has become the latest jackpot winner after scooping the massive 6,788,177 jackpot on offer in the weekend draw.

"We are appealing to all of our players who may have purchased their tickets in Dublin to carefully check their tickets as soon as possible as one player now has a ticket worth a life-changing amount.
Age Concern New Zealand is urging everyone to spot and address the pervasive issue of elder abuse, which is often concealed behind closed doors.

Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person, says Age Concern NZ chief executive Karen Billings-Jensen.

We see examples of elder abuse every day across our Age Concern network. I know people are spotting signs in their families and communities too, but might not be sure if it is elder abuse, or know what to do to help.

Karen says elder abuse encompasses a wide range of behaviours, from financial abuse to physical harm.

Anything from secretly using mums debit card to buy their own groceries, staying in dads house without paying their way, to bargaining and restricting visits with grandchildren if they dont get money.

We also see more serious cases where the abuse is physical or doing things like restricting medication or over medicating, all putting older peoples health at risk.

Shocking statistics reveal approximately one in 10 older individuals may experience elder abuse, often perpetrated by family members.

Karen says the consequences of elder abuse are profound, ranging from reduced financial security, lower self-confidence and self-esteem, physical injuries, harming of social relationships to long-term psychological trauma.

Abuse of older people can lead to long-term psychological consequences, increased risk of early aged care admission, serious physical injuries, use of emergency services, hospitalisation, and even early death.

Age Concern NZ calls upon all of us to speak out against elder abuse. If you have a gut feeling something is not right or just an inkling someone is being abused, we want you to talk to us, says Karen.

For more information on recognising the signs and addressing elder abuse, visit www.ageconcern.org.nz or contact your local Age Concern on freephone 0800 65 2 105 or call the Elder Abuse Helpline on 0800 EA NOT OK (0800 32 668 65).
One lucky player from Stratford will be celebrating after winning $400,000 with Strike Four in Saturday nights live Lotto draw.

The winning ticket was sold at New World Stratford in Stratford.

Powerball was not struck on Saturday evening and has rolled over to Wednesday night, where the jackpot will be $8 million.

Lotto First Division will be $1 million on Wednesday night.

14 Lotto players win Second Division

Fourteen lucky Lotto players will be over the moon after each winning $19,817 with Lotto Second Division in Saturday nights live Lotto draw.

One lucky player also won Powerball Second Division, taking their total winnings to $37,860.

The winning Powerball Second Division ticket was sold on MyLotto to a player from Christchurch City.

The winning Second Division tickets were sold at the following stores:

Store Location MyLotto Auckland Pak N Save Lincoln Road Henderson MyLotto Franklin Bin Inn Hamilton East (x2) Hamilton MyLotto Waikato Kawerau Food Market and Lotto Kawerau MyLotto Whakatane Praters Four Square (x2) Taupo New World Wairoa Wairoa New World Bishopdale Christchurch MyLotto (+PB) Christchurch City Fresh Choice Otautau Otautau

Anyone who bought their ticket from any of the above stores should check their ticket as soon as possible in-store, on MyLotto, or through the MyLotto App.

Lotto NZ exists to return 100 per cent of its profits to Kiwi communities through lottery grants programmes run by Te Puna Tahua NZ Lottery Grants Board.
Waikato Police investigating a fatal crash in Gordonton on Thursday would like to hear from anyone with video that captured two vehicles driving erratically prior to the collision.

A 49-year-old man died when his Mazda collided with a white Toyota Landcruiser on Boyd Road, near Williamson Road about 10.15am.

"Enquiries have established the Toyota, whose occupant was seriously injured, may have been involved in a dispute with the driver of a white Audi A3," says Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur.

Police are seeking the publics help to establish how this tragic crash occurred and want to hear from witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage that may have captured the crash, or the events leading up to it.

About 10am, the Audi left Horsham Downs Primary School, followed by the Toyota, and the vehicles are understood to have been travelling at speed and making overtaking manoeuvres.

As both vehicles drove at speed up Boyd Road, with the Toyota still attempting to overtake, the oncoming Mazda collided with the Toyota.

"The investigation into this crash is complex and we would like to hear from anyone who witnessed any dangerous driving on these roads between 9.45am and 10.15am," says Detective Inspector Harpur.

"We would also like to hear from those with dashcam footage, security footage, or other imagery of vehicles driving dangerously on those roads between those times.

"If you can assist, please make a report via our 105 service, referencing the file number: 240627/4717."
Aurora fans have been treated to an unexpectedly bright display lighting up the skies, with photographers capturing the lights as far north as the Bay of Plenty.

The US government's Space Weather Prediction Centre says overnight Saturday into Sunday (New Zealand time) their instruments observed changes in the geomagnetic field up to level G4 on the scale - enough to be seen from some populated areas.

One is the lowest and five is the highest level on the scale.

Photographers posted pictures of the colourful lights - which are often able to be recorded by cameras even when they can't be seen with the naked eye - as far north as Nelson, Wellington and Tauranga.

Belle managed to get some lucky shots of the Southern Lights from Springston, south of Christchurch shortly before 3am on Saturday, as she was up early for an airport trip.

Her children, aged six and four years old, loved seeing the colourful lights captured through the phone's camera, she says.

Nick Keizerwaard's shots over Lake Henry in Southland show the vibrant greens, pinks. Photo: Supplied/ Nick Keizerwaard.

Nick Keizerwaard watched the display from Lake Henry in Te Anau, both through his camera lens and without it.

"I don't think anyone was expecting it to pop off as big as it did. You could see early in the evening that there was a fair bit of power [and] colours visible by the naked eye; but things really spiked around 1.30am," says Nick.

"When it peaked early this morning, you could easily see the vibrant reds and pale greens ... it was a really pretty display."

Nick says learning to photograph aurora is challenging.

"Like trying to photograph a fast-moving target, you're constantly having to change/adjust your camera settings to capture the action; it's a fine balancing act ... but I enjoy the learning process."

Emma Jenkinson was also thrilled to capture the geomagnetic lights early on Saturday.

"Last night was a bit unexpected, I just happened to be heading home and noticed the glow. [The] camera showed up the colours," says Emma.

She snapped her shots at 2.30am in Halfmoon Bay on Rakiura - Stewart Island.

The US Space Weather Prediction Centre posted that while more geomagnetic activity was expected overnight into Sunday, it was only expected to reach G1 - not high enough for aurora hunters to get excited.

The pillars of light, looking south from Stewart Island's Halfmoon Bay. Photo: Supplied/ Emma Jenkinson.

Karoline Tuckey/RNZ
A weekend Bay of Plenty Police operation, codenamed 'Operation Vendico' has resulted in sending antisocial road users "packing", says NZ Police.

Bay of Plenty Police rolled out on Saturday night with one aim  to disrupt and prevent a mass of antisocial road users from using our roading network as their playground.

This task was successfully carried out with checkpoints set up at entry points to Rotorua frustrating those intending to take part in the illegal activity, say Police.

Groups were intercepted before they could get established, meaning they were unable to participate in activity such as skids or racing.

Rotorua is full of tourists and locals enjoying Matariki weekend and the last thing we want is this kind of activity making people feel unsafe, and not want to return to our corner of the world, says Inspector Phil Gillbanks.

Police were out in force to deter those attending and taking enforcement action where necessary, and I think the results speak for themselves.

Bay of Plenty Police were out in force on the weekend to clamp down on antisocial road users. Photo: NZ Police.

Three people were arrested, seven summonsed for driving with excess breath alcohol and one license suspended.

Police say 163 infringement notices were issued.

Four vehicles were impounded and 14 green stickers ordering vehicles off the road, with two drivers receiving multiple tickets for failing to comply with directions.

Twelve vehicles were either pink or green stickered due to compliance issues, and one person was arrested for disorderly behaviour.

More importantly we have also prevented a young person or persons getting killed or seriously injured as a result, says Inspector Phil Gillbanks.

It is clear we do not want antisocial road users here, and we will continue to act until that message sinks in.

Of particular concern, two illegal radio devices were found amongst the vehicles that went through the checkpoints.

These devices could disrupt operational Police channels which could have catastrophic consequences and charges are being considered.

"We continue to encourage anyone who witnesses this type of activity to report it to Police."

Please call 111 if it is happening now, or you can make a report after the fact through the Police 105 service.

If you have information youd like to share anonymously, please call Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Police are cracking down on "antisocial road users" in the Bay of Plenty, along with three other regions around New Zealand.

As part of a massive Matariki weekend crackdown, hundreds of infringement notices were ssued, as well as arrests made and vehicles impounded across Canterbury, Wellington, Manawatu, and Bay of Plenty as Police turned out in force over three nights, to disrupt antisocial drivers.

The police operations, codenamed Operation Cartel for Canterbury, Operation Kereru for Wellington, Operation Vendico for Bay of Plenty and Operation Purple for Manawatu, were aided by the redeployment of the Police Eagle helicopter in the two lower North Island regions.

Police across the North Island and parts of the South were on high alert ahead of Matariki Day and also redeployed additional staff and resources to support several operations taking place over the long weekend throughout New Zealand.

Bay of Plenty: Operation Vendico

A Matariki weekend Bay of Plenty Police operation, codenamed 'Operation Vendico' has resulted in sending antisocial road users "packing", says NZ Police.

Bay of Plenty Police rolled out on Saturday night with one aim  to disrupt and prevent a mass of antisocial road users from using our roading network as their playground.

This task was successfully carried out with checkpoints set up at entry points to Rotorua frustrating those intending to take part in the illegal activity, says police.

Groups were intercepted before they could get established, meaning they were unable to participate in activity such as skids or racing.

Rotorua is full of tourists and locals enjoying Matariki weekend and the last thing we want is this kind of activity making people feel unsafe, and not want to return to our corner of the world, says Inspector Phil Gillbanks.

Police were out in force to deter those attending and taking enforcement action where necessary, and I think the results speak for themselves.

Bay of Plenty Police were out in force on the weekend to clamp down on antisocial road users. Photo: NZ Police.

Three people were arrested, seven summonsed for driving with excess breath alcohol and one license suspended.

Police say 163 infringement notices were issued.

Four vehicles were impounded and 14 green stickers ordering vehicles off the road, with two drivers receiving multiple tickets for failing to comply with directions.

Police impounding a vehicle which was taken away by a tow truck. Photo: NZ Police.

Twelve vehicles were either pink or green stickered due to compliance issues, and one person was arrested for disorderly behaviour.

More importantly we have also prevented a young person or persons getting killed or seriously injured as a result, says Inspector Phil Gillbanks.

It is clear we do not want antisocial road users here, and we will continue to act until that message sinks in.

Of particular concern, two illegal radio devices were found amongst the vehicles that went through the checkpoints.

These devices could disrupt operational Police channels which could have catastrophic consequences and charges are being considered.

"We continue to encourage anyone who witnesses this type of activity to report it to Police."

Please call 111 if it is happening now, or you can make a report after the fact through the Police 105 service.

If you have information youd like to share anonymously, please call Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Vehicles were unable to participate in illegal skid meets on the weekend thanks to a crackdown by Police, unlike this meet in 2023 in the Bay of Plenty. Photo: Supplied.
Utica, N.Y.  Just less than 24 hours after the 900 block of Shaw Street in Utica was filled with police and crime scene tape, hundreds of people flooded the block to remember the life of Nyah Mway.

Mway is a 13-year-old boy who was fatally shot by a Utica police officer during a struggle after a foot chase on Friday night. Police say the boy pointed what officers thought was a gun at them but it turned out to be a pellet gun.

Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said Saturday at a news conference that the boy was shot around 10:18 p.m. after police stopped two juveniles who were walking in the 900 block of Shaw Street.

As the boy was fleeing, he displayed what appeared to be a handgun, the chief said. The boy was shot in the chest during a ground struggle, he said. The boy died at Wynn Hospital in Utica.

Saturday night, family, friends and strangers took to the scene of the crime to talk about Nyah and ask for justice.

The boy has just this month completed 8th grade at Donovan Middle School in Utica.

Speakers at the vigil said Nyah and his family immigrated to the United States nine years ago from Burma to seek safety from wars and military and police violence.

This country is supposed to be a country of freedom, a country of peace, Yadana Oo said to the group of supporters. Whats going on? Did we run from one persecutor to another?

Members of the community showed their support by lighting candles and bringing flowers and balloons.

The streets echoed with protest chants of No justice, no peace, Say his name, Lock em up, and more.

Friends, family and religious leaders took turns speaking in both English and Karen to express their support and discontent with the investigation.

He says that he wont be satisfied until the murderers are put in jail, Nyahs brother, Lah said through an interpreter.

Kay Klo, who was one of the leaders at the vigil, shared the brothers confusion.

We are here today because the stories dont add up, Klo said. The story they told the family at a press conference, what the witnesses say they saw in the video. None of it adds up. The police officers need to be investigated and held accountable for their actions.

At a news conference on Saturday morning, Utica Mayor Michael P. Galime said the Attorney Generals office would be opening and investigation into the shooting. That probe began on Saturday.

Now my question is, how are we supposed to trust the police? Oo said. They said theyre here to serve and they said theyre here to serve and protect, but how can we trust them?

Karen community leaders plan to meet Sunday to discuss what the next steps are to seek justice for Nyah.

There will be more information coming around, actions that will be taken, but please know that we are going to need your support long after today, Hilda Jordan told the crowd. The ramifications, the consequences, the pain. We feel it today, but well feel it so much more as the days come. Our heart is with you as a community. It could have been any one of us and we are so sorry it was one of us.

Related articles on Syracuse.com

Nyah Mway, 13, was shot and killed by Utica Police on June 28, 2024.Courtesy Dah Eh

NY Attorney Generals Office opens probe into fatal police shooting of boy in Utica

Boy shot and killed by Utica police officer identified, vigil tonight

Boy shot dead by officer in Utica during struggle had pellet gun, chief says

13-year-old boy dies after being shot by Utica police officer during struggle

7 1 / 7 13-year-old boy with pellet gun shot dead by Utica officer during struggle

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JERUSALEM, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli hi-tech company Electreon Wireless installed the first wireless charging road in Norway, allowing electric vehicles to charge while in motion, the company reported to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange on Sunday.

Electreon's road charging systems utilize special copper coils positioned just beneath the road surface. The new road segment, 100 meters long, was built in the city of Trondheim and will be examined for about a year.

The tests will be carried out with three electric buses manufactured by the Chinese giant Yutong and a fourth bus made by the Chinese bus maker Higer.

The pilot drives will examine the technology's ability to be used as the sole energy source for buses, enabling their uninterrupted operation without charging stops throughout the day and thus reducing carbon emissions.

The tests will also involve subjecting the charging system to the severe winter conditions of Trondheim to prove its resilience and effectiveness in the unique climate of this northern area.

The projects are estimated to cost up to 22.4 million Norwegian kroner (2.12 million U.S. dollars), funded by the Norwegian government. 
The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime.
New data from both the UK and the US indicate a slight uptick in cases - should we be concerned?

Nevertheless, understanding the latest developments in variants, symptoms, and preventive measures is crucial to staying informed and protected.

A healthcare worker places a test swab into solution for a PCR Covid-19 test at a Reliant Health Services testing site in Hawthorne, California on January 18, 2022.

US, UK Report Rise in COVID Cases and Hospitalizations

In the UK, BBC reports that there is some talk of a "summer Covid wave" as more people seem to be falling ill. However, precise data on the number of cases is hard to come by due to reduced testing.

Despite this, hospital admissions have shown a modest increase, rising to 3.31 per 100,000 people in the week leading to June 16, up from 2.67 per 100,000 the previous week. The most affected group remains those aged 85 and over.

In the US, the situation mirrors this trend. As of May, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data revealed that the COVID-19 hospitalization rate increased slightly to 1.5 per 100,000 hospital visits from 1.1 in mid-May. Death rates have also reached a pandemic low, with around 300 COVID-19-associated deaths occurring weekly.

Emergence of New Variants

Recent months have seen the emergence of new COVID-19 variants, collectively known as FLiRT.

In the US, the CDC suggests that over half of COVID-19 infections are caused by two new strains, KP.3 and KP.2. These strains are related to the highly contagious JN.1 variant and belong to a group known as FLiRT variants.

BBC reports that the JN1 variant is currently dominant in England, while the KP2 variant is also present. The KP3 variant, which has driven a rise in cases in the US, has been detected in the UK in small numbers.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is closely monitoring these variants to understand their transmissibility and severity. Although there is no current change in public health advice, the UKHSA continues to gather data on how well-existing vaccines protect against these new strains.

Read Also : Scientists Explain Why Some People Never Got Infected with COVID-19

Symptoms to Watch For

Despite the emergence of new variants, the official list of COVID-19 symptoms remains unchanged. According to the UKHSA, common symptoms include a high temperature, new continuous cough, loss or change in sense of smell or taste, shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches, headache, sore throat, blocked or runny nose, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting.

Current Guidelines and Vaccinations

In the UK, there are no longer any legal requirements for self-isolation or testing. However, government advice suggests staying at home and avoiding contact with others for five days after testing positive for COVID-19.

It is also recommended to avoid meeting with individuals who are more vulnerable to severe illness, such as the elderly or those with weakened immune systems.

The vaccination program has been scaled back, focusing on those most at risk: individuals aged 75 or over, people with weakened immune systems, and adults in care homes.

In the US, vaccination rates have dropped, with fewer than one-quarter of adults having received the latest COVID-19 shot as of May. Among those most vulnerable, only about 42% of individuals aged 75 and older have received the latest vaccination.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.
DHAKA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank approved 650 million U.S. dollars to help Bangladesh invest in infrastructure critical for developing the Bay Terminal deep seaport, a mega project in the country's southeastern Chattogram region.

The Bay Terminal would significantly improve Bangladesh's global trade competitiveness and reduce import and export costs by increasing port operational efficiency and mobilizing private investment, said the lender on Friday.

The government has planned to develop two container terminals, a multipurpose terminal and an oil and gas terminal under the Bay Terminal.

The World Bank earlier promised to finance the Bay Terminal Marine Infrastructure Development Project, under which a 6-km-long climate-resilient breakwater would be constructed to protect the harbor from the force of waves, current and extreme weather. It will also carry out dredging of the port basin, entrance and access channels, said the press release.

The Bay Terminal, located in the Anandangar near Sandwip channel, west of the Chattogram port, and close to existing road and rail links to Dhaka, is expected to handle 36 percent of Bangladesh's container volumes. 
YANGON, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities seized 500,000 stimulant tablets in southern Myanmar's Yangon Region, according to a statement from the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) on Sunday.

Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police intercepted a vehicle at the Aung Mingalar Highway Station in Mingaladon Township of Yangon Region on June 25 and confiscated the drugs, the CCDAC reported.

The seized drugs had a street value of approximately over 500 million kyats (about 238,095 U.S. dollars), and investigations revealed that they were being transported from Shan State to Yangon Region, the committee said.

Four suspects were arrested in connection with the case, and they were charged under the country's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law. Further investigations are ongoing, it added. 
This aerial photo taken on June 28, 2024 shows a view of a scenic area in the Binhai New Area of north China's Tianjin. Over the years, the city of Tianjin has worked on the ecological restoration and development of Bohai Sea.

Several seaside parks and beach scenic spots have been built so far, offering citizens a better leisure experience. (Xinhua/Li Ran)

People visit a seaside park in the Binhai New Area of north China's Tianjin, June 29, 2024. Over the years, the city of Tianjin has worked on the ecological restoration and development of Bohai Sea.

Several seaside parks and beach scenic spots have been built so far, offering citizens a better leisure experience. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

People pose for selfies at a park in the Binhai New Area of north China's Tianjin, June 29, 2024. Over the years, the city of Tianjin has worked on the ecological restoration and development of Bohai Sea.

Several seaside parks and beach scenic spots have been built so far, offering citizens a better leisure experience. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

This aerial drone photo taken on June 14, 2024 shows a view of the Dongjiangwan scenic area in the Binhai New Area of north China's Tianjin. Over the years, the city of Tianjin has worked on the ecological restoration and development of Bohai Sea.

Several seaside parks and beach scenic spots have been built so far, offering citizens a better leisure experience. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

This aerial photo taken on June 28, 2024 shows the view of the National Maritime Museum of China in the Binhai New Area of north China's Tianjin. Over the years, the city of Tianjin has worked on the ecological restoration and development of Bohai Sea.

Several seaside parks and beach scenic spots have been built so far, offering citizens a better leisure experience. (Xinhua/Li Ran)

People play by the seaside in the Binhai New Area of north China's Tianjin, June 29, 2024. Over the years, the city of Tianjin has worked on the ecological restoration and development of Bohai Sea.

Several seaside parks and beach scenic spots have been built so far, offering citizens a better leisure experience. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

This aerial drone photo taken on June 28, 2024 shows a view of a seaside park in the Binhai New Area of north China's Tianjin. Over the years, the city of Tianjin has worked on the ecological restoration and development of Bohai Sea.

Several seaside parks and beach scenic spots have been built so far, offering citizens a better leisure experience. (Xinhua/Li Ran)

A couple poses for photos by the seaside in the Binhai New Area of north China's Tianjin, June 29, 2024. Over the years, the city of Tianjin has worked on the ecological restoration and development of Bohai Sea.

Several seaside parks and beach scenic spots have been built so far, offering citizens a better leisure experience. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

This drone photo taken on June 14, 2024 shows people enjoying their leisure time at the Dongjiangwan scenic area in the Binhai New Area of north China's Tianjin. Over the years, the city of Tianjin has worked on the ecological restoration and development of Bohai Sea.

Several seaside parks and beach scenic spots have been built so far, offering citizens a better leisure experience. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)
Hurricane Beryl makes history as first Cat 4 storm ever to form in June
D-dd-d-dd! The distinctive trill of a critically endangered regent honeyeater brings a beam to woodland bird expert Mick Rodericks face.

Its a giddy high: this quintessentially Australian bird, with its black head, spotted breast and soaring black-and-gold tail is elusive and enigmatic. Spotting them in the wild is a birdwatchers dream.

Mauve-White, a former resident of Taronga Zoo, was one of two former captive birds spotted singing like a wild bird. Credit: Mick Roderick

Regent honeyeaters made headlines around the world three years ago when researchers discovered their rarity was leading them to forget their own songs. Instead, they were increasingly mimicking other birds like noisy friarbirds and eastern rosellas.

But there are signs this could be turning around. Ebullient birdwatchers from BirdLife Australia report several zoo-bred birds released into the wild seem to have learned the songs of wild birds.
A woman has been killed every four days in 2024. We bring you stories of lives lost in recent years. Some of the cases featured are still before the courts.

A NSW Police failure to respond promptly to a triple-zero call after screams were reported coming from a home  only to discover a dying woman when they arrived an hour later  needed a swift and public review, two state MPs have demanded.

The Northern Rivers community is in shock after Sarah Miles, aged in her 40s, was allegedly killed by her male partner in the third fatal case of domestic violence in the Richmond Police District this year.

Miles son Shayden remembered her as a very strong person, a fighter always to the end, but said his horror was compounded by knowing how long police took to respond.

Sarah Miles was remembered as a very strong person and a fighter by her son.

Words cannot describe the pain that Im feeling at the moment, he told Nine News.
Three women have died and two young men are fighting for their lives after a crash between a Greyhound bus and four wheel-drive towing a caravan on a stretch of the Bruce Highway that has been likened to a country road.

The bus carrying 33 people and the car were travelling in opposite directions near Gumlu, south of Townsville in north Queensland, just after 11am on Sunday when they collided in a 100km/h zone.

Three women on the bus died at the scene, one in her 20s, one in her 30s and a 56-year-old Townsville woman.

The bus was heading to Townsville, about 1 hours from where the crash took place.
Queen of Australian fiction Di Morrissey is one of our best-selling novelists. She has also been doing her bit for local independent journalism  until now. Morrissey launched The Manning Community News on the NSW mid north coast nearly 10 years ago as she believed regional media outlets were letting local governments get off easy. But now she has reluctantly shut down her monthly newspaper and given the MidCoast Council in northern NSW an earful. Di Morrissey is a defender of local journalism but said goodbye to her newspaper. When CBD contacted Morrissey for comment, she replied with a 400-word article within the hour. When the spotlight is on the role of journalists, the media, and the increasing threats against honest journalism and genuine media outlets, I realise what a threatened species we are, Morrissey told CBD.

She accused the council of banning her paper from local libraries. Staff were told not bring it onto council premises. I soon learned that businesses knew better than to advertise with me if they didnt want any hassle from the council, Morrissey said. Her paper put local officials under scrutiny, but in 2019, she settled a defamation case and apologised to former local councillor Len Roberts, who also sued the ABC. CBD rang MidCoast Council only to be told by an officer that under the Local Government Act, it had 48 hours to respond to our email query and she couldnt put us through to anyone on the media team (which doesnt have an email address) or even name anyone on the media team. We explained how deadlines worked and she then hung up after citing our threatening behaviour. We did track down Mayor Claire Pontin, who gave us an off-the-record no-comment but put us in touch with a media contact.

Marcelle Boyling, councils communication, engagement and marketing manager, was happy to tell us that MidCoast Council confirmed there is no ban on any publication from any council premises, local publications are important avenues to the community and that the council always provides a response anytime it has been requested. We are not in a position to tell anyone either on staff or in the community what to read or where to advertise. They are matters for individual community members and businesses, she said. So vale, The Manning Community News, and after that runaround, even more respect to you Di Morrissey. COMPUTER SAYS NO When is a job cut not a job cut? When its an admin error.

One of CBDs spies spent much of Saturday teasing out claims Ambulance Victoria was cutting patient transport shifts it contracts out to St John and the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong. Loading Ambulance Victoria itself announced the cuts to the organisations, which although taken aback, duly emailed the news to staff. The Ambulance Union of Victoria, known for its muscular defence of its paramedic members, was outraged. Union boss Danny Hill said any cuts to external patient transfer services would mean ambos would be moonlighting as taxi drivers, ferrying non-urgent patients between hospitals and nursing homes. It was a bad look, and a bad time for the news to come through: Victorias pinched health system is getting squeezed from every direction.

But in a relief to Hill and his members, an Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman interrupted her weekend to get to the bottom of it. Just an admin error, she said. If only all job cuts were so easily reversed. POTTY MOUTH Even in a rancorous, sometimes weird place like the NSW upper house, there are certain rules about what can and cant be said. Swearing is very much out. Its a different story outside parliament. Last weekend at a protest against coal mining in Newcastle, Greens upper house MP Sue Higginson was unrestrained about the rules of parliamentary civility, launching into an F-bomb rant about the NSW governments alleged failure to created a koala national park. NSW upper house Greens MP Sue Higginson. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

And it is now over a year. Theyre logging the absolute guts and heart out of it and telling us, Oh youll get your great koala national park at some point. Weve done the job, go back and just play being greens.  And we say, no f--k you, that is not a promise. Higginson said the governments failure to create the national park amounted to the most disloyal thing any political party has ever done in the history of environmental politics. When CBD came calling, she maintained the rage. Im totally willing to go on the record and say, frankly, its a f--king joke.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent a congratulatory letter as a cross-sea passage opened, linking the cities of Shenzhen and Zhongshan in southern China's Guangdong Province.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link is another large-scale transportation project in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area following the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The project managed to overcome multiple world-class technical challenges and set multiple world records.

All participants, through their hard work and unwavering determination, have successfully completed the project with high quality, Xi said.

"This fully illustrates that Chinese modernization can only be achieved through solid work, as all great causes are accomplished through concrete actions," he said.




ANKARA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The head of the Turkish Intelligence Organization Ibrahim Kalin on Sunday met with Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, the state-run TRT broadcaster reported.

They discussed the latest status of the ceasefire negotiations, the necessary measures to secure a lasting ceasefire, hostage exchange, and the delivery of humanitarian aid, the broadcaster reported.

Kalin expressed his condolences for the deaths of Haniyeh's sister, who was killed in a recent Israeli attack, and the Palestinian people killed in the ongoing offensive, saying that Turkiye will continue to stand by the Palestinian people, according to the report.

The broadcaster did not identify the venue of the meeting.

Israel has been carrying out a massive offensive in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for a Hamas rampage on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken hostage.

The Israeli assault caused a severe humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave and killed more than 37,700 people, according to the health authorities in Gaza. 
For decades, Riddells Creek has been a sleepy rural town beneath the picturesque Macedon Ranges where geese wander freely and a trip to the shops means bumping into plenty of familiar faces.

But big change is now coming for this country community, which has been earmarked for a residential explosion. Plans for a property development would double the size of Riddells Creek, which lies just beyond Melbournes northern outskirts.

The wandering geese of Riddells Creek. Credit: Justin McManus

Residents are now hitting back at the development plan, arguing it would destroy the rural character and undermine the close nature of their community.

The Victorian government is considering new planning conditions and a permit application allowing for residential development at a large site in Amess Road in Riddells Creek.
Labor senator Fatima Payman has been indefinitely suspended from the Labor caucus during crisis talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at The Lodge in Canberra.

Payman was summoned to the prime ministers residence on Sunday afternoon after an explosive interview on the ABCs Insiders program in which she vowed to cross the floor again and vote for a motion supporting an independent Palestinian state, should the Greens put one before parliament again this week.

Labor senator Fatima Payman leaves the Lodge in Canberra on Sunday afternoon after being suspended from caucus by Anthony Albanese. Credit: James Massola

The defiant West Australian senator was at The Lodge for about 40 minutes and was spotted leaving by this masthead about 3.10pm on Sunday.

Asked if she had been expelled from the ALP, Payman said no but did not take any further questions. A source close to the senator not permitted to speak on the record said she was now considering her future with Labor and had received a stern talking to from the prime minister.
Mother of two Catherine Henderson, who met Wong in Canberra in August, had previously criticised the Australian government for not condemning Japan earlier despite dozens of Australian kids, including her own, being abducted over the past two decades. Catherine Henderson (left) and Japanese MP Mizuho Umemura in Canberra in August 2023. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen I hear that. If I were a parent who hadnt seen my kids, Id want to see as much as I could, Wong said. All I can say, from my perspective, I gave this a great deal of priority in terms of my interactions. Wong said she raised the issue with two Japanese foreign ministers, Yoko Kamikawa and Yoshimasa Hayashi, while Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus lobbied Japanese Justice Minister Ken Saito. Australias ambassador to Japan, Justin Hayhurst, has also led negotiations in Tokyo.

The deputy secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Masahiko Shibayama, said Japanese society was in the middle of an epoch-making change to family law. Loading We are now on the edge of great reform, he said. Shibayama had to wage a year-long internal battle to convince his party to transform the laws that have their roots in the honour codes of Samurai-era Japan. Now he believes Japanese society must change to stop a culture of abductions driven by families preferring to save face by cutting off all contact during disputes, rather than mediate conflict. Fighting lawmakers against such a traditional irrational Japanese rule was very, very hard, he said. We have to continue to change the Japanese way of thinking.

Masahiko Shibayama, deputy secretary-general of Japans ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Credit: Jack Donohoe The system has severed the relationships of hundreds of thousands of children with their Japanese parents, as well as thousands from the United States, Europe, Australia and other countries around the world. In April, US congressman Christopher Smith, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, hand-delivered a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington that said 500 abducted American children was an open wound that threatened to derail the countrys economic and security ties. These actions often occur against pre-existing court orders and in some cases, with the passport assistance of the Japanese government, he said. Regrettably, the abduction of American children to your country remains an ongoing human rights crisis that cannot be overlooked.

Australian father Dan White has not held his two-year-old daughter Yui since his then-partner took her during a family holiday to Japan last year. Its consumed me 24/7. Its the only thing on my mind, he said. Yui just made everybodys world a better place to be in. She gave me a whole new purpose of what it means to be a man, to be an adult, and now to be a dad. She gave me a reason to get up in the morning to go to work. White has been granted a 10-minute video call each week with Yui since he first spoke to this masthead last year. That is everything. Im blessed in a way compared to a lot of the other parents that havent managed to get that, he said. But in the grand scheme of things, how can you build a relationship with your child from 10 minutes a week from a video call when shes in another country? The only contact Dan White has with daughter Yui is a 10-minute video call each week. Credit: Jamila Toderas

Randy Kavanagh, an Australian parent who teaches English to primary school children in Gunma, three hours outside Tokyo, said attitudes in Japan had begun changing since he went public with his story. Kavanagh has been able to attend some of his daughters school events this year and is now receiving her school reports for the first time since his daughter Anna was taken in 2018. Annas principal put her arm around me and said, Never give up, Randy, he said. Randy Kavanagh teaches English to children similar in age to his abducted daughter. Credit: Jack Donohoe But he worries the legislative change will not be enough to stop abductions in a country in which custody rulings are rarely enforced and Interpol missing person notices for children are ignored.

Another Australian parent from Adelaide, who asked not to be identified because they are in the middle of a legal dispute, lodged an airport watch list request this week to prevent their daughter from being suddenly taken out of Australia by their Japanese partner. In Australia, people dont just disappear, but in Japan, its legal for them to do so, they said. Its unbelievable. Kavanagh criticised the delays in implementing the new laws which will not come into force until 2026. Its the last dash to the finish line to abduct your child before the law comes into effect, he said.
Paris: The far-right National Rally leapt into a strong lead in Frances first round of legislative elections, polling agencies projected, bringing the party closer to being able to form a government in round two and dealing a major slap to centrist President Emmanuel Macron and his risky decision to call the surprise ballot.

When he dissolved the National Assembly on June 9, after a stinging defeat at the hands of the National Rally in French voting for the European Parliament, Macron gambled that the anti-immigration party with historical links to antisemitism wouldnt repeat that success when Frances own fate was in the balance.

French President Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Macron before voting in northern France. Credit: AP

But it didnt work out that way. With French polling agencies projecting that the National Rally and its allies got about one-third of the national vote on Sunday (Paris time), Macrons prime minister warned that France could end up with its first far-right government since World War II if voters dont come together to thwart that scenario in round two next Sunday.

The extreme right is at the doors of power, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said. He twice described National Rally policy pledges as disastrous and said that in the second-round ballot, not one vote should go to the National Rally.
5 soldiers swept away in Ladakh flash floods





NEW DELHI,

FIVE soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), were killed during an exercise early Saturday as their Russian-origin T-72 tank was swept away following flash floods in the Shyok river near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, officials said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was deeply saddened by the unfortunate accident that occurred in the river near Saser Brangsa. Two T-72 tanks were trying to cross Shyok around 1 am and one of them got stuck in high currents in the river, the officials said, adding the melting of snow resulted in the increase in the water levels. The Army deployed rescue teams but the mission didnt succeed in view of the raging waters in the river.The deceased personnel are MRK Reddy, Subhan Khan, Bhupendra Negi, E Teibam and Sadarbonia Nagaraju. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate accident while getting the tank across a river in Ladakh, Singh said on X.

We will never forget exemplary service of our gallant soldiers to the nation. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, he said. The nation stands firm with them during this hour of grief, he said. The soldiers belonged to the 52 Armoured Regiment deployed at Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) military base in the strategically located region close to the LAC with China. ... While de-inducting from a military training activity, an army tank got stuck in the Shyok River, near Saser Brangsa, Eastern Ladakh due to sudden increase in the water level, the Armys Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps said. Rescue teams rushed to the location, however, due to high current and water levels, the rescue mission didnt succeed, and the tank crew lost their lives, it said. The Indian Army regrets loss of five brave personnel while being operationally deployed in Eastern Ladakh. Rescue operations are underway, it said on X.
Bulldozer operation to continue till cities become drugs free: Mah CM





MUMBAI,

MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said that the Government will continue with its bulldozer operations till all the cities in the State become drug-free. The bulldozer operation will continue till our cities become drug-free. Wherever drugs are being sold in the State, the peddlers will not be spared, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said. He said that action is being taken against those who sell drugs, those who keep drugs, as well as the hotels where drugs are sold and those who are responsible for ruining the lives of the young generation not only in Pune but also in other cities.

They (peddlers) will not be spared wherever drugs are being sold be it Thane, Nashik or other parts of the State. Police administration, district collectors, and municipal commissioners are doing the work of uprooting drug cartels, the Chief Minister said. He said that it does not matter who is the supplier of drugs and no matter how big he is, he will not be spared. We will not allow them to ruin our young generation. This bulldozing operation will continue, the Chief Minister said.
CM chairs introductory meet of new LS members





Staff Reporter

RAIPUR,

An introductory meeting of newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha Members from Chhattisgarh was held in presence of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, BJP National General (Organisation) B L Santhosh and BJP National Joint General Secretary (Organisation) Shiv Prakash in New Delhi on Friday night. The sources within the BJP claimed that the partys organizational activities and cabinet expansion were discussed in detail in the meeting.

Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu, BJP State President Kiran Singh Deo, BJP Zonal General Secretary (Organisation) Chhattisgarh Ajay Jamwal, MPs Brijmohan Agrawal, Vijay Baghel, Chintamani Maharaj, Santosh Pandey, Mahesh Kashyap, Roop Kumari Choudhary, Radheshyam Rathia and Bhojraj Nag were also present in the meeting.
CM lauds brave jawans for killing hardcore Naxals





Our Correspondent

BALAGHAT,

Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav praised bravery of 28 Hawk Force jawans who killed two Naxalites with a bounty of Rs 43 lakh by giving them out-of-turn promotions, while in Itwari Krishi Upaj Mandi, the Chief Minister made many important announcements in the Anna Utsav organised under the Millet Mission. The Cm was attended two programmes organised in Balaghat on Saturday. In a ceremony organised at the Police Parade Ground, the Chief Minister gave out-of-turn promotions to 28 jawans who killed two hardcore Naxalites in Pitkoni forest of Lanji on April 1, 2024, by putting badge one by one. He said that the courage and bravery shown by the brave soldiers in the state in the last five years is worthy of respect. 19 Naxalites have been killed in five years.

The Naxalites killed were not ordinary Naxalites but there were carrying a reward of more than Rs three crores on them. Some were hardcore and commander level Naxalites.In the programme held at Police Parade Ground, the Chief Minister said that the Government will soon buy Kodo-Kutki crop from farmers on the basis of MSP. He said that the Government will not only buy Kodo-Kutki from the farmers growing coarse grains at the rate of Rs 4290 per quintal but will also give subsidy. The Chief Minister also announced opening of Excellence College in Balaghat. Under the Ladli Behna Yojana of the MP government, the Chief Minister talked about putting money in the accounts of sisters on July 5. Announcing under the interest waiver of farmers, the Chief Minister said that loans of Rs 41.32 crore farmers of the district will be waived off.

The CM said that Congress is upset with our promise. Within five years, paddy and wheat will be purchased for more than this amount. The rate of crop purchase will be increased every year. The MP government guarantees to fulfill the Sankalp Patra. No one should face any shortage. On the occasion, DGP, Sudhir Saxena, IG, Sanjay Kumar, DIG Mukesh Shrivastava, SP Samir Saurabh, MP Bharti Pardhi, former minister, Gaurishankar Bisen, former MLA, Ramkishore Kavre, MLA, Rajkumar Karrahe, Gaurav Pardhi, Vivek Vicky Patel, Madhu Bhagat, former MLA, Pradeep Jaiswal, Municipal Council President, Bharti Thakur and others were present.
KHARTOUM, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on Sunday refuted the claim that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had taken control of Singa, the capital city of Sinnar State in central Sudan.

"Our forces in Singa are ... fighting the enemy with steadfastness and high morale," Nabil Abdalla, the SAF's spokesman, said in a statement, noting that the forces "are holding to their positions."

Late Saturday, the RSF's spokesman Al-Fateh Qurashi announced on social platform X that the RSF fully controlled Singa and had seized all institutions in the city, including the state government's headquarters.

In the meantime, the Al-Sinnari Observatory, a local legal organization, warned in a statement on Sunday of a new humanitarian catastrophe in the city.

"Singa has witnessed armed clashes and violent artillery shelling on a number of civilian objects and innocent citizens amid reports of casualties among civilians that are being counted," the statement said.

The observatory said thousands of citizens were displaced and moved towards the Blue Nile State in southern Sudan.

The clashes between the SAF and the RSF have been escalating over the past week in central Sudan, including in Gezira and Sinnar states and at the outskirts of Gedaref State in eastern Sudan.

Sudan has been embroiled in a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which has claimed more than 16,650 lives, according to the Sudan situation report updated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs earlier this week. 
HC quashes recovery order against rtd SI





Staff Reporter

Raipur,

High Court of Chhattisgarh has quashed recovery order passed by the Chhattisgarh Armed Force Commandant against a retired Sub Inspector (SI) due to erroneous fixation of his pay scale. The HC has also directed to refund the amount recovered from the SI within two months with 6% annual interest. Judge Arvind Kumar Verma took note of the fact that the opportunity of hearing prior to the issuance of order was not provided to the SI while any enquiry was too not conducted regarding the wrong fixation of pay scale before passing of the order in question.

According to information, Mariyanus Toppo (63), son of late Francis and a resident of New Bible Church, Uslapur (Bilaspur) was working as SI (MT) in the office of the Commandant, 11th Battalion, Putpura, Janjgir-Champa. The SI superannuated on April 30, 2018. Shockingly on May 4 next month, the Commandant issued the order of recovery against Toppo on account of erroneous fixation of his pay scale. Consequently a sum of Rs 1.55 lakh was deducted from the retired SIs account and he had challenged the same in the court. Toppos counsel Abhishek Pandey cited the cases of State of Punjab vs Rafiq Masih and High Court of Punjab and Haryana vs others vs Jagdev Singh.

Meanwhile the State Counsel on the other hand had submitted that prior to the date of retirement an undertaking was given by Toppo to the effect that if any excess payment will be made to him then the same shall be adjusted from his salary. However, the HC observed that there is no provision to take undertaking from any government servant under Chhattisgarh Pay Revision Rules. The HC then quashed the Commandants order and directed to refund the amount recovered from the petitioner within a period of two months with 6% annual interest.
Now get GIS mapping of properties across State in one click





By Ankita Garg

Madhya Pradeshs first ever GIS (Geographic Information System) laboratory is set to begin in Bhopal to start GIS mapping of properties. Now detail of properties will be available at single click. Even general public can check the detail and document of properties after allotment from the portal. All the process for lab has been done and tender has been released by the Urban Administration and Development Department. Once the laboratory starts working, all the construction work in various cities of Bhopal will be monitored from Bhopal. Urban Administration and Development Department is mapping properties across the State with the help revenue and registry department. After this mapping, information of all new constructions will be monitored through lab in Bhopal and information will be uploaded for future reference. Concerned department will be able to take action in any suspected case based on the information uploaded on application being used at the laboratory. Officials of Revenue and Registry Department will also help to take action against any construction work.

According to reports, department has already done mapping of properties in Bhopal, Indore, Sagar, Morena, Gwalior and a few other districts. Survey and mapping of properties in few other districts are still underway. In this system, map data and live fee of properties will be taken via remote sensing and satellite. A private agency has made tie up for providing live information of the construction work. A team of 15 experts will be monitoring in the lab. Once the lab starts working, civic body will get information from the lab as soon as remote sensing agency send the detail. Photographs collected at the lab will be updated at 15 to 30 days. In the meantime, if team notice any illegal construction work, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) team will be reaching the spot. Concern official will be responsible for any fault or illegal construction work even after providing information with the lab. Himanshu Singh, Director Urban Development Department, said, GIS mapping of properties have begun and laboratory is being set up. Soon result will be made available to the public. He further informed that GIS survey for property tax began in Bhopal during year 2016-17 but it could not be complete yet for some guanine reasons.

After survey in the year 2017, many vacant plots were displaying construction work that was not in actual. Even area of construction work was being displayed as extended. Therefore, the team decided to re-start the survey with accuracy. He said that in first phase, about two dozens of building belonging to civic body was done so that laboratory can check whether it is legal or illegal. Director Singh said that before purchasing any property, buyer can check the name, dues, area, purchasing year, commercial or residential and other details from portal. For purchasing property belonged to Housing Board, one would not be becoming victim of any fraud. Housing Board will also be monitoring the properties through map. Bidisha Mukherjee, Administrative Officer of Housing Board, said that more than 50 lakh documents have been scanned under the plan. She said that digitalisation of properties is being done at faster pace and all data is being saved on cloud computing. She said, GIS mapping will make buyers work easy and transparent.
PANCHSHEEL





IN THE context of geopolitical conflicts and continuing pursuit of world peace, Panchsheel or the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence constitute a set of timeless values. Interestingly, Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping has brought the Panchsheel back in discussion. To understand why he has done so, the historic context and contour need to be understood first. Though the Panchsheel pointers were first formally enunciated in 1954 between India and the Tibet region annexed by China, they were followed by historic Bandung conference, which laid the foundation for Non-Aligned Movement during Cold War period. The Panchsheel principles included, most importantly, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other. The core idea was peaceful co-existence, a part of Buddhist philosophy rooted in the ancient Indian way of life. It was natural for India to have formalised its cultural belief at the world stage. But, the Communist China violated the Panchsheel through cartographic aggression first, followed by irresponsible statements, and ultimately waging a war on India in 1962. Despite this, China blamed India for the war. But, China did not adopt this strategy with India alone.

Through doublespeak and deceptive diplomacy, China needled neighbouring countries by raising boundary disputes, mounting pressure, and then extracting favourable trade relations for ownself. Gradually, China displayed hegemonistic ambitions by lending money for infrastructure development in smaller nations beyond immediate neighbourhood. With the crisis in Sri Lanka, the world has come to call such lending as debt diplomacy by the Communist country. This realisation, clubbed with the Wests outreach to the Global South, has created suspicion about Chinas real intentions behind promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) too. In the post-COVID scenario, Mr. Jinping has realised that his pet project, BRI, is proving to be a failure. Hence, he is now promoting Global Security Initiative. Since the contours and content of sovereignty have changed over time, the world has moved from bi-polarity to multi-polarity. Many nations justifiably want their interests to be served through multilateralism-based world order.

Disruption in global supply chains due to ongoing conflicts has just strengthened the belief in multilateralism. In this context, Mr. Jinping has now invoked Panchsheel, lauding its relevance to end world conflicts. Despite supporting terror-haven country like Pakistan, China has been wanting to project itself as a responsible power whose intervention could be sought in various conflicts. But, the world has seen Chinas real face over the years. Hence, even if it invokes a noble set of values like Panchsheel, the world will respond to it cautiously. In contrast, out of strong cultural belief, India has been practising the Panchsheel principles. May it be helping the neighbours in their hour of need, or saving millions of lives globally through Vaccine Maitri initiative during COVID-19 pandemic, Indias actions have been noble. Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has been saying it on various forums that India is in favour of peace and co-operation, and not conflict. In the year marking 70th anniversary of Panchsheel, the world has subtly evolved in favour of genuine practitioner of the principles of peaceful co-existence, that is, India.
South Asias biggest flying training school to come up in Amravati





Staff Reporter

In a significant development, Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) in collaboration with Air India is establishing the largest Flying Training Organisation in South Asia at Amravatis Bellora airport. This will be Indias first flying training school to be run by an airline company. As per plan, the flying school will have world class infrastructure built by MADC and Air India. It is likely to start its operations by April-May 2025 and be fully functional by mid-2026. This flying institute, licensed by Directorate General of Civil Aviation would lead to the major transformation in the aviation industry as India is facing the issue of shortage of pilots. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Air India and MADC for the collaborative venture. A high-powered team from Air India led by Sunil Bhaskaran, Director Aviation Academy, Air India, was in Amravati sketching the ground-level plans of the ambitious project.

Vice-Chairperson and Managing Director of MADC, Swati Pandey while elaborating the details, said, This is the collective initiative of MADC and Air India that will have intake of 180 who will be trained as commercial pilots on 31 single engine and three twin engine aircraft. The training programme includes 36,000+ flight hours each year, the highest by any Indian Flying Training Organisation (FTO). MADC has given Air India 10-acres of land to develop the state-of-the-art training institute at Amravati. The classrooms will be digitally-enabled. The students who stay out of Amravati will have well-equipped hostels following global academic standards. There will be a digitised operations centre, and its own maintenance facility to elevate operational efficiency. I am sure that the project will enable the aspiring pilots to embark on a journey towards fulfilling their dreams of becoming skilled aviators.
SHENZHEN, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, a massive cross-sea passage in south China that features two bridges, two artificial islands and an underwater tunnel, opened to traffic at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Spanning 24 kilometers, the link drastically reduces the time it takes to travel between the city of Zhongshan and the technology hub of Shenzhen -- situated on opposite sides of the Pearl River Estuary in Guangdong Province -- from two hours to approximately 30 minutes.

The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link is another large-scale transportation project in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), following the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which is located approximately 31 kilometers south of the new passage.

The 55-kilometer Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge opened in October 2018 and is the longest bridge-and-tunnel sea crossing in the world.

The GBA now boasts over 4,500 kilometers of operational expressways, constituting a comprehensive rapid transportation network.

"The opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link will reshape the road network layout of the Pearl River Estuary, significantly impacting the economic and social development of the GBA," said Lin Feiming, head of the Guangdong provincial department of transport.

Covering 56,000 square kilometers, the GBA encompasses Hong Kong, Macao and nine cities in Guangdong, and it achieved a total economic output of over 14 trillion yuan (around 1.96 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2023. China aims to develop the area into a world-class city cluster, a global technology and innovation center, and a livable, business-friendly location.

With an estimated cost of 44.69 billion yuan, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link features eight lanes designed for speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour.

It is considered one of the world's most challenging cross-sea cluster projects to have been built. Over 10,000 workers overcame obstacles such as frequent typhoons, high salinity, humidity and severe siltation during the course of its seven-year construction.

The project set multiple world records in areas such as suspension bridge engineering, tunnel construction, and underwater highway interchanges.

Experts say the new link will enhance regional development and competitiveness, bridging the economic gap between the eastern and western shores of the Pearl River Estuary and facilitating leisure travel.

The east bank excels in advanced manufacturing and technological innovation but faces space limitations and rising costs. The west bank, on the other hand, requires industrial transformation and upgrading to boost its economic vitality.

"The new transport link is a golden avenue for us, cutting the travel time between our R&D center in Shenzhen and our factory in Zhongshan to half an hour," said Yuan Moli, an employee of Shenzhen Xinyichang Technology Co., Ltd.

Business expansions have seen many Shenzhen-based companies, including Xinyichang, establish factories in Zhongshan, necessitating frequent travel between the two cities.

Home to over 17 million people and numerous leading tech companies like Huawei, Tencent and BYD, Shenzhen is known as "China's Silicon Valley."

Meng Fanli, Party secretary of Shenzhen, said the city will introduce more initiatives to facilitate travel for residents of both cities, streamlining flows of people, goods, information and capital.

Shenzhen and Zhongshan will collaborate to build a world-class advanced manufacturing cluster, develop modern services industries, and accelerate the establishment of a future-oriented modern industrial system, Meng added.

The tourism sector is also eyeing the opportunities brought by decreased travel times.

Huang Chuping, assistant general manager of a Shenzhen-based travel agency, is anticipating the "super traffic" the link will bring.

His team has been planning new tourism products since last year and has already launched over 10 extensive tourism routes in western Guangdong to positive responses, he told Xinhua.

Huang's optimism was echoed by Chen Wenfei, vice president and secretary general of the tourism industry association in Jiangmen City, which is also part of the GBA.

"We have already coordinated with many travel agencies to attract more tourists from Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao to Jiangmen," Chen said. 
BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Upon the complete success of the Chang'e-6 mission, which brought back the world's first samples from the far side of the moon, President Xi Jinping promptly extended his congratulations.

"The outstanding contributions you have made will always be remembered by the country and the people," Xi told all those who participated in the mission in a congratulatory message.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has always kept the country's lunar exploration endeavors in his mind.

It is a tradition for the president to extend congratulations upon the success of each Chang'e mission.

He also met representatives of space scientists and engineers who participated in the Chang'e-3, Chang'e-4 and Chang'e-5 missions, inquired about their work and life and took pictures with them.

For three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021, Xi highlighted the lunar exploration achievements in his New Year speech.

"Great undertakings are based on innovation, which is crucial for our future," Xi said in February 2019 when meeting representatives of space scientists and engineers who participated in the research and development of the Chang'e-4 mission.

Living up to Xi's expectations, China's researchers and engineers have taken a self-reliant and ingenious path in the lunar exploration program.

Chang'e-4 made history by being the first mission to achieve soft landing on the far side of the moon. Its rover Yutu-2 started roaming and conducting surveys on this rarely-explored terrain in 2019, leaving moving human trails on the far side of the moon for the first time.

Chang'e-5, launched in 2020, was China's first mission to collect and return lunar samples to Earth. Unlike sampling missions of the United States and the Soviet Union, China chose a complicated technological approach including unmanned rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit, which could bring back more samples and lay a technological foundation for manned lunar missions.

Based on the experience of Chang'e-5, Chang'e-6 made further innovations by collecting and returning lunar samples from the moon's far side, an unprecedented feat in human lunar exploration history.

"We must be bold in our pursuit of innovation, acquire core technologies, strive to be the backbone of the country's aerospace industry, and scale new heights in space science and technology," said Xiong Tianci, a young designer with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, developer of the Long March-5 carrier rockets that sent Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-6 into space.

Noting that exploring the vast universe is humanity's common dream, Xi has stressed the importance of conducting international space cooperation and making contributions to the well-being of all mankind.

China's lunar exploration program stands as evidence of the country's consistent promotion of international cooperation in the field of space exploration.

China welcomes international applications for the lunar samples brought back by the Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-6 missions for scientific researches. Scientists from countries such as Australia, Russia, France, the United States, Britain, and Sweden have taken part in the research of the Chang'e-5 lunar samples.

Chang'e-6 has carried four international payloads, respectively from the European Space Agency (ESA), France, Italy, and Pakistan. Chang'e-7 will carry six international scientific instruments, and Chang'e-8 will offer 200 kilograms of international payload capacity and has garnered over 30 applications.

Xi's guidance and concern on the lunar exploration program has inspired numerous scientists and engineers, who are committed to advancing major space projects, including deep space exploration, and enhancing international exchanges and cooperation.

"We will continue to foster independent innovation capabilities and improve the independent innovation system, so as to propel bigger and further steps in space exploration," said Zhang Gao, an expert involved in the development of the Chang'e-6 probe from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. 
by Xinhua writer He Fei

BEIJING/ASTANA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- On June 15, 2001, then heads of state of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan gathered in Shanghai. Together, they announced the creation of a new regional group on the Eurasian continent -- the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The SCO is the only inter-governmental organization named after a Chinese city. It has become a key venue for China to bolster its cooperation with countries in Central Asia and the broader Eurasian landmass.

Over the past decade, Chinese President Xi Jinping has attended every SCO head-of-state summit, including through video conferences during the COVID period. He shared at this multilateral platform his thoughts and proposals with other world leaders on ensuring regional stability, achieving more robust common development and contributing to a better world.

"A just cause finds great support, and a journey with many companions gets far." In Xi's eyes, the development of the SCO, which represents about half of the world's population and a quarter of the global economy, accords with the trend of the times and goes along with the direction of human progress.

"WITH PEACE, A COUNTRY ENJOYS PROSPERITY"

"The 'Three evil forces,' drug trafficking and transnational organized crime are serious threats to regional security and stability." When Xi first addressed the SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek in 2013, he opened his speech with a clear and concise assessment of the security situation facing SCO members.

The SCO was born primarily for security reasons. Its predecessor, the "Shanghai Five," was formed to manage border security issues after the end of the Cold War. Terrorism, separatism and extremism, known as the "three evil forces," have for decades hung over Central Asia, becoming increasingly acute following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and the so-called Arab Spring.

As Xi debuted on the SCO stage, the region was facing a much more complicated security situation. The rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria caused a spillover of terrorist and extremist elements into Central Asia back then, resulting in more pressure for China and its SCO partners to forge strong security ties.

The Chinese leader stressed security cooperation at every summit and mentioned "security" more than 120 times in his 11 SCO speeches. For the Chinese leader, security is the bedrock of development, while stability is a prerequisite for prosperity.

"With peace, a country enjoys prosperity, just as with rain, the land can flourish." Xi once quoted this Uzbekistan proverb to explain his understanding of the relationship between security and development when attending the 2022 SCO Samarkand summit.

Xi pledged "zero tolerance" towards the "three evil forces" and underscored concerted efforts to eradicate them. He also urged the SCO members to help Afghanistan regain peace and push forward cooperation in tackling drug trafficking, organized crime, and nontraditional security sectors like cyberspace and outer space.

With the consistent push by Xi and his fellow SCO leaders, the SCO has, over the years, organized joint drills and cracked down on drug smuggling to cut terrorism financing. Those efforts have paid off. From 2013 to 2017, SCO member states foiled more than 600 terrorist crimes, captured some 2,000 terrorists and destroyed over 500 terrorist boot camps. Security mechanisms have improved, and joint drills have extended to cyberspace.

The SCO has also been a platform on which Xi expounded his new security vision for Asia -- a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

The world today remains gripped by war and conflict. Xi has always been concerned with preventing war and achieving lasting peace. In 2022, he proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), a global public good provided by China to advance global security governance.

The guiding principle of the GSI is consistent with his security vision, offering China's solution to the question of the times.

MODERN SILK ROAD

The SCO is naturally connected to Xi's signature proposal, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). All six initial SCO members were along the ancient bustling trade route between the East and the West, and the Chinese leader has further strengthened that connection.

During a state visit to Kazakhstan in September 2013, Xi proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt, an essential component of the BRI. Days later, when addressing the Bishkek SCO summit, Xi called on member countries to carry forward the Silk Road spirit.

Over the decade, Xi has used the BRI as a key driver to promote China's practical cooperation with the SCO countries and to accelerate development. By aligning their respective development strategies, China and the SCO members have witnessed fruitful results in boosting infrastructure, trade and financial connectivity.

Earlier this month via video link, Xi, along with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, hailed the signing of an inter-governmental agreement in Beijing on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.

The railway, as planned, will begin in Kashgar, a city in China's western Xinjiang, and enter the territory of Uzbekistan through Kyrgyzstan. In the future, it can reach West Asia and South Asia, becoming a main transport artery across the Asian continent.

In his video message, Xi described the railway as a strategic project of connectivity between China and Central Asia and a landmark project of the three countries' cooperation efforts under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Located in the heartland of the Asian continent, Central Asia's development has long been constrained by a lack of ports. Once completed, the railway will shorten the time needed to transport Central Asian products to major global markets and facilitate the integration of Central Asia with the global industrial and supply chains, thus boosting regional development.

The railway project was first proposed in the 1990s. Over the years, Xi has paid close attention to the project. In his interactions with leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, both SCO members, he repeatedly called for a joint drive to restart this transformative railway project.

Former SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov hailed the BRI as "an important platform for multilateral cooperation" that benefits landlocked Central Asian countries, including his home country of Uzbekistan. The BRI has provided "the chance to go freely to the world market."

The railway is just one facet of China's booming cooperation with SCO members. Thanks to increased connectivity, trade is flourishing. Over the past year, trade between China and the five Central Asian countries hit a record high of about 90 billion U.S. dollars, up over 27 percent year-on-year.

STRONGER BOND

When it was China's turn to hold the SCO summit in 2018, Xi chose to host his colleagues in Qingdao, a coastal city in China's eastern Shandong Province. The choice has rich cultural implications.

Shandong is home to Confucius and Mencius, two Chinese sages, and the cradle of Confucianism. This ancient Chinese philosophy has significantly influenced many Asian cultures and has profoundly impacted the lives of the Chinese people and their way of thinking.

Xi welcomed the SCO leaders by quoting a famous line from Confucius: "What a joy to have friends coming from afar!"

Xi has long advocated for mutual learning among different cultures and civilizations. Since becoming China's president, he has made cultural interaction a trademark of his diplomacy. For him, the diversity of civilizations sustains human progress. In Qingdao, he first defined his outlook on civilization as comprised of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness.

On many occasions, the Chinese leader also stressed the preservation of traditional culture and inheritance of cultural heritage. In his eyes, historical and cultural heritage is a precious resource that is not renewable.

During the trip to Uzbekistan in 2013, Xi launched a joint project with the Uzbek side to restore historical mosques and Islamic schools to their glory of yore in the ancient city of Khiva, which was widely hailed as a shining pearl of civilization along the ancient Silk Road. With Xi's continuous attention and support, the project was completed in 2019.

When he visited the Central Asian country again in 2022, Xi presented Uzbek President Mirziyoyev with a miniature of the ancient city as a state gift in celebration of the two countries' joint efforts to restore the cultural heritage of the Silk Road.

Xi regards each civilization as unique, with none being superior to any other. "We should promote mutual learning between our civilizations and enhance good-neighborliness and friendship between our countries. This allows us to enhance public support for the SCO's long-term development."

SHARED HOME

"The SCO is our shared home," Xi once said. From time to time, the Chinese leader would describe the SCO's growing membership as a "big family."

Whether a shared home or a big family, the SCO is always open and inclusive. It features non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party. That starkly contrasts with exclusive clubs of nations driven by ideological bloc confrontation.

In recent years, the SCO has incorporated new members who recognize the Shanghai Spirit, which is defined by mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development.

Now, with nine member states, three observer states and 14 dialogue partners, the SCO is the world's largest regional organization in terms of geographical scale and population.

For Xi, mankind, living in the same global village, are increasingly becoming a community with a shared future in which everyone's interest is closely interlinked. Thus, he proposed the building of an SCO community with a shared future at the Qingdao summit.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, a witness to the establishment of "the Shanghai Five" in 1996 as a senior Kazakh official, has been involved in the SCO activities from the beginning.

He expressed "a huge respect" for Xi and support for his visions. "I have no doubts about their positive impacts on developing the world, which must be free of discrimination, of sanctions, of pressure."

Xi's proposals are playing a very crucial role in building mutual trust and benefit among countries in a world characterized by growing instability, uncertainty and unpredictability, said Sheradil Baktygulov, a foreign affairs consultant with the Kyrgyz National Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank.

"The thoughts of President Xi show the way for building a close SCO community," said Baktygulov, "and a bright future for the Eurasian continent." 
HONG KONG, June 30 (Xinhua) -- An event to promote the culture of the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor was held here Sunday as part of efforts to strengthen tourism cooperation between northwest China's Shaanxi Province and Hong Kong.

The Yellow Emperor, also known as Huangdi, was the legendary common ancestor of the Chinese nation. The mausoleum is located on Qiao Mountain in Huangling County of Shaanxi Province.

Feng Haobin, an official with the cultural heritage site, said at the event that the Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum is a spiritual symbol of Chinese civilization, and is crucial for promoting national spirit. Shaanxi and Hong Kong have broad cooperation potential in culture, tourism, economy and other aspects, he said.

Xin Congjin, chairman of a tourism association in Hong Kong to promote Chinese tourism, said that as an East-meets-West center for international cultural exchange, Hong Kong plays a key role for the culture of the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor to go onto the world stage.

Hong Kong and Shaanxi have worked together in recent years to complement each other's strengths, with exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in the fields of economy, culture, finance and technology continuing to expand, Xin added.

An exhibition on the culture of the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor is being held in Victoria Park of Hong Kong as part of the celebration activities to mark the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. The exhibition will open to the public from Saturday to Tuesday. 
ISTANBUL, June 30 (Xinhua) -- A natural gas explosion in Turkiye's western province of Izmir on Sunday killed four people and injured at least 20 others.

According to state-run TRT broadcaster, the explosion occurred at 2:43 p.m. local time (1143 GMT) at a business on the ground floor of a building in Torbali district.

TRT reported that 10 of the injured were in critical condition, and investigations by emergency teams at the scene were going on.

Following the explosion, firefighting teams quickly extinguished a subsequent fire, TRT added.

Izmir Governor Suleyman Elban informed TRT that the explosion damaged 11 buildings in the vicinity.

"As a precautionary measure, the gas supply has been cut off, and the area is being evacuated. Our security forces have taken necessary actions," Elban said.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. 
The first, US Presidential elections debate hascome and gone, but its aftershocks linger on.The greatest shock was not the unreformability of Donald Trump, which was expected, but thebuckling of Joe Biden, which was feared going in, but confirmed coming out.

The inability of Joe Biden to exploit the integrity deficit expected from Donald Trump and demonstrated by him on the night, was very painful for Bidens supporters to watch. Biden gave Trump a pass when Trump was right there, ready for the taking, warts and all.

The fundamental problem of American President Joe Biden, debate night was a glaring lack of confidence and repeated brain fog, figuratively, a crashed central processing unit.

That he could go to a North Carolina rally the day after he froze before Donald Trump under the watchful eyes of the entire globe, and fully rebound before a friendly crowd, albeit with the aid of a teleprompter, points to this assertive conclusion.

The point to ponder is this. Why did Biden lose his confidence? What happened to the Joe Biden that once said he would beat Donald Trump like a drum, debate night four years ago? Why did Joe Biden's self-confidence take such a disastrous hit when it mattered the most?

A few costly missteps Biden made during his Presidency, all attributable to his presidential judgement eroded his self-confidence. Taken in no order they are:

Immigration - Biden was so enraged by the separation of infants from their migrant parents at the US Southern border under the Trump Presidency, that he went overboard trying to correct this. Exercising presidential privilege,Biden relaxed the immigration procedures so much, that there was an unprecedented surge of migrants moving towards the Southern border.

That his fellow democrats from the Southern states openly rebelled against him, should have compelled him to retrace his steps. He did not do this until it was too late, precisely when he was facing re-election.

Had Biden studied the rise of Donald Trump carefully, he ought to have realized that Trump was riding a wave of xenophobia built upon both overt and closet racism, triggered by the emergence of Barack Obama as the first BlackAmerican US President.

This immigration issue and Bidens pro-immigrants overseeing of it, from I n I's readingof the American electorate, is Joe Biden's cardinal and unforgivable sin in the eyes of many Americans. The political benefits of a pro-immigrant stand, if that was Biden's underlying intention, is very doubtful.

Strange to say, but many Latinos and severalother immigrants to the US as well, are not so favorably disposed to having their compatriots from their home countries come over to the USto join them, for varied reasons. If Joe Biden loses his Presidency in the November 2024 elections, blame it on this very fact of mishandled immigration.

Afghanistan - The fiasco that President Bidensrushed withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan turned into, more than anything else, eroded Biden's confidence on the international stage.

To be fair, the US was already in an unwinnablequagmire in Afghanistan. More importantly beforehand, the Trump Administration hadnegotiated and very publicly, announced a withdrawal of US Troops and a May 1, 2021,departure deadline for American soldiers from Afghanistan before he left office.

This was at a time when the pro-American Afghan government was locked in power-sharing negotiations with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar. That announcement emboldened the Taliban and took the wind out of the sails of the then Afghan Government.

The Afghan government was riddled with corruption, while the Taliban, always resolute, became more emboldened by Trump's public notice of withdrawal. Essentially that withdrawal announcement was a Trumpeanbooby trap, carefully laid in advance.

In retrospect, it was a tricky situation that Biden faced. Majority of the Afghans collaborating with the Americans, were there simply for the money, not out of conviction about Western style democracy. They were destined to be defeated by the fanatical Taliban who were fighting out of conviction about their Muslim ideology.

All Biden had to do was order the US military to set up, work out, and implement the US exit by themselves. Instead as President, Biden forcedthe issue. He set up his own withdrawal timetable and handed it over to the unprepared US military to implement against their professional advice.

By so doing, Biden took over complete political ownership of the withdrawal dilemma, its catastrophic implementation wherein 11 American soldiers lost their lives in the process,and its disastrous consequences.

When the Trump Administration advertised to the Taliban and the world that he would pull US troops from Afghanistan latest May 1, 2021,that was a geopolitical blunder. It was an open booby trap destined to make America weaker not greater. America was essentially being compelled by Taliban resistance to leave the battlefield without being able to declare victory.

Some things are best kept unsaid publicly, and meticulously worked towards discreetly. Biden fell headlong into that booby trap. The same Trump said during the latest debate with Biden that the shambolic withdrawal Biden ordered to meet his deadline, led Putin to invade Ukraine. That is correct. Advertising a withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, easily misconstrued as an operational defeat, is how Trump set up Biden to entice Putin to invade Ukraine.

Ukraine - Vladimir Putin, seeing how the US unceremoniously departed from Afghanistan in complete disarray, and buoyed up by Russia's possession of hypersonic missiles which the US lacked, fancied his chances of seizing Ukraine without any military response from the West. Even the US and its other Western allies agreed with the Russian assessment.

To the amazement of the entire world, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine did not acceptthe American offer to be evacuated for his own safety like the then President of Afghanistan did by fleeing from his country. Zelenskys response to the American offer was send me weapons not an evacuation plane.

Following the United Kingdoms lead, PresidentBiden rallied military support for Ukraine and reinvigorated a dying NATO already savaged by Donald Trump. Biden built up an astounding international military coalition to support Ukraine, but at this time his self-confidence had already been shattered by the debacle his unchoreographed troops withdrawal directive experienced in Afghanistan. I believe the empathetic Joe Biden took the loss of 11 American soldiers during the troops withdrawal operation from Afghanistan personally.

Going back to Ukraine, even the US military top brass were astonished by the fearless way and courageous manner the Ukrainians initially routed the hitherto seemingly invincible Russians. Fearful of Putin's threats to go nuclear and shocked at the ease with which the Ukrainians took the fight to the Russians, the US military, upon who Biden relied fully this time, advised extra, self-defeating caution, when it was unwise to do so.

France and Germany initially advised peacefulnegotiations, their leaders making trips to Moscow to cajole Putin. Only the British saw things clearly and gave the Ukrainians whatthey needed whenever they asked for it. Biden became reactive instead of proactive, reluctantly providing aid figuratively, always a day late and a dollar short.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump and his MAGA crowd on the sidelines were whipping up support and always giving excuses for Putin and Russia. Putin exploiting the fearfulness in Washington and Berlin and the support he garnered from his MAGA acolytes in Washington, ramped up talk of using tactical nuclear weapons, while he rebuilt his shattered military.

The end-product of Biden's hesitancy was that the Russians rebounded and went on the offensive while Biden titrated the weapons supply to the Ukrainians. Led by Trump, the MAGA crowd in the US Congress ensured the weapons supply to Ukraine dried up completely, while Biden advised by his even more fearful National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, denied the Ukrainians the ability to use already delivered US weapons as they deemed fit.

The long and shot of this self-defeating tactic and the ultimate expression of Biden's glaring timidity and lack of self-confidence was hisunilateral announcement that there will be no talk of Ukraine joining NATO during theforthcoming NATO summit to be held in Washington, DC.

I n I still insist that the wisest course of action would be to grant Ukraine provisional membership of NATO pending the conclusion of the war with Russia. This would reinvigorate the Ukrainians resolve and demoralize the Russians, while enhancing both sidespreparedness for peace negotiations.

Endgame - These three issues discussed above were the precursors of the erosion of Biden's confidence at home and abroad. By the time he went into the debate with Trump, with doubts and fears already raised about his mental capacity to lead, Biden was already a broken man.

Based purely on argumentative points raised, Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump on debatenight. But all things considered, Biden was thoroughly defeated on the night because of his manner of presentation. Biden was low energy all night.

Instead of speaking aloud, Biden was retreating and talking to himself. He suffered from mental fog, i.e., his CPU crashed at least twice during the debate, at the beginning and most fatally during his closing remarks.

Despite that Trump handed Biden several glaring opportunities to finish him (Trump) off.Biden could not just do it. I will mention just three. When Trump claimed only himself could guarantee a peaceful, non-expansionist Russia. Biden should have responded by retorting that it is only because Trump would appease Putin byhelping Russia to permanently keep the already secured territorial gains of expansionism.

Next when Trump dismissed clean energy andthe ensuing threat of global warming, Biden should have responded that Trump's reliance on fossil fuel enabled China to acquire global leadership in clean energy especially electric cars.

When Trump claimed that Biden was the cause of the immigration debacle, Biden should have responded that all Trump cares for is himself and not the American people. He should have stressed how Trump instructed his MAGA acolytes in the US Congress to block the bipartisan Immigration Bill until after the elections so that the immigration issue wouldremain an electoral talking point for Trump.

Donald Trump was there for the taking, but Biden failed to exploit the opportunity to land the knock-out blow. Therefore, Joe Biden lost to himself on debate night, not to Donald Trump.

This peace was originally titled Why Trump beat Biden like a drum. But as I dug deeper into what really happened, I realized that the previous title did not do justice to debate night. It became quite clear that Biden fell headlong into a hole he dug by himself for himself.

Given all that has transpired, can Joe Biden pullhimself out of his self-dug hole and retain his Presidency? Maybe by acting boldly and decisively and calling Putins bluff, the same Putin that Donal Trump panders to. This he can demonstrate by empowering Ukraine and granting them provisional membership of NATO.

He should as well warn the Russians that if they keep on destroying Ukrainian infrastructure and targeting Ukrainian civilians with missiles and rockets indiscriminately, the Ukrainians will not be stopped from responding by targeting Russian military assets deep inside Russia with all the weapons at their disposal.

Such bold action will go a long way in dispensing Biden's self-woven cloak of a paucity of self-confidence. The Russia- Ukraine War will not end until the war is brought into Russian territory and the Russians realize that Ukraine has already secured what they set out to prevent, which is Ukraines abscondment from the Russian orbit.

Domestically, the hole Biden finds himself in, isa different matter entirely. What people mustunderstand is that the shrillness of the hue and cry about Biden's age is based fully on Americans perception of his Vice-President and her readiness for the highest office in the world.

The fact of the matter in I n Is reading is that majority Americans do not have confidence in Vice-President Kamala Harris. They simply are not comfortable with having her as President. The reason is partly sexist because she is a woman. It is partly racist because she is a non-white.

Finally, it is partly performance related because there is hardly anything Kamala Harris can publicly point to as her overarching achievement besides her contributions to fighting for women's right to choose abortion, protection of LGBT rights and her stoutresistance to the abrogation of Rowe v Wade by the US Supreme Court. Unfortunately, those are all issues that fundamentally divide Americans to the core, where gains will be offset by losses.

Were Biden's Vice President a formidable policy wonk in her own rights, queries about his age would be a non-issue. Had she decisively resolved the immigration issue, which was entrusted to her by President Biden, she would have had something popular among Americans to lean on.

I n I volunteer that should Biden dump Kamala Harris and substitute her with California Governor Gavin Newsome, all the talk about his age would disappear almost overnight. But, ifKamala Harris is dumped, Biden would risk alienating a key faction of his electoral base, the Black voters whose monolithic support for Biden is already being threatened by Donald Trump.

If she is retained, he would risk alienating a vast swathe of swing-vote and democrat Americans,fearful about his age and possible declining capabilities but more frightened by a potential Kamala Harris Presidency.

That is the Catch-22, the multimillion-dollarquestion confronting America's President, Joseph Biden today as he contemplates the monstrous scale of his debate night misadventure.

We are .

Anthony Chuka Konwea, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, MNSE, FNIStructE, MNICE.
ADEN, Yemen, June 30 (Xinhua) -- A fresh round of negotiations between the Yemeni government and Houthi representatives began Sunday in Muscat, focusing on the exchange of prisoners and detainees.

The talks, held under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), aim to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis surrounding prisoners in the conflict-ridden nation.

Majid Fadail, spokesperson for the government delegation, confirmed to Xinhua that the initial session took place during the past hours. The meeting was attended by Sarhad Fattah, deputy special envoy of the UN secretary-general to Yemen, along with representatives from the ICRC and the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

According to Fadail, the primary objective of these negotiations is to secure the release of all prisoners and detainees without discrimination, based on an "all-for-all" principle. He emphasized "the government delegation's commitment to addressing this humanitarian issue responsibly."

A key point of discussion is the fate of Mohamed Qahtan, a prominent Yemeni politician held by the Houthis nine years ago in Sanaa. The government delegation stressed that "progress in the negotiations is contingent on revealing Qahtan's status and securing his release," according to Fadail.

On the other side, Abdul Qader Murtada, head of the Houthi negotiating team, expressed optimism on social media platform X, stating, "We hope it will be a successful round that a new exchange deal will be agreed upon, and the humanitarian file will be resolved."

The current round follows a series of UN-sponsored talks between the Yemeni government and Houthis over the years. The most recent discussions, held in Amman in June 2023, ended without an agreement.

However, a previous round in Switzerland in March 2023 led to a successful exchange in April 2023, resulting in the release of over 800 prisoners and detainees from both warring Yemeni sides. 
Has Imphal completely lost the plot ? Pinning hopes on Delhi

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Imphal has completely lost the plot and this is perhaps the first time that Chief Minister N Biren Singh has given a somewhat official stamp to this in pinning hopes on the line, Centres decisions will help resolve conflict. And the Chief Minister qualified this further with the line, positive news in two-three months. In effect this means the Chief Minister expects Manipur and her people to wait for another 60 or 90 days before Delhi steps in to broker an arrangement that would put Manipur on the path of normalcy. Tough to say how this would have gone down with the people, but remember Manipur has been waiting for over 400 days for the Centre to respond to the situation here and another 60 or 90 days may not seem much to the beleaguered people of the State. The BJP led Government at Imphal may trumpet that Manipur figures in the to do list of the first 100 days of New Delhi but if one takes the Presidential address to Parliament on June 27 into account, this sounds a little far fetched. Remember Manipur did not feature once in the long speech of the President, a speech prepared by the Government. Whatever it is, this is how New Delhi has been treating the place and her people for well over 400 days and come to think about it, this is not the first time that Delhi has demonstrated that Manipur does not feature in the priority list of India at all. The indifference of the Prime Minister to the mayhem here may be understood as an extension of the chicken neck syndrome where Delhi has steadfastly refused to look beyond the Brahmaputra. The mentality that the BJP Government inherited from the earlier Governments continues to ring loud and this is where all the cheers of a new Government under the BJP, both at Imphal and at Delhi, can turn into jeers. And this jeer was given life and form in the drubbing the BJP candidate received at the hands of the Congress candidate in the Inner Parliamentary Constituency as well as the thrashing the NPF candidate, backed by the BJP, received at the hands of the Congress candidate in the Outer Parliamentary Constituency. With each blow that the Kuki militants deliver on Manipur and the outcries that follow, the more it becomes clear that in N Biren the BJP at Delhi seems to have found the perfect fall guy. This is where a new understanding of the line, The Chief Minister of Manipur is co-operating delivered by Union Home Minister in Parliament some time last year, becomes more and more relevant.

The confident stance adopted by the Chief Minister during an interaction with The Print comes as somewhat of a sharp departure from the talks that did the round that Manipur may see a change in leadership. That this talk gained traction after the Chief Minister was not invited to the high level meeting called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Delhi is significant and in as much as the Government may maintain that the meeting concerned officials and not political leaders, it did not stop tongues from wagging. The Sangai Express had also questioned the rationale of holding a meet to discuss the Manipur issue without the Chief Minister and it is amidst this reality that N Biren struck a positive tone in pinning hopes on the Centre working things out in the next 60 or 90 days. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown is a line that comes to mind and one can imagine the immense pressure that must have been mounted on the Chief Minister and while the Kukis bay for his head on the allegations that the violence is State sponsored, the Meiteis see the indifference of the Prime Minister as a weakness of N Biren. The only thing predictable in politics is its unpredictability and while there are talks doing the round, no one seems sure what new development may be expected in the coming days. What however is there for all to see is the fact that Narendra Modi has returned for the third consecutive term and this is where one wonders what may be expected from New Delhi. Remember it is the same man who has never publicly acknowledged the mayhem in Manipur for over 400 days and the question is whether one can expect the Prime Minister to look at things anew this time.
Arms and ammos recovered

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IMPHAL, Jun 30: Assam Rifles and Manipur police launched an operation and recovered several arms and ammunition from New Bizang village in Churachandpur on June 27, said IGAR South in a statement today. The operation, launched following specific inputs, resulted in the recovery of two SLR Rifles, one 0.315 Rifle, eight Single Barrel Rifles, one improvised Mortar and ammunition. The recovered items have been handed over to Manipur police, it said.
Nagaland, Manipur police rescue two persons

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IMPHAL, Jun 30 : Nagaland and Senapati police have rescued the two persons who were abducted from Tamphung village on June 28 from Kiipeuzang hill range in Peren, Nagaland last night at around 11.

According to credible sources, the two persons Mukesh Kumar (32), s/o Sh Ramesh Kumar of Thamber Village, Haryana and Anil Kumar (40), s/o Janeshwar Prasad of Baroli Majra, Haryana who are engaged in road construction work under National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited were abducted by unknown armed miscreants when they were visiting the work site at Tamphung Village.

One of the abducted persons is a staff of New India Contractors & Developers Pvt Ltd while the other is with Bharat Construction Co (JV) and they are engaged in road construction of Maram Peren section (Package-3).

Of the two, one is a contractor of the project while the other is an accountant.

Tamphung Village is situated about 110 Kms away from Maram police station, Senapati.

It is said that security forces received information about the abductees being taken into a thick forest in Nagaland and Manipur border and based on it a massive search operation was launched.

The duo was rescued on the second day of the rescue operation with the help of Nagaland police from Kiipeuzang hill range in Peren district, Nagaland.

Both of them have been handed over to their respective companies safe and sound, added the sources.
The mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC), Bidhan Upadhyay has announced withdrawal of hikes in water tax of highrise buildings and apartments in Asansol.

Besides, he has also announced that Asansol Municipal Corporation is also not implementing the garbage tax as announced earlier.

The mayor said that on the instructions of chief minister and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim, the new rate of Rs10 for per kilolitre of water has been withdrawn and instead the old rate of Rs 7 per kilolitre of water will continue.

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This will benefit several hundreds of residents who stay in highrises.

The various chambers of commerce and traders have also objected to the implementation of the garbage tax. The civic body has also withdrawn the garbage tax implementation at this moment.

Recently, Mamata Banerjee in a meeting instructed that the local bodies will have to take a stand for increasing any kind of taxes from the state government.

Like all other civic bodies in the state, Asansol is also becoming congested and the civic body has also started announcing through public address systems, urging all illegal encroachers to vacate their lands in Asansol town, Burnpur Steel township, Raniganj and other places.

The civic body and the BLLRO office is also probing the papers about a land of a RSS building in Asansol North area, after complaints from the state chief minister, based on inputs of law minister Moloy Ghatak.

The advocate of RSS has sought 15 days time to submit all necessary documents and already a notice has been served.

Asansol, the headquarters of the newest district in the state, is an unplanned city and is over 250 years old. But its importance has become immense after the formation of the new district headquarters.

In the coming days, a number of modernization and renovation works will take place including setting up of renovated Asansol railway station, modernization of IISCO Steel Plant in Burnpur, setting up of two new greenfield hotel projects, shopping malls etc.
GAZA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), released a video on Sunday showing its members preparing explosive devices for use against Israeli military vehicles that penetrate Gaza Strip cities.

The 40-second video showed the group's members painting the devices and placing them in portable bags inside a covered area with black cloth inscribed with the phrases: "He who seeks my demise is chasing a mirage" and "(Operation) Al-Aqsa Flood."

Al-Qassam also announced the use of the "Fedayeen Operations" device for the first time during the ongoing war with Israeli forces in Gaza since last October.

This came as both Al-Qassam and the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, claimed on Sunday targeting Israeli vehicles and soldiers in the Shujaiya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City and the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the south of the city.

Al-Qassam said in a statement that its members "destroyed an Israeli Namer APC (armored personnel carrier) with a Yassin 105 rocket, killing and injuring its crew" south of Tal al-Hawa.

In a separate statement, the brigades mentioned that its members also targeted "a Shezaret APC and a D9 military bulldozer" in Tal al-Hawa.

In addition, it stated in another press release that its members "targeted the gathering of Israeli forces in Shujaiya with mortar shells."

In turn, the Al-Quds Brigades announced in a statement that its members are "engaged in fierce clashes" with Israeli soldiers using machine guns and anti-personnel weapons east of Shujaiya.

The brigades mentioned in a separate statement that its members "bombarded Israeli army gatherings" in the Shujaiya neighborhood "with a barrage of mortar shells."

Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. 
Siliguri mayor Goutam Deb has urged those in need to apply for the housing programme. This decision was made by the mayor after a resident of Siliguri called during his Talk to Mayor session today.

The person, who made the call, notified the mayor that there were five families residing in Kopaijote, within ward 46, who did not have proper housing. These households lack the resources necessary to build their own homes. Upon receiving this information, the mayor urged the caller to promptly apply for housing assistance.

During the Talk to Mayor session, it should be mentioned that Mr Deb received two additional calls regarding the housing scheme. One caller inquired about the progress of their application while the other asked for information on how to apply.

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In response to their inquiries, Mr Deb did not hesitate to hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for the delay in distributing funds for the housing programme. Additionally, he highlighted that despite the BJP winning both MLA and MP seats in this area, they showed reluctance in addressing the issue when the Centre deliberately withheld its financial contribution.

In conclusion, Mr Deb provided reassurance that chief minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to provide financial assistance only in July of this year.

This means that we must wait patiently for the processing of applications from many beneficiaries that have been pending for a while, Mr Deb said.

Mayor also emphasized that the chief minister is dedicated to implementing the housing for all projects with support from the state government, therefore those interested should submit their applications promptly.

The mayor expressed worry about the issue of drug addicts and their harmful influence due to the involvement of drug dealers. When a resident brought up the problem, Mr Deb stated that the Siliguri Municipal Corporation has identified five specific areas where illegal substances are being sold. The corporation has made the decision to take steps to address this issue.

A meeting will be held with the police and other relevant officials in order to combat the problem of drugs in Siliguri, Mr Deb said.
Officers of the special Task Force of the state police today arrested one terror suspect of a banned Bangladeshi terror group from Chennai, state police sources said.

The person arrested as terror suspect has been identified as Seikh Anwar.

According to police sources, Seikh Anwar, who was a resident of a Mangalkot village of East Burdwan, had shifted to Chennai for work. There, claimed police, the 33-year-old suspect would work as a washer man.

State police sources said that Anwar, who had his link with the banned Bangladeshi terror outfit, was a member of the sleeper cell of that outfit and was engaged in radicalizing young minds in Chennai.

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The STF sources said that the leads regarding Anwars whereabouts surfaced following interrogation of another suspect Habibullah, who was picked up on 22 June from Panagarh, Kanksa by the state STF.

Interrogation of the suspect revealed that he was associated with a banned Bangladeshi terror outfit Ansar Al-Islam, which again was found to have its link with Al-Qaeda group.

Bengal police sources said, interrogation of Habibullah led them to believe that he was actually an active member of Sahadat, a sleeper cell of Ansar Al-Islam.

Interrogation of Habibullah led to the arrest of one Harez Seikh, who was arrested by the state STF on 25 June. Interrogation of both led to the arrest of Seikh Anwar today from Chennai.
Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi inspected various areas affected by waterlogging, where vehicular movement is yet to be restored, including at the Okhla underpass, after Fridays unprecedented rain in the national capital.

The Delhi Traffic Police, in a post on X, said, Movement of traffic is restricted at Okhla underpass due to waterlogging. Kindly plan your journey accordingly. This has forced regular commuters to take alternative routes facing traffic jams en route and delayed journeys.

Speaking to a news agency, the mayor said, 80 years of record has been broken on Friday. All the officials are working together to find a solution to the problem of waterlogging, and efforts are being made so that the people of Delhi can get relief from the problem at the earliest.

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Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy rainfall in Delhi placing the city on orange alert till July 2.

Heavy rains lashed parts of Delhi-NCR on Friday and Saturday, causing waterlogging, traffic jams, rain-related accidents, casualties, and injuries, prompting the government to take measures to tackle the situation.
A Crime Branch team of the Delhi Police arrested five members of a robbers gang for a sensational armed robbery at a restaurant in the Welcome area from the Shakarpur area.

The police recovered two firearms, two stolen phones, and three motorcycles from the accused identified as Sunny (27), Sachin (23), Shivam 25), and Himanshu (24).

The Delhi Police initiated an investigation into the case on June 11 after a report of the armed robbery at a famous restaurant in the Babarpur area was filed at the Welcome police station. The complainant said two individuals reportedly robbed the cashier and a waiter at the restaurant of Rs 65,000 in cash and three mobile phones at gunpoint.

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Based on the information, the team of the crime branch nabbed two accused, Sunny and Rinku, through technical and manual surveillance within ten days of the incident.

During interrogation, Sunny and Rinku confessed to the crime and named a third accomplice, Shivam. Based on their information, the police team recovered two robbed mobile phones, a motorcycle used in the crime, and clothes worn by the suspects during the robbery.

The police are on a manhunt to track down the kingpin of the gang believed to be in possession of the stolen cash from the food outlet.

With these arrests, the police claimed to have solved five cases of theft and two of motor vehicle theft cases as these robbers were involved in those cases too.
Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) and Water Minister Atishi, accompanied by concerned officials of her department, inspected the Minto Bridge underpass and the pump installed to such out the rainwater on Sunday.

The minister ordered the use of the new technology to increase the capacity of the pumps while taking all necessary steps to prevent waterlogging at the said underpass.

Taking to social media platform X, Atishi said despite the presence of an automatic pump house and alarm system at the Minto Bridge, this time the problem of waterlogging surfaced here due to 228mm of rainfall received in Delhi within a short span of time.

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The underpass witnessed waterlogging soon after the heavy rain, and the same place has been in the news for facing the same issue in the past as well.

Apart from inspecting the Minto Bridge, the water minister also paid a visit to the Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant (WTP) as due to unexpected rains, the pumping house of the plant got flooded, which resulted in damaging the motors, affecting water supply in many parts of Central Delhi.

The minister said that the Jal Board worked quickly to solve this problem and the plant has been repaired to almost 80 per cent, and soon the supply will be back to normal.

Atishi ordered that a joint inspection of plants be conducted and it must be ensured that this problem does not reoccur in any plant in the future.

Several important officials of the departments concerned also accompanied the water minister.

According to the minister, she had earlier said that Delhi received unexpected rainfall recently, as normally the city receives 800 mm of rain during the entire monsoon season, but, two days ago 228 mm of rainfall occurred in just 24 hours.

She also shared a few snippets from her inspections on social media platform X.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah inaugurated a new building of the Kheda District Central Cooperative (KDCC) Bank Limited (Sardar Patel Sahkar Bhavan) on Sunday.

On the occasion, the Union minister addressed the 76th Annual General Meeting of the bank at Nadiad, Gujarat through video conferencing.

The new building of the bank has been constructed at a cost of Rs 18 crore 70 lakh. Many dignitaries, including the minister of cooperation of Gujarat and the chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) were present on this occasion.

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Shah said Kheda is the same district from where Amul was started under the guidance of countrys first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

He said Amul set an example of achieving Sahkar se Samriddhi (Prosperity through cooperation) for the entire country and the world. Till some time ago, there were talks of closure of the Kheda District Cooperative Bank, but today this bank has constructed its own building of 36,000 square feet and has realized the dreams of implementing all rules of e-banking.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people of the country have got the formula of Sahkar se Samriddhi aur Samriddhi se Sampoornata, he said.

The minister added that under this vision, PM Modi established the Ministry of Cooperation at the Centre for the first time after 75 years of independence. This initiative will play an important role in giving the cooperative sector an added life of at least 100 years in the coming times.

Speaking at the 76th Annual General Meeting of the bank, he said the bank introduced loan management, document management system and tablet banking for the first time in the cooperative banking system of Gujarat, which is a landmark achievement.

Highlighting his governments initiatives for cooperatives, he said the Centre is running pilot projects under the new initiative Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives in Banaskantha and Panchmahal districts.

He appealed to the people associated with cooperative institutions to open their bank accounts in the District Cooperative Banks so that a strong economic structure could be built in the cooperative sector.

If the mantra of Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives is successful, India does not need to take help from anyone in the cooperative sector. There is no need to take even a single rupee from the Central or the State Government, he added.

Entire cooperative movement can run strongly only with the money of cooperative institutions, he added.
Buoyed by its performance in the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala, the BJP has decided to rejuvenate the network at the grassroots level ahead of the local body polls and the 2026 assembly polls.

The saffron party is looking to capitalise on the ongoing internal strife of the CPI-M to strengthen its influence in the Left partys citadels known as party villages. It has formulated an action plan to make inroads into these party villages.

The BJP was able to increase its vote shares in many party villages which also included CM Pinarayi Vijayans constituency in the Lok Sabha polls.

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Taking into account the peoples concerns and assessing general trends, the party is trying to take advantage of the allegations against CPI-M leaders related to bomb politics, gold smuggling, and quotation gangs. During the Sabarimala issue, the problems within CPI-M and the general mood of the people benefited the Congress.

During the Lok Sabha polls, the anti-incumbency factor and the corruption charges against the CPI-M leaders benefitted the BJP too. In Thiruvananthapuram, Attingal, and Alappuzha, despite being defeated, the party was able to increase its vote share substantially.

CPI-Ms traditional Ezhava vote bank suffered a big crack in the recent Lok Sabha elections. A substantial number of votes polled went in favour of the BJP in Alappuzha and Atingal.

The BJP was also able to maintain and increase its upper caste vote base, including the Nair votes, and was also successful in getting Christian votes.

In many CPI-M strongholds in Malabar like Uduma, Thrikaripur, Payyannur, Dharmadam, and Taliparamba, the party increased its votes by four times more than that they received in the 2019 LS polls. Its vote increased even in party villages which also included CM Pinarayi Vijayans Dharmadam constituency.

The BJP was feeble in their election campaign in CPI-M strongholds, but the vote surge has raised many an eyebrow. It has been pointed out that the voters in these CPI-M strongholds were voluntarily voting for the saffron party even in the absence of booth-level campaigning by BJP workers. The reason for this is the dissatisfaction of the rank and file with the CPI-M leadership, and the BJP leadership is making efforts to take advantage of it.

The saffron party has decided to send its senior leaders to the so-called party villages and strengthen its activities in these places. Former BJP state president PK Krishnadas will coordinate these activities in Malabar.

Sources said the BJP would welcome the local leaders of the CPI-M, who are dissatisfied with the functioning of the party, to its fold.

Bolstered by its performance in the recent polls, the BJP will focus on 60 assembly seats where it polled between 35,000 to 75,000 votes in the recent general elections.

BJP President J P Nadda will attend a state-level leaders meeting to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on July 9. Around 8,000 party leaders from the panchayat committee president to state committee members will attend the meeting.
As the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha enters its second week on Monday, the Centre has slammed the Opposition for allegedly creating ruckus and not allowing the House to function over the alleged scam in the NEET-UG paper leak.

Speaking on the Oppositions protest over the issue in Parliament, former Union Minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Sunday urged the Congress to participate in the discussions.

The public has elected the opposition to hold discussions but they create ruckus in ParliamentThey (Congress) should participate in the discussions rather than running away from it, Thakur said.

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Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also defended the government over the NEET row and said that action was being taken and people were being arrested.

We are not silent. We are taking action and the people are being arrested Congress only talks, however, we do the work, Prasad said, adding They havent apologised even after 50 years of Emergency imposed in India.

The first week of the 18th Lok Sabha saw strong protests from the Opposition over the alleged NEET-UG examination paper leak.

The Opposition demanded a debate on NEET-UG row and is likely to persist with the demand in the second week as well.

The BJP is set to initiate the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the Presidents address led by BJP Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur.

The Lok Sabha has allocated 16 hours for the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the presidents address, which will conclude with Prime Minister Narendra Modis reply on Tuesday.

The Rajya Sabha has been allotted 21 hours for the discussion and the prime minister is likely to reply on Wednesday.
After meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi where key issues concerning Karnatakas development and progress were discussed, Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah on Saturday submitted a detailed letter to Prime Minister Modi highlighting key demands and priorities for Karnatakas development.

The CM of Karnataka informed this through a social media post on X and wrote, Chief Minister Shri @siddaramaiah submitted a detailed letter to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi highlighting key demands and priorities for Karnatakas development. Anticipating constructive collaboration for the progress of our state. The Chief Minister @siddaramaiah met the Prime Minister @narendramodi.

Informing about the meeting, the CM of Karnataka wrote on X, Chief Minister Shri @siddaramaiah had a constructive meeting with Honble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in Delhi today. Key issues concerning Karnatakas development and progress were discussed. Committed to working together for the states growth and prosperity.

In the meeting, the Karnataka CM requested approval of important projects of the states which includes Mekedatu Dam Project, Bhadra Upper Bank Project, Kalasa Banduri Drinking Water Project, etc.

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In a post, the Karnataka CM wrote, The Chief Minister @siddaramaiah met the Prime Minister @narendramodi today and requested approval of important projects of the state. The approval of the Rs 9,000 crore Mekedatu Dam Project, which will provide drinking water to Bangalore city and generate 400 MW of electricity, is pending from the Central Water Commission, and the Prime Minister was requested to take personal interest in the said project.

It was requested to direct the officials of the Ministry of Water Power and the Ministry of Environment and Forests to release Rs 5,300 crore for the Bhadra Upper Bank Project as announced in the Central Government Budget 2023-2024 and for quick settlement of the Kalasa Banduri Drinking Water Project. The problem of drinking water will be solved due to Mahadai Yojana, a long-time dream project of the people of Kittoor Karnataka region.

Furthermore, the CM requested the PM to grant funds to the state government and NHAI through Central Budget for the construction of a tunnel which will further help in decongesting the Bangalore city.

The CM of Karnataka handle wrote on X, 3,000 crore for the 60 km tunnel to decongest Bangalore city, the project has several benefits. This tunnel connecting National Highway 7 to National Highway 4 could be carried out by the Government of Karnataka in collaboration with the Central National Highway Authority, and a request was made to grant funds to the State Government and NHAI through the Central Budget.

To increase the demand for public transport, Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation has submitted a DPR of Rs. 15,611 crore for the construction of 44.65 km of Metro 3rd phase to the Central Government, pending the approval of the Union Cabinet. Requested for approval as soon as possible. The state government has approved the construction of 73.04 km long Ashtapatha Peripheral Ring Road under private public partnership. The Chief Minister @siddaramaiah requested the Prime Minister @narendramodi to earmark the necessary funds in the Union Budget.

Also, a request was made by CM Siddaramaiah to release a special grant of Rs 6,000 crore recommended by the 15th Finance Commission for the period 2021-26 for development of lakes and peripheral ring road.

The state government has earmarked a grant of Rs 3,000 crore in the budget for the development of seven districts of Kalyan Karnataka, and the central government has been requested to provide a corresponding grant in its budget for 2024-25 and to increase the grant provided under the development aspiring district program of the central government and to facilitate inclusion of new programs in the scheme.
General Upendra Dwivedi, a highly decorated infantry officer, assumed the role of the 30th Chief of the Indian Army on Sunday. General Dwivedi belongs to the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Rifles and was appointed as the Vice Chief of Army Staff in February early this year.

General Dwivedis military journey began at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in January 1981, leading to his commission into the 18th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles on December 15, 1984.

He later commanded this battalion in both the Kashmir Valley and Rajasthan.

His early years were marked by excellence in sports, earning accolades at both the NDA and IMA, where he received the Blue in Physical Training and a gold medal in the Physical Training Course post commissioning.

Throughout his career, General Dwivedi has gained extensive operational experience across Northern, Western, and Eastern Theatres, operating in diverse terrains such as deserts, high altitudes, riverine regions, urban areas, the North East, and Jammu and Kashmir.

He led his battalion in counter-terrorism operations in both the Kashmir Valley and the Rajasthan Desert.

As a Major General, he served as Inspector General of Assam Rifles and as a Sector Commander at the Brigadier level.

During his tenure, he led intense counter-terrorism operations and held various staff and command roles in the North East, where he pioneered the first comprehensive guide on Indo-Myanmar border management.

Later, he commanded the Rising Star Corps along the Western Front and the Northern Army from 2022 to 2024, providing strategic and operational oversight for sustained operations along the Northern and Western borders, and directing counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

General Dwivedi is married to Sunita Dwivedi. A science graduate, Ms Dwivedi is a homemaker and involved with a Bhopal institute for children with special needs. The couple has two daughters.
HONG KONG, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Monday published the "2024 Honours List and Justices of the Peace appointments" in the gazette, in which a total of 502 people were honored and awarded by the chief executive this year.

According to reports, the award recipients come from different walks of life with diverse backgrounds. They have made significant contributions to Hong Kong, benefitting various domains and sectors of the community.

The honors include the Grand Bauhinia Medal, Gold Bauhinia Star, Silver Bauhinia Star, Distinguished Service Medals for Disciplined Services and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, and Bronze Bauhinia Star, among others.

A HKSAR government spokesperson said the chief executive expresses gratitude and extends congratulations to all award recipients, hoping they will continue to excel in their fields and serve the community.

The presentation ceremony for the awards will be held later this year. 
A team of global experts on Sunday began examining the under-construction Polavaram multipurpose dam across the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh to salvage the project, which was stalled due to massive damage to its diaphragm wall caused by floods in the past.

The experts were brought in to recommend ways to repair the damaged portion of the dam. Since the TDP government took over, the focus has once again shifted to building a capital city and completing the Polavaram dam, described as the lifeline of the truncated state.

The team, comprising experts from the US and Canada, will examine each section of the project until July 3 and submit their report on how to restart the project. Experts like David B Paul and Gian Franco Di Cicco from the US and Richard Donnelly and Sean Hinchberger from Canada visited the dam site on Sunday and inspected the cofferdams, the diaphragm wall, and the guide bund. The Central Water Commission chose the experts since they have expertise in areas like dam safety, structural engineering, hydraulic structures, geotechnical engineering, and civil engineering.

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Before they arrived at Rajahmundry, the global experts also met the central and state government officials of the water resources department. The experts will hold discussions with the Polavaram Project Authority, Central Water Commission, the Central Soil and Materials Research Station (CSMRS), the private contractor involved in the construction, and other stakeholders. They will assess the dams safety and management, civil engineering and hydraulic structures, and the challenges faced by the project before submitting a report to the Polavaram Project Authority.

The work on the upper and lower cofferdams and the diaphragm wall began during the tenure of the previous TDP government. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu recently released a White Paper on the Polavaram project, describing the project as beyond imagination. He also accused the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddys government of diverting central grants worth Rs 3,385 crore over the past five years. The cost escalation for rebuilding the damaged parts would be 38 per cent, the Chief Minister said. A total sum of Rs 12,157 crore will be required to complete Phase I of the project.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held the 111th episode of his monthly radio show  Mann Ki Baat, which resumed after a hiatus of four months.

In the first episode after the Lok Sabha elections 2024, PM Modi said that while the Mann Ki Baat was closed for a few months, the spirit of the program and the good work done for the country and the society continued unabated.

Mann Ki Baat radio program might have been closed for a few monthsbut the spirit of Mann Ki Baatwork done for the country, the society good work done every day, work done with selfless spiritwork that had a positive impact on the society continued unabated, said PM Modi.

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The Prime Minister also thanked countrymen for reiterating their unwavering faith in the Constitution and the democratic system of the country.

He said the Lok Sabha election 2024 was the biggest election in the world. Such a big election has never been held in any country of the world in which 65 crore people cast their votes. I congratulate the Election Commission and everyone associated with the electoral process.

PM Modi also wished the tribal communities on the occasion Hul Diwas, celebrated on June 30 every year in the memory of Veer Sidhu-Kanhu.

Today, the 30th of June is a very important day. Our tribal brothers and sisters celebrate this day as Hul Diwas. This day is associated with the indomitable courage of Veer Sidhu-Kanhu, the PM said.

Highlighting the special Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign launched by his government to promote tree plantation on the World Environment Day, the Prime Minister said that it was gladdening to see people inspiring others to participate in it.

In the 111th episode of Mann Ki Baat, Modi also mentioned the special Karthumbi umbrellas of Kerala in a bid to promote local products.

Umbrellas have a special significance in the culture of Kerala. Umbrellas are an important part of many traditions and rituals there. But the umbrella I am talking about is Karthumbi Umbrellas and these are made in Attappadi of Kerala. These umbrellas are made by our tribal sisters of Kerala. Today, the demand for these umbrellas is increasing across the country. They are also being sold online. These umbrellas are made under the supervision of Vattalakki Cooperative Agricultural Society. This society is led by our women power he added.

The PM also recognized the efforts of the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir by growing snow peas and lauded their spirit to promote local products at global level.

What Jammu and Kashmir has achieved last month is an example for people across the country. The first consignment of snow peas was sent to London from Pulwama, he informed.

Modi said that it is natural to feel proud to see products of India going global and cited the example of famous Araku coffee of Andhra Pradesh.

There are so many products of India which are in great demand all over the world and when we see a local product of India going global, it is natural to feel proud. One such product is Araku coffee of Andhra Pradesh, he said.
The three new criminal laws that will come into effect from Monday are set to herald the beginning of a new era in the countrys justice delivery system.

Enacted with a vision to reform the justice delivery system in the country, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam with an aim to empower the citizen to replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively, continued to date from the British era.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, while addressing the Conference on Indias Progressive Path in the Administration of Criminal Justice System which was streamed on social media, said the new criminal laws are for providing justice in contrast to colonial legislations where the focus was on punishment.

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These criminal laws have been enacted after consultation with all stakeholders, including MPs and MLAs across party lines, in compliance with the recommendations received from the Law Commission of India while accommodating the suggestions made by common citizens online, the minister said.

According to government sources, the new criminal laws mark a significant step towards empowering citizens as they are aimed at making the justice system more accessible, supportive, and efficient for all.

Some of the key highlights of the new laws include filing the first information report (FIR) at any police station, online reports of incidents, and police complaints and also a provision of availing a copy of the FIR free of cost, and also bringing widespread changes incorporating more use of technology, the sources added.

The new laws have also accorded priority to investigation for offences against women and children to ensure timely completion of cases.

Another important aspect of the legislation is that the new laws will make it mandatory for forensic experts to visit crime scenes in case of serious offences that invite punishment of seven years or more.

To expedite the legal process and reduce paperwork, summons under the new laws will be served electronically to ensure efficient communication among all concerned parties.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, since the new laws are based on accountability, with their implementation videography of search and seizure becomes mandatory. An investigation report will have to be provided to the complainant within a period of 90 days while making the details of the arrested person public to the police station.

According to reports, with these laws coming into force, a programme will be organised at all police stations to highlight their salient features.

Meanwhile, police departments across the country have been training to have a smooth transition from the existing to the new criminal laws for quite some time.
Following the defeat of its president Mehbooba Mufti in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday met in Srinagar to discuss the partys strategy for the coming Assembly elections.

This was the first meeting of the PAC after the defeat of Mehbooba on Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat and also the INDIA bloc disowning her party by refusing to assign her party even a single seat in the elections.

Mehbooba chaired the PAC meeting in which senior party leaders participated. Measures to strengthen the party at the grassroots level were deliberated and the strategy to tackle the current political situation in Jammu and Kashmir was also considered.

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The PAC threadbare reviewed the post Lok Sabha elections political situation in J&K, party sources said.
Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday appealed to the people associated with cooperative institutions to open their bank accounts in the District Cooperative Banks, so that a strong economic structure can be built in the cooperative sector.

If the mantra of Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives is successful, then India does not need to take help from anyone in the cooperative sector, Shah said while addressing the 76th Annual General Meeting of Kheda District Central Cooperative (KDCC) Bank Limited, Nadiad, Gujarat through video conferencing. He virtually inaugurated the new building of the bank (Sardar Patel Sahkar Bhavan) constructed at a cost of Rs 18.70 crore.

There is no need to take even a single rupee from the Central or the State Government, the Minister said.

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Shah said the entire cooperative movement can run strongly only with the money of cooperative institutions.

He said the Centre is running pilot projects under the new initiative Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives in Banaskantha and Panchmahal districts.

Shah said the District Cooperative Banks should also contribute towards strengthening the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).

He said the Government of India has started strengthening PACSs by taking 20 different initiatives and the District Cooperative Banks should also come forward in this work. The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said stronger PACS will further strengthen the cooperative banks.

Addressing the programme, Shah said Kheda is the same district from where Amul was started under the successful guidance of the countrys first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

He said Amul has set an example of achieving Sahkar se Samriddhi (Prosperity through Cooperation) in front of the entire country and the world.

Shah said that till some time ago there were talks of closure of Kheda District Cooperative Bank, but today this bank has constructed its own building of 36,000 square feet and has realised the dreams of implementing all rules of e-banking.

He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people of the country have got the formula of Sahkar se Samriddhi aur Samriddhi se Sampoornata.

He said under this vision, the Prime Minister established the Ministry of Cooperation at the Centre for the first time after 75 years of independence. Shah said this initiative will play an important role in giving the cooperative sector an added life of at least 100 years in the coming times.

The Union Home Minister said Sardar Patel Sahkar Bhavan is a modern, four-storey, centrally air-conditioned building which will prove to be very useful for the farmers and residents of Kheda district.

Speaking at the occasion, Shah said Kheda District Central Cooperative Bank has introduced loan management, document management system and tablet banking for the first time in the cooperative banking system of Gujarat, which is a landmark achievement.

He said since its inauguration in 1950, Kheda District Cooperative Bank has served the farmers of the region well and today it is in a net profit of about Rs 31 crore. There were times when there were apprehensions about its future, but after getting the license in 2012, it now has a reserve fund of Rs 258 crore and deposits of Rs 2500 crore.
Praising former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidus mild mannerism, eloquence and wit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday recalled that no one can match his level of wit, spontaneity, quick counters and one-liners.

Mr Modi was releasing three books on the life and journey of Mr Naidu on the eve of his 75th birthday via video conferencing.

The books released by the PM include (i) Biography of the former Vice President titled Venkaiah Naidu  Life in Service authored by Mr S Nagesh Kumar, former Resident Editor of The Hindu, Hyderabad edition; (ii) Celebrating Bharat  The Mission and Message of Shri M Venkaiah Naidu as 13th VicePresident of India, a Photo chronicle compiled by Dr I V Subba Rao, Former Secretary to Vice-President of India; and (iii) Pictorial biography in Telugu titled Mahaneta  Life and Journey of Shri M Venkaiah Naidu authored by Mr Sanjay Kishore.

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The PM noted that Mr Naidu will be completing 75 years tomorrow and said, These 75 years have been extraordinary and it encompasses magnificent stopovers. He expressed delight in releasing Mr Naidus biography and two other books based on his life. He expressed confidence that these books will become a source of inspiration for the people while also illuminating the correct path to serving the nation.

Reminiscing about his long association with the former Vice-President, the PM said he had the opportunity to work with Mr Naidu for a long period. This collaboration began during Mr Naidus tenure as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), followed by his senior role in the Cabinet, his tenure as the Vice-President of the country, and later as the Speaker of the Rajya Sabha. One can imagine the wealth of experience a person hailing from a small village may have gathered while holding such significant posts. Even I learned a lot from Venkaiah ji, he added.

Mr Modi said the life of Venkaiah Naidu ji is a perfect glimpse of the amalgamation of ideas, vision and personality. He expressed happiness about the current state of BJP and Jana Sangh in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as compared to how it was decades ago without any strong foundation. He said, Despite such lacunae, Mr Naidu strived in his role as an ABVP Karyakarta with the ideology of Nation First and had made up his mind to achieve something for the nation.

The PM lauded Mr Naidu for his fighting tooth and nail against the Emergency, which was imposed 50 years ago in the nation, despite being imprisoned for about 17 months. He also underlined that Mr Naidu was one such braveheart who was tried and tested during the wrath of Emergency and that is the reason he considers the latter as a true friend.

Underling that power does not reflect the comforts of life but is the medium to accomplish the resolutions by service, the PM said that Mr Naidu proved himself when he got the opportunity to become a part of the Vajpayee Government where he chose to become the Union Minister for Rural Development. Naidu ji wanted to serve the villages, the poor and the farmers, he added. He further added that Mr Naidu worked as a Union Minister for Urban Development in the Modi Government and lauded his commitment and vision for modern Indian cities. He mentioned Swachh Bharat Mission, Smart City Mission and Amrit Yojna initiated by Mr Naidu.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat will release a book on Param Vir Chakra recipient Veer Abdul Hamid on the occasion of his birth anniversary at his residence in Dhamupur village in Ghazipur on Monday.

Event convener Santosh Kumar Singh Yadav said during his visit to Hathiyaram Mutt in July last year, Bhagwat had felicitated families of many brave martyrs of Ghazipur.

During the same event, Veer Abdul Hamids son Jainul Hassan had informed the RSS Chief about the book being written by his father and requested him to release it after its final publication, he said, adding that the RSS Chief had given his consent to come for releasing the book.

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The book is authored by Ramchandran Shrinivasan and will be released on the legendary martyrs birth anniversary on July 1.
Change of mindset and exploration of regional resources are the key to StartUps in Jammu & Kashmir, said the union minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday while addressing the valedictory function of the 2-day National StartUp Conference RASE 2024 at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Srinagar.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the StartUp movement in India has picked up in a big way in the last one decade and the credit for this primarily goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who gave a call Start-up India Stand-up India.

At that time, he recalled, the number of Start-ups in the country was just 350-400 and today it has gone up to 1.5 lakh while India is rated number 3 globally in the StartUps.

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Somehow, in the earlier years the StartUp movement did not catch up with an equal pace in this part of the country.

He said, this has also been so because of the fact that in some of the states and UTs like Jammu & Kashmir, for several decades government jobs have been the main source of livelihood and that has conditioned the mindset of the youngsters as well as the parents.

It is, therefore, important to create awareness that employment does not mean only government jobs and that some of the Start-up avenues may be more lucrative compared to the salaried government job, he said.

Emphasising the need to explore the regional resources, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, somehow the mindset gets stuck up with IT when we talk of Start-ups whereas in a region like Jammu & Kashmir the agriculture sector should be the main area of Start-ups.

Citing the example of Aroma Mission, he said, the Purple Revolution was born from small towns of Bhaderwah and Gulmarg, and is now being talked about countrywide while the Purple Revolution Tableau was also displayed on 26 January parade at New Delhi.

He said, nearly 5000 youngsters have taken up lavender farming as agri Start-ups and are making handsome income. Encouraged by them, he said, some of the youngsters working in the corporate sector have also left their job and turned to lavender farming.

The success of the aroma mission is vindicated from the fact that the example of J&K is also now being emulated by Uttarakhan, Himachal Pradesh and some of the Northeastern States, he added.

As far as J&K is concerned, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it could be possible to explore the areas of agri Start-ups also in the floriculture sector for which the CSIR has started a floriculture mission. He also referred to handcraft horticulture and textile Start-ups as rich domains of J&K.

He said one of the important catalysts for startup success was a close integration between academia, research, industry and for this he called upon the various research institutes as well as the industrial agencies to come together on a single platform.

He said, to begin with, the different institutions in J&K ranging from CSIR, IIT, IIM, AIIMS, SKIMS, SKUAST, NIT, Government Medical Colleges, could come together for joint StartUp endeavours.

Dr Jitendra Singh also reaffirmed the Ministry of Science and Technologys commitment to supporting StartUps.
The intricate dynamics between India, the United States, and Russia have come into sharp focus with recent developments highlighting the complexity of this trilateral relationship. With US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell expression of concern over Indias close ties with Russia potentially affecting the sharing of high technology, it becomes evident that Indias foreign policy strategy is under significant scrutiny.

Simultaneously, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrovs assertion that the US is attempting to pull India into an antiChina coalition adds another layer to this geopolitical conundrum. Indias historical ties with Russia, dating back to the early days of Indian independence, have been a cornerstone of its foreign policy. This relationship has been characterised by substantial cooperation in various sectors, including defence, energy, and space technology. However, the shifting geopolitical landscape, marked by the rise of China and the deepening USChina rivalry, has placed India in a delicate position. Washingtons concerns are not without basis. Indias acquisition of Russian military hardware and its significant imports of Russian crude oil in the midst of the Ukraine conflict have raised hackles in Washington.

The apprehension that sensitive technologies shared with India could inadvertently end up in Russian hands is a genuine strategic concern. Yet, Mr Campbells comments also underscore a broader confidence in Indias ability to navigate these complex relationships without compromising its strategic autonomy. Indias membership of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) alongside the US, Japan, and Australia is often viewed as a counter-balance to Chinas assertiveness in the IndoPacific region. However, New Delhi has consistently emphasised that the Quad is not a military alliance but a platform for promoting economic, technological, and infrastructural cooperation. Mr Lavrovs scepticism about the Quad, viewing it as a potential military and political tool against China, reflects Russias anxiety over losing its strategic partner to a US-led bloc. Indias approach to its foreign policy has always been marked by careful balancing. Its refusal to publicly criticise Russia over the Ukraine invasion and its significant purchases of Russian oil are indicative of its desire to maintain a multipolar world order.

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Simultaneously, Indias deepening ties with the US in areas such as defence, technology, and energy signify its recognition of the importance of a robust partnership with Washington in countering regional threats, particularly from China. The proposition to revive the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral format, despite Indias hesitance due to border tensions with China, points to a possible avenue for India to maintain its strategic autonomy. The RIC grouping, a precursor to the BRICS forum, could serve as a platform for fostering dialogue and cooperation on key issues affecting the Eurasian continent and the global agenda. However, the success of such an initiative hinges on the resolution of bilateral issues, particularly the on-going border dispute between India and China. The challenge for India will be to maintain this delicate balance, ensuring its national interests are safeguarded while contributing to a stable and multipolar world order.
How will the 18th Lok Sabha function? Will the Government and the Opposition seek consensus or confrontation? Will the Government be more conciliatory and the Opposition less belligerent? The prediction is pending, although at the start of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the appropriate words to show they wanted consensus. The 18th Lok Sabha is interesting because, for the first time in ten years, Modi is facing a Parliament in a weaker position.

He has to run a coalition and face a resurgent opposition. Modi stated that in his third term, his Government would aim to build consensus. Before the session, Modi sought agreement on all matters and criticized the Opposition for causing problems, thus setting the tone. Despite this, the first session of the new Lok Sabha saw animosity between the Government and the Opposition. Rahul Gandhi also emphasized the importance of the Oppositions role in representing the voice of the people in the House. He expressed willingness to assist in the Houses functioning and stressed the need for trust-based cooperation. The Lok Sabha has shown potential for positive functioning, but confrontations have already begun. Signs of animosity between the BJP-led Government and the Opposition were visible within a week of the first session. Contentious issues will likely include the Uniform Civil Code, One Nation One Poll, the National Register of Citizens, the Agnipath scheme, census, and delimitation.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has remarked, There is no evidence that the Prime Minister has come to terms with the electoral outcome or has reflected on the message sent to him by voters. She said Modi preaches the value of consensus but continues to value confrontation. The BJP aims to show that Modi 3.0 is firmly in control. However, the Modi government now relies on crucial support from two key allies  JD(U) and TDP. This means decisions are made together, and the NDA allies greatly influence the Governments plans and actions. In 2019 and 2014, the BJP had a substantial majority. The increased presence of the Opposition in various parliamentary panels is expected to generate greater engagement. The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began with a strong Opposition asserting its rights. Before the session even started, there was a dispute over the appointment of BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker to administer the oath of office to the newly elected members. The Congress and the INDIA bloc members felt that Congress MP Kodukkunil Suresh, elected eight times, should have been given the position. However, the BJP argued that they followed the rules.

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was elected to the House seven times in succession, while Suresh lost two elections. Secondly, Rahul Gandhi said he would back Om Birla, the NDA candidate, but only if the Deputy Speaker position, usually given to the Opposition, was assured. In the 17th Lok Sabha, there was no Deputy Speaker. Article 93 says that two Lok Sabha members should be chosen as Speaker and Deputy Speaker. But the Government disagreed. Om Birla has been re-elected as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, bringing continuity and stability to the House and solidifying the position of the Modi government. Thirdly, what happened next was surprising. After receiving congratulations, the newly elected Speaker took a paper out of his pocket and read a resolution against the 1975 Emergency imposed by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This provoked the Congress. The Governments decision to have the Speaker pass a resolution on his first day in office shows an inclination towards confrontation. This led the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, to lead a delegation to the Speaker to convey their objection to a political reference from the chair.

Fourthly, some opposition parties thought the presidents first speech to Parliament ignored the countrys most serious problems. Also, other opposition parties called for removing the Sengol, which the Prime Minister had installed with much fanfare earlier. Fifthly, Rahul and other Opposition MPs proposed discussing the NEET matter first. The Speaker, however, insisted that a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Presidents address be taken up first. The first weeks confrontations show that despite the decrease in numbers, the BJP is unlikely to change its working methods. An energized opposition will also make itself heard loudly. The Government will face many more challenges.

The proceedings in the Rajya Sabha also saw disruptions and adjournments as Opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion on the NEET question paper leak issue. The functioning of the House depends on the Speaker, a position of utmost importance in maintaining order and ensuring fair debates. The Rajya Sabha Chairman presides over the Upper House. Though the opening week of the 18th Lok Sabha was stormy, a functioning House is necessary for a healthy democracy. Both sides must accept reality and work together to create a more orderly parliament. The Government is responsible for maintaining order, while the Opposition should offer helpful criticism.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) released a statistical report on Sunday, one day ahead of its 103rd founding anniversary.

According to the report issued by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, the CPC had more than 99.18 million members at the end of 2023, up by over 1.14 million from 2022.

The CPC had about 5.18 million primary-level organizations at the end of 2023, an increase of 111,000 compared with the previous year.

The CPC has maintained its great vitality and strong ability by focusing on the primary level, continuously reinforcing the foundations and shoring up weak links, and strengthening its organizational system and membership, the report says.

Data from the report shows that nearly 2.41 million people had joined the CPC in 2023, with 82.4 percent of them aged 35 or below.

Party membership has seen positive changes in terms of its composition. The report reveals that more than 55.78 million Party members, or 56.2 percent of the overall membership, held junior college degrees or above, 1.5 percentage points higher than the level recorded at the end of 2022.

By the end of 2023, the CPC had over 30.18 million female members, accounting for 30.4 percent of its total membership, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous year. The proportion of members from ethnic minority groups grew by 0.1 percentage points to 7.7 percent.

Workers and farmers continue to make up the majority of CPC members, accounting for 33 percent of all members.

Education and management of Party members continued to improve in 2023, with over 1.26 million study sessions held by Party organizations at all levels.

Also in 2023, the incentive and honorary mechanism for Party organizations and members continued to play its due role. During the year, 138,000 primary-level Party organizations and 693,000 Party members were commended for their excellence.

CPC organizations at the primary level continued to improve in 2023. At the end of the year, there were 298,000 Party committees, 325,000 general Party branches and about 4.6 million Party branches at the primary level in China.

In 2023, the team of leading Party officials continued to strengthen, facilitating China's rural revitalization drive. At the end of 2023, there were nearly 490,000 secretaries of Party organizations in villages, 44 percent of whom held junior college degrees or above.

In the meantime, the practice of assigning "first secretaries" to CPC village committees has continued. There were a total of 206,000 "first secretaries" working in villages at the end of 2023.
BAGHDAD, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi explosive experts have defused six bombs, believed to have been planted by Islamic State (IS) militants years ago in the historic al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul, a police source said on Sunday.

"They were homemade bombs planted in a complex way, but the explosive experts have dismantled them without causing any casualty," Major Ahmed Saber from Mosul police told Xinhua.

He said the site is now ready to resume the restoration work undertaken by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which was halted after the reported discovery of bombs in the southern wall of the mosque's prayer hall a day earlier.

The IS blew up the al-Nuri Mosque and its iconic leaning minaret on June 21, 2017, with deliberately placed bombs.

UNESCO has been overseeing efforts to rebuild the mosque and other heritage sites in Mosul following the defeat of the IS. 
Surge As France heads into the first round of parliamentary elections today, the surge of the far-right National Rally (RN) under Ms Marine Le Pen has captured global attention. The RN, long a marginal force in French politics, now stands on the brink of a historic breakthrough, potentially securing a majority in the National Assembly. This development is not just a seismic shift for France but a moment of reckoning for Europe and democracies worldwide. The polls indicate that the RN could secure up to 37 per cent of the vote, a rise that reflects deep-seated discontent with the current political order. The centrist bloc, led by President Emmanuel Macron, appears to be losing ground, and the left-wing New Popular Front remains stagnant.

This fragmentation of traditional political forces underscores the growing polarisation in France. Several factors have contributed to this surge. Mr Macrons presidency, marked by probusiness reforms and a perceived aloofness from the struggles of ordinary citizens, has left many feeling alienated. Issues like the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services have created fertile ground for populist rhetoric. Ms Le Pen has skilfully capitalised on these grievances, softening the partys image and broadening its appeal beyond its traditional base. The implications of an RN-led government are profound. For France, it would mean a dramatic shift in domestic and foreign policy. Despite efforts to moderate its stance, the RNs core positions remain deeply Eurosceptic and nationalistic. A government led by the RN could strain Frances relationship with the European Union, posing a significant challenge to the blocs cohesion at a time when unity is crucial.

The RNs fiscal policies also raise concerns about economic stability, as promises of increased public spending clash with the need for fiscal responsibility. Moreover, the potential for political paralysis looms large. Should the RN fall short of an outright majority, France could face a hung Parliament. This scenario would lead to a fraught cohabitation between Mr Macron and an emboldened far-right, creating legislative gridlock and undermining effective governance. The stakes are high, and the uncertainty is palpable. The rise of the RN is not an isolated phenomenon. Across Europe and beyond, far-right and populist movements are gaining traction, fuelled by economic anxiety, cultural shifts, and a sense of disenfranchisement. This trend poses a direct challenge to the liberal democratic order established after World War II.

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It calls into question the effectiveness of mainstream political parties in addressing the needs and concerns of constituents. The outcome of Frances Parliamentary elections will resonate far beyond its borders. It is a pivotal contest that could reshape the countrys future and alter the trajectory of European politics. The rise of the RN reflects broader global trends that challenge the foundations of democracy and demand a renewed commitment to addressing the root causes of populism. The world holds its breath, contemplating the implications of this critical juncture in history
The world is in a mess, and the acceleration of AI usage is disrupting every business and the way we live. We are struggling to understand what the AI transition means for each of us as consumers, parents, teachers, businesses or government leaders. The debate over the pros and cons of AI is raging, especially in its dual militarycivilian usage. AI will guide the next drone or missile at you with faster accuracy than ever imagined. It can also develop the next miracle drug to change our health.

We simply do not know what whether AI is ultimately good or bad, only that the bandwidth of risk and opportunity is widening at frightening speed. We have never seen technology being adopted as AI in daily activities in terms of speed, scale and scope. The AI revolution has pushed the Nvidia and other AI platform stock valuations into the trillion-dollar league. Big Powers and Big Platforms are all investing in AI, trying to figure out how to beat the competitors in achieving scale and domination. The digital divide means that those who are ahead in AI will be richer, faster, smarter and more powerful, whereas those who dont implement AI tools are being marginalized. Clearly, the rich and advanced economies stand to gain more from AI and technology, whereas emerging and developing market economies (EMDEs) are still struggling on how to use AI to help them develop or at the minimum, tackle their myriad problems of people and planetary injustices.

The most obvious benefit of AI is that it could improve productivity, which has declined globally across the board for several decades. McKinsey research suggests humancentric generative AI adoption may well automate up to 30 per cent of business activities across occupations by 2030. Analyzing 63 user cases, they estimated that generative AI could add roughly $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy, equivalent to adding 2.5-4.2 per cent to current global GDP, which has been forecast by the World Bank to slow down to half the growth before the global crisis in 2008. The potential for turning around development in multiple directions using AI looks huge. How can this be achieved? AI is essentially a humaninvented tool for learning and using for change. Given the right amount of data, it can help make better decisions and eliminate inefficiencies in the system.

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It can also do bad things at scale. Ethics in the usage of AI is at the heart of the current debate. In the wrong hands, AI is what rockstar historian Yuval Noah Harari calls data colonization and digital dictatorship. Nobel Laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz propounded that the job of governments was to create a learning (knowledge) society, since knowledge is a public good. Fellow Nobel Laureate Robert Solow (1924- 2023) first quantitatively identified that the most important determinant of economic growth was technological change. Kenneth Arrow (1921-2017) showed that markets by themselves do not yield efficiency in the production and dissemination of knowledge. More recent case studies on building tech ecosystems showed that learning is really about copying or imitating global knowledge and adapting these to local needs.

Korean Professors Kim and Lee (2022) showed that Taipei and Shenzhen evolved into tech powerhouses by first importing foreign technology through welcoming multinational companies (MNCs) and then developing local champions that increased research and development, primarily in process engineering, and then moving to original ideas, products and services that began to rival foreign competitors. In short, human learning is always about copying others and then personalizing or internalizing such knowledge to create new ideas and actions. This copy-learnadapt-innovate-scale approach is exactly the path that AI usage is following. When we face something totally new, we have four essential choices. The first is to deny or reject because we fear the unknown. The second for those who are curious is to learn and experiment. The third is to do nothing or simply follow the crowd, because that appears to be the safest way out of disruptive change.

The brave and risk-takers are those who decide to leap into the unknown and become innovative or entrepreneurs. They become the change agents. In todays existential threats of nuclear war, ecological collapse and technological disruption, doing nothing or business-as-usual is not an option. You either eat lunch or be lunch. There is no complacency shown in the financial sector, with the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) and Citi (AI & Finance: Bot, Bank & Beyond) recently warning about the profound impact and opportunities and threats of AI on the financial landscape. The amount of start-ups working on implementing AI in different domains is staggering. In 2023, close to $315 billion was invested in tech companies globally, a large chunk being in AI applications. The World Economic Forum has been promoting application of AI in social innovation to tackle social and ecological issues.

Although the WEF report stressed that Artificial intelligence has the potential to scale impact in several domains but requires collaboration to help social innovators realize its maximum potential, the greatest barriers to successful AI implementation are lack of trust, partnerships and funding. The pattern in adopting AI in every domain, from personal to communities, businesses and government is common. You must approach change from a complex system perspective, noting that there are no simple one-size-fit-all solutions. Change management is not rocket science  it is about changing mindsets, addressing vested interests, and having the passion and management skills to execute change. An excellent Japanese study on regulation shows that 20 per cent of staff time is spent on compliance issues, so that small and medium enterprises face over whelming costs and barriers to deal with daily regulatory and bureaucratic issues. Just simplifying overlapping silos in bureaucracies using AI tools could increase productivity by 8 per cent. In sum, we all need to adopt AI tools to generate the productivity that is needed to achieve more with less. Although change is best tackled bottom-up, it needs leadership, courage and passion to engineer change. That takes human intelligence, with AI as a tool, but impactful change is never about one individual, but about the whole and all of us.

(The writer, a former Central banker, is a Distinguished Fellow of Asia Global Institute, University of Hong Kong.) Special to ANN
A total of five persons were killed while 20 others injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a firecracker warehouse in Zamboanga city in the Philippines on Saturday, the media reported.

According to officials, the blast also damaged houses and commercial establishments near the warehouse, Xinhua news agency reported.

Zamboanga Mayor John Dalipe, who rushed to the blast site, told reporters that five persons died, and rescuers rushed 20 others to hospitals.

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Of the injured, eight are said to be in a critical condition.

A police officer said that a child was among those killed in the blast. She told reporters that firefighters and the police are investigating the cause of the explosion.
China on Saturday issued a red alert for rainstorms, the most severe in its four-tier weather warning system. It also warned about possible geological disasters occurring in some rain-hit regions.

Some areas in Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Guizhou provinces should expect downpours, with some regions likely to experience heavy rain of up to 280 mm within 24 hours until 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, according to the National Meteorological Center forecast.

The national observatory also issued a blue alert, the lowest level in the warning system, for convective weather such as thunder, strong wind and hailstorms, which is expected to hit many regions, including Beijing, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Hubei, Anhui and Jiangsu during the period, reports Xinhua news agency.

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On Saturday, the countrys top meteorological authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources jointly issued alerts for geological disasters, warning that there will be a high risk of geological disasters in some regions in Anhui and Hubei on Saturday and Sunday, while parts of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Henan, Hunan and Guizhou should also guard against possible rain-induced geological disasters.
When the actual election results turned the exit poll predictions topsy-turvy, we had a week of euphoria in which we thought We, the People had rescued democracy; curtailed authoritarianism; reined in a potential dictator; saved our Constitution; revived the institutions of democracy; finished with the misuse of investigative and enforcement agencies; ended the age of the godi media; shown up Islamophobic communalism for the inhuman menace it is; and restored the country to fundamental decency as expressed in our fundamental rights. An emeritus professor of philosophy drew attention to the parallel between the Modi hubris and Aeschylus play, The Persians, which depicts the Persian emperor Xerxes combining foolishness with arrogance to invade Greece and finding when he is beaten back that his people no longer curb their tongue for a strong yoke has been removed.

The past fortnight has shown that Modi does not see the results that way. For him, nothing has changed. He has sworn in virtually every previous ministerial colleague, including the dreaded Amit Shah. He distributes minor portfolios to his major coalition partners and resists their requests for the position of speaker. Clearly, he has no intention to loosen his iron grip on the running of the house and the longevity of elected MPs. He gives no recognition to the plain fact that he now has to contend with a revivified opposition that is snapping at his heels in a house where his majority is very fragile after the tectonic shift caused by the elections where space has been blown open, as Rahul Gandhi has said.

Illustration: Job P.K.

On the ground, Kejriwal is granted bail only to have it set aside almost immediately. Despite winning his seat from jail, after eight years of continuing incarceration, Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid does not yet know whether he will be released on bail to take his oath of office and whether he will have to do his duties as the MP for North Kashmir from prison or as a free man. Monstrously, Arundhati Roy is charged under the draconian UAPA and threatened with imprisonment without bail for a speech made more than a decade ago. Two French journalists are forced to leave the country and their Overseas Citizen of India status withdrawn despite both being long married to Indian spouses. The three new criminal procedure codes, endowed with highly Sanskritised names to remove the stain of the colonial mindset while retaining colonial times oppression, such as sedition, are to be implemented without giving Parliament an opportunity to review them. The re-inducted Union Minister Giriraj Singh is not pulled up for saying he too will do nothing for his Muslim constituents because, by not voting for him, they have weakened Sanatan (Hinduism) to bring Ghazwa-e-Hind to Bharat. All this in just the last fortnight! Like the Bourbon monarchs, Modi has learned nothing and forgotten nothing.

That will spell Modis doom. What happens to national unity when delimitation issues loom following the 2026 census? Does Modi have the dexterity to accommodate stern southern warnings? Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu will stick to him as long as he serves their purpose, but their purpose is milking the Centre and retaining the loyalty of their minorities. So, what happens to fiscal devolution, cooperative federalism, and the Uniform Civil Code? No One Nation, One Election, no caste census? Will the RSS acquiesce in the abandonment of their core demands? And how will Modi deflect an attack from the rear from the RSS, for which Mohan Bhagwat has already sounded the bugle? Will there be an RSS-sponsored Gadkari take-over?

Modi once warned me in Parliament that I would soon be dumped in the bin of the bhoole-bisre (the forgotten and abandoned). Modi will soon be joining me there.

Aiyar is a former Union minister and social commentator.
Recently, a video featuring actor/activist Raveena Tandon went viral, with heated debates raging over an incident involving her car, driver and herself. An enraged group was seen aggressively shouting into the camera, accusing Raveena and her driver of rash driving, resulting in a couple of women suffering injuries. Raveena can be seen telling the crowd not to hit anyone, as they try and push their way past the watchman and attempt to rush into her compound. Initial media reports were misleading. Did she or didnt she? Was her driver at fault? Did innocent passers-by, near her gate, get hurt due to negligent driving? Social media was quick to judge and condemn the star, some going as far as to state she and the driver were both drunk at the time.

The timely arrival of cops and a close look at the CCTV camera footage clearly established that Raveenas car had not touched the women. Nobody was injured, least of all an elderly lady. But till the police arrived, examined the footage, met the mob and clarified it was a false and frivolous complaint, there was complete chaos. Since no FIR had been filed, the beleaguered star could finally heave a sigh of relief.

Actor Raveena Tandon being attacked by a mob after her driver was accused of rash driving.

But what if her innocence had not been this unequivocally established? What if the mob had managed to get their hands on the driver? Or, if Raveena herself hadnt kept her cool? These were the questions uppermost in my mind when I met her for dinner at a common friends home. Raveena recounted the horror of that night in detail. And from all accounts, it does seem like there is a well organised gang operating in tony Bandra, where so many Bollywood stars have homes. Consider the pattern. The gang meticulously stakes out the targets home, observes the stars schedule, keeps an eye on the stars outings, and waits for the right opportunity, preferably at night when not too many bystanders are around in the leafy, dimly lit lanes. This is a serious security issue, given the number of star toddlers and older kids who are often spotted walking to a nearby park or store with nannies in tow.

Once the cops had given her the all clear, Raveena was shocked to see a video tweeted by a man called Mohsin Shaikh, who accused her of road rage and said the Padma Shri actor, who has won a national award, was drunk. Raveena has filed Rs100 crore defamation suit against him for damaging her reputation. Extortion is generally the motive, along with the desire to gain cheap publicity. Stars and their children are vulnerable targets. Hiring bodyguards is but one option, living with constant insecurity is the greater concern. Better policing may solve the problem. However, if what Raveena says is accurate, organised gangs have moved into the upscale Bandra neighbourhood with the sole purpose of intimidating, assaulting and blackmailing movie people.

One of the ladies present advised Raveena to apply for a gun license. I disagreed vehemently. Mumbai is not Los Angeles. Bandra isnt Beverly Hills. Americas gun culture has claimed the lives of countless innocents. Guns create more problems than they solve. Raveena was brave enough to confront the bullies, while facing great personal risk to her own life. Another woman may have got scared and handed over the innocent driver to the mob. These are the times we live in. Deliberately misrepresenting an incident led to an emotional trauma for Raveena, her four children, husband and staff. Fortunately, she was honourably exonerated. Others may not be as blessed.

@DeShobhaa @shobhaade
ABUJA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and 15 others injured after a suspected suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device at a busy motor park in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno on Saturday, police said.

The suspected bomber targeted a wedding ceremony held near the motor park in the Marraban Gwoza town, shattering the joyful mood of the celebration and leaving families and loved ones in mourning, Yusuf Lawal, the police chief in Borno, told reporters.

Lawal said at least six bodies were evacuated and those injured were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

He added that police had deployed armed personnel to cordon off the area while investigating the incident.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the bomb attack. 
Canada is the second Punjab is a fact well-known and agreed to because of the Punjabi and Sikh diaspora. However, Punjab is not the only region that has made Canada its home. A little Tangra (a region in East Kolkata that housed tanneries owned by people of Hakka Chinese origin) is emerging in Canada. Chef Ho Chi Ming of The Westin Pune Koregaon Park says that the Chinese community living in Kolkata groom their children to take up chef jobs in Canada.

When the Chinese migrated to India (Kolkata), there were 3-4 professions that they were involved in. These included tanneries, carpentry, dentistry and making Chinese food. They infused Indian flavours in Chinese food, giving birth to the Indo-Chinese cuisine which was spicier with a lot of flavours (especially ginger-garlic), as opposed to the original Chinese taste which was bland, he said.

However, Ho Chi Ming believes that young Indo-Chinese like him are rejecting the idea of Canada and embracing living in India. We would love to go to Canada for a vacation but want to work here.

Chef Ho Chi Ming comes from Park Street in Kolkata and grew up learning to cook in a strict household, where he started by learning how to cut, chop, flip and fry eggs. I have many relatives in Tangra but Im the first-generation chef.

He says the way they eat at home is in stark contrast to the Indo-Chinese food they prepare and sell in Kolkata. We dont eat chilli chicken but our food includes sauteed chicken, soup, steamed fish and cooked with only sesame oil, a bit of ginger and soya. He says the Indian Chinese popularised by the Chinese diaspora has a lot of flavours and touches every profile of the palette. Manchurian is the most flavourful of them all, he added.

In Gurugram for a 9-day food pop-up at The Westin Tales of Tangra, the chef who curated the menu, says that the pop-up offered a tantalising journey through the flavours of Tangra, the Chinatown of Kolkata.

Tangra traces its roots back to the early 20th century when Chinese immigrants settled in Kolkata, blending their traditions with Indian culture to create a unique Chinatown known for its rich history and culinary prowess. Today, its streets still resonate with echoes of the past, preserving a heritage that continues to thrive in the heart of the city.

The Tangra cuisine included hakka noodles, scallion crepes, homestyle taro cakes, kari fish dumplings, sweet & sour prawns, braised pork belly, four-season green beans, crispy chilli and more.

With over two decades of experience as a chef, he says that he grew up having chilly chicken, sweet corn soup, and spring rolls on the streets of Tangra but now the street food there finds influences of Singapore and Hong Kong as well.
Gone are the days of colonial-era laws, the newly enacted criminal laws will be coming into effect from Monday onwards. Several states have organised proper training for the force to embrace the new laws.

The three new criminal laws--The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam--will replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

Provisions including zero FIR, online registration of police complaints, summonses through electronic modes such as SMS and mandatory videography of crime scenes for all heinous crimes are the few changes that will be adopted from hereon.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that the new laws would give priority to providing justice unlike the British-era laws that gave supremacy to penal action.

"These laws are made by Indians, for Indians and by an Indian Parliament and marks the end of colonial criminal justice laws," he said. He assured that these new laws would ensure political, economic and social justice with Indian ethos.

Key changes under the new laws

1. As per the new laws, judgment in criminal cases has to come within 45 days of completion of trial and charges must be framed within 60 days of first hearing.

2. Female police officers will be recording statements of rape victims in the presence of a guardian or relative. The reports have to come within seven days.

3. Also, under the new law, buying and selling of any child has been made a heinous crime. A provision for a death sentence or life imprisonment is included for gang rape of a minor.

4. The offences against women and children, murder and offences against the State have been given precedence in the new law.

5. New provisions have been made for cases such as the abandonment of women after making sexual relations on the false promise of marriage.

6. In the event of an arrest, the individual has the right to inform a person of his choice about his or her situation. This ensures immediate support and assistance to the arrested individual.

7. Victims of crime against women are entitled to regular updates on the progress of their case within 90 days.

8. The new laws guarantee free first-aid or medical treatment to victims of crimes against women and children at all hospitals.

9. The new laws mandate all state governments to implement witness protection schemes to ensure the safety and cooperation of witnesses

10. Sedition has been replaced with treason and video recording of all search and seizure has been made mandatory

Welcome the change

While speaking at an event organised by the Ministry of Law and Justice titled 'India's Progressive Path in the Administration of Criminal Justice System,' Bombay High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya urged the people to welcome and implement the new laws with a changed mindset.

He said those responsible for delivering justice under the new legal framework, to be implemented from July 1, should embrace their responsibilities.

"It is our natural tendency to resist change or we loathe to come out of our comfort zone. It is a fear of the unknown that causes this resistance and engulfs our rationale," CJ Upadhyaya said.

Meanwhile, several states are geared up to implement the new laws. "Proper trainings were organised to understand the new laws. Those who received the training were given handbooks to understand the new laws," a senior officer of the Delhi Police said.

During the last 15 days, the Delhi Police personnel initiated a trial process where they registered dummy FIRs, said the officer.

(With PTI inputs)
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday asserted that the opposition INDIA bloc will wipe out BJP from across the country. Declaring rebellion against feudal forces, Soren said BJP leaders are conspiring against him again after his release from jail.

Soren was addressing a rally in Bhognadih on the occasion of 'Hul Diwas', a day marking the 1855 Santhal rebellion against the British.

"I have stepped out of my home for the first time post my release to address you on Hul Diwas'. It is a day of inspiration for all of us. Like the Santhal uprising against the British, we declare 'Hul rebellion' to drive out feudal forces not only from Jharkhand but across the country," he said.

Also Read | Falsely implicated: Hemant Soren as he walks out of jail after bail in money laundering case

I was implicated in false cases...The Centre unleashes its probe agencies to harass those who raise their voice against it. It is only two days that I am out of jail, but the BJP is jittery. Top party leaders are frequenting Jharkhand and conspiring against me again," he said.

Soren also said that Jharkhand is a land of revolutionaries and we are not afraid of jail or execution.

He also alleged that the BJP is making plans to prepone the Jharkhand assembly elections. "It has come to my knowledge that they (BJP) are making plans to prepone assembly elections (in Jharkhand)... I dare them to conduct the elections any day they wish to... We are prepared. They will face a crushing defeat," said Soren.

Soren claimed that he was sent behind bars when he started demanding the rights of tribals, including Rs 1.36 lakh crore from the Centre in lieu of coal resources.

The former CM assured people that he would complete the task he started and, that the war he waged would not stop.

NEET exam paper leaks issue and soaring prices of essential commodities were also mentioned in Soren's speech.

The former CM was released on Friday from the Birsa Munda Jail after the Jharkhand High Court granted bail to him in a money laundering case. In connection with the case linked to an alleged land scam, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31

Along with him, Sorens wife and JMM legislator Kalpana Soren and brother Basant Soren, who is also a minister attended the rally.

(With PTI inputs)
Sleuths from the National Investigation Agency are conducting raids at about 10 locations across Tamil Nadu in connection with Hizb-Ut-Tahrir case. The agency had arrested a member of the outfit in 2021 from Madurai.

According to reports, raids are being conducted at two locations in Erode, in Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Kumbakonam and a few other places. The search began during the early hours of Sunday and it's progressing.

Reportedly, police are searching the premises of persons who are recruiting and maintaining contact with the banned outfit.

The agency had in 2021 arrested 31-year-old Mohammad Iqbal N alias Senthil Kumar, a resident of Kazimar Street in Madurai, and he was charged under UAPA for promoting the establishment of the Islamic State Caliphate.

The case was originally registered at Thideernagar Police Station in Madurai against the accused for allegedly uploading denigrating posts on Facebook and it was subsequently shifted to the NIA which re-registered the case on April 15 for a thorough investigation.

According to NIA, the accused had conspired with other suspects in the name of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, a banned organisation in many countries, and had professed and preached about establishing the Islamic State Caliphate or Khilafa and implementing Sharia globally, including in India, by overthrowing non-Islamic governments.

-with inputs from agencies.
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has withdrawn its 'mass termination notice' to over 100 teaching and non-teaching staffers on Sunday. The termination decision had invited staunch criticism from faculty and the student bodies.

TISS said that the discussions with the Tata Education Trust (TET) assured the necessary resources to address the issue.

Ongoing discussions with the Tata Education Trust have provided assurance that resources will be made available to TISS to resolve this issue. TET has committed to releasing funds for the salaries of TET project/programme faculty and non-teaching staff, it said in a statement.

The termination notice to all concerned TET Programme faculty and non-teaching staff is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect, it said.

The contracts of the teaching and non-teaching at four TISS campuses- Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad and Guwahati--were due to end on June 30.

The non-renewal of contracts was announced on June 28.

Progressive Students Forum, a students' body of the institute, in a statement on Saturday had urged the TISS administration to revoke the termination of the faculty and staff members immediately.

"It is completely a failure of the current leadership of TISS administration in running the institute and apathy of the BJP-led Union government," it said.

It also added that the mass termination will create a "scarcity" of teaching and non-teaching staff.

"The BJP-led central government and the current TISS administration are directly responsible for taking away the livelihoods of nearly a hundred employees and putting the future of its students also at risk," the forum said.

"The recent blunders made by the Ministry of Education in conducting nationwide entrance examinations only add to the incompetence of the central government," it added.

TISS, established in 1936 is a Deemed University, fully funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC). It is governed by the TISS Society. The contracts for the teaching and non-teaching staff were funded by grants from Tata Trust.
Heavy rains lashed several areas in Gujarat on Sunday, hampering normal life in cities including Ahmedabad and Surat due to water-logging. According to news reports, Palsana taluk in Surat district received 153 mm of rainfall, the highest in the state, in ten hours.



The wet spell will continue in the next four days in Gujarat, the Met department has said. Isolated places in south and central Gujarat and Saurashtra region are expected to receive heavy rains over the next two days, IMD stated in a release.

The heavy rains affected traffic movement in Surat, Bhuj, Vapi, Bharuch and Ahmedabad due to inundation in low-lying areas. Between 6 am and 4 pm, Ahmedabad city received 62 mm of rainfall, which led to waterlogging in several areas. Several roads and underpasses became inaccessible after being flooded, news agency PTI said quoting officials.

As many as 43 talukas received more than 40 mm of rainfall in just ten hours between 6 am and 4 pm on Sunday. In ten hours, four talukas -- Bardoli, Surat city, Kamrej, and Mahuva in Surat district -- received rainfall in triple digits at 135 mm, 123 mm, 120 mm, and 119 mm, respectively.

Among other talukas, Vapi in Valsad district received 117 mm of rainfall, Olpad in Surat 116 mm, Valsad taluka 102 mm, Kaprada in Valsad 90 mm, Khergam in Navsari 88 mm, Bharuch taluka 86 mm, Dharampur in Valsad 73 mm, and Morbi taluka 72 mm.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Gujarat is experiencing a wet spell due to cyclonic circulation over the northeast Arabian Sea adjoining the Saurashtra region.

On July 3 and 4, Valsad and Navsari districts in south Gujarat and Banaskantha district in north Gujarat are expected to receive significant rainfall.
After Joe Bidens disastrous performance in the first presidential debate against Donald Trump on June 27, there has been considerable pressure on him to drop out of the race. There have been multiple reports about the Democratic Party contemplating the unthinkable--replacing Biden. One of the names being talked about as an alternative is that of former first lady Michelle Obama. Republican senator from Texas, Ted Cruz, said the Democratic Party would remove Biden from the ticket and replace him with Michelle "because Biden did so disastrously badly that Democrats across the country are in utter freefall and complete panic."

While Michelle has never shown any inclination towards any political office and has denied several times that she was interested in the top job, a couple of remarks she made earlier this year did not go unnoticed. She said she was terrified about a Republican win in November (in an indirect reference to Donald Trump) and that she was worried about the 2024 elections. Yet, despite her denials, Michelle remains perhaps the best candidate the Democrats could come up with as an alternative to Biden, but with a major caveat. It will work only if Biden agrees to step away on his own. Politically, it is virtually impossible to force Biden out so late in the campaign cycle.

More importantly, the levers of power in the Democratic Party are all controlled by Biden loyalists. But if he agrees, then Michelle could be the party's standard bearer for a variety of reasons.

Though the automatic choice to replace Biden, if he gives up, would be Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats are horrified about putting the Californian up, considering her abysmal numbers and underwhelming charisma. She is, in fact, behind Biden in all opinion polls and one of the key planks of the Republican campaign is that, should something happen to Biden, Americans will have to deal with Harris.

That said, Harris cannot be pushed away easily, considering the demographic group she represents, the Afro-American voters, especially women, who are such a solid voting bloc for the Democrats. Even a minor swing in this demographic against the Democratic ticket would sink the party's chances in multiple battleground states, ending any realistic chance of retaining power. Bringing Michelle in solves this dilemma for the Democratic Party. She is an Afro-American woman who came up the hard way from a blue-collar Chicago neighbourhood joining Harvard Law, becoming a successful attorney, a popular organiser and a much-admired first lady.

The Obama machine

When Barack Obama launched his presidential bid back in 2007, not many people outside Chicago and Illinois knew him. But the rookie Afro-American senator built up a much-vaunted data-driven political machine that helped him win two presidential elections. At its peak, it rivalled or even dwarfed the Democratic establishment. An email list of millions of hardcore supporters, a network of committed activists and organisers, a goldmine of data-based details and an efficient fundraising system are all part of the well-oiled Obama machine. It is also blessed with a number of tried and tested political operatives who are fanatically loyal to the Obamas. Finally, the Obama voting coalition, which consists of young people, minorities and women, has the power to carry the nominee to victory. If Michelle plans to join the race, she will be armed with all these formidable advantages. And the enduring popularity and unrivalled charisma of Barack Obama will be an asset to the campaign.

The Gaza war

This is an unexpected variable in the 2024 election cycle. Biden, despite his loathing for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is a close friend of Israel and his administration has so far offered nearly unconditional support for Israel. It has alienated a large section of progressives in the Democratic Party and much of the college and university students. During the Michigan primary on February 28, more than a lakh Democratic voters chose the uncommitted column to show their opposition to Biden's Israel policy, which is clearly a warning sign for the Democrats heading into the general elections in November.

There is also a growing rift between the Biden and the Obamas over the issue. There have been multiple reports quoting former Obama officials saying that they felt Biden was not getting it right by giving Netanyahu a free hand. An Obama administration, they say, would have imposed more restrictions on the Israeli conduct before offering more military aid. Michelle, therefore, could be a rallying point for the liberals and progressives in the Democratic Party over the issue and they will be more than happy for her to be their nominee.

But, will a switch, even if Biden agrees, work? History offers some clues. Ironically, the last president to decline a second term was another Democrat, Lyndon B. Johnson, during the 1968 elections. The Vietnam war had made him hugely unpopular and in February that year he narrowly escaped loss in the New Hampshire primary. On March 31, a week before the Wisconsin primary, Johnson shocked the world by announcing his decision to drop out. As Britannica puts it, suffering ill health, with his approval rating under 40 per cent and stung by the widespread opposition to his handling of the war, Johnson chose not to seek reelection. All three points would apply to Biden as well, especially with the growing opposition to the Gaza war.

After Johnson dropped out, his vice president Hubert Humphrey announced his candidacy, but, as the primary season was nearly over, he had to endure a tough convention battle to win the nomination. Humphrey, however, lost the general elections to Republican candidate Richard Nixon, which should come as a warning for Biden and the Democratic establishment.

However, Barack Obama, who managed to survive a mediocre debate performance to win his reelection against Mitt Romney in 2012, came out in Bidens support. "Bad debate nights happen," he wrote on X. "Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself."
When Sonia Gandhi made her electoral debut in 1999 in Amethi, a young Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanied her to the Gandhi family pocketborough. She stood like a rock behind her mother and impressed Congress leaders and the electorate alike with the ease with which she reached out to the people. Comparisons were immediately made with her grandmother, the formidable Indira Gandhi.

Priyanka has always been a pillar of strength for her brother in his political journeyas his backroom strategist in the beginning and later as a manager and a campaigner.

In the same election, she also campaigned in the neighbouring Rae Bareli, where Arun Nehru, a relative and once a close associate of her father, Rajiv Gandhi, was contesting. Nehru, who had fallen out with Rajiv and became a political opponent, was believed to be doing well in the campaign. That was until Priyanka made an emotive plea to the voters of Rae Bareli, asking them if they would vote for a person who had backstabbed her father. Nehru lost the election.

Even before that Priyanka had displayed her natural ability to connect with the people. In 1991, she had gone to Allahabad with Sonia and Rahul to immerse the ashes of Rajiv in the Ganga. When they returned to the riverbank and were about to enter the car, she turned towards the crowd that had gathered and bowed to the people with folded hands to acknowledge their goodwill.

Every time there is a Lok Sabha election, rumours of Priyanka contesting abound. In 2004, it was said that she would contest from Amethi and Sonia would move to Rae Bareli. Sonia did move to Rae Bareli, but it was Rahul who got the ticket from Amethi to make his electoral debut.

This time round, yet again, there was intense speculation that Priyanka, 52, would contest from Rae Bareli, which was vacated by Sonia earlier this year when she moved to the Rajya Sabha, and Rahul would try to win back Amethi. However, in what turned out to be a brilliant move in hindsight, Rahul contested from Rae Bareli and K.L. Sharma, who has been managing Amethi for the Gandhi family for many years, was fielded against BJPs Smriti Irani.

Twenty-five years after she first hit the campaign trail in Amethi and Rae Bareli, Priyanka once again took up the onus of ensuring the Congresss victory in the two seats. However, when she camped there for 10 days and ran a relentless campaign, it had an impact beyond those two seats. When she reminded people about her familys sacrifices or took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his mangalsutra or buffalo remarks, she was heard everywhere in the state.

And she is likely to be heard soon in Parliament, too. Priyanka will make her electoral debut in Wayanad, Kerala, the seat Rahul has chosen to vacate. The decision makes it clear that Rahul and Priyanka will together raise the issues of the people of the country, from the north and the south, in Parliament, said Alka Lamba, president of the Mahila Congress.

Priyanka has always been a pillar of strength for her brother in his political journeyas his backroom strategist in the beginning and later as a manager and a campaigner. She had looked on from the shadows as Rahul accepted the many defeats of the party since 2014. This time round, a beaming Priyanka cheered from the sidelines as Rahul addressed the media at the party office on June 4 after an impressive show in the elections.

Critics say Priyanka failed miserably as the in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, with the party plummeting to less than 2 per cent vote share and just two seats in the assembly polls in 2022. There was also criticism of her role in the changes brought about in the party in Punjab in 2021, where Navjot Singh Sidhu was appointed state unit chief and Amarinder Singh was removed as chief minister ahead of the elections. But she is also credited with steadying the ship in Rajasthan when the Ashok Gehlot government faced an open rebellion from Sachin Pilot in 2020 and, more recently, with saving the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government in Himachal Pradesh by working out a truce between the chief minister and the rival camp represented by state party chief Pratibha Singh.

The Gandhis clearly are keen on nurturing the Wayanad constituency. They also want to make it clear that they are not abandoning it after Rahul won from Rae Bareli as it stood by the Congress when the partys fortunes were bleak. It is also significant in view of the assembly elections in the state scheduled to be held in 2026. The Congress is keen to build on the momentum provided by the Lok Sabha polls, in which the United Democratic Front won 18 of the 20 seats in the state.

Priyanka Gandhis candidature from Wayanad is evidence of Rahul Gandhis strong bond with the constituency. We will ensure that she wins by a margin even bigger than that of Rahul, said N.D. Appachan, district president of the Congress in Wayanad.

As Priyanka has gradually spread her political presence, comparisons have been made with her brother on their political acumen. But those in their close circle claim they work as a team, not competitors. Priyanka Gandhi is aggressive and has forcefully countered the attacks made on her family. Rahul Gandhis approach is different and he has focused on issues of national importance, said Prof Ram Kishore Shastri, who belongs to Amethi and has taught at Allahabad University.

Rahul and Priyanka complement each other. At the end of the campaign for the Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies, they recorded a video during a drive through the area in which they recalled their childhood years. Priyanka recollected that Rahul was Indiras pet and Rahul immediately pointed out that she was Rajivs favourite. Priyanka said she was diplomatic in the way she put forth her views, while Rahul could be brutally blunt.

The presence of Rahul and Priyanka in the Lok Sabha will surely make the proceedings more riveting. On the other hand, it also will give the BJP the ammo to attack the Congress over dynastic politics.
CONGRESS LEADER RAHUL GANDHI recently had an interaction with students protesting the malpractices in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to medical colleges. Rahul asked their opinion on what was wrong with the manner in which the exam was held. Please tell me what we can do for you, he told the students. We will certainly raise the issue in Parliament.

Rahul wants to be seen as the leader of the people who will take up cudgels on their behalf against a government that he claims is unfeeling towards the problems of the common man. Akhilesh made faizabad MP Awadesh Prasad sit in the front row between him and Rahulan obvious provocation to the BJP that had hoped to benefit from the inauguration of the Ram Temple. It will require immense patience and tact on Rahuls part to take the allies along and ensure that they are with the Congress in the long waiting game.

The demands of the students included scrapping the test and holding a retest, and overhauling the exam machinery. Here was the preeminent leader of the Congress, the principal opposition party, not imposing his own views on students but seeking to learn from them what he and his party could do for them.

The interaction gave a glimpse into the fashioning of Rahul as a leader who listens to people and empathises with them. And Rahuls attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over the NEET paper leak showed what his approach was going to be as the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha.

The opposition has demolished the concept of Narendra Modi. This concept was based on thousands of crores worth of marketing and the fear of agencies, Rahul said at a press conference at the Congress headquarters in Delhi. Now, nobody is afraid of him. He is psychologically on the backfoot. He is not bothered about NEET or any other issue. His sole agenda is to save his government.

On the back of a morale-boosting performance in the polls, with the Congress almost touching the triple-digit mark and the party-led INDIA bloc occupying almost half of the new Lok Sabha and succeeding in limiting the BJP to 240 seats, Rahul has made his intent clear. He wants to be seen as the leader of the people who will take up cudgels on their behalf against a government that he claims is unfeeling towards the problems of the common man. And it is only apt that he should be the leader of opposition in the new Lok Sabha, for he has firmly established himself as the face of the opposition and the main challenger of Modi.

In his first speech in the Lok Sabha as LoP, as he rose to congratulate Om Birla on his election as speaker, Rahul said, Of course, the government has political power, but the opposition also represents the voice of Indias people. And this time, the opposition represents significantly more voice of the Indian people than it did last time.

New innings: Rahul greeting Om Birla (right) after he was elected speaker of the Lok Sabha, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju look on | PTI

This is the first constitutional post that Rahul will hold. The LoP enjoys cabinet rank and is a member of collegiums that select the heads of crucial investigating agencies and watchdogs, such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Election Commission, the Central Vigilance Commission, the Lokpal and the Central Information Commission. As LoP, Rahul is also expected to head the public accounts committee in Parliament, which serves as a check on the government, especially with respect to its expenditure. Its primary function is to examine the audit report that the Comptroller and Auditor General tables in Parliament.

There was no LoP in the Lok Sabha for the past 10 years, as no opposition party had secured the required numbers to claim the post in the previous two Lok Sabhas. The Congress had slumped to 44 and 52 seats in 2014 and 2019, respectively.

In the 18th Lok Sabha, the house of the people shall truly reflect the aspirations of the last person standing, with Rahul Gandhi becoming their voice, said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. I am confident that a leader who has traversed the length and breadth of the country, from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir, and from Manipur to Maharashtra, shall raise the voice of the people, especially the marginalised and the poor.

Pushing ahead: Rahul during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Jharkhands Ramgarh district on February 5 | PTI

Twenty years after he made his electoral debut and became a member of the Lok Sabha, and after a string of demoralising defeats since the Lok Sabha debacle of 2014, the 54-year-old Rahul is enjoying his best moment in politics. After the poll results, he has come across as a leader who will focus on the issues of the people, be it NEET, the fire tragedy in a gaming zone in Rajkot, Gujarat, or the train accident in Darjeeling, West Bengal.

This is, in a way, a culmination of a journeyfrom being seen as a reluctant politician whose political acumen and leadership skills were suspect, to a leader who is being taken seriously and whose words, as has been proved by the poll results, have resonated with the people. The Rahul that was witnessed in these elections enjoyed engaging with the crowds, and his khata khat slogan clicked. His measured aggression hit the mark this time round as he attacked Modi, unlike in 2019 when the Chowkidar Chor Hai jibe is believed to have backfired.

Over the course of his two-decade-long political career, Rahul has fashioned himself as a pro-poor leader, and in recent times, as the exact opposite of Modinot a figure that bears down upon you with his larger-than-life political presence, but a leader who is accessible and will sit down with you for a cup of tea. Also, the message conveyed is that if Modi allegedly works only for a few rich industrialists, Rahul works for the vast majority. One of the things he said during the campaign was, Main aapka hoon, wo unke hain (I belong to you, he belongs to them).

This process of positioning Rahul as the opposite of Modi intensified during the pandemic, when the Congress leader sharpened his attacks on the government for being unfeeling towards the plight of people affected by the lockdown. The two Bharat Jodo Yatras gave it a final push.

Certainly, the big turning point in the Rahul story was the Kanniyakumari-to-Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra, which had him walking more than 4,000km in five months since September 2022. Besides setting the tone for the partys campaign for the Lok Sabha elections that focused on issues of price rise, unemployment and social justice, it is regarded as having transformed the image of Rahul. He was always dressed in a white T-shirt and dark-coloured cargo pants during the yatra, and continued to be in the same attire during the Lok Sabha campaign. For him, he says, the white T-shirt symbolises transparency, simplicity and perseverance. He did change into a white kurta-pyjama on his first day in the Lok Sabha as LoP.

Sister comes to the south: Priyanka Gandhi campaigning for Rahul in Rae Bareli in May. She will contest from Wayanad, the constituency Rahul had represented in the previous Lok Sabha | PTI

In recent months, he has been seen picking mahua flowers with women in a forest near Umaria in Madhya Pradesh or taking a ride on a tempo traveller in Haryana with a bunch of daily-wage labourers in response to the allegation made by Modi that the Congress had received tempo-loads of black money from Adani and Ambani or taking a ride on the Delhi Metro Rail where he happily posed for selfies with commuters.

He has also come across as a family man who, during the intense poll campaign, took time out to leaf through old family albums and look at sepia-toned photographs along with his mother, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, or pull the cheeks of his sister, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, during a public meeting in Rae Bareli and thank her for campaigning for him. And he has deferred to Kharge, treating him like the elder of the Congress family.

It is also a moment of vindication for Rahul who has braved the Pappu barbs of his political opponents, and whose leadership abilities have been questioned both within and outside his party. Rahuls supporters point out that he won from Rae Bareli and Wayanad with huge margins of 3.9 lakh votes and 3.6 lakh votes, respectively, while Modi won Varanasi by 1.52 lakh votes, a sharp drop from the margin of 4.79 lakh in 2019 and 3.72 lakh in 2014.

Stepping up: Rahul arriving in Parliament for the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha | PTI

Rahul Gandhi jis imprint on the 2024 campaign has to be understood far greater by analysts sitting in the ecosystem in Delhi, said Gaurav Gogoi, MP, who was the partys deputy leader in the previous Lok Sabha. [He] made democracy and Constitution, unemployment, price rise, caste census, Agniveer and the Mahalakshmi scheme the talking points when the prime minister spoke about mangalsutra and other things. He clearly defined what the Congress stands for; we owe him a debt for it. Many of these analysts simply do not have the courage or even the decency to accept they were wrong.

Besides the white T-shirt routine, there was another constant that came to define the campaign of the Congress and the opposition as a wholethe pocket edition of the Constitution. Rahul held aloft a small red-coloured copy of the Constitution at all his public meetings. The perceived threat to the Constitution from the Modi government is believed to have tilted the scales in favour of the opposition, with the beneficiaries of reservation, especially the dalits, gravitating towards the INDIA bloc.

The sentiment of the fight in the Lok Sabha polls persists. The battle lines are clearly drawn, as was evident when the 18th Lok Sabha convened for its inaugural session on June 24. Right opposite Modi, and aptly so, on the opposition benches sat Rahul, the new LoP.

Rahul and party colleagues came to Parliament carrying the pocket-size copy of the Constitution. Members of INDIA bloc partner Samajwadi Party carried somewhat bigger copies of the Constitution, which were in Hindi. Before the start of the proceedings, opposition members assembled near the Gandhi statue outside Parliament to protest the BJPs alleged plans to change the Constitution. As Modi walked up to the podium to take oath as a member of the new Lok Sabha, Rahul and other Congress members held up their copies of the Constitution. They did it again when Union Home Minister Amit Shah took oath.

And when it was his turn, Rahul walked up to the podium, held up a copy of the Constitution, and took oath. He ended with the slogan, Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan! amid slogans of Jodo, Jodo, Bharat Jodo being raised by his party colleagues.

It was a somewhat subdued BJP and an ebullient opposition that entered the Lok Sabha. Barbs and snide remarks were exchanged, a departure from the bonhomie that was witnessed at least on the inaugural day of the Lok Sabha in earlier times. When Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan rose to take oath, the opposition members cried out, NEET, NEET! Shame, Shame! When Rajiv Ranjan Singh of the Janata Dal (United) took oath, Kalyan Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress recited the Hindi song, Dost dost na raha! The reference was to the sudden move by Singhs boss Nitish Kumar to quit the INDIA bloc and join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

To rub it in, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and fellow party MPs came wearing their trademark red topis and gamchas (scarves), a reminder to the BJP about the major loss incurred by the party in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh also made the partys MP from Faizabad, Awadesh Prasad, sit in the front row between him and Rahulan obvious provocation to the BJP that had hoped to benefit from the inauguration of the Ram Temple ahead of the polls.

The Congress has since 2021 been working in close coordination with around 24 opposition parties in Parliament, said Manickam Tagore, Congress general secretary and the partys whip in the previous Lok Sabha. It is this floor coordination in Parliament that formed the basis for the formation of the INDIA alliance later. We will certainly take that forward. We have fought an election together and we will be a formidable force in the house. The Congress has doubled its numbers in the Lok Sabha and the other INDIA alliance parties are also much stronger in the house now.

The first issue of confrontation between the government and the opposition was the appointment of the speaker. For the first time in decades, there was an election to the speakers post. It showed that the BJP, which does not have majority on its own, is keen to signal that it is still in control of the proceedings, while the opposition wants to assert its newfound strength.

The INDIA bloc took an aggressive stand and fielded the Congresss eight-term MP Kodikunnil Suresh as its speaker candidate against Birla, who was renominated to the post by the BJP. By fielding a dalit candidate such as Suresh, the opposition wanted to convey the message that the Modi government is anti-dalit. The opposition also attacked the government for overlooking Suresh for the post of pro-tem speaker, saying Suresh with his eight terms in the Lok Sabha should have been nominated instead of the seven-time MP Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJP.

Rahul has accused the government of disregarding settled norms and traditions, and refusing to offer to the opposition the post of deputy speaker, which lay vacant throughout the term of the 17th Lok Sabha. The prime minister said the opposition should work constructively and cooperate with the government. [Union Minister] Rajnath Singh ji called up Kharge ji. He sought our support for their candidate for the speakers post. The entire opposition said we would support your speaker but the convention is that the post of deputy speaker should come to the opposition. Rajnath Singh ji did not get back to Kharge ji. Modi ji talks about constructive cooperation and then our leader is insulted, he told journalists outside Parliament.

It is clear that the opposition will not relent. The parties are armed with a list of issues to raise in Parliament, with the NEET paper leak on top of the agenda. By the looks of it, the budget session of Parliament, to be convened next month, will be stormy. So far, in this government, no resignations took place and accountability was not fixed. But now, resignations will happen because the situation has changed. To begin with, the Modi government has failed miserably in conducting one nation, one exam, and we will hold the government accountable, said Manoj Jha of the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Keeping the opposition united would be a challenge, though. This was evident at the very start of the session, when the Trinamool Congress claimed it was not consulted by the Congress over Sureshs nomination for the speaker contest. The Congresss top leaders then reached out to their counterparts in the Trinamool to sort out the matter. Differences were visible on seeking division of the house for election of the speaker or the resolution on Emergency read out by Birla.

The nomination of Rahul as LoP was conveyed to the floor leaders of all INDIA bloc partners at a meeting convened by Kharge at his residence on the evening of June 25. While it is a boost to Rahuls stature, it comes with its own share of challenges. It is learnt that a major concern for Rahul as he deliberated on whether he should accede to his partys demand to take up the post was that he also needed to focus on building on the momentum provided by the Lok Sabha poll results and revive the party. Assembly elections are due in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand later this year, and Jammu and Kashmir could also have polls this year. Delhi and Bihar go to the polls in 2025. It is imperative for the Congress and its allies to edge out the BJP in these elections to keep up the pressure at the national level. Also, Rahul has to build on the successes of the party in the Hindi heartland, and that is the reason he has opted to keep the Rae Bareli seat.

He was concerned about the organisational requirements in the coming months because he has been spearheading the partys campaign and has, through his public engagements, generated a buzz for the party at the grassroots, said a senior Congress leader. But it is also important that he takes on Modi directly in Parliament. That will be amplified outside. It is also crucial because of the changed arithmetic in the Lok Sabha and the uncertainties that we have to be prepared for.

It will require immense patience and tact on Rahuls part to take the allies along and ensure that they are with the Congress in the long waiting game. Also, he has not had great acceptability with some leaders in the opposition bloc. But he has, in recent times, worked on enhancing his rapport with the regional stalwarts in the grouping. He has taken a special initiative to reach out to Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar. The visual of Rahul holding the veteran leaders hand tight as a gesture of affection and support at a recent joint media briefing of the INDIA bloc was telling. He has also made an effort to reach out to Trinamool chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. After Trinamool leaders complained that the party had not been consulted on the speaker issue, Rahul apparently spoke to Mamata on party general secretary Abhishek Banerjees phone to assuage her concerns. He has an excellent rapport with DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who he refers to as big brother. There was great camaraderie between Rahul and Akhilesh during the campaign in UP, which percolated down to the grassroots. And RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav has been a staunch supporter of Rahul as the face of the opposition.

The bonding that we saw between Akhilesh Yadav ji and Rahul Gandhi ji shows that the alliance should continue. There is incentive for the two parties in doing so, and the sentiment of the people is also for the alliance to continue, said Javed Ali Khan, SP leader and Rajya Sabha member who has been a key member of INDIA bloc discussions.

Certainly, Rahul has achieved his biggest electoral success. To build on it, though, will be an uphill task.

WHY RAHUL AS LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION MATTERS

THE LEADER OF the Opposition is the parliamentary chairperson of the largest party, or coalition of parties, in the opposition. A 2012 booklet on Parliament says that the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha is considered a shadow prime minister with a shadow cabinet. It is a cabinet-rank post.

As the leader of the opposition Rahul will sit on crucial committees such as Public Accounts (chairman), Public Undertakings, Estimates and several Joint Parliamentary Committees.

He is also entitled to be member of the selection committees responsible for appointing heads of statutory bodies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission, Lokpal and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as well as election commissioners.

RAHUL GANDHI: THE MAKING OF A LEADER

* Visited Niyamgiri hills in Odisha in 2010 to express solidarity with the Dongria Kondh tribals who were protesting against the setting up of a bauxite mine in the area. The Niyamgiri hills are your God, your dharma. My dharma is that every voice, including that of the poor and adivasis should be heard.

* Agitation in Bhatta-Parsaul, Uttar Pradesh, against land acquisition in 2011 by the Mayawati government. He later said that his first fight was against land acquisition. I was stubborn on not allowing dilution of land acquisition laws.

* Met the family of a dalit rape victim in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, in October 2020 along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after a stand-off with the police at the Delhi-UP border which initially did not let the Congress convoy pass through. No power can stifle the voice of the victim's family.

* Yatra in Punjab in October 2020 against the three contentious farm laws passed by the Modi government. If you look at my actions, you will see that I feel for people against whom injustice is being done. You see a strong man beating a weak man, I will fight for the weak man.

* During the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, he sat down on a footpath in Delhi with a group of migrant workers who were walking from Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, to talk about their struggles. Workers were walking to their homes because the Modi government announced a lockdown without giving them any warning. Many workers died on the way.

* Started the Bharat Jodo Yatra in September 2022. For us, this is a journey, an attempt at understanding what is going on, on the ground in India, and an attempt at undoing some of the damage that the BJP and the RSS have done.

* Visited the strife-torn Manipur in June 2023. I visited Manipur to share the pain of the people. I will do whatever it takes to bring peace.
Interview/ Javed Ali Khan, Rajya Sabha member

SENIOR SAMAJWADI PARTY leader Javed Ali Khan, who was a member of the INDIA blocs 13-member coordination committee, says the results of the Lok Sabha elections represent a powerful message that the people of the country have given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. Excerpts from an interview:

Q/ The INDIA bloc is jubilant. But the fact remains that the BJP has formed the government.

A/ Yes, the BJP has formed government. But it is also true that the opposition has many reasons to celebrate. The opposition has posted these numbers fighting against all odds, against the entire might of the Modi government which tried all the tricks in the book to make sure that we were at a disadvantage in the poll arena. Investigating agencies were misused, leaders were targeted, two chief ministers were arrested, there was a resource crunch, and yet the people ensured a powerful message was sent to Modi and the BJP.

Q/ Some opposition leaders have raised questions about the stability of the Modi government.

A/ Whether they are able to draft a common agenda or a common minimum programme and what is there in it will give us an idea about how stable this government is. The BJP's style of functioning has been such that it has weakened its allies. Look at even the parties that offered the BJP tacit support in Parliament, such as the BJD and the YSR Congress. Where are they now? The BJP does not have a majority of its own, so it will also be tempted to break parties to increase its number.

Q/ Can the INDIA bloc remain united?

A/ During the previous term of the Modi government, the opposition parties were united in their floor management. On all contentious issues, the opposition parties had a united stand. Now, the opposition parties have a much enhanced presence in the Lok Sabha. And it is also true that we have got these numbers because we were united. So there is an incentive for us to maintain our unity.

Q/ Would the SP-Congress alliance continue in the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh in 2027?

A/ Three years is a long time. But it is in the benefit of the two parties to consolidate their unity. There is no reason why the alliance should not continue in Uttar Pradesh. The understanding that was evident between the leadership of the two parties during the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, the bonding that we saw between Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi shows that the alliance should continue. There is incentive for the two parties in doing so, and the sentiment of the people is also for the alliance to continue.

Q/ The SP is the second largest party in the opposition bloc. What are your expectations of how the opposition moves ahead?

A/ According to the Election Commission's definition, the Samajwadi Party is a regional party. But our party has always had a national outlook towards issues. We have also taken a stand on international issues. Our party will have an important role to play on national issues and our leader Akhilesh Yadav is an experienced and mature leader. Our stand will always be dictated by what the people's expectation is of the opposition.
Mumbai, Jun 30 (PTI) The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd's (MSEDCL) 6,600 MW tender for long-term power procurement has come under the security of Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC).

In response to an application filed by the state power utility MSEDCL to seek approval for deviation in the standard bidding documents, the MERC has questioned the state power utility why the approval was not sought before initiating the bidding process, according to the regulator's June 25 order.

The state power regulator has directed the MSEDCL to demonstrate in quantifiable terms how the proposed deviations in the bidding documents are in the consumers' interest.

MSEDCL in March issued a tender to procure 1,600 MW thermal power and 5,000 MW of solar power in Maharashtra. This was just before the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections kicked in.

The power procurement was for meeting the demand for 2033-34, i.e. 10 years from now.

The MERC in its order asked MSEDCL to clarify that as the proposed power procurement being undertaken to meet the demand of 2033-34 will start commissioning in the next 2 to 4 years, so would such early contracting create any stranded capacity.

The MERC also wanted to know whether the Maharashtra state power utility has tied up sufficient power to meet the projected demand before 2033-34, according to the order.

The MERC asked the MSEDCL to explain the rationale for considering combined power procurement of solar and thermal from a single entity. The Commission wants to know if all future thermal power procurements would follow the same principle.

According to the sources, MSEDCL is trying to conclude the tender submission in July, before the code of conduct is issued for the state elections, which are due in October 2024.

According to an industry source, projects of this scale would require an investment of around Rs 40,000 crore. Any interested party that wants to participate in the tender will have to obtain offers from equipment suppliers, tie up financing and also arrange for other project essentials such as land, water and transmission.

The tender does not afford sufficient time for the interested parties to arrange for these basic requirements, they said adding this may lead to restricted participation, which is not in the consumer's interest and might result in higher cost of power procurement and tariffs.

Allowing sufficient time for wider participation in the tender will always be in the interest of consumers, since the power requirement is starting in 2033, the source further added.

MSEDCL has been given 7 days to file submission on the queries raised by the MERC. The next date of hearing is on July 2, 2024.
Jaipur, Jun 30 (PTI) Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said that empowering the farmers who produce food for the country is the priority of the double-engine government.

Many steps have been taken by the state government towards farmer welfare.

He said that the dream of a developed and prosperous Rajasthan will come true only with the prosperity of the farmer.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma was addressing the state-level launch ceremony of 'Mukhyamantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana' at Krishi Upaj Mandi in Tonk on Sunday.

Under this scheme, along with the amount of Rs 6,000 of Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi, Rs 2,000 will be given to the farmers by the state government.

BJP government in its manifesto had promised to give additional Rs 2,000 under the scheme.

Today, Rs 653 crore has been directly deposited in the accounts of more than 65 lakh farmers by the state government as the first installment of Rs 1,000, an official statement said.

He said that wheat has been purchased at Rs 2,400 per quintal by providing a bonus of Rs 125 over the support price of Rs 2275 per quintal in the state. Around 10,000 solar power plants, drip and mini sprinklers in 41,000 hectares of area and sprinkler plants in 44,000 hectares of area have been established in the state.

Sharma said that agricultural electricity connections have been issued to 47,000 farmers of the state. Farmers have been given subsidy of more than Rs 8,000 crore in electricity bills. MoUs worth Rs 2.24 lakh crore have been signed to provide adequate electricity to the farmers and make the state a power surplus state.

More than 80,000 farmers of the state have received short term crop loans of Rs 350 crore.

He said that under the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme in the state, insurance claims of about Rs 1, 400 crore were distributed and 9,000 PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras were established.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is determined to strengthen agriculture by providing irrigation facilities to the farmers in the state. He said that to solve the water problem in 21 districts of the state, ERCP has been included in the revised Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal Link Project and an MoU has been signed with the Government of India and Madhya Pradesh.

Under the Chief Minister's Jal Swavlamban Yojna-2.0, 5 lakh water storage structures will be built in the next 4 years and rainwater will be collected by setting up 20,000 farm ponds.
Chandigarh, Jun 30 (PTI) Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has decided to provide subsidies on hybrid seeds of kharif maize and cover over 4,700 hectares of area under maize demonstrations.

Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Sunday said farmers can avail Rs 100 as a subsidy on the purchase of every 1 kg of hybrid maize seeds certified and recommended by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana.

The subsidy for hybrid kharif maize seeds will be provided for a maximum of 5 acres of the area or 40 kg per farmer, an official statement quoted the minister as saying.

A total of 2,300 quintal seeds will be made available to the state farmers at a subsidised price, Khudian said.

Under maize demonstrations, he said, a total area of 4,700 hectares will be covered for which farmers will receive financial support of Rs 6,000 per hectare for various inputs, including fertilisers and insecticides.

To wean off the state farmers from water-guzzling paddy crop to save the groundwater, the agriculture minister said the government has set a target to cultivate kharif maize on a record 2 lakh hectares, almost double compared to the last year.

Urging the state farmers to take maximum benefits of the scheme, Khudian said that the subsidy amount will be directly transferred to the beneficiary farmers' bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme to ensure transparency.

Interested farmers of the state can submit their application at the online portal agrimachinerypb.com to avail the subsidy on the hybrid maize seeds, he added.

He also asked the Agriculture Department authorities to ensure close monitoring of seeds being sold in the state.

Only quality seeds should be made available to the farmers, the minister said.
Chandigarh, Jun 30 (PTI) Haryana will soon get waste-to-charcoal plants, also known as green coal plants, said an official statement here on Sunday.

An MoU for this plant will be signed between NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (NVVNL) and the Haryana Government.

After setting up the plants in Gurugram-Manesar and Faridabad, this initiative will be expanded to other cities in Haryana. NVVNL officers will soon visit a few sites for establishing green coal plants.

"Due to the strenuous efforts of Union Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, Haryana will soon get waste-to-charcoal plants, also known as green coal plants," the statement said.

A meeting in this regard was held on Friday evening at Shram Shakti Bhawan in New Delhi, chaired by Khattar, it said.

"The minister is highly committed to reducing the problem of the increasing quantity of municipal solid waste and using it beneficially for renewable energy production. During the meeting on waste-to-energy, detailed discussions were held on NVVNL's initiative to produce green coal from solid waste," the statement said.

According to the statement, green coal, also known as bio-coal, is a sustainable alternative to traditional waste, as it can be blended with regular coal for electricity generation in thermal power plants.

NVVNL recently established a plant in Varanasi to produce green coal from solid waste. Once fully operational, this plant will consume 600 tonnes of waste and produce 200 tonnes of green coal, leaving very little residue. NVVNL is also working in various stages to set up green coal plants in Haldwani, Vadodara, Noida, Gorakhpur, and Bhopal, it said.

During the meeting, Khattar directed that green coal projects should be established in various districts of Haryana.

Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Gurugram Dr Narhari Singh Bangar mentioned that the MCG has already initiated this process and shown some sites in Gurugram with the NVVNL officials.

Khattar, who is also former Chief Minister of Haryana, instructed that the MC, in collaboration with NVVNL, should set up a green coal plant at Bandhwari or alternative sites around Gurugram and Manesar.

He stated that this plant should be capable of consuming around 1200 tonnes of solid waste daily.

Similarly, Faridabad MC should start the process with NVVNL to set up a plant with a capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day on the available land in village Mothuka. Establishing waste-to-green coal plants in Gurugram-Manesar and Faridabad will not only provide a permanent solution to the waste problem but also increase energy production, he said.
Maiduguri, Jun 30 (AP) At least 18 people were killed and 30 injured, including 19 seriously, in coordinated attacks by suspected female suicide bombers in the northeastern Nigerian town of Gwoza on Saturday, local authorities said.

The first suicide bomber detonated an explosive device during a marriage celebration at about 3 pm, Barkindo Saidu, director-general of Borno State Emergency Management Agency, told reporters.

Minutes later, another blast occurred near General Hospital, Saidu said, and then there was a third attack at a funeral service by a female bomber disguised as a mourner. Children and pregnant women were among those killed.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the the attacks, but Gwoza is in Borno state, which has been heavily impacted by an insurgency launched in 2009 by Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group.

The violence, which has spilled across borders around Lake Chad, has killed over 35,000 people, displaced over 2.6 million and created a massive humanitarian crisis.

Boko Haram, which has one branch allied to the Islamic State group, wants to install an Islamic state in Nigeria, West Africa's oil giant of 170 million people divided almost equally between a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north.

In the past, Boko Haram has used women and girls in suicide bombings, prompting suspicions that some from the many thousands that they have kidnapped over the years. The resurgence of suicide bombings in Borno raises significant concerns about the security situation in the region.

Saidu said the degree of injuries ranged from abdominal ruptures to skull and limb fractures.

I am now coordinating for a chopper tonight, Saidu said. I have mobilised emergency drugs to complement the shortage of drugs in Gwoza.

Authorities imposed a curfew in the city, and the community remained on a high alert following reports of another suspected bomber in Pulka, a town about 2 kilometres (just over a mile) away from Gwoza.

Gwoza is located a few kilometres from Chibok, in southern Borno, where 276 schoolgirls were abducted in 2014. Nearly 100 of the girls are still in captivity.

Since then, at least 1,500 students have been kidnapped across the country as armed groups increasingly find the practice a lucrative way to fund their criminal activities and take control of villages. (AP)



GSP
Thane, Jun 30 (PTI) Police have registered an FIR against two persons in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly cheating four persons of more than Rs 39 lakh by promising them jobs in the state secretariat, an official said on Sunday.

One of the victims is a physically challenged woman who runs a photocopy and typing shop in Kalyan town, he said.

She claimed that one of the accused man, who used to come to her shop, offered to help her get a job in the Mantralaya (secretariat), the official from Kolsewadi police station said quoting her complaint.

Since August 2021, the man and another accused allegedly took Rs 39,71,800 from her and three persons after promising to get them jobs in the secretariat, he said.

Later, when the victims sought to know when they will get the jobs, the accused gave evasive replies.

When the victims asked that their money be returned, the accused issued them cheques which bounced, the official said.

Based on the woman's complaint, the Kolsewadi police on Friday registered a case against the two accused under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 506 (criminal intimidation) and section 34 (common intention), he added.
Bhopal, Jun 30 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments on Sunday signed an agreement for the implementation of the Rs 72,000 crore Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal river linking project.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Mohan Yadav in Bhopal.

This link project proposes to provide drinking and industrial water in 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan, Malwa and Chambal regions of Madhya Pradesh apart from providing irrigation in a minimum 2.8 lakh hectare area each in both the states including supplementation of route tanks in the states.

The link project will help utilise the available water resources of the Chambal basin optimally and economically.

Addressing a programme after signing the MoU, Yadav said an important decision has been taken to use water streams of these rivers for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. An MoU has been signed between the two states for the implementation of the project, he added.

"Following this agreement, drinking water and irrigation facilities can be expanded in 13 districts of Madhya Pradesh including Morena, Gwalior, Sheopur, and Rajgarh. Every drop of water will be used in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, which will write a new chapter in the development of both states," Yadav said.

Besides settling the water scarcity problem, Yadav identified potential agreements between two states in tourism, medicine, mining and other sectors.

Sharma said 13 districts in Rajasthan will benefit from this project.

"MP and Rajasthan will benefit from the river linking project which will also strengthen mutual relations. Some schemes can be taken forward by Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan together," he added.
Panaji, Jun 30 (PTI) The Goa police's crime branch has issued fresh summons to a Mumbai-based woman in the Assagao house demolition case, a senior official said.

Talking to reporters on Saturday, Superintendent of Police (crime branch) Rahul Gupta said the crime branch has asked Puja Sharma to appear before the investigating officer on July 1.

Sharma was named one of the accused in the case involving an unauthorised partial demolition of a house at Assagao in North Goa.

Three police officers, including Inspector Prashil Desai of Anjuna police station, have been suspended in connection with the case.

Gupta said that the Anjuna police had sent a summons to Sharma at her residence earlier, but it was unserved as she was unavailable there.

This was the second summons served to her, he said.

According to the police, Sharma has claimed she owns the said property.

The resident of a one-storey house in Assagao, Prinsha Agarwadekar, earlier lodged a police complaint alleging that her home was partially demolished on June 22, and unidentified persons abducted her husband Pradeep and son Prince.

The police later arrested Arshad Khwaja (51) from near Panaji, who claimed to be the owner of the property and driver of the bulldozer.

The demolition of the house has created a political controversy, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant instituting a high-level inquiry led by Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goyal into the case.
Nagpur, Jun 30 (PTI) Three youths with only a 10th-grade education established an IT solutions company and allegedly cheated a Nagpur resident of Rs 5 lakh in an online fraud, leading to their arrest from Mumbai, a police official said on Sunday.

The arrested individuals are Atul Indrapati Singh (32) of Virar in Palghar, Neeraj Shamkumar Choubey (26) of Nalasopara, and Vikas Meghlal Saw (23) from Dahisar, the Nagpur Cyber Police official said.

According to the police, the trio recently founded a company named Samarth IT Solutions and listed their contact details on Google. In May, Atul Uike, a resident of Mahal area in Nagpur, encountered issues with the PhonePe app on his mobile device. He searched for customer care contact information on Google and found the number listed by Samarth IT Solutions.

Following the provided instructions, Uike made a video call during which the fraudsters manipulated his settings, promising that the app would start functioning by night, the official said.

Over the next two days, a total of Rs 5 lakh was transferred from his account in three transactions of Rs 1.49 lakh, Rs 1.99 lakh, and another Rs 1.49 lakh, following which Uike lodged a complaint with the cyber police, which led to the arrest of the fraudsters, the official said.
Kolkata, Jun 30 (PTI) A 23-year-old man died at a hospital in West Bengal's Jhargram district on Sunday, a week after he was beaten up by unidentified people, police said.

This is the third death in mob attack in West Bengal after two other similar incidents that took place in Kolkata and nearby Salt Lake on June 28 and 29.

Sourabh Sau was found lying injured on a road in Jamboni area near Jhargram town and taken to a local hospital on June 22. He succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.

The police registered a case against unnamed persons based on the complaint lodged by Sau's family on June 27.

His family members, however, alleged that he was assaulted by a group of men engaged by a contractor who alleged that Sau had tried to steal parts of an earth mover parked on the side of the road.

The mother of the deceased claimed that her son had gone for some work in a two-wheeler and was taking some rest under a tree while returning. The earth mover machine was parked nearby.

The incident is preceded by fatal assaults on two youths accused of stealing mobile phones on successive days in Kolkata and nearby Salt Lake on June 28 and 29 respectively.

A man identified as Prasen Mondal was killed after being thrashed by a group of people in Salt Lake area on Saturday. Doctors declared him brought dead after he was taken to a hospital.

On Friday, Irshad Alam was beaten to death at a state-run students' hostel in Kolkata's Bowbazar area.

Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim told reporters earlier that "mass hysteria can only be countered by mass counselling.".

Union minister and BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar slammed the TMC government alleging that it failed to control such crimes.
ASTANA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has established itself as an effective and highly-valued structure within the international security system, with strong prospects for further development, said Bolat Nurgaliyev, former Secretary-General of the SCO.

Regularly holding summits, the SCO effectively addresses the needs of its members and provides practical benefits, Nurgaliyev, also chairman of the Board of the Foreign Policy Research Institute under the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Nurgaliyev believes that the upcoming SCO summit in Astana in July offers an opportunity to reassess the situation, implement the agreements reached at the previous summit in Delhi, outline prospects for the upcoming year, and present the global community with insights into current global tensions and strategies for improvement.

Over the past 23 years, the SCO has established itself as a reputable organization and played a significant role in the global security system, said the expert.

He emphasized that since its founding in 2001, the SCO has upheld the "Shanghai Spirit," promoting mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development.

In its international engagements, the SCO adheres to principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-direction at the third party. It remains dedicated to preserving regional peace, security, and stability, he added.

He highlighted the SCO's provision of a robust financing mechanism for large-scale projects among its member states, significantly contributing to the Belt and Road cooperation. The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative aligns seamlessly with the national programs of SCO member states, fostering extensive regional cooperation and development, he added.

He cited changes in Kazakhstan brought by Belt and Road cooperation projects. "The significant increase in bridges, railways, seaports, highways, tunnels, and terminals is a tangible testament to China's effective role in promoting socio-economic infrastructure development," the expert said. 
Patna, Jun 30 (PTI) The Bihar Police is "fully geared up" in terms of technology, capacity building and awareness generation to implement the three new criminal laws that come into effect across the country from Monday, officials said.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam will replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

An awareness programme will be held at every police station in Bihar on Monday to highlight the key features of the new criminal laws, they said.

Elaborate preparations have been made to ensure successful implementation and seamless transition to the new system. The state police is fully geared up in terms of technology, capacity building and awareness generation to implement the new criminal laws from July 1, a statement issued by the Bihar Police said.

The state police has carried out training of its 25,000 senior officers ahead of the new laws coming into effect and also on digital policing, it said.

Besides, prison, forensic, judicial and prosecution officials across the state have also been trained and sensitised about the new criminal laws.

The state governments comprehensive approach, encompassing training, system integration and administrative support underscores its commitment to enhancing the criminal justice system. It is a significant step forward in law enforcement and justice administration in Bihar, Sudhanshu Kumar, Additional Director General (ADG) of Bihar Police (Traffic), told PTI.

The new laws will bring in a modern justice system, incorporating provisions such as Zero FIR, online registration of police complaints, summonses through electronic modes such as SMS and mandatory videography of crime scenes for all heinous crimes, official sources said.

Booklets on the new laws have been issued and specific apps developed to make it easy for Bihar Police officers to comprehend the widespread changes in India's criminal justice system, the statement said.

Significant efforts have also been made in the integration and testing of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS). All police stations in the state are now connected with CCTNS. All FIRs from July 1 will now be registered online and immediately uploaded on the CCTNS, it said.

Additionally, an app has been developed by the authorities concerned for recording of evidence at crime scenes, search and seizure videography, it said.

Forensic capabilities of the state have also been enhanced with adequate sanctioning of mobile forensic vans and qualified scientific staffers for all district police, the statement said.

All prosecutors of the Directorate of Prosecution have been sanctioned Rs 60,000 each for purchasing new laptops so that they can access information about the significant provisions and benefits of new laws. Only those prosecution officers have not been sanctioned the amount whose retirements are due in the next five years, said another circular issued by the Home Department on June 26.

According to the new laws, judgment in criminal cases has to come within 45 days of completion of trial and charges must be framed within 60 days of first hearing.

The offences against women and children, murder and offences against the State have also been given precedence in the new laws.
Bhubaneswar, Jun 30 (PTI) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said new railway projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore will be implemented in Odisha in the next five years.

Vaishnaw said this while addressing a felicitation programme organised by Odisha BJP here to felicitate the party's 20 MPs and 78 MLAs elected in recently held Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state.

The Congress government and then the BJD government have neglected the development of the railway sector in Odisha. So, with the formation of a double-engine government of BJP in Odisha and Centre, now, the gap created during the past years, will be met by creating a new record in these five years, he said.

Though many mega railway projects have been sanctioned, those were delayed due to delay in land acquisition by the previous BJD government, said Vaishnaw, adding, "Now double engine government is formed and the pace of the railway projects will be accelerated."

The Union minister said the allocation to Odisha in the railway budget has been enhanced from Rs 800 crore during the UPA government tenure to over Rs 10,000 crore during Modi government.

During the past three consecutive years, more than Rs 10,000 crore has been allocated to the state in the railway sector, he said.

Vaishnaw further said that a new railway line of 1,826 km was constructed in Odisha during the last 10 years, which is higher than the total railway network of Sri Lanka (1700 km).

He also said that 315 special trains will run to and from Puri during the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath for smooth travel and convenience of the pilgrims. Last year, 222 trains were run during the Rath Yatra. The special trains have been planned from 25 districts of Odisha, he added.

Vaishnaw, who is also the IT minister, said that an electronic manufacturing cluster and a semi-conductor training centre will be set up in Odisha.

Congratulating the newly elected MLAs and MPs, he expressed confidence that the BJP government will continue to serve the people of Odisha for the next 50 years.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and two deputy chief ministers K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida are like Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra who have been given a big responsibility for the development of the state.

A lot of first-time MLAs and MPs have been elected in this election and the state for the first time has CM and Deputy CMs belonging to the BJP. With this team, a new Odisha will be built which will help in building a 'Viksit Bharat', Pradhan said.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram advised the BJP MLAs and MPs to have a mindset of 'nation first, party second and self last'.

Oram said the BJP has helped the BJD to form a government in the state to end the Congress government. But, they became "arrogant and became worse" like the Congress government. So, people have elected the BJP government, he said.
New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) Several first-year students at the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) of Delhi University have filed complaints against their seniors alleging harassment by them, prompting the institute administration to launch an investigation into the matter.

FMS Dean Venkat Raman said the matter is currently being investigated and action will be taken if the allegations are found to be true.

According to a complaint sent to the grievance redressal cell of the institute, students have alleged they were assigned tasks with "odd deadlines" like 2.30 am and called for interactions at "odd hours" at 5 am on campus failing which they were forced to sign off their summer placement support.

The placement cell of the FMS is run by seniors.

Two emails, one dated June 22 and the other June 23, show students were given assignments at late night at 10 pm and were asked to submit by "2.29.59 am".

In a complaint to the grievance redressal cell, a student anonymously alleged, "Since June 15, we have been overworked, sleep deprived, subjected to threats and made to feel incompetent. As if the extreme pressure was not enough, the seniors mark our words with nasty feedback that we feel is intended to demoralise and humiliate us."

A student suffered a "panic attack and fell unconscious" on the campus due to this behaviour, another email reporting the incident alleged.

Asked about the allegations, FMS Dean Raman said these MBA students are given case studies for corporate exposure.

"Such tasks are given by seniors to help them prepare better for placement. If a task was given at 2.30 am, then you must see that the seniors were also awake till then to assess the assignments," Raman told PTI.

They are basically helping each other, he said.

However, in the process if anything wrong was said, necessary action will be taken, the dean said. "We have an anti-ragging committee in place, if anyone feels they were subjected to an objectionable behaviour, the committee can be reached out."

The first-year students were asked to give an anti-ragging undertaking at the time of their joining, Raman said.

In a recent incident of similar nature, the business school has submitted a report to the University Grants Commission (UGC) stating that an inquiry found the allegations "factually incorrect", he said.

"A similar incident took place a few days back wherein students had alleged that they were denied breaks. Our anti-ragging committee found that the claims were factually incorrect. We submitted a report to the UGC apprising them about it," the dean said.

"If pointed references (of alleged ragging) are provided (by the new batch of students), we will look into it and act as per rules," he added.
Ludhiana, Jun 30 (PTI) The activists of a farmers' organisation on Sunday closed gates of all the cabins at the Ladhowal toll plaza after nearly a fortnight of protests to demand a reduction in toll rates at the plaza.

The protest at the site had started under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Union on June 16 and had also got support from some taxi unions and other farmers' organisations.

The farmers had been protesting and sitting on a dharna at the Ladhowal toll barrier here on the banks of the Satluj river on the national highway.

Dilbag Singh, president of the union said, "Today, we have closed the gates of all the cabins of the toll plaza by tying a piece of cloth there as a seal."

After the start of the dharna about two weeks ago, all vehicles were passing through the toll plaza without paying any fee, he said, adding they will continue to do so even now.

Addressing a gathering on Sunday, Singh claimed commuters need to pay Rs 220 for a single journey and Rs 330 for multiple journeys in a four-wheeler, putting a financial burden on common commuters.

The protesters had demanded that the toll rates be reduced to Rs 150 for multiple journeys for cars, jeeps, or vans for a 24-hour period.

Singh said they had warned earlier that if the authorities failed to issue orders to reduce the toll rates by Saturday evening, the union would permanently lock the toll barriers.

He said after presenting another memorandum on Sunday to the district administration, they lifted their dharna from the site after locking the barriers.

Singh claimed it is the costliest toll plaza in Punjab, and said, "For the third time during the last 12 months, the toll fee had been increased. Such frequent hikes in rates have put a burden on the pockets of the commuters".
New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) Representatives of the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association have met Union Health Minister J P Nadda to discuss their concerns over medical education with a focus on the postponement of the NEET-PG exam.

According to a statement, the delegation of the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) met the minister on Saturday.

At the meeting, FORDA stressed on the importance of promptly announcing the new exam dates and conducting the exams transparently and efficiently, it said, adding the primary focus of the discussion was the postponement of the NEET-PG exam.

The NEET-PG, which was scheduled to be held on June 23, was postponed a night before the entrance exam, as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams.

In the statement, FORDA said Nadda assured the delegation that his ministry and the government are committed to the welfare of students and are determined to improve the current system.

The reasons behind the postponement of NEET-PG are being addressed and fresh dates for the exam will be announced soon, the health minister told the FORDA delegation.

The delegation also raised other significant issues pending resolution since before the Lok Sabha elections and Nadda assured them that further meetings would be held to address these matters.

The FORDA delegation included its President Dr Aviral Mathur, General Secretary Dr Sarvesh Pandey, Dr Gautam Sharma (RML), Dr Sarada (LHMC), Dr Bharani, Dr Ayush (VMMC and SJH), and Dr Meet Ghonia (NITRD).
Kochi, Jun 30 (PTI) Kerala High Court judge, Justice Ramachandran on Sunday urged the youth to become a driving force for positive social change.

Inaugurating the Think Kerala Youth Conclave here at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Ramachandran said for a sustainable future, a collective voice of the youth was required.

Emphasising the importance of youth involvement in societal development, the Conclave has called for strengthening collective voice to build Future Kerala.

"Building a sustainable and promising future for Kerala demands a collective voice of the youth to drive positive changes in society," Ramachandran said.

He stressed the need to understand the reasons behind the recent trend of many young people increasingly emigrating from the state.

"Ensuring women's safety is important in the development of a healthy society by enabling them to walk freely in public space at any time," he said, adding that crime reduction requires not just punishment but also public awareness.

Justice Ramachandran also called for dismantling societal prejudices as a means to achieving fairness and equal opportunity for all and urged the youth to "become a driving force for positive social change".

The conclave, themed 'Dream Kerala is Possible,' is aimed at creating a dynamic platform for innovative solutions for sustainable development, CMFRI said, adding that the conclave focused on the theme 'Dream Kerala is Possible'.

It brought together 300 people aged between 18 and 30. Experts from various fields engaged in discussions and interacted with the participants.

CMFRI Director Dr A Gopalakrishnan presided over the function.

The conclave identified the need to improve higher education to meet global standards and create more job opportunities, the release said.

"It highlighted the challenges of youth unemployment and underemployment. The discussions emphasised the importance of entrepreneurship and agriculture as potential sources of income for young people. It observed that there is a need to break social stereotypes and empower the youth to move forward," it said.

Prominent personalities including Technopark Founder CEO, G Vijayaraghavan, Murali Tummarukudi, Prashanth Nair IAS, Santhosh George Kulangara, Prof. Achyut Shankar, among others participated.


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French voters are being called to the polls on Sunday for an exceptional moment in their political history: the first round of snap parliamentary elections that could see the countrys first far-right government since the World War II Nazi occupation  or no majority emerging at all.

The outcome of the vote, following the second round on July 7 and an hasty campaign, remains highly uncertain as three major political blocs are competing: the far-right National Rally, President Emmanuel Macrons centrist alliance and the New Popular Front coalition that includes center-left, greens and hard-left forces.

Heres a closer look:

How does it work?

The French system is complex and not proportionate to nationwide support for a party. Legislators are elected by district. A parliamentary candidate requires over 50% of the days vote to be elected outright Sunday.

Failing that, the top two contenders, alongside anyone else who won support from more than 12.5% of registered voters, go forward to a second round.

In some cases, three or four people make it to the second round, though some may step aside to improve the chances of another contender  a tactic often used in the past to block far-right candidates.

Key party leaders are expected to unveil their strategy in between the two rounds. This makes the result of the second round highly uncertain, and dependent on political maneuvering and how voters react.

The far-right National Rally, ahead in all pre-election opinion polls, hopes to win an absolute majority, or at least 289 out of the 577 seats.

The National Assembly, the lower house, is the more powerful of Frances two houses of parliament. It has the final say in the law-making process over the Senate, dominated by conservatives.

Macron has a presidential mandate until 2027, and said he would not step down before the end of his term.

Whats cohabitation?

If another political force than his centrist alliance gets a majority, Macron will be forced to appoint a prime minister belonging to that new majority.

In such a situation  called cohabitation in France  the government would implement policies that diverge from the presidents plan.

Frances modern Republic has experienced three cohabitations, the last one under conservative President Jacques Chirac, with Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, from 1997 to 2002.

The prime minister is accountable to the parliament, leads the government and introduces bills.

In case of cohabitation, policies implemented are essentially those of the prime minister, political historian Jean Garrigues said.

The president is weakened at home during cohabitation, but still holds some powers over foreign policy, European affairs and defense because he is in charge of negotiating and ratifying international treaties. The president is also the commander-in-chief of the countrys armed forces, and is the one holding the nuclear codes.

Its possible for the president to prevent or temporarily suspend the implementation of a certain number of the prime ministers projects, since he has the power to sign or not sign the governments ordinances or decrees, Garrigues added.

Yet the prime minister has the power to submit these ordinances and decrees to a vote of the National Assembly, thus overriding the presidents reluctance, he noted.

Who leads defense and foreign policies?

During previous cohabitations, defense and foreign policies were considered the informal reserved field of the president, who was usually able to find compromises with the prime minister to allow France to speak with one voice abroad.

Yet today, both the far-right and the leftist coalitions views in these areas differ radically from Macrons approach and would likely be a subject of tension during a potential cohabitation.

According to the Constitution, while the president is the head of the military, its the prime minister who has the armed forces at his disposal, Garrigues said.

In the diplomatic field also, the presidents perimeter is considerably restricted, Garrigues added.

The National Rallys president, Jordan Bardella, said that if he were to become prime minister, he would oppose sending French troops to Ukraine  a possibility Macron has not ruled out. Bardella also said he would refuse French deliveries of long-range missiles and other weaponry capable of striking targets within Russia itself.

If the leftist coalition was to win the elections, it could disrupt Frances diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.

The New Popular Fronts platform plans to immediately recognize the Palestinian state and break with the French governments guilty support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government.

Macron previously argued the recognition of the Palestinian state should take place at a useful moment, suggesting the Israel-Hamas war doesnt not allow such a move at the moment.

What happens if theres no majority?

The president can name a prime minister from the parliamentary group with the most seats at the National Assembly  this was the case of Macrons own centrist alliance since 2022.

Yet the National Rally already said it would reject such an option, because it would mean a far-right government could soon be overthrown through a no-confidence vote if other political parties join together.

The president could try to build a broad coalition from the left to the right, an option that sounds unlikely, given the political divergences.

Experts say another complex option would be to appoint a government of experts unaffiliated with political parties but which would still need to be accepted by a majority at the National Assembly. Such a government would likely deal mostly with day-to-day affairs rather than implementing major reforms.

If political talks take too long amid summer holidays and the July 26-Aug. 11 OIympics in Paris, Garrigues said a transition period is not ruled out, during which Macrons centrist government would still be in charge of current affairs, pending further decisions.

Whatever the National Assembly looks like, it seems that the Constitution of the 5th Republic is flexible enough to survive these complex circumstances, Melody Mock-Gruet, a public law expert teaching at Sciences Po Paris, said in a written note. Institutions are more solid than they appear, even when faced with this experimental exercise.

Yet there remains another unknown in the equation: the populations ability to accept the situation, Mock-Gruet wrote.
Slowly but steadily this summer, Russian troops are forging through Ukraines outgunned and undermanned defenses in a relentless onslaught, prompting the West to push for new weapons and strategies to shore up Kyiv.

That, in turn, has brought new threats by President Vladimir Putin to retaliate against the West  either directly or indirectly.

The moves by the West to blunt the offensive and the potential Kremlin response could lead to a dangerous escalation as the war drags through its third year  one that further raises the peril of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.

Russias probing offensive

Russia took advantage of its edge in firepower amid delays in U.S. aid to scale up attacks in several areas along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front. Relatively small units are probing Ukrainian defenses for weak spots, potentially setting the stage for a more ambitious push.

Russias offensive near Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, that began in May and worried Kyivs Western allies has apparently lost momentum after the Ukrainian army bolstered its forces in the area by redeploying troops from other sectors.

Meanwhile, Russia has made incremental but steady advances in the Donetsk region, including around the strategic hilltop town of Chasiv Yar, a gateway to parts of Donetsk still under Ukrainian control. Analysts say the fall of Chasiv Yar would threaten the key military hubs of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Putin declared that Moscow wasnt seeking quick gains and would stick to the current strategy of advancing slowly.

Jack Watling of the Royal United Services Institute said that by stretching Ukrainian forces along a wide front, Russia is overcoming the limitations of its military that lacks the size and training for a major offensive.

The breadth of the strikes has forced Ukraine to spread out its artillery, expending munitions to break up successive Russian attacks, he said in an analysis. Russias aim is not to achieve a grand breakthrough but rather to convince Ukraine that it can keep up an inexorable advance, kilometer by kilometer, along the front.

Michael Kofman of the Carnegie Endowment said Russias apparent goal is to maintain pressure and try to stretch out Ukraines forces. He noted that even though Ukraine managed to stabilize the front line, it had to use reserves intended to be deployed elsewhere.

It will take more and more time to actually regenerate Ukraines combat strength because of that, he said in a recent podcast.

Moscow also has stepped up airstrikes on Ukraines energy facilities and other vital infrastructure with waves of missiles and drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the country had lost about 80% of its thermal power and one-third of its hydroelectric power in the strikes.

This will be a growing problem when we talk about the future Ukraines economic viability, Kofman said.

Watling said the shortage of air defenses is giving Ukraine a difficult choice between concentrating them to safeguard critical infrastructure, or protecting troops on the front.

The persistence of Russias long-range strike campaign means that not only is the front being stretched laterally, but it is also being extended in its depth, he said.

The West responds, the Kremlin counters

Washington and some NATO allies have responded to the offensive by allowing Kyiv to use Western weapons for limited strikes inside Russia. The U.S. has allowed Ukraine to use American weapons against military targets in Russia near Kharkiv and elsewhere near the border, but, to Kyivs dismay, Washington so far hasnt given permission for strikes deeper in Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron and some other Western officials argue that Kyiv has the right to use their equipment to attack military assets anywhere in Russia. There also has been talk by Macron and the leaders of NATOs Baltic members  but not the U.S.  of deploying troops to Ukraine.

Putin warns that this would be a major escalation, and he threatened to retaliate by providing weapons to Western adversaries elsewhere in the world.

He reinforced that argument by signing a mutual defense pact with North Korea in June and holding the door open for arms supplies to Pyongyang.

He declared that just as the West says Ukraine can decide how to use Western weapons, Moscow could provide arms to North Korea and similarly say that we supply something to somebody but have no control over what happens afterward  an apparent hint at Pyongyangs role as arms trader.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russias Security Council, noted Moscow could arm anyone who considers the U.S. and its allies their enemies, regardless of their political beliefs and international recognition.

Another threat of escalation followed a Ukrainian attack with U.S.-made ATACMS missiles that killed four and injured over 150 in Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Russias Defense Ministry warned it could take unspecified measures against U.S. drones over the Black Sea that provide intelligence to Ukraine.

The nuclear threat and Putins long game

Putin said it was wrong for NATO to assume that Russia wont use its nuclear arsenal, reaffirming it will use all means if its sovereignty and territorial integrity are threatened.

He also warned that Moscow was pondering possible changes to its doctrine that specifies when it resorts to nuclear weapons.

Underscoring that, Russia held military drills with battlefield nuclear weapons involving Belarus. Last year, Moscow deployed some of those weapons to Belarus to try to discourage Western military support for Ukraine.

A military defeat in Ukraine, Putin said, would deal a deadly blow to Russian statehood, and he vowed to press his goals to the end.

He declared that for Russia to halt the fighting, Ukraine must withdraw its troops from the four regions that Moscow annexed in 2022, an idea Kyiv and its allies dismissed. He also said Ukraine must abandon its bid to join NATO.

Hawkish Russian commentators criticized Putin for failing to respond forcefully to NATO ramping up support for Kyiv and allowing the West to continuously push back Russias red lines. Some argued that if the damage grows from Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia with longer-range Western missiles, Moscow should hit NATO assets.

Vasily Kashin, a Moscow-based defense analyst, noted that while Ukraine already had used Western weapons to inflict limited damage, Putin will have to do something if there are cruise missile strikes deep inside Russian territory resulting in significant casualties.

Russia could respond by targeting Western drones or U.S. spy satellites, or also strike some NATO countries assets in overseas territories to minimize triggering an all-out conflict with the alliance, Kashin said.

Other Russian commentators argued, however, that such action fraught with triggering a direct conflict with NATO isnt in Moscows interests.

Moscow-based security analyst Sergei Poletaev said the Kremlin aims to steadily drain Ukrainian resources to force Kyiv into accepting a peace deal on Russias terms.

While nothing spectacular is happening on the front line, he said, constant dropping wears away a stone.

Moscows military advantage allows it to maintain pressure along the entire front line and make new advances while waiting for Ukraine to break down, he said in a commentary

Lacking the resources for a major offensive, the Kremlin has opted for slow advances, aiming to keep pressure on Ukraine while warding off the West from direct involvement in hostilities, Poletaev said.

We must walk the razors edge between our victory and a nuclear war, he said.

(AP)
MADRID, June 30 (Xinhua) -- A combination of music, dance and drama of Wu Opera by a troupe from east China's Zhejiang Province amazed an enthusiastic audience in the Spanish capital Madrid over the weekend.

Some 2,000 people attended two packed Wu Opera performances by China's Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Center on Friday and Saturday. A lot of the audience praised the versatility, drama, agility, colors, and poetry of this local operatic genre, which has a history of more than 500 years.

"I found it very interesting. The combination of music is so unfamiliar to us: the acrobatics, the gestures, and the movements. I thought it was very colorful, very unique," Patricia Garcia, a music teacher, told Xinhua after watching the show on Saturday.

She said the audience was very passionate and involved from the beginning. "I think it is a very attractive and different show. It transported me to China," she added.

During the show lasting for more than an hour and a half, the audience was introduced to different performances like "9-Pieced Segmented Dragon," Suona Solo "Picking Dates," or satirical pieces such as "The Sedan Ride" and "Three Triumphs Over the Skeletal Demon."

Amaya Niz Azpiroz, a supervisor at Lufthansa Airlines, said she is very interested in Chinese culture and art, and this was her first time watching Wu Opera.

"I loved it because of the colorfulness, how simple it is to understand what is going on, the gestures and expressiveness," she said, adding that she expected to see more such shows.

Concepcion Gutierrez, a retired professional, pointed out that she was very impressed by the dragon. "The girl handing out the flowers with the ribbon (is) so delicate. Of course the agility of everyone, the colours," she said.

Among the audience, some people, like Rebeca Mato, came from far away. The Mexican has been a cellist for 33 years with the Mexico National Autonomous University Philharmonic Orchestra, and she is on holiday in Spain.

Noting that the musical registers of Wu Opera are very different from Western ones, Rebeca said they "produce different emotions" and "they have incredible coordination, they do a lot of acrobatics, they do dance ... They are very complete artists."

Wu Opera, also known as Jinhua Opera, is the second major regional operatic genre in Zhejiang Province, eastern China. It first grew in popularity in Jinhua and its surrounding areas and was named after Wuzhou, the name of Jinhua in ancient China. 
The head of a research organization that has been tracing weapons used in attacks in Ukraine since 2018 told the United Nations Security Council on Friday it has irrefutably established that ballistic missile remnants found in Ukraine came from North Korea.

The United States and its Western allies clashed with Russia and North Korea at the meeting, saying both countries violated a U.N. embargo on arms exports from the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the countrys official name. Russia dismissed the baseless accusations, and the DPRK dismissed the meeting as an extremely brazen act to discuss someones alleged weapon transfers.

Jonah Leff, executive director of Conflict Armament Research, gave the council a detailed analysis of the remnants of the missile that struck Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, on Jan. 2.

He said the organization documented the missiles rocket motor, its tail section and almost 300 components manufactured by 26 companies from eight countries and territories, and it determined the missile was either a KN-23 or KN-24 manufactured in 2023 in the DPRK.

The organization reached its conclusion based on the missiles unique characteristics  its diameter, distinct jet vane actuators that direct the missiles thrust and trajectory, the pattern around the igniter, the presence of Korean characters on some rocket components, and other marks and components dating back to 2023, he said.

Following the initial documentation, our teams inspected three additional identical DPRK missiles that struck Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia earlier this year, Leff said. They also observed additional conventional weapons, including an artillery rocket produced in 1977, that had been seized on the front lines and had not been observed on the battlefield previously in Ukraine that were manufactured by the DPRK, and might have been part of a recent larger consignment of rockets.

The council discussed illegal arms transfers from North Korea at the request of France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The meeting followed Russias March 28 veto that ended the monitoring of sanctions against North Korea over its expanding nuclear program by a U.N. panel of experts. The U.S. and its European and Asian allies accused Moscow of seeking to avoid scrutiny as it allegedly violates sanctions to buy weapons from Pyongyang for its war in Ukraine.

U.N. disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu told the council Friday that before its mandate expired, the panel of experts was reviewing a report from Ukraine on missile debris it recovered following information about short-range ballistic missiles manufactured in the DPRK and used by Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

While the mandate of the experts, which had been extended since 2009 with Russias support, was terminated, Nakamitsu said it is important to note that the Security Council committee responsible for monitoring the implementation of sanctions against the DPRK continues its work and will oversee the implementation of the sanctions regime.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood called Leffs presentation with its many technical details quite compelling, and told the council that while Russia may have ended the panels monitoring with Chinas tacit support, the briefing showed that Moscow and Beijing cannot prevent the public from learning about the unlawful arms transfers occurring between the DPRK and Russia.

He said the independent findings by Leffs research organization corroborate open-source reports and analyses. And he said that, in addition to the dozens of missiles Russia has transferred from the DPRK, it has also unlawfully transferred over 11,000 containers of munitions.

As a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia has a responsibility to uphold and strengthen international peace and security, Wood said. Yet, Russia is launching ballistic missiles, which it unlawfully procured from the DPRK, against the Ukrainian people.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the meetings Western sponsors of attempting to use the Security Council to trot out an anti-Russian and anti-North Korean narrative and to disseminate baseless accusations in order to detract attention from their own destructive actions which foment escalation in the region.

He called the claims that Russia is using DPRK missiles in Ukraine absolutely false, questioning the professionalism and expertise of those who examined the wreckage in Ukraine.

Nebenzia accused the United States of constantly stepping up the militarization of the Asia-Pacific region and said Washingtons policy of extended deterrence on Russias eastern border poses a real threat not just for the DPRK but also for our country.

He said the purpose of the June 19 strategic partnership agreement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is to play a stabilizing role in northeast Asia amidst an unprecedented escalation of tensions. As for Article 4 of the agreement, providing for the delivery of mutual military assistance if either country is subject to an armed attack, he said this should not arouse national security-related concerns for countries that dont plan to attack the DPRK.

North Korean Ambassador Kim Song called the United States the worlds biggest arms exporter, and accused the Western countries that called the council meeting of being the main culprits of disturbing global peace. They have caused tragic bloodshed by extensive shipment of weapons  and have cast a cloud of war in every corner of the world.

Song detailed U.S. arms shipments to South Korea and Japan and accused the U.S. and its followers of trying to obstruct the development of DPRK-Russia relations. He defended those relations as completely of a peace-loving and defensive nature.

Chinas deputy U.N. ambassador, Geng Shuang, warned that peace and security in all of northeast Asia will be affected if there is more chaos on the Korean peninsula.

He called on all parties to be rational and pragmatic and work together to cool down the situation.

China will play a constructive role to realize long-term peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, Geng said, and he called on the United States to end its pressure campaign against the DPRK and the myth of deterrence, and demonstrate its sincerity in holding an unconditional dialogue through concrete action.

U.S. envoy Wood retorted: If, indeed, China is so concerned about the security situation on the Korean peninsula, then it needs to use its influence with the DPRK to persuade it from undermining regional and global security.

It should also use its influence that it has with Russia through its new No Limits partnership to end this increasingly dangerous military cooperation between DPRK and Russia, he said.

(AP)
In a stunning display of global disdain, Americas adversaries have declared the United States the real loser in Thursdays presidential debate. President Bidens faltering performance left viewers stunned, and foreign media outlets, many government-run, seized the opportunity to criticize the US.

Rebekah Koffler, a strategic military intelligence analyst, noted, Every outlet, big and small, carries a piece describing what happened Most of them, if not all, are derogatory of both candidates and mocking America. Koffler added, Putin likely believes that Russia wins either way, no matter who wins, because he expects the US to plunge into chaos in the aftermath of the elections, because the country is so divided and polarized.

Russian media touted the debate as a victory for Russia, highlighting Bidens half-open mouth, unblinking eyes and blank expression on his face. Chinese media labeled the debate the most chaotic presidential debate ever and like a reality show.

Middle East expert Lisa Daftari warned, Any American adversary may look at President Bidens performance as a reminder that the leader of the free world is currently less than competent That has not always been the case with the Biden administration, and Thursday nights performance allows for an even more extreme perception of American weakness.

Reaction from allied nations was also less than glowing, with Polish Foreign Minister Radslaw Sikorski making an unfavorable comparison between Biden and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, and French and German outlets describing the debate as a terrible storm and car accident.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Former South Carolina Governor and Trump primary challenger Nikki Haley has issued a warning to Republicans: Democrats will replace President Biden with a younger, more vibrant candidate, and the party must prepare for the challenge.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Haley said, They are going to be smart about it. Theyre going to bring somebody younger. Theyre going to bring somebody vibrant. Theyre going to bring somebody tested This is a time for Republicans to prepare and get ready for whats to come because there is no way that there will be a surviving Democratic Party if they allow Joe Biden to continue to be the candidate.

Haleys comments come after Bidens debate performance against former President Trump, which some Democrats have called on him to drop out of the race. Haley also referenced the performance, saying, Our enemies just saw that they have between now and Jan. 20 to do whatever it is they want to do.

Haley has previously called for cognitive tests for all candidates for federal office, and reiterated her stance on Saturday, saying, America deserves the strongest leader possible Thursday night was shocking. Its exactly why I have been calling for mental competency tests for anyone running for office. Joe Biden owes the American people transparency about his cognitive abilities.

In response, Biden spokesperson Ammar Moussa said, To the millions of Nikki Haley supporters who are tired of Donald Trump and his MAGA allies constantly attacking them, running moderates and independents out of the party and repeatedly refusing to commit to accepting the 2024 election results, you have a home in President Bidens coalition.

Haley also questioned Trumps cognitive abilities during the Republican primary, noting that he seemingly confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She told the Journal that Democrats could suffer down-ballot losses if they keep Biden as the nominee, saying, If they continue down this path, and they have Biden as their nominee, they are committed to hurting America.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be accompanied by families of hostages held in Gaza and those who have lost loved ones in the war against Hamas when he travels to Washington to address Congress on July 24.

Netanyahu received the invitation to address Congress three weeks ago from its four top leaders: House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

In a statement, Netanyahu expressed his gratitude, saying, I am very moved to have the privilege of representing Israel before both Houses of Congress and 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.

The invitation was announced by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who highlighted the significance of the bipartisan and bicameral meeting. This meeting symbolizes the US and Israels enduring relationship and will offer Prime Minister Netanyahu the opportunity to share the Israeli governments vision for defending their democracy, combatting terror, and establishing just and lasting peace in the region, they said in a statement.

The address is expected to focus on Israels efforts to defend its democracy and combat terrorism, as well as its vision for achieving peace in the region.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Washington is working to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas, proposing new language for parts of the proposed hostage and ceasefire deal, according to a report by Axios. The US, along with fellow mediators Qatar and Egypt, is focused on amending Clauses 8 and 14 of the deal, which concern negotiations during the six-week ceasefire and the transition between stages one and two of the agreement.

Relatives of those still held captive in Gaza protested on Motzei Shabbos, urging the government to secure a deal. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which has been holding weekly rallies, pledged to continue calling on the government to realize the deal presented by US President Biden in May.

The proposed deal would see the fighting in Gaza cease for six weeks, during which Hamas would release the remaining living female, elderly, and sick hostages. Talks would then be held to secure a second six-week truce, during which Hamas would release the remaining living hostages, including young men and male soldiers. However, if Hamas violates its commitments, Israel could resume fighting.

Hamas wants talks during the first phase to focus on the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the living male hostages, while Israel also wants to discuss the demilitarization of Gaza. The US is working to find a formula that will allow a deal to be reached, with one source saying that the agreement could be sealed if Hamas okays the changes.

The fate of the proposal was unclear earlier this week after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to walk back on his commitment to the deal, saying he was willing to temporarily withdraw the army from Gaza in return for a partial deal that would see some of the hostages returned. However, he later insisted that he was still committed to the Israeli proposal welcomed by President Biden.

The US State Department characterized Hamass response to the Israeli proposal as a rejection, with spokesperson Matthew Miller saying that Hamas had given a written response rejecting the proposal and presenting a counter-proposal.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, along with opposition figures, criticized Netanyahu for appearing to renege on the deal, which had been approved by Israels since-disbanded war cabinet. The forum said that the government must approve the deal and cannot miss the opportunity for an agreement that will bring all the hostages home.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
In a heartfelt video message played at a protest rally in Tel Aviv, Noa Argamani, one of the four hostages rescued by the Israeli military in a special operation in Gaza this month, spoke publicly for the first time since her rescue. Argamani expressed her gratitude for being reunited with her family, particularly her mother who has late-stage cancer, but emphasized her concern for the remaining 120 hostages still in Hamas captivity, including her partner Avinatan Or.

As an only child to my parents  and a daughter to a mother with a terminal illness  my biggest worry in captivity was for my parents, Argamani said in the two-minute clip. Although Im home now, we cant forget about the hostages who are still in Hamas captivity, and we must do everything possible to bring them back home.

Argamani and her partner Avinatan were abducted by Hamas at the Nova music festival on October 7. She was held captive for eight months before being rescued in a daring Israeli operation.

The video message was played before a crowd of protesters who have been holding large rallies in Tel Aviv for months, demanding the return of all hostages and a resolution to the crisis. Some protesters have called for a ceasefire deal with Hamas, while others have demanded the ouster of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government.

During the latest demonstration, a group of protesters lit fires and tires in the middle of the street, prompting Israeli police to intervene. Footage showed officers confronting the crowd and briefly restraining lawmaker Naama Lazimi, who participated in the rally, before releasing her. No arrests were reported.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
A leading road surface company wants to put an end to speculation as to whether electric vehicles are the cause of an increase in potholes plighting the nation's roads.

The Asphalt Group - one of the UK's largest road surface treatment companies - has called for a better long term solution to the on-going issue of Britain's crumbling road network.

It comes after some have claimed that the additional bulk of EVs - especially hulking SUV versions - are the biggest contributor to our cratered routes.

The Asphalt Group - one of the UK's largest road surface treatment companies - wants to put an end to speculation as to whether electric vehicles are the cause of an increase pothole plighting the nation's roads

A recent report by the trade body Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) put the bill for pothole-related payouts at 15.2million

The group is categorically clear that the switch to electric is not responsible for the poor quality of our roads.

Taking a fighting stance on the subject, Stephen Cooke, Asphalt Group MD, said: 'Let's be crystal clear, EVs are not the cause of the current state of the UK's roads.'

So what is causing the embarrassingly poor condition of our streets and busy routes?

'The real reason is a lack of investment in the solutions of the future, and a lack of awareness of what's available,' Cooke explains.

'Traditional 'sticky plaster' pothole solutions are simply unacceptable, we need to be thinking bigger picture. Prevent, reinforce and spray treatment is the way forward  not just filler and hope.'

The group believes a more affordable, lower environmental impact and longer lasting road network can be obtained if road surface and maintenance companies and the government work together.

Road surface improvement is one of the biggest motoring talking points in the run up to the election, with each party trying to set out its way to address the ongoing issue.

But to do this the current blame narrative needs to move away from EVs - something Bill Esterson, Shadow Road and Transport Minister reiterates: 'There are 100 times as many potholes as there are craters on the moon.

'Rather than looking for conspiracy theories and scapegoats, we need a plan to fix the roads. That means replacing the sticking plasters and gimmicks with a sustainable approach and long-term resurfacing and prevention in their place.

'The UK has a 16.3billion backlog of repairs, this is simply unacceptable.'

A recent investigation found no consistency with how local authorities determine when a pothole needs to be fixed. A variety of different approaches were given by 206 local councils when identifying and repairing potholes

This is Money recently reported how the UK's pothole epidemic is intensifying with the RAC attending 10 per cent more breakdowns resulting from motorists driving through potholes than a year ago.

Some 27,205 callouts to breakdowns due to poor road surfaces in the UK were received by the RAC in the year to the end of March. That compares with 24,906 during the previous 12 months.

On top of this, Channel 4's Dispatches programme and the RAC found that local authorities are taking wildly polarised approaches to classifying potholes, and what determines whether they get fixed or not.

The probe found that a third of councils will only fix potholes when they reach a specific depth, irrelevant of how wide they are.

This means many dangerous potholes go unrepaired, posing a continuous risk to road users.

And a report this week suggested Britain's pothole problem could be up to five times worse than previously believed, suggesting there is a remarkable 11.5 million craters in roads to date.

Data collected by mobile app Stan the App, which uses AI to identify potholes scattered through British roads, implies the issue is far greater than initially thought.

Out of 206 councils approached by the RAC and Dispatches, just 76 (37%) take a 'risk-based approach' to deciding which potholes to fix and how quickly

While the problem with UK roads is nothing new, myths put the blame on electric vehicles - specifically their weight.

A combination of misleading national speculation from the press about how the weight of EVs will affect roads and bridges and MP's querying the need for tests to determine this has led to a general concern that our roads won't be able to deal with the uptake in EVs.

The RAC counteracted 'misguided' information, stating: 'Any attempt to say the weight of EVs is responsible for a decline in the quality of our roads is a distraction from the reality that our roads have been neglected for too long.'

In 2022 University of Edinburgh published a research paper called Hidden cost of road maintenance due to the increased weight of battery and hydrogen trucks and buses  a perspective.

Earlier this year, The Guardian pointed out that Edinburgh University's analysis didn't carry out real-world tests, and the paper stated any extra wear is 'overwhelmingly caused by larger vehicles - buses, heavy goods vehicles' and that road wear from cars and motorcycles 'is so low that this is immaterial'.

Today FairCharge founder Quentin Willson said: 'Blaming EVs for potholes is laughable since they're only around 3 per cent of all vehicles on UK roads.

'I'm pleased that road repair experts, Asphalt Group, and the Shadow Minister for Roads, Bill Esterson, have joined FairCharge's calls for facts and accuracy in the exaggerated media reports linking the weight of EV batteries to road damage.

'Instead, we should focus on how to create long term solutions for fixing the worst levels of potholes that the asphalt industry has seen for 29 years.'
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.

P.B. writes: In January 2023, my wife began a regular monthly investment into her Hargreaves Lansdown share account. Last October, Hargreaves Lansdown asked about the source of the funds. She provided a clear answer and was told this was the end of the matter.

However, they wrote again, asking for the same information and threatening to cancel her investment and restrict our other accounts. We complained and they apologised and paid us 500, but then said they wanted details of the source of all her funds going back 21 years.

Tony Hetherington replies: By the time you contacted me, Hargreaves Lansdown had already frozen your wife's accounts and refused to allow withdrawals. As well as her share account, the pair of you have pension plans and Individual Savings Accounts (Isas) with the firm, where you have been customers since 2003.

You might think that after two decades, Hargreaves Lansdown would know enough about you, but in March this year your wife was asked to reveal 'the full source of payments which have funded the account since its inception'.

She opened an Isa in 2003, a self-invested personal pension in 2005, and a share account in 2007, and the brokers insisted they 'would require evidence/information for each of these accounts from these relevant dates'.

Hargreaves Lansdown is an investing and savings service that employs over 2,000 people

You asked me: 'Can it be right that our Isa contribution of 7,000 from 2003 is now denied to us by way of capital withdrawal because we may not have evidence of its source of funds 21 years later?'

Hargreaves Lansdown told me: 'Clients are not expected to keep proof of all their financial records.' But, ominously, they added that they do expect clients to be able to provide an employment history, details of any inheritance, and evidence such as bank statements showing salaries. It became clear that Hargreaves Lansdown was using its anti-money-laundering team to conduct its investigation.

What attracted their attention was that your wife was paying a remarkable 10,000 a month into her share account. The brokers wanted to know where she got this money. And the answer, ridiculously, was that it came from cash she held in a different account with Hargreaves Lansdown itself.

The money was transferred to your bank and then back to the brokers each month for investment in an index tracker fund. What was the point? Well, one good reason was that Hargreaves Lansdown charged no fees for a regular investment from an outside account.

And where did this cash come from? It came four years ago from many years of investment in shares, which your wife turned into cash when Covid struck. And where were all these shares held over those many years? Where else but Hargreaves Lansdown!

An ISA, or individual savings account, is a tax-free way of saving or investing. The two main types are cash ISAs and stocks and shares ISAs

One of the broker's managers agreed your reinvestment scheme made perfect sense. But more recently, perhaps after realising you had found a way to sidestep fees, the firm decided this was 'an improper use of our service'.

I asked for clear answers. Should clients keep personal financial records forever? And why did the firm not ask its questions when your funds were first deposited?

Hargreaves Lansdown said clients are not expected to keep records for ever, but fudged this by adding that it would carry out 'enhanced due diligence' when necessary. As for asking questions earlier, the reply was that the questions only arose after the reinvestments began.

Hargreaves Lansdown is still demanding full details of your wife's employment over the past 21 years, including salary figures and other income. You refused to meet the firm's deadline last Monday, so by now I fully expect the brokers to have frozen your funds again.

When there is a final outcome, I shall report it, but right now there is a brick wall which can only serve as a warning to the firm's other clients.

We're watching you

A crook who cheated investors out of more than 1 million has been jailed for five years and eight months at Basildon Crown Court.

Ross Perry, 44, pleaded guilty to fraud involving his company Global Water Group Limited.

He claimed the business had a successful six-year track record, and that it belonged to 'a high level network of investors in, and advisers on, issues related to water supply whose members include heads of state, leaders in the global water industry, leading universities and academic institutions, wealth management firms, philanthropists, pension funds and high net worth investors'.

I warned in 2021 that Perry was already known to me. In 2012, he had been a director of Elite Asset Exchange, which marketed investment in storage units before it went bust. And in 2013, he was a boss of London Green Financial, a scam business which promoted investment in carbon credits before it too collapsed.

Police are tracing Perry's assets so they can be seized to compensate his victims.

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.
ATHENS, June 30 (Xinhua) -- A wildfire broke out on Saturday on Mount Parnitha, north of Athens, prompting a large response from local fire brigade.

Nearly 90 firefighters were deployed in the area, assisted by at least eight water-dropping aircraft and helicopters, as the blaze was raging near a settlement, according to a fire brigade press statement.

Authorities issued an emergency alert for nearby residents to "stay alert and follow official guidance." The fire has led to the closure of the Athens-Lamia national highway as a precaution, as thick smoke has risen over a wide part of northwestern Athens.

Strong winds blowing in the area were hampering firefighting efforts, Kostas Zobos, deputy governor of the Attica region, told the media.

A large part of Mount Parnitha was scorched down during a major wildfire in the summer of 2023.

Greece suffers from many wildfires every summer due to high temperatures, heatwaves linked to climate change, and arson. Twenty people lost their lives in 2023 as a result of the wildfires. One person died earlier this June in a wildfire in western Greece.

Due to unusually high temperatures in spring and June, authorities have said that the risk will be high this summer. 
BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- One of George Orwell's most famous works, "Animal Farm," was first published in 1945. Orwell died in 1950, at the beginning of the Cold War, unaware that a few years later, an animated film adaptation of the novel would significantly alter his story to serve as a tool for Washington's anti-communist propaganda.

Following Orwell's death, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) persuaded his widow to sell the rights to the novel and funded the production of the above-mentioned film that drastically changed the plot to align with American "universal values."

The CIA-funded film adaptation of "Animal Farm" premiered in 1954, spreading the anti-communist message of "democracy vs. totalitarianism" under the guise of universal values. This covert manipulation was not exposed until 1974, revealing the extent of U.S. efforts to propagate its ideology.

Seventy years later, Washington continues its manipulative tactics.

FALSE NARRATIVE

At the opening ceremony of the so-called third "Summit for Democracy" in March, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed that "this is a turning point for our world toward greater freedom, greater dignity, and greater democracy."

Positioning itself as the "beacon of democracy" and labelling its adversaries as anti-democratic has been a long-standing practice of Washington.

In his classic work "Propaganda Technique in the World War," published in 1927, Harold Lasswell pointed out that experienced political leaders know that "more can be won by illusion than coercion."

Over the past two centuries, significant American political figures have described the United States as the "empire of liberty," the "city upon a hill," the "last best hope on earth," the "leader of the free world," and the "indispensable nation," among other titles. The concept of "American exceptionalism" has been deeply embedded in America's political discourse.

Take the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which contrasted the "republican, democratic" Americas with the "autocratic, decaying" old Europe to control Latin America as an example. During the Cold War, "democracy" became a core tenet of U.S. foreign policy used to rally other nations against the Soviet Union and the socialist bloc.

More recently, Washington has been framing the narrative of "democracy vs. authoritarianism" to label certain countries as "authoritarian" and cobbling together a so-called "democratic alliance."

Many expressions of "American exceptionalism" assume that American values, political systems, and history are unique and universally worthy of reverence, which implies that the United States is destined to play a role as a moral leader on the world stage.

Nevertheless, as Stephen Walt, a columnist at Foreign Policy and the Robert and Renee Belfer professor of international relations at Harvard University, has pointed out, the only thing wrong with this self-congratulatory portrait of America's global role is its primarily mythical nature.

It was during the early Cold War that U.S. political elites of that time were more candid in their discussions about their actual views on democracy than their successors now.

John Dulles, secretary of state under U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower's administration and a Republican, once told former French President Charles de Gaulle: "In every society a minority always dominated. The question was how to do it. If the minority affronted the majority, it lost influence. If discretely exercised ... the minority influence could be effective and desirable."

Dean Acheson, secretary of state under U.S. President Harry Truman's administration and a Democrat, had an even sharper view of democracy. He once said, "You all start with the premise that democracy is some good. I don't think it's worth a damn ... People say, 'If the Congress were more representative of the people it would be better.' I say the Congress is too damn representative. It's just as stupid as the people are; just as uneducated, just as dumb, just as selfish."

DIVISIVE AGENDA

Under the guise of democracy, Washington engages in interference, subversion, and aggression, severely undermining global stability and development. The instrumentalization and weaponization of democracy contradict the spirit of democracy itself.

Moreover, Washington has never truly adhered to democratic principles in international relations, often using the cloak of democracy to create divisions and provoke confrontations, fully exposing its hypocrisy and double standards.

After the escalation of the Ukraine crisis in February 2022, the United States has repeatedly promoted the claim that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) eastward expansion is the "defense of Western democracy against Russian authoritarianism."

In reality, after the end of the Cold War, Russia once leaned towards the West, adopting radical reforms for a Western-style economy and even seeking to join NATO.

However, the United States, aiming to maintain NATO's existence after the Cold War and ensure its continued control over Europe, was not interested in turning Russia from a foe into a friend. Instead, it continued to view Russia as a potential threat and increased its geopolitical encirclement.

Washington not only pushed for NATO's continuous eastward expansion, bringing the military alliance's borders closer to Russian territory, but also orchestrated "color revolutions" in neighboring countries, using the narrative of "democracy" to sow discord between Russia and its neighbors.

The specific tactics employed by the United States include funding non-governmental organizations, fostering pro-American sentiments, penetrating target countries, cultivating pro-American leadership, supporting opposition movements, exploiting systemic shortcomings, influencing the media to highlight political corruption, and creating negative perceptions of these countries' political systems.

Following the "color revolutions" in 2004 and 2014, the relationship between Ukraine and Russia deteriorated further, eventually leading to armed conflicts.

After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, John Mearsheimer, a political science professor at the University of Chicago, pointed out that "the United States is principally responsible for causing the Ukraine crisis."

"My key point, however, is that the United States has pushed forward policies toward Ukraine that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and his colleagues see as an existential threat to their country -- a point they have made repeatedly for many years," wrote Mearsheimer in an article entitled "The Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine War."

"The taproot of the crisis is the American-led effort to make Ukraine a Western bulwark on Russia's borders. That strategy has three prongs: integrating Ukraine into the EU, turning Ukraine into a pro-Western liberal democracy and most importantly, incorporating Ukraine into NATO," he wrote.

By organizing the "Summit for Democracy," planning NATO's expansion into Asia, and promoting "decoupling and supply chain disruption," Washington, under the false narrative of "democracy versus authoritarianism," seeks to divide the world along ideological lines. 
Sinn Fein wants to maximise the number of progressive MPs returned from Northern Ireland in this years General Election, vice president Michelle ONeill has said.

The party is running 14 candidates, standing aside in East Belfast, North Down and Lagan Valley where Alliance is challenging unionists, as well as South Belfast where the SDLP is hoping to return to the green benches.

Ms ONeill said it had not been an easy decision to stand aside in the four constituencies but said the party wants to see a rejection of those who had propped up the last Conservative government.

It comes after the DUP maintained a close relationship with the Conservatives, including taking part in a confidence and supply deal in 2017 following the return of a hung parliament.

We want this election to return the maximum number of progressive candidates, Ms ONeill told the PA news agency.

The maximum number of MPs that want to make politics work here at home, the maximum number of MPs that reject Tory austerity and the cuts that have decimated our public services for the past 14 years, and also to reject those people that actually propped up the Tories throughout that tenure, so that we set aside in those constituencies to actually make space for that progressive candidate to come through.

Sinn Fein won seven seats at the last general election in 2019.

This year, Ms ONeill said the party is hoping to maintain the seven and potentially build its vote.

The party is targeting gains including attempting to win Foyle over SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.

This General Election comes after a disappointing showing for Sinn Fein in the Republic of Ireland where it was widely seen as the government in waiting, but suffered a major setback when its support in the European and local government elections dropped well below what was projected.

Ms ONeill said she does not expect any repeat of that disappointment north of the border.

She said: Obviously, we didnt realise our full ambition in the south but we did make some gains.

Weve work to do there, and well do that, and well regroup and be back in time to fight the next contest in the south but I dont think its having any sort of link into here.

People know this is a Westminster election, and they know that July 4 is about politics here in the north, for making politics work in the north, for that strong leadership and for positive change.

Ms ONeill also rejected criticism over Sinn Fein MPs continuing their long-held policy of not taking their seats at Westminster, insisting the party makes a difference.

Sinn Fein MPs work very hard for the constituencies, and people know that whenever they vote for a Sinn Fein MP, that theyre getting that hard-working local MP, she said.

They also know that theyre getting the all-island team that Sinn Fein represents, in the local Executive here, with having the First Minister and other ministers also in the Dail in Dublin, in London and in the United States and now in Europe, with their two MEPs, no other party in the North has two MEPs.

So that strong representation where it counts actually is making the difference. The finest examples I can point to in that regard are Brexit and the international support that we got for protection of the Good Friday Agreement and the Brexit position was borne out.

Also, on a more local basis, our finance minister Caoimhe Archibald knocking on the door of the Treasury has been able to make strong advances in terms of the funding arrangement that we have for the North.

That shows that Sinn Fein can make a difference in terms of going directly to the door of the Treasury or the prime minister of the day in the aftermath of this election.

Westminster has shown that they never have and never will act in our interests.

So I think that people understand that their fortunes are best served by politics working here at home and I think thats the message that certainly I engage with people on the doors, day and daily.

In terms of the next government in London, Ms ONeill said Sinn Fein would hope to build a good relationship with Labour if it wins the election.

I know from the Labour manifesto that they talk about public services and the need to improve public services here so thats something that clearly (we) would want to work with Labour on, she said.

Also, we need to advance the conversation around how were funded, how our public services are funded, and weve made some progress there, but I think weve more to do so that would be the day one conversation for Labour.

We would expect that we would want to build a better relationship with Labour, for the good of all the people that live here.
The first half of the year brought the market many stock split announcements across industries, from technology giant Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) to consumer stock Walmart. These companies launched splits to lower their share prices after the shares soared to high levels  the idea is to make it easier for more people to invest without relying on fractional shares.

These players helped drive the S&P 500 higher in the first half of the year as investors welcomed the stock split news. Stock splits aren't share performance catalysts though, as they're just mechanical movements. So, investors who seize the opportunity to buy generally are making the move for a fundamental reason  such as confidence in the company's future growth prospects.

Now, as we head into the second half of the year, you may be wondering which stock split players may continue their paths higher and represent the best long-term bets. Let's check out one to buy hand over fist, and one to avoid like the plague.

Image source: Getty Images.

Stock to buy: Nvidia

Nvidia already climbed more than 150% in the first half of the year thanks to its booming artificial intelligence (AI) business. The company sells the graphics processing units (GPUs) that power some of the most crucial AI tasks  and Nvidia's GPUs are the fastest on the market. So, it's no surprise the company holds 80% share of the AI chip market.

The tech giant also sells a wide range of related AI products and services, including enterprise software  available through all of the public cloud service providers. This makes access to Nvidia very easy for potential customers.

This has helped the company generate record revenue quarter after quarter, grow revenue and net income in the triple digits, and widen gross margin. In the most recent quarter, revenue reached $26 billion and gross margin came in at more than 78%  from about 64% a year ago.

What makes me so optimistic about Nvidia in the second half and beyond? The company pledges to update its top performing chips on an annual basis, a strategy that should keep it ahead of rivals. As part of this, later this year Nvidia plans to launch its Blackwell architecture and chip  a system laced with many innovations that could make it a game-changer.

All of this means Nvidia merits its valuation of 46 times forward earnings estimates, and the stock's gains this year and into the future may be far from over.

Stock to avoid: Chipotle

First, I'll start by saying Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) isn't necessarily a sell or an avoid for every investor. This fast casual chain has progressively increased earnings over time, and its expansion strategy should keep that going. Chipotle's brand strength also may help it lift revenue over the long run too. So, if you're looking to diversify your portfolio and want to buy a solid restaurant stock, you may consider adding a few shares or if you're a Chipotle shareholder today, you might want to hold on to your position.

Story continues

But for the value investor, Chipotle is a stock to avoid, and here's why. The stock trades for 59 times forward earnings estimates, extremely high for the industry and high considering the source of Chipotle's growth. It's important to note that comparable restaurant sales growth has been in the mid-single digits  increasing 7% in the first quarter of this year and 7.9% for the full year 2023. So Chipotle's growth mainly has come from adding on new restaurants  it opened 271 last year.

Chipotle, now at about 3,500 locations, aims to double that to 7,000 in North America, and the company is expanding internationally too. It's fine to grow through expansion, but without stronger comparable sales increases, Chipotle doesn't look like a high-growth stock today, yet it's trading at growth stock prices.

Of course, over time, Chipotle shares still may have room to run as the company's new locations start adding to revenue. But, considering the hefty price tag for this stock, as we transition into the second half of the year, value investors should avoid this expensive player like the plague.

Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?

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1 Stock-Split Stock to Buy Hand Over Fist in the Second Half and 1 to Avoid Like the Plague was originally published by The Motley Fool
Dividend stocks offer a great way to add cash to your portfolio and help you compound your overall returns with time. Whether you use that dividend money to add to your portfolio or cash it out, these types of stocks can help you diversify the types of businesses you own shares in.

When it comes to investing in dividend stocks, you need to make sure the companies you buy have a strong underlying business and balance sheet that will support and help grow the dividends being paid out. A top dividend stock will also have a history of maintaining and raising its dividend in a wide range of market environments.

On that note, here are two top dividend stocks to consider for your portfolio. Each performs well, whether the bull market continues or bearish investor sentiment returns. If the bear market does return, these stocks have proven over the decades to be safe ones to hold.

1. Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) has paid out and raised its dividend every single year for 62 years and counting. That places the pharmaceutical giant in a very select group of companies that have earned the moniker Dividend King.

J&J boasts a forward dividend yield of 3.4%, which is more than twice the average yield among S&P 500 stocks. Looking back over the last decade, Johnson & Johnson's dividend has increased an average of 6% annually. Its payout ratio is a very manageable 30%.

J&J's dividend helps to make up for the stock's relatively weak stock performance over the last several years. The weak stock performance also somewhat helps explain the higher-than-average yield. The stock is down based on several factors, but one of the biggest is ongoing litigation and potential multi-billion liabilities related to its talc products. The company has roughly $26 billion in cash on its balance sheet to help manage these ongoing lawsuits and eventually pay settlements while also maintaining its commitment to shareholders.

Investing in Johnson & Johnson also means putting cash into a company that has been in business for 138 years, and is one of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world by revenue. Over the trailing 12 months, the company has brought in over $17 billion in profits on about $86 billion in revenue. It's also generated approximately $24 billion in levered free cash flow looking back over the last 12 months.

Last year, J&J spun off its slower-growing consumer healthcare product segment into a company called Kenvue. The remaining two divisions -- pharmaceuticals and medical devices -- are faster growing and should help J&J boost its growth efforts in the coming years. The company has returned approximately 60% of free cash flow to investors over the last five years, while 65% of sales come from products in which it controls the top or second global market share position.

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In the short term, this is likely not a business for growth-oriented investors. However, long-term investors seeking a company that generates steady financial gains from a broad portfolio of valuable pharmaceuticals and medical devices may find Johnson & Johnson poses a compelling investment opportunity. With its stock price underperforming, Johnson & Johnson's storied dividend history makes the business an attractive selection for income-seeking investors. When its underlying issues, including expensive litigation finally get resolved, share prices are likely to rise.

2. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) boasts a dividend yield of around 3% and has faithfully raised its dividend every year for 62 years as well. The beverage giant doesn't generate massive stock price gains these days, but its dividend and share price increases have helped deliver a total return of 46% over the last five years and over 108% in the trailing 10-year period.

Founded in 1886, the company now manages one of the largest beverage operations in the world. Coca-Cola controls roughly 46% of the soft drink market in the U.S., one of its largest markets.

Over the trailing 12 months, Coca-Cola has delivered profits of about $11 billion on revenue of $46 billion. It's maintained a profit margin of around 23%, an exceptional figure in an industry where margins are historically razor-thin. The company has a payout ratio of about 74%, which is relatively high but still quite manageable. Its dividend has grown an average of 5% annually over the past decade.

Just in the past 12 months, the company has brought in operating cash flow of about $12 billion, with levered free cash flow of approximately $11 billion. Currency headwinds and a fluctuating macro environment have impacted the company's growth in the last few years, but its commitment to its dividend and the strength of its balance sheet remain a testament to the resilience of this business.

Long-term buy-and-hold investors looking for steady portfolio growth and dividends can find a lot to love about Coca-Cola.

Should you invest $1,000 in Johnson & Johnson right now?

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Rachel Warren has positions in Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Kenvue. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $13 calls on Kenvue. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

2 Unstoppable Dividend Stocks to Buy if There's a Stock Market Sell-Off was originally published by The Motley Fool
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Jun, 2024) The city experienced hot and humid weather on Sunday while MET office predicted similar weather with chances of scattered rain during the next 24 hours.

Weather experts said weak moist currents from Arabian sea was penetrating upper parts of the country and likely to strengthen from Monday (evening/night) while a westerly wave was also likely to approach upper parts of the country on Monday (evening/night).

They predicted that mainly hot and humid weather was expected in most parts of the country. However, rain windstorm/thundershower was expected at isolated places in northeast Punjab, Potohar region, Islamabad, upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Rainfall was recorded at several cities across the city. Sundays highest maximum temperature was recorded at Sibbi and Nokkundi where mercury reached 47C while in Lahore it was 37.0C and minimum was 25.8C.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Belgrade, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Jun, 2024) Two men were remanded in custody Sunday in connection with an attack outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade that Serbian authorities called a "targeted terrorist act", a minister said.

The assailant, whom the police identified as being a "convert" to Islam, shot a Serbian police officer in the neck with a crossbow while he was on duty in front of the embassy early Saturday.

The attacker was shot and killed by the officer.

The assailant, from Mladenovac, near Belgrade, lived in Novi Pazar, a historical and political centre of Serbia's Bosniak Muslim minority, police said.

Early indications connected the attack with people suspected of being linked to the ultra-conservative Wahhabist branch of islam that dominates in Saudi Arabia, the authorities said.

They added that a number of people known to the security services were suspected of being linked to the attack.

"Searches were conducted at several locations in Serbia, dozens of people were questioned", Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told the state-run RTS broadcaster on Sunday.

The prosecutors will establish whether they were linked with the "targeted terrorist attack", he added.

"What is indisputable about all those people is that they belong to the Wahhabi extremist movement.

"

Two men were remanded in custody, the minister said.

- 'Extremists and terrorists' -

Security was stepped up to the highest level throughout the country and the police operation was continuing, Dacic added.

"It is an operation against extremists and terrorists, people directly involved in the attack, but... also against those for whom there are indications they might belong to terrorist groups," he said.

Police have traced the attacker's movement in Belgrade, where he arrived early Saturday, saying he headed to the synagogue before the attack, but said he was deterred by a high police presence.

After that he proceeded to the Israeli embassy.

"From that it is clear what the main and possible targets were," Dacic said.

Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Saturday thanked Serbian authorities for "strong support and cooperation following the attempted terror act".

"Terrorism cannot be tolerated!" he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The Israeli ambassador to Serbia, Yahel Vilan, on Sunday visited the wounded officer in a Belgrade hospital.

The 34-year-old policeman underwent an operation to remove an arrow from his neck and was in stable condition, a doctor said.
UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Jun, 2024) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the adoption of a strong outcome document at the end of a conference dedicated to combating illicit small arms and light weapons worldwide, saying it was an important sign of progress.

The proliferation, diversion and misuse of small arms and light weapons continue to undermine peace, security and sustainable development around the world  fueling conflict and armed violence and causing devastating human costs, the UN chief said in a statement.

He congratulated member states on successfully concluding the Fourth Review Conference, welcoming the setting up of an open-ended technical expert group to address developments in small arms and light weapons manufacturing, technology and design.

The secretary-general also recognized the commitments States have made to strengthen international cooperation and assistance and to implement gender-responsive policies.

Guterres said he strongly believes that the progress madewill help strengthen our collective and national efforts to combat illicit small arms and light weapons until the next review conference in 2030.

The UN chief added that he hoped the commitments regarding small arms would inform discussions at the Summit of the Future in September to find forward-looking and action-oriented solutions for a more peaceful future.

Earlier in the month in a statement to delegates, Guterres noted that the conference was happening at a difficult and dangerous moment for humanity with new conflicts placing millions of people in the line of fire, where light weapons play a major role.

Small arms are the leading cause of violent deaths and are the weapon of choice in nearly half of all global homicides, according to UN figures.

The illicit spread of light weapons is accelerating due to new developments in the manufacturing, technology and design of small arms  including 3D printing.

The Secretary-Generals New Agenda for Peace policy brief recognizes the importance of small arms control in preventing conflict and building peace. It makes recommendations to strengthen regional, national, and global control efforts on both the supply and demand side.

During the debate, Pakistan's UN Ambassador Munir Akram voiced serious concern at the acquisition and use of modern and sophisticated small arms by terrorist groups such as TTP -- a UN-listed terrorist organization -- which reportedly uses safe havens in Afghanistan to launch deadly cross-border attacks inside Pakistan.

"Terrorists and criminals do not manufacture these arms," the Pakistani envoy told delegates, pointing out they acquire them from illicit arms markets or receive them from entities that want to destabilize a particular region or country.

"It is essential to investigate how terrorist groups and criminal organizations acquire such sophisticated weapons," Ambassador Akram said. "It is the responsibility of all States and the UN to take measures to prevent illicit trade, transfer and diversion of these arms."

He also said that the illicit proliferation, excessive accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons continue to exacerbate conflicts, fuel terrorism, threaten peace and security and erode sustainable development, with hundreds of thousands of human lives lost each year, terrible suffering inflicted on civilians, and economies and societies devastated.
 Flash

The Global South has long desired an equal and orderly multipolar world, and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence put forward by China have shaped the stance and voice of the Global South today, several Sri Lankan experts told Xinhua recently.



Looking at the past, Uditha Devapriya, chief international relations analyst at the Sri Lankan foreign policy think-tank Factum, said that the five principles emerged when the European colonial powers were fast diminishing, and the United States was becoming a big global superpower in the 1950s.

"So it was a very important intervention when there are perceptions about Western countries meddling in the affairs of emerging countries including China and Sri Lanka," he said.

"Back then, the Global South wanted a multipolar world that promotes a more just and equitable international order and partner country model, that's why countries across the world widely accepted and recognized the five principles," said Maya Majueran, director of the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka.

Rathindra Kuruwita, a Sri Lankan contributing author for The Diplomat, emphasized that the five principles retain significant relevance in today's multipolar world. This is evident as many nations assert their sovereignty and resist external influence, particularly amidst increasing assertiveness from the West towards the Global South.

"With initiatives like the Belt and Road, China aims to illustrate these principles by promoting economic cooperation and infrastructure development," said Kuruwita.

Majueran pointed out that the West has historically exerted and continues to exert influence over the global order through its own values and policies, often under the guise of promoting "democracy" and "defending" human rights. This influence includes launching smear campaigns against countries with different political systems and pressuring emerging markets and developing countries to take sides in disputes orchestrated by Western powers.

"The five principles are still a very good corrective to the abusers of world power even today," Devapriya said.

Majueran said that the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, along with the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative, collectively aim to provide strategic direction for shaping a new world order.
Many investors flocked toward artificial intelligence (AI) stocks over the past years to capitalize on the growth of generative AI platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT. That bullish stampede drove many tech stocks higher -- even as inflation, high interest rates, and other macro headwinds battered other less-resilient sectors.

But as the first half of 2024 ends, some investors might be wondering if the historic AI rally will run out of steam. I think investors should be a bit more selective with their AI stocks, but three of the most obvious plays -- Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI), and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) -- are still worth buying.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Nvidia

Nvidia is the largest producer of discrete graphics processing units (GPUs) in the world. It once generated most of its revenue from the PC gaming market, but its data center GPU sales skyrocketed over the past two years to become its largest business segment.

The growth was entirely driven by the rapid expansion of the AI market since Nvidia's high-end GPUs are widely used to accelerate machine learning and AI tasks. All of the world's top generative AI companies -- including OpenAI, Microsoft, and Alphabet's Google -- currently use its GPUs.

Nvidia now controls 88% of the discrete GPU market, according to JPR, and the market's demand for its chips continues to outstrip its supply. As a result, analysts expect its revenue and adjusted earnings to grow 98% and 109%, respectively, in fiscal 2025 (which ends next January). Its stock still looks reasonably valued at less than 50 times forward earnings and could head even higher as the AI market expands.

2. Super Micro Computer

Super Micro Computer, also known as Supermicro, carved out its own niche by producing high-performance, liquid-cooled servers for demanding tasks. That's why it wasn't too surprising when Nvidia partnered with the company a few years ago and granted it access to its high-end data center GPUs before many of its larger competitors.

Nvidia's support enabled Supermicro to claim a 10% share of the dedicated AI server market. Bank of America expects it to grow its slice to 17% over the next three years as the broader market expands 150%.

Supermicro already generates about half of its revenue from AI servers, but that percentage should keep rising as it gains ground against bigger server makers and diversifies its business with new AI servers powered by Advanced Micro Devices' cheaper chips.

For 2024, analysts expect Supermicro's revenue and earnings to grow 110% and 102%, respectively. Those are incredible growth rates for a stock that trades at just 23 times forward earnings, so it could still have plenty of room to run.

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3. Microsoft

Microsoft became a growth stock again over the past decade as it expanded its cloud-based services and Azure -- which became the world's second-largest cloud infrastructure platform after Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also became the largest investor in OpenAI and subsequently integrated the start-up's generative AI tools into Azure, its Bing search engine, and its other cloud-based services.

The expansion of that AI ecosystem boosted Azure's growth and widened its moat against Google in the search and advertising markets. It also acquired Activision Blizzard last year to strengthen its Xbox gaming business and lock more gamers into its subscription-based Game Pass and Cloud Gaming ecosystems.

Microsoft's broader diversification makes it a balanced way to profit from the growth of the cloud, AI, and gaming markets. Analysts expect the company's revenue and adjusted earnings to grow 14% and 13%, respectively, in fiscal 2025 (which ends next June). Its stock might not seem cheap at 34 times forward earnings, but its strengths should justify its higher valuation.

Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?

Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Nvidia wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $757,001!*

Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*.

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Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Leo Sun has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Bank of America, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

3 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy in June 2024 was originally published by The Motley Fool
Christians and Jews believe in the Ten Commandments  just not necessarily the version that will hang in every public school and state-funded college classroom in Louisiana.

The required text prescribed in the new law and used on many monuments around the United States is a condensed version of the Scripture passage in Exodus containing the commandments. It has ties to "The Ten Commandments" movie from 1956, and it's a variation of a version commonly associated with Protestants.

That's one of the issues related to religious freedom and separation of church and state being raised over this mandate, which was swiftly followed by a lawsuit.

"H.B. 71 is not neutral with respect to religion," according to the legal complaint filed June 24 by Louisiana clergy, public school parents and civil liberties groups. "It requires a specific, state-approved version of that Scripture to be posted, taking sides on theological questions regarding the correct content and meaning of the Decalogue."

It's also part of a bigger picture. The new law signed by Republican Governor Jeff Landry on June 19 is not only part of a wave of efforts by Republican-led states to target public schools, it's also one of the latest conservative Christian victories in the long-standing fight over the role of religion in public life.

Another example came this week in Oklahoma, where the Republican state school superintendent ordered public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12. In both states, the government leaders argued the historical significance of the religious text was justification enough for use in public schools.

"This cause has persisted because conservative partisans believe it's a way to mobilize their base," said Kevin M. Kruse, author of One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America and a history professor at Princeton University. He disputes the historical reasoning being used in Louisiana.

"This isn't about uniting the people of (Landry's) state; it's about trying to divide them with a culture war issue that he thinks will win his side votes."

More than one version of the Ten Commandments?

The Ten Commandments come from Jewish and Christian Scripture, which says there are 10 of them but doesn't number them specifically. Catholics, Jews and Protestants typically order them differently, and the phrasing can change depending on which Bible translation is used or which part of Scripture they are pulled from.

"If you want to respect the rule of law, you've got to start from the original lawgiver, which was Moses" who got the commandments from God, said Landry during the signing ceremony at a Catholic school. The governor also is Catholic.

What version is Louisiana using in its public schools?

No Bible translation is named, but the Ten Commandments in the Louisiana law appears to be a variation on the King James Bible version and listed in the order commonly used by Protestants.

Translated in 17th century England from biblical languages, the King James version was for centuries the standard Bible used by evangelicals and other Protestants, even though many today use more modern translations. It is still the go-to translation for some worshippers.

The version in the Louisiana law matches the wording on the Ten Commandments monolith that stands outside of the Texas State Capitol in Austin. It was given to the state in 1961 by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, a more than 125-year-old Ohio-based service organization with thousands of members. In 2005, a divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled it did not violate the constitution and could stay.

The Eagles did not respond to The Associated Press's request for comment, but the organization notes on its website that it distributed about 10,000 Ten Commandments plaques in 1954. The organization also partnered with the creators of "The Ten Commandments" to market the film, spreading public displays of the list around the country, according to Kruse, who wrote about the relationship in his book One Nation Under God.

"It's significant that the Louisiana law uses the same text created for 'The Ten Commandments' movie promotions by the Fraternal Order of Eagles and Paramount Pictures because it reminds us that this text isn't one found in any Bible and isn't one used by any religious faith," Kruse said via email. "Instead, it's a text that was crafted by secular political actors in the 1950s for their own ends."

What concerns are being raised about this version?

Although white evangelical Protestants and many white Catholics unite behind conservative politics today, the King James Bible has been used historically in strategically anti-Catholic ways, including amid the anti-Catholic sentiment in late 19th and early 20th centuries, said Robert Jones, who is president of the Public Religion Research Institute and author of The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy.

The Louisiana law contains plenty of evidence, including the specific Bible translation used, that the real intent is to privilege a particular expression of Christianity, Jones said.

"What it is really symbolizing is an evangelical Christian stamp on the space," he said.

This version is an odd choice, Kruse said, but he thinks it speaks more to how political leaders view religion.

"Decades ago, we would have seen this as a triumph of Protestantism in a deeply Catholic state, but I think its adoption today just shows how little the political leaders of the state actually care about the substance of religion," Kruse said.

For Benjamin Marsh, a North Carolina pastor watching the Louisiana law, his primary concern is altering the Ten Commandments.

"The problem with changing the text of the Ten Commandments is you rob the spiritual implications of the actual biblical text. So you're giving some vague likeness to the Ten Commandments that isn't the real thing," said Marsh. He leads First Alliance Church Winston-Salem, which is part of a conservative evangelical denomination.
Violent extremist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group are growing in size and influence across Africa, fueling worries that as they improve their tactics they could attack the U.S. or Western allies.

U.S. defense and military officials described the threats and their concerns about growing instability in Africa, where a number of coups have put ruling juntas in control, leading to the ouster of American troops and a decline in U.S. intelligence gathering.

"Threats like Wagner, terrorist groups and transnational criminal organizations continue to sow instability in multiple regions," Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in opening remarks Tuesday at a conference of African chiefs of defense in Botswana. "I think we can all agree, what happens in one part of the world, does not stay in one part of the world."

Wagner is the Russian mercenary group that has gone into African nations to provide security as Western forces, including from the U.S. and France, have been pushed out. The group is known for its brutality, and human rights organizations have accused its members of raping and killing civilians.

While Brown only touched briefly on the terror threat in the region, it was a key topic among others at the conference and spurred questions from military chiefs in the audience after his speech. They wanted to know what the U.S. could do to help stem the spread of insurgents in West Africa, the Gulf of Guinea and the Sahel.

This is the first time that the chiefs of defense conference has been held on African soil. And it is the first time the U.S. joint chiefs chairman has visited a sub-Saharan country since 1994, when Gen. John Shalikashvili visited Rwanda and Zaire.

A senior U.S. defense official said al-Qaida linked groups  such as al-Shabab in Somalia and Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, known as JNIM, in the Sahel region  are the largest and most financially viable insurgencies. JNIM is active in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and is looking to expand into Benin and Togo, which it uses as hubs to rest, recuperate, get financing and gather weapons but also has increased attacks there.

At the same time, the Islamic State group has key cells in West Africa and in the Sahel. The defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a threat assessment, said the Islamic State cells were getting increasing direction from the group's leadership that relocated to northern Somalia. That has included how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, how to learn better military tactics, how to hide from drones and how to building their own small quadcopters.

A U.S. military airstrike in Somalia on May 31 targeted Islamic State militants and killed three, according to U.S. Africa Command. U.S. officials have said the strike targeted the group's leader, but the defense official said Monday that it's still unclear if he was killed.

Roughly 200 Islamic State insurgents are in Somalia, so they are vastly outnumbered by al-Shabab, which has grown in size to between 10,000 and 12,000.

The growth of the insurgent groups within Africa signals the belief by both al-Qaida and the Islamic State group that the continent is a ripe location for jihadism, where extremist ideology can take root and expand, the official said.

And it comes as the U.S. was ordered to pull out its 1,000 troops from Niger in the wake of last July's coup and also about 75 from Chad. Those troop cuts, which shut down a critical U.S. counterterrorism and drone base at Agadez, hamper intelligence gathering in Niger, said Gen. Michael Langley, head of U.S. Africa Command.

Surveillance operations before the coup gave the U.S. a greater ability to get intelligence on insurgent movements. Now, he said, the key goal is a safe and secure withdrawal of personnel and equipment from both Agadez and a smaller U.S. facility near the airport.

Langley met with Niger's top military chief, Brig. Gen. Moussa Salaou Barmou, during the conference, and said military-to-military communications continue but that it's yet to be determined how much the new transitional government will deal with the U.S.

Currently, he said, there are about 400 troops still at Agadez and 200 near the airport.

But, he added that "as we're in transition and resetting, we need to maintain capabilities to get enough intelligence to identify warnings of a threat out there."

Langley said the U.S. is still trying to assess the militant groups' capabilities as they grow.

"Yes, they've been growing in number. Have they been growing in capability where they can do what we call external ops attacks on the homeland and attacks on allies, whether we're talking about Europe or anyone? That's what we closely watch," he said. "I'd say it has the potential as they grow in numbers."

Both Langley and Brown spoke more extensively about the need for the U.S. and African nations to communicate more effectively and work together to solve security and other problems.

And Brown acknowledged that the U.S. needs to "do better at understanding the perspectives of others, ensuring their voices and expertise don't get drowned out."

The U.S has struggled to maintain relations with African nations as many foster growing ties to Russia and China.

Some African countries have expressed frustration with the U.S. for forcing issues, such as democracy and human rights, that many see as hypocrisy, given Washington's close ties to some autocratic leaders elsewhere. Meanwhile, Russia offers security assistance without interfering in politics, making it an appealing partner for military juntas that seized power in places like Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years.
Leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany on Saturday reported a surge in membership and vowed to build on the party's success in the European Parliament election, as they target wins in three state votes in the east this year.

The AfD jumped to second place in nationwide polls last year amid frustration with infighting in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition, worries over sluggish growth in Europe's largest economy, and concerns over the impact of the war in Ukraine.

While a string of scandals and anti-extremism protests has dampened the AfD's support in recent months, the nationalist, Eurosceptic party nonetheless came second with 15.9% in the European vote this month, ahead of the three parties in Scholz's coalition.

AfD membership had grown by 60% to 46,881 members since January 2023, co-chief Tino Chrupalla told nearly 600 delegates at a party convention in the western city of Essen. Some 22,000 people had joined while 4,000 had left.

"Despite all the harassment you have to endure as a member of the AfD, this is an absolutely sensational figure," Chrupalla told the convention.

The figure is still a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of members boasted by the "big tent" parties in Germany, Scholzs Social Democrats and the opposition conservatives.

The congress was held despite resistance from city authorities  marked by the rainbow and EU flags flying on flagpoles outside the convention center  and protesters who sought to prevent AfD delegates from making it there.

Two riot police officers who had been escorting a politician were seriously injured after protesters kicked them in the head after they fell to the ground and had to be hospitalized, police reported. A further seven officers were also injured.

'We are here to stay'

"Melt the AfD snowball before it becomes an avalanche" and "AfD = Despiser of mankind" read some of the signs that protesters carried at an anti-AfD march through the city.

The interior ministry estimated some 20,000 people participated in the demonstration, state broadcaster ZDF said.

The party congress will run until Sunday, the same day neighboring France holds the first round of a snap parliamentary election that could bring the far right to power.

"We will not be intimidated," said co-chief Alice Weidel. "We are here, and we are here to stay."

The AfD is on track to come first in elections in the eastern states of Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg in September, according to polls, which will likely further complicate governance there as other parties refuse to form a coalition with it.

In discussing the party's policy platform, Weidel said AfD's future allies in the European Parliament should oppose the disbursal of taxpayer money to the "debt states" of Europe  a reference to countries such as Italy and Greece  and the idea that Ukraine belongs to the European Union, after it opened membership talks this week.

The AfD is on course to form a new political group in the European Parliament  a move which would require 23 MEPs from at least seven EU countries  after being expelled from the Identity and Democracy grouping last month, Weidel said.
The Nigerian student only popped out to repair his phone, but he ended up in a New Delhi hospital, the latest victim of a brutal heat wave that has cost scores of lives, sent birds plummeting from the sky and tormented India's poorest workers.

On that sweltering June day, the business administration student collapsed in the street and strangers rushed him to the nearby Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital, one of the country's largest.

When he was admitted, his body temperature had soared to more than 41 degrees Celsius and he was very dehydrated, said Seema Wasnik, head of RML's emergency medicine department.

She immediately recognized the classic signs of heatstroke. More than 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases were recorded in India as a prolonged heat wave pushed temperatures above 40 C on most days since May, with some areas hitting peaks of nearly 50 C.

The young Nigerian was lucky. The RML hospital is equipped with one of India's first specialist heatstroke units, and doctors immersed him in an ice bath for 20 minutes to lower his temperature before moving him onto a ventilator.

His case was startling but not unusual - more than 30 patients have been treated in the unit since it opened in early May and five of those have died.

Heatstroke is caused when the body's core temperature goes above 40.6 C. It can lead to long-term organ damage and death, and symptoms include rapid breathing, confusion or seizures, and nausea.

The specialist unit at the RML hospital is equipped with ceramic bathtubs where patients can be cooled, along with ventilators and huge ice machines. Wasnik said the hospital's director decided to open the unit after seeing that meteorologists were predicting an extremely hot summer.

"We hoped that once we set the precedent other (hospitals) would follow," she said.

And they did, spurred to action also by health ministry instructions to prepare for the prolonged and deadly heat waves being forecast by weather experts.

As well as Delhi's RML hospital, a heatstroke unit was also opened in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhubaneswar in Odisha state. These are the leading national hospitals in the country.

Across India several other hospitals reserved beds and laid on extra staff to deal with heatstroke patients.

"The attention now being given to the problem signals a commitment to act," said Srinath Reddy, an honorary distinguished professor associated with the Public Health Foundation of India, a health policy think tank.

"There is now no scope for apathy and no excuse for inertia as the climate emergency is scorching its signature on human bodies," he said.

'Heat trap' cities

Across Asia, billions of people were exposed this summer to deadly temperatures for days on end with scientists attributing the intensity and duration of these heat waves to human-driven climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

So far this summer, from March to June, at least 110 people have died from heat-related illnesses in India, including scores of election workers during the recent vote. Northwest and eastern India recorded more than twice the usual number of heat wave days.

Hot winds during the day and relentlessly high temperatures at night meant there was no relief, and the agony was intensified for millions of the country's poorest citizens by water shortages and power cuts.

Authorities described cities as "heat traps."

And even as scattered rains began in late June, heralding the beginning of the monsoon season, Reddy said public pressure for more action to mitigate the effects of future heat waves would grow.

"There is now an anxious public's demand for an effective government response and acceptance by pressured policymakers of the need to act with alacrity for protecting lives," said Reddy.

Doctors from RML and AIIMS, Bhubaneswar told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that more than 90% of the patients they treated for heat-related conditions were outdoor workers, including security guards, migrant laborers and street vendors.

"Extreme heat aggravates existing income and health inequities," said Hisham Mundol, chief adviser at the Environmental Defense Fund, India.

The poorest were unable to adjust their lifestyles to seek shelter from the heat by, for example, taking time off work, and also could not afford air conditioning, Mundol said.

They were also more likely to seek help at crowded public hospitals, where services were under immense strain because of the number of heat-related cases.

The extent of the problem was revealed in a nationwide survey of over 12,000 people across 20 states and union territories by the Centre for Rapid Insights (CRI), which showed that 45% of the households surveyed said at least one person fell ill from the heat in May.

Of those affected, more than 67% had family members who were sick for more than five days, and the poorest people were hit particularly hard, the survey showed.

Dillip Kumar Parida, medical superintendent at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, said his institute had also opened a critical care unit for heatstroke patients but more needed to be done to keep pace with the effects of runaway global warming.

"The health system will have to prepare for that and stay ready so we are not caught by surprise like we were during COVID," he said.

"Fighting with Mother Nature is impossible; we can only predict, prepare and spread awareness to deal with what is to come in the future," he said.
None of the candidates for president proposed by the Iranian regime secured the necessary votes, the Ministry of Interior said Saturday. The top two vote-getters, Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili, will advance to a runoff next Friday.

The nationwide participation rate, as reported by contested data, stands at 40%, marking the lowest turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic.

More than 24 million votes were cast in the election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi. Pezeshkian won 42.4% of the vote; Jalili won 38.6%, according to Iran's elections authority. Conservative parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf won 13.8% and conservative cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi, got less than 1%.

"None of the candidates could garner the absolute majority of the votes," electoral authority spokesperson Mohsen Eslami said.

The government's claim of a 40% participation rate, based on official statistics announced recently, shows the continuing decline in public engagement in elections under the Islamic Republic.

Participation in the 2019 parliamentary elections, held during Hassan Rouhani's administration, was reported at 42%. The 2021 presidential election, concurrent with city and village council elections, allegedly saw a turnout of 48%, according to government claims, with more than 13% of votes deemed invalid.

The participation rate for last year's parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections in March was similarly reported at 41%.

Despite extensive efforts and widespread propaganda by the Islamic Republic to mobilize voters, reports from social media users and images from Iran indicated a low turnout among Iranians.

About 77% of the eligible voters in the Greater Tehran area refused to vote for the government's presidential candidates, according to official numbers.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran, a political coalition of Iranian opposition groups and individuals that call for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, cited reports Saturday from what it referred to as the "Social Headquarters inside Iran." It stated that "overall, less than 7.4 million people, representing just 12% of eligible voters, participated either voluntarily or under pressure in the clerical regime's presidential election."

The council emphasized: "As a result, 88% of Iranians boycotted the sham presidential elections of the Khamenei regime, decisively rejecting the religious dictatorship. They declared that their ultimate vote was for the overthrow of the regime."

Many protesters, families of victims, political and civil activists, along with various political organizations, had previously declared their refusal to participate in the "governmental appointments" and the "circus of elections."

Political prisoners in Evin Prison also abstained from participating in the voting process.

"It's shameful for a government when only 35% to 40% of eligible voters participate in their presidential elections. Clearly, their people have neither trust in the political system nor confidence nor hope," Mehdi Mahmoudian, a human rights activist and former political prisoner, said on X the social media platform.

Hossein Ronaghi, a political activist and former prisoner of the Islamic Republic, also spoke out: "The widespread boycott and non-participation of the people in the farcical and fake elections of the Islamic Republic demonstrate the opposition, dissatisfaction, and protest of the Iranian public towards the current situation. It serves as a resounding 'no' to the entire 'Islamic Republic' government that has occupied Iran for decades and kept the people in captivity."
Irans plan to run absentee voter ballot stations in more than 30 U.S. cities for the first round of its presidential election had mixed results, a VOA investigation has found.

Information obtained and reviewed by VOA indicates that absentee voting events were held on Friday in at least half of the 33 venues displayed on a list of U.S. ballot stations published online by Iran's interests section office in Washington.

But the voting operation also suffered setbacks, with three of the listed venues canceling their voting events on Friday under pressure from Iranian American activists and protesters who oppose Irans authoritarian Islamist rulers.

Organizers responded to two of the cancelations by updating the list of ballot stations to show last-minute switches to alternate venues.

The most prominent absentee voting site was Washingtons Iranian interests section office, where a VOA Persian reporter observed about 35 people arriving to vote in a nine-hour period. Dozens of protesters shouted at the voters, accusing them of supporting an Iranian government that oppresses its people and legitimizing a sham election whose only candidates were loyalists of Irans supreme leader.

In addition to Washington, VOA assessed that voting events were held at 18 sites on Irans list of ballot stations. VOA obtained verbal confirmations in Friday phone calls to staff at 12 hotels on the list and vetted activists images of the other six venues.

The 12 hotels included four Hilton properties in Lincoln, Nebraska, Long Island City, New York, Milpitas, California and Seattle, Washington; four Hyatt properties in Dallas, Texas, Fort Lee, New Jersey, Houston, Texas and Raleigh, North Carolina; two Marriott properties in Cleveland, Ohio and Mesa, Arizona; an IHG property in Chicago, Illinois; and the Savai Hotel in Overland Park, Kansas.

Social media videos indicated that two additional hotels hosted ballot stations despite hotel staff saying they had no knowledge of such activity.

Multiple videos posted to X and sent to VOA by activists showed an entrance to one hotel, Hiltons DoubleTree in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where several Iranians could be seen standing outside and exiting the building as activists in the parking lot verbally berated them for participating in the election.

A DoubleTree manager contacted by phone and informed of the videos maintained that the hotel was not being used as a ballot station.

The other hotel, Choice Hotel's Comfort Inn Sandy Springs in Atlanta, Georgia, appeared in a mobile phone video posted to X. An activist holding the phone walked into the hotel and entered a function room serving as a ballot station, interacting with the Iranian attendants before apparently being told to leave.

A hotel staff member who answered the phone said he had no idea about the event.

Two other ballot station venues were seen in social media images showing that voting activity had taken place for several hours before being canceled in the face of protests. Organizers relocated one of the venues to a third ballot station.

Activists outside the Ontario Airport Hotel & Conference Center in California were seen shouting at several Iranians who showed up to vote on Friday morning before the hotel canceled the event at around 11 a.m. local time. A staff member who answered the phone confirmed the cancelation, which prompted the venues removal from an updated version of Iran's ballot station list.

Another group of activists outside The Congregational Church of Weston in Massachusetts were seen in a video posted on X. The activists jeered at a car leaving the site and cheered when a police officer told them that organizers were preparing to shut down the ballot station.

An updated Friday version of Irans ballot station list showed the Weston venue was replaced by an Islamic center in Milford, Massachusetts. A photo posted to X showed an Iranian voting notice on the center's front door, indicating that it also was used as a ballot station.

A sixth venue where voting activity appeared on social media was an office building of Easterns Automotive Group, a used car dealership in Sterling, Virginia. A video posted to X showed a man walking up to the entrance as a guard opened the door, which displayed an Iranian election notice.

A review of Friday updates to Irans ballot station list showed the Sterling venue replaced the nearby Hilton McLean Tysons Corner hotel, which had been listed earlier as a ballot station before its station number was removed from the list. Siamak Aram, an activist with the National Solidarity Group for Iran, told VOA that his group had contacted the hotel to urge cancelation of the voting event. A hotel staffer who answered the phone confirmed that the event was not on Friday's schedule.

Irans ballot station list contained another three hotels and an event hall for which there were no confirmations of voting activity from staff contacted by phone and no social media images of such events found by VOA. They included a Hilton hotel in Rancho Cordova, California, an IHG hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Biltmore Hotel Oklahoma and The Rose Court event hall in Tampa, Florida.

The remaining nine venues on the ballot station list included four Islamic centers in Detroit, Michigan, Manassas, Virginia, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon. The others were a landscaping company in Buffalo, New York, and four Virginia and Maryland locations that a mobile voting station was slated to visit during the day.

The addresses of all the U.S. ballot stations besides Irans interests section office only began to appear online as voting began on Friday morning. In almost all cases, the addresses were displayed as street names and numbers, without the venues being named. The entire list was deleted on Saturday.

The Islamic Republic and its agents understand that the regime is deeply unpopular in the Iranian diaspora, whose members are channeling the voices of their Iran-based compatriots calling for regime change, said Jason Brodsky, policy director of U.S. advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, in a VOA interview.

The regime and its agents fear the Iranian diaspora because of its organizing power, so they want to keep this U.S. voting activity as quiet as possible to prevent embarrassing situations in which their fellow Iranians denounce the election for the sham that it is, Brodsky said.

Soran Khateri of VOAs Persian Service contributed to this report.
Israel's Supreme Court unanimously ordered the government to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish men into the army  a landmark ruling seeking to end a system that has allowed them to avoid enlistment into compulsory military service.

Roughly 1.3 million ultra-Orthodox Jews make up about 13% of Israel's population and oppose enlistment because they believe studying full time in religious seminaries is their most important duty.

An enlistment exemption for the ultra-Orthodox goes back to the founding of Israel in 1948, when small numbers of gifted scholars were exempt from the draft. But with a push from politically powerful religious parties, those numbers have swelled over the decades. The court said the exemptions were illegal in 2017, but repeated extensions and government delay tactics have prevented a replacement law from being passed.

Two parties belonging to the Haredim, or "god-fearing" in Hebrew, are essential parts of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile coalition, but the broad exemptions from mandatory military service have reopened a deep divide in the country and infuriated much of the general public during the war in Gaza. More than 600 soldiers have been killed since Hamas' October 7 attack. Many reserve soldiers are starting their second tour of duty.

What does the ruling mean for Netanyahu's government?

Netanyahu's coalition holds a slim majority of 64 seats in the 120-member parliament, often requiring him to capitulate to the demands of smaller parties like the ultra-Orthodox.

If those parties leave the government, the country would likely be forced into new elections this fall. Netanyahu's popularity is low as the war in Gaza drags into its ninth month.

Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf heads one of the ultra-Orthodox parties in Netanyahu's coalition. In a post on X, Goldknopf called the Supreme Court's ruling "very unfortunate and disappointing," but did not say whether his party would leave the government. The chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, Aryeh Deri, denounced the ruling and said religious study was "our secret weapon against all enemies."

The court this year temporarily froze state subsidies for seminaries where exempted ultra-Orthodox men study. Along with the enlistment decision, the court also ruled Tuesday that that money should be permanently suspended.

Many religious seminaries depend on government funding and "the general assumption is that the government will not survive this crisis," said Barak Medina, a law professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an expert on constitutional law.

What did the courts rule?

Military service is compulsory for most Jewish men and women, who serve three and two years, respectively, in active duty, as well as reserve duty until around age 40.

The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that compulsory military service applies to the ultra-Orthodox just like any other Israeli. The judges said that allowing a certain community a "sweeping avoidance" of service amounted to discrimination.

"Discrimination regarding the most precious thing of all  life itself  is the worst kind," the justices wrote in their opinion.

In 2017, the Supreme Court struck down a law that codified draft exemptions. Repeated extensions of the law and government tactics to delay a replacement law have dragged on for years.

Israel's judiciary plays a large role in checking the government's executive power. Netanyahu attempted to overhaul the judiciary last year, spurring massive protests across the country before a major part of the overhaul was struck down.

When will this go into effect?

It will be challenging for the army integrate a larger number of ultra-Orthodox deeply opposed to service into its ranks.

Among Israel's Jewish majority, mandatory military service is largely seen as a melting pot and a rite of passage. The ultra-Orthodox say that integrating into the army will threaten their generations-old way of life, and that their devout lifestyle and dedication to upholding the Jewish commandments protect Israel as much as a strong army does.

The courts did not set numbers for enlistment in their ruling, but Israel's attorney general's office suggested that at least 3,000 ultra-Orthodox soldiers enlist in the coming year. The court said in its ruling that some 63,000 ultra-Orthodox students are eligible for enlistment.

For decades, the army has attempted to accommodate ultra-Orthodox soldiers by creating separate units that allow them to maintain religious practices, including minimizing interaction with women. One of the units created for this purpose, Netzah Yehudah, faced possible U.S. sanctions over their treatment of Palestinians, though the U.S. eventually decided not to impose sanctions.

What impact will this have on the war in Gaza?

The ruling will have little immediate effect on the war in Gaza, where more than 37,600 Palestinians have been killed, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The number of ultra-Orthodox who might enlist because of the ruling is too small to have a significant impact on day-to-day fighting.

Medina, the law professor, said that if the ruling topples the government, it could give Netanyahu more leeway to reach a deal for a cease-fire that could end the war in Gaza.

"Currently, one of the main reasons he's prevented from reaching an agreement for the end of the war is because it will mean the end of his coalition," said Medina.

If the ultra-Orthodox parties leave the coalition, Netanyahu has "nothing to lose," he said. And that could lead to a change in policy without the pressure from far-right ministers opposed to any kind of cease-fire. Netanyahu will also be under a lot of pressure to wrap up fighting if early elections are called, to avoid going into the elections without the hostages and while a war is still ongoing, Medina said.
A judge has acquitted 28 people accused of money laundering in an international case known as the Panama Papers, including the co-founder of a law firm that authorities say was at the center of a conspiracy to hide money linked to illegal activities.

Jurgen Mossack founded Mossack & Fonseca with then associate Ramon Fonseca, who died in May. Mossack was acquitted Friday along with others after a Panamanian judge found that the evidence against Mossack didn't comply with the chain of custody after authorities raided the office of the now-defunct firm.

Prosecutors had accused Mossack, Fonseca and others of creating offshore companies and using complex transactions to hide money from illegal activities related to the so-called car wash corruption scandal involving Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, which pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to a charge related to using shell companies to hide millions of dollars in bribes paid worldwide to win public contracts.

The judge noted that other evidence in the Panama Papers case "was not sufficient and conclusive to determine the criminal responsibility of the accused."

In addition, the judge lifted personal and property precautionary measures against all the defendants, according to a judicial statement.

"We feel satisfied in the midst of mixed emotions, because many lives were affected along the way," Guillermina McDonald, who was the defense attorney for Mossack and Fonseca, told The Associated Press. Her firm also represented 80% of the accused firms collaborators.

Judge Balaoisa Marquinez had decided to combine the Panama Papers case with another known as "Operation Car Wash," a major anti-corruption investigation that began in Brazil.

On Friday, she ruled that in the car wash case, "it was not possible to determine the entry of money from illicit sources, coming from Brazil, into the Panamanian financial system with the purpose of hiding, concealing, disguising or helping to evade the legal consequences of the preceding crime."

In June 2022, Mossack, Fonseca and 37 other people were acquitted in a separate money laundering case.

The investigation in Brazil began in 2014, with the Mossack & Fonseca firm later coming under scrutiny after 11 million financial documents tied to the company were leaked.

The repercussions of the leak were widespread: it led to the resignation of a prime minister in Iceland and brought scrutiny to now former leaders of Argentina and Ukraine, Chinese politicians and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others.
Key U.S. Democratic leaders stood firmly behind President Joe Biden on Sunday, rejecting the notion that he should end his 2024 campaign for a second four-year term in the White House because of his halting, disjointed debate performance last week against former President Donald Trump.

The Democratic allies of Biden readily acknowledged the 81-year-old Bidens shortcomings in the nationally televised 90-minute debate in which he struggled at times to complete sentences and at one point mistakenly said he had killed off Medicare, the governments health insurance program for older Americans.

A new CBS-YouGov poll showed that Americans, by a 72-27% margin, do not think that Biden has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president, a reading that was seven percentage points worse on the same question compared to three weeks ago. However, national polling between Biden and Trump still showed the contest remains a dead heat.

The key Democratic officials rejected the suggestion of some rank-and-file Democrats and editorials in The New York Times and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he drop out of the race for a younger candidate.

"The unfortunate truth is that Biden should withdraw from the race, for the good of the nation he has served so admirably for half a century," said The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the leading newspaper in the key southern political battleground state of Georgia. "The shade of retirement is now necessary for President Biden."

"Oh, absolutely not," Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock told NBCs Meet the Press program. "Bad debates happen. The question is, 'Who has Donald Trump ever shown up for other than himself and people like himself?' I'm with Joe Biden, and it's our assignment to make sure that he gets over the finish line come November."

Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, a prominent Biden supporter, told CNNs State of the Union show: I do not believe that Joe Biden has a problem leading for the next four years because hes done a great job of leading for the last three-and-a-half years. I always say that the best predictor of future behavior is past performance. He contended that what happened at the debate was preparation overload.

Governor Wes Moore of Maryland said on CBSs Face the Nation, that the president had a difficult night just like every single one of us do but that it should not force him out of the November 5 election. Joe Biden is not going to take himself out of this race, nor should he.Bidens campaign, in a Saturday night fundraising appeal, says replacing him as the Democratic standard bearer would lead to weeks of chaos before the August national party convention to pick a new nominee and be a highway to losing the national election.

Kate Bedingfield, a former Biden White House communications aide, told CNN that the Biden campaign had raised $33 million since the debate.

Republican supporters of Trump balked at explanations for Bidens weak debate performance.

Reince Priebus, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee and once Trumps White House chief of staff, called Biden staying in the race just all downside for Joe Biden.

This is not a bad debate night, he said on ABCs This Week show. This was an incoherent, almost impossible mess.

Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said of President Biden on CNN, Hes a decent man. Hes a failed president. He is compromised. Thats the story line here. Thats what the world saw, a compromised president.

Biden, after spending the weekend at campaign fundraising events in New York and New Jersey, went to Camp David, the presidential retreat outside Washington, for a long-planned family get-together. Biden has given no indication that he plans to drop out of the race and, in fact, voiced just the opposite.

On Friday, the day after the debate, Biden told supporters, I know Im not a young man. I dont walk as easy as I used to. I dont speak as smoothly as I used to. I dont debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth!

Biden added that he would not be running for a second term if he did not believe "with all my heart and soul I can do this."
The monthlong celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride reached its exuberant grand finale on Sunday, bringing rainbow-laden revelers to the streets for marquee parades in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and elsewhere across the globe.

The wide-ranging festivities functioned as both jubilant parties and political protests, as participants recognize the community's gains while also calling attention to recent anti-LGBTQ+ laws, such as bans on transgender health care, passed by Republican-led states.

"We're at a time where there's a ton of legislation, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation," Zach Overton, 47, said at the New York parade. "It feels like we're taking a step backwards in the fight for equality and so it's a great moment to come out and be with our community and see all the different colors of the spectrum of our community and remind ourselves what we're all fighting for."

Thousands of people gathered along New York's Fifth Avenue to celebrate Pride. Floats cruised the street as Diane Ross' "I'm Coming Out" played from loudspeakers. Pride flags filled the horizon, and signs in support of Puerto Rico, Ukraine and Gaza were visible in the crowd.

This year, tensions over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza are also seeped into the celebrations, exposing divisions within a community that is often aligned on political issues.

Protesters temporarily blocked the New York parade on Sunday, chanting: "Free, free, free Palestine!" Police eventually took some of them away.

Pro-Palestinian activists disrupted pride parades earlier in June in Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia. Several groups participating in marches Sunday said they would seek to center the victims of the war in Gaza, spurring pushback from supporters of Israel.

"It is certainly a more active presence this year in terms of protest at Pride events," said Sandra Perez, the executive director of NYC Pride. "But we were born out of a protest."

The first pride march was held in New York City in 1970 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Inn uprising, a riot that began with a police raid on a Manhattan gay bar.

Nick Taricco, 47, who was at the New York parade with Overton, said he attended Friday's opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, where President Joe Biden spoke. Taricco said he has concerns about politics in the U.S., including the presidential election.

"Even given how old he is, I still think that's the direction we need to go in," Taricco said of Biden. "But it's a very uncertain time in general in this country."

Ireland Fernandez-Cosgrove, 23, celebrated at the New York parade.

"New York City is a great place to live, but this is one of the only days where you can come out and be openly queer and you know you're going to be OK and safe about it," she said. "I came out here today with my partner to be able to be ourselves in public and know that other people are going to be supporting us."

In addition to the NYC Pride March, the nation's largest, the city also played host Sunday to the Queer Liberation March, an activism-centered event launched five years ago amid concerns that the more mainstream parade had become too corporate.

Another one of the world's largest Pride celebrations also took place Sunday in San Francisco.

Tens of thousands of revelers packed sidewalks along Chicago's parade, a scaled-back event from previous years. City officials shortened the North Side route and the number of floats this year from 199 to about 150 over safety and logistical concerns, including to better deploy police into evening hours as post-parade parties have become more disruptive in recent years. Chicago's parade, one of the largest in the U.S., routinely draws about 1 million people, according to the city. Sunday's crowd estimates were not immediately available.

Additional parades were scheduled in Minneapolis and Seattle.

On top of concerns about protests, federal agencies have warned that foreign terrorist organizations and their supporters could target the parades and adjacent venues. A heavy security presence was expected at all of the events.
Image source: Getty Images

When I first became a Costco member, I decided to stick with a basic membership to save money on the fee. It wasn't until I started shopping at the store more frequently that I decided to upgrade to an Executive membership.

An Executive membership at Costco currently costs you $120. That's double the cost of a basic membership. Those prices have also been in place for quite some time now, so it wouldn't be a shock to see them rise in the not-so-distant future  though Costco had no official plans to raise them as of its last earnings call in May.

The nice thing about the Executive membership is that you earn 2% cash back on your Costco purchases  and that extends to Costco.com orders as well. But there are a few surprising drawbacks to the Executive membership you should be aware of.

1. Not every purchase gives you cash back

If you spend more than $3,000 a year at Costco, the Executive membership upgrade makes sense. That's because 2% of $3,000 is $60, which is exactly what the upgrade costs. So once you've spent even $1 more, you're ahead financially.

That said, several Costco purchases aren't eligible for 2% back with an Executive membership. And perhaps the most frustrating one  at least in my book  is gas.

I usually make a point to fill up my car at Costco because it has the cheapest gas prices in my area. But it's annoying to not get the extra cash back at the pump. I make up for it, though, by using a credit card with great gas rewards, so you can do the same.

You're also not eligible for cash back on an Executive membership when you spend money at the food court at Costco. And stamps, tobacco, and cigarettes aren't eligible for cash back, either. Plus, if you buy a Costco Shop Card (the store's version of a gift card), you won't get cash back there, either.

2. You may be tempted to spend more

When I first upgraded my Costco membership, I was nervous about not spending enough to make up for the extra cost. You might find yourself spending extra to justify the cost of the Executive membership, or to snag more cash back.

But remember, you're only getting $0.02 per $1 you spend. So the numbers are never going to work out in your favor if you buy extra things for the express purpose of getting more cash back out of your Executive membership.

You should also know that you don't have to worry about making back your Executive membership upgrade fee. If you don't snag at least $60 cash back after your first year, Costco will let you downgrade to a basic membership and reimburse you the difference.

Story continues

So if your Executive membership only puts $45 back in your pocket after a year, you can downgrade and get the remaining $15 paid back to you.

3. You no longer get early access to Costco

When I first upgraded to an Executive membership at Costco, one of the perks was getting early access to the store. Costco did away with that benefit a long time ago. That's a shame, because the one thing I dislike most about shopping at Costco is having to perpetually battle crowds. That early access helped minimize those crowds to some degree.

However, I find that Costco is usually less busy when it first opens and in the hour or so before it closes. So now, I do my shopping then to avoid having to wait in long lines or squeeze my way through the aisles.

Costco's Executive membership makes sense for me based on the amount I spend at the store each year. And it may be a good investment for you, too. Just be aware of these downsides so you know exactly what you're getting into.

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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.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

3 Unexpected Drawbacks of a Costco Executive Membership was originally published by The Motley Fool
More than 45,000 species are now threatened with extinction  1,000 more than last year  according to an international conservation organization that blames pressures from climate change, invasive species and human activity such as illicit trade and infrastructural expansion.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature released its latest Red List of Threatened Species on Thursday. Now in its 60th year, the list sounds the alarm about animals and plants at risk of extinction, but it also highlights conservation success stories such as the Iberian lynx.

The list now includes 163,040 species, an increase of about 6,000 from last year. Copiapoa cacti, native to Chile's Atacama coastal desert, the Bornean elephant and the Gran Canaria giant lizard are among the threatened species, IUCN revealed.

Social media trend among extinction drivers

Copiapoa cacti have long been coveted as decorative plants, driving an illegal trade that has been amplified by social media where enthusiasts and traders showcase and sell the cacti.

A staggering 82% of the species is now at risk of extinction, a significant jump from 55% in 2013, the report said.

IUCN said that the decline is due to the surge in demand for the Chilean cacti in Europe and Asia as ornamental species. The smugglers and poachers facilitating the trade, the organization said, have gained increased accessibility to the plants' habitat due to roads and housing expansion in the Atacama area.

"It is easy to distinguish if copiapoa cacti have been poached or grown in a greenhouse," said Pablo Guerrero, a member of the IUCN's group on the plants. "Poached copiapoa have a grey tone and are coated in a dusty-looking bloom that protects the plants in one of the driest deserts on Earth, whereas cultivated plants appear greener."

The 2024 update also highlights the Asian elephant in Borneo as an endangered species. It is estimated that only about 1,000 Bornean elephants remain in the wild, according to IUCN analysis.

The population has decreased over the past 75 years primarily due to extensive logging of Borneo's forests, destroying much of the elephants' habitat. Conflicts with humans, habitat loss due to agriculture and timber plantations, mining and infrastructure development, poaching, exposure to agrochemicals, and vehicle collisions also threaten the species, the IUCN said.

The list also revealed the "staggering" decline of endemic reptiles  the giant lizard and skink  on the Canary Islands and Ibiza due to predation by the invasive snakes.

One species' 'greatest recovery'

In a contrasting tale, conservation efforts have revived the Iberian lynx from the brink of extinction, with the population increasing from 62 mature individuals in 2001 to 648 in 2022 and more than 2,000 now.

Once considered one of the most endangered wild cat species in the world, their population declined by 87% and the number of breeding females dropped by more than 90% between 1985 and 2001, according to Canada-based International Society for Endangered Cats.

The species was revived by restoring the Iberian lynx's natural Mediterranean scrub and forest habitat as well as increasing the abundance of its primary prey, the European rabbit. Conservation efforts have also involved increasing the lynx's genetic diversity by relocating them to new areas and breeding them in controlled environments.

Since 2010, more than 400 Iberian lynx have been reintroduced to parts of Portugal and Spain, IUCN said.

It is "the greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation," said Francisco Javier Salcedo Ortiz, who led the conservation action for the Iberian lynx.

But with threats remaining, mainly from fluctuations of their prey's population, poaching and road kills, Salcedo Ortiz said "there is still a lot of work to do to ensure that Iberian lynx populations survive."
U.S. prosecutors are meeting with Boeing and the families of crash victims as a July 7 deadline looms for the Justice Department to decide whether to criminally charge the plane maker, according to two people familiar with the matter and correspondence reviewed by Reuters.

Justice Department officials met with Boeing lawyers on Thursday to discuss the government's finding that the company violated a 2021 agreement with the department, one of the sources said. That deal, known as a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), had shielded it from criminal prosecution over two 737 MAX crashes in 2018 in Indonesia and a crash in 2019 in Ethiopia that together killed 346 people.

Separately, federal prosecutors are slated to meet with victims' family members on Sunday to update them on the progress of their investigation, according to the second person. U.S. officials are working on a "tight timeline," according to an email sent by the DOJ and reviewed by Reuters.

Boeing lawyers present case

Boeing's lawyers from Kirkland & Ellis on Thursday presented their case to officials from the Deputy Attorney General's office that a prosecution would be unwarranted and that there is no need to tear up the 2021 deal, one of the people said.

Such appeals from companies in the DOJ's crosshairs are typical when negotiating to resolve a government investigation.

Officials want input from family members as they consider how to proceed, the email said. Prosecutors from the Justice Department's criminal fraud division and the U.S. attorney's office in Dallas will attend the Sunday meeting, it said.

Spokespeople for the DOJ and Boeing declined to comment.

Boeing has previously said it has "honored the terms" of the settlement and formally told prosecutors it disagrees with the finding that it violated the agreement.

Prosecutors recommend criminal charges

U.S. prosecutors have recommended to senior Justice Department officials that criminal charges be brought against Boeing after finding the plane maker violated the 2021 settlement, two people familiar with the matter previously told Reuters.

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, they said last week.

The deliberations follow a January 5 flight during which a panel blew out on a Boeing plane just two days before the company's DPA expired. The incident exposed ongoing safety and quality issues at Boeing.

Boeing had been poised to escape prosecution over a criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration arising from the 2018-2019 fatal crashes.

Prosecutors had agreed to drop a criminal charge so long as Boeing overhauled its compliance practices and submitted regular reports over a three-year period. Boeing also agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle the investigation.

In May, officials determined the company breached the agreement, exposing Boeing to prosecution. The DOJ said in a court filing in Texas that the plane maker had failed to "design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. fraud laws throughout its operations."
Russia attacked Kharkiv, Ukraines second largest city, on Sunday with a guided bomb, killing one person and injuring eight, officials said.

Mayor Ihor Terekhov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the bomb hit near the city center, triggering a fire that damaged buildings and vehicles. He said an 8-month-old infant was among the injured.

Kharkiv is about 30 kilometers (about 19 miles) from the Russian border and has been a frequent target of Russian attacks in the 28-month war. Russian forces have increasingly relied on guided bombs in their assaults.

Russian forces launched a cross-border incursion into the Kharkiv region last month and seized several villages, but Ukrainian officials say the situation near the border has been stabilized.

Meanwhile, Ukraines military released drone footage that shows what appears to be bodies in a civilian area in the embattled eastern town of Toretsk, which Russia has heavily bombarded in recent days.

Ukraine has ramped up rescue services in the Donetsk region as a result of the attacks.

Local officials say that Russia is using powerful glide bombs to attack the area. They are heavy Soviet-era bombs weighing more than a ton apiece fitted with precision guidance systems and launched from aircraft flying out of range of air defenses.

VOA has been unable to independently verify such battlefield claims.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Russia had dropped more than 800 glide bombs in Ukraine in the past week alone.

Ukraine needs the necessary means to destroy the carriers of these bombs, including Russian combat aircraft, wherever they are. This step is essential, he wrote in an online post.

Zelenskyy called on countries assisting Ukraine to further relax restrictions on using Western weapons to strike military targets inside Russia.

Clear decisions are needed to help protect our people, he said. Long-range strikes and modern air defense are the foundation for stopping the daily Russian terror. I thank all our partners who understand this.

Some material in this report came Reuters and The Associated Press.
In an increasingly divisive political sphere, Becka Robbins focuses on what she knows best  books.

Operating out of a tiny room in Fabulosa Books in San Francisco's Castro District, one of the oldest gay neighborhoods in the United States, Robbins uses donations from customers to ship boxes of books across the country to groups that want them.

In an effort she calls "Books Not Bans," she sends titles about queer history, sexuality, romance and more  many of which are increasingly hard to come by in the face of a rapidly growing movement by conservative advocacy groups and lawmakers to ban them from public schools and libraries.

"The book bans are awful, the attempt at erasure," Robbins said. She asked herself how she could get these books into the hands of the people who need them the most.

Beginning last May, she started raising money and looking for recipients. Her books have gone to places like a pride center in west Texas and an LGBTQ-friendly high school in Alabama.

Customers are especially enthusiastic about helping Robbins send books to places in states like Florida, Texas and Oklahoma, often writing notes of support to include in the packages. Over 40% of all book bans from July 2022 to June 2023 were in Florida, more than any other state. Behind Florida are Texas and Missouri, according to a report by PEN America, a nonprofit literature advocacy group.

Book bans and attempted bans have been hitting record highs, according to the American Library Association. And the efforts now extend as much to public libraries as school libraries. Because the totals are based on media accounts and reports submitted by librarians, the association regards its numbers as snapshots, with many bans left unrecorded.

PEN America's report said 30% of the bans include characters of color or discuss race and racism, and 30% have LGBTQ+ characters or themes.

The most sweeping challenges often originate with conservative organizations, such as Moms for Liberty, which has organized banning efforts nationwide and called for more parental control over books available to children.

Moms for Liberty is not anti-LGBTQ+, co-founder Tiffany Justice has told The Associated Press. But about 38% of book challenges that "directly originated" from the group have LGBTQ+ themes, according to the library association's Office for Intellectual Freedom. Justice said Moms for Liberty challenges books that are sexually explicit, not because they cover LGBTQ+ topics.

Among those topping banned lists have been Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer, George Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye.

Robbins said it's more important than ever to makes these kinds of books available to everyone.

"Fiction teaches us how to dream," Robbins said. "It teaches us how to connect with people who are not like ourselves, it teaches us how to listen and emphasize."

She's sent 740 books so far, with each box worth $300 to $400, depending on the titles.

At the new Rose Dynasty Center in Lakeland, Florida, the books donated by Fabulosa are already on the shelves, said Jason DeShazo, a drag queen known as Momma Ashley Rose who runs the LGBTQ+ community center.

DeShazo is a family-friendly drag performer and has long hosted drag story times to promote literacy. He uses puppets to address themes of being kind, dealing with bullies and giving back to the community.

DeShazo hopes to provide a safe space for events, support groups and health clinics, and to build a library of banned books.

"I don't think a person of color should have to search so hard for an amazing book about history of what our Black community has gone through," DeShazo said. "Or for someone who is queer to find a book that represents them."

Robbins' favorite books to send are youth adult queer romances, a rapidly growing genre as conversations about LGBTQ+ issues have become much more mainstream than a decade ago.

"The characters are just like regular kids  regular people who are also queer, but they also get to fall in love and be happy," Robbins said.
When Damien Carchipulla started his first school year in New York City in September, the first grader's family was living in a Manhattan hotel for migrant families.

In the 10 months since, the family of four from Ecuador has moved shelters three times under a policy Mayor Eric Adams imposed in the fall that limits the number of days migrants can stay in a single place. Every 60 days they must give up their shelter beds and reapply for housing or leave the system.

With a fourth move expected in a matter of weeks, Damien's mother Kimberly Carchipulla hopes the family isn't pulled too far from the 6-year-old's school in Harlem this summer. Her son is set to attend a summer program starting in July.

"A lot has changed because new laws were put in place," Carchipulla said in Spanish while picking up Damien after school one day. "They get stressed. They get upset. Every 60 days, it's a new home."

The New York City school year ended Wednesday, but for thousands of migrant families the shuffle from shelter to shelter continues. With it come the concerns about how they'll navigate their children's education needs, both this summer and into the next school year.

"These families were already coming in with a great deal of trauma, which was impacting their children's attendance at school and their ability to engage once they're there," said Sarah Jonas, a vice president at Children's Aid, a nonprofit that provides mentoring, health services and after-school programs at city schools. "With that added burden of the 60-day rule, we've seen even more disruption for our families getting these eviction notices and all of the anxiety that comes with that."

Like the Carchipullas, most families chose to stick with the same school through the year, even if they were reassigned to shelters in a different part of the city. The tradeoff for many was longer and more complex commutes, leading to children who were exhausted before the school day even started. Absenteeism spiked too, as parents struggled to get their children to school on time.

Carchipulla, who is 23, counts her family among the lucky ones: the three moves they made during the school year were all to other midtown Manhattan hotels, so her son's daily commute remained relatively the same.

For the grandchildren of Rosie Arias, the moves were more disruptive.

The 55-year-old from Ecuador said her daughter arrived in January with her 10-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. They were immediately placed in a shelter and enrolled in a local school where Spanish was widely spoken.

But when their 60 days ran out, they had to move to another shelter and transfer to another school, Arias said. Then when the family secured their own apartment in Brooklyn, the children had to switch schools again, this time to a smaller one where few people spoke Spanish.

"As a grandmother, I'm worried. The children don't want to go to school. They're not adjusting because of the language and because they don't have friends.," Arias said in Spanish. "They cry."

School officials didn't have a final tally for how many migrant students were affected by the shelter time limits.

As of the first week of May, 44% of migrant students had remained in the same shelter and same school since February 14, according to Tamara Mair, a senior director with Project Open Arms, the district's program supporting asylum seekers and other new students in temporary housing.

Another 40% of migrant students moved shelters but remained enrolled at the same school, while 4% moved both schools and shelters, she said. Roughly 10% left the school system entirely, with the "vast majority" of those dropping out because they left the city.

District officials will be keeping tabs on migrant families in the shelters through the summer, Mair said.

"The one thing we want to remain constant for our kids is school," she said. "But we also want to support our families with their choices, because the families have the right to remain in their school, or they may choose to go to a new school closer to their new residence."

Adams, a Democrat, instituted shelter limits to encourage migrant families to leave the city's emergency shelter system, which includes huge tent shelters and converted hotels that have swollen with thousands of newcomers to the U.S.

Over the summer, more needs to be done to prepare newly arriving families for the next school year, immigrant advocates say.

That includes better outreach to migrant parents and more investment in translation services, said Liza Schwartzwald, a director at the New York Immigration Coalition.

Schools also need more specialists to assess and help get migrant students up to grade level in their studies, said Natasha Quiroga, director of education policy at the New School's Center for New York City Affairs.

Damien Carchipulla's mother remains optimistic about her son's future.

Eventually, she said, the family hopes to save up enough money for their own place, perhaps in Queens, where her husband recently found steady work.

"He is learning more and more every day," Kim Carchipulla said of her son. "Even if he misses school, his teacher tells me, he catches up quickly."
Paramilitary forces battling Sudan's regular army for more than a year said Saturday they had taken a key state capital in the southeast, prompting thousands to flee, witnesses said.

"We have liberated the 17th Infantry Division from Singa," the capital of Sennar state, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on the social media platform X.

Residents confirmed to AFP: "The RSF have deployed in the streets of Singa," and witnesses reported aircraft from the regular army flying overhead and anti-aircraft fire.

Earlier Saturday, other witnesses said there was fighting in the streets and "rising panic among residents seeking to flee."

Sudan has been gripped by war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The conflict in the country of 48 million has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions and triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

The latest RSF breakthrough means the paramilitaries are tightening the noose around Port Sudan on the Red Sea, where the army, government and U.N. agencies are now based.

The RSF controls most of the capital Khartoum, Al-Jazira state in the center of the country, the vast western region of Darfur and much of Kordofan to the south.

Sennar state is already home to more than 1 million displaced Sudanese. It connects central Sudan to the army-controlled southeast.

Posts on social media showed thousands of people fleeing in vehicles and on foot, and witnesses told AFP, "Thousands of people have taken refuge on the east bank of the Blue Nile" river east of Singa.

RSF forces are also besieging the town of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.

On Thursday, a report cited by the United Nations said nearly 26 million people in war-torn Sudan are facing high levels of "acute food insecurity."
About 15,000 people attended the annual EuroPride parade Saturday, police said, in support of the LGBTQ+ community in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki amid a heavy police presence.

The parade, whose motto is "Persevere, Progress, Prosper," was staged on the ninth and last day of a series of events across the city. It was to be followed later Saturday by a concert and a series of parties.

"This participation from across Europe sends a message," parade participant Michalis Filippidis told the Associated Press. "It is very, very good. We are all united like a fist and, despite many things happening, we are all here to fight for our rights."

Participants marched through the city center, ending up at the citys waterfront, at the statue of Alexander the Great, the most famous ruler of the ancient Greek Kingdom of Macedonia. The nearby White Tower, once part of the citys fortifications but now a standalone monument, emblematic of the city, was dressed in the colors of the rainbow.

There was a heavy police presence to prevent counterdemonstrations. In the end, police said, 15 people were detained for shouting obscenities at parade participants and, in one case, trying to throw eggs at them. Police prevented them from getting too close to parade participants.

Some Greek participants in the parade chanted at the counterdemonstrators: "For every racist and homophobe, there is a place in Thermaikos," the gulf on whose shores the city is built.

A 34-year-old man who had called for an anti-gay demonstration, despite the polices ban on such an action, was arrested and will appear in court Monday on charges of inciting disobedience and disturbing the peace. He was visited in prison by the head of Niki, an ultra-religious political party, one of three far-right parties that elected representatives to the European Parliament in elections earlier in June.

Nationalism and religious fervor are more pronounced in Thessaloniki and other northern Greek areas than the rest of the country. The far rights strong showing in elections was in part due to passage earlier in the year of a law legalizing same-sex marriage. The law, strongly backed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was opposed by nearly a third of the lawmakers from his conservative New Democracy party, and was backed by much of the left opposition, except for the Communists, who voted against it.

The EuroPride parade had strong official backing. The city was a co-sponsor and several foreign ambassadors attended.

"I am proud to be here ... for EuroPride 2024," said U.S. Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis. "This is about human dignity, this is about acceptance, this is about love, this is about equality. And, frankly, we need more love, more acceptance, more kindness in this world."

"I am here to show our support for diversity and equality for all. You are who you are, and you can love who you love," said Dutch Ambassador to Greece Susanna Terstal.

"I welcome the ambassadors ... and all the participants to Thessaloniki, a multicolored, friendly city that considers human rights non-negotiable," said Mayor Stelios Angeloudis.

Next year's EuroPride will take place in Lisbon.
Thousands of Jewish ultra-Orthodox men clashed with Israeli police in central Jerusalem on Sunday during a protest of a Supreme Court order for them to begin enlisting for military service.

The landmark decision last week ordering the government to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men could lead to the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus governing coalition as Israel wages war in Gaza.

Tens of thousands of men rallied in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood to protest the order. But after nightfall, the crowd made its way toward central Jerusalem and turned violent.

Israeli police said protesters threw rocks and attacked the car of an ultra-Orthodox Cabinet minister, pelting it with stones. Water cannons filled with skunk-scented water and police mounted on horses were used to disperse the crowd. But the demonstration was still not under control late Sunday.

Military service is compulsory for most Jewish men and women in Israel. But politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties have won exemptions for their followers to skip military service and instead study in religious seminaries.

The long-standing arrangement has bred resentment among the broader public, a sentiment that has grown stronger during the eight-month war against Hamas. Over 600 soldiers have been killed in fighting, and tens of thousands of reservists have been activated, upending careers, businesses and lives.

Ultra-Orthodox parties and their followers say forcing their men to serve in the army will destroy their generations-old way of life. Earlier Sunday, thousands of men crowded a square and joined in mass prayers. Many held signs criticizing the government, with one saying not even one male should be drafted.

The ultra-Orthodox parties are key members of Netanyahus governing coalition and could potentially force new elections if they decide to leave the government in protest.

Party leaders have not said whether they will leave the government. Doing so could be risky, with Netanyahu's coalition's popularity lagging since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war.
Editor's note: Here is a look at immigration-related news around the U.S. this week. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com.

Biden's asylum halt falls hardest on Mexicans, other nationalities Mexico will take

The asylum halt, which took effect June 5 and has led to a 40% decline in arrests for illegal crossings, applies to all nationalities. But it falls hardest on those most susceptible to deportation  specifically, Mexicans and others Mexico agrees to take (Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans). Lack of money for charter flights, sour diplomatic ties and other operational challenges make it more difficult to deport people to many countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. Reported by The Associated Press.

Biden, Trump blame each other over immigration issues

U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump sparred Thursday night over immigration at the first of their presidential debates.

Trump criticized Biden over the number of migrants who have illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, including those who have committed crimes. Biden focused on the 40% drop in illegal migrant crossings since he issued an executive order aimed at reducing such crossings. VOAs immigration reporter Aline Barros has more.

US offers deportation relief to additional 309,000 Haitians in country already

The Biden administration will expand deportation relief and work permits to an estimated 309,000 Haitians who are in the country already, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Friday. Reported by Reuters.

Reports of visa checks, deportations worry Chinese STEM students in US

Geopolitical tensions and growing competition in tech between the United States and China appear to be spilling over into academia despite commitments from the worlds two biggest economies to boost people-to-people exchanges. By Stella Hsu.

Homeland Security: Border arrests fell more than 40% since Biden's halt to asylum processing

Arrests for illegal border crossings have dropped more than 40% during the three weeks that asylum processing has been suspended, the Homeland Security Department said Wednesday. The announcement came just one day before President Joe Biden was to debate former President and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in what is expected to be a crucial moment in the election campaign. Reported by The Associated Press.

Immigrant families rejoice over move toward citizenship, but some are left out

Hundreds of thousands of immigrants had reason to rejoice when U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled a highly expansive plan to extend legal status to spouses of U.S. citizens, but, inevitably, some were left out. The Associated Press reports.

Trump departs from anti-immigrant rhetoric with green card proposal

Former U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview posted Thursday that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges, a sharp departure from the anti-immigrant rhetoric he typically uses on the campaign trail. Reported by The Associated Press.

Immigration around the world

Thousands of refugees in Indonesia spend years awaiting resettlement

Morwan Mohammad walks down an old hotel corridor on Batam Island in northwestern Indonesia before entering a 6-square-meter 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. The Associated Press reports.

Ecuador ends visa-free entry for Chinese nationals

Ecuador says it will suspend visa-free entry into the country for Chinese citizens, starting July 1, citing a worrying increase in irregular migration. Over the past few years, Ecuador has been the starting point for many of the thousands of Chinese citizens who have decided to take the long and treacherous journey through South America, Central America and Mexico to reach the southern U.S. border. Produced by Tracy Liu.

Indonesia detains 103 foreigners in a raid in Bali involving suspected cybercrime

Indonesian immigration authorities have detained 103 foreign nationals after a raid at a villa on the resort island of Bali, officials said Thursday. Those arrested, including Taiwanese, Chinese and Malaysians, were accused of misusing their visas and residence permits, along with possible cybercrimes. Immigration authorities said they conducted the raid Wednesday at a villa in Kukuh village in the Tabanan district and detained 91 men and 12 women. Computers and cellphones were also seized, they said. The Associated Press reports.

Human rights group calls on Iraq to halt deportations of Syrian refugees

Iraqi authorities in Baghdad and the administration in the semiautonomous northern Iraqi Kurdish region have been arbitrarily detaining and deporting Syrian refugees to their country, a leading international rights group said Thursday. The Associated Press reports.

News Brief

 Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced the "extension and redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status for 18 months, from Aug. 4, 2024, to Feb. 3, 2026, due to extraordinary and temporary conditions in Haiti. The corresponding Federal Register Notice provides information about registering for TPS as a new or current beneficiary under Haitis extension and redesignation."
The unraveling of fintech upstart Synapse is rippling through a small corner of the banking world, leaving thousands of customers without access to their money and a mystery about millions of dollars that went missing.

Four small US banks have some of the money. No one is sure where the rest went.

The saga surrounding the bankruptcy of Synapse, a 10-year-old fintech firm, puts a new spotlight on how loose webs of partnerships between venture-backed upstarts and FDIC-backed lenders can go so wrong.

Regulators are more closely scrutinizing these relationships and warning various banks to tighten their controls when working with fintech firms.

Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve slapped one of Synapses partner banks with an enforcement action that identified risk management weaknesses surrounding such partnerships.

Read more: What is a neobank and is it safe?

'Banking as a service'

Synapse was part of a wave of new fintech firms that emerged in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis as Silicon Valley-style digital banking upstarts promised to shake up the world of traditional finance.

In just a decade it became a major middleman between dozens of fintech companies and community banks by offering what it called "banking as a service."

It provided digital banking outfits like Mercury, Dave (DAVE), and Juno with access to checking accounts and debit cards they could offer their customers. It was able to do this by partnering with FDIC-backed banks that, in return, got a new source of deposits and fee revenue.

The traditional lenders that partnered with Synapse included Evolve Bank & Trust, American Bank, AMG National Trust, and Lineage Bank, all small banks compared with giants like JPMorgan Chase (JPM) or Bank of America (BAC).

The largest was Evolve, which had roughly $1.5 billion in assets at the end of the first quarter.

The pitch that Synapse effectively gave to these smaller banks was "well bring in the deposits; you dont have to do much," according to Jason Mikula, an independent fintech consultant who publishes a weekly newsletter and has followed Synapse.

"This turned out not to be accurate, in my opinion," Mikula added.

Jelena McWilliams, former FDIC chair, is trustee in the Synapse bankruptcy. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) (PATRICK T. FALLON via Getty Images)

The problems surfaced shortly after Synapse filed for bankruptcy in April when it could not reach an agreement with Evolve on a settlement of funds.

Three weeks into the bankruptcy proceedings, Synapse cut off Evolve's access to its technology system. That, in turn, forced Evolve and the other partner banks to freeze customer accounts.

Both parties blamed each other as the culprit.

Story continues

"Synapses abrupt shutdown of essential systems without notice and failure to provide necessary records needlessly jeopardized end users by hindering our ability to verify transactions, confirm end user balances, and comply with applicable law," Evolve said in a statement.

Synapse CEO Sankaet Pathak rebuked this claim, accusing Evolve of having the means to settle a deficit yet delaying the return of customer funds.

"The debtor has been forced to play a perverse game of 'whack-a-mole' with unreasonable demands from Evolve as conditions to unfreezing the depositor accounts, all while the depositors suffer lack of access to their funds," Pathak stated in court documents last month.

The end result is that thousands of fintech customers lost access to their money.

Synapses bankruptcy has left tens of thousands of end-users of financial technology platforms that were customers of Synapse stranded without access to their funds, Jelena McWilliams, the court-appointed trustee to Synapse and a former FDIC chair, wrote in a letter last week to the heads of five federal banking regulators.

There was another problem: No one seemed to know where all of the money was.

In early June, McWilliams said there was a shortfall of $85 million, with the four banks accounting for only $180 million of the $265 million belonging to end users.

More recently she said the range of the shortfall was $65 million to $96 million.

Some money has been paid back to customers. McWilliams said on June 21 that more than $100 million "has been distributed by certain of the partner banks."

Blind spots

Bank regulators have been concerned for some time about the partnerships between Silicon Valley-style digital startups and FDIC-backed banks.

Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu used a September 2023 speech to discuss the potential blind spots for regulators as these relationships become more blurry.

Banks and tech firms, in an effort to provide a seamless customer experience, are teaming up in ways that make it more difficult for customers, regulators, and the industry to distinguish between where the bank stops and where the tech firm starts, Hsu said in the speech.

Last June, regulators issued final joint guidance on how lenders should handle these relationships.

These partnerships are not yet widespread across the entire banking industry, even though the use of this model is accelerating while banks of all sizes seek ways to attract deposits and earn more revenue.

Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu has raised concerns about the ties between banks and fintech firms. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein) (REUTERS / Reuters)

Fewer than 2% of US banks used the banking-as-a-service model in 2023, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

But regulators are nonetheless getting more aggressive about calling out such relationships. The banking-as-a-service model accounted for 13.5% of public enforcement actions from regulators in 2023, according to S&P.

In January, the FDIC issued a consent order to one of Synapses partner banks  Franklin, Tenn.-based Lineage  that identified weaknesses related to its banking-as-a-service program and ordered the bank to come up with a plan for how to achieve an "orderly termination" with significant fintech partners.

The next month, New York City-based Piermont Bank; Attica, Ohio-based Sutton Bank; and Martinsville, Va.-based Blue Ridge Bank received consent orders from regulators related to alleged deficiencies in their banking-as-a-service business.

Then, earlier this month, the Fed issued an enforcement action against Evolve, saying that examinations conducted in 2023 "found that Evolve engaged in unsafe and unsound banking practices by failing to have in place an effective risk management framework" for its partnerships with fintech companies.

Regulators asked Evolve to improve its policies and risk management practices "by implementing appropriate oversight and monitoring of those relationships." They also noted that the action was "independent of the bankruptcy proceedings regarding Synapse."

A spokesperson for Evolve said the recent order was "similar to orders received by others in the industry" and "does not affect our existing business, customers, or deposits."

The bank counts Affirm (AFRM), Mastercard (MA), and Stripe as notable fintech partnerships on its website.

It has also in the past partnered with two crypto firms that went bankrupt, FTX and BlockFi, as well as Bytechip, a financial services firm had its accounts with Evolve frozen late last year on the allegation it violated federal law by laundering money for fraudsters.

To add to its recent challenges, Evolve said this past Wednesday that some customer data was illegally spread on the dark web as a result of "a cybersecurity incident involving a known cybercriminal organization."

"Evolve has engaged the appropriate law enforcement authorities to aid in our investigation and response efforts," the bank said. "This incident has been contained, and there is no ongoing threat."

David Hollerith is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance covering banking, crypto, and other areas in finance.

Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices.

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Photo: Amanda Demme

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By the time you finish reading A Little Life, you will have spent a whole book waiting for a man to kill himself. The novel, the second from author Hanya Yanagihara, begins as a light chronicle of male friendship among four college graduates in New York City before narrowing its focus to Jude, a corporate litigator whose decades-long struggle to repress a childhood of unrelenting torments  he was raised by pedophiles in a monastery, kidnapped and prostituted in motels, molested by counselors at an orphanage, kidnapped again, tortured, raped, starved, and run over with a car  ends in his suicide.

An unlikely beach read with a gothic riptide, A Little Life became a massive best seller in 2015. Critics lavished praise on the book, with one declaring it the long-awaited great gay novel for its unsparing approach to Jude, who falls in love with his male best friend. (A rare pan in The New York Review of Books prompted an indignant letter from Yanagiharas editor.) A Little Life would go on to win the Kirkus Prize and was a finalist for the National Book Award and the Man Booker Prize; it has since been adapted for the stage by the celebrated director Ivo van Hove, and last month, readers of the New York Times nominated it next to finalists like Beloved and 1984 for best book of the past 125 years.

But Yanagiharas motivations remained mysterious. The author was born in Los Angeles to a third-generation Hawaiian Japanese father and a Seoul-born Korean mother; her father, a hematologist-oncologist, moved the family around the country for work. She has lived in Manhattan since her 20s, but her heart is in Tokyo and Hawaii. (She has called the last the closest thing that Asian Americans have to Harlem.) Her first novel, The People in the Trees, about a doctor who discovers immortality on an island paradise, was well but quietly received in 2013. That book featured homosexuality and pedophilia; not until A Little Life would these be revealed as consistent preoccupations. The People in the Trees took Yanagihara 18 years to write, off and on, during which time she worked as a publicist, book editor, and magazine writer. A Little Life, which she wrote while an editor at large at Conde Nast Traveler, took only 18 months.

How to explain this novels success? The critic Parul Sehgal recently suggested A Little Life as a prominent example of the trauma plot  fiction that uses a traumatic backstory as a shortcut to narrative. Indeed, its easy to see Jude as a vivified DSM entry perfectly crafted to appeal to a world infatuated with victimhood. But Jude hates words like abuse and disabled and refuses to see a therapist for most of the novel, while Yanagihara has skeptically compared talk therapy to scooping out your brain and placing it into someone elses cupped palms to prod at. (Judes sickest torturer turns out to be a psychiatrist.) More compelling about A Little Life  and vexing and disturbing  is the authors omnipresence in the novel, not just as the perverse intelligence behind Judes trauma, in the words of another critic, but as the possessive presence keeping him, against all odds, alive. A Little Life was rightly called a love story; what critics missed was that its author is one of the lovers.

This is Yanagiharas principle: If true misery exists, then so might true love. That simple idea, childlike in its brutality, informs all her fiction. Indeed, the author appears unable, or unwilling, to conceive love outside of life support; without suffering, the inherent monstrosity of love  its greed, its destructiveness  cannot be justified. This notion is inchoate in The People in the Trees, which features several characters kept on the brink of death and ends with a rapists declaration of love. In A Little Life, it blossoms into the anguished figure of Jude and the saintlike circle of friends who adore him. In Yanagiharas new novel, To Paradise, which tells three tales of people fleeing one broken utopia for another, the misery principle has become airborne, passing aerosol-like from person to person while retaining its essential purpose  to allow the author to insert herself as a sinister kind of caretaker, poisoning her characters in order to nurse them lovingly back to health.

Two years after A Little Life was published, Yanagihara joined T magazine, the New York Timess monthly style insert, as editor. She has called the publication a culture magazine masquerading as a fashion magazine  though youll have to sift through many pages of luxury advertisements to confirm that. During her time at Conde Nast Traveler, the publication sent her on a staggering 12-country, 24-city, 45-day, $60,000 journey from Sri Lanka to Japan for a 2013 issue called, incredibly, The Grand Tour of Asia. A trip to India isnt complete without a stop at the legendary Gem Palace, she wrote in a photo spread titled The Plunder, and a few souvenir diamonds  four diamond bangles, to be exact, priced up to $900 each. When we wear a piece of custom jewelry, she once told readers of T, we are adding ourselves to a legacy as old as the Romans, the Greeks, the Persians  older.

This may be surprising. But it is easy to forget that A Little Life is an unapologetic lifestyle novel. Judes harrowing trials are finger-sandwiched between Lower East Side gallery openings, summers on Cape Cod, holiday in Hanoi. Critics remarked on its mouthwatering (or eye-rolling) spread of culinary delights, from duck a lorange to escarole salad with pears and jamon, followed by pine-nut tart, tarte Tatin, and a homemade ten-nut cake Yanagihara later described as a cross between Danish rugbrd and a Japanese milk bread she once ordered at a Tokyo bakery. The book inspired celebrity chef Antoni Porowski to publish a recipe called Gougeres for Jude, based on the canapes Jude makes for a New Years party before cutting his arms so badly he requires emergency medical attention; it can be found on the website for Boursin, the French herbed-cheese brand.

Indeed, Yanagiharas onslaught of horrors could allow readers to block out, like a childhood trauma, the fact that they were reading luxury copy. Her first book was quite literally a travelogue written by a pedophile; in To Paradise, Yanagihara has not lost the familiar voice of a professional chronicler of wealth. Here are rose-hued Oriental carpets, dark-green douppioni-silk drapes, wood floors polished with macadamia oil; here are wok-fried snow peas, ginger-wine syllabub, a pine-nut tart (another one!). As in A Little Life, Yanagihara cannot help giving cheerful directions as she maneuvers her characters, tour guidelike, through New York. Well cut across Christopher, and then go past Little Eight and east on Ninth Street before turning south on Fifth Avenue, a minor character proposes during a crisis.

Perhaps I am being ungenerous. Surely novelists should describe things! Better, they should evoke them, like the dead, or the Orient. Yanagihara has a tourists eye for detail; this can make her a very engaging narrator. Heres that holiday in Hanoi from A Little Life:

[He] turned down an alley that was crowded with stall after stall of small, improvised restaurants, just a woman standing behind a kettle roiling with soup or oil, and four or five plastic stools  [He] let a man cycle past him, the basket strapped to the back of his seat loaded with spears of baguettes  and then headed down another alley, this one busy with vendors crouched over more bundles of herbs, and black hills of mangosteens, and metal trays of silvery-pink fish, so fresh he could hear them gulping.

Now heres days 23 and 24 of that Grand Tour of Asia from Conde Nast Traveler:

Youll see all the little tableaux  that make Hanoi the place it is: dozens of pho stands, with their big cauldrons of simmering broth  bicyclists pedaling by with basketfuls of fresh-baked bread; and, especially, those little street restaurants with their low tables and domino-shaped stools  [The next day] youll pass hundreds of stalls selling everything for the Vietnamese table, from mung bean noodles to homemade fish paste to Kaffir limes, as well as vendors crouched over hubcap-size baskets of mangoes, silkworms, and fish so fresh theyre still gulping for air.

Now it is no crime to put your paid vacation into your novel. My point is simply that Yanagihara remains at heart a travel writer, if not an unreconstructed one. She seems to sense that wealth can be tilted, like a stone, to reveal the wriggling muck beneath. In a few cases, she is even making a political point, as with her abiding interest in the colonization of Hawaii. But more often in these books, wealths rotten underbelly is purely psychological: There are no wrongful beach houses in A Little Life, no ill-gotten hors doeuvre. Luxury is simply the backdrop for Judes extraordinary suffering, neither cause nor effect; if anything, the latter lends poignancy to the former. This was Yanagiharas first discovery, the one that cracked open the cobbled streets of Soho and let something terrible slither out  the idea that misery bestows a kind of dignity that wealth and leisure, no matter how sharply rendered on the page, simply cannot.

To Paradise is not a novel at all. It is three books bound into a single volume: a novella, a brace of short stories, and a full-length novel. The conceit is that its three tales are set in 1893, 1993, and 2093 in alternate versions of a Washington Square townhouse. The first is a Henry Jamesesque period romance: David, a wealthy scion with a secret history of nervous breakdowns, rejects a proposal from the boring Charles to flee west with roguish pauper Edward. The second, a weird postcolonial fable, finds gay paralegal David hosting a dinner party with his older HIV-positive boyfriend, Charles, in honor of a terminally ill friend, while Davids father, the rightful king of Hawaii, lies dying in a psychiatric facility. The third book, the novel-length one, is a fitful attempt at speculative fiction complete with surveillance drones (Flies), boring names (Zone Eight), and a biodome over Central Park. In this New York ravaged by a century of pandemics, brain-damaged lab tech Charlie discovers her husband Edwards infidelity, while her grandfather, a brilliant virologist, reveals his role in creating the current totalitarian government. (In a desultory bid to sew the three parts together, Yanagihara has given multiple characters the same name, without their being biologically or, indeed, meaningfully related.)

The third part of To Paradise may sound topical, but Yanagihara has a lifelong fascination with disease. She was a self-described sickly child whose father used to take her to a morgue where a pathologist would show her the cadavers, folding back the skin flaps like flower petals so the young girl could sketch their insides. Years later, The People in the Trees would center on a zoonotic disease that extends the sufferers life span while rapidly degrading cognitive function. In A Little Life, Judes history of abuse is equally a nutrient-rich soil for infection: his venereal diseases, acquired from clients; his cutting, which results in septicemia; his maimed legs, which, after decades of vascular ulcers and osteomyelitis, must finally be amputated. Thats to say nothing of the many minor characters in the novel who are summarily dispatched by strokes, heart attacks, multiple sclerosis, all kinds of cancer, and something called Nishihara syndrome, a neurodegenerative disease so rare the author had to make it up.

Like its predecessor, To Paradise is a book in which horrible things happen to people for no reason. The agents of misery this time have become literally inhuman: cancer, HIV, epilepsy, functional neurologic disorder, a toxic antiviral drug, the unidentified viral hemorrhagic fever that will fuel the next pandemic. A virus makes perfect sense as Yanagiharas final avatar after three novels. The anguish it visits on humanity  illness, death, social collapse  is just an indifferent side effect of its pointless reproductive cycle. Biologists do not even agree on whether viruses are living organisms. A virus wants nothing, feels nothing, knows nothing; at most, a virus is a little life.

This is ideal for Yanagihara: pure suffering, undiluted by politics or psychology, by history or language or even sex. Free of meaning, it may more perfectly serve the authors higher purpose. Reading A Little Life, one can get the impression that Yanagihara is somewhere high above with a magnifying glass, burning her beautiful boys like ants. In truth, Jude is a terribly unlovable character, always lying and breaking promises, with the inner monologue of an incorrigible child. The first time he cuts himself, you are horrified; the 600th time, you wish he would aim. Yet Yanagihara loves him excessively, cloyingly. The books omniscient narrator seems to be protecting Jude, cradling him in her cocktail-party asides and winding digressions, keeping him alive for a stunning 800 pages. This is not sadism; it is closer to Munchausen by proxy.

Yanagihara provides a perfect image for this kind of love. Judes lover, Willem, trying to prevent him from cutting himself, hugs Jude so tightly he can barely breathe. Pretend were falling and were clinging together from fear, Willem tells him; for a brief moment, the fiction of imminent death cuts through Judes self-loathing and allows him to crumple helplessly into his lovers suffocating embrace. As he loses consciousness, Jude imagines them falling all the way to the earths core, where the fires melt them into a single being whom even death cannot part.

If disease is Yanagiharas angel of death, gay men are her perfect patients. The majority of her protagonists to date are gay men, or at least men-loving men, and she approaches them with a distinct preciousness. When Jude finally reveals the details of his horrific childhood to Willem, the two are lying on the floor of a literal closet. In A Little Life, this tendency could be fobbed off as a literary technique in line with Yanagiharas stated desire to make the novel operatic, but in To Paradise, her sentimentality has begun weeping like a sore. We could never be together in the West, Edward. Be sensible! It is dangerous to be like us out there, pleads one David. If we couldnt live as who we are, then how could we be free? Indeed, the entire first book of To Paradise is set in an alternate version of 19th-century New York preposterously founded on the freedom of love; youll forgive me for being unmoved, at this moment in history, by the heartbreak of marriage equality.

And then there is the matter of AIDS. Its true that To Paradise is not an AIDS novel; the actual crisis, which unfolds here just as it did in reality, is little more than a faint backdrop for a hundred pages. But this is only because Yanagihara appears to see all diseases as allegories for the human immunodeficiency virus. Charless ex-boyfriend Peter may only be dying of boring old cancer, Im afraid, but the virus hovers over his farewell party and lingers through the novels succession of pandemics. The next Charles, persona non grata in a fascist state of his own design, will join other mildly oppressed gay men of New York in seeking love and support in a riverside rowhouse on Jane Street in the West Village  three blocks from the real-life AIDS memorial in Hudson River Park. This detail is mawkish in the extreme, a shameless attempt to trade on the enviable pathos of a disease transmitted through an act of love.

When A Little Life was first published, the novelist Garth Greenwell declared it the most ambitious chronicle of the social and emotional lives of gay men to have emerged for many years, praising Yanagihara for writing a novel about queer suffering that was about AIDS only in spirit. This was a curious claim for several reasons. First, many of the novels characters, including Willem and Jude, fail to identify as gay in the conventional sense. Second, Yanagihara herself is not gay, though she says she perfunctorily slept with women at Smith College. Indeed, if A Little Life was opera, it was not La Boheme; it was Rent. Now perhaps the great gay novel should move beyond the strictures of identity politics; Yanagihara has stubbornly defended her right to write about whatever I want. God forbid that only gay men should write gay men  let a hundred flowers bloom. But if a white author were to write a novel with Asian American protagonists who, while resistant to identifying as Asian American, nonetheless inhabited an unmistakably Asian American milieu, it might occur to us to ask why.

Why, then? I dont know, Yanagihara told one journalist. To another, she insisted, I dont think theres anything inherent to the gay-male identity that interests me. These are baffling, even offensive responses given that she has had almost a decade to come up with better ones. But I do not think Yanagihara, an author who believes in fiction as a conscious act of avoidance, is being dishonest. A fiction writer can hide anything she wants in her fiction, a power thats as liberating as it is imprisoning, she has written, explaining her refusal to go to therapy despite the urging of her best friend, the man to whom A Little Life is dedicated and whose social circle inspired the books friendships. As she grows more adept at it, however, Yanagihara continues, she may find shes losing practice in the art of telling the truth about herself.

That well may be. Regardless of Yanagiharas private life, her work betrays a touristic kind of love for gay men. By exaggerating their vulnerability to humiliation and physical attack, she justifies a maternal posture of excessive protectiveness. This is not an act of dehumanization but the opposite. There is a horrible piety to Jude, named for the patron saint of lost causes; he has been force-fed sentimentality. When the author is not doling out this smothering sort of love through her male characters (Willem, for instance), she is enacting it at the level of her own narration. Indeed, the conspicuous absence of women in her fiction may well express Yanagiharas tendency, as a writer, to hoard female subjectivity for herself.

This brings us to Charlie, a narrator in To Paradise and Yanagiharas only female protagonist to date. Charlie is a technician who takes care of mouse embryos at an influenza lab in Zone Fifteen. The antiviral drug that saved her life as a child has left her affectless and naive, pitifully incapable of comprehending the extent of her own loneliness. After Charlie is raped by two boys her age  the only rape in this whole book, if you can believe it  her grandfather Charles desperately tries to ensure her safety by marrying her off to a homosexual like himself. But it is with Charlie, who longs for her husband to touch her even as she knows he never will, that the sublimation of romantic love will finally slouch into despair. When Charlie follows him to a gay haven in the West Village, having discovered notes from his lover, she is heartbroken. I knew I would never be loved, Charlie thinks. I knew I would never love, either.

But this isnt entirely true. After Charlies husband dies of an unknown illness, the only woman Yanagihara has ever asked readers to care about will lie next to his corpse and kiss him for the first time  the space between them closed, at last, by death.

There is no paradise for Charlie. The odd and tuneless phrase to paradise provides a destination but withholds any promise of arrival. Perhaps this is why Yanagihara has tacked it half-heartedly onto the last sentence of each of the novels three books. Doom shadows every character who decides to abandon one apocryphal heaven on earth for another: the plutocratic Northeast for the homophobic West, the colonized state of Hawaii for a delusional kingdom on the beach, totalitarian America for the unknown New Britain. Every paradise is a gossamer curtain; behind it lies a pit of squalor, disease, torture, madness, and tyranny. Freedom is a lie, safety is a lie, struggle is a lie; even the luxuries Yanagihara has spent her career recording are nothing in the end. For paradise, insofar as it means heaven, also means death.

Not even love will save Yanagiharas characters. Her fantasies of suffering and illness are designed only to produce a very specific kind of love, and this love is not curative but palliative  it results, sooner or later, in the death of the thing. If this is fatalism, it is not the sanguine fatalism of Prospero, another rightful king on another island paradise, reminding his audience that we are such stuff / As dreams are made on, and our little life / Is rounded with a sleep. No, it is the exsanguinating fatalism of Jude, who, out of love for his boyfriend, will try to show a little life  a phrase he learned from his pimp  while Willem makes love to his reluctant body. The same phrase appears in The People in the Trees, where it describes the bleak vegetative state that befalls the islanders whose disease has stretched out their life spans. In To Paradise, Charles reflects on a set of immune-compromised twins, explaining that he never became a clinician because he was never convinced that life  its saving, its extension, its return  was definitively the best outcome. The twins die, possibly by suicide, and Charles goes on to design death camps. Theres a point, Yanagihara once said of Jude, at which it becomes too late to help some people.

These are difficult words to read for those of us who have passed through suicidal ideation and emerged, if not happy to be alive, then relieved not to be dead. It is indeed a tourists imagination that would glance out from its hotel window onto the squalor below and conclude that death is the opposite of paradise, as if the locals did not live their little lives on the expansive middle ground between the two. But even Yanagiharas novels are not death camps; they are hospice centers. A Little Life, like life itself, goes on and on. Hundreds of pages into the novel, Jude openly wonders why he is still alive, the beloved of a lonely god. For that is the meaning of suffering: to make love possible. Charles loves David; David loves Edward; David loves Charles; Charlie loves Edward; Jude loves Willem; Hanya loves Jude; misery loves company.

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Dining chat: A waiter gave our anniversary bubbly to the table next to us. What should we have done?
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This story is part of the June 30 edition of Sunday Life. See all 14 stories . When I sit down to talk about the new film Fancy Dance with its star, the Oscar-nominated breakout star of Hollywoods awards season Lily Gladstone, we start a little off-piste with a quote from Lynda Carters Wonder Woman, the 1970s television iteration of the feminist super heroine. It was that particular Wonder Woman who said: Women are the wave of the future, and sisterhood is stronger than anything! Gladstone smiles when I offer her the quote, at both the unexpected inclusion of Wonder Woman as an unlikely guest star in our conversation, but also at the prescience of her observation. Sisterhood is the strongest thing, Gladstone says in reply. Unfortunately, its become almost a subversive thing in Western society when, in worlds like the world I grew up in, and the world of [her new film] Fancy Dance, women lead and own and hold everything together. There is a real cultural acceptance and acknowledgment of that in a way that you dont necessarily see in the Western world. So, it makes sisterhood almost feel like a rebellious act when its [actually] just the most natural thing in the world. Gladstone is of Siksikaitsitapi and Niimiipuu heritage and grew up on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, near the Canadian border in central northern United States. In the world in which she was raised, the word aunty is defined as little mother, or other mother. As a piece of linguistic legerdemain, it sheds a revealing light on the nature and significance of female relationships within the family, and the roles women play in the lives of their younger descendants. It makes sisterhood almost feel like a rebellious act when its [actually] just the most natural thing in the world. LILY GLADSTONE There is no divide between your mom and all of her sisters  those are all your moms, Gladstone says. Linguistically, culturally, familially, theres not a separation there. Its having language that gives you this perspective of your aunties as extensions of your mother and as other mothers for you. It keeps families, it keeps clans, it keeps communities very, very close.

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Though she has been a working actor since her debut in the 2013 French film Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian, 2024 finds Gladstone taking her place in the centre of the spotlight. Critically, the 37-year-old actors dazzling performance as Mollie Kyle in the Oscar-nominated Killers of the Flower Moon, has two fast follow-ups: the true-crime drama Under the Bridge, based on the book of the same name by Rebecca Godfrey, which will air on Disney+, and Fancy Dance, the feature film debut from director Erica Tremblay, for Apple TV+. Fancy Dance is the story of Jax, played by Gladstone, a Native American woman who lives on the Seneca-Cayuga Nation Reservation who is also the primary carer of her teenage niece Roki (Isabel DeRoy-Olson). On a road trip to an upcoming powwow  a gathering of First Nations communities for the purpose of socialising, dancing and singing  Jax hopes to uncover the truth around the disappearance of Rokis mother. At first glance, the film is tender and complex, exploring the relationship of the two women in the context of the absence of the third. It has light moments, and great humour, borrowing from the coming-of-age and road trip genres. But it also talks to the missing and murdered Indigenous women in America, and lands on screens at a time when Australia is in the midst of a profound reckoning with the issue of domestic violence. Loading We begin our conversation  contributions from Wonder Woman aside  by talking about the film itself. Before long, however, we are deep in discussion about the inability of wider society to talk about, or even begin to tackle, the cycles of violence that women of all ethnicities still deal with. But a discussion with Gladstone is neither polemic in tone nor overtly political. When she discusses the issues, she does so with a voice of quiet strength and an unspoken but certain wisdom inherited from her mother, Betty, who is never far away and occasionally wanders into our conversation from an adjacent room in the house. Fancy Dance, Gladstone explains to me, intersects powerfully with Killers of the Flower Moon, which explored the first major homicide case investigated by the FBI among oil-rich Osage Indians in Oklahoma in the 1920s. Fancy Dance shows you two different points in history, not just for native people, [with] the same issue a hundred years later, says Gladstone.

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In historical terms, the crunch point was the US Supreme Court ruling on Oliphant v Suquamish Indian Tribe in 1978 which decided (by a 6-2 majority) that Native American tribal courts have no criminal jurisdiction over non-Native Americans. We dont have enough tribal jurisdiction, Lily says. The Oliphant case eroded tribal jurisdiction to be able to prosecute non-Native or even Native and non-enrolled offenders of violent crimes on reservation lands. It eroded our sovereignty to take care of ourselves, and thats where the action is. Where there should be national databases, clearer jurisdiction and better processes to both prosecute cases quickly and protect women who become caught in the legal machinery, there is simply a vacuum. Until we have that, its grassroots, its having the conversation, Gladstone says. The biggest challenge? That there is still a general perception that we dont exist any more, that we were conquered and we disappeared into everybody else, Gladstone says. So, forget about even talking about sovereignty, about treaties, about policy, about governance ... we know those are the tools we need to protect our communities. In the meantime, its circumvention, its sisterhoods, its circles like the National Indigenous Womens Resource Centre that created a database that the FBI doesnt have. Gladstone is of Siksikaitsitapi and Niimiipuu heritage and grew up on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana in central northern United States. Credit: Celeste Sloman/Trunk Archive/Snapper Its a group of Osage women and Native women who are just doing a grassroots job of addressing domestic violence, of going and picking up girls on trafficking tips in the middle of the night, of just doing it, Gladstone adds. And in Fancy Dance, you see its the sister taking matters into her own hands because its her only option.

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There is no question that for Gladstone, the 2024 awards season was a transformational journey. She was the first Native American to be nominated for best actress at the Oscars, the first Indigenous person to win best actress awards at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild. If her recent life were to be a book, I tell her, we would surely title it Lilys Amazing, Extraordinary, Ridiculous, Crazy, Insane, Hilarious Award Season. Living through it, Gladstone says, it was magical, it was ridiculous, it was mysterious, it was all of those things. It changed minute to minute, it was every day, it was every week, it was just so much of everything for so long. You spend so long as a native artist getting only certain auditions... and just wondering if you want the place thats there for you in Hollywood. LILY GLADSTONE I think what kept me sane in going through it was how excited Indian country was. Just the outpouring of support for all of us, the way the film was received. All of it. You spend so long as a native artist, as a native actor, getting only certain auditions, certain casting calls, and just wondering if you want the place thats there for you in Hollywood, if you want the representation thats there for you. Before our conversation, I Googled photographs of the Blackfeet Reservation. In lieu of an actual trip to the location, I wanted to get a sense of the landscape Gladstone grew up in. If not the actual detail itself, at least a visual understanding of what her horizons looked like: the colours and textures of the earth and the sky. A reservation upbringing is challenging, to be sure. Gladstone even had a small role in Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititis tender and beautifully crafted Reservation Dogs, about teenagers growing up on a reservation in Oklahoma, which somehow captured the complex balance of hardship, limitation, freedom and joy. You dont get teased the same way anywhere else, Gladstone says, laughing, when I ask her to talk to me specifically about the upside of a reservation childhood. I dont want to say you get torn apart, but people just see you in your essence so quickly. Nicknames happen so effortlessly and its a beautiful way of learning to have humour about your own ego and not take yourself so seriously.

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Money editor Dominic Powell and our experts share tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money.

Real Money, a free weekly newsletter giving expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money, is sent every Sunday. Youre reading an excerpt  sign up to get the whole newsletter in your inbox.

As June rolls into July, weve come to the part of the year equal parts adored and detested by people around the country. Although the days are starting to get slightly longer and accountants are smiling, the carefree summer months feel eons away, and theres a dark cloud over your head, reminding you of something you dont quite have the energy to do yet.

Thats right, Im talking about tax time baby! It may come as a shock to you to read that I, a Money editor, love doing my tax return. As soon as my income data hits the ATO Im in there and filling out my tax return, and then proceeding to annoy my friends about getting theirs done (but in, like, a cool and chill way).

There are some surprising items you might be able to claim back on tax. Credit: Michael Howard

And why shouldnt we be excited about tax time? On average last year, Australians received $2331 back in their tax refund, with the tax office dishing out over $5 billion in returns, a hefty sum and a welcome one during the current cost of living crisis.
Plunging gaming revenue and declining patronage has forced one of Sydneys most famous clubs into a fire sale of its historic CBD headquarters to pay off $28 million in debt.

City Tattersalls Club will sell its Pitt Street site, which is being redeveloped into a 50-storey tower housing a hotel and hundreds of apartments, after members were warned the club faced extinction if a deal was not done.

The City Tattersalls Club has been forced to sell its historic Pitt Street headquarters. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

The clubs chief executive Marcelo Veloz said the deal will be enough to pay off debt and have working capital and a reasonable deposit to buy another clubhouse in the Sydney CBD.

Veloz declined to name the purchaser of the Pitt Street site, as the sale is not concluded, but said it was not ICD Property, its partner in the redevelopment.
What stories were told over the last week as Tim Hinkley and Jon Lucas returned to South Mississippi, where they made such impacts on the Coast, the casino industry and the people who worked with them.

They, along with the late William Gresham Jr., who served on the first Mississippi Gaming Commission, and his son Thomas Grisham, who served on the commission for eight years, were inducted Thursday into the Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame. The awards were presented by the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino.

They came first and led the way  Hinkley as the manager of Isle of Capri, the first casino in Biloxi and the South, and Lucas as the general manager of Imperial Palace Casino, now IP Casino, the first to reopen in South Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.

They were honored not only because they were first, but because of the way they led and shaped Coast casinos and the people they rallied.

It was always about the people, Hinkley said.

One of the advantages of opening first was being able to hire the best staff, Hinkley said.

We got the cream of the crop, he said.

Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Hall of Fame inductees Tim Hinkley, left, Tom Gresham, and Jon Lucas, right, chat during the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Hall of Fame Gala at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi on Thursday, June 27, 2024.

The people and strategy

Billy Creel was the second or third hired in Mississippi, and was heavily into tourism. He made sure the cameras were there when the two riverboats that would become the Isle of Capri arrived in South Mississippi and were paraded to the site by a flotilla of fishing and pleasure boats on a beautiful, clear day, Hinkley said. It was the first and enduring image of Mississippis launch of casinos.

Two 1880s riverboats from Iowa arrive in Biloxi in July 1992. They opened as the Isle of Capri casino on Aug. 1, 1992 and are among the most recognizable symbol of the casino industry on the Coast.

At the time, there were only casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, tribal casinos and a few small casinos in other states.

Isle of Capri Biloxi opened on Aug. 1, 1992. We had a monopoly for two weeks, Hinkley said, until other casinos began opening. These early operators had some leniency with the Gaming Commission, he said, since everything was so new. Mississippi set the standard, Hinkley said, and legislators all over the country looked at Mississippi to see how casinos were set up, what was working and how much staff were getting paid.

Tim Hinkley, former chief operating officer of the Isle of Capri, kisses Mississippi great B. B. King after discussing the importance of the Blues legend during a roast in Biloxi.

We worked hard but we had fun, said Rich Westfall, one of the original employees of the Isle of Capri, who followed the riverboats to Mississippi.

Tim was a great leader, he said, establishing a positive impression of casinos and a link between the casinos and the community that continues 32 years later.

That was the strategy, Hinkley said. He got on lot off boards for local charities, met a lot of people and handed out a lot of checks to community groups and nonprofits. The Isle staff was encouraged to also volunteer, he said, and spread the positive impression.

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I always credited Tim with being the face of the industry, said Chett Harrison, general manager of Golden Nugget Biloxi, which purchased the Isle of Capri. He legitimized the industry early on, Harrison said.

There was loyalty. Duncan McKenzie said when the Harrahs merger happened and word got around that he would soon be out of a job, Tim Hinkley called me with that week  and he hired me. Both were graduates of Michigan State University.

The Isle of Capri, owned by Bernard Goldsteins, opened a casino a year for at least 15 years, Hinkley said, based on everything they learned in Mississippi.

Coming back from the storm

Roy Anderson, whose company built many of the Coast casinos, called Hinkley and Lucas Good people persons.

Tim was a great leader. He pushed the philosophy of giving back to the community, Anderson said.

Jon was the ultimate casino guy. He always had a suit and tie on, just like the movies, he said. Dressing for success was just one of his traits that have served him well now that he is chief operating officer for Hard Rock International, where he oversees 13 casinos, 34 hotels, 238 cafes and Rock Shops all over the world.

He was hired to manage IP Casino Biloxi just six weeks before Hurricane Katrina flooded the building with 14 feet of water.

There was never a question they would come back, Lucas said, and the ambitious target date was Dec. 22, which typically is one of the slowest days of the year for casinos and less than four months after Katrina.

The resort had six elevators for 1,000 hotel rooms. Martin, the elevator repairman, told Lucas it would take until Memorial day to get them running again.

Lucas said he wanted three shifts, working seven days a week to get the necessary 11 elevators operational before Christmas.

When the man told Lucas it would cost $2 million extra, Lucas replied, When can you start?

The elevators were ready on Dec. 22 and the $1.2 billion Coast casino market was on its way back.

Former Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway, center, and casino general manager Jon Lucas cut the ribbon to reopen the IP Casino in December 2005. It was the first casino to open after Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Staff made it happen

Katrina was an amazing, life-changing experience, Lucas said. One of the first things he did after Katrina was call all the 2,000 employees who were able to come back to work. Most would not be doing their regular jobs, he told them, but they all could contribute to the reopening.

Next he sent people to Mobile and Pensacola to buy grills and set up a kitchen in the parking garage.

We fed anybody and everybody, he said.

Lucas said he learned a long time ago to surround yourself with great people, some of them smarter than you, and I did that here, he said of Biloxi. He called the people who worked for him superstars.

On his last day of work, after the IP was sold to Boyd Gaming, Lucas employees lined the way and applauded and cheered him all the way from his office to the door.

Best in service

Lucas was working for Caesars in Tunica and Lee Bond on the Coast before they joined forces at the IP.

One of the many great things I remember is every New Years Eve, Jon would bring us all together after the midnight hoopla  around 12:30  and he would make a toast to his team and talk about how much he appreciated the focus by each of us on service and on being the best.

Bond said what impressed him most about Lucas was how he stood strong and uncompromising on how the focus needed to be on making sure we had he best service, Bond said.

Jon was known to be great at perfecting operations, but what also really set him apart was his vision and understanding of all areas like human resources, construction and design, marketing, finance  and especially customer service  better than most anyone, Bond said.

He drew on all those skills to get the IP Casino back open first and they remodeled and reopened each area of the resort over the next year.

Looking back and ahead

Casinos have been good for Mississippi, said fellow Casino Hall of Fame inductee Tom Grisham.

When people come to Mississippi for the casinos, They leave with a very positive impression, he said. You cant buy that.

Mississippi did it right, establishing a three-person Gaming Commission, said former chairman Jerry St. Pe. Its impressive that here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast this industry has operated with total integrity, he said, with the gaming commission focusing on both promotion and compliance.

The casino industry they founded and worked isnt the same as when Hinkley and Lucas worked in South Mississippi.

Certainly Covid changed the workforce, Lucas said, and Hard Rock is hiring younger workers who are starting to use artificial intelligence for cyber security and other issues.

Hinkley said hes glad he retired before AI became part of the casino industry. Theres a lot of human element in what we do, he said.

The inductees into the hall of fame were all casino pioneers on the Coast, in Tunica and on the Mississippi River, said Larry Gregory, executive of the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association.

All of them had the attitude, I knew it would work in Mississippi, he said. They invested their money and their sweat equity to make it happen, and returned Thursday so we could thank them for what theyve done.

Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Hall of Fame inductees Tim Hinkley, left, Tom Gresham, and Jon Lucas, right, pose for a portrait at the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Hall of Fame Gala at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi on Thursday, June 27, 2024.

Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Hall of Fame inductees Tim Hinkley and Jon Lucas, right, pose for a portrait at the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Hall of Fame Gala at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi on Thursday, June 27, 2024.

Honoree Jon Lucas, former general manager of the IP Casino Resort Spa, poses for a portrait at the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Hall of Fame Gala at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi on Thursday, June 27, 2024. Lucas was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the event.

Honoree Tim Hinkley, former general manager of the Isle of Capri Casino, poses for a portrait at the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Hall of Fame Gala at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi on Thursday, June 27, 2024. Hinkley was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the event.
One of the great joys of working in an office is leaving the office and getting coffee with a colleague. Its a moment of tiny protest, a reminder that your time is still yours (its not), and proof that you can still do whatever you please, whenever you please.

More importantly, its over coffee outings that work friendships are born, grievances are shared, secrets traded, and personalities revealed. How quickly a relative stranger can become a close confidant when you learn you both love long blacks and hate the weird guy in sales.

However, occasionally, this act of bonding can backfire; you cross the coffee threshold with a colleague only to realise theyre not the person you thought they were. Last week, while venturing out for a first-time coffee with a soon-to-be new work friend, I did the honourable thing and offered to pay.

Ordering a long black doesnt make you a good person, but having a hot chocolate does make you a bad person. Credit: Michael Howard

After ordering my regular normal person drink, a large soy flat white, I asked what theyd like, to which they replied: Can I get a hot chocolate? Can you? Yes. Should you? Absolutely not.
The overwhelmingly positive response to the pictures of Julian Assange stepping back onto Australian soil and hugging his wife speaks to the very human story at the core of this 14-year saga.

Its a good news story for him, for his family, and now it seems weve acknowledged, for the country. Australia was able to stand up for its citizen, against one of the most powerful countries in the world, and bring him home.

Lawyer Jennifer Robinson watches on as Julian Assange is greeted by his wife Stella upon his return to Australia last week. Credit: Getty Images

While Assanges return is a win after a long battle for freedom, there are many publishers and journalists across the world who remain imprisoned. The Committee to Protect Journalists has warned that in the past two years, a record-breaking number of journalists have been jailed, a disturbing barometer of the vitriol of repressive regimes determined to stifle independent voices.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) highlights the Asia-Pacific region as one of the worlds most dangerous regions to practice journalism.
If you believe its hype, artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most profound advances in technology ever. This may be hyperbole -- time will tell -- but it's clear already that the technology has commercial power. Its impact in the market has been enormous, with its champion, Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), joining Apple and Microsoft as among the biggest companies in the world.

Nvidia's rise led to the company splitting its stock 10-for-1, opening the door to more investors who were priced out. Now another company working in AI is splitting its stock, too. Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO), which designs, manufactures, and sells hardware and network infrastructure that allows AI programs to run, will split its stock later this summer.

So let's consider: Could Broadcom deliver the sort of returns Nvidia has?

Revenue growth has been impressive, but it's inflated by a major acquisition

Broadcom is in growth mode, having raised Q1 revenue by 34% from the year before Q2 revenue by 43% from Q2 2023.

AVGO Revenue (Quarterly) Chart

Notice the massive recent increase? That late-2023 inflection point is important. This growth isn't really organic -- much of it is coming from an acquisition. The company bought VMware, a highly successful cloud software company, in November 2023 for $69 billion, adding its revenue to Broadcom's.

Excluding this additional income from VMware, the company grew Q2 revenue by 12% on a year-over-year basis, not quite as eye-watering as the headline-catching 43%.

Looking at future earnings, the company looks reasonably valued

Still, 12% organic growth is nothing to shake a stick at and reflects Broadcom's growing AI-focused business. Communication within the AI server farms that power platforms like ChatGPT is a crucial aspect and is where Broadcom shines. Its PCIe and Ethernet technology is some of the best on the market. This made its products popular.

Hock Tan, Broadcom president and CEO, stated in the company's latest earnings release that "revenue from our AI products was a record $3.1 billion during the quarter." The combo of a growing AI business and a solid acquisition means that the company expects to continue delivering record revenues. It raised its guidance for this year to $51 billion in revenue, up 42% from 2023.

So what does this mean for how fairly valued the company is? If we look at its forward P/E, the company looks pretty solid at about 34. That's in line with much of big tech and is significantly lower than Nvidia's 48.

Broadcom is a solid company, but it'll have trouble rivaling Nvidia

Broadcom's growth prospects, while promising, just aren't comparable to Nvidia's, in my opinion. Nvidia is growing revenue at a pace that far outstrips Broadcom and doing it organically, not relying on costly acquisitions. Consensus estimates have Nvidia delivering more than twice the revenue growth of Broadcom by the end of this fiscal year and again next year.

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And this disparity will be even greater in looking at net income. Look at the difference over the last year.

AVGO Net Income (TTM) Chart

It's not just the acquisition affecting this. Nvidia expects to operate with roughly 20% better margins this year than Broadcom.

Aside from the numbers, Nvidia demonstrated immense vision as a pioneer in AI. While difficult to quantify, I think visionary leadership is an factor that can't be underestimated. As the industry matures and competition heats up, Nvidia's leadership may help it maintain its top position.

At the end of the day, however, Broadcom is still a good investment with a solid track record and optimistic prospects. Is it the next Nvidia? I don't think so, but it doesn't need to be.

Should you invest $1,000 in Broadcom right now?

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Another Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Split Is Coming. Could Broadcom Be the Next Nvidia? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Davitts GAA Club in Ballindine held the official opening of its new Remote Work Hub/Office Space, Community Lighted Walkway and Energy Conservation and Solar Panels on Friday, May 17th.

The project provides additional facilities for the local community with a safe walking track, accessible to all, and a remote working facility. The walkway is already a great success and was used throughout the winter by the local community and members of the club.

In conjunction with RTE's Operation Transformation, many members of the community met up every Wednesday evening in January for an hour of exercise and chat in a safe environment, which proved to be very popular during the dark winter nights. Parents use the walkway while children are training at the club as they are able to watch their children and walk at the same time.

The Remote Work Hub has also generated a lot of interest from local businesses as the cost is low due to the installation of solar panels.

The club is extremely grateful to the groups who provided funding and support for this project, and to the committee who all work extremely hard in improving and keeping the clubs facilities to the high standard that they are. The project was part-funded by Mayo Local Action Group (LAG) by the EU Recovery Instrument Funding under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 with implementation support by South West Mayo Development Company and LEADER initative.

Davitts secretary Barbara Kelly was a capable MC for the evening and she welcomed the large attendance including Fr OConnor, Mayo Local Action Group chairman Cllr Al McDonnell and Cllr Richard Finn, South West Mayo Development Company chairman Thomas Fitzpatrick, South West Mayo Development Company chief executive Sabina Trench, Mayo Local Action Group chief executive Deirdre Finnerty, LEADER representatives, Norita Clesham, Sean Carolan and Majella Mulchrone, Mayo GAA Secretary Ronan Kirrane, local councillors and election candidates, Darren McHugh of McHughs Builders, members of the local community groups and businesses, Michael Ring TD, who has been an enormous help to the club down through the years, and Minister of State Alan Dillon TD, who performed the official opening of the new facilities.

Davitts chairman Lawrence Daly, after welcoming everyone, said the project began in February 2021 when things were still relatively quiet as Covid-19 was still a concern and many people were still working from home while elderly people were feeling isolated.

"The committee in Davitts is always looking for ways to improve and enhance our facilities," he explained. "We were made aware of grants which were available through the LEADER initiative of the South West Mayo Development Company."

Mr Daly said he contacted Sabina Trench who introduced him to Norita Clesham who went through what was available and what work would need to be done to be successful in achieving the grant.

A sub-committee group was formed which included the chairman, John Costello (secretary at the time), Michael Waldron and Ronan Kirrane. It was decided that the club would apply for a grant through LEADER and South West Mayo Development Company for the project.

"After a lot of paperwork, our application was completed and submitted," he said. "Thankfully, it was successful and work began in the summer of 2023, which was carried out by local building contractors, Pat McHugh and Sons. Once work was completed, it wasnt long before the facilities were put to good use."

The club's Health and Wellbeing Committee - Paul Cunanne, Gemma ONeill and Annemarie Kelly - organised an Ireland Lights Up walk in conjunction with Operation Transformation in January 2024. Every Wednesday evening, members of the local community were invited to walk and talk, hugely important after the isolation of many during the pandemic.

Large numbers turned out each week, from young to old, as the walkway provides a safe secure place to walk, away from traffic and unlit country roads.

The individual work hubs offer local people the opportunity to work remotely in a cost-effective way but at the same time having the social interaction with others working there.

Mr Daly also thanked Tom Daly and OConaire Architects who helped greatly with design and paperwork, the committee members and volunteers of Davitts GAA who are continually working to help and support the club in growing and enhancing the facilities and John Noone and Lucy Daly who look after those facilities.
I remember hearing a story one time about a lad chatting up a girl at a dance. He had a set of questions prepared to establish if there was enough common ground to continue to the next level. One of his questions was, Hay or silage?

What, you might well ask, had this got to do with anything? Well, it came from a time when saving fodder for the following winter was a very important part of the farming year. If the girl answered silage it meant her people were more progressive and if she answered hay it meant she would likely be the more traditional type.

Love it or loath it, silage is now a well-established form of animal fodder. I recall a time before silage, or at least a time when it was new and experimental. The traditional lovers of sweet dry hay hated it but the more progressive and the ambitious kept experimenting until they achieved very acceptable results  for farmer and beast alike.

Initial efforts

Few could have predicted the fall-out from silage-making. In the early years, results were good and bad in equal measure. The increase in herd sizes, brought about by Ireland joining the EEC (now the EU), meant that such stock had to be fed. They didnt just need more fodder, they needed better quality fodder. It was no longer feasible to await the outcome of an unpredictable Ox Mountain summer to see if you had a crop of hay for the following winter. The big win with silage was that, if enough care was taken in the making, you were sure of a quality crop.

If enough care was taken in the making that was the trick! In its simplest form, silage is a pile of fresh green grass, sealed from the air and allowed to ferment into a high-quality, nutritious fodder. These were the guidelines followed by early silage makers but certain essential elements in this process were often lost in translation.

Where the pile of grass was placed initially was of vital importance. A pile of wet grass gives rise to seepage and such seepage is toxic, especially if it gets into local water courses. And in the early days, this happened with alarming regularity. Spectacular fish kills and the destruction of spring wells that had watered families for centuries were commonplace.

Back in the day, sealing a pit of silage was also a hit-and-miss affair. Air-tight means air-tight and any deviation from this standard means not air-tight. A silage cover that did not measure up in this respect was often the cause of the whole pile of silage going rotten. This presented two major issues for the farmer: no crop and disposal of such waste. In those early days of silage-making, some good results were attained but, for the most part, the sweet smell of perfect silage was a rare thing in the countryside at that time.

Like all recipes, silage took time to perfect but eventually, with all the lessons learned, silage began to form a standard. Poor quality silage is unheard of these days because too much depends on it, the cost of making it, and the absolute necessity for top-quality winter feed.

History and science

The word silo comes from the Greek word 'siros', which means a hole or pit in the ground for storing corn. It is known that the Greeks and Egyptians were familiar with ensiling as a technique for storing fodder as far back as 1000 to 1500 BC. In parts of Northern Europe, grass was being ensiled in the early 18th century but it was not until the latter part of the 19th century that it became more widespread.

The first book on silage was published by a French farmer, based on his experiences with green maize. He advised rapid filling of the silo and stressed the importance of keeping it air-tight during storage. A year later, an English translation was published in the USA and American farmers quickly adopted the new technique.

Although the French and American farmers were very enthusiastic, it was not until 1882 that a talk given at the Reading Show of the Royal Agricultural Society stimulated interest in Britain, and to a lesser extent, in Ireland.

The modern silage preserved with acid and by preventing contact with air was invented by Finnish academic and professor of chemistry Artturi Ilmari Virtanen. Virtanen was awarded the 1945 Nobel Prize in chemistry "for his research and inventions in agricultural and nutrition chemistry, especially for his fodder preservation method", practically inventing modern silage.

A paper, Scientific Aspects of Silage Making, by Lynn M. Johnson and Joe H. Harrison of Washington State University gives a simple version of the science behind silage. The process has certain similarities to wine making so, funnily enough, a fine silage is a bit like a fine wine.

Forage is fermented in an anaerobic environment to enhance acid production by microbes naturally present on the forage crop or by added bacterial inoculants. The acid reduces the pH of the forage crop, and in an oxygen-free environment, the forage will remain stable until it is fed to animals. The aerobic phase happens at the beginning of fermentation when the pH is high. During this phase, oxygen is consumed by the microbes that are present in the forage.

The sounds of summer

From humble beginnings, about 50 years ago, silage-making increased in popularity. The process became as attractive to small farmers in mountain regions as it did to the huge farmers of the Golden Vale. As machinery got bigger and bigger, small hill fields presented a problem, but not for long. Small gaps were widened for access and hedges and ditches were pulled out to create pastures new and large.

The cutting season could now begin in May as opposed to late June for traditional hay cutting. The new sounds of summer became the moan of struggling tractors and the scream of forage harvesters. The familiar sounds of summers past, such as the corncrake and the curlew, faded out in a few short years, their nesting grounds, as well as the birds themselves, destroyed. Badly positioned or poorly sealed silage pits often gave rise to effluent leaks resulting in contamination of local water courses and regrettable fish kills. It took years to get the whole process into line and safe to operate.

One of the advantages of the early cutting season was that two crops could be taken each year; one in late May and one in early August. This was a huge boost to farmers who had previously struggled to get one decent crop of hay. On the other hand, this departure encouraged the increased use of fertiliser  both natural and artificial. This impacted on sensitive land that had previously received no more fertiliser than a sprinkling of farmyard manure.

And then came the introduction of the slatted house, where cattle could be wintered indoors. These houses, grant-aided from Europe, didnt just protect cattle in winter, they also helped to protect the land. Bigger cattle, more cattle, bigger slatted houses, more slatted houses, more silage, better silage, resultant slurry and then more slurry.

The sounds of summer have changed, our climate has changed and yet, we continue to try to make sense of our surroundings as we try to figure out a way to make a living from small family farms. In that regard we have made some progress; silage-making has come a long way, farming practices have come a long way and, as a result, our region has come a long way but much has been lost along the way.
Passive investing in index funds can generate returns that roughly match the overall market. But you can significantly boost your returns by picking above-average stocks. To wit, the Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) share price is 30% higher than it was a year ago, much better than the market return of around 21% (not including dividends) in the same period. If it can keep that out-performance up over the long term, investors will do very well! The longer term returns have not been as good, with the stock price only 3.6% higher than it was three years ago.

After a strong gain in the past week, it's worth seeing if longer term returns have been driven by improving fundamentals.

View our latest analysis for Associated Banc-Corp

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

During the last year, Associated Banc-Corp actually saw its earnings per share drop 61%.

So we don't think that investors are paying too much attention to EPS. Indeed, when EPS is declining but the share price is up, it often means the market is considering other factors.

For starters, we suspect the share price has been buoyed by the dividend, which was increased during the year. Income-seeking investors probably helped bid up the stock price.

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

Balance sheet strength is crucial. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). 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 Associated Banc-Corp, it has a TSR of 36% for the last 1 year. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Associated Banc-Corp has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 36% in the last twelve months. Of course, that includes the dividend. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 4%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. In the best case scenario, this may hint at some real business momentum, implying that now could be a great time to delve deeper. 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. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Associated Banc-Corp that you should be aware of before investing here.

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Of course Associated Banc-Corp 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
Boeing (BA) will soon know whether its horrible 2024 is about to get much worse.

Justice Department officials have to decide by July 7 whether to criminally charge Boeing, which would be a devastating blow for a giant manufacturer, or reach some sort of settlement.

The question is whether Boeing's actions leading up to a January door plug blowout aboard an Alaska Airlines (ALK) Boeing 737 Max 9 will cause the DOJ to revoke legal protections it extended to Boeing in a January 2021 deferred prosecution agreement.

A Boeing 737 MAX in 2022. (REUTERS/Peter Cziborra) (Reuters / Reuters)

Prosecutors told a judge in May that Boeing had violated that three-year agreement, which allowed Boeing to avoid fraud charges alleging that its misleading communications with regulators led to catastrophic crashes of two 737 Max planes in 2018 and 2019.

Reports have varied about which way this could go. Reuters reported earlier this month that US prosecutors are in fact recommending to senior Justice Department officials that criminal charges be brought against Boeing.

But the New York Times separately reported that the Justice Department was considering allowing Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution and instead negotiate a plea deal in which the company admits to some wrongdoing.

Bloomberg reported Friday that Boeing was in talks with the DOJ about resolving the charges with a settlement that could include the appointment of a corporate monitor.

Boeing said it had no comment about the pending decision.

High stakes

The decision is a high-stakes matter for both sides.

The challenge for the Justice Department in considering a guilty plea or prosecution is that a criminal conviction could further hobble an iconic American company central to the nations transportation, economic, and military sectors.

Not only is Boeing a major employer of 140,000 people and supplier of jets to nearly all large US airlines, but it is also Americas single largest exporter.

Boeings conduct is the kind that "normally cries out for criminal prosecution," said Jacob Frenkel, a lawyer with Dickinson Wright and chair of the law firm's government investigations practice.

Yet prosecutions of major corporations and guilty pleas, he added, raise the question of whether a criminal conviction disqualifies a company from certain government business.

For Boeing, charges would also force the company to manage the financial and reputational burdens of criminal defense on top of existing government-mandated production slowdowns put in place after its third critical 737 Max aircraft failure in January.

And that's all while it searches for a new CEO and tries to convince customers, investors, and the American public that it has its many problems under control.

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Boeing said Monday it will acquire its struggling supplier Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) in a $4.7 billion all-stock deal sealed after months of talks as the plane maker works to resolve its difficulties.

The Justice Department seal, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Frenkel said it's possible that the DOJ could not only resurrect its charges of conspiracy against Boeing tied to the 737 Max crashes, but also bring new claims in response to the Alaska Airlines accident.

"If we wanted to just simply talk about the [Alaska Airlines] door coming off in flight, I would tell you its potentially prosecutable under a theory of conspiracy to defraud the United States, making false statements, and wire fraud," Frenkel said.

Boeing previously admitted in court documents that two of its 737 Max test pilots deceived FAA officials about the existence of a new flight control system called Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System and omitted the system from the aircrafts manuals and pilot-training materials.

The first 737 Max crash, in October 2018, involved a newly delivered Boeing 737 Max 8 flown by Lion Air that crashed into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia.

Months later another 737 Max 8 flown by Ethiopian Airlines similarly crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa.

In exchange for its protection from prosecution, Boeing was also required to continue cooperating with the DOJ on future investigations and prosecutions and to report any evidence or allegation that its employees violated US fraud laws.

Other challenges

Defrauding aviation regulators isnt Boeings only entanglement with the US government.

Last Wednesday, the National Transportation Safety Board announced sanctions against Boeing for "blatantly" violating the agency's investigative regulations that prohibit sharing non-public investigative information with members of the media.

"We deeply regret that some of our comments, intended to make clear our responsibility in the accident and explain the actions we are taking, overstepped the NTSBs role as the source of investigative information," Boeing said in a statement emailed to Yahoo Finance.

Boeing also responded on Wednesday to a claim from a mechanic who worked as a subcontractor for Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems. He said he was fired for raising concerns over improperly drilled holes on the bulkheads of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner planes.

"Engineering analysis determined that the issues raised did not present a safety concern and were addressed," Boeing said. "We are reviewing the documents released today and will thoroughly investigate any new claim. We are not involved in personnel decisions of subcontractors."

In February, Boeing also agreed to a $51 million fine in an administrative settlement with the US State Department over the governments claims that Boeing exported technical data to the Peoples Republic of China in violation of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of law firm Dickinson Wright. We regret the error.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on Twitter @alexiskweed.

Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
(Reuters) -The boss of British health and beauty retailer Boots is quitting after U.S. owner Walgreens Boots Alliance's plans for a sale or stock market listing of the chain stalled, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

Sebastian James, who has run Boots since 2018, will remain in the post until November before taking up a new role elsewhere, the person told Reuters.

Walgreens did not respond to Reuters' request for comment outside business hours.

Sky News first reported James' exit, saying he had taken a role in the healthcare industry.

On Thursday, Walgreens warned on its profit outlook and said it had no plans to sell Boots, having decided to continue to invest in it.

($1 = 0.7910 pounds)

(Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru and James Davey in London; Editing by Andrew Heavens, David Holmes and Clelia Oziel)
ImportYeti searches over 90 million public shipping records to increase transparency of the global supply chain. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: ImportYeti launches tool to help brands source Mexico-made goods; Pharr bridge construction expansion project set to begin in August; Hammond Power Solutions opens fourth plant in Mexico; and United Kingdom-based logistics company opens Dallas office.

ImportYeti launches tool to help brands source Mexico-made goods

ImportYeti recently launched a new data set to increase visibility of Mexicos supply chain, aiming to to help brands source products from suppliers south of the border and make more business connections.

The site is a sort of search engine to look up any companys suppliers tool that hunts through bills of lading to see what cargo they are importing, where it comes from and reveal where a retailer is getting its goods.

David Applegate, who founded ImportYeti in 2021, said they decided to add Mexico suppliers to the sites offering because of requests from customers.





ImportYeti previously featured suppliers in Asia and Europe.

People were just going, Hey, we want this Mexico, we want this Mexico, Applegate said in an interview with FreightWaves. Its always hard dealing with data of this size. Its not like its 10 records. Its hundreds of millions of records. It took us a good four months to be able to wrangle the Mexico data set to the point where we felt it was up to our standards for the customers who asked for it.

Mexico is currently the top trading partner of the U.S., totaling almost $800 billion in 2023. In April, Mexicos two-way trade with the U.S. totaled $72.47 billion, according to the latest data from the Census Bureau.

ImportYeti searches over 90 million public shipping records to increase transparency of the global supply chain.





Applegate came up with the idea for ImportYeti while running WrestlingMart, an e-commerce store dedicated to wrestling. While running that business, Applegate said he always wanted to know where his suppliers were sourcing the gear he sold.

My earlier business is WrestlingMart. Were the worlds largest collegiate e-commerce wrestling store. We sell gear and shoes and things like that for the high school, college wrestling space, Applegate said. Making certain supply chain decisions is very hard. How do you find the right manufacturer for this? Or how do you find the right manufacturer for something else.

Applegate said the COVID-19 pandemic killed the wrestling market for several years and ImportYeti came after that.

From that point in time, we became very close to the customer whos ever wanted to use the site, Applegate said. We try to reach out to them, hear how theyre using ImportYeti, what theyre using it for, if theyre liking it, or what their issues are.

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One of the very first kind of online threads Applegate and his staff saw were people in the logistics space using the site fanatically.

People trying to find other people who import a certain product from overseas, so they could sell them services such as freight forwarding, or maybe 3PL warehouse space, or maybe their a customs broker or something like that, Applegate said.

ImportYetis first market segment were people who were trying to find suppliers, which eventually expanded to include 3PLs and logistics managers.

The first kind of business or market segment for us was people who were trying to find suppliers, like the right supplier for a coffee mug. That quickly evolved to people who were using the site to sell to people who import those coffee  someone who works at a logistics company saying, I need to find more customers that move refrigerated units into the Port of Los Angeles, because thats where I have the asset capacity, Applegate said. We fully appreciate our customers. We ask, How can we model our searches to help them solve their business problems?





Pharr bridge construction expansion project set to begin in August

The city of Pharr, Texas, recently awarded a $47 million contract to a construction company for an expansion project adding capacity to the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, according to KRGV.com.

The expansion will build four additional southbound lanes on the bridge to decrease wait times at the border. There are currently three southbound lanes and one northbound lane on the bridge.

Construction is set to start in August, and is scheduled to be completed in 2026.

Trade at Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge totaled $45.8 billion in 2023. The bridge connects Pharr to Reynosa, Mexico, a major center for manufacturing in the country.

Hammond Power Solutions opens fourth plant in Mexico

Hammond Power Solutions (HPS) recently announced the opening of its fourth Mexico plant in the municipality of Guadalupe.

The new plant strengthens the companys production capacity and will create 400 jobs, company officials said.

Launching our fourth plant in Guadalupe, greatly enhances our capacity and flexibility for our North American customers. This move reaffirms our commitment to delivering top-quality, reliable power solutions and addressing the increasing demand in the region, David Kinsella, COO, said in a statement.

Guadalupe is located about 57 miles from the border crossing in Eagle Pass, Texas.

HPS is an Ontario, Canada-based manufacturing company that produces dry-type transformers, power products and related magnetics.

United Kingdom-based logistics company opens Dallas office

United Kingdom-based 3PL Speedy Freight recently announced the opening of its first office in the U.S. in Dallas.

The Dallas office will provide services such as full truckload, less-than truckload, drayage, expedited shipping and cross-border operations.

Speedy Freight also offers inventory and supply chain management services; as well as warehousing capacity and cross dock ability.

Founded in 2006, Speedy Freight has more than 60 branches across the U.K. and Europe, servicing over 10,000 customers in multiple industries.

The post Borderlands Mexico: ImportYeti launches tool to help brands source Mexico-made goods appeared first on FreightWaves.
FCM Travel Greater China, a business-travel management company, plans to invest in its artificial intelligence capabilities and give its staff the skills they need to get the most out of the technology as China's outbound travel market enjoys a resurgence.

The drive to adopt and integrate AI into its operations began recently with the opening of the company's new "AI centre of excellence" in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.

The city was the ideal destination thanks to its large pool of talent, proximity to Hong Kong and its position in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), according to Calvin Xie, the general manager of FCM Travel Greater China.

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.

Artificial intelligence is a means of allowing companies to work more efficiently, cutting down on time which can be put towards "high value" tasks such as offering better quality customer experiences, he said.

It is not as simple as "just doubling the number of employees," said Xie.

'We want a lean operation, we don't want to end up with a large army,' says Calvin Xie, general manager of FCM Travel Greater China. Photo: SCMP Handout alt='We want a lean operation, we don't want to end up with a large army,' says Calvin Xie, general manager of FCM Travel Greater China. Photo: SCMP Handout>

"We want a lean operation," he added. "We don't want to end up with a large army. It's more about how we will transform our workforce to get [employees] equipped with the skills they need for the next decade."

FCM is the flagship corporate travel arm of Australia's Flight Centre Travel Group. It has offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Having offices in Guangzhou and Hong Kong offers deeper synergy to access business in the bay area economic zone, said Xie.

"We don't have a plan to expand our offices further. Given [FCM's] business nature, we don't need to open offices in all the cities, but we do want to maintain our presence in the tier one cities," he said added.

The coronavirus pandemic led to a brain drain in Hong Kong, which made it difficult for the group to hire and retain talent. But these days it is easier to recruit, particularly on the mainland where a lot of young professionals are eager to join a multinational company, he added.

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"But do we need more elite people to join us? I think the answer is yes, particularly in the Greater Bay Area," said Xie.

Business is picking up for the group as both corporate and leisure travel rebound across China.

At the end of March, outbound travel was up almost fivefold from a year earlier, according to a report by Sabre Market Intelligence in June.

The report said that while traditional favourites such as South Korea and Japan remain popular, new destinations are emerging. Australia and Malaysia have entered the top 10 destinations for Chinese travellers, with the former moving up seven places and the latter leaping from 18th to ninth.

China's business travel expenditure grew 12.6 per cent year on year to US$360 billion but was still slightly below pre-pandemic levels of US$380 billion, according to the a report last year by the Global Business Travel Association. It is forecast to recover by the end of this year to US$4.1 billion.

There has been a leap in the number of business travellers tagging some leisure time onto the end of their trips - a trend sometimes referred to in the industry as bleisure.

FCM has seen an increase of around 40 per cent in "bleisure" trips as difficulty in securing visas and sluggish international air capacity compared to pre-pandemic levels has made business travellers more willing to extend their trips.

China's business travellers most frequently stay within Asia, with Singapore ranking as the leading destination, according to Flight Centre's data. Tokyo, Bangkok, Seoul, and Frankfurt were the other most popular destinations.

Singapore is maintaining its lead as the number one destination for Chinese business travellers in 2024, its appeal boosted by the 30-day visa-free entry arrangement agreed in January.

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.
 Flash

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry rebuked on Saturday the threat by a U.S. congressman to designate Faiq Zidan, head of Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), as a "tool of Iranian influence" in Iraq.

The ministry said in a statement that the remarks by U.S. Congressman Mike Waltz against Zidan were "a blatant interference in Iraqi internal affairs."

Waltz on Thursday retweeted a U.S. media report about him preparing to label the SJC and its president Zidan "Iranian-controlled assets" via a legislative move by submitting a draft law amendment that includes a clause to back up his claim.

The Iraqi ministry stressed that "attempting to influence the judiciary is a violation of the most important components of the (Iraqi) state's entity, which is responsible for achieving justice, equality, and national stability."

The Iraqi parliament's Acting Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi noted that Iraq, as a sovereign country, builds its relations with all countries "upon mutual respect."

Al-Mandalawi said that if the draft law is approved, it will constitute a dangerous turning point that will affect, in one way or another, Iraq-U.S. relations.
Key Insights

Significant control over Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad by public companies implies that the general public has more power to influence management and governance-related decisions

The largest shareholder of the company is Carlsberg A/S with a 51% stake

17% of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad is held by Institutions

A look at the shareholders of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad (KLSE:CARLSBG) can tell us which group is most powerful. We can see that public companies own the lion's share in the company with 51% ownership. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk).

Individual investors, on the other hand, account for 29% of the company's stockholders.

In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad.

See our latest analysis for Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

Hedge funds don't have many shares in Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Carlsberg A/S with 51% of shares outstanding. This implies that they have majority interest control of the future of the company. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 3.0% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 3.0% by the third-largest shareholder.

While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.

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I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions.

Shareholders would probably be interested to learn that insiders own shares in Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad. This is a big company, so it is good to see this level of alignment. Insiders own RM71m worth of shares (at current prices). Most would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 29% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Public Company Ownership

We can see that public companies hold 51% of the Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad shares on issue. This may be a strategic interest and the two companies may have related business interests. It could be that they have de-merged. This holding is probably worth investigating further.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad (1 is a bit concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
32 weeks of roadworks set to cause disruption for Ysbyty Glan Clwyd visitors

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 30th, 2024

Almost eight months of roadworks are set to cause disruption for staff and visitors using Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

Access and footway improvements on Rhuddlan Road, adjacent to the site, are part of plans to build 100 new residential homes  with work due to begin on Monday, July 1.

It will see a section of carriageway, approaching the hospital from the A55 and Bodelwyddan, closed between 09.00 and 15.30 on weekdays and some weekends, with temporary traffic lights in operation.

Visitors and staff using Glan Clwyd Hospital are being asked to cooperate with new traffic flow advice for up to 32 weeks of roadworks, to safeguard emergency admissions.

Glan Clwyd Hospital Director of Operations, Jalibani Ndebele, is asking those driving to the site to approach from the opposite direction, via the A525 and Sarn Lane, if possible.

This is to allow emergency ambulances priority access through the roadworks from the A55 and into the hospitals Emergency Department.

Im really making a heartfelt plea to those driving to our hospital to be considerate during these disruptions, said Jalibani Ndebele.

If visitors and staff who are driving to Glan Clwyd can use the approach from the A525 Rhuddlan-St Asaph bypass, along Sarn lane, it would really help us to keep that life-saving access free for our colleagues in the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST).

I understand it will be an inconvenience to some but we need to work together with the public to make sure we keep access open for our most seriously unwell arrivals.

Pure Residential and Commercial, who are organising the works, have been in close consultation with the Health Board and will operate traffic signals to give priority to emergency vehicles approaching the hospital.

Dermot OLeary, WASTs Interim Locality Manager for Conwy and Denbighshire, said: We welcome the steps being taken by our Health Board colleagues to ensure emergency ambulances get priority access through the roadworks outside Glan Clwyd Hospital.

Our patients need to reach the emergency department in a timely manner to receive the urgent, potentially life-saving, interventions they require.

We would like to thank the public in advance for their co-operation, as we know these arrangements will potentially cause an inconvenience to some people.

Hospital staff have already been asked to consider car-sharing with colleagues to reduce traffic pressures on site and consider whether they could use the bus or cycle to work, depending on where they live.

Jalibani Ndebele has also called on the public to help reduce the parking chaos.

He added: If you have an appointment at Glan Clwyd Hospital, can you be dropped off and picked up afterwards? If appropriate, could you use public transport?

We already have massive problems on site due to inconsiderate parking, which have forced us to look at considering further enforcement measures.

Ambulances sometimes have difficulty getting through Glan Clwyd to get to the ED and this work has the potential to stop them even getting on to the hospital grounds in a timely manner.

Any help in reducing the traffic pressures around the hospital will ultimately benefit our patients.
Montgomeryshire & Glyndwr MP hopefuls give views on young people

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 30th, 2024

Candidates looking for your support have been invited to share their views on a range of issues.

As part of our election coverage ahead of the poll on Thursday we asked all candidates a range of questions, with a theme based collection from all candidates below. You can also read individual answers to all the questions here on our Election 24 page, plus links to party manifesto, supplied bios for candidates and links to find out where exactly your polling station is!

Question: Young people are often an afterthought during election cycles and after years of disrupted education, including closure of youth facilities and lack of mental health support. What do you think needs to be put into place to support young people and how would you lobby for this if elected?

This is a problem that is now becoming very evident. School attendance rates are still well down compared to the rates before Covid, and mental health services are massively stretched, meaning that young people are having to wait far too long for medical assessment and any support when it comes is too late for them to rescue their lost teenage years.

Part of the problem is that for many teenagers, the current education system does not meet their needs. For many, traditional education seems out of touch with how they view the world. There need to be more options to cater for different types of learner. The Green Party advocates for there to be the option for students to opt for more vocational and practical style learning, from age 14 rather than from age 16 as at present, and this may offer some of the students that are now disengaging with education a route with more meaning and purpose.

The Welsh curriculum also offers exciting opportunities for school to be made more relevant to real life and I would encourage schools to make full use of these opportunities.

I am a young person myself, and Im not afraid to say that I have struggled with my mental health at times, as have most people I know. In the age of social media, mental health has deteriorated even more and young people face increasing pressures over a lack of good housing, employment and life opportunities.

That is why the Liberal Democrats have proposed tripling the tax on social media companies and tech giants in the UK and ring-fencing the money raised to spend on mental health support. This would include a mental health practitioner in every single school.

We also need to recognise that we live in a rural region and mental health is often found to be worse in rural areas due to isolation. Farmers have some of the highest suicide rates of any profession and many young farmers arent immune from this. I would heavily support the great work done by the DPJ Foundation and others to continue to tackle this.

We also need to see more investment in youth services to help keep young people away from bad influences and to push them to secure the best future for themselves as possible.

As the only candidate who is a secondary school teacher in Wrexham, I am particularly aware of the lack of mental health support as CAHMS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) referrals can take an intolerable amount of time and whilst waiting, a young persons mental health can deteriorate even further. In the evenings, closed youth facilities often mean that young people have nothing for them to do. Labour is committed to recruiting 8,500 more mental health staff and a new network of Young Futures Hubs.

Response  Austerity has caused havoc with youth services leading to many closing, but also leading to wider social problems. At a time when weve seen mental health concerns amongst young people increasing since Covid it is imperative that such services are invested in. A good example has been established recently at Camarthen where a range of services under one roof for mental health support. Such a facility needs to be established in other areas such as Wrecsam. But fundamentally we need to invest in youth services in order to make up for some of the devastating cuts that have happened in recent years.

Public facilities in Britain are woeful; not just youth facilities, but community halls and what remains of our public library system. Reform intends to restructure local government in England and Wales, properly funding youth, arts and cultural activities on a regional basis; an incredibly successful model in France. Every French Department has a publicly-funded orchestra, and most French communes have publicly-owned youth centres and day-care facilities. Why doesnt Britain? No other political party seems to be asking questions like these.

No response to our Q&A has been received

You can read more Q&A answers here on our Election 24 page along with more election information  remember to GO VOTE ON THURSDAY!

Note: Unlike some publications Wrexham.com does not accept any political advertising. Our election pages also should be devoid of any advertising. All candidate promotion on this site has been provided for free with the same offer to every candidate. Anyone who wishes to use our election coverage content (text, video or images) please feel free, all we ask is a link back to this site if it is used online, or an equivalent prominent credit if in print or other mediums. We would also request that you use it without misrepresenting the context of candidate answers.
How Wrexham candidates would resolve housing issues

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 30th, 2024

Candidates looking for your support have been invited to share their views on a range of issues.

As part of our election coverage ahead of the poll on Thursday we asked all candidates a range of questions, with a theme based collection from all candidates below. You can also read individual answers to all the questions here on our Election 24 page, plus links to party manifesto, supplied bios for candidates and links to find out where exactly your polling station is!

Question: Social housing waiting lists are high, private home ownership is more and more unattainable with people in their 20s and 30s still living at home with their parents. In your view, how can this be resolved?

This is a long term and complex problem, and it needs to be addressed with urgency. In simple terms, the Green Party approach is stop thinking of houses as assets, and to start thinking of housing as homes.

Part of the current problem is a lack of housing; and part is a lack of earning for young people.

On housing  The Green Party plan to build 150,000 new social homes a year; and make sure that all homes, new and old, are supported to be more environmentally efficient making them cheaper to run. And also, crucially, The Green Party would end the Right To Buy, meaning that social housing remains belonging to the community rather than investors.

On earning for younger people  The Green Party propose raising minimum wage to 15 an hour. The Green Party would extend that minimum wage to 16, ending the ageist system we currently have whereby younger workers can be paid less than older adults doing the same work.

In short, The Green Party believe in fairness have a plan to achieve it.

The Lib Dems are committed to building the homes people need, with meaningful community engagement, by increasing building of new homes to 380,000 a year across the UK, including 150,000 social homes a year. Wed also give local councils the powers to end right-to-buy, so that we dont lose any more of social housing we already have.

We plan to deliver a fair deal for renters by immediately banning no-fault evictions, making three-year tenancies the default, and creating a national register of licensed landlords. Finally, wed abolish residential leaseholds and cap ground rents to a nominal fee, so that everyone has control over their property.

Everyone should have a place called home with access to warm, good quality housing in their local communities  whether they are renting or buying. Welsh Labour is investing in social housing and will deliver 20,000 new homes for social rent by 2026, with all new builds being carbon neutral. This builds on the successful delivery of more than 20,000 affordable homes over the previous Senedd term. For those that wish to buy then the Help to Buy scheme helps people buy a house with a low deposit and an interest free loan to cover part of the purchase price. Local authorities need to identify affordable housing led sites where at least 50% of the housing is truly affordable. Along with building the homes that people need in Wrexham we must also ensure the delivery of sustainable, thriving communities working in harmony with the natural environment and placing the emphasis on both green and traditional infrastructure.

Social housing is so badly needed here in Wrexham. We have 4000 people on the waiting list and no plan to provide for them. Instead there are currently plans for more 3000 houses to be built with minimal affordable housing. These houses are, in the main, 3 and 4-bed executive houses with price tags upwards of 300,000. These are just unaffordable on an average wage in Wrexham which is why Plaid Cymru locally are opposing them  we need house building to be for local need not for developers greed. They will build to maximise profits and we need to build the affordable and social housing we so badly need.

We need more focus on truly affordable housing for the residents of Wrexham with an additional focus on creating more social housing. We should be utilising derelict land and bringing empty properties back into use by renovating them and converting them to fit local needs.

No response to our Q&A has been received.

Again, Housing is a DEVOLVED issue and is managed by the Welsh LABOUR Government in Cardiff. With thousands of people on Wrexham Councils housing waiting list, availability of housing is a major problem. Labours Rent Smart Wales has imposed restrictions on landlords, which in Wrexham has meant many landlords have sold-up, reducing housing availability and increasing rents  yet another Labour policy that has backfired.

Ive lobbied hard against Welsh Labour on their phosphate policy, which saw all building cease in Wrexham for over 2 years. However, Labours response to yet another own goal was to impose the Local Development Plan, which isnt fit for purpose. It will see 8,000 houses built, on green fields, in Wrexham, without having the necessary infrastructure  doctors, schools, roads, flood prevention in place first. Whilst more housing is needed having sufficient infrastructure in place is essential. Perhaps most importantly, people need to be able to afford to buy new homes, and the Conservatives have pledged to implement a new Help to Buy scheme in addition to the existing Mortgage Guarantee Scheme.

Build more social and private affordable houses.

You can read more Q&A answers here on our Election 24 page along with more election information  remember to GO VOTE ON THURSDAY!

Note: Unlike some publications Wrexham.com does not accept any political advertising. Our election pages also should be devoid of any advertising. All candidate promotion on this site has been provided for free with the same offer to every candidate. Anyone who wishes to use our election coverage content (text, video or images) please feel free, all we ask is a link back to this site if it is used online, or an equivalent prominent credit if in print or other mediums. We would also request that you use it without misrepresenting the context of candidate answers.
North Wales MS supports Stroke Association Summit in Senedd

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 30th, 2024

A North Wales Member of the Senedd has thrown his support behind an organisation aimed as supporting thousands of stroke survivors in Wales.

Mark Isherwood, Conservative MS for the region, last week sponsored and opened the Wales Stroke Association Summit in the Senedd.

The event is an annual gathering for both people who work in the Stroke sector and those who are affected by Stroke to hear what the Stroke Association in Wales has been working on, celebrate achievements and hear about their plans for the next year.

Mr Isherwood highlighted that there are over 70,000 stroke survivors living in Wales, and an estimated 7,400 people in Wales experience a stroke each year.

He also referred to a recent report by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales on their National Review of Patient Flow: a journey through the Stroke pathway which highlighted that, in Wales, stroke provision and outcomes have been in decline since 2019.

He said: The Stroke Association is working to support a reduction in the number of Strokes in Wales, and to improve support for stroke survivors and their families across the whole Stroke pathway.

Stroke is estimated to cost NHS Wales 220 million annually, and for all sectors of the Welsh economy this is a combined cost of 1.63 billion, equivalent to 45,409 per patient in the first year.

This cost is forecast to rise to 2.8bn by 2035 if no action is taken to mitigate against this.

A recent report by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales on their National Review of Patient Flow: a journey through the Stroke pathway highlighted that, in Wales, stroke provision and outcomes have been in decline since 2019, he added.

The Stroke Association is working to support a reduction in the number of Strokes in Wales, and to improve support for stroke survivors and their families across the whole Stroke pathway.

Mr Isherwood spoke of the wide range of services for stroke survivors, their carers and families delivered by the Stroke Association, which include commissioned services in five Local Health Boards, 44 stroke groups which are a part of the Stroke Group Network, and universal Stroke Association support services such as their helpline, website and publications.

He added:

Furthermore, there are other provisions offered in Wales such as group volunteer forums, and campaigns forums.

These forums ensure that the voice of lived experience is at the heart of all their services and activities.

They also work closely with Local Health Boards, the Welsh Ambulance Service University Trust, Local Authorities, Welsh Government and other key stakeholders to drive forward improvements and better outcomes for people affected by stroke.

Mr Isherwood, who has previously spoken in the Senedd Chamber in support of the Stroke Associations calls for a renewed FAST campaign  Face, Arms, Speech, Time  by Public Health Wales, and for Public Health Wales to commit to running a regular FAST campaign, to improve awareness of stroke symptoms and urge those experiencing these to call 999 as soon as possible, added:

In June, last year I visited Buckley Stroke Group with the Stroke Association to learn about their experience of stroke, and subsequently raised the issues in the Senedd they had raised with me.

Issues raised with me by Stroke Survivors there included lack of joined-up care, although professionals were kind and caring; having a Stroke in England, but not being told what was available when they returned to Wales; trouble getting through to GPs; not being told what happens to you when you have a Stroke; and, when asking their GP if they can see a Stroke Specialist, being told Get me a name, and I will refer you.

Speaking in the Senedd/Welsh Parliament after my visit, I referred to the Stroke Programme Boards planned engagement on the future of Stroke Services and asked the then First Minister how he will ensure that the voices of Stroke Survivors and Carers are heard and involved in the co-production of this work.

Mr Isherwood is a member of the Senedds Cross-Party Group on Stroke which was re-established in October 2023.

ENDS
By Joe Cash, Ellen Zhang

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's manufacturing activity fell for a second month in June while services activity slipped to a five-month low, an official survey showed on Sunday, keeping alive calls for further stimulus as the economy struggles to get back on its feet.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) purchasing managers' index (PMI), at 49.5 in June, was unchanged from May, below the 50-mark separating growth from contraction and in line with a median forecast of 49.5 in a Reuters poll.

"Actual industrial activity should be stronger than the data suggests as our observation is that the official PMI fails to fully capture the current export momentum, which has been the major economic driver this year," said Xu Tianchen, senior economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Still, Xu added that external and domestic demand remains relatively inadequate to absorb China's manufacturing capacity and this will prevent a recovery in producer prices.

While a sub-index of production was above 50 in June, other indexes of new orders, raw material stocks, employment, supplier delivery times and new export orders were all in contractionary territory, the NBS survey showed.

China's exports exceeded forecasts in May, but analysts said the jury is still out on whether export sales are sustainable given growing trade tension between Beijing and Western economies. Meanwhile, a protracted property crisis continues to drag on domestic demand.

With consumers wary and the Labour Day holiday boost fleeting, the non-manufacturing PMI, which includes services and construction, fell to 50.5 from 51.1 in May, the lowest since December.

The services PMI sank to 50.2, a five-month low, and construction PMI slipped to 52.3, the weakest reading since July last year.

Analysts expect China to roll out more policy support measures in the short term, while a government pledge to boost fiscal stimulus is seen helping kick domestic consumption into a higher gear.

"The weak PMI figures naturally call for more supportive policies from the Chinese government. However, the room for monetary policy easing is limited for the time being, as the Chinese currency is under pressure," said Hao Zhou, chief economist at Guotai Junan International.

"That said, fiscal policy is likely to take the driving seat, suggesting that the central government will need to issue more debt over the foreseeable future to boost the overall domestic demand."

But high local-government debt and deflationary pressure cast a long shadow over recovery prospects, despite a slew of measures officials have rolled out since last October, tempering investors' and factory owners' expectations.

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China's central bank last month announced a relending programme for affordable housing to accelerate sales of unsold housing stock so supply better matches demand.

Officials are under pressure to fire up new growth engines to reduce the economy's reliance on property.

Premier Li Qiang told a World Economic Forum meeting on Tuesday that growth of new industries was supporting healthy economic development.

"Since the beginning of this year, China's economy has maintained an upward trend... and is expected to continue to improve steadily over the second quarter," Li said.

Economists and investors are awaiting for the Third Plenum to be held on July 15-18 with hundreds of China's top Communist Party officials gathering in Beijing for the five-yearly meeting.

(Reporting by Joe Cash and Ellen Zhang; Additional reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by William Mallard and Christopher Cushing)
Outstanding Contribution Award for Wrexham Universitys Head of Welsh Development

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 30th, 2024

Wrexham Universitys Head of Welsh Development has been recognised for her contribution to the Welsh language and bilingual education provision in the higher education (HE) sector at a prestigious national awards ceremony.

Elen Mai Nefydd received the Outstanding Contribution Award, which recognises her hard work and dedication throughout her two decades working in HE, at Y Coleg Cymraeg Annual Awards at Canolfan S4C yr Egin in Camarthen.

Elen Mai has been in her current role since May 2022, in which she has developed and implemented the institutions Welsh Language Academic Strategy and Action Plan, which sets out to enhance the provision of Welsh medium development at the University.

Since its launch at the end of 2022, Welsh language modules have been introduced to a number of degree courses including Speech and Language Therapy and Professional Policing.

An increase of both staff and students are also taking up the opportunity to learn Welsh  and since the previous academic year, students completing their work in the medium of Welsh has risen by 90%.

Prior to taking up the role of Head of Welsh Development, Elen Mai was the Programme Leader for Theatre, TV and Performance at the University.

Speaking about receiving the accolade, she said: Its a huge honour to receive this award. I accept it with pride and Im extremely grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the higher education sector and to work in collaboration with the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Its an absolute pleasure to lead on Welsh language provision at the University, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Wrexham University colleagues for both supporting and inspiring me.

I would also like to pay tribute to our outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Maria Hinfelaar for her continued support around all recent Welsh Language developments at the University.

Receiving this award instils confidence in me that we as an institution are on the right path with regards to promoting and championing the Welsh language amongst our university community.

Since the launch of the Welsh Language Academic Strategy in late 2022, Welsh language and bilingual provision at Wrexham University has gone from strength to strength.

My intention is to continue with embarking on opportunities and helping staff and students continue to engage with the language as much as possible. I hope to continue to develop further opportunities through the medium of Welsh.

We are on a new and exciting path, and this award will help to ensure a continued central and robust place for the Welsh language in all aspects within the institution.

Professor Maria Hinfelaar, Vice Chancellor of Wrexham University, said: An enormous congratulations to Elen Mai on receiving this prestigious national award from y Coleg Cymraeg for services to higher education, which recognises her efforts in enhancing provision of Welsh medium and bilingual education, here at Wrexham University.

She has been an inspiration to students, staff and the wider community.

This is richly deserved recognition. She has worked incredibly hard to develop and deliver our Welsh Language Academic Strategy and Action Plan and for that, she is an extremely worthy recipient of this award. I expect it will support her to enhance her impact further. Llongyfarchiadau, Elen Mai.

At the awards ceremony, students, apprentices and lecturers from the higher education, further education and apprenticeship sector were awarded for their contributions to Welsh medium and bilingual education.

Dr Ioan Matthews, Chief Executive at Coleg Cymraeg, added: All of our winners deserve praise and recognition for their high quality work and contribution to Welsh and bilingual education in the higher education, further education and apprenticeship sector.

We thank them for raising the profile of the Welsh language in their organisations, and we wish them well in the future.
Wales sleepwalking into disaster for vulnerable children, Senedd warned

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 30th, 2024

Plans to ban profit from the care of looked-after children could lead to a lack of choice, less investment and the loss of hundreds of placements, a committee heard.

Private providers gave evidence to the Senedds health committee about the Welsh Governments plans to eliminate profit from the childrens social care sector.

Darryl Williams, who founded start Woodlands Ltd, a care provider in Wrexham, 25 years ago, warned of dire consequences from the proposed reforms.

I dont wish to sound dramatic but if we dont change course, were going to sleepwalk into the biggest disaster for vulnerable children in Wales since the Second World War, he said.

Mr Williams said the narrative about giving the fat cats a bloody nose does not fit the reality that many homes are run by husband-and-wife teams who want to do their best for children.

Inflammatory

Mr Williams told the committee he was motivated to start the business by his experiences as a former team manager in Flintshire social services.

I was tired of putting young people in less-than-average placements, he said.

Criticising inflammatory language such as eliminating profit, Mr Williams stressed he founded the business not for financial gain but to improve outcomes for children.

He told MSs: Theres nothing wrong with the p word  we have to make a profit to invest.

Harvey Gallagher, chief executive of the Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers, similarly dismissed any notion that profit equals poor quality and value for money.

He said independent providers provide specialist care for children and young people with complex needs, which councils are often unable to meet.

Misunderstood

Jen Robbins, of the Childrens Homes Association (CHA), warned 885 beds could be lost in a worst-case scenario, leaving the public purse with a 550m bill to replace services.

Ms Robbins, head of policy, said a Competition and Markets Authority report on childrens social care recommended neither banning nor capping profit.

She told committee members: It comes back to the point about profit versus profiteering, which I think is largely misunderstood.

Criticising the Welsh Governments blanket approach to eliminating profit, she said CHA members must ultimately be owned in the UK and not receive money from tax havens.

Warning of unintended consequences, Ms Robbins added: This is not evidence-based policy making in any form  Ive never seen anything like this, it is purely ideological.

Disillusioned

Sharon Cavaliere, director of Calon Cymru, a specialist fostering agency, who was a social worker for 26 years, similarly said she felt disillusioned while working for the council.

I wasnt seeing great outcomes for children and young people, she said.

Raising concerns the health and social care bill would diminish choice, Ms Cavaliere told the committee that providers absorb high costs to sustain placements and achieve outcomes.

She said: Theres going to be a lack of investment back into these agencies on the back of this bill, thats a huge concern for me.

She warned councils are not able to provide the same calibre of care: Were throwing money into child foster placements, not because its about greed  its about a childs life.

1 billion

Mark Drakeford, who laid the foundations for the bill while Wales first minister, asked why care for children should be left to market forces.

The Cardiff West MS said the CMA study found a standard profit of more than 900 a week for each child in residential care.

He asked: Is it defensible that public money leaks out of the system at that rate?

In a previous evidence session, Dawn Bowden, who is in charge of the bill, said the cost to councils of looked after children rose 200% to nearly 200m over the past decade.

The social care minister said 20 to 25% is extracted as private profit and if Wales continues on the trajectory the costs would approach 1bn within another 10 years.

Vitriol

Deborah Judge, clinical director of Birribi, which offers residential care in west Wales, accused the Welsh Government of stirring up vitriol over the past two years.

Dr Judge, a child and adolescent psychiatrist who worked in the NHS for 25 years, warned that children and young people are already being impacted by turmoil in the sector.

Its created such disruption already to the sector and its so sad, she said, adding that children have become collateral damage.

Dr Judge raised concerns about misinformation, with figures and extremist language being thrown around, saying Birribi makes 165 a week per child..

She said: Im a child psychiatrist, Im a doctor, I never went into this to be talking about the amount of profit that we were going to squeeze out of this market.

Appalling

Colin Tucker, director of Wrexham-based 1st Affinity Fostering Services, raised concerns about the blunt policy creating a hostile environment for private providers.

Mr Tucker, a former director of childrens services, agreed with Prof Drakeford: The market probably isnt the best model for children  Ive always been uncomfortable with that.

But we are where we are and my issue is theres been no differential between those of us who set it up for quite admirable reasons and have invested properly.

Mr Tucker criticised a lack of consultation from the Welsh Government, saying: The way this has been implemented is appalling.

During the meeting on June 27, MSs also took evidence from the Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru, non-profit providers and the Welsh Local Government Association.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
City of Amarillo earns budget award for 33rd straight year

For the 33rd straight year, the City of Amarillo has earned the Government Finance Officers Associations (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the city budget.

According to the GFOA, the award represents a significant achievement. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, an entity has to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation.

The City of Amarillo is committed to providing the city budget to citizens in a convenient and easy-to-understand way, said Assistant City Manager/CFO Laura Storrs. This is a financial standard the city has maintained and upheld for decades.

For more information on the GFOA, go to: www.gfoa.org. Also for more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at (806) 378-5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov.

Water Still is now offering All-Natural Frozen Lemonade at its three Amarillo locations.

Water Still introduces all-natural frozen lemonade

Water Still is thrilled recently announced the launch of its latest refreshing treat: All-Natural Frozen Lemonade. Made with real lemon juice and sweetened with pure cane sugar, this deliciously tangy and sweet frozen lemonade is the perfect way to cool down this summer.

Amarillo locations include 4712 Bell St., 2728 S Georgia and 3434 Soncy Road. Customers were able to enjoy a free sample for a limited time, and the business has other promotions. You can also use their lemonade to custom-make their own drinks; as ice for your favorite tea flavor, or add a pump of your favorite all-natural flavored syrup and more.

At Water Still, were committed to delivering high-quality, natural products that our customers can feel good about enjoying, said Jody Kjerstad, owner of Water Still in a news release. Our new All-Natural Frozen Lemonade is no exception. Its made with all-natural ingredients like real lemon juice, 100% cane sugar, and our vapor distilled water. No artificial stuff.

For more information, please call (806) 359-7555, email customerservice@waterstill.com, or visit www.waterstill.com.

National Academy of Inventors ranks Texas Tech University System among top 100 in patents for 2nd consecutive year

One year after making its first appearance at number 75 on the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) list of Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted Utility Patents for 2022, the Texas Tech University System (TTU System), including the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) and TTUHSC El Paso, ranked 74th on the same list for 2023.

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NAI, which has published the Top 100 Worldwide Universities list annually since 2013, created the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted Utility Patents list to highlight and celebrate American innovation and to showcase the universities which play a large role in advancing the innovation ecosystem within the U.S. and beyond. TTUHSC is a relatively new NAI member, having joined in 2023. One patent recently granted to TTUHSC includes repurposing pimavanserin to treat various types of cancer, while a second focuses on the development of a novel blood-based biomarker for the early detection of Alzheimers disease.

Two other patents focus on infertility issues and improving reproduction  a specimen collection cup that creates a more favorable environment for the sperm and a new method for selecting viable embryos based upon chemical composition and fluid content and without any direct sampling or risk to the embryo. A fifth TTUHSC patent involves developing novel nanoparticles known as nanoantibiotics that target bacterial infections, especially those resistant to treatment with known antibiotics.

Lance R. McMahon, Ph.D., TTUHSC senior vice president for research and innovation, said these latest rankings demonstrate the commitment of both TTU System health sciences centers to translating their discoveries into health care innovations. Patent activity at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center continues to grow, McMahon said. This includes intellectual property disclosures, provisional and issued patents and licensing activity. In addition to being recognized in the Top 100 ranking, TTUHSC joined the NAI as a university member last year.

Amarillos Lemieux Company supports acclaimed documentary that shines light on the 'digital divide'

Lemieux Company, an Amarillo-based creative production company, played a leading role in a documentary by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Eve Van Dyke that was shot in Amarillo and was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on June 6, according to a news release

Route to Connection is a documentary from AT&T and the Los Angeles Production Company ATTN: focusing on the digital divide experienced by Americans who lack reliable access to digital technology and the internet. The film, which launched on Amazon Prime and att.com/routetoconnection on June 14, showcases three unique stories of Amarillo residents and their struggles to get online and follows their path to a better-connected future.

Lemieux Company owner Wilson Lemieux served as senior producer, overseeing day-to-day operations during the filming process, hiring the crew, insuring and procuring equipment and handling all logistics of the shooting process. Route to Connection filmmaker Eve Van Dyke has earned numerous awards, including a 2019 Emmy Award for Outstanding Feature Story in a Newscast titled Zero Tolerance for Vice News Tonight.

Through Amazons Stream it Forward initiative, $1 will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of America & Maverick Boys and Girls Clubs of Amarillo for every stream on Fire TV.

Lemieux Company is a creative advertising and film production company dedicated to creating world-class content and video solutions for its customers. Headquartered in Amarillo, Lemieux Company is an industry leader in brand storytelling and commercial production. For examples of past and current work, go to lemieux.company or visit their Instagram page.

Farm Service Agency seeking nominations for farmers and ranchers to serve on local county committees

WASHINGTON  Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally.

All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2024. Producers should contact their local FSA office today to register and find out how to get involved in their countys election; learn more at fsa.usda.gov/elections. Election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters in November 2024.

Serving on a Farm Service Agency county committee is your chance to ensure that other producers who share your interests, your production practices, and your perspective are represented. County committee service is a unique opportunity in the federal government for citizen stakeholders to participate in the implementation of policy and programs at the local level, said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. Nominations are now open, and elections will begin in November; dont miss this chance to help FSA serve all producers.

Agricultural producers may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee if they participate or cooperate in a USDA program; and reside in the LAA that is up for election this year. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits. The committees are made up of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms.

City of Amarillo honored at TAMIO Conference

The City of Amarillo received two first-place TAMI awards and an Award of Excellence at the recent Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers (TAMIO) conference in San Antonio. TAMI awards are presented by TAMIO, an affiliate of the Texas Municipal League.

The City of Amarillo was recognized in multiple categories, from engaging citizens to provide valuable feedback on future city priorities to a groundbreaking documentary chronicling the experiences of our police recruits to responding with vital public safety information during a historic wildfire, said the city's Director of Engagement & Innovation Jordan Schupbach.

The city earned first place in Communications Planning  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Outreach/Campaign for City Plan  Vision 2045. City Plan  Vision 2045 was a project of the city's Planning Department and the Office of Engagement and Innovation. For information on City Plan  Vision 2045, go to: www.amarillo.gov/our-city/cityplan

The city was also honored with a first-place finish in the category of Video-Regular or Recurring Program for the documentary series The 100th Amarillo Police Academy. The series was created and produced by OEI Multimedia Production Manager Chase Brady. To see the series, go to the city's YouTube page at www.youtube.com/@CityofAmarilloTX . The city received the Award of Excellence for the Amarillo Area Historic Wildfire Crisis Communications Response by the COA Office of Emergency Management and OEI.

For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at (806) 378- 5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov.

Amarillos Bubbas 33 Donates $1 for Every Patriot Burger Sold

From Thursday, July 4 through Wednesday, July 31, Amarillos Bubbas 33 will partner with Homes For Our Troops to raise money to help build specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post 9-11 Veterans.

For every Patriot Burger purchased, Bubbas 33 will donate $1.00 to Homes For Our Troops. Donations will also be accepted for Homes For Our Troops at all locations. Bubbas 33 is located at 2813 W. Interstate 40 in Amarillo. Available July 4 through July 31 only, Bubbas 33 Patriot Burger includes a BBQ burger, a signature beef patty, a hand-battered onion ring, BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayonnaise.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Bubbas 33 and Texas Roadhouse support for Home For Our Troops. To date, Bubbas 33 and Texas Roadhouse, have raised more than $2 million to help build homes.

For more information, visit www.bubbas33.com.

Matador Resources Company announces latest acquisition

Recently, two Amarillo friends of over 50 years, Joe Foran  Founder, Chairman and CEO of Matador Resources  and Gary Petersen  Founder of EnCap Investments  announced their second deal together over the past 18 months: a $1.9 billion acquisition by Matador Resources of Ameredev II Parent, LLC, an EnCap portfolio company.According to a company news release, Matador now has an enterprise value in excess of $10 billion and ranks as the No. 7 largest producers of oil and natural gas in the state of New Mexico.

Matador has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a subsidiary of Ameredev, including certain oil and natural gas producing properties and undeveloped acreage located in Lea County, New Mexico and Loving and Winkler Counties, Texas. The Ameredev Acquisition also includes an approximate 19% stake in Pinon Midstream, LLC, which has midstream assets in southern Lea County, New Mexico. The consideration for the Ameredev Acquisition will consist of a cash payment of $1.905 billion, subject to customary closing adjustments. Ameredev is a portfolio company of EnCap Investments L.P. (EnCap). The Ameredev Acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close late in the third quarter of 2024 with an effective date of June 1, 2024.

Foran said in a news release, Matador is very excited to work with EnCap again on this strategic bolt-on opportunity.  As with the successful Advance Energy deal we completed in April of 2023, we view the Ameredev transaction as another unique opportunity to work with EnCap and another value-creating opportunity for Matador and its shareholders. We evaluated this opportunity based on the high rock quality, the strong existing production and cash flow profile, the significant reserves additions, the high-quality inventory, the strategic fit within our existing portfolio of properties and the expansion of our midstream footprint with an ownership interest in Pinon. The equity and debt securities offerings and the revolving credit facility amendment we completed earlier this year, together with our historical balance sheet conservatism, have provided Matador with the opportunity to acquire these high-quality assets and continue Matadors consistent history of profitable growth at a measured pace.

For more information, visit Matador Resources Company at www.matadorresources.com.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo area business news and developments for June 30, 2024
'The Bear' is back ... and so is our thirst for Jeremy Allen White. Should we tone it down?

Yes, chef  FX's "The Bear" returned for its third season this week in its typical frenetic fashion. What's also typical, though, with a new season of the show? The same out-of-control thirst for its Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning star, Jeremy Allen White.

If you didn't know White before his Calvin Klein photo shoot earlier this year, you sure did after. The star posed in underwear for one of the brand's signature ad campaigns.

And people responded  loudly, incessantly and maybe inappropriately. Many thirsted over him on social media: The smoldering stare. The white boxer briefs. The chiseled abs. Journalists asked him about the shoot after his Golden Globe win in January and even went so far as to ask his (clearly uncomfortable) castmates about the campaign  with co-star Ayo Edebiri pointing out this man is her co-worker. He's also one of the men mentioned frequently as one of summer's "hot rodent men"  and yes, that's a compliment.

But in 2024, in a world after the #MeToo movement launched a global conversation around sex and consent, is it OK to lust after men in this blunt, blatant way? Women in particular have long faced the worst of society's mistreatment in this manner. But experts say the sexualization of men's bodies, too, speaks to a larger issue we must grapple with. As society begins to reckon with its treatment of women, what needs to be said about similar behavior toward men?

Experts say we should seriously consider why we react a certain way when images like these pop up on our screens, and it's important to think about how we engage with and talk about this content.

Are half-naked photos of Jeremy Allen White all over your Instagram feed? Heres why.

How to watch: 'The Bear' Season 3: New release date, time, cast, trailer, where to watch

That 'highly sexual' Jeremy Allen White ad

This type of ad harkens back to the admiration of muscles that dates as far back as ancient Greece. People can justify the act of admiring muscle. But "it's also highly sexual, right?" University of Vermont history of gender and sexuality expert Paul Deslandes previously told USA TODAY. "Because the underwear ad is completely about accentuating, drawing the eyes' attention to genitalia, to the penis. There's this kind of interesting set of cultural assumptions that feed into how people interpret this."

Erotic and sexual imagery has increased exponentially over the 20th century, especially with the advent of social media. So much so that "the line between what some people would call pornography and some people would call mainstream popular culture, those things sometimes get a little blurred," Deslandes says.

In the 1980s and '90s, as some people began objectifying men as women had long been objectified  think David Hasselhoff in "Baywatch"  many "saw it almost as a kind of turning of the tables," says Deslandes, "which I thought was always sort of intriguing and interesting, but then it raises this question of, 'is it OK for one group and not OK for another?'"

White's photo shoot achieves the rare, coveted ideal that mirrored British model David Gandy's Marks and Spencer campaign in the early 2010s. "It was so overtly sexual, and so overtly about courting both the gaze of men and women," Deslandes says.

As Shannon Gilreath, Wake Forest Law professor of women's, gender and sexuality studies, put it previously: "Women are objectified for their physical appearance so thoroughly, so totally, that we often don't even notice. But when a man is in that position, suddenly people start giggling uncomfortably when they're confronted with it on a red carpet or something."

People must watch out if they are only thinking of this person as a sex object and not as a human. "There's a line when their entire being is reduced to their torso, or their bulge, or their biceps," Deslandes says. White's "The Bear" co-stars leaped to White's defense on numerous occasions this awards season when journalists couldn't stop asking about the campaign.

"They were made to feel as somehow this was diminishing him in the moment," Gilreath says. "But of course, that's what we do to women through this process, almost from the cradle."

To think about: Billie Eilish says her bluntness about sex makes people uncomfortable. She's right.

'They know that people are interested'

The fascination with White should have everyone asking questions about their own social media feeds and body image expectations.

The more you engage with this type of content, the more you're likely to see it. Still, "there's a kind of ubiquity of the male body through social media that leads people to think that, of course, an advertising campaign is going to sort of pick up on that, right, it's going to grab that, because they know that it's successful," Deslandes says. "They know that people are interested, they know that they're titillated, they're intrigued."

But "it does also set up unrealistic expectations about body," Deslandes adds, "that there is a tendency to see these men in these advertisements as ideal specimens that younger men in particular, but also older men compare themselves against, and that can be really uncomfortable, and that can make people sit back and reflect on what they perceive as their own deficiencies." Body dysmorphia and eating disorders are very real issues men face.

Going forward, viewers should consider images of any body and wonder: What am I looking at? Why am I looking at it? What am I gaining from this? What am I losing?

And perhaps most important: How has society shaped my view of this person and their gender?

"We are a society that is so thoroughly pornified, at this point, that women's bodies are used to sell just about everything," Gilreath says. "So much so that we as a society seem to think that that is just the normal course of nature. And it's only when a man is put in that same situation that we begin to be made uncomfortable by it."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jeremy Allen White of 'The Bear', Calvin Klein and sexy ad problems
Jordan encourages his brother to think with his head and not his heart when renovating a previously abandoned, 12-acre New Hampshire camp into a vacation spot

Jonathan Knight has to face some harsh realities about starting a business in the new episode of Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp.

The New Kids on the Block star's HGTV home renovation spinoff series follows his journey as he attempts to turn a previously abandoned 12-acre New Hampshire camp into a vacation destination in six months. In an exclusive first look at Tuesday's episode (above), Jonathan, 55, meets with his brother Jordan Knight to get some business advice after a tree falls on one of the cabins on the property.

"If I was to fix it, it's probably like $20,000 more than what it would cost to build a brand new structure," Jonathan tells Jordan, 54, over coffee at his younger brother's Italian restaurant Novara in Milton, Mass. "It breaks my heart."

Jonathan tells his brother and fellow NKOTB bandmate that he'd rather restore the old cabin than demolish it  no matter the extra cost. But it's not a smart business decision and Jordan doesn't mince words letting his sibling know.

HGTV

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"What I've learned from doing business," Jordan says, "You really want to make the tough decision to not spend as much money. I would say knock it down."

A torn Jonathan says that scrapping the old structure will "crush me" although Jordan reminds him that every expense when running a business  whether it's a restaurant, a live music tour or a potential vacation resort  adds up.

After giving Jonathan his unfiltered opinion, Jordan asks whether he has done projections on potential costs or revenue, to which his older brother replies, "No, I just in my heart know it's gonna work and people are going to come."



HGTV

Related: Jonathan Knight Reveals Farmhouse Fixer Season 3 'Is Going to Be a Bit Intense' in New Trailer (Exclusive)

Jordan proceeds to list several other aspects of the business, like finding employees, researching competitors and designing a logo. After which Jonathan confesses, "Wow, I look like a real dumb--- right now. I don't know what I've spent to date, I don't know who I'm gonna hire, I don't know what demographics are gonna come here. I think I'm in over my head."

He laughs, before adding, "I don't even own a computer."

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

In an exclusive interview in May, Jonathan told PEOPLE that he'd always dreamed of owning a hospitality business, whether a bed and breakfast or a boutique hotel.

"I fell in love when I saw [the campground] and jumped at the chance to make that dream a reality. We definitely took on a lot with this one, but it was just a great opportunity and I knew I had to do it," he said.

Jonathan and Jordan along with NKOTB members Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg and Joey McIntyre  are currently performing around the country on their 2024 Magic Summer Tour. In May, the band also released Still Kids, their first full studio album in 11 years.

The next episode of Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp airs Tuesday, July 2, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV.



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New Miss South Carolina crowned for 2024. Heres who she is

A woman who used her personal pain to work to reunite children with their incarcerated fathers won the Miss South Carolina crown Saturday night at Township Auditorium.

Davis Wash, Miss Clemson, started The Silent Victims organization with a commitment to transform pain into purpose and has worked with Proverbs229, a Charlotte-based nonprofit with a similar focus.

She has said in newspaper interviews previously her father was sentenced to eight months in prison, but did not say specifically what the crime was. Her mother Melanie Easler-Wash said in an email Sunday it was a white color, financial crime that he didnt know at the time was a crime. He served the sentence in a minimum security prison.

Sitting in the waiting room during those difficult times, surrounded by other children facing similar situations, I felt compelled to be a beacon of hope for those who may have had it even tougher than my family  my two younger brothers, my mother, and me, she wrote on her Silent Victims website.

She said she sought to offer a platform to people like herself to break the stigma. She has also volunteered for a nonprofit that records imprisoned fathers reading bedtime stories to their children.

During the pageant, Wash said she purposely has shared her story to be vulnerable.

I had to show every facet of me, she said.

She said during the conversation section with the four other finalists that the Miss South Carolina Organization made her into the woman she is today.

She said hers is a story of determination.

Washs talent was singing Aint No Sunshine. She is from Edgefield.

She was first runner up to Miss South Carolina 2023 Jada Samuel last year. She has been a part of Miss South Carolina since she was 12.

Miss Myrtle Beach Brooke Vu was 1st runner up.

This year marks the 87th year for the Miss South Carolina competition.

The new Miss South Carolina will go on to the Miss America contest, now named Miss America Opportunity.

The contestants have spent the week rehearsing and taking part in the preliminary rounds, which go toward selecting the top 15 semi finalists.

Miss South Carolina Scholarship Organization will award $260,000 in scholarships this year, including $60,000 to Miss South Carolina and $12,500 to Miss South Carolinas Teen.

Samuel, a Greenville resident who was Miss Bridge City, is a digital marketing strategist and graduate of the University of South Carolina with a broadcast journalism degree. She has been an on-air personality for the South Carolina Lottery.

She spent her year concentrating on service and working to draw more women into the competition.

Toward that end, she founded a nonprofit  iShapeMe Inc.  in 2014 to encourage positive body image, self-esteem and a fit and healthy lifestyle, according to her Linked In page.

The Miss South Carolina Organization announced this week it was renaming the quality of Life Award in honor of Samuel.

It is the greatest honor of my life, she said on Instagram.

Samuel said during the show Saturday that she is debt free because of the scholarships she has won through Miss South Carolina. Her favorite appearance was returning to Southside High in Greenville, where she attended.

The other finalists were 2nd runner up Miss Midlands Ally Grooms, 3rd Miss Camden Jules Lemonds and 4th Miss Columbia Jordyn Lewis.

University of South Carolina womens basketball coach Dawn Staley was awarded the Woman of Achievement Award.

Earlier in the day, Mary Elle Marchant, River Bluffs Teen, was named Miss South Carolinas Teen. Her platform is #HangUpandHangOut, saying how important it is to unplug from social media and other diversions commonly consuming young people.

She also said in response to a question about time management from co-host Morgan Nichols Scarnecchia that her best method is prayer. She said, God has a plan for all of us.

Marchant also won in preliminary contests for teen fitness and teen evening gown and was 1st runner up in 2023 as Columbias Teen.

Contestants cheer as Miss River Bluff, Mary Elle Marchant, is announced as the winner of the 2024 Miss South Carolina Teen Competition at the Township Auditorium in Columbia on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

For her talent, she performed a lyrical dance to the song I Hope I Get It from A Chorus Line.

In all, 34 young women competed for Miss South Carolinas Teen at Township Auditorium. She hopes one day to appear on Broadway or to become a Rockette.

Marchant will go to compete in the Miss America Teen, which is a division of the Miss America program for ages 13-18.

This story has been corrected to say Davis Washs father committed a non-violent, white collar crime.
Photos: Williamston's Fourth of July lights up skies above music, food, and patriotic fun

A full day of Fourth of July celebrations began Saturday morning with a Patriotic Golf Cart Parade, Envision Williamston's Bobbers on Big Creek Race, music from Jukebox45, a car show, and more than 50 booths at Williamston's Mineral Spring Park.

Then, after 5:30 p.m. across from Main Street, live music on stage could be heard from Luke Smith, Nashville recording artist Tracielynn, and headliner Gyth Rigdon. At 10 p.m., fireworks could be seen in the sky during Williamston's Annual Freedom Celebration and Fourth of July concert.

Looking for July 4th fireworks? Looking for July 4th fireworks in Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson? A day-by-day listing

Gyth Rigdon, left, thanks Ashley Brito, a current Williamston officer, for his service in the Middle East with the 82nd Airborne, during the 4th of July Freedom Celebration Fireworks and Concert in Williamston, S.C. Saturday, June 29, 2024.

Gyth Rigdon, the headliner known for his appearance on NBC's "The Voice," honored Williamston officer Ashley Brito and thanked him for his service to the country. Brito served in the Middle East with the 82nd Airborne.

Nashville Recording Artist Tracielynn sings with her husband Hunter Faulling "One plus One equals 2 a.m." during the 4th of July Freedom Celebration Fireworks and Concert in Williamston, S.C. Saturday, June 29, 2024.

Tracielynn, 30, of Nashville, Tennessee, introduced a new song, "One Plus One equals 2 a.m.," a duet with her husband, Hunter Falling. She threw T-shirts in the crowd and posed for photos with fans after her concert. Tracielynn, a University of South Carolina graduate, recently opened for Alabama.

Rockey Burgess, Mayor of Williamston, announces to the crowd that $750,000 improvement to Mineral Spring Park playground is coming, between live music acts at the 4th of July Freedom Celebration Fireworks and Concert in Williamston, S.C. Saturday, June 29, 2024.

Williamston Mayor Rockey Burgess announced to the crowd between concerts that a $750,000 upgrade to Mineral Spring Park's playground is coming, citing the park as a well-used and popular event space.

Brian Mims, right, holds up his hand with daughter Ava Mims of Anderson, celebrating during the 4th of July Freedom Celebration Fireworks and Concert in Williamston, S.C. Saturday, June 29, 2024. "We love God and we love our country," Brian said.

Spectators cheered as the fireworks display began, with the first blast halfway through Gyth Rigdon's cover of Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight." Rigdon continued covering several popular patriotic songs, including Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA."

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Photos: 2024 Freedom Celebration fireworks and concert in Williamston
Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) is one of the most iconic and long-standing companies in the public market. As such, it can be easy to forget about the $275 billion beverage giant.

Today, Coca-Cola stock is roughly 4% off its all-time high, so it's worth checking in on the Warren Buffett-favorite. Let's examine Coca-Cola's recent financials, dividend history, and what the future holds to determine if it's worth buying, selling, or holding.

Coca-Cola's not-so-secret formula

Everyone knows Coca-Cola by its flagship product, but the company has been investing heavily in diversifying its offerings as some consumers shift away from sugary sodas. Over the past decade, notable acquisitions include the sparkling water brand Topo Chico for $220 million, the coffee company Costa for $4.9 billion, and the sports and hydration beverage company BodyArmor for $5.6 billion.

Due to these acquisitions, the company has successfully stabilized its net sales, which plummeted from a peak of $48 billion in 2012 to a low of $33 billion in 2020. In 2023, Coca-Cola generated nearly $46 billion in revenue.

KO Revenue (Annual) Chart

More recently, Coca-Cola delivered $11.4 billion in net sales in the first quarter of 2024, representing a 3% year-over-year increase. The company turned its net sales into $528 million cash flow from operations, equating to a 43.5% year-over-year increase.

For the full year 2024, management projects organic revenue growth of 8% to 9% compared to 2024, which excludes or adjusts for the impact of acquisitions, divestitures, and structural changes. Management also guided for $11.4 billion in cash flow from operations, a slight decrease from $11.6 billion in 2023.

Coca-Cola prioritizes dividends

Companies have two primary methods of returning capital to shareholders: dividends and share repurchases. For Coca-Cola, management's priority is to pay and raise its dividend each year. The stock is in the exclusive Dividend Kings club, having paid and increased its dividend for at least 50 consecutive years.

Now in its 62nd year of consecutive dividend raises, Coca-Cola pays a quarterly dividend of $0.485 per share, which shakes out to an annual yield of 3%. Considering the S&P 500 yields approximately 1.3%, the beverage giant is a favorite stock for income seekers.

To illustrate the power of Coca-Cola's dividends for long-term investors, consider Berkshire Hathaway's investment in the company. Berkshire's total investment reached $1.3 billion in 1994 and received $75 million in dividends. Without purchasing any additional shares or reinvesting dividends, Berkshire is expected to receive $776 million in 2024. In Warren Buffett's 2022 annual shareholder letter, he wrote: "Growth occurred every year, just as certain as birthdays. ... We expect that those checks are highly likely to grow."

Story continues

What could go wrong for Coca-Cola?

While Coca-Cola's consistently growing dividend is one of its selling points, it's also a potential risk. For any dividend stock, it's essential to measure its earnings and compare it to its dividends paid out to determine whether it can continue to afford to distribute dividends to shareholders. In Coca-Cola's case, the company is expected to pay out approximately $8.4 billion in dividends for 2024 while generating a projected $9.2 billion in free cash flow.

The resulting cash outlays don't leave much left over for the company to pay down its $25.6 billion in net debt, for which it spends more than $550 million annually to service. While the dividend isn't in jeopardy of being suspended or cut, management will likely feel obligated to raise it annually. If sales of its flagship sugary sodas continue to falter, it could potentially put further pressure on its balance sheet, which could in turn hamper future growth acquisitions.

Speaking of acquisitions, Coca-Cola had to write down $760 million of its $4.9 billion BodyArmor acquisition in the most recent quarter. During the latest earnings call, CEO James Quincy acknowledged, "Clearly, we haven't progressed as fast as we would like with regard to BodyArmor."

Finally, Coca-Cola finds itself in an ongoing litigation with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which alleges that the company owes $3.4 billion in unpaid taxes for the years 2007 to 2009. The IRS claims that Coca-Cola improperly limited its royalty income within the United States during this period.

Is Coca-Cola stock a buy, hold, or sell?

Coca-Cola trades at 27.6 times free cash flow, aligning with its five-year median. So, arguably, the stock is neither cheap nor expensive despite its near-all-time highs.

For investors seeking stability and income, Coca-Cola remains an attractive option, and they should continue to hold the stock. However, investors should continually monitor the company's challenges, including shifting consumer preferences and revenue growth, to ensure it can sustain its increasing dividend.

Should you invest $1,000 in Coca-Cola right now?

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What's NXT: Caribbean vibes in Hagerstown, moonshine and drama in W.Va., and free fishing!

Are you ready for some hot summer entertainment? Whether your idea of fun involves theater, music, festivals, outdoor activities or learning something new, we've got your entertainment guide right here in NXT Best!

Behind-the-Scenes Archaeology

Monday, July 1 - 2 p.m.

Visitor Center

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

171 Shoreline Drive

Harpers Ferry, W.Va.

History of Harpers Ferry. Part of a series of presentations from Harpers Ferry National Historical Parks cultural resource specialist and archaeologist, Darlene Hassler. Call 304-535-6029 or go to https://www.nps.gov/hafe/index.htm.

At the Forefront of the Armies: The Role of the Cavalry During the Maryland Campaign

Monday, July 1 - 7 p.m.

McKinley Hall

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

209 W. Main St.

Sharpsburg

Part of Civil War Lecture Series. Presented by local historian Brad Gottfried. Sponsored by the Jacob Rohrbach Inn. Lecture is free. Drawing for an autographed book or a Civil War print with purchase of $5 ticket. Parking area off alley, and on Main and Hall streets. Go to tinyurl.com/3ecxvurk or call 301-432-5079.

GreenSpring Foundation will present the 2024 Maryland Summer Harp Concert Series on Tuesday, July 2, at 7 p.m.; Wednesday, July 3, at 7 p.m.; and Friday, July 5, at 4 p.m. at St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Church, Utica, 10621 Old Frederick Road, Thurmont, Md.

From the Harp with Love

Tuesday, July 2 - 7 p.m.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Utica

10621 Old Frederick Road

Thurmont, Md.

Maryland Summer Harp Institute professional faculty harp quartet. GreenSpring Foundation annual Maryland Summer Concert Series. Free-will offering to support GreenSpring's community outreach music education programs. Go to www.greenspringmusic.org.

The Art of the Harp

Wednesday, July 3 - 7 p.m.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Utica

10621 Old Frederick Road

Thurmont, Md.

Student soloists from the Maryland Summer Harp Institute. GreenSpring Foundation annual Maryland Summer Concert Series. Free-will offering to support GreenSpring's community outreach music education programs. Go to www.greenspringmusic.org.

Maryland License-Free Fishing Day

Thursday, July 4

Any tidal and nontidal waters in Maryland

No fishing license, trout stamp or registration needed, but participants must follow all current regulations, including size and catch limits. Call 866-344-8889.

Harp Ensemble's Grand Finale Concert

Friday, July 5 - 4 p.m.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Utica

10621 Old Frederick Road

Thurmont, Md.

The Maryland Summer Harp Institute Ensemble. Classical, contemporary, Celtic and jazz music. GreenSpring Foundation annual Maryland Summer Concert Series. Free-will offering to support GreenSpring's community outreach music education programs. Go to www.greenspringmusic.org.

Over the Mountain Studio Tour Summer Show

Friday, July 5 - reception 5 to 8 p.m., exhibit Saturday, July 6 - 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 7 - 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Evolve Shepherdstown

106 W. German St.

Shepherdstown, W.Va.

Artwork by Over the Mountain Studio Tour artists and artisans. Meet the artists on Friday. Basketry, glass, painting, mixed media, graphic art, fiber and textiles, metals, ceramics, wood, paper, plants, leather, lapidary and more. Free parking on weekends. Go to www.overthemountainstudiotour.com/.

The Happiest Man on Earth

Friday, July 5, through Sunday, July 28 - For schedule, go to https://tinyurl.com/55m93znb or call 304-876-3704.

Shepherdstown Opera House

131 W. German St.

Shepherdstown, W.Va.

Play based on the memoir of the same name by Eddie Jaku (a survivor of Nazi Germany). Produced and presented by the Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University. 85 minutes. $70 ($60 seniors). Go to https://tinyurl.com/55m93znb or call 304-876-3704.

Naked Eye

Saturday, July 6 - 10 a.m. to noon

Brooke's House Coffee & Chocolate Shop

1083 Maryland Ave.

Hagerstown

Classic rock. Call 240-203-8183. Go to brookeshousecoffeeandchocolate.com/.

'War on Our Doorsteps'

Saturdays, July 6, through Oct. 26 - 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pry House Field Hospital Museum

18906 Shepherdstown Pike

Keedysville

Temporary installation re-staging the exhibition of Alexander Gardners photographs taken at Antietam in September 1862. 3-D theatre to view the photos. $3. Call 301-416-2395.

First West Virginia Moonshine Festival

Saturday, July 6 - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Barn of Harpers Ferry

1062 W. Washington St.

Harpers Ferry, W.Va.

Bourbons, whiskey, moonshines, cigars, beer truck, cocktails, tastings, live music, food trucks, bottle sales and more. Admission is $10. Call 855-935-2276.

Caribbean Carnival

Saturday, July 6 - noon to 8 p.m.

South Potomac Street

Hagerstown

Celebration of Caribbean culture. Live music and DJ, food, kids' area. Drink cup available for ages 21 and older. Presented by Vibez Lounge & Tribe Cold Press. Sponsored by the city of Hagerstown. Free admission.

Jerk N Vibes Fest

Saturday, July 6 - 1 to 6 p.m.

University Plaza

50 W. Washington St.

Hagerstown

Reggae music, jerk chicken. Sponsored by the city of Hagerstown.

The Waynesboro Childrens Theatre Troupe will perform show tunes Saturday, July 6, at 1 p.m. at Music Makers, 46 W. Main St., Waynesboro, Pa.

Waynesboro Childrens Theatre Troupe

Saturday, July 6 - 1 p.m.

Music Makers

46 W. Main St.

Waynesboro, Pa.

Show tunes. Admission is free. Donations appreciated. For more information, email music@artsalliancegw.org or call 717-655-2500.

Andy Angel Quartet

Sunday, July 7 - 2 to 5 p.m.

Pen Mar Park

14600 Pen Mar-High Rock Road

Cascade

Music and dancing. Part of Jim and Fay Powers Music Series at Pen Mar Park. Call 240-313-2700 or go to www.washco-md.net.

Franklin County Fair

Sunday, July 7, through Saturday, July 13 - 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Chambersburg Rod & Gun Club

3725 Warm Spring Road

Chambersburg, Pa.

Tractor pulling, Bullride Mania Rodeo, Kids' Pedal Pull, music (including David King, The Elvis Experience, The Reagan Years, BrushFire, Kickin' It Classy, line dancing, karaoke contest), food (Big Boy Hoagies, country ham sandwiches, fresh cut fries, homemade ice cream, fresh doughnuts, pork burgers, more), baby barnyard, vendors, inflatables, auction. Free admission. $5 parking per car Monday through Thursday, $20 parking per car Friday and Saturday. Go to www.franklincountyfair.org.

Healing Rooms of Hagerstown

Sunday, July 7 - 5 to 7 p.m.

Pathway Community Church

1028 Salem Ave.

Hagerstown

Prayer team members pray for attendees' healing of body/life. Go to tinyurl.com/yc4wjrk2, email htownhealingrooms@gmail.com or call 717-597-8077.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: NXT Best for Monday, July 1, through Sunday, July 7
2024 Fourth of July guide: Where to watch fireworks in the greater Portland area

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Happy Birthday, America.

The United States is celebrating 248 years of independence on July Fourth and there are plenty of places to watch the fireworks around the greater Portland area in 2024.

One of the regions largest Fourth of July firework shows is held during the Waterfront Blues Festival each year at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The show is visible from around Portlands city center and there are many paid and free events centered around the show.

Angels Rest Trail in Columbia River Gorge reopens after aggressive cougar sightings

Surrounding communities in Oregon and Washington are also hosting a variety of events for the holiday. KOIN 6 has compiled a list of a dozen firework, drone and laser light shows to check out this Fourth of July.

Fireworks in downtown Portland, July 4, 2019. (KOIN)

Where to watch Fourth of July Fireworks in and around Portland in 2024:

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.
Its not easy being green, as one of our greatest sages is fond of remarking. The latest example of this universal fact is the chytrid fungus, a pernicious pest fond of takingup residence on the delicate skin of frogs worldwide.

The fungus originated in Asia but has spread across the globe in the last few decades and is responsible for the ongoing decline of more than 500 amphibian species. At least 90 are now considered extinct as a result of chytrid.

But in research recently published in the journal Nature, a group of researchers led by biologist Anthony Waddle has proposed a low-cost, easily implemented rejoinder to the fungus. And if it isnt a solution, its at least a stop-gap measure that could give our froggy friends a webbed foothold in their ongoing battle against chytrid.

Saunas.

Well, the amphibious equivalent, in any case. And the best part is, you can pitch in and make one yourself.

Outbreaks of chytrid are more common in cold winter months  just like seasonal human flu, Waddle observed on The Conversation. We found a way to combat these winter outbreaks using heat. Our purpose-built frog saunas allow affected amphibians to warm up and bake off their infections. They are so simple you can build a frog sauna using supplies from the hardware store.

Testing the theory

After noting that at least some frogs select temperatures that reduce or eliminate chytrid infections, when given the opportunity, Waddle and his colleagues wondered if regular access to higher temperatures could assist the amphibians in surviving the fungus.

The study focused on green and golden bell frogs, a species native to Australia. However, the researchers believe frog saunas could help species worldwide. Photo: Shutterstock

To test the theory, the researchers conducted experiments on 66 chytrid-infected green and golden bell frogs. One group of frogs had access to various temperatures and could choose the environment they liked best. The scientists also provided a second group with a set, warm temperature and a control group with a lower temperature.

The results were promising. The infections of the first group cleared up nicely, those of the second group cleared up but more slowly, and those of the control group remained infected.

Even better, the heat-cured frogs were 22 times more likely to survive the second infection than the 23 frogs that were heat-treated but not previously infected. So frogs cured with heat acquire resistance to future infections, Waddle reported.

In the wild

Finally, Waddle and his team attempted to replicate the lab successes in a controlled outdoor setting with 239 frogs. The team constructed frog saunas in an outdoor enclosure using a selection of widely available, inexpensive materials  a drop-over greenhouse, ten-hole masonry bricks, black paint, and cable ties.

The area comprised sunny and shady areas, with and without saunas. Then, the team allowed the frogs, half of which were infected with the fungus, to hop around as they pleased.

The result? Major success.

Frog saunas in green and golden bell frog habitat. Photo: Anthony Waddle

Frogs flocked to the sunny saunas, heated up their little bodies, and quickly fought off infection, the scientists reported. Think of frog saunas as little factories that pump out healthy, chytrid-resistant frogs.

The team is already placing frog saunas out in the wild in green and golden bell frog habitat. And if you live in an area with both frogs and the chytrid fungus, they encourage you to do the same. Click here to find out how.

We believe they would be best suited to supporting populations of Australian green and golden bell frogs, but they could be useful for other species too, Waddle concluded.

The post Frog Saunas Could Help Combat Deadly Amphibian Fungus appeared first on Explorersweb.
I grew up without LGBTQ+ role models. These elders paved the way for us to be ourselves.

I didnt know any gay adults growing up. I didn't have anyone to show me what my future would look like. I wish I had.

I dont know whether having older LGBTQ+ people in my life would have changed when I came out. I do know it would have made me feel a little less alone.

Growing up in North Carolina, I had countless straight adults in my life to demonstrate what growing older would look like for my peers, but there werent LGBTQ+ adults in my community demonstrating how it would look for me.

Thankfully, I now live in New York City, a place that is synonymous with gay liberation. For Pride Month, I thought it would be interesting to meet some queer elders.

I ultimately got in touch with GRIOT Circle, a nonprofit organization that provides programming for LGBTQ+ seniors of color in Brooklyn. I visited the group twice: once for a group interview and then again to speak to individuals who agreed to go on the record.

Executive Director Aundaray Guess told me their unofficial motto: We dont do bingo. Their schedule made that clear  the groups June calendar included wood carving, a drag brunch and bowling. I showed up between a craft and a self-defense class.

The stories of coming out

People participate in the 2023 NYC Pride March in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., June 25, 2023.

I walked into a senior housing building in Fort Greene, unsure what to expect. There were 10 people sitting around a table, using yarn and dowels to make God's Eyes. One of the members was leading the activity.

"When I found out I was gay, I didn't tell my mother," said Shirley Fields, 85, a retired social worker living in Brooklyn. "But my uncle did not waste his mouth in telling her."

When her mother asked if she knew what gay was, Fields said gay was just another word for happy.

Coming out saved my life. LGBTQ+ ex-Christians like me deserve to be proud of ourselves.

Sande Hines, 76, another group member, said she realized who she was when she started going out in Greenwich Village with her brother, who was also gay.

He was having fun and I followed him, Hines said.

Like the people I spoke with, I came out in early adulthood. Unlike the people I spoke with, my environment was much more accepting because of society's progression. Gay marriage was legalized just after my senior year of high school. Still, it wasn't something I heard talked about out in the open very often.

The stories of finding safe places

The conversation quickly became about what bars used to be in the area.

One of my favorite parts of living in New York is how many queer bars there are  spaces that get harder to come by as the years go on. The women mentioned shuttered spots like Bonnie & Clyde and the Clit Club. Some were surprised that Henrietta Hudson, the longest-operating lesbian bar in the country, is still around. They all talked over each other, trying to remember the names of places they enjoyed years ago.

Stonewall Inn

The next time I visited, Hines mentioned that these spaces werent always safe. Some bars were hidden; others were in less safe parts of town. Some, like the original Stonewall Inn, had mafia ties.

The group also reminisced on house parties and trips to Riis Park Beach, a section in Queens that has been associated with the LGBTQ+ community since the 1940s.

'Don't give up your apartment'

I got one really good piece of dating advice from the group: "Don't give up your apartment."

Hines dated three women long term. Her last partner, whom she calls the love of her life, died recently. She's been trying to date online, and we talked about how difficult it is to date on apps. Hines has been messaging a woman on one app, but they can't find a time to meet up. She showed me a poster in the senior center that advertises speed dating and said she may try it.

My daughter is trans. There's nothing conservative about blocking her care.

Cilk Newsom, 68, met his partner of 3 1/2 years at GRIOT Circle. He had more broad advice for young LGBTQ+ people.

"Be yourself," Newsom said. "Be true to who you are."

When I asked the group what advice they had, they responded with a resounding "Respect your elders." They began talking about friends and family members who had experienced harassment simply for being old. A few minutes later, members of the New York Police Department walked in to teach a self-defense class.

Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.

All ages need LGBTQ+ spaces

"GRIOT is very down to earth, very closely connected," Newsom said. He feels more freedom there.

We sat beside each other in the conference room while he explained the rules of chess to someone from Life Story Club, a nonprofit partnering with GRIOT Circle this summer for a storytelling series. The folks around us ate chips and chatted with one another.

I was also reminded how much the world has progressed since they were my age.

They weren't able to be out at work like I am. They had to hide huge parts of their lives and find hidden places where they could be themselves. GRIOT Circle is a way for them to have some of that time back.

USA TODAY elections columnist Sara Pequeno

As I was leaving the second time, the opening of Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much" was playing in the lobby. The song made an appearance on "RuPaul's Drag Race" a few years back, and I realized that the group I spent my Tuesday with had been listening to it in the 1980s.

We have become a more progressive society since then. We also live in a time when members of the LGBTQ+ community are under attack.

I came away grateful that there are spaces for older LGBTQ+ people to enjoy one another's company after years of being forced to hide. It's important for us to have these spaces where we feel safe and free at every age.

It's a cliche that people come to New York City to live as their authentic selves; there's also a reason the city has been so central to LGBTQ+ history. No matter the decade, there has been room here for people like us. I heard it used to be fun; I'd argue it still is.

Follow USA TODAY elections columnist Sara Pequeno on X, formerly Twitter, @sara__pequeno and Facebook facebook.com/PequenoWrites

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: Pride Month hits different for them: Advice from New York LGBTQ elders
BROOKLYN (PIX11)  A celebration of Caribbean culture at the Brooklyn Childrens Museum on Saturday put a bow on Caribbean Heritage Month.

A partnership with the Brooklyn-based group I AM CARIBBEING gave kids a taste of Caribbean history, food, and art during the Little Caribbean Time Capsule event.

More Local News

It starts with the kids. Thats how you preserve the legacy, said Kenya Cummings, program manager for I AM CARIBBEING.

One of the days activities was a street naming craft, where kids made their own street sign with any name they wanted.

Letting kids explore what kind of name would they want, they already live on their own street  what would you want to rename that street?

The partnership is especially meaningful for Brooklyn Childrens Museum President & CEO Atiba Edwards, who is Caribbean himself.

When you think about New York City and Brooklyn especially, 25 percent of the city is made up of Caribbean diaspora, he said.

I was born in St. Vincent, I grew up in Brooklyn, but I came into the United States in 1984 in my moms arms, he said.

He hopes the children at the museum walk away with a better understanding of the richness of where his family came from.

Caribbean culture is every single day for me, and if I have a chance to really work with the thousands of visitors that step into the building today, it brings me a little bit more joy, 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 PIX11.
Chef Christina Nguyen kickstarted her restaurant career in 2011 when she and her husband Birk Grudem opened Hola Arepa, a food truck serving platters of Venezuelan street food. Three years later, the pair opened its brick-and-mortar location in South Minneapolis and, in 2018, added Southeast Asian restaurant Hai Hai to their resume.

Hai Hai marks Nguyens first foray into Asian cuisine. The daughter of immigrants who fled Saigon during the Vietnam War, Nguyen is a self-taught chef who grew up eating many of the dishes she now shares with local patrons. There are water fern cakes (Banh beo), steamed rice cakes topped with mung bean, shrimp floss and fried shallots that are served alongside nuoc cham, a dipping sauce made with fish sauce. Theres Mi Quang, a turmeric rice noodle soup embellished with chili jam, herbs, banana blossom, peanuts and sesame-shrimp crisps. And theres Vietnamese crepe (Banh xeo), a childhood favorite of Nguyens that features a crispy turmeric and coconut milk rice flour base stuffed with either pork belly & shrimp or Shiitake mushrooms & spring pea puree.

These are just a few of the many meals Nguyen ate at family celebrations, in Vietnamese Sunday school basements and during trips to the homeland. But at Hai Hai, Nguyen doesnt serve only Vietnamese fare. Diners can also enjoy Thai, Malaysian, Singaporean and Laotian flavors. Nguyen describes Hai Hai as her playground where she invites Minnesotans to savor the lesser-known regional dishes of Southeast Asia along with the traditional dishes Nguyen adores.

Six years after opening her business, Nguyen was named Best Chef: Midwest at the 2024 James Beard Awards in Chicago. In her acceptance speech, Nguyen thanked her parents, who she said taught me that anything is possible, to not be afraid. She also thanked the James Beard Foundation for recognizing the value of immigrant food.

When we started our restaurants, the most that a Southeast Asian restaurant could ever hope for was best cheap eats. And I feel like we've come a long way, Nguyen said. So this is an honor. Thank you.

Indeed, Asian cuisine has come a long way. The history of such foods in America varies from one fare to another, but they are all rooted in immigrant communities who came to the States in hopes of finding prosperity.

Compared to many Asian foods, Chinese has long been the most popular and well-known cuisine in America. Chinese food was first introduced to the States following the First Opium War, when many Chinese laborers left an economically depleted China in hopes of making a fortune amid the California gold rush. Rampant discrimination and limited labor opportunities prompted many immigrants to open Chinese-style restaurants, which became a newfound source of income and community. In 1882, a growing anti-Chinese sentiment plagued California, leading to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Although the law restricted immigration into the United States, it still allowed Chinese business owners to obtain merchant status, which enabled them to sponsor relatives who were immigrating from China. This ultimately led to more Chinese restaurants being established, particularly on the West Coast.

As explained by PA Food, a family-owned Asian food manufacturer, Chinese restaurants initially catered to the Chinese community. Thats because the prevalent culinary style of the time was derivative of French/European fine cooking  heavy in body and using dairy products, very much the opposite of the Canton style served at the time. Chinese cuisine grew in popularity during the 20th century and many traditional dishes were tweaked to cater to the American palette. For example, egg rolls, invented in 1930s New York, became an American rendition of the traditional spring roll. Same with General Tsos Chicken, a sweeter variation of a Hunanese chicken dish. By the late 1960s, changing attitudes toward Chinese food along with the abolition of the Chinese Exclusion Act ushered in a new wave of Chinese immigration to the U.S. Additionally, the number of Chinese chefs nationwide increased and new regional styles of cooking were introduced.

In the same vein as Chinese food, Japanese food surged in popularity due to certain dishes being Americanised. But that wasnt the case for Korean food, which was marketed solely to the Korean community. Korean food first made its way to the States in the 1970s following a wave of emigration from South Korea to the United States.

Food was used as a means of feeding the community with something that reminded them of home, per PA Food. From the 1970s to 2000s Korean food had fallen beneath the mainstream radar since it remained staunchly traditional and out of reach from what mainstream American food culture was comfortable with. That changed in the late 1990s when American-Korean fusion  embraced by chefs like Roi Choi  became a highly sought-after cuisine.

In more recent years, Thai food has established itself in American food culture thanks to Thai restaurateurs who introduced new spices and cooking techniques. Same with Malaysian food.

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Despite the proliferation of Asian food establishments within the States, the cuisine itself has been excluded from mainstream culinary awards for years. The first James Beard Awards were presented on May 6, 1991, and featured not a single Asian restaurant or chef on the winners list. Two years later, Japanese-American celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi took home the award for Best Chef: Pacific Northwest for his work at Roys. He was the only Asian chef to make it on the winners list that year.

The James Beard Foundation has received criticism for disproportionately honoring white male chefs in the past. Last fall, the foundation said it would make some big changes to its awards process in an effort to increase gender, race, and ethnic representation in the governance and outcomes of the Awards, according to a statement obtained by Food & Wine.

At this years awards ceremony, Nguyen was joined by several Asian chefs on the winners list, including chefs Masako Morishita of Perry's, Atsuko Fujimoto of Norimoto Bakery, Lord Maynard Llera of Kuya Lord and Hajime Sato of Sozai  just to name a few.

At Hai Hai, Nguyen said she wants diners to feel happy, to feel connected and to feel good.

We try to make it so that it just feels like you're somewhere else, like you're transported, she said. I want people to be excited to dig into more of the different foods and cultures that our menu represents.
Parades, fireworks & more: A historic look at Fourth of July celebrations in central Ohio

Red, White and Boom! fireworks on July 3, 1988, over the Scioto River in Columbus, with Bicentennial Park in the foreground.

On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later, delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. This marked the formal announcement of the colonies separation from Great Britain.

Interestingly, John Adams believed that July 2 was the correct date to celebrate the birth of American independence. He even turned down invitations to Fourth of July events in protest. Both Adams and Thomas Jefferson passed away on July 4, 1826  the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Dublin's famous Cornet Band was organized in 1879 and is shown here at the 1893 Fourth of July celebration. It was revived in 2010 and continues to play at community celebrations. Courtesy of the Dublin Historical Society.

Congress made Independence Day an official U.S. holiday in 1870, though it was an unpaid holiday until 1938. However, the tradition of Independence Day celebrations dates back to the 18th century. Parades, fireworks, family gatherings and barbeques have long been part of central Ohios celebration of the holiday.

Woody Hayes, former Ohio State University head football coach, is seen here serving as the grand marshal of an Upper Arlington Fourth of July parade, riding with Len Immke in a 193l Cadillac.

During the July 4, 1891, celebration, a statue of the famous German poet, Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was erected in Schiller Park in German Village.

A floating float from the 1991 Buckeye Lake Independence Day Watercraft Parade.

Bicentennial Park in Columbus was dedicated on July 4, 1976, in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The park cost $1.5 million to build, with nearly $600,000 coming from private donations. The highlight of the park was its multi-tiered foundation, which was rebuilt in 2024.

Helen Brown of Marion, Ohio, participated in the July 4, 1974, parade as part of the Marion Swingin' Seniors Band.

Red, White and Boom! began in Columbus in 1982 to bring people Downtown to celebrate Independence Day. The initial celebration featured an exhibit about the Space Shuttle and music at the Veterans Memorial and Riverfront Amphitheatre all day.

Fourth of July Celebration at the Riverfront Amphitheater on July 3, 1983.

At 8 p.m., the Gary Tirey Concert Band performed at the bandshell. The day culminated with the most spectacular fireworks display in the citys history at 10 p.m. Red, White and Boom! continues to be a central Ohio tradition to mark Independence Day, though it is regularly held on July 3.

Edward Babcock, 19, rides his custom bike at the Doo Dah parade on July 4, 1987. The Columbus Doo Dah Parade began in 1983 as a small, disorganized march down the sidewalks of High Street in the Short North district.

The Doo Dah Parade, named after a similar event in Pasadena, California, began in 1983 in Columbus' Short North and Victorian Village neighborhoods. It is known for its creative, humorous and sometimes political floats and costumes.

Angela ONeal is manager of Local History & Genealogy at the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: A look back at central Ohio Fourth of July celebrations
As a Parent, Elizabeth Smart Says She's 'on the Paranoid Side of Things' Because of Her Abduction (Exclusive)

In an interview with PEOPLE, Smart talks about how her terrifying ordeal has affected the way she parents and what her children know

Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Elizabeth Smart

Elizabeth Smart was 14 when she was abducted from her Salt Lake City bedroom on June 4, 2002. The Utah teen was held in captivity for nine months by homeless preacher and self-avowed prophet Brian David Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzee. She was repeatedly sexually assaulted before she was rescued.

More than two decades later, Smart is a married mother of three, a successful author and speaker, a child safety and domestic violence advocate and an executive producer.

In an interview with PEOPLE, Smart talks about how her terrifying ordeal has affected the way she parents, what her children know, and how she has found a sisterhood with other survivors.

Smart says her three children  Chloe, 9, James, 7, and Olivia, 5  know about her kidnapping and captivity but not in extreme detail."

"They could tell you the overarching story of what happened, but they couldn't tell you details," she says. Now it's to a point that I just say, If and when you want to talk about it more, we can. And they seem pretty content with where they're at right now. And I guess I'll just take it day by day as it comes.

Presley Ann/WireImage Elizabeth Smart and her husband Matthew Gilmour

Related: Elizabeth Smart Meets Fellow Kidnapping Survivor Amanda Berry for the First Time: 'You're Just My Hero'

She doesnt want her kids to grow up scared because of what she went through, but I also want them to be aware of the world and I want them to be aware of what can happen, she says. I don't want them to put other people's feelings or emotions over their own safety. I want them to know that their safety is more important to me than worrying about offending someone else.

Worrying about her kids is never ending," she says.

I felt like when they were born, my heart just decided to take up residence in my throat, she says. It probably definitely makes me a little bit more on the paranoid side of things. And those times that the paranoia comes out, I usually ask them, Do you know why I'm the way I am? And my little boy will be like, Yes, you don't want us to get hurt. You want to keep us safe?' I'm like, 'Okay, then don't do that.'"

Bennett Raglin/Getty; Rob Johnson/Warner Bros Discovery Elizabeth Smart and Tanya Kach

Related: Elizabeth Smart's Incredible Story: From Kidnapped Teen to Survivor and Married Mom

My husband is a great counterweight to me, she adds. He's always been a voice of reason. So that is a very good thing to have.

In Smarts years since her captors' trial and conviction, she has worked on an array of projects. Lifetime documented her kidnapping in I Am Elizabeth Smart (2017), which she produced. In 2011, she founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation to combat sexual violence. Smart has also published two best sellers: My Story (2013) and Where There's Hope (2018). She worked again with Lifetime on The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story, which chronicles the shocking story of how Kach was groomed in 1995 by a school security guard who lured her to his home and held her captive for 10 years.

You don't want to believe that these kinds of things happen, says Smart. Sharing stories is such a powerful tool for creating education and hopefully for fostering compassion. My hope is that survivors feel empowered by sharing their stories and they don't feel like it's a part of their life that they have to hide. I want that for them.

Salt Lake County Sheriff's Department/Getty Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee

Related: Elizabeth Smart Opens Up About Her Time as a Crime Reporter: My Daughter Will Be Proud

Talking to fellow survivors has helped Smart not feel so alone.

It's almost like an instant bond, she says. Whenever I meet another survivor, I just feel like there's a moment where we kind of look at each other and we both know like, yeah, you know what it's like, or we've been there. I felt that with Tanya. It's almost like being part of a club that you never willingly want to be a part of.

I was a kid, but I didn't hear anybody else openly talk about what they went through, even for years after I was rescued, Smart adds. For a long time, I did feel alone, and I don't feel alone anymore.

About her abductors, Smart says she doesnt spend much time thinking about them.

Theyre not people that I think of regularly, she says. I guess every now and then, part of me wonders how you could get to a point where you would think it's okay to kidnap a young girl.

About Barzees release from prison in 2018, Smart says, As long as she isn't hurting anybody else and is staying far away from my family theres really nothing I can do.

Elizabeth Smart Instagram Elizabeth Smart and Matthew Gilmour with their kids Chloe, James, and Olivia.

Mitchell, she says, should never get out.

I just think no matter what, if he got out, he would be a danger if not to me than to another young girl. I think he will always pose a threat.

Hes serving a life sentence for his crimes.

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.

Smart considers March 12  the anniversary of the day she was rescued  a happy day.

March 12th is to me a reminder that miracles happen and that there are many good things to be grateful for. And it's a bright moment in the dull month of March," she says.

Her life, she adds, is a work in progress.

I have great days. I have not good days. I've got three kids that I love and drive me crazy, she says with a laugh. No, they're the best part of life.



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Read the original article on People.
Making your own stock is a culinary skill that can elevate your cooking to new heights. Whether you're an experienced chef or a home cook looking to enhance your meals, mastering the art of stock-making opens up a world of flavor and possibilities. It also provides a depth and richness that store-bought versions simply can't match.

Anthony Bourdain wrote in his "Kitchen Confidential" book, "Stock is the backbone of good cooking." Indeed, in the professional kitchen, stock is the foundation of many dishes, from soups and stews to sauces, risottos, braises, gravies, and probably whatever else you're eating that tastes deeply flavorful and complex. As a professional cook, I make stock almost weekly at home for my own cooking. Back on the job, most kitchens I've worked in made fresh stock almost every day to keep up with production.

This guide will walk you through the essential steps and tips for creating a perfect stock every time. We'll cover everything from the basics of what stock is to the tools you'll need and the best practices for extracting maximum flavor from your ingredients. You'll learn how to prep and handle your bones and vegetables, the importance of simmering low and slow, and how to incorporate herbs and spices to build layers of complexity in your stock. We'll also share practical tips for saving money and reducing waste, and provide guidance on storing and preserving your stock for future use.

Read more: Tips You Need When Cooking With Ground Beef

Know The Basics Of Stock

Chicken, carrots, herbs in pot - Marianvejcik/Getty Images

Stock is a flavorful liquid made by simmering bones, vegetables, and aromatics in water. As mentioned, it serves as a versatile foundational ingredient by adding depth and richness to many recipes, and it can be tailored to different cuisines. As an essential skill for any home cook or professional chef, mastering the art of stock-making ensures you make the most out of ingredients that might otherwise go to waste. So understanding the science behind stock is important: as bones simmer, they release collagen, which breaks down into gelatin, giving the stock body and a silky texture. Vegetables (like mirepoix), herbs, and spices contribute additional flavors and nutrients. The slow simmering process allows for the gradual extraction of flavors, resulting in a complex and balanced end product. That's your stock!

Confused about the difference between stock and broth? It's simple. Basically, stock is made from bones and scraps and simmered for hours, whereas broth is made from meat and/or vegetables and simmered for a shorter time. That said, both have collagen and protein, and the two are often used interchangeably, so context is key.

Have The Right Tools For Making Stock

Ladle pouring broth into pot - Masa44/Getty Images

To make stock the right way, having the right tools is super important. A large stock pot is crucial to accommodate the bones, vegetables, and water without overcrowding. A good ladle, or at least a big metal spoon, is necessary for skimming impurities off the surface and for portioning the finished stock. A fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth is indispensable for straining the stock to achieve a clear, clean liquid, free from any solid bits. If you need, you could even go rogue and use a French press to strain your stock.

Moreover, you can't forget about storage capacity, especially in the home kitchen. Appropriate containers are needed for storing the stock once it's done. Opt for containers that are freezer-safe if you plan to store the stock for long-term use. Deli-style quart and pint containers are a good and cheap option, or vacuum and hefty zipper bags can help you fit the liquid into flatter spaces. Investing in the right gear will streamline the stock-making process and help you produce a high-quality product that brings your cooking to the next level.

Start Out With Cold Water

Woman filling pot, cold water - Wavebreak/Getty Images

Starting with cold water is a key principle in stock-making. When you add your bones and aromatics to the pot, use cold water from the tap and gradually bring it to a boil. This slow heating process allows the bones and other ingredients to open slowly and helps to draw out maximum flavor and collagen from the bones, making sure you're off on the right foot to make a rich and full-bodied stock.

If you start your stock by covering the bones with hot water, the proteins in the bones may coagulate too quickly, trapping impurities and resulting in a cloudy stock. By starting cold and heating gradually, you also allow the flavors to meld together slowly over time, creating a more balanced and nuanced stock. Using cold water also helps fat emulsify into the liquid and makes impurities and scum rise to the top. This will then make skimming the surface of the stock easier as it simmers away.

Cooking Stock Is All About Low And Slow Heat

Blue flame, range burner, pot - Tim Graham/Getty Images

The secret to a great stock is a long, slow simmer. Once your pot reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and maintain it for several hours. The longer you simmer your mess of bones and veggies, the more time the ingredients have to break down and release their flavors into the liquid.

This slow process helps to result in a gelatinous stock that adds a more full-bodied, rich mouthfeel to your food. Simmering too rapidly can cause the stock to become cloudy, taste muddy or impure, and can lead to loss of flavor due to evaporation. Patience is key; a low and slow simmer means an easy, gentle bubbling at the surface. Turn your heat as low as you possibly can to achieve this gentle simmer. Doing so will ensure you get a deeply flavored, clear, and concentrated stock that adds backbone to any recipe it's used in.

Prep Your Stock Ingredients

Two people prepping carrots - Max Mumby/indigo/Getty Images

Proper preparation of ingredients is crucial for making quality stock. Even if you're using cut-up scraps from your vegetable pile, it's not always the best idea to simply toss everything in your pot without looking it over first.

Some items, like chicken feet, need to be trimmed and quickly blanched to remove any impurities and ensure a clean flavor. Blanching involves boiling the item briefly and then plunging it into ice water. Other ingredients, such as beef bones, benefit from roasting before being added to the pot. Roasting caramelizes the bones and vegetables, adding a depth of flavor and a richer color to the stock. This step is especially important for brown stocks used in hearty soups and sauces.

Vegetables with seeds or outer membranes should have these trimmed or removed before adding them to the stock, and all vegetables should be cleaned and free of dirt or sand, so as not to impart any unpleasant bitter notes to the liquid. Preparing your ingredients correctly ensures that your stock will have a clean, hearty, and almost sweet flavor and a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing color.

Bulk Up On Bones For Your Stock

Pile of chicken bones - Ivaschenko Roman/Shutterstock

Bones are the backbone of any good stock, providing the essential collagen that breaks down into gelatin, giving the stock its body and texture, as mentioned. The more bones you use, the richer and more flavorful your stock will be. Different types of bones contribute different qualities: chicken bones add a lighter, more delicate flavor, while beef or veal bones create a darker, heavier, more intense stock. Fish bones or shellfish shells can be used for a quick-cooking, flavorful, light stock  called a fumet  which is perfect for making seafood dishes. Including a variety of bones can enhance the complexity of your stock  you needn't always just use one type. Sometimes, some leftover duck bones can help add some body to a plain old chicken stock. Remember, if you can find marrow bones and joints, these are particularly high in collagen, so don't skimp on valuable additions like these.

To make sure your bones keep fresh while you collect them, keep them in the freezer in a big container, like a gallon-sized zipper bag, until you fill it up. Once it's full, you'll know it's time to make another batch of stock.

Save Your Scraps And Save Some Cash

Hands holding vegetable peels - Yuliia Kokosha/Getty Images

One of the best ways to make stock economically is by saving kitchen scraps. Keep a designated container in your freezer for vegetable trimmings, such as carrot peels, celery tops, and onion skins. You can also save bones and trim from cooked meats, like a roasted chicken carcass (Costco rotisserie chicken soup, anyone?) or leftover pork ribs. These scraps can be accumulated over time, as mentioned, and used to make a hearty and flavorful stock at little to no extra cost. You can even ask your favorite restaurants if they have any extra bones they would otherwise throw away; plenty of times, restaurant kitchens will be happy to bag you up excess bones to go.

Not only does this practice reduce food waste, but it also allows you to make sure that you have a constant supply of ingredients for stock-making  and therefore, a constant supply of stock. Utilizing kitchen scraps is a sustainable and cost-effective practice to enrich your cooking and keep you thoughtful about food waste.

Skip Citrus Peels And Overusing Veggie Skins

Grated lemon rind, white background - milart/Shutterstock

When making stock, be cautious about adding citrus and too many skins  especially from veggies like potatoes, cauliflower, fennel, or cabbage  as they can impart unwanted flavors. While some veggie skins can add a rich color to the stock, as discussed, too many could overwhelm the other flavors. Similarly, citrus peels can add a sharp, astringent bitterness if overused. Boiling citrus in water for too long also tends to leech out bitter flavors from most forms of citrus.

Instead, focus on using the flesh of vegetables and herbs to build your stock's flavor profile. Trim onions down by peeling back the first layer or two and by cutting off the very outer root tips. If you're fiending for a hint of citrus in your stock, add a squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange juice sparingly towards the end of the cooking process to control its impact. Avoiding these bitter elements helps your stock remain balanced and flavorful without getting taken over by something small.

Don't Sleep On The Herbs And Spices

Spices, whole and ground - Ivan Bajic/Getty Images

Aromatic herbs and spices are crucial for adding depth and complexity to your stock. Specifically, these additions help brighten up the deep low notes of umami and richness in the stock. Basic aromatics like parsley, thyme, and bay leaves are staples, but don't be afraid to experiment with other herbs and spices. Herb stems  yes, even basil, parsley, and cilantro  which are often discarded, can add significant flavor. Whole spices such as peppercorns, cloves, and coriander seeds can add subtle, nuanced flavors. Additionally, consider adding ingredients like shallots, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, black cardamom, or star anise for a unique twist that complements specific cuisines, like Thai and Vietnamese food.

Building layers of flavor with these aromatics elevates your stock, making it a versatile base for a wide range of dishes  so get creative with what you have. Generally speaking, more things are good in stock than you think.

Skim The Surface Of Your Stock

Sieve skimming stock surface - Rosamar/Shutterstock

Skimming the surface of your stock is a crucial step to ensure clarity and purity. As your stock simmers, impurities, proteins, and fats rise to the surface, forming a foam or scum. Use a ladle or skimming spoon to remove this regularly.

Skimming helps to remove unwanted particles that can cloud your stock and affect its taste. This process is particularly important during the first hour of simmering, as most impurities are released early on. You'll see them float to the surface in little particles and globules. Use your instincts  anything that looks unappetizing probably is, so when in doubt, just skim it. Do your best to avoid skimming out uncooked vegetables, herbs, or spices, but don't worry if you do: you can just add them back. Regular skimming on a rolling stock results in a cleaner, clearer stock with a more refined flavor. This helps make it suitable for a variety of recipes and cooking uses.

Fat Means Flavor When Making Stock

Stock with fat on surface - Olga Mazyarkina/Getty Images

While skimming impurities, be mindful not to remove all the fat from your stock. Fat plays an important role in carrying flavors and adding richness. Some fat on the surface of your stock is beneficial, as it can enhance the mouthfeel and flavor of the final product. In Vietnamese cuisine, for example, making pho requires a key element that contributes significantly to the depth and authenticity of the soup. That would be the fat content in the broth. It's said that the fat in the broth helps carry the savory umami notes from the bones and meat, as well as the high notes from herbs and spices.

So keep some of that liquid fat around if you can. That said, if there is an excessive amount, you can remove some of it, but leave a thin layer to contribute to the overall flavor. Remember, animal fats like chicken fat or beef tallow can add a unique and delicious character to your stock, making it more versatile and flavorful.

Know When Your Stock Is Done

Pot boiling on electric stove - Vicuschka/Getty Images

Determining when your stock is finished is key to achieving the best flavor and consistency. A stock is generally considered done when the bones have broken down and become soft, and the liquid is rich and flavorful. You can test this yourself by actually pulling some of the bones and veggies from the pot in a ladle and carefully touching them. Vegetables should turn to mush under the slightest pressure, and bones should break apart easily, without much force. Don't forget to use your tastebuds, too: the meat should be falling off the bone and flavorless.

Getting your stock to this point can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours or even more, depending on the type of stock and the size of the bones. A good rule of thumb is to taste the stock periodically; when it has a deep flavor and the bones are yielding, it's ready. Overcooking can lead to bitterness, so it's important to monitor the cooking process and adjust as needed to achieve the perfect balance.

Strain Your Stock Up For Success

Straining broth, sieve, wooden table - New Africa/Shutterstock

Straining your stock is a crucial step to achieve a smooth, clear liquid. Once your stock has finished simmering, carefully remove it from the heat source. When doing so, try not to disturb the liquid much (and definitely don't stir it, good lord). Doing so could make your stock cloudy and unpleasant. Once off the heat, use a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to strain out the solids. This removes any remaining bones, vegetables, and impurities, leaving you with a pure, clean stock.

For an extra clear stock, you can strain it multiple times or through a double layer of cheesecloth. If your stock is still cloudy, consider reboiling it with a beaten egg white  sometimes called a raft when making a traditional French consomme  which can help to clarify it further after another strain. Proper straining ensures your stock has a professional-quality appearance and texture, ready for any culinary application.

Freeze Your Stock For Future Use

Hands searching in freezer drawer - Catlane/Getty Images

Freezing stock is an excellent way to preserve it for future use, and keeping some frozen stock on deck is a power move  a secret weapon for rich and flavorful recipes, from rice to soup. Once your stock has cooled, transfer it into freezer-safe containers, leaving some space at the top for expansion. Label the containers with the date and type of stock for easy identification. Stock can be frozen for several months to a year (and sometimes even longer), while still maintaining its flavor and nutritional value.

When you need stock, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, quick-thaw it in the microwave or under the running tap in the sink, or use your stock directly from frozen in your cooking (just not in your risotto). Having a stealthy stash of homemade stock in the freezer is a game changer when it comes to leveling up your game and finesse as a home cook.

Make Bouillon From Stock To Save Space

Boullion cubes, white background - abimages/Shutterstock

Reducing stock to make bouillon is a space-saving technique that concentrates the flavors. To make bouillon, simmer your finished stock until it has reduced significantly, often by three-quarters or more. You'll notice, as your stock reduces, the bubbles at the surface will get bigger and the liquid will become much darker  around the color of dark caramel.

When your stock finally reduces to bouillon, the result is a thick, intensely flavored liquid that can be portioned into small containers or ice cube trays and refrigerated or frozen. When you need stock, for any recipe that calls for it, simply dilute the bouillon with water to your desired strength. You can also add small amounts of bouillon to reduced wine and butter for quick pan sauce, or in other recipes as a way to add flavor and body. This method not only saves freezer space but also provides a quick and convenient way to add depth to your dishes without the need for large quantities of stock on hand.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Whitefish, a pale, silvery and green-brown freshwater fish is Native to the Great Lakes Basin and a staple in the community, food, and culture of Native tribes surrounding the Great Lakes. The Anishinaabe people have held the whitefish in high regard since creation.

Whitefish is one of the species that is a part of our creation story, explained Doug Craven, Natural Resources Director for Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa. The animals were feeling pity for the Anishinaabe people who were having a hard time finding food to eat, so there was a gathering of the animals and fish. There was a circle. Each one went around and was asked who would help the Anishinaabe, what they could do to help the Anishinaabe through this time of need. Whitefish was one of the species that raised its hand and said that it would have pity on Anishinaabe and provide itself as a food source.

[Editor's Note: This article is co-publihsed with Great Lakes Now - Powered by Detroit PBS.]

In the upper peninsula, the U.P. of Michigan, stands a Native owned and run restaurant that views the Soo Locks, and whose specialty is Whitefish.

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Goetzs Lockview Restaurant in Sault Ste. Marie has sold whitefish as the primary menu item since it opened in 1945. On the restaurants website, they recount the story of how the whitefish was sourced when they first opened:The former owner and his dishwasher would walk over to the Locks after breakfast to catch the fish to serve for lunch that day.

Now, Lockview doesnt source their fish from the Locks, but instead rely on local commercial fishermen from the community for their whitefish. The restaurants main whitefish sourcer is a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the same tribe as the restaurants owners, the Goetz family.

Being able to serve whitefish is truly a community effort, one thats tragically being threatened by the declining whitefish populations in the Great Lakes. Some experts fear the total collapse of the species in just a few years.

The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa (LTBB) Natural Resources Department is taking steps to ensure the future of whitefish in the Great Lakes Basin is a bright one.

One of the issues facing whitefish is this thing called Mismatch Theory, food availability versus when they hatch. When the climate was more stable it was pretty predictable when the hatch was going to happen and when the plankton blooms were going to happen. The fish eat plankton, explained LTBBs Great Lakes Fisheries Program Manager Gary Michaud.

In order to study whitefish and fish in general, there are multiple steps that need to be done in order to fully understand the problem. In the spring while the fish are starting to hatch, the tribe will go out to four current indexing locations across Northern Michigan to catch, study, and release. This continues through the spring and into the fall.

As fall comes around, well use hydroacoustic work, basically sonar, and look for the fish and the bass, Michaud said. So instead of setting nets all over the Little Traverse Bay, we just run passes through the bay at night to see sizes of fish in the area and we approximate how many there are out there.

Whitefish. (Photo?GLN)

On top of collecting population data, the tribe also collects whitefish eggs from the bay where they will eventually live at the hatchery. The whitefish are raised at the hatchery until they get to about 60 millimeters in size which will give them the best shot at survival after being released into the Bay. These efforts are all to ensure that Whitefish populations become stable and plentiful in order to continue to support fishermen, community, and culture.

Commercial fishermen, subsistence fishermen are a part of the Odawa identity. Its important that we have a fishable species out there. Whitefish, lake trout, have been predominantly the species that weve harvested the most in, said Doug Craven, LTBB Natural Resource Department Director, in an interview. If whitefish is to become extirpated from the Great Lakes, it would jeopardize our commercial fishermen, and our community

William Ortiz, LTBB citizen and tribal council member, started small boat commercial fishing in 2015. Before he was a tribal council member, his primary source of income for his family was fishing. Ortiz was the first gillnet fisherman on Big Bay De Noc since 1985 after receiving a special permit in 2017.

After I got that special permit, I was allowed 3000 feet of large mesh gill net. I still had a small boat at the time, so my wife and I set the nets, and the next morning, I came back to the nets at six oclock in the morning. I started lifting the nets and it was just whitefish after whitefish. It was packed, explained Ortiz. Im lifting nets, and Im running out of places to put them. One of the other fishermen was coming by, so I called him up, and he dropped some boxes off to me. I filled those all up, and I still had 1000 feet of net to lift back in, so I ended up calling the fish company to meet me at the dock, which theyve never done before because I still had more nets to empty. That day, I caught over 3000 pounds of fish.

In the years following that amazing whitefish catch, Ortiz explains that each year, the amount of fish available in the bay continued to drop. In 2020, Ortiz used what fish he caught to give to his tribal community during the pandemic. Fishing gave Ortiz the opportunity to connect more with his community and has used it as a way to give back.

Ive had the opportunity to go out to the community and teach people how to build nets,said Ortiz. Weve started workshops on how to go out and subsistence fish, and how to care for your fish and things like that. Learning how to do it myself has given me an opportunity to teach other people, people in my tribe.

Ortiz emphasized that fishing is often an intergenerational thing, with one boat having multiple generations of a family inside. It is fishermen like Ortiz that keep whitefish on the menu for restaurants like Lockview.

Mitch Goetz, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe citizen, explains that whitefish is by far their most popular item, far outselling anything else on the menu. Goetz is the son of the owners and the current manager at the restaurant.

Our town is small, but we do have regulars, especially during the beginning, when we open, theres nothing going on, said Goetz. We rely on these people. Theres people that cant wait, all winter theyre asking when were going to open up. Theres people that come in every Friday or whatever day, and they expect whitefish.

Catch more news at Great Lakes Now:

Great Lakes Moment: Detroit Rivers important role in lake whitefish

Whitefish are on brink in Michigan. Can they learn to love rivers to survive?

<iframe width="500" height="282" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gBvW3T2geWM" title="Whitefish are in trouble. Can rivers save them? | Great Lakes Now" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

About the Author: "Neely Bardwell (descendant of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indian) is a staff reporter for Native News Online. Bardwell is also a student at Michigan State University where she is majoring in policy and minoring in Native American studies. "

Contact: neely@nativenewsonline.net
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Potash Stocks to Buy. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) stands against the other potash stocks.

Global Potash Market: Rising Demand, Key Players, and Future Growth Projections

Potash encompasses various minerals rich in potassium, primarily potassium chloride (muriate of potash), which dominates the global market. Other compounds like sulfate of potash make up the remainder of the market. As the world's population is expected to reach over 9.7 billion by 2050, the need for potash-based fertilizers will only continue to rise.

The agricultural sector uses more than 95% of the world's potash production, with the remainder going toward commercial and industrial goods like detergents. The US Geological Survey states that historically, a third of the world's potash supply has come from Russia and Belarus combined.

In addition to phosphate and nitrogen, potash is necessary for crop health and is vital for plant growth. However, intensive farming depletes potash reserves, making synthetic fertilizers necessary. Potash prices skyrocketed as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, reaching a high of over $1200 per metric ton in April 2022 before falling to $328 per metric ton, which is still more than pre-Covid levels. As a result, nations like the US, Brazil, and Morocco have looked for substitute suppliers to lessen their dependency on Belarus and Russia. Grants have also been issued by the US to increase regional fertilizer production. You can also see our post on the top fertilizer stocks to purchase based on hedge funds' 10 Best Fertilizer Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds for further information.

The global potash market was valued at USD 57.74 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2023 to 2032, reaching USD 93.50 billion by 2032. The potassium chloride product segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 52.7% in 2022, driven by the surge in agricultural activities. The top 15 national fertilizer markets consume 78% of global potash, while 133 countries consume only 5%. Major players in the potash market include JSC Belaruskali, Compass Minerals, Mosaic Company, Uralkali, and Rio Tinto.

Our Methodology

To rank the 10 best potash stocks, we first conducted sampling, and gathered potash stocks from relevant ETFs. We the narrowed down further based on high upside potential, strong buy analyst recommendations, and large market capitalizations. From this list, we then ranked the top 10 potash stocks according to the number of hedge fund holders in Q1 2024.

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 newsletter's 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 essential mineral being extracted from a large rock wall.

Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 25

Global provider of vital minerals, Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) was founded in 1844 and has its headquarters located in Overland Park, Kansas. Its two primary business sectors are Plant Nutrition, which sells sulfate of potassium (SOP) products for use as agricultural inputs, and Salt, which makes deicing salt for highways.

Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) holds a portfolio of cost-advantaged assets, including the Ontario rock salt mine and brine operations at the Great Salt Lake in Utah, which can provide a competitive edge. Compass Minerals International has received a Moderate Buy rating from 4 Wall Street analysts based on recent forecasts. The average price target is $17.00, with a range from $13.00 to $23.00. This average implies a potential 60.53% increase from the current price of $10.59. In Q1 2024, there were 25 hedge fund holders in the company, up from 14 in the previous quarter. Select Equity Group held the largest position in the company with 2,944,721 shares worth $46,349,909, comprising 0.16% of the funds total portfolio.

Overall CMP ranks 6th on our list of the best potash stocks to buy. You can visit 10 Best Potash Stocks to Buy to see the other potash stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of CMP as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CMP 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 at Insider Monkey.
This was written on December 4, 2009, as one of a series of thoughts regarding the intersection of faith and reason in university life. I was reminded of the durability of this thought as we recently celebrated the beautifully renovated Hill Chapel on the Campus of West Texas A&M University.

I am a Christian. I hold faith as founded on principles lai out in the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible, which I believe to be the inspired Word of God without equivocation, qualification or apology. I share this with you so any peculiarities of my Christianity, any predisposition my beliefs might create, any conception or world-view associated with this caste, are confessed.

One of the failings of contemporary universities is that they nearly insist on separating spiritual and intellectual life, faith and reason. No university leader with any sense of self-preservation would ever say such a thing, but if you watch carefully you can see it.

Dr. Walter Wendler, President of West Texas A&M University

This allows and encourages the address of important issues of the day from a perspective limited by the fact that an individuals faith life is not cogent to the presentation of ideas, evidence, thought or knowledge. As if reason and faith are not cousins. Mindlessness incarnate.

One troubling day twenty years ago, a person came to see me in my office and suggested that I would find a better fit at a Christian college or university. I had recently expressed a personal perspective driven by my faith that he, and many others, saw as inappropriate. This man was an acquaintance, a friend in fact and the tragedy of the day was that he believed secularization of thought possible. Uninformed and irrational.

In mock sincerity, I said I thought it was a good idea. I should go to a Christian university, he should go to a Jewish university  my friend is Jewish and a Rabbi  our Muslim colleagues should go to a Muslim university, our Atheist friends should go to an Atheist university, and so on, until a serious discussion of how faith affects thinking is excised through a stagnating homogeneity of thought. Secular bliss of a fashion, but he was offended. He felt faith was acceptable, as long as it was acceptable. I guess.

The separation of faith and reason is political correctness profound in its narrowness, anti-intellectual by definition, and fundamentally opposed to the true nature of a university as a place of maturation and intellectual growth. Sharing ideas, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable, is the work of a university.

Faith is an idea.

Sharing an idea does not require acceptance, except in the limited view of some who believe that those who do not hold a similar faith perspective are wrong, limited, narrow or ignorant.

We work to relegate faith to an idiosyncrasy or bias to be checked at the university gate upon arrival in the morning, and retrieved in the afternoon when we depart. Like sixshooters in a saloon.

May God save us from ourselves.

The limitations and lost opportunities of such thinking are numbing and counterproductive to the true purpose of the university. Consider this observation by Isaac

Newton, who lived three centuries ago, but surpasses even Albert Einstein among the most important scientists, according to a survey by Britains Royal Society: There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.

In the mid-nineteenth century, an iconic American newspaper editor, Horace Greeley, said, It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people. The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom.

Newton and Greeley seem reasonably intelligent by rigorously demanding historical standards.

The value and impact of a particular faith view are not an issue herethat question should be left to seminar rooms seasoned with the power of reason, observation, empiricism, the goodwill of intelligent people and civil discourse. We cannot be educated without an appreciation for the tense symmetry that exists between faith and reason. This couplet drives a fundamentally more important component of free people in a free society according to Henry Emerson Fosdick, a complex man to be sure, but worth attention in this observation: Man cannot live without faith because the prime requisite in lifes adventure is courage, and the sustenance of courage is faith. And, I would add, courage fuels the exercise of personal responsibility like nothing else.

How faith and reason together shape our world is the question that universities should openly encourage and entertain in every aspect of the educational equation in service to students.

Walter V. Wendler is President of West Texas A&M University. His weekly columns are available at https://walterwendler.com/.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Wendler commentary: Faith and reason in the life of the mind
This West Olympia woman bakes and sells community-supported bread out of her home

In her words, Meg Chernoffs Folk Bread is a smaller-than-small microbusiness.

A baker since childhood, Chernoff has worked for several restaurants, coffee shops and small businesses in the Pacific Northwest, where she fell in love with serving local communities. When she heard about a community of people in the region growing local grains and milling and using local wheat, Chernoff knew she wanted to be a part of it.

For almost four years now, she has been the owner, baker and sole employee of her own small business: Folk Bread, a cottage food bakery she runs out of her west Olympia home. Her bread, naturally leavened and made of locally produced ingredients, is bought by people from all over the Olympia area.

In addition to naturally leavened bread, also known as sourdough, Chernoff makes pastries and other baked goods.

Working out of her west Olympia kitchen Meg Chernoff prepares a run of naturally leavened bread featuring regionally sourced ingredients for her customers and for sale at local outlets.

Its a staple food for all of humanity, some kind of bread, and I think it gives us a connection as human beings, Chernoff told The Olympian. And if that connection ends with the baker, and the flour itself is still this anonymous white powder that came from somewhere you dont know about, I feel like that is missing another connection.

Folk Bread was one of eight South Puget Sound businesses to receive a Snail of Approval Award from the Slow Food Greater Olympia chapter earlier this year.

Slow Food awards a Snail of Approval to businesses that hold the Slow Food movements values: good, clean and fair food. In other words, businesses whose food not only tastes good, but is sustainably and equitably made for as many as possible.

The award is given to food-related businesses that are striving toward those goals, Jennifer Crain, Slow Food Greater Olympia chair, told The Olympian. So a lot of these businesses ideally hold the same values, and they are acting on those values.

From the fields to Folk Bread

Most of Chernoffs ingredients come from two mills: Camas Country Mill in Oregons Willamette Valley and Cairnspring Mills in the Skagit Valley of northwest Washington.

Both work with local farms that use regenerative agricultural practices to grow wheat. When Chernoff does not get ingredients from them, she gets them from other, smaller local farms. Ingredients that are not local, such as the chocolate Chernoff sources from Peru, are fair-trade certified. Some of Chernoffs ingredients are also organic.

Washington grows amazing produce throughout more than half of the year, Chernoff said. And the rest of it comes from not that far away.

Camas Country Mill and Cairnspring Mills both stone mill, one of humanitys oldest means of grinding grains. In stone milling, grain feeds into two stones  one stationary and one turning  and comes out with most of its vitamin- and fiber-rich natural oils and bran still intact.

Since the Industrial Revolution introduced roller milling, most American white flour has exchanged its vitamins and fibers for a longer shelf life.

The flour Chernoff uses has not. Sometimes, she even grinds grains herself with her own at-home stone mill.

Working out of her west Olympia kitchen Meg Chernoff prepares a run of naturally leavened bread featuring regionally sourced ingredients for her customers and for sale at local outlets.

These farmers are going to an incredible length to grow this beautiful, regeneratively grown wheat, Chernoff said. To then take away two-thirds of the benefits of it seems like such a waste and terrible for our bodies.

Her process

Chernoffs week starts on Tuesday mornings, when she feeds her sourdough starter and grows it so she has more to leaven her bread with the next day. By evening, Chernoff also has some ingredients prepped.

After she drops her daughter off at child care on Wednesday mornings, Chernoff puts the first set of ingredients in her mixer and, from 9 a.m. on, is prepping and mixing ingredients until 2 p.m. At any given moment, Chernoff said she may be toasting walnuts, mixing dough, washing dishes or otherwise doing 10 things at once until she shapes the doughs from 2 to 4 p.m.

Its different every week, Chernoff said.

Working out of her west Olympia kitchen Meg Chernoff prepares a run of naturally leavened bread featuring regionally sourced ingredients for her customers and for sale at local outlets.

Then, Chernoff proofs the doughs, sitting them at ambient temperature for a few hours before putting all but the rye dough in her fridge overnight.

That gives a really nice sourdough flavor and it also gives it a really nice leavening, Chernoff said. And its nice and springy in the morning.

She starts baking as early as 5:30 a.m. on Thursdays and, after finishing at 7:30 or 8 a.m., lets her breads cool for a couple of hours. At about 10 or 10:30 a.m., she packages and drops it off at Folk Breads five pick-up locations in west Olympia, East Olympia, the Carlyon neighborhood, Ken Lake and Tumwater.

By 2 p.m., as many as 40 loaves of bread are ready for Chernoffs customers to pick up by 7 p.m. Among their orders are pain au levain, city rye bread with caraway, cinnamon raisin bread and honey and olive oil bread, in addition to pastries and other baked goods such as cardamom buns and barley chocolate chunk cookies.

One of Chernoffs customers, Kendall Farley, has been ordering from her almost as long as she has run Folk Bread.

I can just taste the difference between really quality, local, good ingredients, Farley told The Olympian. Its easy to get pretty quality bread out there, if you know what youre looking for. Hers is definitely top notch.

Community-supported bread

Chernoff calls the bread she makes CSB: community-supported bread, a model based on CSA, or community-supported agriculture.

Her customers order their food ahead of pick-up via subscriptions, giving Chernoff a stable income and them weekly loaves without weekly re-orders. And by knowing what and how much Chernoff is baking, none of her food is wasted.

In a typical bakery model, you bake the most you could possibly sell, and then either try and sell day-old food at a discount the next day, or throw it away, or donate, whatever, Chernoff said. And so Im able to not have that waste.

For customers who cannot afford a subscription, there is the Community Funded Membership: a free subscription for bread paid for by other customers with the Pay It Forward Membership. Folk Bread may be a small business with high standards, but Chernoff said she tries to keep her food accessible.

Balancing high-quality product and ingredients with accessibility is an ongoing challenge for me and for all bakers that I know, honestly, Chernoff said. All the people in this region that are trying to make a really high-quality product, but get it into the hands of people who want and need it.

Working out of her west Olympia kitchen Meg Chernoff prepares a run of naturally leavened bread featuring regionally sourced ingredients for her customers and for sale at local outlets.

Chernoffs CSB helped her win the Snail of Approval Award from the Slow Food Greater Olympia chapter. But she only applied for the award after Crain, a friend and longtime customer of hers on the Slow Food board, recommended it.

Despite Chernoffs belief that Folk Bread was too small to receive the award, it did.

Folk Breads food not only tastes good, but is locally produced, low-waste and accessible, said Crain, who recused herself from the interview part of the Snail of Approval Award process. All of that aligns with the Slow Food movements values.

I see in her business evidence of all three of the areas that we really care about, Crain said. The food tastes delicious, of course. But beyond that, its produced in a way that is good, or at least better for the planet than other options that she has out there. And its also more fair.

Chernoffs customers place their orders on Folk Breads website. While she mainly emphasizes her subscriptions, Chernoff also takes a la carte orders, which open at 8 a.m. on Sundays and close at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. She vends at the West Olympia Farmers Market, which is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays at West Central Park.

Folk Breads Snail of Approval Award is on display in a window toward the back of Chernoffs kitchen.

I was so proud to get that, Chernoff said. Ive never won an award before.
Why some ice creams are sold by the squround and some arent

(NEXSTAR)  Ice cream is frequently sold by the pint, the cone, the sandwich or  somewhat less often  the taco. But if youre looking to satiate a really big craving for the frosty stuff, you might be reaching for a squround.

A squround (sometimes spelled sqround or scround) is the name for the rectangular-yet-rounded container often used by ice cream manufacturers to package larger volumes of ice cream, typically between 48 and 56 ounces. First introduced in the 1990s, several popular national brands still currently utilize the squround  a container that Dairy Foods magazine once referred to as the king of cartons in a 2003 article.

In recent years it has been given an unofficial coronation as the best all-around package for take home sales, offering great merchandising opportunities and consumer advantages, the article claimed.

These advantages, as explained in textbooks from the time, included easier scooping with rounded spoons or scooping utensils, at least when compared to the blocky, rectangular paperboard boxes that were used to package ice cream in previous decades. They also utilize space more efficiently in a consumers freezer (or a retailers freezer) than larger cylindrical or pint-sized containers. And the lids offered a tighter seal than the flaps on those blocky boxes, the authors of the textbooks noted.

McDonalds reveals items in $5 Meal Deal: Heres what customers can expect

A squround offers major perks for manufacturers too, explained Matt Herrick, a spokesperson for the International Dairy Foods Association.

Those cardboard boxes required assembly before they could be filled, while squrounds and cylindrical cartons arrive [from the supplier] ready to be filled, Herrick told Nexstar.

Ice cream packaged in squrounds also tends to get colder quicker  and stay colder  than ice cream packaged in the old boxes, according to Herrick. In the freezer, air can more freely circulate around a squround (rather than a stack of blocky boxes) to chill the product, and the rounded edges of a squround help to reduce the packages surface area  making it slightly less susceptible to external temperatures (and keeping it from melting too quickly) when its sitting out on the kitchen table.

Its not just ice cream that utilizes a squround shape, either. Many items in the dairy case  tubs of margarine, cream cheese, yogurt  are essentially rounded squares for similar reasons. Certain brands of bottled water, juice or ready-to-drink smoothies also come in squround bottles, which save space during packaging and withstand shipping (less knocking around) than cylindrical bottles, explained John Zelek, an executive for the meal-replacement brand Soylent, in a 2017 interview with Fast Company.

Squround bottles, when compared to square cartons, are also less likely to gum up the machinery in a production line, according to Zelek.

Thats why every square bottle you see is kind of the same shape, he said.

But not everyone embraces the squround  even in the ice cream section.

While square or scround cartons give brands the ability to pack larger quantities of product on a store shelf, our tapered round cartons allow for more physical air flow in between the cartons in the case, helping to prevent freezer burn from occurring, a spokesperson for Blue Bell Creameries, which utilizes a slightly conical cylindrical container for its 64-ounce packages, told Nexstar.

As indicated by Blue Bells spokesperson, a shorter, more tapered cylindrical package (picture a larger, squatter pint container) helps the Blue Bell brand stand out in a sea of squrounds.

[It] catches consumers eyes when browsing through the ice cream aisle, the spokesperson said.

Ice cream brands sold at Walmart, Giant Eagle recalled

Theres another problem with the squround: Evidence suggests that these containers helped ice cream manufacturers facilitate shrinkflation in the early 2000s, offering a sleek new design that looked great on the shelf and maybe even took up as much space as the rectangular boxes, but offered less actual ice cream inside, MLive reported in 2010. (Most paperboard boxes held 64 ounces; todays squround ice cream containers generally hold between 48 and 56 ounces.)

Everybodys doing it, one New Jersey consumer complained to the Associated Press in 2002, referring to both the new (smaller) ice cream containers and her preferred brands of laundry detergent. Theyre cheating the public, because they dont advertise it.

In recent years, more and more ice cream manufacturers are opting for the 48-ounce size, too, according to Huhtamaki, a packaging manufacturer which has been supplying squrounds (or non-round ice cream containers, as the company calls them) to the ice cream industry since the 90s.

Originally, companies began utilizing half gallon-sized 64-ounce containers but eventually the market shifted from 64-ounce to 56-ounce and then eventually to 48-ounce which has been the Non-Round standard in the U.S. for the last 10-15 years, said Mark Roberts, the senior product manager of Huhtamaki, in a statement shared with Nexstar.

Squrounds, meanwhile, have stuck around in the freezer section for decades, in whichever sizes the manufacturers are making available  and despite any confusion the term squround causes for consumers.

First of all, even without the corners, the oblong proportions would render [it] and OVAL, not round, one Reddit user argued in a post from a few years back.

Actually, its squoval, another agreed.

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.
Russia targeted a postal depot in Kharkiv with a guided aerial bomb on June 30, killing one person and injuring nine others, among them an 8-month-old child, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported at 6 p.m. local time.

Earlier on June 30, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia has used over 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine in the past week alone.

According to Syniehubov, the strike killed one employee and destroyed eight vehicles parked outside the depot, which belongs to Nova Poshta, Ukraine's largest privately owned postal service.

"Debris analysis is ongoing. There could have been 9 people at the place of the strike, they are being searched for," Syniehubov added.

Nova Poshta said in a statement on X at 6.30 p.m. local time that the strike had hit near the distribution center, but "all shift workers were in the bomb shelter and were not injured."

"There are victims among the population, as well as truck drivers," Nova Poshta said, adding that the depot was damaged.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the strike was "almost in the city center." An explosion was reported in Kharkiv at around 4:30 p.m. local time.

Russia used a missile to strike a Nova Poshta depot in Korotych in Kharkiv Oblast in October 2023, killing eight people and injuring 17.

The depot had a bomb shelter, but the victims reportedly did not have time to get to it as only 15 seconds passed between the air raid sounding and the strike.

A missile attack on a Nova Poshta depot in Odesa on May 1 injured 14 people and destroyed 15.5 metric tons of post.

None of the 18 employees working in the depot were among the casualties because they managed to reach the bomb shelter in time, Nova Poshta co-owner Volodymyr Popereshniuk said.

Read also: Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia Oblast kills 7, including 3 children

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ten countries and organisations have already signed the Peace Summit's final communique, which was adopted on 16 June.

Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an evening video address

Quote: "In the weeks following the first Peace Summit, we have not stopped communication with our partners for a single day to secure support for our Summit communique.

We now have ten more signatures after the Summit from various entities around the world."

Details: Zelenskyy added that there are more details on working in groups on the points of the Formula of Peace on specific security issues.

Background:

The participants of the Global Peace Summit, which was held in Switzerland in mid-June, 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.

On 23 June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that six more countries and organisations signed the Peace Summit communique.

On 25 June, Zelenskyy revealed that the eighth signee had signed the agreement, followed by the ninth on 27 June.

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This 12-year-old memorized the periodic table at age 2. Hes heading to NYU after finishing high school in just 2 years

Recent high school graduate Suborno Isaac Bari, 12, plans to start studying math and physics at New York University in the fall, but hes already got his ambitious sights set on beginning a doctoral program.

I hope to graduate college at 14 in spring 2026, said Suborno, who recently became the youngest graduate from his Long Island high school.

If I ever decide to do a second Ph.D., it will be in physics, but mainly I want to focus on math, he told CNN.

The gifted tween, who memorized the periodic table at 2 years old and has taught lectures at colleges in India since he was 7, graduated on Wednesday from Malverne High School in Nassau County, New York.

Suborno, who says he skipped to 12th grade after completing ninth grade studies, became the youngest-ever student to graduate from the high school, CNN affiliate WABC-TV reported.

His high school uses a 100-point GPA scale rather than a 4.0 scale, says Suborno, who shared he earned around a 96 GPA for his first year of high school and a 98 for his second and final year.

Once he began the 12th grade, Suborno took on nondegree classes at several universities around New York including NYU, Stony Brook University, the City University of New York and Brooklyn College.

That was a whole new challenge for me, he shared. Youve got much more homework, much longer classes, (many) more new subjects and material and its all condensed into a far shorter time than in school.

The bright young student, whose family says hes also skilled in painting, debate and playing the piano, could also be making history at NYU when he begins pursuing his bachelor of science degree.

A university spokesperson informed the Bari family without NYU undertaking a complete review of its records, NYU is unaware of anyone younger than Suborno being admitted, according to a copy of an email shared with CNN.

Suborno was introduced to education early on by his parents, Rashidul and Shaheda Bari. His father Rashidul teaches physics at Brooklyn Technical High school and his mother Shaheda is an elementary school teacher.

They noticed their youngest son was exceptionally bright in 2014 as they taught him basic math, according to Rashidul Bari.

My wife was actually his teacher at the time. One day  she was teaching him one plus one, and he would be responding, Mom, one plus one is two, Rashidul Bari said. And then Mom would go, then what is one plus two? And then hed say three, and then hed be questioning Mom, if one plus one is two, can you please tell me, what is n plus n?

Suborno Isaac Bari leads a lecture at Mumbai University in India. - Courtesy Rashidul Bari

The questions took Shaheda Bari by surprise, her husband says. Rashidul Bari says he at first paid it no mind because his eldest son, Refath Bari, 21, who attends Brown University, was also smart.

So I told my wife, OK, there is nothing surprising here, he probably did it to capture attention, Rashidul Bari said. But it kept happening. Every math concept, he started abstracting.

Subornos dad, who was a math student at the time, shared the fascinating discovery with one of his professors.

My professor said, no way, a 2-year-old cannot do that abstraction. You should pay serious attention, Rashidul Bari said.

Suborno continued attracting attention, which eventually led to him getting invited to take college-level courses, his dad said.

In 2016, then-President Barack Obama sent Suborno a letter praising the bright student for his hard work and accomplishments. The family shared a copy of the letter with CNN.

In 2020 when he was 7, Suborno began receiving invitations from colleges in India to teach, which he does three times a year, his dad says.

That gives him lots of chances to have conversations with different levels of expertise, students, faculties, college presidents, so many people, Rashidul Bari said.

The family says they were told by Mensa he must wait until hes 14 years old  around the time Suborno says he plans to graduate from NYU  to have his IQ tested.

Suborno plans to continue his familys trend of teaching by one day becoming a math and physics professor.

Its absolutely insane, he said about starting at NYU in the fall. I cant wait for all the opportunities Ill have, Ill be able to meet people who are actually interested  fully in math and science, and people who are also majoring in math and physics and who want to find out these mysteries behind the universe.

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13-year-old killed by police after officers say teen fled and pointed replica handgun at them

An officer in Utica, New York, shot and killed a 13-year-old on Friday night after police say he fled and pointed a replica handgun at them.

The teenager, identified as Nyah Mway, was approached by three officers Friday night after he and another 13-year-old matched the descriptions of robbery suspects, according to a release from the Utica Police Department.

Officers were patrolling the area to assist with two recent robbery investigations where the suspects were described as Asian males who brandished a black in color firearm and forcibly demanded and stole property from victims, the release reads.

Based on the listed identifying factors from the robbery, officers approached Nyah Mway and the other juvenile as they matched the robbery suspects descriptions and were in the immediate vicinity of the previous robbery at nearly the same time of day, it continues.

Police also say Nyah Mway was violating New York vehicle and traffic law by walking in the road.

Nyah Mway - Obtained by CNN

According to Utica Police and bodycam footage released, when the officers attempted to conduct a citizen stop of the two 13-year-old juveniles and tried to pat-frisk Nyah Mway, he immediately fled on foot.

While fleeing, police said, Nyah Mway pulled out what appeared to be a handgun but was later found to be a replica Glock pellet gun and pointed it at the police officers.

One of the officers discharged his firearm once and shot the teen in the chest during a ground struggle, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said during a news conference Saturday.

He was given immediate first aid by the officers and taken to Wynn Hospital, where he died, according to Williams.

The officers involved with the incident were identified by the police department as Patrick Husnay, Bryce Patterson, and Andrew Citriniti. Husnay was the officer who fired his gun and all three are on administrative leave with pay, according to police.

CNN has reached out to the Utica Police Benevolent Association for comment.

Body camera footage released by police shows chaotic struggle

The body camera footage released by police shows one officer saying he needs to pat down the two juveniles to make sure they dont have any weapons. Nyah Mway immediately flees in the video.

Some of the footage was edited to insert a red circle around the replica gun and authorities froze the frames where the teen appears to point it at the officers.

The officers believed it was a handgun, police said, but it was later determined to be a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine, The Associated Press reported.

The replica gun carried by the teen is in all aspects a realistic appearing firearm with Glock markings, signatures, detachable magazine, and serial numbers, Lt. Michael Curley, a police spokesperson, said via email to The Associated Press. However ultimately it fires only pellets or BBs.

The police body camera video shows a chaotic scene.

In this still image from body camera footage released by police in Utica, New York, Nyah Mway appears to point a replica gun at police officers. A red circle highlighting the replica gun was added by the police department. - City of Utica, New York Police Department

In the footage, Nyah Mway appears to point the replica handgun at police while he flees. The officers yell gun, and one police officer tackles and punches the teenager. As they are wrestling on the ground, another police officer fires a single shot.

Bystanders scream at the police throughout the recordings, and at one point an officer yells back, Were trying to save him right now!

The other youth was detained in the back of a police vehicle and was not involved in the shooting, The Associated Press reported.

The police department released the body camera videos following a public outcry as the shooting roiled Utica, a city with a population of 65,000. It is home to more than 4,200 people from Myanmar, according to The Center, a non-profit helping to resettle the refugees, The Associated Press reported.

Nyah Mway, who local media reports said was an eighth grader at Donovan Middle School, was identified as a refugee born in Myanmar and a member of the Karen ethnic minority, The Associated Press reported.

There are two ongoing, parallel investigations into the incident, according to police: one by the New York State Attorney General, and another by the Utica Police Departments Professional Standards Unit.

A vigil for 13-year-old Nyah Mway was held in Utica, NY on Saturday, June 29, 2024. - Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch/USA Today Network

Tensions run high during news conference

A news conference about the incident ended early Saturday after tensions ran high.

The conference was stopped several times after audience members audibly booed and interrupted the police chief and Utica Mayor Michael P. Galime.

An interpreter struggled to speak over repeated audience outbursts.

Members of the community, including the youths family, were in attendance, The Associated Press reported.

I know theres a lot of emotions in this room and a lot of upset people, the police chief said. But youre asking us to be transparent  youre asking us to be transparent, and when you shout over us, it makes it very difficult to do so.

A small group also staged a protest outside the Utica Police station Saturday night. One protesters sign reads Justice for Nyah Mway. Forever 13. Another protest took place Monday morning, according to CNN affiliate WKTV

Galime met for more than two hours with members of the community on Sunday to discuss the shooting.

It is extremely tragic to see a police stop end like this, the mayor said, adding the city has worked so hard to make sure we train, we understand, and we are completely objective in how we deal with our community.

Right now, it feels that possibly the police did something out of anger and out of subjectivity. I know that we are doing everything we can to make sure our police departments and our whole government as whole truly treats everyone through objectivity, Galime said.

During the meeting, community members asked questions and expressed their concerns on topics such as police procedures during stops and racism.

They would like to change right now, right away, but we understand thats something that cannot happen right now, right away, Lupway Doh, a leader of the Karen community, told CNN affiliate WKTV.

CNNs Paradise Afshar and Zenebou Sylla contributed to this report.

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13-year-old shot and killed by police, who say he pointed replica gun at officers

UTICA, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  A 13-year-old who pointed a pellet gun at police chasing after him was shot and killed by one of the officers late Friday night, the Utica Police Department said Saturday morning.

In a chaotic press conference Saturday morning, disrupted by members of the public shouting at police, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams says he wasnt ready to say what initial incident caused officers to stop the 13-year-old and the other person he was with.

When officers attempted to stop the pair around 10:18pm Friday on Shaw Street, the 13-year-old ran from police.

Police claim, during the chase, what appeared to be a handgun was pointed at the officer.

The chief said the weapon was determined to be a replica GLOCK 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine. The chief called it a pellet gun.

At that time, the officer fired once and hit the victim. The chief said emergency services were provided to him at the scene, but he died after being brought to the hospital.

The teens name is Nyah Mway, his uncle confirms to ABC News.

The officers involved, who are on paid administrative leave per policy, have not been named publicly.

Per state regulation, the State Attorney Generals Office will lead an investigation into the justification of the officers actions. Utica Police says its conducting its own internal review.

The department commits to releasing footage from the officers uniform-worn camera in the days ahead.

We are aware of a video of the incident circulating on social media platforms, which does not portray the incident in its entirety; we ask that the public obtains all of the information that will be made available when reviewing this tragic incident, wrote the police spokesperson.

He added: We again offer our condolences to the family of the deceased juvenile during this very difficult time, as well as the many lives that this has now permanently changed within our community.

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CLARK COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  A 15-year-old from Indiana was found dead in the Wabash River on Saturday after being swept away by the current, the Clark County Sheriffs Office announced.

After 10:15 a.m., authorities arrived at the river southeast of West Union Illinois. They learned that the teen was with his family playing in the river when the current swept him away and took him under water.

Teen arrested for stabbing his mother to death: Springfield Police

All available emergency response agencies were dispatched to the area to carry out an extensive search. This included the Illinois and Indiana Departments of Natural Resources, Illinois State Police, Clark County E-911, the Clark County Ambulance Service, West Union Fire Department, Crawford County Water Rescue, Sullivan County Sheriffs Office, and first responder agencies from farther away. Local boaters, residents and businesses also assisted in the search.

Four hours later at 2:05 p.m., the teen was found dead. He was from Merom, Indiana.

As much as we want to thank all the individuals, agencies and businesses that did anything they were asked and cooperated with the response we are focusing our thoughts on the grieving family and friends affected by todays incident, the Clark County Sheriffs Department stated on Saturday afternoon. As proud as we are of the response from so many we are so heartbroken of the outcome. We ask that all our area communities be with the grieving families and friends and also the communities that this incident with undoubtedly affect.

They went on to say the Clark County Coroners Office will continue providing updates on the incident.

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DENVER (KDVR)  Two people died in a suspected domestic violence-related murder-suicide in Denver Friday night, according to the Denver Police Department.

Police said the incident happened at a residence in the 9600 block of East Girard Avenue.

Officers were called to the residence during a welfare check and found two people, an adult man and an adult woman, dead.

The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner will confirm the cause and manner of death, according to police.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
We recently compiled a report on the 12 Countries with the Best Architecture in Europe and in this article we will look at the country that topped our list.

An Overview of Europes Architecture Market

Construction and architecture markets are proponents of growth for the European economy. The sector provides approximately 18 million direct jobs and contributes around 9% to the GDP of the European Union. According to the Architects Council of Europe, the overall construction market of Europe was valued at $13.37 trillion in 2022. The developed economies of the region including Germany, France, and the UK are the main contributors to the market and contributed approximately $1.23 trillion during the same year. Growth in the market was driven by low energy prices, reduced supply constraints, a strong labor market, and improved business across the region. Within the construction market, the architecture segment is one of the fastest-growing segments and contributes around $22.45 billion in value. The architecture market has grown by 23% since 2020 and comprises 56% of private housing work and 62% of building design work.

Although the prospects for the architecture market have improved since 2020, the architect's sentiment on the future of work remains gloomy. Architects Council of Europe forecasted the workload to fall by 10% across the region during 2023. The lack of confidence was mainly due to the subsiding property sector of Europe. On April 25, Reuters reported that real estate deals fell the greatest during Q1 of 2024 since the global pandemic, according to the data, property deals worth more than $5.4 million were terminated and the total property sales of European commercial property decreased by 26% compared to 2023. Both the buyers and sellers price expectations have diverged and await cuts in interest rates. If you want to read more about countries with the best architecture, you can look at the 20 Countries With The Best Architecture.

Performance of Architecture as a Profession

The number of architects in the region has grown by 100,000 during the past 10 years and Europe had approximately 620,000 architects in 2022. Countries including Italy, Turkey, and Germany lead in the profession as more than half of the architects originate from these countries. The profession has seen steady improvement since the pandemic, the salaries for architects in Europe have gone up by 6% since 2020, unemployment in the profession was recorded at 2% in 2022, down from 7% in 2020, and around 86% architects have resumed full-time work. Moreover, during the past 10 years gender parity within the profession has decreased with the number of female architects increasing 10% during the said time. In addition, the gender pay gap decreased by almost half and was recorded at 17% during 2022. You can also look at the 10 Countries with the Best Architecture in Africa and 10 Countries with the Best Architecture in Asia.

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European Architecture as a Driver of Tourism

The architecture and culture of Europe is one of the key drivers of tourism in the region. According to the European Commission, cultural tourism accounts for almost 40% of all the tourism in Europe. Moreover, as per the European Travel Commission Report 2023, travel and tourism for the region is witnessing strong demand and is returning to pre-pandemic levels. Approximately 66.6% of the countries are now reporting a full recovery or are within 10% of the pre-pandemic levels. Foreign tourism is also recovering fast and is just 1.6% short of its 2019 performance. Almost 700 million travelers visited Europe in 2023, making around 56% of the total international travel that year.

The current year has been forecasted as a year of recovery for European tourism, as inflation is expected to ease. Southern European travel destinations including Portugal, Montenegro, and Turkey have witnessed the strongest increase in travel and are up by 11%, 10%, and 9% respectively from the 2019 levels.

Companies such as Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) through its technology and API solutions are helping European companies fuel growth in the travel and tourism market of the region. Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) is a leading online travel technology company that powers travel companies through its white label templates, tailor-built solutions, and end-to-end booking lodging systems that allow companies to set up their sites. The company operates in three main segments namely Expedia Brands, Expedia Product Technology, and Expedia for Business.

On December 5, 2023, Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) announced a series of partnerships consisting of advertisement, B2B technology, and distribution deals across Europe. European companies including Ryanair, one of the largest low-cost airlines in Europe, and Icelandair, a flag carrier airline of Iceland are leveraging Expedias white label templates to enhance customer experience on their platforms. Ryanair launched Ryanair Rooms, a platform that allows travelers to book a hotel with their flights and gives access to Expedias AI customer service tool using the white label templates. On the other hand, Icelandair used the same technology to launch Saga Club, a new traveling site that allows loyal customers to book additional trips along with their flights. Loyal customers of Icelandair can also access Expedias supply of hotels, and other related services to enhance their journey. In May 2024, the company reported an 8% increase in the number of passengers it transported during the year, thereby increasing the passenger revenue of Icelandair by 17% YoY.

The advertising and media segment of Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) helps brands and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) reach and convert millions of travelers around the globe through its advertising solutions. Expedia's revenue increased 8% YoY during the first quarter of 2024 and was mainly led by robust growth in its advertising business, which witnessed the greatest increase in revenue of 20.49%. Some recent European partnerships in this segment of business include Deutsche Hospitality, a German Hotel Chain that will target hundreds of millions of travelers globally through Expedias media solutions, and the Croatian National Tourism Board (CNTB), a national tourist organization. A series of targeted, meaningful campaigns of CNTB on Expedias platform resulted in a 10% increase in demand from US travelers for Croatia across Expedia media solutions. Other European companies leveraging Expedia's advertisement campaigns include Iberia Airlines and Turkish Airlines, which experienced a 15% increase in booking volumes as a result of its campaigns on the platform.

Now that we have looked into the architecture market and how it drives tourism in Europe, lets move forward to the 12 countries with the best architecture in Europe.

The Country with the Best Architecture in Europe

Pixabay/Public Domain

Our Methodology

To compile the list of 12 countries with the best architecture in Europe, we relied on a consensus methodology. We first shortlisted countries with the best architecture in Europe by sifting through 10 online rankings on the internet and selected countries that appeared in at least 50% of our sources. Next, we ranked them based on the number of tourists that visited the country in 2022, sourced from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). We have hypothesized that a country rich in architecture and culture attracts more tourists. The list is arranged in ascending order of the number of tourists it received in 2022.

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The Country with the Best Architecture in Europe

1. France

Tourist Arrivals (2022): 79.4 million

The French are known for their culinary skills, clothing styles, and a wide variety of art, in addition to all these the French architecture can not be overlooked. France not only holds the Pre-Romanesque religious buildings and the Gothic architecture, but it has also preserved the neoclassical era of French architecture. The Notre Dame de Paris is a classic Gothic style construction and features both naturalistic decoration and revolutionary engineering techniques. Other famous historic buildings people visit include the Arc de Triomphe, a famous monument, the Palace of Versailles, for its rich history, and the Pantheon monument. France ranks as the country with the best architecture in Europe and was visited by around 79.4 million people in 2022.

Curious to learn about other European countries that have high levels of tourist arrivals? Check out our report on the 12 Countries with the Best Architecture in Europe.

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2nd teen accused in murder of retired CPD officer appears in court

CHICAGO  A second teen accused in the murder of a former Chicago police officer appeared in court on Saturday.

17-year-old Marquan Jones was ordered to remain detained after a judge agreed with prosecutors that he presented a risk to the community.

Chicago police say Jones, alongside 16-year-old Lazarius Watt, allegedly opened fire on 73-year-old Larry Neuman outside of his West Garfield Park home last week, leaving him fatally wounded.

Neuman, who was a retired CPD officer, a veteran and a pastor was a beloved member of the West Garfield Park community.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

Both teens, who are each facing first-degree murder, murder and armed robbery charges, were charged as adults.

He surrendered with his mother on this case. Assistant States Attorney Eugene Wood said on Saturday.

Police say they arrested Jones on Thursday, just days after Watt turned himself in in connection with the deadly shooting.

On Saturday, Jones appeared in a Cook County Criminal courtroom for a hearing. During his appearance, prosecutors said Neuman was paying a man who helped him mow his lawn when he noticed two people coming towards them with ski masks on.

Jones approached Mr. Neuman and was only feet away when he said freeze and he reached to grab Mr. Neuman, Wood said. Mr. Neuman backed up and reached for his gun when defendant Jones shot Mr. Neuman.

Prosecutors said both teens had guns and ran away after they allegedly shot Neuman. They added that Neuman managed to fire a single round, but fell after being shot multiple times in the chest and leg.

Neuman later died from his injuries.

Defense attorneys denied the allegations against Jones and added that he self-surrendered and cooperated with police.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

According to prosecutors, multiple witnesses who are familiar with both teens helped identify them.

In court, the judge described Jones actions as violent, saying that he is a danger to the community.

On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered at St. Michael Missionary Baptist Church on the citys West Side to pay their respects to Nneuman.

This is the West Side of Chicago and he was quintessential in his love for this community, his love for his people and his love for each and every one of us, Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward) said during the ceremony.

Jones is set to make his next court appearance on Tuesday, July 2, while Watt is due back in court on Tuesday, July 16th.

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HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Three people were hurt in a Sunday morning crash in Holland Township.

Around 9 a.m., deputies with the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office were sent to the area of US-31 and James Street for a crash.

Responding deputies learned that a 2023 Toyota Rav4 was driving southbound on US-31, ran a red light at James Street and hit a westbound 2013 Inifitity.

The passenger in the Infinity, a 35-year-old Holland woman, was pinned in the vehicle and was removed by rescue crews, the sheriffs office said. She was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

The sheriffs office said that the driver of the Infinity, a 36-year-old Holland man, was also hurt. He was seeking his own treatment.

The driver of the Rav4 was hurt and taken to the hospital. The sheriffs office said his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.

One lane of US-31 and the westbound lanes of James Street were closed while crews investigated and cleared the scene. They have since been reopened.

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The crash remains under investigation.

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On June 29, Russian troops attacked the city of Derhachi in the Kharkiv Oblast, injuring three people, according to Viacheslav Zadorenko, head of the Derhachi military administration.



This was the most massive attack on Derhachi since 2022, with four aerial bombs dropped.



Two men, aged 68 and 75, suffered shrapnel wounds and were hospitalized, while a 71-year-old woman experienced acute stress.



The shelling damaged multiple buildings, including at least 25 homes, farm structures, a garage cooperative, cars, and a civilian enterprise, and partially destroyed power lines.



Russia 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.



An attack on a residential building and an enterprise in Kharkiv on June 22 killed three people and injured over 50, according to the local authorities.

Read also: Governor: Two people missing after Dnipro attack found alive and well

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Search for 3 missing Maury County children taken by father resolved, children found healthy and safe

MAURY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Maury County Sheriffs Department indicated that this search has been resolved.

Sheriff Bucky Rowland with the department added that the children are healthy and safe.

Authorities in Maury County were searching for three children believed to be missing and endangered after they were removed from their fathers custody.

According to the Maury County Sheriffs Department, a juvenile judge issued an emergency order on Friday, June 28 removing three children from Camryn Curtiss custody and placing them into temporary care of a relative.

Missing Maury County children (Courtesy: Maury County Sheriffs Department)

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Officials said Curtis, the father of the children, ignored the order and took the kids.

Authorities reported the children were considered missing and endangered based on information that was given to law enforcement and the juvenile court.

Camryn Curtis (Courtesy: Maury County Sheriffs Department)

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Curtis was reportedly last seen traveling with the children in a black 2014 Jeep Compass with Tennessee tag 804-BCRY.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Curtis or the children is asked to call the Maury County Sheriffs Department at 931-388-5151.

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30,000 square kilometers of Ukraine's land cleared of mine threats, operations expanding further

Ukrainian Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, head of the Ministry of Defense's Environmental Safety and Mine Action Department, reported that Defense Ministry specialists have cleared 30,000 square kilometers of Ukraine over the past two years - an area comparable to the size of Belgium or Moldova.



Since 2022, approximately 174,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land have been contaminated with explosives, making 144,000 square kilometers potentially dangerous.



In April 2022, Ukraine established the Corps of Deminers. By 2024, units from the Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Armed Forces had joined the organization to work in de-occupied areas.

These units are currently active in the Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions. The Corps of Deminers is set to consist of 5,000 specialists.



The Ukrainian government reported on April 4 that mine-related explosions have killed 296 civilians and injured 665 others.



Multiple countries have been assisting Ukraine with demining efforts and providing training and equipment.

The U.S. donated over one million dollars in demining equipment to Ukraine's State Special Transport Service in February.

Read also: Russia to send children to North Korean summer camp

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN)  The Travis County Sheriffs Office is investigating after a 32-year-old inmate at the Travis County Jail died, TCSO officials said in a Sunday release.

TCSO said Ayanna Lashawn Smith, 32, of Austin was discovered unresponsive in her jail cell around 9:20 a.m. Friday. TCSO staff began administering CPR before Austin-Travis County EMS arrived on scene. Officials said medics were unable to resuscitate Smith.

She had been arrested on Tuesday and charged with criminal trespass and a parole violation, per the release. Officials from TCSOs Internal Affairs Unit, Criminal Investigations Division, the Texas Rangers and the Travis County Medical Examiners Office are all investigating the death as part of TCSOs in-custody death protocol.

The medical examiners office completed an autopsy on Saturday. Those results, along with a cause of death, are pending.

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6 shot at weekend block party in southeast Georgia

Georgia deputies are investigating after several people were shot at a block party over the weekend.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Saturday night into Sunday morning, Screven County deputies received several calls about a shooting in the Lawton Place neighborhood.

According to the sheriffs office, the calls indicated that the shooting happened at an unpermitted block party in the neighborhood.

The shooting left six people shot and several cars damaged by gunfire.

The victims ages and identities were not released.

Authorities have not said if a suspect was identified or has been arrested.

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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the investigation.

Anyone with information, pictures, or videos from the shooting is urged to contact the Screven County Sheriffs Office at 912-564-2013.

Screven County is about 204 miles south of Atlanta.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
8 flights diverted to Pittsburgh International Airport due to severe weather on East Coast

Eight flights have been diverted to Pittsburgh International Airport because of severe weather on the East Coast.

The flights were originally headed to New York and Philadelphia airports before being diverted on Sunday.

Airport officials confirmed seven of the flights were domestic and one was international, American Airlines flight No. 745 heading to Philadelphia from Denmark.

American Airlines sent Channel 11 the following statement:

American Airlines flight 745 with service from Copenhagen, Denmark (CPH) to Philadelphia (PHL) diverted to Pittsburgh (PIT) on account of destination weather. The flight landed safely and is scheduled to re-depart at 5:54 p.m. local time. We appreciate our customers patience as we work to get them on their way as quickly and safely as possible.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

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At least 2 Scott Township homes damaged in fire Semi-truck crashes into Parkway North barrier, rolls over onto road below, police say Hurricane Beryl becomes a Category 4 storm before making landfall in Caribbean VIDEO: Pittsburgh legend Gus Kalaris, owner of Gus & YiaYias iceball stand, dies DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
In this article, we will take a look at the Country That Imports the Most Natural Gas in the World. We have also compiled a full free list of the 20 Countries that Import the Most Natural Gas in the World.

Natural Gas: A Key Player in the Global Energy Market

Natural gas, a fossil fuel energy source, is a gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons and holds the title of one of the most important sources of energy in the world. The importance stems from its lower cost, abundance, and less adverse impacts on the environment, as compared to other petroleum and coal products. The global oil and gas market was valued at $6.99 trillion in 2022, and it is projected to grow to $8.67 trillion by 2027. The market is expected to grow at an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.4% during the forecast period of 2023 to 2027. This exponential growth stems from the rise in demand for sustainable and cleaner energy solutions; whereas developing countries have also been focusing on increasing the utilization of electricity and refined petroleum. Along with these, some of the other drivers of demand in this industry are increased global economic activity and higher electricity consumption.

According to an estimate by the U.S. Electrical Information Administration, the United States consumed approximately 30.28 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the year 2021 which accounted for 32% of total electricity use in the U.S. To put into perspective, this equaled 37% of the total amount of natural gas used to generate power all over the world, according to Emergen Research. This demand is only projected to increase globally with the International Energy Agency forecasting the demand for natural gas to grow to about 4.19 trillion cubic meters at a year-over-year growth rate of 2.5% in 2024.

To meet the rising demand, investments in the global oil and gas market have been also increasing. The global oil and gas upstream capital expenditures increased year-on-year by 39% in 2022 to $499 billion which is the highest expenditure reported since 2014. To sustain the supply in the industry, the investments are forecast to increase further by 2030 and reach a whopping $640 billion. While all countries are trying to match the growing natural gas demand, the US stands as the biggest producer of gas. The US doubled its natural gas production from 2005 to 2022. In the year 2022, the US produced a record high of natural gas equaling 94.7 billion cubic feet per day. With this, the U.S. was put on the global map with a market share of around 24.2%, ahead of both Russia and Iran.

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Thus, companies around the world have also begun a rigorous hunt for natural gas deposits in light of the growing market and demand for natural gas. Two of the biggest names in the industry are Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), and Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL).

Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)

Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies and engages in the provision of administrative, financial management, and technology support for energy and chemical operations. Despite being one of the biggest companies in the natural gas industry, the company reported a 65% decrease in their net income, from $6.4 billion a year ago, to $2.3 billion, for the quarter ending on 31st December 2023.

Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL)

Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) is also involved in the exploration, production, refining, and marketing of natural gas and oil. The British multinational oil and gas company is one of the most profitable natural gas stocks. Shell announced its first quarter results of 2024 marked by an impressive performance. The company reported an adjusted earnings figure of a staggering $7.7 billion mark, which was an increase, as compared to $7.3 billion earnings recorded in the previous quarter. Furthermore, adjusted EBITDA also saw a rise as it grew to $18.7 billion from $16.3 billion in the previous quarter.

The Country That Imports the Most Natural Gas in the World

A closeup of the Rio Grande LNG terminal facility, showing its massive scale.

Methodology

For the purpose of this ranking, we obtained data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) on the natural imports per country in the year 2022. Once we had the data on the imports for each country, we arranged it in descending order and picked the top country with the highest level of imports.

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1. Is China the Country that Imports the Most Natural Gas in the World?

Natural Gas Imports in 2022: 5042.4 billion cubic feet

China has increased its annual natural gas production every year since 1989 but despite this, the country is unable to meet its demand for natural gas with the locally produced gas. In 2022, the country produced a record high of 7.7 trillion cubic feet. Chinas natural gas consumption peaked in 2021 at 12.8 trillion cubic feet but then in 2022, natural gas consumption declined by 1% which was the first decline since 1990, according to the International Energy Agency. According to its 14-year plan, the country plans on increasing its natural gas storage capacity to approximately 2.0 trillion cubic feet 2.1 trillion cubic feet by 2025, according to EIA.

You can see the full free list by going to the 20 Countries That Import the Most Natural Gas in the World.

If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as Microsoft 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 at Insider Monkey
Protesters gather outside a Missouri clinic in 2019. (Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)

Abortion surveillance is something former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, has said is up to states. But for abortion providers and advocates, surveillance and monitoring by anti-abortion activists has long been the reality. And post-Dobbs many states are actively trying to expand government surveillance.

There is a lot of confusion in our patient population  because most of them are coming from states that have banned abortion  about the legality of coming to another state, said Michele Landeau, chief operating officer of Hope Clinic in Granite City, Illinois.

Just across the border from St. Louis, Missouri, Hope Clinic serves as one of the closest abortion clinics to several banned states in the Midwest and the South. After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, the clinic increased its staff and capacity to accommodate an influx of patients, more than 80% of whom are coming from outside of Illinois, Landeau told States Newsroom. She said the clinic has also seen an influx of protesters, especially on Saturdays, who can sometimes be heard shouting patients out-of-state license plates.

That can cause a lot of anxiety and fear, Landeau said. I believe the protesters know that, and thats why they do it.

Since Dobbs, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that specializes in digital civil liberties, has seen a spike in doxing of abortion providers and assistance groups, said staff attorney Lisa Femia. Another increased privacy threat since Dobbs, she said, is police sharing automated license plate reader data with police in states where abortion is not legal.

Illinois is among several states that have adopted abortion rights in the lead-up to and since Dobbs, most recently travel data privacy protections. A law that went into effect earlier this year prohibits the sharing of data from automated license plate readers with law enforcement for the purpose of investigating or enforcing a law that denies or interferes with a persons right to choose or obtain reproductive health care services.

But even in this abortion-haven state, Mark Lee Dicksons Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative helped pass an ordinance banning the mailing or shipping of abortion pills in Danville, a town along Illinoiss eastern border with Indiana, where abortion is not legal. The ordinance (which the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois says is unlawful and unenforceable because it violates state law) was passed the same month an anti-abortion extremist drove a car loaded with gasoline-filled containers into the building of a planned abortion clinic in Danville.

Femia said increased legal challenges have so far not upheld laws that attempt to restrict interstate abortion-related travel or information. But its still early, she said.

I think we also have to remember that in sort of the scheme of the legal system, it hasnt really been very long since Dobbs and since states have actually started implementing extremely abortion restrictive laws, Femia told States Newsroom. So were still in sort of the nascent stages of abortion prosecutions.

To fight for reproductive health privacy, Femia said the Electronic Frontier Foundation has tried to put pressure on government to enforce privacy protections on the books as well as educate the public.

This week, the nonprofit MSI Reproductive Choices launched a digital guide for safely searching abortion-related information online in partnership with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, called the Vagina Privacy Network, and as part of the launch handed out free burner phones at three different reproductive rights marches in Indiana, Tennessee, and Georgia.

The post Abortion surveillance isnt new but monitoring has increased post Dobbs, activists say appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
'Its amazing to see so much more support,' El Paso celebrates 19th Annual Pride Parade

El Pasoans danced through Downtown at the 19th Annual Pride Parade on Saturday, June 29.

It means a lot especially because I know where weve come from in the past and how much change has happened even just like in the past 20 years. Its amazing to see so much more support, said Emerald Medrano, who was participating in the parade for the first time.

El Pasoans celebrate the 19th Annual El Paso Sun City Pride Parade at Downtown El Paso on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

The parade was among several events in El Paso in celebration of Pride Month, including the lighting of the city's iconic Star on the Mountain in rainbow colors for the first time this year.

El Pasoans celebrate the 19th Annual El Paso Sun City Pride Parade at Downtown El Paso on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

This year the parade's theme was "Spotlight on Pride: Celebrating LGBTQIA on Cinema and Stage."

"Observing society now, more accepting in Hollywood, a lot more of 'Love Simon,' all the television. A lot of us, when we were younger, we grew up through the movies because we weren't as accepted and it was harder to come out, so through TV, through 'Will and Grace,' 'Queer as Folk' back in the '90s and earlier than that 'Victor/Victoria.' All the different movies helped us feel accepted. So this year, we decided to recognize that and how far Hollywood has actually pushed the acceptance of LGBTQIA in society," said Christopher Eck, president of El Paso Sun City Pride nonprofit group that organizes the annual parade.

El Pasoans celebrate the 19th Annual El Paso Sun City Pride Parade at Downtown El Paso on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

El Pasoans celebrate the 19th Annual El Paso Sun City Pride Parade at Downtown El Paso on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

The parade ended at Houston Park, where a post-parade picnic awaited. The park was filled with music, food, non-alcoholic drinks and drag performances.

"I thought it was a really great honor for me, especially since my place in the parade is basically historical. In the 1980s and 1990s, I ran an HIV clinic in Texas Tech, so I took care of a lot of HIV patients at that time," said Dr. Paul Caster, a retired physician, about being one of the Grand Marshalls for this year's Pride Parade.

Saul Sustaita celebrates his son at the 19th Annual El Paso Sun City Pride Parade at Downtown El Paso on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

El Pasoan Saul Sustaita, a retired park ranger at the Chamizal National Memorial, this year was his first time attending the parade supporting his son. His family has participated in the past.

"In 1993, I was in St. Louis, Missouri, when Bill Clinton signed the declaration of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' at the conference that we had up there, so in a way, I fought for the civil rights of the gay people that year," Sustaita said.

El Pasoans celebrate the 19th Annual El Paso Sun City Pride Parade at Downtown El Paso on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso 19th Annual Sun City Pride Parade 2024 celebrates Hollywood
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Dona Ana County has opened its community center in the community of Dona Ana to serve anyone who has lost power in the North Valley.

The Dona Ana Community Center, 5745 Ledesma Dr., is open Sunday to provide relief and essential services to residents during a power outage impacting the North Valley area, the County said in a news release.

The center will remain open until 6 p.m. Sunday.

According to El Paso Electrics Outage Map, about 400 customers are without power in the northern part of Dona Ana County. According to the map, power went off a little after 4 p.m. Saturday and service is expected to return by 4:45 p.m. Sunday.

El Paso Electric said the outage was weather-related. Some customers had their power restored Sunday afternoon, and crews are still working to restore power to the rest, an El Paso Electric spokesperson said.

Residents are invited to come to the community center to escape the heat in the air-conditioned facilities. Restrooms and drinking water are also available, the County said in its news release.

We have reached out to El Paso Electric about the outage.

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.
A new passenger rail line in Boise may have another route forward after hopes for the service were stymied last year from a blown opportunity for federal funding.

The Federal Railroad Administration continued work this month toward mapping an expanded network of routes across the U.S., including the defunct Pioneer Line that made several stops in Idaho before it was terminated in 1997. Congress approved a study phase that includes the western leg of the discontinued Amtrak line  from Seattle to Denver with stops in Boise, Pocatello and Salt Lake City.

The federal review is separate from the joint effort between Boise and Salt Lake City on a proposal for a shorter Amtrak line that would connect the two Western capitals. That project has generated local enthusiasm but so far been unable to gain traction toward development.

The Railroad Administrations report on the 15 proposed long-distance Amtrak routes, defined as greater than 750 miles in length, is set to be finished and submitted to Congress later this year, William Wong, spokesperson for the federal agency, said in an email to the Idaho Statesman. He sought to temper expectations over the studys results, however, given any lines eventually approved would be years away and require significant public investment.

The proposed routes and schedules in the study are conceptual, Wong said. The study is meant to set forth a set of potential options for what could occur in the future, not necessarily what will happen.

The Railroad Administration estimated next years price tag for restoring the long-distance route that includes Boise and Pocatello at $2.1 billion to $5.4 billion, plus between $75 million and $106 million in annual operations costs. That compares to an Amtrak study in 2009 that estimated the same one-time capital costs of a Seattle to Denver line with stops in Idaho at $493 million, plus $46.2 million in annual operations costs.

In addition, the report rated the Seattle to Denver line a 7 on a 15-point scale for priority, based on factors that could lead to actual adoption. The grade makes the line tied for second-to-last among the 15 long-distance routes in the federal study.

A possible long-distance Amtrak line from Seattle to Denver, with stops in Boise and Pocatello, is among more than a dozen under review in a Federal Railroad Administration study due to Congress later this year.

Nonetheless, the prospect remains intriguing to the Treasure Valley and beyond, even if city leaders continue to push for the direct line with Utahs major metropolitan area known as the Wasatch Front. Boise Mayor Lauren McLean remains one of the ideas flag-bearers.

We are excited to see service between Boise and Salt Lake could exist in a future long-distance network, but this is fundamentally different than state-supported service between two city pairs, Bre Brush, McLeans transportation adviser, said in an email to the Statesman. We continue to believe that service between the Treasure Valley and the Wasatch Front would be transformational for our communities and are actively seeking ways to keep the momentum we built last year going.

Boise rail line application setback

City officials have for years been working on plans to bring back Amtrak to the region after federal budget cuts left Boise and neighboring cities without service nearly three decades ago. Gov. Brad Little and most of Idahos federal lawmakers have been outspoken in their support of restoring more widespread passenger rail service in the state.

Now it is clear the public wants more Amtrak service, Amtrak said in a statement provided to the Statesman. In this process, the public has spoken directly and through their elected and appointed local, tribal, state and federal leaders.

The $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure law, passed in November 2021 with bipartisan support, included tens of billions to upgrade and expand the nations passenger rail system. Of that, $15 million was set aside for the study of long-distance routes, offering Boise and surrounding communities a path back into the national passenger rail system.

Half-million-dollar grants also are available for study of proposed rail lines shorter than 750 miles. The deadline for the first round of applications was last year, with the U.S. Department of Transportation awarding $34.5 million to 69 projects throughout the U.S.

The historic Boise Depot was the center of mass transit for Boiseans when it first opened in 1925. City leaders continue to work toward bringing Amtrak back to the Treasure Valley.

The cities of Boise and Salt Lake City, with their state transportation agencies, collaborated on their proposal for the 340-mile rail line. Then they applied  or at least thought they did.

The grant awards were announced in December, but the Boise-Salt Lake City line was left out among them. Idaho Transportation Department officials later acknowledged they had actually failed to submit for the proper grant, which made the project ineligible for possible funding.

This was an error, and we feel bad. But mistakes happen, were human, ITD spokesperson John Tomlinson previously told the Statesman.

Boises plans were derailed before they could ever leave the station. Brush vented the citys frustration at the time over the self-inflicted wound that disqualified the application from consideration for a planning grant.

Of course its disappointing, she previously told the Statesman.

The Federal Railroad Administration plans to open up the short-distance route grant application for a second round of funding next year, Wong told the Statesman. The city intends to submit for the proper grant next time around, Brush said.

In the meantime, the federal long-distance route study may prove the option that eventually brings passenger rail service back to Boise.

This study has shown our Amtrak trains need to go to more places  and more often, Amtraks statement said. We stand ready to help a coalition who wants this study to be the foundation of an increase in passenger rail service.
Warning: This post contains descriptions of sexual violence, sexual assault and sexual battery.

In an era when the convictions of high-profile figures like Harvey Weinstein are overturned, it underscores a chilling reality: the justice system has historically, and continues to be, more of a hurdle than a help when it comes to serving sexual assault survivors effectively. The path to justice is fraught with obstacles, from the daunting financial burden of seeking legal recourse and necessary therapy to the fear of retribution that silences many before they even reach out to authorities. Katie Thurston, a fan favorite alum of The Bachelorette, has recently come forward with her own harrowing experience, shedding light on the systemic failings that continue to betray victims of rape.

More from SheKnows

Thurston shared in an Instagram story, It took 7 months for the San Diego Justice to let me down as a victim of rape, unveiling the prolonged and disheartening process that followed her assault. Her experience underscores the challenges many victims face when seeking justice, from the slow processing of crucial evidence like rape kits to the emotional toll of navigating the legal system. Thurston shared a step-by-step for those who might be navigating the legal system without as much support as she had.

In a detailed account on Instagram, Thurston didnt shy away from describing the immediate aftermath of the assault and the support she received. She recounted, I had two women with me. One was a nurse and the other my advocate. They were kind, nurturing, patient I felt like a small lost child who was vulnerable and scared. They thoroughly explained the process, asking for my consent along the way, and allowing me to decline or change my mind at any time.

Despite the adversity she faced, Thurston remains committed to advocating for herself and others. She expressed, The justice system continues to fail thousands every single day. But do not give up. Her call to action is a powerful reminder of the strength found in perseverance, even when faced with a system that seems indifferent to individual suffering.

Further sharing the complexities of her journey, Thurston revealed, No, this is yet another loss in a broken system. Change happens in failure. And the justice system failed me. And continues to fail thousands every single day. Her pointed critique is a sobering reflection on the need for systemic reform.

Support for Thurston has been widespread, with fellow Bachelorette alum Kaitlyn Bristowe commenting, I know we have talked offline but just wanted to let you know that sharing this online matters. Im so sorry you had to go through this. I love you. This solidarity underscores the collective effort required to address and amend the flaws within the justice system  and how it is worth fighting for others even in the wake of her own disappointment in the system.

Ive had ample support from my community which allowed me to stay strong over these past seven months, Thurston said in a statement to Us Weekly on Saturday, June 29. While the outcome is disappointing, I am at peace and turning any pain into purpose and hope to help other survivors of sexual assault.

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, and 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. Thurstons bravery in sharing her story is a vital step towards catalyzing the changes needed to make the justice system more responsive and empathetic towards survivors of sexual assault.

Before you go, click here to see celebrities who have opened up about surviving sexual assault.

Padma Lakshmi Terry Crews Lady Gaga

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June 30 (UPI) -- Barcelona, Spain, will ban short-term rentals by 2028, prompted by concerns that locals are being pushed out of the housing markets by companies such as Airbnb and Booking.com. city officials have announced.

"In Barcelona, we prioritize housing," Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni said in a video posted to Facebook.

"We want to guarantee the right to live in our city and deal effectively with the housing crisis we are suffering. That is why today we have announced important measures: No tourist apartment in Barcelona."

Collboni added that there are now over 10,101 apartments registered as rentals for tourists, and the move will prompt a return of property to the open market, giving locals a chance to own their own home.

"With these structural measures, we will expand the residential area and the supply of affordable housing," he said, calling it "essential" to curb the unaffordable price hikes and prevent any Barcelona residents from having to leave the city where they want to live.

The city will stop issuing new licenses to properties in November 2028 and not renew existing permits. That means that from 2029 no homes will have permission to be rented as accommodations for tourists.

"This measure will not change the situation from one day to the next," Collboni added. "These problems take time. But with this measure, we are marking a turning point."

Despite the economic benefit that tourism has provided, Collboni argued it has driven up rental costs by 68% in the last decade, and driven down the available supply of apartments and other homes. Data show that housing costs have jumped by 38% over the same period.

Barcelona's short-term rental numbers have remained stagnant for years, though, according to data from Barcelona City Hall, hovering at about 10,000 since 2014, even as housing prices have continued to increase.

Rent prices in Barcelona increased 14 percent over the past year, and are the highest among Spanish cities.

The city's data show around 850,000 homes exist in Barcelona, making the 10,000 or so short-term rentals a fraction of the total housing market.

Cities in other European countries, including London, Dublin, Amsterdam, and Paris have placed some sort of restriction on short-term rentals, including restricting the number of nights an apartment can be rented.
CVS Group plc (LON:CVSG) shareholders (or potential shareholders) will be happy to see that the Independent Non-Executive Chairman, David Wilton, recently bought a whopping UK2.6m worth of stock, at a price of UK1,052. Aside from being a solid chunk in its own right, the deft move also saw their holding increase by some 38%.

Check out our latest analysis for CVS Group

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At CVS Group

Notably, that recent purchase by David Wilton is the biggest insider purchase of CVS Group shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that even when the share price was higher than UK10.08 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price.

While CVS Group insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. They paid about UK824 on average. I'd consider this a positive as it suggests insiders see value at around the current price. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of undervalued small cap companies that insiders are buying.

Insider Ownership Of CVS Group

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Our data suggests CVS Group insiders own 0.2% of the company, worth about UK1.6m. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership.

So What Do The CVS Group Insider Transactions Indicate?

It is good to see recent purchasing. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. While the overall levels of insider ownership are below what we'd like to see, the history of transactions imply that CVS Group insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. At Simply Wall St, we found 1 warning sign for CVS Group that deserve your attention before buying any shares.

But note: CVS Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Bed-Stuy blocks approved to be landmarked despite protests from Orthodox Jewish residents: Will have us moving out

Two blocks in Bedford-Stuyvesant got the go-ahead for landmarking this week despite protests from many Orthodox Jewish residents, who say the designation forces them out of their homes.

On Tuesday, the citys Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously approved the creation of the Willoughby-Hart Historic District, which comprises two full rows of intact brownstones in Bed-Stuy.

Local politicians like Councilman Chi Osse and state Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman, along with some residents, lobbied for the landmarking of Willoughby Avenue and Hart Street between Nostrand and Marcy avenues to protect the neighborhoods history.

Rapid development and the ensuing gentrification have eroded the architecture and history of Bed Stuy, and communities are fighting back to preserve our neighborhoods legacy, said state Sen. Jabari Brisport in a statement.

I am proud to stand with community activists as they tell us that community cant be demolished!'

Michael Williams has lived on Willoughby Street his whole life and wants the blocks landmarked. J.C. Rice

The 100-plus homes in the enclave were built around 150 years ago and the area is unique for the quality of its architecture, strong historic character and sense of place of its streetscapes, as well as its community history, the commission said.

Many current residents of Willoughby-Hart Historic District represent the latest of multiple generations of families from the neighborhood, the commissions release stated.

Lifetime Willoughby Street resident Michael Williams, 67, supported the landmark designation, calling his street, one of the best blocks in Bed-Stuy.

Orthodox Jews say landmarking the area will in turn push them out of their homes. J.C. Rice

But Orthodox homeowners were up in arms when the agency calendared the vote in May, saying they need to be able to expand their houses to accommodate their numerous children, and landmarking will severely limit their options.

They saw the issue as an act of antisemitism.

We feel that this is antisemitism because they are trying to stop us from moving in here, Hart Street homeowner Herman Bodek, an Orthodox Jew, previously told The Post.

This will have us moving out.

100-plus homes in the enclave were built around 150 years ago. Olivia Falcigno / USA TODAY NETWORK

In addition to saying the houses werent worthy of preservation, the Orthodox Jews attorney Adam Leitman Bailey wrote in papers submitted to the commission: The proposed districting will all but guarantee that the permits required to undertake such work will be, if not outright rejected, made subject to undue scrutiny, delay and unnecessary expense. This result, likely to drive out this religious group in the time of a housing crisis in the City of New York, offends the purpose underlying landmark status, and should not be countenanced.

Bailey did not respond to a request for comment Saturday.

The proposed district still needs to be reviewed by the City Planning Commission, followed by the City Council.
Belarus' Chief of General Staff Pavel Muraveyka has threatened to use tactical nuclear weapons "if the country's sovereignty and independence are threatened".

Source: Muraveyka on ONT TV, as reported by Belarusian state agency BelTA

Quote: "One of the final arguments and points that act as a deterrent is the return of non-strategic nuclear weapons to our country.

We have been trained how to handle these weapons. We can use them with confidence. We are capable of doing it. And have no doubt: we will use them if the sovereignty and independence of our country are threatened."

Details: Muraveyka stated that in a few days time Belarus will become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and claimed that Poland wishes to prevent this, "or at least to throw a spoonful of tar into the jar of honey that has been built today".

He also accused Poland of inciting a situation at the Belarusian-Polish border, through which illegal migrants enter Poland from Belarus.

Background:

On 20 June, after Belarus' State Border Committee reported that it was seeing an increase in the number of Ukrainian troops on the border, Ukraines border guards emphasised that the country's defence forces were protecting sovereign territory from the aggressor and there was no provocation in doing so.

On 29 June, the Armed Forces of Belarus reported that Western countries were trying to draw the country into the war, and claimed that Ukraine was mobilising troops, weaponry and military equipment near the Belarusian border.

In response, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service (SBGS) stressed once again that any actions by the Ukrainian defence forces on the border with Belarus are solely aimed at protecting Ukraine from aggressive actions and are not intended to encroach on the territories of other states.

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Dangriga in Belize. This is Belizes second state of emergency this year.

Dangriga in Belize. This is Belizes second state of emergency this year. Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images

A controversial state of emergency in Belize to crack down on a surge of gang-related murders and other violent crimes has led to the arrest of nearly a hundred people.

The order, announced on Tuesday, gives police the power to search homes without a warrant and detain suspects for up to 90 days. Originally implemented for 30 days, the government announced on Friday that it was increasing its length to maximise its effectiveness.

The state of emergency also imposes a nightly curfew on under-18s, who are often groomed by gangs as drug mules.

Located on the coast of Central America, where it shares borders with Mexico and Guatemala, Belize is a member of the Caricom intergovernmental organisation of 20 Caribbean countries, which last year raised alarm about the epidemic of crime and violence in the region.

Caricom leaders have pledged a raft of measures to tackle crime, including a ban on assault weapons, except for security forces and sporting competitions.

The Belize prime minister, Johnny Briceno, said the emergency order would not affect law-abiding citizens, telling reporters that the measure was targeted at those creating havoc. He said a 90-day detention will allow them to calm down and give police space and time to conduct proper investigations.

But the countrys opposition leader, Moses Barrow, accused the government of having no effective solution to the escalating violence. While there are no official figures on the recent increase in violent crime, Barrow estimated there had been a 45% increase in the murder rate since last year, with 58 murders from January to June this year compared with 40 or 45 in the same period last year.

The recent surge in shootings and murders is largely attributed to territorial disputes among local gangs feuding over control of marijuana markets in the country with a population of about 415,000.

Responding to a question about the parallels with El Salvadors iron fist crackdown on gangs, which saw President Nayib Bukele detain about 2% of the countrys adult population  many with little evidence or access to due process  the Belize police commissioner, Chester Williams, insisted that the measure was necessary to restore law and order.

You think that Bukele is the most influential world leader for no reason? The state of emergency is something that many countries in the region are looking at because they have seen how effective it has worked in El Salvador, and every government wants their people to be safe, he told reporters.

Since the state of emergency was implemented on Tuesday, police say they have recovered a number of firearms and arrested people wanted for murder.

But the order has divided public opinion, with some Belizeans condemning the actions of the police and others welcoming the move to clean up the streets.

Reacting to local stories about the order one reader wrote: The police only want the target people kids just because of the area they live and not realizing the trauma they put families through.

Another said: I dont think the police are getting crazy and just will pick up anyone randomly  Allow the police to do their job.

Monique Teck, whose boyfriend, Kurtis Lamb, was detained, said he was not affiliated with any gangs, adding the police had not provided clear reasons for his detention.

Stephanie Reynolds also demanded justice for her son, Tyreek, 19, who she said had been harassed by officers for months. My son doesnt have any criminal record if you go and check his records. He has no criminal record, she added.

This is Belizes second state of emergency this year, with the measure seen by authorities as a temporary solution to restoring law and order. In the past, concerns have been raised about the violation of the civil and human rights of those detained under this mechanism.

But Williams said the arrests were backed up by credible intelligence, which ensures the right people are targeted. He told reporters: As a law enforcement organisation  we have a responsibility to the people, and if we have to implement measures that are going to work for a period of time until we can look at longer lasting measures, then it is going to happen.
A team of President Joe Bidens allies set off to appear on several cable networks Sunday shows to engage in damage control efforts, as the Democratic candidate works to climb back up after tanking Thursdays presidential debate against Donald Trump.

Several Democrats spoke Sunday morning across ABC, MSNBC, NBC and CNN about the partys stance on Bidens debate performance, which shocked the public and has since sparked fear about whether the president is the right candidate to face the extremist Republican Trump come November.

Most of Bidens allies have echoed the campaigns position that, while the president did not perform well at the debate, he is still the candidate most capable of defeating his predecessor.

Look, I think it was a weak debate performance by President Biden. He had a  scratchy, rough voice. He answered a few questions in ways that were not the most forceful, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said on ABCs This Week. But I think side by side, Donald Trump had a horrifying debate performance where, yes, he spoke plainly, but what he said was lie after lie after lie that left most of those who watched either confirmed in their opinion to vote for Joe Biden or alarmed at the prospect of Donald Trump.

It was a weak debate performance by Pres. BidenBut I think, side by side, Donald Trump had a horrifying debate performance where, yes, he spoke plainly, but what he said was lie after lie after lie, Democratic Sen. Chris Coons tells @JonKarl. https://t.co/UhiLWzMMWYpic.twitter.com/X4hHKpiyqs  This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 30, 2024

Other Democrats also made sure to highlight Trumps performance and record, stressing how much is at stake should the White House go to the convicted candidate who tried to overturn the 2020 election and rolled back the rights of several groups.

Trump was spewing out a volcano full of lies through the night of the debate, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) told MSNBCs This Weekend.

And I say this  those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, she added. We saw what happened under Donald Trump. And even four months of him, let alone four years, can lead us into a place that is going to be irretrievable for us to come back from, and that includes womens rights to choose. So it is personal, its on the ballot, and dont [let] anybody tell you its not there because it truly is.

Biden indeed came back strong after Thursday, speaking in North Carolina and New York over the weekend with a level of energy that was not present during the debate. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) told Dana Bash, one of the debates moderators, on CNNs State of the Union that Bidens speech in North Carolina the following day captivated the audience.

Coons also spoke positively about Bidens speeches in North Carolina and New York, saying on This Week, He was comfortable, he was proud that he gave a strong speech at a campaign event in North Carolina. He gave a strong speech in New York. Hes had a great few days, and its building on a great few years. No one has been a stronger and more consequential president in my lifetime than Joe Biden.

Despite the stronger presence over the weekend, top members of the Democratic Party are reported to be discussing whether supporting Biden as the presidential candidate is still the right decision. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) told MSNBCs Ali Velshi that there are very honest and serious, rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party, while House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) echoed Raskin, telling MSNBCs The Weekend that party leaders will continue to have those conversations with the House Democratic Caucus.

I believe a setback is nothing more than a setup for a comeback. Leader @RepJeffries on his confidence in President Biden to move forward following Thursdays debate. pic.twitter.com/XWGkzk3YLQ  The Weekend on MSNBC (@TheWeekendMSNBC) June 30, 2024

It certainly was a setback, Jeffries said of the debate. But of course, I believe a setback is nothing more than a setup for a comeback.

During an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) was asked if Biden should drop out of the race following his debate performance, to which he answered, Oh, absolutely not.

Ill tell you, as a pastor, for me, [Sunday is] church time. And I can tell you that there have been more than a few Sundays when I wish I had preached a better sermon. But after the sermon was over, it was my job to embody the message, to show up for the people that I serve, Warnock said.

And thats what Joe Biden has been doing his entire life  his entire life of public service  and over the last four years, hes been showing up for the American people.  His is a life of public service, baptized in sorrow, and it is why you feel his sense of care when youre with him, he continued. And its our job  democracy is a group project  its our job to make sure that Donald Trump is nowhere near the Oval Office.

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President Joe Biden's campaign on Saturday night, in a fundraising appeal to supporters, said the president dropping out would only "lead to weeks of chaos" and leave the eventual replacement weakened ahead of a November faceoff with former President Donald Trump.

"The bedwetting brigade is calling for Joe Biden to 'drop out.' That is the best possible way for Donald Trump to win and us to lose," Biden deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty argued in the email to supporters.

"First of all: Joe Biden is going to be the Democratic nominee, period. End of story. Voters voted. He won overwhelmingly," Flaherty added. "And if he were to drop out, it would lead to weeks of chaos, internal foodfighting, and a bunch of candidates who limp into a brutal floor fight at the convention, all while Donald Trump has time to speak to American voters uncontested."

He continued: "All of that would be in service of a nominee who would go into a general election in the weakest possible position with zero dollars in their bank account. You want a highway to losing? It's that."

PHOTO: President Joe Biden participates in the CNN Presidential Debate, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Flaherty's email was framed around seven responses to tell "your panicked aunt, your MAGA uncle, or some self-important Podcasters" following Biden's poor debate showing, and amid calls for him to step aside.

MORE: Can Biden bounce back from rough debate?

Late Friday, the New York Times editorial board, which endorsed Biden in the 2020 general election matchup with Trump, said the president should drop out, saying his debate appearance was "the shadow of a great public servant."

"Mr. Biden has been an admirable president But the greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election," the board wrote.

"The president's performance cannot be written off as a bad night or blamed on a supposed cold, because it affirmed concerns that have been mounting for months or even years," the board wrote.

By staying in the race, they argued Biden was "engaged in a reckless gamble." The campaign swiftly brushed off the board.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump participate in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections in Atlanta, June 27, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

"The last time Joe Biden lost the New York Times editorial board's endorsement it turned out pretty well for him," Biden campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond said in a statement shared with ABC News on Friday.

(In 2020, the Time's editorial board endorsed both Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota for the Democratic nomination for president, which Biden later secured.)

At a string of fundraisers on Friday and Saturday, Biden sought to reassure donors he had what it took to stay in the race, vowing to fight harder.

Biden gave a forceful speech to supporters at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday, "Folks, I dont walk as easy as I used to. I dont speak as smoothly as I used to. I dont debate as well as I used to, but ... I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong, and I know how to do this job," he told the roaring crowd. "I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down, you get back up."

"It wasn't my best debate ever as Barack pointed out," Biden said at a fundraiser hosted in Red Bank, New Jersey, according to the pool reporters in the room, later adding, "I understand the concern after the debate. I get it. I didn't have a great night, but I'm going to be fighting harder."

And publicly, Democratic officials have circled the wagons around Biden. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday night after the debate that he "will never turn [his] back on President Biden," while New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who hosted the fundraiser in his state on Saturday, told Biden "We are all with you 1,000%," and called him "America's comeback kid."

However, some discussions have been had privately among some party leaders about how to convince sitting senators to have a frank conversation with the president about bowing out.

MORE: At the Capitol, Democrats anguish over Biden's debate performance on full display

Other than the argument that chaos would ensure with a Biden withdrawal, the note included asking supporters to tell friends that despite the "rough" start to the debate, "voters saw what a threat Donald Trump is" and that "the long-term impact of debates is overstated."

"And lastly, but most importantly, you've got to keep the faith," Flaherty said toward the end of his email, adding that the campaign was going to "keep our heads down and do the work."

Biden campaign argues president dropping out would 'lead to weeks of chaos' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
President Bidens lackluster debate performance has thrust Vice President Harris into the spotlight.

After Biden struggled against former President Trump, Harris hit the airwaves to defend her running mates record and ability to handle the job. But she was also central to conversations among some Democrats about whether Biden should step aside, a move that would likely move Harris to the top of the ticket in November.

It puts Harris in a tricky spot as she seeks to reassure nervous Democrats about their chances in this years election while positioning herself as a potential future leader of the party.

To be quite honest, she sounded coherent and made her points in a succinct and sharp way, said one Democratic donor. The next 30 days it may be up to her to make the case. People will be looking to her and testing her to see if shes ready.

One Democrat, who served in the Obama White House, said Harris clearly has a purpose now to make the case for what they have accomplished.

The aide pointed to remarks from former President Obama, where he likened major political moments to a relay race.

This is the transitional moment where both she and Biden have their hands on the baton, but clearly she will be needed to complete the race, the aide said.

Biden squared off with Trump on the debate stage Thursday night in what turned out to be a disastrous performance. The presidents voice was raspy for much of the 90 minutes, his delivery was frequently halting and at times he lost his train of thought or struggled to make his point clearly.

Many Democrats quickly panned Bidens showing and raised the idea that he should step aside ahead of the partys August convention.

That left Harris to defend her running mate on the same networks where anchors and pundits were discussing the prospect of Biden leaving the ticket.

People can debate on style points, but ultimately this election and who is the president of the United States has to be about substance, said Harris, who conceded Biden had a slow start.

The vice president was not asked about, nor did she address, the elephant in the room: that she would be the likeliest candidate to replace Biden should he step aside.

The vice presidents team on Friday dismissed any talk of a Democratic ticket that doesnt include both Biden and Harris.

Vice President Harris looks forward to serving a second term with President Joe Biden, Harris spokesperson Ernie Apreza said in a statement.

Bidens campaign and White House officials similarly shut down talk of the president dropping out of the race after Thursdays debate. At a North Carolina rally early Friday afternoon, Biden acknowledged his difficulties on the debate stage but insisted he was up to the job.

But should he step aside, Democratic strategists have downplayed the prospect of an open convention. They argued Harris would be the logical choice, given her role as vice president, and warned of the risks of passing over a Black woman already on the ticket for another candidate.

Harris launched a much-hyped presidential bid of her own in 2019, and one of her marquee moments came during an exchange with Biden on the debate stage over busing. But she failed to translate the initial enthusiasm over her candidacy into tangible support and struggled to connect with voters or develop a clear message. She ultimately dropped out before the Iowa caucuses.

When Biden was considering Harris as his running mate, some allies cautioned that Harris would be looking out for her own political pursuits while serving as vice president. Aware of that perception, Harris has sought to be a loyal foot soldier.

She knew it would be a horrible look if it turned [out] to be the Kamala show, said one Democratic strategist.

Harris had a rocky opening to her tenure as vice president, stumbling with her messaging on the issue of migration and struggling to garner support for a voting rights package despite taking it on as a personal cause.

But she has hit her stride and become a valuable figure in the two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Harris has traveled the country to talk about reproductive rights, becoming the face of the White House and the campaign on an issue Democrats are hoping might swing the election in their favor.

Harris has also traveled internationally to meet with world leaders and discuss the conflict in Ukraine.

During her postdebate interview blitz, Vice President Harris really showed her strengths  she is a forceful communicator, an effective leader and a strong partner to President Biden, said Rachel Palermo, who served as Harriss deputy communications director and associate counsel in the White House.

She reminded voters that the substance matters, and the contrast between Biden and Trump on the issues is clear, Palermo added.

Polling on Harriss chances in 2024 if she were elevated to the top of the ticket has been scarce, but the available data suggests she may fare similarly to Biden.

A February New York Times/Siena College poll found Harris trailing Trump among likely voters in a hypothetical match-up by 6 percentage points, 42 percent support to 48 percent. She fared only slightly worse than Biden, who at the time trailed Trump in that survey by 4 percentage points, 44 percent to 48 percent.

The same poll found 38 percent of likely voters had a favorable view of Harris, compared to 54 percent who had an unfavorable view of her.

Republicans have used Bidens age to attack the prospect of a Harris presidency. Nikki Haley made it central to her failed presidential bid, suggesting a vote for Biden in 2024 was actually a vote for Harris.

The Trump campaign ran an ad during Thursday nights debate that highlighted footage of Biden tripping on the stairs of Air Force One and looking lost on stage before a narrator said Harris was waiting behind him.

Thursdays debate supercharged speculation from Republicans that Harris may ultimately end up in the Oval Office.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said Friday he planned to put forth a resolution urging Harris to convene the Cabinet and declare Biden unable to carry out the duties of the Oval Office.

Alex Gangitano contributed

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden is expected to discuss the future of his re-election campaign with family on Sunday, following a nationally televised debate Thursday that left many fellow Democrats worried about his ability to beat former President Donald Trump in November, according to five people familiar with the matter.

Bidens trip to Camp David was planned before Thursdays debate. He and first lady Jill Biden are scheduled to join their children and grandchildren there late Saturday.

So far, the partys top leaders have offered public support for Biden, including in tweets posted by former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Senior congressional Democrats, including Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Nancy Pelosi of California, have privately expressed concerns about his viability, said two sources apprised of those discussions, even as they all publicly back the president.

One Democratic House member who believes Biden should drop out of the race  but has yet to call for that publicly  told NBC News that three colleagues expressed the same sentiment to him during votes on the House floor Friday.

Read the full story on NBC News.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Members of Joe Bidens family privately trashed his top campaign advisers at Camp David this weekend, blaming them for the presidents flop in Thursdays debate and urging Biden to fire or demote people in his political high command.

There is no immediate expectation that Biden will follow through on that advice, according to three people briefed on the family conversations but not directly involved. The three people were granted anonymity to discuss the matter.

Among the family's complaints about the debate practice: that Biden was not prepared to pivot more to go on the attack; that he was bogged down too much on defending his record rather than outlining a vision for a second term; and that he was over-worked and not well-rested.

The blame was cast widely on staffers, including: Anita Dunn, the senior adviser who frequently has the presidents ear; her husband, Bob Bauer, the presidents attorney who played Trump in rehearsals at Camp David; and Ron Klain, the former chief of staff who ran point on the debate prep and previous cycles sessions.

The aides who prepped the President have been with him for years, often decades, seeing him through victories and challenges. He maintains strong confidence in them, Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said in a statement.

A senior Biden aide also pushed back, saying it was not true that frustration was directed at Dunn, Bauer and Klain.

Biden allies and staffers have sought to blame a variety of factors in the aftermath of Bidens dismal debate performance, including that the president was ill, was over-prepared and that the CNN moderators failed to fact-check former President Donald Trump. But as the crisis continued into a third day, the finger-pointing has turned inward toward some of Bidens closest advisers.



The focus on the staff, however, also allowed the family to overlook Bidens own failings in Atlanta, one of the people familiar noted.

These people said the Biden family wanted the president to continue in the campaign rather than end his career with a calamitous debate performance against Trump, whom they all loathe. First lady Jill Biden and his son Hunter Biden were the loudest voices urging the president to stay in the 2024 contest.

The Biden family also expected to huddle to discuss the best way to reassure Democrats that staying in the race is the right decision. The president himself was calling around to hear what his confidants thought. As Biden boarded Air Force One on Saturday, he chatted on the phone with Jon Meacham, according to photographs of the caller ID.

Additionally, Bidens campaign staff only grew angrier at CNN as to how the debate was run, according to several people familiar with the conversations. Their complaints were lengthy, including that the moderators should have fact-checked Trump more often, that Biden was not told which camera hed be on when not speaking and that the makeup staff made him appear too pale, according to the three people. Biden did, however, agree to the terms of the debate before it was held.

Since the debate, Bidens family has publicly and privately rallied behind him. Granddaughters Finnegan and Natalie Biden traveled with the president and first lady for a slate of fundraising events on Saturday in New York and New Jersey. Although the family had long planned to spend this weekend together at Camp David to take a family portrait with photographer Annie Leibovitz, the gathering offered an opportunity for them to sit down together in the days following what is shaping up to be a low point in the presidents decades-long political career.

Before Biden even walked off the debate stage on Thursday evening, he was already facing heavy criticism from members of his own party about his rocky performance, with some suggesting that he couldnt adequately compete against Trump and that his performance exposed long-simmering concerns that hes too old to campaign and lead the nation. His raspy voice, trailing answers and deflated stage presence during the 90-minute debate set off panic among top Democratic donors and strategists about the viability of his candidacy and opened up a debate about whether he should be replaced at the top of the ticket.

He did better in subsequent days with stronger performances at a rally and fundraisers  but those, unlike the debate, allowed him to use teleprompters.

Biden has acknowledged that the debate did not go well. At a campaign rally on Friday, he said I dont debate as well as I used to, but emphasized that he would not be running again if I did not believe with all my heart and soul that I can do this job.



Ever since launching his reelection campaign, Biden has struggled to assuage concerns about his age. Polls have consistently shown that many voters  including his own supporters  think he is too old to effectively serve a second term. Although Trump is just three years younger, voters are far less likely to cite the former presidents age as an issue.

Bidens debate performance is likely to make the age issue an even bigger hurdle in the coming months. A CBS News/YouGov poll published Sunday showed that 72 percent of registered voters do not believe Biden has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president, up from 65 percent earlier this month. His party is split on whether he should run for president, with 46 percent of registered Democratic voters saying he should not compared to 54 percent who say he should.

Biden often consults his family on big decisions, and people close to him say that the only way he would come to the conclusion to drop out of the race would be if the first lady and members of his family encouraged him to do so.

At a fundraiser in Greenwich Village on Friday night, the first lady said that after the debate, the president came to her and said: Jill, I don't know what happened. I didnt feel that great.

And I said, Look, Joe, we are not going to let 90 minutes define the four years that youve been president, the first lady recounted, according to reporters in the room.
(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Bidens campaign is going on the attack against a chorus of donors, consultants, officials and media voices calling on him to drop out of the 2024 race after his devastating debate performance.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The strategy will be remembered as a display of either remarkable foresight or incredible hubris.

Aides spent the weekend publicly dismissing suggestions that Biden reconsider his candidacy or take dramatic steps to overhaul his operation. They angrily denounced the suggestion Biden and his family might entertain a discussion of leaving the race as they traveled to Camp David for a private getaway, where photographer Annie Leibovitz would be taking pictures of the beleaguered clan.

After cursory concessions that the debate went poorly, surrogates insisted the impact was overblown  and that those speculating about replacing Biden on the ticket were hurting their party by considering an idea that would only prompt chaos and infighting.

In private calls, public memos and media appearances, they mocked those who suggested the president self-inflicted a fatal wound as bed wetters out of touch with real Americans. Top Democratic lawmakers rallied around the president, fanning out on television to argue theres still a path to victory against former President Donald Trump.

Bidens campaign is also launching a new 60-second ad in which the president acknowledges the age concerns but pledges to get back up. The ad will air during large-viewership moments including sports programs and The Bachelorette season premiere, the campaign said.

Yet concern about Bidens candidacy may be extending more widely.

A post-debate poll by CBS News found that just 28% of registered voters believed Biden should be running for president, including only 54% of the presidents own party. Some 72% said Biden didnt have the mental and cognitive health to serve as president.

Representative Jamie Raskin, an influential Maryland Democrat, said on MSNBC there were very honest and serious and rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party about the path forward.

Photographers zooming in on Bidens phone spotted him calling historian Jon Meacham  a frequent adviser whom he has consulted ahead of consequential moments in his administration  as the president boarded his Marine One helicopter Saturday night after a series of fundraisers.

Former hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson, a Democratic donor, emailed a group of top lawmakers urging them to persuade the campaign to put Biden in unscripted settings handling fair but tough questions in order to prove he isnt in a moderate to advanced state of cognitive decline.

Billionaire Donors

Its unanimous in the donor class  every single person Ive encountered, including a number of billionaires, some of the biggest donors in the country Ive spoken with, theyre completely aligned with me, that Biden needs to go, Tilson said in an interview. So theres a complete disconnect between the campaign and the donor class.

The editorial board of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the largest newspaper in the swing state of Georgia, joined liberal stalwarts such as New Yorker editor David Remnick and the New York Times editorial board in urging Biden to step aside.

Daniella Ballou-Aares, founder of the Leadership Now Project, said her group of business leaders who have organized around the idea of defending American democracy would be holding a virtual call Monday to discuss alternate paths.

Theres a very significant disconnect between what the campaign is messaging and where our members are, she said. And I think their messaging is really out of touch with how people have seen the reality of the debate. Concerns of members extend to the potential implications for competitive House and Senate races, she added.

Some of the campaigns actions indicate on some level, theyre recognizing that anxiety. At fundraisers since the debate in Manhattan, the Hamptons and New Jersey, Biden conceded to donors hed lost a step on the debate stage and vowed to work harder.

In Wilmington, Delaware, staff were called for an all-hands meeting on Friday afternoon for reassurance.

And on Saturday, Democratic National Committee chairman and Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez held a hastily arranged call with committee members across the country worried about the path forward. But some DNC members said they felt gaslit on the call, describing Bidens team as unwilling or unable to grapple with the changing race, the Associated Press reported.

Biden officials insisted that the panic was unnecessary.

Aides said they had raised around $33 million  including $26 million in grassroots donations - since Thursday. Campaign chairwoman Jen OMalley Dillon said internal data showed the debate did nothing to change the American peoples perception about the race.

They said Biden had rebounded at a speech Friday in North Carolina, and took encouragement in Nielsen ratings showing that the debate drew just 51 million viewers, significantly fewer than in past elections. They cited flash polls that suggested Bidens performance hadnt seriously eroded his support, sidestepping the fact the president already appeared to be trailing Trump headed into the debate.

Perhaps we live in an insanely fractured information environment and no one thing is going to dramatically change the dynamics, Biden spokesman TJ Ducklo said.

Biden was also buoyed by no major Democrat publicly calling for him to step aside  and particularly statements of support from former President Barack Obama as well as a cadre of governors and senators at the center of recent speculation about replacing him on the ticket.

In another memo, deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty argued that that even if the presidents polls did decline, it was merely a temporary reflection of reactionary coverage by the chattering class.

Flaherty went on to swipe at self-important podcasters  a clear reference to the popular Pod Save America show, hosted by former Obama administration officials who expressed alarm in the aftermath of the debate.

Breaking news: People think Joe Bidens old. They did coming into the debate, they do coming out of the debate, he wrote.

The Loyalists

Taken together, the responses underscore two truths about Biden loyalists.

The group deeply distrusts pronouncements by the media and Democratic insiders, and remains angry that Bidens primary campaign ahead of the 2020 election wasnt treated with more respect.

Multiple officials said the call from the Times editorial board for Biden to step down had a galvanizing effect among demoralized staffers, reminding them of the 2020 primary when the Times split its endorsement between two senators  Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar  who had little impact on the race.

Bidens team also has few alternatives as long as the president wants to remain in the race, necessitating a posture in which staffers must stake their credibility and legacies to not further diminish a wounded candidate.

Forcing Biden from the ticket is virtually impossible under Democratic Party rules, and the president and his allies have decades of connections throughout Washington, including personal friendships with top lawmakers.

Those who publicly denounce Biden risk the fury of their peers and longtime exile from the party, even if Biden proves unable to recover.

Read this next: Biden's Defiance Has Democrats Fearing They'll Lose White House

Anita Dunn, the White House official and longtime Democratic operative who sits at the center of Bidens messaging operation, laughed when asked on MSNBC about critics who believed she and her team had arrogantly insisted they know what they are doing only for Biden to fumble his performance.

Well, thats a shock, Dunn replied sarcastically. That has never happened to the Biden operation the entire time Ive been involved in it.

--With assistance from Skylar Woodhouse.

(Updates to add details on new Biden campaign ad in paragraph 6)

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
While two companies with headquarters in Delaware received recognition from U.S. News & World Report in the Best Companies to Work For rankings, only one made the overall 300 best list, released earlier this month.

Sallie Mae, based in Stanton, was honored among the top 300 with additional recognition as best in financial services and best companies in the South.

In the financial services business, Sallie Mae describes itself as the nations saving, planning and paying for college company. Founded in 1972, the business has about 1,740 employees in the U.S., with headquarters in Stanton and offices near New Castle and in Sterling, Virginia; Newton, Massachusetts; Indianapolis; and Salt Lake City.

Sallie Mae headquarters in Stanton.

Employees at the Stanton headquarters, the largest of Sallie Mae's offices, work in credit, collections, risk, customer experience, product marketing, corporate marketing and human resources, according to the company's website.

At the New Castle-area office, the company has its operations teams, including servicing, school assist, collections, underwriting, fraud, office of the customer advocate and customer communications.

See when company opened second office: New Sallie Mae office brings new jobs to Delaware

Sallie Mae CEO Raymond Quinlan speaks to employees and state and local officials during a ribbon cutting for the company's second office in Delaware in 2018.

Heres how Sallie Mae ranked in the six categories that U.S. News & World Report used to compile the rankings, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest:

Sense of belonging, 5

Quality of pay, 4

Stability, 4

Comfort, 4

Professional development, 4

Work life balance, 3

Chemours gets U.S. News & World Report nod

While not listed among the top 300, one other company with headquarters in Delaware received recognition in the U.S. News & World Report's Best Companies to Work For list.

In the listings by industry and region, Chemours, headquartered in Wilmington, was honored as Best in Chemicals.

Meanwhile, Evolent Health, which is registered in Delaware but has its headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, was honored as Best in Health Services and Best Companies in the South.<

More business news: Plans revived for a Newark Wawa. Where else is Wawa coming in Delaware?

How did U.S. News & World Report select Best Companies?

In compiling the rankings, U.S. News & World Report looked at businesses with publicly traded stock in the Russell 3000 index of largest companies as of June 2023. The businesses also needed to have a minimum of 75 U.S.-based Glassdoor reviews between 2020 and 2023. Companies were grouped into various categories using a combination of industry classification benchmark standards and U.S. News editorial judgment.

Story continues

Here are the six metrics that determined the best companies to work for, according to U.S. News & World Report:

Quality of pay and benefits, whether employees feel adequately compensated for their work, as well as living wage data and a companys compensation vs. its competitors.

Work/life balance and flexibility, based on flexible work policies and employee perception of opportunities for work/life balance and flexibility.

Job and company stability, using data on corporate governance quality and the attrition rate of a companys senior leadership.

Physical and psychological comfort, defined as a safe work environment.

Sense of belonging and esteem, whether employees feel connected to the organization and appreciated for their contributions.

Career opportunities and professional development, considering factors like mobility rates within a company and opportunities for benefits like tuition assistance, as well as growth opportunities perceived by employees.

Reporter Ben Mace covers business, development and real estate news. Reach him at rmace@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Sallie Mae listed among 300 'Best Companies to Work For' by U.S. News
Despite conceding it was a "weak debate performance" by President Joe Biden, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said Sunday that Biden is the "only" Democrat who can defeat former President Donald Trump in November.

Speaking to host Jonathan Karl on ABC's "This Week," Coons said, "The stakes of this race couldnt be higher. And the only Democrat whos ever beaten Donald Trump is Joe Biden."

When Karl asked him if he thought anyone else could defeat Trump in November, Coons said no.

"I think he's the only Democrat who can beat Donald Trump," the senator said.

When a startled-looking Karl challenged him on that, Coons doubled down in his backing of Biden. "Let me tell you, he had the single best day of grassroots fundraising after the debate," he said. "The first poll that we saw after the debate showed Joe Biden gaining ground on Donald Trump. I understand theres a lot of hand-wringing and concern and pearl-clutching amongst the commentariat. Thats great. Thats expected, frankly."

Citing the widespread perception that Biden's performance in Thursday's debate was disastrously poor, Karl pointed out examples of various commentators urging Biden to withdraw from the race. "I'm asking you, is President Biden at all listening to, considering, what these people are writing?" Karl asked Coons.

Coons, a longtime Biden ally from his home state, said no major figures in the party are calling for Biden to drop out.

"There is not one single senior Democrat, theres not a single governor, theres not a single senator, theres not, obviously, his vice president who endorses him and supports him," Coons said.
Biggest worry in captivity was for my parents, rescued Israeli hostage Noa Argamani says

Rescued Israeli hostage Noa Argamani has spoken out about her ordeal publicly for the first time since her rescue, saying in a video message that her biggest concern during captivity was for her parents.

Argamani, one of four hostages rescued by the Israeli military in a special operation in Gaza this month, spoke out in footage played at a protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday in which she also called for the return of the remaining 120 captives, who include her partner Avinatan Or.

Although Im home now, we cant forget about the hostages who are still in Hamas captivity, and we must do everything possible to bring them back home, Argamani said in the two-minute clip, which was played during a rally led by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Argamani said she felt privileged to be back with her family, especially her mother, who has late-stage cancer.

As an only child to my parents  and a daughter to a mother with a terminal illness  my biggest worry in captivity was for my parents.

Argamani and her partner Or were abducted by Hamas at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7. Widely circulated footage of her kidnapping showed her being hoisted onto the back of a motorcycle and driven away as Or was apprehended and made to walk with his hands behind his back.

Noa Argamani, a rescued hostage, embraces her father, Yakov Argamani, following her rescue, on June 8, 2024. - Israeli Army/Handout via Reuters

Argamani was in captivity for eight months before she and three other hostages  Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv  were rescued in an Israeli operation that Gazan authorities said killed more than 200 people.

A senior Hamas official has told CNN that no one has an idea how many hostages are still alive.

I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone that there are still 120 hostages in Hamas captivity. Among them is Avinatan Or, my partner, from whom I was separated at the moment of abduction, Argamani said in the video message.

Her statement stopped short of calling on the government to strike a ceasefire deal with Hamas that could lead to the release of more hostages.

The video was played before a crowd of protesters, who have been holding large rallies in Tel Aviv for months. Such rallies often attract thousands of people, with many calling for the return of all hostages, some demanding a hostage deal, and others pushing for the ouster of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government.

During the latest demonstrations on Saturday, a group of protesters lit fires, tires and torches in the middle of the street, according to Israeli police. Authorities said they stepped in to maintain public order and extinguish the flames.

Footage from around the scene showed officers confronting the crowd and at one point, they appeared to forcefully restrain lawmaker Naama Lazimi, who took part in the rally, before they let her go.

Police did not say if anyone was arrested.

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Black Sea grain deal provides potential model for talks with Russia, Zelensky says

Ukraine does not envisage direct negotiations with Russia but could use the model of a tripartite agreement similar to the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by the U.N. and Turkey in 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer published on June 30.

The agreement played a crucial role in mitigating a global surge in food prices partially caused by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine by allowing Kyiv to export its agricultural products via the Black Sea despite the ongoing invasion.

Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, effectively collapsing the deal, in July 2023.

The deal was the result of tripartite negotiations, where Ukraine signed the agreement with Turkey and the U.N., while Russia signed its own corresponding agreement with the same mediators.

This model could be used for issues like territorial integrity, energy, and shipping, Zelensky said, responding to a question on whether Ukraine could hold direct negotiations with Russia.

Zelensky emphasized that the only possible peace negotiations would be based on Ukraine's peace formula, which calls for Russia to completely withdraw from Ukrainian territory and pay reparations, among other points.

Any other form of peace talks with Russia would not end the war, but encourage further territorial aggression, while "a ceasefire is the best option for the Russians so they can prepare for taking even more," Zelensky said.

"If the idea is to give up our territories, no, it will not solve the issue," Zelensky said.

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. Nine more states joined the document after the event.

Kyiv is planning to arrange a second global peace summit before the end of 2024.

Read also: Peace summit smart way to combat Russian propaganda, Australian representative says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The search for two Georgia firefighters out of Hinesville has come to an end.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

On Sunday evening the Hinesville Police Department shared that the bodies of Raegan Anderson and Chandler Kuhbander, along with Andersons car, have been found in Cocke County, Tenn.

The two were last seen in Midway, Georgia last Tuesday.

MPIA believes they were headed straight for the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area.

TRENDING STORIES:

Tennessee authorities are currently investigating the scene.

Details about the discovery of their bodies, vehicle and events leading to their deaths are not available at this time.

The Cocke County Sheriffs Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.

We extend our deepest condolences to the Anderson and Kuhbander families during this incredibly difficult time, the Hinesville Police Department said.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Bodycam footage released after 13-year-old boy shot and killed by police in New York

The mother of the 13 year old boy who was shot and killed by Utica Police cries after listening to a translator inside City Hall in Utica, New York on June 29, 2024 (via REUTERS)

A community is grieving after a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by a police officer in upstate New York on Friday night.

The teenage victim was identified as Nyah Mway, a member of the Karen refugee community who had graduated from 8th grade earlier that week.

In body camera footage released by the department, Mway begins to run after an officer said he was about to be patted down for a weapon, leading to a brief chase during which the boy flashed what looked like a gun, according to police and their slowed-down version of footage released.

Footage taken shortly before the chase that ended in Mways death (Utica Police Department)

During the course of his flight the juvenile displayed what appeared to be a handgun, said Utica Police Department in a statement. Authorities later acknowledged it was a pellet gun that resembled a Glock handgun.

In the footage, an officer chasing Mway yells, Gun! and tackles him to the ground. As authorities hold Mway on the ground, an officer shot his weapon once, killing Mway.

The incident occurred after officers from the Utica Police Department stopped Mway and another boy on a street in downtown Utica. Police say they stopped the boys around 10:15 p.m. at the 900 block of Shaw Street while searching for the suspects in two robbery investigations, described as Asian males or one Asian male and one dark-skinned male.

A GoFundMe fundraiser for the family, apparently started by Mways sibling, says that the family moved to the United States nine years ago seeking refugee from ethnic cleansing in Myanmar.

My brother was returning home from an 8th grade graduation barbecue. He has never gotten in trouble with law enforcement before, he was a good kid, the description of the fundraiser says.

The mother of the 13 year old boy who was shot and killed by Utica Police cries after listening to a translator inside City Hall in Utica, New York, U.S. June 29, 2024. (via REUTERS)

The description goes on to question the polices account of the events. It says that police told Mways family that there was a shoot out when they informed them of the incident.

A family member told The New York Times that police told the parents their son was in the hospital but by the time they arrived he had already died.

Police say they stopped the two boys based on the listed identifying factors and that Mway was walking in the roadway in violation of New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law 1156a, meaning that he was just simply walking in the road.

Officer Patrick Husnay, who shot Mway, and the three others involved have been placed on paid administrative leave.

The replica handgun police recovered from the scene (City of Utica, NY Police Department)

Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time. We will continue to be as transparent and accessible to the family and community as legally allowed as this process continues, a statement from the police department says.

Members of the local community have expressed outrage over the incident, demanding justice for the young boy and his family.

No justice, no peace, people yelled at City Hall on Saturday as the mayor and police chief gave a press conference.

No Justice, No Peace chants were ringing around the inside of City Hall earlier #Utica pic.twitter.com/naUN1WYy1K  Daniel DeLoach (@OD_DeLoach) June 29, 2024

A candlelight vigil was held for the teenage boy with locals bringing signs, balloons, flowers and more to honor Mway.

The Police Department, as well as the New York Attorney Generals Office, will investigate the matter. Utica city and police officials told locals they would be transparent during their investigation.
Bolivia's President Luis Arce speaks after an interview at the government palace, in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, June 28, 2024, two days after Army troops stormed the palace in what Arce called a coup attempt. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP)  Former President Evo Morales on Sunday accused his political ally-turned-rival President Luis Arce of deceiving Bolivians by staging a self-coup last week to earn political points among the electorate, marking a sharp downturn in an already fraught relationship.

Morales was initially among the country's most powerful voices to say the approximately 200 members of the military who marched on Bolivia's government palace alongside armored vehicles Wednesday had attempted a coup detat. He called for "all those involved in this riot to be arrested and tried.

But on Sunday, Morales joined others who contend Arce himself orchestrated the incident in an attempt to win the sympathy of Bolivians at a time when his popularity is extremely low.

Arce disrespected the truth, deceived us, lied, not only to the Bolivian people but to the whole world, Morales said in a local broadcast program Sunday. Morales also called for an independent investigation into the military action in a post on X.

Morales is throwing his support behind an accusation made by former Gen. Juan Jose Zuniga, who allegedly led the coup attempt. Morales said Zuniga had informed colleagues and family of his plan beforehand and while in custody had told authorities that Arce had betrayed him.

The president told me: The situation is very screwed up, very critical. It is necessary to prepare something to raise my popularity, Zuniga quoted Arce as saying.

That theory was quickly adopted by Arces political enemies, who dubbed it a self-coup.

At some point the truth will be known, a handcuffed Zuniga told reporters while being transferred to prison Saturday.

Morales' comments were echoed later in the night by neighboring Argentina. The government of right-wing Argentine President Javier Milei declared the coup attempt fraudulent," citing intelligence reports and saying the way in which Wednesday progressed was not very credible.

Arce's government responded on Monday, saying it strongly rejects the unfriendly and reckless comments.

It's a major turnaround since Wednesday, when leaders across the region lined up in solidarity with Arce.

Presidential Minister Maria Nela Prada fired back at Morales over state television Sunday, warning him to not become a puppet, a marionette and an instrument of imperialism that intends to plunder our country." She said the "fascist right" wanted to distort history."

What I condemn even more is that from people like Evo Morales, who claim to be leftists, there is ideological fluctuation around what are coups detat and failed coups detat in our country," she said.

Morales still wields a great deal of influence in Bolivia, especially among coca growers and unions, while Arce has faced simmering discontent as the country reels from an economic crisis.

Morales, once Arce's friend, resigned as president in 2019 amid unrest after he ran for an unconstitutional third term and fled into exile, an incident he insists was a coup.

The incident led to conservative Jeanine Anez to briefly take over as interim president, a period plagued with controversy. Anez is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence on accusations she illegally took over the presidency after Morales resigned.

In Bolivia's 2020 election, Morales threw his support behind Arce to be the candidate for his Movement for Socialism, known by its Spanish acronym MAS.

But their relationship soured when Morales returned from self-exile and later announced he planned to run against Arce to be MAS's candidate in the 2025 elections. Their fights have grown increasingly bitter as Morales' allies have blocked much of Arce's legislative agenda in Congress.

We've been politically attacked, Arce told The Associated Press in an interview Friday. But we haven't attacked back.

The feud has angered many Bolivians, and Morales comments Sunday were not likely to help.

Morales said on the local radio program Kausachun Coca that he felt the incident damaged the image of Bolivia and its military. He also apologized for expressing solidarity with Arce.
Boy, 13, Shot and Killed by Police: 'I Will Never Get to See Him Grow Up,' Sister Says

Nyah Mway was shot on Friday, June 28, in Utica, New York, while allegedly wielding a replica handgun

GoFundMe Nyah Mway was shot and killed by police on June 28

A 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by police in Utica, New York, earlier this week.

Officer Patrick Husnay shot Nyah Mway on Friday, June 28, after the teen allegedly pulled out what appeared to be a handgun during an attempted frisking, according to a news release from the Utica Police Department.

Around 10 p.m. local time, Husney and two other Utica police officers, Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti, were patrolling an area of the city, where at least two robberies had occurred recently.

Based on the characteristics of suspects in a June 27 robbery, the officers approached Mway and another unidentified juvenile, also 13, who were in the immediate vicinity of the previous robbery at nearly the same time of day, the release said.

The officers attempted to conduct a citizen stop of the two teens. But, while attempting to frisk Mway, the teen fled and pulled out what appeared to be a handgun, according to initial information provided by police.

Mway allegedly pulled the item, which was later identified as a a replica GLOCK pellet gun, in front of his body and pointed it directly at the officers, police said.

Officer Husnay then fired his duty weapon at Mway, striking him, police said. The teen was transported to a local hospital, where he died as a result of the shooting wound.

The Utica Police Department publicized photos of the pellet gun and bodycam footage of the incident.

City of Utica/Facebook A Utica PD vehicle

In a statement, the department said, Our thoughts are with our officers involved, and the family of the deceased juvenile.

There are two active investigations into the fatal shooting, the NYS Attorney Generals and the Utica Police Departments Professional Standards internal investigation, per police.

Authorities said the three officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, ABC News reported.

As in any Officer Involved Shooting investigation it is within the purview of the NYS Attorney Generals Office of Special Investigations to determine whether the shooting violated any state laws, the release said. "However, we felt it prudent to ensure the entirety of the evidence we have available at this time is shared publicly  keeping with our commitment to transparency.

It is our sincerest desire that at the conclusion of these investigations an impartial, fair, and thorough investigation will have been completed, giving answers to any remaining lingering questions, the release added.

A vigil was held for Mway in Utica on Saturday, June 29, about 24 hours after he was shot, per ABC News. Hundreds of people attended, and several people spoke, including members of the victims family.

Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch A vigil was held for Nyah Mway on June 29

A GoFundMe page was created by Mways sister, Thoung Oo, to raise funds for his funeral, legal expenses to seek justice, and family expenses including counseling, Oo said that her brother was returning home from an 8th grade graduation barbecue at the time of the shooting.

He has never gotten in trouble with law enforcement before, he was a good kid, Oo wrote. The UPD video cam, the witness testimonies, and stories they told my family don't add up, especially when they told my parents (who don't speak English at all) that there was a shoot out. We need answers."

Oo also said that Mway had just graduated from 8th grade two days prior and was excited to start high school this Fall," adding, "Because of this tragedy, I will never get to see him grow up."

She further explained that their family  Mways mother, father and three siblings  moved to the United States from Myanmar when Mway was just a small child. Our family moved to America nine years ago as refugees from Myanmar to find a better life safe from law enforcement killings and ethnic cleansing, she wrote.

My brother was an outgoing kid who loved to be outside biking and playing with his friends and family, she continued, adding, Our parents and grandparents did not flee war & corrupt military to be persecuted by American police.

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Read the original article on People.
BROCKTON  Nineties punk rock band NOFX will bring live music, craft-beer tastings and special guest performances from bands like Circle Jerks and Dropkick Murphys to Campanelli Stadium during a two-day festival at the end of the summer.

Loved ones attend a solemn walk-through to pay tribute to West Bridgewater Police Officer Michael Kominsky at Russell & Pica Funeral Home on Monday. West Bridgewater police and officers from around the region led the funeral procession for Officer Kominsky on Tuesday.

Dave Gorman and his wife Judy began organizing the Brockton Kids Road Race almost five decades ago. On June 15, kids lined up for the final race.

A high-profile pathologist hired by Sandra Birchmore's family said her death is a homicide, rejecting a state medical examiner's conclusion that she died by suicide. Birchmore, then 23, was found dead at her Canton apartment on Feb. 4, 2021.

In case you missed it, here are five of the top stories from the past week throughout the Brockton area.

90s punk rock band NOFX to perform with Circle Jerk, Dropkick Murphys in Brockton

Nineties punk rock band NOFX is set to perform in Brockton for the last time during a two-day festival at the end of the summer. To celebrate the end of their 40-year musical career, NOFX will bring live music, craft-beer tastings and special guest performances from bands like Circle Jerks and Dropkick Murphys to Campanelli Stadium.

NOFX set to perform in Brockton: 90's punk rock band NOFX to perform with Circle Jerk, Dropkick Murphys in Brockton

NOFX

Dropkick Murphy's lead singer Al Barr let the band's fans sing a few notes during the 2003 Vans Warped Tour music festival day-long concert at the Brockton Fairgrounds on Jul 31, 2003.

Solemn walk-through pays tribute to West Bridgewater Police Officer Michael Kominsky

Loved ones attend a solemn walk-through to pay tribute to West Bridgewater Police Officer Michael Kominsky at Russell & Pica Funeral Home in West Bridgewater on Monday, June 24 2024. West Bridgewater police and officers from around the region led the procession for West Bridgewater Police Officer Michael Kominsky on Tuesday.

Solemn walk-through pays tribute: Solemn walk-through pays tribute to West Bridgewater Police Officer Michael Kominsky

Procession, funeral held for Kominsky Procession, funeral, burial held for West Bridgewater Police Officer Michael Kominsky

Family and friends attend a solemn walk-through to pay tribute to West Bridgewater Police Officer Michael Kominsky at Russell & Pica Funeral Home in West Bridgewater on Monday, June 24 2024.

Stoughton police sex abuse victim died by homicide, pathologist says in bombshell report

A high-profile pathologist hired by Sandra Birchmore's family said her death is a homicide, rejecting a state medical examiner's conclusion that she died by suicide. Dr. Michael Baden, formerly the chief medical examiner for New York City, wrote a letter making that argument to an attorney for Birchmore's estate, according to the Boston Globe. The Enterprise has not independently seen the letter. Steve Marullo, lead lawyer for the family, said Tuesday his clients would not be sharing Baden's report before trial. Birchmore, then 23, was found dead at her Canton apartment on Feb. 4, 2021. She was three months' pregnant.

Pathologist says victim died by homiide: Stoughton Police sex abuse victim died by homicide, pathologist says in bombshell report

Sarah Forbes of Mansfield takes part in a protest at the Norfolk district attorney's office in Canton on Monday Aug. 21, 2023, calling for a deeper investigation into the death of Sandra Birchmore.

Fire breaks out in Brockton home wired by Thomas Edison. What happened?

A three-alarm Brockton fire damaged in a home on Green Street in Brockton has displaced nine people, Brockton Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Galligan said. The fire took place at 42 Green St., one of the first privately owned residences ever wired in the country by Thomas Edison, Galligan said. Fire crews arrived at the fire shortly after 9:11 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, to find smoke and fire on the second floor of the building, Galligan said. The fire extended into the attic and damaged the first and second floors, he said.

Fire breaks out at home wired by Edison: Fire breaks out in Brockton home wired by Thomas Edison. What happened?

Photos after fire: Take a look inside: The aftermath of a three-alarm Brockton house fire

Three-alarm fire at 42 Green St., the John J. Whipple house, on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.

Brockton's own miracle baby defies all odds  from micro-preemie to unstoppable BHS grad

Brockton's own miracle baby has defied all odds after doctors predicted the worst of his premature birth. Marc Mullings graduated from Brockton High School on June 1  walking across the field and flexing his muscles, excited for what life has in store for him. When Marc was born, he spent the first four months of his life at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston.

Miracle baby defies all odds: Brockton's own miracle baby defies all odds  from micro-preemie to unstoppable BHS grad

Marc Mullings flexes his biceps as he receives his diploma during Brockton High School's 158th graduation ceremony on Saturday, June 1, 2024. Marc weighed just under two pounds as a newborn, and the first four months of his life were spent in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston. His father's wedding ring fit around his entire arm.

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: Sandra Birchmore, NOFX concert
Brownsville PD looking for man accused of fatal motel shooting

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Brownsville Police are looking for a man they believe to be responsible for a fatal shooting at a local motel.

At approximately 4 p.m. on June 28, officers were dispatched to the Sunrise Inn at 328 W. Main Street in Brownsville, Tennessee.

Once there, they discovered a victim, later identified as Aslam Wilson, suffering from a single gunshot wound. He was stabilized and taken to the Regional Medical Center in Shelby County for treatment.

Two men accused of pulling gun on Kroger employee after shoplifting attempt

At approximately 4:30 a.m. on June 29, Wilson passed away due to his injury.

Officers spoke to witnesses on the scene and determined that the person responsible was Justice Clyde Morgan, an Alabama native.

Police believe that Morgan fled the area and may be heading towards Mobile, Alabama.

Warrants for first-degree murder have been issued for Morgan.

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.
Like legions of Greater Cincinnati natives, Ann Stewart grew up going to Frisch's Big Boy.

Raised in the suburb of Wyoming, Stewart's connection to restaurant brand dates back to family outings in the 1960s as a child and later with teenage friends in the 1970s. But like a lot of Cincinnatians, she feels the local chain has gone downhill since it was acquired by an out-of-town investment firm in 2015.

"Frisch's was a significant part of our lives ... I think that's why people in Cincinnati feel let down by the company," Stewart told The Enquirer. Overall the quality is not what it used to be. I think people in Cincy want more from Frischs because so many of us have deep memories of when eating there was special.

Frisch's Big Boy in North College Hill has been closed permanently.

In recent years, nostalgia has not been enough for Frischs. The diner and its peers have struggled as many eateries have yet to recover pre-COVID-19 sales.

This spring, Frischs disclosed it was shutting down five of its diners: two in Cincinnati suburbs, two in Northern Kentucky and one in Dayton. The latest round of closures brought the beloved chain to a milestone: in the nine years since it was taken over by an Atlanta private equity firm, it has cut as much as a third of its restaurants.

Amid the turmoil, longtime Frischs customers say theyve noticed a decline in the icons food quality and service, as well as the cleanliness of its locations.

And customers arent the only ones who are complaining. Travis Maier, who works in the culinary industry and is the great-grandson of Frischs founder David Frisch, said he is not happy with the direction company has taken and is jeopardizing its connection with Cincinnati.

I am embarrassed, personally, to go there and have people associate it with me, he said.

In interviews with The Enquirer, Frischs CEO James Walker acknowledged the chain experimented with some menu items it later dropped but declared the icon is back to basics, cutting prices and operating smoothly. Walker, who took over in August 2022, downplayed the significance of the recent closures and noted last summer Frischs opened its newest location in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. He added "at this point in time" there was no plan to close any more stores.

The key to Frischs is focusing on the same quality theyve been offering for 76 years but finding a way to do so for value to our customers, Walker said.

But Walkers assurances are vague and his numbers fuzzy.

Walker said the company runs or franchises 88 restaurants in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, but Frischs website lists only 79 locations. Depending on whichever is correct, Frischs has lost at least a quarter and up to a third of the 121 restaurants it had before the acquisition by NRD Capital in 2015.

Story continues

Walker declined to provide a restaurant list but promised the marketing team would update the website. Walker, who also has a senior management role in another venture with the private equity firm, said he wasn't sure when he last visited a Frischs.

I dont know  (I go) as much as I can, Walker said. I crave Big Boys as much as anybody.

The ownership has changed everything that was good about it

As Frischs adjusts to a turbulent industry and consumers worry about the economy, longtime customers expressed mixed feelings about the direction of the beloved eatery.

Debbie Branscum, a 39-year-old event producer, grew up in Cincinnati and said Frischs used to be a staple for her. When she moved away to Chicago, one of her first stops when she came home for a visit was a bowl of soup or a burger at Frischs. While Branscum now lives in Northern Kentucky, she rarely goes to Frischs anymore.

The ownership has changed everything that was good about it, she said. It is absolutely disappointing. Each time I go, something has changed, and its not an improvement.

Other diner restaurants are struggling to grow and please customers. Some have also agreed to be acquired and faced middling results:

Diner restaurants that havent changed ownership are also facing challenges.

One out of 12 Dennys restaurants have closed in the past five years, according to its corporate filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Meanwhile, IHOP and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store have barely grown but have acquired and are investing in new restaurant concepts.

A vacant Frischs in West Price Hill that closed in 2023.

To keep true to their core beliefs  while updating food and customer experience

In 2022, Frischs Big Boy hailed the hiring of Walker as an accomplished restaurant industry veteran with a storied career. Specifically, the company said Walker had been instrumental as a senior executive in Subways menu transformation and its remodeling, and he had similarly overhauled the sandwich menu of Nathans Famous. The company praised Walkers track record of working with legacy brands to keep true to their core beliefs and culture while updating the food and customer experience.

One of Walkers first moves at Frischs was to put maple-bourbon baby back ribs and a sous vide chicken on the menu alongside staples such as the Big Boy double-decker burger and signature hot fudge cake.

Walker said Frischs dropped the experimental offerings after about six months despite positive feedback.

Frischs customers enjoyed them, Walker said of the gourmet offerings. But we thought offering items that were lower in cost became more and more important and moved the menu in that direction.

Given rising food costs and the growing sense of sticker shock customers feel when perusing restaurant menus , Walker said many people are staying away from restaurants altogether. He cited a recent Lending Tree survey that found 80% of Americans now view fast food as a luxury. We dont see Frischs as a luxury, but thats a pretty disturbing fact for me.

He added Frischs has lowered its prices and created a loyalty program. According to the most recent menu on Frischs website, the price of classic items remain relatively low. A Big Boy still costs around $4, fish and chips cost $6.99 and a turkey dinner with two sides is $7.99.

Walker insisted the cutting doesnt compromise quality at Frischs. He said the food is still made from scratch in Frischs commissary kitchen in East Walnut Hills, and that he is especially proud of the beef used for the restaurants famous burgers.

It is prepared fresh with a high-quality proprietary blend, he said. I would argue that the meat is as high quality as it has ever been.

When asked about stores that appeared dirty or understaffed, he brushed them off as isolated incidents.

In 2018, Jessica Perry serves up hot fudge cake and a piebaby during Frischs Big Boy grand opening in the Carew Tower in downtown Cincinnati. The location shut down permanently two years later amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Frischs in the age of 'rapid returns'

Still, Walker didnt have answers for some other basic questions. He declined to discuss Frischs sales performance, noting its now a privately-held company. Though Walkers social media accounts indicate he lives in the New York City metropolitan area, he declined to say where he lives.

On his X (formerly Twitter) profile, Walker mentions hes the CEO of Frischs Big Boy but also describes himself as a WINEnthusiast & EPICurean. Interests he has hashtagged include: cheese, food and wine, fasting, fishing, dogs, Duke University, New York City and the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

"Great pairing. MAINE SCALLOPS - chanterelle mushroom, english peas, saffron, crisp leeks and the Aubert. Wicked." Walker posted June 7.

"Amazing 1964 Petrus!" Walker posted May 25.

Tweets by jwalkermobile

It appears Frischs owner, Atlanta-based NRD Capital, is keeping Walker pretty busy: Frischs CEO is also the chief culinary and concept officer for another company in Atlanta called Experiential Brands, according to his LinkedIn profile. That venture is headed by NRDs founder and managing partner, Aziz Hashim.

On its website, Experiential Brands describes itself as a portfolio of quick service and fast casual restaurant brands that deliver rapid returns for franchisees. The company is soliciting franchisees to run concepts like The Original Hot Chicken, Inked Tacos, Flametown Burgers and Pinsa Roman Pizza.

Frischs descendant displeased: Its hard to find anyone who will make eye contact with you

Travis Maier, David Frischs great-grandson, said he is unhappy with how Frischs Big Boy has been operated since it was sold.

The Frischs Maier remembers is one where everyone was greeted immediately, often by name, and taken to their seat. Now its a place where its hard to find anyone who will even make eye contact with you, he said.

Despite his disappointment, Maier, who still works in the restaurant industry, has sympathy for what the owners are going through. It is tough to find employees right now, so you cant say that they arent trying, he said. The service industry is a real struggle.

The Maiers had their own frustration running Frischs Big Boy. The family that ran it for three generations struggled mightily for decades to grow the company before selling.

Between Frischs Big Boy and other restaurant concepts, the company tried franchising as far away as Florida and Texas. The company at one time had two hotels, a horse farm and even a 7.5% stake in the Cincinnati Reds.

The Maier familys last bid to expand Frischs was becoming a franchisee of Golden Corral buffet eateries. Between 1999 and 2007, the company spent more than $100 million building 35 buffet restaurants before rising food prices squeezed profits and forced the company to exit the venture.

All those businesses worked for a while  but when they stopped making money, we went back to our base, then-CEO Craig Maier said in a 2014 interview.

Despite the ups and downs then and now, Frischs retains hard-core fans.

Janyl Ricketts, 52, has loved Frischs Big Boy most of her life.

Growing up in suburban Finneytown, her family ate Sunday breakfast at the buffet. Her brother worked for the restaurant companys HVAC maintenance team and always brought Frischs pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. When she became a mother herself, Frischs became a handy go-to treat for her and her son, Lucas.

I have loads of good memories about Frischs, Ricketts said. The Big Boy is still good!

Vicky Mary, a 75-year-old travel agent who lives in Walnut Hills, said while the service might not be what it used to be, given the staffing challenges many restaurants still face years after COVID, shes willing to give Frischs a pass.

I always give restaurants lots of space for service problems these days, she said. I still go to the Mainliner. I get the grilled cheese with tomato and the vegetable soup or scrambled eggs with potatoes. Its always good.

The Mainliner on Wooster Pike was the regions first year-round drive-in restaurant.

Frisch's Big Boy new owner attempted to refresh the icon

NRD Capital made several changes at Frischs Big Boy after it acquired the company for $175 million in 2015. The new owners touted a franchise growth strategy and pumped millions into the iconic brand.

They refurbished stores, refreshed the mascot, introduced new menu items and even returned to downtown Cincinnati with great fanfare after a decades absence. While NRD Capital put money into refreshing Frischs after the acquisition, it also took money out: It sold most of the locations with a majority of the properties now owned by an Orlando-based real estate company.

A renovated Frisch's Big Boy sports a brighter, more open look on Fifth Street in Covington in 2016. Frisch's closed the location in 2024.

After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Frischs had to rethink some strategy. The company closed stores and changed CEOs.

Industry experts say diner restaurants something for everybody approach that made them ubiquitous in the 1950s, 1960 and 1970s, makes them vulnerable to losing customers as the industry has grown, overbuilt and specialized.

So these concepts are very popular with the older demographic, Alex Susskind, the director of the Food and Beverage Institute at Cornell Universitys business school, said. The (customer) demographic that was supporting these ... I hate to say it, they're literally dying.

Frisch's timeline

1939

Frischs founder David Frisch opens the Mainliner restaurant.

1946

Frisch introduces the Big Boy sandwich in his restaurant with the permission of the concept from California-based Bob Wian, whom he met at an industry event. Frisch adds his own spin to the burger, swapping out Thousand Island dressing for his signature tartar sauce.

1947

Frischs opens his first Frischs Big Boy after becoming one of the first franchisees to license Big Boy from Wian. The new restaurant is near downtown Cincinnati on Central Parkway and has an eight-seat counter and 60 parking spaces for carhop service. Jack Maier first joins the company as a part-time carhop and marries Frischs youngest daughter, Blanche, a year later.

1952

Frischs Big Boy statue debuts in front of the restaurants.

1960

Frischs Big Boy begins selling pint jars of its signature tartar sauce to customers at the cash register. The company goes public in an initial public offering.

1970

The popular hot fudge cake debuts. Jack Maier becomes president after Frisch dies.

1982

Breakfast and salad bars are introduced into the dining room.

1983

The Hartwell restaurant introduces the first drive-thru at Frischs, speeding the end of the carhop era.

1989

Frischs launches its Whats your favorite thing? slogan. Craig Maier becomes chief executive.

1993

Frischs begins selling its jarred tartar sauce in grocery stores.

2001

Frischs ends its franchise relationship, acquiring exclusive control of Big Boy name in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

2015

Frischs Big Boy is acquired by Atlanta-based NRD Capital for $175 million.

Why is it called Frischs Big Boy?

The first ever Big Boy sandwich was created as a joke by Bob Wian in 1937 at his hamburger stand in Glendale, California, then called Bobs Pantry. It quickly became a local favorite. The inspiration for the famous name came from an early 6-year-old superfan of the sandwich, whom Wian at one point playfully addressed as Big Boy.

The growing popularity of the burger prompted Wian to change the name of his restaurant to Bobs Big Boy. He eventually opened 22 restaurants, but at the height of the brands popularity there were more than 1,000 Big Boy restaurants through franchising.

Among the earliest franchisees was David Frisch. But other early franchisees were: Fred, John and Louis Elias, who ran Elias Brothers Big Boys mostly in Michigan; business partners Larry Hatch and William Peters, whose Eatn Park chain in Pittsburgh began as a Big Boy franchise; and Alex Schoenbaum, whose Parkette Big Boys eventually became Shoneys.

Wian sold his interest in Big Boy to Marriott in 1967, which ran the company for two decades. In 1987, franchisees the Elias Brothers acquired the company, which they operated until its 2000 bankruptcy. Michigan investor Robert Liggett Jr. purchased the company in 2000 before selling it in 2018 to the Michigan investment group that currently operates the company.

Iconic diner brands are either cutting back or adding few new locations, while they invest in new concepts

Dennys

The chain had 1,573 locations nationwide at the end of 2023, down 136 locations or 8% from the 1,709 restaurants five years before.

In 2022, the company acquired a new breakfast concept Kekes, which now has 58 locations.

International House of Pancakes (IHOP)

Parent company Dine Brands currently has 1,814 IHOP restaurants as of the end of 2023, down 16 locations or 1% from the 1,831 restaurants in 2018. The parent company has seen more than 100 Applebees locations close during the same period.

In 2022, Dine Brands acquired the Fuzzys Taco Shops chain with 131 locations.

Cracker Barrel

The company operates 661 restaurants as of the end of 2023, six or or 1% more than the 655 at the end of 2018.

In 2019, the company acquired the breakfast and lunch-focused concept Maple Street Biscuit Co., which it has nearly doubled to 59 locations.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Frisch's Big Boy: Who owns Cincinnati restaurant chain?
SOFIA (Reuters) - Top Orthodox Christian clergy from across Europe and Bulgaria's senior government officials gathered in Sofia's main cathedral on Sunday for the enthronement of the new patriarch of the country's influential church.

Patriarch Daniil, 52, was elected among three candidates on Sunday morning to succeed Neophyte who died in March.

Representatives from Orthodox Churches in Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia, Russia, and Georgia as well as Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew attended the enthronement which started immediately after the bishops voted. The event lasted 3-1/2 hours.

"In the modern world in which we live, we witness how the rebellion of many people against God leads to the legalisation and imposition of sin as a norm in human society," the Patriarch said after the ceremony.

About 80% of the 6.8 million-strong Bulgarian population are Orthodox Christians. The reputation of the country's Orthodox Church was damaged after a history commission in January 2012 showed that 11 of its 15 bishops had collaborated with the former communist-era secret police.

Since his enthronement in 2013, Patriarch Neophyte had worked to restore the reputation of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, hurt by allegations of corrupt practices and links to communist secret police.

(Reporting by Stoyan Nenov; Writing by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Burgum wont say if hes talked to Trump about being VP

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R), rumored to be on former President Trumps VP shortlist, declined to say on Sunday whether hes talked to Trump about serving as his running mate.

That would be between the president and I, Burgum said on NBC Newss Meet the Press when asked yes or no whether hes had any conversations with Trump about being his pick for vice president.

Burgum stressed there were many candidates worthy of the position when first asked about potential talks on the subject.

Everything about the process of the Vice President thing, thats between the campaign and those that might be being considered, Burgum said when host Kristen Welker first asked whether hes had any talks with Trump on the matter.

But I would just say that President Trump, after his strong debate performance on Thursday and where he was going in the polls before that, what this is doing for his fundraising, the strong performance he has, is hes got so many good choices that he could pick for this job, Burgum continued.

He can probably win the election without a vice president but I think hell make a decision, Burgum said, before getting cut off.

Burgums comments come amid heightened speculation over Trumps selection for vice president. In the interview, Burgum defended Trump on numerous issues and aligned himself with the former president on abortion and on accepting the 2024 election. He says abortion should be up to the states and hell accept the results if theyre free and fair.

Other possible candidates include Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), among others.

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Oppressive heat in Californias South Central Valley is threatening to dampen Fourth of July celebrations throughout the region as a large area of high pressure strengthens through the week, forecasters say, raising the risk of wildfires and prompting a spike in energy demands.

Things will heat up in the valleys, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Scott Homan said. Records will be challenged.

An excessive heat watch has been issued for the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys for July 2 through July 6, he said. On a holiday that many regularly spend outdoors, that means hydration and staying close to cooling sources will be important, he said.

The heats going to be pretty intense for many areas, Homan said. You definitely need to take precautions. You dont want to be outside for too long of a period without some relief.

Temperatures throughout the region will reach the mid-100s this week, he said. In Fresno, where an extreme heat wave is predicted, readings could hit 115 by Saturday, which would tie the record high for that date.

A person took a break in the shade of a sidewalk as temperatures were expected to soar above 100 degrees during the summer's first heat, in Sacramento, California, U.S., on June 4, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

Given the dry conditions, Homan said he expects there will bans or limits on the amount of fireworks that individuals will be able to set off.

Theres a major concern for wildfires, especially on Independence Day, he said.

California's heat woes part of broader surge

Californias hot weather issues are part of a summer heat surge impacting seven states in the western United States, AccuWeather said, including Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Medford, Oregon, for instance, could see the mercury rise above 100 for the holiday and beyond.

AccuWeather long-range forecaster Paul Pastelok said in an advisory issued by the weather service that the hot and dry conditions mean individuals setting off fireworks should use caution in areas stricken by drought and dried-out vegetation.

All you need is a trigger mechanism to spark a fire, whether its man-made or the wind, Pastelok said. We are not expecting a ferocious wildfire season, but we do feel theres going to be more action in comparison to last year.

Californias South Central Valley, stretching from Bakersfield to north of Sacramento, will bear the brunt of the heat, Homan said.

The scorching weather will also put a strain on the states energy grid as people crank up their air conditioning, while the weather systems stagnant air will contribute to poorer air quality in susceptible areas.

The higher the heat, the more pollutants in the air, Homan said. That will be a problem as we head into the weekend.

Temperatures in Death Valley, which holds the distinction of the worlds all-time hottest recorded reading of 134 in 1913, will likely strike just short of that mark.

The good news is that relief can be found along the California coasts, where patchy, low morning clouds will dissipate and give way to sunshine and temperatures in the mid- to upper 70s.

That should make for a really nice weekend, Homan said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California heat wave could dampen Fourth of July celebrations
California now has 11% tax on gun and ammunition due to new law. Heres what to know

Youll soon have to pay more for guns and ammo in California, due to a new law.

Starting July 1, Assembly Bill 28 requires manufacturers, vendors and dealers to pay an 11% tax on firearms and ammunition to fund violence prevention efforts.

Its one of several new laws focused on gun control, including limiting concealed weapons in public and requiring financial institutions to track firearm sales.

What to know about the new gun tax law:

How does new California law work?

Assembly Bill 28  also known as the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act  imposes an excise tax of 11% of the gross receipts from retail sales of firearms, firearm precursor parts and ammunition.

Sellers of guns and ammunition must pay the new state tax on top of the 10% to 11% federal excise tax they already pay to fund wildlife conservation efforts.

Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, D-Woodland Hills, authored the bill after other lawmakers tried and failed to push similar taxes on guns and ammunition through the Legislature.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the first-of-its-kind legislation into law in September 2023.

Where does tax revenue go?

Revenue from the new gun tax will go to the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Fund.

Money in that fund must be used to fund various gun violence prevention, education, research, response, and investigation programs, as specified, according to AB 28.

Specifically, the money will go towards the Board of State and Community Corrections to fund California Violence Intervention and Prevention grants and programs.

Some of the funds could go toward the California Department of Education to address school safety and gun violence, according to the law. That could include security improvements and school programs.

Funds may also be allocated towards programs for the firearm relinquishment grant, victims of gun violence grant and informational gun safety.

Isnt there already a gun tax?

Theres been a 10% to 11% federal excise tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition by manufacturers, producers and importers since 1919.

Revenues from this tax have been used to fund wildlife conservation efforts that remediate the effects that firearms and ammunition have on wildlife populations through game hunting, AB 28 said.

Tax revenues have also been used to pay for conservation-related research, technical assistance, hunter safety and hunter development, the law said.

What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the three lonely liberals on a Supreme Court with a right-wing supermajority, confessed in a speech last month, There are days that Ive come to my office after an announcement of a case and closed my door and cried.

Friday surely was one of those days. The court issued the latest in whats become its legacy of landmark rulings smashing generations-old precedents on womens, voters and workers rights, on gun safety and the environment, on criminal justice and against political corruption. The Republican-appointed justices continued to undermine the legal cases against Donald Trump for the unprecedented act of trying to overturn an election, including two justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr., with conflicts of interest suggesting a clear bias toward him.

But if Sotomayor was teary on Friday, she had company in her misery. Lots of it. Americans nationwide  Democrats mostly, but small-d democrats, too  werent bewailing the new court decisions so much as they were suffering a political hangover: the realization that President Bidens wretched performance in Thursday nights presidential debate made it all the more likely that Trump might return to the White House.

And the two things, the courts opinions and the presidential debate, are sadly related.

Biden bombed and the justices demonstrated anew why voters should consider that the federal judiciary is also on the ballot in 2024  and why they shouldnt re-empower Trump to pick judges and give Republicans control of the Senate that confirms them.

After all, Trump has already named one-third of the Supreme Court, providing the margin that overturned Roe vs. Wade just as hed promised in 2016 (and boasted in the debate). Likewise, he appointed a sizable number of lower-court judges, including U.S. district court judges Aileen Cannon in Florida, who has all but sabotaged the governments classified documents case against Trump, and Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas, who sought to ban abortion medication nationwide.

On Friday, business and anti-government zealots got a victory theyve been coveting: The six conservative justices overturned a 40-year-old unanimous ruling that had established the so-called Chevron deference doctrine, which held that when laws are ambiguous, courts must defer to the federal agencies charged by Congress with enforcing those laws. This reversal is nothing short of a power grab for unelected judges, grabbing from expert bureaucrats answerable to elected presidents.

Its impossible to overstate how damaging this ruling likely will be to governance as we know it, specifically to protections against financial fraud and for clean air and water, safe food and drugs, quality healthcare, worker rights and more. In the liberals dissent, Justice Elena Kagan predicted large scale disruption  just as the court has disrupted healthcare for pregnant women and enforcement of gun limits with its precedent-shattering radicalism.

Yet its all but impossible to make voters understand or care when the issue is the government regulatory process (bor-ing) and the consequences are hypothetical. You know who does care, deeply? The Federalist Society, the Heritage Foundation and right-wing dark-money donors for whom overturning Chevron and gutting the dread administrative state was a much higher priority than reversing Roe. The whole cabal worked to that end to get sympathetic deregulators Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett onto Trumps short list of prospective nominees and then to the Supreme Court.

The court's record has made a mockery of Republicans past demands for judicial restraint, dating back to when the balance of power was more moderate, even progressive. In other decisions Friday, the court held that local governments can make it a crime for the homeless to sleep in public, and threw out felony charges of obstructing Congress against hundreds of insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol in 2021.

That raised questions as well about two Jan. 6 charges against Trump. But coming Monday is the courts long-awaited decision on whether Trump as a former president has legal immunity from the Jan. 6 and classified documents charges. Already the justices delay has ensured he wont be tried before the election.

Against this sorry backdrop of judicial news, almost all attention was on Biden and his failure in the debate to reassure his party and the nation that, at 81, he is fit to serve a second term. Trump proved his unfitness in other ways on the stage  blatantly lying about his economic record , Jan. 6, immigration, election fraud, Democrats alleged support for execution-style abortion of full-term babies and a four-star generals eyewitness account that Trump called fallen service members suckers and losers, among dozens more falsehoods . Also, he dodged repeated questions about whether he would accept the election result this time, no matter who wins.

But what was shocking  after all, Trump no longer shocks  was Bidens inability to effectively fact-check his rivals lies, or to express what were often cogent arguments other than in an oddly weak, raspy voice and with a vacant, mouth-agape look that screamed old. He trailed off in mid-sentence, ending at one point, flummoxed by the buzzer, with a puzzler: We finally beat Medicare. Yikes.

Predictably, Democrats rushed to what former Obama advisor David Plouffe called a DEFCON-1 moment minutes into the debate. They continue to ponder how to get Biden to step aside (unlikely), whether he could be replaced atop the ticket (ditto) and, absent those scenarios, how to limit the down-ballot damage for Democrats.

Friendly pundits called on Biden to go, and I am sorely tempted to join but for the impracticality and likely counterproductiveness of opening the Democratic convention in August to pick  whom? Many Democrats dont favor turning to Vice President Kamala Harris, yet to spurn her could be catastrophic in a party that counts Black women as a pillar.

Ive been shaken from my cautious optimism that Biden can vanquish Trump. Thats scary. The stakes could hardly be higher, perhaps most of all for the courts. Judicial appointments are a presidents longest-lived legacy  as weve already learned from Trumps single term, alas.

@jackiekcalmes

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump squared off in their first debate of the 2024 election cycle.

Capitol View host Roby Brock met with Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist John Brummett to talk about the key takeaways from the debate.

Funeral service held for Fordyce mass shooting victim Callie Weems; locals set up fundraiser for victims and their families

Roby also spoke with Arkansas State Police Director and Department of Public Safety Secretary Col. Mike Hagar to discuss the latest from the mass shooting in Fordyce that killed four citizens and injured 12 others.

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.
Car rolls over into firework stand in Visalia

Car rolls over into firework stand in Visalia

VISALIA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A car rolled over into a firework stand in Visalia Saturday afternoon, the Visalia Police Department announced.

Police say around 4 p.m. they responded to Walnut Avenue and Giddings Street after receiving multiple calls regarding two vehicles that collided, one of which had rolled over into a firework stand.

Officers say the firework stand was unoccupied at the time of the collision. No fireworks were set off and no danger was posed to anyone.

Investigators report both drivers sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital.

Detectives are actively working to determine the circumstances leading up to the collision. The public is advised to avoid the area.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
If you care about Missouri animals in need, dont send your money to national groups | Opinion

Missouris animal shelters are reaching a critical point as a surge in pet intake strains already tight budgets. Earlier this month, the Central Missouri Humane Society extended its adoption hours due to the overwhelming number of pets the facility has taken in.

The local animal shelter is emphasizing their struggle to accommodate the influx of animals, urgently calling for adopters and foster parents to provide homes for the pets in their care. Another local pet shelter in Kansas City reported being at twice the capacity of what the shelter can hold.

This issue isnt isolated to Missouri. Nationwide, the number of shelter animals euthanized increased by 15% in 2023 compared to the previous year.

Donors need to do their homework about where their contributions are going to ensure their money effectively addresses the pet shelter crisis unfolding in Missouri and across the country.

Many animal lovers donate to national organizations such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States, influenced by commercials featuring distressed animals. But theres just one problem: Most of the money donated to these national groups doesnt reach local shelters as financial grants.

Despite having similar names, these national organizations are not connected to local humane societies or SPCAs. Over the past decade, the ASPCA and Humane Society of the United States have seen their budgets grow by more than $230 million combined.

According to their latest available tax returns, less than 2% of the ASPCAs budget in 2022 was allocated to local shelters in the form of financial grants, with 23 states receiving no funding at all. The Humane Society of the United States is even less supportive, dedicating just 1% of its funds to local shelters. For Missouri, the ASPCA did not list any financial grants to pet shelters in the state in its latest available tax returns, while the Humane Society of the United States listed just one for $500.

Compounding this issue is a practice known as joint cost accounting, which blurs financial transparency. This accounting method allows charities to classify a portion of their fundraising expenses as programmatic spending by including educational messages in their solicitations.

The Humane Society of the United States, for instance, claims that 72% of its spending goes toward programmatic services. However, CharityWatch research suggests the true figure is closer to 50%. In other words, a substantial portion of donations could be used to fund direct mail letter campaigns or other functions many donors may not consider programmatic.

Confusion among donors further complicates the issue. Public polling reveals that 80% of Americans mistakenly believe the Humane Society of the United States is an umbrella organization for local humane societies, and 81% think the ASPCA represents local SPCAs.

This confusion exacerbates financial challenges for local shelters, with 74% of them reporting inadequate funding.

For Missourians who care about animal welfare, its crucial to direct donations where theyre most needed. Rather than supporting national organizations based in New York and Washington, D.C., consider contributing directly to local shelters or animal rescues. These local facilities are in dire need of your support.

Edwin Sayres was the president and CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals from 2003 to 2013. He is a senior adviser to the Center for the Environment and Welfare.
 Flash

Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh on Saturday discussed with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel the course of ongoing negotiations to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

During a phone call, Kamel also extended his condolences to Haniyeh for the killing of his older sister and other relatives in an Israeli airstrike a few days ago, according to a press statement issued by Hamas.

The call came after Israel's Hebrew public radio Kan reported that the U.S. administration presented a revised version of a prisoner exchange deal that includes a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The new offer is based on the proposal approved by the then-Israeli war cabinet and presented by U.S. President Joe Biden last month, the radio said.

On Friday, a Hamas source said the movement received a new message from the United States regarding the prisoner exchange deal with Israel, noting that the message was passed through intermediaries to continue negotiations for a truce in Gaza.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators, in addition to the United States, are seeking to reach a prisoner exchange deal and a second truce between Israel and Hamas, following the first truce that lasted a week until early December 2023.

Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage.
Investing in stocks inevitably means buying into some companies that perform poorly. But the last three years have been particularly tough on longer term The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) shareholders. Sadly for them, the share price is down 66% in that time. And more recent buyers are having a tough time too, with a drop of 46% in the last year. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 30% in the last three months.

Given the past week has been tough on shareholders, let's investigate the fundamentals and see what we can learn.

Check out our latest analysis for Estee Lauder Companies

While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

Estee Lauder Companies saw its EPS decline at a compound rate of 22% per year, over the last three years. The share price decline of 31% is actually steeper than the EPS slippage. So it's likely that the EPS decline has disappointed the market, leaving investors hesitant to buy. Of course, with a P/E ratio of 59.52, the market remains optimistic.

You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here..

A Different Perspective

Estee Lauder Companies shareholders are down 45% for the year (even including dividends), but the market itself is up 23%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 7% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. 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 4 warning signs with Estee Lauder Companies (at least 1 which is a bit unpleasant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

Estee Lauder Companies is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find lesser know companies this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

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
A view of a Pride flag. The governor of Istanbul has banned this year's Pride parade in Istanbul and has had the city centre cordoned off. Fabian Sommer/dpa

The governor of Istanbul has banned this year's Pride parade in Istanbul and has had the city centre cordoned off.

The event will not be authorized, the governor's office announced on Sunday without giving a reason. "Illegal groups" had called for an unauthorized protest march, it simply said.

The area around the central Taksim Square had been closed to vehicle traffic, and pedestrian traffic was being controlled.

The police had already erected barriers in the centre the previous evening.

Activists had called for the demonstration in favour of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people. The government has been trying to prevent the annual Pride parade for years. Last year, numerous people were detained.

Homosexual relationships are not illegal in Turkey. However, representatives of the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have repeatedly expressed open hostility towards LGBTQ people.
CHICAGO  More than 1 million people gathered on the North Side on Sunday for the 53rd annual Chicago Pride Parade.

The parade began at the intersection of North Broadway Street and West Sheridan Road and continued south along Broadway to North Halsted Street, east along West Belmont Avenue to Broadway, then south to West Diversey Parkway and North Cannon Drive.

READ MORE: Pride: Stories of Chicagos Very Own

Organizers said there were more than 150 participants in this years parade, which started an hour earlier than it typically had in the past.

The theme of this years parade was Pride Is Power, which highlighted the parades role in creating change for Chicago and the LGBTQ+ community.

Chicagos Pride Parade is Sunday: What to know

The parade route was expected to create challenges for parking, so city transportation officials urged anyone coming to the parade to use public transit.

Safety measures

During a press conference Friday, Chicago police and other city officials discussed the safety preparations being taken for Sundays parade. Last month, the FBI and Homeland Security warned about an increase in threats but did not specify where those have happened.

Police also talked about the increased presence of officers to help prevent any issues after the parade. CPD Supt. Larry Snelling said the department canceled days off for officers on Sunday to help increase the police presence not only along the parade route, but also at other events across the city.

We know that this parade gets threats constantly, Snelling said. Were working with not only local partners, but our federal partners, in making sure that were looking at every threat.

We take them all seriously.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

In past years, large crowds and disturbances have happened along a strip of North Halsted, something officials are trying to prevent this time around.

Its a very long day in Lake View, for those of us who do the whole day, especially, Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th Ward) said. And it has to be safe from the first arrivals to the very late night.

The parade wrapped up by around 2 p.m. Sunday.

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Ki Brown, 25, and Ky Ferba, 23, said they became friends in high school because they were both masculine-presenting and openly gay.

At the time, there wasnt a lot of other people like that in school, said Brown.

Ferba was a freshman and Brown was a junior when they found out that gay marriage was legal. Now Brown is married and Ferba is dating Browns sister.

As they stood on North Broadway and waited for Sundays Pride Parade to start, they joined thousands of others who gathered to celebrate and march for LGBTQ+ rights. They said support for LGBTQ+ people has been slow but forward-moving in Illinois.

But they said they believe there is still room for progress  especially in an important presidential election year and after parade cutbacks from the mayor.

Brown and Ferba, who wore matching red and blue outfits, said they drove 40 minutes Sunday morning to get to Chicago from Ford Heights.

We just want to be treated the same. We just want to participate and love, Ferba said.

For Julissa Rosario, Chicagos Pride Parade is a family affair.

Rosario, 23, has been helping with the parade since 2017. Her grandmother, Milta Fuentes, has been part of organizing the parade for more than 20 years.

Its kind of something in my family, that we all get together, participate in, and bring our family and friends, she said.

The Irving Park resident was one of the parade marshals. She arrived early to check in other parade marshals.

Before the parade began, food vendors, face painters and sellers of Pride flags and T-shirts set up to sell their wares. By 10 a.m., the crowds began to pick up, lining the street in anticipation of the parade, which stepped off at 11 a.m.

Attendees braved elbow-to-elbow crowds on the sidewalks. They cheered for hours, waving rainbow flags and swaying their hips to the music. People who lived in buildings and houses looked on from open windows.

The groups with floats spanned from various religious denominations and nonprofits to sports teams and radio stations; Cook County Health, the Chicago Fire Department and Chicago Public Schools were all in attendance.

The first Pride Parade in Chicago was held in 1970, on the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York. The citys annual parade is the largest in the Midwest.

Last year, organizers said the parade was the largest in recent memory. But this year, Mayor Brandon Johnsons administration announced the parade would be downsized and the start time moved up to maintain safety and ensure police presence.

Johnson said the parade would be limited to 125 groups, but following pushback from the advisory council and other groups, Johnson increased the number of groups to 150, still a nearly 25% decrease from last year.

The procession took three hours, an hour and a half shorter than last year.

Kenya Nott, 33, said she was disappointed that the parade was shortened.

I think we should be bigger. We should be gayer, she said, dancing to the music drifting from floats nearby in a mini sparkle dress, a rainbow scarf tied around her head.

Nott stood with Second City Sisters. Their umbrella organization, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, is an international group of queer and trans nuns that raises funds for other LGBTQ nonprofits and promotes safer sex and sex positivity.

Nott said she felt a serious calling to work with the organization while living in Orlando, Florida, during a 2016 mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub. She was out that night and knew someone who was killed. She said she made it her mission from that point on to spread love and joy.

Nott said it was their Pride Parade debut. The group started a new Chicago house this February.

Its like our convent in a way, but we dont do the whole vow of chastity, we do the fun stuff, she said.

This years parade theme was Pride is Power, said Steve Long, parade co-coordinator.

The parade grand marshals were Art Johnston and Jose Pepe Pena; Myles and Precious Brady-Davis; and Fortune Feimster and Jax Smith  who met at Chicago Pride in 2015, just days after the historic ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court for nationwide marriage equality.

The parade began a few blocks south of its usual starting point, at Sheridan Road and Broadway in Lakeview, and proceeded south on Halsted Street, east on Belmont Avenue, south on Broadway and east on Diversey Parkway to Sheridan Road.

At least one parade participant held a rainbow Israeli flag, expressing support in light of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Others wore shirts reading LGBTQ+ pride is a Jewish value.

Down the street on Belmont Avenue, protesters from Behind Enemy Lines passed out a flyer reading Take the Palestine Vote Pledge, urging people not to vote for politicians who have voiced support for Israel in the war.

Around noon, about 15 pro-Palestinian protesters with banners temporarily blocked the parade near Broadway and Wellington Avenue.

Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Patrick Stevenson, a 41-year-old from the northern suburbs said that Pride this year came at an important time.

Stevenson, who has been attending the Pride Parade in Chicago since 2002, stood with a group of friends and got ready to board a float for the Boys & Girls Club. He proudly said their float this year would emphasize the importance of getting out to vote.

Exercising the right to vote is especially critical this year, he said.

Timothy Hayes, Shaun Longoria and Chris Ashby  who called themselves part of the same drag family  said they dressed up for the occasion to make others feel safe to do the same.

Hayes wore a black shirt with rainbow hearts, rainbow fringe sleeves and a sequined visor. Longoria wore a rainbow cape and a T-shirt that read: The only choice I made was to be myself. Ashby wore a pink and white dress and knee-high white boots.

They said this years election was complicated, but that the difference in the two parties treatment of the LGBTQ community is paramount.

One person supports part of our community with trans people, the other one does not, said Hayes.

Illinois is often considered an LGBTQ haven in the Midwest. Experts have said there is an increasing number of people from the LGBTQ community moving to Illinois from conservative states in search of a safer and more welcoming environment.

Despite recent proposed anti-LGBTQ legislation around the country, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has long prioritized LGBTQ rights, signing two new bills Sunday in honor of Pride month: one that removes barriers to the process of changing legal gender on a birth certificate and one that requires nonprofits to publicly report boards of directors demographic information to encourage diversity.

Portia Maxie, 33, said she wanted to spread a pro-LGBTQ message to her kids early.

She brought nine of her 10 children to the parade. She said her second-oldest daughter came out to her at age 9. She is now 15.

Im her biggest supporter, Maxie said.

She looked at her family, who sat under a Starbucks awning and watched the parade go by.

I want them all to be themselves, she said. You never know what they might come out to be.
After Chiefs and tax cuts, Kansas lawmakers didn't take up other issues in special session

When Kansas lawmakers returned to Topeka for a one-day special session, they kept their focus on tax relief and the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, opting not to take action on other proposed legislation.

Gov. Laura Kelly called the special session after she and the Legislature failed to agree on tax cuts during the regular legislative session and the following veto session. While Kelly's stated reason for the special session was tax cuts, Republican legislative leadership used it to push a subsidy package to help a professional sports team build a new stadium in Kansas.

Lawmakers passed both Senate Bill 1, the tax cut compromise between GOP leadership and the Democratic governor, and House Bill 2001, the STAR Bonds plan for the Chiefs and Royals.

The Senate also passed two resolutions. Senate Resolution 1702 honors Ed Dwight, an artist and pilot from Kansas City, Kansas, who was the first Black astronaut candidate in the U.S. and who now is the oldest person to travel to space. Senate Resolution 1703 recognizes Nov. 14 as Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.

Despite GOP leadership previously suggesting other legislation could be taken up during the special session, the Legislature didn't take up several bills introduced by lawmakers.

Kansas lawmakers kept the special session focused on a compromise tax cut plan and an incentive package for the Chiefs, leaving Topeka without acting on other proposals.

Proposed property tax amendment

While the Legislature passed the compromise tax cut plan, there was bipartisan disappointment that it didn't include more substantial property tax relief.

With Senate Concurrent Resolution 1604, nine Republicans and one Democrat led by Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, reintroduced a previous proposal to amend the Kansas Constitution to limit property valuation increases. Tyson, the chair of the Senate tax committee, held a meeting the day before the special session to discuss the proposal.

The idea passed the Senate last year in Senate Concurrent Resolution 1611 but was never brought up for a vote in the House.

More: As property values and taxes rise, is a Kansas constitutional amendment the solution?

Legislature had other tax cut bills

House Bill 2004 and Senate Bill 5 would have authorized counties to impose an income tax. They were proposed by four Democrats from Kansas City: Reps. Pam Curtis, Melissa Oropeza and Valdenia Winn and Sen. David Haley.

Rep. Sean Tarwater, R-Stilwell and a top House Republican working on the STAR Bonds plan, told a GOP caucus meeting that the Kansas City, Kansas, mayor had suggested a local income tax could help pay for a Chiefs stadium. Tarwater contended that the idea is unconstitutional and said, "It'll never happen."

Senate Bill 2 was an alternative tax cut package proposed by Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City and the top Senate Democrat on the tax committee. His plan had more property tax relief and less income tax cuts compared to the compromise bill that was passed.

House Bill 2003 was a property tax relief proposal for military veterans, introduced by a group of nine Republicans led by Rep. Pat Proctor, R-Leavenworth.

Senate Bill 6, proposed by Haley, would have created a sales tax exemption for sales of electricity to residential premises by municipally owned or operated utilities.

Senate Bill 8 would have created a sales tax exemption for sales of guns, ammunition and related purchases. It was introduced by Sen. J.R. Claeys, R-Salina.

Proposed voting rights amendment

After the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution's bill of rights does not protect the right to vote, some Democrats introduced constitutional amendments.

House Concurrent Resolution 5001 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 1603 would have added the right to vote into the bill of rights. They were sponsored by Holland and 14 House Democrats, led by Rep. Silas Miller, D-Wichita.

The right to vote is still in a different part of the constitution, but the high court's ruling that suffrage is a political right and not a fundamental right makes it harder for voting rights advocates to challenge state laws restricting voting.

Medicaid expansion proposed

House Bill 2002 would have expanded Medicaid.

While supporters of Medicaid expansion had a big win this year by having the first committee hearings on the issue in four years, they failed to advance legislation.

Earlier in the year, Republicans on the House health committee rejected an attempt from Democrats to send a bill to the House floor. Later, the Senate rejected a move to bring a bill to that chamber's floor. While the move had more supporters than opponents and was supported by Democrats and some Republicans, it didn't have the extra votes needed for the procedural motion.

Elections

Senate Bill 3 would have clarified the procedures and restrictions on accepting a nomination for an elected office. Senate Bill 4 would have required that all advance voting ballots be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Both bills were proposed by Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee.

More: Kansas Senate Republicans sank their own election bill drowned by 'anchor' of amendments

Guns

Senate Bill 7 would have authorized federally licensed firearm dealers in addition to sheriffs to receive applications for concealed carry licenses and forward them to the attorney general. It was introduced by Sen. Dennis Pyle, R-Hiawatha.

Port authority

Haley also introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 1602 to approve the creation of a port authority in Wyandotte County.

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Lawmakers kept special session focused on tax cuts, Kansas City Chiefs
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Charlotte leaders are working to beautify parts of the city under its Corridors of Opportunity initiative.

Their latest project gave North Charlotte neighbors living near North Tryon and North Graham a new place to hang out.

Kids will have more opportunities to use this new outdoor space in North Charlotte called Spring Street Plaza. City officials say the space was created to be sustainable and equitable by adding fruit-bearing trees.

Its an effort to make sure all neighbors have access to fresh and nutritious food.

The thing that makes this city work is communities and neighborhoods and the people who live and work at them, said District Two City Councilman Malcolm Graham.

The Urban Design Tree Canopy Preservation Program contributed to the space, making it a conservation machine. The trees and plants that are preserved and newly planted provide a cooling effect and reduce the effects of urban heat and other benefits.

Its also part of the citys urban arboretum trail. The urban arboretum trail streams revitalize spaces together all throughout Charlotte, helping to reconnect neighborhoods that were segregated by urban renewal and by the construction of federal highways, said one speaker.

Spring Street Plaza is part of the citys initiative called the Corridors of Opportunity. Leaders enacted the plan to beautify older and unused areas.

Ive seen some up here long before the opening Sat in it and enjoying it, so I feel good just to know that theres something. There was a sign when we first moved that said, Put in a green back in Greenville. Well, this is part of the green, so it feels good to know that people had an interest in our neighborhood, said Thomas Sadler. Hes lived in the neighborhood since 1980. His neighbors affectionately call him Pop Sadler.

He says its a relief to see officials improving the neighborhood.

Theres been so many projects in the neighborhood, but none not quite as unique as this one. This one is unique for the simple reason that if it was vacant land, it provides a comfortable environment, including the trees that were here when I grew up. A lot of these are the same some of the same trees, Sadler said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A 12-year-old girl who was reported missing has been found, according to Memphis Police.

A City Watch has been issued for endangered 12-year-old runaway, Corea Taylor.

Taylor was last seen in the 3100 block of Beaumont in Memphis, Tennessee on June 28.

The victim was supposed to return home from summer school at Cherokee Elementary School but instead decided to go to an unknown friends home at an unknown location.

Sunday night, Memphis Police announced that Corea had been found.

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.
Rep. Jim Clyburn, who helped President Joe Biden secure the nomination four years ago, said Sunday the presidents poor debate performance Thursday was due to preparation overload.

It was a bad performance. I've been around these things. I've been a part of debate preparation before, and I know when I see what I call preparation overload, the South Carolina Democrat said to host Dana Bash in an interview with CNNs "State of the Union." And that's exactly what was going on the other night.

Clyburn added, I saw Joe Biden repping for words and phrases, and even numbers that he was loaded up with. The next day, he gets to North Carolina. He's freewheeling and he captivated the audience.



Bash, who hosted the debate Thursday with Jake Tapper, noted that Biden had a teleprompter at the post-debate rally in North Carolina. But Clyburn continued to defend Biden, noting that it was a bad night for Biden but has been a great four years for the president. He also tried to draw a stark comparison between Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Clyburn blamed CNN for not fact-checking Trump, who CNN now says lied about 30 times during the debate on just about every conceivable topic.

The debate I think it all depends upon what the rules are. I don't like the debate where nobody will do any fact-checking. You just say what you want to say, you know its a lie  the guy told 30 some odd lies and nobody checked him on it and say that was up to Joe Biden to do. I'm not too sure, Clyburn said.

So that to me was not the way to plan the debate. And whoever did that agreed to that really should think about what they are doing.

Bash noted that the Biden team agreed to the debate format.
Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) acknowledged that President Biden had a rocky debate performance, saying that he had preparation overload.

Bidens lackluster debate performance Thursday sparked concerns among Democrats about his ability to serve a second term in the White House. However, Clyburn shot down any suggestions that Biden should step down from the ticket, urging people to look at his administrations record and not judge based on one night.

Yes, it was a bad performance. Ive been around these things. Ive been a part of debate preparation before, and I know when I see what I call preparation overload. And thats exactly what was going on, Clyburn said on CNNs State of the Union.

The other night, I saw Joe Biden reppin for words and phrases, and even numbers that he was loaded up with. The next day, he gets to North Carolina, hes freewheeling, and he captivated the audience. And thats what we should do, he added.

He also said that preparation for the next debate should be different.

Clyburn suggested that Biden needs to prepare for the debate with deflection instead of just with information. He said Biden needs to prepare the kinds of things that we did not see in Joe Biden the other night and saw it four years ago.

He also said it is very clear that Biden should stay in the race, which echoed his previous comments last week where he said the president should stay the course. He also said last week he would support Vice President Harris taking over the top spot on the ticket if Biden aint there.

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.
Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) suggested that there should be more live fact-checking during the next presidential debate after CNN was criticized for the lack of it last week.

Clyburn said he doesnt know whether there should be a second debate after President Bidens poor debate showing on Thursday night on CNNs State of the Union. While speaking to CNNs Dana Bash, who moderated last weeks debate, he suggested that there was not enough live fact-checking during the debate.

I think that Joe Biden will do well with the debate. I think it all depends upon what the rules are. I dont like the debate when nobody will do any fact checking. You just say what you want to say. You know its a lie. The guy told 30 some odd lies and nobody checked him on it. Instead that was up to Joe Biden to do, he told Bash.

If I asked you a question, and you lied to me with the answer, I would have followed up and give you what the facts are and see what your reaction to that will be. So that to me was not the way to plan the debate. And whoever did that and agreed to that really should think about what theyre doing, he added.

Bash noted that Bidens team had agreed to the terms of the debate in her response. Bidens debate performance last week led many people to call for him to step down from the ticket, causing worry within the Democrat Party.

CNN was criticized for the lack of live fact-checking during the debate with former President Trump and Biden. Many outlets, including CNN, released their own fact-checks of the debate after it concluded. However, Bash and co-moderator Jake Tapper did not offer real-time fact-checks during the performance.

CNN said in a statement to The Hill on Thursday we are very proud of Jake and Dana. Our job was to make sure candidates were heard so voters can make informed decisions and we are pleased we were able to do that.

Bidens campaign has tried to shake off the debate performance, with a White House official saying that Biden was dealing with a cold that night. The day after the debate, an energized Biden delivered remarks to voters in North Carolina to try and quell concerns about his ability to serve a second term.

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 Mike Spector and Chris Prentice

(Reuters) -The U.S. Justice Department will criminally charge Boeing with fraud over two fatal crashes and ask the planemaker to plead guilty or face a trial, two people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

The Justice Department planned to formally offer a plea agreement to Boeing later in the day, which includes a financial penalty and imposition of an independent monitor to audit the company's safety and compliance practices for three years, the sources said.

Justice Department officials plan to give Boeing until the end of the week to respond to the offer, which they will present as nonnegotiable, the sources said. Should Boeing refuse to plead guilty, prosecutors plan to take the company to trial, they said.

Boeing and the Justice Department declined to comment. Reuters was first to report the Justice Department's decision to prosecute Boeing and seek a guilty plea.

The Justice Department decided to charge Boeing after finding it violated a 2021 agreement that had shielded it from prosecution over the fatal crashes involving 737 MAX jets. The deadly crashes took place in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.

The decision to move toward criminally charging Boeing deepens an ongoing crisis engulfing the planemaker, exposing the company to additional financial ramifications and tougher government oversight.

A guilty plea could also carry implications for Boeing's ability to enter into government contracts such as those with the U.S. military that make up a significant portion of its revenue. Companies with felony convictions can receive waivers, and it remained unclear to what extent the Justice Department's proposed plea deal addresses the issue.

Justice Department officials revealed their decision to victims' family members during a call earlier on Sunday. The proposal would require Boeing to plead guilty to conspiring to defraud the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in connection with the fatal crashes, the sources said.

The Justice Department's push for Boeing to plead guilty follows a separate January in-flight blowout that exposed continuing safety and quality issues at the planemaker.

A panel blew off a new Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet during a Jan. 5 Alaska Airlines flight, just two days before a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department expired.

That agreement had shielded Boeing from prosecution over the 2018 and 2019 fatal crashes. Boeing has previously said it "honored the terms of the settlement and formally told prosecutors it disagrees with the finding that it violated the agreement.

The proposed agreement also includes a $487.2 million financial penalty, only half of which Boeing would be required to pay, they added. That is because prosecutors are giving the company credit for a payment it made as part of the previous settlement related to the fatal crashes of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines flights. The penalty is the maximum legally allowed for the charge.

Boeing could also likely be forced to pay restitution under the proposal's terms, the amount of which will be at a judge's discretion, the sources said. The offer also contemplates subjecting Boeing to three years of probation, they said.

The plea deal would also require Boeing's board to meet with victims' relatives, they said.

Victims' relatives expressed anger toward Justice Department officials during the call, viewing the proposed plea deal as failing to hold Boeing accountable for the fatal crashes, said Erin Applebaum, one of the lawyers representing victims relatives. Family members wanted the company to face additional charges and stiffer financial consequences, she said.

The 737 MAX families vigorously oppose the shameful new sweetheart deal between Boeing and the Department of Justice, said Applebaum. She called the proposed plea agreements financial penalty negligible and said victims families will oppose the deal in court.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the families' reaction.

It is unusual for the Justice Department to inform other interested parties of its plans before notifying the company in its crosshairs, a third source said. But the Justice Department, led by Attorney General Merrick Garland, has sought to change its tack after facing backlash from the victims' families over the original 2021 agreement. Victims' relatives found out about the 2021 deal only after it had been negotiated.

U.S. lawmakers in June grilled Chief Executive Dave Calhoun over Boeing's tarnished safety record. Lawyers for victims' family members have cited criticism from Capitol Hill when pressing the Justice Department to prosecute the planemaker and impose a fine of up to $24.78 billion.

Boeing previously paid $2.5 billion as part of the deal with prosecutors that granted the company immunity from criminal prosecution over a fraud conspiracy charge related to the 737 MAX's flawed design.

Boeing had to abide by the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement for a three-year period that ended on Jan. 7. Prosecutors would then have been poised to ask a judge to dismiss the fraud conspiracy charge. But in May, the Justice Department found Boeing breached the agreement, exposing the company to prosecution.

(Reporting by Mike Spector and Chris Prentice; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo) posted that in early June, a group of volunteers and conservation experts gathered to release hundreds of Wyoming toads back into their native habitat.

Wyoming toads are critically endangered and the only place in the world where they live is Wyomings Laramie Basin.

Courtesy: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Courtesy: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Courtesy: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Courtesy: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

According to CMZoo, there is a global decline in the amphibian population, due to pesticides, drought, and a deadly fungus, called Chytrid, which prevents amphibians from absorbing water and breathing through their skin. Wyoming toads help control insect populations and are a crucial food source for birds, fish, aquatic invertebrates, and other animals.

The project aims to bolster the Wyoming toad population by releasing toads that conservationists hope will breed in the wild. Around 200 of the toads were raised at CMZoo, and on the day of release, they were transported in tubs from the conservation center to Laramie Basin.

This and other conservation projects are made possible through the support of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo guests and members. According to CMZoo, over $5 million has been raised for conservation through the Quarters for Conservation program. In this program, 75 cents of every admission is dedicated to conservation efforts, and guests can choose their preferred project by inserting tokens into slots in kiosks located in the zoos admissions plaza.

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As painful as it was for Democrats to watch President Joe Biden's shaky debate performance against former President Donald Trump on Thursday night, it must have been doubly agonizing for Colin Allred.

As the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in the red state of Texas, Allred's best shot at pulling off an upset is to have his party's base energized and motivated. And that typically comes with a boost from the top of the ticket. But energy was in short supply on the debate stage Thursday in Atlanta for the Democratic standard-bearer.

Allred, a three-term congressman from Dallas who is giving up a safe U.S. House seat to take on Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz in the Nov. 5 election, faces the twin challenge of turning out every Democratic voter under the Texas sky and figuring out a way to peel off north of a half million voters who will cast ballots for Trump or a third-party candidate in the race for president but might not be keen on awarding Cruz a third six-year term in the Senate.

U.S. Rep Colin Allred, a three-term congressman from Dallas, is giving up a safe House seat to run for the U.S. Senate.

If that seems like a heavy lift, it is. But recent and not so recent Texas history offer plenty of examples of robust ticket-splitting. Let's go back to Cruz's last campaign in 2018. He squeaked out his victory over Democrat Beto O'Rourke, a former congressman from El Paso, by just under 215,000 votes out of about 8.4 million total votes cast. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, meanwhile, clobbered Democrat Lupe Valdez by more than 1.1 million votes in the same election.

The governor also received nearly 400,000 more votes than Cruz got, which suggests there were about that many Abbott-O'Rourke voters in 2018. Go back 20 years before that, and Republican Gov. George W. Bush got a whopping 68% of the vote. The next race on the ballot was for lieutenant governor, and Republican Rick Perry eked out his victory with barely 50%.

Heading into Thursday's debate, Allred could take comfort in knowing that in 2018, Trump, who was then two years into his presidency and facing his first midterm election cycle, was a giant motivator for Democrats to turn out to the polls. And so was Cruz, whose first term in the Senate was marked by him helping lead a government shutdown over his opposition to the Affordable Care Act.

This election cycle, Cruz likes to boast about how he's worked a time or two with Senate Democrats to get things like highway funding passed. A less polarizing Cruz makes it all the more important to Allred for Biden to motivate the Democratic base in Texas.

During and after the debate, which was sponsored by CNN and broadcast from Atlanta, Allred posted nothing on X, formerly Twitter, to highlight Biden's performance or to mock Trump. The Texas Democratic Party posted a photo of the president smiling in his trademark aviator sunglasses and declared him the winner, but many of the comments the post drew were brutal.

"I and the average person with at least a semi functioning brain beg to differ," one X user replied.

"Im a Democrat. He needs to be replaced," posted another.

It's important to note that the debate was held in late June, and the election is not until November. That means Biden has time to rehab his performance, perhaps by doing TV interviews or responding to an unexpected crisis. Trump, who has made a career out of being mercurial, also has time to undo his comparatively measured debate performance, which some fact-checkers have noted was riddled with untruths and exaggerations.

Incumbent Republican Ted Cruz is leading his race by double digits, according to a Texas Politics Project poll that came out in mid-June.

It's also important to note that so far the race for U.S. Senate in Texas has been comparatively quiet. Sure, money is being raised on both sides, and Allred and Cruz are looking for ways to get their names and messages in front of voters.

Polling suggests Allred has a steep uphill climb. He is trailing Cruz by double digits, according to the Texas Politics Project's poll that came out in mid-June, and 4 of 10 voters said they've yet to form an opinion about Allred. He's not yet found a way to generate excitement about his race against Cruz to motivate Democrats, much less carve off some of the votes that Trump, and possibly Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will get.

Biden did Allred no favors Thursday. So that means he's on his own, at least for now.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Can Colin Allred motivate Texas Democrats in the 2024 US Senate race?
Come together, work together; People speak out after 1 shot, killed by Dayton police

People are speaking out after a person was shot and killed by Dayton Police on Saturday night.

>>PHOTOS: Officers shoot, kill male believed to be armed in Dayton

As reported Saturday on News Center 7 at 11, police officers were responding to address the vacant/block party issues in the 500 block of Negley Place, the department said.

Officers approached a male who allegedly had a firearm.

Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal said the male ran from officers, then turned around and allegedly pointed a gun at them.

Two officers fired their guns at the male, according to a statement posted to the Dayton Police & Fire Facebook page.

Police began rendering medical aid to the male as medics were dispatched to the scene.

Medics transported the male to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

>>RELATED: 1 person shot, killed after allegedly pointing gun at Dayton police

News Center 7s Malik Patterson spoke with people after Saturdays shooting.

They told him what they saw.

They started chasing after him and he started running and they just got to firing off shots, said Maycee Harris.

Two officers, not one, empty the clip, said Aiyanah Ramsay. Shooting in front of a crowd full of kids, grown-ups, teenagers, we all could have lost our lives.

They said they were hanging out before the officers arrived.

We were just about to leave, said Harris. They just came and shot a kid.

>>RELATED: Dayton NAACP calls for body cam video released after 1 shot, killed by police

Patterson asked what they wanted to see after what happened Saturday.

Everybody come together, work together, said Ramsay.

When you see a group of kids, that dont mean call the police, have somebody see whats going on, stated Harris. If you dont hear gunshots, nothing is going on. Theres no reason cops should be pulling up and shooting kids.

>>County-wide call for backup dropped near Dollar General in Dayton

Dion Green, CEO and founder of the Fledge Foundation was also after Saturdays night shooting.

I came here to make sure that theres transparency, theres respect on both sides. As Ive been here, Ive seen a couple of disrespectful things that have transpired, he told Patterson. Ive fought with both sides to try and keep the tension from going bigger than what it is, theres already tension somebodys child is lost. This is not a moment to smile  people are hurting.

Green also spoke of the numerous shootings that have occurred in Dayton this week.

Ive been advocating against gun violence for the last five years, but it cant be just me. I need the community to stand beside me, to be tired, and to speak up, we must do this together. Im tired of it. Im tired of having to see parents lose their children or kids go to a party to have fun and somebodys child doesnt make it back home or they end up in the ER. This is unacceptable.

>>Teen accused of killing Lyft driver in Dayton pleads guilty

The Dayton Unit of the NAACP also released a statement after Saturdays shooting.

The Dayton Branch NAACP is aware and has been on-site interviewing witnesses of this officer-involved shooting that has led to the death of a teenager in Dayton, Ohio. We will conduct a thorough investigation of this case in the days ahead and will request body cam footage to see where the evidence leads us to determine the truth in this case.

Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased.

News Center 7 is working to confirm both the age and identity of the person killed.

We will continue to update this story.
Over 100 community members gathered to remember a 15-year-old killed in a police shooting in Dayton Saturday night.

>>PHOTOS: Community gathers to remember 15-year-old killed in police shooting

As reported Sunday on News Center 7 at 6:00 and 11:00, family members hosted a balloon release at the intersection of Negley Place and N Williams St to honor the teen.

Around 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dayton police were in the 500 block of Negley Place addressing a vacant house/block party issue, according to a previous News Center 7 report.

When officers approached, they saw a male who allegedly had a gun.

Family members have identified the male as Brian Moody, 15.

Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal told News Center 7s Malik Patterson that the male ran from officers, then turned around and allegedly pointed a gun at them.

Two officers fired their guns at the male, who was later transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: New details, photos released after 1 shot, killed by Dayton police

The Montgomery County Sheriffs Office is handling the criminal investigation, but community members told News Center 7s Malik Patterson that they would rather have the Ohio BCI investigate.

Witnesses said Moody and other teenagers were on Negley Place getting ready for a night of fun. They planned to go to a bowling alley before the shooting occurred.

Shondale Atkinson said she watched the incident unfold.

He told the young man, if you run, Ima shoot you. And they said, before they knew it, they looked up and the police shot him in the back. And then another police officer jumped out and started shooting also, Atkinson said.

Afzal told News Center 7s Malik Patterson that his officers were not waiting for the male to fire the weapon.

Our actions were solely based on the actions of the individual, Afzal said.

>>RELATED: 1 person shot, killed after allegedly pointing gun at Dayton police

Community members said they requested the body camera footage to get a better understanding of what happened.

We want them to face their punishment just like any other citizen in this community. Its owed to this community and the Mayor, the Chief of Police, the City Commissioners, they have a responsibility of due diligence to find the truth, Atkinson said.

Dayton police and the Montgomery County Coroners Office have not confirmed that Moody was killed in this shooting.

We will continue to follow this story.

Over 100 community members gathered to remember a 15-year-old killed in a police shooting in Dayton Saturday night.

Over 100 community members gathered to remember a 15-year-old killed in a police shooting in Dayton Saturday night.

Over 100 community members gathered to remember a 15-year-old killed in a police shooting in Dayton Saturday night.

Over 100 community members gathered to remember a 15-year-old killed in a police shooting in Dayton Saturday night.

Over 100 community members gathered to remember a 15-year-old killed in a police shooting in Dayton Saturday night.

Over 100 community members gathered to remember a 15-year-old killed in a police shooting in Dayton Saturday night.

Over 100 community members gathered to remember a 15-year-old killed in a police shooting in Dayton Saturday night.

Over 100 community members gathered to remember a 15-year-old killed in a police shooting in Dayton Saturday night.
Ukrainian activists from the BO_Team cyber community, in collaboration with experts from Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, have carried out a round of attacks on Russian companies backing the war against Ukraine.



According to the Ministry of Defense, over the past week, hackers destroyed more than 100 terabytes of data from OrbitSoft, a software developer working with the Russian army.



They also erased data on eight servers of Orient Systems, a navigation equipment supplier for Russian military manufacturers, specifically those producing unmanned aerial vehicles.



Additionally, the hackers targeted 19 servers of internet providers in Nizhniy Novgorod, erasing all data and sending all subscribers messages about "inevitable retribution" for Russias war in Ukraine.



This cyberattack comes shortly after Ukraine's IT Army, a volunteer cyber warfare group, said it had targeted Russian banks and Russia's Mir payment system on June 20, rendering a range of services "non-functional."

The Mir payment system was instituted following Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 after international sanctions began to limit the usage of international cards.

According to the group, the attack disconnected the Mir payment system and affected banks, including VTB, Alfa-Bank, Gazprombank, Sberbank, "and many smaller services." It was possibly the largest DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attack in history," the group said.

Read also: IMF approves $2.2 billion in funding for Ukraine through Extended Fund Facility

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Conservationists astounded after wild cat on brink of extinction makes resurgence decades later: 'Greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation'

In 2001, there were only 62 wild Iberian lynx remaining in Portugal and Spain. Now, in what has been deemed a shining example of major conservation success, there are over 2,000, according to a press release from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Much of this population growth is thanks to the sustained efforts of the LIFE LynxConnect Project, where conservationists took a multi-pronged approach to saving this species from the brink.

Part of its approach, the Washington Post reported, was to focus on protecting populations of the European rabbit, a key prey animal for the Iberian lynx which had also been in decline due to habitat loss.

The conservationists also incentivized both hunters and farmers to avoid trapping and killing lynx through a mix of education and financial incentives. Finally, the organization also physically relocated several adult lynx to the territory in order to encourage higher breeding rates.

Their combined efforts have been vastly successful. Whereas previously, the species had been listed as "critically endangered," they are now classified as "vulnerable" by the IUCN.

Veterinarian Guillermo Lopez Zamora, who is working on the project, told the Washington Post, "Every year, we were more and more optimistic about the future." He even wagered that, if efforts continued, "In 10 years, we could be speaking that the Iberian lynx is out of any threat."

Similar conservation successes have been achieved around the world in recent years, from the re-appearance of white-tailed eagles in Belgium to giant arapaima fish in Brazil, sei whales in Patagonia, and more.

However, Lopez emphasized that the species weren't completely out of danger. If hunting resurges or the European rabbit declines further, their numbers could easily fall again.

But for now, the group is focused on celebrating what the project's coordinator, Francisco Javier Salcedo Ortiz, said in a statement is the "greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation."

For people looking to support similar conservation initiatives, there are several steps to take to work towards a more biodiverse world, whether it's composting at home, reducing marine debris by shopping at thrift stores, or voting for politicians with conservation-focused agendas.

Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a top ally to President Joe Biden and the national co-chair of his reelection campaign, insisted the president is the only Democrat who can defeat former President Donald Trump later this year despite his debate performance Thursday.

Coons cited Biden's 2020 victory to repeatedly dismiss concerns from editorial boards and other writers worrying about Biden's ability to defeat Trump after concerns over the president's age spiked during his halting debate delivery.

"It is always a bad bet to bet against Joe Biden. I was with him when he announced in Philadelphia in 2019, and most of my colleagues said, 'Oh, he's too centrist, he's too white, he's too moderate. And I was with him in New Hampshire when folks counted him out in the primaries, and I was with him when he was sworn in as president," he told "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl.

"The stakes of this race couldn't be higher, and the only Democrat who's ever beaten Donald Trump is Joe Biden. He is our candidate for November and he has the best shot to beat him," he added.

When pressed by Karl on whether he truly believes Biden is the only Democrat who can win in November, Coons responded, "I think he's the only Democrat who can beat Donald Trump."

MORE: Biden campaign argues president dropping out would 'lead to weeks of chaos'

Coons' boasts come as the chorus for Biden's withdrawal from the race grows from Democrats and outside observers.

Biden's halting performance Thursday, which included meandering answers and a slack-jawed appearance as he listened to Trump's answers, underscored what polls show are significant voter worries about his age (he's 81) and fitness for office, including from supporters.

"Mr. Biden has said that he is the candidate with the best chance of taking on this threat of tyranny and defeating it. His argument rests largely on the fact that he beat Mr. Trump in 2020," The New York Times Editorial Board wrote. "That is no longer a sufficient rationale for why Mr. Biden should be the Democratic nominee this year."

"I cannot remember a more heartbreaking moment in American presidential campaign politics in my lifetime," columnist Thomas Friedman wrote, adding that Biden, a "a good man and a good president, has no business running for reelection."

Biden's campaign has vociferously pushed back on that pressure, insisting that Biden will remain in the race and that Trump, who spewed multiple falsehoods during the debate, had a worse showing.

To beef up its claims, the campaign is also releasing strong fundraising numbers as the days go on, including saying Sunday that it has raised more than $33 million since Thursday.

MORE: Can Biden bounce back from rough debate?

The president also gave a stronger defense of his record during a campaign rally in North Carolina on Friday, though that event drew significantly fewer eyeballs than a national debate simulcast across major television networks seen by more than 50 million viewers, according to Nielsen data.

The most prominent Democrats, though, have yet to defect. Multiple governors and Vice President Kamala Harris, all viewed as future presidential hopefuls, have come out in line behind Biden, which Coons contrasted with Trump, who has not won the support of many of his top aides from his administration.

When pressed on if Biden's aides are to blame for his faulty performance, Coons did not shy away from how Biden came across but said nobody would be able to pressure the president out of the race.

"I think it was a weak debate performance by President Biden. He had a scratchy, rough voice. He answered a few questions in ways that were not the most forceful, but I think side by side, Donald Trump had a horrifying debate performance," Coons said. "I do think it's for Joe Biden to make any decision about his campaign, his debate prep, his path forward."

Coons: Biden is 'the only Democrat who can beat Donald Trump' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The field is thought to contain 1.7bn barrels of oil, making it several times bigger than the North Sea's largest planned development - Raphael WOLLMANN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

The Falkland Islands has opened the door to oil exploration in its waters for the first time in history, in a move that could trigger an economic boom for locals.

The territorys ruling council has asked islanders if they will back the scheme to extract up to 500m barrels of oil from the Sea Lion field, 150 miles to the north.

Navitas Petroleum, an Israeli company, has bought up most of the rights to the field, meaning most of the profits would go to its shareholders in Israel and the US.

However, the islanders could benefit from millions of pounds in royalties and taxes levied on the profits, potentially transforming the islands entire economy, which currently depends on sheep farming and fishing.

The field is thought to contain 1.7bn barrels of oil, making it several times bigger than Rosebank, the largest development planned for the UKs own North Sea, estimated to hold 300m barrels.

The plans could, however, be politically embarrassing for the UK. The amount of oil produced would blow a huge hole in the UKs pledges on cutting emissions.

Labour, which is likely to form the next government based on current polling, has made accelerating the net zero transition a key part of its pitch to the electorate. Sir Keir Starmers party has promised to ban all new oil and gas exploration in British waters.

This ban would not affect the Falklands, as it is the local administration there who have a say over drilling rights to surrounding waters.

Details of the scheme were released without fanfare in the Falkland Islands Gazette, an official government publication, signed off by Dr Andrea Clausen, director of natural resources for the Falkland Islands government.

A statutory period of consultation will run from June 24, 2024 to August 5, 2024 regarding Navitas proposals for the drilling of oil wells and offshore production from the Sea Lion field, it said.

An environmental impact assessment released at the same time by Navitas said development of Sea Lion would involve drilling in 1,500 feet of water in the South Atlantic  renowned as some of the worlds wildest oceans.

The project would drill 23 wells to access up to 500m barrels of oil initially, but with potentially much more to follow.

The oil from Sea Lion would be processed by a floating production storage and offloading vessel with tankers taking the oil away for sale on global energy markets. Little or no Falklands oil would make its way to the UK.

Many within the Falklands government have wanted to make the islands a centre for oil production.

John Birmingham, deputy portfolio holder for natural resources, MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly), said: Offshore hydrocarbons have the potential to be a significant part of our economy over the coming decades.

Story continues

At the same time, we recognise that the environmental impacts must be carefully managed and it is essential that the unique environment of the Falkland Islands is protected.

We welcome the submission of the environmental impact statement so that the public can express their views on the issues.

The Falklands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic off Argentina, comprising two larger islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, plus nearly 800 smaller islands.

They are a British overseas territory that govern themselves but the UK takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The capital is Stanley on East Falkland.

Britain has ruled them since 1833 but in 1982 they were invaded by Argentina, prompting a brief war that Argentina lost. The 4,000 or so inhabitants have British citizenship, with most depending on sheep, tourism and fishing for their income.

Oil was discovered there in 1998 but the critical next step of bringing the oil onstream has never been taken.

Navitas controls 65pc of the working interest in the Sea Lion field. UK-based Rockhopper Energy, which discovered the field in 2010, controls the rest.

Navitas is planning several public engagement sessions across the islands during the consultation period between now and August.

In a statement, the Falklands Islands government said: We have the right to utilise our own natural resources. The Falkland Islands operates its own national system of petroleum licensing, including exploration, appraisal and production activities related to its offshore hydrocarbon resources.

Should approval be given leading to development, the Falkland Islands has a royalty-based petroleum licensing system and would receive royalties for the production of oil, direct tax receipts from the project and increase economic activity.

It said UK companies would be prioritised for contracts: In terms of the UK, an economic assessment has estimated that the development would add around 750m of value to UK firms during the construction phase, with an associated 1,375 UK jobs.

A spokesman for Uplift, an environmental group that campaigns to phase out oil and gas, said any such development would undermine the UKs attempts to meet its UN commitments on cutting emissions.

They said: The developments production emissions will add to the UK emissions counted towards its Nationally Determined Contribution  which the UK is already off track to meet.

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Country Club Hills man sentenced to 16 years in prison for selling fentanyl-laced heroin

Country Club Hills man sentenced to 16 years in prison for selling fentanyl-laced heroin

CHICAGO  A Cook County man will spend more than 15 years in federal prison for selling heroin that was laced with fentanyl in the south suburbs in 2019.

Calvin Carter, a 44-year-old Country Club Hills resident who pleaded guilty to federal drug distribution charges earlier this year, was handed a 16-year prison sentence, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District of Illinois.

Man fatally stabbed while walking in Englewood

Prosecutors say on two separate occasions, Carter sold the fentanyl-laced heroin to buyers who were cooperating with law enforcement.

The sales, which occurred in the fall of 2019, unfolded in a gas station parking lot in Olympia Fields and a liquor store parking lot in Country Club Hills.

Defendant possessed almost one kilogram of heroin and fentanyl that he intended to distribute to others, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani said. The type of drugs that defendant sold and intended for distribution have devastating effects on the community.

Grundy County man out on pre-trial release arrested after allegedly beating 9-month-old son

According to prosecutors, following the sales, authorities conducted a search of Carters home and found several firearms.

Carters sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Manish Shah on Thursday, June 20.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
A business caught fire in Glendale on Sunday, prompting a massive response from firefighters, authorities say.

The Glendale Police Department said the fire was reported at 11:25 a.m. and quickly spread to the building next door. All employees of the business successfully evacuated.

The fire began at 733 Salem Street, according to authorities. The business located at that address is named Milla Party Rentals.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said at 2:26 p.m. that the fire was upgraded to a 5th alarm, and it had extended significantly since inception.

No injuries were reported as of 2:26 p.m. No additional details were immediately made 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.
DENVER (KDVR)  Metro Denver Crime Stoppers issued a crime alert asking the public for help identifying a suspect wanted for indecent exposure.

Crime Stoppers said the incident happened on June 2 at about 6 a.m. in the 200 block of South Pearl Street.

The suspect is described as a white, bald man about 5 feet 10 inches tall.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

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.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the ratio of irreversible losses among Ukrainians and Russians on the battlefield is now 1 to 6.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirers Trudy Rubin

Quote: "Indeed, they (the Russians - ed.) have a much larger population, and we take care about our soldiers more [than they do]. Indeed, we will not have a larger population than Russia. However, for every six Russians, one Ukrainian dies today [on the battlefield].

[Previously] we had figures approximately four times (1 to 4  ed.), and now on the Kharkiv and Pokrovsk fronts, the numbers are 1 to 6.

No, I am not implying that we must fight till the end and that we have enough people. I just wanted to let you know that all these discussions about a vast number of people, millions of Russians... Yes, they are correct, but the war is technological, and whoever owns more technologies will prevail."

Details: In response to the topic of how Ukraine might overcome Russia's superiority in terms of population and weaponry, Zelenskyy suggested that the West obstruct the opportunity for Russians to evade sanctions in the production of drones and missiles. At the same time, Ukraine must finance its own drone and missile manufacture.

He also stated that Russia earns the most from selling oil and gas, and that "truly professional people agree that starting in 2025, Russia will fall economically."

Zelenskyy emphasised that Russian President Vladimir Putin is terrified of an angry Russian society.

"Dissatisfied Russian society is a 'nuclear weapon' against Vladimir Putin. This is the most crucial message, and it should be emphasised: do not allow sanctions to be circumvented, technologically support Ukraine, and do not be afraid of what will happen to Russia after Putin. As soon as the West stops worrying about what would happen to Russia without Putin, Russia without Putin will happen sooner," the president said.

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Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect that police believe its likely connected to a custody dispute between family members.

SANDIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Authorities are searching for two suspects who allegedly attempted to kidnap a child in Mission Bay Saturday afternoon.

The San Diego Police Department said a call came in just before 1:30 p.m. reporting the incident, which occurred in the 1700 block of E Mission Bay Drive.

Police told FOX 5/KUSI that the suspected kidnapping attempt is likely connected to a custody dispute between family members and is not believed to be a random act, however, an investigation remains ongoing.

At this time, one person of interest is in custody, while two others remain on the loose.

San Diego mayor responds to Supreme Courts homeless encampments decision

Police described the first suspect as a Hispanic man who was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, a camouflage fishing hat, shorts and sunglasses.

The second suspect was also described by police as a Hispanic man who stands around 5 feet, 11 inches tall and is believed to be in his 50s. This individual was last seen wearing a beige t-shirt and Levis.

The suspects appeared to be heading northbound towards the San Diego Mission Bay resort, police said.

Authorities are also searching for a gun, though no gunfire has been reported in connection to this incident.

Anyone with information related to this suspected kidnapping attempt or who may have seen these suspects is encouraged to contact police at 6195312000.

This situation is not related to the recent kidnapping attempts in Mission Valley.

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.
Fridays most significant Supreme Court decisions, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce, fit within a guideline that explains the conservative majoritys recent spate of key decisions.. In a pair of opinions released on the penultimate day of the term, the majority made clear its intent to follow right-wing ideology  unless doing so would hinder their preferred candidates election, in which case ideology yields, at least temporarily.

If that sounds too crass a view of judges who took an oath to support and defend the Constitution, please join me in wishing it werent so. The harsh reality that reigns over the radical majority, however, is that they manipulate the law to accommodate the victory of a would-be dictator who suits them as president and nominator of their replacements.

In Fridays two biggest cases, the Court fulfilled the Federalist Societys fever dreams by overruling a 40-year-old precedent that required judges to defer to the expertise of government agencies. The decisions fit the reactionary ideology of the six Republican-appointed justices  as elected officials in the GOP and conservative legal scholars have long targeted this crucial component of our nations federal regulatory scheme. It is now clear that they are dedicated to taking us backward.

Since the New Deal, agency expertise has provided consumer and social regulatory protections in business, environment, health and medicine that have protected us. Nearly a century later, those protections have been sacrificed on the altar of a right-wing movement that worships laissez faire capitalism. In case you dont remember, unregulated markets got us into the Great Depression.

But theres a political qualification on the free-wheeling use of ideology. That election-year modulator helps explain several important end-of-term decisions that appear  at least on their surface  not to be relentlessly conservative. In sum, the decision-making model looks like this:

An outcome that fulfills the right-wing justices conservative views AND seems unlikely to damage the election result they desire  Trump in 24!  leaves the majority justices free to be as ideological as their hearts desire. But when an outcome that would fulfill their reactionary world-view bears too great a risk of harming their partisan choice in the election, ideology gives way to short-term political calculation . . . at least until the election is over.

Consider how the above two rules make sense of the results in important recent cases. Fridays decisions will have no effect on the election. The just-overturned doctrine of deference for government agencies is not a subject of household discussions, and the decisions effect of killing consumer and social protections will not be felt for months or more. Hence, rule no. 1 is operative; the Court has a free hand to destroy those protections in order to further empower the unregulated economy in which they believe.

Now lets move to the two recent Second Amendment cases.

The explanatory rules above reconcile cases that seem to have gone in different directions.

In U.S. v. Rahimi, decided on June 21, all justices but Clarence Thomas agreed to uphold the federal statute that banned people subject to domestic abuse restraining orders from possessing firearms. Had the case come out the other way, it would surely have stirred a firestorm among anti-abuse activists and women generally, motivating a mass of anti-Trump voters. One poll showed that an astonishing 74% of Americans polled agreed with that gun safety statute. Rule 2 applies.

Garland v. Cargill, decided a week earlier, came out the other way. In it, the 6-3 majority of Republican appointees struck down a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms regulation banning bump stocks, a piece of equipment that allows a semi-automatic weapon to fire automatically like a machine gun. Congress banned machine guns in 1986.

The ATF promulgated the regulation after the deadliest mass shooting in American history. In 2017, from the 32nd floor of Las Vegass Mandalay Bay hotel, Stephen Paddock used a rifle equipped with a bump stock to reign terror on young people at a music festival on the ground. In minutes, he killed 58 people and wounded more than 500.

But memories of 2017s mass killings are short, and most people dont know what a bump stock is. Regrettably, mass shootings are so commonplace that bump stocks wont be on voters minds

Hence, Cargill illustrates Rule 1 above  Ideology prevails when it determines a result that is unlikely to damage the election result the majority desire.

Now lets look at the two abortion cases. We know from the Courts 6-3 decision overruling Roe v. Wade how the right-wing justices are bent on destroying reproductive freedom. We also know how strong the backlash that followed was in the 2022 midterms and in elections since, with abortion rights winning every vote where they were on the ballot.

And so, on June 13, in Food & Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, the Supreme Court upheld FDA guidelines for distributing mifepristone, an over-the-counter abortion pill. This result accords with Rule 2 above  when adhering to the majority justices reactionary world-view carries too great a risk of harming their partisan choice in the election, ideology gives way to short term political calculation.

Note this, however: The court ruled on technical grounds, deciding that the plaintiff lacked standing because it failed to show it had suffered a concrete and particularized injury from the distribution of mifepristone. Thus, there was no decision on the merits of the case. After the election, some other plaintiff with standing could bring the same suit and prevail. Kicking the can down the road is a convenient game politicians play to avoid deciding a hard issue at a difficult time.

The second abortion decision was similar. On June 27, the Court dismissed, for the time being, a red states attempt to reinstate its law that would stop abortions needed to protect the health of the mother though her life might not be in danger. Polling shows that 80% of Americans believe that emergency abortions should be provided, contrary to such a state law. Again, with abortion, Rule. 2 applied: Validating the anti-abortion state law could affect the election, so the Court blocked the law for now.

As in the previous case, this was no real victory for reproductive freedom. The Court simply said it had decided prematurely to hear the case. Another such challenge will almost certainly come next term . . . unless Trump wins the election, in which case the federal challenge to state abortion bans will be dropped.

On Monday, we will get the Courts long-delayed decision in Trumps January 6-related immunity case. Sadly, like gun violence, such delays in Trumps federal trials are already baked into the publics expectations. Hence, the outcome will almost certainly fit neatly into Rule 1: A partisan result in some way favoring Trump will prevail  likely in the form of more delay  because more delay will help more than hurt his election prospects.

At the turn of the 20th century, Finley Peter Dunne, the Chicago humorist and journalist, had his fictional alter ego, the Irish-American immigrant character, Melvin J. Dooley, deliver what became a most famous adage in cynical Supreme Court lore: [T]h soopreme coort . . . follows th iliction returns. With the 21st centurys radical Court majority, that axiom requires a modern-day modification: [T]h soopreme coort figgurs out how to iffect th iliction returns.
Daddy died in August of 2017. It was a terrible and painful death and he was only 61 years old. His last words to me were absolutely unfathomable and embarrassing: He begged for forgiveness for his behavior and his Facebook posts since 2015. The MAGA mentality he had displayed since Donald Trump came down that escalator. The point of contention in our formerly close relationship  the reason we had barely spoken in two years.

He was dying and he talked about Betsy DeVos.

Years before his death, Daddy had sent me several messages through Facebook about ripping the teeth out of education departments across the country and I was shocked. I am sick writing those words. I write them because I know I am not alone. I know many of us lost parents and siblings and grandparents and friends to Trumpism. Its a sad state of affairs and we may as well talk about it, because even though Trump has been out of office for three years, hes never gone away. We still suffer the loss of our relationships.

Daddy. He was a Navy Seabee. A carpenter. A guitar player. A fast car collector. A good guy. A man who tried to raise two little girls on his own and did it to the best of his ability. A hippie in his pot-smoking, hard-rock youth and a MAGA in his death.

It made no sense. He was never hateful, until he was. He was always caring, until he wasnt. He was proud of me  the first to graduate with a bachelors degree, much less an masters in education, until he decided the Education Department was a part of a conspiracy. He was always the man who I could count on when I called, but he died a man I didnt recognize.

What happened?

Well, a lot, and it didnt start with Trump, but it was cemented and drug to the forefront with his candidacy and election. Daddy was immediately a Trump fan. I thought it odd at first, but I soon grew more upset the more I learned of Trump. I have never watched a ton of TV and only knew of him as being a rich guy in New York with the occasional scandal and bankruptcy.

My dad was the father of two girls. He flinched a little when the Grab em by the p***y recording was released, but made excuses. Daddy had a disabled brother who died of muscular dystrophy and he winced when the clip of Trump mocking a disabled reporter was spread widely, but he didnt stop supporting Trump. I never knew my dad to be a hypocrite, so I was genuinely surprised to see him support a disgusting misogynist  an unapologetic and prejudiced ableist.

Rants about dead people voting, deep state

My dad and I grew apart quickly  like, lightning speed. Every time I talked to him, he ranted about dead people voting or some deep state scheme. My dad was sick with a chronic illness, but I could barely talk to him without getting off the phone feeling sick myself. He became a raging misogynist before my eyes saying awful things about Hillary Clinton, but they were never based in reality. I mean, there are reasons to dislike Clinton, or anyone else for that matter, but he was talking Pizzagate nonsense and trying to figure out code from her emails.

I started avoiding him and skipped visits even though I knew his health wasnt the best  thats on me and I still regret it. I just couldnt stand to see his brain rotting in front of me, and his new political opinions on everything from abortion to immigration enraged me. We used to talk about his dogs, his travel and his work. He was now ranting about locking folks up and welfare abuse and pedophiles. I couldnt deal with it, so I didnt.

He grew sicker and sicker, but that just meant more time in front of the TV or online. He grew even more angry and more conspiratorial.

The actual process of his death was a slow and perverse train that involved a misdiagnosis, drugs that poisoned him and a slew of terribly painful treatments that ultimately led him to a local research hospital that could do nothing more for him.

I saw him several times during this period. He still wasnt himself, but he was tired of talking about hate and resentments.

In his final days, he asked me what I would do if I were in his position  unbearable pain and doctors who said there was nothing left to treat him with. I said, I dont know, but I know you are in pain and there are a lot of reasons to stay, but I understand if you want to go. He decided to let go.

As he lay dying, he asked me to read to him. He wanted to listen to Moby Dick  a book he meant to read, but never did. I read it to him.

He apologized between chapters for a lot of things that were out of his control when he was a young father and I was a child. I forgave him everything and apologized for not being there like a should have been. And then came the torrent of tears over what had happened to us during the Trump years.

This is where Ill say that I was just disgusted at his political apologies. I begged him to stop. The internet and Facebook are ridiculous things to talk about when you have only hours left.

Stop, Daddy. It doesnt matter. But, he knew it did matter.

Your legacy is defined by love or hate

I was asleep in the hospital lounge when a nurse came to tell me she thought he was going. I watched as they helped him along with morphine  his physical pain was unbearable. He passed away within the hour and I was left shaken, confused, in mourning, incredibly sad and absolutely infuriated.

I try to think of him now before the Trump days, but I cant say that I remember him completely without those conspiratorial rants and bizarre rabbit hole conversations.

And this is why I think it so important to warn others. Your memory is all you leave. Thats it. You are what you say and the way you make others feel. Nothing else matters.

I dont know why I wrote this other than as a warning: Your legacy will be impacted by the love or the hate you surround yourself with. I have to go way back before the Trump era to remember my dad properly. I know he knew this at the end, and feverishly tried to take it back before he left. I gave him grace then and I do now, but it doesnt erase what he said and did and how it impacted our relationship.

And thats the thing: Daddy wasnt a outlier. His story is common. I wish it werent, but such is the world we live in now. My hope is that the folks reading this can find grace for their loved one or just peace. Politics shouldnt have destroyed my relationship with my dad before he died, but they did.

My last memories of him leave a metallic taste in my mouth  bitter bile in my throat. I loved him deeply and it was reciprocated, but his skewed world view at the end of his life tragically confused his legacy and his loved ones, and that is the saddest thing I can say.

Jessica Piper is the executive director of the continuing committee Blue Missouri, a former Democratic nominee for Missouri House District 1, a former teacher and a rural mom. This commentary originally appeared on her Substack, The View from Rural Missouri by Jess Piper.
On This Day, June 30: Supreme Court allows religious exemption to contraception mandate

On June 30, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that family-owned corporations can't be required to pay for insurance coverage for contraception under the Affordable Care Act. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

On this date in history:

In 1859, Frenchman Jean Francois Gravelet, known professionally as the Great Blondin, became the first daredevil to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope.

In 1870, Ada Kepley became the first woman to graduate from an accredited law school in the United States -- Union College of Law in Chicago.

In 1905, the theory of relativity was introduced by Albert Einstein in "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies."

File Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI

People attend the funeral for the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in Prescott Valley, Ariz., on July 9, 2013. UPI File Photo

In 1908, a spectacular explosion occurred over central Siberia, probably caused by a meteorite. The fireball could be seen hundreds of miles away.

In 1934, German leader Adolf Hitler ordered a bloody purge of his own political party -- the so-called Night of the Long Knives. Hundreds of Nazis he feared might become political enemies were assassinated.

Two woman hold a placard reading "Love wins in Germany" as they celebrate outside the chancellery the approval of same-sex marriage by the German parliament on June 30, 2017, in Berlin. File Photo by Felipe Trueba/EPA

In 1950, U.S. troops were moved from Japan to help defend South Korea against invading North Koreans.

In 1971, three Soviet Cosmonauts, members of the crew of the world's first space station, were killed when their spacecraft depressurized during re-entry.

Misty Copeland arrives for the 62nd annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 26. On June 30, 2015, the American Ballet Theater promoted Copeland to be principal dancer -- the highest rank within a professional dance company. She was the first African-American woman to hold the post for the company. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

In 1982, the extended deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment expired, three states short of the 38 needed for passage.

In 1988, the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre after he consecrated four bishops in defiance of Pope John Paul II.

On June 30, 1934, German leader Adolf Hitler ordered a bloody purge of his own political party. Hundreds of Nazis he feared might become political enemies were assassinated. File Photo courtesy of the NARA

In 2009, Yemenia Airways Flight IY626, which had taken off from Sanaa, Yemen, crashed into the Indian Ocean while trying to land at Moroni, the capital of Comoros, killing 152 of 153 people aboard. The lone survivor was 14-year-old Bahia Bakari, who became known as "the miracle girl."

In 2013, the Yarnell Hill wildfire in Arizona killed 19 firefighters on what Gov. Jan Brewer called "as dark a day as I can remember." On July 9 in Prescott, thousands of people, including firefighters from across the country, attended a memorial service for the victims, all members of specialized firefighting unit called the Granite Mountain Hotshots.

Women's rights supporters participate in a rally in front of the Supreme Court as the Court considers two cases brought by Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood in Washington, D.C. on March 25, 2014. On June 30, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that family-owned corporations can't be required to pay for insurance coverage for contraception under the Affordable Care Act. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

In 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that family-owned corporations can't be required to pay for insurance coverage for contraception under the Affordable Care Act.

In 2015, the American Ballet Theater promoted Misty Copeland to be principal dancer -- the highest rank within a professional dance company. She was the first African-American woman to hold the post for the company.

In 2017, the German parliament passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage after Chancellor Angela Merkel, who voted against the measure, encouraged her party to vote their conscience.

In 2019, Donald Trump made history by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to step foot on North Korean soil during a meeting with leader Kim Jong Un.

File Photo by Shealah Craighead/White House

In 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned actor Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction and freed him from prison.

In 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson, a top federal appellate court judge and former public defender, was sworn in on the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the first Black woman to sit on the bench.

In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked President Joe Biden's student loan debt relief plan from taking effect. The plan would have relieved up to $10,000 debt from any borrowers and up to $20,000 from those who received a Pell Grant.

File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
The Dayton Unit of the NAACP is speaking out after a person was shot and killed by Dayton Police on Saturday night.

>>PHOTOS: Officers shoot, kill male believed to be armed in Dayton

The organization released a statement following Saturdays shooting.

The Dayton Branch NAACP is aware and has been on-site interviewing witnesses of this officer-involved shooting that has led to the death of a teenager in Dayton, Ohio. We will conduct a thorough investigation of this case in the days ahead and will request body cam footage to see where the evidence leads us to determine the truth in this case.

Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased.

News Center 7 is working to confirm both the age and name of the person killed in Saturdays shooting.

>>RELATED: 1 person shot, killed after allegedly pointing gun at Dayton police

As reported Saturday on News Center 7 at 11, police officers were responding to address the vacant/block party issues in the 500 block of Negley Place, the department said.

Officers approached a male who allegedly had a firearm.

Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal said the male ran from officers, then turned around and allegedly pointed a gun at them.

Two officers fired their guns at the male, according to a statement posted to the Dayton Police & Fire Facebook page.

Police began rendering medical aid to the male as medics were dispatched to the scene.

Medics transported the male to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

>>County-wide call for backup dropped near Dollar General in Dayton

News Center 7s Malik Patterson spoke with Dr. Derrick Foward, President of the Dayton Branch of the NAACP.

He said he received several phones and texts and also spoke with people at the scene about Saturday nights shooting.

I have been on-site and talked to a couple of witnesses who stated to us that police were chasing certain people, Dr. Foward stated. We dont know if these are the facts until we will get the footage, but we will be closely monitoring this particularly situation. If there is any negligence on the police departments side, we will deal with it quickly and decisively.

He also wants to let the community the Dayton NAACP is here.

We are here, we are going to be handguards of justice, said Dr. Foward. We will get the facts in this particular case.

The Montgomery County Sheriffs Office is handling the criminal investigation and the Dayton Police Professional Standards Bureau will conduct a separate administrative investigation.

We will continue to follow this story.
He is literally my everything: Womans 2-year-old French Bulldog stolen while on walk in Southeast DC

He is literally my everything: Womans 2-year-old French Bulldog stolen while on walk in Southeast DC

WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said yet another French Bulldog was stolen in the District.

Now, police and the dogs owner are asking the community for help in bringing him home.

On June 29 at about 8:20 p.m., MPD said a woman was walking her dog, Yurman, in the 1700 block of Fort Davis Street SE when someone approached her with a gun.

I screamed, Jaineen Brown said as she recounted the incident in an interview. My dog was four or five, six feet ahead of me because hes on a leash. They grabbed my dog by the back of his head.

French Bulldog reunited with owner after stolen in DC

The suspect took Yurman and fled the scene in what Brown described as a black Honda Accord.

She said this was not the first time someone had tried taking Yurman from her  people had tried to take him four times before Saturday nights incident.

This one, they got me, she said.

Brown said someone first tried taking him from her porch when he was a puppy. In the most recent attempt, she recalled walking Yurman when someone pulled up next to her in a car.

He had pulled next to me real slow and said Thats a Frenchie,' Brown said.

Burglars have targeted French Bulldogs in recent months throughout the District. In late March, a 4-year-old French Bulldog named Recardito was in his owners car when someone took him. He was reunited with his owner the next day  something Brown is hopeful for.

He is my emotional support dog. Im from Akron, Ohio  dont have very much family here at all, so he is literally my everything, she said.

I just want my dog home, she continued. I want Yurman back in his happy place and back home with me.

Man arrested after stealing French bulldog Mocha in Southeast DC

MPD said the dog is described as a 2-year-old French Bulldog named Yurman.

The dog, the suspect and their vehicle can be seen in the picture below:

Surveillance photos show the suspect and their car. Below are photos of Yurman, the 2-year-old French Bulldog. (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Police Department).

Anyone who can identify the suspect or has information about the incident is asked to call MPD at (202) 727-9099 or text a tip to the departments tip line at 5011. A reward of up to $10,000 is offered to anyone with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

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.
Key Insights

The projected fair value for FGV Holdings Berhad is RM2.08 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

FGV Holdings Berhad is estimated to be 38% undervalued based on current share price of RM1.28

Our fair value estimate is 60% higher than FGV Holdings Berhad's analyst price target of RM1.30

How far off is FGV Holdings Berhad (KLSE:FGV) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple!

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

Check out our latest analysis for FGV Holdings Berhad

Is FGV Holdings Berhad Fairly Valued?

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 start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last 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) estimate

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (MYR, Millions) RM548.0m RM550.5m RM558.1m RM569.4m RM583.6m RM599.9m RM618.1m RM637.8m RM658.8m RM681.0m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ -0.88% Est @ 0.45% Est @ 1.38% Est @ 2.03% Est @ 2.49% Est @ 2.80% Est @ 3.03% Est @ 3.18% Est @ 3.29% Est @ 3.37% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 10% RM497 RM453 RM417 RM386 RM359 RM335 RM313 RM293 RM275 RM257

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM3.6b

After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 3.6%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 10%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = RM681m (1 + 3.6%)  (10% 3.6%) = RM11b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM11b ( 1 + 10%)10= RM4.0b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is RM7.6b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of RM1.3, the company appears quite undervalued at a 38% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind.

dcf

The Assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual 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 FGV Holdings Berhad as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 10%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.050. 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 FGV Holdings Berhad

Strength

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Weakness

Earnings declined over the past year.

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Food market.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Malaysian market.

Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%.

Threat

Dividends are not covered by earnings.

Annual revenue is forecast to grow slower than the Malaysian market.

Looking Ahead:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For FGV Holdings Berhad, we've put together three further factors you should further research:

Risks: Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for FGV Holdings Berhad you should be aware of. Future Earnings: How does FGV's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the KLSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Deadly Russian Su-34 bombers are sitting ducks for Ukraine's ATACMS. But it can't attack without US approval.

Deadly Russian Su-34 bombers are sitting ducks for Ukraine's ATACMS. But it can't attack without US approval.

Near the border of northeastern Ukraine, some of Russia's lethal Su-34 fighter jets sit in the open.

The bombers have been used to pound Ukraine with regular barrages of glide bombs.

But Ukraine must seek US approval to strike the exposed jets.

Near the border with northeastern Ukraine, some of Russia's deadly Su-34 fighter bombers lie exposed on the tarmac of a military airfield as they await orders to carry out their next attack.

Voronezh Malshevo airbase is a launching point for jets operated by the Russian Air Force's 47th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment.

The 47th has regularly taken part in attacks on the Kharkiv region while also frequently carrying out strikes on Ukrainian forces and civilians using highly destructive glide bombs.

Satellite images of Voronezh Malshevo airbase show what appears to be a group of Su-34s, along with other planes and helicopters, lined up on the runway  seemingly there for the taking.

Satellite image showing aircraft at the base. Google Maps

At just 100 miles from the Ukrainian border, the base is easily within range of Ukraine's US-manufactured Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), a 300 km (186 miles) surface-to-surface artillery weapon system.

However, the United States prohibits Ukraine from striking recognized Russian territory with the ATACMS. Kyiv is only permitted to strike targets within sovereign territory, including occupied territory. Ukraine this month struck Sevastopol in occupied Crimea with ATACMS missiles, killing at least four people and injuring over 150 others. Moscow blamed the United States for the attack and vowed to retaliate.

It will likely be a major frustration for Kyiv, which has embarked on a dedicated campaign to hamper the Russian Air Force and take out the Su-34s.

Ukraine has often been forced to rely on equipment like drones to carry out these strikes, which can be thwarted using electronic systems.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian forces launched at least 70 drones at a military airbase in Russia's Rostov region, almost 200 miles from the Ukrainian border.

In that attack, a satellite image of an airfield close to Morozovsk also showed what appeared to be multiple Su-34 fighter bombers once again lined up in the open.

A Russian Telegram channel claimed one source in the Russian General Staff said: "Most of the drones were shot down, a few failed. We have six dead, including two military pilots. And more than ten wounded."

The extent of the damage to aircraft caused by the attack was not yet known.

Russia has ramped up its use of powerful glide bombs as its war in Ukraine has progressed.

The cheap munitions are produced by attaching wings and satellite navigation systems to old Soviet-era bombs.

Russian jets like the Su-34 are then able to release them from safer distances, making it hard for Ukraine to counter such attacks.

New video footage shared on Russian Telegram channels last week appeared to capture the first combat use of Russia's huge 6,600-pound glide bomb.

The colossal FAB-3000 bomb was dropped by a Su-34 jet, Forbes reported.

"The fact that Russian forces have figured out how to launch FAB-3000s is a significant development and will increase the destructive potential of Russia's ongoing glide bomb attacks against Ukrainian forces and infrastructure," the Institute for the Study of War wrote in an update on the conflict.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Can Joe Biden survive?

Three days after a disastrous performance by the president in the first 2024 campaign debate, many Democratic strategists, officeholders, donors, pundits, potential rivals and long-time friends still aren't sure.

A drumbeat of concern about Biden as the party's nominee expressed in public and private began minutes after the CNN debate in Atlanta came on the air, showing a hoarse and sometimes stumbling Biden facing a bombastic Donald Trump hurling insults and untruths. Since then, efforts by Team Biden to shore up his support and move on haven't quieted alarm about his prospects in November and the damaging impact it could have on Democratic candidates down the ballot.

"The fact is people are nervous; there's a lot of anxiety," former Democratic national chair Donna Brazile acknowledged on ABC's "This Week," saying she had fielded so many frantic calls from fellow Democrats that she considered "dropping my phone into the Potomac."

She also made the case for Biden: "He also is a good man, a strong president and Democrats still believe that this race is winnable."

That said, a CBS News/YouGov poll taken Friday and Saturday showed how the debate had exacerbated the 81-year-old Biden's biggest vulnerability, his age. Seventy-two percent of registered voters said he did not have the mental and cognitive health to serve as president. The same percentage said he shouldn't be running for president, including more than a third of Democrats, 36%.

What has become clear is how much that decision is up to Biden himself, given party rules that make it nearly inconceivable that he could be replaced on the ticket without his assent  and how little time is left to make that call. A virtual roll call for the nomination is planned by Aug. 7, even before the convention opens, to address a deadline in Ohio that had threatened to keep Biden off the ballot there.

And this: All of the options for Democrats carry risks of infighting that could undermine the odds of victory by any nominee.

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 28: People wave signs at a post-debate campaign rally for U.S. President Joe Biden on June 28, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Last night President Biden and Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump faced off in the first presidential debate of the 2024 campaign. (Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

The lessons of 'Access Hollywood'

If he stays in the race for the White House, Biden may be applying a lesson learned from Trump.

A month before the 2016 election, the Washington Post revealed a recording of Trump from 2005 bragging that he could grab women's genitals without consequences because "when you're a star, they let you do it."

There were consequences then, with some leading Republicans calling their nominee unfit for the presidency. But Trump bulldozed through their objections, dismissing or ignoring his critics. He won the White House and solidified his hold on the GOP.

About four years later, after the assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, by rioters trying to overturn Trump's defeat in the 2020 election, Congress impeached him, though the Senate didn't convict him. But the firestorm that would have sabotaged most political careers in time didn't notably erode his political base.

Little surprise then that Trump's conviction on 34 criminal counts in a New York courtroom in May didn't unnerve his supporters. He has made his status as the first felon to run for president on a major-party ticket a fundraising boon and a rallying cry.

Trump has demonstrated the power of plowing ahead, regardless of what the party elites and the newspaper editorial writers may say.

Chaos at the convention: Not a political asset

Biden has insisted that he will continue his campaign.

"When you get knocked down, you get back up," he declared to cheers at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, the day after the debate.

But holding the nomination is easier than winning the election.

Previous presidents have faced primary challenges in their bids for second terms, including Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1980 and Republican George H.W. Bush in 1992. After messy conventions that underscored party divisions, both won the nominations but lost the elections.

This year, Biden had no serious primary challenger in a party united by its opposition to Trump. That means almost all of the 4,672 delegates expected at the convention in Chicago are pledged to him, although that commitment is not a binding one.

It also means there is no ready alternative, raising the possibility of a brutal floor fight.

Vice President Kamala Harris would be a leading alternative, although her position as Biden's running mate gives her no special standing to claim the nomination. There are also rising Democrats who might have run for the nomination this time if Biden hadn't, among them Govs. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gavin Newsom of California, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and J.D. Pritzker of Illinois.

None of those governors are well known nationally, though, nor have they gone through the rigors and the scrutiny of a presidential campaign.

In a sign of how seriously the Biden campaign is taking the threat, deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty blasted out a memo Saturday arguing that changing the top of the ticket would nominate "candidates who would, according to polls, be less likely to win than Joe Biden to defeat Donald Trump."

However, the findings he attached didn't prove that point. In a survey by a progressive think tank called Data For Progress, there was no meaningful difference between how Biden and eight potential alternatives fared against Trump.

Biden trailed Trump by three percentage points, 45% to 48%. Six of the other candidates tested also trailed Trump by three points, including Harris (45%-48%), Newsom (44%-47%), Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (44%-47%), Pritzker (43%-46%), Shapiro (43%-46%) and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar (43%-46%).

Two of the candidates trailed Trump by only two points, 44%-46%  Whitmer and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.

Flaherty also warned that Biden withdrawing would create its own problems.

It "would lead to weeks of chaos, internal food fighting, and a bunch of candidates who limp into a brutal floor fight at the convention, all while Donald Trump has time to speak to American voters uncontested," he said. He called it "a highway to losing."

It is true that chaos at conventions has never been a political asset. Witness a previous Democratic convention in Chicago in 1968 when protests over the Vietnam War created complications for Vice President Hubert Humphrey, the nominee.

He lost in November.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can Joe Biden survive debate fiasco? Even his friends aren't sure.
Community members shared laughter, tears and applause as they gathered Saturday to honor the life of veteran Detroit lawyer Bill Goodman at Wayne State University.

Goodman died Nov. 17, 2023, at age 83 and a funeral was held at Ira Kaufman Chapel in Southfield on Nov. 20, 2023.

Attendees filled the Community Arts Auditorium at Wayne State on Saturday afternoon, listening as speakers of all ages and backgrounds discussed the profound impact Goodman left on their lives and careers.

Bill Goodman, shown here speaking to the media in July 2008 when he was independent counsel for the Detroit City Council, which at the time considering was considering removing Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick following a text message scandal.

Goodman's decadeslong legal career included human rights and civil liberties advocacy, taking on cases like stop-and-frisk policies, Guantanamo Bay detentions, the Flint water crisis, Palestinian rights, police brutality, prisoners' rights, Vietnam War victims and more.

He co-founded Goodman and Hurwitz, P.C., a Detroit-based civil rights firm, co-founded the Sugar Law Center for Economics and Social Justice in Detroit, taught at Wayne State's law school for over 15 years, and served as the legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York.

Goodman also served as special counsel to the Detroit City Council as former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick faced a text message scandal in 2008. More recently, Goodman represented Detroit Will Breathe in a lawsuit against the city of Detroit, ending in a $1 million settlement.

Nicholas Hurwitz-Goodman speaks at a June 29, 2024 memorial event for his father, human rights lawyer Bill Goodman, at Wayne State University's Community Arts Auditorium.

"He dedicated his life to helping the most vulnerable victims of state violence and carried himself with such levity and life," said Nicholas Hurwitz-Goodman, Goodman's son. "He was the funniest person I know, always ready with a joke or anecdote about his life."

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Detroit Democrat, recalled Goodman's dedication as a mentor throughout her political career.

"He truly always used his expertise, his love, to help teach my residents how to evoke their rights when police were using many of my neighbors' immigration status as a weapon," Tlaib said.

South African lawyer and activist Albie Sachs, a longtime friend of Goodman, shared a message via video.

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Dearborn) speaks at a memorial event for late human rights lawyer Bill Goodman at Wayne State University's Community Arts Auditorium June 29, 2024.

"He had a generosity and a happiness of spirit, a geniality that could make up with people," Sachs said. "He enjoyed life, he enjoyed being, he enjoyed doing things, he enjoyed companionship."

Organizers played a video clip of Goodman dressed as Santa Claus attempting to distribute copies of the U.S. Constitution outside the White House one Christmas, with attendees laughing throughout, a touch of Goodman's humor mixed with legal advocacy.

Lawyer Allison Kriger worked as a law clerk for Goodman at Goodman and Hurwitz, P.C., and appreciated the impact of his core principles as a lawyer, she said.

"No matter how many times humanity seemed to let him down by deliberately and methodically making laws that oppressed people, primarily Black and brown people, he never gave up, he never stopped fighting to change those laws and dismantle that power structure," Kriger said.

Goodman dedicated his life to pursuing a more just world for all, said Julie Hurwitz, his longtime law partner and the mother of three of his children.

Commemorative plaques and flowers dedicated to the late human rights lawyer Bill Goodman at a memorial event at Wayne State University's Community Arts Auditorium June 29, 2024.

"He was at his core one of the most decent, generous and giving people I have ever known and always fighting for justice and for a society in which human rights take priority over the rights of property and capital," Hurwitz said.

Goodman is survived by six children; four grandchildren; a brother; the mothers of his children, Jane Goodman and Hurwitz, and Susan Gzesh, his companion.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Memorial honors life of veteran lawyer, human rights advocate
We live in a very different world since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel. With global military expenditure reaching $2.4 trillion last year, startups are hoping to get a share of the pie, and formerly reluctant investors are keen to help them do so.

The U.S. budget is by far the largest, with contracts worth $53 billion to major tech firms between 2019 and 2022. But the rise of defense tech as an investment trend is very much global.

German-based AI startup Helsing is a strong example of the unprecedented amounts of capital available to tech companies with military potential.

Investor appetite is particularly strong for tech solutions with dual-use potential, meaning that they can be used for both civilian and military applications. The idea that defense tech can benefit society more broadly is also reflected in the rising concept of "resilience tech."

More than the worn-out term of "defense," the word "resilience" reflects the idea that innovation can make democratic societies less vulnerable to attacks and help them recover faster.

For instance, Helsing co-CEO Gundbert Scherf said that he and his co-founders created the company "because we believe that AI will be essential so that democracies can continue to defend their values."

The fact that Helsing's mission resonated with mainstream investors such as Spotify founder Daniel Ek reflects a mindset change in society as a whole, but also in venture capital itself.

While typically prevented from investing into weapons by their so-called vice clause, funds large and small are now willing to fund international startups in the broader resilience tech space, with the blessing of major limited partners such as the European Investment Fund.

From the EU to Ukraine to Israel, here are some venture capital firms taking a bet on resilience tech outside of the U.S.

NATO Innovation Fund

NATO Innovation Fund is currently one of the most frequently mentioned players in resilience tech conversations. A $1 billion fund rarely goes unnoticed, and even more so when it is dedicated to a sector where venture capital has been scarce. However, it had maintained a low profile following its official launch in August 2023, even declining interview requests.

Not anymore: One year in, NIF disclosed the first investments it made into a wide range of verticals  AI, space tech, manufacturing, transportation and robotics  but always with an eye on "advancing defense, security and resilience."

NIF's direct investments can only go to startups from the 24 countries that are its LPs. This includes Iceland, but not France, for instance, which could help bring fresh funding to locations that have traditionally received less capital but are even keener than larger countries on resilience tech.

However, NIF's scope is made a bit more flexible by the fact that it is also a fund of funds. The VC firms it has backed so far include Alpine Space Ventures, Join Capital, OTB Ventures and Vsquared Ventures.

OTB Ventures

Founded in 2017, above-mentioned OTB Ventures existed long before NIF, but its focus on deep tech is taking on a new flavor. With support from NIF, but also the European Investment Fund (EIF), the Amsterdam-based firm with Polish roots has already started deploying its $185 million early-growth fund into what it calls "real tech."

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/20/otb-ventures-deep-tech

OTB's take on "real tech" translates into a focus on space tech, enterprise automation and AI, cybersecurity and fintech infrastructure; all of which can easily fall under resilience tech, too.

Its co-founder and managing partner Marcin Hejka also understands dual-use technology as a reality for many startups. "Its absolutely natural that the defense sector is applying more and more technologies with civilian roots," he told TechCrunch in March.

MD One Ventures

Dual use is the focus of MD One Ventures, a VC firm based in the U.K. and investing in early-stage companies. Founded in 2021, it describes itself as "dedicated to supporting applied deep tech innovation for the U.K., Europe and Allies."

This leaves the door open to a wide range of applications. "We are agnostic across a range of subsectors and technology types, and have invested in both software- and hardware-based companies, with [national security], enterprise and defense backgrounds," MD One's site explains.

Its portfolio includes startups such as Labrys Technologies, a Slack-meets-location-meets-payments for military and humanitarian scenarios, and Materials Nexus, which uses AI to discover new materials.

https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/22/labrys

Israel Resilience Fund

Launched in late 2023 in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks, the Israel Resilience Fund is aiming to raise $50 million to invest into startups impacted by the war or developing solutions relevant to Israel's immediate needs.

It is one of the funds of Israeli investment platform OurCrowd, which as of March had secured $17 million in commitments for this special fund, for which it waived all management fees and carried interest, and with a focus on catalyzing co-investments from public and private sources.

From eight disclosed investments last December, the Israel Resilience Fund's portfolio has now grown to 35 teams, representing some 1,000 jobs in a country where 14% of employees work in tech. Arguably thanks to initiatives like these, the sector has shown resilience, with Israeli startups raising more than $3.1 billion since the war began.

D3

D3 is an early-stage fund whose name stands for its call to "Dare to Defend Democracy."

"We launched our fund in the summer of 2023 with a primary goal to invest in founders who leverage technology for helping Ukraine defend itself and define the future of the West's national security," its site explains.

With a usual investment of $125,000 for an equity stake of 7%, it is also open to making follow-on investments of up to $750,000 in later rounds led by other investors. Its current portfolio covers verticals such as drones, sensors and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), often with an element of AI.

D3 was also one of the promoters of a recent defense tech hackathon in London. The first of its kind, but likely not the last, it confirms that these VCs will also have a growing pipeline of startups to invest in.
Delaware weather: After June's heat wave, July's forecast calls for more heat

Delaware residents recently got a preview of the future.

After surviving an early-summer heat wave, First State residents should prepare for more hot weather as the calendar turns over to July.

According to the National Weather Service's monthly temperature outlook, there's a 70% to 80% chance temperatures will be higher than normal during July. The typical temperature range for July in Delaware is between 69 and 88 degrees.

According to the National Weather Service's Central Region Clime Outlook, the heat wave will continue in Tennessee as temperatures reach the high 90s and heat index values reach 100 and above.

"There's a greater likelihood of above-normal temperatures," Lee Robertson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Mount Holly, New Jersey, office said. "There could be a day at or below normal, but we'll mostly be above."

From June 20 through June 23, Delaware was hit with a heat wave as temperatures soared into the mid- to upper 90s. New Castle County was under a heat advisory for days and an excessive heat watch.

"It's summer so it gets hot," Robertson said. "In the summer, whether it's well above normal temperatures like we saw last week or normal temperatures, it does get warm. But, we are expecting above-normal temperatures."

Summer fun: Welcome to our Delaware 2024 Summer Guide 

How to stay cool

With the high temperatures, here are some ways to stay safe.

Drink plenty of fluids.

Stay in an air-conditioned room.

Stay out of the sun.

Check up on relatives and neighbors.

Take extra precautions when outside.

Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing.

Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening.

Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Who is most vulnerable in the heat?

According to the National Weather Service, heat is among the leading weather-related killers. These are the groups most impacted by high temperatures:

Young children and infants are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness and death, as their bodies are less able to adapt to heat than are adults.

Older adults, particularly those with preexisting diseases, take certain medications, are living alone or with limited mobility and are exposed to extreme heat can experience multiple adverse effects.

People with chronic medical conditions are more likely to have serious health problems during a heat wave than healthy people.

Pregnant women are also at higher risk. Extreme heat events have been associated with adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight, preterm birth, and infant mortality, as well as congenital cataracts.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware weather: July temperature forecast
Theyre not writing anything down. Theyre not making any firm commitments.

But between staring into phones that started buzzing about three minutes into the debate and havent stopped since, several of Joe Bidens leading possible Democratic replacements and top aides have started to think through what an unprecedented last-minute fight into the August convention might look like.

Theyre already carefully monitoring their prospective opponents moves as they go, looking both for openings and ways to call them out for getting ahead of the president. Multiple people connected with other candidates, for example, noted the interesting timing of an already-scheduled fundraising appeal that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmers PAC texted out on Friday evening that reads almost like a mission statement for her and points out how she won in her key presidential battleground state.

More than two dozen top Democratic officials, political operatives and donors tied to Biden and to many of the people most discussed as potential substitutes  many of whom asked for anonymity to discuss the most politically fraught situation most have ever encountered  say theyre terrified by nearly every scenario: Going forward with Biden, a Kamala Harris nomination, a nomination of someone else who would in that case have beaten the first Black female vice president, long nights of multiple ballots spilling ideological and personal feuds on national television, even just revelations of embarrassing details about people who have never been vetted by a national campaign.

It would be a Category 5 hurricane, said one top Democratic official nervous about Biden considering what would happen if the president stepped aside. People dont understand the sheer destruction that would be unleashed.

To others, that stems from a prisoners mentality that doesnt consider how much resistance there is to Trump.

I think we can absolutely swap and win, said a major Democratic donor. If Joe Bidens the nominee, were all in. If someone else is the nominee, were all in.

A CBS News/YouGov poll out Sunday morning found only 55% of registered Democratic voters saying Biden should continue running, with 45% saying he should step aside. Biden campaign aides have spent the last couple of days pointing to metrics like some of their best grassroots fundraising days and a surge in job applications since Thursday.

None of the speculation matters if a president who will be three months older by the next scheduled debate doesnt step aside. So far, he has stuck to an apologetic but defiant posture in public while in private saying he knows how bad his performance was but that he still thinks his candidacy is the only way forward.

And since he won all the primaries, he controls most of the delegates, which means that they can only vote for someone else if he decides to pull out.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, alongside granddaughters Natalie left, and Finnegan, second from right, make their way to board Air Force One before departing McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington, New Jersey on June 29, 2024. Biden is heading to the Camp David presidential retreat where he was expected to spend the rest of the weekend. - Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Democrats feeling the ground move beneath their feet

Multiple Democratic officials and operatives, some of whom are affiliated with alternatives and those who are not, rage that Biden has demonstrated too much of an ego to have bowed out before. The presidents argument that he was the Democrat best able to beat Trump, several said, has now been turned on its head and they are left feeling hes the option least able to beat Trump.

They say the presidents inner circle who have been running the campaign and prepared him for the debate  and who told some privately ahead of Thursday night that the prep had gone well  are either not being honest or are not capable of steering him either toward an exit or a recovery. At a LGBTQ fundraiser in New York City on Friday night, one attendee said some of the conversations even turned against Jill Biden, with the deep love for her as the quirky reluctant political spouse quickly curdling into exasperation that she is not willing to make the move that would lead to them leaving the White House.

Even as minds turn to a list that includes Harris, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Whitmer, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and even relatively new Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, none have gone public with anything but words of support for Biden. They worry about being called traitors. They worry that it might make Biden dig in more.

A debate watch party in Los Angeles on Thursday night happened to feature Harris husband Doug Emhoff, Pritzker, Whitmer and Beshear. There were other high-profile attendees  by a few answers in, Rob Reiner was screaming about losing and Jane Fonda had tears in her eyes, according to people in the room.

Even Barack Obama is choosing his words carefully. When asked about the debate by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at a fundraiser for House Democrats, he said Biden has the values that reflect the best in America, but politics is a team sport, with the president as the captain. He added that getting Jeffries to be speaker is probably the most important thing we can do for the Biden reelection campaign as well.

Biden campaign aides dismiss not only the possibility that he will drop out, but that anyone could actually do better, or go up against Trump with a list of supporters that runs from progressive icon Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to conservative GOP former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan.

You win elections by bringing everyone under one banner. If the imperative to you is winning, the best chance we have of doing it is the guy who has been in the White House, has a historic record of accomplishment and already beaten Donald Trump once, and not any of this mess, a senior Biden adviser told CNN.

But in one demonstration of the scramble that the campaign is in over how to shoot down the replacement talk: on Friday morning, Biden aides said on a call that included a number of Democratic operatives that it would be dispatching Donna Brazile, the former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee, and leading Democratic operative Stephanie Cutter to explain why replacement would be a fantasy.

Brazile, who has written about how she looked into the possibility of a post-convention replacement of the nominee after Hillary Clintons stumble at a September 11 event in 2016, told CNN that she was not told this in advance. Cutter said she had not been either.

But both said they remain committed to Biden and urged others to do the same.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat who eyed a possible 2024 run of his own had Biden decided not to run, said he had dinner with Biden on Saturday night at a fundraiser he and his wife hosted and felt confident sticking by the president. Still, he mentioned the presidents age twice in a brief interview, saying hes 81.

There are very few people who can span the broad interests of our beloved Democratic Party in the same way he can. And hes proven that, Murphy said. Thats not a prospective, Hey, I think he could do this. He has done it. Not sure who else can do that.

Murphy said he hadnt considered another option because based on every data point, a dimension that Im aware of, hes not going anywhere.

Harris advantage going into an open convention

If there is an opening, most agree Harris would have the early edge.

If Biden did make a sudden exit, there would be pressure for him to give his party some direction, and doing anything other than tapping his vice president would be a snub bigger than when Obama wounded him so deeply by making clear that he saw Hillary Clinton as his own successor in the run-up to the 2016 election. To a convention hall full of loyal Biden delegates trying to recover their equilibrium, endorsing Harris could carry a lot of weight.

A Harris backer insisted that the interest in anyone else at this point is just the appeal of the unknown. Being unknown can have benefits, such as not having any of the entrenched bad feelings that have come to define her in the minds of some voters. But it also means that none of them have had their pasts and records delved into the way she has over her abbreviated presidential campaign, her time as running mate and as vice president.

As the other name on the Biden-Harris campaign, the vice president would also be the only one legally able to take over the entire existing operation, along with all the money already raised  a fact overlooked by the Biden campaign in an email from deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty to supporters, which insisted that an alternative starting with zero dollars in their bank account would be a highway to losing. That would be on top of being the potential replacement with the largest national name recognition. She also stands even or a little ahead any of the other contenders in most of the polls that have posed the question of replacing Biden.

People around Harris have of course considered all this. But her approach since the debate has been to put herself forward as the most dutiful and most loyal defender, to the point that the first lady  who has made her frustrations with Harris clear in the past  on Friday night picked up the defense that Harris landed on immediately after the debate.

The vice presidents Im not going to spend all night with you talking about the last 90 minutes when Ive been watching the last three-and-a-half years of performance, which people in her orbit say she came up with on the fly herself, has since been picked up by campaign operatives in addition to the first lady.

Harris would have other advantages too. A top outside political adviser, Minyon Moore, was months ago named the official in charge of convention proceedings, and others like her former chief of staff Tina Flournoy and Brazile have key committee roles too. Nor are her supporters shy about making their opinions known.

In an interview, Brazile said that her reaction to the calls that she has been getting since the debate with people inquiring about other candidates is: How the f**k are you going to put all these white people ahead of Kamala?

Backers of other possible candidates acknowledge that the internal feelings of deference toward her would be widespread and hard to overcome, and fears about the backlash among Black and women voters from ditching her would run extremely high.

Bidens not stepping down and Kamala Harris gets the first shot in any open convention scenario, said one DNC delegate fond of one of the alternatives.

Still, many worry that thats the kind of feeling that could mean much more among delegates to a Democratic convention than a wider electorate, and that it would just be setting her up to be the one carrying the banner into defeat.

The logo for the Democratic National Convention is displayed on the scoreboard at the United Center during a media walkthrough on January 18 in Chicago. - Scott Olson/Getty Images

Potential for long nights fighting on national TV

Not everyone is convinced. In a time of crisis for the Democratic Party like what this would open up, a combination of ambition and sense of duty would clearly be enticing. People connected with other prospective candidates say that Harris years of scrutiny, association with Biden and her own word-salad answers could be too much to let her get a free pass.

Some are already gaming out Harris failing on the first ballot and jumping in then.

Would it be very hard and challenging? Yes. but I think theres actually a benefit to whoever the white knight is, riding in on a horse to save the campaign and the country, said one senior Democratic operative.

But that probably would mean multiple candidates rushing around the convention floor making all sorts of promises, going through multiple ballots, with a melee of clashing candidacies and other interests all on non-stop coverage.

Not to mention that its been decades since the last floor fight. The happy activists who tend to get picked as delegates dont know how to cut backroom deals. They dont even know the rules.

Democratic operatives always like to mock headlines that describe them as in disarray. Now some tell CNN they worry they could end up in more disarray than ever.

Some operatives are already daydreaming about who would be part of various outreach teams, which chits theyd be able to call in from previous support, what strengths theyd emphasize about their preferred candidates and what points could undercut prospective opponents. This kind of showdown would almost certainly benefit politicians who could get good teams together quickly, several acknowledged, making a Cinderella story less likely than an established force who moves in hard and fast.

Democratic operatives know that political junkies will love it, but they worry about the message that will send to the country overall as they try to put themselves forward as the alternatives to Trump-style chaos and fighting. That, several said, doesnt look like a formula for winning either.

President Biden is the nominee and hes going to remain the nominee, said Cutter, who is on contract to produce the convention. For those who are for looking for some sort of interparty fight, be careful what you wish for because that would ensure a Trump victory.

Among some, talk has turned to just soldiering through, hoping that the polls dont show a collapse and the debate panic fades into the July 4 holiday. Biden himself claimed at a fundraiser in the Hamptons on Saturday that voters had a different reaction than the pundits and hes seen polls that show the voters are backing him more after the debate.

One hundred percent, hes the nominee, said California Rep. Robert Garcia, an avid Biden backer. Anything else is unserious chatter.

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Democrats are worried President Bidens dismal debate performance could doom any slim chance the party has for holding its Senate majority by further depressing turnout in critical battleground states.

Democrats were already in a tough electoral spot, with Republicans only needing Montana or Ohio  in addition to their guaranteed pickup in West Virginia  to take the upper chamber. Thursdays debate debacle only makes the road for incumbents in red or purple states more treacherous.

Last night was a bad night for the president and it was not a good night for the Democratic Party writ large, said John LaBombard, a former top aide to former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and a Democratic strategist with ROKK Solutions. It made it harder. It for sure made it harder. Every Democrat on the ballot would have benefitted from a terrific debate performance by Joe Biden.

Bidens performance  which featured a soft, raspy voice and meandering and sometimes-unintelligible answers  is raising the possibility that Senate Democratic incumbents and candidates will need to run their operations independent of the top of the ticket.

Theyre great candidates. Theyre going to run their own races, as they should, in their states, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) told reporters in the Capitol on Friday.

Cardin, 80, who is retiring this year, allowed that the president had a bad evening and that party members were looking for a more energetic approach during the event. However, he stood by him.

Much of the attention remains focused on Sens. John Tester (Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio), two red-state Democrats whose races likely hold the key to the majority one way or another.

Despite the poor debate, multiple Democratic operatives argued that Bidens numbers were poor enough in both states that the impact might be negligible. But candidates in other states may feel it more.

Of course it still doesnt help to give more reason to unmotivated young and Black voters in Ohio to stay unmotivated, said one Democratic operative who has worked on Senate races. But Im much more worried if Im a Democrat who doesnt have a free-standing personal brand like Sherrod Brown does.

For now, Senate campaigns are figuring out how to react to what could be a campaign-altering evening, with some already trying to create more distance from the president. Sen. Tammy Baldwins (D-Wis.) campaign said in a statement that she is running her own race for the people of Wisconsin and originally declined to say whether she still supports Biden.

Brown told News5 Cleveland, I focus on my race. Im not a pundit.

Some strategists indicated they would know more next week when the first seedlings of internal polling is available, but they expressed confidence that senators independent brands can hold up.

Its tough. Every good senator has a unique brand in these states, and theyre going to need a unique answer on what they saw last night, a second Democratic operative with experience on Senate races told The Hill. And it should start with, That wasnt great.

They can survive. There is a limit to how much voters are connecting the president to down ballot candidates.  If Biden gets worse, maybe theres a little bit of a change. Its not going to narrow to [1 percentage point] regardless of how Joe Biden looks, the operative continued. Its not like people saw last night and were like, Im not a Democrat anymore. They said Joe Biden doesnt look great. Those are different things.

But whether there will be an acute impact on top races remains in question.

Ahead of the midterm elections, some Democrats were reluctant to campaign with Biden largely over a lack of enthusiasm about him and his low approval rating.

Months before the 2022 election, then-Democratic Senate candidate Tim Ryan and then- Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley both skipped Bidens event in their home state of Ohio. They both ended up losing their races. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) also distanced herself from Biden at the time and won her reelection bid.

After his debate performance, some candidates for the House and Senate might distance themselves from Biden again this cycle.

The performance at the top of the ticket can significantly influence down-ballot races, acting as either a drag or a boost. Last night, candidates from both parties faced challenges, but Bidens difficulty in effectively making his case was unexpected and particularly troubling for Democrats, said Democratic strategist Michael Starr Hopkins, who was a senior adviser on Democrat Charlie Crists unsuccessful 2022 gubernatorial run in Florida.

If Im a down-ballot candidate I may consider distancing myself from Biden to mitigate any negative impact from his perceived weaknesses, he said.

Meanwhile, candidates in even true blue states also rely on a strong Democratic presidential contender at the top of the ticket. This year, that includes Democrat Angela Alsobrooks, who faces former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) in a race that would be a major blow for Senate Democrats to lose.

Chatter about removing Biden from the top of the ticket started almost immediately after the conclusion of the debate, though for now the likelihood of that happening seems close to zero. The White House and Biden campaign dismissed the idea Friday, and top party leaders threw their weight behind the president.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), whose term is up in 2027, told Boston-based WBUR that there are going to be a lot of discussions among Democrats about what happens next.

Biden on Friday, at his first rally since the debate, acknowledged that he doesnt speak as smoothly or debate as well as he used to, attempting to ease concerns among Democrats about his debate.

And, he gave a nod to Democrats who are standing with him despite his performance the night before.

Its good knowing you have my back, Biden said to open his rally.

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Democrats are playing the blame game in the aftermath of Joe Bidens dismal debate.

Top party members arent denying the president had a bad night. But theyre increasingly pointing to other factors beyond Bidens age or cognitive abilities to argue the president isnt to fault for his debate debacle  including that he was over-prepared, that CNN moderators didnt adequately fact-check Donald Trump and that his most senior aides and advisers are responsible for his weak showing.

Ive been around these things. Ive been a part of debate preparation before, and I know when I see what I call preparation overload, Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) told host Dana Bash on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday. And thats exactly what was going on the other night.

Shifting blame from Biden to other issues started almost immediately after Thursdays debate began, when his campaign asserted that the presidents hoarse voice and underwhelming start was due to a cold. But over the next few days, Democrats have kept finding more talking points to shift the discussion away from Biden  including that the presidents accomplishments shouldnt be overshadowed by a 90-minute debate and that Trumps performance, while stronger, was filled with lies and mischaracterizations.

Whether they can effectively neutralize widespread concerns among Democrats about Bidens cognitive abilities has yet to be seen. Since the debate, some donors have expressed fear that Biden cant adequately compete against Trump, and at least one asked whether the president will drop out. The New York Times editorial board argued that he should step aside for the good of the country.

A new CBS News poll found 72 percent of registered voters do not think Biden has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president after the debate. Among registered Democrats, 41 percent of respondents said Biden doesnt have the mental rigor to be president  up from 29 percent in early June.

Clyburn, who helped rescue Bidens 2020 presidential campaign, isnt the first Democrat to blame those preparing Biden for the debate. Democratic commentator and former South Carolina lawmaker Bakari Sellers named other Biden allies and advisers that should be taking the blame: Anita Dunn, Ron Klain, Jen O'Malley Dillon. "They need to do the reflection this morning, because what they did in preparation and lead-up to that night was a disservice to the president, Sellers told CNN a day after the debate.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi sought to highlight the lack of fact-checking of Trump. Speaking on MSNBC, she conceded that Biden didnt have a good night. But she said it would be nearly impossible to competently debate someone like Trump, who CNN claimed lied more than two dozen times during the debate. Biden did, however, agree to the terms of the debate.

How can you have a legitimate debate when somebody is totally lying  you have to completely dispel their falsehoods, she said.

Since Thursdays debate, the Biden team sought to reassure Democrats and donors that the president can and will continue to campaign. On Friday, Biden held a rally in North Carolina, where he told supporters that he may not be as physically agile as he once was and doesnt debate as well as he once did. But he emphasized that hes still up to the job.

And on Saturday, at a fundraiser with high-powered donors at the home of Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, he said: I understand the concern after the debate  I get it. I didnt have a great night, but Im going to be fighting harder.

Biden is huddling with his family on Sunday at Camp David and is expected to discuss the future of his campaign.

If [Democrats] weren't engaged in a little bit of hand wringing they wouldn't be Democrats, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock said Sunday on Meet the Press.

For their part, Republicans on Sunday reiterated that Bidens performance on Thursday night highlighted the need to elect Trump and laid bare the presidents flaws.

I'm not worried about their debate performances, said Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), who is on Trumps short list for vice president. I'm worried about what do these guys look like in the world stage? What did they look like in private meetings with world leaders? And clearly Donald Trump shows he could represent our country well in that form and Joe Biden showed that he couldn't.
Right now, the Acosta Bridge in Downtown Jacksonville is lit up red, white, and blue for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Freedom Summer Initiative. However, around 8 p.m. Saturday, demonstrators marched across the bridge wearing rainbow colors in protest of the initiative and to support LGBTQ+ rights.

Supporters said the LGBTQ+ population continues to grow and while they have made progress in Florida, many argue there is still a lot left to fight for.

Protesters said it discriminates against summer celebrations, like Pride and Juneteenth.

Councilmember Jimmy Peluso said despite FDOTs decision, Jacksonville is making history.

Were not going to allow Tallahassee to make anyone here feel like they dont belong. Everyone in this city pays taxes. Everyone in the state pays taxes. Everyone is equal in the law except when it comes to this suddenly, Councilmember Peluso said.

Read: Red, white, and blue display on Acosta Bridge means no colors for Pride Month or other events

Organizers and supporters say the LGBTQ+ population is growing, and Pride Month is about expanding services and care.

Theres a lot of love and acceptance here in Jacksonville. Not everyone here is a part of the LGBTQ community, but they are our allies, said Amy Glassman, protest organizer.

One protester, Ed Tooker said months like Pride are important for people to be more outspoken and help those that need access to LGBTQ+ care.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

While many showed up against the states rule, Action News Jax told you when the Freedom Summer initiative was announced, some argued the initiative was inclusive.

How on earth can anyone get mad about our bridges being red, white, and blue? There is nothing more inclusive and American than patriotism, Jacksonville City Councilmember Rory Diamond said.

Back in 2021, Action News Jax reported the first march across the Acosta Bridge that took place after FDOT told Jacksonville to remove the rainbow colors because it went against its permit. The march has continued during Pride Month ever since, just with a different this time.

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
DENVER (KDVR)  The Denver Police Department investigated three different stabbing incidents in the city overnight and early Sunday morning.

The extent of injuries in two of the incidents was unknown, while the injuries in one did not appear to be life-threatening.

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700 block of Kalamath Street

DPD said one victim was taken to a local hospital after a stabbing in the 700 block of Kalamath Street.

The extent of injuries was unknown and police were working to develop suspect information.

Colfax Avenue and Verbena Street

Police said one victim was taken to a local hospital with unknown injuries after a stabbing in the area of Colfax Avenue and Verbena Street.

The extent of injuries was unknown. Police said the investigation was ongoing and officers were working to develop suspect information.

Colfax Avenue and Broadway

Police said officers were in the area of Colfax Avenue and Broadway to investigate a stabbing. One person was taken to a local hospital with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries.

One suspect was in custody.

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DENVER (KDVR)  One woman died after a shooting in Denver Saturday that police are investigating as a homicide.

On Sunday, police provided an update and said a 51-year-old man was arrested in connection with the shooting.

Police said the incident happened the 800 block of Dexter Street, which is in the Hale neighborhood.

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One victim, a woman, was found on the scene, according to police. She was pronounced dead, and police are investigating the incident as a homicide.

DPD said the investigation was ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

The Denver Police Department is investigating a shooting as a homicide Saturday evening in the 800 block of Dexter Street. (KDVR)

The Denver Police Department is investigating a shooting as a homicide Saturday evening in the 800 block of Dexter Street. (KDVR)

The Denver Police Department is investigating a shooting as a homicide Saturday evening in the 800 block of Dexter Street. (KDVR)

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Deputies: Playground fire in Frederick County believed to be arson

Deputies: Playground fire in Frederick County believed to be arson

FREDERICK COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  The Frederick County Sheriffs Office said a playground was set on fire in Adamstown on Saturday morning.

Deputies said the fire was reported to 911 at about 4:30 a.m. It happened at Green Hill Park at 2810 Decatur Drive.

Tractor-trailer catches on fire after crash on I-495 in Montgomery County

Frederick County Fire Marshals Office said the initial investigation indicates it was an Arson. The estimated amount of loss is $20,000.

Deputies are still investigating an incident.

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Man hospitalized, cited after driving SUV into pond in Washington Township

UPDATE @6:45 a.m.

A man was taken to hospital and cited after driving an SUV into Washington Township early Sunday morning.

>>Investigation continues after 1 shot, killed after allegedly pointing gun at Dayton Police

Sheriffs deputies responded to reports of a car into a pond on Miller Farm Lane at Isabell Circle at 1:05 a.m., according to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office.

Dispatchers originally told News Center 7 that they responded to a crash on Pond Meadows Court.

Before deputies arrived, the 35-year-old driver exited from a 2021 Dodge Durango and a friend took him to a nearby residence.

The man suffered a broken leg and other non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriffs office said.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the driver was traveling southbound on Miller Farm Lane at a high rate of speed and failed to maintain control of his SUV. He drove off the road and hit a small tree before going into the pond.

Medics transported the driver to Kettering Health-Main Campus. He was cited for Failure to Maintain Reasonable Control of his vehicle.

-INITIAL STORY-

Deputies are investigating after a vehicle crashed into a pond in Washington Township early Sunday morning.

>>1 person shot, killed after allegedly pointing gun at Dayton police

Montgomery County Sheriffs deputies were dispatched at 1:05 a.m. to the 300 block of Pond Meadows Court on initial reports that a vehicle crashed into a pond.

Dispatchers tell News Center 7 that deputies are on the scene, but no other information is available.

We will update this story.
Deputies with the Ventura County Sheriffs Office shot a man on Sunday after an incident in Thousand Oaks, authorities confirmed.

In posts to X, formerly Twitter, the Sheriffs Office said that two deputies made contact with a suspicious pedestrian on Avenida De Los Arboles at about 6:50 a.m.

According to authorities, the man was initially spotted holding a knife. The man then approached officers in a threatening manner while holding what appeared to be a weapon similar to a bow and arrow.

After he ignored commands to drop the weapon and continued to act in an aggressive manner, one of the deputies shot the man. He was transported to a local hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition.

His identity was not immediately released, but authorities said he is 37 years old.

A knife and what authorities described as another item that looked similar to a bow were recovered at the scene.

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.
Arian Simone, co-Founder of the Fearless Fund, speaks onstage during AfroTech Executive Brooklyn at William Vale Hotel Williamsburg on September 22, 2023, in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Blavity)

On June 2, a three-member panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled that the Fearless Fund  a Black-woman owned venture capital firm in Atlanta  violated the 1866 Civil Rights Act by awarding monetary grants to qualified Black women.

In a mind-blowing ruling, two of the three judges declared that grants disbursed by the nonprofit arm of the Fearless Fund likely violated the federal Civil Rights Act of 1866, casting doubt on the future of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the country.

The judges said the fund was unlikely to enjoy First Amendment protection and that its program inflicts irreparable harm on the plaintiffs, an anonymous group of three white and Asian women, as described by Fearless Fund attorney Alphonso David.

The judges chose to ignore the damage that centuries or racism, discrimination, and exclusion has inflicted on African Americans.

Black and brown women received 0.39% of all venture capital funded, although we are 20% of the U.S. population. Of the entrepreneurial demographic, they are the least funded. said Fearless Fund CEO and Founder Arian Simone.

We founded the Fearless Fund to solve racial disparities. We were told that we violated the 1866 law, which was put in place to protect us and give us some level of economic freedom. Theyre saying you must give your money to white men. Its beyond disturbing  it doesnt make sense.

Small infusions of money

Simone, an angel investor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, author, and PR and marketing specialist, said the fund gives grants of between $20,000 and $30,000 to each woman chosen, although it has made some seven-figure investments, she said, explaining that the grants are small infusions of money to help with job creation, marketing, and cashflow management.

These women are on Forbes Inc.s List  they are phenomenal and past deserving. Who has been harmed? Simone asked during an appearance on MSNBC.

This court ruling is in direct conflict with the stated aims of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs  and a slap in face to Simone and her colleague, co-founder and general partner Ayana Parsons.

Despite the firms work to even the scales in favor of Black female businessowners, the court has ruled that the Fearless Fund must give money to white men even though white men as a group already receive 99% of funding.

Simone issued a statement in reaction to the ruling.

In this fearless moment, we should all be motivated to fight after todays decision. This is devastating for the Fearless Fund and Foundation, and for the women in which we have invested, she said.

I am shattered for every girl of color who has a dream but will grow up in a nation determined not to give her a shot to live it. On their behalf, we will turn the pain into purpose and fight with all our might. America is supposed to be a nation where one has the freedom to achieve, the freedom to earn, and the freedom to prosper. Yet, when we have attempted to level the playing field for underrepresented groups, our freedoms were stifled.

The numbers

The need for programs like the Fearless Fund is borne out by the numbers.

According to nonprofit advocacy group digitalundivided, less than 1% of venture capital goes to businesses owned by Black and Hispanic women.

Meanwhile, only 2% of investment professionals at venture capital firms were Black women in 2022, according to a study conducted every two years by Deloitte and Venture Forward, the nonprofit arm of the National Venture Capital Association, and the consulting firm Deloitte, the Associated Press reported.

Just 1% of investment partners were Black women, the news agency said.

The Fearless Fund has directed more than $30 million to more than 41 enterprises run by women of color and empowered these marginalized people to reach and exceed their full potentials.

I agree with Simone that the lawsuit brought by Edward Blum and the American Alliance for Equal Rights is part of an anti-America campaign focused on reversing equal rights and the hard-earned gains made by African Americans.

This latest judicial setback is the most recent in a culture war waged by Gov. Ron DeSantis, his ideological toady Christopher Rufo, and other extremist Republicans in what amounts to a multi-pronged national conservative mugging of DEI.

DEI serves as a proxy for Republicans extremists intent on the systematic disenfranchisement of African Americans in education, business, the workplace, and just about every aspect of their lives.

Defenders of the status quo love to pretend that racism doesnt exist, and they insult African Americans and others by their refusal to acknowledge the deeply corrosive effects of structural barriers, the intolerance, virulent racism, bias, and stolen opportunities that bigotry and discrimination engender.

But as Morgan Simon notes in a Forbes analysis, the ruling is just the tip of the iceberg of a broader vision certain legal activists have for society at large, one that brushes racial inequity under our collective rug.

Economic foundation

I applaud Simone and Parsons for developing a model to build a strong economic foundation for Black and brown women. But these women understand that they cant climb this mountain alone. They had corporate investors including Bank of America, Carta, The Jump Fund, and JPMorganChase.

Since the rash of lawsuits and legal challenges, a number of the institutions and businesses that support DEI have been knocked off-balance or scared off.

DeSantis is knee-deep in all this, using his office to dismantle DEI in Florida. Last May, the governor signed a bill into law that bans Floridas public colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

If you look at the way this has actually been implemented across the country, DEI is better viewed as standing for discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination. And that has no place in our public institutions, DeSantis told reporters at a news conference at the time.

While college administrators argue their so-called DEI efforts represent an effective strategy to repair decades of exclusionary practices; Republican leaders insist they violate free speech, break antidiscrimination laws, and misuse public money.

According to the National Education Association, more than a dozen states have passed anti-DEI laws, including Florida, Texas, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah. These laws have forced the shuttering of multicultural and LGBTQ+ centers and have hobbled college staff working on issues such as financial aid and against sexual assault. At least 24 states are considering doing the same.

George Floyd effect

According to a report from the World Economic Forum, companies across the nation pledged donations to Black organizations and vowed to support Black-owned businesses following George Floyds murder by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020.

This tragedy served as a catalyst for increased financial support for Black entrepreneurs, with a reported $850 million to $1.2 billion in VC investments directed towards Black-founded startups in 2020, the report said.

Since then, however, venture capital funding to Black founded companies sank as the images of the Floyd killing faded, donor fatigue took hold, and many in the mainstream questioned the need to correct systemic inequities they say they didnt create or benefit from.

Venture capital investments in Black-founded startups plummeted by 45% in 2022, the report said.

We are only 70 years removed from a centuries-old American apartheid system. Seventy years of a semblance of freedom. But there are those who still dehumanize African Americans and bolster systems that methodically deny oppressed Black people access to good jobs, businesses, quality education, housing, and the freedom to vote.

In 2024, Black people have nothing to lose. They may as well go for broke.

They have to first acknowledge the reality that African Americans were never considered in the American calculus. Which means that they have to think outside the box, as Simone and Parsons have.

More people need to make sacrifices to become financially literate, buy land, and grow wealth. They must use all the mechanisms available to secure those things they need. That includes becoming more intentional in using their $1.6 trillion in spending power not for baubles but to finance a range of start-ups, venture capital projects, job creators, businesspeople, businesses, and development projects.

Billions of dollars

I am no economist, but imagine if, as a group, Black people in America opted out of international and domestic travel for one year. Doing that would allow them to amass about $109.4 billion.

Imagine what they could do with this pot. They could fund venture capital and start-up projects, create a slew of businesses to cater not just Black people but to any consumers needing those services, build apartment buildings, homes, hotels, convention centers, meeting spaces and ancillary projects.

Ive been stuck on the hospitality sphere because of the myriad possibilities. The money saved could pay for architects, construction engineers, and other professions. Most importantly, the money could be used to set up programs to train and hire hotel employees at every level, as well as managers, desk clerks, electricians, and engineers.

Sounds like one hell of a plan.

But wait.

Ed Blum and the rest of those tight ass party poopers would probably go to court to try to convince judges that its unconstitutional for Black people to save all that money without making sure that white men and women were intimately involved and, of course, got their cut. For no other reason than their race.
Descendants of people who suffered or died in the Tulsa race massacre have refused to let the Oklahoma Supreme Courts denial of reparations deter them, and their hunger for a fight has only intensified.

Now, descendants and their allies want recognition in the form of a national monument so the country can never forget or attempt to suppress the brutality that was unleashed on the Greenwood community over a century ago, an event whose effects still linger in the livelihoods of residents and later generations.

A national monument is the highest designation that a community in a geographical area can attain, Tulsa race massacre descendant Dr. Tiffany Crutcher said. It stems from this conspiracy of silence. It stems from us being robbed, of being able to learn what happened because our great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents had to keep this [pain] internalized.

In an interview with The Daily Beast, Crutcher, a leading voice in the social-political action realm throughout Oklahoma, said she firmly believes that history is the gateway to truth.

If we can acknowledge the truth, then we can repair the harm, she said. We have not achieved this atonement or restitution or any repair. Preserving this story will at least start to get us on this path to achieving true justice, true repair, true recognition.

Crutcher said a monument would help African Americans learn more about their complex history. Multiple properties in Greenwood have been dedicated as historic places, and a park has received support to be added on the Civil Rights Trail. But Crutcher believes thats not enough. She wants the entire area to be remembered.

Tulsa Builds a Park That It Hopes Will Heal Historic Wounds

We have to continue to elevate our voices and demand that this story never be forgotten through the designation of this monument, Crutcher said. The [Greenwood] survivors, the descendants, we are demanding that Congress and that the Biden-Harris administration take action. The survivors, this designation wont give them the solace that they deserve, but it will give them a little bit of solace. It would at least acknowledge and say, We see you.

After the Tulsa race massacre on June 1, 1921, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Library of Congress

The initiative has taken nearly 20 years because Crutcher said there have to be land studies, Congress has to show interest, activists have to appeal to both the National Park Services and the Department of the Interior, and there has to be a rigorous engaged community effort.

Finally, in 2023, Sens. James Lankford (R-OK) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) co-sponsored a bill to officially transform Greenwood, also known as Black Wall Street, into a national monument.

There is established the Historic Greenwood DistrictBlack Wall Street National Monument in the State of Oklahoma as a unit of the National Park System to preserve, protect, and interpret for the benefit of present and future generations resources associated with the Historic Greenwood District, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 and the role of each in the history of the State of Oklahoma and the United States, the bill states.

The Race Massacre Trump Ignored Because America Tries to Hide Its Sins

Now, its the Biden administration whos in the hot seat, and were demanding that they act, Crutcher told The Daily Beast. President Joe Biden came to Tulsa, the first sitting president to come to Greenwood and give a speech and acknowledge that white supremacy is the biggest threat of our time and to acknowledge what happened here. But now, we have to move beyond words and take action.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, Booker said the destruction of Greenwood was one of the worst incidents of racial violence in [U.S.] history.

Even the darkest chapters of American history deserve to be told, he said. Its imperative that we act now to ensure that future generations remember Greenwoods heartbreaking history and its legacy of unrelenting resilience. Establishing a national monument here will forever enshrine this communitys legacy of sorrow, strength, and hope into the fabric of Americas story.

Oklahoma School Boss Outdoes Himself With Tulsa Race Massacre Comment

On May 31, 1921during an era of prominent Jim Crow and racial segregation, a young Black shoeshiner, Dick Rowland, was accused of assaulting a white teenage girl in Tulsa and arrested. Though there was no proof of the alleged assault and Rowlands charges were later dropped, a white mob had cooperated with Tulsa-area police to grab him from the jail for a public lynching. Black residents tried to intervene and rallied together at the jail in an effort to protect Rowland, something that Crutcher said showcased just how much love the Black community had for one another.

You see, they loved the shoeshine boy just as much as they loved themselves, just as much as they loved the prosperous business owners, Crutcher noted. That is one of the greatest love stories.

Smoke billows over Tulsa, Oklahoma, during the 1921 race massacre. Library of Congress

During the commotion at the jail, a gunshot was fired in the crowd and Black residents were immediately under attack. Businesses were set on fire, homes were razed, and white vigilante groups were given the power to police all Black people in the area. Black survivors were forced into makeshift internment camps the city designated to house them. They were not allowed to leave without permission.

Shattering the Hollywood Myths of the Tulsa Race Massacre

About 300 people were killed, and unmarked mass graves continue to be found. Hundreds of Black residents were injured, many left homeless, and Tulsas Black neighborhood, Greenwood, became a blighted community that still sits in despair. More than $27 million in property damages was never reimbursed by insurance companies.

My familys history was stolen from me because they were forced into silence, Crutcher told The Daily Beast, explaining that her family never discussed what happened. So, she never knew about the brutality unleashed upon Greenwood until after classmates in college asked her about what her family endured. I didnt get a chance to sit at my great-grandmothers feet and ask her about this.

Crutcher explained that survivors of the race massacre were too afraid to talk about what happened.

For decades, they dealt with that internalized trauma and grief because they were told that if they ever spoke about it, they would be lynched next. They would be killed.

Crutcher said her paternal great-grandmother managed to barely escape the racial terror by hopping in the back of a neighbors truck.

Entrance to refugee camp on the fairgrounds, Tulsa, Oklahoma, after the Tulsa race massacre of June 1, 1921. Library of Congress

Its not just about Tulsa. Tulsa is the microcosm of whats happening, Crutcher said of the proposed monument. We have to understand that 10,000 people were displaced and had to flee from Tulsa as refugees across state lines. There is a Greenwood diaspora. People are everywhere.

The United States of Lyncherdom Didnt End With Tulsa

With only two living survivors of the massacreViola Fletcher and Lessie Benningfield Randle, Greenwood activists appeared at the Oklahoma Supreme Court to make arguments for reparations. However, the court dismissed the case in June.

American businessman John Wesley Williams sits in his car with wife Loula Williams and their son, WD Williams, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1910s. Greenwood Cultural CenterGetty Images

Still, Crutcher is bound and determined to make Greenwoods tenacity live on.

We want to make sure that this spirit never dies, that this legacy never dies, she said.

Greenwood is one of the greatest love stories They built something out of sheer will and determination, one of the most prosperous economic enterprises. They cared for one another. They shared resources. It was a community woven together in kindness and love. And if we can preserve this story and get this national monument, people can learn about where they come from.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Despite what some politicians say, crime rates are decreasing

An FBI Evidence Response Team investigator walks behind a crime scene. The FBIs Quarterly Uniform Crime Report, which was released in early June, suggests that violent crime dropped by 15% compared with the first quarter of 2023. (Ann Arbor Miller/The Associated Press)

Violent crime in the United States dropped significantly in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the same period last year, according to the FBIs Quarterly Uniform Crime Report released earlier this month.

The FBIs data, collected from nearly 12,000 law enforcement agencies representing about 77% of the countrys population, suggests violent crime dropped by 15% compared with the first quarter of 2023.

The data, which covers reported crimes from January to March, shows a 26.4% decrease in murders, a 25.7% decrease in rapes, a 17.8% decrease in robberies, and a 12.5% decrease in aggravated assaults. Reported property crime also fell by 15.1%.

Nevertheless, the widespread public perception that crime is rising  a perception reinforced by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and many other GOP candidates  could figure prominently in Novembers election. And state legislative and gubernatorial candidates from both parties likely also will cite crime statistics on the stump.

In a Gallup poll conducted late last year, 63% of respondents described the crime problem in the U.S. as either extremely or very serious. This is the highest percentage since Gallup began asking the question in 2000.

If you are a political operative, capitalizing on fear of crime is incredibly easy to do.

 Dan Gardner, author of Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear

In May, Trump wrongly called FBI data showing a decline in crime fake numbers. This month, he erroneously claimed that the FBIs crime statistics exclude 30% of cities, including the biggest and most violent.

He could have been referring to the fact some departments couldnt report data in 2021 because the FBI switched data reporting systems, but experts say the overall numbers remain valid.

President Joe Biden has also used crime statistics for political gain. In a May campaign email, Biden said that Trump oversaw the largest increase in murder in U.S. history. While this is not entirely inaccurate  the country did see the largest one-year increase in murders in 2020  it omits context regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the social upheaval following George Floyds murder by a Minneapolis police officer.

The latest FBI crime statistics align with other early data from 2024. In May, the Major Cities Chiefs Association released first-quarter data from a survey of 68 major metropolitan police departments showing a 17% drop in murders compared with the same period last year.

The FBIs latest data is preliminary and unaudited, which means it will change as more law enforcement agencies refine their numbers throughout the year. National crime data is incomplete, as it only includes crimes reported to police, and not every law enforcement agency participates in the FBIs crime reporting program.

Despite the datas limitations, some criminologists and crime data experts say the data is reliable. Some say the FBIs data likely overstates the decreases, suggesting the drop in violent crime is likely less dramatic but still trending downward.

Theres a lot of uncertainty as to the accuracy of the data, so it matches but probably overstates what the trends are, Jeff Asher, co-founder of AH Datalytics, a data consulting firm that specializes in crime data, told Stateline in an interview. In theory, everything will get more accurate as the year goes on.

Although national data suggests an overall major decrease in crime across the country, some criminologists caution that that isnt necessarily the case in individual cities and neighborhoods.

It looks good for the nation as a whole, but even with these great reductions, there are cities in the United States that have likely experienced increases that bucked the trend, Charis Kubrin, a criminology, law and society professor at the University of California, Irvine, told Stateline.

The average Americans understanding of crime and crime statistics is heavily skewed by media coverage that focuses largely on when crimes are committed and by misleading political rhetoric, according to criminologists and crime data experts.

Instead of relying on statistics, which can feel impersonal, people tend to cling to anecdotes that resonate more emotionally. Politicians take advantage of this, Dan Gardner, author of the book Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear, told Stateline.

If you are a political operative, capitalizing on fear of crime is incredibly easy to do, Gardner said.

Telling a tragic story and framing it in a way so that voters feel they or their families could become victims of similar crimes unless they vote for a specific politician is a common, highly effective tactic, he added.

This use of fear as a motivator can drive people to the polls, Gardner said, but it also distorts public perception of crime.

Its a lousy way to understand the reality of personal safety and society, but its a very compelling form of marketing, Gardner said.

The Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank, released a report this month urging police and the federal government to provide more timely crime data. The report emphasizes that crime data, especially national data, often lags up to a year, which hampers public understanding of crime trends and limits officials ability to make informed policy decisions to proactively address public safety issues.

We need to accelerate improvements in our [crime] data, John Roman, a senior fellow and the director of the Center on Public Safety and Justice at NORC at the University of Chicago, told Stateline. Roman also is the chair of the Council on Criminal Justices Crime Trends Working Group. The democratization of this data is really critical to more effective policy and programming.

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 Despite what some politicians say, crime rates are decreasing appeared first on Utah News Dispatch.
If you bought any Diamond Shruumz microdosed edibles, the Food and Drug Administration says to throw them out after 39 people across 20 states reported getting sick. The company has recalled nearly two dozen varities of cones, chocolate bars and gummies due to toxic levels of a chemical found in certain mushrooms that could potentially be the cause.

"Reported symptoms have included those linked to seizures, agitation, involuntary muscle contractions, loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness, nausea and vomiting, abnormal heart rates, and hyper/hypotension," the parent company, Prophet Premium Blends, said in a release last week.

As of June 23, no deaths have been reported from the Diamond Shruumz-brand products, the FDA said, although 23 people have been hospitalized.

The FDA is warning people not to consume Diamond Shruumz-brand microdosing chocolate bars after people across four states fell ill after eating them.

The FDA had previously issued an alert about the products as the number of reported cases increased. Prophet Premium Blends said Thursday that after receiving two complaints from customers in May they investigated and found "higher than normal amounts of muscimol."

"Due to consumers becoming ill after consuming the entire chocolate bar and some products containing higher levels of Muscimol than normal," the company posted on the Diamond Shruumz website, "it is crucial that all of our consumers refrain from ingesting this product while we, alongside the FDA, continue our investigation as to what is the cause of the serious adverse effects."

Diamond Shruumz Infused Cones, Chocolate Bars, and Gummies (Micro- and Mega/Extreme-Dose) can be purchased online and nationwide at retailers that sell products made with hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) or delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC). The full list of retailers is currently unknown, the FDA said.

To date, no cases have been reported in Florida. States with cases include Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently testing the products, the FDA said, and have found other ingredients that the CDC said can mimic psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound in "magic" mushrooms, and another that can increase sedation when combined with other chemicals and cause nausea and vomiting.

What is muscimol?

Muscimol is a psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms of the genus Amanita. Previously used as a sedative and an anti-emetic, muscimol has been tested for therapeutic uses in pain management, migraine treatment, seizure reduction, and in trials studying the treatment of epilepsy and Parkinson's Disease, according to the National Library of Medicine.

However, the CDC has reported that muscimol can cause central nervous system depression and an overdose in 2018 resulted in "altered mental status, vomiting, diarrhea, incontinence, sweating, swelling of the lip and tongue, and excessive salivation."

What are the symptoms people are reporting after eating Diamond Shruumz products?

Patients have reported the following symptoms, according to the CDC:

Seizures

Decreased level of consciousness

Respiratory failure

Other symptoms people have experienced include:

Nausea

Vomiting

Abdominal pain

Hallucinations

Uncontrolled movements

Abnormal heart rate (e.g., too fast or too slow)

High or low blood pressure

Excessive sweating or secretions

Flushed skin

The CDC advises consumers to seek immediate medical attention or call the Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222) for advice if you have consumed a product and are having symptoms.

Which Diamond Shruumz products have been recalled?

Sample product images of Diamond Shruumz products recalled for high levels of Muscimol.

The following Diamond Shruumz items have been recalled as potentially unsafe:

Diamond Shruumz Infused Cone (Cookies & Cream, UPC 810133320025

Diamond Shruumz Infused Cone (Double Chocolate Chip, UPC 810133320001

Diamond Shruumz Infused Cone (Mint Chocolate Chip, UPC 810133320049

Diamond Shruumz Infused Cone (Sprinkles, UPC 810133320063

Diamond Shruumz Infused Cone (Strawberry Cheesecake, UPC 810133320087

Diamond Shruumz Chocolate Bar (Birthday Cake, UPC 75503858867

Diamond Shruumz Chocolate Bar (Cinnamon Bar, UPC 755003858836

Diamond Shruumz Chocolate Bar (Cookie Butter, UPC 755003858751

Diamond Shruumz Chocolate Bar (Cookies & Cream, UPC 755003858782

Diamond Shruumz Chocolate Bar (Dark Chocolate, UPC 755003858829

Diamond Shruumz Chocolate Bar (Fruity Cereal, UPC 755003858799

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Micro-Dose (Blue Raz Watermelon, UPC 755003861362

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Micro-Dose (Grape Lemonade, UPC 755003861584

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Micro-Dose (Hawaiian Punch, UPC 755003861850

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Micro-Dose (Rainbow, UPC 755003861614

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Micro-Dose (Sour Apple Peach, UPC 755003861386

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Micro-Dose (Strawberry Kiwi, UPC 755003861409

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Extreme/Mega-Dose (Blue Razz Euphoria, UPC 810133320346

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Extreme/Mega-Dose (Radical Rainbow, UPC 810133320407

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Extreme/Mega-Dose (Lucid Lemon Lime, UPC 810133320360

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Extreme/Mega-Dose (Peach Paradise, UPC 810133320384

Diamond Shruumz Gummies  Extreme/Mega-Dose (Watermelon Wonderland), UPC 810133320421

What do I do if I bought Diamond Shruumz products that have been recalled?

"Consumers who have purchased Diamond Shruumz products are urged to stop using the product, destroy the product, and contact Prophet Premium Blends via phone at (209) 314-0881 or email at info@diamondshruumz.com with their order number to initiate the refund," the company said in the recall notice.

Prophet Premium Blends also said on its website that consumers can return the products to 1019 Arlington St., Orlando, FL 32805, for a full refund.

"Consumers are strongly encouraged to inform Prophet Premium Blends that the consumer destroyed the product to ensure it is no longer accessible," the company said.

Consumers, retailers, and wholesalers with questions may contact Prophet Premium Blends at (209) 314-0881 Monday through Friday between 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. (EDT).

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Diamond Shruumz chocolate bars, gummies recalled after 39 people sick
The Department of Justice is preparing to present the Boeing Company a plea deal that would again allow the aerospace giant to avoid a trial over an alleged conspiracy to defraud the United States, according to attorneys for families of victims of two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes who were briefed on the department's plans Sunday afternoon.

Under the proposed deal, Boeing would be required to enter a guilty plea to the conspiracy charge, which was first filed January 2021, for allegedly misleading the FAA during its evaluation of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The company must also agree to the appointment of an external corporate monitor, pay a fine of about $200 million and remain on probation for three years, according to lawyers for the families.

During the briefing with the DOJ, family members of the crash victims expressed dissatisfaction with the proposal, according to attorneys representing the families. The families contend that the deal contains no accountability and no admission that Boeing's alleged conspiracy caused the deaths of 346 people who were killed in the two Max crashes in 2018 and 2019. The victims' families have been pushing DOJ to take the company to trial and to impose fines upwards of $20 billion.

"The Justice Department is preparing to offer to Boeing another sweetheart plea deal," wrote attorneys Robert Clifford and Paul Cassell in a statement. "The deal will not acknowledge, in any way, that Boeing's crime killed 346 people. It also appears to rest on the idea that Boeing did not harm any victim. The families will strenuously object to this plea deal. Judge [Reed] O'Connor [of the Northern District of Texas] will have to decide whether this no-accountability-deal is in the public interest. Indeed, he will have to decide whether to approve [an agreement] that ties his hands at sentencing and prevents him from imposing any additional punishment or remedial measures. The memory of 346 innocents killed by Boeing demands more justice than this."

A seal for the Department of Justice is seen on a podium ahead of a news conference with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland at the Department of Justice Building on March 21, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

MORE: At Boeing factory, airplane manufacturer touts changes since door plug blowout

According to the statement from Clifford and Cassell, "Glenn Leon, Chief of the Fraud Section of the Criminal Division at the U.S. DOJ, told the group on the call that the DOJ hasn't shared the new plea agreement with Boeing but would do so later Sunday. [Leon] admitted there is 'a strong interest' by the families to go to trial, but he repeatedly said that the DOJ couldn't prove charges by a reasonable doubt. Families argued over and over for a trial and to allow a jury to make that decision," the statement said.

Mark Lindquist, another attorney for crash victims' families, told ABC News that Boeing will be given until the July 7 to accept the deal. If Boeing rejects the terms, the DOJ will pursue prosecution.

"The company would be absolutely brutalized in a highly public trial," Lindquist said. "Boeing has way too much dirty laundry to risk the bright spotlight of a trial."

The Department of Justice and Boeing declined to comment.

Clifford and Cassell told the DOJ that the victims' families "will be traveling from around the world to go to the next hearing before Judge O'Connor in Texas "to fight this,'' according to the attorneys' statement.

The deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) was put into place in the final days of the Trump administration, when the DOJ charged Boeing in a criminal information with one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. for allegedly misleading the FAA during the agency's evaluation of the new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Over 300 people died in the two MAX crashes -- the first in Indonesia in October 2018 and the second five months later in Ethiopia.

Under the terms of that agreement, the DOJ fined Boeing $243.7 million and required the company to pay $1.77 billion in compensation to its airline customers and $500 million to the victims' beneficiaries. The company was also required to disclose any allegations of fraud, cooperate with the government and avoid committing any felony offense. Under these conditions, the DOJ agreed to defer criminal prosecution for three years.

"I firmly believe that entering into this resolution is the right thing for us to do -- a step that appropriately acknowledges how we fell short of our values and expectations," David Calhoun, Boeing president and CEO, said in a note to employees after the company was charged by the DOJ in 2021. "This resolution is a serious reminder to all of us of how critical our obligation of transparency to regulators is, and the consequences that our company can face if any one of us falls short of those expectations."

MORE: NTSB sanctions Boeing for 'blatantly' violating agreement by sharing non-public investigation details

But in May -- four months after the door plug fell off Alaska Airlines flight 1281 over Portland, Oregon -- the DOJ informed Boeing that the company had failed to live up to its obligations under the DPA.

The DOJ's determination once again opened Boeing up to possible prosecution on the original charge or "for any federal criminal violation of which the United States has knowledge," according to a DOJ letter sent last month to U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor, who presides over the criminal case.

Boeing has disputed the DOJ's finding of a breach in the DPA.

"We believe that we have honored the terms of that agreement, and look forward to the opportunity to respond to the Department on this issue," the company said in a statement in May.

Nadia Milleron, mother of Samya Rose Stumo, 24, a Massachusetts native who died in the Boeing Max crash in Ethiopia in 2019, spoke to ABC News Sunday after the families of victims were briefed by the DOJ.

"I don't understand why they're offering the plea deal. They dont need to," Milleron said. "They should just take them to trial."

Milleron said that Boeing pleading guilty without a trial is "not what the victims want. That's not what the victims' families want."

Milleron said she planned to travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to oppose the plea deal if and when it is presented to the judge.

In a written statement, Javier de Luis, who lost his sister in the 2019 crash, called the deal "inadequate."

"The issue is not whether there should be trial vs a plea deal. The issue is that the penalties being proposed by the DoJ are totally inadequate both from the perspective of accountability for the crimes committed, and from the perspective of acting in the public interest by ensuring a change in Boeing's behavior," read Luis' statement. "The penalties proposed here are essentially the same as those proposed under the previous DPA which, as Alaska Air demonstrated, did nothing to increase the safety of the flying public."

DOJ to present Boeing with plea deal that families of 2018, 2019 crash victims say falls short: Lawyers originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The trustees who oversee the land Robert and Emma Sturdy farm on are proposing to build a solar farm on nearly half their land - Lorne Campbell

Ive been here all my life. Andrew Dakin is taking a break from his cattle on Kidsley Park Farm, 110 acres of rolling grassland on the outskirts of the pretty market town of Heanor between Derby and the Peak District. It reminds me of me.

His family have farmed on this flat, upland plane, surrounded by hills, for almost a century, filling in its old open cast mines and over the decades bringing the soil up to standard to support their herds of first dairy cows and now livestock raised for their beef. Bluff, down-to-earth and benign, at 65 Andrew is the third generation of Dakins to tend these pastures as a tenant farmer. It is so much a part of him, he admits, that he has never even wanted to go on holiday because it would take him away from where he feels rooted.

Yet an application has been submitted to local planners at Amber Valley Borough Council by the freeholder of the land to cover it with a solar farm. If approved, he faces being forced off.

Due to incentivised government targets to boost solar power generation fourfold before 2035 to clean up our energy supply in an age of climate change, developers of solar farms are currently offering landowners a very attractive deal. Rents offered per acre of land per year average 1,200, multiple times more than they are getting from their tenant farmers.

Andrew Dakin is the third generation of his family to be a tenant farmer - Lorne Campbell/Guzelian

In such deals, it is usually the developers, not the landlords, who shoulder the bigger financial risk. That leaves tenants  roughly a third of all farmed land in England is tenanted  particularly vulnerable to the march of these photovoltaic panels.

I want to make sure this land is protected

UK Solar Alliance, a support and information group for farmers in a similar situation to Dakin, says that its members have 70,000 acres of productive land facing a current threat of being turned over to solar. And speaking recently at the Hay Festival, Minette Batters, the former president of the National Farmers Union and herself a tenant farmer, made headlines by calling the spread of solar farms in the countryside as horrifying.

The Conservatives certainly know how divisive this is because you saw Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss say in their 2022 leadership hustings, We are going to stop solar on land and put it on rooftops [But] until we get a meaningful land-use framework that faces into this challenge, it will continue.

Andrew Dakin prefers to use the word swamped to describe the fate of his fields if solar panels are installed. Its not his own fate that upset him most, though. He has no children of his own to whom he would pass on Kidsley Park.

Im not going to be here forever but I want to make sure this land is protected for future generations because once it is gone, it is gone forever.

He has a lifetime tenancy which should have made him secure, but a clause in his lease allows his landlord, a large local estate (which he prefers not to name because he still has to work with them) to take it back from him if they can get planning permission to change its use from agriculture. And that is what they are trying to do, working with Intelligent Alternatives, Glasgow-based developers whose stated aim is new subsidy-free solar and battery storage scheme projects.

Andrew Dakins' grandfather Jack Dakin on the farm in the 1950s with a Shire horse - Lorne Campbell/Guzelian

Dakin had anticipated that the planning application would have been submitted already, but reports in recent months suggest theres been a lull, which may just be a reaction to widespread local opposition. Over 1,000 people in Heanor, and in Smalley, the next village along the road from the farm, have signed a petition.

Earlier this month, Dakin was invited to take four of his calves in his cattle truck, festooned with banners opposing the solar farm, to the annual agricultural and horticultural show in Heanor, its first gathering since Covid. Local people dont want this and they dont want it for their children.

He has a visit to Heanors primary school coming up before the end of term to talk to the pupils about his fight to stay on his land. There is all the uncertainty, but Im carrying on.

He has been reassured that he will be able to stay on in the farmhouse if the solar farm is built, but for him that just adds insult to injury. I care for my elderly mother who lives with me and has dementia, but Im not ready to retire and live here in the middle of an industrial site where cows used to be.

According to George Dunn, the Tenant Farmers Associations chief executive, his members are facing an escalating threat in the rush to solar. The number of tenant farmers who are being targeted has increased. We have members calling almost on a weekly basis to say that they have found out that there is a solar scheme being planned on their land.

Robert and Emma Sturdy worry about Britain's food security - Lorne Campbell

That was the experience in October 2020 of Robert and Emma Sturdy and their two young children, tenants at Eden Farm in Old Malton, North Yorkshire, in the family since 1954. A few miles from the beautiful Howardian Hills, the area is predominantly agricultural, home to thousands of acres of good farmland which is used for combinable crops  beans, cereal, oil seed rape  all which contribute towards food production.

We were made aware that our freeholder, the Fitzwilliam Trust Corporation Ltd, was planning a solar development on our farm, recalls 45-year-old Emma, but it took until the next month for the land agent to come to see us in person and lay out a map on our kitchen table.

It showed 130 acres of decent growing land at the heart of Eden Farms total of 280, was going to be used for 90,000 solar panels. We werent being consulted, we were being told. Honestly, I nearly fell off my chair and Rob was in shock by the look on his face, Emma adds.

It hangs over every decision we take

Unlike Andrew Dakin, Emma is happy both to name and to talk about their freeholders. She insists that they have always had a good relationship with them, but feels that in the present very public stand-off, the Fitzwilliam Trust is nervous of bad publicity and so is hiding behind Harmony Energy, the solar farm developers they have signed up with. After three years of campaigning and sleepless nights about their future, a planning decision was reached last October. The Sturdys thought their nightmare was over, when the planners sided with them and rejected the development.

Now, however, the deep-pocketed freeholders and Harmony Energy have lodged an appeal that will not be decided until the end of September, so the limbo goes on. It is without doubt the most difficult time we have ever been through. It is with us every minute of every day. It hangs over every decision we take about investing in the farming business. And it hangs over our home, our stability, our future.

Robert's late father, John, who farmed the land before his son - Lorne Campbell

Not one to be pushed about, Emma Sturdy has been lobbying Parliament and is one of the founders of Solar Alliance. Like Dakin, she is not against solar and, she adds, she is absolutely not a Nimby. The problem is not a solar farm in her backyard, she explains, it is that prime land that grows crops desperately needed to improve Britains food security is going to be lost. She estimates that on her farm alone the solar panels will remove a million loaves of bread from the food chain.

In May of this year, Claire Coutinho, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary of State, appeared to offer a solution, namely that the best agricultural land [known as BMV, best and most versatile] must be protected for food production. She promised  as Emma Sturdy has been demanding  to produce regulations on where solar panels could and couldnt be placed.

For its part, the National Farmers Union has a clear position on this. The current president Tom Bradshaw insists that a balance has to be struck between food security and climate ambitions.

Planning guidance states that, wherever possible, large-scale solar farm development should be located on lower-quality agricultural land, avoiding the most productive and versatile soils. Utilising roofs and farm buildings for solar should also be incentivised as it delivers a sustainable method of energy production while avoiding any land-use conflict.

Sturdy would happily sign up to that, and remains hopeful that the pending planning appeal will heed such guidance. Yet, since the 130 acres affected are grade one and two prime growing fields, it is hard to understand why they have been targeted by the developers in the first place. The answer, suggests Sturdy, is that what developers want is land close to electricity sub-stations, like her fields, where the cost of feeding into the grid is low.

This is our home

Emma notes: It doesnt matter to them whether it is prime or poor quality land. They want the maximum financial return, so a site that will involve as few cables, tunnelling and going under roads as possible to get a connection. The further the distance between the fields and the sub-station, the more likely it is to involve negotiating with several landlords for one project.

Emma Sturdy continues to fight for tenant farmers in the same situation - Lorne Campbell/Guzelian

Andrew Dakin  whose farms heavy clay soil is, he believes, mostly grade 3 (of 5) - sees it in simpler, moral terms. Because we are playing catch-up on renewable energy, the developers want quick and easy fixes like building on good farmland. Greed is what this is all about, a younger generation of land agents who want to get rich quick rather than work hard.

Back at Eden Farm, Emma Sturdy is trying not to get gloomy. Some days over the past almost four years, I have thought, why dont we just walk away? But then my husband is a brilliant, hard-working farmer and, even with the statutory compensation we would be entitled to, the chances of us ever being able to afford to buy our own farm one day are remote. With land prices now, farms are beyond the reach of ordinary people like us.

And so she continues the fight for her family and for all tenant farmers in the same unenviable situation. This is our home. My husbands family have invested 70 years into the place. There is still time for the developers and the landowner  with whom we have always had a good relationship  to sit down with us for a genuine consultation to see if there is another way of generating solar power here alongside running a farm that produces the food that will give this country better food security.

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Dozens of tiny homes could be built behind a Chinese restaurant in Riverbank. Heres why

Winnie and Yongwei Huang have nourished people in Riverbank with their Chinese food since 2002. They hope to soon provide shelter, too.

The couple just won city approval for 38 small, detached dwellings behind their Patterson Road restaurant, just west of downtown. The eatery has been called Lucky House since it started in 1982, so named because the original owners felt fortunate to have come from China to America.

The Huangs are still seeking some of the funding for the project and do not have a construction timeline. They plan to rent the units to low-income people but have not pinned down the monthly amounts.

The Riverbank Planning Commission voted unanimously for the project June 18. It is on 2.25 vacant acres owned by the Huangs and stretching south to Ward Avenue.

2.25 vacant acres behind the Lucky House restaurant seen from Ward Avenue in Riverbank, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024. The owners of Lucky House plan on building a tiny homes community on the property.

The plan falls under the citys new tiny house ordinance, which allows units as small as 150 square feet. The Huangs will be similar to apartments in size. The 24 one-bedroom units will be 426 square feet. The 14 two-bedroom units will be 805 square feet.

Not everybody in the younger generation can afford a $500,000 house, but they can get a tiny house, Winnie Huang said at the restaurant on Thursday, June 27.

She sat down with The Modesto Bee at one of her tables half an hour before the 11 a.m. opening. Yongwei was busy preparing lunch ingredients with some of their four employees. Both owners immigrated from China about a quarter-century ago.

Winnie Huang said her husband got the idea for the houses and she has helped move it through the process.

Its a very fresh concept, and its very new to this area, she said.

Owner and chef Yongwei Huang cooks noodles at Lucky House restaurant in Riverbank, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024.

Singles, retired couples could find homes

Winnie Huang said the project would be ideal for single people, retired couples and others not needing full-size residences.

The 38 homes would all be one-story, with an entry porch and front and side landscaping. Residents would park off a rear alley and have sidewalks out front. Two interior streets would connect with Ward on the south and Ross Avenue on the north.

The only concern raised at the commission was from Smooth as Glass, a fiberglass repair shop next door, about speeding that already plagues Ross. Project planners said this is unlikely to increase because this street will become private within the development.

Concept drawing for a tiny homes development in Riverbank, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024.

One of the 38 houses will be for a property manager. The Huangs plan to retain ownership of the entire complex.

The project funding could come from a bank loan, federal tax credits for low-income housing, and other sources. The Huangs might build in phases as the money becomes available.

The Planning Commission decision will be final unless someone appeals it to the City Council within 10 days. That had not happened as of noon Friday, the final day.

This is the largest project so far under the new ordinance. And yes, the owners are calling it Lucky House Tiny Homes, at least for now.

Lucky House restaurant owner Winnie Huang takes a lunch order in Riverbank, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024.

Residents could walk to some places

The Lucky House project will encourage walking, said Miguel Galvez, a private land use planner who handled the application for the city.

It sits amid single-family houses and businesses in one of Riverbanks older neighborhoods. Downtown is three blocks to the east, just across the tracks for freight and Amtrak trains.

It is in close proximity to the commercial businesses, Galvez told the commission, and it really minimizes the amount of traffic impacts that you have because people will be able to walk rather than drive.

Thats not to say this is a pedestrian paradise. Patterson Road is part of state Highway 108 where it passes Lucky House, with a fair amount of traffic. Some is generated by Galaxy Theaters, a 13-screen venue about a quarter-mile to the west.

Riverbanks downtown revival has lagged, but a 2015 plan envisioned hundreds of high-density homes mixed with businesses. This could include the former peach and tomato cannery next to the tracks, now leased to a cannabis grower.

Concept drawing for a tiny homes development in Riverbank, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024.

Local firms help with Lucky House

Galvez works for J. B. Anderson Land Use Planning, based in Ripon. The city of Riverbank hired him as it transitioned to its new director of community development, Joshua Mann. Donna Kenney had overseen the function before retiring earlier this year.

Mid-Valley Engineering, based in Modesto, also is working on the Lucky House project.

Tiny homes are part of efforts in Stanislaus County and beyond to address the shortage of places to live. They are truly tiny  70 square feet  in a just-approved project in Modesto. It will serve 42 people with serious mental or substance-use issues on Ninth Street.

Lucky House restaurant in Riverbank, Calif., Saturday, June 15, 2024.

Owner and chef Yongwei Huang puts together a lunch order at Lucky House restaurant in Riverbank, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024.
ACT UP founder Larry Kramer once called him a murderer and "an incompetent idiot"

Jesse Dittmar/Redux Dr. Fauci and his new book 'On Call'

Dr. Anthony Fauci has fielded criticism throughout his career, but some of his fiercest adversaries later became his closest pals. One of those was the late Larry Kramer, the fiery founder of the activist organization AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, better known as ACT UP.



Fauci became director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in 1984, at the same time that the AIDS epidemic was raging. By the time then-President Ronald Reagan first used the word "AIDS" in a press conference on Sept. 17, 1985, there were already 15,000 reported cases of AIDS in the United States and more than 8,000 deaths due to HIV.

Fauci recounts his journey with AIDS research in his new memoir On Call: A Doctors Journey in Public Service. The gay male community, which was far and away the hardest hit by the epidemic, were vocally outraged that the federal government was not moving quickly enough in developing effective treatments for the disease.

'On Call'

I felt that it was my responsibility not only to conduct and support biomedical research on AIDS but also to speak out in whatever venue possible about the seriousness of this pandemic, its devastating potential and the need to do more, Fauci writes. But even then, he wasnt naive about the target that put on his back.

In late 1986, Fauci met with Kramer and some of his fellow activists and had what he called a calm discussion about our plans to ratchet up the AIDS research effort.

It was critical to interact with the activists, and the best way to do this was to get to know their leader, Fauci writes.

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In June 1988, Kramer wrote a San Francisco Examiner article titled I Call You Murderers, an Open Letter to an Incompetent Idiot, Dr. Anthony Fauci. In it, Kramer criticized Fauci for not working fast enough to fight AIDS. But even though Fauci was hurt by being called a murderer, Kramers anger made sense to him.

Related: Dr. Anthony Fauci's 'Brooklyn Tough' Attitude Got Tested Early On: Read an Excerpt from His New Memoir (Exclusive)

I was saying to myself, I would be doing exactly what they were doing if I were in their shoes, Fauci tells PEOPLE. One of the best things I've ever done in my life was to say, Let me put aside the theatrics, the confronted behavior and the iconoclastic behavior, and listen to what they were saying. And once I listened to what they were saying, everything got better. Better for medicine, better for science, better for regulation.



Fauci met with activists when they protested at the National Institutes of Health in February 1989 to demand better drugs than AZT, which was the only treatment available at the time. And on June 23 of that year, he spoke at a town hall meeting in downtown San Francisco. There, he gave an impassioned speech saying that I was now totally convinced we should embrace a parallel track approach to testing certain drugs for HIV/AIDS and its complications, Fauci writes.

Related: Looking Back at Dr. Fauci's Enduring Bond with AIDS Activist Larry Kramer  and Their Final Phone Call

That speech angered the FDA because it contradicted their official position at the time, but it revolutionized the countrys  and the worlds  approach to the AIDS epidemic. Soon after, Kramer attended an open government hearing on the subject and shouted from the back of the room, Tony, I have called you a murderer in the past, but you are now my hero.

Kramer and Fauci kept in touch over the years, eventually becoming friends. During a private dinner for just the two of us in his apartment, we reminisced like two aging warriors who recalled the battles we had fought together, how despite our initial adversarial relationship, we ultimately became partners in an important struggle, and how differences of opinion, and even a history of antagonism, are entirely compatible with friendship, Fauci writes, in his book.

Paul Morigi/Getty; Dave Kotinsky/Getty Fauci and Larry Kramer

Shortly before Kramer died in May 2020, he and Fauci spoke on the phone for one last time: It ended with Larrys saying, I love you, Tony. I tearfully responded, I love you, too, Larry, Fauci says.

He reflects on his friendship with Kramer when asked about the harassment  and death threats  he now receives related to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. There's such a difference between saying, You know, Fauci, you're a murderer, because you're being strict. If you would only listen to us, things would be better,' rather than, Fauci. I want to kill you  and they really do want to kill you, he says.

Fauci's wife, Dr. Christine Grady, says she was affected by the animosity toward her husband: Back then, I didn't like when people criticized Tony because of things that he was or wasn't doing, because I knew how hard he was working and how much he cared about what he was doing, and I knew that he was trying to do the right thing in almost every case."

Related: Dr. Anthony Fauci's Esteemed Career in Photos

I still don't like the criticism, she adds. But the difference in those days was, Well, you're critical of them. Can't you just spend a minute and understand them? [Now] I'm afraid for him, and I'm afraid for all of us. There's no listening, there's no trying to make things better. It's just hate. It's vitriol. It's awful.

But for his part, Fauci is optimistic that, just like the ACT UP activists came around, the "better angels" of todays critics will win out.

If people start to really realize that we're much more the same than we are different, we will get away from what Chris was describing as that vitriol and that hatred because that's untenable, he says. And even if you are in that camp of being vitriolic, deep down, you gotta realize that that's not a solution. It's just not.

On Call: A Doctors Journey in Public Service is available now, wherever books are sold.

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Driver killed when pickup truck runs off SC road, crashes into tree and flips, cops say

One person was killed Saturday when a pickup truck ran off a Midlands road and crashed, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The single-vehicle collision happened at about 4:10 p.m. in Fairfield County, said Lance Cpl. Brittany Glover.

A 1994 Ford pickup was driving east on S.C. 200, and near the intersection with Caughman Lane the truck ran off the right side of the road, according to Glover. The pickup then swerved back onto the road and continued across off of the left side, where it crashed into a tree then flipped over, Glover said.

The driver died at the scene, according to Glover.

The Fairfield County Coroners Office has not publicly identified the driver.

Glover said the driver was the only person in the truck, and no other injuries were reported.

There was no word if the driver was wearing a seat belt.

Information about what caused the pickup to originally veer off the road was not available, and Glover did not say if the crash continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol.

Through June 23, at least 447 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2024, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,030 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.

At least nine people have died in Fairfield County crashes in 2024, according to DPS data. There were 15 deaths reported in the county in 2023, DPS said.
The location of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant. Screenshot: Google Maps

A large-scale drone attack targeted the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant in the Russian city of Lipetsk on the night of 29-30 June.

Source: Telegram-based Russian news outlet Baza

Details: The attack on the plant reportedly began at 02:00 and lasted over an hour.

A total of seven UAVs crashed and exploded on the plant's territory during this time.

Early reports indicate that one of the drones damaged an oxygen separation unit. Four more UAVs tried to attack the oxygen station building. One of the drones also damaged a garage, setting it on fire, which was quickly extinguished.

Early reports indicate that nobody has been injured.

Background: Russia's Defence Ministry claimed that Russian air defence units had shot down almost 40 aircraft-type drones on the night of 29-30 June.

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Over the pounding drums of a samba reggae band, Durham celebrated its immigrant community Saturday with colorful clothes, savory food and a hand for whoever needs it.

Durham Refugee Day drew roughly 100 people to its Central Park on a blazing hot afternoon, where dozens of booths offered help finding churches, counseling, emergency aid and  important at 96 degrees  hibiscus iced tea.

You see every layer of how the community is built, said Kokou Nayo, immigrant and refugee affairs coordinator for Durham city and county. You see immigrants, you see those who were born here, you see those who aspire to be here. This creates a bridge. We want it to be a bridge.

Durham includes about 46,000 foreign-born people, he said, a higher-than-typical population slice than typically found statewide. Of them, the city has between 400 and 500 refugees.

One sign of Durhams commitment to helping those people is the city-county position that he holds  a rarity in North Carolina.

That says a lot about the relationship you want to have, he said. They are here to bring something to the fabric of the Durham community.

Glasses of hibiscus tea helped to support the Triangle Immigrant Solidarity Fund, which has provided crisis funding for undocumented immigrants at more than $1 million since 2020, said Daniela Archibold with Church World Service in Durham.

The greatest need comes through housing, she said, due to an increasing number of evictions and lack of affordable options.

There are not programs to support them, she said.

Elodie Deneassembaye, who came to Durham with her family from Chad and Cameroon in 2010, helps customers at her mothers business Berthes African Fashion during Durham Refugee Day.

But overall, Durham handles its influx of refugees well, said Elodie Deneassembaye, whose family came from Chad and Cameroon in 2010.

Helping to manage her mothers business, Berthes African Fashion, she said many arrive without the ability to navigate the language, and signs tend to be in English or Spanish, not Lakka, her familys native tongue.

It is very welcoming if the person thats coming is very outgoing, she said. For a shy person, its much harder.
Seattle detectives are investigating a fatal shooting early Sunday morning in the Chinatown International District neighborhood.

Shortly after 4:30 a.m., 911 received a report of a shooting in the 500 block of 8th Avenue South.

Police officers arrived at the scene and found a 35-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds.

Officers provided aid until the Seattle Fire Department arrived. However, despite their efforts, the man died from his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

KIRO 7 spoke to neighboring businesses who saw investigators hours after the fact. Derek OBryan with Table Top Village says the CID is a great place to be, but it is heartbreaking to hear of more gun violence.

Its unfortunate. Especially for a store like us because we really care for the kids, OBryan said.

Several people off camera echoed the same sentiment to our crews at the scene. Some feel that gun violence continues to get worse in Seattle, but some like OBryan feel it will take a group effort to truly combat the issue.

I dont think you can seize it completely, right? But there are things we can do to make it safer and make things more accessible for people to come and feel safe about going anywhere, right? OBryan said.

The circumstances that led to the shooting are not known. Detectives from the Homicide Unit are working to determine what happened.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Seattle Police Department Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Temasek (Singapore), CDPQ (Quebec), BCI (British Columbia), NZ Super (New Zealand), and ISIF (Ireland) achieve a perfect score around Governance, Sustainability and Resilience issues.

NEW YORK & LONDON & SINGAPORE, June 30, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Global SWF published the 5th edition of its GSR (Governance, Sustainability, and Resilience) Scoreboard, which has become the measuring stick of best practices among State-Owned Investors. The report is publicly available on www.globalswf.com/reports/2024gsr

The annual exercise analyzes the worlds 200 largest Sovereign Wealth Funds and Public Pension Funds, which manage US$ 27.5 trillion on behalf of 80 countries. The assessment is based on 25 different elements that are answered binarily based on public information only. This year saw the following results:

Sustainability scores continued to improve globally, when compared to 2023  yet, the average score in Governance (77%) is still much higher than that in Sustainability (51%) and in Resilience (50%).

Five entities with different mandates got full marks: two Canadian pension managers (CDPQ, BCI), a European strategic fund (ISIF), and two Asia-Pacific state-owned investors (Temasek, NZ Super).

The Middle East as a region continues to improve, and the average score has gone up by 16% since 2020 with progress led by Saudi Arabias PIF (96% in 2024) and Abu Dhabis Mubadala (92%).

There continues to be a positive and strong correlation between best practices, as measured by Global SWFs GSR scores, and the financial performance of Sovereign Investors in the long run.

Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, Executive Director and CEO of Temasek Holdings, commented: "We are humbly honoured to receive this recognition as one of the top-scoring investors for the second year running. Global SWFs independent assessment to address key areas such as transparency and accountability, impact and responsible investing, and long-term survival is aligned to Temaseks focus on governance, sustainability and resilience. We look forward to an increased level of engagement and sharing of best practices amongst our global peers as we endeavour to contribute towards a better, more sustainable and inclusive world."

Gordon J. Fyfe, BCIs CEO and CIO, added: "Amid an increasingly complex global investment landscape, strong governance and responsible investing practices have become imperative to deliver long-term, sustainable returns for our clients and their beneficiaries. This recognition reflects more than two decades of dedication to excellence in achieving our mandate, and the commitment of our world-class team. We are proud to be among leading global investors and look forward to continuing to support best practices across the industry."

Jo Townsend, CEO of the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, stated: "The Guardians has long believed that good governance, a commitment to sustainable investment principles, and policies and processes that support a resilient organisation are fundamental to our success as a long-term investor. The big improvement in scores this year suggests more and more funds are adopting this way of thinking. Thats encouraging for the industry  but also challenges us to find new ways to improve our own performance."

Nick Ashmore, Director of ISIF, said: "We welcome this recognition from Global SWF which aligns with ISIFs endeavours to be a responsible investor, actively integrating ESG factors into its decision-making processes with a view to enhancing the overall outcomes for the Fund and ultimately its beneficial owner. ISIF often looks to its peers for learnings in best practice and being able to benchmark itself in this respect, as well as sharing the pursuit of common goals for the improvement of the investment landscape, which is important in ensuring it has a positive impact."

Diego Lopez, Founder and Managing Director of Global SWF, concluded: "The GSR Scoreboard is the only objective, quantitative, and independent evaluation of best practices among Sovereign Investors, and we are fully committed to contributing to the advancement of the industry. These institutions are very heterogenous by nature, but there is a reduced number of them that are leading the way when it comes to best practices and positive change."

The report will be officially presented at an in-person event in New York City, on Thursday, July 11. Parties interested in attending can contact the representatives of Global SWF for further details.

About Global SWF

Global SWF LLC, which turns six years old today, promotes a better understanding of and connectivity into state-owned investors through the most comprehensive platform of data and research on these global funds. The firm also provides consulting services and an executive education program, the SWF Academy, for professionals working at sovereign and pension funds. For more details, please visit www.globalswf.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240630428719/en/

Contacts

Global SWF

Diego Lopez

+19293011895 / +6590702552

diego.lopez@globalswf.com
EDGEWATER, Colo. (KDVR)  A nearly $850,000 road project is now complete after months of construction.

No one is more excited about the completion of the project than the employees and owners of restaurants and businesses all along West 25th Avenue in Edgewater.

These 16 new Colorado laws go into effect in July

Opened in 2014 and weve seen a lot of change and really excited about this change, said Dave Bergen, founder and president of Joyride Brewing Company.

For four months Bergen has been awaiting the reopening of West 25th Avenue. His business Joyride Brewing has played neighbor to a lengthy noisy road construction project.

Many businesses along this stretch definitely had hardships during the time we were working on this project, said Edgewater Mayor Steve Conklin. We really appreciate their work and we appreciate everyone who kept coming to all the businesses and doing business with them while the project was going on.

During that time, Bergen, like other business owners along the two-block stretch, saw a dip in business.

Maybe 20 percent, said Bergen. Especially during the winter months when things are a little bit slower already. Things started going a little bit longer and extending into the spring which is typical prime patio season. To not have that additional seating out here, especially when people want to sit out here with their dogs, it really hurt on that aspect.

Mayor Conklin held a ribbon cutting for the grand reopening Saturday morning.

Businesses were active until 9 p.m., with live music and food and drink specials.

Thank you so much to everybody along this stretch we are open for business, he said.

The city was awarded a Main Streets grant of $841,000 through the Colorado Department of Transportation to create patio spaces, wider sidewalks, more bike lanes and to make the one-way direction permanent.

The pandemic kind of started us on this road. During the pandemic time, we turned this road into a one-way. We created some more patio space temporarily, and this was our opportunity to turn it into a permanent fix, said Mayor Conklin.

What new gun laws passed in Colorado this year?

Its something Kaela McDonald who came out to see the new changes appreciates.

I love it, its so much more open space and outside eating. You can have this whole entire street now for people to walk down, said McDonald.

Its done were celebrating having the street back open. Downtown Edgewater is back in business baby, Bergen 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 FOX31 Denver.
El Paso juries returned not guilty verdicts in several criminal cases, including unrelated trials involving charges of murder and sexual abuse of a child.

An El Paso jury also acquitted a woman of intoxicated manslaughter and convicted her of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated in a fatal 2021 crash, while another woman was sentenced by a jury to five years in prison after being convicted of intoxicated manslaughter in a 2023 fatal crash.

El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks speaks to the press after listening to the victim impact statements after Facundo Chavez's trial on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. An El Paso jury has returned a death penalty sentence for Chavez, who was convicted of killing El Paso Sheriff Deputy Peter Herrera during a 2019 traffic stop.

The verdicts were all reached in the past two months.

"The state of Texas wins more cases than we lose," El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks said. "But ultimately, we are taking cases to trial because that's our job  to seek justice and to hold people accountable for their actions. If a jury chooses to find someone not guilty or say, 'state, you didn't prove your case beyond a reasonable doubt.' That's fine. That's the jury's job. We still move forward because victims deserve justice. Our community deserves justice, and we continue to seek justice in our courts. We can't back down."

Hicks pointed out his office has received guilty verdicts and lengthy sentences on several capital murder and other cases within that same time period including:

Marvin Lake, capital murder, life in prison

Alexis Dominguez, capital murder, life in prison

Eduardo Garza, capital murder, life in prison

Jose Salazar, manufacturing and distributing cocaine, 30 years in prison

Man found not guilty of murder in driveway stabbing death

Brandon Snell, now 24, was found not guilty by a jury May 9 of murder in connection with the stabbing death of 28-year-old Raul Gerardo Zamora.

Zamora was found June 23, 2022 by neighbors dead in a pool of blood in the driveway of his home in the 11000 block of Cannon Hill Drive, El Paso Police Department officials and court documents state.

Zamora was seen arguing with someone on the phone, saying that he would be waiting for the person outside the night before he was found dead, prosecutors said during a 2022 bond hearing.

On July 4, 2022, Snell was arrested after an incident on a residential street a couple of miles from his home. He was allegedly driving recklessly, speeding into a cul-de-sac full of children on Passage Place and causing a resident to yell for the kids to get out of the way, a complaint affidavit states.

He allegedly told the neighbor, ""I am a killer! I am a killer!" while waving the gun around, the affidavit states.

Snell went to trial May 7 and was found not guilty by a jury two days later.

"First and foremost, there was no DNA," Snell's attorney Rebecca Tavitas said. "There was no fingerprints. There was no weapon. In addition to the fact that the state had done the cellphone tower locations and Google locations, but the information that they obtained did not fit the timeline."

The only evidence in the case was circumstantial evidence, Hicks said. No one saw Snell commit the killing, but prosecutors argued there was enough circumstantial evidence to connect him to the murder scene.

"It's very difficult when you have a circumstantial case," Hicks said. "You need a lot of circumstantial evidence to try to connect those dots to get a jury to believe beyond a reasonable doubt in a murder case. The jury obviously felt that we didn't have enough evidence or didn't connect all of those dots for them, but we felt like we did."

The evidence included phone records placing Snell at the scene during the time of the murder and witness statements that Snell and Zamora were arguing the night of the slaying.

Tavitas said the case never should have gone to trial.

"Had they (state prosecutors) taken a closer look at their evidence, they would've realized that their timeline didn't match and would have known that they should have evaluated the case a little bit better," Tavitas said.

Hicks countered prosecutors took the case to trial because he believed they had strong enough evidence and wanted to get justice for the Zamora's family.

"I think you have to take every case to a jury," Hicks said. "If you were murdered tomorrow, would you want that case to be prosecuted? Of course you would. Certainly, Raul Zamora's family wanted his case prosecuted."

Man acquitted of sexual abuse of a child allegations

Jesus Ortiz-Gutierrez was found not guilty by a jury May 16 on several counts of sexual assaulting a girl.

Ortiz-Gutierrez was accused of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl. The victim reported the alleged sexual abuse in 2018.

The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before reaching a not guilty verdict.

"We believed the complaining witness in the case," Hicks said. "We believed her to be very credible. Unfortunately, the jury wanted more evidence in the case. What makes criminal charges on child sexual assault cases so difficult is that the vast majority, almost all child sexual assault cases, are cases of 'she said, he said.'"

The key witnesses  a nurse and the victim's mother  presented by the district attorney's office in the case had previously been caught lying on other abuse cases, said Brian Rodriguez, then a public defender representing Ortiz-Gutierrez and now a lawyer with The Carter Law Firm.

"I always thought my client was not guilty because there was zero physical evidence of anything that had happened," Rodriguez said. "Absolutely not. This should have never gone to trial. A detective testified there wasn't any evidence of sexual assault. The nurse was proven in civil court of being a liar. The mother had made false abuse allegations before. There was no evidence that my client did this."

Driver found not guilty in wrong-way freeway crash

Deborah Sanchez was acquitted April 10 by a jury of intoxicated manslaughter in connection with a 2021 fatal crash that killed Eyob Demoze Fetene, 33, of Arlington, Virginia. She was convicted of a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge.

Sanchez made a U-turn on Interstate 10 West and hit a center concrete divider. She continued to drive east in the westbound lanes of traffic, court documents state. As she allegedly drove on the wrong side of the freeway, she crashed into Fetene's 1999 Nissan Altima. The cars crashed head-on, causing Fetene's car to go out of control. Fetenes car was hit by another vehicle. Fetene was taken to an El Paso hospital, where he later died.

The main question facing the the jury was who caused the fatal crash. State prosecutors argued Sanchez was drunk and driving on the wrong side of the road, while defense attorneys argued both drivers were drunk at the time of the crash, Hicks said.

"Sanchez was driving the wrong way on the interstate and she ended up having a head-on collision," Hicks said. " If she hadn't have done that, would this accident have happened? We think that it's pretty clear if she hadn't have been driving at the recklessly high speeds that she was driving the wrong way on interstate, this accident would not have happened."

The jury found Sanchez not guilty of intoxicated manslaughter, but convicted her on a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated. The jury sentenced Sanchez to a year in state jail. She was given credit for 77 days she had already spent in jail.

Sanchez was represented by Christopher Hernandez and the El Paso Public Defender's Office.

The key evidence in Ms. Sanchezs trial was the rush to judgment, El Paso Public Defender Kelli Childress said. The case involved a tragic accident between two impaired drivers. The jury found no evidence that Ms. Sanchez was responsible for the death of the other driver. Ms. Sanchez was facing up to 20 years in prison on the overcharged case, when the actual crime she committed carried a maximum of one year in jail.

Woman gets five year sentence for intoxicated manslaughter

Cassandra Yolanda Hernandez was convicted by a jury May 1 of intoxicated manslaughter in the August 2023 fatal crash that killed Alondra Soriano Rojas, 40, of San Elizario, on the Cesar Chavez Border Highway in the Lower Valley.

Hernandez was driving a 2020 Chevrolet Sonic eastbound at a high speed when she hit a 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe from behind, causing the Tahoe to then crash into the right-side guardrail, roll and slam into a large metal pole, police said at the time of the fatal crash.

Rojas, who was a passenger in the front seat of the Tahoe, died at the scene. Hernandez was allegedly driving more than 100 mph across all lanes of traffic, a complaint affidavit states. She told police she was bar hopping with friends before the fatal crash.

A jury found Hernandez guilty of intoxicated manslaughter and gave her a five year prison sentence. She was facing up to 20 years in prison.

"I think that there are some issues in that case, which may have given the jury some pause," Hicks said. "The defendant had a 2-year-old son. The defendant's father had gone to prison. The mother had overdosed. I think the jury was feeling sorry for the defendant based on the circumstances of her life."

Hernandez's sentencing is an example of "empty chair syndrome," Hicks said. The term is used to describe when jurors see a defendant in the courtroom and see the impact of the crime on the defendants' life, while the deceased victim in the case is never seen by the jury.

"From the beginning of trial, all the way through, a good defense attorney does a good job of making their client look sympathetic," Hicks said. "A jury has a hard time convicting someone that looks friendly, looks nice, looks sweet. They have a hard time putting that person in prison. Day in and day out, the jury is living with the defendant in the courtroom throughout the whole trial, and they're not living with that empty seat that we have at the table, which is for the victim."

Hernandez was also represented by Christopher Hernandez and the El Paso Public Defender's Office.

Ms. Hernandez had wanted to accept responsibility and enter a plea of guilty in her case from day one, Childress said. However, she was given an unreasonable plea offer from the district attorney, so she opted to plead guilty to a jury instead. The sentence she received was less than half of what the DA had offered her.

The district attorney's office did not have strong evidence against Sanchez or Hernandez in their respective cases, Childress said.

The district attorneys office misjudged the strength of both cases, and were seeking unreasonable outcomes, Childress said. Clearly the juries agreed with that. We believe both outcomes were fair and appropriate. Attorney Christopher Hernandez, who handled both of those matters, did an outstanding job presenting the full stories to the juries. Going to jury trial in those matters was exactly the right thing to do.

Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso juries acquit defendants in murder, sexual assault cases
My electric car has been soul-destroying  I cant wait to go back to petrol

Ray Bestwisk, 62, has taken his Renault Megane E-Tech to the garage eight times over the past year - Roger Moody/Guzelian

Ray Bestwick bought an electric car last May in the hope of hassle-free motoring.

But with eight trips to the garage in little more than a year, the 62-year-old engineer cannot wait to put an end to his soul-destroying experience.

The Renault Megane E-Tech driver isnt the only electric vehicle owner to face a multitude of problems, with a host of Telegraph readers detailing their reasons for pulling the plug on green energy.

Fears over range and a lack of charging infrastructure are the main factors behind owners turning their back on EVs.

Mr Bestwick, from Derbyshire, said: My Renault is meant to have a range of 280 miles but its only ever reached over 200 twice out of about 30 times. Im lucky to get 160 out of it, so its blatantly obvious there is a problem.

Ive taken it to three different Renault garages and theyve all said theres nothing wrong and its because of my driving style.

I dont agree with that at all  Im 62 years old and drive in eco mode 90pc of the time. Im after economy, not speed.

Its soul-destroying constantly getting told its my fault when it clearly isnt.

A recent investigation by What Car magazine found that electric cars have up to a third less range in reality than advertised. The data highlighted the disparity between the results of official government tests and those that can be achieved during real-world usage.

Im at the end of the line as its ridiculous, Mr Bestwick said. Ive considered not paying the monthly lease but I dont want any trouble so Im waiting until next May when I can ditch it.

Im so glad I didnt purchase the car outright. It would have cost 38,000 then, but the values depreciate so quickly I think it would only be worth about 22,000 now.

Research from Auto Trader earlier this year found that a motorist buying a 50,000 electric car could expect to lose 24,000 in value over three years, while a similarly priced petrol car would lose only 17,000.

Im all for technology but Im going back to petrol, or Ill get a hybrid. Im not going to entertain full electric again as this has been the worst car Ive ever had, Mr Bestwick said.

Renault told The Telegraph it is sorry to hear of Mr Bestwicks concerns, but reiterated that a lack of range is likely down to driving style.

A spokesman said: Investigations by our dealers suggest the range indicated is commensurate with Mr Bestwicks driving style and car set-up.

As with all cars, no matter if they are combustion engine or electric, driving style, environmental conditions and car set-up are significant contributors to achieve range in real-world driving.

Renault said techniques such as making use of regenerative braking systems, moderating speed and the use of the heating or air-con will help boost range.

The manufacturer also said some E-Tech owners have reported surpassing the advertised 280-mile range.

'I'm at the end of the line as it's ridiculous,' says Mr Bestwick - Roger Moody/Guzelian

However, for Nigel Pullen, who owns an electric Skoda Enyaq, manufacturers will need to almost double range capabilities before British drivers welcome EVs with open arms.

Until EVs have a genuine range of 500+ plus miles, there will be a constant issue, he said.

My wife drives an electric Skoda and for local use, its fine but for the longer journeys, forget it.

Were in Cornwall and our son lives in Derbyshire so we thought with a 330-mile range, wed be able to get there. But the reality is totally different.

We can get about 250 from it, but even then, your eyes are constantly on the range.

Were going to dump it when the lease is up and have a petrol-hybrid instead.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that EV uptake is being sustained by growing demand from the fleet market, as a result of businesses offering employee benefits such as salary sacrifice to take on an electric car.

Demand from the general public is falling flat, yet Labour plans to toughen up the UK approach to EVs, forcing more people to make the switch to battery power.

The party is poised to bring forward a ban on the sale of new petrol cars from 2035 to 2030, undoing a delay announced by the Conservatives.

What readers are saying

Last week, The Telegraph reported that only 30pc of EV owners who part-exchange their car buy another electric motor  with the rest opting for either petrol, diesel or hybrid models.

Telegraph readers flooded the comments section in reaction to the data, with many highlighting their troubles with battery power.

However, some are steadfast in their view that electric is the way to go and have spoken highly of their driving experience.

Britain doesnt have the infrastructure

Reader Jane Gregory is a Tesla 3 owner who intends to trade it in at the end of the year for either a petrol or hybrid model because of range anxiety: We cannot go on any long journey without having to add time and inconvenience. It really is such a faff to charge your car anywhere else but home.

Sometimes the charging points dont work or there is a queue, etc. Britain does not have the infrastructure, but even if we did, can you imagine the queues everywhere to charge? Sorry Tesla, I do love you but itll be a goodbye.

No wonder demand is collapsing

Cliff Nicholls argues that for mass adoption of EVs to take place, a hugely intricate and costly infrastructure upgrade is required: Few really understand the complexities involved with rolling out a charging infrastructure.

Fast chargers draw huge currents, which need very thick cables, high voltage transmission upgrades and even to get home chargers at every house will need massive grid upgrades.

In a similar vein, reader Chris Chambers criticises a lack of investment by the Government: They created an artificial market by giving ridiculous incentives that the taxpayer couldnt afford. Now the incentives are being diluted, as they always had to be, and combined with the underinvestment in infrastructure it is no surprise to me that demand is collapsing.

Charging my EV is very cheap

Gareth Probert, a proud Tesla owner is happy with the affordability: I dont recognise any of the complaints about range anxiety or costs to run. The Tesla Supercharger network is fast, well developed and I charge overnight at home for 7.5p/kw hr  very cheap!

Reader Eric Moore said a great benefit for EV owners is that they are immune to fuel shortages: I remember sailing past the long lines of cars waiting for fuel in Cambridge. I felt sorry that that happened. But it shows you that petrol is vulnerable to events.

However, for reader Neal Preshner, the cost is too much: The question that needs to be asked here is, why are people being ripped off for electric charging away from their homes? If domestic suppliers are charging roughly 20p per unit why is a typical petrol station charging 75p?

Having had a plug-in hybrid on loan for a few weeks, and buying a 50-mile charge at the medium rate of 50p a unit, I calculated the car would have done the same mileage on 12 of petrol.

Imports from China mean they arent very green

One of the most promoted benefits of using EVs is their positive impact on the environment, due to less consumption of fossil fuels and a reduction of local pollution.

But reader Rupert E Beehsley questions their overall green credentials: Nobody with a brain buys an EV while the technology is rapidly developing and leading to massive depreciation on older models. Range decreases with age and batteries are exorbitant to replace.

Soon, the only affordable EVs will be Chinese, made with coal-powered electricity generation and shipped halfway round the world. Very green eh?

On the other hand, reader Barbara Manick denies the accusations of self-righteousness usually thrown at EV drivers: EV owners have no halo to polish. Their cars simply dont chuck out hideous gases into the atmosphere and they are a pleasure to drive.

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.
Editors note: This is the third part of a five-part series on the history of World War II POW camps in Michigan. Part 1 is available here. Part 2 is here. A new story will be published every Sunday.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  In the final days of World War II, the Grand Rapids Press published an editorial on the nations POW camps and how the American militarys decision to treat its prisoners humanely helped end the war.

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, it read.

One prisoner took that kindness and humanity to heart, moving back to the U.S. after the war. This is his story.

Ernst Floeter was born in August 1925 in the German town of Stettin, which is now a part of Poland. After being forced into the military and dragged into a battle he wanted no part in, he was eventually captured by American troops and brought stateside to be held in a POW camp.

But Floeter, who told his story in a 2008 sit-down interview with a historian from the Archives of Michigan, would use a different word. He wasnt captured. He says he was liberated.

I wanted to become a prisoner. I didnt want to fight for that Germany, Floeter said.

In September 1943, Floeter learned that his draft class would have him assigned to the SS  the group in charge of surveillance and enforcing the Nazi racial policies. Instead, he volunteered for the army and was sent to boot camp in Danzig.

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Thanks to divine guidance, I was a stupid soldier. Otherwise, I wouldnt be here, he said. From our boot camp  three guys didnt qualify. I was one of them. We three came to Normandy. The rest all stayed in Poland. (By the end of the war) they were all dead or missing.

As the war crawled on in the spring of 1944, Floeter explained that the Germans knew the Allies would try to make landfall at Normandy. He was on the crew that monitored the skies overnight. They took extra-long shifts on nights where the landing conditions were favorable.

Nothing happened until the night from the fifth through the sixth of June, he said.

The rest is history. The infamous Invasion of Normandy was a key turning point in the war, giving the Allies a foothold in Europe that was the key to defeating the Germans. Floeter, for his part, did little to stop it.

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We were told the Allies will land (at Dover and Calais), and we had to make preparations  under Feldmarshall Rommel  to cut trees down and put the trees into low-lying areas as a defense for the gliders. We did, but that was about all we did there, Floeter said.

Floeter served as a radio man for his regiment and recalls the first night of the invasion.

Amphibious trucks known as ducks and a half-track follow foot troops ashore during the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. (AP file)

American reinforcements arrive on the shores of Normandy during the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France in June 1944. (AP file)

British and Canadian troops take cover behind a sand dune during the Allied invasion of Normandy in June of 1944. (AP file)

The night they came, we were right over in Saint Sauveur. That is about halfway  Cherbourg is in the north, and Omaha is in the east  we were right in the middle. We were under the incoming B-47s who dropped off all the paratroopers. We were right under the line. They came right over us, he said.

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The fight continued for several days. Eventually, with his team pinned down, Floeters commanding officer called for a final blaze of glory, telling his men to stand up and shoot.

Instead, somebody pulled out his towel and started to wave, he said.

Floeters time as a soldier was over. He was now a prisoner of war. He recalled with pride that he never shot at anyone.

ON THE MOVE

After being captured, Floeter spent four days at an American holding camp. Two things stood out, one being the sheer amount of supplies the Americans had compared to the Germans and the other how much went to waste.

At my first breakfast, there I saw the waste of food by the American soldiers. It was sinful, Floeter said. Then, we had to police between the tents, clean up the place, and we found cigarette boxes all over the place, all filled  mostly with one or two taken out and thrown away. So we all put the packs of cigarettes in our pockets.

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(At breakfast break) he brought us beautiful marmalade and coffee and crackers. And at noon, we had lunch. It was our first good lunch for many weeks. Later, by 4 p.m., everybody got 20 cigarettes as pay.

From there, Floeter and his fellow POWs were shipped across the English Channel and spent four days under the care of the British.

They werent as nice, he noted. We had to run all the time, and the food we got was all rotten there.

After train rides through the United Kingdom, the POWs ended up in Liverpool and boarded a supply ship to take them stateside. A convoy of ships traveled together on the trip, arriving in New York 12 days later.

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Floeter remembers arriving at Ellis Island and being able to take a shower for the first time in three months. His clothes were deloused once again and each POW was given a medical examination and necessary inoculations.

The POWs then boarded a train. Floeter didnt know where they were heading next. At first, he was awed to see the Niagara Falls, but shuddered when he saw the Union Jack flying over the Canadian side.

A 16-year-old German soldier clasps his hands over his head to be taken prisoner following the Allied invasion of Normandy. (AP file)

Some of the first German prisoners captured in the invasion of Normandy, France on June 9, 1944. (AP file)

An American paratrooper holds a German soldier at the point of his bayonet during the Allies advance into Normandy in France on June 10, 1944. (AP file)

I was not sure where I was suddenly. I didnt want nothing (to do) with the British, he said.

Fortunately for Floeter, the train only cut across Canada. It eventually traveled through Windsor and crossed into Detroit, in bound for Fort Custer near Battle Creek  then known as Camp Custer.

He didnt spend much time at Camp Custer but remembers being given the basic rundown of how the POW camps would operate and his first in-depth interrogation from American officers. He also got a brand new uniform, one emblazoned with PW in bright white.

I threw everything away that I had. I kept my boots, but everything else went in the junk, he said. And I felt like an angel in seventh heaven with all the GI uniforms, one khaki and one woolen for the winter. It was fantastic.

He also remembers being blown away by the food.

They blew the whistle. We go into the mess hall and the tables are filled with stuff: Hurry up, boys. Get ready for seconds, Floeter recalled. I didnt know what (some of it) was, but it was much more  much, much more  than what we had in the last month. Then, every morning we got a quart of milk and cornflakes and some bread and (oleo) and marmalade.  It was a happy time.

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Days later, Floeter was on the move again, this time to Camp Ellis in Illinois. Finally, he got a chance to work.

An undated photo of Ernst Floeter. (Courtesy Historical Society of Battle Creek)

Our work was night work in the corn cannery, he said. When the farmers brought in the corn, from between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., we were working on chutes and put the corn cobs into machinery where they got cut off on both ends and dehusked. That was our job.

Camp Ellis was also Floeters first chance meeting with prisoners from the Afrika Korps  made up of more devoted Nazis  who were caught a year prior. Floeter and the new POWs were berated by their fellow Germans, accused of being cowards and traitors.

(They believed) Germany was still winning the war, that German cities are all intact. Then, when we came, we told them the difference. One of them said, Well, we will give your name to the Gestapo after our victory, he said. We had to keep our mouth shut as much there than in Germany.

That experience was reportedly common in the camps. Floeter referred to them as uncurable Nazis. Interrogators did their best to keep hardcore Nazis together in camps with tighter conditions, but initially didnt care much what the POWs did to each other inside the camp boundaries.

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After several attacks, however, and convictions from a kangaroo court, the Americans eventually instituted new rules and granted protective custody to POWs under threat.

Floeter said that the new rules were quickly explained and the attacks stopped immediately.

Everybody who kills somebody will be hung, he said. They published 11-by-14 pictures with eight guys on the gallows in Fort Leavenworth, so that calmed the whole thing down.

ERNSTS JOURNEY HOME

Floeter spent most of his time as a POW in camps in Texas and in New Mexico, but after the war ended and he was sent back to Europe, he knew he wanted to come back, and Michigan made his short list of places to settle down.

He lived in East Berlin for seven years before escaping and becoming a legal citizen of West Germany after getting married. Years later, because he was technically considered a displaced person, Floeter qualified for a special immigration program to move to the U.S.

After 11 months of crossing Ts and dotting Is, Floeter, his wife and their newborn daughter were on their way to a new life in the states. The young family arrived in New York on Christmas Eve of 1957.

The next morning, we all assembled. People from all the different organizations came and put a big map on the wall. They told us, Youre Mr. So-and-so? You go to Cleveland. You go to Bay City. And Mr. Floeter, you go to East Lansing, Michigan, he said. And thats what I wanted, Michigan or Illinois.

Paleoindians and beyond: West Michigans history goes back millennia

They soon made their way to East Lansing, where the Saints Episcopal Church had made a place for them.

They had everything for us, he recalled. We had things that we never thought about in Germany. Everyday, somebody came and brought us cake or a radio or a record player and a television set. Then, after four days, I got a job in photography.

Michigan was his new home and photography became his new passion. Eventually, they moved to nearby Grand Ledge. Floeter opened his own studio in 1966. In 1967, he became an American citizen, and he lived the American dream for another 48 years, passing away in 2015 at 90 years old.

An obituary photo of Ernst Floeter in a 2015 issue of the Lansing State Journal. Floeter was a German POW who moved back to the United States after World War II. (Courtesy Fort Custer Historical Society)

In his obituary, the writers highlighted how he was recruited to play Uncle Sam for an annual production of Mudges Follies.

They needed somebody tall and very outgoing, his longtime friend Marilyn Smith told the Lansing State Journal.

But it went deeper than that. It was a role that captured his spirit: one that believed in passion, compassion and freedom. It was a role that he held for the next 25 years, dressing up for local parades and events.

As the state archivist wrapped up their conversation that stretched will over an hour, he asked Floeter if he had anything else he would like to say. His response was simple:

God bless America.

Editors note: This is the third 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.

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(Bloomberg) -- Investors took comfort Monday that Marine Le Pens National Rally failed to record a decisive win in the first round of Frances snap parliamentary elections. The optimism is already fading.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Stock and bond prices jumped at the open after Le Pens party finished with a smaller margin of victory than indicated by polls, and opponents began strategizing to keep her from winning a majority in the second round. The CAC 40 Index pared its gains by half and bonds quickly erased a rally to push yields up on the day. Traders are questioning whether prices can move much higher in the face of turmoil that could end with the far right in power.

Investors are fretting that a government led by the National Rally or the left-wing New Popular Front would pursue an expansive fiscal policy, adding to a swelling budget deficit. Other concerns stemming from Le Pens rise include the potential for greater political instability and even questions over the long-term future of the common currency.

For me its still wait-and-see, said Vincent Juvyns, a global market strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management. I must say Im a bit surprised by the market reaction. I think its clearly premature given the low visibility for this coming week. Both camps fiscal policies are disruptive for the French economy and the prospects for French debt.

The CAC 40 stock index rose 1.7% at 2:10 p.m. in Paris after gaining as much as 2.8% in the first minutes of trading. Ten-year government bonds were little changed. Nonetheless, the yield spread over comparable German securities tightened by as much as seven basis points  trimming a more than 30-basis-point surge over the past two weeks  as traders exited haven securities.

The euro edged up, climbing as much as 0.6% to $1.0776, though it still remained weaker than where it was before President Emmanuel Macron called the snap vote in early June.

Macrons centrist alliance and the left coalition now are weighing whether to pull candidates from the second round to keep the National Rally from securing an absolute majority on July 7.

For investors, the yield premium on French OATs over German bunds is a sign of the risk to Frances budget. At a projected 5.3% of output this year, the deficit already far exceeds the 3% of economic output allowed under European Union rules and its debt is expected to rise to 112% of economic output in 2024, according to the International Monetary Fund.

While we expect some relief-tightening in OAT-Bund spreads, there is still uncertainty ahead, said Evelyne Gomez-Liechti, a strategist at Mizuho. Our analysis suggests that any significant tightening will be unstable given worrying debt sustainability dynamics.

Le Pens National Rally locked up 33.2% of the vote, according to interior ministry figures. The New Popular Front got 28% and Macrons coalition got 20.8%.

If alliances forming to block Le Pen from absolute power start to look credible, French markets would likely recover, according to Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB.

A hung parliament could make it hard to get anything done in France in the current parliament, which is exactly what the markets would like, she said.

Shares of French banks Societe Generale, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole all jumped on Monday, though they too pared their gains, while the riskiest type of bonds issued by French lenders rose the most in weeks in early trading. Banks have been under pressure since Macron called the election due to rising political risk and the drop in French sovereign bonds.

What Bloomberg strategists say...

If the leftist alliance is aimed at blocking Le Pens grouping from getting a majority in the crucial second round, it has wide-ranging implications for the France-German spread and indeed the euro. If the upshot is that we will get a more centrist government, it would be positive for the currency and herald a narrower spread.

 Ven Ram, cross-asset strategist for MLIV

Still, strategists warn there is likely volatility ahead, as the electoral calculus gets complicated in the runoff, and some point out that a hung parliament might not be much better for the nations finances than a far-right government.

You have a situation between a hung parliament and a far right government so neither of those is particularly appealing, said Marija Veitmane, senior multi-asset strategist at State Street Global Markets. I myself would stay out of France.

Volatility Is Only Certainty for Traders Parsing French Results

Macrons decision to call a snap vote in early June had sent markets into a tailspin.

His party  which supports large spending cuts to get Frances budget deficit under control  suffered a crushing defeat in European parliamentary elections on June 9. National Rally, meanwhile, has touted some costly budget measures including lowering the sales tax on energy and fuel.

Over the past three weeks, the extra yield investors demand to hold 10-year French bonds over safer German debt rocketed to more than 80 basis points, levels last seen during the euro areas sovereign debt crisis. The euro fell to its lowest since early May.

Its hard to see a material and sustainable snapback, in French yields, said Peter Goves, head of developed market debt sovereign research at MFS Investment Management.

Uncertainties are high, French fundamentals havent changed and the final outcome is still unknown and unknowable with the large number of three-way contests complicating matters, he said.

--With assistance from Allegra Catelli, Farah Elbahrawy and Michael Msika.

(Updates market moves)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
By Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines' dominant Marcos and Duterte political dynasties, uneasy allies for two years, are gearing up for an election showdown that could upset policy stability in the Southeast Asian nation in the coming years.

Vice President Sara Duterte's resignation as education minister in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's cabinet was followed on Tuesday by her bombshell announcement that her father, ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, and two brothers would run for the Senate next year.

The collapse of the alliance had long been expected, but the political challenges by the Duterte men could upset Marcos' hopes of consolidating power so he can groom a potential successor for 2028, when analysts say Sara Duterte may seek the top job. Philippine presidents are limited to a single six-year term.

"It is a threat," said Jean Encinas-Franco, a University of the Philippines political science professor. "It is a message to the Marcoses as it is a message to the Filipino people that 'we are alive and kicking'."

Marcos, 66, shrugged off the Dutertes' plans, telling reporters on Thursday, "It's a free country. They're allowed to do whatever they want."

It is unclear how the potential candidacies by Duterte, 79, and his sons - they would not file for the Senate races until October - might affect policy in the near term. But victories in the May midterm elections by the Duterte family, backed by their strong political base, could complicate Marcos' efforts to pass laws that diverge from the Dutertes' interests.

The former president may be motivated to run for "political protection", said Manila-based political analyst Julio Amador. Duterte is being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his signature "war on drugs" campaign, where thousands were gunned down in what authorities called vigilante killings during his 2016-2022 presidency.

Harry Roque, his spokesperson when he was president, dismissed the suggestion, saying the court has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.

COMPLEX PARTNERSHIP UNRAVELS

The Marcos and Duterte clans joined together opportunistically in 2022, sweeping the president and vice president into office despite stark differences between the two patriarchs in style as well as policy.

In a political culture where personality often trumps ideology, Marcos, the popular son and namesake of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr, presents a polished if bland image, in contrast to the brash and sometimes profane Rodrigo Duterte.

Marcos has pivoted foreign policy back toward traditional ally the United States and sharply confronted China, with which Duterte was friendly, over maritime disputes, while starting potential peace talks with communist rebels.

Highlighting the complicated political partnership, Marcos has said Manila was considering rejoining the ICC but would "not lift a finger" to assist its investigation of Duterte, a former mayor and prosecutor.

Marcos had a 55% public approval rating in March, below that of Sara Duterte at 67%, with both declining from three months earlier, according to the latest quarterly opinion survey by independent pollster Pulse Asia Research.

Sara Duterte, 46, had been tipped to win the 2022 presidential election but shifted to run with Marcos, seeing off any other rivals and sealing the comeback for the disgraced Marcos dynasty.

A survey last year by pollster Social Weather Stations showed her the top pick for president in 2028.

Eleven months out from the midterms, Rodrigo Duterte is favoured to win a Senate seat and his sons, although trailing, could ride their father's coattails into office, polls show. They also show likely Senate re-election for two of his closest allies - a former aide and the former police chief who oversaw his drugs war.

PROTECTION OR PLOY?

Three Dutertes in the Senate could tip the scales in the chamber, and it would not be farfetched for the patriarch to be voted Senate president, analysts say.

This could put Marcos at risk of censures and congressional probes, paving the way for the Dutertes to co-opt independents and sideline opponents.

"In the Senate it is easy to launch investigations which can make or break presidential ambitions," said Franco at the University of the Philippines.

Political cover from the ICC could be a motivation for the former president. Duterte removed the Philippines from the Hague court in 2018 over its probe of him. He lost immunity as head of state when he left office.

"Would the Senate give up a sitting senator to an international tribunal?", said analyst Amador.

Former presidential adviser and veteran political analyst Ronald Llamas said the Dutertes are "facing an existential crisis", given the ICC probe and Marcos' dangling the possibility of rejoining the court.

"Their backs are against the wall."

Roque, Duterte's presidential-era spokesman, said the "ICC had lost its jurisdiction" when the prosecutor sought approval for the probe after Manila's withdrawal went into effect. "Full stop."

Flirting with potentially destabilising Senate campaigns could also be "a ploy to be in the news" by the Dutertes, Amador said.

"Basically reminding the Filipino people that they are still a powerful name," he said. "They have an impact on national politics."

(Reporting by Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores; Additional reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by William Mallard)
Former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker (R) said the Supreme Court was absolutely right in blocking the Department of Justice (DOJ) from charging Jan. 6 rioters with obstruction.

Whitaker, who served as former President Trumps acting attorney general for three months in 2018 after Jeff Sessions vacated the role at the presidents request, said he viewed the Jan. 6 obstruction charges as an overstep from the DOJ.

I think the Supreme Court was absolutely right and that the Department of Justice has really been overly aggressive trying to get every possible charge stacked on in those cases, he said during a Saturday appearance on Fox News.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Friday that the DOJ could no longer use a gap left by an Enron-era law to charge Jan. 6 rioters with obstruction. The law made it a crime to corruptly obstruct, impede or interfere with official inquiries and investigations by Congress.

The justices did not rule on ideological lines, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson joining conservatives in the assent and Justice Amy Coney Barrett dissenting with the two remaining liberal justices.

In her dissent, Barrett took a jab at the fact that Congress likely did not have a riot in mind when writing the obstruction law.

Who could blame Congress for that failure of imagination? she said.

The rulings effects will vary, but for defendants who have yet to be convicted under an obstruction charge, the DOJ will be unable to make the case.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has said publicly that he will comply but is disappointed.

Approximately 350 Jan. 6 defendants have been charged with obstruction, and most rioters charged face other felony counts. Notable defendants who were charged with obstruction include the respective leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes. Trump is also included in the ranks of these defendants.

Trumps case is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Two of his four charges are these counts, Whitaker said. I think theyre going to have to drop those two charges for sure.

Jack Smith is going to have to relook  how he charges that case.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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For the last 23 years, national pollster Gallup has surveyed retirees to gauge their reliance on America's top retirement program, Social Security. Over that time, up to 90% of respondents -- including 88% in 2024 -- have noted that their Social Security checks account for a "major" or "minor" source of income. Put another way, very few retirees would be able to make ends meet without Social Security.

Gallup's finding is what makes the following statement so unnerving: Social Security is in trouble.

Although this leading program is in absolutely no danger of going bankrupt or becoming insolvent, the prospect of sizable benefit cuts in the not-too-distant future is very real. The American public is counting on its elected officials to fix what ails this program -- and that all starts in the Oval Office with either Donald Trump or Joe Biden, depending on what happens on Election Day.

Former President Donald Trump speaking to reporters. Image source: Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead.

Sweeping benefit cuts of up to 21% may await retired-worker beneficiaries

The future of Social Security has been in flux for four decades. Since 1985, the annually released Social Security Board of Trustees Report has cautioned that long-term revenue collection (i.e., the 75 years following the release of a report) would be insufficient to cover outlays. The magnitude of this deficit has grown over time.

In 2024, the Board of Trustees estimated that Social Security is staring down a long-term funding shortfall of $23.2 trillion.

Moreover, the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund (OASI), which doles out benefits to 51 million retired workers and around 5.8 million survivor beneficiaries each month, is forecast to deplete its asset reserves by 2033. If the OASI's asset reserves are exhausted, sweeping benefit cuts of up to 21% may be necessary to avoid any further reductions through 2098.

Despite online myths and misconceptions that lay the blame on Congressional theft and undocumented workers receiving traditional benefits, the financial maelstrom Social Security is facing has everything to do with ongoing demographic changes. In no particular order, the primary culprits include:

A more-than-halving in net legal migration into the U.S. since 1998.

A historically low U.S. birth rate, which threatens to reduce an already pressured worker-to-beneficiary ratio.

Rising income inequality, which has allowed more earned income than ever to escape payroll taxation.

Shoring up Social Security for current and future generations starts at the top. Unfortunately, the proposals offered by presidential candidates Donald Trump and Joe Biden fall short of the mark.

Story continues

US Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund Assets at End of Year Chart

Donald Trump's hands-off approach kicks the can on a serious issue

To be fair, it's difficult to judge Donald Trump's "plan" for Social Security when neither he nor his campaign have officially proposed one. Though the former president has previously opined that cost-cutting for entitlements is something that should be on the table, he's repeatedly pledged to leave Social Security alone during multiple speaking events ahead of the 2024 election.

While a hands-off approach isn't going to cost Donald Trump voters, doing nothing is not a viable solution to Social Security's weakening financial foundation. As noted, the estimated long-term funding deficit is growing rapidly, and fiscal policy tax cuts aren't going to fix it.

Even if Donald Trump were to approach "fixing" Social Security through various entitlement reductions, such as the gradual raising of the full retirement age, the former president's goal of strengthening the program would come up short.

Efforts to reduce outlays would play out over many decades. In other words, gradually raising the full retirement age wouldn't address the OASI's asset reserve shortfall, which is estimated to be nine years away. While Republican lawmakers are often looking to the horizon, they're missing the more immediate issue that could result in benefit cuts come 2033.

President Joe Biden delivering remarks. Image source: Official White House photo by Hannah Foslien.

Joe Biden's plan to tax the rich ignores long-term demographic shifts

On the other end of the spectrum, Joe Biden wants to raise revenue by taxing the rich and redistributing some of this extra income to lifetime low-earners and aged beneficiaries.

Though you can read about Biden's four-point Social Security plan in greater detail, the gist of his proposal includes:

Reinstating the 12.4% payroll tax on earned income above $400,000 (the maximum taxable earnings cap in 2024 is $168,600). Changing the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) measure from the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E). Increasing the special minimum benefit to 125% of the federal poverty level. Providing a gradual increase to the primary insurance amount for aged beneficiaries (beginning at age 78 and continuing through age 82).

Although Biden's Social Security proposal would immediately increase revenue, points two, three, and four above would offset a significant portion of what would be gained. According to an analysis by Washington, D.C.-based think tank Urban Institute, Biden's proposal only extends the solvency of Social Security's trust funds by a mere five years.

Neither Trump nor Biden has a plan to resolve Social Security's growing cash shortfall

The grim reality for current and future retirees is that neither Donald Trump nor Joe Biden has a proposal that's going to fully resolve Social Security's long-term funding shortfall. While Biden's plan would lengthen the OASI's asset reserve depletion date by a few years, neither proposal removes benefit cuts from the table.

To add to the above, Trump and Biden lack the necessary votes to make their respective proposal(s) law. While simple majority is the deciding factor in the House of Representatives, amending Social Security will require 60 votes in the U.S. Senate. The last time either party held a supermajority of 60 seats in the upper house of Congress was 1979.

Bipartisan cooperation will be a necessity for Social Security reforms to become law. However, Democrats and Republicans couldn't be further apart in their respective approaches to strengthening America's top retirement program. Congressional Republicans won't support any plan that targets high earners, while Democrats on Capitol Hill are staunchly opposed to any proposal that reduces benefits (e.g., increasing the full retirement age).

If there's a silver lining for seniors, it's that lawmakers have a history of coming together in the 11th hour to find a middle-ground solution for Social Security. We saw this play out in 1983, with the program's asset reserves effectively running on fumes.

The Social Security Amendments of 1983 combined proposals from both parties, including a staggered increase to the payroll tax, the introduction of the taxation of benefits, and a gradual increase to the full retirement age over four decades. Cooperation on Capitol Hill is possible, but it tends to happen on a reactive, not proactive, basis.

For the time being, benefit cuts remain on the table, regardless of who wins in November.

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.

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The Grim Reality of Donald Trump's and Joe Biden's Social Security Proposals was originally published by The Motley Fool
Beryl was downgraded to a tropical storm but is expected to become a hurricane again this weekend.

After moving through the Caribbean last week, Beryl  currently a tropical storm  is expected to reach Texas this weekend and once again become a hurricane.

As of 7 a.m. CT on Sunday morning, Beryl was about 220 miles southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, with maximum sustained winds around 60 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is expected to intensify between Sunday and Monday, with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick adding 121 counties to the state's Hurricane Beryl disaster declaration.

Meteorologists warned that there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge for the Texas Coast. The storm has been blamed for at least 11 deaths so far.

Tracking Hurricane Beryls current path

There is an increasing risk of damaging hurricane-force winds, storm surge, flash and urban flooding and life-threatening rip currents with #Beryl over the next few days. Stay up to date with the latest forecast at https://t.co/meemB5uHAR https://t.co/YAY1pCrCJS pic.twitter.com/bj8SK1By3T  National Weather Service (@NWS) July 6, 2024

Tropical Storm Beryl is currently moving through the Gulf of Mexico and is anticipated to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane as it approaches the Texas coast. Hurricane warnings have been issued for parts of the coast  from the mouth of the Rio Grande northward to San Luis Pass  while a storm surge watch is in place from the mouth of the Rio Grande northward to High Island.

A tropical storm warning was also in effect for the Texas coast south of Baffin Bay to the mouth of the Rio Grande, as well as for the northeastern coast of mainland Mexico from Barra el Mezquital to the mouth of the Rio Grande.

Beryls damage and impact

Beryl hit Jamaica on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, causing widespread outages and damage before passing over the Cayman Islands and heading toward Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula. On July 3, the Jamaica Public Service Company reported that more than 400,000 customers were without power across the country.

Beryl did the most severe damage when it made landfall earlier this week on the Grenadines, a small belt of islands in the eastern Caribbean. About 90% of buildings and homes on three small islands were destroyed or damaged when Beryl made landfall earlier this week, officials said at a news conference held by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.

Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared the country a disaster area until July 10.

Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell described the "total destruction" to the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada at a news conference Wednesday.

"Having seen it myself, there is really nothing that can prepare you to see this level of destruction," Mitchell said. "It is almost Armageddon-like, almost total damage and destruction of all buildings, whether they be public buildings, homes or private facilities."

Mitchell also described the "complete devastation and destruction" of agriculture and the natural environment, and severe damage to boats, marinas and the electrical grid on Carriacou.

Experts shocked by Beryls rapid intensification

Fishing vessels damaged by Hurricane Beryl seen in Barbados on Monday. (Ricardo Mazalan/AP)

Michael Lowry, a hurricane and storm surge expert, told the Associated Press that the rapid development of Beryl marked a "very serious threat."

"Beryl is an extremely dangerous and rare hurricane for this time of year in this area," he said in a phone interview with the AP. "Unusual is an understatement. Beryl is already a historic hurricane."

On July 2, Beryl became the earliest Atlantic hurricane to reach the Category 5 level. (It is both the earliest Category 4 and Category 5 storm on record in the Atlantic.)

The last strong hurricane to affect the southeast Caribbean was Hurricane Ivan in September 2004. Ivan battered Grenada as a Category 3 and killed 39 people.

The start of a busy Atlantic hurricane season

An image of Hurricane Beryl taken from the International Space Station on Sunday. (NASA via AP)

Beryl's emergence also marks an ominous start to the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which typically doesn't ramp up until late July or August.

Experts agree that this could be one of the busiest hurricane seasons on record. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced in May that it expected eight to 13 hurricanes in the Atlantic, with four to seven of them classified as major hurricanes, meaning at least 111 mph winds.
Families of Boeing victims object to its proposed 'sweetheart plea deal' with the DOJ, attorney says

Families of Boeing victims object to its proposed 'sweetheart plea deal' with the DOJ, attorney says

Boeing earlier reached a deferred prosecution deal with the DOJ for two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The DOJ now plans to charge Boeing with fraud after officials found Boeing violated that deal.

The new plea deal doesn't hold Boeing accountable for the deaths, an attorney for the families told BI.

Families of the victims of the two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes are denouncing a plea deal the Justice Department is preparing to offer the airplane manufacturer, an attorney representing some of those families told Business Insider.

Federal prosecutors have given Boeing until the end of the week to accept the deal and plead guilty to fraud or risk going to trial in relation to the two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, sources told Bloomberg.

The Justice Department notified the victims' families and their attorneys on Sunday of the end-of-week deadline, the sources said.

Spokespeople for the DOJ and Boeing did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider.

Paul Cassell, an attorney for 15 of the victims' families, told Business Insider in an email that the DOJ's offer is "another sweetheart plea deal," to which the families vehemently object.

According to Cassell, the details of the agreement, which the DOJ has not yet made public, include a "small fine," a three-year term of probation, and a corporate monitor, but "no recognition of 346 deaths."

"The deal will not acknowledge, in any way, that Boeing's crime killed 346 people," Cassell wrote to BI. "It also appears to rest on the idea that Boeing did not harm any victim. The families will strenuously object to this plea deal."

Boeing had initially avoided a fraud charge related to the two fatal crashes  one near the coast of Indonesia and another in Ethiopia  after agreeing to a $2.5 billion settlement in a deferred prosecution agreement.

Along with the fine, the airplane manufacturer had to agree to a strict "compliance program," according to a DOJ press release from 2021. The agreement required Boeing to meet with the DOJ's Fraud Section and submit annual reports on "remediation efforts."

But in May, investigators accused Boeing of violating the terms of the agreement, once again exposing the company to criminal charges.

US prosecutors recommended the DOJ file federal criminal charges against Boeing, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

With the DOJ's potential plea deal for Boeing, a judge "will have to decide whether this no-accountability-deal is in the public interest," Cassell wrote to BI.

"The memory of 346 innocents killed by Boeing demands more justice than this," he wrote.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Stefan Hrdy, AfD delegate from North Rhine-Westphalia, attends the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party conference at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

A delegate with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) bit a protester during a scuffle on Saturday outside the AfD's party congress in the western city of Essen.

Stefan Hrdy, 67, contended in an interview with dpa on Sunday that he bit the person in self-defence amid an "escalating situation" with anti-AfD demonstrators trying to blockade the Grughalle arena where the congress is being held.

A spokeswoman for the Essen police explained that they learned about the biting incident from media reporting but could not immediately say whether the person bit by Hrdy had filed a complaint.

A police investigation into the incident is ongoing, the spokeswoman said.

Hrdy told dpa that he was driving toward the venue when he came across a protest blockade. When he got out of his car to ask a police officer to clear the way for him, he said he was suddenly attacked.

"Then I got kicked in the right calf, fell down and two or three fell on top of me, and then a kick came from the right, I was able to dodge a little, then I clutched the leg and bit down so that I didn't get kicked again," Hrdy said.

At that moment, according to Hrdy, police officers intervened and he was able to get up and drive on.

The Bild newspaper published a video of the incident, which shows Hrdy walking towards a police cordon. Several demonstrators stand in his way, a commotion breaks out and Hrdy falls to the ground.

Parts of the video do not match Hrdy's account: It merely shows a demonstrator lying on top of him with his leg and Hrdy biting his calf. The kick to his calf that Hrdy described also cannot be seen in the video, although the view of the scuffle is partly obscured.

Hrdy, a retired policeman who joined the AfD in 2016, said that he intended to press charges. He has no visible injuries from the incident.

The AfD party conference was accompanied by massive protests on Saturday that drew tens of thousands of people. At times, there were violent clashes.

According to police reports, 28 officers were injured in clashes between police and activists, one of them seriously.

Large groups of people, sometimes numbering several hundred, repeatedly tried to prevent the delegates from taking part or to break through police barriers, the police reported on Saturday evening.
Tennessee-based Tractor Supply says it will no longer submit data to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, nor sponsor Pride festivals. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

One of the countrys largest farm-supply retailers announced Thursday that it would cut diversity-focused positions and withdraw its carbon-emissions goals in a response to right-wing pressure that sparked an uproar from other customers and advocacy groups.

Tractor Supply Company made the changes after fielding criticism from customers about some of its programs, the Tennessee-based business said in a statement. It also vowed to stop submitting data to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, and to no longer sponsor Pride festivals and voting initiatives.

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We have heard from customers that we have disappointed them, the company said. We have taken this feedback to heart.

The move was met with celebration from conservative activists - and consternation from others, including a New York animal sanctuary, LGBTQ+ organizations and an association that aims to support Black farmers.

Tractor Supply did not respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post on Saturday.

The company is the latest to find itself at a crossroads between customers with different political beliefs. Last year, Bud Lights sales dropped after it ran an advertisement featuring a transgender social media influencer, and Target lost business after revealing a Pride Month collection. And while a conservative legal campaign dismantles corporate and government diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, some companies are privately rebranding their DEI policies.

Tractor Supply, which sells animal feed, tractor parts and power tools at more than 2,230 stores nationwide, was recognized for its inclusiveness last year. Bloomberg praised it for promoting gender equality, while Newsweek called it one of the best U.S. companies for diversity.

Our deeply rooted Mission and Values are the foundation of who we are as an organization, Melissa Kersey, Tractor Supplys executive vice president, said in a statement in February 2023. They dictate that Tractor Supply prioritize a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment that values diversity of thought and perspective.

But the company came under scrutiny this month when conservative podcast host Robby Starbuck denounced Tractor Supplys diversity and climate policies. An employee recently had messaged him to complain that the company was supporting LGBTQ+ groups, Starbuck told The Washington Post.

Starbuck visited Tractor Supply weekly to buy provisions for his farm in Franklin, Tenn., he said, but wasnt comfortable with the company putting money toward inclusion programs.

Start buying what you can from other places until Tractor Supply makes REAL changes, he wrote on X on June 6.

Other customers responded to say they would join the boycott, and the companys share price fell by 5 percent in the past month, according to the Financial Times.

Starbuck and other conservative X users, including Libs of TikTok, publicly celebrated after Tractor Supply said it would roll back several of its policies.

This is about getting back to an environment where businesses are just businesses again, and theyre not proxies for social values or political values, Starbuck told The Post.

Others werent so happy.

John Boyd Jr., founder of the National Black Farmers Association, an advocacy group for African American farmers, told The Post that Tractor Supply is sending the wrong message to America. In four decades as a farmer, Boyd said, he has seen White farmers - who made up about 95 percent of farmers in 2017 - spit in Black farmers faces and call them the n-word.

Were just going backwards, Boyd said of Tractor Supplys decision.

SquirrelWood Equine Sanctuary, an animal sanctuary in Montgomery, N.Y., said Tractor Supply would no longer receive the more than $65,000 it usually spends there each year.

You have lost our business and every shred of respect we might have had, the sanctuary wrote on X.

Eric Bloem, vice president of programs and corporate advocacy for the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement to The Post that Tractor Supply is turning its back on their own neighbors. Tennessee state Sen. Charlane Oliver (D) wrote on X that the company was choosing hate and bigotry.

Sarah Kate Ellis, president of the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, said Tractor Supply has brought harm to their LGBTQ customers and employees.

Tractor Supplys embarrassing capitulation to the petty whims of anti-LGBTQ extremists puts the company out of touch with the vast majority of Americans who support their LGBTQ friends, family, and neighbors, Ellis said in a statement to The Post.

DEI programs became popular in many organizations during the racial-justice movement sparked by George Floyds murder in 2020. But backlash soon followed from critics who claimed the policies created new inequalities.

Frank Dobbin, a sociology professor at Harvard University who researches corporate diversity programs, said its rare for companies to publicly announce their reversal of diversity programs. Depending on how the move impacts Tractor Supplys business, Dobbin said the company could be a test case that informs whether other organizations announce similar cuts.

Is this going to cascade down to lots of other companies? Dobbin asked. Or is this going to be the lesson that other companies take, that you dont want to reverse course on trying to promote equality?

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Pointing to concerns that it could provide housing for illegal foreign workers, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday vetoed an agriculture industry-backed bill that would have made it easier to build housing for farmworkers. In a veto letter, DeSantis said the bill (SB 1082) lacked enforcement related to illegal workers.

 WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS

The bills terms apply to legal migrant farm workers, but the bill does not include the means to enforce this limitation and could pave the way for housing of illegal alien workers, DeSantis wrote.

The bill would have prevented local governments from inhibiting construction of farmworker housing on agricultural land if the housing met criteria set by the state.

Members of the agriculture industry hoped the measure would bolster efforts to bring in more non-immigrant foreign workers.

Read: Tropical update: Hurricane Beryl the first hurricane of the season

They said some farmers cut back on planting this year and might again next year because of labor shortages related to the states crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

The House and Senate unanimously passed the bill, with industry officials saying the housing would meet federal requirements for temporary foreign workers through the federal H-2A visa program.

During a Senate Agriculture Committee meeting in January, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association Chairman David Hill said the proposal was designed so farmers would not be at the whim of different counties and municipalities.

Read: Police: Person shot, killed in Ocala

We can grow our crop, but without harvesting it we might as well not grow the crop, said Hill, an owner of Southern Hill Farms in Clermont. No one is going to pick the crops that we grow except for the people were trying to bring over, in H-2A in particular.

The bill would have imposed restrictions, such as the housing could not have been within 250 feet of property lines adjacent to residential property.

Also, any structure within 500 feet of neighboring residential properties would have needed to have trees, walls, berms or fences to provide screening.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
A Fatal Hit-and-Run Driver Said the Unthinkable When Tracked down, According to Police

Police spent a week trying to track down the motorist who is alleged to have fatally struck a man with their vehicle and drove off. When they arrested the driver, her response to why she allegedly left the man for dead was nothing short of disappointing.



The evening of June 9, Mt. Morris Township, Michigan police said 26-year-old Sebastian Klein was found laying on the south side of Kelly Road. His family told Mid-Michigan Now he was walking to McDonalds when he was struck. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene.

It just felt like the floor got ripped from underneath me like my life is so its very changed now. Itll be changed forever, Mary Cross, Kleins friend, toldMid-Michigan Now after authorities told her and Kleins family what happened.

Police said they recovered a passenger side mirror from the scene. They later matched the vehicle part to a manufacturing number that brought them to their next clue: the type of vehicle that struck Klein, per WNEM. The report says after reviewing surveillance cameras and noticing a Jeep missing a side mirror, police located the suspected vehicle in the parking lot of a nursing home near Flushing on June 12.

Read what happened next from WNEM:

A woman - identified as Cheyenne White - exited the building and said she owned the Jeep, so police took her into custody and was interviewed by detectives, police said. During the interview, White told police she didnt think she hit him that hard. She never stopped to render aid and she never called 911, police said, adding she kept driving and left Klein to die on the side of the road. One June 14, White was charged with failure to stop at a scene resulting in serious impairment of death, which is a felony.

White is due back in court June 27 for a probable cause conference.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  On July 25, FBI Denver will host its FBI Teen Academy for rising high school freshmen through seniors in Grand Junction.

The one-day program will allow high school students to get a deeper look into the FBI. Students will see several presentations on topics including terrorism, SWAT, cyber crime and the day-to-day operations of an FBI office. Students will also have a chance to learn from special agents, intelligence analysts and other professional staff about investigative tactics like gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses.

The FBI Teen Academy is free, but you must sign up in advance  there will be no registration day-of. The exact location will be given to those selected for the academy.

Applications for the academy are open now and are due by July 12; late and incomplete submissions will not be accepted. All applications must either be submitted by email to DN_Outreach@fbi.gov or by mail to the following address:

FBI Denver Teen Academy

8000 E 36th Avenue

Denver CO, 80238

The application can be found on the FBIs website.

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 WesternSlopeNow.com.
Investors who take an interest in RAM Essential Services Property Fund (ASX:REP) should definitely note that the Group CEO & Executive Director, Scott Wehl, recently paid AU$0.63 per share to buy AU$546k worth of the stock. While that's a very decent purchase to our minds, it was proportionally a bit modest, boosting their holding by just 8.0%.

See our latest analysis for RAM Essential Services Property Fund

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At RAM Essential Services Property Fund

In fact, the recent purchase by Scott Wehl was the biggest purchase of RAM Essential Services Property Fund shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$0.61). Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock when an insider has bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Scott Wehl.

Scott Wehl bought 1.52m shares over the last 12 months at an average price of AU$0.66. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of undervalued small cap companies that insiders are buying.

Does RAM Essential Services Property Fund Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Our data suggests RAM Essential Services Property Fund insiders own 2.2% of the company, worth about AU$7.0m. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership.

So What Do The RAM Essential Services Property Fund Insider Transactions Indicate?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. On this analysis the only slight negative we see is the fairly low (overall) insider ownership; their transactions suggest that they are quite positive on RAM Essential Services Property Fund stock. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. For example, RAM Essential Services Property Fund has 2 warning signs (and 1 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
As Ruidoso area residents return to their homes  or whats left of their homes  well be watching FEMA.

For the past two years, since the disastrous Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fires in northern New Mexico, weve heard more about what FEMA hasnt done than what it has done.

This year the agency began changing its New Mexico operation. Jay Mitchell, the Federal Emergency Management Agencys new head of New Mexico operations, announced major changes. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell stood next to the governor at a recent news conference, promising, "We will be by your side throughout this recovery."

Sherry Robinson

Wed all like to believe that. It would mean that the agency listened to criticism and responded. Finally.

For months, fire victims, advocates and elected officials complained about Mitchells predecessor, Angela Gladwell, director of the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Claims office. Gladwell became the face of dysfunctional government and failure to help people in desperate need after the fire in early 2022. The claims office didnt write a check until April 2023 and by year end had expended just 7 percent of the $4 billion allocated by Congress. In April 2024 the payout had inched up to 13 percent.

Maybe Gladwell was the wrong person for the job, but I have to wonder if she was in an impossible situation.

Last year I wrote that the agency thats supposed to help victims with housing and reimbursement operates in slow motion, if it operates at all. In New Mexico and every other state since Hurricane Katrina, FEMA has done almost nothing, hogtied by its own regulations and bureaucratic inertia.

From its creation in 1979 to 2003, FEMA was a small, agile, independent agency that responded quickly. After it became a division of the Department of Homeland Security, it became another bureaucratic cog. Decision making, spending and communications bogged down. Gladwell was a 25-year denizen of that culture when she came here in late 2022. I couldnt find anything in her long and impressive resume to indicate shed ever been on the ground for a real disaster.

When she stepped down in January, a FEMA news release gave the beleaguered director credit for building a compensation program from the ground up and hiring a team of New Mexicans. Because funding came directly from Congress through a bill, her office had to create a new compensation program, which suggests FEMA had no template for a basic function. Her office was still trying to get program rules approved even as fire victims were pleading for help.

With Gladwells departure, FEMA began consolidating New Mexico recovery operations and gave Jay Mitchell, the new director of the Joint Recovery Office, a new mission to lead the on-the-ground long-term recovery efforts as well as claims. Gladwell has been kicked upstairs.

Mitchell, who once led the state Department of Homeland Security, is a former Air Force colonel and global security consultant, but his most important credential may be that hes a fifth-generation New Mexican. We need someone who understands us, say critics; dont send us another FEMA bureaucrat.

In a recent op ed, Mitchell wrote: I am committed to speeding up the recovery process from this horrific fire. As an experienced emergency management professional, I know recovery never happens fast enough, and that same sad fact is true of the recovery from this disaster. The process needs to go faster

I understand the frustration and anger people affected by the fire carry about their loss and slow recovery. Bureaucracy is the last thing people want to deal with after losing homes and livelihoods, and the process can, at times, seem complex and daunting.

Mitchell is off to a fast start but with the Ruidoso fires, his responsibilities just doubled. If the agency empowers him to do what he needs to do, he could turn FEMA bureaucrat into a respectable term.

Sherry Robinson is a longtime New Mexico reporter and editor. She has worked in Grants, Gallup, the Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico Business Weekly and Albuquerque Tribune. She is the author of four books. Her columns won first place in 2024 from New Mexico Press Women.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: FEMA revamps New Mexico operations
Sen. John Fetterman said progressives saying they will abandon President Joe Biden over his response to the Israel-Hamas war is the dumbest shit hes ever heard.

That whole abandoned Biden thing  that's the dumbest shit I've ever heard, the Pennsylvania Democrat said Sunday morning in an interview with Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday." I mean, if you are more inclined to vote for a Democrat or be a Democrat, if you're willing to walk away from Joe Biden  you're by defecting helping Trump.

The movement highlights one of the many other lingering issues over which Bidens reelection was in jeopardy even before a disastrous debate performance. Bidens support from young people and progressives helped carry him to the presidency in 2020. But as the war in Gaza has claimed the lives of over 30,000 Palestinians, many progressives have said they are abandoning Biden in 2024  and that was before Thursday nights debate.

Fetterman, who has taken many progressive stances on other issues, has been a strong Israel supporter since the attack on Oct. 7. Hes received backlash from progressives and within his party for his strong commitment for Israel to continue the war until the hostages are home. Fetterman just got back from visiting Israel where he said it was an honor to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Alongside many other Democrats on Sunday morning, Fetterman defended Biden as the Democratic nominee after his debate performance Thursday. The Pennsylvania senator had his own issues of debate performance during his 2022 Senate campaign: Fetterman faced off against Republican candidate Mehmet Oz after suffering a stroke.

We had a difficult debate, and yet we still managed to go on to win. Now, everybody was calling that  that was the end of my career, that was the end of this race and everyone was predicting that I was going to lose actually by 2 points or more. And I smoked Oz by 5 points, Fetterman said. And that's what Im saying. It  it's like one debate is not a career.

He also emphasized the contrast between Biden and former President Donald Trump in their presidencies.

This is a very stark choice. What kind of president do you want for the next four years? Fetterman said. Donald Trump who is obsessed with revenge and has been very clear he is here to be retribution. I don't believe that the president office should ever be weaponized against the people in this America that disagree with you."
Joe Bidens defenders rallied to his side on Sunday across the cable news circuit and rejected calls for the president to drop out of the 2024 race.

Chief among them was John Fetterman, whose own rocky debate performance in 2022 following a stroke was thought by some to have been a death knell of the now-senators campaign. Fetterman beat his opponent, Dr Mehmet Oz, despite enduring Republican attacks labelling him brain damaged and unable to carry out the basic functions of his office.

Bidens debate performance on Thursday against Donald Trump has been seen as a disaster by the political world. Polls have shown that the segment of voters who believe the president does not have the required mental fitness for the job has grown substantially, with a CBS poll finding only 27% of those polled believe Biden has the mental and cognitive health required to serve as president.

Biden during the presidential nominee debate with Trump last week (AFP via Getty Images)

The Pennsylvania senator appeared on Fox News Sunday, where host Shannon Bream asked him about calls from Democratic supporters as well as media outlets such as The New York Times and Atlanta Journal-Constitution arguing that the president should immediately step aside and allow Democrats to pick a successor.

Theres no value in any of those things, Fetterman told Bream, after mockingly clutching his cheeks and quipping, oh no!.

There was the same kind of a freakout after my debate, and in fact I might even say that I had a more difficult evening than the president did. And here I am right now, having this conversation.

He went on to argue that Biden remained the only Democratic candidate with a proven electoral history of victory against Donald Trump, an argument the Biden campaign itself tried to make to supporters on Saturday in a fundraising email. But even the polling shared by deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty in the email to the campaigns allies depicted other Democrats including Vice President Kamala Harris and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as within a statistically negligible distance from the presidents own projected level of support.

A screenshot of polling sent by the Biden campaign to supporters on Friday, a day after Joe Bidens disastrous debate performance (The Independent)

Fetterman was joined on the Sunday circuit by another swing-state senator, Raphael Warnock, in his rejection of the calls for the president to step aside. A CBS News poll taken over Friday and Saturday after the debate showed as many as seven in ten registered voters across the US believing that Biden does not have the mental and cognitive health to serve as president.

Warnock appeared on NBCs Meet the Press. Moderator Kristin Welker asked him directly if the president should end his candidacy, to which the Georgia senator replied: Absolutely not.

Referencing his service as a pastor for Atlantas historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Warnock said, I can tell you thereve been more than a few Sundays when I wished I had preached a better sermon. But after the sermon was over it was my job to embody the message, to show up for the people I served, and thats what Joe Bidens been doing.

Hes been showing up for the American people. Hes been showing up for seniors as theyve been dealing with the rising cost of prescription drugs, having to choose between buying food and buying medicine in the wealthiest nation on Earth. Hes been showing up for folks chasing the American dream [but] found themselves mired in student debt.

It was a common argument heard from Bidens loyal supporters in the days and hours after Thursdays debate, when the president appeared to lose track of his point while speaking at several moments. Democrats have argued that the presidents policy record remains a major reason to support his re-election. In general, the party remains divided over how to respond to concerns about the presidents mental fitness following his first showdown with Trump, another being on the horizon.

But some have taken their defences of the president a step further. Ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi was on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, where she attacked Trump over his own mental faculties.

There are health care professionals who think that Trump has dementia, she told Dana Bash. If we're just talking about mental acuity, let's be fair about it.

The presidents campaign has also pointed to a fundraising surge in their favor following Bidens televised clash with Trump. By Sunday, the campaign said it had raised more than $33m.

It was also lashing out at NBC News over a report claiming that the president was huddling with family members at Camp David to discuss the future of his campaign, pointing out the planned travel had been announced well before the debate. Flaherty, in a tweet, called the story media-fabricated bullsh**.

Its a familiar story: Following Thursday nights debate, the beltway class is counting Joe Biden out. The data in the battleground states, though, tells a different story, campaign manager Jen OMalley Dixon added in a memo to supporters this weekend.

Our team knows a thing or two about putting our heads down and doing the work to win hard races, she continued. This will be a very close election. It was always going to be...Thats what our campaign has been planning for.

Biden himself addressed the event at a campaign fundraiser on Saturday.

I understand the concern about the debate. I get it. I didnt have a great night, said Biden at the event, attended by radio legend Howard Stern and others. But heres what I -- [whats] not getting reported: Voters had a different reaction than the pundits. Since the debate, polls show a little movement, and weve moved us up, actually.

He -- and, by the way, the Times had their editorial, the president continued. Well, guess what? They also pointed out he lied 28 times in a matter of 90 minutes.
A slew of new tank designs are emerging from European drawing boards.

Many are alternatives to the pan-European tank envisioned by France and Germany.

It faces domestic pressure to favor national projects that benefit a nation's workforce.

For years, the European tank market was fairly stable. Germany's Leopard 2 was the most common model in European armies, with Britain, France, and Italy producing a small number of indigenous models for their own armies.

But a slew of new tank designs are emerging from European drawing boards. This is partly spurred by the Ukraine war, which has seen the most intense armored warfare in Europe since 1945. But it may also reflect a lack of faith in the Main Ground Combat System, a joint project between France and Germany to develop a main battle tank by 2040.

"It seems that every industrial partner is working on its own alternative to MGCS," Leo Peria-Peigne, a French defense expert, told Business Insider.

It was inevitable that a new generation of tanks would emerge to replace the late Cold War designs that still dominate Western armies, such as the Leopard 2, M1 Abrams, and Britain's Challenger. Even the US Army is aiming for a next-generation version of the M1 Abrams that would slim down the 70-ton behemoth to less than 60 tons.

MCGS is meant to replace the Leopard 2 and France's Leclerc as the primary tanks in the German and French armies. Both nations recently signed an agreement to begin development and manufacturing of a prototype. But at the same time, MGCS seemed like it might also replace the Leopard 2 as a sort of pan-European tank. MGCS is supposed to be a modular design with advanced features such as a 140-mm gun, hybrid propulsion, advanced sensors, and the ability to team up unmanned ground vehicles. A conceptual model displayed in 2018 used a Leopard 2 hull and a Leclerc turret.

However, there are indications that Germany wants a fallback design, based on the latest Leopard 2A8 model, in case MCGS fizzles out. "The Leopard 2AX, an improved version of the Leopard 2A8 battle tank, is being developed by the German defense industry at the express request of the Bundeswehr," according to Army Recognition, a defense news site.

"This development also serves as a Plan B for Germany in case of failure of the Franco-German program, or even as a lever in future negotiations, thus confronting France with a fait accompli regarding the crucial decisions that remain to be made," Army Recognition said.

Meanwhile, two new designs are being offered by KNDS, a joint venture between German defense firm Krauss-Maffei Wegmann  manufacturer of the Leopard 2  and France's Nexter, which produces the Leclerc.

The Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0 is a modular design with an unmanned turret with the crew nestled in the hull, similar to Russia's T-14 Armata. It can fire guided missiles and heavy cannon rounds, plus it has a 30-mm cannon and improved armor buttressed by an active protection system to stop anti-tank rockets. Existing Leopard 2 models can also be fitted with these features.

Significantly, KNDS "assesses the Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0 not only as a bridge solution until introduction of the next-generation land combat system MGCS, but also as a decisive technological precursor to MGCS," according to a company press release.

KNDS is also touting the Leclerc Evolution, which is fitted with the company's Ascalon turret and gun. The company describes Ascalon as "a main gun for battle tanks that is more powerful than all comparable barrel weapons. It can fire compact and programmable ammunition beyond the line of sight with minimal wear. Due to its scalability, Ascalon can be fitted with any barrel from 120 to 140 mm."

As if the procurement picture wasn't complicated enough, four companies  KNDS Germany, KNDS France, Germany's Rheinmetall and France's Thales  have also just announced a joint venture to develop the MGCS. Yet Rheinmetall is also marketing its KF51 Panther tank, armed with a new 130-mm cannon. Hungary has signed a development contract for the Panther, which Rheinmetall has also offered to Ukraine.

Political turmoil in France has also cast a shadow over MGCS, with far-right parties favored to win the upcoming parliamentary election. "It seems that even the German government believes the MGCS project could be abandoned if the right takes power," Peria-Peigne said.

"Things will get clearer over time, but it is obvious that both partners are keeping alternative solutions up their sleeves. Germany did for a long time. The new surprise is that even KNDS France seems to have done the same."

European defense budgets are already being strained by the need to replenish depleted stockpiles, sending a constant flow of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, and building up the manufacturing capacity to produce all these arms. This raises the question of whether there is enough money for all these various tank designs.

But the woes of MGCS also illustrate the problem that has always bedeviled joint European defense projects: the tension between saving money through joint development, versus domestic pressure to favor national projects that benefit a nation's manufacturers and workforce. If MGCS were to be abandoned, it would be a bad omen for the Future Combat Air System, a Franco-German-Spanish project to develop a sixth-generation fighter as well as air combat drones.

"Abandoning MGCS would be more of a burden for France than for Germany, as Germany does not need France to build a new tank," Peria-Peigne said. "Unlike in the FCAS, where France can do it alone technically but lacks the money to develop it alone."

Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The UAW strike begins and UAW President Shawn Fain talks to picketing workers at Ford-owned Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan the night of September 14, 2023. (photo: Anna Liz Nichols)

United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain used biblical imagery to characterize the vote by Mercedes-Benz workers in Alabama against joining the union.

This is a David and Goliath fight. Sometimes Goliath wins a battle. But David wins the war, said Fain, someone who has spent decades slinging figurative stones in defense of the union movement.  The UAW will continue to lead the fight against corporate greed and runaway inequality. And through that fight well change the nation and the world for the better. While this loss stings, these workers keep their heads held high.We fight the good fight and continue forward.

While the failure to win over Mercedes-Benz workers in the May vote was a setback to the UAWs organizing efforts, it did come just a month after the union won the right to represent approximately 4,330 workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tenn. marking the first time that southern autoworkers at a foreign car company had done so.

We saw the big contract that UAW workers won at the Big Three and that got everybody talking, said Zachary Costello, a trainer in VWs proficiency room. You see the pay, the benefits, the rights UAW members have on the job, and you see how that would change your life. Thats why we voted overwhelmingly for the union. Once people see the difference a union makes, theres no way to stop them.

When the UAW committed $40 million in February to organize non-union automobile and electric vehicle battery workers over the next two years, it was a marker of a changed landscape, not just for the organization itself, but the union movement in general.

This is our generation-defining moment, Fain told the Michigan Advance in an exclusive interview. Its not just about the UAW. Its not just about union workers. Its about workers that need that justice. I mean, non-union workers, theyre employees that have no rights. The company has all the control, and the only way to get that control back is by forming a union.

The money, approved Feb. 20 by the UAWs International Executive Board, fulfills a pledge Fain made in November after leading the effort that won new contracts last fall with General Motors, Ford and Stellantis (a.k.a. the Detroit Three) to expand organizing efforts of the 400,000-member union to new frontiers.

Wresting back control is a key theme in this critical election year, not just for the UAW, but for the entire labor movement. As the automotive industry attempts to successfully transition to electric vehicles, the UAWs focus is on doing more than just keeping its members heads above water, but ahead of the current, especially as it pertains to nonunion autoworkers.

And whoever occupies the White House on Jan. 20, 2025, will go a long way to determining whether thats a pipe dream or a realistic goal.

We dont just win when we get a raise, Fain said. We win when workers at Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Hyundai and other companies see what weve achieved and get ready to stand up for themselves. We win when the corporate media, the billionaire class and their political allies start taking us seriously as a force to be reckoned with.

However, there have been some bumps in the road since the unions victory, with slower-than-expected sales that forced GM to abandon its goal of building 400,000 electric vehicles by mid-2024. Meanwhile, Ford is scaling back its $3.5 billion battery plant in Marshall, cutting planned employment from 2,500 jobs to 1,700 jobs.

Earlier this year, the union threw its weight behind President Joe Bidens reelection campaign.

Its not about who you like, its not about your party, its not about this bullst about age. Its not about anything but our best shot at taking back power for the working class, Fain declared.

But now Biden is facing political headwinds after a weak showing against former President Donald Trump during the first debate on Thursday, with many pundits and Democratic strategists saying hes not up to the job and should step aside.

And Fain is grappling with some challenges of his own. An independent UAW monitor  as the union is under federal oversight  is investigating both he and Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock amid a leadership shakeup.

Taking our union in a new direction means sometimes you have to rock the boat, and that upsets some people who want to keep the status quo, but our membership expects better and deserves better than the old business as usual, Fain said in a statement.

But the probe comes just a few years after an embezzlement and bribery scandal rocked the UAW, culminating with several top union leaders and auto executives going to prison. Fain  the first union president selected by the direct election of members  was supposed to be a reformer who offered a fresh break from the UAWs recent sins. And its not clear how this investigation will impact the unions quest to grow its ranks.

Ending the tension-filled two-tier system

On Sept. 15, 2023, the UAW launched its Stand Up Strike against all three domestic automakers that would drag on for seven weeks. Not all workers hit the picket line at the same time  by design. Instead, UAW leadership called up workers at plants at various points to walk out as part of its strategy to win back many of the concessions the union had made in recent decades.

The strike grew to include plants in more than 20 states, including more than a dozen facilities in Michigan  more than any other state. But one by one, the companies agreed, by and large, to the UAWs terms and the last tentative deal was struck with GM on Oct. 30.

The contracts with Ford, GM and Stellantis, which resulted in a 25% wage increase and an end to the two-tiered compensation system, came after a nearly seven-week strike last fall that was the longest in UAW history.

Days after the tentative Detroit automaker agreements were reached, Toyota and Honda announced pay hikes for their U.S. hourly employees in an attempt to stave off UAW union drives, which the union launched anyway.

The tiered pay structure, in which workers with lesser seniority earned significantly less than their more senior counterparts, was agreed to by the UAW in its 2007 contract with the Detroit Three, whose executives said that was necessary to stay competitive as Michigan was mired in recession.

Just two years later, the federal government approved an $80 billion bailout of General Motors Chrysler (a precursor to Stellantis) and parts suppliers. That saved 1.5 million U.S. jobs, as well as $105.3 billion in personal and social insurance tax collections, according to a 2013 study.

But through the years, the two-tier system has been a much-despised remnant of a union leadership that rank-and-file UAW members felt was more aligned with the needs of automakers than those of the workers they represented. The unequal pay system also caused divisions in the workplace.

You know, theres too many times I think the union and the company [have been] too close together, we gave up things years ago and its time to get some back, Curt Cranford, 66, of Northville, 38-year GM employee, told the Advance in October.

When Fain was elected UAW president in March 2023, rooting out corruption in the unions management and halting more than 15 years of wage-and-benefit concessions were top priorities.

But ending the two-tier wage structure was the main issue Fain campaigned on in what was the first direct election in the UAWs 88-year history. Prior to that, the union had been run by what was known as the Administration Caucus in which leaders at both the regional and national level were selected through a delegate system.

That ended following a December 2020 consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice that was imposed after a corruption scandal resulted in criminal convictions against 11 top UAW officials, including two former union presidents. Part of the mandated reform was allowing each union member to vote whether they wanted to keep the delegate system or move to a direct election model, also referred to as one member, one vote.

Nearly two-thirds of union members opted for direct election.

Fain, a 30-year member of the union who started as an electrician at the Kokomo Casting Plant  which was then owned by Chrysler  said its not an exaggeration that his election as president is due to that structural change.

Definitely, its why Im the president, he said. If it wasnt for all those fed-up UAW members that pushed for the one member, one vote initiative, I wouldnt have had a prayer being president. The convention system did not work for the members. The convention system was all about control and the Administration Caucus controlled the entire convention. They controlled the delegates. They knew the outcome before the convention ever happened.

Fain said the old process meant that the unions leadership was not accountable to the membership, so that objections to the two-tiered pay system went unheeded for years. In fact, they went unheeded in 2007 when Fain, then a Kokomo skilled-trades committeeman for UAW Local 1166, told leadership that by approving the deal, You might as well get a gun and shoot yourself in the head.

That kind of blunt talk has been the hallmark of Fains leadership of the UAW, which many rank and file members have cheered as a breath of fresh air.

But Fain insists it isnt an act.

I understand where the members are because Ive been there and Ive lived there, he said. Ive lived where theyve lived and I wanted this union to change. I know what this union can be.

Fain said past UAW leadership often ignored the media, something he is determined to rectify.

The corporations and the wealthy are out there putting their narrative out there, and we werent fighting back, he said. Ive seen that my entire career and thats something I definitely knew needed to change. So you can guarantee I was hellbent on when I was elected, talking to the media and getting our members issues out there front and center.

During last years strike, the UAW also launched an aggressive social media campaign with videos and eye-catching graphics reminiscent of the presidential campaigns of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who headlined a Detroit UAW rally in September.

Fain also did weekly updates for members and the public on Facebook live, replete with confrontational flourishes like donning an Eat the Rich shirt and chucking company offers in the trash.

The UAWs renewed brash style seemed to get under the skin of some Detroit Three executives. In an Oct. 16 news briefing, Bill Ford  the companys executive chair whos also the great-grandson of founder Henry Ford  insisted that Ford is the strongest partner the UAW has ever known. He called for an end to the strike and urged the union to work with the company against the threat of foreign automakers.

The UAW leaders have called us the enemy in these negotiations. But I will never consider our employees as enemies, Ford said.

But Fain was, quite characteristically, unmoved by the appeal.

The days of the UAW and Ford being a team to fight other companies are over. We wont be used in this phony competition. We will always and forever be on the side of working people everywhere. Non-union auto workers are not the enemy. Those are our future union family, Fain said.

Were not going to partner with Ford in a race to the bottom. And were not going to partner with the big three to match the low standards of the non-union automakers, he added.

Less than two weeks later, Fain announced that Ford and the UAW had agreed to a tentative deal ending the strike.

There was a time when it was hard to wear this wheel, said Fain as he pointed to the UAW logo on his shirt and referring to past corruption that tarnished the 88-year-old organization. And like many of you, I walked a lonely path. What we have accomplished has turned this wheel around. When I see that wheel, I no longer see a union on defense, in decline or under threat.

When I see that wheel, I see power.

Watchdogs investigation

While Fain remains popular within the UAW, and his administration has generally been well-received, it is not without some hiccups.

In late February, Fain sent a letter to staff following a meeting of the International Executive Board (IEB) in which he said they had reorganized some departments and assignments, removing several key duties from Mock, suggesting that they were nothing more than a routine change in the organizational structure.

Mock had been elected along with Fain on the same reform platform a year earlier backed by Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD), which describes itself as a grassroots movement of UAW members in good standing, united in the common goal of building a more democratic and fighting union.

The UAWD said in a statement that 11 of 14 IEB members had voted for the changes after Mock had engaged in misconduct (that) has harmed the membership of our union which UAWD said included withholding approval of routine expenditures in an attempted exchange for votes on the IEB, refusing to approve routine purchases of supplies for last years Stand Up Strike, which hurt strike preparation, improperly denying legitimate reimbursement requests and refusing to approve legitimate expenditures for ongoing organizing campaigns in a timely manner, which UAWD said risked the loss of NLRB elections and the waste of millions of dollars.

Secretary-Treasurer Mocks abuses of authority have directly undermined militant, forward-looking initiatives that the UAW membership voted for, such as building a strong Big 3 contract campaign, said the group.

Mock denied the allegations, telling the Detroit Free Press that the dispute centered on a misunderstanding about the role of the secretary-treasurer.

But in June, things took a much more serious turn, with Neil Barofsky  the court-appointed watchdog following the UAWs corruption scandal  telling a federal judge he was investigating Fain and other senior officials after a recent lapse in the unions cooperation. In addition to probing the fight between Mock and Fain, Barofsky said hes also investigating whether Fain retaliated against one of the UAWs vice presidents.

The monitor has the power to bring charges seeking to discipline, remove, suspend, expel and fine UAW officers and members, the Detroit News notes.

We encourage the Monitor to investigate whatever claims are brought to their office, because we know what theyll find: a UAW leadership committed to serving the membership, and running a democratic union, Fain said in a statement. Were staying focused on winning record contracts, growing our union, and fighting for economic and social justice on and off the job.

gov.uscourts.mied.351194.124.0

A very clear picture

When the UAW officially endorsed President Joe Biden in January, Fain spared none of his bluntness in explaining why.

Donald Trump is a scab, Fain said to loud applause and whistling at the UAWs biannual political conference in Washington, D.C. Donald Trump is a billionaire and thats who he represents. If Donald Trump ever worked in an auto plant, he wouldnt be a UAW member. Hed be a company man, trying to squeeze the American autoworker.

The endorsement came as no surprise, especially after Biden became the first sitting president to join an active strike, as he did in September when he made an appearance in Belleville where members of UAW Local 174 walked a picket line outside the Willow Run Redistribution Center.

For Fain, while the endorsement was a basic decision about the future of the UAW, the past was the best predictor of how that future would play out.

Our decision with this was simply looking at the issues that are critical to our future, to our members futures and whos going to support our members in that and who can give a damn about our members, Fain told the Advance. Trump through his presidency showed he couldnt care less about the UAW when they were on strike in 2019. He didnt give a damn about the Lordstown Assembly Plant closing.

General Motors Lordstown Assembly Plant, about 15 miles outside of Youngstown, Ohio, employed about 4,500 workers in 2017 when Trump famously told residents Dont sell your house, as he repeatedly claimed his policies would bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. from overseas.

By 2019, the plant, which manufactured the fuel-efficient Chevy Cruze, was closed  meaning many of the 1,500 remaining workers did indeed have to sell their homes as they accepted UAW positions in other plants, some as far away as Texas.

While some blamed the closure on the Trump administrations relaxing of fuel efficiency standards which incentivized GM to stop making the Cruze in favor of larger, more profitable, vehicles, others pointed to Trumps trade war with China. In fact, GM itself said the higher tariffs imposed by Trump would mean a loss of manufacturing jobs due to increased costs in steel and aluminum.

Either way, plenty of UAW members felt they had been abandoned by Trump, with some regretting their support for him in 2016.

Meanwhile, Fain says Bidens union support goes back long before he joined their picket line last year in Belleville.

You go clear back to the recession though in 2008 and 2009, Biden is vice president, and again he bet on the American workers, stood with the workers and gave us a path forward, said Fain, referring to Bidens influence within the Obama administration to approve massive federal loans that saved GM and Chrysler from bankruptcy.

Donald Trump was saying, Let em fail, and was blaming the workers for what was wrong with these companies, which was a complete farce. And so, theres just a huge difference in my opinion and in the body of work and the actions and these two in their own words. And its just a very clear picture for us as far as how that goes, Fain said.

As to what impact the endorsement would have, Fain says UAW members are a diverse group of people with very different points of view, but he believes they generally can see who has their interests at heart.

The majority of UAW members will support Joe Biden for president, he insisted. Like any organization, no matter where you find it, theres still going to be members of ours that vote for Trump, and thats just the reality of politics.

Fain also hasnt always been in lock step with Biden, joining with progressive Democrats in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza long before the president did. The labor leader told the Advance that the UAW is more focused on social justice now than in the recent past.

Organizing and bargaining good contracts is one of the things unions do, Fain said. But at the end of the day, all of this goes back to justice for people, for working people, for the poor. Its lifting the standard for everyone.

But although some in the pro-Palestinian movement are encouraging voters to Abandon Biden in November, Fain said in March that the election is critical.

Working-class people cant stay home, he said. One of two people will be the president of this country. And its imperative we give Joe Biden another term because if Donald Trump gets in, we go backwards.

Contrast with the Teamsters

While Fain has repeatedly blasted Trump for representing everything the UAW stands against, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is taking a different approach.

Teamsters President Sean OBrien held roundtable discussions in December with independent and Republican presidential candidates, the first time the union had done that.

Then in early January, OBrien turned heads when he personally met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, saying afterward that he was making sure his members voices were heard heading into a critical election year.

We thank the former president for taking time during this private meeting to listen to the Teamsters top priorities. And we are eager to bring together the rank-and-file for an important and necessary roundtable with President Trump this month, said OBrien, who posted a photo of himself, standing with his hands together while Trump gave his standard thumbs up.

Trump, on the other hand, posted a picture to social media of both he and OBrien with the thumbs-up pose.

Had a great dinner tonight with Sean OBrien, General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Looking forward to more discussions about important issues in the near future! said Trump.

That was followed in February with news that the 1.3 million member union had given the Republican National Committee a $45,000 donation, its first to the GOP in many years.

While it was pointed out that the Teamsters had also given $150,000 to the Democratic National Committee in 2023, many in the progressive wing of the union became alarmed at what appeared to be an embrace of Trump and the GOP.

The Teamsters have never endorsed Trump, backing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Biden in 2020.

When asked about OBriens meeting with Trump and whether that represented a different approach than what the UAW leader had taken, Fain was careful not to criticize OBrien, while simultaneously justifying his counter-approach.

Every union has their different leaders and different make up of members and just different philosophies. Im sure President OBriens doing what he thinks he needs to do. I just didnt see a need when, for us, it was such a clear picture of where Donald Trump stands and where Joe Biden stands when it comes to working-class people, said Fain.

Trumps favorite words are Youre fired. He stands with the boss, he stands with the billionaire class and he stands for the continued growth of the disparity between the extremely wealthy and everybody else. So, as far as what the Teamsters are doing versus how we did it, its just a difference in where we are as a union and how we feel about things. I just think he chose to go a different path and thats fine.

OBrien did later meet with Biden, and indicated afterward that an endorsement in the presidential contest from the Teamsters likely wouldnt happen until after each party held their national conventions this summer. He doubled down on his partisan agnosticism this month with Trumps announcement he would speak at the Republican National Convention in July.

Our GREAT convention will unify Americans and demonstrate to the nations working families they come first, Trump posted on social media. 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.

OBrien also has a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in August.

Fain has been clear from the start of his tenure that organized labor needed to stick together and the Teamsters would figure prominently in his plans.

As Fain prepared to take control of the UAW in early 2023, a transition plan indicated his sweeping agenda, which the Detroit Free Press reported included that there was a new sheriff in town, and that started with demonstrating the willingness of the new leadership to embrace new ideas and new practices.

That document also stated Fains desire to Quickly have a public meeting with IBT President Sean OBrien and publicly commit to support one another in coming struggles, adding that the IBT is critical in Big 3 strike, secure commitment of car haulers to not cross picket lines.

Indeed, thats exactly what happened as Teamsters honored the UAW picket lines during last years strike, with OBrien emphasizing the solidarity among unions.

You can be sure there is no division in Americas labor movement today. And you are urged to remember that Teamsters dont cross picket lines, he stated.

That resolve was demonstrated last summer when UPS and its 340,000 workers, represented by the Teamsters, reached a deal on a five-year contract that included wage increases and workplace safety protections.

Meanwhile, Bidens embrace of, and embrace by, organized labor has picked up speed as seen in an endorsement by the United Steelworkers (USW).

President Biden proved time and again during his first term that he stands with working families, said USW International President David McCall, who managed to take a swipe at Trump without calling him out by name.

Workers and their families are more secure than they were four years ago, thanks to President Bidens leadership. From infrastructure to retirement security, international trade to safer workplaces, were honored to back him as he runs for reelection, said McCall.

Biden has also been endorsed by the North Americas Building Trades Unions, a massive labor organization now committing resources in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Expanding the union movement

Following up on the success of the strike against the Detroit Three, Fain made no secret about his intention to use that momentum to begin organizing the workers at U.S. plants owned by foreign automakers, with the $40 million a tangible marker of the expression, Put your money where your mouth is.

Were well on our way, Fain told the Advance in March. If you look right now, weve hit a majority at Volkswagen (which has since voted to join); weve hit a majority at Mercedes in Vance, Ala. (which voted against joining in May). We hit 30% at Toyota in Missouri, and we hit over 30% at Hyundai in Alabama. So things are moving.

Fain was referencing the unions organizing model, known as 30-50-70 that guides its efforts to organize nonunion plants. When 30% of workers at those plants sign union cards, a public announcement is made by an organizing committee made up of autoworkers at that plant publicly saying, Were going to be loud and proud about our union.

When 50% sign their cards, a public rally is organized with Fain, community leaders, workers, and other supporters demonstrating a majority of us are ready to fight for what we deserve.

And then when 70% sign their cards, an organizing committee made up of workers from every shift, every job classification, and every group of workers in the plant, demand that the company recognize the union. If they dont, we file cards with the NLRB [National Labor Relations Board] and take it to a vote.

But Fain says the willingness of nonunion autoworkers to organize was apparent before they even started their efforts.

Workers are fed up and as soon as we bargained our agreement, these non-union companies in the south started giving increases to all their workers, bigger increases than they have ever, said Fain. We call that the UAW bump. Were claiming that because we know what it is. Theyre giving that bump to workers to try to keep them from getting their fair share of justice, and theyre worthy. These workers are going to actually organize and take their lives back. And I believe the workers are ready. And I think were seeing that now through action and the workers are leading us. Were there to help them, but theyre leading us.

In fact, Fain says while they were unsuccessful organizing the Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama, although the union has asked the National Labor Relations Board to reject the results and order a new election, the effort itself provided tangible benefits for those workers.

Lets be clear: workers won serious gains in this campaign, he said the day the losing vote was announced. They raised their wages, with the UAW bump. They killed wage tiers. They got rid of a CEO who had no interest in improving conditions in the workplace. Mercedes is a better place to work thanks to this campaign, and thanks to these courageous workers.

Meanwhile, the momentum of 2023 extended far beyond just the success of the UAW. There was also the Teamsters historic contract win with UPS, the SAG-AFTRA strike win over AI technology, Kaiser Permanente health care worker deal, Detroit casino strike and the University of Michigan graduate employees strike, which resulted in a new three-year contract.

The number of workers involved in major work stoppages increased by 280% in 2023 and union membership rose last year to 16.2 million workers  an increase of 191,000.

Thats from a report by the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit, left-leaning think tank. Despite the increase, the percentage of workers represented by a union decreased from 11.3% to 11.2%, as unionization in the private sector rose in 2023, but public-sector unionization continued to decline.

Jennifer Sherer, director of the institutes State Worker Power Initiative, helped write the report and tells the Advance that the UAW is out in front of that renewed interest in worker empowerment through collective bargaining.

I think theyre seizing the moment in a really effective and powerful way and recognizing that this is a time when workers are looking to correct for literally decades of wage suppression, stagnant wages, and in the auto industry in particular, an active move on the part of major auto companies who are at this moment receiving millions to billions in federal and state subsidies to expand their operations and create new jobs, but without a clear commitment to the wages, benefits, and conditions that are going to go along with those jobs, she said.

Sherer says auto manufacturers have maneuvered for decades to erode the wages and working conditions for employees, which was at the heart of last years strike. But the reality, Sherer says, is that the vast majority of U.S. auto workers are not covered by UAW contracts.

So youve got auto workers throughout the industry and really folks across the country looking at what UAW members have been able to accomplish and beginning to rebalance some of those conditions for the workers who are covered under current contracts and saying, Why should everybody else be left out? she said.

Sherer says the result is autoworkers in Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee and other southern states signing union cards right now and looking at this as a moment of opportunity.

They know that their companies are highly profitable right now, and theres every reason to expect that those profits are going to continue in part because of a really clear signal from the federal level that we are going to invest in this industry as a domestic priority for decades going forward, she said.

Last year was also a watershed for labor rights in Michigan when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation repealing Michigans right-to-work laws that had been passed more than a decade earlier in what had proven to be a one-two punch for the UAW.

When in December 2012, 12,000 protesters, many of them UAW members, converged on Michigans capitol building, they were intent on trying to prevent the GOP-led Legislature from passing Right to Work legislation, which undermined unions by preventing them from requiring members to pay dues.

Just a month earlier, a UAW-backed ballot amendment to place collective bargaining rights in the state constitution failed at the ballot box, 57 to 43%, emboldening right-to-work proponents to push through the legislation during a lame duck session.

When Republican Gov. Rick Snyder went back on his earlier vow not to sign such a bill, it stood as a low moment for unions in general, but the UAW specifically, which had led the failed ballot amendment coalition and then failed to prevent the law from being signed.

In reaction, then-UAW President Bob King said the union planned to try and recall state legislators and maybe even Snyder himself, all of which came to naught, another blow to the unions prestige, which could neither prevent nor successfully retaliate against anti-union forces taking control in the very state where it began.

Eleven years later, whatever cloud might have remained from that experience evaporated with the UAWs stand-up strike success. In fact, Fain had just been elected UAW president when Whitmer signed the repeal, something she got to tout at the unions special bargaining convention in Detroit.

Fain recounted how Whitmer, then the Senate minority leader, had joined with union members in 2012 to oppose Right to Work legislation.

Ill never forget her standing there with us, and I think its awesome to stand here 10 years later and now shes our governor, said Fain, who was sworn into office just days before.

Whitmer was equally profuse in her praise of Fain, telling the Advance that his leadership has been key to ensuring the state remains a leader in automotive manufacturing.

Michigans auto industry has been the backbone of our economy for a century, powered by the men and women of the UAW, she said. Under President Fains leadership, the union negotiated and ratified record contracts last year, putting more money in workers pockets, securing jobs, and keeping operations right here in Michigan. Michigans economy is on the move, and we will continue working with anyone to build on our progress to secure 37,000 auto jobs, onshore supply chains, and make Michigan the home of the auto industry for years to come.

Sherer says 2023 really was a breakthrough year in that it decisively checked a tide of active opposition to unions represented by a combination of extremely hostile employer anti-union activity and labor laws being increasingly weakened since the late 1940s.

Those factors together along with, in past decades, much higher rates of unemployment have all conspired to weaken workers collective bargaining power and their ability to form new unions, she said. Were in a different moment right now. Were seeing workers across many industries looking to unions as a vehicle for addressing the power imbalances in their workplaces.

Sherer says because the UAW strike was so effective, it drew the kind of attention that other unions, that have been operating and organizing just as effectively in very similar veins, havent been able to draw.

Weve had unions in the hospitality industry organizing hotels, in the healthcare sector organizing hospitals, all kinds of smaller organizing campaigns that have been extremely successful, she said. I mean, this is not just limited to the auto industry, with much of that momentum preceding the strikes at the Big Three last summer. So I think absolutely folks are learning from, and in some cases, trying to emulate the success of the UAW, but also the UAW is building on momentum that workers in other sectors had been building leading up to it. So its more of an ecosystem.

For his part, Fain said the UAW has been in talks with a lot of labor leaders  trying to get other unions to line up with us. And theres a lot of things were looking at doing even further down the road that I think strengthen the labor movement even more and bring us together even more.

He stressed that hes not just focused on the U.S.  he wants to build up the international labor movement.

Were talking to leaders in Italy and Belgium and all over Europe and Mexico, and everywhere working-class people are. We have to act globally because were taking on global corporations and the days of them pitting us against each other are over. We have to stand together, and we have to stand in solidarity together, and fight for one another. I talk about this a lot when I speak to other workers. It goes back to the civil rights movement when Dr. [Martin Luther] King said, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. And its no different for working-class people.

Speaking truth to power

Fain frequently delivers fiery speeches about income inequality and class differences  something that hearkens back to past labor leaders like Walter Reuther.

Fain says it simply reflects who he is and his experiences throughout his career as a UAW member.

I think its me expressing the realities of what working-class people have felt my entire work life. But its a lot of my opinion and my philosophy of the direction I think our union needed to go and that the labor movement needs to go because we have to stand up and represent working class people. Thats our obligation, he said.

However, he acknowledges it hasnt been all off the cuff, and that indeed there has been a planned strategy. If past actions are usually a good predictor for future actions, Fain says they understood that auto executives would say one thing, but ultimately do another.

The irony of all that is, even while we were in the campaign and we took those stances, the companies cried poverty and cried, We cant sustain if we pay better wages and give better benefits, and these contracts are going to cost us, the price of vehicles are gonna go up and then two weeks after we ratify, GM pays out $10 billion in dividends of stock buybacks to shareholders, which costs more than the entire contract, said Fain. Stellantis [CEO] Carlos Tavares, his salary went from $23 million to $39.5 million in the last year, a 56% increase.

Fain says understanding that dynamic is the key to understanding his drive to keep the UAW in its leadership position in the labor movement.

Its our job to speak truth, put the facts out there and let the public and the members decide it. And when we put the facts out there through our campaign, when 75% of the public supported us in that fight, its pretty apparent where the majority of people in this nation stand, whether theyre union or not, and theyre fed up and tired of being left behind, he said.

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Fire captain deployed to Ground Zero on 9/11 dies in Colorado rafting mishap

SALT LAKE CITY (KTVX)  A Utah fire captain has been identified as the man who died in a rafting accident in Colorado earlier this week, according to officials.

Captain Michael Harp, 54, was rafting along the Green River at Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado when he was involved in the accident, according to a press release from the Salt Lake City Fire Department. He was a second-generation firefighter and a 27-year veteran of the Salt Lake City Fire Department.

Harp was initially reported missing Thursday afternoon, the National Park Service said. He had been on a private permitted trip on the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument.

PREVIOUS STORY: Utah mans body pulled from river after rafting mishap

Around 4 p.m. on Thursday, officials were notified that a boat was pinned against a rock and that one person was missing from the group. When the boat was able to be unpinned, officials said Harp, who was unresponsive, drifted downriver after losing his lifejacket.

Harps body was found about 10 miles downstream from the incident early Friday morning and airlifted to the Moffat County Coroners Office. The coroners office confirmed Harps identity last week, NPS told Nexstars KTVX.

Captain Michael Harp dedicated his life to the service of not only the citizens of Salt Lake City, but also his fellow firefighters, officials said. His legacy of service, leadership, compassion, and contagious laughter will forever be remembered by all who knew him.

An undated image of Captain Michael Harp of the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Captain Harp died in a rafting accident along Green River in June 2024. (Courtesy: Salt Lake City Fire Department)

An undated image of Captain Michael Harp of the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Captain Harp died in a rafting accident along Green River in June 2024. (Courtesy: Salt Lake City Fire Department)

An undated image of Captain Michael Harp of the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Captain Harp died in a rafting accident along Green River in June 2024. (Courtesy: Salt Lake City Fire Department)

The press release said Harp was deployed to Ground Zero on 9/11 and was a dedicated member of Utah Task Force 1. The Salt Lake City Fire Department has expressed its condolences to the family and asked that members of the public respect the family.

Our thoughts and prayers are with family, friends, and fellow firefighters during this difficult time, the fire department said.

Dinosaur National Monument is a park that is made up of more than 210,000 acres in both Utah and Colorado, the NPS said, and is known for whitewater rafting along the Green and Yampa rivers.

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.
Fire marshal: Dozens of guns, ammunition found at mans home after he threatened to blow up his workplace

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  The Maryland State Fire Marshal (OSFM) said a Hagerstown man was arrested after he threatened to blow up a Maryland Vehicle Administration (MVA) building on Friday morning.

At around 10:30 a.m., employees approached a Maryland State Police trooper working at the MVA on Colonel Henry K. Douglas Drive. They told him that 38-year-old Anthony Jacob Fritz, a coworker, told other employees that he was going to bomb the building.

The trooper requested that the Bomb Squad and a canine team respond.

Hit-and-run involved Metrobus in Montgomery County, police say

K9 Rosie searched the building and did not find any explosives. Deputy State Fire Marshals assumed the investigation and Fritz was arrested.

After searching his home on Kasinof Avenue in Hagerstown, the OSFM said they found 26 guns and 67 containers of ammunition.

Fritz was taken to a hospital for a medical evaluation. He was charged with making a threat of mass violence and an arson threat.

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.
Fire north of Athens put out, but risk of new blaze remains high

Smoke rises from a large wildfire in the mountain of Parnitha. Nikolas Georgiou/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Using 15 firefighting helicopters and aircraft as well as hundreds of firefighters and volunteers, the Greek fire brigade said on Sunday it was able to extinguish a large fire in a densely wooded area some 20 kilometres north of Athens.

The fire broke out on Saturday. Strong winds drove huge grey-brown clouds of smoke over the Greek capital. In many places there was a stench of burnt wood and ash was falling.

The fire brigade also announced on Sunday that dozens of other fires had broken out in almost all regions of central Greece and on several islands, the worst of which was on the holiday island of Serifos, where six villages had to be temporarily evacuated.

The mayor of Serifos said on Greek radio ERT on Sunday that the fire had been brought under control during the night.

The civil defence department warned again on Sunday that the risk of other fires breaking out remains high after a long period with little rain and several weeks with temperatures of over 35 degrees Celsius.

In addition, strong winds raged over the weekend, with gusts reaching Force 8 according to the meteorological office.

According to reports from ERT, tourist resorts were not located near the fire areas.

A helicopter drops water to extinguish a large wildfire in the mountain of Parnitha. Nikolas Georgiou/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  A firefighter was sent to the hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion after crews battled a house fire in Vista Saturday afternoon.

According to Vista Fire Department Chief Bret Davidson, a call came in around 2:30 p.m. reporting a blaze at a residence in the 2200 block of Via Subria.

Responding firefighters located the fire at a 4,000 square-foot, two-story home. Chief Davidson confirmed that none of the residents were injured and the blaze has since been extinguished.

The injured firefighter is reportedly in stable condition at a local hospital.

Fire crews are expected to remain at the scene for several hours for clean up. An investigation into the cause of the blaze remains ongoing.

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.
It looks like Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad (KLSE:SCIPACK) is about to go ex-dividend in the next 3 days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled to receive a dividend. 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. Accordingly, Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad investors that purchase the stock on or after the 4th of July will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 17th of July.

The company's next dividend payment will be RM00.025 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of RM0.05 per share. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad has a trailing yield of approximately 2.4% on its current stock price of RM02.08. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. As a result, readers should always check whether Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.

See our latest analysis for Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad

Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad is paying out an acceptable 68% of its profit, a common payout level among most companies. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. What's good is that dividends were well covered by free cash flow, with the company paying out 19% of its cash flow last year.

It's positive to see that Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

Click here to see how much of its profit Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) 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. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. It's not encouraging to see that Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad's earnings are effectively flat over the past five years. It's better than seeing them drop, certainly, but over the long term, all of the best dividend stocks are able to meaningfully grow their earnings per share.

Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad also issued more than 5% of its market cap in new stock during the past year, which we feel is likely to hurt its dividend prospects in the long run. Trying to grow the dividend while issuing large amounts of new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad's dividend payments are effectively flat on where they were 10 years ago.

To Sum It Up

Should investors buy Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad for the upcoming dividend? We're not enthused by the flat earnings per share, although at least the company's payout ratio is within reasonable bounds. Additionally, it paid out a lower percentage of its free cash flow, so at least it generated more cash than it spent on dividends. Overall, it's hard to get excited about Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad from a dividend perspective.

So if you want to do more digging on Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad, you'll find it worthwhile knowing the risks that this stock faces. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Scientex Packaging (Ayer Keroh) Berhad (of which 1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) you should know about.

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
GRIFFITH, Ind.  A firework malfunction at a private show in Lake County left seven people injured on Saturday night.

According to police, the incident unfolded at around 9:30 p.m. in the 900 block of North Arbogast Street in Griffith, Indiana.

11 injured after escalator malfunction after Cubs game in Milwaukee

Officers say a private fireworks show was taking place at a residence in the area when a malfunction occurred.

Griffith police say emergency crews responded to the scene and found seven people who had suffered injuries in the incident.

Alongside the injuries, authorities say the malfunction damaged four nearby houses and ten vehicles.

Country Club Hills man sentenced to 16 years in prison for selling fentanyl-laced heroin

Currently, it is unclear what led to the malfunction and authorities have not provided the names or conditions of any of the victims.

According to police, an investigation into the incident is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Griffith Police Department at 219-924-7503 or dial 911.

Those who would like to share information anonymously can call 219-922-3085.

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.
First round in French parliamentary elections get under way

People queue outside a polling station in the Magenta district before casting their vote during the first round of the French parliamentary elections in Noumea, the first electoral district of the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. Theo Rouby/AFP/dpa

The first round of elections to France's National Assembly are being held on Sunday, with President Emmanuel Macron seeking to increase the relative majority currently held in the lower house by his centrist movement.

Polling booths open at 8 am (0600 GMT), with 49.3 million people eligible to vote. Voting in a number of overseas territories has already started.

Macron called early elections after the far-right National Rally (RN) made large gains in elections to the European Parliament at the beginning of this month.

The RN is leading in pre-election polling ahead of the new leftist alliance, the New Popular Front (NPF), recently established to contest the elections. The Ensemble (Together) alliance, led by Macron's Renaissance party, is trailing in third place.

If the RN secures a majority in the 577-member National Assembly, Macron will be compelled to appoint a prime minister from its ranks to secure a stable Cabinet.

Candidates securing an absolute majority in the first round are elected to the assembly, but in most constituencies the victor will emerge only after the second round on July 7.

Macron's second and final term in office ends in 2027. A sharp decline in support for Renaissance is certain to limit his effectiveness. The RN's Marine Le Pen is seen as a serious contender in the next presidential elections.

People cast their votes at a polling station during the first round of the French parliamentary elections on the island of Tahiti in the third constituency of the French overseas territory of French Polynesia. Suliane Favennec/AFP/dpa
First round of potential game-changer French election under way

People cast their votes at a polling station during the first round of the French parliamentary elections on the island of Tahiti in the third constituency of the French overseas territory of French Polynesia. Suliane Favennec/AFP/dpa

The first round of voting in elections to France's National Assembly was under way on Sunday, with President Emmanuel Macron seeking to secure a clear majority in the lower house for the centrist forces led by his Renaissance party.

Polling booths opened at 8 am (0600 GMT), with 49.3 million people eligible to vote.

Voter turnout was at 25.9% at 12 pm (1000 GMT). This was 7.47 percentage points higher than at the same time during the previous parliamentary election two years ago.

Voting in a number of overseas territories had already started on Saturday due to the time difference.

A number of leading politicians cast their votes on Sunday morning, including Macron, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, far-right National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella and RN former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.

The first projections are expected shortly after polls close at 8 pm.

Macron called the snap election after National Rally made large gains in elections to the European Parliament at the beginning of this month.

The RN is leading in pre-election polling ahead of the new leftist alliance, the New Popular Front (NPF), recently established to contest the elections. The Ensemble (Together) alliance, led by Macron's Renaissance party, is trailing in third place.

Recent polls put Macron's centrist camp in third place with between 20% and 20.5%. Le Pen's RN and its allies were clearly ahead with 36% to 36.5%, followed by the NPF with 29%.

If the RN secures a majority in the 577-member National Assembly, Macron will be compelled to appoint a prime minister from its ranks to secure a stable Cabinet.

Candidates securing an absolute majority in the first round are elected to the assembly, but in most constituencies the victor will emerge only after the second round on July 7.

Forecasts predict that the right-wing nationalists could become the strongest force in the National Assembly. Whether it could also be enough for an absolute majority is unclear - also because local alliances are often formed between the two rounds of voting, which influence the outcome. While the left could remain stable, Macron's centrist camp is likely to lose seats.

Such an outcome would have serious consequences.

The National Assembly is one of two French chambers of parliament. It is involved in legislation and can topple the government with a vote of no confidence.

If a bloc other than Macron's centrist camp were to win an absolute majority, Macron would de facto be forced to appoint a prime minister from its ranks. There would then be a so-called cohabitation. Macron's power would shrink significantly and the prime minister would become more important.

The right-wing nationalists are explicitly aiming to win the election and assume government responsibility. RN leader Bardella is set to become prime minister, replacing Macron's incumbent Attal.

The election is being followed with interest in Brussels and Berlin.

German businesses are concerned about the consequences of the election if the extreme right or the extreme left come to power.

"When analysing the economic policy announcements of the right and the left, German and French companies come to the same conclusion: France's attractiveness would suffer," said Patrick Brandmaier, managing director of the Franco-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, in Paris.

Macron's second and final term in office ends in 2027. A sharp decline in support for his Renaissance-led bloc is certain to limit his effectiveness.

National Rally's Le Pen is seen as a serious contender in the next presidential election.

People queue outside a polling station in the Magenta district before casting their vote during the first round of the French parliamentary elections in Noumea, the first electoral district of the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. Theo Rouby/AFP/dpa
TALLAHASSEE, Florida  Abortion-rights groups in Florida are locked in a battle with the state over the cost for a ballot measure that would overturn the states six-week ban.

The fight is over a seemingly obscure fiscal impact statement estimating the cost to the state for passing the proposed constitutional amendment. It highlights how both pro-abortion rights and anti-abortion forces are clawing for every inch of ground ahead of a campaign that will see tens of millions of dollars spent across the countrys third-largest state.

And, abortion-rights activists say, it shows how the states Republican leaders are trying to defeat the November ballot measure at every turn.

They almost always put up as many procedural obstacles as possible, Anna Hochkammer of the Florida Women's Freedom Coalition said. They try and make these processes as expensive and complicated as possible, and this is another example of that tactic.

Florida law requires each ballot initiative to include a financial impact statement for voters to consider. The statement for the abortion-rights amendment  which would allow for the procedure in the state up to the point of a pregnancys viability  was finalized in November of last year, well before the states current, six-week ban went into effect. At the time, state economists said the impact of the six-week ban on state finances could be significant, but because the law had not yet taken effect, there was not enough data to accurately crunch the numbers.

Abortion-rights groups sued, demanding that the state update its estimates now that the ban has gone into place. They argue that the tighter ban is costing the state significantly more money than pre-Roe restrictions, and that a new, revised figure should reflect that.

Few expect the financial impact statement  either the one currently in place or a revised one  to be the deciding factor in this election. But it shows how both sides are scrambling for every possible advantage they could get.



Already, the proponents of the amendment scored a small victory, after Florida Republican legislative leaders called on a consortium of state economists to revise the fiscal impact statement amid a court fight. But the decision made by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner to reconvene the Financial Impact Estimating Conference to reassess the initiative only came after groups won a victory in a lower court.

The estimating conference will meet on Monday and again on July 8. Estimating conferences usually require two days for public comment and extensive discussion before they provide a statement. The conference is organized by the state Office of Economic and Demographic Research, and conferees include top budget staffers from the House, Senate and the governors office.

The initiative, which will appear on the November ballot as Amendment 4, is supported by the Floridians Protecting Freedom Committee, which wants the estimating conference to answer questions that the economists could not answer when the last statement was published more than seven months ago. Many of those uncertainties limited details behind the anticipated impact brought by the state's ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, which took effect in May.

Keisha Mulfort, a spokesperson for ACLU Florida, which supports the ballot measure, said the meeting will be the first time the Financial Impact Estimating Conference has been voluntarily reconvened.

We anticipated a simple, collaborative process and that the State and Floridians Protecting Freedom would share the goal of ensuring voters have accurate information when they cast their vote, Mulfort wrote in an email. Unfortunately, in the lawsuit, the State is claiming that the Conference can attach any statement they choose to any citizen-sponsored amendment with no recourse in the courts.

Even as legislative leaders have reconvened the estimating conference, the state continues to fight the lawsuit, seeking a revised impact statement in court.

A spokesperson for Attorney General Ashley Moodys office pointed to the states initial appeals court filing in response to a question asking why Florida has continued its challenge of a lower courts ruling  even though the conference has already received orders by the Legislature to redraft the statement  and did not provide further comment. The filing lists the case law and other evidence that the state has brought up to fight the lower court decision.

John Morgan, who tussled with the state over impact statements while successfully leading ballot initiatives that legalized medical marijuana in 2016 and raised the states minimum wage to $15 in 2020, said lawyers for the state have bigger plans that require the appeals court to overturn the lower courts order.

There's some constitutional scholar that's laying pipe for something down the road, Morgan, a prominent Democratic megadonor, said. The one thing that legislators do not like is for the people to have a say in their democracy, other than electing them to go do the bidding of special interests.

The campaign to put Amendment 4 on the ballot began after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the six-week ban into law in April of last year and faced several hurdles from the state.

Moody asked the state Supreme Court to block the measure, but failed to persuade them to strike the initiative from the November ballot. In a separate ruling issued on the same day in April, the high court also upheld the states previous 15-week ban, which DeSantis signed in 2022. That ruling also triggered language that removed the 15-week ban and replaced it with the six-week ban on May 1.



That all came well after the impact statement was finalized last November. Without the six-week ban, and at the time ongoing litigation over the 15-week ban, the Financial Impact Estimating Conference discussed several limitations that left the economists unable to provide any details.

Because there are several possible outcomes related to this litigation that differ widely in their effects, the impact of the proposed amendment on state and local government revenues and costs, if any, cannot be determined, the November statement said.

With no other recourse, Floridians Protecting Freedom sued members of the estimating conference to reconvene. A judges subsequent order to hold the meetings prompted the states appeal, which argues that a circuit court was not the proper venue for the case.

Senate spokesperson Katie Betta declined to discuss details due to the ongoing litigation, and she instead pointed to court briefs filed by Moodys office. They brought up a similar court challenge that the campaign behind the 2020 minimum wage initiative also won in court, but that decision was overturned by the appeals court, which ruled the lower court did not have jurisdiction.

An analysis submitted to the estimating conference by the Amendment 4 campaign before the meetings in November predicted the state would see significant savings in state health care costs should it pass. The analysis said pregnancies that would have been terminated, if not for strict state restrictions, were 40 times more likely to result in mothers and children living in poverty. Along with savings in subsidized health care and child welfare programs, the state would also see savings from less public school enrollment, they argued. Criminal justice costs would also be saved since the state would no longer have to enforce the six-week ban.

We are not asking for the Conference to do or say anything that wasn't already in its analysis, Mulfort wrote in an email. We are asking for an accurate and non-misleading statement of Amendment 4s financial impact.
The man was using a tree-trimming bucket to cut palm trees when he may have come into contact with nearby power lines

Google Maps Sea Ranch Dr. and Maria Dr. in Hudson, Fla., where a man was electrocuted on June 27

A man in Florida has died after being electrocuted while trimming trees.

On Thursday, June 27, a man in Hudson, near Tampa Bay, was trimming palm trees at around 3 p.m. local time when he may have come into contact with nearby power lines, according to a press release from the Pasco Sheriffs Office, as well as reports from the Tampa Bay Times and local affiliate station FOX 13.

The man, who has not been publicly identified by officials, was working by himself at the intersection of Maria Drive and Sea Ranch Drive, using an elevated bucket. One neighbor who saw the incident from his garage told FOX 13 that his death happened in a matter of seconds.

"I was working in the garage and heard all these electrical explosions, like transformers," neighbor Henry Foytik recalled, adding that he even saw the man's waistband on fire.

Google Maps Sea Ranch Drive and Maria Drive

"I look across the street and see big balls of sparks go down," Foytik added. "The guy is hanging off the side [of the bucket], just hanging off the side from the waist down."

Medical personnel attempted to monitor the man's heart, but he had already died, Foytik added.

According to the Pasco Sheriffs Office, the incident caused power in the area to go out temporarily. The Withlacoochee River Electric Company restored power to the area soon after.

FOX reported that the Pasco County Fire Rescue also responded to the incident.

"This was an isolated incident and no foul play is suspected," the Pasco Sheriff's Office said in its statement. "There is no public safety threat. The investigation remains ongoing."

Getty A stock image of a police car

Related: Texas Dad-to-Be, 20, Dead After Getting Electrocuted While Trimming Tree: 'Tragic Loss'

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), more people are killed while felling trees  or cutting down trees  than during any other logging activity. However, there are many ways to prevent these incidents.

Anyone planning to trim or remove trees should take extreme precautions around power lines, and assume that "all power lines are energized," the organization said.

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.

"Contact the utility company to discuss de-energizing and grounding or shielding of power lines," OSHA added. "All tree trimming or removal work within 10 feet of a power line must be done by trained and experienced line-clearance tree trimmers."

Additionally, OSHA recommends that people planning to trim trees should eliminate hazards in the vicinity, should never turn their back on a falling tree and should not work in dangerous weather conditions.



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Read the original article on People.
From a young age, I have always been curious about the world I live in. This curiosity led me to participate in my schools annual science fair throughout the entirety of my elementary school education. However, this changed after a brutal defeat at the sixth-grade regional science fair.

Julianna Bendeck

What happened? Several of my classmates and I placed in our schools science fair and were invited to compete in the larger regional competition. Excitedly, we made changes to our projects and prepared for the judge's interviews until the day of the science fair came. It would be an understatement to say we were blown out of the water.After I set up my board, I began scoping out the competition and my jaw dropped. Most of the contestants came from private schools and it was obvious that hundreds of dollars were spent decking out their projects. A couple students had even conducted their research in labs. Perhaps, what terrified me most, was the names of their projects. All of which were chock full of jargon that I was not just unfamiliar with but couldnt evenpronounce.I couldn't understand how these students put together their projects. My sixth-grade science teacher taught me about the solar system, not the processes of immunoelectrophoresis or thrombocytapheresis. Somehow, I managed to walk away with a second-place ribbon but what I saw crushed me. At that moment, I realized that the public education system would never give me the same tools that private school students have.The unfortunate fact of the matter is that many of us public school students lost ambition because of this disparity. This isnt to say that the advantages private school students have are wrong but rather they demonstrate the incompetence of Floridas K-12 system in providing resources and funding to students and schools.Dont be mistaken, this isnt the fault of teachers, parents, or school administration teams. It's the fault of legislators. A March 2024 report from the Network for Public Education (NPE) revealed that Florida ranks dead last in its ability to adequately provide funding to schools.Eventually, I was inspired to try competing in the science fair during my sophomore year of high school. My inspiration was spurred on by college-level classes I took through Florida Virtual School (FLVS) as a ninth grader. Interestingly, FLVS is funded by the Florida Department of Education and allows students to take online versions of classes not offered at their schools. Thus, it also helps to eliminate the disparity in course selection between private and public schools.When I was given the resources other students had, I succeeded. My research ended up being recognized by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Association of University Women (AAUW).Though services like FLVS are a step in the right direction, public school classrooms still suffer from the aforementioned lack of funding. For instance, data sets released by Miami-Dade County indicate that public schools in the area have a significantly higher student-teacher ratio compared to private schools. Personally, several of the Cambridge classes Ive taken in Lee County lacked textbooks and other resources needed for success on end-of-year exams.Government officials do not care to continuously support students. We are told they care through programs like FLVS but this is hard to believe when just the other day Ron DeSantis vetoed 30 million dollars' worth of funding that would have benefited accessible tutoring. Thus, we are told we are only important when officials need to save face.

Julianna Bendeck, 17, is a rising senior at Bonita Springs High School and a dual-enrolled student at Florida Gulf Coast University. She enjoys organizing volunteer events as the president and student founder of her school's Interact Club. This past year, Julianna also served as the chairwoman of the District Student Advisory Committee and is involved in activities ranging from Teen Court to Marching Band to FGCU's Eagle News. She can be contacted at julianna.bendeck06@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida ranked one of worst funded states in K-12 education
Former NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen believes that Germany is too hesitant to provide armed support to Ukraine to protect it from Russian aggression.

Source: Rasmussen in an interview with the German TV channel n-tv, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Rasmussen said that Germany "had too many hesitations when it came to important decisions on arms supplies" to Ukraine.

Quote: "We all remember the months-long discussions about Leopard tanks. Now, the chancellor [Olaf Scholz - ed.] is refusing to supply long-range Taurus missiles. I really don't understand why. This hesitation only gives Putin an additional incentive to continue the war," he said.

The former NATO secretary general said that Scholz's reluctance to support Ukraine would make him not a chancellor of peace but a "chancellor of perpetual war".

Rasmussen reiterated that the United States has decided to unblock the supply of long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine and that Denmark and the Netherlands are already preparing to send the first F-16 fighters to Ukraine.

Quote: "That is why I continue to urge Chancellor Scholz to approve the delivery of Taurus missiles as soon as possible. We need to lift all restrictions on the supply of weapons. Both in terms of what weapons we supply and how they are used," the former secretary general concluded.

Background: The German chancellor has repeatedly confirmed that he refuses to supply cruise missiles even after the US decision on ATACMS.

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France election 2024: Everything you need to know

The Right's Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella seen on billboards in a street - Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

France goes to the polls on Sunday for the second round of its most crucial election in decades.

The hard-Right National Rally (RN) topped the first round of voting last month with 33 per cent, while the Left-wing New Popular Front alliance came second with 28 per cent.

Together, Emmanuel Macrons centrist coalition, came a distant third with around 20 per cent.

Mr Macron called the election after being trounced by Marine Le Pens National Rally in European elections in June  shocking France and taking some of his closest allies by surprise, according to reports.

The French president had hoped the vote would see the electorate reject the hard-Right.

However, critics warned that it would prove a reckless gamble which could propel extremists into government.

When is the French election and how will it work?

The first round of legislative elections to choose deputes (MPs) for Frances National Assembly took place on June 30.

Emmanuel Macron's election call may prove to be a reckless gamble - Aurelien Morissard/Reuters

More than 60 candidates who received more than 50 per cent of the vote in their constituency were automatically elected. Ballots will be cast in the remaining 501 seats in a run-off vote on July 7.

Any candidate who secured the support of more than 12.5 per cent of registered voters in the first round will progress to the second. Whoever gets the most votes in the second round wins the seat.

In an attempt to erect a firewall against RN, the Left-wing bloc and Mr Macrons alliance have pulled 224 candidates out of three-way races. Polling suggests the manoeuvre may have paid off.

While voters tend to pick candidates who best reflect their values in the first round, the process becomes more tactical by the second round.

A weaker candidate may step aside so it becomes a two-horse race  for example, between a mainstream candidate and hard-Right candidate.

This can allow voters of various views to band together to block a rival.

The party which manages to secure a majority in the lower house of parliament then forms a government to serve under the president.

When will the results be announced?

The second round of voting is taking place on Sunday.

Voting ends at 8pm local time (7pm BST), when pollsters publish nationwide projections based on a partial vote count. These are usually reliable, with official results trickling in from 8pm.

Vote counting is usually fast and efficient and the winners of all, or nearly all, seats will be known by the end of the evening.

Who is in the running?

The frontrunner in this race is the hard-Right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen in parliament and nationally by Jordan Bardella, who could become Frances youngest prime minister at the age of 28.

Marine Le Pen arrives at Rassemblement National (RN) party headquaters in Paris - Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

In second place is a Left-wing alliance, the Popular Front, formed from centre-Left, hard-Left and Green parties.

Trailing them both in third place is Mr Macrons centrist alliance Ensemble, which has been on the ropes since losing its absolute majority in parliament in 2022.

The latest polls indicate that the RNs hope of scoring an absolute majority is further from grasp in the run-off vote.

The most optimistic projections from French broadcaster BFM TV give the RN 200-230 seats, while others forecast between 185 and 215 seats.

All of them are well below the 289 seats that would be required for Ms Le Pens party to take an absolute majority in parliament.

Mr Macron has said publicly that he will not resign, but Elysees insiders have suggested to French media that he has become unpredictable.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-Left party France Unbowed (LFI) has called on the president to step down if the election produces a hung parliament.

Why did Emmanuel Macron call an election?

Critics of Mr Macron believe his move was an act of hubris that will doom his presidency and propel the hard-Right into power.

Ms Le Pen has spent years working to sanitise her partys image and position herself as the co-leader of a new party of government.

Now that goal is tantalisingly close, thanks in large part to Mr Macrons decision.

However, the French president was already under immense pressure from the National Rally given its soaring popularity over the course of his presidency.

In calling the election, he had an opportunity to take the initiative and fight on his own terms.

Initially, the tactic seemed effective, throwing the French Right into total disarray as they argued over the shape of their anti-Macron alliance.

Nevertheless, it has since taken pole position in the election.

The presidents move did not catch the French Left off-guard in the same way, who formed an alliance that has pushed ahead of Mr Macron.

Who will become prime minister?

When the president fails to secure a majority, they must appoint a prime minister from the winning alliance.

This process  known as cohabitation  has only happened only three times in modern French history.

In 1997, for example, Jacques Chirac, a conservative president, appointed Lionel Jospin, the socialist prime minister.



When the prime minister is appointed, they are accountable to parliament, lead the government and introduce bills.

The president retains some authority over foreign policy, such as holding the nuclear codes, and can veto the prime ministers laws, though parliament can overrule this with its majority.

If the National Rally secures an absolute majority, Mr Macron will be left as a lame duck.

What are the possible outcomes?

RN minority

An RN minority government looks the most likely outcome from the state of the polls.

However, Mr Bardella says he will refuse to become prime minister without being backed up by an absolute majority, since his government could be overthrown by a no-confidence vote.

I tell the French people that to act, I need an absolute majority, the 28-year-old has said.

A prime minister ... with a relative majority cannot change things, I would not be able to act in the daily lives of French people, on the countrys policies.

However, if the polls are wrong and RN comes just below the 289-seat threshold, it will seek an alliance with Right-wing deputies for an absolute majority.

Left, mainstream alliance

The president could try to build a grand coalition or plural assembly by selecting a centre-Left prime minister propped up with support from the Greens, Socialists and Republicans.

Gabriel Attal, the prime minister, has said he hopes to have enough centrist lawmakers to build a majority of projects and ideas with other Republican forces. This may include those from the centre-Left and the centre-Right.

However, assembling a coalition will be a significant challenge given the political differences it will have to contain.

One alliance that is off the table is a pact between Mr Macrons centrist party and the far-Left France Unbowed, which both sides have ruled out.

Paralysis

Another option is for Mr Macron to appoint a government of experts such as economists and senior civil servants, to form a technical government until the next election.

Their responsibilities would be limited to day-to-day affairs rather than major reforms.

Experts predict that this form of government would not last long. The National Assembly cannot be dissolved before June 9 2025.

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Mercury NZ's NZ$6.57 share price signals that it might be 34% undervalued

Our fair value estimate is 51% higher than Mercury NZ's analyst price target of NZ$6.64

How far off is Mercury NZ Limited (NZSE:MCY) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow.

Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. 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 Mercury NZ

The Method

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

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) estimate

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (NZ$, Millions) NZ$315.5m NZ$173.5m NZ$415.0m NZ$557.0m NZ$681.0m NZ$664.0m NZ$658.5m NZ$660.0m NZ$666.3m NZ$676.1m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ -0.83% Est @ 0.22% Est @ 0.96% Est @ 1.47% Present Value (NZ$, Millions) Discounted @ 6.4% NZ$297 NZ$153 NZ$345 NZ$435 NZ$501 NZ$459 NZ$428 NZ$403 NZ$383 NZ$365

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = NZ$3.8b

After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.7%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.4%.

Story continues

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = NZ$676m (1 + 2.7%)  (6.4% 2.7%) = NZ$19b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= NZ$19b ( 1 + 6.4%)10= NZ$10b

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is NZ$14b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of NZ$6.6, the company appears quite good value at a 34% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

dcf

The Assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. 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 Mercury NZ 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 6.4%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. 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 Mercury NZ

Strength

Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows.

Weakness

Earnings declined over the past year.

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Electric Utilities market.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow for the next 4 years.

Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%.

Threat

Dividends are not covered by earnings and cashflows.

Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the New Zealander market.

Moving On:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Mercury NZ, there are three essential elements you should assess:

Risks: Be aware that Mercury NZ is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about... Future Earnings: How does MCY's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every New Zealander stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Insights from La Depeche du Midi, Le Figaro, and Bloomberg

The News

Frances far-right National Rally party dominated in the first round of legislative elections, receiving about 34% of the vote compared to about 20% for President Emmanuel Macrons centrist alliance, according to exit polls by Ipsos-Talan for France Televisions and Radio France. Runoff elections are scheduled for July 7. The left-wing New Popular Front is currently in second place.

As the perspective of a far-right government becomes more likely, all eyes are on French President Emmanuel Macron and his willingness to cooperate with the National Rally, which he has previously warned would radically reshape France for the worse.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

French cities brace for potential violence

Sources: La Depeche du Midi, Reuters

Store owners across France have barricaded their doors and windows and shut down early in anticipation of protests, according to Toulouse-based newspaper Le La Depeche du Midi. Many business owners have bitter memories' of the looting that took place in 2023 alongside national protests against pension reform. I fear for order, for relations between citizens, for serenity, for civil peace, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on France Info radio. I dont see the RN as a factor of stability and peace. I see it as a factor of disorder and violence, he said. While the National Rally has tried to distance itself from past rhetoric inciting violence against certain groups, French authorities are worried that a win could embolden its more fringe supporters to violent acts.

High voter turnout could help Macron

Source: Bloomberg

Nearly 60% of registered voters had cast their vote by 5 pm local time, Bloomberg reported  the countrys highest turnout in almost four decades for a first-round vote, and some 20 percentage points more as did in the first round of the 2022 elections. The high turnout could have significant influence on the final outcome, since it could result in some districts having three candidates standing in the later runoff vote on July 7. The more three-person races there are, the more likely it could be that one candidate drops out to try and coalesce unity around a single anti-National Rally candidate, a potential boost for Macron and his allies.

Can Macron work with a far-right government?

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde

Given the results of the European elections and polling, there is a growing likelihood that the National Rally will win the most seats in parliament. If so, all eyes are on Macron and his willingness to cooperate with a faction of French politicians he has tried and failed to ostracize. Any cooperation may be short lived: Macron is reportedly mulling whether to call another snap election in Summer 2025 if the far-right wins (after a one year minimum period between elections), French newspaper Le Figaro reported. Jordan Bardella  parliamentary leader for the National Front and a likely prime ministerial favorite  is reportedly tuning up his image to appear more like Macron, Le Monde noted, a tactic that could win over centrist voters who want a more diplomatic option.
OFALLON, Mo.  The Francis Howell School District secured first place in the Missouri Association for Pupil Transportations (MoAPT) 50th Annual School Bus Driver Safety Competition.

Hannah Scharfenberg will represent Missouri in the School Bus Driver International Safety Competition in Texas. A driver from the Pattonville School District will also represent Missouri, making them the only two drivers from the state to qualify for this prestigious event.

The competition tests the skills and expertise of school bus drivers across Missouri in various safety-related challenges, including vehicle inspection, driving skills, and emergency procedures. It serves as a platform to promote and recognize excellence in school bus transportation safety practices, aiming to enhance overall safety standards for student transport.

Scharfenberg joined the Francis Howell School District in May 2017 as a driver under First Student. During the 2022-2023 school year, she took on the role of router intern while continuing her driving duties. In July 2023, she became a full-time router but continued to drive as needed.

I started working for Francis Howell School District in May 2017 as a driver under First Student. During the 2022-2023 school year, I became a router intern and worked in that position while also driving, Scharfenberg said in an email. In July 2023, I was hired as a full-time router and had to hang up my full-time driving position. I still drove during this last year to help cover routes.

Scharfenberg obtained her bus drivers license in January 2006 while employed by the Rockwood School District. She has since competed in nearly all regional and state competitions.

I have qualified for the international competition for the tenth time. They havent held a competition since it was in Austin, Texas in July 2019 when I represented Francis Howell School District for the first time, Scharfenberg said. I was fortunate enough to win first place at the International Competition in the Transit Division for Francis Howell under First Student, right after I joined in July 2017.

Scharfenbergs participation in bus driving competitions was inspired by her mothers background as a bus driver. The competition became a passion for her, driven by the desire to learn and improve continuously.

I have an extremely competitive spirit, but it became more about becoming a better driver. The competition becomes an obsession to learn more, do better, and understand exactly what space a bus can or cannot navigate, said Scharfenberg. The goal is always to come away with a new piece of information you can use. Whether its for the competition or in our industry, its also about networking and meeting people from across the state or even the country at the international level. Its called international because it includes Canada and Puerto Rico. They become your friends, confidants, and even family.

MoAPT is sponsoring Scharfenbergs registration for the competition.

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.
FREEHOLD - A teacher at Freehold Intermediate School is in the Monmouth County Jail, charged with having a sexual relationship with a student, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said Saturday.

Allison Havemann-Niedrach, 43, of Jackson, was arrested earlier this week and charged with one count each of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, the prosecutor said.

The arrest was made following an investigation that revealed the alleged sexual relationship began earlier this year, Santiago said.

Allison Havemann-Niedrach

Havemann-Niedrach is being held without bail at the jail, pending a first court appearance and a hearing to determine if she will continue to be detained while awaiting trial.

The hearing is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, said Havemann-Niedrach's attorney, Thomas Huth.

"My client maintains her innocence at this time," Huth said. "We have no further comment."

Asia Michael, schools superintendent for the Freehold Borough School District, sent an email Friday to staff and parents alerting them to the arrest of someone she described as a former staff member.

"It is with a heavy heart that I must share some distressing news with you," the email said.

"We have been informed that a former staff member has been arrested on allegations of third-degree aggravated sexual assault and inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor," it said.

Aggravated sexual assault, however is a first-degree crime, not a third-degree criminal offense, as the superintendent's email indicated.

The intermediate school houses grades six through eight.

"Please be assured that our district has been fully cooperative with the prosecutor's office since the outset of this investigation," Michael said in the email. "The safety and well-being of our students and staff have been our top priority, and we took immediate measures to ensure their protection.

"We understand that this news can be deeply upsetting," the email continued. "If you or your child are in need of support or someone to talk to, please do not hesitate to reach out to the superintendent's office."

The investigation by the prosecutor's Special Victims Bureau and Freehold Borough police continues. Authorities are asking anyone with information about Havemann-Niedrach's activities to contact prosecutor's Detective Dawn Correia at 800-533-7443.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Danielle Zanzuccki, director of the Special Victims Bureau.

Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Freehold Borough teacher had sex with middle school pupil: cops charge
People queue outside a polling station in the Magenta district before casting their vote during the first round of the French parliamentary elections in Noumea, the first electoral district of the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. Theo Rouby/AFP/dpa

France's far-right National Rally (RN) appears to hold a clear lead in the first round of the snap nationwide elections for control of the lower house of parliament, according to first projections.

President Emmanuel Macron's centrist Ensemble (Together) alliance, led by his Renaissance party, looked to be stumbling to a third-place finish in the first round of voting, according to the preliminary results reported by broadcasters TF1 and France 2 shortly after the polls closed on Sunday.

The RN, alongside its far-right allies, gained 34% to 34.2% of the vote. The left-wing New Popular Front alliance was in second place with 28.1% to 29.1%.

Macron's Ensemble came third with 20.3% to 21.5%, according to the broadcasters.

How many seats the blocs will get in the National Assembly will only be decided in run-off elections on July 7.

The result is almost certainly a bitter defeat for Macron, who had gambled that early elections would increase the relative majority held by his party and its allies in the lower house.

That now seems extremely unlikely. If, according to forecasts, neither camp wins an absolute majority, France would face tough negotiations to form a coalition government.

The security forces in France have prepared for the possibility of unrest in some of the country's major cities on the evening of the first round of voting.

Initial forecasts project that Marine Le Pen's right-wing populists and their allies could become the strongest force in the lower house with 230 to 280 seats. However, they could fall short of an absolute majority with 289 seats.

The hard left could also make gains and reach 125 to 200 seats. Macron's supporters are in danger of dropping to just 60 to 100 seats.

However, it is difficult to say exactly how the seats will be distributed.

Before the second round of voting, the parties can still forge local alliances that will influence the outcome of the election.

Candidates securing an absolute majority in the first round are elected to the assembly, but in most constituencies the victor will emerge only after the second round on July 7.

Possible trouble for Macron

Macron called the snap election after National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, made large gains in elections to the European Parliament at the beginning of this month.

Macron's term runs through 2027 and his office is not at stake, but the results could have major implications for the remainder of his term and reshape French politics.

If the RN secures a majority in the 577-member National Assembly, Macron will be compelled to appoint a prime minister from its ranks to secure a stable Cabinet.

Such an outcome would have serious consequences.

The National Assembly is one of two French chambers of parliament. It is involved in legislation and can topple the government with a vote of no confidence.

If a bloc other than Macron's centrist camp were to win an absolute majority, Macron would de facto be forced to appoint a prime minister from its ranks. There would then be a so-called cohabitation.

Macron's power would shrink significantly and the prime minister would gain relative power.

The right-wing nationalists are explicitly aiming to win the election and assume government responsibility. RN leader Bardella is set to become prime minister, replacing Macron's incumbent Attal.

Europe looks on

The election is being followed with interest in Brussels and Berlin.

German businesses are concerned about the consequences of the election if the extreme right or the extreme left come to power.

"When analysing the economic policy announcements of the right and the left, German and French companies come to the same conclusion: France's attractiveness would suffer," said Patrick Brandmaier, managing director of the Franco-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, in Paris.

Macron's second and final term in office ends in 2027. A sharp decline in support for his Renaissance-led bloc is certain to limit his effectiveness.

National Rally's Le Pen is seen as a serious contender in the next presidential election.

People cast their votes at a polling station during the first round of the French parliamentary elections on the island of Tahiti in the third constituency of the French overseas territory of French Polynesia. Suliane Favennec/AFP/dpa

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy leaves the polling booth before casting his vote in the first round of the parliamentary elections. Arnaud Finistre/AFP/dpa
People cast their votes at a polling station during the first round of the French parliamentary elections on the island of Tahiti in the third constituency of the French overseas territory of French Polynesia. Suliane Favennec/AFP/dpa

France's far-right National Rally (RN) appears to hold a clear lead in the first round of the snap nationwide elections for control of the lower house of parliament, according to first projections.

President Emmanuel Macron's centrist Ensemble (Together) alliance, led by his Renaissance party, looked to be stumbling to a third-place finish in the first round of voting, according to the preliminary results reported by broadcasters TF1 and France 2 shortly after the polls closed on Sunday.

The RN, alongside its far-right allies, gained 33% to 34.2% of the vote. The left-wing New Popular Front alliance was in second place with 28.1% to 29.1%.

Macron's Ensemble came third with 20.7% to 22%, according to the broadcasters.

How many seats the blocs will get in the National Assembly will only be decided in run-off elections on July 7.

The result is almost certainly a bitter defeat for Macron, who had gambled that early elections would increase the relative majority held by his party and its allies in the lower house.

That now seems extremely unlikely. If, according to forecasts, neither camp wins an absolute majority, France would face tough negotiations to form a coalition government.

Macron said on Sunday just after initial projections were released that the time has come for a large, clearly democratic and republican coalition to oppose Marine Le Pen's party.

Initial forecasts project that Le Pen's right-wing populists and their allies could become the strongest force in the lower house with 230 to 280 seats. However, they could fall short of an absolute majority with 289 seats.

The hard left could also make gains and reach 125 to 200 seats. Macron's supporters are in danger of dropping to just 60 to 100 seats.

However, it is difficult to say exactly how the seats will be distributed.

Before the second round of voting, the parties can still forge local alliances that will influence the outcome of the election.

Candidates securing an absolute majority in the first round are elected to the assembly, but in most constituencies the victor will emerge only after the second round on July 7.

Le Pen: 'Second round is decisive'

"We sincerely thank the voters and welcome this result as a first step towards a change of policy and as a sign of trust that honours and commits us," Le Pen said on Sunday evening.

"Nothing is won, the second round is decisive."

She urged the nationalist alliance to win an absolute majority in upcoming run-off elections.

"I call on you to join the coalition of freedom, security and fraternity," said Le Pen on Sunday evening. "Mobilize yourselves so that the people win."

In politics, nothing is more common than a change of power, Le Pen said. She warned against false fear-mongering against her party.

Possible trouble for Macron

Macron called the snap election after National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, made large gains in elections to the European Parliament at the beginning of this month.

Macron's term runs through 2027 and his office is not at stake, but the results could have major implications for the remainder of his term and reshape French politics.

If the RN secures a majority in the 577-member National Assembly, Macron will be compelled to appoint a prime minister from its ranks to secure a stable Cabinet.

Such an outcome would have serious consequences.

The National Assembly is one of two French chambers of parliament. It is involved in legislation and can topple the government with a vote of no confidence.

If a bloc other than Macron's centrist camp were to win an absolute majority, Macron would de facto be forced to appoint a prime minister from its ranks. There would then be a so-called cohabitation.

Macron's power would shrink significantly and the prime minister would gain relative power.

The right-wing nationalists are explicitly aiming to win the election and assume government responsibility. RN leader Bardella is set to become prime minister, replacing Macron's incumbent Attal.

Europe looks on

The election is being followed with interest in Brussels and Berlin.

German businesses are concerned about the consequences of the election if the extreme right or the extreme left come to power.

"When analysing the economic policy announcements of the right and the left, German and French companies come to the same conclusion: France's attractiveness would suffer," said Patrick Brandmaier, managing director of the Franco-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, in Paris.

Macron's second and final term in office ends in 2027. A sharp decline in support for his Renaissance-led bloc is certain to limit his effectiveness.

National Rally's Le Pen is seen as a serious contender in the next presidential election.

People queue outside a polling station in the Magenta district before casting their vote during the first round of the French parliamentary elections in Noumea, the first electoral district of the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. Theo Rouby/AFP/dpa
(Bloomberg) -- French voters are turning out at the highest level in nearly 40 years for the first round of a snap legislative election that has seen the far-right National Rally dominating the polls.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Figures show 59.4% of registered voters had cast a ballot as of 5 p.m. Paris time, compared with 39.4% at the same time in the last vote two years ago, according to the Interior Ministry.

Final turnout is expected to reach just over 69%, according to the average of four polling companies. That would be the highest since 78.5% in 1986, according to past figures provided by polling company Ipsos.

President Emmanuel Macrons surprise move to dissolve the National Assembly has opened the door to Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally party forming the next government.

Before a blackout on Friday night, polls showed her group and allies on track to win the largest number of seats in parliament, behind the leftist New Popular Front alliance. Macrons group was in third.

A high turnout could have a significant influence on the final outcome because it increases the likelihood of three candidates having enough votes to go through to runoffs on July 7. That opens the possibility of one dropping out to divert support to a candidate better placed against the far right, among other options.

The explosion of three-way runoffs is unprecedented, Brice Teinturier, of polling company Ipsos, told Le Parisien newspaper, adding that voting behavior may differ from in 2022 given the National Rally has never been so close to power.

In 2022, there were only eight three-way runoffs with a final turnout at 47.51% of registered voters. According to a poll of 2,005 adults by Odoxa on June 26-27, that could rise to between 64% and 68%, leading to between 160 and 200 second-round votes involving more than two candidates.

Projections of first-round results will be published from 8 p.m.

(Updates with estimate of final turnout in third paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Polls have opened for the first round of Frances snap parliamentary election, which could oust President Emmanuel Macrons centrist alliance and leave him to see out the remaining three years of his term in an awkward partnership with the far right.

Voting began at 8 a.m. local time (2 a.m. ET), as France started the process of electing the 577 members of its National Assembly through locally fought contests across the country and in its overseas territories.

The election is being held three years earlier than it needed to be, and three weeks after Macrons Renaissance party was trounced by the far-right National Rally (RN), the party of Marine Le Pen, in the European Parliament elections.

Minutes after the humiliating defeat, in an apparent attempt to call voters bluff, Macron said he could not ignore the message sent by voters and took the serious, heavy decision to call a snap election  Frances first since 1997.

Whatever the outcome, Macron has pledged to remain in post until Frances next presidential election in 2027.

The National Assembly is responsible for passing domestic laws  from pensions and taxation to immigration and education  while the president determines the countrys foreign, Europe and defense policy.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen cast her ballot in Henin-Beaumont, France on Sunday. - Yves Herman/Reuters

When the president and majority in parliament belong to the same party, things run well. When they dont, the government can grind to a halt  a prospect that could haunt Paris as it prepares to host the summer Olympics next month.

France most recently had such a government  known as cohabitation - when right-wing President Jacques Chirac called snap polls and was forced to appoint a socialist, Lionel Jospin, as prime minister, who stayed in the post for five years.

The first round of votes eliminates weaker candidates ahead of the second round next Sunday. If a candidate wins an absolute majority of votes in the first ballot on a 25% turnout, they win the seat. Typically, only a handful of deputies will be elected this way  but most will go to a second round.

Only those who win more than 12.5% of ballots cast by registered voters are allowed to stand in the second round. Often this is fought between two candidates, but sometimes three or four. Some candidates choose to drop out at this stage to give their allies a better chance of victory.

Most voters will choose one of three blocs: the RN-led far-right alliance; the New Popular Front (NFP), a recently formed left-wing coalition; and Macrons centrist Ensemble.

The RN bloc is headed by Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old party leader handpicked by Le Pen, who has striven to polish the image of a party historically ridden with racism and antisemitism that proliferated under the decades-long leadership of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Until recently, the prospect of a far-right government was unthinkable. In the past, opposition parties have made marriages of convenience in an attempt to block the RN  under its previous name, the National Front  from entering government. Now, within a couple of weeks, Bardella could become Frances prime minister  and Europes youngest in more than two centuries.

On the left, a previously fractious cluster of parties have recently banded together to form the New Popular Front  a coalition meant to resurrect the original Popular Front that prevented fascists from gaining power in 1936. The broad alliance comprises more radical figures like Jean-Luc Melenchon, three-time presidential candidate and leader of the France Unbowed party, as well as moderate leaders like Place Publiques Raphael Glucksmann.

Meanwhile, outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal  who was only appointed to his post by Macron in January  is representing Macrons centrist Ensemble alliance. Attal was reportedly among the last of Macrons inner circle to learn that a snap election was imminent.

Polls will close at 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET) Sunday, with the full results expected early Monday.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story miscalculated the time polls open in the election. It is 8 a.m. local time (2 a.m. ET) Sunday.

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Nationally, there are over 1 million wildlife and vehicle collisions per year, resulting in hundreds of deaths. This problem seriously impacts Florida with its endangered wildlife population.

A male panther roams the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed on Feb. 3, 2020.

In the first half of 2024 alone, 12 panthers have been killed by vehicle collisions in Florida. Though this number may seem insignificant, panthers are an endangered species, and only 120 to 230 of them remain in the Florida wild. The death of panthers due to collisions is preventable, and the solution is simple: building wildlife crossings along Florida highways.

A bobcat uses a fallen tree as a bridge to cross standing water at Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed in June of 2022. Photographed with a remote camera trap system set up by News-Press photographer Andrew West.

Wildlife crossings are additions to roads, typically an underpass or an overpass, that allow animals to cross over highways, ensuring the safety of both the animals and the drivers. They have been a staple of Florida infrastructure since 1972, and there are more than 60 on Florida highways for panthers to date. They allow animals to safely and effectively cross highways, they dont interfere with traffic and  most importantly  they are safe.

Additionally, studies have shown that wildlife crossings with fencing reduce wildlife and vehicle collisions by up to 97%. Its not only safer for the panthers, its safer for the people who are driving on roads where panthers live.

Tia Russell

While the functional idea of wildlife crossings is easy to understand and agree with, the biggest hurdle to their construction is funding. Funding for wildlife crossings is only introduced when a road needs to be expanded or otherwise worked on, meaning that panthers will continue to die as long as a road is in good condition.

However, other states have found a solution. The New York State Senate recently passed the Wildlife Crossings Bill, which allows them to take advantage of the $350 million of federal funds set aside for wildlife crossings by the Biden administration. It requires the Department of Transportation to identify high-risk sites for wildlife and to designate federal funds for the construction of wildlife crossings in the top five most dangerous areas.

The bill was passed nearly unanimously, with 55 yes votes and only four no votes, and now it faces the New York Assembly. This policy approach could easily be adopted in Florida and may help the Florida Department of Transportation secure federal funds to build crossings.

These federal funds are already available to be taken advantage of, and its clear that the issue of animal death is bipartisan, with bills such as the Recovering Americas Wildlife Act passing the U.S. House in 2022 with support from 12 Florida representatives, and showing strong support in the Senate this year with a signature from Republican Sen. Marco Rubio. Passing a Wildlife Crossings bill in Florida would allow the Florida Department of Transportation to better take advantage of the funds that have already been allotted.

If legislation in Florida were to pass as a bill similar to the one in New York, it would allow wildlife crossing construction to receive 80% of its funding from federal grants. Currently, in Florida, wildlife crossings are often paired with existing roadwork needs, not necessarily where wildlife needs them most. With this type of funding, wildlife crossings would be able to be constructed even when the road itself is in good condition. That way, panthers would not continue to be killed because a road hasnt needed to be worked on.

Additionally, roads that are being constructed will have significantly more funding for wildlife crossings, allowing for more expensive additions such as fencing.

A bill like the one making its way through the New York Assembly should be introduced in Florida, and soon. Its bipartisan and it would protect both Floridas endangered animals and Florida drivers. Furthermore, Republicans and Democrats have come together on wildlife conservation bills before, such as the Wildlife Corridors Act, meaning that a bill supporting wildlife crossings could pass the state Legislature.

Furthermore, Gov. Ron DeSantis himself has encouraged the construction of wildlife crossings and has approved over $129 million in wildlife crossing funding over the past five years. The governors support for a bill like this is essential, paving the way for negotiation between both parties.

Contact your legislator and ask them to support initiatives that will fund wildlife crossing construction. Floridians have the power to protect endangered wildlife, and its time that Florida highways become safer for both animals and people.

Tia Russell is a student organizer with the University of Central Florida Student PIRG (Public Interest Research Group). This opinion piece was distributed by The Invading Sea website (theinvadingsea.com), which posts news and commentary on climate change and other environmental issues affecting Florida.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fund wildlife crossings to protect endangered animals
If you buy and hold a stock for many years, you'd hope to be making a profit. But more than that, you probably want to see it rise more than the market average. Unfortunately for shareholders, while the The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) share price is up 48% in the last five years, that's less than the market return. On a brighter note, more newer shareholders are probably rather content with the 30% share price gain over twelve months.

So let's investigate and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress.

Check out our latest analysis for New York Times

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

Over half a decade, New York Times managed to grow its earnings per share at 13% a year. The EPS growth is more impressive than the yearly share price gain of 8% over the same period. So it seems the market isn't so enthusiastic about the stock these days.

The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

We know that New York Times has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. As it happens, New York Times' TSR for the last 5 years was 54%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that New York Times shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 31% over one year. That's including the dividend. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 9% 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. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for New York Times you should know about.

But note: New York Times may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on 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
KINGSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  A fundraiser in Luzerne County helped raise money for a fellow officer battling cancer.

Flyin for Ryan, a cornhole tournament, which consisted of 50 teams was held inside Dougs board room in Kingston.

Those who participated paid an entry fee to raise funds for Officer Ryan Jordan.

Ryans family and friends helped organize the event.

It was one his wife felt great love and support from during this difficult time.

Flowers were blooming at Nay Aug Park

Overwhelming, definitely overwhelming. I was here earlier today and just the amount of donations and the gifts, the gift baskets everybody donated and made and took time and created them and bought them is just overwhelming in itself, explained Kristina Jordan, Ryan Jordans wife.

Its a special thing and Im glad everybody came together in the community and come and help out with this its a great feeling, added Matthew Bowen the Luzerne County Corrections Officer.

Bowen says the money raised will go toward medical expenses.

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 PAhomepage.com.
Funeral service held for Fordyce mass shooting victim Callie Weems; locals set up fundraiser for victims and their families

FORDYCE, Ark.  On Saturday the community of Fordyce laid to rest another victim of the recent mass shooting and local businesses are stepping up to help support the families while they take time to heal.

Callie Weems, a 23-year-old mother and nurse killed in the shooting, was laid to rest at services held in the grief-stricken Arkansas town.

She was always a hero in my book Arkansas family finding peace after daughter is recognized for bravery during mass shooting

Weems was described as a hero after she was shot and killed while helping another victim.

Angela Humphries, owner of The Flaming Pig BBQ food truck, said they are keeping Weems family in their prayers.

Our hearts just go out to you guys, Angela Humphries said. We are heartbroken as well, and we just pray that you have comfort in the future.

During the week, The Flaming Pig BBQ issued a challenge to businesses and locals to donate at least $100 in order to raise money and support the victims of the shooting, as well as their families.

First funeral service held for Fordyce mass shooting victim; Roy Sturgis remembered as having a servants heart, selfless

The food truck travels from town to town with the goal of fundraising for communities that have experienced a disaster or tragedy.

People know that we have been doing it so long, so when people see the Flaming Pig coming to raise money, a lot of people come and support it, Humphries said.

Each fundraiser is featured on the side of the truck, with #FORDYCESTRONG soon to be added. This addition hits closer to home as Humphries is from Camden, a town just outside Fordyce.

Well, living here in south Arkansas, you just never expect anything like that to happen, Humphries said.

The fundraiser will also help the 10 victims injured during the shooting.

I think its really touched a lot of people in this area, Humphries said.

Arkansas businesses raising money for victims of Fordyce mass shooting

The food truck will also hold another fundraiser, the Fordyce Benefit BBQ Fundraiser, on Saturday, July 6, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the intersection of North Edgar and West 4th St. in Fordyce.

They will offer a pulled pork sandwich, chips, and bottled water following a donation to benefit the mass shooting victims.

More information can be found on the Flaming Pig BBQ Facebook page.

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 KLRT - FOX16.com.
GA man accused of trying to meet up with 8-year-old girl from online chat

A Georgia man was arrested on child indecency charges.

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Royce Smith came to Muscogee County expecting to meet up with an eight-year-old girl, according to deputies.

The sheriffs office said investigators, who posed as the child, had been chatting with Smith via cell phone and online chats.

Muscogee County officials said Smith planned to meet with the girl for wicked purposes.

TRENDING STORIES:

Smith was arrested and booked into the Muscogee County Jail.

Hes charged with enticing a child for indecent purposes and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

We wont stop, until they do, the sheriffs office said.

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GA man sentenced to five years in prison for terroristic threats after 2-day trial

A Waleska, Georgia man was sentenced to five years in prison on June 21 for one count of terroristic threats and acts.

Christopher Dean Bowling, 29, has been under investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office since July of 2023 when deputies responded to a domestic violence call disconnected 911 call from a Waleska home.

The victim told deputies she called 911 because Bowling wouldnt let her pack her belongings to leave. She provided deputies with a four-minute audio recording of a prior dispute in which she said Bowling strangled her while a child was present.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

When officials listened to the recording, Bowling could be heard threatening the victim with cursing and murder/suicide. There was also a period on the recording where about 30 seconds of silence.

According to the victim, that 30 seconds of silence was due to Bowling strangling her while a child was present.

TRENDING STORIES:

Bowling was arrested, indicted, and on trial for aggravated assault, terroristic threats and acts, and cruelty to children in the third degree. After a two-day trial, a jury found Bowling guilty of one count of terroristic threats and acts.

His sentence is only five years because it is the maximum sentence allowed by Georgia law.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
A protester stands in front of the water cannon as a clash breaks out during a march to the parliament building in Nairobi - Gerald Anderson/Getty Images

They were the generation that could be taken for granted  or so Kenyas government thought.

When, earlier this month, young Kenyan professionals took to social media to call for a Gen Z uprising over proposed tax hikes, the inner circle of William Ruto, the countrys president, responded with thigh-slapping derision.

Kenyas middle class youth had barely bothered to vote, the thinking went. It seemed unlikely that they would ever do more than whinge from the sidelines. They were just after TikTok views, scoffed Rachael Nyamai, an MP allied to Mr Ruto.

After protesters briefly seized control of parliament and set it ablaze on Tuesday and following a week of countrywide riots that have killed at least 27 people, such complacency has given way to panic.

Demonstrator tries to escape from baton blows of a policeman during a protest against government's proposed tax increases - SIMON MAINA/AFP

Kenyan police officers arrest a man while stopping people from gathering for a planned demonstration - LUIS TATO/AFP

Already forced into a humiliating climbdown over his tax policies, the president is now fighting for his survival. Fresh protests, this time to demand his resignation, have been called for next week. In an extraordinary display of his own vulnerability, Mr Ruto has had to order the army onto the streets to protect him from his own people.

Nor is it just Mr Ruto who is running scared, with protesters attacking the businesses, constituency offices and even the homes of MPs, who were forced to flee Parliament through an underground tunnel after its seizure.

Kenya, despite its reputation, is no stranger to protests and political unrest. Deadly violence, often inflamed by politicians stoking ethnic divisions, has often broken out at election time.

These protests are different, however, led by an organic and seemingly leaderless movement that has rendered the old ethnic divisions politicians used to manipulate meaningless.

For the first time, too, anger is directed at the entire political class, rather than just portions of it. There is for the first time a whiff of the atmosphere of the Arab Spring uprisings or the coloured revolutions that spread across former Soviet states 20 years ago.

There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent, wrote the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, a truism that should be blindingly obvious to any self-regarding politician.

That Kenya may have reached a watershed is the result of Mr Rutos catastrophic underestimation of his opposition, which consists not of politicians, who have proved easy enough to co-opt, but of the middle class.

In order to pay off the vast debts his government inherited after coming to power in 2022 and in order to pursue a pro-poor agenda, Mr Ruto reckoned he could afford to alienate middle class Kenyans by ruthlessly taxing them.

It seemed a reasonable calculation to make. The middle class never liked Mr Ruto to begin with, viewing him as a populist strongman-in-the-making with a chequered record on human rights and corruption.

With just 17 per cent of Kenyans in salaried employment, the middle class also seemed electorally expendable. Mr Ruto won power by becoming the first presidential candidate to appeal beyond ethnicity to Kenyas masses.

The president planned to double down on this strategy through expensive low-cost housing and subsidised fertiliser schemes that would be funded by tax rises primarily shouldered by the middle class, who  so it was believed  had too much to lose by taking to the streets.

But as salaried Kenyans saw their monthly pay packets shrink after the 2023 budget and then witnessed another sharp hike being proposed in the 2024 budget, patience snapped.

William Ruto speaking at the State House in Nairobi when the president said he will withdraw a controversial finance bill after deadly protests - HIRAM OMONDI/SHUTTERSTOCK

Yet Mr Rutos government seemed unable to take the threat seriously, failing to see the serious message that underpinned the social media memes which transformed cabinet ministers into yapping dogs.

The movement seemed too amorphous, leaderless and shadowy to take seriously, even when a poster advertising Seven Days of Rage that would culminate with plans to #OccupyParliament began to circulate widely online and the demonstrations started to grow.

The protesters on the streets were nothing more than a small rump of iPhone-wielding, selfie-taking Gen-Zers who would quickly fade away, predicted Kimani Ichungwah, majority leader in the lower house of Kenyas parliament.

They come to the demonstrations by Uber, he sneered in a televised speech. Afterwards they go to KFC and eat chicken. They even drink bottled water.

Once again, the political elite had miscalculated. Not only did the protests not fade away, they attracted to their ranks poorer Kenyans who are yet to see any benefits from a Ruto presidency to anybody but the political class.

Ostentatious Instagram videos showing Mr Rutos allies showing off their fleet of Range Rovers and expensive watches have done little to help the president show he is a man of the people. He did little to help his own cause either by flying to the United States in a private jet last month and appearing in public wearing a 2,600 belt  more than the average annual salary of a typical Kenyan.

Family and fellow protesters carry the body of Ibrahim Kamau, 19, who was killed during protests at the Kenyan parliament - TONY KARUMBA/AFP

The protesters also proved far more resilient and determined than the authorities anticipated. Some danced amid the tear gas, even picking up still fizzing canisters to smoke them, while others stood stock-still with their arms outstretched as they were soaked with pink chemicals fired from the water cannon.

Where the protests go from here is unclear. The movement behind them seems divided. Some quietly confess that the scenes in parliament were too redolent of the assault by Trump supporters on Congress in January 2020 for comfort. Not everyone agrees.

I would say that the storming of the Bastille is a better comparison to make, said Phyllis Ochieng, a pharmacist.

Whatever happens, despite the bloodshed and chaos, whether Mr Ruto survives the coming months or not, the protesters have already won.

Forced to withdraw the finance Bill which underpinned his proposed tax rises, Mr Ruto has effectively vetoed his own budget. It is a humiliating climbdown which will surely weaken his ability to rule.

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The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) announced that it has been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Governors Office of Highway Safety (GOHS).

The grant will support DECALs annual LOOK AGAIN campaign, which highlights the dangers of leaving children alone in vehicles and preventing pediatric vehicular heatstroke.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

LOOK AGAIN, which is going into its 11th year for DECAL, calls for families and caregivers of children to increase awareness of the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles.

This years campaign was launched on May 1, 2024, which is recognized as National Heatstroke Prevention Day.

We are truly grateful to receive this grant and to have the backing and support of the GOHS, says DECAL Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs. LOOK AGAIN is a simple message with a big meaning. We hope this, and other small reminders to parents and childcare providers, will prevent a child from being left alone in a vehicle and save lives.

TRENDING STORIES:

Each year, DECAL releases social media messages, a public service announcement, and billboard reminders, especially during the hotter months of the year.

The focus is on sharing the importance of staying hypervigilant while transporting children and remembering to always check both the front and backseat of vehicles once you arrive at your destination and before walking away, LOOK AGAIN.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Finished HK416 assault rifles are lined up in the production hall of arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch in Oberndorf. German arms exports have reached a new record level for the second year in a row, mostly due to continued and growing military aid for Ukraine, according to the Economy Ministry. Bernd Weibrod/dpa

German arms exports have reached a new record level for the second year in a row, mostly due to continued and growing military aid for Ukraine, according to the Economy Ministry.

Between January 1 and June 18, the German government approved a total of weapons exports worth at least 7.48 billion ($8.01 billion), up 30% from the first half of last year, the ministry revealed in response to a query by lawmaker Sevim Dagdelen from the populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance.

Some 65% of the exports, worth 4.88 billion, were destined for Ukraine to support the country in its fight against Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion launched more than two years ago.

In 2023, the German government set a new record for arms exports, according to official figures, authorizing sales worth 12.2 billion mainly due to assistance sent to Ukraine.

This year saw Saudi Arabia returning to the top five weapons importers in several years, after Berlin largely halted arms exports to the rich Gulf state over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as well as Riyadh's involvement in the civil war raging in Yemen.

Khashoggi was brutally killed in the Saudi general consulate in Istanbul by a hit squad.

Berlin has since eased its restrictions on weapons exports to Saudi Arabia again, after the Saudi kingdom withdrew from hostilities in Yemen.

According to the Economy Ministry, Berlin has granted arms sales worth 132.48 million to the country so far this year.

The ministry stressed, however, that the authorizations were granted exclusively for or in connection with joint projects with other EU or NATO partners.

The remaining top five recipients of German weapons exports are Singapore (1.21 billion), India (153.75 million) and Qatar (100 million).

Lawmaker Dagdelen condemned the continued rise in weapons sales. "The massive increase in arms exports to war and crisis zones, not only to Ukraine but also to countries such as Saudi Arabia, is irresponsible," she said.
Finished HK416 assault rifles are lined up in the production hall of arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch in Oberndorf. German arms exports have reached a new record level for the second year in a row, mostly due to continued and growing military aid for Ukraine, according to the Economy Ministry. Bernd Weibrod/dpa

German arms exports have reached a new record level for the second year in a row, mostly due to continued and growing military aid for Ukraine, according to the Economy Ministry.

Between January 1 and June 18, the German government approved a total of weapons exports worth at least 7.48 billion ($8.01 billion), up 30% from the first half of last year, the ministry revealed in response to a query by lawmaker Sevim Dagdelen from the populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance.

Some 65% of the exports, worth 4.88 billion, were destined for Ukraine to support the country in its fight against Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion launched more than two years ago.

In 2023, the German government set a new record for arms exports, according to official figures, authorizing sales worth 12.2 billion mainly due to assistance sent to Ukraine.

This year saw Saudi Arabia returning to the top five weapons importers in several years, after Berlin largely halted arms exports to the rich Gulf state over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as well as Riyadh's involvement in the civil war raging in Yemen.

Khashoggi was brutally killed in the Saudi general consulate in Istanbul by a hit squad.

Berlin has since eased its restrictions on weapons exports to Saudi Arabia again, after the Saudi kingdom withdrew from hostilities in Yemen.

According to the Economy Ministry, Berlin has granted arms sales worth 132.48 million to the country so far this year.
Leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Alice Weidel gives a television interview on the second day of her party's conference at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has continued its national party conference in the western city of Essen amid protests that turned violent at times.

On the second day of the meeting, the subject for debate was the party's foreign policy orientation, for example with regard to the Russian war against Ukraine.

A resolution, which is also supported by party co-leader Alice Weidel, states that Germany must emancipate itself more strongly from US foreign policy. It calls for an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The agenda also includes a motion to create the post of secretary general in the AfD executive committee. However, according to the motion, this will only be possible from 2025.

The new executive board, which was elected at the party conference on Saturday, is in office until 2026. The delegates cleared the agenda item of creating a secretary general faster than expected with the re-election of Weidel and Tino Chrupalla as party leaders.

After massive protests against the party conference on Saturday, it initially remained calm around the Grugahalle indoor arena in Essen on a rainy Sunday morning.

Some 150 people took part in a vigil within sight of the Grugahalle in the morning, according to a dpa reporter. The organizer was the "Essen Takes a Stand" alliance.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people protested against the AfD party conference. According to the police, 28 officers were injured in clashes, one of them seriously.

Large groups of people, sometimes numbering several hundred, repeatedly attempted to prevent delegates from attending or to break through barriers by means of violent disruptive actions, the police reported on Saturday evening.

"In the course of these violent actions, our colleagues had to make repeated use of batons and irritant gas," the police said.

Demonstrators also suffered injuries, for example from pepper spray.

Some delegates were escorted into the Grugahalle on foot under heavy police protection, harassed by demonstrators.

AfD delegates arrive at the Grugahalle Arena on the second day of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party conference. -/dpa

A woman applies make-up to the leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alice Weidel before making a television interview on the second day of her party's conference at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Kingswood Holdings (LON:KWG) Full Year 2023 Results

Key Financial Results

Revenue: UK86.2m (down 41% from FY 2022).

Net loss: UK17.6m (loss widened by 126% from FY 2022).

UK0.081 loss per share (further deteriorated from UK0.036 loss in FY 2022).

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

The primary driver behind last 12 months revenue was the US Operations segment contributing a total revenue of UK39.6m (46% of total revenue). The largest operating expense was General & Administrative costs, amounting to UK39.9m (58% of total expenses). Explore how KWG's revenue and expenses shape its earnings.

Kingswood Holdings shares are up 33% from a week ago.

Risk Analysis

We should say that we've discovered 3 warning signs for Kingswood Holdings (2 are a bit concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Alice Weidel, Federal Chairwoman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, walks back to her seat after delivering a speech during the second day of the party's congress at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) continued its national party conference on Sunday in the western city of Essen amid mass anti-AfD protests that included occasional violent clashes.

On the second day of the meeting, the subject for debate was the party's foreign policy orientation, for example with regard to the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine.

A resolution, which is supported by party co-chairwoman Alice Weidel, states that Germany must break more strongly from US foreign policy. It calls for an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The gathering comes ahead of September state parliamentary elections in the German states of Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia, where the AfD is expected to make a strong showing and contend for first place.

The AfD's firebrand leader in Thuringia, Bjorn Hocke, usually a prominent speaker at party events, kept a low profile during the conference this year.

Hocke was recently criminally convicted for quoting the slogan of the Nazi SA stormtrooper group during a speech, and is currently on trial over a second instance in which he quoted the same slogan.

Delegates reject limits on Russia visits

Delegates at the party conference on Sunday rejected a proposal to put stricter rules on foreign travel and interviews with foreign media for AfD politicians holding seats in parliament.

The proposal for stricter rules, put forward by several delegates, comes after extensive negative media attention involving travel to Russia and appearances on Russian state media by AfD politicians who have voiced admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Florian Kohler, an AfD member of the Bavarian state parliament and supporter of the motion, criticized "visits to regional dictators or autocrats" and said the party should focus more on the German homeland in order to avoid being perceived by voters as vicarious agents of foreign states.

The rules would have required AfD members of parliament to consult with party leadership before giving interviews to foreign media, meeting foreign leaders abroad or taking trips "with a political connection."

The motion also referred to the AfD's scandal-plagued top candidate in the recent European Parliament elections, Maximilian Krah.

The AfD was kicked out of the right-wing Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament after Krah made highly controversial comments defending members of the Nazi SS paramilitary in an interview with an Italian newspaper.

Krah is also facing an investigation into possible foreign influence-buying payments from Russia and China, and also faced tough questions after a top deputy was arrested by German police on allegations of spying for China.

During the party conference, some leaders and delegates blamed Krah in part for the party's showing in European Parliament elections earlier this month. The AfD placed second with 15.9% of the vote, but fell short of some polls and expectations.

AfD co-chairman Tino Chrupalla, for instance, called on Saturday for improved vetting of candidates and said that the AfD should have claimed more than 20% of the vote.

Fewer protests on drizzly Sunday

After massive protests against the party conference on Saturday, it initially remained calm around the Grugahalle indoor arena in Essen on a rainy Sunday morning.

Some 150 people took part in a vigil within sight of the Grugahalle in the morning, according to a dpa reporter. The organizer was the "Essen Takes a Stand" alliance.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people protested against the AfD party conference. According to the police, 28 officers were injured in clashes, one of them seriously.

Large groups of people, sometimes numbering several hundred, repeatedly attempted to prevent delegates from attending or to break through barriers by means of violent disruptive actions, the police reported on Saturday evening.

"In the course of these violent actions, our colleagues had to make repeated use of batons and irritant gas," the police said.

Demonstrators also suffered injuries, for example from pepper spray.

An AfD delegate at the convention, Stefan Hrdy, acknowledged to dpa that he bit a protester in the leg during a scuffle outside the congress on Saturday, an incident captured on video published by the Bild newspaper.

Hrdy contended that he acted in self-defence after being attacked by protesters trying to block access to the venue. Police in Essen said an investigation into that incident remains ongoing.

Some delegates were escorted into the Grugahalle on foot under heavy police protection, harassed by demonstrators.

Alice Weidel (L) and Tino Chrupalla, leaders of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), attend the second day of their party's congress at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Tino Chrupalla (5th L), Federal chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, and Alice Weidel (6th R), Federal Chairwoman of the AfD, stand on stage at the end of the second day of the party's congress at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) continued its national party conference on Sunday in the western city of Essen amid mass anti-AfD protests that included occasional violent clashes.

Party delegates adopted resolutions on foreign policy toward Russia, China and the United States, and addressed Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

A resolution backed by party co-chairwoman Alice Weidel states that Germany must break more strongly from US foreign policy. It calls for an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The resolution condemns Russia's invasion, but adds that "it is also true that the foreign policy of various Western states in recent years has encouraged the escalation in Ukraine."

Another resolution adopted by delegates rejected what it derided as psuedo-moral universalism in foreign policy and argued that, in a "multipolar world of the 21st century," all countries are offered partnership on the basis of mutual respect.

"Just as we want to live according to our tradition, all other cultures and civilizations should be able to do the same," the resolution says.

"The AfD is the party of peace," said Jorg Urban, leader of the AfD in the eastern state of Saxony.

Jan Nolte, an AfD member of German parliament, argued that a stable European security architecture could not be achieved without the involvement of Russia.

The gathering comes ahead of September state parliamentary elections in the German states of Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia, where the AfD is expected to make a strong showing and contend for first place.

The AfD's firebrand leader in Thuringia, Bjorn Hocke, usually a prominent speaker at party events, kept a low profile during the conference this year.

Hocke was recently criminally convicted for quoting the slogan of the Nazi SA stormtrooper group during a speech, and is currently on trial over a second instance in which he quoted the same slogan.

Delegates reject limits on Russia visits

Delegates at the party conference on Sunday rejected a proposal to put stricter rules on foreign travel and interviews with foreign media for AfD politicians holding seats in parliament.

The proposal for stricter rules, put forward by several delegates, comes after extensive negative media attention involving travel to Russia and appearances on Russian state media by AfD politicians who have voiced admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Florian Kohler, an AfD member of the Bavarian state parliament and supporter of the motion, criticized "visits to regional dictators or autocrats" and said the party should focus more on the German homeland in order to avoid being perceived by voters as vicarious agents of foreign states.

The rules would have required AfD members of parliament to consult with party leadership before giving interviews to foreign media, meeting foreign leaders abroad or taking trips "with a political connection."

The motion also referred to the AfD's scandal-plagued top candidate in the recent European Parliament elections, Maximilian Krah.

The AfD was kicked out of the right-wing Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament after Krah made highly controversial comments defending members of the Nazi SS paramilitary in an interview with an Italian newspaper.

Krah is also facing an investigation into possible foreign influence-buying payments from Russia and China, and also faced tough questions after a top deputy was arrested by German police on allegations of spying for China.

During the party conference, some leaders and delegates blamed Krah in part for the party's showing in European Parliament elections earlier this month. The AfD placed second with 15.9% of the vote, but fell short of some polls and expectations.

AfD co-chairman Tino Chrupalla, for instance, called on Saturday for improved vetting of candidates and said that the AfD should have claimed more than 20% of the vote.

Fewer protests on drizzly Sunday

After massive protests against the party conference on Saturday, it initially remained calm around the Grugahalle indoor arena in Essen on a rainy Sunday morning.

Some 150 people took part in a vigil within sight of the Grugahalle in the morning, according to a dpa reporter. The organizer was the "Essen Takes a Stand" alliance.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people protested against the AfD party conference. According to the police, 28 officers were injured in clashes, one of them seriously.

Large groups of people, sometimes numbering several hundred, repeatedly attempted to prevent delegates from attending or to break through barriers by means of violent disruptive actions, the police reported on Saturday evening.

"In the course of these violent actions, our colleagues had to make repeated use of batons and irritant gas," the police said.

Demonstrators also suffered injuries, for example from pepper spray.

An AfD delegate at the convention, Stefan Hrdy, acknowledged to dpa that he bit a protester in the leg during a scuffle outside the congress on Saturday, an incident captured on video published by the Bild newspaper.

Hrdy contended that he acted in self-defence after being attacked by protesters trying to block access to the venue. Police in Essen said an investigation into that incident remains ongoing.

Some delegates were escorted into the Grugahalle on foot under heavy police protection, harassed by demonstrators.

Tino Chrupalla, Federal chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, and Alice Weidel, Federal Chairwoman of the AfD, stand on stage at the end of the second day of the party's congress at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

Tino Chrupalla (5th L), Federal chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, and Alice Weidel (6th R), Federal Chairwoman of the AfD, stand on stage at the end of the second day of the party's congress at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

Tino Chrupalla, Federal chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, and Alice Weidel, Federal Chairwoman of the AfD, stand on stage at the end of the second day of the party's congress at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Alice Weidel, Federal Chairwoman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), accepts the applause after her re-election as spokeswoman of the AfD's executive committee at the AfD's federal party conference in the Grugahalle in Essen. At the two-day party conference, the AfD plans to elect a new federal executive committee, among other things. Numerous organizations have announced opposition to the meeting and more than a dozen counter-demonstrations. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

Members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) confirmed the current leadership at a party congress held as huge crowds of protesters clashed with a massive contingent of police, leaving dozens of officers injured.

The AfD is coming off a second-place finish in the European Parliament elections earlier this month, and is gearing up for state parliamentary elections in three eastern German states where the anti-immigrant and eurosceptic party appears to have an edge in the polls.

"We are number one in the east," AfD co-chairman Tino Chrupalla declared to delegates gathering for the two-day event on Saturday in the western city of Essen. "We want to win these elections, and we want to expand and maintain this position."

AfD co-chairwoman Alice Weidel attacked Germany's centre-left coalition government, the country's domestic security services and recent reforms to Germany's citizenship law in a speech to nearly 600 delegates in Essen's Grugahalle indoor arena.

She claimed the country has "degenerated into a pony farm" and warned that "Germany will do away with itself if we don't get our act together and finally put an end to this woke hippie madness."

Weidel received loud applause from AfD members when she said that it was in Germany and Europe's interests "that Ukraine does not belong to the European Union and to Europe."

Two more years for AfD's leaders

Chrupalla and Weidel were both re-elected to another two-year term as co-leaders of the party on Saturday afternoon, with both facing no opposition and receiving large majorities from the delegates.

Chrupalla received 82.72% of the vote, a significantly better result than at the last party conference two years ago, when he received only 53.4% from AfD delegates.

"I'm really a bit overwhelmed," Chrupalla said after his election. A craftsman from the eastern state of Saxony, Chrupalla has been a co-chairman of the AfD since November 2019.

The AfD has surged to national political relevance in Germany during that period, and Chrupalla noted a promise he made two years ago to make the party stronger than ever.

"I have kept my word," he said, vowing that the AfD would change Germany and turn the country on its head.

Weidel's election result was slightly weaker than Chrupalla's: she received 79.77% of the vote, compared to the 67.3% two years ago when she was first elected to the party's leadership.

Party growing, looking ahead

Chrupalla said he was confident with a view to the state elections that are due to be held in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg, all in former East Germany, in September. "The sun must rise for us in the east when it comes to government responsibility," he said.

Chrupalla emphasized the successes of the leadership duo, saying he and Weidel were ending battles dividing the party.

He also pointed to how the party is growing, saying the AfD now has 46,881 members, 17,723 more than at the beginning of 2023.

Dozens of police officers injured in huge protests

Some 28 police officers were injured in clashes between police and counter-demonstrators, one of them seriously, according to the Essen police on Saturday evening.

They said several tens of thousands of people had joined a total of 32 counter-demonstrations since Friday evening. Most demonstrated peacefully though larger groups of people, sometimes numbering several hundred, repeatedly attempted to prevent AfD delegates from taking part in the congress or to break through barriers.

"As part of these violent actions, our colleagues repeatedly had to make use of batons and irritant gas," police said.

One police officer suffered serious head injuries after escorting a politician through a throng of activists protesting against the congress.

Unknown assailants kicked two officers in the head after forcing them to the ground, a police statement said. They were taken to hospital, where one was found to have suffered serious injuries. Seven other officers suffered less serious injuries. The assailants were able to escape into the crowd.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser condemned the attacks. "We need strong democratic forces and peaceful protest against right-wing extremism and racism. Violence cannot be justified," she posted on X.

Some of the demonstrators were also injured though the use of pepper spray but the number of protesters hurt was not initially clear.

The city of Essen had tried for months to prevent the AfD from holding the two-day party conference there, but ultimately failed in court.

Tino Chrupalla, Federal Chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), is pleased after his re-election as Spokesman of the Board at the AfD Federal Party Conference in the Grugahalle in Essen next to Alice Weidel, Federal Chairman of the AfD. At the two-day party conference, the AfD plans to elect a new federal executive committee, among other things. Numerous organizations have announced opposition to the meeting and more than a dozen counter-demonstrations. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

Chairman of the Thuringian AfD party Bjoern Hoecke attends the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party congress at the Grugahalle in Essen. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Germany increases arms exports by 30% in year's first half, with two-thirds going to Ukraine

The volume of export licences for military equipment issued by the German government in the first half of 2024 amounted to at least 7.48 billion, the vast majority of which were intended for Ukraine.

Source: a response from Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action to a request from Sevim Dagdelen, a member of the Bundestag from the far-left party Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW or Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance), as reported by European Pravda, citing German news agency DPA

Details: Based on official data, the German government has authorised the export of military goods totalling at least 7.48 billion from 1 January to 18 June. Weapons accounted for 5.52 billion of this amount, followed by 1.96 billion for other military equipment.

The total figure is 30% higher than the value of arms exported in the first half of 2023. At the same time, almost two-thirds of exports  65%, or 4.88 billion  were destined for Ukraine.

The five largest recipients of German arms also include Singapore (1.21 billion), India (153.75 million), Saudi Arabia (132.48 million  for the first time in a long time) and Qatar (100 million).

Background: Last year, German arms exports reached a historic high of 12.2 billion, including 4.4 billion in arms sales to Ukraine.

In the first three months of 2024, Germany approved arms exports to Ukraine worth 3.54 billion.

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Alice Weidel (L) and Tino Chrupalla, leaders of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), attend the second day of their party's congress at the Grugahalle Arena. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

Delegates at the Alternative for Germany's (AfD) party conference on Sunday rejected a proposal to put stricter rules on foreign travel and interviews with foreign media for politicians with the far-right party.

The proposal for stricter rules, put forward by several delegates, comes after extensive negative media attention involving travel to Russia and appearances on Russian state media by AfD politicians who have voiced admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Florian Kohler, an AfD member of the Bavarian state parliament and supporter of the motion, criticized "visits to regional dictators or autocrats" and said the party should focus more on the German homeland in order to avoid being perceived by voters as vicarious agents of foreign states.

The rules would have required AfD members of parliament to consult with party leadership before giving interviews to foreign media, meeting foreign leaders abroad or taking trips "with a political connection."

The motion also referred to the AfD's scandal-plagued top candidate in the recent European Parliament elections, Maximilian Krah.

The AfD was kicked out of the right-wing Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament after Krah made highly controversial comments defending members of the Nazi SS paramilitary in an interview with an Italian newspaper.
Whats going to happen for us? These gay military veterans wonder what Bidens new pardon means for them

The predawn silence was shattered by heavy banging on the doors of the US Army barracks in West Germany that morning in May 1988.

Mona McGuire and Karla Lehmann were handcuffed, pulled from their barracks, interrogated for hours and eventually kicked out of the Army for admitting to charges of sodomy and an indecent act to avoid a court martial and prison.

I wasnt going to prison at 19, 20 years old for loving another human being, for loving another female, McGuire told CNN.

In the decades since, McGuire said, she has led an honorable life while overcoming her emotional scars. She lives in a Milwaukee suburb with her two sons and her wife. She has worked at a printing company for the last 35 years.

I was able to recover and strong enough to carry on, she said.

Lehmann retired in 2016 from the Milwaukee Police Department after 26 years on the job and is now a victim advocate for the Michigan State Police. She and McGuire remain friends.

Here Im sitting with this charge of sodomy and indecent acts on my federal record with the military. But I ended up going to the sensitive crimes division and investigating sexual assaults for half my career, she told CNN.

I ended up becoming a mentor and a teacher and I taught all over the states on how to conduct those investigations and how to interview people  which is kind of ironic because my interrogation with the military was brutal.

Now, after President Joe Biden pardoned American veterans who were convicted under a military law that banned gay sex for more than 60 years, McGuire and Lehmann have been left wondering whether the announcement will affect service members, like them, who accepted less than honorable discharges rather than face court martial  a lasting stain on their military records.

Biden, in a statement on Wednesday, said he was righting an historic wrong by pardoning service members who were convicted simply for being themselves.

It just leaves this void and this question mark of, Whats going to happen for us? Lehmann said of the proclamation.

Many vets accepted bad discharges to avoid court martial

Bidens proclamation will affect roughly 2,000 people, according to a US official. The pardon wont automatically change the record of convicted veterans, but it will allow them to apply for a certificate that will help them receive withheld benefits.

Our nations service members stand on the frontlines of freedom, and risk their lives in order to defend our country. Despite their courage and great sacrifice, thousands of LGBTQI+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, Biden said. This is about dignity, decency, and ensuring the culture of our Armed Forces reflect the values that make us an exceptional nation.

The pardon specifically grants clemency to service members who were convicted under former Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 125  which criminalized sodomy, including between consenting adults  between 1951 and 2013 when it was rewritten by Congress. It also applies to those who were convicted of attempting to commit those offenses.

A senior administration official told reporters they are also working to address cases in which LGBTQ+ service members were convicted under other UCMJ charges than Article 125, such as conduct unbecoming an officer. The official said individuals who may have been convicted of other charges based on their sexual orientation or gender identity can go through the normal pardon process at the Department of Justice.

What the proclamation means for McGuire and Lehmann is unclear at the moment, but their stories reflect the plight of veterans unfairly targeted for their sexual orientation.

Right now, even with the pardon, the burden of proof and the burden to reach out and go through this process is completely on the veteran and I dont think thats fair, said Christie Bhageloe, a pro bono attorney and director of The Veterans Consortiums discharge upgrade program.

I hold out hope that the White House will work with the Department of Defense and then just make this an automatic or easy process, rather than making veterans jump through more hoops, said Bhageloe, who is representing McGuire and Lehmann.

I think its a step in the right direction just stating out for the world to hear that these veterans did not do anything wrong and they should have that stain from their records removed but, practically, they need to make it easier.

McGuire and Lehmann are among the thousands of service members forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation between the 1950s and 2011, when a law known as Dont Ask, Dont Tell was repealed by Congress.

Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, an Army spokesperson, said privacy laws prevented her from commenting on individual cases. And she referred CNN to a new Defense Department website about the pardon application process.

A service members discharge status can determine what Veterans Affairs benefits they are eligible for. A bad-conduct discharge, for example, given under general court martial, can make someone ineligible for services including a VA home loan, military pension and education benefits.

The pardon is separate from the Pentagons ongoing review of military records for those who were discharged based on their sexual orientation  which another US official said did not apply to convictions under the UCMJ. The Pentagon launched a new outreach campaign last September to reach more veterans who believe they suffered an error or injustice to have their military records reviewed.

To get their records changed under the pardon, veterans will need to complete an online application, which will go to their military service department. The department will review the individuals court martial and service record and determine if they are eligible for the pardon. That determination will then be sent to the attorney general, acting through the Department of Justices pardon attorney, a US official explained.

The certificate of pardon does not automatically change the discharge status. With a certificate of pardon, the service member will then have to apply to their respective military departments board of corrections to have their military records corrected.

Bhageloe said more clarity is needed on the pardons because the majority of veterans discharged before and during Dont Ask, Dont Tell were not convicted but instead accepted a bad discharge to avoid a court martial and possibly prison.

Embarrassing, humiliating, devastating

McGuire and Lehmann were stationed with the 164th Military Police Company in West Germany when Army investigators burst into the barracks. They were handcuffed and driven to another base, where they said they were fingerprinted, had mugshots taken and were interrogated separately.

After seven or eight hours of what they described as humiliating and offensive questions about their private lives, McGuire and Lehmann said they were forced to confess and accept a discharge for the good of the service  in lieu of trial by court-martial.

That decision was forced upon us during that seven- to eight-hour interrogation, said McGuire, who was following in the footsteps of her father, a military police officer during World War II. He died when she was 7.

I remember hyperventilating, being you know, upset, crying so much that I just couldnt breathe at that point. My world was crushed. My dream was definitely crushed. My career was crushed. It was embarrassing, humiliating, devastating.

McGuire eventually returned home to Mineola, Texas. Lehmann went home to Wisconsin.

Im coming home to a new me, a newfound, you know, part of myself that I dont know very well, and Im outed and Im ashamed, said Lehmann, whose grandfather was a World War II veteran.

Im embarrassed that I got discharged. I dont know what it means for my future as a police officer. And it was just really, really challenging to navigate telling family and friends I avoided people. I did not want to share my story.

Apologies for ruining your military career

In January 2018, McGuire and Lehmann finally learned who had outed them. Lehmann had received a copy of a Facebook message that a woman who had been stationed with them originally sent to another soldier. Lehmann immediately texted a copy to McGuire.

I just wanted to say how sorry I am!!! I had a pretty sheltered life growing up. I was never around (people) of a different race or around gays or lesbians, the message read. I was a terrible friend to you  Ive always wanted to find you guys and apologize for ruining your military career.

The woman wrote that her own military career ended not long after McGuire and Lehmann were kicked out of the Army.

Sorry to say Im not 100% lesbian. But I am bi. I miss you Again I am so very sorry and hope you will forgive me, she wrote in the message, which mentioned McGuire and Lehmann by name.

In 2022, McGuire filled out the paperwork in a bid to upgrade her discharge, which she described as the most traumatic event in her life, according to a record of the proceeding with the Army Board for Correction of Military Records. She wrote about her love for the country and the humiliation she has felt. She described feeling worthless and alone and falling into a deep depression that for a time stripped away her self-confidence.

To date, she has dreams of being in the Army, dreaming she re-enlisted and was allowed to serve her country, the document said. She awakes and realizes it was a dream and the overwhelming sadness is again felt.

McGuire received a response from the Department of the Army in a letter dated August 2, 2023: I regret to inform you that the Army Board for Correction of Military Records denied your application.

The denial letter said the board concluded in part there was insufficient evidence to support the applicant had condition or experience that mitigated her misconduct. It also cited insufficient evidence that she suffered from depression after her discharge and of her post-service honorable conduct.

McGuire, the letter said, admitted guilt to the charges and voluntarily requested discharge  for the good of the service  in lieu of trial by court-martial.

After the seven to eight hours of brutal, intense interrogation and telling us were going to prison, we finally broke down and gave in, McGuire told CNN.

Bhageloe said she is appealing McGuires denial for a discharge upgrade and helping prepare Lehmanns application for an upgrade.

I feel like this is the time. I am hopeful that something positive will come of this, McGuire said of Americas latest attempt to right what Bidens proclamation called a historical injustice.

CNNs Haley Britzky, Oren Liebermann and Natasha Bertrand contributed to this story.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  An invasive beetle is laying its eggs in the nooks and crannies of oak tree bark in California, leading to an even deeper rooted issue.

Goldspotted oak borers, otherwise referred to as GSOBs, are targeting trees in the Golden State, even though they are native to Arizona and Northern Mexico.

According to forest entomologist Beth Kyre with the US Forest Service, theres a reason the beetles have migrated. She said they more than likely arrived in California in the early 2000s by way of infested firewood.

Beetles will spread naturally, but human-assisted dispersal in infested firewood is by far the dominant means of spread, said Kyre. Ensuring that firewood is sourced locally is incredibly important and is one of the most impactful ways the public can reduce the spread goldspotted oak borers.

Female beetles lay eggs on susceptible oak trees throughout the summer. Beetle larvae will hatch from the eggs and bore through the outer bark into the living tissue of the tree, Kyre explained.

From there, the larvae will feed and grow within the cambial tissue of the trees through the summer, fall and winter, transforming into adult beetles that emerge in the spring. The cycle then begins all over again.

The cambial tissue that the larvae live in and feed on is responsible for moving water and nutrients throughout the tree, Kyre continued. The larval feeding damages and/or kills that tissue and prevents the translocation of water from the roots up to the leaves, and products of photosynthesis from the leaves to the rest of the tree.

How does this affect the environment? Well for starters, increased oak mortality also leads to increased fuel loads in a landscape regularly threatened by wildfires. Put simply, an abundance of dying oak trees could be dangerous amid a hot and dry wildfire season.

Additionally, Kyre said the loss of oaks on public, private and tribal lands in Southern California has lead to significant economic, ecological, cultural and aesthetic losses to the region.

The best tool available to reduce the spread of GSOBs is adhering to firewood guidelines and sourcing firewood locally, in other words, burn it where you buy it. Ensuring that firewood is sourced locally is incredibly important and is one of the most impactful ways the public can reduce the spread of these invasive beetles.

Dontmovefirewood.org is an excellent resource for understanding the risk associated with the movement of firewood, said Kyre.

Once GSOBs have entered an area, the removal of heavily infested trees combined with the chemical protection asymptomatic trees, or trees showing no signs of GSOB activity, can also help mitigate further spread.

More information on goldspotted oak borer management can be found 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 FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Gravel pits may be ugly to look at it, but theyre necessary

Utah has been the fasting growing state in the nation, with a hardy population increase of nearly 24% since 2010.

With that growth rate comes the need for new housing, new roads and other necessary infrastructure like utilities to provide sewer, water and other services to the rapidly expanding population.

In addition, Utah consumers are hungry for solar panels, with the state logging the No. 9 position in the country during the first quarter of 2021 for solar installation, according to Ecowatch.

All this growth comes with the need of aggregate materials  cement, gravel and sand  necessary components of construction and renewable energy.

The trouble is, no one wants a rock quarry or gravel pit near their community, even though their community is highly dependent  like it or not  on the material in order to grow and thrive. In most communities, the necessary material is not far from their homes, scattered in alluvial deposits along the Wasatch Front that are the remaining footprint of Lake Bonneville, a massive Ice Age lake.

The NIMBY syndrome, zoning and mining

Under political pressure due to the noise, truck traffic, air quality and other concerns, Tooele County enacted an aggregate mining zone.

In 2022, Salt Lake County passed an ordinance banning mines in the Wasatch foothills, a preemptive strike to stop the issuance of conditional use permits for Tree Farms LLC, which received a small mine permit from the state to mine 20 acres for a rock quarry up Parleys Canyon.

The ordinance was in direct contradiction to a law passed in 2019 by the state Legislature which prohibits counties and cities from amending ordinances to exclude gravel pit or rock quarry operations. Against that backdrop and despite serious opposition to the operation, the company filed suit.

Granite Construction has contended it has both historic and property rights involving the project, while opponents retort that such an operation in the foothills is incompatible with the protection of water and air quality and recreation.

Shelley Thayne Rich, a teacher at Hawthorne Elementary in Salt Lake City, said she has been an avid fan of Parleys Canyon for years and that such an operation would destroy a quality of life shes come to cherish.

Rich spoke out against a bill by Rep. Casey Snider, R-Paradise, HB502, which directs the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining to conduct a study of the aggregate mining industry, including how many operations exist in Utah, production, available supply, the ability to meet demand and to explore what constraints may be on the books to impede operations.

Snider said his measure, which inevitably passed despite some opposition by his Democratic colleagues, is not a mine specific bill but a look at the health of the industry in general and the needs moving into the future.

Deborah Gardner, in the same Senate committee hearing, said it was not right to have a study especially one that smacked of being one-sided given the players at the table. She said the study, due in November, is rushed and designed to help the people it will benefit most, while promoting harm to the environment.

Geneva Rock in Draper is pictured on Thursday, June 27, 2024. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Snider reiterated that his bill is not mine-specific.

I kinda bristle at the the notion that this is somehow aimed at Parleys, Snider said, adding there is a gravel pit a half mile from his farm in northern Utah and a quarry within his view shed.

Later, Snider told the Deseret News the state needs a better grasp on understanding the industry, including its challenges and what may lie ahead.

I mean, nobody wants these in their backyard. But all of us drive roads to and from and were going to need even more material as we build homes and everything else. So I just want a better understanding of the situation, he said. Theres a lot of incomplete information on both sides of the issue. And so coming up with something  working with the agencies and then legislating from there  is a better path, I think.

Dave Kallas, executive director of the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Coalition and a lobbyist for Lobby Utah, said it is getting tougher and tougher to work through the regulations for a new mine or gravel pit in Utah.

He said the state should not go the way of other regions, which have prohibited local mining in favor of trucking or otherwise shipping the material in from elsewhere.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the building boom there is supported by rock and sand that is barged in some 1,400 miles from Vancouver Island in British Columbia, even though the material is locally available and in abundant supply. Kallas said such an arrangement drives up costs tremendously, with transportation far eclipsing the actual cost of the material being hauled. The federal government shut down 4,300 acres from any new gravel pits, mining or oil development in New Mexico for protection of Native American cultural resources.

Plans to add an asphalt plant to an aggregate mine in Colorado were shelved after county planners were met with angry threats at local grocery stores and gas stations. The failed plans came even as the state government was preparing to tap into $4 billion in federal funds available for new roads and spend money to help abate the housing crisis, the Colorado Sun reported.

Location, location, location

A 2019 Utah Foundation report commissioned by the largest players in the aggregate industry found that most of the material is harvested within 50 miles of where it is needed  otherwise costs rise sharply.

Unlike many other industries where borders are fluid and companies can choose where to expand and contract, the aggregates industry is dependent on the location of the natural resources which are mined. The aggregates industry is strongly tied to local communities, the report said.

Washington, Weber and Utah counties benefit in particular from the jobs the industry provides, but Salt Lake County is the standout, benefitting the most economically despite the dirty nature of the business.

Geneva, which sought an expansion of its mining operation on ground it already owned, faced stiff opposition from Draper City and residents who wanted no more mining.

Kallas said the reality is that the Staker Parson operation on the north end of Salt Lake County and Genevas location at the Point of the Mountain have been there for decades, with surrounding communities growing up around them.

Theres this pressure now that says, well, weve allowed housing and other uses right up next to these operations, and now people want them gone. And so the question is, do we want to protect those resources? And you know, you have a city who, ironically, when they do a road construction project they hire the lowest bidder, right? Kallas said. And the lowest bidder is usually the person who can source material closest because transportation is such a significant cost. Yet in their zoning decisions, they choose to zone out or deny any kind of expansion or continuing operation.

The aggregate industry is among the most regulated and is subject to air quality and water quality permits from the state and dust operation and mitigation plans to be in place. Many of the operators try to be the best neighbors they can, despite what residents feel is an unwelcome intrusion and unsightly feature of their community.

There are number of methods Geneva uses to control dust, including water trucks that are used to spray down haul roads and stockpiles of material, enclosed containers and buildings and the washing of all trucks prior to leaving the site.

Its parent company, Clyde Companies, has had close to 100 inspections across its sites over the past year  most of them random and unannounced  and did not incur a penalty or violation, the company said.

But SaveParleys.org argued the dust from mining operations proposed or in existence in Parleys Canyon has tremendous impacts in a region already plagued by air quality problems.

The group says the dust carries toxins and despite any mitigation efforts, it would be impossible to stop down slope canyon winds from carrying it to neighboring communities. In addition, the group said it has little faith in the states fugitive dust control program and there is lack of adequate staffing to ensure enforcement of regulations. The group cited a litany of concerns that included potential water pollution, increased truck traffic and a use of land that is simply incongruent with the landscape of the foothills.

Snider stressed these escalating conflicts and the states growth speak to the need for the study.

We need this material. To have the quality of life we have we just need to make good decisions about permitting and, and allowing it, but also just to have the discussion.

The state also needs to look at it from a fairness standpoint, he added.

I dont believe that it is appropriate for rural Utah to bear all of the costs associated with these materials, whether its traffic or environmental or whatever, he said. If the same assets exist along the Wasatch Front and are stopped merely because of regulatory hurdles, then that is not appropriate.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks to media as he arrives to attend a European Council meeting at the European headquarters in Brussels. Gaetan Claessens/European Council/dpa

Using 15 firefighting helicopters and aircraft as well as hundreds of firefighters and volunteers, the Greek fire brigade said on Sunday it was able to extinguish a large fire in a densely wooded area some 20 kilometres north of Athens.

The fire broke out on Saturday. Strong winds drove huge grey-brown clouds of smoke over the Greek capital. In many places there was a stench of burnt wood and ash was falling.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned people that a tough summer was still to come in a post on Facebook: "I would like to point out that the difficulties are still ahead of us. And our concern is constant."

The fire brigade also announced on Sunday that dozens of other fires had broken out in almost all regions of central Greece and on several islands, the worst of which was on the holiday island of Serifos, where six villages had to be temporarily evacuated.

The mayor of Serifos said on Greek radio ERT on Sunday that the fire had been brought under control during the night.

In eastern Athens near Sounion and near the town of Chalkida, around 90 kilometres to the north, firefighters battled smaller fires on Sunday. Some houses were destroyed, ERT reported on Sunday afternoon.

The civil defence department warned again on Sunday that the risk of other fires breaking out remains high after a long period with little rain and several weeks with temperatures of over 35 degrees Celsius.

In addition, strong winds raged over the weekend, with gusts reaching Force 8 according to the meteorological office. But forecasts did call for rain throughout the country on Thursday.

According to reports from ERT, tourist resorts were not located near the fire areas.
We recently compiled a list of the Top 30 Largest Economies in the World by 2075 and in this article we will look at the country that's expected to be the largest in 2075.

Emerging Markets Projected to Lead by 2075

According to research by Goldman Sachs, the global potential growth is expected to slow, largely due to slower labor force growth and projections suggest that global growth will average just under 3% annually and continue on a declining path. The global population growth has halved from 2% per year to less than 1% over the past five decades, and it is expected to fall to nearly zero by 2075. Despite a slowdown in real GDP growth for both developed and emerging economies, emerging markets, particularly in Asia, are projected to continue outpacing developed markets. By 2050, the five largest economies in the world are expected to be China, the United States, India, Indonesia, and Germany. You can also take a look at the Top 20 Largest Economies in the World by 2050.

The US is unlikely to perform exceptionally due to significantly lower potential growth compared to large emerging economies. The potential growth of the US is expected to remain significantly lower than large emerging economies such as China and India. The appreciation of the Dollar elevated the value of the US economy, which has pushed it significantly above its purchasing power parity-based fair value, but the Dollar's strength is expected to diminish over the next 10 years, suggesting a likely depreciation. Nigeria, Pakistan, and Egypt could also be among the world's largest economies by 2075 if appropriate policies are implemented. Globalization has significantly reduced income inequality between countries and emerging markets have led to a more equal distribution of global incomes and global income inequality has decreased over the past two decades, however, income inequality within countries has risen, posing a challenge to the future of globalization.

Goldman Sachs' research also discussed the potential challenges for global economic growth and income convergence. First is the risk that populist nationalism could lead to increased protectionism and a reversal of globalization. Populist nationalists have risen to power in several countries and have affected globalization. However, the risk of a reversal remains evident. Secondly the risk of environmental catastrophe due to climate change. Many countries have successfully decoupled economic growth from carbon emissions, demonstrating that this is achievable on a global scale. However, achieving sustainable growth will require economic sacrifices and a globally coordinated response, both of which present significant political challenges.

Story continues

For the years 2070-2079, emerging economies are forecasted to grow at 2.3% and will continue to outstrip developed economies due to productivity growth of only 1.1%. Asia will remain the fastest-growing region with 2.0% growth, however, the Chinese economy is projected to observe one of the highest decelerations. Growth in Latin American economies is forecasted at 1.9% and is expected to grow gradually and accelerate over the next 10 years before decelerating once again in the outer decades. Growth in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa is expected to remain relatively stable at 3.2%, due to an increasing contribution from African economies.

One of the Biggest Companies in Asia

Companies play a significant role as primary economic engines for economies around the world. PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PDD) also known as Pinduoduo Inc. is a prominent Chinese company driving economic growth. PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PDD) multinational commerce group that owns and operates a portfolio of businesses including Pinduoduo, which is an innovative e-commerce platform that connects consumers directly with small-scale farmers and offers a network of sourcing, logistics, and fulfillment services. The company also focuses on training farmers and modernizing farming practices. PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PDD) also operates Temu, an online marketplace that connects consumers with millions of merchandise partners, manufacturers, and brands. Temu operates in several countries including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Europe, South Korea, and South Africa.

On May 22, PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PDD) reported that its revenue for the first quarter ended on March 31, 2024, increased 131% to $12.02 billion compared to the previous year, The companys operating profit also increased by 275% to $3.94 billion, mainly due to an increase in fulfillment and payment processing fees. PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PDD) forecasts a robust revenue growth of 71% for Pinduoduo in 2024, and a further 29% in 2025. The company focuses on long-term growth and invested $403.0 million in research and development for the modernization of agriculture and supply chain thereby reducing its costs. The company has $33.31 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments.

While projections indicate a slowing global growth trajectory, emerging markets, particularly in Asia, are shifting the balance in global economic power.

The Largest Economy in the World by 2075

An expansive view of the cityscape, showing the impact of the company's activities in China.

Our Methodology

To make our list of the 30 largest economies in the world by 2075, we consulted 'Economics in the Year 2100' by Fathom Consulting, which provides data for the estimated percentage share of countries in the global GDP in 2100 and the GDP PPP of the top ten economies. We utilized the data for the GDP PPP of the top countries and percentage share to determine the total global GDP value in 2075. Our calculation yielded that the global GDP is projected to be approximately $324.34 trillion by 2075. After determining the global GDP in US dollars, we estimated the GDP PPP for the other countries to provide insight into their projected values. We also used the population projections for 2075, by the United Nations. Our list ranks the 30 largest economies in the world by 2075 in ascending order of their GDP forecast in 2075.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that uses a consensus approach to identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The website tracks the movement of corporate insiders and hedge funds. Our top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 stock index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). So, if you are looking for the best stock picks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

The Largest Economy in the World by 2075

1. China

GDP Forecast (2075): $66.16 Trillion

Estimated Share in the Global GDP (2075): 20.39%

Population Forecast (2075): 1.02 Billion

China's economic transformation stands out as one of the most remarkable success stories among middle-income countries. By 2075, China will be the world's largest economy in the world due to its manufacturing, exports, and investment in technology and infrastructure. Chinas GDP is projected to reach $66.16 trillion, accounting for 20.39% of the global economy. China has already overtaken the United States as the largest economy by purchasing power parity (PPP). Chinas population is expected to decrease to 1.02 billion by 2075.

Curious to learn about other countries that will grow to become the largest by 2075? Check out our report on the Top 30 Largest Economies in the World by 2075.

At Insider Monkey, we delve into a variety of topics, ranging from the best places to live in Germany 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 10 Stocks to Buy and Sell Before the Third Quarter 2024 According to Jim Cramer.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published on Insider Monkey.
CHICAGO  On Saturday, community leaders and residents gathered on the Far South Side for a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Chicago Park District fieldhouse honoring baseball great Jackie Robinson.

After years of anticipation, Washington Heights community leaders joined with the Chicago Park District for the groundbreaking ceremony for the facility.

This day has been a long time coming, Executive Director of Jackie Robinson West Little League Organization William Haley said.

The ceremony celebrated the long-awaited fieldhouse coming to Jackie Robinson Park, where teams, including the Jackie Robinson West Little League Team, play.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

This is for you, this is for our future, our young people to know that they deserve the best, Ald. Ronnie Mosley (21st Ward) said.

Robinson was the first African American to play major league baseball.









The new 18,000 square foot fieldhouse bearing his name will include a full gymnasium, two multi-purpose club rooms and a fitness center.

This $15 million investment in our community is part of the billion dollars we are going to see over the next four to eight years. It is an investment that is long overdue, Mosley said.

State Representative Justin Slaughter said the up-and-coming facility is just one of several regional projects on the horizon.

This project represents a beacon of hope. A beacon of inspiration, Slaughter said.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

According to Slaughter, the completed fieldhouse will embody African American history and pay respect to Robinson and his accomplishments.

When you use the facility, you will always get a rich strong reminder about the impact Jackie Robinson continues to have, Slaughter said.

Haley said the fieldhouse will represent legacy.

When were long gone this project will have a positive impact and will have a legacy on these kids grandchildren, Haley said.

Officials say construction is expected to begin in July and the facility is estimated to be completed by September 2025.

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.
'Guilty by association': Can the Ottawa County GOP pull together after the primary?

OTTAWA COUNTY  Ask Benjamin Genser whether he supports Ottawa Impact and he'll tell you, as a candidate for treasurer, it's inappropriate to answer.

For the same reason, he isn't endorsed by, hasn't signed a contract with, and  he insists  would return any money donated to him by the PAC.

But that doesn't mean he doesn't need their supporters. And, he argues, so does the rest of the Ottawa County GOP.

"Do I have supporters who support Ottawa Impact? Of course," Genser told The Sentinel in a recent interview. "I'm a Republican candidate. I'm pro-limited government, I'm pro-gun. These are key priorities of Republicanism in this country.

Grand Haven resident and GOP delegate Benjamin Genser is running for treasurer in 2024.

"So, to say I don't agree with any of the Ottawa Impact priorities or anything they say, that's just dishonest. But just because I have supporters who may resonate with those candidates doesn't mean I'm affiliated or endorsed.

"I don't think it's appropriate to run as a slate with commissioners, because our roles are very different. Being treasurer is about holding the board accountable from a fiscal responsibility standpoint, which is about doing the right thing, so some distance is arguably important."

Genser has run for office before  recently, in fact. Last year, he ran for mayor of the city of Grand Haven. He lost to former mayor Bob Monetza.

"I likely fell into the most conservative role," Genser admits. "I learned quite a bit; what it really means to run for office. I think it put me in a position to run for larger office  and I believe this particular role is more suited to my skillset and experience."

He's not wrong. Genser is a private client advisor and vice president of investments for J.P. Morgan. Before that, he spent six years as a vice president and multi-site manager with Chase. He has a bachelor's degree in healthcare administration and a master's degree in business administration, both from the University of Michigan.

There's public service on his record, too. Genser sits on the West Michigan Regional Planning Commission and Ottawa Countys Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee.

Although his focus remains on the treasurer race, Genser is also trying to be a bellringer for peace in the Ottawa County GOP  a near-impossible feat, as ten Republican candidates face Ottawa Impact-backed or incumbent commissioners on the Ottawa County Board in August, most running on a platform of criticism for the grassroots PAC.

"I'm concerned (that) we have Republican candidates running on this anti-OI message," Genser said. "I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel for the betterment of the party if that's how we're campaigning. I don't want to ostracize or alienate any Republican."

Genser would like to see all Republican candidates back their primary winners; a traditional symbol of party unity. But the candidates themselves aren't so interested.

Campaign signs for now-Board Chair Joe Moss in July 2022.

'The reason I'm running in the first place'

"I agree the Republican party in this county, if not the nation, is in disarray," Dick Van Dop, who faces Ottawa Impact incumbent Alison Meidema and real estate agent Sara Bajema in District 11, wrote to The Sentinel in response to a question about whether he'd support the winning candidate, should he lose in August.

"Ottawa Impact  (has) a very narrow ideology and (refuses) to play well with others. Those of us who fail to prostrate ourselves before them are called liberal Democrats masquerading as Republicans.  OI is fracturing the Republican party with their antics and making us all look bad."

Van Dop said, should Bajema win the primary, "I am prepared to support her." However, he added, "I will not support Alison Miedema or any OI candidate that continues to misbehave in the way they have. They are the reason I am running in the first place."

Bajema, for her part, wrote: "I would support any Republican candidate who won the primary election."

Like Van Dop, District 5 challenger and Hudsonville Mayor Mark Northrup frames his disapproval in ethics.

"This is a different kind of county commissioner race," Northrup, who faces Board Chair Joe Moss, wrote in a statement to The Sentinel. "I don't see this as a battle between conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats  it's a conflict between tyranny and the Constitution.

"As a veteran who took the oath to the Constitution personally and administered the oath many times, I cannot support Ottawa Impact and their agenda. From a lack of transparency and cronyism to neglecting local issues to flame the fires of national divisions, they do not represent the spirit or practice of governance our founders sought.

"I would not support Joe Moss in the general election."

In District 10, where Republican Josh Brugger faces OI-backed Jason Koert, it's clear where Brugger stands.

"I will not be endorsing or supporting any candidate endorsed by or affiliated with Ottawa Impact."

Jordan Jorritsma, who faces the recently recalled Lucy Ebel in District 2, is also worried about Ottawa Impact's antics, but stresses party loyalty.

"I have dedicated my career to electing Republicans and supporting the conservative movement," he wrote. "While I continue to have strong concerns with the character and competence of Ottawa Impacts slate, I am eager to support every conservative candidate as these concerns are resolved."

The answer is complicated for incumbent District 1 Commissioner Gretchen Cosby, a member of Ottawa Impact, who wrote, "If I am not selected in the August primary, my commitment to serving the needs of the people who have elected me will be my principal focus for the following four months."

She added: "Throughout my campaign and tenure, I have worked closely with the Ottawa County Republican Party to draft policies and positions that genuinely reflect the values and priorities of our constituents. I believe it is essential for District 1 to be represented by a candidate who truly aligns with these principles "

Cosby said she is "prepared to support the Republican nominee" with "the expectation that the party will promote candidates who are genuinely aligned with the established policies and the best interests of our constituents."

Commissioner Gretchen Cosby asks a question during a meeting Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in West Olive.

The Sentinel did not receive responses from any of the remaining Republican candidates, with the exception of David Lee Morren, who faces Vice Chair Sylvia Rhodea in District 8. No contact information was available for Morren at the time of publication.

'The only people winning, in the long run, are the Democrats'

Genser's involvement with the Ottawa County GOP began with his race for mayor. He now serves as a precinct delegate.

"I started attending the executive committee meetings and getting to know delegates, and the party is just fractured," he said. "We have this separation between grassroots Republicans and more traditional Republicans. It's really saddening to me, as a proven conservative. I was hoping I'd walk into a party where there wasn't divide, where we were all on the same page."

He says delegates and leadership simply can't agree on the right path forward.

"The executive committee is half elected officials and half voted in by delegates, and you have a lot of electeds that aren't showing up to the meetings because they're unhappy with grassroots leaders," Genser said. "We, as Republicans, need to realize there's common ground. The only people winning, in the long run, are the Democrats."

Neither side is perfect.

"The unknown always makes people nervous," Genser said of the grassroots faction. "I can resonate with that, because I know what's at stake, and I don't think it's the time to test the waters with things that are unproven when Michigan is in play as a swing state.

"I truly believe Ottawa County is a key piece, arguably the key piece, in Michigan. I want to make sure the grassroots supporters don't stay home in November because of the rhetoric and divisiveness that came from this primary election. I think establishment Republicans need to realize that, although they feel strongly on the way forward, it would be a mistake not to consider what the grassroots movement and those who support it bring to the party.

"(Meanwhile), I think the grassroots supporters need to consider that what happened in Ottawa County happened very quickly. I don't think it has to be one or the other."

None of the infighting, he said, helps with the outright vilification of Republicans.

"I think we all remember when Hillary Clinton made the deplorables comment, and it opened the door to that kind of rhetoric," Genser said. "It's a tool, and an effective tool from the left, to say hey, if we can group all these people in together and negate the fact that some might be more accepting than others, they'll be easier to defeat.

"In Holland and Grand Haven, they'll ask if you support a drag show or Pride Festival, and it's meant to be a yes or no answer  they don't want to give you room to have an opinion that may not be all or nothing. I think that's the danger. It's vilified Republicans to the point where they're afraid to even have the conversation. I wouldn't want any Republican to treat a Democrat that way.

"If you want to be inclusive, you need to respect the families that've been here for generations. You can't say conservatives need to be more inclusive and accepting of certain groups or identities and then tell them to simply not come downtown if they're uncomfortable, or don't live here. It can make people uncomfortable because what's unknown is uncomfortable for some people. That's human nature."

The GOPers, he said, are sick of being grouped together  hence the fracture.

"There may be Republicans who are pro-choice and pro-gun, or anti-choice and anti-gun. Not everybody fits in the same shoebox. What we're seeing now is ingraining this two-party culture even further. Everybody is at each other's throats. I fear this political cycle is going to be a cycle of retribution, where it's all about what happened and how and when to get payback. That's not the way forward. How do we come to the table, win or lose, and represent everybody in the county?"

Is the Ottawa County GOP controlled by Ottawa Impact?

Genser says no.

"Right now, there's a very small number of the dozens of members of the executive committee that are actually Ottawa Impact candidates or officials. This whole guilty by association thing is dangerous."

The argument in favor of Ottawa Impact influence was strengthened by the GOPs choice to hold a primary endorsement convention, breaking a long held tradition of letting local Republican voters decide who should represent the party on the November ticket.

Grand Haven resident and GOP delegate Benjamin Genser is running for treasurer in 2024.

Each commissioner pick matched the list of vetted candidates from Ottawa Impact, according to its website. Each received at least 95% of votes from the 187 approved delegates.

"I see the reasoning on both sides," Genser said. "You have one side that's looking for things like a closed primary that only registered Republicans should be able to vote in, or some say it should be the delegates because we're elected and are the most informed voters are out there. I can understand that.

"But, on the other hand, when a party decides to endorse before the primary, it's the belief of some that you're taking it out of the hands of the voters. It's not my place to make that determination on what the right choice was  but in my opinion, I think when you have an endorsement convention like that, you need to make sure every candidate that's declaring as a Republican, whether you think they are or not, has equal opportunity to participate, feels they can participate, doesn't feel like they're being ostracized and doesn't feel as though they're not wanted when they walk through the door."

He said some Republican candidates, feeling certain they wouldn't get the endorsement, decided not to come at all.

"I think, in the grand scheme of things, it hurts the party by not attending," Genser said. "I was there, I saw the voting process. I saw that each individual candidate, even if they hadn't RSVP'd, was given an opportunity to speak, and I just personally have never been scared of a fight because I thought I might lose."

If local Republicans don't like the direction of the party, he said, the easiest solution is to get involved.

"We have a lot of people upset about the change, but they're not setting up and finding delegates," Genser said. "I think rather than complaining and creating controversy, do the work. Get the delegates elected. If we have delegates you disagree with, this is a representative democracy. Get them out of office."

According to the website for the Ottawa County GOP: "A precinct delegate is elected directly by the voters in each precinct  to serve as a liaison between the Republican Party and voters in their neighborhood. Precinct delegates also represent their neighborhood at various Republican meetings throughout their two-year term."

While the opportunity to appear on the ballot in 2024 has passed, write-in candidates may file with the Ottawa County Clerk's Office until Friday, Aug. 2, according to the GOP. Genser says there are currently about 350 delegates, and more than 100 seats to fill. By those numbers, less than 55% of current delegates and less than 42% of possible delegates participated in the endorsement convention.

The party's next executive committee meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at the Fillmore Complex in West Olive.

"The power of the party is determined through an election, just like the government," Genser said. "Instead of name-calling and suing each other, do the work."

 Cassandra Lybrink is the local editor of The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at clybrink@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @CassLybrink.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Can the Ottawa County GOP pull together after the primary?
Former GOP presidential primary candidate Nikki Haley urged former President Trump in a Wall Street Journal article published Saturday to get ready to face a younger rival following a problematic debate performance from President Biden.

They are going to be smart about it: theyre going to bring somebody younger, theyre going to bring somebody vibrant, theyre going to bring somebody tested, Haley said in the Journal article. This is a time for Republicans to prepare and get ready for whats to come because there is no way that there will be a surviving Democratic Party if they allow Joe Biden to continue to be the candidate.

During the debate, Biden had a raspy voice and stumbled over his words, sparking widespread fears amongst those in his party and questions about if he should stay at the top of the Democratic ticket. Even staunch Democrats, including those who had worked with former President Obama, expressed their fears about how the debate went.

Obviously that debate was a fing disaster, former Obama administration speechwriter and Pod Save America co-host Jon Favreau posted Friday morning on the social platform X. We have to beat Donald Trump. We have to have a nominee who can do that.

Biden and those around him have pushed back against him stepping down from his role as the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Of course hes not dropping out, Biden campaign spokesperson Seth Schuster said to The Hill in the wake of the debate performance.

Haley said she watched Thursdays debate in her home state of South Carolina alongside her husband and friends, rapidly coming to the conclusion that Biden was facing political headwinds, according to the Journal.

It was shocking, I think, for a lot of people, the former United Nations ambassador said, according to the Journal. What we saw was that Trump was strong, but I dont even think that mattered because Biden was so amazingly unfit. The way he lost his train of thought, the way he couldnt grasp topics of what he needed to talk about.

The Hill has reached out to the Biden and Trump campaigns.

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.
ST. LOUIS  It was another Sunday morning of sometimes heated but always civil political debate on Hancock and Kelley for Sunday, June 30, 2024.

Republican consultant John Hancock and Democratic consultant Michael Kelley discuss the following topics:

The end of The Squad in Congress? Our quote of the week was from Congresswoman Cori Bush, after her Squad ally, Congressman Jamaal Bowman, lost his primary race. She is seen as vulnerable in her August primary race against St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell.

There is a landslide winner in the red-hot Republican primary race for Missouri governor when it comes to PAC fundraising. A PAC for Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe has raised more than double the amount raised for PACs supporting Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and State Senator Bill Eigel combined.

Florissant State Rep. Gretchen Bangert has filed a federal complaint against fellow Democrat, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page. She says Page has repeatedly offered her a job in his administration to keep her from running against an ally of his in a County Council race.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson says hes working on a plan to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals from leaving the state to play in new stadiums across the border in Kansas.

The impact of President Joe Bidens awful debate performance against former President Donald Trump  should the president end his campaign in favor of another Democrat candidate and who might that other candidate be?

The U.S. Supreme Court handed down multiple big rulings this past week, perhaps the biggest of all coming Monday: a decision on President Trumps claim of immunity from prosecution for alleged election interference and his role in the January 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol.

The owner of an acclaimed St. Louis restaurant, Bulrush, closes his doors, citing hateful policies in Missouri against the LGBTQ 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 FOX 2.
Heat advisory in effect for Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson, precautions to stay cool

Snowball, left, and Coco drink water at Darrell Zankas house in Anderson. Heat advisory was issued for Sunday, June 30.

According to the National Weather Service at Greenville-Spartanburg, a Heat Advisory is in effect for the Upstate from noon to 8 p.m. today, June 30.

Heat values up to 106 are expected for portions of northeast Georgia, the western Piedmont of North Carolina, and the Upstate, according to NWS.

According to NWS, a few strong to severe thunderstorms are also expected across the region this afternoon and evening.

Olivia Coker helps cool off Beans the dog in a pool of water during recreation time at Anderson County P.A.W.S. shelter in Anderson Monday, June 24, 2024.

Heat precautions

Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. Car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in minutes. Drink plenty of fluids. Stay in an air-conditioned room. Stay out of the sun. Check up on relatives and neighbors.

Looking for a public pool?

It's summer in the Upstate, with many residents wondering where to purchase pool memberships for their families.

There are many places where residents can apply for membership in Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg counties.

After checking out places to swim, read about how you and your family can stay safe when swimming using tips from the American Red Cross. Drowning only takes seconds, and when it comes to getting help, every second counts.

Click here to read the story.

Two lakes to check out

Lake Jocassee and Lake Murray were recently announced as USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards winners. In the "Best Lake for Swimming" category, Lake Jocassee took the crown at No. 1.

Lake Murray took spot No. 2 in the category "Best Lakes for Water Sports."

Click here to read the story.

What setting should you put your AC?

The mornings are getting sticky and humid in South Carolina.

With temperatures cooking, residents may be looking for ways to get relief from the heat. Many people follow the rule of thumb of setting their thermostat to 78 degrees during the summertime. But is this information still useful?

Now would be the time to find out  AccuWeather predicts this summer to reach record breaking temperatures. It will be the second year the weather service uses its Heatwave Counter and Severity Index to prepare residents for sizzling conditions.

Wondering how to stay cool? Here's what to know when setting your AC in S.C.

Click here to read the story.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Heat advisory in effect for Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson
Rebecca Cunningham takes over as University of Minnesota president on Monday and almost immediately faces big decisions about how the U should run its medical programs and navigate tensions stemming from the war between Israel and Hamas.

Cunningham, a longtime emergency room physician, worked most recently as vice president of research and innovation at the University of Michigan, which reports one of the largest portfolios in the nation. In recent weeks, she has been attending Board of Regents meetings, scheduling introductions with Minnesota lawmakers and meeting with student groups making competing cases for whether the U should divest from Israel and how it should distinguish between free speech and hate speech.

"I'm so excited to be here," Cunningham said. "What is actually happening on the ground is just tremendous, and I've been so impressed all along the way."

Already her research background is being called upon. Two landmark U research papers  one focusing on Alzheimer's disease and another on stem cells  were retracted over concerns about their integrity after researchers elsewhere struggled to duplicate their findings and raised questions about images within them.

The Star Tribune sat down with Cunningham last week to talk about her preparation and plans for tackling some of the most immediate challenges. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: It's been a rough week for research at the U, with the news that two major papers were being retracted. What's your analysis of the situation, and how will you prevent that from happening during your tenure?

A: I can speak in broader brushstrokes. Every major institution across the country right now has been facing this. I think it's unfortunate when poor choices are made along the way that can impact the reputation both of research as a whole and cause concern for the public, when the vast majority of researchers are doing amazing research and are publishing with high integrity.

I dealt with this a lot last year, especially in papers from 20-plus years ago, when it maybe wasn't quite so easy to spot all of these inconsistencies. I know that there has been a number of policies and procedures put in place here to try to do more education with faculty in the meantime to help them understand what it really means to alter a figure, and that that will be noticed.

To the prevention side: Faculty, unfortunately, are under a tremendous pressure to publish. And we have to work on the climate and support for them so that we they can focus on feeling good about the science they produced, even when it doesn't produce the results they were hoping for  which is true science.

Q: Have you been involved in the discussions with Fairview Health Services over the future of the U's teaching hospital? Are you expecting any big changes in trajectory?

A: I've been doing learning on the 20 years of detailed negotiations that have been going on, getting familiar with the current, public [letter of intent], have begun to meet the assorted players. That's where we're at for right now, and then it will certainly need to be a focus for these next couple of months. I think everyone wants to see that through, in the timeline it was envisioned.

Q: The university is still navigating tensions over the war between Israel and Hamas and the controversy over hiring a director for the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. Have you been consulting on those issues, and what's your approach?

A: I've been updated on them. Obviously, academic freedom is critically important. I have not been involved in the decisionmaking to date. I did get to meet with both the Divest group and the group of Jewish students that [interim] President [Jeff] Ettinger had been meeting with. I think that they were great conversations, and I'm just proud to have students that are engaged and sitting down in this manner, really respectfully looking for collective solutions.

Obviously, we are bound by free speech. We're a public university. However, we have to have a welcoming climate for all of our students and we have to be mindful of when that free speech transitions over into individual harassment. And, more than that, whatever we can do to help our students also just be mindful of how they're coming off to each other ... whatever we can do to help our students work toward feeling inclusiveness, even when they disagree, is going to be critical.
People cast their votes at a polling station during the first round of the French parliamentary elections on the island of Tahiti in the third constituency of the French overseas territory of French Polynesia. Suliane Favennec/AFP/dpa

The first round of voting in elections to France's National Assembly was under way on Sunday, with the far-right National Rally (RN) challenging President Emmanuel Macron's centrist forces for control of the lower house.

Turnout for the snap elections was higher than generally expected, with 59.39% of eligible voters having cast ballots by 5 pm (1500 GMT) on Sunday, according to France's Interior Ministry.

That is almost 20 percentage points higher than at the same time in the previous French general election in 2022, and already above the overall voter turnout figure of 47.51%.

About 49.3 million people are eligible to vote in the election. Polling stations, which opened at 8 am, will remain open until 8 pm. The first exit polls and projections on the outcome of the election are expected shortly after polls close.

Voting in a number of overseas territories had already started on Saturday due to the time difference.

Gains by far-right expected

Macron called the snap election after National Rally made large gains in elections to the European Parliament at the beginning of this month.

Macron's term runs through 2027 and his office is not at stake, but the results could have major implications for the remainder of his term and reshape French politics.

The RN is leading in pre-election polling ahead of the new leftist alliance, the New Popular Front (NPF), recently established to contest the elections. The Ensemble (Together) alliance, led by Macron's Renaissance party, is trailing in third place.

Recent polls put Macron's centrist camp, an alliance led by his Renaissance party, in third place with between 20% and 20.5%.

Le Pen's RN and its allies were clearly ahead with 36% to 36.5%, followed by the NPF with 29%.

The security forces in France have prepared for the possibility of unrest in some of the country's major cities on the evening of the first round of voting.

A number of leading politicians cast their votes on Sunday morning, including Macron, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, far-right National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella and RN former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.

If the RN secures a majority in the 577-member National Assembly, Macron will be compelled to appoint a prime minister from its ranks to secure a stable Cabinet.

Candidates securing an absolute majority in the first round are elected to the assembly, but in most constituencies the victor will emerge only after the second round on July 7.

Forecasts predict that the right-wing nationalists could become the strongest force in the National Assembly. Whether it could also be enough for an absolute majority is unclear - also because local alliances are often formed between the two rounds of voting, which influence the outcome.

While the left could remain stable, Macron's centrist camp is likely to lose seats.

Losses could be trouble for Macron

Such an outcome would have serious consequences.

The National Assembly is one of two French chambers of parliament. It is involved in legislation and can topple the government with a vote of no confidence.

If a bloc other than Macron's centrist camp were to win an absolute majority, Macron would de facto be forced to appoint a prime minister from its ranks. There would then be a so-called cohabitation.

Macron's power would shrink significantly and the prime minister would gain relative power.

The right-wing nationalists are explicitly aiming to win the election and assume government responsibility. RN leader Bardella is set to become prime minister, replacing Macron's incumbent Attal.

Europe looks on

The election is being followed with interest in Brussels and Berlin.

German businesses are concerned about the consequences of the election if the extreme right or the extreme left come to power.

"When analysing the economic policy announcements of the right and the left, German and French companies come to the same conclusion: France's attractiveness would suffer," said Patrick Brandmaier, managing director of the Franco-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, in Paris.

Macron's second and final term in office ends in 2027. A sharp decline in support for his Renaissance-led bloc is certain to limit his effectiveness.

National Rally's Le Pen is seen as a serious contender in the next presidential election.

People queue outside a polling station in the Magenta district before casting their vote during the first round of the French parliamentary elections in Noumea, the first electoral district of the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. Theo Rouby/AFP/dpa
France held the first round of an early parliamentary election on Sunday that could bring the country's first far-right government since Nazi occupation during World War II.

The second round will come on July 7. The outcome of the vote is highly uncertain. Turnout is unusually high.

Three major political blocs are: The far-right National Rally, President Emmanuel Macrons centrist alliance and the New Popular Front coalition that includes center-left, greens and hard-left forces. The French system is complex and not proportionate to nationwide support for a party.

After the far rights crushing victory in the European Parliament election earlier this month, Macron called an early vote in France because he otherwise feared the results would lead to paralysis in the legislature.

If the National Rally wins a parliamentary majority, Macron would be expected to name 28-year-old National Rally President Jordan Bardella as prime minister in an awkward power-sharing system known as cohabitation. Bardella said he would oppose sending French troops to Ukraine  a possibility Macron hasn't ruled out  and refuse French deliveries of long-range missiles and other weaponry capable of striking targets within Russia.

Currently:

 France is facing an election like no other. Heres how it works and what comes next

 Macron weakened at home and abroad as an early French election gives the far right momentum

 In Frances high-stakes legislative election, a Jewish candidate faces and fights hate and division

 French far-right leader Bardella seeks to reassure voters, EU partners on economic, foreign policies

 French prime minister seeks to step out from Macrons shadow in the upcoming early election

Heres the latest:

Thousands gather in Parisian plaza to protest far-right National Rally party

Thousands of people gathered at Paris Republique plaza to protest the far-right National Rally, which came out strongly ahead in first-round legislative elections.

Among them was Cynthia Fefoheio, a 19-year-old political science student.

We are going towards the extreme. People dont understand that this will impact us for years and years. This is a France of hate that is growing, not a France of solidarity and union, Fefoheio said.

Many in the crowd, which grew by the minute late Sunday, despaired for next weeks runoff election, which will decide the makeup of parliament and who will be the prime minister. National Rally was in a strong position already to control the powerful lower house of parliament, which would put a prime minister in place fundamentally opposed to French President Emmanuel Macrons policies both at home and abroad.

Story continues

Maybe he can appeal for a vote against the far-right. I hope, I hope for a union between the right and the left, said Daniel Gwendal, a 23-year-old public worker.

Attal urges voters to prevent far right from obtaining an absolute majority in Parliament

PARIS  French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called on voters to prevent the far right from an absolute majority in parliament.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who named the 35-year-old Attal as Frances youngest prime minister in January, dissolved parliament and called the surprise elections after the National Rallys strong showing in European elections in June.

Not a single vote must go to the National Rally. France does not deserve that, said Attal, standing in front of the prime ministers residence.

The far-right party came out ahead in Sundays first round with about a third of the vote, and a left-wing alliance came in second. Macrons alliance came in third, forcing his party and others into strategic decisions. Among them, Attal said, is that candidates in the presidents centrist alliance who came in third will step down before the runoff on July 7.

Bardella calls on voters to choose National Rally over a dangerous far left

PARIS  French far-right leader Jordan Bardella, who could become prime minister if his National Rally wins a majority in the parliamentary election, called on voters to choose his party over a dangerous far left.

Bardella spoke shortly after the partys top figure Marine Le Pen implored voters to give the National Rally an absolute majority in parliament.

Polling projections say French voters have propelled the party to a strong lead in Sundays first-round legislative election, ahead of a left-wing coalition that includes center-left, greens and hard-left forces.

The choice is clear, Bardella said, accusing the leftwing coalition to campaign for disarming the police, opening wide the doors for immigration and criticizing leftist leaders for insulting institutions and anyone who thinks differently from them.

Bardella said the time has come to put leaders at the head of the country who understand you.

Far-right leader asks France to give her party absolute majority in parliament

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is calling on voters to give her National Rally an absolute majority in parliament as polling projections say French voters have propelled the party to a strong lead in Sunday's first-round legislative election. French President Emmanuel Macron is urging voters to block the far right in the decisive second round on July 7.

The French have almost wiped out the Macronist bloc, Le Pen said after polls closed. She said the results show voters willingness to turn the page after seven years of contemptuous and corrosive power.

She said a National Rally majority would enable the far right to form a new government with the partys president Jordan Bardella as prime minister in order to work on Frances recovery. Macron has said he wont step down before his presidential term expires in 2027. The power-sharing system known as cohabitation would weaken him at home and on the world stage.

Polling projections say far-right National Rally has a strong lead

Polling projections say French voters have propelled the far-right National Rally to a strong lead in the first-round legislative election on Sunday and plunged the country into political uncertainty.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the surprise election just three weeks ago and is urging voters to rally against the far right. Projections by polling agencies suggest the National Rally stands a good chance of winning a majority in the lower house of parliament for the first time with an estimated one-third of the first-round vote. That's nearly double their 18% in the first round in 2022.

The National Rally is building on its success in the European Parliament election weeks ago that prompted Macron to dissolve parliament and call the vote. The second round of voting is on July 7. Macron could end up sharing power with a prime minister who is hostile to most of his policies.

In a National Rally stronghold, residents call party less scary now

HENIN-BEAUMONT, France  Residents in a stronghold of France's far-right National Rally party say its politicians have made an effort to become more voter-friendly after years of fighting pariah status.

Magali Quere says she was born and raised in the former mining town of Henin-Beaumont and would cast her first vote for the far right on Sunday. She says things have changed for the better since a mayor from the National Rally took power in 2014. The city is cleaner and police regularly patrol the streets.

Quere says the days of former far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen years ago were scary," but his daughter Marine Le Pen regularly visits the local food market and shakes hands with everyone, including people of color.

Murielle Busine says she won't go as far as voting for the far right but also praised the work of Mayor Steeve Briois and how accessible he is. I cannot deny everything he has done for the city, she said.

Turnout is unusually high three hours before polls close

The first round of France's high-stakes legislative election is seeing an unusually high turnout of 59% with three hours to go before polls close. Thats 20 percentage points higher than the turnout at the same time in the last first-round vote in 2022.

President Emmanuel Macron called the surprise vote three weeks ago after European Parliament election showed a collapse in support for his centrist party and a sharp rise for the far-right National Rally. Two rounds of voting will determine who will be prime minister and which party controls Frances lower house of parliament. That could potentially put France in uncharted political territory if Macron must share power with a party hostile to most of his policies.

Some pollsters suggest the high turnout could temper the outcome for the hard right National Rally, possibly indicating that voters made an extra effort to come out for fear that it could win.

Macron, Le Pen and others cast their votes

French President Emmanuel Macron and other candidates across the political spectrum have voted in the country's parliamentary election after Marine Le Pens anti-immigration National Rally party dominated pre-election opinion polls.

Turnout at midday in the first round of the two-round election stood at 25.9 % according to France's interior ministry. That's higher than the 18.43% at midday two years ago in the 2022 legislative election.

The second round of voting is July 7. Voters have issues from immigration to inflation and the rising cost of living on their minds as the country has grown more divided between the far right and far left blocs. A deeply unpopular and weakened Macron remains in the political center.

New Caledonias top French official says election turnout is higher compared to 2 years ago

PARIS  New Caledonias top French official says turn out at the legislative election in the troubled French Pacific territory was higher on Sunday than in the parliamentary balloting two years ago.

High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said in a statement that over 32.39% of registered voters have cast their ballots until noon local time compared to 13% at the same time in 2022.

Polls already closed at 5 p.m. local time due to an 8 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew that authorities on the archipelago have extended until July 8, the day after the second and decisive legislative vote will take place.

Violence flared on May 13, leaving nine people dead after two weeks of unrest, due to attempts by Macrons government to amend the French Constitution and change voting lists in New Caledonia, which the Indigenous Kanaks feared would further marginalize them. They have long sought to break free from France, which first took the Pacific territory in 1853.

While the worst of violence ebbed in the past weeks, tensions flared in the archipelago with a population of 270,000, in the lead-up to the high-stakes legislative election after seven detained pro-independence Kanak leaders were flown to mainland France for pre-trial detention on charges related to instigating the unrest that included protests, clashes, looting and arson.

Members of a pro-independence movement known as The Field Action Coordination Unit demanded the release and immediate return of Christian Tein, the Indigenous Kanak leader and six others and accused Macrons government of colonial tactics.

Polls open in France in exceptionally high-stakes legislative election

Voters across France have begun casting ballots in the first round of an early legislative election that could see far-right forces taking over the government  or no majority emerging at all.

Polling stations opened in mainland France at 8 a.m. Sunday (0600 GMT). The first polling projections are expected at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), when the final polling stations close, and early official results later Sunday night.

There are 49.5 million registered voters who will choose 577 members of the National Assembly, Frances lower house of parliament.

The outcome of the two-round election could impact European financial markets, Western support for Ukraine and how Frances nuclear arsenal and global military force are managed.
Historian who predicted 9 of the last 10 election results says Democrats shouldn't drop Joe Biden

WASHINGTON  Allan Lichtman, the historian who has correctly forecast the results of nine out of the 10 most recent presidential elections argued on Saturday that replacing President Joe Biden could cost Democrats the 2024 election.

Lichtman, a professor at American University, rejected the growing chorus of political pundits and Democratic activists who have called on Biden, 81, to bow out of the presidential race after his disastrous debate performance last week against former President Donald Trump. The pivotal moment brought fresh questions about Bidens age and ability to serve a second term.

Its a huge mistake. They're not doctors. They don't know whether Biden is physically capable of carrying out a second term or not, Lichtman said during an interview with CNN of calls to replace Biden. This is all foolhardy nonsense.

Lichtman has correctly predicted the outcome of almost every election over the last half century, except for the race in 2000, using a series of 13 historical factors or keys.

Dr. Allan Lichtman

The system includes four factors based on politics, seven on performance, and two on candidate personality. Lichtman said the incumbent party would need to lose six of those actors, or keys, to lose the White House.

The keys range from whether a candidate is an incumbent president to the state of the economy and the presence of third-party hopefuls.

Debate performance, however, is not one of the factors that determines the outcome of an election, he argued. Lichtman pointed to historical examples, including the 1984 election in which former President Ronald Reagan swept 49 states despite poor debate performances and concerns over his age.

When pressed about whether the questions surrounding Bidens age and mental acuity are fundamentally different than his metrics as president, Lichtman doubled down.

Debate performances can be overcome, he said. At the first sign of adversity the spineless Democrats want to throw under the bus, their own incumbent president. My goodness.

Lichtman has not made his final prediction for who will win the 2024 presidential election.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Historian who predicts elections says Democrats shouldn't drop Biden
An ATV races along the dry bed of the Arkansas River at Dodge City, Kansas. Because of irrigation and other factors, the river has been dry since the late 1970s. (Max McCoy)

In the summer of 1894, a curious railway car plied the tracks of western Kansas, a chemical soup wafting to a sky ruled by a demon sun and chastened by moisture-devouring winds. At the helm of this experiment on wheels, owned by the Rock Island railroad, was a 32-year-old train dispatcher who had convinced railway officials and town leaders across the state that he had the secret to make it rain.

The aspiring rainmaker, Clayton B. Jewell, was an instant celebrity in a parched land thirsting for heroes. Rock Island officials were so confident of his ability they eventually designated three cars for his rain-making experiments, which by their count had succeeded in all of 52 attempts.

Jewell kept the concoction of chemicals he sent to the sky a closely held secret and scoffed at others who said they had achieved similar results with his method. In an 1895 letter to his hometown newspaper, the Topeka State Journal, he boasted that if only he had the necessary equipment he would wager my life itself that I could produce rain in ten minutes in the clearest of skies.

Jewell traversed western Kansas in his rainmaking car during the worst drought in Kansas that anybody could remember and the seventh straight year of crop failures. The drought had lasted an agonizing 20 months. The resulting economic chaos had ruined farmers and threatened the businesses, like railroads, that depended on profits from hauling and selling crops.

At Clay Center, W.I. Allen, assistant general manager of the Rock Island line, had in April sat in his private car at Clay Center, and surveyed the dry Kansas prairie.

We will stop this thing, Allen declared, as reported by the Kinsley Mercury. We will send our rainmakers into southern and western Kansas, temper this heat and save the corn crop.

But no relief was to come.

The great Arkansas Valley, one of the richest west of the Missouri River, with its great underflow of water, is to-day a vast desolate waste, reported the New York Times in August 1894. Hundreds of square miles of fine crops have been burned up in less than three days, and the cornstalks are scarcely worth cutting for fodder, as all the blades will fall to pieces when handled.

The harsh reality of agriculture beyond the 100th Meridian, which runs through Dodge City and roughly separates the arid western third of the state from its more humid majority, was already well known. John Wesley Powell, the Grand Canyon explorer and director of the U.S. Geological Survey during the late 19th century, had argued that plans for settlement and development west of the line should be different because of the lack of water. Powells warning was ignored, according to Wallace Stegners 1954 book on Powell and the West, Beyond the Hundredth Meridian.

After the Civil War, a myth took hold on the Great Plains that rain follows the plow. This phrase, which expanded on previous notions that once broken the sod would absorb rain like a sponge, was coined in 1881 by Charles Dana Wilber, a journalist and land speculator. Simply planting lush green crops, Wilber wrote, would cool the earth and attract showers.

Many homesteaders staked their futures on the belief that simply breaking ground for crops would attract enough precipitation to allow rain beyond the 100th Meridian, and for a few years it seemed to work. Then came trials that must have seemed Biblical in nature: the locusts and the periodic droughts and terrifying twisters. The economic spasms of bust and boom continued until the Dust Bowl of the 1930s wiped just about everyone out, with southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma panhandle at the center of the disaster.

The Dust Bowl of the 1930s wiped out Midwestern farmers and prompted a mass migration.

The Dust Bowl was the result of severe drought, economic collapse, and poor soil conservation. It was an environmental crisis made worse by greed and bad decisions, and it prompted one of the largest migrations in American history. By 1940, some 2.5 million people had abandoned the plains states. Powells warning about settlement west of the 100th Meridian had proven true.

After World War II, technology provided a solution to the problem of farming in the arid West: irrigation.

In western Kansas and most of the Great Plains in the first decades of the last century, irrigation meant flood irrigation. It was an inefficient method of flooding cropland by diverting the flow of water from a river by way of a canal (or ditch as they are mostly called in the West). Ditches are still used to move water from one place to another, but by far the most water used in agriculture in western Kansas is groundwater from the Ogallala Aquifer. The aquifer is one of the worlds largest and lies beneath eight states, from South Dakota to Texas.

In the 1950s, it was thought the water in the aquifer was inexhaustible. More and more wells were drilled to reach the aquifer and new delivery methods, chiefly center point irrigation, revolutionized farming. But unlike surface water such as that found in a river, with a relatively quick recharge from rain and snow, the groundwater in the Ogallala Aquifer is prehistoric. It is recharged on a geological time scale. Now we know the aquifer is not inexhaustible. In some places, such as beneath the community of Jetmore, north of Dodge City, the aquifer is already nearing depletion. That depletion is accelerated by climate change and continued over pumping of water.

Once the water is gone, its gone for the rest of our lifetimes  and because geologic recharge is so slow, several hundred or perhaps thousands of lifetimes to come. Kansas Reflectors Allison Kite, in partnership with Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy, reported in May that despite the grim prognosis, one of the states locally controlled water management districts has resisted adopting meaningful water conservation methods.

Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District 3, perched just above the Oklahoma panhandle in the extreme southwest corner of Kansas, is under fire for its travel expenses, lack of a formal conversation policy and its alienation of farmers who would like to conserve water. Despite a budget of $1 million, it has spent little of it on conservation, although executive director Mark Rude argues everything the district does is in the name of conservation. But in contrast to other districts, District 3 is clearly lagging.

The states five groundwater management districts were established in the 1970s, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. In 2020, for example, Groundwater Management District 1 used a state law that allows for the creation of Limited Enhanced Management Areas to commit farmers to reduce consumption by 50% over seven years.

By 2026, according to a new state law, all districts  including District 3  will be forced to submit reports to the Legislature and file a water conservation action plan with the states chief engineer.

Much of the resistance in District 3 is cultural. Locals like being in control, dislike being told what to do, and consider their legacy water rights sacred. On the districts website you can read about how the district was organized to provide for the stabilization of agriculture by establishing the right of local users to determine their own destiny with respect to the use of groundwater.

Such declarations ignore the rest of us, who have a reasonable right to expect that prehistoric groundwater in the Ogallala Aquifer should belong to us all. But Kansas water rights are based on the first in time  first in right principle, which means the earliest users are given priority.

Perhaps the thinking of District 3 officials is best represented by a couple of stunts in which thousands of gallons of Missouri River water was trucked 400 miles to southwest Kansas. The project was meant to drum up support for an aqueduct that would take water from the Missouri River in northeast Kansas to a reservoir in Utica. Since water flows downhill, and taking water to the west in Kansas is literally an uphill battle, 15 pumping stations would be required. The ground-hugging aqueduct  really, just a glorified ditch  would cost an estimated $18 billion to build and another billion a year in ongoing costs.

The Kansas aqueduct is a nutty idea, but one that has taken root among some individuals in western Kansas desperate for a solution to continue irrigation after the depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer. Aside from its expense and impracticality, it is a regressive idea that harkens back to the days of ditches and avoids a conversation about us having squandered the resource beneath our feet. It also ignores any objections the folks on the other side of the Missouri River, in Iowa and Missouri, might have to say about us taking water from a river we share.

Sprinklers irrigate a field in Hamilton County, Kansas, where some farmers have petitioned to be removed from a local groundwater management district. State lawmakers are pressuring the district to do more to conserve water in the Ogallala Aquifer.

The aqueduct is something our 1890s rainmaker, Clayton B. Jewell, might have understood. At least, he might have appreciated how desperate some folks are to believe in a solution that doesnt really address the problem.

The problem is that agriculture in the state is unsustainable beyond the 100th Meridian without irrigation. Instead of an anomaly, the magnitude of drought that drove the Dust Bowl can be expected to occur with alarming frequency.

Paleoclimatic data collected for western Kansas indicate a drought as severe as the Dust Bowl occurs there, on average, three to four times a century, according to a Kansas Geological Survey circular. Based on that probability, there is a 35% chance for a severe drought year in any decade, a 70% chance within a 20-year span, and a 100% chance over the estimated 40-year working lifetime of a western Kansas farmer.

The new law that requires District 3 to deliver a water conservation action plan was passed in response to the Kansas Water Authority saying last year that the states longstanding policy of simply slowing depletion was insufficient to protect the Ogallala aquifer. The law is a step toward the state taking control of water management from local districts if consumption continues to outpace conservation.

The battle over the aquifers decline pits good policy against powerful agricultural and political interests. Add to the mix the independence that seems woven into the cultural fabric of southwestern Kansas, and you have the ingredients for a water war that might define the region for decades to come.

But this is one war we may already have lost.

Weve already killed the Arkansas River in western Kansas, leaving just a dry bed behind. Every other river and stream and creek in that third of the state has also vanished. The natural recharge just isnt enough to keep water in them. Worse, climate change appears to be driving the arid zone to the east, creating an even bigger water crisis.

About a third of Kansas counties are currently in a moderate to severe drought, with some of the worst conditions in the area served by District 3, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The drought puts pressure on farmers to pump more water instead of voluntarily committing to conserve. Its difficult to get people to do the right thing when its against their economic interests.

If only Jewells apparatus had really worked.

The rainmaking railway car was inspected in 1892 by a newspaper reporter who described the mysteries within.

Inside the laboratory part of the car a wide shelf about two feet from the floor extends from one end to the other, the correspondent wrote. On this are many curious-looking bottles and boxes said to contain the chemicals from which the rain producing gases are made.

There were also pipes, bottles, other laboratory apparatus, and a 24-cell battery. Jewell said the gases produced would rise to 8,000 feet, then condense, creating a vacuum that would be filled with moisture  and produce rain.

There are many thinking people in Kansas who believe absolutely in Jewells rain-making system, and they are encouraging him in every possible way, wrote the observer. In other quarters, however, Jewells work was received with skepticism, and sometimes superstition, as those who prayed for rain regarded his apparatus as the work of the devil.

Jewell died in Coffeyville in 1906, aged 44, from pneumonia.

For two or three seasons Mr. Jewell did little else besides operating this (rainmaking) car and apparatus, noted his obituary in the Topeka Capital, but it was finally abandoned.

No rainmaker, no aqueduct, and no prayer will save western Kansas from the depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer. The best we can hope for is to reduce consumption, buy a little more time, and adjust to a changing climate and economy. It is time to heed the warning John Wesley Powell gave us so long ago  and prepare for the new Dust Bowl.

Max McCoy is an award-winning author and journalist. Through its opinion section, the Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.

The post Hoping for a miracle to save the Ogallala Aquifer? Prepare for the new Dust Bowl. appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
The heat from a hundred candles was carried on the breeze through a crowd of three times as many for the candlelight vigil in memory of 13-year-old Nyah Mway on Saturday night.

Around 24 hours after Nyah was shot and killed by police, members of the community gathered on Shaw Street to mourn.

We gather here to honor and support our little brother, Nyah Mway, speaker Kay Klo, director at Midtown Utica Community Center said. He was tragically murdered by police officers.

While officials declare that an investigation is underway, members of the Karen community feel betrayed. Klo said that nine years ago, the Mway family came to America seeking safety from ...military, wars, and police violence.

Nyah Mway's mother can be seen kneeling and praying amongst candles being lit for his vigil on Saturday

Who are the Karen people?

Pronounced ka-ren and also known as the Kayin, Kariang, or Kawthoolese, the Karen people a large and dispersed ethnic group of Southeast Asia, with origins traced to the Gobi Desert, Mongolia, or Tibet  according to the Karen Womens Organization. The Karen settled in Burma/Myanmar.

Under British colonization in the mid-to-late 19th century, administrators recruited many Karen people into their police and armed forces, according to the site.

During World War 2 and the Burma Campaign, those Karen became loyal guerrilla fighters for the Allies against Japanese occupiers.

When Britain granted Burma independence after the war, the Karen people had hoped to form their own nation. Instead, they were absorbed into the new Union of Burma, later renamed Union of Myanmar in 1989.

Troops of the predominantly Burmese government killed Karen villagers, and Karen insurgency sprang up, resulting in a conflict lasting until 1962 when the government pledged to quell and unify the country. The so-called Four Cuts offensive intended to separate rebels from their food sources, funds, intelligence, and recruits. It lasted until 1990.

People line Shaw Street during a vigil for 13-year-old Nyah Mway in Utica, NY on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

A ceasefire was reached in 2012. But well before that, refugees were resettled in refugee camps, many of which were across the border in Thailand, according to the Karen Organization of Minnesota. Refugees in Thailand were not allowed to venture outside the crowded camps they occupied and were arrested by Thai police if caught.

And some refugees could resettle in numerous countries  including the United States.

'The stories don't add up'

With wounds of persecution at the hands of the military and police in their home country still fresh in many of their minds, the Karen community of Utica is demanding justice.

The stories dont add up, Klo said. The story they told at the press conference, what witnesses say they say, and what was seen in the video. None of it adds up. The police officers need to be investigated and held accountable for their actions.

Klos words echoed through the streets before the same message in the Karenic language was repeated, mingling together to make a single cry for justice.

Buddhist monks from the community, many who settled in Utica as refugees from Cambodia, spoke to the crowd in their native tongue and carried them through a Buddhist prayer for Nyah.

At the end of the prayer, the monk spoke in English, asking the crowd, What do we need?

It was quickly echoed back with the word justice, again they were asked, and again they said justice.

People line Shaw Street during a vigil for 13-year-old Nyah Mway in Utica, NY on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

Pastor Debbie Kelsey of Tabernacle Baptist Church spoke to those in attendance.

Some of us come as [Nyah Mways] family. Some come as friends. Some are classmates and some are neighbors, she said. All of us are part of this community and all of us are here to say that Nyah Mway lived. And he was loved. And he will never be forgotten.

[God] wants peace and security for us, but none of what happened on Shaw Street looked like that, she continued. Any sense of peace was shattered

And while Kelsey said she was praying for justice, she asked people to remember the words of Martin Luther King Jr.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Help us be light and shed light until the truth is known and justice has been done.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Utica police shooting: Candlelight vigil held for 13-year-old Nyah Mway
Hundreds gather to honor life, legacy of former CPD officer killed outside West Garfield Park home

Hundreds gather to honor life, legacy of former CPD officer killed outside West Garfield Park home

CHICAGO  Hundreds of people gathered at St. Michael Missionary Baptist Church on the citys West Side on Saturday to pay their respects to retired Chicago police officer Larry Neuman.

The 73-year-old pastor, veteran and former CPD officer who was fatally shot outside of his West Garfield Park home last week was laid to rest on Saturday.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

Two teens have since been charged in connection with the deadly shooting.

Church members along with various pastors, police officers and homeland security personnel were in attendance to pay their respects to Neuman, who was remembered as a caring community member who was proud to be from West Garfield Park.

This is the West Side of Chicago and he was quintessential in his love for this community, his love for his people and his love for each and every one of us, Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward) said during the ceremony.

Neuman was born on July 25, 1950. Shortly after graduating from Austin High School, he joined the Marine Corps and served in Vietnam.

Neuman joined the Chicago Police Department in 1982, working in various units, and was one of the first African American bomb technicians.

Neuman was also a member of the CPD bagpipe band.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

After 30 years with the department, Neuman retired and became a member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, working TSA at Midway Airport.

Neuman was shot and killed outside of his home last week, a block and a half away from the same church where he was a pastor.

Following the service, a procession led to Neumans final resting spot at Oakridge Cemetery.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A vibrant rainbow of colors from gleaming glow sticks held aloft by hundreds of marchers lit up the Acosta Bridge amid the backdrop of the built-in red, white and blue railing lights Saturday night.

Reflected on the waters of the St. Johns River below, the glow sticks  shining red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, and violet  the colors of the LGBTQ+ Pride flag  resembled the twinkling of distant stars.

The 2024 Acosta Bridge Pride March drew at least 200 participants  young and old, Black, white, Asian, Hispanic and Middle Eastern  carrying glow sticks along with signs bearing hand-written messages of love, hope, unity and protest  across the bridge and then back to celebrate Pride Month.

The rainbow lights could be seen from the Southbank and Northbank as well as glimpsed by motorists traveling on the neighboring Fuller Warren Bridge.

"Lights or no lights there will always be rainbows on the Acosta Bridge in June. ... We're going to glow up the bridge," Amy Glassman, lead organizer of the march, told the Times-Union.

Carrying glow sticks gleaming the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ+ Pride flag and carrying homemade signs, hundreds of people from throughout the Jacksonville area marched across the Acosta Bridge during the 2024 Acosta Bridge Pride March, a peaceful demonstration Saturday night to raise awareness and show support for the LGBTQ+ community.

The Acosta March came four weeks after a similar gathering June 1  the beginning of Pride Month  when the LGBTQ+ community and its supporters lined the Main Street Bridge pedestrian walkway and lit the bridge in rainbow lights using flashlights.

View from a bridge: Florida directive for bridge lighting is latest in battle over Pride and other symbols

Both the Acosta and Main Street bridge demonstrations were meant as a show of solidarity and protest against "continued LGBTQ+ hate legislation and identity erasure" in Florida, several of the marchers said.

The state wouldn't light the Acosta Bridge with rainbow colors to raise awareness and show support of LGBTQ+ Pride so residents, community activists, church leaders and other supporters from across Northeast Florida came together in a grassroots effort to do it.

Nate Monroe: Florida directive for bridge lighting is latest in battle over Pride and other symbols

Equal parts memorial, protest and celebration, Saturday's event was intended to demonstrate support for the city's LGBTQ+ community as well as emphasize that "everyone has a right to speak up and contribute in this space," Glassman said.

She emphasized that they didn't want to turn off the red, white and blue lights on the bridge.

"We wanted to add the rainbow colors to the top of the bridge via the glow stick party to showcase that diversity and America are inextricably linked to one another," Glassman said. "Celebrating diversity in our country is the foundation of what being American is."

A matter of rights

Shannan and Karla Foley brought a handmade protest sign to the 2024 Acosta Bridge Pride March where they were among hundreds of participants who marched across the Acosta Bridge in a peaceful demonstration Saturday nigh to raise awareness and show support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Shannan and Karla Foley, married in 2022, brought a sign bearing a heartfelt message to the march. Decorated with hand-drawn hearts, the brown cardboard sign read: "YOUR RIGHTS END WHERE MINE BEGIN!!!! LGBTQ+ RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS."

It's been an upsetting time right now, because of the hate-filled atmosphere toward the LGBTQ+ community, they said.

"It's not so much just about gay rights anymore. Now it's about women's rights and so much more," Shannan Foley said as Karla Foley added, "It's human rights."

Ed Tooker and Don Tanner, who each carried large Pride flags, said they came to show support for the LGBTQ+ community.

"We want a community where everybody is respected, and everybody is valued and everybody matters," Tanner said.

Tooker said it's also about ensuring the LGBTQ+ community has access to necessary services.

Ed Tooker and Don Tanner carried LGBTQ+ Pride flags during the 2024 Acosta Bridge Pride March, which attracted hundreds of participants Saturday night. The march was a peaceful demonstration to raise awareness and show support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Paying homage to lives lost

The march began by paying homage to the victims killed and injured during the June 12, 2016, mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. A gunman killed 49 people and injured 53 more before Orlando police fatally shot him.

Many consider the Pulse nightclub shooting as one of the worst mass killings in the nation as well as the deadliest attack targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

Peaceful demonstration

Coming at the end of Pride Month, the Acosta Bridge march also was designed as a show of resistance to the decision by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to turn off the LGBTQ+ Pride rainbow lights on state-owned bridges.

FDOT decided that the Acosta Bridge and others would be lit in red, white, and blue for the state government's "Freedom Summer" from Memorial Day through Labor Day. That decision meant the Acosta's lighting system wouldn't have rainbow lights for Pride Month as it did the previous three years.

That decision not only discriminates against the LGBTQ+ Pride but also Juneteenth and other segments of the community, several marchers said.

The two groups of colors on the bridge  red white and blue and the LGBTQ+ rainbow  "don't have to compete. They belong together," Glassman said.

Rainbow lights shine bright

Glassman noted the Acosta Bridge lights have long been used to celebrate and honor the city, the diversity of its people, and illuminate the commitment to being a welcoming and inclusive city.

"Lighting the rainbow lights for LGBTQ+ Pride continues this tradition and anything less undermines our city's commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion. We are a beautiful mosaic of people in Jacksonville, and we should celebrate that every chance we get," Glassman said.

The significance and symbolism of the rainbow lights on the bridge extend beyond Jacksonville, she said.

"It's important because the people in our community, and not just in Jacksonville, but really across the state of Florida, especially the LGBTQ+ people need to be able to not only see themselves in the community, but also see the support that they have around them in their community," Glassman said.

She said when things like DE&I initiatives, rainbow bridge lights and school system programming that support LGBTQ+ children are removed, it has far-reaching implications.

"We can't just sit idly by and let those things be taken away from us when we've spent generations fighting for this recognition in our own communities," she said.

Hundreds of people carrying glow sticks gleaming the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ+ Pride flag gathered to march across the Acosta Bridge in a peaceful demonstration Saturday night, June 29, 2024, to raise awareness and show support for the LGBTQ+ community.

"It's important for us to have that camaraderie and support and really to be able to identify all the wonderful people in our community who do support our LGBTQ+ people. And really showcase that we're a forward-thinking city that is going to continue to lean into inclusivity and make sure that everyone feels welcome here," Glassman said.

Mayor's historic proclamation

On Friday, Mayor Donna Deegan proclaimed June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month and the rainbow-colored flag flew over Jacksonville City Hall for the first time.

Deegan is the first Jacksonville mayor to issue a Pride Month proclamation, just as she was the first mayor to attend the Jax River City Pride Parade when she was its grand marshal last year.

"It is with immense pride and joy that I stand before you today to celebrate the city's first official Pride Month event," Deegan said to a crowd gathered in City Hall's rotunda. "I can promise you it won't be the last."

Deegan also that the city has "much more work to do." She noted that Jacksonville scores lower than other big Florida cities on the Human Rights Campaign scorecard for municipal laws and programs supporting LGBTQ people.

Jacksonville scored 76 out of 100 in the 2023 scorecard. Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale all had perfect scores of 100.

She announced the creation of an LGBTQ advisory board that she said will be a liaison with her office and City Council. The board will issue an annual report with recommendations. Deegan created the board with an executive order.

Acosta Bridge Pride March among several statewide

The Acosta Bridge Pride March was among several similar grassroots LGBTQ+ bridge lightings statewide scheduled to take place Saturday night. Similar peaceful demonstrations were scheduled Saturday in Melbourne, Tampa and Orlando.

Project Pride SRQ, a Sarasota nonprofit, planned to carry a 700-foot rainbow flag over the John Ringling Causeway at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Grand Flag March, reported the Sarasota Herald Tribune, quoting Paul Lotierzo, executive director of the organization that works to raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ community.

Its not just a rainbow flag. We wear pride colors to signal to the queer couple and to the person across the street, and to the transgender person so that people know that they are safe and they are not alone," Lotierzo told the Herald Tribune.

Meanwhile, The Light Up Melbourne Causeway with Pride event was set for 8 p.m. Saturday at Front Street Park, reported Hometown News Melbourne citing Awake Brevard Action Alliance, one of the event organizers.

Times-Union staff writer David Bauerlein contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Demonstrators light up Jacksonville bridge in LGBTQ+ rainbow colors
Prime Minister of Hungary and leader of the Fidesz party Viktor Orban makes a statement. Leading populist parties from Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic have formed an alliance at EU level, "Patriots for Europe". Tobias Steinmaurer/APA/dpa

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced in Vienna on Sunday an alliance with populist parties from Austria and the Czech Republic at the EU level, dubbed Patriots for Europe, to form a new far-right group in the European Parliament.

The Patriots for Europe grouping draws in Orban's Fidesz party, the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) and the Czech Republic's Action of Dissatisfied Citizens, commonly known as ANO (Yes), should soon gain more members and become the "largest group of right-wing forces in Europe," the Fidesz leader said.

"Then the sky is the limit," said Orban, whose country takes over the rotating EU Council presidency on Monday until the end of the year.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from at least four other EU states would be needed to form a parliamentary group.

The new cooperation raises the question of how the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which was recently expelled from the right-wing European Identity and Democracy (ID) group, will now behave towards this alliance.

"This alliance is intended to be a carrier rocket," FPO leader Herbert Kickl said.

ANO leader and former Czech prime minister Andrej Babis, explained that the new group in the European Parliament would primarily focus on the defence of national sovereignty vis-a-vis the EU, the fight against illegal migration and the reversal of the climate measures of the European Green Deal.

The FPO and ANO, both parties of the opposition, and the ruling right-wing populist Fidesz received the most votes in the European Parliament elections in their respective countries.

Fidesz has 11 MEPs in the new European Parliament, ANO seven and the FPO six. In total, they now have 24 of the 705 representatives in the EU body.

Elections to the European Parliament were held at the beginning of June. Until 2021, Fidesz was in the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) when Orban withdrew from this political bloc. Since then, his party has not been part of any official political groups.

The FPO was previously part of the ID group, together with France's far-right nationalist National Rally (RN) and the now excluded AfD. Babis recently announced his party's withdrawal from the liberal Renew Europe group.

Prime Minister of Hungary and leader of the Fidesz party Viktor Orban with Leader of the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party Herbert Kickl make a statement. Leading populist parties from Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic have formed an alliance at EU level, "Patriots for Europe". Tobias Steinmaurer/APA/dpa

(L-R) Chairman of the Czech liberal-populist ANO Andrej Babis, Head of the right-wing Austrian FPO Herbert Kickl and Prime Minister of Hungary and chairman of the Fidesz party Viktor Orban show their statement. Leading populist parties from Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic have formed an alliance at EU level, "Patriots for Europe". Tobias Steinmaurer/APA/dpa
FILE - Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, on June 27, 2024. Orban has presented a new alliance with Austrias far-right Freedom Party and the main Czech opposition party, which hopes to attract other partners and become the biggest right-wing group in the European Parliament. Orban traveled to Vienna Sunday, June 30, 2024, to present the Patriots for Europe alliance of his Fidesz party with the Freedom Party and former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiss ANO party  a day before Hungary takes over the European Unions rotating presidency for six months. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

VIENNA (AP)  Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Sunday presented a new alliance with Austria's far-right Freedom Party and the main Czech opposition party, which hopes to attract other partners and become the biggest right-wing group in the European Parliament.

Orban traveled to Vienna to present the Patriots for Europe alliance of his Fidesz party with the Freedom Party and former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis's ANO party, a day before Hungary takes over the European Unions rotating presidency for six months.

The European Parliament elections in early June strengthened hard-right parties overall, though their performances varied from country to country, but left unclear to what extent they would manage to work together. Until now, they have been spread across two groups in the EU legislature, plus a large number of unaligned parties.

Orban in recent years has appeared to relish opportunities to block, water down or delay key EU decisions, routinely going against the grain of most other leaders on issues like the war in Ukraine, relations with Russia and China, and efforts to defend democracy and the rule of law. His public opposition to EU policies and stances has long frustrated other governments in the bloc and pushed him to the margins of the continents mainstream.

What Europeans want is three things: peace, order and development, Orban said through an interpreter at Sunday's event. And what they are getting from the elite in Brussels today is war, migration and stagnation.

Our objective is, and we believe that this will happen, that in a short time, this will be the strongest right-wing group in the European Parliament, Orban said.

The trio would need to attract lawmakers from at least four more EU countries to successfully form a group in the new parliament.

Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl noted that the new European Parliament will meet for the first time in Strasbourg on July 16. He said that starting immediately ... all political forces that want to join in our political and positive reform effort are very welcome."

Kickl added that from what I have heard in recent days ... there will be more of them than some of you probably suspect right now. He didn't name any potential partners, and the three party leaders didn't take questions.

The Freedom Party narrowly won first place in the European Parliament election and hopes to win Austria's national election on Sept. 29.

A patriotic manifesto for a European future" signed by the three party leaders assails alleged plans for a European central state" and pledges to prioritize sovereignty over federalism, freedom over diktats, and peace.

___

Moulson reported from Berlin.
Hungary's populist Orban to take over EU presidency as many issues hang in the balance

FILE - Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, left, arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, June 27, 2024. When Hungary takes over the helm of the European Union on Monday July 1, 2024 many politicians in Brussels will have the same thing on their minds: whether populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban will use the role to further his reputation as the blocs main spoiler. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File)

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP)  When Hungary takes over the helm of the European Union on July 1, many politicians in Brussels will have the same thing on their minds: whether populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban will use the role to further his reputation as the blocs main spoiler.

Orban in recent years has seemed to relish opportunities to block, water down or delay key EU decisions, routinely going against the grain of most other leaders on issues like the war in Ukraine, relations with Russia and China, and efforts to defend democracy and the rule of law.

His public opposition to EU policies and stances has long frustrated his partners in the bloc and pushed him to the margins of the continent's mainstream. Hungary's motto for its presidency  Make Europe Great Again  raised eyebrows for its resemblance to the famous tagline of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The EU presidency rotates among its member countries, and while the post holds little real power, it does allow countries to put their priorities high on Europes agenda.

Now, as Hungary resides over the 27-nation bloc for the coming six months, it will likely keep up its anti-EU rhetoric, said Dorka Takacsy, a research fellow at the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy.

But the timeline of its presidency  beginning with a lengthy summer break and a transitional period of forming a new European Parliament and executive commission  will give Budapest few opportunities to derail the blocs priorities significantly, she said.

"These six months are altogether not that long, which means that ... Hungary cannot do potentially much harm, even according to the critics," Takacsy said.

As Hungary's takeover approached, leaders in Brussels rushed to push through important policy decisions while Belgium was still at the helm. On Tuesday, for example, the EU launched membership talks with candidate countries Ukraine and Moldova.

Orban has vocally opposed and threatened to block Ukraine's candidacy. His government has also held up EU efforts to supply Ukraine with badly needed funding.

Yet with Ukraine's accession process already initiated, Takacsy said, the most Hungary can do now under its presidency is delay further steps toward its EU membership, a process that in any scenario is likely to take many years.

All the meaningful steps from the European side regarding Ukraine were already done," she said. (A Hungarian) delay, according to most European leaders, is already calculated and being taken into consideration as if its something which is most likely going to happen.

Orban has long been accused of dismantling democratic institutions and violating the EU's standards on the rule of law, leading the bloc's legislature in May to call for the presidency to be taken out of Hungary's hands entirely.

In a resolution, the EU parliament argued that democratic deficiencies raised questions of how Hungary will be able to credibly fulfill this task in 2024. Two years ago, the European Commission froze billions of euros in funds to Budapest over concerns about democratic backsliding by the government.

But some Hungarian officials have stressed that they plan to act constructively during their presidency. Last week, Hungarian minister for EU affairs Janos Boka told reporters that we will be honest brokers, working loyally with all Member States and institutions.

Carrying out the functions of the presidency is our obligation, but we see it primarily as an opportunity," Boka said. At the beginning of the new institutional cycle, we can initiate a debate and set the agenda on issues that are important to us.

Among the issues that Hungary has prioritized in its seven-point program is the enlargement of the EU in the Western Balkans for countries like Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania through a merit-based procedure.

Budapest has also vowed to strengthen the EU's external borders and step up against illegal immigration, and to address demographic challenges that involve an aging population in Europe  two priorities that reflect Orban's image as a staunch opponent of immigration and defender of family values.

But after years of campaigns portraying the EU as forcing unwanted policies on Hungary  Orban has repeatedly compared membership in the bloc to more than four decades of Soviet occupation of his country  he may find it difficult to restore goodwill among his EU partners.

The Hungarian government has been using the image of Brussels as a punching bag, Takacsy said. Now its somewhat difficult to communicate that for these brief six months, we are basically the Brussels that Hungary is waging war and a freedom fight against.

With some words of advice for Orban before Hungary assumes its role, the prime minister of Belgium said the position does not mean that you are the boss of Europe.

"The presidency means that you're the one that has to make the compromise, Alexander De Croo said to reporters in Brussels on Thursday. Being in the position where you have to make the compromise is an interesting position to be in at least once in your life, so I can definitely recommend it to Mr. Orban.
For just about an hour on Saturday morning, two of the Seacoasts most iconic historical figures were brought back to life in Kittery, Maine.

Gen. William Whipple, who was born and raised in Kittery, has the distinction of being the only native Mainer to sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776. In what has become an annual tradition, the General  portrayed this year by historical reenactor James Roberts of York, Maine  returned to his hometown to kick off the areas Independence Day celebrations with an inspired public reading of the Declaration.

General Whipple, the only native Mainer to sign the Declaration of Independence, reads from the document, which he signed in 1776. General Whipple was portrayed by Reenactor James Roberts of York.

This year, for the first time, the event also included the enslaved man who served at his side for many pivotal moments in our local and national history. Three years after the Declaration was signed, Prince Whipple joined with 19 other Portsmouth slaves to sign a Petition for Freedom delivered to the New Hampshire legislature. While the states lawmakers never acted on this request, the passion and poetry of this remarkable document survives.

Prince Whipple reads Petition for Freedom

On Saturday, Prince  portrayed by Portsmouth actor Kevin Wade Mitchell  gave a public reading of this petition as well. Including both recitations in the event provided those in attendance a unique reflection of the hunger for liberty shared by the wealthy white Founding Father and his enslaved manservant. The General ultimately granted Prince his freedom in 1784, and passed away the following year.

Prince Whipple, portrayed by Kevin Wade Mitchell, reads the Petition of Freedom submitted to the NH Legislature in 1779.

William was a merchant sea captain before retiring to settle in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he was later appointed as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress and a brigadier general in the states militia. Prince accompanied the General to Philadelphia during the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, and during military campaigns including the historic victory at the Battle of Saratoga.

In another continuing tradition of Kitterys yearly event, the amazing youngsters of the Piscataqua Rangers Junior Fife & Drum Corps performed the national anthem prior to the readings, and Capt. Henry Dearborns Company of Revolution-era militia historians fired a musket-and-cannon salute afterward. Town Manager Kendra Amaral read a proclamation from Maine Gov. Janet Mills honoring Gen. Whipple, and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyards Color Guard also took part in the ceremony at USS Thresher Memorial Park, adjacent to Kitterys Town Hall.

The Piscataqua Rangers Junior Fife and Drum Corps of Portsmouth played the National Anthem to open the Town of Kittery Independence Day celebration Saturday.

Afterward, those in attendance were invited to an open house at the neighboring Kittery Historical & Naval Museum. Demonstrating the strong ties between the town and the Navy yard, most of the funding for this years event was donated by the Shipyards Naval Civilian Managers Association, as well as from local residents such as Desiree Barris of Hoppis Barbershop.

And next year, were planning to do it all again.

General Whipple (right) and Prince Whipple compare notes at the conclusion of the Independence Day celebration in Kittery.

D. Allan Kerr is the organizer of the Kitterys annual Independence Day celebration.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: William Whipple, Prince Whipple cry out for independence in Kittery
Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB) will pay a dividend of CA$0.47 on the 1st of August. This means the annual payment is 7.1% of the current stock price, which is above the average for the industry.

View our latest analysis for Laurentian Bank of Canada

Laurentian Bank of Canada's Payment Expected To Have Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable.

Laurentian Bank of Canada has a long history of paying out dividends, with its current track record at a minimum of 10 years. But while this history shows that the company was able to sustain its dividend for a decent period of time, its most recent earnings report shows that the company did not make enough earnings to cover its dividend payout. This is an alarming sign that could mean that Laurentian Bank of Canada's dividend at its current rate may no longer be sustainable for longer.

According to analysts, EPS should be several times higher in the next 3 years. In addtion, they also estimate the future payout ratio could reach 49% in the same time period, which we would be comfortable to see continuing.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. Since 2014, the dividend has gone from CA$2.00 total annually to CA$1.88. Dividend payments have shrunk at a rate of less than 1% per annum over this time frame. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve

Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. It's not great to see that Laurentian Bank of Canada's earnings per share has fallen at approximately 3.2% per year over the past five years. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this can turn into a longer term trend.

We're Not Big Fans Of Laurentian Bank of Canada's Dividend

Overall, this isn't a great candidate as an income investment, even though the dividend was stable this year. The company's earnings aren't high enough to be making such big distributions, and it isn't backed up by strong growth or consistency either. Considering all of these factors, we wouldn't rely on this dividend if we wanted to live on the income.

Story continues

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Laurentian Bank of Canada that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
(KRON)  The San Francisco Police Department responded to a shooting in Hunters Point that left a man critically injured on Friday afternoon.

Two teenagers shot in Hayward, PD investigates

At 2:50 p.m., police responded to the 1100 block of Shafter Ave. on reports of a shooting.

SFPD responded to the scene and found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police said they rendered immediate aid to the man and that he has since been taken to the hospital for life-threatening injuries.

Police said no arrests have been made at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call SFPD at 415-575-4444.

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.
Hurricane Beryl picked up power and speed on Sunday as it churned in the Caribbean and was upgraded to a major Category 4 storm, the first hurricane on record to reach major status east of the Lesser Antilles in the month of June.

The rapidly developing storm is now the earliest Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic on record. Before Sunday, Hurricane Dennis, which became a Category 4 Atlantic storm on July 7, 2005, held the record.

PHOTO: Hurricane Beryl satellite map. (ABC News)

PHOTO: A boarded building is pictured before hurricane Beryl lands in Bridgetown, Barbados, June 29, 2024. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

On average, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season forms the second week of August. Beryl was the earliest Category 3 storm in the Atlantic since 1966.

A major hurricane is Category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 111 mph or higher.

Beryl was a few hundred miles east of the Windward Islands on Sunday and was moving west over open waters.

MORE: Seabird populations at risk amid increased hurricanes and extreme weather: Study

PHOTO: Tracking Beryl. (ABC News)

By Monday morning, the hurricane's eye is forecast to track just south of Barbados with 130 mph winds and produce 3 to 6 inches of rain across the region Sunday night and Monday. A storm surge of 6 to 9 feet is expected for Barbados.

From Barbados, the hurricane is expected to sweep across the Westward Islands with life-threatening conditions and head toward Jamaica, possibly reaching the island on Wednesday. The storm's path on Sunday was shifting slightly south, and it's too early to know if it will make direct landfall in Jamaica.

Right behind Beryl, there is another weather system that could become a tropical cyclone, as well, and may end up hitting Barbados on the same day Beryl is expected to bear down on Jamaica.

While it's too soon to know with confidence, Beryl, or remnants of the storm, could reach southern Texas by next weekend, bringing heavy rain to the area. The alternative scenario is the storm remains wholly over Mexico.

MORE: NOAA predicts very active hurricane season for 2024, issues highest-ever early season outlook

In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its highest-on-record hurricane forecast for this Atlantic hurricane season. All categories of storms are expected to exceed the typical number seen every year, National Weather Service forecasters said at the time.

NOAA scientists predicted between 17 and 25 named storms this season, compared to an average of 14; between eight and 13 hurricanes, compared to an average of seven; and between four and seven major hurricanes, compared to an average of three.

A Category 6 hurricane? Stronger storms spark debate among experts to adjust Saffir-Simpson scale

Multiple officials, including National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan and National Weather Service Director Ken Graham, described the 2024 Hurricane Outlook as the "highest" forecast ever issued in May.

Climate change is likely having a significant impact on the Atlantic hurricane season, according to researchers.

Warming of the surface ocean temperatures from human-induced climate change is likely fueling more powerful tropical cyclones with more extreme precipitation, scientists say.

Hurricane Beryl track and forecast: Category 4 storm barrels toward Barbados originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The storm is stoking fears it could cause catastrophic damage - NOAA

An unseasonably early hurricane is gathering strength as it bears down on the Caribbean, stoking fears it could cause nine-foot waves and catastrophic damage.

Hurricane Beryl is the earliest Category Four - the second highest group - storm in history as it reaches wind speeds of 130mph and possibly exceeds them over the next 24 hours.

Hurricane warnings have already been issued for Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and the island of Tobago.

Martinique, the beloved private getaway among the rich and famous, is under a tropical storm warning, while Dominica and Trinidad are under a tropical storm watch.

People take down a beach bar in preparation for Hurricane Beryl in Bridgetown in Barbados - Ramon Espinosa/AP

Potentially catastrophic wind damage is expected where the eyewall of Beryl moves through portions of the Windward Islands, with the highest risk of the core in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada, the US National Hurricane Center warned.

Beryl is expected to rapidly strengthen and be a major hurricane when it reaches the Windward Islands late Sunday night or Monday, bringing destructive hurricane-force winds and life-threatening storm surge, it added.

Forecasters have predicted waves could be nine feet high when Beryl makes landfall.

Long queues have already been forming at filling stations and grocery stores as people living in the region batten down the hatches ahead of Beryl.

Please take this very seriously and prepare yourselves, said Ralph Gonsalves, the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines. This is a terrible hurricane.

The timing of the first major hurricane is ringing alarm bells among hurricane experts.

It is unusual for hurricanes to form in this part of the Atlantic so early in the year because ocean temperatures are not warm enough to trigger activity.

But rising sea temperatures have brought the hurricane season forward.

Residents cover the windows of their home in Barbados - Ramon Espinosa

Beryl has found an environment with very warm ocean waters for this time of year, Dr Mike Brennan, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations National Hurricane Center, told CNN.

These are ocean waters youd normally see like in August or September, but now were seeing them in late June, he added.

Its kind of opening up more of the deep tropical Atlantic for formation before we get to what would be the traditional peak of the hurricane season.

Phil Klotzbach, a hurricane expert and research scientist at Colorado State University, said that this was evidence that 2024 will have a hyperactive hurricane season.

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After hitting Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Beryl churned across the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall over the middle Texas Gulf Coast as a Category 1 hurricane early Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Beryl began weakening after making landfall and was downgraded to a tropical depression later Monday.

The storm blew past the Cayman Islands and Jamaica last week, initially making landfall over the island of Carriacou in Grenada while tearing through the Caribbean, strengthening at times to a Category 5 hurricane  the strongest rating.

Hurricane Beryl shortly after making landfall early on July 8, 2024 over the middle Texas coast. / Credit: NOAA

What is Beryl's projected path?



The hurricane center issued an update Monday evening saying Beryl was bringing flooding and the risk of tornadoes across portions of eastern Texas, western Louisiana and Arkansas.

As of 8 p.m. EDT, all tropical storm warnings and storm surge warnings for Texas had been lifted.

Map shows Hurricane Beryl's projected path after making landfall in Texas. / Credit: Mehmet Yaren Bozgun/Anadolu via Getty Images

Beryl's eye "will move over eastern Texas today, then move through the Lower Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley on Tuesday and Wednesday," the hurricane center said. "Steady weakening is forecast, and Beryl is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday."

"An additional 4 to 8 inches of rainfall with localized amounts of 12 inches is expected across portions of eastern Texas through tonight," the hurricane center said Monday evening. "Considerable flash and urban flooding as well as minor to isolated major river flooding is expected. Heavy rainfall of 3 to 5 inches, with locally higher amounts, is expected across portions of far southeastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, and southern Missouri through Tuesday."

Predited rainfall totals for Beryl as of Monday, July 8, 2024. / Credit: NOAA/National Hurricane Center

Before reaching the U.S., Beryl made landfall in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Friday as a Category 2 hurricane, just northeast of the resort town of Tulum, before weakening to a tropical storm and moving back into the Gulf.

Beryl became the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season at the end of June and rapidly strengthened. It was the first major hurricane east of the Lesser Antilles on record for June, according to Philip Klotzbach, Colorado State University hurricane researcher.

Brian McNoldy, a tropical meteorology researcher for the University of Miami, told the AP that warm waters fueled Beryl, with ocean heat content in the deep Atlantic the highest on record for this time of year.

Beryl also set records as the first June hurricane ever to hit Category 4, the farthest east a storm has ever hit Category 4, and the first storm before September to go from tropical depression to major hurricane in under 48 hours, CBS News weather producer David Parkinson reported.

Beryl was also the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin and was only the second Category 5 storm recorded in July since 2005, according to the hurricane center.

Brian Dakss, Alex Sundby and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Artificial intelligence can be used as a tool, with some limitations, under the agreement struck last week between the major studios and the union representing film crews.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees released further details of its contract over the weekend. The deal provides that workers may ask their employers for a consultation about AI use, that a committee will be set up to offer AI skills training, and that AI use cannot be outsourced to non-union labor.

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Making the tool analogy explicit, the deal provides that if the worker uses their own AI system, they can charge a kit rental fee  the same as they would for sound recording equipment or some other employee-owned gear.

IATSE contracts already provide for severance pay and retraining if a member loses their job due to technological change. That language would apply to job losses incurred as a result of AI. The new contract adds language that no employee will be forced to input prompts that displace other union workers.

The role of AI was a major theme of last years strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. In the end, both unions got deals that give creators control over how they use AI  within company policies  and guarantees that AI use will be compensated.

The IATSE terms are somewhat different, in part because the union is bargaining on behalf of a broad range of disciplines  from hair stylists and boom operators to editors and cinematographers.

The terms do provide one protection that parallels the SAG-AFTRA deal: IATSE workers must give separate consent to any AI scanning, and scanning cannot be a condition of employment.

The union is set to hold a series of town halls with members to answer questions ahead of the ratification vote.

From the start of talks nearly four months ago, the union has made clear that it sees AI as a tool with potential upsides for workers.

Sometimes new jobs are created with new technology, Matt Loeb, the unions international president, told Variety in February. My hope is that some of the efficiencies and/or advantages of AI will filter down to the crews.

Under the deal, the employers retain the right to bar employees from using AI in their work. If they do permit the use of AI, employers will indemnify workers from legal liability, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

The agreement also provides for quarterly meetings with individual employers to discuss AI, and bi-annual meetings with the studio group, as needed.

The AI terms were resolved well before the end of negotiations last Tuesday. The final issues to fall into place were the funding streams for the benefit plans and general wage increases.

The union was able to negotiate a 7% increase in the first year, followed by increases of 4% and 3.5%. And the health and pension funds will benefit from new streaming residuals. Overall, the employers agreed to provide more than $700 million in increased funding for the plans, to cover a significant shortfall caused by the pandemic and the twin strikes.

The deal provides that there will be no increases in health care costs for employees or their dependents, and no reduction in health benefits, the union stated in its summary of the terms.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that the contract does not provide severance for job losses due to AI. Existing contracts provide severance pay for job losses due to technological change, and AI would fall under that category.

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Idaho has long waged a war on women, and it isnt just banning access to abortions | Opinion

Idaho is at war against women and has been for decades. The war is undeclared but undeniable when viewed through the lenses of justice and healthcare.

Idaho imprisons women at thee times the national rate. Idaho puts more women in prison than any other state, and the rate is accelerating. From 2022 to 2023, Idaho mens incarceration rate increased by 2% and womens by 9.3%.

Worse, 80% of women imprisoned in Idaho are there for nonviolent crimes. In Idaho, nonviolent offenders stay imprisoned twice as long as anywhere else.

There is collateral damage to children, and 81% of incarcerated women in Idaho have dependent children. Only 28% of those children live with their fathers. The rest live with a relative or friend or enter foster care. One in 10 children of incarcerated parents end up incarcerated themselves.

This cycle worsens as more mothers are imprisoned for nonviolent offenses, mostly drug related crimes. Idaho has Americas highest arrest rate for marijuana possession, a drug no longer criminalized in most states.

No hope is in sight. Idaho DOC pays $77 a day per inmate and $84 a day to house some prisoners in other states. Instead of looking into why so many nonviolent women are imprisoned in Idaho, the State Legislature is building a new $112 million prison for women to save that $7 difference.

Idaho spends 7.8% of its $5 billion budget on imprisonment. For a state that prides itself on freedom and low taxes, Idaho fails on both.

But Idahos war on women is not limited to imprisoning nonviolent women. Idaho is also at war against mothers and babies.

Idahos infant mortality rate increased 18% from 2019 to 202. Idaho is in the worst 10% of states for maternal mortality, which almost tripled from 2019 to 2021. It is well known that infant mortality is 16% higher and maternal mortality is 62% higher in states with restricted abortion access. Despite worsening death rates and already restrictive laws, Idaho legislature doubled down by banning abortion with criminal consequences for doctors.

Since Idahos 2022 abortion ban, 22% of OB/Gyn doctors have left practice in Idaho. A recent survey indicates that another 12% will leave this year and 38% more may leave soon. Additionally, 59% of Idaho family practitioners are leaving or considering leaving Idaho.

As of 2023, half of Idaho counties have zero obstetricians. Three Idaho hospitals closed their labor and delivery wards in the last year: Bonner General in Sandpoint, Valor Health in Emmett and now West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell. West Valley is also closing its neonatal ICU.

Even if women find someone to help deliver their babies, 80% of maternal deaths occur in the year following birth. Forty-six states have accordingly increased Medicaid coverage for a full year after birth. And 80% of maternal deaths are preventable with access to adequate healthcare. But Idahos pregnancy coverage ends 60 days after birth and Idahos Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women is the worst in the nation.

With the lack of doctors, hospitals and health insurance, things look dark for pregnant women in Idaho. But rather than try to address these problems, in 2023 the Idaho legislature voted to dissolve the Maternal Mortality Review Committee. Idaho is the only state in America without a Maternal Mortality Review Committee.

This war on Idahos women must stop. If your representative will not commit definitively to improving access to womens healthcare, removing the abortion ban and reforming the criminal justice system in Idaho, then he or she does not deserve your vote. Your vote is your voice.

Go to voteidaho.gov to get started.

Dr. Roller has decades of clinical and public health experience at a large surgical practice. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree at Georgetown University, Master of Public Health at the University of Washington and Bachelor degree in Astrophysics at the University of California, Berkeley.
Illegal Israeli settlers occupy an illegal outpost near the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba near the Palestinian city of Hebron in the West Bank in 2022, before Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023. File Photo by Abir Sultan/EPA-EFE

June 30 (UPI) -- A group of illegal Israeli immigrants to Palestine have burned crops on land near the town of Asira al-Qibliya, south of Nablus, the head of the village council Hafez Saleh has said.

The issue of Israeli settlers in the West Bank is deemed illegal under international law, violating the Fourth Geneva Convention. These settlements lead to the displacement of Palestinian communities, the expropriation of land, and frequent conflicts.

The presence of settlers complicates peace efforts and contributes to a cycle of violence caused by the Israelis. The Israeli government's support for settlements exacerbates tensions and undermines the prospects for a two-state solution.

Israeli settlers set up a tent on Palestinian lands near the village of Artas, south of Bethlehem, on the way to establishing a colonial outpost, the Palestine News and Information Agency reported.

The settlers raised the Israeli flag after taking the land, Palestinian activist Hassan Brijiyeh told the official Palestinian news agency.

Earlier this month, Israel's Security Cabinet said it was considering proposals to "strengthen" its illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank where some 700,000 illegal Jewish immigrants live.

Ultimately, Israel said it had authorized five more West Bank outposts, violating international law. Foreign governments including Kuwait have now expressed outrage over Israel's expanded occupation.

Meanwhile, controversial Israeli politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, who lives in an illegal settlement, welcomed the arrest of 13 "Shebaim" who entered Israeli territory without permits.

"Zero tolerance!" said the minister.
ISTANBUL (AP)  A group of LGBTQ+ protesters held an impromptu demonstration in Istanbul on Sunday after the governors office banned an annual Pride March.

A statement by the Istanbul governors office said that it wouldn't allow various illegal groups to hold the unauthorized march and fenced off Istanbuls central Taksim Square and Istiklal Avenue, where Pride marches usually take place.

The annual Pride March has been banned in Istanbul since 2015, but demonstrators still gather in Taksim and Istiklal every year and clash with authorities.

To circumvent the ban, a group of more than 100 people gathered in the Suadiye neighborhood across town. The demonstrators waved rainbow flags and read a statement, before quickly dispersing when police arrived. The Istanbul Pride Committee said that there were unconfirmed reports of at least 15 protesters being detained.

Images on social media showed protesters holding pride flags and calling for an end to polarization and anti-LGBTQ+ language used by Turkish politicians.

Turkey previously was one of the few Muslim-majority countries to allow Pride marches. The first was held in 2003, the year after President Recep Tayyip Erdogans party came to power.

In recent years, the government has adopted a harsh approach to public events by groups that don't represent its religiously conservative views.
Photo: Jim Allen - FreightWaves

Chart of the Week: Freightos Baltic Daily Index  China to North America West and East Coast SONAR: FBXD.CNAW, FBXD.CNAE

Spot rates for shipping forty-foot equivalent containers over the ocean from China to North America hit their highest levels since the summer of 2022 and are still climbing. Supply chain disruption has returned to the maritime industry, but how does it compare to the pandemic era and is it sustainable?

Reliable sourcing drives efficiency in any companys supply chain. If goods and their subsequent transportation are consistently available, then businesses can put less effort into forecasting and managing inventories. These were the primary concerns during the pandemic.

The pandemic-era supply chain debacle was caused by a series of factors:





Spiking demand for goods well beyond expectations. Limited production availability due to quarantining. Insufficient transportation capacity. Limited port infrastructure. Panic ordering by companies due to the above.

Issues 1, 2 and 4 are not present in the current environment, but 3 and 5 are. The increase in order lead times impacts all downstream transportation and logistics.

Demand is not really the issue

Goods demand has been relatively stable over the past few years, though it has been better than many economists expected. Orders for durable goods fell slightly year over year in May.

The Inbound Ocean TEUs Volume Index (IOTI), which measures bookings of twenty-foot equivalent containers from China to the U.S., is up 15% year over year but down 13% from 2023 peak levels hit last August when rates were roughly a quarter what they are now. Demand has been increasing steadily since May, but not at a particularly alarming rate compared to last year.

Capacity troubles

The Israel-Hamas war that began in October last year has destabilized one of the primary shipping routes in the world. Houthi rebels based in Yemen continue to attack ships in the Red Sea, forcing many carriers to extend their trip by an average of 10-12 days. This extended trip removes nearly two weeks of capacity and service from each vessel that normally travels through the Red Sea.





While this does not directly impact most of the transportation capacity on goods heading from Asia to the U.S., it does indirectly pull from the overall pool of available ships. This diversion impacts more than 25% of the global capacity, according to Flexport.

There have been claims of some level of capacity management, which is difficult to say definitively, but average vessel capacity for ships moving from China to the U.S. is down about 8% y/y in June. This downward trend has been relatively consistent since last September. Seasonality and the Red Sea diversion could explain some but probably not all of it.

Story continues

Service deterioration could be more of the problem as shippers may have expected transits to stabilize sustainably after the pandemic. The average port pair delay has grown from three to five days over the past year while published transits have been relatively flat from China to the U.S.

Rejection rates have been averaging higher since last November as well, moving from about 8% through most of 2023 to above 10% most of this year. The current value of 14.5% is the highest point since the start of the Red Sea issues.

Climbing the peak

Peak season for maritime imports has traditionally been in July and August. Many wonder if the current demand growth is the result of an increase in orders being pulled forward to ensure on-time delivery and availability.

If true, then the next two months IOTI will be flat. If not true, then there will be more pressure on rates and capacity. The U.S. transportation market will also feel these effects as the growing imbalance of goods adds to international container shortages.

This could be a boon for domestic intermodal and some level of boost to the still overcapacity-laden trucking industry. While this does not look like the chaos of the pandemic era, it does look like supply chains will be much more challenged than they were last year.

About the Chart of the Week

The FreightWaves Chart of the Week is a chart selection from SONAR that provides an interesting data point to describe the state of the freight markets. A chart is chosen from thousands of potential charts on SONAR to help participants visualize the freight market in real time. Each week a Market Expert will post a chart, along with commentary, live on the front page. After that, the Chart of the Week will be archived on FreightWaves.com for future reference.





SONAR aggregates data from hundreds of sources, presenting the data in charts and maps and providing commentary on what freight market experts want to know about the industry in real time.

The FreightWaves data science and product teams are releasing new datasets each week and enhancing the client experience.

To request a SONAR demo, click here.

The post Maritime shipping still on troubled waters appeared first on FreightWaves.
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled the fetal heartbeat law, House File 732, is constitutional.

The justices decided there is no constitutional right to an abortion. It ordered lower courts to dissolve a temporary injunction on the law that prevented it from taking effect in the new year.

Its not clear when that will happen.

The law bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, typically at six weeks into a pregnancy. The law passed during a special session last summer. Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a statement after the ruling saying she hopes the ban promotes more family lifestyles. Reynolds said her administration will continue to develop policies that encourage strong families, promote adoption and protect in-vitro fertilization.

For more information on the law, click 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 WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
The Iowa Supreme Court has finally answered, at least for now, the most important question about Iowans' abortion rights.

After three rulings in as many years, the seven justices on the court ruled Friday that the right to access an abortion is entitled to only the lowest level of protection under the Iowa Constitution. Justices Matthew McDermott, Christopher McDonald, Dana Oxley and David May ruled that Iowa's six-week "fetal heartbeat" abortion ban can go into effect, dramatically restricting the availability of abortion across the state.

The court was far from unanimous. Three justices  Edward Mansfield, Thomas Waterman and Chief Justice Susan Christensen  strenuously argued that the Iowa Constitution should provide stronger protections for abortion rights.

Abortion rights activists Dr. Francesca Turner, left, and Dr. William Newland comfort Dr. Emily Boevers during a press conference Friday at the Iowa Capitol after the Iowa Supreme Court cleared the way for Iowa's "fetal heartbeat" abortion ban to take effect.

In fact, since 2022 nearly all of the justices have gone on the record with their views on abortion under the Iowa Constitution. Despite each being nominated to the bench by Republican governors, their writings showcase a range of opinions and approaches to the law.

To understand their views, one must understand the standards used in constitutional law. If a court finds a given right to be "fundamental" under the state or federal constitution, meaning a right "deeply rooted" in legal history and tradition, any laws that infringe that right are held to what is called "strict scrutiny." That means the law must be "narrowly tailored" to address a "compelling" government interest. Very few laws survive this standard of review.

If a law does not implicate a fundamental right, it instead is evaluated under the "rational basis" standard. Here, the government must show only that the law is rationally connected to a "legitimate" state interest. Very few laws fail to cross this hurdle.

Maggie DeWitte, executive director of Pulse Life Advocates, speaking during a press conference Friday at the Iowa Capitol, called the ruling "monumental" for Iowa women and babies and said, Abortion has been a plague in our society.

Before 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized an intermediate test for laws restricting abortion. Known as the "undue burden" standard, it forbade laws that imposed a "substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before the fetus attains viability."

Friday's ruling struck down an injunction by a Polk County court that barred enforcement of a 2023 Iowa law banning abortions after fetal cardiac activity, which the law calls a "fetal heartbeat," can be detected  usually in the sixth week of pregnancy and often before a woman knows she is pregnant. The law allows exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormality or to save the life of the mother.

For three years, Iowa's justices have wrestled over which doctrines should apply under the Iowa Constitution. Here's what we've learned from the court's opinions about each justice's views.

READ: Friday's decision allowing Iowa's 6-week abortion ban to take effect

Justice Matthew McDermott

Iowa Supreme Court Justice Matthew McDermott speaks during oral arguments for the lawsuit challenging Iowa's 2023 law banning most abortions at 6 weeks at the Iowa Supreme Court on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Des Moines.

Justice Matthew McDermott, who wrote Friday's opinion upholding Iowa's six-week ban, has made clear he views constitutional interpretation as a binary choice. If a right is fundamental, strict scrutiny applies. If it is not, as the Iowa Supreme Court held abortion is not in 2022, then courts should use the rational basis test.

McDermott joined Mansfield in striking down strict scrutiny for abortions in 2022, but filed a partial dissent arguing that the court should take what he considered the logical next step and declare rational basis the appropriate standard.

"Abortion rights werent rooted at all in our states history and tradition, let alone 'deeply' rooted," McDermott wrote in 2022, adding that "since the statute implicates no fundamental right, our precedents would haveus apply the rational basis test."

Planned Parenthood argued that Iowa should adopt the intermediate undue burden test, despite the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting that standard in 2022. Its attorneys argued that Iowa has adopted other intermediate standards in areas such as election law, and should do the same here.

McDermott rejected those comparisons in Friday's ruling, saying that in election cases, courts balance the fundamental right to vote against the state's constitutional obligation to run orderly elections. Since there is no fundamental right to an abortion, he said, there is nothing to balance.

And he criticized the undue burden test specifically, writing that it "inevitably leaves courts unable to provide predictability, consistency, or coherence in its application.  Stated simply, we can find no principled basis under our due process precedents to apply the heightened scrutiny of an undue burden test to abortion."

McDermott's majority opinion comes after his partial dissent in 2022, and a nonbinding opinion in 2023 expressing frustration that the court was "ducking" its obligation to provide certainty for policymakers. In that deadlocked case, McDermott criticized Waterman's opinion for, in his view, trying to delve into legislators' motivations instead of interpreting, and upholding, the law they passed.

"We fail the parties, the public, and the rule of law in our refusal today to apply the law and decide this case," he wrote last year, joined by Justices McDonald and May.

READ: The court's deadlocked 2023 opinions

From 2023: Supreme Court justices trade barbs in contentious non-decision in abortion case

Justice Christopher McDonald

Iowa Supreme Court Justice Christopher McDonald speaks during oral arguments for the lawsuit challenging Iowa's 2023 law banning most abortions at 6 weeks at the Iowa Supreme Court on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Des Moines.

Like McDermott, Justice Christopher McDonald has maintained since 2022 that Iowa abortion laws should be held to the rational basis standard.

McDonald joined McDermott's partial dissent in 2022, and his nonbinding opinion in 2023, both arguing for rational basis. He also wrote his own opinion in 2023, joined by May and McDermott, criticizing the three other justices' opinion.

Waterman, Mansfield and Christensen "refus(ed) to apply well settled Iowa law" by refusing to unblock an earlier version of Iowa's six-week abortion ban, and failed to explain why they believed Iowa law should diverge from federal constitutional law in the wake of the 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, McDonald wrote.

"I disagree with this results-oriented approach to deciding cases," he wrote, accusing the other justices of reversing their own prior precedents to avoid a policy outcome they opposed.

READ: The court's 2022 decision holding abortion is not a 'fundamental right'

Justice David May

Iowa Supreme Court justice David May listens during oral arguments for the lawsuit challenging Iowa's 2023 law banning most abortions at 6 weeks at the Iowa Supreme Court on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Des Moines.

The newest justice, David May joined the court in July 2022 and didn't take part in the June 2022 ruling ending strict scrutiny for abortion laws. He did not author his own opinions in either the 2023 or 2024 cases.

Based on where he's cast his votes, he appears to be solidly aligned with McDermott and McDonald on abortion issues. In 2023, he signed on to both justices' opinions urging the court to adopt rational basis review. On Friday, he joined McDermott's opinion as a member of the four-justice majority.

Timeline: How Iowa's abortion laws have changed over the decades leading to Friday's ruling

Justice Dana Oxley

Iowa Supreme Court Justice Dana Oxley listens during oral arguments for the lawsuit challenging Iowa's 2023 law banning most abortions at 6 weeks at the Iowa Supreme Court on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Des Moines.

Like May, Justice Dana Oxley also has not written any opinions herself over the past three abortion cases. Despite this, her position has been hotly scrutinized leading up to Friday's ruling.

In 2022, Oxley joined entirely in Mansfield's plurality opinion, striking down strict scrutiny protections but declining to say what should replace it. She did not join McDonald or McDermott in calling for rational basis review, suggesting either that she disagreed with them or, at minimum, agreed with Mansfield that it was procedurally improper to reach that decision.

In 2023, Oxley recused herself from that year's case. While the court did not give any explanation, Oxley had still been in private practice at the time the lawsuit was filed and worked for a law firm representing one of the plaintiffs. Her absence left the court deadlocked, with three calling for rational basis review and three seeming open to the undue burden standard, and raised the likelihood that she could provide the tie-breaking vote for one side or another in a future case.

On Friday, she did just that, joining McDermott's majority opinion and setting the standard at rational basis.

Justice Thomas Waterman

Iowa Supreme Court Justice Thomas Waterman listens during oral arguments for the lawsuit challenging Iowa's 2023 law banning most abortions at 6 weeks at the Iowa Supreme Court on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Des Moines.

One of the two most senior justices on the court, Thomas Waterman dissented in the 2018 case setting Iowa's standard for abortion law at strict scrutiny, and joined Mansfield's plurality opinion reversing that case in 2022. He did not, though, join McDermott and McDonald in calling for the state to apply rational basis review.

In 2023, he wrote for one side of the 3-3 deadlock to champion the undue burden standard. Joined by Mansfield and Christensen, Waterman argued that women have a compelling legal interest in "autonomy and dominion over one's body," even if that did not trigger strict scrutiny under the Iowa Constitution.

"The undue burden test balances the states interest in protecting unborn life and maternal health with a womans limited liberty interest in deciding whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy," Waterman wrote.

In Friday's decision, Waterman did not write for himself but joined both Mansfield and Christensen in their dissenting opinions.

More: Here's what you need to know about the Iowa Supreme Court's ruling on 6-week abortion ban

Justice Edward Mansfield

Iowa Supreme Court Justice Edward Mansfield speaks during oral arguments for the lawsuit challenging Iowa's 2023 law banning most abortions at 6 weeks at the Iowa Supreme Court on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Des Moines.

Justice Edward Mansfield occupies a central place in Iowa's abortion jurisprudence. He wrote the dissenting opinion in 2018 opposing the use of strict scrutiny, and he wrote the 2022 decision reversing that case but declining to impose another standard in its place. At the time, Mansfield suggested the court wait to see how the U.S. Supreme Court would rule in the case that eventually overturned Roe v. Wade.

In 2023, though, Mansfield joined Waterman's opinion defending the undue burden standard, despite the U.S. Supreme Court having rejected it. And on Friday, he dissented from McDermott's opinion and argued that the undue burden standard should remain the law in Iowa.

"Instead of a constitutional rule that gives no weight to the states interest in human life, we now have in Iowa aconstitutional rule that gives no weight to a womans autonomy over her body," he wrote, adding that under the majority's view, "everyone is free, except for the 600,000 Iowa women of childbearing age who will have no legal option in our state but to carry a pregnancy to term in most circumstances."

Mansfield argued that his colleagues have misinterpreted his 2022 opinion holding that there is no "fundamental right to an abortion" that triggers strict scrutiny review. That does not mean, Mansfield says now, that there is no "fundamental right" to an abortion.

Just as courts have recognized a right to refuse medical treatment or to have children, abortion too falls under a broader right to bodily autonomy, Mansfield said. That's especially true for women, given how far their legal rights have advanced since the Iowa Constitution was adopted in 1857, he wrote.

"We cant ignore the morality code of mid-19th century Iowa as some sort of unconstitutional anachronism,while treating the abortion law of mid-19th century Iowa as some sort of constitutional guidepost for today," he wrote.

Unlike in 2022, this time Mansfield sets forth what he believes the standard of review should be. To protect a "limited but realistic opportunity to end a pregnancy," he suggests that laws restricting abortion prior to the 16th week of pregnancy be evaluated under the undue burden standard, while permitting the state to restrict abortion in most cases after that point. Contrary to McDermott's argument, Mansfield said, "the undue burden test had resulted in a fairly consistent and predictable jurisprudence" on many issues before being struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

More: Planned Parenthood will continue providing abortion care in Iowa after law takes effect

Chief Justice Susan Christensen

Iowa Supreme Court Justice Susan Christensen speaks during oral arguments for the lawsuit challenging Iowa's 2023 law banning most abortions at 6 weeks at the Iowa Supreme Court on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Des Moines.

Chief Justice Susan Christensen, Gov. Kim Reynolds' first appointment to the court, had previously kept a low profile in the abortion cases. She filed a dissenting opinion in 2022, opposing the end of strict scrutiny, but did so on the basis of respect for precedent rather than the underlying merits of the issue. She did not write in 2023, instead joining Waterman's opinion in support of the undue burden standard.

On Friday, though, the Chief Justice filed by far the most strident opinion of the case, opposing the rational basis standard. Christensen wrote that she fully agreed with the constitutional analysis in Mansfield's dissent, while also focusing on the harms she believes the law will bring.

"Despite the great strides men and women have made for womens equality in the decades since the drafting of our state constitution, women 'are once again relegated to their traditional (and outdated) roles as only child-bearers and mothers,'" Christensen wrote, quoting from a recent Idaho case. "This law is contrary to the rights affordedunder the Iowa Constitution."

Much of Christensen's opinion focuses on the exceptions built into Iowa's six-week ban, which she argues are if anything more restrictive than those in Iowa's original 1850s abortion ban. She writes that the exceptions for rape and incest, both of which require that the abuse violate specific state laws and be reported within a set timeframe, ignore the reality that many victims are under the control of their abusers and that doctors are ill-equipped to make prosecutorial decisions.

"Physicians should not have to guess whether the patients narrative legally constitutes 'rape' before rendering medical treatment to the patient without fear of jeopardizing their medical license or career," she wrote.

And the statute's exception for medical emergencies, Christensen writes, "pits the life of the mother against the life of the fetus. In doing so, it treats the pregnant woman as little more than a means to an end." Because the law does not permit abortions to prevent non-fatal medical complications for the mother, Christensen warns that "this statute forces pregnant women (and young girls) to endure and suffer through life-altering health complications that range from severe sepsis requiring limb amputation to a hysterectomy so long as those women are not at deaths door."

Above and beyond its impact on pregnant women, Christensen warns that Iowa will suffer broader repercussions from the ban, including economic harm from job seekers choosing to avoid the state, and a loss of current and future physicians willing to practice obstetrics in Iowa.

Christensen also hints that she believes the Constitution protects abortion even further than Mansfield does, perhaps even to the level of strict scrutiny. She wrote she agrees with Mansfield that Iowa should "at the very least" maintain the undue burden standard for restrictions through the first 15 weeks of pregnancy, but specifically notes she did not consider the strict scrutiny standard in this case because neither party was asking for it.

"It is painfully apparent to me that the majority misapprehends the nature of the liberty at issue here," Christensen wrote. "It is not whether abortion, with the polarizing reactions it evokes, is a fundamental right but rather whether individuals have the fundamental right to make medical decisions affecting their health and bodily integrity in partnership with their healthcare provider free from government interference."

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Analysis: Each Iowa Supreme Court justice's record on abortion rulings
The Iranian flag flutters in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organisation's headquarters in Vienna

By Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) -Iran has installed half the advanced uranium-enriching machines it said earlier this month it would quickly add to its Fordow site dug into a mountain but has not yet brought them online, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said in a report seen by Reuters.

Iran informed the International Atomic Energy Agency two weeks ago it would rapidly expand its enrichment capacity at Fordow by adding eight cascades, or clusters, of IR-6 centrifuges at Fordow within three to four weeks.

Within two days the IAEA had verified that two of the cascades had been installed. In a confidential report to member states on Friday the agency said that number had now doubled.

"The Agency has verified that Iran has installed four of the aforementioned eight IR-6 cascades in Unit 1 at FFEP (Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant)," the report said, adding that the verification happened on Sunday.

"Iran has not specified to the Agency when it would start feeding any of the cascades in Unit 1 with UF6 or the planned enrichment level," it added, referring to uranium hexafluoride gas, the feedstock for centrifuges.

Diplomats say the addition of the IR-6 machines was a response to a resolution against Iran by the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors on June 5 calling on Tehran to step up cooperation with the watchdog and reverse its recent barring of inspectors. Iran tends to bristle at such resolutions.

The United States announced new sanctions targeting Iran's oil trade on Thursday, saying it was acting in response to "steps (by Iran) to further expand its nuclear program in ways that have no credible peaceful purpose".

Iran is enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% of weapons grade, at two sites: Fordow and an above-ground pilot plant at Natanz. It has enough material enriched to up to 60%, if enriched further, for three nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick.

At Fordow, it is currently using the two only operating cascades of IR-6 centrifuges there to enrich to 60% from 20%.

Iran also informed the IAEA this month that it would bring online more of the dozens of advanced centrifuges it has installed at its largest enrichment site, the underground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at Natanz.

The report said Iran plans to feed UF6 into 15 cascades of IR-2m and IR-4 machines already installed but not yet enriching. The last quarterly IAEA report in May put the number of those machines installed but not operating at 21.

Iran has now carried out passivation, a process that involves feeding UF6 into centrifuges in preparation for enrichment without accumulating enriched uranium, on six of those cascades, Friday's report said.

"Iran has started feeding, for passivation purposes, 4 natural UF 6 into an additional three IR-2m cascades and three IR-4 cascades for the first time," it said.

Iran had also begun installing one of the 18 extra IR-2m cascades it said this month it would set up at the FEP, the report added.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Peter Graff, Philippa Fletcher and Daniel Wallis)
Thick smoke billows following an Israeli rocket attack on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village of Dhaira. Marwan Naamani/dpa

The Israeli Air Force says it has once again attacked a position of the pro-Iranian Shiite Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah's military infrastructure was attacked during the night, Israel's army announced on Sunday morning. It was not stated whether there were any deaths or injuries. The information could not initially be independently verified.

Since the beginning of the Gaza war in October, Israel has been engaged in daily exchanges of fire with Hezbollah in the border area with Lebanon.

The militia has declared that Israel must completely end the war in Gaza against its ally, the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, before it stops firing on Israel.

The intensity of the fighting has recently increased significantly. There are fears that a possible open war between Israel and Lebanon could escalate into a regional conflict.
Palestinians inspect the destruction following an Israeli operation in Nur Shams refugee camp, near the West Bank town of Tulkarem, Sunday, June 30, 2024. Palestinian health officials said one person was killed and several wounded during an Israeli operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp in the northern West Bank. Israel frequently operates in the area, saying it is a stronghold of Palestinian militants. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank (AP)  Israeli troops carried out an airstrike in the northern West Bank on Sunday, killing a Palestinian militant and wounding five other people, Palestinian health officials said.

The strike took place in Nur Shams, an urban refugee camp that has been a frequent target of the Israeli military and is known as a stronghold of Palestinian militants. The state-run Palestinian news agency Wafa said an Israeli drone fired three missiles and struck a house.

Islamic Jihad identified the dead man as Saeed al-Jaber, one of its local commanders. Wafa said he had escaped a previous drone strike on June 20. There were no details on the identities of the wounded. Health officials said two were in critical condition.

The Israeli military confirmed an attack on the home, saying that militants inside, including al-Jaber, were responsible for recent attacks on Israeli targets.

The occupied West Bank has experienced a surge in violence since the war in Gaza erupted in October. The Palestinian Health Ministry says over 500 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since the start of the war. Most have been killed during Israeli raids and violent protests. The dead also include bystanders and Palestinians killed in attacks by Jewish settlers.

Israel launched an aerial and ground offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. More than 37,800 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants in its toll.

Israeli forces have been battling Palestinian militants in an eastern part of Gaza City, Shijaiyah, in recent days. Israel returned to the neighborhood last week, months after saying it had completed operations in the area.

Hamas has repeatedly regrouped in hard-hit areas after Israeli troops pulled out, raising questions about Israels commitment to destroying the militant groups military capabilities.

The latest operation has sent thousands of residents fleeing. The army said Sunday it has killed dozens of militants in close-quarters combat and airstrikes, and confiscated weapons from a hideout it said Hamas had kept in a United Nations-supported school.

Palestinians also continued to flee the area in and around Rafah, the southern Gaza city where Israel says it is in the final stages of an offensive. More than 1.3 million Palestinians have fled Rafah since Israels incursion into the city in early May.

But with few safe places to go, tens of thousands of people have stayed behind, mostly in outlying areas previously thought to be safe. Large groups of people fled with tents, mattresses and clothes piled on trucks or donkey-pulled carts. Many walked on foot as they searched for shelter. Even places thought to be safe suffer from overcrowding and poor health conditions.

For many Palestinians in the war-torn enclave, it was not their first displacement. They say the experience doesnt get any easier.

This is the fourth time going from place to place where they (the Israeli military) tells us is a safe area but turns out it isnt," Mohammad Hajjaj told The Associated Press. He was first displaced from Shijaiyah in the early weeks of the war.

Hajjaj said that two days ago, he and his family woke to the sound of Israeli tank fire nearby before leaving. We slept on the streets, he said.

The fleeing Palestinians found space on a plot of land in nearby Khan Younis and began setting up their tents alongside dozens of others on the sandy lot.

We came to Khan Younis from Muwasi, said Mervette Shamlakh, referring to the Israeli-designated coastal humanitarian zone" that has little basic services. Its the same thing again and we had to flee  we have no idea where we are supposed to go."

In Muwasi, scores of men, women and children stood in line for hours as they crowded around trucks and water tanks in the scorching heat to collect their share of drinking and potable water. People said water had always been scarce in the sandy area, even before the displaced Palestinians arrived.

Im filling a bottle just like this, to have a liter of drinking water for 16 people who live with me at home, Issam Al Dayah told the AP as he waited his turn.

We suffer from everything. Not just water, said Mai Al Rae after struggling to get through the crowd to fill a bucket. How long is life going to be like this?

The fighting has threatened to spread to Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been trading fire with Hezbollah militants in daily clashes.

The Israeli military said an explosive drone launched by Hezbollah crashed into the Golan Heights on Sunday, severely wounding a soldier and lightly hurting 17 others. It said Israeli warplanes and artillery units responded by striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

___

Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip.
Palestinians inspect the destruction of a house following an Israeli air strike. According to local sources, the house belongs to Hamas' director of judicial police, Abu Abdullah Abu Hassanein. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

The Israeli armed forces continued their offensive in Shejaiya, a neighbourhood in the east of the city of Gaza, on Sunday.

Over the past few days, the troops have eliminated several fighters from the Palestinian Islamist Hamas militia, found weapons and carried out targeted attacks on booby-trapped fighting positions, the Israeli army announced on Sunday morning.

Palestinians in Shejaiya are trapped by the fighting, Qatari-based Al Jazeera news network reported on its website, citing eyewitnesses.

Threatened by artillery fire and airstrikes for days, they have been unable to find food, the report said. Some people were injured, but rescue services were unable to reach them, it said.

The information provided by all sides could not initially be independently verified.

Israeli units also took action against Hamas in the southern city of Rafah on the border with Egypt, the army said. In the last few days, the troops there had eliminated several fighters and destroyed tunnels, it said.

At least six Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a house in the west of Rafah on Sunday morning, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported, citing local sources. This information could not be independently verified either.

The Gaza war was triggered by the unprecedented massacre of more than 1,200 people by militants from Hamas and other groups in Israel on October 7. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive to crush Hamas and its allies.

In view of the high number of civilian casualties and the catastrophic situation in the Gaza Strip, Israel is being increasingly criticized internationally.
I announced last year that I would not seek reelection as Jackson County prosecutor, after serving more than 13 years in my current role, following 14 years as an assistant prosecutor. I leave office at the dawn of 2025. Its been an honor to serve, and I am proud of the many improvements weve made in this office.

I have stood successfully for election three times after an appointment in 2011. I made clear from the beginning that one of my goals was to bring accountability to the office. And I wanted to make the data available to show that we are accountable and transparent.

My office has pursued justice for the residents of Jackson County, and others, by prosecuting and convicting more than 40,000 defendants of serious felonies since 2011. Many of these cases were heinous, awful crimes involving innocent victims who suffered devastating impacts.

Ive also responded to community concerns to hold everyone, including diocesan bishops and police officers, to the highest standards of ethics and justice  because no one should be above the rule of law. When citizens raised concerns about police treatment of protesters following the death of George Floyd, my office created a portal for citizens to file complaints. Were still receiving complaints. In 2020, a grand jury indicted a Kansas City police detective in a fatal shooting of a Black civilian. In November 2021, a judge convicted that officer, and in October 2023, the appeals court upheld that conviction with a scathing rebuke of the police conduct. Finally, my office recognizes mistakes and corrects old wrongs. In November 2022, our office aided in freeing Kevin Strickland from his wrongful conviction for crimes that occurred in 1978.

Whats become clear in this role is the importance of assembling, displaying and pointing our community to the data that our office generates. Too often, critics fall to the same knee-jerk attacks: The prosecutor lets criminals go free. Or the prosecution wont file these type of cases (an especially common complaint regarding property crimes).

Its long baffled me, because those complaints are not supported by the evidence. Critics make allegations of the offices failure and dont bother to study or even look at the data made available.

In 2018, I created a Crime Strategies Unit to produce this type of foundational information about our offices work and our success. Weve used it and the data produced by this process to improve prosecution and to build more public trust and transparency. Weve also benefited from a diverse community board to guide us to the right questions to explore about our office.

As an example, in 2020 the office looked deeply at the drug cases prosecuted in Kansas City. We found stark racial disparities: Eighty-one percent of buy-bust cases involved a Black suspect, when the population in Kansas City was 39% Black. Too often, we also found these drug cases have no documented connection to violence. Possibly even more important, these cases seldom resulted in much of an outcome. Far, far too many of our offices biggest share of cases  those against drug possessors and dealers  produced little result or benefit. Yet each carried a cost.

Our outcomes (and yours) were not tied to public safety, were ineffective, were expensive and were racially imbalanced, therefore not fairly enforced on this community, I told the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners.

Today, weve expanded our data work. In the coming months, the national nonprofit group Measures for Justice will produce a new dashboard of our data. We believe this will bring even greater clarity and drive home the importance of having an outsider validate our data work.

I am certain our office will continue these efforts to build and maintain trust with our community. I look forward to a day when Jackson County has great clarity that its prosecutor runs an accountable and transparent office. The data is right there to prove it.

Jean Peters Baker is Jackson County prosecutor.
Bored to Floored

The remarkable James Webb Space Telescope has been used to image the furthest reaches of the cosmos. But in a change of pace, astronomers have leveraged its immense powers on a target far closer to home: the mighty planet Jupiter  and in so doing, they've found mysterious features and structures on the gas giant that have never been seen before, let alone in the astounding fidelity of the James Webb.

As detailed in a study published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the scientists observed a region of atmosphere hovering above Jupiter's iconic Great Red Spot, an enormous storm big enough to swallow the Earth, and the largest in the solar system.

Despite its awesome proportions, though, this part of the atmosphere has gone overlooked by astronomers, who had previously written it off as uninteresting. Now, they're happy to admit that they were dead wrong.

"We thought this region, perhaps naively, would be really boring," study lead author Henrik Melin of the University of Leicester said in a statement about the work. "It is in fact just as interesting as the northern lights, if not more so," he added. "Jupiter never ceases to surprise."

Glow Up

Those lights that Melin alluded to engild Jupiter's northern and southern poles and are easily visible. But there's a more subtle glow subsumed within the upper atmosphere that's proved difficult for ground-based telescopes to observe. It may not be nearly as shiny, but elusiveness is its own allure.

Thankfully, the James Webb is uniquely well suited to tackle this. It's in orbit in clear space around the Sun, and is equipped with state-of-the-art infrared sensors, like its Near-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSPEC) instrument, that can divulge the secrets emitted in even the faintest sources of light.

Case in point, the researchers found all sorts of oddities lurking in observations taken in July 2022, including what the European Space Agency has described as intricate structures, "dark arcs," and "bright spots."

Sandwich Zone

As the boundary between Jupiter's lower atmosphere and its powerful magnetic field, the gas giant's upper atmosphere plays host to spectacular energetic interactions. The northern and southern lights are thought to be caused by the ejection of volcanic material on its moon Io.

But the researchers suspect that something else altogether is causing the glow above the Great Red Spot: powerful gravitational interactions rarely seen on Earth.

"One way in which you can change this structure is by gravity waves  similar to waves crashing on a beach, creating ripples in the sand," Henrik said. "These waves are generated deep in the turbulent lower atmosphere, all around the Great Red Spot, and they can travel up in altitude, changing the structure and emissions of the upper atmosphere."

With followup observations, the astronomers hope to reveal how these waves travel through Jupiter's atmosphere.

More on space: Something Strange Appears to Be Powering "Immortal" Stars at the Center of Our Galaxy
Jay Slaters family will remain in Tenerife despite Spanish police ending their search for the missing British teenager, The Telegraph understands.

The Guardia Civil called off its search for the 19-year-old from Lancashire on Sunday, almost two weeks after he disappeared while on holiday on June 17.

A spokesman said: The search for Jay Slater ended yesterday. The case remains open, and any new clues will be investigated.

It can be revealed that Mr Slaters family, who have flown out to Tenerife, will continue their search for him. Rachel Hargreaves, a close family friend who has joined them on the island, told The Telegraph: Nothing has changed. We will continue to search for him.

Mr Slater had travelled to Tenerife with two friends including Ms Hargreaves son, Brad. He went missing on June 17 after he left a music festival in a car with two British men he met that night.

They travelled to Masca, and Mr Slater was last seen walking up a steep road in the early hours of June 17.

After setting off, he rang a friend 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 ran out of power shortly after the call.

Mr Slaters phone was last traced to the Rural de Teno national park in the north of the island. For the last 13 days, the Guardia Civil has led a search operation involving helicopters, drones and sniffer dogs, but without success.

Spanish police said the two men last seen with Mr Slater dont have any relevance to the case. The men, believed to be from south-east England, were interviewed by Spanish police after his disappearance but allowed to return to the UK last week.

At a police press conference on Saturday, the head of the Guardia Civils Greim mountain rescue unit was asked whether police had spoken to the two men.

Cipriano Martin said: Were mountain specialists and were in charge of searching here, and its the Civil Guard investigators who have been responsible for the investigation. Those men have been spoken to and they dont have any relevance whatsoever for the case.

Cipriano Martin speaks with volunteers before beginning a search for Jay Slater in the Masca ravine on Saturday - Borja Suarez/Reuters

A source close to the investigation said: The daily operation which has been going on in and around Masca, close to where Jay was last seen, has been brought to an end. If any information comes in that merits a new search, though, it will be acted upon.

My understanding is Jays parents have been informed of what obviously is a major development. Nothing of any relevance was found during yesterdays large-scale search.

On Saturday, police asked for volunteers to join a massive search for the teenager. It is now clear that search marked a final push to find Mr Slater.

Speaking after just half-a-dozen volunteers arrived to help, including Paul Arnott, a British TikTok creator, Mr Slaters father criticised the lack of British helpers.

Jay Slater's father, Warren, criticised the lack of British helpers - Jamie Lorriman

Mr Slaters family had previously pledged to remain on the island until he was found, and more than 40,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe page to support their living expenses.

Earlier in the search, the Guardia Civil rejected an offer of support from Lancashire Constabulary to help find the missing teenager.

The Lancashire force said it had made an offer of support to the Guardia Civil to see if they need any additional resources but was told Spanish police were satisfied that they have the resources they need.

The search for Mr Slater had focused on the barren and rugged valleys that surround Masca. Police have combed the area each day of the search, starting from 9am and often not finishing until late in the evening.

Two shacks, just a few hundred metres from where the teenagers phone last pinged, were scoured repeatedly. The Telegraph visited one of the run-down buildings and found a mattress and womens clothes inside. But police seemingly believe the properties are not relevant, having not returned to them in the last week.

A volunteer with a search dog in the mountains close to where Jay Slater was last seen - Jamie Lorriman

As the search became more desperate, officers brought in specialist sniffer dogs from Madrid and began to search caves on the coast. Theyseized CCTV from Santiago Del Teide, a town a few miles from Masca, after grainy footage of a figure walking through the town was speculated to be Mr Slater.

There were also reported sightings of him watching the Euro 2024 football tournament in a bar in Puerto de Santiago, another nearby town.

The forces lack of communication about its search, including with Mr Slaters father, who said he felt left in the dark by police, meant wild conspiracy theories were allowed to spread online.

Debbie Duncan, Mr Slaters mother, claimed she had been compared to Karen Matthews, who faked the kidnapping of her daughter Shannon 16 years ago.

Questions have also been asked about a GoFundMe page set up by Lucy Law, a friend of Mr Slater. Ms Duncan said she felt let down by the speculation, and the funds would be used for accommodation and food expenses, to fly friends and family from the UK to Tenerife, and to support mountain rescue teams.

Mark Williams-Thomas, a former British police officer turned TV investigator who is working with Mr Slaters family, has urged them to use the GoFundMe money to pay for further investigations.

He said: The police have put considerable resources into searching for Jay, and of course it is very disappointing for the family that the search by the police has now ended. I have advised the family to use the GoFundMe money to bring in a large team of experts to flood the area from where we know Jay last was.

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We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Potash Stocks to Buy. In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS) stands against the other potash stocks.

Global Potash Market: Rising Demand, Key Players, and Future Growth Projections

Potash encompasses various minerals rich in potassium, primarily potassium chloride (muriate of potash), which dominates the global market. Other compounds like sulfate of potash make up the remainder of the market. As the world's population is expected to reach over 9.7 billion by 2050, the need for potash-based fertilizers will only continue to rise.

The agricultural sector uses more than 95% of the world's potash production, with the remainder going toward commercial and industrial goods like detergents. The US Geological Survey states that historically, a third of the world's potash supply has come from Russia and Belarus combined.

In addition to phosphate and nitrogen, potash is necessary for crop health and is vital for plant growth. However, intensive farming depletes potash reserves, making synthetic fertilizers necessary. Potash prices skyrocketed as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, reaching a high of over $1200 per metric ton in April 2022 before falling to $328 per metric ton, which is still more than pre-Covid levels. As a result, nations like the US, Brazil, and Morocco have looked for substitute suppliers to lessen their dependency on Belarus and Russia. Grants have also been issued by the US to increase regional fertilizer production. You can also see our post on the top fertilizer stocks to purchase based on hedge funds' 10 Best Fertilizer Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds for further information.

The global potash market was valued at USD 57.74 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2023 to 2032, reaching USD 93.50 billion by 2032. The potassium chloride product segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 52.7% in 2022, driven by the surge in agricultural activities. The top 15 national fertilizer markets consume 78% of global potash, while 133 countries consume only 5%. Major players in the potash market include JSC Belaruskali, Compass Minerals, Mosaic Company, Uralkali, and Rio Tinto.

Our Methodology

To rank the 10 best potash stocks, we first conducted sampling, and gathered potash stocks from relevant ETFs. We the narrowed down further based on high upside potential, strong buy analyst recommendations, and large market capitalizations. From this list, we then ranked the top 10 potash stocks according to the number of hedge fund holders in Q1 2024.

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 newsletter's 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 farmer tending to his crops in a field, with a fertiliser bag nearby.

The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 38

The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS) is one of the world's leading producers and marketers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. The company operates through three segments: Phosphates, Potash, and Mosaic Fertilizantes. The company's newest mine, Esterhazy K3 in Saskatchewan, is due to come online in 2024 and is set to be 'the largest, most competitive underground potash mine in the world'.

Based on recent forecasts from 10 Wall Street analysts, Mosaic Co has an average price target of $33.22, with estimates ranging from $28.00 to $39.00. This suggests a potential 12.53% increase from the current price of $29.52. In Q1 2024, there were 38 hedge fund holders in the company. D E Shaw held the largest position in the company with 3,419,498 worth $110,996,906, comprising 0.09% of the fund's total portfolio.

The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS) reported net earnings of $45 million in Q1 2024 or $0.14 per diluted share, and the adjusted EPS(1) for the same period was $0.65 and the Adjusted EBITDA(1) was $576 million. The companys revenues totaled $2.7 billion in Q1, down 26% from the year-ago period due to lower selling prices. Most importantly, their potash operating earnings were $198 million in Q1, compared to $402 million last year.

Overall MOS ranks 2nd on our list of the best potash stocks to buy. You can visit 10 Best Potash Stocks to Buy to see the other potash stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of MOS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MOS 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 at Insider Monkey.
Joe Biden might not remember his debate performance, but the world does, and its etched on our memory as a symbol of national decline. As the Democrats discussed who might replace him on the ticket  Can Jimmy Carter still walk?  I thought, Theyll have to prise it from his cold dead hand. For this tragedy is about a man in total denial, enabled by a system steeped in paranoid fantasy. The Democrats kept us distracted with Russiagate, January 6 and Trump humped a porn star while the worlds last superpower was being run by a zombie.

The American empire looks old. Old and tacky. If Ronald Reagan was, to quote Gore Vidal, a triumph of the embalmers art, Joe resembles an ostrich stuffed by an amateur  his eyes black marbles, the sharp teeth set in an alarming grin. The president belongs to a vain generation that thinks it figured out how to run the world in 1968 and now wont let go. Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away in office at 90. Nancy Pelosi stepped aside as Speaker at the tender age of 82. Biden, 81, has done nothing but politics, having entered the Senate in 1973 and run for the presidency three times  dropping out on the first go because he was caught stealing his lines rather than fluffing them.

So, we are where we are because of Joe. Feel no pity: hes a narcissist who cant see his limits. A truly wise, compassionate and patriotic man, to borrow some of the titles bestowed on this Caesar Arthritis by his courtiers, wouldve settled for one term and used it to groom a successor. Instead, he insisted on entering the 2024 primaries practically unopposed, putting him in control of almost every delegate at the August convention.

This left no practical way to remove the old fool from the nomination without his consent. Even if he gave it, the prospect of an unplanned open convention has long filled the Democrat leadership with dread. They are control freaks. They fear the delegates who hate Netanyahu and love Bernie Sanders. But most importantly, theyve seen the polling and know that, even on a sad day, Biden polls slightly better than Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom et al. Thats why theyve stuck with him for so long.

The party that thought Hillary Clinton could beat Donald Trump in 2016 prefers mediocrity to risk. Besides, nobody wants to pick a fight with Jill, Joes terrifying, Cerberus-like wife. She introduced him to a post-debate crowd with the words: You did such a great job, you answered every question! He also finished his cookies and went to the bathroom all by himself.

Jill reminds one of Edith Wilson, the wife of president Woodrow Wilson, who, when Woodrow had a stroke, locked her husband in the bedroom, pretended he was fine, and took over the management of the country. All government, one might say, is a conspiracy  power consolidated, hoarded and clouded in spin. Bidens White House is run by a tiny group of fierce loyalists. They have disagreements but circle the wagons once policy is decided, which is why they stuck so doggedly and stupidly to Joes bungled dash from Afghanistan.

Of the debate, they said immediately that he had a cold: a bad night, yes, but weve months to recover. Someone tipped off journalists that the president gets tired after 4pm, a detail published as if it were a stunning revelation.

Weve known his work patterns via the White House logs for ages. Theres a reason why Trump nicknamed him Sleepy Joe in 2020 and accused him of hiding in his basement  but the US media joined the administration in closing ranks. People who pointed out the presidents obvious decline were accused of taking moments out of context, being mean or even displaying an anti-age prejudice akin to racism (yes, that card was played).

Journalists gaslit America. TV host Joe Scarborough described Biden four months ago as far beyond cogent, in fact I think hes better than hes ever been, intellectually, analytically. Only after the debate did he suggest that his friend consider retirement.

The U-turn is as preposterous as the original direction. A thousand articles have been published to say Dear Joe, we love you so, but you need to go  to save the world from Trump. But wasnt the time to tell grandpa he needs to take a rest before he secured his delegates for renomination?

The be kind crowd has participated in one of the most shocking cases of elder abuse in history, driven by the lunatic consensus that even someone incapable of doing the job would be better than a Republican nominee. They have charged the GOP with cowardice for sticking with Trump, yet done exactly the same themselves  labelling anyone within their own ranks who dared to question Bidens faculties a far-Right stooge.

A New York Times editorial finally argued, long after the damage was done, that Biden should step aside. It also said that if he didnt, it would still support him unequivocally over Trump, preferring senility to criminality  a new twist on Better Dead than Red. With such low expectations, why not hand the nomination over to Jimmy Carter? He has the age of an Old Testament prophet, yes, but also the wisdom and character, having spent his retirement building houses and overseeing elections. A man from a better age, when public servants put the people first.

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A beleaguered Joe Biden was holed up in Camp David on Sunday, reportedly preparing to discuss the future of his re-election campaign with close family membersalthough not, perhaps, with the one he should actually be talking to.

Three days after a disastrous performance in Thursdays first presidential debate against Donald Trump, the 81-year-old faces a torrent of callsincluding from friends and former supportersto drop out of the race for the sake of the nation.

But even those considered genuine Bidenworld insiders cannot agree on who might be best-placed to counsel the president as he faces the most consequential decision of his life: his wife of 47 years, Jill Biden; or the woman who has been at his side throughout his long political career, younger sister Valerie Biden Owens.

It was Jill who escorted a shellshocked Biden from the stage after the TV debate in Atlanta on Thursday and who has been at his side ever since at a series of campaign stops and a big-dollar fundraiser in the Hamptons that was brutally overshadowed by speculation on his future. The first lady is with her husband at the presidential retreat in Maryland this weekend, along with their kids and grandkids.

But for many Democrat insiders, Dr. Biden is simply too close to her husband to ever bring herself to wield the knife on his career. The only people with any real chance of persuading him to bow out now, some suggest, are sister Valerie and best friend Ted Kaufman.

One Democratic official, briefing Axios on condition of anonymity, said the only way to ease Biden out of the race would be to let him to go with dignity, persuade him that he has achieved what he set out to achieve as president and should hand over to a new generation. Only Owens and Kaufman enjoyed the family trust enough to be able to do that.

This is not about him submitting to the will of others yelling at him that he failed. Joe Biden is too proud for that argument. He will not be dragged off the stage, said the official, whom Axios described as being outside the White House and campaign.

Youve got to give him the dignity to walk off on his own. The idea that it would happen in the immediate aftermath [of the debate] is clueless, the official added.

But NBC News, which first reported on the Biden family huddle at Camp David, suggested Jill Biden remained her husband's most trusted adviser.

The decision-makers are two peopleits the president and his wife, one source told the network. Anyone who doesnt understand how deeply personal and familial this decision will be isnt knowledgeable about the situation.

Publicly, at least, Biden's key aides and officials are standing by him, saying he should be judged not on one bad debate but on his record over the past three and a half years. They agree with Biden himself, who declared at a rally in North Carolina on Friday: When you get knocked down, you get back up.

But the calls for him to step down from previously sympathetic quarters continue to grow. Bidens longtime friend, Thomas Friedman, wrote in The New York Times that he had cried watching Thursdays debate. On Saturday, New Yorker editor David Remnick published a column titled The Reckoning of Joe Biden, calling on him to end his campaign. Its just become more and more evident, and the debate was just the kind of breakthrough moment, Remnick told The Daily Beast.

The latest Democrat to break ranks was Jill Bidens former press secretary, Michael LaRosa, who took issue with his former White House colleague Kate Bedingfield after she told CNN that the data suggested Bidens tongue-tied debate had not affected the fundamental head-to-head. LaRosa respondend on X: The data!? If there is data that counters the impact of what we all saw then WHERE THE HELL IS IT???

The data!? If there is data that counters the impact of what we all saw then WHERE THE HELL IS IT??? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?? SHOW US! Jesus Christ with the gaslighting, the talking points, and the damn spinning. Enough already.



Show your supporters or the media https://t.co/qSuwNOTgU5  Michael LaRosa (@MichaelLaRosaDC) June 30, 2024

Valerie Biden Owen, 78, is more than just the presidents sister. She served as his campaign manager in seven straight Senate races from 1972 and in the 1988 and 2008 presidential elections.

Kaufman, who at 85 is four years Bidens senior, volunteered on Biden's long-shot Senate campaign in 1972, when he upset a Republican incumbent in Delaware, and later served as his chief of staff before inheriting Bidens Senate seat after his election as vice president in 2008.

According to The New York Times, it was Kaufman that Biden turned to when he found himself caught up in a plagiarism scandal in 1987 during his first tilt at the presidency.

Theres only one way to stop the sharks, and thats pull out, Kaufman said. Biden did what he suggested.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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President Joe Biden with first lady Jill Biden and family arrive at Hagerstown airport, Maryland, close to Camp David - Evan Vucci/AP

Democrats are laying the groundwork for Joe Biden to make a dignified exit from the presidential race.

Following his disastrous performance against Donald Trump in Thursday nights debate, members of the Biden family gathered in Camp David, the presidents country retreat, where they are expected to discuss his future.

One Democrat official said the US president could not be dragged off stage, and needed relatives and trusted advisers to convince him to walk off on his own terms.

Senior Democrats and friends of Mr Biden pushed for this conversation to happen over the weekend.

However, his family are said to have urged him to stay in the race when they met on Sunday, while expressing frustration with aides who prepared him for the debate.

Mr Biden was expected to spend Sunday and Monday surrounded by members of his immediate family, including Jill Biden, the first lady, and their granddaughters, Finnegan and Natalie Biden.

Among those pushing Mr Biden to keep fighting was his son, Hunter, who wants to repair the damage done to his reputation by Thursdays debate, the New York Times reported.

A Biden campaign source downplayed the significance of the gathering, insisting the stay had been planned some time in advance, adding that discussions about his re-election bid would be informal or an afterthought.

However, Mr Biden has previously said he would not run a political campaign without the support of his family. We do everything by family meetings, he said in 2019.

The 81-year-old president repeatedly mumbled, veered off topic and froze while speaking in front of an estimated 50 million viewers during the first showdown between Mr Biden and Trump hosted by CNN on Thursday.

Mr Biden made another gaffe over the weekend as he sought to calm the nerves of anxious donors at a campaign reception in New York.

The US president claimed Trump referred to Americas war dead as losers and suckers when he cancelled a visit to Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, near Paris, in 2018.

Mr Biden mistakenly said the cemetery was located in Italy  remarks that were later corrected on the official White House transcript.

One Democratic official said Mr Bidens sister, Valerie Biden Owens, who ran his campaigns for office for 40 years, and his long-time friend and confidante, Ted Kaufman, should urge him to walk off on his own with dignity.

This is not about him submitting to the will of others yelling at him that he failed. Joe Biden is too proud for that argument. He will not be dragged off the stage, the individual, who is not part of the Biden campaign or White House, told Axios.

The goal is to let him walk off the stage He got rid of Trump; helped prepare America through his legislation for the future; and, under his tenure, a generation of new Democrats have emerged.

Democratic donors, strategists and politicians have all urged Mr Biden to drop out of the race for a younger candidate who could block Trump from reclaiming the White House in November.

Michael LaRosa, a former press secretary to the first lady, said the Biden family would seek to defy gravity and defeat the doubters instead of bending to outside pressure.

Theyre almost in an identical situation from 1987 when they were forced out by the press and the polls and the pundits, he told The Telegraph, referring to Mr Bidens first presidential run.

And I think they learned long ago through that formative experience that they werent going to let outsiders push them out of the race... their natural instinct is not to let their hand be forced.

In an email to supporters at the weekend, the presidents campaign claimed he was the only Democrat capable of beating Trump.

It published polling that shows Mr Biden performs better against Trump than potential successors  but still loses to the Republican in a head-to-head match-up, by 45 per cent to 48 per cent.

Gavin Newsom, the California Governor, took 44 per cent to Trumps 47 per cent, and Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Governor, took 44 per cent to Trumps 46 per cent, according to the data.

Nate Silver, a prominent pollster, noted that the other candidates performed marginally worse despite having a much smaller profile than Mr Biden. That this is the best talking point they can come up with indicates how poor their argument is, he said.

Chandler West, a deputy director of photography under Mr Biden, said his former boss debate performance was not a one-off and called for him to step down.

I know many of these people and how the White House operates. They will say he has a cold or just experienced a bad night, Mr West, who left the White House in May 2022, wrote on Instagram.

But for weeks and months, in private, they have all said what we saw [Thursday] night  Joe is not as strong as he was just a couple of years ago.

The campaign email labelled Mr Bidens critics a bedwetting brigade made up of self-important Podcasters, and MAGA [Make America Great Again] uncles.

Joe Biden is going to be the Democratic nominee, period, it added.

On Saturday afternoon, the Biden campaign sent out an endorsement message to supporters from a veteran Democratic strategist  hours after he predicted the US president would drop out of the election race.

James Carville, the mastermind behind Bill Clintons 1992 election victory, said he was surprised to see a text go out in his name and claimed it was not cleared by his team.

Mr Carville had predicted the end of Mr Bidens campaign after his head-to-head with Trump earlier that day, having previously called for a different candidate to take on the Republican.

Its kind of weird to see your name go out to half-a-million people, he said, adding that the fundraising text didnt bother me as much as the debate.

The Democrats big beasts, including Barack Obama, the former president, and the former House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi, have been outwardly supportive of Mr Biden.

Notably, they have avoided making public criticisms of the US president  possibly hoping he will be convinced to stand aside after taking stock of his campaign this weekend.

05:39 PM BST

Thats all for today.

Thanks for following the Telegraphs live blog.

05:35 PM BST

No other Democrat can beat Trump, says Biden campaign

No other Democrat can beat Donald Trump in Novembers presidential election, Joe Bidens campaign has said.

The US presidents team sent out an email to supporters dismissing suggestions that the 81-year-old could step aside for a younger successor, saying they would end up with a weaker candidate.

It published polling that shows Mr Biden performs better against Trump than those whose names have been floated as a potential replacement since his disastrous debate performance on Thursday.

However, it shows that Mr Biden still loses to the Republican in a head-to-head match-up, by 45 per cent to 48 per cent.

05:24 PM BST

Pictured: Joe Biden walking from Marine One to Air Force One

US President Joe Biden speaks on the phone while walking from Marine One to board Air Force One - Mandel Ngan/AFP

04:35 PM BST

Biden grandchildren flock to Camp David to surround president after debate disaster

Joe Biden has arrived at Camp David surrounded by his family amid reports that they have gathered to discuss the future of his reelection campaign.

The US president arrived on Air Force One at Hagerstown Regional Airport Saturday, near to the presidents country retreat, flanked by Jill Biden, the first lady, and their two granddaughters, Finnegan and Natalie Biden.

A White House official said Saturday that Mr Biden had pre-planned time at Camp David on Sunday and Monday for a family photo taken by Annie Leibovitz. The official disputed the premise of an NBC News report suggesting that he was holding talks with his family over the future of his bid for a second term as president.

It comes as the US president admitted Saturday that he didnt have a great night during the first round of presidential debates earlier this week, which he was roundly perceived to have lost.

04:07 PM BST

Biden critics dismissed as bedwetting brigade

Joe Bidens campaign appears to have dismissed critics of his disastrous debate performance as a bedwetting brigade, writes Benedict Smith, US reporter.

An email sent out on Saturday night dismissed suggestions that the US President could step aside for a younger candidate, and said potential replacements were less likely to win the election.

Actual voters saw the showdown with Donald Trump, in which Mr Biden mumbled, veered off-topic and lost his train of thought, in a different light to political obsessives, it added.

If youre like me, youre getting lots of texts or calls from folks about the state of the race after Thursday, the email begins.

Maybe it was your panicked aunt, your MAGA [Make America Great Again] uncle, or some self-important Podcasters.

03:35 PM BST

Trump campaign hopes Biden stays in race as ex-president changes tone

Donald Trump hailed Joe Biden as his most dangerous rival in a speech on Friday, in what some see as a bid to stave off having the president replaced with a more formidable opponent.

At a rally in Virginia on Friday, Trump revelled in the criticism of President Bidens shambolic performance in the first presidential debate, seeing it as acknowledgement of his victory.

He mocked the presidents apparent overpreparation for the event, saying, He studied so hard that he didnt know what the hell he was doing.

Read the full piece here.

02:39 PM BST

Top Democrats panicking over Bidens debate performance

Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, held a Saturday afternoon call with dozens of influential Democrat party members about Joe Bidens to address concerns about Joe Bidens disastrous performance in the first round of presidential debates.

He did not acknowledge Bidens weak showing Thursday night or the avalanche of criticism that followed.

Multiple committee members on the call, most granted anonymity to talk about the private discussion, described feeling like they were being gaslighted  that they were being asked to ignore the dire nature of the partys predicament. The call, they said, may have worsened a widespread sense of panic among elected officials, donors and other stakeholders.

Instead, the people said, Harrison offered what they described as a rosy assessment of Bidens path forward. The chat function was disabled and there were no questions allowed.

01:58 PM BST

New York Times calls on Joe Biden to step down

The New York Times has called on Joe Biden to stand down from the presidential race and relinquish the Democratic nomination to a stronger candidate who would have a better chance of beating Donald Trump.

In an article by its editorial board, the Times accused Mr Biden of a reckless gamble in continuing his reelection bid after his disastrous appearance on the debate stage with Trump on Thursday night.

Mr Biden repeatedly struggled to deliver his lines, made factual mistakes and froze in response to moderator questions during the debate.

Read the full piece here.

01:47 PM BST

Joe Biden tells donors he won more voters than Trump during disastrous debate

Joe Biden has told donors that his debate performance converted more undecided voters than Donald Trump.

The US president admitted Saturday that he didnt have a great night during the first round of presidential debates, which he was roundly seen to have lost.

However, he claimed he had won over more voters than his Republican rival because people remembered the bad things which happened during Mr Trumps presidency.

Research during the debate shows us converting more undecided voters than Trump did, in large part because of his conduct on Jan 6, Mr Biden said Saturday at a fundraiser at New Jersey governor Phil Murphys home.

I didnt have a great night, but Im going to be fighting harder, Mr Biden added.

12:05 PM BST

European allies hope Democrats replace Biden to prevent Trump victory

European allies have expressed anxiety that Joe Bidens poor debate performance could mean victory for Donald Trump and reduction in US support for Ukraine.

The 81-year-old US president lost his train of thought and stumbled through Thursday nights debate, which contained relatively little discussion of foreign policy.

Mr Biden accused Trump of cosying up to dictators such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un, and boasted of bringing together an alliance of 50 nations to back Kyiv in the war with Russia.

Read the full piece here.

11:11 AM BST

US Supreme Courts slow pace on immunity makes Trump trial before election unlikely

Donald Trumps bid for criminal immunity from prosecution for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss is set to be decided on Monday by the US Supreme Court.

But however it rules, the court already has helped the former president in his effort to avoid trial before the November 5 election.

The ruling from the court, whose 6-3 conservative majority includes three justices appointed by Mr Trump, will be released 20 weeks after he sought relief from the justices.

The timeline of the ruling likely does not leave enough time for Special Counsel Jack Smith to try Mr Trump on the federal four-count indictment obtained last August and for a jury to reach a verdict before voters head to the polls.

The amount of delay that has resulted has made it almost impossible to get the case to trial before the election, said George Washington University law professor Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor. The court should have treated it with much more urgency than it did.

10:33 AM BST

Joe Biden given one week to stand down

Joe Biden has been told he has a week to win over Democrats or they will move to oust him after a disastrous performance in the first presidential debate, writes Tony Diver and Ben Riley-Smith.

Party donors and congressmen called on Mr Biden to abandon his run for re-election to the presidency after he fluffed his lines repeatedly and at one point froze completely during the first head-to-head debate of the 2024 election campaign.

In a shaky, hoarse voice, the 81-year-old launched attacks on Donald Trump and defended his policy record, pausing several times to repeat his sentences or correct himself.

Read the full piece here.

10:12 AM BST

Biden reassures big-money donors after debate debacle

Joe Biden attended a triple-header of campaign fundraisers Saturday, seeking to reassure high-dollar donors he can still win reelection in November despite a debate performance that sparked panic among many Democrats.

Accompanying the US president at the fundraisers in New York and New Jersey was First Lady Jill Biden, who has fiercely defended her 81-year-old husband amid calls for him to step aside.

The president is facing a wave of doubts following Thursday nights debate against Republican rival Donald Trump, after he frequently stumbled over his words and lost his train of thought - exacerbating fears about his age and mental acuity.

09:55 AM BST

Joe is the only person for the job, says Jill Biden

Jill Biden was right at her husbands side Saturday as they exited Air Force One to head for a pair of campaign stops at luxurious vacation homes on Long Island. And she got straight to the point when it was her turn to introduce the president at a tony fundraiser.

Joe isnt just the right person for the job. Hes the only person for the job, she declared.

The first lady also told donors, Anyone can tell you what they want to do, but Joe Biden can tell you what hes done with his judgment, his experience, and his relationships with leaders across the globe.

The first lady is trying to rally support for her husband after a dreadful performance in Thursdays presidential debate created fresh worries about President Joe Bidens age and his ability to compete in Novembers election and to serve another four years.

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John Swinney has said he would work with a Starmer Government on relaxing immigration rules for Scotland after Labours deputy leader north of the Border indicated her party would be open to talks.

The First Minister said nobody will engage with that more strongly than me after Dame Jackie Baillie raised the prospects of discussions between Westminster and Holyrood about a separate Scottish immigration system.

But he expressed scepticism about whether Sir Keir Starmer would follow through with the talks, arguing that the Labour leader had promised voters in the rest of the UK that he would shut the door firmly on immigration.

The SNP later challenged Labour to implement a bespoke Scottish visa scheme within 100 days of taking power, assuming Sir Keirs party wins Thursdays general election.

Net migration to the UK hit a record 745,000 in 2022 but the figure for Scotland has only been around 20,000 in recent years, prompting questions about why relatively few foreign immigrants are moving north of the Border.

Most people wanting to work in the UK still have to apply for a visa through the points-based system (PBS), whereby they have to get 70 points to qualify for a skilled worker visa.

Since April 11 this year they have to earn at least 38,700  an increase of nearly 50 per cent from the previous 26,200 minimum  with exceptions for some jobs in health and social care and teaching.

However, key immigration requirements, including the salary threshold, can be waived or watered down for those jobs included on Scotlands Shortage Occupation List. The independent Migration Advisory Committee recommends which occupations should be included.

The committee has previously said Scotlands needs are not sufficiently different from the rest of the UK to justify a very different system, with the north of England facing similar issues.

But the nationalists have argued that a separate, more liberal visa system is required for Scotland thanks to its more rapidly ageing population and declining workforce.

Mr Swinney was doubtful that Keir Starmer's party would actually commit to reforms to Scotland's immigration system - STUART WALLACE/SHUTTERSTOCK

There are now more than a million people aged over 65 in Scotland, with the total growing by 22.3 per cent since 2011. In comparison, the number of under-14s has dropped by 2.5 per cent over the same period and the total aged between 15 and 64 has fallen 1.1 per cent.

Dame Jackie told the Herald on Sunday that Labour would introduce a new system that matched immigration to a new system that tackled skill shortages and encouraged more UK immigrants to move to Scotland.

So we would do what the Tories have not done, which is to marry those two together because I know there are skill shortages in different parts of the UK including in Scotland  for instance in the care sector, she said.

So how do we make sure to match our immigration system to skills is something that is very firmly on the agenda at a UK level and Scotland would benefit from that.

She added: Given the levels of immigration that there are  and thats become a hot topic  actually not many people are ending up in Scotland and we need to understand why that is and whether there is something we can do to incentivise people to come more to Scotland once they have reached the UK, that is a job for us to think through.

Pressed if Labour would be open to some devolution of immigration powers, including a Scottish visa, she said: There would be discussions to have at that time until then I am absolutely fixed on July 4 polling day.

All my energy is going into that. But I would expect governments to work together, to talk to each other, to respond to each others needs.

Mr Swinney told BBC Scotlands Sunday Show that talks with Labour had not started but I welcome Dame Jackies intervention.

Because if its an indication of some of the practical steps that might come from inter-governmental relations with an incoming Labour government, then nobody will engage in that more strongly than me, he said.

However, he said he was a wee bit doubtful whether this would transpire given Labours pledges to clamp down on immigration on every UK television channel, saying it had taken a very, very hostile attitude.

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A John Wayne flop has been linked to high cancer rates. A new documentary aims to tell the communitys story.

The 1956 movie The Conqueror is infamous among cinephiles, both for its casting of John Wayne as the Mongolian warlord Genghis Khan and for a suspicious number of deaths that followed its filming downwind of a nuclear test site. Nearly 70 years later, the makers of the documentary The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout hope to tell the story of the affected downwinder community in St. George, Utah, near where the film shot as their federal compensation for radiation exposure is on the line.

At the time The Conqueror filmed in the Utah desert just outside the town, St. George was 137 miles downwind from the Nevada Test Site, where the federal government conducted more than 900 nuclear tests.

The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) for years insisted to locals there was no danger, and when ranchers sheep began mysteriously dying, the federal government blamed it on the ranchers negligence.

But after the movie was shot, observers noted the high rate of cancer among people involved with the filming: 91 of 220 crew members developed the illness, and 46 died. Director Dick Powell and stars Wayne, Susan Hayward and Agnes Moorehead all eventually died of cancer as well, while Pedro Armendariz Sr., an accomplished Mexican actor and the only nonwhite member of the films main cast, died by suicide when his cancer became terminal.

Local Paiute Native Americans were used as extras for crowd and battle scenes, but no records were kept of cancer rates among them.

The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout director Will Nunez said at a panel discussion Wednesday that he had the idea for the documentary in 2020 during COVID-19 lockdowns, and that at the time, he was only aware of the movies infamy and the alleged cancer connection.

What started as a lark about this terrible movie became something else as I was researching about atomic testing and all that, and my goal was to see how I can try and do this in the most entertaining way possible so that a general audience can understand what had happened, he said.

He noted that many of the most absurd features of the 1956 movie  such as flowery, pseudo-Shakespearean dialogue written with Marlon Brando in mind that sounds extra ridiculous in the mouth of the Duke  added some levity to what could otherwise be a straightforwardly depressing story.

The movie notes that eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, who produced The Conqueror, may have exacerbated radiation exposure during filming by having 60 tons of the irradiated desert sands delivered to the RKO Pictures soundstage in Hollywood to film interior scenes.

Epidemiologists have warned of the difficulty of definitively identifying a single cause for one cancer. Wayne himself was skeptical of a connection between the filming and the disease striking the cast and crew, noting late in life that he, Powell and Armendariz were heavy smokers.

But Hayward and Powell both died in their 50s  a notably young age to develop cancer  and, as the documentary makes clear, the residents of St. George who developed cancer during the same period included young children.

Hughes would later say he felt guilty as hell about the production of the movie, and as he became increasingly reclusive, he bought every print of it and watched it on a loop in his hotel suite.

Ultimately, questions surrounding Waynes death that first surfaced in People magazine led Utahns to begin investigating a potential connection to their medical histories. The declassification of internal AEC documents followed, and strenuous lobbying by downwinders won former Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) to their cause, culminating in the 1990 passage of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), which recently expired.

The documentary incorporates a variety of perspectives on the movie and its legacy, from Waynes and Haywards sons to conservative talk radio host Michael Medved, who began his career as a film critic specializing in so bad theyre good movies. Its most emotional voices, however, are those of downwinders themselves, many of whom remember the movie production coming to town and continue their lobbying over the radiation to which it helped draw attention to this day.

In the film, Mary Dickson, a downwinder activist and thyroid cancer survivor, notes that the effects of the nuclear testing fallout were not considered an emergency until the Defense Department began to worry that they may have, as an internal document put it, killed John Wayne.

RECA was reauthorized in 2022, but its authorization formally expired earlier this year after lawmakers failed to agree on a further extension. A bipartisan bill sponsored by Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would reauthorize the law and expand it beyond the 20 counties covered, as well as to children of downwinders, passed the Senate with 69 votes in March. However, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has declined to bring it to the House floor thus far, citing concerns about cost and whether it has the votes to pass in the GOP-controlled chamber.

Nunezs documentary comes weeks after the authorization for RECA officially expired. Almost exactly a year ago, sponsors of the expansion bill hoped to take advantage of the buzz surrounding Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolans biopic of the physicist who helped develop the atomic bomb. Nunez told The Hill he hopes his movie, while much smaller, can similarly help drive conversation about downwinders plight.

What Im hoping is, now that RECAs expired and the downwinders want to expand it to beyond the 20 counties, that this movie will help spread the word, Nunez said.

Ultimately, however, he credited the dedication of affected locals for both the original law and for any breakthrough on reauthorization.

Nunez compared the downwinder community to the locals in Love Canal, N.Y., who pushed for a federal cleanup after the neighborhood became the site of an environmental disaster in the 1970s.

If you notice, its all the women that raise hell, 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.
Johnson County detention deputy accused of giving hydrocodone to another deputy

CLARKSVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A warrant is out for the arrest of a detention deputy in Johnson County accused of giving hydrocodone to another detention deputy, according to court documents.

A probable cause affidavit said an investigator was asked by Johnson County Sheriff Tom Hughes for assistance reviewing footage from the jails cameras on April 4.

Hughes asked a narcotics officer and the investigator to look at the passing of two pills between two detention officers.

One of the deputies turned in statements which prompted an interview with detention deputy Lydia Ewing, the affidavit said.

Skateboarder dies after falling into traffic in Franklin County

In the interview, Ewing admitted to giving another deputy two pills and thought she was giving him Tylenol for his back pain but said she may have given him hydrocodone instead by accident, according to the affidavit.

Ewing said the hydrocodone was stored in a pill container with a Tylenol label.

The affidavit said camera footage shows Ewing getting a piece of gum, taking the wrapper out of camera view and coming back into sight giving the other deputy the wrapper.

The two white pills were sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab as evidence.

Springdale man pleads guilty to murder charge, sentenced to 30 years

The warrant for Ewings arrest was issued June 20, according to court docs.

Ewing faces a possession of controlled substance charge, a criminal information sheet filed on June 20 said. If found guilty, she could face up to six years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections and/or up to a $10,000 fine.

As of June 29, Ewing is still listed on the Johnson County Sheriffs Offices website.

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 KNWA FOX24.
Key Insights

Nestle's estimated fair value is CHF146 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Nestle is estimated to be 37% undervalued based on current share price of CHF91.72

Our fair value estimate is 38% higher than Nestle's analyst price target of CHF106

Does the June share price for Nestle S.A. (VTX:NESN) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example!

We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. If you still have some burning questions about this type of valuation, take a look at the Simply Wall St analysis model.

View our latest analysis for Nestle

What's The Estimated Valuation?

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (CHF, Millions) CHF12.0b CHF12.2b CHF12.5b CHF13.4b CHF13.8b CHF14.1b CHF14.3b CHF14.4b CHF14.5b CHF14.6b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x8 Analyst x8 Analyst x7 Analyst x2 Est @ 2.67% Est @ 1.93% Est @ 1.40% Est @ 1.04% Est @ 0.79% Est @ 0.61% Present Value (CHF, Millions) Discounted @ 3.9% CHF11.6k CHF11.3k CHF11.2k CHF11.6k CHF11.4k CHF11.2k CHF10.9k CHF10.6k CHF10.3k CHF10.0k

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = CHF110b

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 0.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 3.9%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = CHF15b (1 + 0.2%)  (3.9% 0.2%) = CHF398b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= CHF398b ( 1 + 3.9%)10= CHF272b

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is CHF382b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of CHF91.7, the company appears quite good value at a 37% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

dcf

The Assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Nestle 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 3.9%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. 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 Nestle

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

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Food market.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow for the next 3 years.

Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Threat

Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the Swiss market.

Moving On:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Nestle, we've compiled three further aspects you should further research:

Risks: To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Nestle . Future Earnings: How does NESN's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the SWX every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
In a multi-agency operation, Florida law enforcement successfully apprehended two homicide suspects from Virginia, demonstrating the power of swift and coordinated police work.

The Columbia County Sheriffs Office (CCSO), the Suwannee County Sheriffs Office (SCSO), and the Virginia State Police captured two homicide suspects connected with a homicide that occurred in Lee County, Virginia.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

According to an officially released statement, on Monday, June 24, investigators with the Suwannee County Sheriffs Office received critical information regarding a homicide in Lee County, Virginia.

Virginia State Police investigators had issued a warrant for Christopher N. Nick Holeman on charges of homicide and had traced him to Suwannee County. Using advanced analytical data, SCSO investigators discovered that Holeman was in Columbia County. SCSO promptly coordinated with the Columbia County Sheriffs Office, and together, the CCSO and SCSO located and arrested Holeman.

On Wednesday, June 26, the Virginia State Police reached out again to SCSO, informing them of a second suspect connected to the homicide case who was also believed to be in Suwannee County. Once more, using sophisticated technology and analytical data, SCSO investigators successfully located and arrested Amos Leebo Hall in OBrien, Florida.

This collaborative effort between the CCSO and SCSO resulted in the apprehension of two extremely violent suspects and showcased the efficiency of their working relationship.

Sheriff Mark Hunter said, The apprehension of these dangerous suspects highlights the importance of cooperative partnerships between our local agencies. Our surrounding sheriffs have a special relationship and are always working together to help each other out when needed. Seeing our agencies collaborate to capture these out-of-state fugitives makes me proud, and I commend Sheriff St. Johns team as well as ours for a job well done. All of our citizens are safer because of these arrests.

Sheriff Sam St. John of Suwannee County added, The success of this mission is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our investigators and the support from our colleagues in Columbia County and Virginia State Police. We will continue to work together to uphold justice and safety for all.

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On July 4th, remember that America is greater than any personal or political divisions

Heading towards Independence Day 2024, let's take a moment to revisit first grade.

Close your eyes and recall how each school day morning began. For many, it started with a prayer led by our teachers. Today, most schools replace prayer with a moment of silence.

After we finished our prayers, we each turned toward the American Flag standing in the corner of the room. We put our hands over our hearts and recited the following 31 words:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Since it was repeated daily, every 6-year-old in our nation quickly memorized the Lord's Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

The American flag should be honored and respected

The American flag symbolizes our unity, determination, and freedom. It should be honored daily, not just on July 4. The stripes and stars are draped across coffins when soldiers pass and fly at half-mast in times of loss or tragedy. It waves in the breeze to greet schoolchildren each morning and adorns homes on every American avenue.

Elizabeth McFaden, 7, of Tiptonville waves two small American Flags during the Freedom Forum, First Amendment Festival at Discovery Park of America in Union City, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

I remember when my brother passed away in the spring of 1998 with full military honors, the American flag that draped his coffin was placed in his wife's hands before he was laid to rest. As we drove from the cemetery, another flag flew high above a nearby school.

It reminds us that our banner carries the eternal hope that freedom will always prevail through generations despite battles, hardships, political turmoil, and tragedies. Old Glory belongs to all of us, representing our solidarity and will to survive as one nation under God.

The heroic determination of six Marines was immortalized in a photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press on top of Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945. They hoisted the American flag as a symbol of liberty and justice during the battle of Iwo Jima. Sadly, it was the last time three of the men would view the red, white, and blue.

Constitution refresher series: How 'cruel and unusual punishment' and 'excessive fines' clauses apply to Tennessee

Sergeant Michael Stark, Corporal Harlon Block, and Private First-Class Franklin Sousley were among the thousands who sacrificed their lives to keep our flag soaring high across our nation. Their bravery and selflessness are a testament to America's indomitable spirit. When we celebrate Independence Day with barbecues, go fishing in nearby lakes, express our opinions and prayers, or cheer for our home teams, we do so because of the fearlessness of people like the Marines, whose final act was to raise our flag for the world to see. This is American allegiance at its finest hour.

An American flag waves in the wind after storm delays shut down the outdoor stages during the 50th annual CMA Fest in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, June 11, 2023

Our national emblem represents all that is exemplary in our nation. It should never be used as a weapon, a political statement, or in any demeaning way. If so, it discredits the valor of those men and women who gave their lives to keep us free to fly our flag.

A Marine honor guard removes the casket containing the body of Cpl. Patrick Nixon after services at the College Heights Baptist Church in Gallatin, Tenn., April 15, 2003. Nixon, the first Tennesseean to die in combat during the Iraq war, will be buried at the Arlington National Cemetery April 17.

If we remember the pledge, we can be united

We are one country that believes in human equality, rights, and fairness for all. If we study the words of our pledge, we are never to be divided. We are and have always been under the watchful eyes of God.

Today, we are standing on shaky American ground. It trembles with discord and often dishonor. Our personal dedication to a party, political candidate, or views must not be placed above our allegiance to America. After all, we took a pledge.

This nation was bequeathed to us by our ancestors, who persevered in extreme conditions to construct a free world.

Maybe if we stop yelling at each other we could move our country forward

Many years ago, I once stood with my peers in a first-grade class, reciting the pledge to our nation together. Today, I ponder what became of those six-year-olds. Did some die during battles defending our country? Are some poor or rich today? Are they straight or gay, liberal or conservative, Christian, Jewish, or Muslim?

We are all citizens of a single nation, bound by the pledge to honor it regardless of our beliefs, backgrounds, or individualities. As one unified people, we should never prioritize our individual ideologies over our identity as Americans.

In our earliest years, we were proud children, reveling in the boundless opportunities that our land offered. We cherished the freedom to pursue our dreams, express our thoughts, and observe moments of silence for prayer.

Lynn Walker Gendusa

On July 4, take a moment to appreciate the joy and greatness of our America. Place your hand over your heart and recite a pledge you learned as a child to honor the land you live in, the God who empowers it, and the liberty, justice, and equality it offers.

Lynn Gendusa is a writer in living in Georgia who is originally from Monterrey, Tennessee.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 4th of July: On Independence Day, remember Americans' shared identity
Just Askin': How will 33-ton World Peace Bell be moved to make way for new development?

The World Peace Bell will be temporarily relocated to make way for new construction. How will the 33-ton bell be moved?

The Enquirer's Just Askin' series aims to answer the questions that no one seems to have an answer for, not even Google.

The World Peace Bell has been at its current site in downtown Newport for nearly a quarter-century.

Standing 12 feet tall and weighing 66,000 pounds, it is the world's largest free-swinging bell. It was unveiled on New Year's Eve before the turn of the millennium and rang for the first time at midnight Jan. 1, 2000.

It was quite a feat to get it overseas from a shipbuilding yard in Nantes, France, where it was first constructed. No foundry in the U.S. would take on the complex build. So, away the project blueprints went, and back the bell came.

Now, it's being moved to another spot in Northern Kentucky as new development goes up in the city block bordered by Monmouth, York, Fourth and Fifth streets. The city has pushed for years to develop the block, with dreams finally coming to fruition as new office space, hotels and parking garages are built.

But the bell has to go somewhere else to make way for construction.

How will the World Peace Bell be moved?

Instead of hauling the World Peace Bell thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean, it will be relocated to Wilder, Kentucky, according to a news release the city of Newport issued July 13.

Within the next two weeks, the bell will be temporarily relocated to a property owned by Maxim Crane Works.

A Maxim crane will place the 33-ton bell on a large flatbed truck. The bell will then be transported file miles through the streets of Newport and onto Kentucky 9 before reaching its temporary home.

Eventually, the World Peace Bell will be relocated to another high-profile location in Newport, but where that will be has not been announced.

Do you have a question for Just Askin'? Send it to us at localnews@enquirer.com.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How Newport will move the massive World Peace Bell for new development
Scott talks with Mike McConnell after Scott's final show before he retired.

Cincinnati's morning voice Jim Scott touched many lives during his time on earth.

For 46 years, he was a familiar voice on Cincinnatis airwaves as the morning host for WLW, WSAI-AM and others. Visitors lined the hallways in appreciation after he finished his final show at 700 WLW-AM in 2015.

The legendary host died Friday of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 81.

Related: Remembering Cincinnati's morning voice, Jim Scott

In the wake of his death, those who knew him shared what made him such a special host  and the legacy he leaves behind.

A great host: the 'quintessential' morning guy

Jim Scott was the "quintessential" morning guy, according to 700 WLW host Bill Cunningham, who worked with Scott at 700 WLW for decades.

In the 1980s, executives at 700 WLW purchased 94.1 FM, where Scott worked at the time, just so he would join their station.

"I don't know how many millions they paid," Cunningham said. "Just for one guy."

But it paid off, he adds.

"He was a welcoming, friendly, warm voice Cincinnati had," Cunningham said. "He was able to do topics in such a way that angered nobody and brought everyone into the tent."

Those who knew him talked about his ability to seemingly make an intimate, individualized connection with listeners. "He had a way of connecting with people that's unlike anything I've ever seen," said Mo Egger, an ESPN 1530 radio host.

"If there's a heaven above, and I certainly believe there is," Cunningham said, "they have one heck of a morning man doing that work."

'Just a great man'

Egger worked with Scott at WLW from the late '90s to the early 2010s.

Scott was "just a good man," Egger said. "People would ask me all the time 'Is he really that nice?' And I would say, 'Yeah. He really is,'" Egger said with a laugh.

When he was in his 20s, Egger was the producer for Scott's morning show. He described Scott as a mentor, friend, advocate and sounding board. Scott took a genuine interest in Egger's career, working to help Egger improve and advocating for him.

"That doesn't happen," Egger said. "That doesn't happen, I'm sure, in most businesses, but that doesn't happen in our business."

His legacy: How Scott will be remembered

Scott would act like a "politician," around Cincinnati, "shaking hands and kissing babies," 700 WLW host Scott Sloan said. But he adds it was completely genuine.

"He really liked people," Sloan added.

Those who knew him described how Scott would go just about anywhere and introduce himself to people, asking them to listen to his show. He would do the same for others, like Egger, and encourage people to listen to him.

He was also actively involved in the community, his peers said. He was the "go-to" emcee for events and fundraisers, Cunningham said.

"I think Jim will be remembered for caring about the human condition," Sloan said.

Cunningham said that Scott's experience with polio at a young age drove him to give his time to charities and the community in general.

"His experience with polio led him to believe that it was always better to reach and pull somebody up than push somebody down," Cunningham said. "And that was Jim Scott."

"He lived so well, touched so many, and helped every charity in town." Cunningham said

"I think the lesson for all of us, especially for these trying times that we're going through right now, is that we all need to be a little more like Jim." Sloan said. "I think his legacy is that he makes you want to be a better person."

"He began his life with polio and ended his life with Lou Gehrig's disease," Cunningham said. "And in the middle, what a life he led."

Community responds on social media

Many took to social media over the weekend to share their thoughts on Scott's legacy and the impact he made on the Cincinnati region.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval wrote a commemoration to Scott on X, formerly Twitter. He said Scott brought daily joy, comfort and pride to generations of Cincinnatians.

He wasnt just the voice on the radio. He was the kind neighbor out in our communities, constantly making a positive impact," Pureval said.

Jim Scott brought daily joy, comfort, and pride to generations of Cincinnatians. He wasnt just the voice on the radio, he was the kind neighbor out in our communities, constantly making a positive impact.



Opening Day wont be the same without him, but his imprint will remain. pic.twitter.com/B1nPoGrrrB  Aftab Pureval (@AftabPureval) June 29, 2024

Ohio GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou said on X that every kid growing up in the Greater Cincinnati area will not soon forget his voice, calling him a Cincinnati treasure.

Cincy Shirts remembered when Scott for sat in on the retail stores podcast in 2019.

Lets open up a bag of Grippos in his honor, the retail store's X post said, referencing Scotts penchant for the local chip brand.

The Cincinnati Reds dedicated a post to Scott on Saturday, saying he was an inspiration who will not be forgotten.

His love for the people of this city was unparalleled, and his generous support of communities throughout Reds Country will not be forgotten, the post reads.

The Reds are deeply saddened by the passing of beloved Cincinnati radio icon Jim Scott. His love for the people of this city was unparalleled, and his generous support of communities throughout Reds Country was never ending. He was an inspiration and will not be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/OfagIYdZbx  Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 29, 2024

Fellow members of the local media also shared their condolences for the radio legend. WLWT anchor Sheree Paolello shared a memory of Scott coming on air to discuss his diagnosis with ALS.

WCPO consumer reporter John Matarese said he had listened to Scott on 700 WLW for 20 years, and Scott was as nice a person as you could ever meet.

The Salvation Army in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky remembered Scott's service with the organization as an honorary Kettle Campaign chair for more than 10 years. As an active volunteer with Salvation Army, "he was our biggest champion to inspire our community to volunteer with us and do the most good," a Facebook post reads.

"We will miss him and always remember him with our love and appreciation, especially when the bells are ringing in Cincinnati in the months and years to come."

The incomparable Jim Scott honored The Salvation Army with his time, talent, and dedication to serve others. As our... Posted by The Salvation Army in Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky on Saturday, June 29, 2024

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Community reacts to death of Cincinnati radio icon Jim Scott
Joe Biden and his presidential campaign continued to try to assuage fretful donors following the presidents dismal performance at the debate on Thursday.

At a Pride month fundraiser at the home of Rob and Michele Reiner, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the elephant in the room, acknowledging that Biden did not have his finest hour but insisting that he still was about to show a contrast with Donald Trump.

More from Deadline

Calling Trump a threat to democracy, Harris said that the former president admires dictators and would weaponize the Justice Department against his opponents, per a pool report.

She also repeated a line that the Biden campaign has told other supporters to try to calm their nerves, noting the high stakes of the election. None of that changed because of a day in June, Harris said.

But the fallout from the debate is still reverberating. On Thursday, the president struggled to finish sentences and spoke in a raspy voice, while he missed opportunities to call out Trump on some of his biggest falsehoods. Earlier on Saturday, The New Yorker editor David Remnick called on Biden to step aside, adding to a chorus of pundits and media columnists as well as The New York Times editorial page.

One fundraiser attending Harris event today said that the talk of Biden standing down continues among donors. Our risk is that this just causes people not to vote, the fundraiser said.

That said, after the debate there was 24 hours of panic and everyone is rebounding quickly, the fundraiser added.

Kamala Harris

The campaign has sent out memos from top officials, including one from a Southern California finance official, who insisted that post-debate, voters opinions were not changed in any significant way.

Biden himself was on an East Coast fundraising swing today, and ignored reporters questions about whether he would drop out.

At one event, at the East Hampton home of Barry and Lizanne Rosenstein, he addressed The New York Times editorial, published on Friday, that called for him to exit the race.

I understand the concern about the debate  I get it, he said, per a pool report. I didnt have a great night.

Voters had a different reaction, Biden said. Since the debate, the polls show a little movement, moved us up actually.

Idina Menzel

We converted more undecided voters than Trump did especially on January 6, whos fighting for the working class, the middle class, he said. And by the way, The Times had their editorial and guess what? They also point out he lied 28 times in a matter of 90 minutes. Its pretty good. The big takeaway were his lies. People remembered how bad things were during his presidency, how much they disliked him.

There was some talk at the Harris event of it being like a kind of group therapy following the debate, but there was also a feeling of just having to move forward and make sure its not Trump, according to one attendee, who described Harris speech as invigorating.

The Harris event was tied to Pride and the anniversary of the end of Proposition 8, the California measure that banned same-sex marriage. Among the co-hosts were Chad Griffin, who led the effort to challenge Proposition 8 in the courts, as well two of the plaintiffs in the case, Kris Perry and Sandy Stier. After a 2013 Supreme Court decision ended the same-sex marriage ban, Harris married the couple. Also at the event were the two other plaintiffs in the case, Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo.

Another co-host of the fundraiser was Ted Boutrous, part of the legal team challenging Prop 8. Reiner also helped fund the legal effort and was part of the campaign to overturn the marriage ban, and others co-hosts also were part of the effort, including screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, along with husband Tom Daley, and Adam Umhoefer.

Others at the event included Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), along with producer Danny Rose, screenwriter John August, actress Yeardley Smith and activist Mary Fisher. Idina Menzel performed.

In her 22 minutes of remarks, Harris framed the election as a fight for American principles, and compared it to the effort to overturn Prop 8.

Because weve been in this fight before, I say with full confidence, we will win, she said. We will know what we stand for, so we know what to fight for.

Harris has been a key defender of the president post-debate, as she appeared on CNN and MSNBC in the hours after the event, as donors and supporters were in a bit of shell shock and TV commentators were openly speculating on her role should Biden step aside. In a sometimes testy interview with CNNs Anderson Cooper, Harris acknowledged that Biden started off slow, before she went into campaign themes. Neither person on that stage tonight made the argument as coherently as you just did, Cooper told her.

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Kansas has 101 new laws going into effect July 1, including on Chiefs, beer and porn

Kansas lawmakers and Gov. Laura Kelly enacted 113 new laws this year, and 101 of those will go into effect Monday, July 1.

Here are a handful of the new laws now going into effect, some of which have a Topeka connection:

Kansas lawmakers and the governor enacted 113 new laws in 2024, of which 101 go into effect on July 1.

New child welfare laws, some spurred by Zoey Felix killing

This was the year that lawmakers found a compromise on having a child advocate. Legislators for years had supported the idea but disagreed on details, particularly who oversaw it. Leadership recommitted to the idea after the death of Topeka 5-year-old Zoey Felix.

Now, with Senate Bill 115, the office that the governor created through executive order is becoming a permanent, independent office in state law. Kerrie Lonard, the child advocate, told lawmakers on Wednesday that they have been working on the transition.

With the creation of SOUL Family Legal Permanency in House Bill 2536, Kansas is the first state in the country to try a new type of permanency for youths in foster care that allows older teenagers to establish legal relationships with supportive adults while still maintaining ties to their birth family. Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard told lawmakers on Wednesday that training sessions have been underway.

In the event a child dies while in state custody or after having contact with DCF, House Bill 2628 will now expedite the release of a summary in certain situations. While similar legislation was proposed in the past, it garnered more support this year after a delay in releasing information following Zoey's killing.

More: DCF won't release reports on Zoey Felix because she wasn't 'alleged to be in need of care'

With Senate Bill 195, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a book gifting program, can now accept donations through the Children's Cabinet.

Lawmakers also passed Senate Bill 394, which the governor allowed to become law without her signature, in an attempt to prevent children from viewing pornography. The new law requires the use of age verification technology by websites with "material harmful for children." It has already resulted in Pornhub announcing that it won't permit access to anyone in Kansas, including adults.

Microbreweries get a win

Willcott Brewing Co. in Holton and Salt City Brewing Co. in Hutchinson were among the supporters of House Bill 2124. That new law allows microbreweries to sell beer and hard cider directly to retailers and other establishments without always having to use a distributor, which could mean more local beer on tap at local restaurants and bars.

New license plates and a state locomotive and railroad

Senate Bill 359 authorizes eight new specialty license plates on the Kansas City Chiefs, Sporting Kansas City, Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Current, Topeka Zoo, support the troops and the first city of Kansas.

House Bill 2392 added two more distinctive license plates for the 1st Infantry Division and recipients of the Armed Service Occupation Medal.

While the laws take effect July 1, the earliest possible date that the new license plates can be issued is Jan. 1.

More: Kansans can show their support for the Kansas City Chiefs with a distinct license plate

The state now has an official train and railroad. House Bill 2481 designates the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe #3415 as the official state steam locomotive and the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad as the official state heritage railroad.

Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad officials are currently fundraising to complete a federally mandated rebuild of the ATSF locomotive, which is one of only a handful still in service.

More: Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad to become official Kansas heritage railroad

Fentanyl laws

Known as a good Samaritan law, Senate Bill 419 provides legal protection for people who seek or provide medical assistance to a person suffering a medical emergency related to drug use. The law is intended to help save lives from overdoses and was inspired in part by a Topekan who lost several family members to fentanyl.

Kansas lawmakers also passed Senate Bill 414, which took effect earlier this year, that includes tougher penalties on fentanyl-related crimes, including manufacturing and distribution.

More: New Kansas law means you can call 911 for a drug overdose and not be charged with a crime

Cybersecurity law followed attack on Kansas courts

Senate Bill 291 modernizes and consolidates the state government's information technology and cybersecurity infrastructure.

The move followed an October cyberattack on the Kansas judicial branch in which as many as 150,000 people may have had their personal data stolen. The judicial branch announced Wednesday that its website domain is changing from .org to .gov as part of the requirements of the new law.

"We researched the benefits of making this change last summer, but we were working on other time-sensitive projects at that time," Chief Justice Marla Luckert said in a statement. "The Legislature's action this spring to make it a requirement emphasized that now is the best time to make this change."

What is a purple alert?

You may be seeing a new color-coded alert in the future. Amber alerts are for certain child abductions. Silver alerts are used for certain missing senior citizens, such as those with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Now, there will be purple alerts.

House Bill 2531 provides for purple alert public notices of adult missing persons who have been diagnosed with an intellectual disability and are in certain dangerous circumstances.

Kansas Children's Discovery Center will save on sales taxes

One tax cut law, House Bill 2098, has multiple sales tax provisions, including a sales tax exemption for the Kansas Children's Discovery Center in Topeka for purchases related to constructing, remodeling, furnishing or equipping the children's museum. The state estimated the exemption is worth about $600,000.

Limiting costly rules and regulations

Kansas government regulators now have to follow a new law designed to limit their ability to impose costly regulations on businesses.

House Bill 2648, which became law through overriding a veto, requires state agencies to create more robust economic impact statements when promulgating regulations. It also effectively prohibits agencies from promulgating regulations that would cause $1 million or more in compliance costs over five years.

A state agency can only pursue such a regulation if the Legislature gives explicit approval by ratifying it through a bill that could only be introduced by a legislator. There are no provisions for doing such a ratification process outside of the legislative session.

More: Kansas lawmakers want to block costly business regulations. What about cost to taxpayers?

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: What to know about 101 new Kansas laws going into effect on July 1
Kanye West Hit With Scathing Lawsuit By Former Employees Who Claim They Were Called 'New Slaves'

A recently filed lawsuit has revealed questionable information about the work environment of rapper Kanye West's Yeezy company.

In the suit, which named West and his former chief of staff, Milo Yiannopoulos, as defendants, they were accused of "fostering a racist environment" and forcing employees to work "insanely long hours."

Model Bianca Censori, whose husband is Kanye West, also appeared in the docs for allegedly sending porn files to staff that were accessible by minors.

Kanye West Accused Of Enforcing Insanely Long Work Hours

MEGA

According to TMZ, a group of disgruntled Yeezy employees have filed a lawsuit in a U.S. District Court against West and his former chief of staff, Yiannopoulos.

The filing stemmed from West allegedly refusing to fulfill work agreements and "forcing them to work insanely long hours."

The disgruntled employees, which consisted of adults and minors as young as 14, were hired as developers to work on West's YZYVSN streaming service app, which he wanted to use to promote his new albums, "Vultures" and "Vultures 2."

They were reportedly promised $120,000 in pay if they "completed the app," and they "agreed to the work conditions," and didn't "complain."

However, out of the blue, they were forced to sign non-disclosure agreements under the threat of losing their jobs and not being paid. Meanwhile, the employees who were minors were required to sign "volunteer" agreements, implying they would receive no pay regardless of their contributions.

The Rapper Allegedly Refused To Pay The Employees' Wages

MEGA

The court documents revealed that the developers mostly worked on the app remotely while giving feedback to West, Yiannopoulos, and other relevant showrunners via Slack and other online communication tools.

They allegedly worked hard to get a finished app to West by May 1, 2024, due to the pressure on them to deliver quickly.

However, when they asked for their pay, neither West nor Yiannopoulos responded to their request, prompting them to pursue a legal means of resolving the standstill.

Now, the former employees are asking for the complete payment of their unpaid wages alongside compensation for overtime. They are also asking for damages for the emotional distress they suffered while working for Yeezy.

Kanye West Was Accused Of 'Fostering Racist Environment' At Work

MEGA

In the documents, the developers also alleged that they were openly "mocked with racist jabs" by Yeezy white managers in charge of the overseas and minority workers.

Some of the disparaging language referenced their "age, race, gender, sexual orientation and national origin." They also alleged that some of their colleagues were called "slaves" and "new slaves" during different work interactions.

Yiannopoulos was accused of being one of the senior employees who acted in a racist manner, with the docs claiming he "once sent a chat message with a Black/brown skin emoji to an African American team member" and called a minor staff a "school shooter."

Meanwhile, West's wife, Censori, was also complained about for "sending one worker a file-sharing link containing hardcore sexual activity," seemingly to be used for the development of the rapper's porn app. It was mentioned that she made no move to shield the viewing of the explicit videos from minors.

Kanye West's Chief Of Staff Resigned Amid The Rapper's Venture Into Porn Business

MEGA

The lawsuit comes several weeks after Yiannopoulos resigned from Yeezy due to West's porn studio project.

The 32-year-old, in his resignation letter, claimed that he "cannot be complicit in the production of pornographic films and literature, for moral and religious reasons."

He also stated that getting involved in the project would be "an imminent danger to my life as a recovering addict and an unacceptable risk to my spiritual and physical health as a former homosexual."

However, he left the door open for a possible comeback under the condition that Yeezy would abandon the project.

Apart from Yiannopoulos, several other showrunners left the company around the same time, although it is unclear if their decision to leave was related to the porn studio project.

West also received multiple backlash for announcing the project, which seemingly forced him to pause the move despite already consulting with the likes of porn actor and producer Michael "Mike Moz" Mosny.

Kanye West Once Spoke Against Pornography

MEGA

The "Gold Digger" rapper's foray into the adult film business comes as a surprise after he previously detailed how he struggled with porn addiction.

According to the Daily Mail, West previously opened up on his struggles with porn addiction and later decried how it had destroyed his family, which he once shared with reality TV star Kim Kardashian.

In his 2019 interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music's Beats 1 Radio, the "Vultures 1" rapper admitted that he had a "full-on pornography addiction," which began at age five when he found a Playboy magazine.

He said, "For me, Playboy was my gateway into full-on pornography addiction. My dad had a Playboy left out at age five, and it's affected almost every choice I made for the rest of my life."

He added, "From age five til now, having to kick the habit, and it just presents itself in the open like it's OK, and I stand up and say, 'No, it's not ok.'"
This combination of images released by the Utica Police Department shows a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun recovered after an officer fatally shot a 13-year-old boy who had been tackled to the ground after he ran from police and pointed the replica gun at them on Friday, June 28, 2024, in Utica, N.Y. (Utica, N.Y., Police Department via AP)

On Wednesday, Nyah Mway finished middle school in the central New York city where his family moved about a decade ago as refugees from Myanmar, relatives said.

By Friday night, the 13-year-old was fatally shot by police whod tackled him to the ground after he allegedly pointed what turned out to be a BB gun at them during a foot chase.

Struggling to comprehend his death, his anguished relatives and outraged members of their immigrant community called Sunday for justice for him and accountability for police.

We came to the United States, finally, to get the education and to get the good jobs here and hoping for a peaceful life after decades of strife and violence in Myanmar, said Lay Htoo, who identified himself as one of Nyah's cousins.

But instead of celebrating the teen's ascent to high school, his parents were waiting for medical examiners to release his body and wondering what would become of the officers.

They want them to be in prison forever, the cousin said in a phone interview.

As the state attorney general and the Utica Police Department investigate the shooting, Nyah's relatives and other local members of Myanmar's Karen ethnic minority said they planned to meet Sunday afternoon with Utica Mayor Michael P. Galime. A message seeking comment was sent to the mayors office.

For now, the officers are on paid administrative leave.

The shooting happened Friday night in Utica, an old industrial city where thousands of refugees from various countries have settled in recent decades, creating a measure of revival in a faded Rust Belt hub. The city's population of 65,000 includes more than 4,200 people from Myanmar, according to The Center, a nonprofit group that helps to resettle refugees.

According to police, Nyah and another 13-year-old boy were stopped Friday night because they fit descriptions of suspects in an armed robbery that had happened Thursday in the same area, and because one teen was jaywalking. The police department declined Sunday to release the armed robbery report and its suspect description, citing the ongoing investigation.

The body camera video shows an officer saying he needs to pat them down for any weapons. Then one of the teens  identified as Nyah  runs away, turns and appears to point a black item at them.

The officers believed it was a handgun, police said, but it was later determined to be a BB or pellet gun that closely resembled a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine. Police released an image showing the device did not have an orange band on the barrel that many BB gun-makers have added in recent years to distinguish their products from firearms.

Officer Bryce Patterson caught up with Nyah, tackled and punched him, and as the two wrestled on the ground, Officer Patrick Husnay opened fire, body camera video showed. Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said at a news conference Saturday that the single shot hit the youth in the chest.

A bystander video posted to Facebook also showed an officer tackling the teen and punching him as two other officers arrive, then a gunshot ringing out as the teen was on the ground.

Under New York law, the attorney generals office looks into every death at the hands of law enforcement. The police department's own probe will explore whether officers followed policies and training.

Williams called the shooting a tragic and traumatic incident for all involved, and his department said it released information and the body camera video in keeping with our commitment to transparency.

To Nyah's cousin, Isabella Moo, however, the police narrative seemed like trying to criminalize him a lot more and trying to protect the police officers."

The escalation of this should not have happened, and our police officers need to be trained a lot better or a lot differently, she said in a phone interview. The city needs to be held accountable, and this should not have been done to any child.

Karens are among groups warring with the military rulers of Myanmar, the Southeast Asian country formerly known as Burma. The army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021 and suppressed widespread nonviolent protests that sought a return to democratic rule.

Nyah's family fled about two decades ago from Myanmar to Thailand, where he was born in a refugee camp, and then immigrated through a resettlement program to the United States about nine years ago, Htoo said. He said the teen's father works at a convenience store.

Htoo said Nyah was keen on math, soccer and spending time with friends when not caring for his younger siblings. Interested in learning, he sometimes attended Bible study with his friends, though his family are Buddhists, the cousin said.

The cousin said he'd been told that on Friday night, the boy informed his mother he was going to a store to buy something, and that was the last she saw of him.

She hasn't slept since, except for 10-minute naps, her tears resuming every time she awakens, he said.
UPDATE: Ramona Marie Gonzales has been located and is safe, according to the Las Cruces Police Department.

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Las Cruces Police are asking for the publics help in locating a 46-year-old Las Cruces woman who has been reported missing.

Ramona Marie Gonzales was last seen about noon Saturday, June 29, on the 1200 block of El Paseo Road when she reportedly walked away from her caregiver. Her current location and destination are unknown.

Police say she could be in danger if not located soon.

Gonzales is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs approximately 195 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing a tan crop top, blue jeans and black shoes.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Gonzales is asked to immediately call police at (575) 526-0795.

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.
Credit: Shutterstock

CoreWeave, an AI hyper-scaler partnered with GPU giant Nvidia, has expanded its existing contract to rent high-performance computing capacity from Core Scientific. Core Scientific is one of the largest owners and operators of cryptocurrency mining services in North America.

CoreWeave was once a cryptocurrency mining outfit itself. It pivoted away from that business years ago, moving instead into visual effects rendering, inference service, and pixel streaming. When the release of OpenAIs ChatGPT opened the firehose of demand for AI computing, CoreWeave saw an opportunity.

The company now offers, among other services, cloud-based AI training, fine-tuning, and operation of different models. Its worked alongside Bit192, for example, to bring GPT-NeoX-20B to Japan.

It uses Kubernetes-native infrastructures with more than 45,000 high-end Nvidia GPUs to handle compute-intensive needs for a variety of scenarios. Because the demand for such computing capabilities has grown so quickly, many cryptocurrency miners, such as Core Scientific, are repurposing their data centers to meet the need.

Under the original contract, Core Scientific was to provide 200MW of high-performance computing (HPC) hosting to CoreWeave for 12 years. That contract includes options to expand that infrastructure, which Core Scientific recently announced CoreWeave had exercised.

The terms of the new agreement will see Core Scientific modify a total of 100MW of its owned infrastructure. This will add approximately 70MW more capacity for CoreWeave to use for its Nvidia GPUs in HPC operations. According to Core Scientific CEO Adam Sullivan, many data centers built in the last 20 years are not suitable to support future computing requirements.

Through its application-specific data centers (ASDCs), Core Scientific can support the higher rack energy densities needed by HPC operations, like those CoreWeave employs. Core Scientifics data center in Austin, Texas has a total of 1.2GW of contracted power available for its operations.

By the second half of 2025, CoreWeave will likely be leasing around 270MW of that capacity. It also still has the option of expanding an additional 230MW of HPC hosting infrastructure at other Core Scientific sites.

CoreWeave isnt just operating in the U.S., however. The company is also expanding in Europe, with plans for data centers in Norway, Spain, and Sweden by the end of 2025. CoreWeave already has two data centers in the U.K., as well as a European headquarters.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Las Vegas Metropolitan Police partnered with local religious leaders Saturday for active shooter training in the northwest valley.

We cover the bases, LVMPD Detective Adrian Hunt said. Run, hide, and fight.

Detective Hunt, who also serves as the President of the Nevada chapter of the Black Police Association, spoke with 8 News Now about his teams efforts to prepare the community.

Its become necessary for those of us in the church community, Pastor Michael Jackson added at the event.

Dozens packed Tabernacle of Praise Church in the northwest valley Saturday afternoon to learn practical strategies, with churches, businesses, and people across Southern Nevada represented.

We are partners of the community, Detective Hunt said. And it takes a village.

Detective Hunt called events like this crucial, as he and other members of law enforcement taught people how to respond decisively in high-stress situations.

Its sad to say in this day in age, thats what it comes down to, Detective Hunt explained. But we want everyone prepared.

Tabernacle Pastor Michael Jackson said shootings are top of mind for him since religious buildings like his are so accessible to the public.

Religious institutions have also been targets of past attacks across the country.

We see it on TV and we hear the horrible stories, Pastor Jackson said. But if we can prepare ourselves, I think it will be a much better situation.

It is a situation no one wants to see happen, but those attending Saturdays event told 8 News Now they want everyone to be ready, regardless.

If thats what is necessary, Detective Hunt concluded. Its a last resort.

Event organizers said about 30 churches and businesses across the community were represented at the training event.

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 KLAS.
Far-right National Rally party president Jordan Bardella delivers his speech after the first round vote of the legislative election, Sunday, June 30, 2024 in Paris. France's high-stakes legislative elections propelled the far-right National Rally to a strong but not decisive lead in the first-round vote Sunday, polling agencies' projected, dealing another slap to centrist President Emmanuel Macron after his risky decision to call voters back to the polls for the second time in three weeks. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

France held the first round of an early parliamentary election on Sunday that could bring the country's first far-right government since Nazi occupation during World War II.

The second round will come on July 7. The outcome of the vote is highly uncertain. Turnout is unusually high.

Three major political blocs are: The far-right National Rally, President Emmanuel Macrons centrist alliance and the New Popular Front coalition that includes center-left, greens and hard-left forces. The French system is complex and not proportionate to nationwide support for a party.

After the far rights crushing victory in the European Parliament election earlier this month, Macron called an early vote in France because he otherwise feared the results would lead to paralysis in the legislature.

If the National Rally wins a parliamentary majority, Macron would be expected to name 28-year-old National Rally President Jordan Bardella as prime minister in an awkward power-sharing system known as cohabitation. Bardella said he would oppose sending French troops to Ukraine  a possibility Macron hasn't ruled out  and refuse French deliveries of long-range missiles and other weaponry capable of striking targets within Russia.

Currently:

 France is facing an election like no other. Heres how it works and what comes next

 Macron weakened at home and abroad as an early French election gives the far right momentum

 In Frances high-stakes legislative election, a Jewish candidate faces and fights hate and division

 French far-right leader Bardella seeks to reassure voters, EU partners on economic, foreign policies

 French prime minister seeks to step out from Macrons shadow in the upcoming early election

Heres the latest:

Thousands gather in Parisian plaza to protest far-right National Rally party

Thousands of people gathered at Paris Republique plaza to protest the far-right National Rally, which came out strongly ahead in first-round legislative elections.

Among them was Cynthia Fefoheio, a 19-year-old political science student.

We are going towards the extreme. People dont understand that this will impact us for years and years. This is a France of hate that is growing, not a France of solidarity and union, Fefoheio said.

Many in the crowd, which grew by the minute late Sunday, despaired for next weeks runoff election, which will decide the makeup of parliament and who will be the prime minister. National Rally was in a strong position already to control the powerful lower house of parliament, which would put a prime minister in place fundamentally opposed to French President Emmanuel Macrons policies both at home and abroad.

Maybe he can appeal for a vote against the far-right. I hope, I hope for a union between the right and the left, said Daniel Gwendal, a 23-year-old public worker.

Attal urges voters to prevent far right from obtaining an absolute majority in Parliament

PARIS  French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called on voters to prevent the far right from an absolute majority in parliament.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who named the 35-year-old Attal as Frances youngest prime minister in January, dissolved parliament and called the surprise elections after the National Rallys strong showing in European elections in June.

Not a single vote must go to the National Rally. France does not deserve that, said Attal, standing in front of the prime ministers residence.

The far-right party came out ahead in Sundays first round with about a third of the vote, and a left-wing alliance came in second. Macrons alliance came in third, forcing his party and others into strategic decisions. Among them, Attal said, is that candidates in the presidents centrist alliance who came in third will step down before the runoff on July 7.

Bardella calls on voters to choose National Rally over a dangerous far left

PARIS  French far-right leader Jordan Bardella, who could become prime minister if his National Rally wins a majority in the parliamentary election, called on voters to choose his party over a dangerous far left.

Bardella spoke shortly after the partys top figure Marine Le Pen implored voters to give the National Rally an absolute majority in parliament.

Polling projections say French voters have propelled the party to a strong lead in Sundays first-round legislative election, ahead of a left-wing coalition that includes center-left, greens and hard-left forces.

The choice is clear, Bardella said, accusing the leftwing coalition to campaign for disarming the police, opening wide the doors for immigration and criticizing leftist leaders for insulting institutions and anyone who thinks differently from them.

Bardella said the time has come to put leaders at the head of the country who understand you.

Far-right leader asks France to give her party absolute majority in parliament

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is calling on voters to give her National Rally an absolute majority in parliament as polling projections say French voters have propelled the party to a strong lead in Sunday's first-round legislative election. French President Emmanuel Macron is urging voters to block the far right in the decisive second round on July 7.

The French have almost wiped out the Macronist bloc, Le Pen said after polls closed. She said the results show voters willingness to turn the page after seven years of contemptuous and corrosive power.

She said a National Rally majority would enable the far right to form a new government with the partys president Jordan Bardella as prime minister in order to work on Frances recovery. Macron has said he wont step down before his presidential term expires in 2027. The power-sharing system known as cohabitation would weaken him at home and on the world stage.

Polling projections say far-right National Rally has a strong lead

Polling projections say French voters have propelled the far-right National Rally to a strong lead in the first-round legislative election on Sunday and plunged the country into political uncertainty.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the surprise election just three weeks ago and is urging voters to rally against the far right. Projections by polling agencies suggest the National Rally stands a good chance of winning a majority in the lower house of parliament for the first time with an estimated one-third of the first-round vote. That's nearly double their 18% in the first round in 2022.

The National Rally is building on its success in the European Parliament election weeks ago that prompted Macron to dissolve parliament and call the vote. The second round of voting is on July 7. Macron could end up sharing power with a prime minister who is hostile to most of his policies.

In a National Rally stronghold, residents call party less scary now

HENIN-BEAUMONT, France  Residents in a stronghold of France's far-right National Rally party say its politicians have made an effort to become more voter-friendly after years of fighting pariah status.

Magali Quere says she was born and raised in the former mining town of Henin-Beaumont and would cast her first vote for the far right on Sunday. She says things have changed for the better since a mayor from the National Rally took power in 2014. The city is cleaner and police regularly patrol the streets.

Quere says the days of former far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen years ago were scary," but his daughter Marine Le Pen regularly visits the local food market and shakes hands with everyone, including people of color.

Murielle Busine says she won't go as far as voting for the far right but also praised the work of Mayor Steeve Briois and how accessible he is. I cannot deny everything he has done for the city, she said.

Turnout is unusually high three hours before polls close

The first round of France's high-stakes legislative election is seeing an unusually high turnout of 59% with three hours to go before polls close. Thats 20 percentage points higher than the turnout at the same time in the last first-round vote in 2022.

President Emmanuel Macron called the surprise vote three weeks ago after European Parliament election showed a collapse in support for his centrist party and a sharp rise for the far-right National Rally. Two rounds of voting will determine who will be prime minister and which party controls Frances lower house of parliament. That could potentially put France in uncharted political territory if Macron must share power with a party hostile to most of his policies.

Some pollsters suggest the high turnout could temper the outcome for the hard right National Rally, possibly indicating that voters made an extra effort to come out for fear that it could win.

Macron, Le Pen and others cast their votes

French President Emmanuel Macron and other candidates across the political spectrum have voted in the country's parliamentary election after Marine Le Pens anti-immigration National Rally party dominated pre-election opinion polls.

Turnout at midday in the first round of the two-round election stood at 25.9 % according to France's interior ministry. That's higher than the 18.43% at midday two years ago in the 2022 legislative election.

The second round of voting is July 7. Voters have issues from immigration to inflation and the rising cost of living on their minds as the country has grown more divided between the far right and far left blocs. A deeply unpopular and weakened Macron remains in the political center.

New Caledonias top French official says election turnout is higher compared to 2 years ago

PARIS  New Caledonias top French official says turn out at the legislative election in the troubled French Pacific territory was higher on Sunday than in the parliamentary balloting two years ago.

High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said in a statement that over 32.39% of registered voters have cast their ballots until noon local time compared to 13% at the same time in 2022.

Polls already closed at 5 p.m. local time due to an 8 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew that authorities on the archipelago have extended until July 8, the day after the second and decisive legislative vote will take place.

Violence flared on May 13, leaving nine people dead after two weeks of unrest, due to attempts by Macrons government to amend the French Constitution and change voting lists in New Caledonia, which the Indigenous Kanaks feared would further marginalize them. They have long sought to break free from France, which first took the Pacific territory in 1853.

While the worst of violence ebbed in the past weeks, tensions flared in the archipelago with a population of 270,000, in the lead-up to the high-stakes legislative election after seven detained pro-independence Kanak leaders were flown to mainland France for pre-trial detention on charges related to instigating the unrest that included protests, clashes, looting and arson.

Members of a pro-independence movement known as The Field Action Coordination Unit demanded the release and immediate return of Christian Tein, the Indigenous Kanak leader and six others and accused Macrons government of colonial tactics.

Polls open in France in exceptionally high-stakes legislative election

Voters across France have begun casting ballots in the first round of an early legislative election that could see far-right forces taking over the government  or no majority emerging at all.

Polling stations opened in mainland France at 8 a.m. Sunday (0600 GMT). The first polling projections are expected at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), when the final polling stations close, and early official results later Sunday night.

There are 49.5 million registered voters who will choose 577 members of the National Assembly, Frances lower house of parliament.

The outcome of the two-round election could impact European financial markets, Western support for Ukraine and how Frances nuclear arsenal and global military force are managed.
Matthew Perry died in October 2023 at the age of 54 from acute effects of ketamine, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner

Michael Kovac/FilmMagic Matthew Perry

Matthew Perrys death from acute effects of the prescription drug ketamine has been the source of an ongoing criminal investigation. For seven months, authorities have examined where the actor got the powerful medication. His autopsy report also determined the level found in his blood was the equivalent to the amount that would be used during general anesthesia.

A law enforcement source close to the investigation told PEOPLE this week that "multiple people" should be charged in connection with the probe handled by the LAPD, DEA and the U.S. Postal Inspector, which according to the source was "nearing its conclusion."

The source says the U.S. Attorney's Office will make the ultimate decision on whether or not to press charges. But what charges might someone face  and why?

Related: Law Enforcement Believes 'Multiple People' Should Be Charged in Matthew Perry's Ketamine Death: Source (Exclusive)

Since the California branch of the Drug Enforcement Agency is involved in the investigation, experts say that federal authorities may be looking at distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death or conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death charges following his Oct. 28, 2023 death.



"This, primarily, is what is used to charge drug dealers, but it can be used to charge pill mills and doctors as well," says former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani. "Doctors that are overprescribing and not seeing patients absolutely would be charged under this section."

Rahmani says there are different possible sentences for offenders depending on a number of factors.

If you distribute drugs and someone dies, there's different mandatory minimums, he says. There's even mandatory life, depending on the number of factors."

Newsmakers/Getty Matthew Perry portrait.

Former CIA and FBI special agent Tracy Walder adds that the suspects could also be charged with mail fraud. "They're looking at the illegal transportation of drugs across state lines to people that they have not been prescribed. Obviously that's a crime," says Walder. "I think that's probably where they started, and that's most likely the evidence that they would use if that's the case. Those are the charges I could see because I don't see a homicide charge."

Walder believes this could also be a case where Perry or someone in his "inner circle" was "doctor shopping" to multiple physicians in different states, and those doctors could have sent prescriptions across state lines. "I don't know if that's the case, but if it's true  that person can also be held accountable just as much as a doctor prescribing drugs across state lines, which is a federal offense."

"Medical licenses are state issued," says Dr. Michelle Reyes, MD Medical Director of the Med Spot in Woodland Hills, Calif. "I can prescribe something to you if you are physically in my state of licensure. But I can't write a script to someone in another state and I can't send any prescription drugs through the mail to a patient in another state. That is a practice not supported by a state license."

In May, an investigative source with the LAPD told PEOPLE that the department had been working on the case since December 2023 and they turned it over to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. The department's public information officer responded "no comment" to PEOPLE's inquiry on the status of the investigation on Tuesday, June 25.

Related: Authorities Investigating Circumstances Surrounding Matthew Perry's Death from Fatal Ketamine Dose

"It could take a year or more for charges to be filed," says Walder. "You're dealing with federal agencies so it takes a while. One case I worked on took four and a half years. They have to convene a grand jury, then they present all the evidence and then the grand jury decides if they want to indict the person or multiple people and press charges. Once indicted, they can make arrests. If not, it goes back to the state and they can decide to proceed or not."



David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Matthew Perry

As for the U.S. Postal Services involvement, Los Angeles defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Caleb Mason tells PEOPLE that it's possible an investigator found mail that contained illegal drugs.The postal inspectors probably got involved in executing a warrant," he adds. "Obviously, there was some piece of mail that was found that somebody thought was significant.

Related: Costars and Friends of Matthew Perry Remember Him as a 'Lovely Man' as Tributes Continue to Pour In for Star

Mason says the U.S. Attorneys Office runs a task force that investigates and prosecutes overdose cases in the Central District of California that includes Los Angeles County, where Perry died.

Anytime there's death, you're going to have an initial police response and investigation, says Mason. If somebody dies of an accidental drug overdose, there should be an investigation into where the drugs came from. If the initial investigating agency, if it's the LAPD, they might notify the DEA, they might notify the DA's office. They might notify the U.S. Attorney's office. The normal practice is to try and do an investigation into why people died, if they died in a way that might be criminal."

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.

"Unfortunately, there are way too many drug overdose deaths in LA County and across the country every year for all of them to be thoroughly investigated, adds Mason. So this one, because of the high profile nature of the decedent, surely drew more attention than a lot of others. But in theory, we should investigate every time somebody dies of a drug overdose where the drugs came from.

Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home. He was 54. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner said that Perry had been on ketamine infusion therapy but the last known session didn't contribute to his death, since it was about a week and a half before he died. The autopsy report listed drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine  a medication used to treat opioid use disorder  as contributing factors in his death.

Related: Matthew Perry's Cause of Death Determined: Friends Actor Died of 'Acute Effects of Ketamine'

The Los Angeles Police Department started looking into the stars death in December, immediately after the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner closed its investigation.

Perry wrote about his lifelong battle with addiction in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side again, Perry told PEOPLE for a 2022 cover story. I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober  and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction  to write it all down. I was pretty certain that it would help people if I did.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.



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Read the original article on People.
(Bloomberg) -- Marine Le Pens National Rally scored an emphatic victory in the first round of Frances legislative election and set its sights on an absolute majority as President Emmanuel Macron and her other opponents began maneuvering to keep the far right from power.

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The party was projected to get as much as 34% of the vote, according to analysis from five polling companies late Sunday. The left-wing New Popular Front coalition was set to get about 29% and Macrons centrist alliance between 21% and 22%.

After weeks of market turbulence since Macron called the snap election, the second round next Sunday will come down to one basic question: will Le Pen secure an absolute majority?

Pollsters projections suggested she is in with a chance, although its not the most likely outcome.

The second round will be decisive, Le Pen told jubilant supporters at her constituency in northern France. To lead the reforms that the country needs, we need an absolute majority.

The euro traded 0.2% higher against the dollar in Asian hours with the most extreme scenario, a victory for the left, off the table and a Le Pen majority looking less likely. Euro Stoxx 50 futures were up 1%, while French bond futures edged higher.

Already on Sunday night, Macron was reaching out to allies to try to prevent Le Pen from completing her victory.

The far right is at the gates of power, his prime minister, Gabriel Attal, said in a grim statement to reporters after the first projections were released. Our objective is clear: to prevent the National Rally from having an absolute majority.

What Bloomberg Economics Says...

The main economic risk is that an RN government, emboldened by a big electoral mandate, attempts to implement a long list of ambitious and expensive policies. That could trigger a bond market selloff and bring growth to a halt.

Eleonora Mavroeidi, Maeva Cousin, Jamie Rush. Click here for their FRANCE REACT

The French political world is now embarking on an intense two-day period of horsetrading as each party tries to maximize its chances in the final ballot next weekend.

In more than half of the 577 constituencies, three people qualified for the runoffs. In those situations, the third-placed candidate can withdraw to boost the chances of another mainstream party defeating the National Rally.

Jean-Luc Melenchon of the New Popular Front, an alliance of left-wing parties, said that he would encourage third-placed candidates from his group to withdraw, while Macron himself released a statement calling for a broad, clearly democratic and republican alliance for the second round.

Macrons Renaissance party said it would pull third-placed candidates where they placed third to help those who respect the values of the republic beat the far right.

Thats the catch though  Melenchons France Unbowed has proposed a raft of spending that would flout European Union budget rules and potentially alarm investors. So its not clear whether Macrons party will withdraw in races where the far left would benefit.

The deadline for filing papers for the second round is 6 p.m. on Tuesday, and at that point the picture will become clearer.

In an early sign that Macrons team is seeking to build alliances with the left, the prime minister decided Sunday evening to suspend the implementation of an unpopular change to unemployment insurance. The government had said the plans would encourage people into work by paring back the generosity of welfare, but opposition parties widely criticized the move at a time when joblessness has risen.

Even though Macrons presidency isnt formally at stake  and hes said he has no plans to resign  Sundays result indicates hell either have to share governing responsibilities with Le Pens group or manage a parliament that is basically gridlocked.

The National Rally opposes most of Macrons priorities, from migration and pension reform to strengthening the EU, and investors would prefer gridlock. The National Rally has said that it wont lead the next government unless it has full control of the legislature.

Markets have been in turmoil since Macron called the snap election on June 9, leading to the worst bond rout since the sovereign debt crisis and erasing nearly $200 billion from the value of French stocks. The extra yield investors demand to hold 10-year French debt over similar German government bonds rose to 86 basis points on Friday, the most since 2012.

If alliances forming to block Le Pen from absolute power start to look credible, French markets would likely recover, according to Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB.

A hung parliament could make it hard to get anything done in France in the current parliament, which is exactly what the markets would like, she said.

--With assistance from Cormac Mullen.

(Updates with latest projections in second paragraph, markets in sixth)

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At least 1 injured after shots fired at Los Angeles warehouse party

Shots rang out at a warehouse party in the South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles just after midnight on Sunday morning, leaving at least one injured, according to authorities.

Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the 100 block of East 35th Street on reports of a multi-victim shooting inside a warehouse. Police searched the area and found one man suffering from a gunshot wound.

The man was transported to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition, according to authorities.

No other victims were found despite initial reports that multiple people were struck by gunfire. Police said its unknown if the shooting was gang related.

There was no word on a potential suspect, and no description was immediately made 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.
At least four people have died and another is missing due to flooding this weekend in southern Switzerland, according to local police and Swiss state media.

Three people were killed in a landslide in the Maggia Valley, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reported.

Police in Switzerlands Valais canton said another man was found dead in a hotel in Saas-Grund, adding that initial findings suggest he could have been taken by surprise by the rapidly rising waters.

A search is also underway for a 52-year-old man who has been missing in the village of Binn since Saturday evening, Valais Cantonal Police added in a press release Sunday. The public prosecutors office has opened an investigation into the case of the missing man in Binn and the man found dead in Saas-Grund, police said.

A flooded road near Sierre, western Switzerland, on June 30, 2024. - Boris Heger/AFP/Getty Images

The floods are a result of a rapid increase in water levels of several rivers, including the Rhone, caused by storms and melting snow, police said in Sundays press release. Police added the flooding has also caused debris flows and numerous road closures.

The river Rhone overflowed in several places causing hundreds of people in the Canton of Valais to be evacuated, according to a local government statement on Sunday, which said that major damage had also been reported in the valleys near the Rhone River in Upper Valais.

As a result of the flooding, the Valais canton said it called on the army to provide support.

Meanwhile in France, the department of Haute-Saone, which is near the border with Switzerland, was also hit with strong storms overnight. Last night, Haute-Saone was hit by violent storms with intense rainfall and strong gusts of wind, the local government said in a post on X.

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Leave Billy Graham statue as is. You cant separate the man from the message. | Opinion

Billy Graham

Regarding New Billy Graham statue crosses a line, but there is an easy fix, (June 26):

The idea of trying to separate the man from his message would not only be an injustice, it would be untruthful. For decades massive crowds filled stadiums all over the world to hear Billy Graham. They came to hear the truths now inscribed on the base of his statue in the U.S. Capitol.

When he stood against apartheid in South Africa, he did not do it with political speeches, but by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When he comforted the nation after 9/11, he declared the love of God through Jesus. When he addressed our nations top leaders at the Capitol, he didnt speak about government, but about each ones personal need of the Gospel. That was who Billy Graham was. Leave his statue be.

Tom L. Bowers, Charlotte

UNC spying

The writer is a former N.C. governor and Davidson College professor who writes regularly for our pages.

Columnist Issac Baileys Secret recording: Another shameful chapter at UNC-CH (June 24 Opinion) put me on high alert. Was this another attack on the UNC Board of Governors for daring to reform higher education? No, it wasnt but it did expose a practice unworthy of any university.

The University of North Carolina has no business spying on faculty with hidden cameras. The American Association of University Professors defends teachers academic freedom, but with guidance to avoid persistently intruding material which has no relation to their subject. If there are credible student complaints of violations, the professor should receive a warning for a first offense. Dismissal might follow refusal to comply.

To engage in spying is itself prejudicial, and the Board of Governors should reform that.

Jim Martin, Charlotte

CMS goals

Regarding CMS superintendent expects to meet 100% of 5-year goals. Is that realistic? (June 26):

I want Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hills five-year plan to be 100% successful. Her most difficult challenge: staying beyond those five years. She won the job with an underwhelming 6-3 vote and shell be fighting a trend  CMS has run through a string of superintendents in the past decade or so. In 2023, school board members Summer Nunn and Lisa Cline voted against hiring Hill. Now, Hill has Mecklenburgs two toughest jobs: student outcomes and changing 6-3 support into unanimous support.

Bolyn McClung, Pineville

Affordable housing

The Charlotte City Council hears complaints about the lack of affordable housing. They increase property tax rates at a time when property valuations are increasing. Obviously, people who own rental property are not going to absorb the cost, but will pass it on to renters. When council raises taxes they should realize they are decreasing affordable housing.

Christ Koconis, Charlotte

Shootout video

Kudos to the judge who turned down the medias request to make video from the April 29 shootout public. (June 20)

It seems to me the survivors families havent had time to grieve their loss and showing what happened is not going to help them at all. I thank the judge for acting with a decisive and sensible ruling in this day and age when common sense has become an oxymoron.

Joe Malcolm, Lancaster

For the people?

The honorables in Washington have been debating the corporate tax rate. Its a complex issue. Democrats favor raising to 28% and Republicans reducing it to 15%. For individual, breathing human people, the maximum rate is 38%.

Our Supreme Court says corporations are people with the same free speech rights of living and dying humans. Billionaire Donald Trumps individual federal income tax return for 2016, the year he was elected president, show he owed personal income tax of zero dollars.

Our first Republican president, Honest Abe Lincoln, said the essential question was whether government of the people, by the people and for the people would long endure? Our most recent Republican president says the system is rigged. We might ask rigged by whom and for whom? And who are the people?

Ed Hinson, Charlotte
Once again North Carolina wont have a revised budget at the start of the new fiscal year, July 1. Revising and updating the budget passed in 2023 was their primary task when the General Assembly convened in Raleigh April 24.

Legislators are playing budget games. They are reportedly some $312 million apart in the $31 billion spending plan. When asked what was standing in the way of resolution Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger answered, Pork. We understand the House wants to give additional pay increases to teachers and state employees from what was approved last year. The Senate doesnt.

Instead of resolving their differences our lawmakers are going home. Some suggest they will return in August or September, unless votes are needed to overrule Governor Coopers four vetoes. They certainly wont adjourn sine die (meaning for good this year), awaiting the outcome of Novembers elections. Remember when Roy Cooper defeated Pat McCrory in 2016 and the legislature convened to eliminate powers from the governor? It could happen again.

There are legitimate reasons for revising the budget. Teacher turnover is 11.5 percent and pay is a primary reason for their leaving. We also have personnel shortages among state troopers, prison employees and in many other state agencies.

The 2023 budget wasnt approved until October 2, two months after the fiscal year started. It was November 15, 2021 when a budget was finally passed, the first formally approved since 2018. For three years the legislature and governor were in continuous battles and no new budget was enacted. Having a new budget at the beginning of a new year isnt uncommon.

Budget delays are unfair to state employees and to projects and programs in which the state undertakes. Its a lousy way to run the $31 billion state enterprise.

Since our lawmakers are considering proposing constitutional amendments on voting, lets consider some others.

We could do as many states and set fixed terms for legislative sessions. Georgia sets session limits to 40 days per year. Seven states have session limits at 60 days. One state only allows for 60 days over two years. Four other states have 90-day limits, with Tennessee terminating legislative pay at 90 days.

We would propose that North Carolina have session limits fixed at 100 session days over a two-year term. After that time, legislative pay and benefits stop, hopefully an incentive to lawmakers to get their work done and go home. Special sessions could be called only by the governor, only for a specific purpose and length, like passing a budget.

While in a change mode lets put some amendments in place to eliminate career lawmakers. Phil Berger has served 23 years in the Senate and has been Senate leader for 13 years. Senator Dan Blue has served more than 30 years and others serve for decades. North Carolina wont allow the governor to serve but 8 years. Why should we allow lawmakers unlimited tenure?

We would amend the constitution so that legislative terms consisted of four years instead of two, with no legislator allowed more than three four-year terms. This would ensure new faces, new ideas and new leadership.

Its no wonder our legislature is comprised mostly of retired, independently wealthy or people who work for companies with special interests in legislative matters. Most people cant afford to serve, and few employers are willing to allow employees to miss huge chunks of the year in Raleigh.

We must pay lawmakers better. North Carolina currently pays legislators $13,951 per year plus reimbursement of 29 cents mile, per diem expenses of $104 during legislative sessions and $559 per month for office and administrative expenses. We are well below most states except South Carolina which only pays $10,400, Texas at $7,200 and New Mexico, which doesnt pay their legislators anything. A few pay $60,000, $80,000 or $100,000 or more. We get what we pay for!

Winning a legislative seat generally requires spending a minimum of $150,000 for a job that only pays $14,000. Can you see the problem? Lawmakers must depend on contributions to get elected. But who contributes? Mostly PACs, special interest groups, the wealthy and, even though it is illegal, corporate bundling of contributions.

This leads into needing stricter campaign finance laws, restricting the amount individuals, corporations and PACs can contribute to candidates. And lets eliminate the unlimited in kind contributions that political parties can spend on behalf of candidates. North Carolina cant change federal laws, but we can tighten down on ours.

Lets also move primary elections to June (as many states do), with the General election in November. If we cant eliminate how much is being spent, at least we can shorten the length of time it is being spent.

Incumbents serving in our legislature wont likely agree to any of these changes, but if we want better government in North Carolina changes are needed.

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 state legislators, budget delays
Little Twist Fire at 2,600 acres after hot, dry weather causes very active fire behavior

BEAVER, Utah (ABC4)  Hot and dry weather conditions on Saturday caused officials to focus on keeping the Little Twist Fire near Beaver within the existing perimeter, rather than proceeding with their planned firefighting efforts for the day.

The weather eliminated all planned operations for hand or aerial ignition, which will be put on hold until weather conditions become more favorable, Utah Fire Info said in a Sunday morning update.

READ NEXT: What is a prescribed burn and how does it help?

An image of the Little Twist Fire released by officials on June 30, 2024. (Courtesy: Utah Fire Info)

An image of the Little Twist Fire released by officials on June 30, 2024. (Courtesy: Utah Fire Info)

On Saturday, officials said increased smoke was visible until mid-evening from the roads and communities surrounding the Tushar Mountains.

While the fire was said to have very active fire behavior on Saturday, officials were able to keep the blaze from growing too much larger. Utah Fire Info said the Little Twist Fire was still about 25 percent contained on Sunday.

Today firefighters will continue to hold and patrol firelines on the north and west sides of the fire, ensuring no spot fires escape the perimeter, Utah Fire Info said on Sunday. Crews are working in Rocky Canyon off of South Creek Road, using heavy equipment to construct and improve indirect line.

READ NEXT: Southwest Utah under Red Flag Warning due to critical fire conditions

The region to the west of the Little Twist Fire has been included in a Red Flag Warning that was issued for southwestern parts of Utah on Sunday.

Utah Fire Info said winds near the fire are expected to reach up to 30 miles per hour, and the Red Flag Warning is expected to remain in effect until about 9 p.m. on Monday night.

Little Reservoir, Tushar Lakeside and Kents Lake Campgrounds remain open to the public for camping and recreational day use activities, officials said.

Smoke was expected to continue to be visible in the coming weeks in surrounding areas, including I-15 and I-70, as well as Hwy-89 and Hwy-20. About 254 personnel were assigned to fight the fire 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 ABC4 Utah.
Local angler caught a tagged red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. What does that mean?

In 2019, commercial fisherman Eric Schmidt caught a tagged red snapper off Ft. Myers.

When he reported the catch, a 38-inch fish landed in 287 feet of water, the Jacksonville office was shocked at what they discovered. Schmidt, who has helped tag red snapper with yellow and orange tags in the Gulf of Mexico, noticed the tag he pulled was green.

It was the longest a red snapper has gone between catches, the furthest one has traveled, and first (tagged) from the east coast caught on the west coast, Schmidt said at the time.

The fish he caught was tagged in 2011 off Daytona Beach when it was 24 inches. Eight years later, it had grown to 38 inches and traveled around the southern end of Florida to the Gulf of Mexico.

As red snapper populations have increased, so has the watchful eye of the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Gulf Council. It is heavily regulated and 2024 saw an increase in the total fishing days allowed in the Gulf of Mexico.

Anglers like Dhru Shah have taken advantage of the increased fishing time, getting out often to target the highly sought-after bottom fish.

In June, Ive been out a lot, maybe two or three times a week, said Shah, the owner and founder of BoatEye360, which installs marine night vision cameras and more to help boats safely navigate at night. I sell night vision cameras for boats, so I have been out with many clients helping them get the system correct and doing some fishing.

During the second week of the snapper season that started June 1, Shah found himself fishing on a wreck in 160 feet of water west of Tampa Bay with a client who shares a love of fishing. Using a knocker rig on conventional tackle with sardines, he landed a nice red snapper at 26 to 27 inches. They added it to the box and continued fishing.

We didnt think anything of it until we got home and started to unload fish from the boat. When we caught it, we didnt notice a yellow tag and inside was information asking for date, place and length with a unique identification code.

The yellow tag is a Gulf of Mexico-tagged fish. While Schmidts was eight years between catches, Shahs didnt have quite as much time to travel after the tag was inserted.

It was tagged three months prior and grew an inch. The tag location was a few miles south from where we caught it, Shah said after calling in his catch to the FWC at the phone number on the tag. As a reward, he was offered a T-Shirt.

Red snapper dont have as high a reward as some species do. Cobia information is also requested and catching a tagged one could be quite lucrative. Even a harvested cobia carcass is worth $50 if turned into an FWC biologist.

The biggest reward comes in from tagged redfish. In its 10th year, the Coastal Conservation Association runs the STAR program where those registered could win prizes as valuable as a new boat, but anglers must pre-register for a chance at top prizes on tagged CCA redfish.

Local angler Dhru Shah caught a roughly 26-inch red snapper with a yellow tag in it in the Gulf of Mexico near Tampa Bay. He reported the catch information to FWC and earned a T-shirt.
Palmer Luckey, photographed at Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa on Sept. 20.

A red phone sits on Palmer Luckey's desk at the Costa Mesa headquarters of his military tech company, Anduril Industries.

The phone is a genuine article from the U.S. nuclear command, once connected to the network that led to the bunkers dug into the Rockies west of Colorado Springs that could order up the apocalypse. Luckey owned the red phone before he started Anduril, back when he was only famous for inventing the Oculus virtual reality headset in a trailer in the driveway of his childhood home in Long Beach, then selling that company to Facebook for $2 billion at age 21.

Back then, the phone was just kitsch, a physical piece of history he could gaze at as he worked on VR for a social media company. But after he donated $10,000 to an anti-Hillary Clinton political group in the fall of 2016, then got fired from Facebook a few months later, the red phone changed from a prop to a proposition. Flush with cash, unemployed and annoyed at Silicon Valley, he decided to become a military mogul  possibly the first whose office uniform is a Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts and flip-flops.

That was the dream, to be the guy with the red phone who gets The Call, Palmer, now 31, said in an interview at Anduril's headquarters.

He founded his new enterprise with four others. One had worked with Luckey at Oculus, but the remaining three came from Palantir, the intelligence analytics software company founded by Peter Thiel, the billionaire tech investor and right-wing political donor. When Thiel founded Palantir in 2003, he named the firm after the magical seeing-stones from Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings." Luckey followed in Thiel's footsteps. Anduril is the elvish name of the reforged sword of Aragorn, king of men and hero of the forces of good in Tolkien's epic. Translated into English from Quenya, the name means "Flame of the West." A replica of the sword from the "Lord of the Rings" films hangs on the wall in Anduril's office.

The first page of our first pitch deck said that Anduril is a company that will save Western civilization by saving taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars a year as we make tens of billions of dollars a year, Luckey said.

We're not making tens of billions of dollars a year yet, he said, but were getting there.

Six years later, Anduril has signed well over $1 billion in public contracts with the U.S. and allied governments and raised more than $2 billion in venture funding. Last year, it brought in around $500 million in revenue, according to investor presentations reported by the Information.

Story continues

Of those contracts, $250 million are with the U.S. Border Patrol, which is in the process of deploying a network of 189 Anduril sensor towers to form a virtual border wall of semiautomatic surveillance across the U.S.-Mexico border. Another $100 million is with the Australian navy, which hired Anduril to build submarine drones. Its biggest deal came in 2022, when the U.S. Special Operations Command awarded a 10-year, billion-dollar contract to Anduril for counter-drone defense systems that combine sensors, AI software and drones like Andurils Anvils, which can physically ram enemy drones to knock them out of the sky.

'We are preemptively being invited to conversations to help solve problems  most companies will just never get that call.'

Palmer Luckey

Luckeys company has also developed a tube-launched drone with a loitering munition model (a.k.a. an exploding drone) and bought a rocket engine manufacturer in Mississippi that makes propulsion systems for hypersonic missiles. In late 2023, it unveiled a jet-powered drone that could be flown multiple times for surveillance missions, or equipped with a warhead for suicide missions. In April, Anduril beat out Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman in an Air Force competition for a new autonomous fighter drone that can fly alongside manned warplanes like robot wingmen.

That red phone on Luckey's desk isn't connected to a live line  but he is undoubtedly getting The Call.

We are preemptively being invited to conversations to help solve problems  most companies will just never get that call, Luckey said. It's the dream come true for someone with my ideological bent.

Luckeys bent, at least when it comes to business, runs counter to the last few decades of Americas economic development. When he was working at Facebook and trying to scale up the production of the Oculus headset in Chinese factories, he started to believe that something had gone seriously wrong.

I felt that we lived in a unique period of U.S. history where we had allowed our technological innovation apparatus to be completely hijacked by a foreign power: China, Luckey said. Almost none of the major tech companies in the United States were willing to work with the DoD in a major way, because doing so would get them locked out of China, Chinese capital, Chinese markets, Chinese manufacturing.

Palmer Luckey

Apple could not pivot away from China even in the event of World War III, Luckey said. So you get to this weird situation, I realized, where these people who are supposed to be the most powerful people in the country are actually handcuffed and prohibited from saying anything that they might believe," including criticizing the Chinese government's mass detention of Muslim minorities. "If you're the CEO of Apple, you can't go out and say, 'I think concentration camps are wrong, no matter where they are.' I looked at that and said, 'Oh my God, this is terrifying.'

This line of thinking was considered fringe in the tech industry in 2016, when Luckey left Facebook, but after COVID-19 pandemic supply-chain disruption and wars in Europe and the Middle East, a growing slice of the tech industry has switched to Luckeys point of view, emphasizing the need to bring manufacturing back to U.S. shores  or at least U.S. allies  and disentangle from the Chinese economy.

Luckeys enthusiasm for working with the military was unpopular for much of the last decade, but his basic pitch for Anduril is classic Silicon Valley: Use software, venture capital money and a new business model to disrupt an industry full of lumbering incumbents. He and his co-founders thought that they could tap tech talent to bring machine vision and other AI technologies to military operations, and outflank the defense giants of Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Boeing and Northrop Grumman  known as the five primes in the industry  by pitching the military on a new way to pay. Instead of billing on a cost-plus basis, where the government covers all the costs of development and manufacturing, plus a little profit margin on top, Anduril talks to Department of Defense decision-makers up front, uses its own capital to develop new software and drones, and then sells the finished product to the military.

The company is not profitable, and has no intention of becoming profitable in the next few years. We should not be profitable in the near future, Luckey said. We should be taking all of the money that we're making and putting it back into growing the company, launching new product lines, trying to become the next major defense prime.

It was an uphill fight to secure his first round of funding. Investors would tell him, We love your people, we love your tech. You're very patriotic, you're very smart, but we don't think you can actually get the government to buy your stuff.

I pointed out to people that every defense company that had been founded by a billionaire was a success, Luckey said, referring to Elon Musks SpaceX and Thiels Palantir. I hate that we live in a country where that's the case, but I realized that I had a unique responsibility as one of the very few people who was willing to work on national security and blessed with the resources to actually make a real go at it.

Luckey has also used those resources to give millions to Republican political candidates and committees across the country, drawing criticism from a number of his peers in the tech industry, who tend to lean toward Democrats over the GOP.

'I'm supporting the people who are generally very pro-innovation and national security.'

Palmer Luckey

In the 2020 cycle, Luckey and his wife poured nearly $3 million into the coffers of Republican Party committees and congressional candidates in 45 states, and threw in $1.7 million for Donald Trump's campaign on top. That October, Luckey also hosted a reported $100,000-a-person fundraiser for Trump, with the candidate in attendance, at his waterfront home on the tip of Newport Beachs Lido Isle.

His political giving has kept up in the years since. In the 2021-22 cycle, federal election records show Luckey donated over $1.4 million to Republican committees and candidates. In 2023, he donated an additional $726,000. His sister, Ginger, is married to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

"I'm supporting the people who are generally very pro-innovation and national security, Luckey said. He doesnt see a contradiction in building weapons for the Ukrainian army and supporting members of a political party that has been wobbly in its support for the war. They are almost universally very supportive of using Ukraine as an opportunity to show Russia that they are not gonna get away with being an expansionist regime," he said.

At the end of the day, I would love it if I could only give money to the politicians who agree with me on everything, and only to the groups that agree with me on everything. Unfortunately, I have not found those groups.

Earlier this month, Luckey again co-hosted a fundraiser for Trump in Newport Beach. Combined with other events in the region, it was expected to raise about $27.5 million for the presumptive Republican nominee's campaign committee.

Besides running a company, Luckey has a growing collection of toys to occupy his time. An 82-foot boat used by the Navy SEALs called the Mark V Special Operations Craft floats at the end of the dock outside his Lido Isle house, visible on Google Maps' satellite view.

Through a series of LLCs with names such as Luckey Arms, Luckey Air Transport and Luckey Ground Technology, he owns a couple of submarines, a Black Hawk helicopter and a fleet of motorcycles and cars. On the day we met, he drove a Tesla stripped of all paint to the bare aluminum to work. He drove a 1990s Mazdaspeed Autozam converted to electric drive and skinned hot pink with graphics from the anime series "Gun Gale Online" to the annual Anime Expo at the L.A. Convention Center last summer. During his time at Facebook, the Wall Street Journal reported that he would drive a military Humvee to the Menlo Park, Calif., offices, complete with fake guns in its machine-gun mount.

Real guns are also a hobby. I have a huge number of guns. Massive collection of guns. His main interest is failed gun designs, stabs at innovation that led to technological dead ends. I will say I've got the extreme machine gene, Luckey said.

And then there are the nuclear missile silos. I own a lot of ICBM sites all over the United States. Corporate filings show that a decommissioned Atlas ICBM silo in rural Saranac, N.Y., is owed by Black Omen LLC, which is in turn managed by Fiendlords Keep LLC, whose chief executive is listed as Palmer Luckey.

Luckey would not confirm nor deny his ownership of that site, but he did say that hes in the process of collecting the entire U.S. ground-based nuclear deterrent system. His goal, he says, is to turn it into a vast museum.

There are so many air museums, quite a few naval museums and ship museums, and there's literally only one missile museum in the United States, the Titan II in Tucson, Arizona, he said. It's just kind of weird that one of the three pillars of the nuclear triad has just been completely ignored by all the people that build museums. So Im collecting those and restoring them.

Like the red phone, only bigger.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A 1983 Beacon Journal photo of William R. Ellis Jr. bundling editions of The Reporter with his father, William R. Ellis Sr., is shown alongside the June 22-29, 2024, edition of the weekly newspaper. Ellis Jr., publisher and editor since 1990, passed away June 21 at age 74.

William R. Ellis Jr. diligently chronicled and celebrated Akrons Black community for decades as editor and publisher of The Reporter.

Generations of families read his articles and discussed them at home, work, church and school. Ellis inspired dialogue in stores, restaurants, barbershops, beauty salons, stadiums, clubs  anywhere people would meet.

Did you see what was in The Reporter? has been a conversation starter for more than 50 years.

Ellis steadying presence will be missed in Akron. The award-winning newsman passed away June 21 at age 74.

I never knew when he wasnt trying to make the world a better place, said civil rights leader Ophelia Averitt, former president of the Akron chapter of the NAACP. He did not complain. He was about doing for others whenever he could.

Akron NAACP President Judi Hill, a longtime educator and local leader, said Ellis was dedicated to the community in so many ways.

He was a very committed person to the African American experience and us understanding our role in making sure that people understood our history and understood the big scheme of things, she said.

Like father, like son

Ellis succeeded his father, William R. Ellis Sr. (1917-1990), an attorney and ordained minister who founded The Reporter in 1969. Bill Jr. began working at the weekly newspaper in 1973 and became publisher after his fathers death.

The Reporter has long advocated for progress in education, politics and employment, and provided an outlet for social and civic organizations, schools and churches in the African American community.

Like his father, Ellis wanted to give Akron residents a positive image. He once said that the most significant job of The Reporter was to let everybody know that they are somebody and they are important.

We provide unity in the Black community, he said. Now people know whats happening.

Publisher and Editor William R. Ellis Sr. bundles and labels editions of The Reporter with his son William R. Ellis Jr. in Akron in 1983.

Hill said Ellis called her every week to discuss events, activities and strategies, including the week before he passed away. He always had ideas to share.

He took the work so seriously, Hill said. He wanted to know what we were doing. He wanted to make sure that I was aware of things that were upcoming.

Averitt described Ellis as a prince of a man.

Through the years, he always gave me a helping hand, Averitt said.   Hed say, Here I am. Just ask me. Im willing to do whatever I can. 

Family ties in Youngstown

Ellis was born April 19, 1950, in Springfield, Ohio, to Rosemary and William R. Ellis Sr., and grew up in Youngstown with siblings Valanta, Rhetta and Carlton. He attended public schools in Mahoning County, earned an Eagle Scout badge in 1968 and served in the honor guard at President Richard M. Nixons inauguration in Washington, D.C.

Later volunteering as a scoutmaster, Ellis championed scouting as the best way to give urban youths a diversity of career choices, teaching them self-esteem and outdoor survival skills, and preparing them to be future leaders, responsible citizens and good husbands and fathers.

He also was a big supporter of the YMCA, where he learned to swim as a child. Ellis became a Red Cross lifeguard, swimming instructor and first aid instructor, and was proud to have served three years as a YMCA aquatics director in Youngstown.

Ellis majored in political science at Youngstown State University, earning a bachelors degree in 1973 while working at The Reporter.

Later that year, he married Youngstown State graduate Florida Eiland, who became an Akron Public Schools secretary, substitute instructor and social studies teacher at Central-Hower High School.

The couple welcomed two daughters: Anitra and Chantee.

The Reporter began in 1960s

Ellis father established The Reporter as civil unrest swept the nation following the 1968 assassinations of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. At the time, it had been a decade since a Black newspaper  the Informer  had been published in Akron.

There was a breakdown in the community, Ellis Sr. later told the Beacon Journal. Blacks were not in the mainstream and the people handling things were not receptive to their needs.

Also, there were few Black in the media, and community leaders were unable to communicate the message. The rank-and-file didnt understand and riots broke out. Progress should have been made, but it wasnt. This is what brought us into being.

The Reporter debuted in October 1969 in Akron.

The newspaper established its office at 39 E. Market St. and later moved to 1134 S. Main St. Today, its headquarters is at 1035 Rosemary Blvd. Over the years, Bill Jr. and Carlton Ellis learned every aspect of the business from writing to photography to printing to advertising to marketing to distribution to online publication.

In addition to covering the positive achievements of churches, students and social organizations, The Reporter tackled such topics as fair housing, affirmative action, equal employment, voting rights and criminal justice.

Weve been an advocate for a lot of unpopular Black concerns and issues, Ellis acknowledged.

In the 1970s, the newspaper published a series of articles about the scarcity of Black police officers and firefighters in Akron. A court order later required the city to hire more Black citizens for its safety forces.

Reflecting hopes and dreams

Ellis said Akrons Black community needed a newspaper that reflected their hopes and dreams.

He believed that the secret to the citys success was cooperation among all of its residents. Unity wasnt the goal for African Americans only.

To make Akron great, we have to work together along with concerned whites in the community, not only to improve the Black community, but the whole community, he said.

William R. Ellis Jr., publisher and editor of The Reporter, chats with former Deputy Mayor Dorothy O. Jackson before her speech at the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. lecture series Jan. 30, 2013, at Akron-Summit County Public Library in downtown Akron.

Hill said Ellis wanted to make sure that the Akron NAACP coordinated with other organizations and remained connected at the state and national levels. Although he used a wheelchair in later years and his mobility was limited, he still went to out-of-town conferences to learn more, do more and be a part of this history, she said.

In addition to informing and entertaining, one of The Reporters prime functions has been to record African American history.

Black history is every day, every week and every minute, Ellis once told an audience. We try to show our youth today things that are happening now and show tomorrows youth things to build upon in the future.

Ellis served on the National Newspaper Publishers Association board and as president of the Cleveland Minority Publishers Association. He was a life member of the NAACP on the national level and participated in the Assault on Illiteracy Program. He belonged to Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Prince Hall Masons, Black Professional Association and other groups.

He was a member of so many things, Averitt said. He always said, Sign me up. I want to be a part of it. 

Among many accolades over the years, Ellis and The Reporter were named 2021 Community Service Honorees from Project GRAD Akron at the 15th annual Achieving Dreams Celebration.

In 2017, the Ohio Memory Project digitized The Reporters archives after the Dick and Chris Chenoweth Fund of Akron Community Foundation provided a $10,000 grant to the Ohio History Connection.

I never dreamed Id see the day my work would be recorded for people to see for a lifetime, Ellis said during a ceremony at Akron Main Library.

The public can go online to ohiomemory.org to view editions of The Reporter dating back to 1969, and appreciate the Ellis familys work.

Ellis funeral July 5 in Akron

William R. Ellis Jr. was preceded in death by his parents, William and Rosemary, and his wife, Florida. Survivors include daughters Anitra Bailey (Ransford Bailey) and Chantee Ellis; siblings Valanta Brown, Rhetta Jo Williams and Carlton Ellis; grandchildren Ransford Bailey Jr., Jasmine Bailey, Jaelynn Bailey and Amira Bailey; great-grandson Shyloh Belcher; and a host of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends.

Stewart & Calhoun Funeral Home is handling arrangements at 529 W. Thornton St. in Akron. Calling hours will be 10 a.m. to noon Friday, July 5, with the service afterward. For more information, go to https://calhounfuneral.com/ or call 330-535-1543.

Ellis will remain an influence on the community and especially to those who knew him.

His impact on me will be to keep moving forward and dont forget my charge in this role as president of the NAACP: Dont ever forget my responsibility, Hill said.

Averitt said Ellis legacy is being an example of helping others in their pursuit for a quality life.

Regardless of what your status in life would be, reach out and help somebody, whether you know them or not, she said.

Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: The Reporter Publisher William R. Ellis Jr. provided unity in Akron
Losses by Sister Senators should not be celebrated; instead lets talk healthcare | Opinion

Make it about healthcare

It has been disheartening to hear so many of South Carolinas elected officials celebrating that the Republican Sisters Senators who stood with their Democrat and Independent female colleagues in the state Senate in opposition to this states near-total abortion ban will no longer be able to oppose stricter abortion laws in the future -- at least not on the Senate floor as each lost her recent Republican primary.

Its interesting that these pro-life politicians seem more concerned with punishing women for having abortions than they are about improving womens healthcare.

Simply saying that one is pro-life is a convenient way of avoiding having to take responsibility for trying to improve the quality of life for all South Carolinians.

Its also easier to make the woman a scapegoat than it is to make systemic changes.

Our state has the eighth highest maternal mortality rate in the country.

South Carolina also ranks among the worst states for child well-being.

Sadly, the number of child and teen deaths is at an all-time high here.

South Carolina also ranks eighth among the worst states for mental health care.

If our politicians are truly pro-life, its time to have a conversation about improving healthcare so that our citizens dont die from preventable illnesses instead of promoting strict abortion laws that are punitive.

Meta Griffin, Spartanburg

Opportunities lost

Ellen Weaver is eminently unqualified to be state superintendent of education.

With the exception of two years in a public school, her entire education has consisted of Christian schooling.

Education exists to open minds, foster critical thinking, prepare students to become contributing members of society, and global citizens of the world.

My experience as a teacher in the S.C. public schools was one of pervasive religious influence and provincialism.

Currently, South Carolina ranks #41 in Best States (U. S. News & World Reports).

This is a state with some of the finest universities in the nation.

It is 42nd in education, 43rd in crime and corrections, 42nd in opportunity.

Are you good with that?

That last stat should concern all South Carolinians. We at least owe our youth opportunity.

You cannot educate young people if you censor their minds, and restrict their exposure to ideas that conform solely to those with which you agree.

Our constitution is predicated on the separation of church and state.

Public schools exist to ensure an educated populace not an evangelical Christian populace, nor a white, heterosexual populace. This means teaching unfettered, accurate history, evidence-based science, and having unrestricted libraries and reading materials.

People who fall in Weavers camp are doing a disservice to our young people, grossly underestimating their intelligence and their capacity to think and make informed decisions.

If South Carolina continues down this regressive, ignorant path, it may want to consider the future international and national economic development opportunities it will likely lose.

J. Welden Henry, Clemson

Experts exist here

I am concerned about the allocation of funds for teacher professional-development in Lexington-Richland School District 5.

It is troubling to see significant amounts spent on programs such as Capturing Kids Hearts and speakers such as Weston Kieschnick rather than leveraging the expertise of professionals at the University of South Carolina who are both nearby and well informed on our topic matters.

Professional-development is vital for our educators yet currently trends prioritize costly, ineffective sessions over substantial, research-based strategies.

This disservice to our teachers and students overlooks the valuable insights of USC faculty like Rebecca Morgan, Ph.D., an expert on diversity, and Craig Kridel, Ph.D., curator of the Museum of Education.

Despite their expertise, they are often ignored in favor of more expensive alternatives.

This is a waste of resources and a missed opportunity.

By collaborating with USC, we can provide our teachers with high-quality, relevant professional-development, improve teaching standards and strengthen our educational community.

I urge our educational decision-makers to reconsider their decisions on professional development.

Lets prioritize meaningful, evidence-based training from local experts over ineffective, flashy alternatives.

Ellen Smith, Chapin

Character matters

Donald Trump, while addressing a conference of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, proposed establishing a migrant league of professional fighters.

Yes, at a meeting of what was called a faith group.

Trump is an opportunistic bully and worse. He drives wedges between people. It is destructive behavior.

In short, he is a person of bad character.

Classical Greek philosophers understood that character is destiny. Ignore character and observe the demise of American values.

It is the most essential qualification for public office.

Mark Huguley, Columbia
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  Even as a legal challenge is already underway over a new Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms, the details of how the mandate will be implemented and enforced remain murky.

Across the country there have been conservative pushes to incorporate religion into classrooms, from Florida legislation allowing school districts to have volunteer chaplains to counsel students to Oklahomas top education official ordering public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons.

In Louisiana, the logistics for the new law are still unclear.

Unless a court halts the legislation, schools have just over five months until they will be required to have a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in all public school K-12 and state-funded university classrooms. But its unclear whether the new law has any teeth to enforce the requirement and penalize those who refuse to comply.

Supporters of the law say donations will pay for the thousands of posters needed, while critics argue the law is an unfunded mandate that could burden schools. And teachers in some schools have said they likely wont hang the posters, including in the blue city of New Orleans, where residents and officials have a history of resisting conservative policies.

Funding the requirement: Louisiana has more than 1,300 public schools. Louisiana State University has nearly 1,000 classrooms at the main Baton Rouge campus alone and seven other campuses statewide. That means thousands of posters will be needed to satisfy the new law.

The Louisiana Department of Education is required by the new law to identify and post on its website resources that can provide the posters free of charge.

Lawmakers backing the bill said during debate in May that the posters or funds to print them will likely be donated to schools in this deep Bible Belt state. Nationwide praise for the law from conservative groups and figures including, most recently, former President Donald Trump, could result in outside financial support for the mandate.

Louisiana Family Forum, a Christian conservative organization, has already created a page on its website for donations that will be used specifically for the purpose of producing and distributing 10 Commandments displays to educational institutions around Louisiana.

But the question of what happens if a school doesnt receive enough donations has lingered for months with little clarity.

So schools have the ability to raise the funds or they (the posters) can be donated. But, what if you cant raise the funds or find a donor? state Sen. Royce Duplessis, a Democrat who voted against the law, asked during debate on the legislation last month.

I dont know what happens then, replied state Sen. Adam Bass, a Republican who co-authored the law.

The Associated Press reached out to multiple co-authors of the bill, including Bass and the offices of Attorney General Liz Murrill, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley and the states Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, but did not receive answers to questions about funding.

Lawmakers supporting the bill were adamant during debate that the law is clear in saying donations would be used to obtain the posters. Others suggest the laws language may still allow for the purchase of displays through public funds.

Louisianas law does not appear to prohibit the use of public funds to pay for the Ten Commandments displays. Such use of taxpayer money would only exacerbate this egregious constitutional violation, said Rachel Laser, president and CEO at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, who opposes the law.

The law says it shall not require a public school governing authority to spend its funds to purchase displays. Instead, to fund the displays free of charge, the school public governing authority shall either accept donated funds to purchase the displays or accept donated displays.

Even with sufficient donations, opponents say the state is still spending money and resources to defend a lawsuit over a requirement that they argue is unconstitutional.

But supporters say it is a battle they are willing to fight.

Enforcement of the new law: Louisianas 2020 teacher of the year, Chris Dier, said he doesnt intend to post the Ten Commandments in his classroom.

I dont believe in doing something that is unconstitutional and harmful to students, said Dier, who teaches at a New Orleans high school.

Its unclear whether failure to comply will result in punishment as the language in the law does not list any repercussions. While the law specifies that Louisianas Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopt rules and regulations to ensure the proper implementation of the mandate, enforcement could fall to parish school boards or local school districts.

A similar law passed last year mandates In God We Trust be displayed in classrooms. The enforcement and penalties for noncompliance with that law are determined by local education agencies, said Kevin Calbert a spokesperson for the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The AP emailed 55 members of parish school boards across the state, including rural and urban parishes in Republican-dominated and Democratic-leaning areas, to ask if they support the law and how they plan to enforce it. Two replied, saying they support the mandate.

Carlos Luis Zervigon, vice president of the Orleans Parish School Board, thought differently, describing it as blatantly unconstitutional.

Ive heard no talk or interest in considering enforcing this, the former history teacher said. What would be my instinct, is to do nothing, unless forced to do so.

With schools out and many school boards meeting less frequently in the summer, Zervigon said his board hasnt yet talked about the requirement. However, if tasked with figuring out the implementation and enforcement of the mandate, he is likely to take a wait-and-see attitude until the court rules.

I could see myself crafting a resolution that could say something to the effect of, We will not enforce it until we get legal clarity of whether this is constitutional or not, he said.

However, if New Orleans takes the lead, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry may exercise retribution, Zervigon said.

Landry, a Republican, attempted to punish New Orleans in the past after city officials expressed opposition to enforcement of Louisianas near-total abortion ban.
A 69-year-old Pineville man died in a two-vehicle crash Saturday on Louisiana Highway 3170, according to Louisiana State Police.

A 69-year-old Pineville man died in a two-vehicle crash Saturday on Louisiana Highway 3170, according to Louisiana State Police.

An LSP release states that Donald R. Jones, 68 of Alexandria, was driving a 2015 Chevrolet pickup truck westbound on La. Highway 3170 when it crossed the centerline into the eastbound lane and collided head-on with the 2003 Hyundai SUV driven by Oddis L. Dunbar, Jr.

Dunbar was restrained but sustained fatal injuries and pronounced dead at the scene, continues the release. Jones was also restrained and was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

"Routine toxicology samples were obtained and submitted for analysis," the release states.

While the cause of this crash remains under investigation, distracted and inattentive driving continues to be a leading cause of crashes in our state," continues the release. "Louisiana State Police urges all motorists to stay alert while driving. A lapse in ones awareness can have deadly consequences."

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: LSP: Pineville man dies in two-vehicle crash Saturday
Major lake makes monumental return after two decades on 'impaired water list': 'Absolutely the cleanest I've seen this lake'

A Minnesota lake that has been on the state's impaired water list since 2004 has been cleaned up and is now safe for swimming, fishing, and water recreation.

Bone Lake, which spans about 221 acres near rural Scandia, Minnesota, was once so murky you couldn't see your toes when wading to your knees, as the news outlet Pioneer Press reported. Cleanup efforts have dramatically improved the quality of the water and made it welcoming to families again.

The delisted lake previously had elevated phosphorus levels, which fueled plant and algae growth and left it green and unhealthy. Excess phosphorus often comes from stormwater runoff from nearby farms and homes.

To clean up the lake, local watershed district officials identified sources of pollution and phosphorus in the area, as the East Metro Water website detailed. The officials then took steps such as removing nutrient-rich sediment from surrounding wetlands and planting buffers of vegetation to limit erosion and runoff.

The district also worked with a commercial fishing operation to remove invasive fish species and install a barrier to prevent certain fish from migrating to and breeding in wetlands, according to the Pioneer Press. Controlling the fish helped native aquatic plants to reestablish and improve the water quality naturally.

"Absolutely the cleanest I've seen this lake," Scott Noethe, who has fished at Bone Lake for decades, told the Press.

This news from Minnesota is encouraging because it gives us hope for many other dirty lakes that have become unsafe to use. In Minnesota alone, there are 2,798 impaired bodies of water, the outlet reported. However, 27 of these lakes and streams will be removed from the impaired list this year because of significant water improvements.

Lakes worldwide, from the highly popular Lake of the Ozarks to remote Latvian lakes in northeastern Europe, are suffering from the effects of extreme weather changes and pollution. Cleanup efforts like those in Minnesota benefit human recreation, wildlife habitats, and a diverse and healthy balance in the ecosystem.

The delisting process often requires years of data to prove that restoration efforts are improving the water quality.

"It's a fairly new thing that lakes and streams have started coming off of the impaired-waters list," said Angie Hong, coordinator of the East Metro Water Education Program. "There were 52 delistings in 2022, which really marked the tide beginning to turn. Previously, only a handful of delistings had happened over a 20-year stretch of time."

Meanwhile, locals are looking forward to feeling safer while using the lake again.

"Thank you," wrote one Facebook user in response to the Pioneer Press article. "About time and money!!"

"Our family loves that little lake," another Facebooker commented.

Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
View of the railroad tracks. A crucial railway route between Hanover in northern Germany and the city of Minden in the western state of North Rhine Westphalia, which was closed for hours due to a lightning strike, has been reopened, a railway spokesman told dpa on Sunday morning. Marcus Brandt/dpa

A crucial railway route between Hanover in northern Germany and the city of Minden in the western state of North Rhine Westphalia, which was closed for hours due to a lightning strike, has been reopened, a railway spokesman told dpa on Sunday morning.

During the closure, trains were diverted via Bremen, causing significant disruptions, German rail operator Deutsche Bahn's website reported.

Nationwide, there were no further major disruptions due to the thunderstorms that swept across Germany in the early hours of Sunday.

The storm system, consisting of multiple thunderstorm cells, moved across several German regions before weakening as it reached the north and east of the country by mid-morning.

The risk of thunderstorms persisted in some regions throughout Sunday.

However, the heavy thunderstorms were not quite as severe as forecast, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

There were "only very isolated heavy squalls and gale-force gusts," a spokesman said.
A Dorchester man is facing charges after an incident Saturday morning.

Boston police say just after 4:30a they were called to 238 Warren street in Roxbury for a call of a person with a knife. Additional details were provided giving a description of a suspect who allegedly had stolen a moped.

When they arrived, they were met by a victim who told them about his stolen moped and that he was able to track it to the address. When he went to retrieve it, the suspect; identified as Michael Williams, 38, of Dorchester allegedly threatened him with a knife.

After a brief search of the area, the suspect was located sleeping in a box truck. As officers instructed Williams to exit the truck he pushed and struggled with one of the officers.

Williams was eventually arrested and a knife was recovered from his right pant pocket.

He is charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, receiving stolen property over $1,200 and intimidation of a witness.

Police also discovered the suspect had three active warrants out for his arrest.

He is expected to be arraigned Monday in Dorchester District Court.
















POWAY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  An altercation between roommates turned violent in Poway Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

According to the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, a call came in around 1:30 p.m. with an individual reporting that his roommate had attacked him with a box cutter. The victim suffered abrasions during the altercation.

U-Haul driver killed after striking several trees

Deputies with the Poway Sheriffs Station responded to the residence, which was located in the 13000 block of York Avenue. Once on scene, authorities attempted to de-escalate the situation, while trying to convince the suspect to come out of the house and surrender peacefully. Despite those efforts, authorities said the man refused to exit the home.

An aerial support helicopter was called in to help deputies monitor the situation overhead, the department explained. The sheriffs Crisis Negotiation Team, the Special Enforcement Detail and deputy K-9 handlers also arrived on scene.

Around six hours later, just after 8 p.m., the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Travis Bradley Miller, was taken into custody without out incident. He was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and violating the conditions of his probation.

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.
Man charged with arson in connection with fire inside Boston pub

A man has been arrested and is being charged with arson in connection with a fire inside a Boston pub.

Officers arrested Prasiddha Baruwal, 23, of Everett on Saturday, and is being charged with arson, breaking and entering at night with intend to commit a felony, and willful malicious destruction of property over.

Crews responding to a report of a fire at the Squealing Pig Pub at 134 Smith Street in the citys Mission Hill neighborhood around midnight found heavy flames tearing through the building, according to the Boston Fire Department.

The fire was knocked down shortly before 1 a.m. and crews spent the night overhauling the charred, burned-out building.

Boston Deputy Fire Chief Michael Hocking said there were no injuries to report.

Video shared with Boston 25 showed a man inside the pub at the time of the blaze.

I saw a gentleman in there wasnt a hundred percent sure what he was doing and then I saw a table on fire, Jeweli Rhodes, who saw the fire said.

Boston police are still investigating this incident and additional details are not available.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
For more than 50 years, Patagonia has built a reputation as one of the most respected brands on the planet. Aside from producing fleece vests that are equally ubiquitous in corporate offices and mountain lodges, the outdoor-apparel company is known for being outspoken about climate change and for donating a portion of its sales to environmental groups.

More than that, Patagonias conscientious approach to business has long extended to its employees. From the start, Yvon Chouinard, the mystic climber turned entrepreneur who founded the company, set flexible work hours that gave staff the freedom to chase waves when the swells were right, or pick up their kids from schoolall part of an alternative approach to business that Chouinard outlined in his autobiography, Let My People Go Surfing.

So it didnt come as a surprise that when Patagonia announced earlier this week it was asking a third of its customer service staff to either move to one of seven cities in the U.S. or part ways with the company, the decision generated headlines.

Corley Kenna, head of communications at Patagonia, told Fortune that for much of the last year its customer-service team, which has been fully remote since the pandemic, has been anywhere from 200 to 300% overstaffed for much of the last year.

Many times staff only had about two hours of work a day, Kenna said. That's not good for your career. That's not good for the business.

The company began piloting the hub model last year, Kenna told Fortune, in large part because of negative feedback it had received about being fully remote.

Many [employees] missed a lot of the important cultural aspects that come with Patagonia and that come from being near people. They were also concerned about career passing and career growth and feeling a little isolated that way.

Under the new model, 90 of its 255 staffers are being asked to move within 60 miles of a new hub cityAtlanta, Salt Lake City, Reno, Dallas, Austin, Chicago, or Pittsburgh. Workers were asked to make a decision by Friday, and if they chose to move, they had to be relocated by Sept. 30. The company said it would help pay for the cost of relocating.

Some staff say the timeline they were given to make the decision felt rushed and unreasonable.

"Its a huge decision to make if you're going to uproot your life and go to another city, and you're supposed to decide that in two or three days?" one employee told the Ventura County Star, which first reported the decision.

Kenna said she understood why some employees were upset, but that the transition to the hub model was something Patagonia had been transparent about with its employees, and that given the companys overstaffing problem, it could have happened sooner.

Story continues

We wanted to be really intentional, and we wanted to be sure that this was the right model, she told Fortune. We knew it would affect a lot of people, and so we took it really seriously to think through all the different ways we could care for our people. So think it's a fair call-out, but I think thats our real answer.

Kenna also said there was some flexibility to the Friday deadline.

In 2023, Patagonia was ranked as the most reputable brand in the world, climbing from third place the year before, according to an annual Harris poll on corporate reputation. It dropped to eighth in 2024.

In 2022, Chouinard and his family gave away their profits from the $3 billion company, splitting the companys shares into two new trusts designed to address climate change. Since the restructuring went into effect, more than $70 million has been funneled from the business to conservation groups and other nonprofit organizations, according to the New York Times.

Instead of exploiting natural resources to make shareholder returns, we are turning shareholder capitalism on its head by making the Earth our only shareholder, chairman Charles Conn wrote in a Fortune op-ed.

But in the wake of this week's decision, some of the affected employees say the companys attitude toward employees has shifted.

"I think that the company has changed a lot since it sold to Mother Earth," an employee told Business Insider. "Since Yvon stepped away, it's been a slow burn of shifting away from caring about employees."

Under the restructuring, the Chouinard family still has strong control over the company.

Its factually inaccurate to say Yvon has stepped away, Kenna told Fortune. He would tell you he's working harder now than he ever has before.

In the past three years, we've really worked to ramp up how we communicate and care for our people, she said. And I'm sad to hear that people think that we're doing less of that because we're working really hard to actually do more.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The 39-year-old man who died at a MAX platform Thursday night was shot to death when there were no TriMet trains or buses in the vicinity, Portland police said Saturday evening.

Sean K. Smeedens death was ruled a homicide by the Multnomah County medical examiner. Authorities again confirmed no arrests in this case have yet been made.

1 driver dead after I-84 wrong-way crash

Smeedens body was found around 8:30 p.m. June 27 at the MAX platform near North Interstate Avenue and North Prescott Street. He was already dead by the time officers arrived.

The investigation continues and anyone with information is encouraged to contact 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.
Man dies, child airlifted to Milwaukee after Sheboygan County 2-vehicle crash, alcohol believed to be a factor

PLYMOUTH, Wis. (WFRV)  A man from southeastern Wisconsin died and a 12-year-old child was flown to a hospital following a two-vehicle Sheboygan County crash on Sunday afternoon where deputies believe alcohol to have been a factor.

According to the Sheboygan County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to the intersection of County Road S and STH 67 in Plymouth around 1:10 p.m. on June 30 for reports of a two-vehicle crash.

Wisconsin driver with BAC of .18 blames GPS for driving on railroad tracks, arrested for 2nd OWI

A Preliminary investigation showed that an eastbound SUV, driven by a 61-year-old man from Saukville, on STH 67 collided with a westbound pickup truck when it turned south onto County Road S. Authorities say the pickup truck was being driven by a 53-year-old man from Plymouth.

The 61-year-old man from Saukville was pronounced dead at the scene and a 12-year-old passenger of his was flown via Flight for Life to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee.

It was noted that deputies believed alcohol to be a factor in the incident.

Charter Communications to lay off 120+ employees at its Fond du Lac support center

The following agencies assisted during the incident:

Sheboygan County Sheriffs Office

Wisconsin State Patrol

Plymouth Police Department

Greenbush Fire Department

Plymouth Jaws for Life

Elkhart Lake First Responders

Glenbeulah First Responders

Orange Cross Ambulance

Sheboygan County Highway Department

Flight for Life

No additional information has been provided. Local 5 will provide an update to this story when more details are released.

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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
**UPDATE: The Kansas City Police Department identified the victim in the deadly shooting as 28-year-old Dominick Turner.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Kansas City Police Department is investigating a deadly shooting near the Power and Light District in downtown Kansas City early Sunday morning.

According to KCPD, officers were dispatched to the area of 12th and Grand Streets just before 3:30 a.m. on a reported shooting.

One with life-threatening injuries after shooting near Southwest Boulevard

Upon arrival, officers found a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds in a parking lot and attempted to perform lifesaving measures before emergency responders arrived. When paramedics got to the scene, they pronounced the man dead.

KCPD said a large crowd was gathered in the parking lot right before the victim was shot.

Detectives and crime scene personnel are investigating the case as a homicide and are currently gathering evidence to determine what led up to the shooting.

Man dies after lawnmower overturns, drowning him in Henry County pond

Due to the large number of people who were around at the time of the shooting, KCPD asks any witnesses or anyone with information to reach out to homicide detectives directly at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at (816) 474-8477.

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 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has released the name of the man killed in a shooting in Northeast D.C. on Saturday afternoon.

Police said that at about 1:30 p.m., they responded to the 1800 block of Providence Street for the report of a shooting.

Three women shot in Northeast DC

When police arrived, they found a man who had been shot inside a home. He died there.

The man was identified as 45-year-old Michael Sturgent Morris, of Northeast D.C.

Anyone with information should call the 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.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said it has identified a man who was shot and killed in Southeast D.C. on Saturday afternoon.

Police said that at about 4:10 p.m., they responded to the 2700 block of Shipley Terrace for the report of a shooting.

The man died at the scene. He was identified as 29-year-old Dionzae Foote, of Oxon Hill, Md.

Man dies after Southeast DC shooting

Anyone with information should call MPD at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Departments TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.

MPD currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a violent crime committed in the District of Columbia.

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.
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill.  Authorities say a man set his own vehicle on fire Saturday afternoon in Fairview Heights as a domestic dispute escalated.

Police arrested the suspect, though charges have not yet been formally filed.

The Fairview Heights Police Department reports that this unfolded around 2:15 p.m. Saturday in the 100 block of Durley Drive. The man previously lived at a home in the area, though police say there is a pending order of protection against him.

How to spot the newest ATM skimmers uncovered by St. Louis police

Investigators say the suspect ran from his vehicle after it caught on fire. Police responded to what was initially believed to be a shots fired report in the area around that time, though that was mistaken for heat busting out windows of the vehicle.

Fairview Heights police say they used a drone to track the suspect in a different vehicle and used a pepperball launcher that led to the suspects arrested after he he ignored commands.

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Domestic incidents involve many emotions and can result in serious injuries or death. Smart, professional law enforcement officers, teamwork within departments, and proper use of modern de-escalation tools resulted in the best possible outcome, said the Fairview Police Heights Department amid the investigation via Facebook.

Its also believed the suspect was at the same location several days before when there was a suspicious fire at the home. The Illinois State Fire Marshals Office is investigating that fire.

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.
Man stabbed on Market Street in SF, possible suspect detained

(KRON)  A man was stabbed in the 500 block of Market Street at 11:20 a.m. on Saturday, the San Francisco Police Department said.

According to SFPD, the victim was taken to the hospital with apparent stab wounds. Police said a possible suspect has been detained.

Teen crashed into vacant building to evade police in Fairfield

Anyone with information is asked to contact SFPD at (415) 575-4444.

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 high-stakes snap election could see Marine Le Pen's party win control of the French parliament - Yves Herman/Reuters

France is on course to record its largest election turnout in over four decades in a battle between the hard-Right and Emmanuel Macrons centrist coalition.

Official forecasts put turnout at 53.39 per cent by 5pm.

There has not been such a large mobilisation of voters in France since 1981, in a contest where leading parties called on the electorate to come out to defeat their rivals.

It was also up sharply on the last legislative elections in France, held in 2022.

It came as Marine Le Pens National Rally received an early boost in the French election, with three of its candidates already qualifying for the second round of voting in overseas territories.

France flocked to the polls on Sunday for the high-stakes snap election that could see Ms Le Pens party win control of the French parliament.

Three MPs from the hard-Right party have already made it to next weeks run-off in the French overseas territories of Martinique and Guadeloupe, where voting opens earlier than the mainland.

A far-Right member of National Rally will represent the party in the second stage of voting in the overseas territory of Martinique for the first time.

But the voting on the island was dominated by the Left-wing Popular Front, which secured a candidate in the final phase of voting in all four of the territorys constituencies.

Some 49 million people were registered to vote in what has become a proxy referendum on Emmanuel Macrons leadership after seven years.

The final polls, published on Friday before the first round of voting, saw support for the National Rally reach a record 36-37 per cent.

That could pave the way for Jordan Bardella, 28, to become Frances youngest prime minister after a second run-off vote next Sunday. It would mark the first time the hard-Right has been in power since the Nazi occupation during the Second World War.

Polls opened at 8am local time across France and will close 12 hours later, immediately followed by the first official prediction published by the interior ministry at 8pm, the results of which are usually reliable.

The prosecutors office in the southern city of Nice opened an investigation after a punch-up at one of its polling stations.

A statement said it had opened a probe into violence on a person in charge of a public service mission and insults to police officers.

Le Monde reported that an electoral assessor allied to Eric Ciotti, the conservative leader of the Le Republicans, had tried to block the station from opening.

He was reported to have punched the top official at the venue before being arrested by police officers.

Eric Ciotti became highly controversial earlier in the campaign after forming an alliance with the far-Right National Rally and his party.

Mr Macron called the snap election three weeks ago after his centrist alliance suffered a humiliating defeat, when the National Rally secured twice as many votes as his own bloc.

Elections for the 577 seats in Frances National Assembly are contested over two rounds. Some 4,000 candidates are competing in the first round of voting on Sunday, but must meet specific thresholds to proceed to the second run-off state, held a week later on July 7.

Most polls show National Rally winning the most number of seats, but there are questions over whether it will secure an outright majority.

The Left-wing New Popular Front is polling between 27.5 and 29 per cent, and Mr Macrons centrist coalition is predicted to win between 20 and 21 per cent of the vote, according to the final polls.

If the National Rally does obtain an outright majority, it would put Mr Bardella in a tense cohabitation with Mr Macron, which analysts believe could lead to deadlock and political instability. There is also the prospect of a hung parliament, with the same blockages expected.

The Paris stock exchange suffered its biggest monthly decline in two years in June, dropping by 6.4 per cent, according to figures released on Friday as the final polls were published.

Participation in the elections was recorded at 25.9 per cent in the first official turnout published at midday on Sunday. That was up more than seven points compared to 2022.

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A man casts his ballot, during the presidential election, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Saturday, June 29, 2024. Mauritanians are voting for their next president, with the incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani widely expected to win the vote after positioning Mauritania as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence. (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP)  Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani is on track to secure a second mandate after positioning the country as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence, provisional results showed on Sunday.

Ghazouani, who is seeking reelection on a pledge of providing security and economic growth, obtained 55% of votes, according to provisional results from over 80% polling stations, the country's independent electoral commission said on Sunday afternoon. His main rival, anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, received 22.4% of votes, the commission said, with a turnout of almost 55%.

The full results are expected on Sunday evening but Ghazouani, a former army chief and the current president of the African Union, has a comfortable lead.

Although his opponents accused him of corruption and mismanagement, he remains popular among Mauritanians who see him as a beacon of stability. The vote is taking place in a particularly tense regional climate, with Mauritanias neighbors shaken by military coups and jihadi violence.

Mauritania is rich in natural resources including iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, gold, oil and natural gas. It is poised to become a gas producer by the end of the year, with the planned launch of the BP-operated Greater Tortue Ahmeyin offshore gas project at the border with Senegal.

Yet almost 60% of the population lives in poverty, according to the United Nations, working as farmers or employed in the informal sector. With few economic opportunities for young people at home, many are attempting to reach Europe, and some are even trying to get to the United States through Mexico.

The last word belongs to the Mauritanian voters, Ghazouni said after voting in Ksar, a suburb of the capital. I commit myself to respecting their choice.

Saturdays vote unfolded peacefully, according to observers.

Nothing has been detected so far and the CENI has not received any complaints, said Taghioullah Ledhem, the spokesman for CENI, the countrys independent electoral commission. But some opposition candidates held a different view.

Biram Dah, who came second in the vote acccording to the provisional results, warned on Sunday against an electoral coup detat for the benefit of Ghazouani, who was defeated by voters.

During a press conference on Sunday morning, Biram accused the electoral commission of fraud by giving Ghazouni thousands of votes added out of nowhere.

"We are going to oppose this electoral hold-up," he said. I ask Ghazouani to respect his solemn commitment to comply with the will of the people.

The African Union sent an observation mission to Saturday's vote, with their statement expect later on Sunday.
A combination of steady growth, climbing profitability, and a solid balance sheet makes for a great setup when considering a stock as a potential investment opportunity. Consumer-staples sector leader PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP) checks off those boxes.

On the other hand, the recent trading action hasn't been very inspiring. Shares of PepsiCo are down 10% from their 52-week high, underperforming the S&P 500 in 2024. While this type of volatility can sometimes warrant caution, it's important to stay focused on the big picture, which remains positive.

Here's why I believe PepsiCo is a buy and well-positioned to rebound into the second half of the year.

Strength through global diversification

The attraction of PepsiCo starts with the company's globally recognized beverages and snacks-brand portfolio sold in more than 200 countries. That diversification across several product categories and regions has helped the company navigate a challenging macro-economic backdrop in recent years and balance some mixed trends to start 2024.

In the first quarter (ended March 23), PepsiCo reported 2.7% year-over-year organic-revenue growth. While volumes in North America were down slightly compared to the period last year, gains in international markets coupled with a higher-pricing mix have maintained growth. Company efforts to control costs and generate financial efficiencies led to a core constant currency earnings-per-share (EPS) increase of 7% compared to Q1 2023.

The headline numbers are fine, but in the context of even stronger growth and earnings momentum in the first half of last year leaving the appearance of a slowdown.

Management has cited some weakness in demand from "lower income consumers" most pressured by the effects of lingering inflation and high interest rates in the U.S. Market uncertainty toward this customer category may help explain why the stock has struggled to gain traction this year thus far.

Nevertheless, management reaffirmed full-year guidance. PepsiCo is forecasting 2024 organic-revenue growth of at least 4% and at least 8% higher core constant current EPS compared to 2023.

Image source: Getty Images.

Shares of PepsiCo may be undervalued

While it hasn't been a straight line higher, the recent results from PepsiCo suggest ongoing success for the company's "Stronger, Better, Faster" motto that has been in place as a long-term vision since 2019. The company sees a significant opportunity to accelerate growth, particularly in international markets where packaged foods and beverages are still underpenetrated.

Story continues

Part of the strategy centers on product innovation covering new flavors and distribution channels, focusing the portfolio on areas of more profitable growth. Pepsico continues to invest in expanding automation and digitalization within its world-class logistics network to ultimately deliver structurally higher margins. These factors can generate a tailwind for the stock over the next decade and beyond.

Maybe the most compelling metric when looking at PepsiCo right now is its current valuation following the recent sell-off. The stock is currently trading at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 20.4 against the implied management target for EPS above $8.23 this year. Notably, this level marks a 24% discount compared to the 5-year average for the multiple of 26.7.

My interpretation here is that shares of PepsiCo are simply undervalued, considering an outlook for stronger growth and earnings momentum going forward.

PEP PE Ratio (Forward) Chart

I can also point to PepsiCo's current dividend yield at 3%, or 3.2% on a forward basis, which is above the stock's average over the past decade at 2.8%. It's worth mentioning that PepsiCo has extended its legacy as a Dividend King, marking its 52nd consecutive year of dividend growth, hiking the quarterly payout to $1.355 per share this year.

PEP Dividend Yield Chart

PEP Dividend Yield data by YCharts.

Deciding on PepsiCo stock

There's a lot to like about PepsiCo, which could be a good addition to your portfolio. The upside for the stock includes a scenario where demand and volume trends in North America begin to rebound as a catalyst for earnings to outperform expectations into 2025 and beyond. As long as global economic conditions remain resilient, I'll stay bullish on its shares.

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Belarus's Chief of the General Staff Pavel Muraveiko said that the country would use tactical nuclear weapons that Russia deployed on its territory if the sovereignty or independence of Belarus was threatened, Belarusian state-run news outlet Belta reported on June 30.

"We've learned how to handle these weapons. We know how to apply them confidently. We are able to do it. And you can be sure: we will do it if the sovereignty and independence of our country is threatened," Pavel Muraveiko said during a TV broadcast, according to Belta.

A day earlier, the Belarusian military claimed that Ukraine is allegedly deploying its forces to the shared state border for potential "sabotage, terrorist acts," state-run news outlet Belta reported.

The Kyiv Independent couldn't verify the claim that Ukraine was moving its forces closer to the Belarus border, while Belarusian state-run news outlets have a long history of unsubstantiated claims.

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While Belarus doesn't have nuclear weapons of its own, Russia has allegedly moved some of its nuclear arsenal to Belarus.

The Ukrainian Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation said in May that Russia may opt to conduct a new psychological operation aimed at "stirring up mass panic" in Ukraine. The plan was to force Kyiv to believe that Belarusian troops would join Russia's war against Ukraine, according to the center.

"We expect a series of provocative statements by the top leadership of Russia and Belarus threatening Ukraine soon," the statement said.

Read also: Tension rises at border with Belarus, Minsk accuses Kyiv of deploying troops

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From the Dispatch Faith on The Dispatch

Happy Sunday! Welcome back to Dispatch Faith, where we promise there will be no mention of Thursdays debacle. (Well, other than that last sentence.)

As I wrote in the inaugural edition of this newsletter last week, one of the main goals of Dispatch Faith will be to examine how religion plays a role not just in individual lives, but in communities and societies. Doing that well involves being accurate, honest, and fair in what we publishwith no hot-takery.

Terry Mattingly has spent decades seeking to do the sameand pointing out when the mainstream press has failed in that endeavor. A seasoned God beat pro himself, hes written his weekly syndicated On Religion column for more than 30 years. Hes also run college journalism programs, and for 20 years he led the GetReligion website, which stopped publishing earlier this year but continues through its archives to be an invaluable resource online. Now, with his Rational Sheep Substack, Terry reports and reflects on how mass media culture influences religious believers and non-believers alike.

For Dispatch Faith this week, Terry harkens back to his recent work at GetReligion to analyze how big media got so bad at understanding faith.

Note: Youre receiving Dispatch Faith because you were formerly a reader of David Frenchs French Press. We hope youre enjoying the new offering and will consider forwarding it to others. And as always, let us know how we can make the newsletter better; we plan to experiment with different formats in the coming weeks and months.

Terry Mattingly: Journalisms Determination to Preach to the Choir

The New York Times' midtown headquarters in New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Earlier this year, the GetReligion team decided to close the journalistic project we (and others) had spent the last 20 years buildinga website that published daily and examined how the mainstream press covers religion.

The reasons my colleagues and I started GetReligion were simple, but challenging. We did so:

To promote religion-news reporting in the mainstream press, arguing that journalists on this beat deserve the respect given to those covering other complex topics in the public square. (And we always hoped more newsrooms would hire experiencedmaybe even award-winningreligion-beat reporters and let them do their work.) To note that far too many journalists (especially those at political desks) tend to miss obvious religious angles in important stories, often mangling basic facts and history in the process. The result is news coverage haunted by what we called religion ghosts. Why does this happen? As the liberal journalism icon Bill Moyers once told me, many journalists are tone deaf to the music of faith in public life. To defend the traditional American model of the press, with its emphasis on professional standards that stress accuracy, fairness, and even balance. Many journalists seem to believe that these old-school standards do not apply to covering hot-button subjects linked to religion, morality, and culture. After all, politics is real. Religion? Not so much.

Why did we close? I will admit thathaving come up in the print journalism daysI have, in recent years, struggled to accept the many ways in which the digital age has changed the business model for the mainstream press. It has become more and more obvious to me that the old-school liberal values of the American model of the press have evolved into something else, a niche-based advocacy journalism that is increasingly illiberal when handling complex, divisive subjects (like religion).

I wrote about that last year in an essay for the journal Religion & Liberty. Then, many of the themes that dominated my piece appeared in the massive essay When the New York Times lost its way, written by journalist James Bennet for The Economist. That byline is especially symbolic since Bennet led the Gray Ladys editorial pages during the 2020 newsroom meltdown ignited by the publication of Sen. Tom Cottons op-ed in which he backed the use of troops to stop violent riots (as opposed to legal protests) after the death of George Floyd.

Bennet thought his job was secure, since he was defending liberal values he learned during his New York Times career. But he was wrong, he said, because I was the one ignorantly fighting a battle that was already lost. The old liberal embrace of inclusive debate that reflected the countrys breadth of views had given way to a new intolerance for the opinions of roughly half of American voters.

The bottom line? He added this killer thesis: The reality is that the Times is becoming the publication through which Americas progressive elite talks to itself about an America that does not really exist.

The ties between that idea and the work we tried to do at GetReligionand the work that still needs to be done going forward in other venuesare obvious. The role of religious faith in American life (and the First Amendment) is part of that equation. To recall what now may be a familiar sentiment: Many of Americas most influential journalists simply do not get religion.

So, what has been lost in this move away from the American model of the press, which favors fairness, accuracy, and balance, especially in the touchiest of subjects? Bennet noted:

Unlike the dueling politicians and advocates of all kinds, unlike the corporate chieftains and their critics, unlike even the sainted non-profit workers, you did not have to pretend things were simpler than they actually were. You did not have to go along with everything that any tribe said. You did not have to pretend that the good guys, much as you might have respected them, were right about everything, or that the bad guys, much as you might have disdained them, never had a point. You did not, in other words, ever have to lie. This fundamental honesty was vital for readers, because it equipped them to make better, more informed judgments about the world.

The drama at the New York Times was part of a larger earthquake in the journalism industry, with revenue from advertising shrinking year after year. Eventually, news executives realized that survival would require more and more dollars from loyal readers.

Thus, Bennet noted:

As the country became more polarised, the national media followed the money by serving partisan audiences the versions of reality they preferred. This relationship proved self-reinforcing. As Americans became freer to choose among alternative versions of reality, their polarisation intensified.  More than 95% of Times subscribers described themselves as Democrats or independents, and a vast majority of them believed the Times was also liberal. A similar majority applauded that bias; it had become a selling point, reported one internal marketing memo. Yet at the same time, the marketers concluded, subscribers wanted to believe that the Times was independent.

Over time, major medias business models somehow also morphed into belief, and these new journalism doctrines clearly shaped reporting and editing.

As I wrote near the end of my Religion & Liberty piece:

When media-reporter Ben Smith arrived at the New York Times, he immediately grasped that he had signed on with an institution that was experiencing a revolution.  Change was on the way, with internet realities forcing Times managers to veer into a business model in which selling consumers content, in a variety of forms, was the key to survival and then explosive growth. Questions about the old divide between advertising and editorial content, which journalists have long called the separation of church and state, were replaced by questions about the importance of pleasing faithful readers  a loud, fervent online flock. Smith said a former Times executive stressed that this particular newspaper is a business wrapped around a church.

And as that church grew, media companies willingness to understand other churchesor other faith communitiessuffered.

Take, for instance, this 2014 Times story on tourists venturing to Israel. The original version included this sentence (emphasis mine): Nearby, the vast Church of the Holy Sepulcher marking the site where many Christians believe that Jesus is buried, usually packed with pilgrims, was echoing and empty.

Yes, the word is was in the original story.

Was there anyone in the editorial chain at the worlds newspaper of record who knew the essential fact that traditional Christians dont believe Jesus is buried anywhere? Its that whole Easter thing, you know.

After some heckling, that error did get fixed in the online text. But readers will not find out about this rather symbolic error via an actual correctionone in which editors note the error and apologize for it. There is no correction for this error with this Times story. Apparently, the error wasnt worth confessing. We only know about it because readers, in the internet age, saved images of this page from their dead-tree-pulp edition of the Times and posted them on social media.

In the early GetReligion days, I would get calls from professionals from the copy desks in major newsrooms when we published information of this kind. Why? They wanted to correct errors. I even heard from a few reporters working on complex stories. They wanted to clarify basic facts or even to blue sky potential sources on both sides of hot-button issues. I was glad to help.

The calls stopped about 10 years ago. Others noted the creep of religiously ignorant journalism too. And its safe to say that most newsrooms are now correcting certain types of errors by changing this or that in the online texts, without public corrections.

The basic journalism problem today is that media outlets want to please their paying customers too much. They insist that a preaching to the choir business model does not threaten old-school values of, yes, accuracy, fairness, and balance.

And that gets me to a term we used often at GetReligion: Kellerism. Its a reference to a 2011 appearance at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library by Bill Keller of the New York Times, soon after he stepped down as editor. When asked if the Times was a liberal newspaper, he replied thusly (taken from my On Religion column):

We are liberal in the sense that we are open-minded, sort of tolerant, urban. Our wedding page includesand did even before New York had a gay marriage lawincluded gay unions. So were liberal in that sense of the word, I guess. Socially liberal. Asked directly if the Times slants its coverage to favor Democrats and liberals, he added: Aside from the liberal values, sort of social values thing that I talked about, no, I dont think that it does.

Aside from?

Keller insisted that his newspaper still offered accurate, fair, balanced coverage on politics and other important news topics. But he stated, on the record, that the Times had developed an urban, intellectual, liberal bias when covering moral and social issues. And what are Americas hot-button moral and social issues? I noted in my column: Any list would include sex, salvation, abortion, euthanasia, gay rights, cloning and a few other sensitive matters that are inevitably linked to religion. Thats all.

Another important example comes from a 1999 feature in the New York Times Magazine about abortion extremists, written by David Samuels: It is a shared if unspoken premise of the world that most of us inhabit that absolutes do not exist and that people who claim to have found them are crazy.

Writing at PressThink, journalism professor Jay Rosen noted:

This struck some people as dogma very close to religious dogma, and they spoke up about it. One was Terry Mattingly, a syndicated columnist of religion: This remarkable credo was more than a statement of one journalists convictions, said William Proctor, a Harvard Law School graduate and former legal affairs reporter for the New York Daily News. Surely, the world that most of us inhabit cited by Samuels is, in fact, the culture of the New York Times and the faithful who draw inspiration from its sacred pages. Yet here is the part that intrigued me: But critics are wrong if they claim that the New York Times is a bastion of secularism, he stressed. In its own way, the newspaper is crusading to reform society and even to convert wayward fundamentalists. Thus, when listing the deadly sins that are opposed by the Times, he deliberately did not claim that it rejects religious faith. Instead, he said the worlds most influential newspaper condemns the sin of religious certainty. The bottom line for many journalists: Why do accurate, fair-minded, balanced coverage of crazy people?

Recently, Ive begun using the following equation to express the niche-news era in which journalists, on the left and right, now live: Good people can do nothing bad. Bad people can do nothing good.

This is a lie, of course, and a dangerous one. For proof, see America, 2024.

More Sunday Reads

Even though it feels like an entire election cycle ago, earlier this week we published a pretty good religion-centric story from our own Charlotte Lawson, who is based in Tel Aviv, Israel. She recently spent time with an Israeli military unit whose members may surprise you: Theyre Muslim. Despite what some have described as state neglect, many Bedouins identify proudly with their Israeli identity, she reported on Monday. That allegiance has only grown in the face of new threats to the country. Were here in Israel, and we know exactly who Hamas is and what were up against, Idat said from Kerem Shalom. Asked whether Bedouins are conflicted about which side to support in the ongoing war, the commander pulled his national identity card from his wallet and held it up: Im Israeli. I was born here and Im going to fight for my country.

The rise of non-evangelical Christians as important voting blocs isnt necessarily a new phenomenon. (Hey, another GetReligion insight!) But a Religion News Service report this week homes in on what that looks like in 2024. Nationwide, some faith groups will be courted by campaigns as part of turnout operations, such as nones and Black Protestants, who tend to back Democrats, and white evangelicals, who overwhelmingly vote for Republicans, Bob Smietana and Jack Jenkins note. But the gap between the two parties is closer among Catholics and mainliners, making them targets for persuasioneven as both groups have inched closer to Republicans. You can sort of think of white, nonevangelical Protestants and white Catholics as the center of the political spectrum, said Greg Smith, associate director of research at Pew Research Center.

A Good Word

When thinking of beautiful or inspiring church architecture, the current eraparticularly the Chinese current erais probably not the first that jumps to mind. But Brazilian German architect Dirk U. Moench has been designing church buildings in China for the last few years, and he spoke with Christianity Todays Isabel Ong about his unique approach. Whats always very important to me is to understand the spirit of a community, the spirit of the individual congregation, Moench said. I have learned that Chinese Christians are asking themselves big questions: How will this new building express who we are? How will it relate to this place and fulfill our needs? Chinese and Western architectural traditions are often in dialogue here, and I try to create an artistic synthesis of them. This doesnt occur on a universal scale but in more particular terms, such as: What is the physical environment in which this church is going to grow? What are the concerns of the individual community? What are their interests in the European and Western elements of Christianity, if at all?

Read more at The Dispatch

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Recently published mortality data suggests that over 64,000 Russian men were killed fighting in Ukraine, according to a report by independent Russian media outlets Meduza and Mediazona on June 28.

Mediazona, together with BBC News Russian, has long been documenting the names of Russian soldiers killed fighting in Ukraine through open-source research. The research has provided the names of over 56,000 Russian soldiers that have been killed since 2022.

Russia's Federal Statistics Service (Rosstat) published data on Russia's mortality data for 2023 on June 27, allowing for an analysis of the male excess mortality rate.

Meduza analyzed the data with statistician Dmitry Kobak, who looked at the difference between the "actual number of deaths among men and the number we would expect in a hypothetical scenario where there is no war."

Russia's female mortality rate helped to create a "benchmark for calculating the expected number of deaths among men," as women are "almost completely absent" in the names confirmed by Mediazona and BBC News Russian, Meduza said.

The data shows a "sharply elevated excess mortality rate among young men relative to the situation before Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine," with excess male mortality "nearly doubled compared to 2022," Meduza said.

The results indicate there were 24,000 excess deaths among men in 2022, and 40,500 excess deaths among men in 2023.

Meduza and Mediazona estimated in February 2024 that at least 83,000 Russian soldiers had been killed in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, using probate and inheritance records.

The lower figures suggested by Rosstat's data may be due to several factors, such as some military deaths being excluded from Rosstat's data, Meduza said.

Ukraine estimates that the Russian military's personnel losses surpassed 500,000 on May 25, 2024.

Read also: Explainer: What we do and dont know about the number of Ukrainian troops killed

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Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been selected as NATO's next Secretary-General.

Rutte will replace Jens Stoltenberg, who has led NATO since 2014.

Nicknamed the "Trump whisperer," Rutte could have an important role should Trump return to the White House.

NATO has selected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as its next Secretary-General.

Rutte, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will take over from Jens Stoltenberg on October 1, ending the latter's decadelong run at the helm of the alliance.

The 57-year-old, who is the Netherlands' longest-serving prime minister, will take over the reins at a crucial and turbulent time for the alliance, with the US election looming in November and the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza still raging on.

The intray for Rutte is "daunting," Philippe Dickinson, the deputy director of the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, said.

He will have to contend with "reinforcing defense and deterrence across the Alliance in the face of a hostile and bellicose Russia, helping Ukraine to defeat Russia and welcoming Kyiv into the Alliance, and establishing NATO's role in dealing with the rising challenge posed by China," Dickinson continued, "all while evolving the Alliance to keep up with fast-paced technological change and without neglecting NATO's counterterrorism and crisis management responsibilities."

And that's not to mention the upcoming US election, which comes just a month after Rutte will take office.

However, the Dutch politician is familiar with Trump, and he has even garnered the nickname the "Trump whisperer" after successfully placating the former president after he had warned during a NATO meeting in 2018 that the US would go its "own way" if other countries did not start spending more on their militaries, per Politico.

After a fractious few moments, Rutte reportedly "rescued" the situation by telling Trump that other countries' spending had gone up and that Trump was, in fact, to thank.

Rutte's experience and personality could now be key to "Trump-proofing" NATO should he win the November election, Rachel Rizzo, a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Europe Center, added.

"He's seen as cool, calm, and collected. He knows how to handle big egos, he's worked with Trump before (even praising him at times), and he understands the need for European allies to increase their share of the burden of European security," she said.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Getty Images

Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow and director of research in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, told Business Insider that Rutte is "a consensus builder" and "a person with a track record of improving his country's defense burdensharing efforts."

Rutte is also a major supporter of Ukraine, and he has been a key driver of European military support for the country since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Rutte was influenced by the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014, which killed 196 Dutch nationals. The Netherlands says Russia played a key role in the incident.

"He won't stop at Ukraine if we don't stop him now. This war is bigger than Ukraine itself. It's about upholding the international rule of law," Rutte said of Putin in 2022.

Read the original article on Business Insider
President Joe Biden appeared feeble and occasionally confused during the first 2024 presidential debate last week. Since then, Bidens campaign and allies have admitted he had a poor showing, but they argue the state of the race is still the same: He is still locked in a close contest with former President Donald Trump, and nothing has fundamentally changed.

In emails to journalists and supporters this weekend, the Biden campaign declared that for all the hand-wringing coming out of Thursday, heres the truth: This election was incredibly close before Thursday, and by every metric weve seen since, it remains just as close. Both campaign emails pointed to new surveys from CNN, 538, SurveyUSA, Morning Consult, and Data for Progress, arguing they show what we expected: The debate did not change the horse race.

This is true  the polls all show a tight race. On the other hand, the surveys include blaring alarms for Democrats: They show most voters think Biden isnt fit to be president, is too old, and should be replaced by another Democrat on the 2024 ticket.

The question at the ballot box will be Trump or Biden, a Biden adviser tells Rolling Stone. The campaigns job has to be to continue to define that choice.

Consider this finding from Data for Progress: Voters are more concerned about Bidens age than Trumps criminal charges. The poll found that a majority of likely voters, 53 percent, is more concerned about Bidens age and mental and physical health than about Trumps criminal charges and threats to democracy.

According to the survey results, a full two-thirds of voters responded that Biden is too old to be president. The poll notes this does not represent a significant change from when Data for Progress previously surveyed this question before and after the State of the Union  which may or may not be reassuring.

The 538 poll found that after the debate, only 20 percent of likely voters said that Biden has the mental fitness to be president, and 15 percent said he has the physical fitness to be president. Nearly 60 percent of likely voters said Biden has poor or terrible mental or physical fitness.

CNNs poll found that 59 percent of registered voters have no real confidence in Bidens ability to lead the country  a figure that increased by four points after the debate. Asked if they would consider voting for Biden, 58 percent of registered voters responded no.

The SurveyUSA poll asked if Biden is up to the job of being president for the next four years  57 percent of likely voters responded no, compared to 29 percent who said yes.

The Morning Consult poll found that, among voters who watched the debate, 63 percent believe that Biden should be replaced as the Democratic nominee for president; 62 percent said Biden is not mentally fit; 68 percent said he is not in good health; and 78 percent said he is too old.

The polls all show a close race between Biden and Trump. They also confirm that Bidens age and health are major potential problems for his reelection bid.

While Bidens campaign and his allies have firmly rejected any talk he could leave the Democratic ticket, NBC News reported Saturday evening that Biden and his family are expected to discuss the future of his reelection campaign at Camp David on Sunday.

The campaign projected confidence in its memo to reporters on Saturday: This will be a very close election. It was always going to be. It will be won by breaking through and talking to voters every single day, making our case to them about just how high the stakes are and who is fighting for them  Its the relentless work were doing on the ground to get our winning message out that makes us confident President Biden will win this race and beat Donald Trump.

In the email to supporters, the campaign disparagingly wrote, The bedwetting brigade is calling for Joe Biden to drop out. That is the best possible way for Donald Trump to win and us to lose.

The Biden campaign email included a graphic from the Data for Progress poll showing other potential Democratic candidates, including Vice President Kamala Harris, matched up against Trump, arguing a change would create chaos. The campaign added that at the end of the day, wed switch to candidates who would, according to polls, be less likely to win than Joe Biden  the only person ever to defeat Donald Trump.

The image from the Data for Progress survey, however, noted that leading Democrats fare similarly in head-to-heads against Trump.

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Mike Munoz bears the lofty title of superintendent-president of Long Beach City College. But he still sees himself in many of his students who have navigated hardscrabble lives to pursue higher education.

Munoz, who grew up in Whittier and Anaheim, became homeless at age 17 and moved 10 times in five years searching for a place to live. He went without food or electricity at times, scrapping to make ends meet with low-wage work. He became a single parent at age 20. Then, he came out as a gay man and became estranged from his father.

His experiences overcoming obstacles that impede college success have fueled his deep passion to break those barriers down.

"I see it as my superpower," he said of his struggles. "It allows me to be radically empathetic and radically compassionate to people who have had these experiences. It really grounds me in my leadership."

Munoz, 47, is nationally recognized for improving academic outcomes at Long Beach, one of the state's largest community colleges. Two-thirds of its 34,800 students are low income; Latinos make up 53% followed by whites at 14%, Black students at 13%, Asians and Filipinos at 11% and multiethnic students at 8%.

Progress among Black and Latino students is particularly striking, with rising enrollments and persistence rates, meaning more students continued their studies after entering instead of dropping out. The number of first-time Black students seeking a certificate or degree increased by 30% in 2022-23 over the previous year. Persistence rates rose by 12%. The percentage of Black students who completed their program or transferred to a four-year institution remains low  10%  but that is up from 6% in 2017.

For Latinos, enrollment increased by 21%, persistence rates by 5.8% and program completion rates by 27% in 2022-23 compared with the previous year, according to college data.

Munoz has aggressively tackled obstacles to achievement since joining Long Beach in 2018, first as vice president of student services, then superintendent-president in 2021. Before that, he spent 13 years at Rio Hondo College and Santa Ana College in counseling, equity and student success.

Munoz knows firsthand that students need support to succeed. He and his team have provided more campus jobs using unspent federal work study awards; free after-school care for children of student parents; a food pantry, academic resources, a new Black student success center and tailored supports for men of color, who are at greater risk of dropping out.

Long Beach was one of the first California colleges to provide its parking structure as a safe space for students living in their vehicles, as Munoz did in earlier years. He was an early advocate of dropping placement tests for entry into transfer-level math and English courses, saying they were biased against underserved students; Black student completion rates of those English courses have soared from 9% in 2018 to 25% this year while Latino rates grew from 12% to 35%.

At times, his relentless push for change has drawn criticism. But Munoz says he views his reputation for upending the status quo as a "badge of honor."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A high-rise apartment block in Kyiv's Obolonskyi district has been damaged by falling missile debris. A fire broke out, and six people, including a child, experienced an acute stress reaction.

Source: Kyiv Oblast Military Administration; Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko

Quote: "As a result of a missile attack, debris landed in the Obolonskyi district of Kyiv.

Early reports say a residential building has been damaged.

Information on the extent of the damage and possible casualties is being established. Units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine are heading to the site of the incident."

Details: Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, added that debris had fallen on a residential building in the capitals Obolonskyi district. A blaze broke out on the eighth and ninth floors of the building.

At 19:59 Klitschko added that so far no people injured in the damaged residential building had asked for help. Medics are on duty at the scene.

At 20:28 Klitschko reported that two injured women from the damaged residential building in the Obolonskyi district were being treated on site. They are experiencing an acute stress reaction.

He further added that the balconies on two floors of the 14-storey residential building have been partially destroyed. A balcony on another floor is in danger of collapsing. The blaze has been contained. Firefighters continue to check the apartments.

At 20:50 Klitschko reported that 10 residents had been evacuated from the building.

Five injured people requested medical attention. All of them are women experiencing an acute stress reaction. One elderly woman was hospitalised, and the others are being treated at the scene.

Klitschko stated at 23:03 that six casualties  four women, an 11-year-old girl, and one man  had been found in the building by the capitals medics. One elderly woman was hospitalised, while the others were treated on the spot. All of them suffered an acute stress reaction.

Background: On the evening of 30 June, an air raid warning was issued in Kyiv and in Ukraine's north. There were reports of missile launches, and the air defence systems in Kyiv Oblast were activated.

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Missing Child Alert canceled for 3-year-old boy believed to be with woman

Missing Child Alert canceled for 3-year-old boy believed to be with woman

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The Missing Child Alert issued for a 3-year-old boy Sunday has been canceled after he was found safe.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the 3-year-old was believed to be with a 31-year-old woman heading to Georgia after he was last seen in Jacksonville on Saturday. However, he has since been found.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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HASKELL COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW)  Kansas authorities have canceled an endangered persons advisory for a mother and her two young daughters reported missing last week after their safety was verified.

On Friday, the Kansas Bureau of Investigations issued an endangered persons advisory for a mother and her two daughters in Haskell County. The three were reported missing from their home just before 7 p.m.

Investigators initially feared they may had been coerced to travel to Mexico.

On Monday, the KBI said the Haskell County Sheriffs Office had made contact with the mother and verified her safety and the safety of her daughters.

No additional details were made available.

Nexstars KSNW has since removed the identity of the woman and her children from this story.

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.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 21: (L-R) Rev. Pat Mahoney, Peggy Nienaber of Faith and Liberty and Mark Lee Dickson of Right to Life East Texas pray in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on April 21, 2023 in Washington, DC. Organized by The Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution, the small group of demonstrators called on the Supreme Court to affirm Federal District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's ruling that suspends the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Mark Lee Dickson says hes been home maybe once in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court vanished federal abortion rights in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

The 38-year-old director of Right to Life of East Texas in Longview has been on an endless road trip trying to set legal traps for people who are driving someone out of state to get an abortion.

The native Texan said he drives from town to town attending pregnancy-center banquets, mens prayer breakfasts, Republican womens club meetings, Catholic fish fries and the rodeo, trying to convince local lawmakers and potential citizen petitioners to make their cities and counties so-called sanctuaries for the unborn, stretching local law to restrict abortion in as many ways as possible  such as restricting travel and medical waste disposal  to potentially provoke an eventual lawsuit.

I find myself in a variety of different places, wherever the Lord takes me, Dickson told States Newsroom.

Many of the pregnant residents in the rural areas Dickson goes to struggle with lack of access to maternal care, but Dickson likens himself to Batman on a vigilante quest to save embryos and fetuses from abortion. Reproductive justice organizers and attorneys whove spent the last two years fighting to restore reproductive health care access throughout the U.S. liken Dickson to a reincarnated version of 19th century anti-vice crusader Anthony Comstock, whose eponymous anti-obscenity law Dickson has been wielding as one of many tools to fast-track a national abortion ban.

Two years since Roe v. Wade was overturned and four months away from a presidential election, one of the biggest threats to abortion rights is a federal administration willing to enforce and reinterpret the dormant Comstock Act to criminalize the mailing of abortion-related drugs, medical equipment and information.

But abortion providers and advocates say that even without Comstock, monitoring and policing of pregnant women and information is already here, thanks to activists like Dickson, whose proposed city ordinances allow residents to sue anyone suspected of helping someone get an abortion.

I have a whole lot of friends that spend time on the sidewalks of abortion facilities throughout America, Dickson said. And Ive told these friends, if you ever meet someone from Abilene, Texas, that is seeking out an abortion in New Mexico, use the sanctuary city ordinance as a deterrent as much as you can.

Rising Comstocks

Dicksons partner in the endeavor to broadly criminalize abortion in every state, one city at a time, is Jonathan F. Mitchell, the onetime solicitor general of Texas, who is also counsel for former President Donald Trump. Along with these sanctuary cities ordinances, together they helped draft Senate Bill 8, a blueprint for largely banning abortion in Texas in 2021 by authorizing citizens to sue those suspected of providing or assisting with an abortion.

And since Roe fell, they have been pushing a version of the Comstock Act that historians and legal scholars say never existed.

Legal scholars Reva Siegel and Mary Ziegler in their forthcoming article about the old law write that Anthony Comstock was focused on preventing illicit sex and pornography, not on preserving fetal life. The religious zealot was known for bringing dildos, contraceptives, and pornography to testify before state and local lawmakers about the need for anti-obscenity laws.

The statute is a ban on obscenity, not criminalization of health care, Siegel, a professor at Yale Law School, told States Newsroom. And when you listen to the revivalists, they just talk about Comstock as an absolute ban as if it has no exceptions. Thats just not true  in light of the text or the history.

But that doesnt really matter to Dickson and Mitchell.

Through their Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn project, Dickson and Mitchell have helped pass about 80 ordinances in cities and counties in seven states, mostly in Texas, but also in strategically located cities in abortion-access states, like New Mexico, where a challenge to ordinances that cite the Comstock Act currently awaits a ruling from the state supreme court and could eventually make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Where Anthony Comstock had the financial backing of the YMCA and was elevated to power as a special agent of the U.S. Post Office, the influential conservative think tank Heritage Foundation is pushing Mitchell and Dicksons version of Comstock in its plan for a potential future Trump administration to go after providers and distributors of abortion pills. Mitchell has received some financial support in 2023 and 2022 from the Christian right law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, which brought the recent abortion pill case before the Supreme Court.

Dickson said he wants these ordinances to go even further, such as opening up lawsuits to rideshare companies. But immediately on the agenda, he said, is to try to use Comstock to challenge state abortion-rights ballot initiatives.

There are many ways the Comstock Act can be used to help inoculate pro-abortion ballot initiatives in states like Arizona and Nebraska, Dickson said. A lot is planned between now and November, I can say that.

Mitchell, who did not respond to an interview request, is currently defending the right of Texas professors to penalize students who miss class to obtain an abortion. That new lawsuit will be heard by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, whose opinion last year advanced a challenge to an abortion pill and cited Comstock as a valid argument.

Though the U.S. Supreme Court recently rejected the mifepristone case, new challenges to the abortion pill continue, as does increased support for anti-abortion Comstock arguments from federal judges like 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge James Ho and Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.

Meanwhile, longtime anti-abortion groups like Operation Rescue, which led clinic blockades in the 1980s and 1990s, continue to apply old-school surveillance and monitoring tactics. Based in Wichita, Kansas, president Troy Newman said his group maintains a sidewalk presence at abortion clinics in Wichita, and regularly files public records requests for 911 calls, which they post online. They also publish detailed reports on thousands of abortion providers in the U.S., referring to them as the abortion cartel.

Newman told States Newsroom that the goal is not to target women getting abortions, but to report potential abortion-clinic violations in order to shut down clinics that since Dobbs have relocated to states without abortion bans.

I dont think we can keep track of them all, but we have people feeding us information on a daily basis, Newman said.

Siegel and Ziegler argue comstockery is a threat to democracy, as it depends on suppressing freedom and promoting government censorship. Comstock famously helped imprison women who disseminated information about birth control and abortion, some who later died by suicide.

Revivalists hope to chill the exercise of rights already recognized in positive law, including state constitutional protections and the right to travel, Siegel and Ziegler write. Further, by disparaging reproductive rights and intimidating those who seek to exercise them, Comstock revivalists seek to short circuit an ongoing process of popular constitutional meaning-making that has unfolded in state ballot initiatives, state courts, and grassroots movements.

Resisting Comstocks

Many legal experts argue that Comstock would be a difficult law to defend even with a partially willing U.S. Supreme Court; however, the effects of even temporary enforcement could rock reproductive health care throughout the U.S. even more than it has since Dobbs.

After initial discouragement from national reproductive rights groups, Democrats in Congress this month finally introduced a bill to repeal Comstock, though it is unlikely to advance before the election.

New Republic staff writer Melissa Gira Grant and Harvard Law lecturer Kendra Albert last month coalesced historians, attorneys, organizers, and journalists at a one-day summit at Harvard Law School called ComstockCon to unite against modern-day Comstocks from further constricting abortion rights. Grant said the criminalization of sex and pregnancy has long been borne by more marginalized groups, including people of color, sex workers and people who are trans or living in poverty. She said that the reproductive justice movement now more than ever needs solidarity.

We know that those eager rising modern-day Comstocks, the Jonathan Mitchells of the world and others, theyre in this fight for the long term, Grant said. We know that they regard so many of us as obscene for who we are, how we are, and how we want to be.  If they see the suppression of all of us as one fight, then that should be a point of solidarity for us.

And many called for resistance to the dead letter and legally dubious anti-abortion deterrent laws.

You have to keep pushing now, said one of the panelists, Renee Bracey Sherman, founder of We Testify, which lifts up peoples abortion stories. There will always be another ban. Its not going to stop us from talking, from sending pills.

Ban by deterrence

To date, no civil lawsuit has been filed under SB 8 or a sanctuary city ordinance, Dickson said. But, as the Texas Tribune has reported, Mitchell has filed petitions (under a little-known state rule) to depose abortion funds, providers, researchers and  despite assurances that these laws wont punish women having abortions  women who left the state to get an abortion.

These past few months, Dickson has been in Amarillo mobilizing anti-abortion activists to make their high-trafficked roads illegal for the purposes of interstate abortion-related travel. Embedded in the Amarillo ordinance is a reference to the Comstock Act. Petitioners gathered enough signatures to force the city council to vote on the measure, but abortion-rights advocates fiercely campaigned against the ordinance. After the council rejected the proposal earlier this month, Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley said the city doesnt have the authority to enforce the ordinance  a point with which Dickson vehemently agrees and said he spent hours explaining to the mayor.

The whole point of these ordinances, Dickson said, is that they allow for citizen lawsuits, not government enforcement. He admits that they function largely as deterrents, to chill abortion-related activity even in states where its legal. And its working, he said, noting that in the year before Dobbs, most doctors stopped providing abortions in Texas after the 2021 so-called vigilante law. One who didnt was Dr. Alan Braid, and though he was sued, those lawsuits were dismissed.

After Dobbs, however, Braid relocated his abortion practice to New Mexico and told NPR earlier this year that his Albuquerque clinic had higher no-show rates, which he partially attributed to people scared to drive through Lubbock because of its abortion-travel ban.

These ordinances are doing exactly what theyre intended to do, Dickson said. I liken it to an armed security officer at the bank who serves as a deterrent. He doesnt have to fire his gun in order for him to be viewed as an effective method of protecting the interest of the bank.

But theres another purpose to these ordinances, too, particularly Amarillos, which anti-abortion petitioners are still trying to get on the November ballot.

Amarillo is the home of Kacsmaryks court, where anti-abortion attorneys have been filing their strategic lawsuits since Dobbs. Dickson said he and Mitchell are eager to make it a so-called sanctuary city as a way of arguing for legal standing in the cases to come.

Lindsay London, a nurse who co-founded the Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance, which has been fighting the ordinance, said she resents having her native city used as a strategic chess piece. She said her coalition includes Amarillo Republicans skeptical of government overreach and is confident that, if given the opportunity, her fellow residents will vote down this law, which she said would be harmful to the community.

It creates a culture of fear and mistrust, London said. The last thing that people need to be concerned about when theyre moving through a difficult situation is, is someone that they trust or a neighbor or anything like that going to use that vulnerable situation to try and sue them? Positing neighbor upon neighbor is not how we create healthy communities.

Elisha Brown contributed to this report.

The post Modern-day Comstocks look to police travel, information as another strategy to end abortion appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
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.

Looking for a financial adviser? We rank the top firms.

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 on 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

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, 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.

Story continues

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 anniversary marks 100 years of versatile investments
The Moline postmaster is in custody after Davenport Police arrested him in connection with mail theft, according to court records.

Justin Brown faces a felony charge of ongoing criminal conduct  unlawful activity, a Class B felony, court records show.

Justin Brown (Scott County Jail)

An investigation into missing cash and gift cards

About 9 a.m. Friday, members of the Davenport Police Departments Tactical Operations Bureau executed a search warrant on the 1700 block of Gaines Street in connection with stolen mail at the Moline Post Office, according to arrest affidavits.

Brown was determined to work as the Post Master at the Moline, Illinois, Post Office. According to a cooperating witness, (Brown) began stealing mail in December 2023. The witness advised (Brown) would steal the mail before it entered the mail system and would target mail that (Brown) believed were greeting cards that contained cash or gift cards, affidavits say.

The witness stated Brown would steal the mail from the Moline Post Office and bring the mail back to his residence and open it, affidavits show. The witness said that as part of Browns duties as a post master, (Brown) would receive complaints from customers that had issues with their mail not arriving at its destination. The witness advised (Brown) has a drug, alcohol and gambling addiction and used cash and gift cards to support his addiction, police allege in affidavits.

During a search of Browns residence, detectives located a total of 487 greeting cards. Several of these cards contained various different family photographs, messages between grandparents and grandchildren, get-well messages and personal checks, affidavits show.

After reading some of the messages contained within some of the greeting cards, it is obvious  that some of the cards contained cash and gift cards which were no longer inside the card, including a card that contained empty packaging for a $100 gift card, police say in affidavits.

In affidavits, police say several of these cards were graduation, birthday, wedding, Fathers Day and celebration cards. Brown has no known ties with the individuals that were sending this mail. All of the mail was being sent from different cities in Illinois, including Geneseo, Moline, East Moline, Milan, Rock Island and Silvis. None of the mail appeared to have been scanned by the Post Office and no stamping was located on the cards indicating the mail was stolen before it reached the mail stream by an employee.

Also located inside the defendants residence were gift cards, a digital scale with methamphetamine residue and a marijuana grinder, officers say in affidavits.

Court documents show Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham approved a warrant for a charge of ongoing criminal conduct, a Class B felony, which is punishable upon conviction by a term of up to 25 years in prison.

The court informed Brown of the nature of the charge and the maximum and minimum sentencing consequences of the charge, according to court records. The court also informed Brown of his absolute right to remain silent, that anything he says will be used against him, and of his right to an attorney. An attorney will be appointed for Brown if an application is made to the court and Brown qualifies for a court-appointed attorney.

Brown, court records show, requests court-appointed counsel but has not filled out a Financial Affidavit/Application for Appointment of Counsel form. Therefore, (Brown) is self-represented in this matter.

The court will consider whether (Brown) is entitled to court-appointed counsel upon filing of the required form, court records say.

Brown has demanded a preliminary hearing, which is set for July 9 in Scott County Court, where court records say he must appear in person and the county attorney shall have all witnesses appear in person.

On Sunday, Brown was being held on a total $12,000 bond in Scott County Jail.

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Theres more common ground than you think

The U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce on Thursday, June 13, 2024 approved a measure that would roll back a final rule by the Biden administration on Title IX. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

According to the most recent data from Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times and CNN Polls, only 21% of Americans say they trust the government in Washington, D.C., to do what is right. The headline from Dante Chinnis June 10 NBC News article sums it up: Americans agree on one thingDC isnt getting the job done.

Thanks to tainted social media, prejudice-laden cable news, biased left- and right-wing think tanks and the disinformation and misinformation provided by politicians and their party, one can only surmise Americans are greatly divided.

The surprising reality is Democrats, Republicans and independents agree on more issues  about 150  than they disagree.

Here are some examples:

Abortion: Sixty-one percent of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases (Pew Research Center, June 13).

LGBTQ+: Gallup notes in a 2022 report that 70% of Americans support marriage between people of the same sex.

Gun Control: Background checks are approved by 89% of the public. Banning assault weapons has 63% support, 64% want to ban high-capacity magazines and 60% want to have a nationwide database to track gun sales (ABC News, May 27).

Immigration: Sixty-two percent of Americans feel immigrants strengthen the country; a complete reversal expressed in 1994 (Pew Research Center, Jan. 31, 2019).

Voting: Data for Progress reveals 66% of voters want to prevent state lawmakers from overturning elections, 60% support universal vote-by-mail and a majority want to make it easier to vote (Sept. 24, 2021).

Healthcare: Providing Medicare for all Americans to ensure everyone has healthcare coverage garners 69% support (The Hill, Apr. 24, 2020).

Cannabis: NORML reveals from their April 8 research that 68% of Americans support legalizing cannabis plus 60% favor expunging cannabis-related convictions.

Racial Justice: Eighty-six percent of citizens agree that racism is a problem and 87% believe books that discuss race or slavery should never be banned (CBS News, Feb. 23).

Taxes: An Oct. 16, 2021 Vox article notes 71% of voters support raising taxes on the wealthiest 2% of Americans.

The Program for Public Consultation at the University of Maryland released an Aug. 7, 2020 report identifying nearly 150 issues on which the majority of Republicans and Democrats agree, including:

Social Security: Raising the cap on income subject to the payroll tax to $215,000 or more.

Poverty Programs: Increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding.

Energy and Environment: Reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2% a year and providing tax incentives to promote clean energy.

Government Reform: Overturn the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court and regulate campaign financing.

International Trade: US should continue participating in the World Trade Organization and rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership that former president Donald Trump abandoned in 2017.

Federal Budget: Roll back the tax cuts from Donald Trumps disastrous 2017 tax bill, impose a 4% surtax on income over $5 million and add a 1% surtax on corporate income over $100 million.

Lets face it. Polarization has largely been brought on by political parties wanting to be in control and  lets not forget  ego-driven and power-hungry politicians.

Examine the 15 issues identified above and note if your legislator is going counter to the will of the people.

Americans of all political persuasions are together on over 150 issues. But, now  more so than ever  we must have legislators who represent us before their party. For them to do otherwise is a dereliction of duty.

The post Theres more common ground than you think appeared first on Daily Montanan.
More voters dont think Biden should be running after debate with Trump: CBS News poll

More voters dont think Biden should be running after debate with Trump: CBS News poll

WASHINGTON (WNCN/CBS News)  A CBS News poll finds more Democrats question Bidens ability to campaign in the 2024 Presidential Election and are divided over whether he should be the nominee, after voters say former President Donald Trump won the debate.

For months before the first debate, the nations voters repeatedly expressed doubts over whether President Joe Biden had the cognitive health enough to serve.

Now, those doubts have grown even more: now at nearly three-quarters of the electorate, and now including many within his own party. Also, over the weekend some Democrats on a private call with party leadership said they were being gaslit while the presidents cognitive issues were being ignored.

And today, after the debate with former President Trump, an increased number of voters, including many Democrats, dont think Biden should be running for president at all. Nearly half his party doesnt think he should now be the nominee.

The move came across the partisan board, but it includes a double-digit movement among Democrats, and movement among independents.

Despair in the air: For many voters, the Biden debate means a tough choice just got tougher

Given that, today nearly three in four voters also dont think Biden should be running for president in the first place. Thats a higher-percentage sentiment from February, when almost two-thirds said he should not run.

Most voters who say he shouldnt run say its both about his campaigning and his effectiveness in office, along with his age.

By Sunday  as the CBS News Poll was released  a sense of concern has grown inside the top ranks of the Democratic Party that leaders of Bidens campaign and the Democratic National Committee are not taking seriously enough the impact of the presidents troubling debate performance earlier in the week.

DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez held a Saturday afternoon call with dozens of committee members across the country, a group of some of the most influential members of the party. They largely ignored Bidens weak showing Thursday night or the avalanche of criticism that followed.

President Joe Biden, center right, and first lady Jill Biden, right, arrive on Marine One with granddaughters Natalie Biden, from left, and Finnegan Biden, at East Hampton Airport, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in East Hampton, N.Y. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Multiple committee members on the call, most granted anonymity to talk about the private discussion, described feeling like they were being gaslighted  that they were being asked to ignore the dire nature of the partys predicament. The call, they said, may have worsened a widespread sense of panic among elected officials, donors and other stakeholders.

Instead, the people said, Harrison offered what they described as a rosy assessment of Bidens path forward. The chat function was disabled and there were no questions allowed.

I was hoping for more of a substantive conversation instead of, Hey, lets go out there and just be cheerleaders, without actually addressing a very serious issue that unfolded on American television for millions of people to see, said Joe Salazar, an elected DNC member from Colorado, who was on the call. There were a number of things that could have been said in addressing the situation. But we didnt get that. We were being gaslit.

The CBS News poll found that Democrats concerns about Biden, when expressed, lean more toward the strategic. They are worried more about his ability to campaign than his decision-making as president.

President Joe Biden boards Air Force One at LaGuardia International Airport, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump, by contrast, finds a wide view among Republicans that he should be running.

That comes as voters widely believe that in the debate Trump presented his ideas more clearly, appeared more presidential, inspired more confidence, explained his policies better and  quite simply  won the debate.

This, despite the fact that voters overall think Trump was not as truthful.

And its relative, of course. There are plenty of voters who think neither candidate did well.

These views are very similar whether people watched the debate live or just watched highlights or coverage about it, which may speak more generally to the way people get and process information in the modern era.

And Biden has made no meaningful inroads on convincing voters that a second term would make them financially better off: Trump still is seen as better on this measure.

Nor has Biden cast himself as better than Donald Trump at protecting democracy.

What now?

After the debate, some Democratic officials reportedly said Joe Biden should step aside as the nominee and give another Democrat a chance to run for president in 2024.

That idea finds resonance with nearly half the nations rank-and-file Democrats.

Thats related to perceptions of Bidens health: Democrats who dont think Biden has the mental and cognitive health to serve are more likely to say he shouldnt be the nominee.

And that former number has increased among Democrats. (Its also gone up among independents.)

The debate has brought the presidential race front and center to the minds of registered voters. Now 59% of registered voters say they are thinking a lot about the presidential race, up from 48% just a few days ago. Interest has risen among Democrats and Republicans alike.

After Thursday nights debate, Biden appeared to acknowledge the criticism during a rally Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina, saying I dont debate as well as I used to. But he added, I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done.

Biden was introduced at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds by N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat whose second term ends this year.

Political website Axios said Cooper is the focus of political chatter in North Carolina and beyond, as Democrats float possible Biden alternatives.

The CBS News/YouGov survey is based on a national sample of 1,130 registered voters who were contacted between June 28-29, 2024. All respondents participated in an earlier national survey of 1,881 registered voters fielded June 17-21, 2024. The sample was weighted by gender, age, race, and education, based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as past vote and partisan identification and weighted to account for differential response rates. The margin of error for the sample of registered voters is 4.2 points.

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Most voters want Biden to step down, but dont agree on suitable alternative  poll

President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump during the first presidential debate of the 2024 election on 27 June in Atlanta.

President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump during the first presidential debate of the 2024 election on 27 June in Atlanta. Photograph: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock

A majority of voters want Joe Biden to stand down following his dismal debate performance, yet arent convinced there is a suitable alternative Democratic candidate, new polls have found.

Related: Biden to meet with his family amid pressures to step down after debate

In a Morning Consult poll, 60% of respondents, Republicans and Democrats, said the president should be replaced by his party for Novembers election, while another 11% were unsure.

But the same poll also found that Bidens popularity, initially at least, appeared to be unaffected by his stumbles and gaffes during Thursday nights debate with the Republican presumptive nominee, Donald Trump.

He retained a one-point advantage, 45-44%, over Trump, the same margin as Morning Consult found the day after the former president was convicted in May on 34 charges of falsifying business records to try to influence the 2016 election.

Another apparent glimmer of hope for the incumbent came in a separate Data for Progress post-debate poll that found no indication any other Democrat would perform better against Trump in November.

While Biden trails Trump 48-45 among respondents, all other leading Democratic figures would perform the same or worse in a head-to-head match-up. Prominent names that voters were asked about included the vice-president, Kamala Harris (45-48); the transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg (44-47); Californias governor, Gavin Newsom (44-47); and the Michigan governor, Gretchen Whitmer (44-46).

A YouGov poll, meanwhile, found respondents overwhelmingly thought Trump won the debate, and that 30% of Democrats believed somebody other than Biden would give the party the best chance of winning in November.

The figure rises to 49% among all US voters, including Republicans and independents. Conversely, only 13% of Republicans believe their partys best chance of victory would come by nominating somebody other than Trump.

One of the most devastating polls for Biden, however, was a Democracy Corps survey of Democratic-leaning voters, who used words such as confused, frail and dementia to describe the presidents debate performance, Politico reported.

Voters were surveyed before and after the debate. While 65% said they would vote for Biden before the debate, only 54% said he won the debate once it ended, according to the survey.

Harris, 59, is the obvious choice to replace Biden, if he stands down, and has been the subject of increasing speculation in the days since the debate.

But Biden allies have insisted the president is standing firm and will contest and win the election, despite anguished calls from senior party officials and media heavyweights, including the New York Times, for him to step aside.

According to the Data for Progress poll, most voters consider Biden, who will be 82 at the start of a second term, too old to run again. Additionally, 53% said they were concerned about his age and physical and mental health, while 42% said they were more concerned by Trumps criminal conviction, other upcoming trials and threats to democracy.

A CBS poll released on Sunday, recorded in the two days following the debate, appears to echo the findings of the other surveys. It found 72% of registered voters did not believe Biden possessed the mental or cognitive health necessary to be able to fulfill the obligations of office, up from 65% at the beginning of the month.

A breakdown of the Morning Consult poll, meanwhile, shows that almost half of Democrats, 47%, want Biden out of the race, compared to 59% of independents and 74% of Republicans. The figure among Democrats rises to 50% when limited to those who actually watched the debate.

That poll also suggests there is no clear replacement for Biden. Harris leads the field, but with only 30% support of Democratic voters, with Newsom the only other potential candidate in double figures, at 20%.

Others listed include Buttigieg at 9% and Whitmer at 5%, with a string of other Democratic state governors  Andy Beshear, Roy Cooper, JB Pritzker and Wes Moore  at 3% or below.

Since the debate, Newsom has forcefully defended Biden and insisted he will not challenge the president. Harris has also expressed confidence in Biden, stating after the debate that the November presidential election will not be decided by one night in June.
Most of the world prefers Biden but is preparing for Trump

Former President Trumps apparent victory in the presidential debate Thursday night has added urgency to efforts underway by world leaders to prepare for a second Trump administration, despite international audiences preferring President Biden.

Trump claimed during the debate that foreign countries dont respect Bidens leadership and dont respect the United States  claims that run counter to a recent Pew poll that showed respondents in more than 30 countries holding more confidence in Biden than Trump to do the right thing on foreign policy decisions.

Low global confidence in Trump helps explain why U.S. allies are trying to prepare for an America that is turned away from global affairs, either through policy decisions or distracted by internal chaos and partisanship.

Diplomatic protocol dictates that foreign representatives dont comment on other countries elections or internal politics. But senior foreign government officials have, in the past year specifically, made a point to keep up relationships with Trump and national security professionals in his orbit.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in April pitching continued U.S. support for Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda spent two and a half hours with Trump in New York in April, calling it a friendly meeting, in a very pleasant atmosphere.

And Jens Stoltenberg, the outgoing NATO secretary-general, promoted the alliances contribution to the American economy to the Heritage Foundation earlier this year. The Washington think tank is viewed as a holding ground for officials to fill out a second Trump administration.

NATOs next secretary-general, Mark Rutte, is an affable, disciplined former Dutch prime minister who won Trumps favor even as he interrupted and contradicted the former president during meetings in Washington.

And while Americas allies in Asia are deeply dependent on political and military backing from the U.S., they are deepening relationships between each other and with Europe to guard against Trumps threats to scrap security commitments if countries dont spend enough on defense.

The presence of Indo-Pacific allies and partners at NATO summits  like Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand  further demonstrates democracies working to deepen ties in the face of an antagonistic Trump.

Thats clearly an effort to ensure that even without the United States around that those relationships will continue to grow and those democracies will continue to support one another, said Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute at Arizona State University.

Even in private conversations, diplomats tend to eschew anxiety over a second Trump administration. Instead, they focus on where they succeeded working with Trump, and look to that as a blueprint for the future.

While Trump said little of substance on his foreign policy priorities during the debate, he gave some significant, but brief, answers on some issues.

Ukraines supporters may take comfort in the fact that Trump, during the debate, rejected Russian President Vladimir Putins demands to block Ukraine from joining NATO and recognizing Russian sovereignty over occupied territory, in exchange for ending the war.

But preparations are underway for NATO to take over Americas leading role in coordinating support for Ukraine.

When Biden hosts the NATO summit next month in Washington, allies are expected to announce that NATO will lead the Ramstein grouping  the conference coordinating weapons supplies for Kyiv. NATO is further expected to come together on language laying out Ukraines pathway to membership.

And NATO allies point to Congresss support for the alliance as guarding against Trumps threats to either pull out or hold back on fulfilling U.S. commitments.

Still, U.S. partnership is essential on a bilateral basis, and European and Asian leaders have for months laid the groundwork for warm ties with Trumps world in the hope of carrying out a smooth transition to a second, and likely chaotic, term.

Some countries have even sent envoys to America to lobby Republicans at the state level in an effort to guard against some of Trumps most worrying threats. Michael Link, Germanys coordinator of transatlantic cooperation, has met with governors across the U.S., Reuters reported.

It would be extremely important, if Donald Trump were reelected, to prevent the punitive tariffs he is planning on goods from the EU, he told the outlet earlier this year.

But not everyone is worried. In the Middle East, a second Trump term would be hailed with jubilation, said Farkas, pointing to the close ties between Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump reportedly held a phone call with the crown prince in April, amid Bidens push to establish a cease-fire in the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas.

I think the Middle East is an area where, if anything theyre hoping for a Trump outcome, theyre not really hedging, she said.

And even as Trump has criticized Israel as having a public relations problem with its war against Hamas in Gaza and is bitter with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for recognizing Bidens win in 2020, his election is likely to bolster the far right of Israeli society.

The [Israeli] opposition and the Palestinian people would not be happy with Trump because again, he has been happy to give a blank check to Netanyahu and the Israeli government. Its the same philosophy, I think, for all the Arab states, basically. Trump will let them do what they want to do and do business with them, Farkas said.

During the debate, Trump did not commit to supporting an independent Palestinian state if it led to peace, and called for Israel to finish the job in its war to eliminate Hamas.

But these positions could put him at odds with Arab and Gulf states whose populations are mobilized in support of Palestinian rights, said Gerald Feierstein, director of the Middle East Institutes Arabian Peninsula Affairs Program and former U.S. ambassador to Qatar.

If Trump wants to pursue the Saudi-Israel agreement, and if the Saudis stick to their guns about no deal without Palestine, that probably means there probably wont be an Israel-Saudi deal, he said, adding that calculations could change if Netanyahu is ousted from government.

Still, Israel and Gulf states are likely to welcome back a Trump administration intent on containing Iran, a policy laid out by Robert OBrien, Trumps last national security adviser, who is likely to serve in a senior post in a second administration.

The focus of U.S. policy in the Middle East should remain the malevolent actor that is ultimately most responsible for the turmoil and killing: the Iranian regime, OBrien wrote in a policy position paper for Foreign Affairs.

Trump likes to boast that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine and Hamas would not have attacked Israel if he were president, assertions that are impossible to prove. But his statements underscore how his top advisers are working to craft a foreign policy for a second administration that focuses on looking like a strongman.

This morass of American weakness and failure cries out for a Trumpian restoration of peace through strength, OBrien wrote.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said a man was arrested in connection to a Northeast D.C. stabbing that happened on Wednesday.

MPD said that it responded to the 1100 block of 45th Street just before 1 p.m. for the report of a stabbing.

DC police search for Yurman, stolen 2-year-old French Bulldog

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a man who had been stabbed.

He was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

On Friday, police arrested and charged 44-year-old Ray Charles Stover with Assault with A Dangerous Weapon.

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MPD: Woman shoots man after he breaks up with her; spits in officers faces upon arrest

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man is in critical condition after being shot by a woman hed just broken up with, police say.

On June 28, officers responded to a shooting call on N. Second Street. When they arrived, they found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to his right buttock.

He told officers that he and his girlfriend, Danielle Phillips, got into a verbal argument in the bedroom. Thats when Phillips allegedly armed herself with a handgun, shot the victim and ran out of the room.

Phillips was outside in front of the residence when officers arrived and according to the police report, was highly intoxicated. She told them that she shot the victim.

Two handguns were found in the residence by officers after the incident.

When officers went to place Phillips into custody, she allegedly assaulted two officers by spitting in their faces.

The victim was taken to Regional One Health in critical condition.

SCSO finds body in wooded area off Highway 64

At the hospital, the victim told officers that the two got into an argument after he ended his relationship with her.

When investigators with Felony Response attempted to speak with Phillips, she allegedly became violent and began destroying the patrol car she was being transported in. Therefore, officers were unable to get a statement from her.

Phillips has since been charged with aggravated assault, domestic assault, vandalism $1,000-$2,500 and assault on a first responder.

She is being held on a $310,000 bond and will stand before a judge on July 1.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Six people were injured during a rear-end collision in Sherman Heights Sunday, authorities said.

According to the San Diego Police Department, a 1998 Honda was stopped facing eastbound mid-block at 2400 J Street around 1:37 a.m.

Two arrested at DUI checkpoint in North County

At that same time, police said an 18-year-old man driving a 2015 BMW was traveling eastbound on the same street when he rear-ended the stopped vehicle. In a chain reaction, the stopped vehicle then struck two parked vehicles.

Five passengers in the BMW were transported to a local hospital where they were treated for various injuries, police said. Additionally, the 18-year-old driver sustained an open fracture to his lower left leg.

Traffic units responded and will be handling the investigation. Anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
On June 25, The Port of Seattle and Carnival Corporation agreed on a 10-year plan to reach its zero-emissions sustainability goal, economic development opportunities and boost the economic impact of the cruise industry in the region.

The 10-year plan builds on the existing relationship between the Port of Seattle and Carnival.

Elements of the agreement include:

Bringing around $186 million in revenues and at least 550,000 passengers annually

Advance the Ports 2027 shore power goals where all berths will be equipped with power plugins by 2027

Collaboration on the development of alternative fuels for the cruise industry

Develop a local sourcing program that supports small, diverse, disadvantaged, local, and tribal suppliers

Carnival Corporations cruise lines (Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Cunard brands) promote overnight stays in Seattle that will economically impact the region

Support of education programs and workforce development of the maritime workforce in the region

This long-term agreement provides economic certainty for the Port and local businesses who depend upon cruise, while also strengthening our partnership, Port of Seattle Executive Director Steve Metruck said. Carnival Corporation has been a valuable partner for constant innovation on environmental sustainability and expanding economic opportunity.

Our guests love Seattles stunning natural beauty, urban charm, and eclectic assortment of attractions, and as our gateway to Alaska, one of our top markets globally. The Port of Seattle has long been a valued partner in our mutual ongoing success, Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc said. For the past 20 years, we have worked closely with the Port of Seattle to pioneer shore power and secure the cruise industrys role as a vital economic engine for the region

The Port of Seattle was the first port in North America to offer shore power at two cruise berths.

Carnival Corporation brands make up nearly half of all port cruise calls.
The Rock Island County Branch of the NAACP hosted a special banquet aimed at fostering community and acknowledging the work still to be done to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Freedom Fund Banquet brought together community leaders, activists, and residents to celebrate progress and address the challenges ahead. Keynote speaker Rev. Gwendolyn Boyd delivered a message that equity and inclusion should be an important part of this nation.

For more information, click here.

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Nashville gets first rainbow crosswalk to support LGBTQ community

More than 100 people on Saturday painted crosswalks in the colors of the LGBTQ Pride flag at the intersection of 14th and Woodland Streets. in East Nashville. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

More than 100 people on Saturday painted crosswalks in the colors of the LGBTQ Pride flag at the intersection of 14th and Woodland Streets. in East Nashville. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Hundreds of Middle Tennesseans gathered near in East Nashville Saturday to paint the citys first rainbow crosswalks as a celebration of LGBTQ pride.

The event, which was sponsored by Metro Councilman Clay Capp, drew scores of elected officials, community members and a couple of protesters.

The crosswalk intersection at 14 and Woodland Streets is in front of the Lipstick Lounge, which opened in 2003 is one of only 20 lesbian bars in the U.S.

Nashville elected officials begin painting a rainbow crosswalk outside the Lipstick Lounge in East Nashville. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

A street preacher with his Bible admonished participants painting the rainbow crosswalk. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Metro Nashville Councilmember-at-Large Olivia Hill gives the peace sign to everyone before painting. (Photo:John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Heather Sapphire, Kennedy Ann Scott and others start painting the crosswalk. (Photo:John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
National prayer breakfast with Zelenskyy brings together over 800 people from 15 countries

The National prayer breakfast, held for the first time under the Ukrainian President's patronage, was attended by 836 people from 15 countries, including representatives of 12 faiths.

Source: Presidents website

Details: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) Ruslan Stefanchuk, MPs, leaders of churches and religious organisations, volunteers, chaplains, military personnel, veterans and athletes attended the event.

Zelenskyy stressed that the prayer breakfast brought together people with different views, but they are all united by the desire to ensure that Ukraine has a real victory of good over evil.

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson and former vice president Mike Pence addressed the participants of the National Prayer Breakfast.

Quote from Johnson: "We pray for the continued strength of the Ukrainian army, the safety of the Ukrainian people and lasting peace in your homeland."

US Congressman Don Bacon said he is praying for Ukraines victory.

Quote from Bacon: "We are praying for the wounded warriors to recover, we are praying for all the Ukrainian children, abducted by the Russians, to return to their families," Bacon said.

National Prayer Breakfast attendees were welcomed via video by members of the US House of Representatives: Robert Aderholt, Mike Quigley, Tim Walberg, Juan Vargas, Jerry Moran and House Chaplain Margaret Kibben; Senators James Lankford, Richard Blumenthal, Steve Daines; Senate Chaplain Admiral Barry Black; as well as leaders of 56 religious missions and churches from around the world.

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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.

U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee Proposes Increased Funding for the Indian Housing Block Grant Program

There is bipartisan support for proposed increases to the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) program.

On Thursday, the U.S. House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee's proposed budget would increase IHBG funding by 9% ($1.22 billion). While the Subcommittee's majority upheld their promise to slash funding for HUD programs, Native American program funding was largely protected under the leadership of Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

In March , the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 was passed, appropriating $1.34 billion to Native American Programs. Included in that $1.34 billion was $1.11 billion made available for the Indian Housing Block Grant program. At the time, Chair Cole said, I am very proud to announce that I, along with the help of Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz, was able to secure more than $1.34 billion for Native American housing programs and $150 million in discretionary appropriations for Tribal Transportation programs."

These historic gains will work to address the pressing housing and transportation needs of Tribal communities, as well as increase the standard for this necessary funding in the future, said Cole. As a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, it will always be a priority of mine to ensure that the needs of Tribal communities are represented here in Washington, D.C., and I am very happy to have secured this essential funding.

Additional $43 Million for Rural Water Projects, as Part of Investing in America Agenda. Released

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.

Included in the funding are the Fort Peck Reservation and the Jicarilla Apache Nation:

$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.

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.

USDA Hosts Tribal Consultations on Tribal Self-Determination

In June, USDA hosted a historic set of consultations on furthering Tribal self-determination in forestry, meat inspections, and food and nutrition. We want to thank the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) for hosting us for these substantive Nation-to-Nation discussions, where we identified opportunities for deepening Tribal engagement within USDAs existing legal authorities, as well as what additional flexibilities Tribes see as necessary for fulfilling Executive Order 14112. The framing papers for those consultations are available on our website at Tribal Consultations | USDA, and USDA will accept written comments through July 5 at Tribal.Relations@usda.gov.

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
Nature reserve witnesses conservation miracle after rewilding efforts of multibillion dollar project: 'We're seeing some amazing successes already'

A $500 billion rewilding effort in Saudi Arabia, which is helping to regreen the desert and reintroduce native species, recently hit a milestone.

Arabian Business reported on the rewilding efforts happening at the 9,653-square-mile NEOM Nature Reserve, where conservationists hope to protect 95% of the land.

In 2022, the sanctuary welcomed a group of animals including ibex, sand gazelles, mountain gazelles, and the Arabian oryx, an antelope that hadn't walked NEOM's sands for over a century. This group of animals had 60 babies during the first breeding season, as the outlet detailed.

The reserve soon plans to build on its wildlife rewilding program by reintroducing predators such as the caracal, Arabian lynx, and cheetah.

NEOM is also adding 100 million native plants to the landscape and has already put two million trees in the ground. Plus, it is looking to replenish the reserve's marine habitats  NEOM is engaging in sea turtle monitoring and satellite tagging, dugong surveys, aerial surveys of large animals using drones, and coral and seagrass habitat restoration, as Arabian Business reported.

"We're already off to a really good start and we're seeing some amazing successes already," Paul Marshall, head of the reserve, told the outlet.

With all this work, NEOM is set to become an ecotourism destination where visitors will eventually be invited to participate in hands-on conservation work.

NEOM is one of many projects worldwide that are looking to rewild land and reintroduce native fauna. For instance, conservationists released 40 southern white rhinos on a private reserve in South Africa as part of a larger effort to rewild the animal across the continent. Norway recently completed its largest rewilding project in history in a move that will support polar bears, Arctic foxes, and other imperiled wildlife.

Conserving nature isn't just good for plants and animals. For one, nature can provide economic benefits through activities such as ecotourism and fishing. Plus, spending time in nature can reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and increase happiness, among other advantages, per the American Psychological Association.

As for NEOM's rewilding efforts, "What you're seeing here is the kingdom really embracing the incredible natural heritage it has," Marshall said.

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SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. (PIX11)  Neighbors rescued a 9-year-old boy who was found unresponsive at the bottom of a residential pool on Long Island, N.Y., Friday evening, according to police.

The incident occurred in Nesconset, N.Y., and officers from the fourth precinct responded to a 911 call reporting the situation.

More Local News

Officials said neighbors quickly removed the boy from the pool and immediately called 911. They also performed CPR on the boy until first responders arrived, officials said.

The boy was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he remains in critical condition. Suffolk County Police detectives are conducting a full investigation into the incident, authorities said.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

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Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte arrives for the first day of the European Council summit. Benoit Doppagne/Belga/dpa

Mark Rutte, the outgoing prime minister of the Netherlands and future Secretary General of NATO, called for continued support for Ukraine in his farewell speech to Dutch lawmakers on Sunday.

Rutte said that the shooting down of the passenger flight MH17 by a Russian missile over eastern Ukraine in the summer of 2014 made him realize how "crucial it is that our country is embedded in the EU and NATO."

Most of the 298 people killed on board the flight, which was headed from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, were Dutch citizens.

Rutte was officially appointed the next Secretary General of NATO a few days ago. The 57-year-old will succeed Jens Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, as leader of the defence alliance at the beginning of October.

Rutte said that a glance at the world map alone makes it clear that "we are stronger together than alone."

The ongoing war in Europe should motivate citizens in the Netherlands to continue to support Ukraine in the future - "for peace there and security here," he said.

Rutte is regarded as a very experienced politician, particularly in matters of foreign affairs.

The liberal-conservative politician led the government in the Netherlands for almost 14 years, longer than anyone before him.

Rutte on Sunday wished his successor Dick Schoof "every success."

Schoof, a former head of the Netherlands' intelligence and anti-terrorism agencies, is not affiliated with any party. He is to be sworn in on Tuesday as head of a coalition government that will be the most far-right in the country's history.

The four-party coalition is largely controlled by the right-wing populist Geert Wilders, who will however not hold a post in the government himself.
The far-right political candidate and Brexit architect Nigel Farage reacts to a question from reporters outside his party's office, which is above an arcade in Clacton-on-Sea, England. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

In a sludgy, slow-motion trajectory, the pale yellow milkshake found its mark: far-right political candidate and Donald Trump acolyte Nigel Farage, on the inaugural day of his insurgent campaign for a seat in the British Parliament.

But no display of airborne voter displeasure was going to prevent one of the country's most gleefully polarizing public figures from shaking up what had until then been considered a fairly sedate contest between Britain's two biggest parties. In a surprise announcement in early June, Farage inserted himself as the ruling Conservatives were already forecast to lose decisively to the left-leaning Labor Party.

Some observers believe the return of Farage, 60  political flamethrower, a key architect of Brexit, leader of a small, stridently anti-immigration party  could lead to a MAGA-like takeover of the Conservative Party, which has played a preeminent role in British politics for nearly 200 years.

Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration Reform U.K. political party, plays a game at an amusement arcade below his party's office in Clacton-on-Sea, England. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

And his high-profile presence re-introduces an insistently clamorous voice to what has lately been a nationalist-populist upswelling in Western Europe and beyond, one whose full import may soon become clear.

Hes good at getting attention, and he sees himself as a disrupter, someone who wants to overthrow the established order, said Mark Wickham-Jones, a political science professor at the University of Bristol. Theres not much coherence to his policies, but in terms of his support, that really doesnt matter.

Read more: In Europe, even if 'center is holding,' far right ascends

Public opinion polls suggest Farage's party, Reform U.K., will come nowhere near victory in Thursday's general election. But after seven straight losses, he appears poised to succeed  finally  in winning election to the House of Commons, the 223-year-old lower house of Parliament.

Boys on bicycles hang out near the main street in Clacton-on-Sea. The town and its surrounding villages are afflicted by high unemployment and poverty. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Farage, who hails from a leafy village on London's outskirts, is making his eighth parliamentary run in Clacton-on-Sea, a down-at-the-heels seaside town whose jangling arcades, shuttered storefronts and scruffy, darting seagulls can lend it the air of a distorted funhouse mirror. (In Britain, parliamentary candidates do not have to live in their constituencies.)

Something is happening out there  momentum! Farage recently told a group of sweaty, enthusiastic supporters at his tiny local headquarters, situated above one of the many garish amusement arcades lining a seaside street.

Its like millions of simultaneous conversations are going on, at the breakfast table, at the bingo hall, at the pub  Oh my God, we were just talking about you! he said, sounding almost giddy.

People walk by one of the many amusement arcades near the beach in Clacton-on-Sea. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

In many ways, Clacton is an electoral venue tailored for Farage.

The town and its surrounding villages, while containing some affluent pockets, are afflicted overall by high unemployment and poverty rates. In the 2016 Brexit referendum, 70% of the constituency voted to leave the European Union. Two years earlier, Reforms predecessor, the United Kingdom Independence Party, or UKIP, won a parliamentary race for the first time  in Clacton.

In a political pattern that has become familiar in the United States and continental Europe, voters in Clacton, which is home to relatively few migrants, tend to be far more vociferous than the general population in demanding that immigration be cut dramatically.

Read more: A Ukrainian 'King Lear' comes to Shakespeare's hometown. Its actors know true tragedy

Farage has been able to play on people's fears, Wickham-Jones said, and concerns about identity  a sense that society has been changing rapidly. Other politicians, he said, have struggled to articulate a counternarrative about the social benefits of immigration, or less drastic ways of curtailing it.

David Allum, right, canvasses for British politician Nigel Farage outside Reform's office, above an arcade center in Clacton-on-Sea. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

The Labor candidate in Clacton is a charismatic 27-year-old named Jovan Owusu-Nepaul, who was born in the English town of Nottingham and is of Jamaican and Ghanaian heritage. He is seen as having little chance of overtaking Farage, although some political observers believe his quick-witted, social-media-heavy campaign style marks him as someone who could ascend the national stage at some point.

Read more: A rift grows in Europe over recognizing Palestinian state

On a Clacton side street, Pushkar Dhasmala, a 40-year-old immigrant from India, said he supported Owusu-Nepaul but knew that most of his neighbors did not.

The care sector is dependent on immigrants, said Dhasmala, who works in a privately run assisted-living facility. Farages opponent, he said, understands the situation faced by those newly arrived and trying to make a home in Britain.

Labors expected dominance in the national parliamentary vote bucks a recent trend of nationalist-populist success elsewhere in Europe. The party has been buoyed by a wave of public disaffection with the Conservatives, whose nearly 15 years in power spanned the COVID-19 pandemic and Britains chaotic exit from the European Union, formalized in 2020.

Over the years, the Conservatives imposed hard-edged austerity measures that have gutted Britains public sector, including the revered but deeply troubled National Health Service. The Conservative-held prime ministership changed hands repeatedly during the tussle to enact Brexit, culminating in the scandal-ridden tenure of Boris Johnson, who stepped down in disgrace in 2022.

Johnsons successors fared little better: First came the hapless Liz Truss, the shortest-serving leader in modern British history, whose 50-day tenure inspired memes of whether she would outlast a wilting head of lettuce, and current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who called the upcoming vote when it became clear that cratering Conservative support could plunge even further.

Nigel Farage plays an arcade game. The anti-immigration politician, who hails from a leafy village on London's outskirts, is making his eighth parliamentary run in the down-at-the-heels seaside town of Clacton-on-Sea. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

The reemergence of Farage  who jumped into the parliamentary race after first saying he would not run  coincides with bruising times for mainstream political leaders elsewhere in Western Europe.

In France, President Emmanuel Macron is trying to hold shut the far-right floodgates in two rounds of parliamentary voting finishing on July 7; Germanys centrist government suffered a stinging rebuke when a far-right party notched second place in the countrys European Parliament elections this month.

Read more: Zelensky to Europe: A Russian victory in Ukraine would lead to the unthinkable

There has sometimes been a certain synchronicity in American and British politics  Brexits narrow approval came months before Trumps 2016 presidential victory  and prominent Trump backers have taken delighted notice of far-right gains in France, Germany, Italy and elsewhere.

Before, during and after Trump's turn in office, Farage worked strenuously to insert himself into the Republican's orbit, albeit as something of a distant satellite.

Nigel Farage's sloganeering echoes Donald Trump's  "make Britain great again." (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

In a recent interview with Britains ITV, Farage declared that Trump had probably learned a lot from his own incendiary, insult-laden speeches in the European Parliament, where he previously held a seat  but added, magnanimously, that the tutelage went both ways.

Farage's sloganeering echoes Trump's  "make Britain great again"  and he relishes describing the country as being in a state of terminal decline and branding opponents "boring idiots."

Trump, for his part, was an avowed fan of Brexit, and his campaign hinges on many of the same social divisions that animate Farage's run: immigration, economic dissatisfaction and culture wars.

Some political commentators, and Farage himself, have suggested the voting results might leave him positioned to essentially capture a hollowed-out Conservative Party  a scenario likened by some to events across the Atlantic, where Trumps MAGA movement has seized control of the Republican establishment.

Postelection, there may be a bid for forces from Reform to stage some kind of takeover of the Conservatives, perhaps involving Farage if he is elected" as a member of Parliament, said Andrew Blick, a politics and contemporary history professor at Kings College London.

Read more: MAGA figures say far-right wins in Europe are good news for Trump. Are they right?

I dont know if this will be successful, but if it were, the Conservatives would look more like the Trump-era Republicans, he said. That would leave a victorious Labor Party and prospective new prime minister, Keir Starmer, facing a far more extremist and intransigent political opposition.

For all the fandom that can be seen out on the campaign trail, Farage triggers strong negative pushback from across much of the political spectrum. He has been pilloried for saying the North Atlantic Treaty Organization provoked Russias war against Ukraine, for blatantly misogynistic remarks, and for repeated expressions of what critics call thinly veiled racist sentiments.

You don't have to watch sheepdog trials to hear a dog whistle, former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron said of Farage, speaking to the Times of London.

On the day Farage began his campaign in Clacton, a young female onlooker, who was later arrested, splattered him with a milkshake on the steps of a well-known seaside pub, the Moon and Starfish. This was not the first milkshaking of Farages career, and he handled the incident with a degree of aplomb, grinning for cameras later that day with an order of banana milkshakes in hand.

Three weeks later, though, the man who made bellicosity his political trademark was clearly still harboring a grudge.

Politics has changed, he said. People hurl things at you.

His divisiveness was attested to by a Clacton couple who were dining on a recent afternoon on the terrace of the pub where the milkshake episode occurred.

Paula Bracegirdle, a part-time cook who said she hoped to retire soon, had qualms about Farage  a bit extreme, I think, she said. But her husband, Paul, 60, who works part time with elderly people with dementia, called him a truth-teller.

I think hes straight with what he says, he said.

They disagreed on Brexit, too: She voted in 2016 to remain in the EU. He supported the Leave campaign that Farage helped spearhead, and like Farage, he now blamed the Conservatives for having failed to manage the departure effectively.

The pair agreed on one thing, though: Clacton, they both said, was no better off than before.





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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
NJ middle school teacher accused of having sexual relationship with student: prosecutor

NJ middle school teacher accused of having sexual relationship with student: prosecutor

FREEHOLD, N. J. (PIX11)  A New Jersey middle school teacher is accused of having a sexual relationship with a student, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago.

An investigation by police found that Allison Havemann-Niedrach, 43, a teacher at Freehold Intermediate School, allegedly began the relationship at the start of 2024, according to officials.

More New Jersey News

The Monmouth County Prosecutors Office charged Havemann-Niedrach with one count of aggravated sexual assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

Additional information was not immediately available.

Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in New York City and Washington, D.C. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here, and follow him on X and Facebook @OfficialRizk. Get in touch at jonathan.rizk@pix11.com.

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.
Questor: This 'wonder drug' firm is being backed by top fund managers

Time waits for no-one.

When this column first tipped Merck & Co in July 2019 the US-based pharmaceuticals giant was basking in the success of its blockbuster wonder drug Keytruda, a highly effective treatment used among other things for melanoma and certain forms of lung cancer.

A little over a year later, we suggested investors hold after a dip in the share price and the Covid pandemic.

Now almost exactly five years since our original recommendation, Keytruda is fast approaching the end of its patent protection which when it expires in 2028 is likely to prompt fierce competition from cheaper generic versions.

It will be a big moment for Merck and one that has prompted us to review our stance.

Incidentally those investors that have stayed with us so far are sitting on a total return of 84pc which includes dividends paid.

New buyers of the US-listed shares, which are available through most British brokers, need to fill in the correct paperwork to minimise the withholding tax on dividends.

SHARE PRICE CHART

Keytruda has wildly surpassed expectations, rapidly becoming the worlds top-selling prescription medicine.

The treatment recorded sales of $25bn (19.7bn) last year, comfortably more than a third of the group total of $60bn.

Keytruda sales are forecast to surge to $32bn by 2026, before tailing off once the patent expires.

Merck has not sat on its hands while the clock runs down. Indeed it looks well prepared.

It has over 30 treatment programs in its pipeline at Phase III late-stage trials.

Nearly three-quarters are in oncology. Last year alone it spent a whopping $30.5bn on research and development (R&D) to strengthen the pipeline.

That was more than double the figure for the previous year and the highest among Big Pharma.

The size of the increase reflects a jump in research and development spending classed as business development activity, as Merck pursues acquisitions and drug co-development deals with gusto.

Last October, for example, it agreed a deal with Japans Daiichi Sankyo to co-develop three cancer drugs.

Merck paid an initial $5.5bn, but could end up paying a further $16.5bn based on reaching agreed future sales.

The groups deal spree in the area has prompted it to double its expected revenues from new oncology treatments to more than $20bn by the mid-2030s, from just over $10bn previously.

Oncology is only one part of Mercks business development push.

In April last year it bought Prometheus, a clinical stage biotech specialising in treatments for immune disorders for $10.8bn in cash.

There have been other acquisitions in Mercks favoured areas, which include vaccines, cardio-metabolic disorders and infectious diseases.

Story continues

Mercks activities have drawn the attention of the worlds best-performing investors, some 29 of whom have bought into the business.

These investors are among the top 3pc of the more than 10,000 fund managers whose performance is tracked by financial publisher Citywire.

The significant smart-money backing for Merck means it has gained a top AAA rating from Citywire Elite Companies, which rates companies based on ownership by the best fund managers in the world.

One of them is Bill Smead, who runs the $5.9bn Smead Value Fund with his son, Cole.

Smead reckons that by the time the Keytruda patent expires, Merck will have used its expertise  one of its specialisms is immunotherapy where the bodys own defences are used to fight off diseases  to develop an array of other cancer therapies.

This idea that when the patent comes up on their lung cancer treatment in four or five years time its going to mean the end of Merck  no.

In four or five years time they will have taken that same science [immunotherapy] and gone to breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, says Smead.

The health of Mercks oncology pipeline suggests he has a good point.

Smead is a value investor who hunts for shares that he thinks looks cheap.

If hes right about Mercks prospects, then its shares valuation certainly fits the bill at 14 times forecast earnings over the next 12 months and offering a prospective dividend yield of 2.6pc.

Given that and Mercks dynamism, we upgrade the shares to a buy.

Questor says buy

Ticker: NYSE:MRK

Share price: TBC

Miles Costello is a contributing journalist to Citywire Elite Companies

Read the latest Questor column on telegraph.co.uk every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 6am

Read Questors rules of investment before you follow our tips

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Allison Havemann-Niedrach, a special ed teacher at Freehold Intermediate School in New Jersey, was charged with sexually assaulting her student

A New Jersey special education teacher was charged with molesting one of her students, authorities said.

Allison Havemann-Niedrach, a 43-year-old special education teacher at Freehold Intermediate School, was hit with one count each of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree child welfare endangerment, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said Saturday.

The Jackson resident was arrested earlier this week after an investigation by the MCPO Special Victims Bureau and Freehold Police Department revealed that Havemann-Niedrach allegedly began sexually abusing her student earlier this year, Santiago said.

Havemann-Niedrach allegedly began assaulting her student earlier this year, according to authorities. Homes.com

The prosecutors office did not say how many times Havemann-Niedrach assaulted her pupil or how authorities learned about the abuse. The students age is also unknown, but grades six through eight attend Freehold Intermediate School.

Havemann-Niedrach has worked for the Freehold Borough School District since 2022, according to her LinkedIn page, where she describes herself as a passionate, results-driven and sincere educator.

Asia Michael, schools superintendent for the Freehold Borough School District, wrote an email to staff and parents Friday night flagging a former staff member had been arrested, according to the Asbury Park Press.

It is with a heavy heart that I must share some distressing news with you, the email began.

We have been informed that a former staff member has been arrested on allegations of third-degree aggravated sexual assault and inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor, it continued.

Havemann-Niedrach is currently being held at the Monmouth County Jail, pending her first appearance and a hearing to determine whether she will continue to be detained while awaiting trial, according to authorities.

Her lawyer, Thomas Huth, told APP that Havemann-Niedrach maintains her innocence at this time.
This may come as some surprise, but only three per cent of the residents of Rafah, in Gaza, were poorly fed in May, according to the United Nations. In Khan Yunis and the central town of Deir al Balah, that figure stood at six per cent. The biggest challenges were faced by those who had failed to evacuate from the north at the start of the campaign. There, 13 per cent were found to be hungry. The overwhelming majority of Gazans had acceptable quantities of food.

Now consider the situation before Hamas brought catastrophe to Gaza. Despite billions of dollars of aid money pouring into the Strip, 14 per cent of the population faced hunger in 2022, according to a contemporaneous study by the World Food Programme. So it appears that provisions are better now than they were when Hamas was in charge.

Not that youd know it from the reporting. In its analysis, the UN grudgingly concluded that it was unable to endorse the classification made by the likes of the head of the World Food Programme, who had claimed that Gaza had entered a full-blown famine. Was there an apology? Nope. The new line, spun by the UN and amplified by the BBC and fellow travellers, was that Gazans faced catastrophic levels of hunger.

Without wishing to minimise the deprivations of war, here was an object lesson in propaganda in the age of mass media.

Step eagerly forward the Guardian, which on Tuesday published an article headlined The starvation of Gaza is a perverse repudiation of Judaisms values. The author, John Oakes, is a radical American intellectual, whose authority appears to rest on his book about the history of fasting. Whether he knows anything about the conflict or Judaism, or has ever met anybody from Gaza, is unclear. According to his website, his second book will be about the nature of intelligence.

For many months now, it has been no secret that one of Americas closest allies has been using hunger as a weapon against a civilian population, he wrote, perplexingly.

That hunger is being used by Israel is supremely ironic, given the particular role that privation from food plays both in Jewish philosophy and in the grim history of the Jewish people. Thank you, Oakes, for helping Jews with our morality.

This morning, I spoke to a friend in Gaza whom I made during my time as a foreign correspondent. He telephoned me from his stifling tent in Deir al Balah, which had been donated by the Saudis.

Food is available, everything is available, he told me. Meat, chicken, vegetables. It is not aid. It is coming from Israel, brought in by private people through the Keren Shalom crossing and sold to us as a business. The prices are much better, just a little bit higher than before the war.

This was a relief, he added, as for seven months, Hamas had been stealing humanitarian aid and selling it to the population at exorbitant rates. Now, goods are being bought and sold as normal. Everybody he knows hates the jihadists with a passion, he remarked, scoffing at polls showing widespread support for the group in Gaza.

A former BBC executive told me this week that the intensity of Israelophobic bias there after October 7 meant that he would have handed in his notice had he not already left the corporation. At least two Jewish journalists have resigned from the Guardian in disgust, while many of those who remain have accepted Faustian conditions.

Sometimes it seems that western progressives have more sympathy for Hamas and a greater alignment with its goals than those who have actually experienced jihadism in Gaza.

Jake Wallis Simons is the editor of the Jewish Chronicle and author of Israelophobia

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NYC man charged in international grandparent scam that preyed on elderly from NY, NJ

A Bronx man is facing 20 years for his role in an international grandparent scam that preyed on elderly people with grandchildren.

Victor Anthony Valdez, 39, allegedly collected tens of thousands of dollars from grandparents in New York and New Jersey between August 2020 and 2021 when they put up cash to handle what they were falsely told were their grandchildrens legal problems.

The scam operated out of call centers in the Dominican Republic. Conspirators would contact elderly people, posing as their grandchildren or people associated with the legal system.

The grandparent scam operated out of call centers in the Dominican Republic. Rokas  stock.adobe.com

The posers would tell the victims that their grandchildren had been arrested and needed cash for bail or other expenses.

Once victims were convinced through lies and falsehoods, co-conspirators instructed the victims to provide cash to couriers, including Valdez, who went to victims homes to pick up the money, the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey said in a statement.

The alleged perpetrators in these scams  including this defendant  target our vulnerable senior population, said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

They count on the grandparents love and devotion to their families in order to convince them to put up money.

As alleged in this indictment, the defendant today worked as a courier, traveling to the homes of the scam victims to pick up the money, he continued.

The alleged perpetrators in these scams  including this defendant  target our vulnerable senior population, argued U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. United States Attorney's Office District of New Jersey

My office will protect the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target the vulnerable to cheat them out of their savings.

Valdez was arrested Tuesday and charged with wire fraud conspiracy, the U.S. attorney said.

He pleaded not guilty, according to court documents.

Mr. Valdez knowingly preyed upon the elderly for his own gain, Social Security Administration Inspector General Gail S. Ennis said in the statement.

We appreciate our law enforcement partners joining us in investigating and prosecuting these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding elderly Americans, many of whom rely on SSA benefits to make ends meet.

If convicted, Valdez faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Valdez wasnt reachable and his attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
NYPD deputy commissioner discusses Central Park crime and summer safety

NEW YORK (PIX11)  NYPD Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard joined PIX on Politics on Sunday to discuss summer safety and recent crimes in Central Park.

Sheppard mentioned the possibility of adding more security, including solar-powered cameras, especially in the parks more remote sections.

More PIX on Politics

Sheppard also discussed preparations for the Pride March and Fourth of July fireworks show, saying the police are not aware of any credible threats for either event.

We prepare for anything. The Fourth of July is one of our crown jewel events, and we are going to keep it safe, he said.

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.
(The Hill)  The New York Times editorial board called on President Biden to suspend his campaign after his shaky debate performance against former President Trump on Thursday.

Mr. Biden has said that he is the candidate with the best chance of taking on this threat of tyranny and defeating it. His argument rests largely on the fact that he beat Mr. Trump in 2020, the board wrote. That is no longer a sufficient rationale for why Mr. Biden should be the Democratic nominee this year.

More Long Island News

The 81-year-old Biden appeared on the Atlanta, Ga., debate stage with a hoarse voice and a slight cough. The issue of his age and mental competency has been a sore point for his campaign and the debate was seen as an opportunity to show the country he is still fit to serve.

His performance sparked widespread fear among Democrats, and reignited the conversation about whether Biden should step down and allow someone else to take on Trump.

Bidens campaign and the White House have said hes not going anywhere. The Times said it was obvious Biden is not the man he was four years ago, calling him the shadow of a great public servant.

He struggled to explain what he would accomplish in a second term. He struggled to respond to Mr. Trumps provocations. He struggled to hold Mr. Trump accountable for his lies, his failures and his chilling plans, the Times said. More than once, he struggled to make it to the end of a sentence.

There is no reason for the party to risk the stability and security of the country by forcing voters to choose between Mr. Trumps deficiencies and those of Mr. Biden, the board said.

Still, if Biden does not drop out, the board said it would endorse him over Trump.

Calling for a new nominee this late in the campaign is a decision not to be taken lightly but it reflects the seriousness of Trumps threat to American democracy, the board argued.

Similarly, The Economist said that Biden should step aside and make room for someone new, reiterating its statement from November 2022, when the outlet said Biden should not seek reelection. On Friday, the Economist argued his last and greatest public service should be suspending his campaign.

After Bidens misstep on Thursday, he held a campaign stop in North Carolina where he sought to tame the panic. He delivered a more energized speech Friday, but the Times argued its not enough to save him.

Mr. Biden answered an urgent question on Thursday night. It was not the answer that he and his supporters were hoping for. But if the risk of a second Trump term is as great as he says it is  and we agree with him that the danger is enormous  then his dedication to this country leaves him and his party only one choice.

Suspending his campaign, the Times said, is the best service that Biden can provide to a country that he has nobly served for so long.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Officials rejoice after iconic US lake system reaches peak water levels for first time in over a decade: 'Keep conserving, it's actually working'

Water levels in Utah are as high as they have been in the last 13 years, KSL reported. According to the Utah Division of Water Resources, the statewide water system is up to 92% capacity after falling to 42% capacity in 2022.

The reason for the resurgence is back-to-back winters of well-above-average snowfall. As the last of that snow has now melted and flowed down into the reservoirs, it seems that the state has fully recovered  for now, at least  from the multiyear drought that saw its water resources depleted.

Other western states  including California, Texas, and others  have experienced similar cycles of intense drought followed by years of above-average precipitation.

Utah's governor, Spencer Cox, sought to credit the high water levels to individual citizens conserving water and to deflect away from the actual environmental issues that have been causing these changes.

"Keep conserving," Cox said. "It's actually working. I know we've had a good water year, but we're well ahead of where we would have been because people conserved last year in what was a record water year."

However, in reality, the water levels in Utah's reservoir have much more to do with the drought cycles that have become increasingly severe as a result of changing weather patterns caused by the overheating of our planet  largely a consequence of our society's reliance on pollution-causing sources of dirty energy such as gas and oil.

Gov. Cox has sought to downplay and deny these consequences, though. In 2022, Cox supported new oil and gas drilling leases for federal public lands in his state. This year, his administration sued the federal government in an attempt to rescind environmental regulation.

That is not, of course, to say that you should ignore the government when it says to conserve water. If you are in an area experiencing drought (and even if you aren't), it is very important to not use more water than you need  especially if your elected officials are committed to ignoring the consequences of dirty energy and to advancing policies that create more planet-overheating air pollution.

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After nearly 15 years on the bench as a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge, there aren't many firsts left for Mark Serrott.

But on Thursday, Serrott granted a new trial for a man who had been found guilty of murder by a jury in May.

LaRoy Robinson, 49, had been scheduled to be sentenced Thursday in the Dec. 2 death of 46-year-old Malik Islam.

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Mark Serrott granted a motion Thursday for a new trial for LaRoy Robinson prior to Robinson's sentencing in a murder case.

"This court in a 14-year tenure as a judge in hundreds of jury trials, has never overturned a jury verdict," Serrott wrote in his decision. "This case is the rare exceptional case where justice requires a new trial."

On May 31, a jury had found Robinson not guilty of purposefully killing Islam, but found Robinson guilty of killing Islam during a felonious assault, discharging a firearm near prohibited premises and felonious assault.

Evidence presented at Robinson's trial showed that around 12:10 a.m. on Dec. 2, Robinson was sitting in a parked car on the 2000 block of Cornell Avenue on the city's Northeast Side. Islam approached Robinson and was verbally aggressive towards Robinson.

After a second verbal confrontation, Robinson testified that he saw Islam reaching into a pocket for something that he thought was a gun. Robinson fired a single shot, which struck Islam, and drove away from the scene.

Robinson had argued at trial that he shot Islam in self-defense and that Islam had a reputation for being violent and dangerous, which multiple witnesses testified to during the trial.

Following the jury's verdict, Robinson's attorney, Toure McCord, filed a motion to dismiss the case or for Serrott to set aside the verdict and grant Robinson a new trial.

McCord's main argument surrounded an instruction given to the jury before it began its deliberations about whether Robinson was required to retreat before using deadly force.

Prosecutors had argued the verdict should stand and any issues with the case could be taken up on an appeal after Robinson was sentenced.

More: Arguing self-defense increasingly popular and effective in Columbus murder trials

Serrott determined in his ruling that the instruction he gave the jury was "the exact opposite of what the law requires."

"The instructions likely misled the jury," Serrott wrote in his decision, adding in a footnote that at least four jurors had asked Serrott after the case if Ohio had "stand your ground" laws.

"These jurors indicated they would never have voted guilty had they known the defendant had no duty to escape or retreat," Serrott wrote. "One juror was visibly upset and has repeatedly contacted the court regarding changing the verdict."

Serott noted in his decision that giving someone a new trial before they are sentenced and the case is reviewed by an appeals court is an "extraordinary remedy," but felt it was the correct thing to do under the circumstances.

Serrott also found the jury's verdict was contrary to law because the evidence did not clearly disprove Robinson's assertion that he acted in self-defense when he shot Islam.

"The erroneous jury instructions only further contributed to and compounded the injustice of the verdicts," Serrott wrote.

Robinson's case is set for a hearing on July 8. No new trial date has been set.

bbruner@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio judge overturns murder conviction due to flawed jury instructions
An Oklahoma City police officer has been charged with rape domestic assault and battery and kidnapping.

An Oklahoma City police officer is facing charges of first-degree rape, domestic assault and battery, kidnapping and threatening to perform an act of violence.

Sgt. Ryan Len Stark, 44, was charged Monday in McClain County District Court. He was booked into the McClain County jail in Purcell at 12:43 p.m. on Saturday.

Blanchard police were notified of a possible domestic assault Friday involving Stark and a woman after they left a restaurant in a police vehicle, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by The Oklahoman.

The woman told investigators she was in a previous romantic relationship with Stark, according to the affidavit.

Stark allegedly became upset when the woman said she did not want to go to his home. She claimed Stark was intoxicated and said he was involved with other women, including a woman from whom he often bought drugs, according to the affidavit.

The woman claimed Stark took her cellphone from her. She accused Stark of raping her at his home and denying her medical attention. She has filed a protective order against Stark in McClain County District Court.

The Oklahoman does not name alleged victims of sexual assault.

Oklahoma City police declined to comment on the case, saying since it is not its investigation, The Oklahoman will "need to reach out to the investigating agency regarding any comments on the incident."

A phone message left with the Blanchard police chief was not returned Monday.

Who is Oklahoma City police officer Ryan Stark?

In 2014, Stark was cleared of criminal charges after a fatal shooting incident that also resulted in the death of his K-9 police dog.

Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn found that the use of force by Sgt. Ryan Stark was justified and appropriate under the law.

During the 2014 incident, Stark and other officers responded to a business burglary in southeast Oklahoma City. The suspect led police on a high-speed chase that ended with the suspect stabbing Starks K-9 police dog, Kye.

According to police, Stark attempted to separate the suspect from the dog before drawing his gun and fatally shooting him.

Kye died the next day after complications from surgery.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Alleged victim accuses Oklahoma City police officer of kidnapping, rape
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  One person is dead after being hit by a vehicle early Sunday morning near Northeast 10th Street in Oklahoma City.

| MORE LOCAL NEWS > OKCPD Sgt. arrested on rape charges in McClain County >

Oklahoma City Police said that they got a call around 1 a.m. Sunday a person was hit by a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed near NE 10th and North Martin Luther King Avenue.

The person was rushed to the hospital and was later pronounced dead.

OKCPD did not know as of Sunday afternoon if the driver stayed on the scene or if it was a hit-and-run.

The crash remains under investigation and the identity is unknown.

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.
Geronimo's Bakery and Burgers is pictured Wednesday on N Martin Luther King Avenue. It was among the restaurants that recently have been a part of programs through the Alliance for Economic Development of OKC.

For restaurant owners in Oklahoma City, an opportunity to pair individualized help from industry experts, customized business advice, planning and more is being offered up by a local nonprofit helping the city make use of American Rescue Plan Act funding.

In Oklahoma City, the Alliance for Economic Development has long been a champion of local businesses, helping the city to manage various public incentives and connect business owners with programs to maximize benefits available to them. The alliance also places a focus on connecting minority business owners to funding to bridge gaps for those historically left out of those conversations.

With the deadline to obligate ARPA funding looming  projects must be earmarked by Dec. 31, 2024  cities, counties and states are now working overtime, often with the help of nonprofits, to ensure that funds reach those who qualify for them.

So, when the city received over $100 million in ARPA funding, it once again turned to the alliance for assistance with managing the process.

"The alliance entered into contract to manage a portion of the city's ARPA allocation. Total, it's about $20 million of the $122 million, just a portion of it," said Joseph Laws, program manager for the Alliance. "They gave us the charge to support small businesses and do some workforce development programming."

More: California roots beget Oklahoma wines at Backyard Vineyard's in OKC

ARPA funding is currently available for Oklahoma City food businesses

Three years into distributing ARPA funds, the alliance has seen success in aiding small businesses across industries with different needs.

However with funding still available and after examining current business challenges and the state of the economy, the alliance has created two programs specifically geared toward food businesses.

"It's become a lot tougher for restaurants to operate and we've always noticed it's been a tough industry to operate in just historically with low profit margins, things like that," Laws said. "So we decided to use some of the funds that we had set aside in 2022 to fund some programming to help specifically restaurants."

Geronimo's Bakery and Burgers is pictured Wednesday on N Martin Luther King Avenue. It was among the restaurants that recently have been a part of programs through the Alliance for Economic Development of OKC.

The Real Deal is a six-month executive growth program that the alliance has created a specialty food and beverage tract for as an offshoot of an already established initiative. This option is specifically designed for brick-and-mortar operations, including restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, bars and other establishments where food and beverages are consumed on-site.

The program will give business owners access to a network of experts and resources to help them maximize their businesses potential, troubleshoot issues and develop long term plans. The cost of the program is being underwritten using ARPA funds, and participants who complete the program will be eligible for grants up to $15,000.

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"They meet with different business experts, and they go through different trainings. They create a playbook and so it helps them look at their plan and try to strategize and see where there's gaps, where they're having challenges, and then they try to come up with strategies to address those challenges," said Daisy Munoz, project manager with the Alliance.

The second program, The OKC Food Truck Business Accelerator, is a 10-week hands-on opportunity catered to food trucks and carts. Those selected to take part in the program will receive training and tailored support for their business needs from Synergy Restaurant Consultants while also building a network amongst fellow like-minded business owners. Participants who complete the program can apply for grant funding of up to $8,000.

After completing either of the programs and receiving a grant, Munoz said that, while the funding uses are somewhat restricted because of it being federal funding, businesses have both flexibility and support in determining the best way to utilize the money.

"They can do any operating costs like rent, mortgage, utility bills, licenses, insurances  anything that's like reoccurring costs  the grant can cover payroll, benefits, and then any consulting that you need like marketing, accounting, legal," Munoz said. "We really just try to set them up for success when they receive these grants."

How can businesses qualify for the alliance's ARPA programs?

Applications for the OKC Food Truck Business Accelerator and Real Deal programs are open now and limited to 20 participants each on a first-come, first-served basis, with application deadlines set for July 14 and 15.

To qualify, businesses must be located in Oklahoma City, have been in operation prior to March 2021 and meet one of the following criteria:

be 51% or more minority owned

be located in a Qualified Census Tract (majority low-income)

or be able to demonstrate financial impact from COVID.

Business owners interested in learning more about the programs or applying can go online to www.theallianceokc.org.

Laws encourages all those who are qualified to submit their applications for an opportunity to be a part of the programs while the ARPA funding is available.

"Eventually, in a couple of years there won't be these programs," Laws said. "We're trying to make a meaningful intervention while we have these funds, right now."

Other local restaurants have seen success with alliance programs

The alliance's programs have a track record of success, having benefitted several well-known OKC restaurants before the launch of these latest initiatives.

The Real Deal helped food businesses even before it launched a specific cohort for those owners, aiding businesses like Madhopper Brewing, 923 W Britton Road, and Zero Tolerance Coffee, 919 W Britton Road, among others.

Cafe Kacao, 3325 N Classen Blvd., and Geronimo's Bakery & Burgers, 1817 N Martin Luther King Ave., both took part in the organization's Storefront Improvement Program, which helped business owners to revitalize the outsides of their buildings and signage.

Geronimo's Bakery and Burgers is pictured Wednesday on N Martin Luther King Avenue. It was among the restaurants that recently have been a part of programs through the Alliance for Economic Development of OKC.

"If you go [to Geronimo's Bakery] today it looks a lot different than a couple years ago, so we were able to help him redo his whole facade. It has a sign that clearly identifies that he does burgers and not just baked goods," Laws said. "It's totally new outside. New windows, new doors, everything."

Bettys, 3604 N May Ave., participated in the alliance's Oklahoma Minority Founders Association program, another ARPA-funded initiative. Additional ARPA initiatives like the StitchCrew program have been beneficial to the growth of businesses like the Drunk Goat food truck, Tizo's Pops & Ice Cream, 5125 S Western Ave. and QueBella Bakery, 617 W Sheridan Ave.

More: Disgusted by bland foods, 19-year-old baker turned her allergy into a dream career

Jabee Williams, owner of Eastside Pizza, 1734 NE 23, participated in one of the programs offered by the alliance, as well.

Jabee Williams talks April 1 about the NE 23 district.

"The reason why we did it was because we needed strategic planning for Eastside because we went through such a rough time and we just needed some energy, new ideas and things we could do different," Williams said. "We met several times, we got a good strategic plan and we built a timeline on how we wanted to do it, and where we wanted to start, and things we wanted to see. We were able to implement some of those things, and we had a good outcome from it."

Eastside Pizza House is pictured Tuesday on NE 23. It was among restaurants that recently have been a part of programs through the Alliance for Economic Development of OKC.

Williams said other entrepreneurs and small business owners should take the time to look into the alliance's programs and fill out the applications.

"You could always use help. The person who knows everything, they don't know everything," Williams said. "For us, it was just an opportunity to get help. We knew we needed it, and we were able to come out with some great ideas. But I would just say, it's always good to get assistance, to get help if somebody's offering it, because it's hard for small businesses out here."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Local nonprofit has remaining ARPA funding for OKC food businesses
'Hiking in 40C is not much fun', said one travel agent - iStockphoto

For decades, the prospect of hiking along winding, thyme-scented trails on sun-baked Mediterranean islands has lured Britons and others from Europes frigid north.

But rising temperatures caused by global warming mean swathes of southern Europe are effectively becoming off-limits for walkers in the hottest months of the summer, experts say.

The dangers posed by extreme temperatures have been vividly illustrated this month with the deaths of several hikers, most of them in Greece.

Age appeared to be a significant factor  most were in their sixties and seventies.

Many adventure travel companies are no longer offering hiking holidays in Spain, Portugal and Greece in July and August because of the danger posed by high temperatures, particularly to elderly people.

Travel firms are having to adapt to rapidly changing climatic conditions, offering more trips in the spring and autumn and pivoting to cooler destinations in the north like Scotland and Scandinavia.

A tourist is helped away from the Acropolis in extreme heat in June - Petros Giannakouris/AP

Weve made some significant changes to our hiking offerings in southern Europe. Weve stopped offering hikes in July and August in Portugal, Spain and Greece.

It has happened over the last couple of years and it is linked to the rising temperatures. The heat presented a danger, said Hazel McGuire, general manager for Europe at Intrepid Travel.

Scientific studies consistently show that adults older than 65 years, people with cardiopulmonary and other chronic diseases, and very young children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat, The Lancet, a British medical journal, noted in a recent report.

Michael Mosley

The most high-profile case was that of Michael Mosley, the 67-year-old British doctor and health journalist who was known to millions of television viewers for his documentaries.

He died after going for a walk by himself on the island of Symi in the Aegean in temperatures that reached 38C (100F)  and his was just one of several deaths.

On Friday, a 70-year-old British man was found dead in the Spanish Pyrenees, four days after he set off on a hike.

A 74-year-old Dutch hiker was found dead on the island of Samos and earlier this week a 67-year-old German walker died while hiking near Tripiti Gorge on the rugged south coast of Crete. He had contacted his wife to say he was lost and had run out of water.

A 55-year-old American tourist died on the tiny island of Mathraki near Corfu. Another American, Albert Calibet, a 59-year-old retired policeman, went missing on a hike on the Aegean island of Amorgos and has yet to be found.

Mr Calibet had set off on a well-marked path from the north of the island to a small port called Katapola. He knew the island well and was an experienced hiker, making his disappearance something of a mystery.

He may have chosen to take a tougher route, and perhaps overestimated his capabilities. The heat has been intense, said Calliope Despotidi, the deputy mayor of Amorgos.

Constantina Dimoglidou, a spokeswoman for Greek police, said that hikers running into trouble is not new  it happens every year. But this year, it seems more people became disoriented during the heatwave.

Athens tops 43C

Greece registered its earliest recorded heatwave last week, forcing the closure of the Acropolis and some schools as the temperature rose to 43C (109F) in Athens. It is on track to be the warmest June ever recorded in Greece.

Hiking in places like Greece in the hottest months is simply no longer advisable, experts warn.

Intrepid Travel, which offers tours to destinations around the world, from Europe to Africa and the Himalaya, registered 121 more climate-related incidents affecting its clients last year than in 2022, including extreme heat, floods and wildfires.

Climate change is having a meaningful impact on itineraries. Were seeing a trend towards Scandinavia and cooler climates further north in Europe, said Ms McGuire.

Shoulder season

Intrepid saw a 61 per cent increase last year in shoulder season bookings  the period between the peak and off-peak  in western Europe and a 29 per cent increase to southern Europe.

The company has added more holiday packages during this time to destinations such as Italy, Spain, France and Portugal so that customers can take advantage of cooler weather.

Customers want to travel more in the spring and autumn and some of that is heat related, said Ms McGuire.

Scorching heat is becoming more of an issue in Europe because temperatures on the continent are rising at roughly twice the global average rate, according to the World Meteorological Organisation and the EUs climate agency, Copernicus.

The Red Cross search for Michael Mosley on the island of Symi - Jeff Gilbert for The Telegraph

In Europe, deaths linked to hot weather have risen by a third over the past 20 years.

Greece has set up a heat-related health warning system called Heat-Alarm. Launching it last year, scientists said that the eastern Mediterranean is facing an increased occurrence of intense and long-lasting heat waves. Future climate projections indicate that such extremes will be the norm for eastern Mediterranean countries in the course of the 21st century.

Older people more susceptible

Older people store heat in their bodies more than young people and as a result are more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, said Christos Giannaros, one of the scientists who leads the project.

Travel patterns in Europe are dramatically shifting, said Ginny Lunn, the owner of hiking travel company WalkingWomen.

Our busiest time is now April, before it gets too hot in places like Greece and southern Spain, and then the end of September, October and November. Were now going to southern Spain in December  you still get wonderful blue skies.

In the summer we are going north, to Norway, which has become very, very popular, and Scotland. These are now our biggest destinations for summer hiking. The heat is arriving earlier. You just have to rethink how you plan your holiday.

Most of WalkingWomens clients are over 50 and they need to be particularly aware of the dangers posed by the heat.

We advise clients to carry two litres of water, to wear a hat, to choose shady routes by water if possible. We use local guides who are highly experienced so they can adapt to changing weather conditions, said Ms Lunn.

School holidays

While empty nesters and retirees can avoid July and August and instead opt to go on holiday in the spring or autumn, families with school-age children are bound to the school holidays.

For them, the advice is to change destination  to avoid the most torrid parts of southern Europe in high summer and opt for cooler places. Last year, research by InsureandGo, a travel insurance company, found that 71 per cent of Britons believe that holiday destinations in the Mediterranean, such as Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey, will be too hot to visit within the next five years.

We have always tried to encourage our clients to go off-season but climate has put more emphasis on that. Why go to Lisbon in August when you will suffer in the heat? said Justin Wateridge, managing director of Steppes Travel, a company that arranges luxury holidays around the world, from spotting snow leopards in India to tracking wolves in Italys Apennine mountains.

Its about being savvy

If a client phones up and says they want to climb Mt Toubkal [the highest peak in Morocco] in July, we would suggest they go at another time when it is less hot. Suppliers on the ground are definitely offering more availability during shoulder seasons like spring and autumn. Its about being savvy about destinations.

A report released by the EU last year about the impact of climate change on tourism concluded that coastal regions in northern Europe are projected to register substantial increase in demand during summer and early autumn months whilesouthern coastal regions will strongly lose summer tourist flows.

Tourism demand is projected to increase in the spring and autumn shoulder seasons.

Avoiding the increasingly unbearable heat of southern Europe in the high summer is not just a matter of safety. Hiking when its 40C is not much fun, said Ms McGuire. We have to be mindful of peoples enjoyment.

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More than 14,000 Ukrainian civilians are being held in Russian captivity, Ukraine's Chief Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on June 29.

Among the three categories of Ukrainians held by Russians  children, prisoners of war, and civilians  the return of civilians is "the most complicated," Lubinets said, because Ukraine does not have the option to carry out exchanges and there is no legal process for their return.

His remarks were reported by the Interfax Ukraine news agency.

Lubinets also noted that Ukraine continues to work on the return of 20,000 children and "tens of thousands" of Ukrainians who are considered missing.

Lubinets was commenting on the recent return of 10 civilians held in Russian captivity, including a Crimean Tatar activist and two priests of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

He also noted that this was the first instance in which the Vatican partipated in efforts to return adult Ukrainians held in captivity. Previously, the Vatican had only assisted in efforts to return Ukrainian children.

"Until now, they (the Vatican) had helped us with the return of Ukrainian children. We are in direct communication with them. I hope this return will be a new beginning... Perhaps a new channel of communication has finally opened," Lubinets said.

The release was part of a prisoner exchange that began on June 25, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported. On June 25, 90 Ukrainian soldiers were brought back from Russian captivity.

As of June 28, 3,310 Ukrainians have been freed from Russian captivity.

Kyiv aims to conduct an all-for-all prisoner exchange, which was one of the subjects at Ukraine's peace summit in Switzerland in mid-June.

Read also: You stay because youre needed. Foreigners volunteering in wartime Ukraine (Photos)

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
President Joe Biden is running against a man with 34 felony convictions, two impeachments and a historically bungled attempt to manage a pandemic. Even worse, former President Donald Trump is the only president to ever refuse to accept the results of an election if he lost, a petulant and politically perilous practice in which Trump has indulged since before he became president.

An observer might be forgiven for assuming that, as former Trump lawyer Alan Dershowitz told Salon in 2019, the American people would never stand for a president who behaves like Trump. Instead, prior to the first Trump-Biden debate, the current president trailed behind in poll after poll after poll. Even the most optimistic projections gave Biden at best a 50/50 shot of winning  and that was before a debate in which he mumbled, meandered and stared slacked-jawed and vacantly into space. As an 81-year-old man who is by far America's oldest president, Biden had an obligation to dispel concerns about his age. Instead he proved that he either genuinely is too old to be president or was inexcusably incompetent in his preparation.

Given the self-evident disaster that will ensue for democracy if Trump is reelected (as well as the planet, once you factor in Trump's denial of climate change), it still behooves Trump's opponents to do whatever it takes to make sure he loses in November. For that to occur, however, one of two things must happen: Either Biden needs to slay the pride in his soul that chooses self-glorification over patriotism, or Americans need to overcome the ageism that makes so many of them recoil at Biden's obvious advancing years. Neither appears likely to happen  and to understand what ails American politics today, it is useful to examine why.

The former problem  Biden's stubborn insistence on seeking another term despite his weaknesses as a candidate  is part of a troubling pattern. The contours of recent American history are being shaped by the egos that drive powerful leaders to refuse to retire when their time has come. Look at Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, to take a handful of the most conspicuous examples. Our courts are much more conservative, and women's reproductive rights are significantly more restricted, as a result of those politicians' unwillingness to relinquish power. While humans have always been a power-hungry species, the craving has become demonstrably more insatiable in recent years... especially when it comes to presidential politics.

No incumbent president has refused to seek another term in more than half a century since Lyndon Johnson humbly stepped aside in 1968 after his poor showing in the primaries exposed his weaknesses as a candidate. Later Jimmy Carter sought a second term in 1980, despite clear indicators he would lose, and George H. W. Bush made the same choice in 1992. Prior to then, however, it was not uncommon for incumbents who were exhausted, unpopular or both to simply refrain from seeking another term. This list includes John Tyler in 1844, James Polk in 1848, James Buchanan in 1860, Andrew Johnson in 1868, Rutherford Hayes in 1880, Theodore Roosevelt in 1904, Calvin Coolidge in 1928, Harry Truman in 1952 and Johnson in 1968. All decided for various reasons to not seek another term despite being technically eligible candidates (i.e., they would not have broken the two-term precedent by running again, and the ones before Roosevelt would not have exceeded a total of eight years in office if they had won). Only three incumbents in American history have ever sought their party's renomination and been outright rebuffed: Millard Fillmore in 1852 and Franklin Pierce in 1856 (both elections shortly before the Civil War), and Chester Arthur in 1884 (who was almost renominated despite struggling with a fatal illness, Bright's disease). By contrast, eleven incumbent presidents have sought reelection and lost, more than one-third of them in the last half-century: John Adams in 1800, John Q. Adams in 1828, Martin Van Buren in 1840, Grover Cleveland in 1888, Benjamin Harrison in 1892, William Taft in 1912, Herbert Hoover in 1932, Gerald Ford in 1976, Carter in 1980, Bush in 1992 and Trump in 2020.

This pattern of presidential selfishness even extends to impeachments. Of the two presidents to be impeached in modern history (three if you count Richard Nixon, who would have been impeached had he not resigned first), only one (Nixon) resigned in order to spare America the ordeal of a prolonged trial. The next two presidents to be impeached, Bill Clinton and Trump, stayed in office regardless of the consequences for America. America even had a Supreme Court judge, Abe Fortas, resign because of a financial scandal rather than allow it to impugn the reputation of the court, a concern that does not seem to beset today's allegedly corrupt judges Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

Why? What has changed since the 1970s?

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

The answer is semi-psychological. While it is difficult for people who toil at miserable jobs to appreciate, individuals who sincerely enjoy their work do not want to quit for a simple reason: their specific employment is pleasurable to them. In an April article from Fortune, journalist Alicia Adamczyk profiled baby boomers who refuse to leave their jobs because they enjoy working and fear the sense of purposelessness and boredom that often accompanies retirement. A recent Pew poll found the number of Americans who choose to work past the age of 65 has quadrupled since the 1980s. While there is an important caveat to this research  it applies only to Baby Boomers even though some modern politicians (like Biden and McConnell) are actually older than Boomers  it nevertheless sheds light on one reason why Biden won't step aside from seeking a second term when so many of his predecessors did so. He likes the job of president and does not want to give it up.

"Yes, those in positions of power generally (but not always) want to stay in power," said Dr. S. Jay Olshansky, a sociologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago who specializes in demographics and gerontology. "President George Washington did not follow this apparent rule  he intentionally gave up power for the good of the country. The question about power does not just apply to political power  it can apply to any position, and it's more about being important, and needed, and valued, than it is about power. As such, this is a reason many people don't want to retire."

Olshansky added, "As long as they can do their job and do it well, and most important of all, they enjoy what they do, they don't want to give it up. Have you ever heard of PIPs? Previously Important People  these are folks that often regret retiring because they lose their personal value post retirement, which is often defined by one's job or position. Some enjoy being a PIP."

There is more to this than psychology, however. Just as Washington famously warned that a demagogue might refuse to relinquish power after losing an election (which did not happen until Trump lost to Biden in 2020), so too did the founding fathers in general worry about politicians choosing to act like royalty. They specifically worried that politicians would view their vocation as a long-term career and ultimately lose touch with the people they are meant to serve.

"George Washington set an important precedent for the nation by retiring after two terms so that he wouldn't die in office like a king," Dr. Jonathan W. White, a professor of American studies at Christopher Newport University, told Salon. "Other founding documents also capture a sense of hostility toward what we would today call career politicians. In the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), for example, George Mason wrote that political leaders should 'be reduced to a private station, [and] return into that body from which they were originally taken' so that they can feel 'the burthens of the people' and be 'restrained from oppression.' In other words, Founders like Mason worried that career politicians would lose touch with what it was like to be an ordinary citizen, so they wanted politicians to have to leave office at fixed times."

White added, "The Anti-Federalists feared that politicians would lose touch with the people."

It is not always a bad thing for politicians to stay in office past the point when their health would seem to make doing so advisable. Harold Holzer, the Jonathan F. Fanton Director of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, brought up Franklin Roosevelt's unprecedented (and to this day solitary) fourth presidential campaign in 1944. In that year, Roosevelt sought an additional term even though he knew that he had high blood pressure and came from a long line of men who died early from strokes.

"As an example of people staying perhaps too longbut all for the good: FDR ran for a fourth White House term in 1944 when he knew, or should have known, he could never survive the entire term," Holzer said. "He picked a good vice president [Harry Truman]. And he believed only he could bring the war to a successful conclusion. I think he was right, even though he was a very old 62."

By contrast to non-elderly presidents struggling with serious health maladies  another famous example is Woodrow Wilson, who clung to power for the last year-and-a-half of his second term despite having suffered an incapacitating stroke  there are also political leaders who can serve but are wrongly disparaged due to ageism.

"Ageism is rearing its ugly head as news stories appear repeatedly with stereotypes of politicians acting in ways that the writers view as associated with decrepitude and decline," Olshansky said. "Most younger people have yet to experience the importance of wisdom that comes with the passage of time, and they may use stereotypes of older people to define everyone that reaches older ages. Many of the most valued members of our society are those that have developed the wisdom and experience that comes with the passage of time."

Olshansky also told Salon that, when he speaks to young students in their early 20s, they almost all say there is nothing desirable about growing older. These prejudices no doubt fuel the perception among many that Biden is simply too old for the job.

"The reason they give is that they associate growing older only with loss, decline, decay, and decrepitude," Olshansky said. "They can't see the many advantages of age because they haven't experienced it yet. If you ask older individuals if they would like to go back in time to their early years, most say they wouldn't mind occupying their younger bodies, but the thought of being insecure, with little life experience, emotional insecurities, an unsettled love life, no job, little or no money, etc. etc., is very unappealing. Older individuals should be thought of as one of society's most precious resources that should be nurtured and valued, not discarded. Younger people should aspire to get there healthy rather than fearing extended survival."

While Olshansky's observations are valid, they do not cancel out the practical concerns about Biden's candidacy. Even if Americans are being prejudiced rather than rational in deeming Biden too old to serve, a strong case can be made that one does not try to force millions to abandon their prejudices  however unfair  when the consequence of them failing to do so is the rise of fascism.

Scores of Democratic pundits are making the case that Biden should drop out. In my opinion, Joe Biden should do what Woodrow Wilson should have done in 1919: Resign. His vice president, Kamala Harris, will automatically become his heir apparent (thus sparing the Democrats a potentially volatile succession scramble). If Americans react to Thursday's debate by simply breaking down the logistics of replacing Biden, however, they will miss a much more important observation.

Long after the 2024 election is part of the history books, America will still face leaders who refuse to retire even when doing so is in the best interest of their nation. If we want to avoid more scenarios like the Trump-Biden debate, we must acknowledge the toxic aspects of our collective psyche that got us there in the first place.
One dead and five injured in shooting at wedding in France

Police officers inspect the site of a shooting that occurred overnight during a wedding party. A person was killed and four others wounded during the shooting. Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/AFP/dpa

A shooting at a wedding celebration in France resulted in one fatality and five injuries in the early hours of Sunday, French prosecutors said.

One young man was killed and five other victims were injured, three of them critically, they said.

There were also two minor injuries caused by flying shards of glass, including a pregnant woman who also suffered a shock, the local newspaper Le Republicain Lorrain reported.

When the emergency services arrived, the shooters had already fled.

Around 100 people were celebrating in a banquet hall in the town of Thionville in the region of Lorraine near the German and Luxembourg borders when three masked attackers opened fire with two assault rifles and a shotgun, the prosecutors said.

The shooters arrived in an off-road vehicle at around 1 am on Sunday (2300 GMT Saturday) and initially shot at three people outside the ballroom, where members of the Turkish community were celebrating a wedding, according to media reports.

They then reportedly fired at two people at the entrance and fled in their vehicle.

The public prosecutor's office said that an investigation has been opened, and the motives for the shooting remain unknown.

The suspects face charges of gang-related murder and attempted gang-related murder.
A breeze stirred flags of varying colors, carrying music across the span of Scissortail park as crowds meandered in and out of various tents Saturday morning.

People dressed in colorful garb, with painted faces, carrying fans to help stave off the brutal summer heat laughed as they strolled with their friends and family.

Tara Samarrita poses for a photo at PrideFest on the grounds of Scissortail Park in downtown Oklahoma City Saturday, June 29, 2024.

Among those in attendance at the early festivities during Saturday's PrideFest events were fitness fans and families, couples and friend groups all coming together to celebrate.

"With Pride, you get to celebrate being who you are [] you just get to be authentically yourself. Being here you get to show other people who might not have that courage that eventually, youll be able to come and join the rest of us, said Brandon Myers.

Brandon Myers at PrideFest on the grounds of Scissortail Park in downtown Oklahoma City Saturday, June 29, 2024.

You get to show other people who dont have that support system that eventually you will be able to have that support system because a lot of us queer people, we have a lot of chosen family and thats also just as important. Thats what all of this is, is chosen family. Were all just one giant family.

The cross-generational appeal of PrideFest was evident with attendees ranging from children to the elderly. Having so many people gathered together with shared lived experiences was uplifting for friends Kali Richards, Emmaline Metoyer and Heather Rosburg, who were attending the festival together.

"It's just welcoming. I feel safe. Especially in Oklahoma, it's like, 'Oh, okay, I'm welcomed. I'm not just barred from everything,'" Richards said.

Metoyer said the unity that comes from events like Pride offers a chance for people to realize that members of the LGBTQ+ community are their neighbors, and as such, are just everyday people like them.

"It's good that it's local because it reminds everyone that the LGBT and the allies are your neighbors. You see familiar faces. You're like, 'Oh, I've seen them at this store before. I know them from high school,' and you're like, 'Oh, all of us are just here,'" said Metoyer. "We're either out or we're allies and we're all just here."

Kali Richards, Emmaline Metoyer and Heather Rosburg pose for a portrait at PrideFest on the grounds of Scissortail Park in downtown Oklahoma City Saturday, June 29, 2024.

Attempts at government shaming, silencing won't slow the community

The theme for PrideFest this year was "Queer Justice: Colors of Change" and it marked the festival's fourth time being held downtown.

The last several years have been tumultuous in Oklahoma and nationally with legislature, rhetoric and even crimes targeting LGBTQ+ people on the rise, with drag queens and transgender individuals being particularly singled out.

More: Oklahoma bills target drag shows, part of a nationwide GOP trend

"There's no face to your identity. Just because Emmaline's lesbian or I'm bisexual, there's not a look to that," Rosburg said. "Pride reminds us that there are a lot of us around, even though things like policies and the political climate of our state and our nation kind of tries to erase that or make it into something it's not.

"We are all just people. Especially because I work as a case manager, I think it's important for a lot of my clients to have safe spaces like this."

Brandon Myers said the path to change may be messy and hard fought but LGBTQ+ people and their allies have to be steadfast and continue their efforts at progress and making change for everyone.

With how messy our government can be sometimes with all of this crazy stuff that they want to put on us, us as people, we know what we want and if we stick together we can achieve that, he said. As long as we keep our heads above the clouds and we can stay together and we can keep moving forward, well eventually get to the part where our governments just going to have to give in. Theyre going to eventually, its just a matter of time. Weve just got to stay strong.

More: Anti-trans legislation creates more recognition, support for trans Oklahomans

Parents will continue to support, fight for their children

For the parents of LGBTQ+ children and LGBTQ+ parents raising children, PrideFest simply comes down to a matter of support, acceptance and visibility.

"It's important because it's celebrating equality for everyone," said Jessica Doty. "I have a transgender daughter, and we're all out here supporting her. Grandparents, aunts, mom and dad, all out here to show support for our new daughter."

Jessica Doty, right, and daughter Jessie, 19, pose for a portrait at PrideFest on the grounds of Scissortail Park in downtown Oklahoma City Saturday, June 29, 2024.

Doty's daughter is 19, but festival organizers took into consideration families with children of all ages and featured a special area sponsored by the OKC Zoo with activities, games and more.

More: Oklahoma providers, advocates worry as gender-affirming care ban set to take effect

LGBTQ+ people and their allies have faced attacks from opponents, including suggestions that they are indoctrinating or "grooming" children.

More: Does a senator's 'filth' statement reflect Oklahoma? The impacts of rhetoric on state's LGBTQ+ community

For parents like Elly Simon, who attended PrideFest with her stepdaughters, Marley, 11 and Blakely, who is "almost 9," she and her wife are simply raising their children in a loving household like they would hope all parents do. Events like PrideFest allow them to speak openly with their children about how some families look differently, but that doesn't make them wrong.

Elly Simon with stepdaughters Marley, 11, left, and Blakely, "almost 9" pose for a portrait at PrideFest on the grounds of Scissortail Park in downtown Oklahoma City Saturday, June 29, 2024.

"It's really important that we're able to come out here and show them that we're not afraid to be who we are and that who we are is not anything to be ashamed of," Simon said. "Despite what the state says, despite legislation, we're still going to be who we are, we're still going to raise our family, and they are still safe to be who they are in our home."

Amber Myers, who attended the festival with her children, said she believes a parent's support can change the trajectory of a child's life and when biological parents support their kids it improves outcomes for the entire family and sends a positive message to others.

Allison Osmond, Brandon Myers and Amber Myers pose for a photo at PrideFest on the grounds of Scissortail Park in downtown Oklahoma City Saturday, June 29, 2024.

"I think if you have a gay child and you come out here and you support them and you love them  that means everything to have a supportive parent," Myers said. "It shows other parents that you can have a gay child and it's not the end of the world."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Annual downtown OKC PrideFest offers safe space, family to attendees
WASHINGTON CITY, Utah (ABC4)  A male was shot and killed at an apartment complex in Washington City early Sunday morning, according to Washington City Police.

Shortly before 2 a.m. on June 30, police received reports of shots fired at 20 North Red Trail in Washington City. Officers arrived at the scene and entered an apartment at the complex. Upon entry, police found a male on the floor with gunshot wounds.

LIST: Where to watch fireworks and drone shows in Utah for July 4th

Officers attempted life-saving efforts on the victim until medical personnel arrived and took over. The individual was taken to St. George Regional Hospital, where he was later declared deceased.

The suspect was reportedly seen leaving the scene on security cameras at the apartment complex. Police were able to identify the suspect as a juvenile male.

Officers located the suspect and took him into custody shortly before 7 a.m.

The Washington City Police Department sends heartfelt condolences to the victims family. We also want to thank all those who assisted with this incident and local citizens on the scene, a press release from Washington City Police states.

This case is still under investigation, and no further information will be released at this time. We appreciate Washington City Fire, Gold Cross Ambulance, Metro SWAT Team, and our Consolidated Dispatch Center, who assisted with this incident.

No further information is available at this time.

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.
One person injured after crashing into utility pole in Wellsboro

WELLSBORO, Pa. (WETM)  One person was injured after crashing into a utility pole in Wellsboro on Sunday morning.

According to the Wellsboro Fire Department, a man driving a Chevy pick-up truck crashed into a utility pole on Cherry Flats Road near the roads intersection with New Road at around 10 a.m. on June 30. The utility pole splintered and collapsed after it was hit.

The driver was injured during the crash and was taken to the Trauma Center at UPMC Williamsport by ambulance. Authorities say he was in stable condition. There were no passengers in the truck.

Cherry Flats Road was closed from Welsh Road to U.S. Route 6 (Roosevelt Highway) immediately following the crash, according to 511PA. One lane of traffic was open as of about 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The Pennsylvania State Police Department is investigating the crash, and Frontier Utilities is working at the scene.

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.
CHESAPEAKE  A globe of the world before Russia became a country. An American flag with 48 stars. An oil lamp, three wooden pencils and a hand bell. A beloved pillar-like potbelly stove anchoring the center of the room. A signature from Kathryn penned in 1933 in a book nestled under an antique wooden school desk.

About 80 years ago, those were a few items students of the Cornland School  once called the Benefit Colored School  would see in a historic one-room schoolhouse built at the turn of the 20th century to educate young African American students in Norfolk County during the Jim Crow era of mandated segregation.

On Saturday, some returned to those days in grade school. Alumni, local and state elected leaders, community members and dozens of others met near the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in the historic village to celebrate the revitalization of the Cornland School, now a museum anchoring a historic reminder of African Americans struggle for education in the form of a rustic, humble one-room school house built in 1902.

The inside shows a historically accurate snapshot of where hundreds of Black students across nearly 50 years had one teacher from grades 1 through 7. In addition to the relics, the schoolhouse now features educational plaques detailing life at the time with an interactive display of oral testimonies from alumni. Outside stands a May Pole donned with colorful ribbons.

At Saturdays event, alumni were reminded of a special field day called May Day as they circled the May pole at a gingerly pace, smiling widely and adding a few leg kicks and ribbon twirls. Meanwhile, inside, a hand bell that once signaled the start of the school day reverberated as handfuls of eager learners stepped into the 40 x 20 one-room building for a guided tour.

Its one landmark at the center of the ongoing Historic Village at Dismal Swamp project  thats been in the works for more than a decade. For alumni, its about history, recognizing how far theyve come and realizing theres work to be done.

Its not just a building, said Wanza Snead, 79. This is a memory of (looking) at where you were then and where you are now. Weve got so much to be thankful for.

Snead and her husband, Randolph, were crucial in getting the project completed.

The school is a symbol of resilience and perseverance in African Americans pursuit of education at a time when odds were stacked against them. Alumni recall walking as many as 8 miles to and from school, even as white students and bus drivers passed, taunting and harassing the Black students who didnt have the same transportation privilege.

Its the only place that I had to come to get an education, said Clentoria Johnson Bridgers, who attended the school throughout the 1940s.

While the schoolhouse harbored an overwhelming sense of community, it was also one of necessity. Students had to make do with tattered hand-me-downs from white schools, no electricity, no running water and no sewage. Big pots of beans or stew were cheap, but hot meals werent frequent. One students family member lit a fire in the potbelly stove that became a beloved fixture in the schoolhouse as it provided the only source of warmth.

Even so, teachers still managed to honor special requests such as no onions for students when making stew for a hot lunch. They taught how to cook and how to embroider and craft. Older students helped by tending to the younger children. They managed to get homework done despite the list of chores many had when they returned home.

One room, a whole lot of love, said alumna Pauline Nixon Sykes Smith, 89. About Saturdays event, she said, Its almost like we were back at school and this is recess.

The schoolhouse was moved from its perch on Benefit Road to the Dismal Swamp as part of the restoration project. Del. Cliff Hayes, who represents Chesapeake and served two terms on City Council, said the Cornland Schools location along the citys African American Heritage Trail now is reminiscent of where slaves would forge paths to freedom. The dense forests of the Great Dismal Swamp and the ideal transit route provided refuge for freedom seekers.

Council member Ella Ward has spent more than a decade spearheading the project in what she deems a labor of love. She engaged with around two dozen alumni and raised funds for the endeavor with the help of city staff and elected officials, residents, alumni, historians and the Cornland School Foundation.

Ward, a former teacher, administrator and vice principal in Portsmouth whos served on the Chesapeake School Board and Virginia Board of Education, said Cornland Schools story is one piece of history not told in textbooks.

It means so much to me because I lived through some of the same things that these alumni have gone through, Ward said, adding she attended a slightly bigger, but still humble, schoolhouse in what was formerly known as Nansemond County.

It shows that nothing is impossible as a union, said Sneads daughter, Oula Niece Saunders. You dont know where youre going until you know where youve been.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Cloud Computing Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) stands against the other cloud computing stocks. You can also check out the 10 Best Artificial Intelligence Stocks to Buy Under $10 here.

Cloud computing has changed the way we access and manage computing resources. The industry is poised for significant growth in the coming years. Market estimates suggest a jump from a size of $0.68 trillion in 2024 to a projected $1.44 trillion by 2029, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.4%. This upward trend is expected to continue, with the market reaching a value of almost $2.5 trillion by 2032. These figures point towards a rising adoption and utilization of cloud solutions across various industries.

The growth in the industry is likely to be driven by a number of factors. One key factor is the growing recognition among large enterprises of the impact that cloud computing can have on their operations. In fact, an impressive 94% of companies across the globe have already adopted cloud computing solutions. This high rate of adoption is expected to have a remarkable economic impact, with forecasts showing that it could generate approximately $3 trillion in revenue by the year 2030.

Currently, North America and Europe are leading the way in cloud computing adoption, with Asia Pacific not far behind. North America holds the largest share of the global market at 41%. The region's early adoption of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has played a key role in driving its cloud market growth.

Even with stricter regulations around data privacy and security, the European markets are also displaying consistent growth in cloud adoption. Countries like Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, and Denmark are leading the way in cloud adoption within specific industries. This suggests that European businesses are increasingly recognizing the value of cloud solutions while navigating a regulatory landscape that prioritizes data protection.

The Asia Pacific region is also currently experiencing a rise in cloud computing adoption. The market size rose to an estimated $32.5 billion in 2022 and is projected to be a significant contributor to the global cloud computing market in the coming years. This growth can be attributed to a large-scale shift towards digital business models across various industries in the region. The need for cost-effective solutions has fueled cloud adoption among small and medium businesses (SMBs). Approximately 78% of SMBs are currently using cloud services, with 39% of these businesses spending up to $600,000 per year on public cloud services.

Story continues

Our Methodology

To shortlist the best cloud computing stocks to buy now, we relied on Insider Monkeys extensive database of 920 hedge funds as of Q1 2024. We picked the cloud computing stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors. 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 customer service team in an office setting using the company's Customer 360 platform to communicate with customers.

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 154

Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) has established itself as a leading player in cloud computing. As a top provider of both CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software platforms and enterprise collaboration tools, Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) enjoys a prominent position in the modern market.

Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE: CRM) reported a strong first quarter of fiscal year 2024. Revenue reached $8.25 billion, reflecting an 11% year-over-year increase. The company maintained a healthy operating margin of 27.6%. Moreover, the current remaining performance obligation grew 12% year-over-year to $24.1 billion, indicating strong future customer commitments.

Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) stock has an average "Moderate Buy" rating from analysts, based on 40 recommendations in the past 3 months. The average 12-month price target for Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) sits at $297.11, suggesting a potential upside of 17.19% from the current price.

Heres what Harding Loevner said about Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) in its Q1 2024 investor letter:

Leading software companies have the advantage of high switching costs and the ability to incorporate new features into products customers already use. For example, Microsoft has added its Copilot chatbot functionality to everything from search (Bing Chat, recently renamed to just Copilot) to coding (GitHub Copilot) and workplace applications (Copilot for Microsoft 365). Software sold by Microsoft and other companies such as Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM), SAP, and ServiceNow are also already deeply integrated into their customers operations and workflow. As large enterprises search for the right balance, Salesforces Data Cloud, a flagship offering, is designed to address a critical issue for them so they can make better use of AI tools. After a hectic buildout over the last few years of data warehouses and data lakestwo types of repositories for storing and processing dataacross the various business units of large companies, many companies are left with what feels like islands of trapped data. Data Cloud solves this by creating a single platform to access and leverage all of an enterprises data, eliminating the need to constantly duplicate large amounts of information across different platforms. Users are then able to apply generative-AI technology, such as Salesforces Einstein tool, to a more comprehensive dataset, which enables them to better glean customers intentions, personalize marketing messages, and automate the processing of customer-service requests. As users build these systems, Einsteins copiloting functionality helps their programmers work more efficiently so that IT departments with limited budgets and manpower can still develop the necessary tools. Salesforces management projects that revenue and earnings will climb about 9% and 45%, respectively, in fiscal 2025, citing the companys operating leverage and cost discipline. We think these figures are achievable given the renewed focus on profitable growth, and so we added to the stock during the quarter.

At the end of Q1 2024, 154 hedge funds reported owning a stake in Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM), making it one of the best cloud computing stocks to buy now.

Overall CRM ranks 4th on our list of the best cloud computing stocks to buy. You can visit 10 Best Cloud Computing Stocks to Buy Now to see the other cloud computing stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of CRM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CRM 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 at Insider Monkey.
There is one thing Tate Reeves and President Biden agree on. But are they right or wrong?

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves and Democratic President Joe Biden, routinely political opposites, finally agree on something: the Mississippi economy is thriving.

On a recent July day when Reeves proclaimed that the state economy is firing on all cylinders, the Democratic president also bragged on the Mississippi economy.

Biden, to be more precise, primarily was making the point that the Mississippi economy is much stronger now than when he took office in January 2021.

On the same day that Biden and Reeves both were touting the Mississippi economy for their respective political purposes, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann also sent out a news release related to the state economy.

Hosemann announced the formation of a special committee to look into ways to improve the states dismal workforce participation rate. The percentage of working Mississippians age 16 and up is the lowest in the nation.

Hosemann pointed out that Mississippi labor force participation rate in April was 53.7% compared to the national average of 62.7%. Hosemann and others, including State Economist Corey Miller, have said the low labor force participation rate is a tremendous drag on the Mississippi economy and is one of the primary reasons the state trails the rest of the nation on many economic indicators.

If that is so, how can Reeves and Biden brag on the Mississippi economy?

Well, first of all, they are politicians. It might be surprising to know that many politicians on occasion misstate or misrepresent the facts.

In his news release, Reeves said, Total non-farm employment reached a record high with 1,191,300 jobs.

True, in May 2024, the state did have total non-farm employment of 1,191,300 jobs. But in May 2000, according to other U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the number of Mississippi jobs peaked at 1,243,022.

This gets confusing. There are two ways to count the number of people employed. Under one method, Mississippi has set recent records in number of employees. But under the other method of counting jobs, May 2000 still remains the high watermark for number of employees in the state.

Importantly, there were fewer Mississippians in 2000, meaning fewer eligible workers, than in 2024. Common sense would suggest that employment increases nearly every month as the population grows as it does in most cases, albeit slowly in Mississippi.

The bottom line is that Mississippi added 16,600 jobs from May 2022 to May 2023, or a 1.4% increase. That placed Mississippi among the bottom eight states in terms of jobs growth. And then from May 2023 through May 2024, Mississippi had jobs growth of 1.2%  again near the bottom in terms of adding jobs year over year.

It is true, as the governor boasted in his news release, that Mississippi currently is seeing record low unemployment of 2.8% and a record low number of people  34,605  were unemployed and looking for work.

But as the low labor force participation rate reveals, there are a lot of Mississippians who are unemployed no longer looking for jobs and thus are not counted in federal data cited by Reeves as being among the unemployed.

As a side note, it should be pointed out a sizable number of the people not working and not looking for jobs in Mississippi are disabled. If those disabled people had health insurance, perhaps they would have received preventative treatment that would have allowed them to continue to work and avoid becoming disabled.

By the way, Mississippi, which has among the nations highest percentage of people with no health insurance, also has one of the nations highest percentage of people who have been classified as disabled.

The states with high uninsured rates are for the most parts states like Mississippi that have not expanded Medicaid to provide health insurance for the working poor. Some of those same states also have dismal workforce participation rates.

Perhaps there is a correlation  and something for the politicians to ponder as they send out news releases.

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.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  This November election will bring a new way for Portland voters to choose city councilors called ranked-choice voting.

But how does it work? And could it delay election results?

Pamplin Media Editor-in-chief Dana Haynes explains in this weeks Give me a Minute.

Watch the full video in the player above.

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.
Almost every school in the U.S. is struggling with an absenteeism epidemic that was brought on by the pandemic, but is continuing for reasons that are often beyond a districts control.

For any district, its difficult keeping students engaged all school year. However, when those students are spread out in 48 schools across an area the size of West Virginia, the challenge of ensuring continuity of learning feels even more overwhelming.

During the 2021-22 school year, half of the students in my district, Alaskas Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District were chronically absent, requiring educators to jump into action so students could remain connected and on track to a successful future. By thinking creatively and merging policy changes with innovative ed tech solutions, educators can confidently help every student succeed, no matter where and how they learn.

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First, we realized we had to stop the blame game and keep an open mind. The reasons behind attendance problems are as diverse as the students the district serves, and because of its location, Mat-Su has its own, unique issues. For instance, Alaskas vast geography means that student athletes may be away at games three or four days out of the school week, and families often travel, hunt or camp for a week or two at a time. In addition, transportation constraints are an ongoing problem, as are inclement conditions ranging from snowstorms to earthquakes.

Until the pandemic, the district operated with the same attendance policy that had been on the books since the 1990s: Students with 10 unexcused absences a semester were immediately unenrolled. This essentially closed the doors on the young people who needed support the most  those with learning difficulties, instability at home and social, emotional and mental health concerns.

Today, online learning platforms offer the district a holistic view of each students grades, behavior and attendance, allowing school staff to easily identify red flags in attendance and use the data to prompt discussions with families and caregivers. Building these relationships has allowed the district to analyze the root causes of absenteeism and intervene with personalized solutions attuned to each students needs.

Whether connecting families to wraparound resources that address mental health, transportation or trauma-related issues or working with staff and teachers to create a hybrid environment that allows students to learn both virtually and in person, the district strives to prevent a few absences from evolving into a chronic problem. We also no longer unenroll a student after 10 absences, but instead bring the family and stakeholders together to coordinate care in the event of a crisis.

Second, in its mission to ensure no student falls through the cracks, the district has taken a collaborative approach, developed by teachers, support staff and administrators, to clearly define learning standards and construct relationship-centered educational environments. This brings everyone together so were all on the same page.

Since the pandemic, the district has shifted away from the Carnegie Unit, which conflates time and learning, toward a more personalized, adaptive and mastery-based, standards-based system. While credits and grades are still identifiers of student progress, theyre no longer the primary criteria for evaluation. Educators have established standards in all subjects to ensure students mastery of knowledge and skills before they can progress to the next lesson. Through a combination of one-on-one instruction and virtual learning, teachers can help students revisit and hit learning targets they may have missed. As technology evolves, educators are working in sync to provide students with the academic support they need.

In addition, every high school student is enrolled in the districts 4Cs program, which helps support their Credit, Career, College and Community Goals. Students are assigned an adult mentor who works with their teachers, counselors and families to help foster their success and growth. They also participate in weekly goal-setting and spend class each week working on reading, writing and mathematical skills. Because connectedness is a driver of regular school attendance, these relationships have been critical in engaging students in their schools.

Third, the district is integrating ed tech to align education with how and where a student learns best and to make sure that those learning from home because of transportation issues, illness or injury will receive the same enriching experiences as their peers in the classroom.

All 19,000 students in pre-K through 12th grade receive Chromebooks loaded with educational tools that build on what theyre learning during the school day. In addition, the district has helped close learning gaps through guided online tutorials and the Academy of Blended Learning Education program, which assists with credit recovery for juniors and seniors. Taking full advantage of technology has been especially beneficial for rural schools that often have a smaller staff, fewer courses and higher absenteeism than their suburban and urban counterparts closer to the Anchorage metropolitan area.

Watching chronic absenteeism rates soar across the U.S. is incredibly disheartening for educators who want nothing more than to see students thrive. Until theres a miracle solution that fixes every transportation issue, controls the weather and cures all illnesses, students will always be absent. Its up to districts to move from penalizing students for missing school for reasons beyond their control to mitigating the impact of chronic absenteeism on their academic success.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Oregon State Universitys Big Fish Lab is giving a grand finale presentation of its educational Summer of the Shark series  which includes an in-person shark dissection  at McMenamins Bagdad Theater and Pub in Southeast Portland on July 23.

The event includes lectures on the types of sharks found on Oregons Coast, the lives of mother sharks and the risk of shark attacks. The event also includes trivia, discussions with local shark experts, and, once again, a shark dissection performed live.

Dont miss out on this incredible opportunity to meet Oregons shark scientists and learn about the important work they do, Mcmenamins announced. And well be projecting the dissection onto the theater screen, so you dont miss out on any of the details. And just in case youre wondering, dont worry: the shark died of natural causes.

What are the chances of a shark attack on the Oregon Coast?

Doors open for the event at 6 p.m. and the show will run from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets for the event are $12 for adults and $8 kids 17 and younger.

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.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has adopted a resolution recognizing Russia's actions in Ukraine as genocide against its people, a member of Kyiv's delegation said on June 30.

In a post on Telegram, Pavlo Frolov said the document also "defines the decolonization of the Russian Federation as a necessary prerequisite for establishing a lasting peace."

The OSCE has 57 members including Ukraine and Russia. The Parliamentary Assembly is the body tasked with "facilitating inter-parliamentary dialogue."

Its resolutions are not legally-binding.

According to Frolov, the latest resolution calls on participating members to "make efforts for the de-occupation of Crimea and all occupied territories of Ukraine" and create a special tribunal to "hold the Russian Federation accountable for crimes committed during the aggressive war against Ukraine."

It also calls for "an international and national investigation into mass atrocities, murders, torture, and rape by the Russian army."

The genocidal intent of Russia's aggression toward Ukraine has manifested in war crimes and indiscriminate violence directed at Ukrainian civilians, but also in the denial and distortion of history, attempts to erase Ukrainian culture, and the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children.

Since the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the parliaments of nine countries, including Ukraine, have recognized acts committed by Russian invading forces as genocide.

Several top Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, and chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, Valery Gerasimov, have been issued arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for their roles in alleged crimes committed against Ukraine.

Read also: Danylo Mokryk: Say the word genocide

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Russians hold around 14,000 civilian Ukrainians in captivity, and it is extremely difficult to bring them back, unlike the soldiers or children.

Source: Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada (Parliamentary) Commissioner for Human Rights, writes Interfax-Ukraine news agency

Details: The Ombudsman explained that in the case of civilian Ukrainians, no exchanges are conducted, only returns.

Quote: "We cannot change them, we have no additional influence on the Russian Federation. We do not even have a legal framework on the basis of which we can carry out this process," said Dmytro Lubinets.

At the same time, Ukraine, according to the Commissioner, is currently attempting to bring back nearly 20,000 children and "tens of thousands" of Ukrainians who are considered missing.

On 28 June, Ukraine liberated 10 civilians from Russian captivity. The list of those released included Nariman Dzhelyal, who was captured in Crimea in 2021, and priests of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, who were captured in Berdiansk for resisting the Russians.

According to the Ombudsman, this was the Vatican's first involvement in the campaign aiming to bring back adult Ukrainian civilians. Previously, the Holy See was only focused on assisting children.

"Until now, they (the Vatican  ed.) have assisted us with bringing back Ukrainian children. We are in direct connection with them. I hope this return will mark a new beginning...

Perhaps we finally opened a new channel of contact, and the [opportunity of] bringing back civilian citizens of Ukraine", said Dmytro Lubinets.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man and woman were injured after a shooting Saturday night, police say.

At 9:33 p.m., officers responded to a shooting in the 800 block of Hamilton.

Man shot in parking lot during attempted robbery

One male was taken to Regional One Hospital in critical condition and a woman was taken there in non-critical condition.

Police say there is no suspect information at this time, but this is an ongoing investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  As crime continues to plague neighborhoods across the city of Memphis, one Parkway Village business owner says hes not giving up on his community.

The Superior Shop on South Perkins has been a shopping center staple for more than 10 years.

MPD: Man found asleep in car stolen from Oak Court Mall

The owner, T. Ginem, said his high-end boutique is his second home. Thats why just outside his doors, he hosted a Stop the Violence event for the youth on Saturday.

I can benefit the next person as much as they can benefit from me, Ginem said. So, the idea is why not bring everything together and give back as much as we can? At the end of the day, the customers are our neighbors.

Stop the Violence event hosted in Parkway Village.

Stop the Violence event hosted in Parkway Village.

Stop the Violence event hosted in Parkway Village.

Stop the Violence event hosted in Parkway Village.

This event comes as crime continues to rise across the city, especially among the youth.

Theres a lot of violence going on right in the streets, Ginem said. So, the only thing to do right now is just try to bring everyone together.

2 teens, 1 adult arrested after crime spree involving multiple carjackings

However, Ginem wasnt alone in his efforts to achieve unity in his community.

He partnered with Ride of Tears, an organization whose goal is to raise awareness about gun violence among children.

When you see Ride of Tears, its because a baby passed away and stuff like that, Ride of Tears founder Mary Trice said. So, we wanted to this time do something positive where its not (about) death, its (about) being alive. Being happy to be alive.

Multiple businesses in the shopping center and other organizations joined in on the mission.

The mission is to try to bring the kids together of the city of Memphis to stop so many crimes, Laticia Lewis with Women on a Mission said.

Billion-dollar plant breaks ground in Mississippi

Its about partnering with these businesses in the community, getting these grassroots non-profit organizations in the city, and creating preventative measures, Positive Reaction CEO Drew McCraven said.

Trice said Saturdays example of community engagement is needed if people want to see a decline in the crime rate.

When you get tired and enough is enough, you want to see your community do better, Trice said. You want better for your community, better for the youth, better for the parents, better for everybody, but it cant get better if were constantly killing and hurting one another. So, when you bring everybody together, its more love.

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.
Julius Lamberts

When a business customers go out of business, it's difficult for that entity to survive. That's the story of Lamberts Poultry and Fish.

In 1930, there were 41 grocery stores in Holland. By 1940, after the Great Depression and World War II, that number had shrunk to 23. It skyrocketed to 55 by 1950, then declined again.

In the early 1940s, Julius Lamberts was a welder at Hart and Cooley. On the side, he raised chickens behind his home at 759 W. 26th St. and delivered them in his Studebaker sedan to local restaurants. In 1947, he listed his occupation as poultry. By 1952, his business had a name  Lamberts Poultry and Fish  and two locations: the single-stall garage at his home and 689 Michigan Ave. (where 29th Street and Maple Avenue intersect).

As soon as he could drive, Julius son Jim made deliveries in Julius old Ford truck. After graduating high school, Jims days looked like this:

In the morning, he'd stop at Washington Square Beverage to pick up used liquor boxes and bring them to Lamberts. Then, while his dad took orders and his sister Jeanne waited on customers, Jim would line the inside of each box with a plastic bag. He and his dad would fill the boxes with dressed poultry and ice.

After they loaded the boxes into the truck, Jim made deliveries to various grocery stores around town. When he returned to Lamberts', he would load up the truck again to make deliveries to restaurants in North Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Saugatuck.

Still, his day often wasn't over. He might go with his father to local farms to catch chickens, put them in crates and bring them back to the shop  although, by this time, Julius was buying dressed chickens from poultry suppliers.

If the fish were biting, they might drive to Saugatuck to buy perch, scale and filet them, put them into 30-pound blueberry tins, and take them to a cold storage facility. Sometimes, fishermen would bring perch to Lamberts'. Some days, Jim would help his sister work the fryer.

Lamberts fish dinners were very popular, especially with second shift workers at the General Electric plant on 16th Street (present-day site of Menards). When workers at the plant gave Julius large orders, he'd turn off the lights at the shop to discourage walk-in customers.

By 1971, Jims friend and brother-in-law Mike Myrick had joined him in the business. During his high school years, Mike had worked for The Holland Sentinel as a newspaper-bundle delivery person. In school, he took printing classes and, upon graduation, accepted a job with John Thomas Batts in Zeeland.

Story continues

Then, in 1968, Uncle Sam drafted him into the Vietnam War. Two years later he returned to work at Batts, then accepted an invitation to work with Jim at Lamberts'.

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Business was good. Even though neighborhood grocery stores, Lamberts initial bread and butter, continued to disappear, Lamberts' replaced that lost business by serving local restaurants and retail customers. But in the long run, it wouldnt be enough.

In 2010, after moving back to Holland from Nevada, where he'd worked for a tech company, Mike Myricks nephew Marc purchased the business. Although its customers still knew Lamberts' for its chicken, turkey and fish, the business closed in 2014.

Information for this story comes from Robert Swierengas "Holland, Michigan," The Holland Sentinel, Michael Myrick's Obituary, Polks Holland-Zeeland City Directories, and correspondence with Jim Lamberts in 2006 and 2024.

 Steve VanderVeen is a resident of Holland. You may reach him at skvveen@gmail.com. His book, "The Holland Area's First Entrepreneurs," is available at Readers World.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland History: Lamberts' Poultry and Fish
I pay for Costco's $120 executive membership even though I only shop for 2. Here are some of my favorite things to get for easy meals.

I pay for Costco's $120 executive membership even though I only shop for 2. Here are some of my favorite things to get for easy meals.

I use my Costco executive membership to pick up easy meal options for my household of two.

The Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken makes its way into my cart on almost every Costco trip.

The Authentic Motor City Pizza Co. deep-dish double-pepperoni pizzas are a delicious, easy dinner.

Despite not having a large family to feed, I've been shopping at Costco for more than 20 years. I pay $120 annually for an executive membership, which comes with a 2% reward of up to $1,000 on qualified Costco purchases.

Like many of Costco's over 129 million members, I look for groceries that provide great value. My wife is a teacher, and I work from home, so we're not always able to make a meal from scratch on busy days. That's why having some easily prepared options is essential.

Here are some of my favorite easy meals to get at Costco.

Prices may vary by location.

The Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken always goes in my cart.

I can make multiple meals with the Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken. Dominic Bucca

Whole odes have been written to Costco's rotisserie chicken, and for good reason. At $5 per chicken, I almost always bring one home after a Costco trip.

I use the breast meat for Caesar salads and shred the leftovers to make a big batch of chicken salad for the week's lunches.

I also like to reheat the thighs, wings, and drumsticks in the oven to crisp up the skin for a quick indoor barbecue.

The Kirkland Signature yakisoba chicken stir-fry kit is as good as a restaurant meal.

The Kirkland Signature yakisoba chicken stir-fry kit comes with delicious vegetables and meat. Dominic Bucca

I like to skip ordering out and pick up a Kirkland Signature stir-fry kit, which I think is just as good as my local takeout restaurant.

The kit includes noodles, chicken, mixed vegetables, and a soy sauce that tastes similar to Chinese-dumpling sauce. Preparing this meal takes about five minutes, and I generally get at least three servings out of it.

This meal costs $6 per pound, which comes out to about $20 total.

If I want a quick, Italian-inspired meal, I grab a Kirkland Signature lasagna.

I usually get either the Kirkland Signature beef or Italian-sausage-and-beef lasagna. Dominic Bucca

Lasagna is serious business in my Italian family, so I was initially skeptical about trying the Kirkland Signature frozen lasagna. However, I'm so glad I finally did.

It might not be as good as my grandmother's recipe, but it also doesn't take all day to make. I find the combination of sausage and beef more flavorful, as the two meats create a spicy sauce. But the all-beef version is also very good, especially for those who don't eat pork.

The Italian-sausage-and-beef lasagna was $16.80, and the beef version was $18 at my store.

I can't always find great Detroit-style pizza, but the Authentic Motor City Pizza Co. deep-dish double-pepperoni version is pretty good.

I love the crust and flavors of the Authentic Motor City Pizza Co. deep-dish double-pepperoni pizza. Dominic Bucca

True, delicious Detroit deep-dish pizza is loaded with pepperoni and baked on a crust that's somewhere between Chicago and Sicilian-style pizza. Unfortunately, I find this quality isn't easy to come by outside Detroit.

Thankfully, the Authentic Motor City Pizza Co. frozen versions are pretty close to their fresh counterparts and take less than 30 minutes in the oven. Each two-pack of pizza is $13 at my store.

The Kirkland Signature Caesar-salad kit with dressing, croutons, and lemons makes an easy side or main dish.

I usually add chicken or shrimp to the Kirkland Signature Caesar-salad kit. Dominic Bucca

This kit includes everything needed for Caesar salad: romaine lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and creamy Caesar dressing. I pick up one of these with my rotisserie chicken to make an easy Caesar salad for two in a few minutes.

Each salad is $4.50 per pound, which comes out to about $8 to $9 per container.

The Ajinomoto Tokyo-style shoyu ramen with chicken always satisfies my cravings for noodles.

I think the Ajinomoto Tokyo-style shoyu ramen with chicken tastes gourmet. Dominic Bucca

Though Costco's deli has excellent noodle-centric options, I like keeping some easy meals in my freezer. These restaurant-quality ramen bowls are loaded with noodles, chicken, scallions, and mixed vegetables in a flavorful soy-based sauce.

Each box of ramen was $18 at my location.

If I want seafood, I go for the Kirkland Signature shrimp cocktail.

The Kirkland Signature shrimp cocktail with sauce and lemons can be eaten as is or used in pasta dishes. Dominic Bucca

Sometimes, I like to top the Kirkland Signature Caesar-salad kit with shrimp for an extra delicious (and fast) meal. A 1- pound container of shrimp may seem like a lot for two people, but it never goes to waste.

I find the shrimp stays perfectly fresh for at least three days in the refrigerator. Shrimp cocktail is a fun treat to have on hand for snacking, but I also like to use the leftovers for a scampi.

Each container of shrimp costs $9 per pound, which is about $14 to $15 total.

If you're looking for a comfort meal, check out the Kirkland Signature beef pot roast with gravy.

I typically eat the rich Kirkland Signature beef pot roast with gravy alongside a salad. Dominic Bucca

The Kirkland Signature beef pot roast is a great comfort-food option. The rich, delicious sauce tastes very similar to a homemade version, and the flavor of the USDA-choice beef shines through.

The package doesn't contain vegetables, so I enjoy the meal with a fresh salad and a hunk of crusty bread. My Costco sells each container of pot roast for $7 per pound, which is about $21 total.

Sometimes, the Kirkland Signature chicken street-taco kit is the perfect dinner.

The Kirkland Signature chicken street-taco kit is a super easy meal. Dominic Bucca

The only time I don't bring home a rotisserie chicken is when I choose the Kirkland Signature street-taco kit instead. This taco kit, which contains spiced chicken, shredded cabbage, cheese, tortillas, salsa, and cilantro-lime crema, is as delicious as it is easy to prepare.

If you need extra sauce, several brands of cilantro-lime crema are available at many Costco locations. This kit costs $5 per pound, which comes out to about $14 to $15 per container.

I feel like the Kirkland Signature cheese pizzas give me a lot of bang for my buck.

The Kirkland Signature cheese pizzas come in a pack of four, and they're pretty filling. Dominic Bucca

With four pies in a package, the Kirkland Signature frozen pizzas are an exceptional value. I like to add toppings about halfway through reheating these in the oven, but they're also delicious plain.

Each four-count box of pizza is $11.

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.

Read the original article on Business Insider
IRON STATION, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Iron Station families have peace and hope that the final chapter in their bridge debacle saga has officially been written as they celebrate a bridge dedication ceremony Saturday afternoon.

It has been a long journey for The Amity Lane Bridge to be completed, after the existing culvert supporting the only road for dozens of families, washed out in early January.

Since the bridge was on a private road, the Department of Transportation would not fix it due to existing state laws.

This meant that the families would have to fund the solution themselves, which was looking to cost tens of thousands of dollars.

PREVIOUS: Road partially washes out in Iron Station after heavy rain, hope on the horizon

Queen City News has followed each development, including the moment it was announced that the Mennonite Disaster Services would step in to develop and build a stronger bridge than anything prior.

The MDS received funding help from Samaritans Purse, and a $75,000 donation from the Lutheran Disaster Relief Fund to cover the cost of the project.

Though MDS announced they would help with the project, their plans were delayed by more than five months due to studies that needed to be done on the site to make sure their bridge designs would work.

Work on the new bridge began on June 3rd, and was completed within eight days by a number of volunteers.

Before the bridge opened for families, it was put through a variety of tests, which included a 50-ton fire tanker truck driving across it.

On June 29th, families, volunteers, religious groups, and politicians gathered at the start of the bridge to reflect on the monumental accomplishment.

Among those included, State Senator Ted Alexander told Queen City News who acknowledged that the hardships these families faced need to be a lesson to learn from.

He explained, [We need to] look at if we can develop any mechanisms to help streamline the process, to help the residents do this better, and were going to be look at future legislation to try and do that.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Pelosi attacks Trump and says he might have dementia after Bidens rocky debate

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went on the attack on Sunday with her fellow Democrats, coming to the defense of Joe Biden following his disastrous debate performance last week in Atlanta.

Biden, already facing serious concerns from voters about his age, appeared lost on stage at points during the debate on Thursday, even forgetting his subject mid-sentence. The presidents voice, affected by a cold, sounded raspy and hoarse.

Pelosi, responding to calls from some Democrats and newspaper editorial boards for Biden to step aside and polling showing that a clear majority of Americans believe that he does not have the mental faculties to be president, pivoted to attacking the Republican candidate.

There are health care professionals who think that Trump has dementia, she told CNN. If we're just talking about mental acuity, let's be fair about it.

Not even that he lies; that he doesnt know the truth, the former House Democratic leader went on.

She also responded directly to the criticism that she and other Democrats were enabling the president as he fought a losing campaign, a criticism she dismissed outright: We see Joe Biden up close. We know how attuned he is to the issues, how informed we is.

I debate with him on legislation. Not debate, discussion. And hes right there.

It was a bad night. Lets not...sugarcoat that. It was a bad night. It was a great presidency, Pelosi then said. And thats what the American people have to choose.

Polls have shown that the segment of voters who believe the president does not have the required mental fitness for the job has grown substantially, with a CBS poll finding only 27% of those polled believe Biden has the mental and cognitive health required to serve as president.

Joe Biden looks down during Thursdays debate against Donald Trump in Atlanta, Georgia (AFP via Getty Images)

Other Democrats joined various news shows on Sunday to give reactions to the presidents performance. All uniformly agreed that Biden had not done well; only one, Jamie Raskin, was willing to acknowdledge that Democrats were having conversations about the path forward and whether Biden should remain on the ticket.

Most were refusing to break with the president, including senators from the key swing states of Pennsylvania and Georgia.

There was the same kind of a freakout after my debate, and in fact I might even say that I had a more difficult evening than the president did. And here I am right now, having this conversation, John Fetterman told Fox News Sunday of the reaction to Bidens debate.

James Clyburn, a top Biden ally in the Congressional Black Caucus, also echoed the argument that the president should remain in the race.

But behind the scenes, the party remains in various states of panic or, at a minimum, serious worry. Democratic sources who spoke to The Independent after the debate were certain that the president should make the hard choice.

Horrible, one Democratic strategist told The Independent. Need to have [Kamala] Harris take over. Cleanest option.

Polling currently shows the incumbent president trailing his 2020 opponent, Donald Trump, in several key battleground states. He retains a fundraising lead over Trump, but it has yet to bear fruit in the field. The presidents campaign says it saw another fundraising surge in their favor following the debate  by Sunday, the campaign said it had raised more than $33m.

Its a familiar story: Following Thursday nights debate, the beltway class is counting Joe Biden out. The data in the battleground states, though, tells a different story, campaign manager Jen OMalley Dixon added in a memo to supporters this weekend.

Our team knows a thing or two about putting our heads down and doing the work to win hard races, she continued. This will be a very close election. It was always going to be...Thats what our campaign has been planning for.

Biden himself addressed the event at a campaign fundraiser on Saturday.

I understand the concern about the debate. I get it. I didnt have a great night, said Biden at the event, attended by radio legend Howard Stern and others. But heres what I -- [whats] not getting reported: Voters had a different reaction than the pundits. Since the debate, polls show a little movement, and weve moved us up, actually.

He -- and, by the way, the Times had their editorial, the president continued. Well, guess what? They also pointed out he lied 28 times in a matter of 90 minutes.
Ahead of a weeklong heat wave that will bake Sacramento and most of Northern California in sweltering temperatures, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is warning that critical fire danger may lead to its first public safety power shutoffs of the year in across eight counties to prevent the utilitys equipment from sparking wildfires.

On Sunday, officials of the Oakland-based company said its meteorologists were forecasting an elevated risk for shutoffs in parts of eight Northern California counties: Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Shasta, Solano, Tehama and Yolo. The power shutoffs are the first wildfire-safety blackouts undertaken this year by PG&E, which has come under consistent criticism for engineering power shutoffs in past years to ward off fires caused by its equipment.

The areas affected and the timing of the shutoffs correspond with the National Weather Services red flag warning, which was issued for a wide swath of Northern California between 11 p.m. Monday and 8 p.m. Tuesday. Those dangerous conditions produce an increased risk of damage to the electric system that could ignite fires fueled by dry vegetation, said PG&E spokeswoman Karly Hernandez.

She said that PG&E is committed to stopping wildfires and that such engineered outages are a last resort for the utility under such extreme conditions of hot temperatures, low humidity and strong winds.

We initiate PSPS when the weather forecast is for such severe weather that peoples safety, lives, homes and businesses may be in danger of wildfires, Hernandez said. As each weather situation is unique, we carefully review various factors when deciding if power must be turned off.

When and where will power shutoffs occur?

The high fire risk conditions are expected to continue through the July 4 holiday as Sacramento and the surrounding region could reach 110 degrees on Wednesday. The weather service also issued an excessive heat warning for all of the Sacramento Valley between 11 a.m. Monday and 8 p.m. Saturday as temperatures are expected to exceed 105 degrees through the weekend.

In an update, PG&E officials said as many as 12,000 customers could lose power beginning at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday under the so-called PSPS. The largest batch of homes and businesses that could lose power are in Shasta County, where as many as 8,800 ratepayers could be taken offline.

Maps provided by the utility showed outages were planned on the western reaches of Yolo County including Winters and homes south of Putah Creek, as well as in Rumsey, Guinda and around the Cache Creek area. PG&E estimated that about 200 customers would be in the dark if the outage is triggered.

Other areas under a potential PSPS include homes on the western edge of the Valley west of Willows, Orland, Corning, Red Bluff and Anderson. A large area of potential shutoff ring the Redding area as well, along Highway 299 and in the Bella Vista and Palo Cedro areas.

As many as 1,800 customers across western Tehama County could have their power severed; Colusa County (550 customers) and Glenn (361) also had sizable potential for outages. All other counties would have fewer than 100 customers affected.

Customers affected by county, according to Hernandez:

Colusa: 550 ratepayers

Glenn: 361

Lake: 49

Napa: 9

Shasta: 8,888

Solano: 96

Tehama: 1,855

Yolo: 204

Restoring power to affected customers would likely take 12 daylight hours once the weather all clear has been given. PG&E crews need to inspect the de-energized lines to make sure they werent damaged during the shutoff. PG&E maps indicate that could come as soon as 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Conditions ripe for wildfires, PG&E says

PG&E officials said in a weather update Sunday that in addition to the high temperatures, there will also be a period of breezy northerly winds across primarily the northern and western Sacramento Valley and adjacent foothills beginning Monday night.

Weather service forecasters and PG&E officials say breezes in some spots along the Valleys western tier  from Solano County north to Red Bluff  could gust as high as 30 mph although, localized gusts of 35-40 mph will be possible, PG&E said.

PG&E forecasts are particularly concerned about conditions on the ground, noting that the grass crop has cured across the lower elevations and dead fuel moisture values are at seasonal dryness levels. That means that the combination of hot air, strong winds and tinder-dry grasses common in the Valley and foothills could lead to quick-moving fires.

The utility said in its weather update that it has already shifted 624 of 788 circuits in the affected areas to enhanced powerline safety settings, which adjust the sensitivity of the equipment to power off faster if a problem is detected. These buffers, according to PG&E, allow lines to be de-energized automatically within one-tenth of a second if vegetation or flames interfere with sagging lines or overheated transformers. Officials touted in a report to state regulators that such equipment settings reduced ignitions to its equipment by 68% in 2022.

Utility blamed equipment sparking wildfires

PG&E in recent years has imposed planned power shutoffs in the face of dire wildfire weather. The utility companys equipment has been blamed for sparking some of the worst fires in state history, including the 2018 Camp Fire that devastated Paradise, and PG&E Corp. has been found liable for billions of dollars worth of destruction.

The utility since 2017 has been blamed for starting more than 30 wildfires, blazes that destroyed more than 23,000 homes and businesses and has killed more than 100 people.

Last year, the company engineered two PSPS events out of four possible scenarios the company identified, according to company filings to the California Public Utilities Commission. In late August, the company cut power across the same footprint under Tuesdays possible outage, affecting nearly 4,000 ratepayers out of the 8,400 who were notified of a possible outage from Yolo and Napa counties north to Shasta County. A second PSPS event three weeks later affected roughly 1,200 customers, roughly one in five who could have been affected, in a smaller footprint in Tehama, Lake and Napa counties, according to the filings.

PG&E customers enrolled in its Medical Baseline program who have not verified that they received notification of the potential shutoffs will be visited at home by a PG&E employee when possible, the utility has said for previous outages. Officials said primary focus will be given to customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment.

Hernandez, the PG&E spokeswoman, said the utility will open six community resource centers Tuesday in the blackout areas, enabling customers to cool off in the air conditioning, get free bottled water and snacks and charge their phones. PG&E mapping indicated those centers would be open beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday in Redding, Anderson, Elk Creek and Stonyford, among other areas.

More information on the PSPS and how to get alerts are available on PG&E website.
OAK ISLAND, N.C. (WNCN)  Just as summer begins, some interesting sights in the surf were spotted recently at a North Carolina island south of Wilmington.

Oak Island in Brunswick County is nearly 20 square miles and features all kinds of wildlife.

As the Atlantic Ocean warms up along Oak Islands 10 miles of beachfront, a shark was accidentally caught in the surf just last week and released.

Sharks are common sights around the 12-mile long island, where at least one charter operates taking folks out on the ocean to try to catch sharks.

The shark at Oak Island. Photo courtesy: Mary Frances Rodriguez

Photo courtesy: Mary Frances Rodriguez

Photo courtesy: Mary Frances Rodriguez

Last Saturday, a fisherman accidentally hooked an 8-foot lemon shark, a species that is not normally aggressive toward humans.

The shark was caught as the June Strawberry could be seen over the fishing pier. After catching the shark in the surf, the fisherman struggled a bit to unhook the fish  finally letting it go.

And around Memorial Day, a rare alligator was caught on video at the same Oak Island pier. The gator  a baby  was spotted in clear shallow water.

Mary Frances Barnes Rodriguez caught the video of the gator swimming and floating along the waves.

The baby gator at Oak Island. Photo courtesy: Mary Frances Rodriguez





Oak Island has warned about sharks in the past  and uses a purple flag on beaches to let beachgoers know about possible threats from sea creatures.

So far, on the North Carolina coast, a 14-year-old boy was bitten by a shark last weekend in North Topsail Beach, north of Wilmington in Onslow County.

Five days before the teen was bitten, there was an initial report of a shark bite at Sunset Beach in Brunswick County, near the South Carolina line, according to WWAY-TV. Police at the island later said a man was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment after he was bitten by a sea creature, but officials could not confirm it was a shark.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.


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The search for exploding comet residue strong enough to have wiped out the woolly mammoth has dipped deep below the Earths surface.

Scientists believe they can find a meteor blast in Earths history strong enough to change the climate and, as a result, the animals that lived on Earth.

Evidence may exist for a comet shockwave hitting Earth after the last ice age.

We dont have the woolly mammoth with us any longer, but we arent sure exactly why. Christopher Moore, an archaeologist at the University of South Carolina, blames a massive meteoreven if he doesnt have a crater to prove it.

However, Moore and and his team believe that we may not need a crater to prove the extremely controversial Younger Dryas impact hypothesisthe idea that roughly 12,800 years ago, the climate took a sudden shift in the northern hemisphere that helped wipe out the woolly mammoth. Instead, theyve been thinking something else will fit the bill: a meteor shockwave.

In a new study published in the journal Airbursts and Cratering Impacts, the team presents evidence that he believes points to a major meteor exploding near Earthpossibly not actually striking Earth physicallythat would have caused the kind of rapid climate change throughout the northern hemisphere that would lead to a complete shift in our world.

They explode in the air before they hit the ground, Moore said about comets in a news release, but if theyre low enough, the shockwave and heat can hit the ground and melt sediment, produce microspherules, and shock the quartz. Were being hit by these things more than most people think.

Evidence from Greenlands ice cores show elevated levels of combustion aerosols, which indicate that a large, prehistoric fire raged at the proposed beginning of the climate event. Add in high levels of platinum found from Syria to South Carolinarare in Earths soil, but incredibly common in cometsand the location of both magnetic balls of iron known as microspherules and shock-fractured quartz that melted into silica in different areas, and the researchers believe that a convincing picture is beginning to take shape.



With no crater providing modern-day physical evidence, the team has relied on Earths chemical makeup. They sifted through multiple dig sites, from a shallow wetland on the U.S. Department of Energys Savannah River nuclear site to a location in the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, and a spot 25 miles inland from Atlantic City in Newtonville, New Jersey. These wildly diverse locations all had something in common: the evidence of platinum, microspherules iron balls, and quartz at depths showing they would have been exposed in the Younger Dryas period.

The researchers believes it all adds up to a cometor, at least, the remains of onehitting Earth. And this wouldnt have been a small impact. The evidence collected, the team argues, points to minerals dusting sites across the globe, a fire starting in Greenland, and enough mayhem to launch a dramatic climate event.

I suspect that it played a big role in leading to the extinction of the megafauna, Moore said in a news release. Its like putting 75 elephants on a quarter. Its a tremendous amount of pressure that creates what were seeing.

What really has pushed Moores theory forward is the discovery of the shock-fractured quartz at all three sites, the first time theyve been located at the Younger Dryas depth in so many locations. He claims that the distribution of the quartz over such a large regioneach having undergone the same changewould have required some sort of significant impact.

This all remains theoretical, of course, especially with no crater to show for it. While the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis remains popular in the media as an explanation for certain ancient events, it is not the scientific consensus, and many experts reject the theory entirely.

But Moore and his team remain convinced, writing in the study that the collective evidence meets the criteria of an event powerful enough to have set off a chain reaction of global changeone that included the ultimate demise of the woolly mammoth. Only time, and a lot more evidence, will tell if theyre right.

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Pierce County youth to benefit from millions in educational funding

On Wednesday, Pierce County Human Services (PCHS) announced a $6 million award for programs that improve youth educational outcomes.

Twenty-nine programs supporting early learning, K-12, and post-secondary education will receive funding from the Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account (PSTAA).

The award will be used for educational services, facilities, and programs focused on children and youth who are low-income, experiencing homelessness or are in foster care.

We are thrilled to announce the PSTAA funding awards, which will significantly enhance our ability to serve the community, Carol Mensah, PCHS Community Action Programs division manager said. This support expands programs and reach to more individuals and families, promoting equity and access to childcare and youth programming.

According to the press release, Pierce County is estimated to receive $123 million in total funding between 2019 and 2035.

We are deeply grateful for this opportunity to make a lasting impact and strengthen our efforts in fostering a thriving, inclusive community in Pierce County, Mensah said.

The PSTAA provides support to residents of Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties within Sound Transits boundaries.

The list of awards can be found here.
Two juveniles injured in double shooting in Gastonia: Police

Two juveniles injured in double shooting in Gastonia: Police

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Two juveniles were injured in an afternoon shooting in Gastonia, Gaston County Police say.

The call came in shortly before 4 p.m. to the 1800 block of Lane Road Ext near Hickory Grove Road.

According to GEMS, officers located two male juveniles believed to be brothers, suffering from gunshot wounds. One victim was shot in the leg, another was shot in the upper torso.

Both were transported to a local hospital.

Officials have not said if there are any suspects or what led up to the shooting.

This is a Developing Story . Check back 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 Queen City News.
Matthew Perry, 54, passed away last year after he was found unresponsive in his hot tub. A toxicology and autopsy report later revealed that the cause of death was "acute effects of ketamine."

The actor, who is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit television sitcom, "Friends," was in ketamine therapy at the time; however, the autopsy noted that the Ketamine found in Perrys system could not have been from his therapy, as the drugs half-life is just a few hours and his last known treatment was over one week before he passed.

This raised questions and concerns as many wondered how Perry got the drug. As police continue investigating the case, law enforcement now believes "doctor shopping" may have been involved.

Matthew Perry Passes Away

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Matthew Perry's death was ruled an accident, with "contributing factors include drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder)," per the autopsy report, obtained by The Blast.

Perrys history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/emphysema, diabetes; drug use in past  reportedly clean for 19 months; heavy tobacco user for many years but currently not smoking; on ketamine infusion therapy with most recent therapy reportedly one and a half weeks before death," the autopsy report added.

In his effort to overcome drug and alcohol addiction, he reportedly underwent more than 10 life-saving surgeries, made 15 trips to rehab, attended over 6,000 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and went through detox 65 times.

Suspects Could Be Charged With Mail Fraud

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Former CIA and FBI special agent Tracy Walder spoke to People Magazine, who revealed that the suspects in Matthew Perry's death could be charged with mail fraud. "They're looking at the illegal transportation of drugs across state lines to people that they have not been prescribed. Obviously, that's a crime," Walder told the outlet. "I think that's probably where they started, and that's most likely the evidence that they would use if that's the case. Those are the charges I could see because I don't see a homicide charge."

The FBI special agent adds that he believes Perry or someone in his "inner circle" was "doctor shopping" to multiple physicians in different states to obtain the ketamine and that those doctors could have sent prescriptions across state lines. "I don't know if that's the case, but if it's true  that person can also be held accountable just as much as a doctor prescribing drugs across state lines, which is a federal offense."

Doctor Weighs In On Matthew Perry's Death

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Dr. Michelle Reyes, MD Medical Director of the Med Spot in Woodland Hills, California, explained, "Medical licenses are state issued."

"I can prescribe something to you if you are physically in my state of licensure," she said. "But I can't write a script to someone in another state and I can't send any prescription drugs through the mail to a patient in another state. That is a practice not supported by a state license."

Will Anyone Be Charged In Matthew Perry's Death?

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An LAPD investigation has been ongoing since December 2023, but they turned it over to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles.

"It could take a year or more for charges to be filed," Walder explained. "You're dealing with federal agencies so it takes a while. One case I worked on took four and a half years. They have to convene a grand jury, then they present all the evidence and then the grand jury decides if they want to indict the person or multiple people and press charges. Once indicted, they can make arrests."

"If not, it goes back to the state and they can decide to proceed or not," he added.

The Investigation Nears The End

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As The Blast previously reported, the investigation is nearing its end and "multiple people" could be charged.

Anytime there's death, you're going to have an initial police response and investigation, former federal prosecutor Caleb Mason told People. If somebody dies of an accidental drug overdose, there should be an investigation into where the drugs came from. If the initial investigating agency, if it's the LAPD, they might notify the DEA, they might notify the DA's office. They might notify the U.S. Attorney's office."

"The normal practice is to try and do an investigation into why people died, if they died in a way that might be criminal," he added.
Rep. Mandie Landry speaks July 18, 2023, during the veto override session at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge. (Matthew Perschall/ Louisiana Illuminator)

Gov. Jeff Landry has vetoed a bill that would have made it illegal to deceive voters with false impersonations or depictions of a political candidate through audio or video manipulation techniques called deepfakes.

House Bill 154, sponsored by Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, was one among 31 bills the governor vetoed from the 2024 regular session. The two Landrys are not related.

In his letter explaining the reasons for his veto, the governor said he believes the legislation could have infringed on the free speech rights of artificial intelligence (AI) companies.

While I applaud the efforts to prevent false political attacks, I believe this bill creates serious First Amendment concerns as it relates to emerging technologies, the governor wrote. The law is far from settled on this issue, and I believe more information is needed before such regulations are enshrined into law.

The governor pointed out that the Legislature passed a resolution requesting the Joint Legislative Committee on Technology and Cybersecurity to study and make recommendations for the use and regulation of AI. A similar panel at the federal level is also studying the issue to explore how Congress can ensure America continues to lead the world in AI innovation while considering guardrails that may be appropriate to safeguard the nation against current and emerging threats, Gov. Landry added.

Rapid advances in artificial intelligence have allowed virtually anyone with few basic computer skills to create videos that depict someone doing or saying something they never actually did or said. While fake but realistic computer-generated videos have existed for decades, creating them generally required teams of people with advanced skills, special technology and expensive equipment often found only in professional film studios. AI has removed most of those barriers.

Although discussion and debate on Mandie Landrys legislation centered around deepfake videos, the bills text never mentioned the terms deepfake or artificial intelligence.

Instead, the text was very similar to what is already written in the states existing election laws. Current law says: No person shall cause to be distributed, or transmitted, any oral, visual, digital, or written material containing any statement which he knows or should be reasonably expected to know makes a false statement about a candidate for election in a primary or general election or about a proposition to be submitted to the voters.

The bill would have added a sentence to that section saying almost the same thing but with words that more specifically apply to a deepfake or other false images: No person shall cause to be distributed or transmitted any oral, visual, digital, or written material containing any image, audio, or video of a known candidate or of a person who is known to be affiliated with the candidate which he knows or should be reasonably expected to know has been created or intentionally manipulated to create a realistic but false image, audio, or video with the intent to deceive a voter or injure the reputation of a known candidate in an election.

Political operatives have already used deepfakes, as well as so-called cheapfakes, against President Joe Biden ahead of the November election. A cheapfake uses simpler editing tricks such as clipping footage to hide portions of it. They are often easily debunked but not before millions have seen it on social media.

The Republican National Committee has been distributing a stream of Biden cheapfakes, and other Trump supporters have spread AI-generated images of Black people supporting the former president.

Gov. Landry, a Republican, also vetoed a bill that would have required anyone making a deepfake video to label it as such with a watermark or some similar flag or graphic.

Reached by phone Friday, Mandie Landry said she disagrees with the governors belief that her proposal would have violated the First Amendment.

This is my view, and Im not aware of a court or at least a high court that has weighed in: I have a First Amendment right to say X-Y-Z about you; I dont have a First Amendment right to steal your likeness/voice to do something, she said.

Existing law, which makes it illegal to make false statements about a political candidate, appears to be much more constitutionally precarious than her proposal, the representative said.

As was discussed on the floor, this is not someone making a statement about me, she said of deepfakes. Its using me to make a statement about me. But I do understand that with new technology that there is hesitation. I hope we dont hesitate too long though because this tech is improving very fast.

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The post Political deepfakes remain legal in Louisiana; Gov. Landry has First Amendment concerns. appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
The fact that multiple Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNPS) insiders offloaded a considerable amount of shares over the past year could have raised some eyebrows amongst investors. When evaluating insider transactions, knowing whether insiders are buying is usually more beneficial than knowing whether they are selling, as the latter can be open to many interpretations. However, shareholders should take a deeper look if several insiders are selling stock over a specific time period.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for Synopsys

Synopsys Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Lead Independent Director, Roy Vallee, sold US$5.7m worth of shares at a price of US$573 per share. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of US$595, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. While insider selling is not a positive sign, we can't be sure if it does mean insiders think the shares are fully valued, so it's only a weak sign. We note that the biggest single sale was only 31% of Roy Vallee's holding.

In total, Synopsys insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

For those who like to find hidden gems this free list of small cap companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Synopsys Insiders Are Selling The Stock

The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of Synopsys shares. In total, insiders dumped US$6.3m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. This may suggest that some insiders think that the shares are not cheap.

Insider Ownership Of Synopsys

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Synopsys insiders own 0.6% of the company, currently worth about US$536m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

Story continues

So What Do The Synopsys Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders sold Synopsys shares recently, but they didn't buy any. Zooming out, the longer term picture doesn't give us much comfort. But it is good to see that Synopsys is growing earnings. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn't make us feel confident about the company. While it's good to be aware of what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. At Simply Wall St, we found 1 warning sign for Synopsys that deserve your attention before buying any shares.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Participants march down Fifth Avenue at the 2024 NYC Pride March in New York City on Sunday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

June 30 (UPI) -- Pride month celebrations culminated Sunday with parades across the world, including San Francisco and New York, where people supporting LGBTQ identities and rights, some dressed in multi-colored, elaborate clothing and costumes, marched in the streets.

In New York, thousands of Pride revelers rallied along Fifth Avenue in an event that also marked the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising of June 28, 1969, which sparked the gay rights movement in the United States.

"For 55 years, New Yorkers have proudly carried the banner that says, 'This is the birthplace of the LGBTQ+ movement,'" Gov. Kathy Hochul, who participated in the march, told the crowd.

"And today, we continue pushing forward, recognizing the contributions from those individuals who stood up against the tides of their time, who said that 'We have rights. We have rights to gather, to socialize, to dance, and to love who we want to love.'"

The event and march were held under the theme of "Reflect. Empower. Unite," selected to highlight the importance of the city's Pride march "As the intersection of Queer liberation and joy," the organizing NYC Pride said in a statement.

Participants march down Fifth Avenue at the 2024 NYC Pride March in New York City on Sunday. The inaugural March took place in 1970, one year after the Stonewall uprising. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

The march and celebrations come amid an onslaught of Republican-led bills targeting the rights of the lGBT community. The American Civil Liberties Union is tracking some 527 such bills that have been entered into state legislatures this year.

NYC Pride Executive Director Sandra Perez said earlier in a statement that the city's march is how the community combats "all the negativity."

Participants march down Fifth Avenue at the 2024 NYC Pride March in New York City on Sunday, June 30, 2024. The inaugural March took place in 1970, one year after the Stonewall uprising. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

"This is the celebration that brings people from every borough in the city and all parts of the world together, in joy, to share the accomplishments, talents and resilience of our community," Perez said.

"The March is where we demonstrate the strength that comes with inclusion, diversity and acceptance."

Participants hold signs and wave flags during the Pride March in New York City on Sunday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Dashawn Usher, Miss Major, Raquel Willis, Michelle Visage, Eshe Ukwell and Baddie Brooks served as grand marshals for the event.

In San Francisco, city officials kicked off the festivities Saturday by marrying more than 200 couples as part of its annual tradition celebrating marriage equality.

Participants from Amazon march up Market Street during the San Francisco Pride Parade in San Francisco on Sunday. Tens of thousands turned out for the annual event. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI

Its march also occurred Sunday, with the city's Pride theme being "Beacon of love."

"Yes, San Francisco is a beacon of love, but also hope," Mayor London Breed said in a statement.

Motorcycles lead off the San Francisco Pride Parade in San Francisco on Sunday. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI

"Right now, all across this country our LGBTQ+ community is under assault, with their basic rights being threatened, and we stand strong in support of this incredible community. Today is about celebrating the love that bonds individuals together and serves as the heart of the work we have ahead of us here in this City and across the nation."

There were also large Pride marches in Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago and across the globe. The Chicago march typically draws 1 million people and organizers reduced the number of floats participating in this year's festivities from 199 to 150, citing logical and safety concerns.

Participants march up Market Street during the San Francisco Pride Parade in San Fracisco on Sunday. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI
California Air National Guard Col. Lisa Nemeth speaks after assuming command of the 146th Airlift Wing at the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in June 2020. (Staff Sgt. Nicole Wright)

The secret investigation of a California National Guard officer focused on small and large matters  the colonels Dalmatian and the mess the dog made in a military building, but also her handling of another high-ranking officer's drunk-driving crash and reports of plummeting morale among firefighting pilots she oversaw.

Inspectors general for the California guard conducted more than three dozen confidential interviews and pored over financial records and other documents. They came to a clear conclusion: Col. Lisa Nemeth, the target of the probe, had engaged in conduct unbecoming an officer.

That judgment, issued behind closed doors in 2022, endangered a planned promotion of Nemeth to general, according to two sources familiar with the inquiry who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly.

But then came an extraordinary telephone call from the Pentagon  one that ignited a seething cold war between the California Military Department, which is the parent organization of the guard, and both the National Guard Bureau, headquartered in Arlington, Va., and the Air Force, a Times investigation has found.

At stake, the California side maintains, is nothing less than the fairness and incorruptibility of the military justice system and the broader imperative of the independence of all guards on state affairs. And it comes as the California guard labors to clean up its own house after a long run of scandals that ended the careers of several generals and other high-ranking officers.

The June 2022 call to Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, the adjutant general heading the California Military Department at the time, was placed by then-Lt. Gen. Michael Loh, director of the Air National Guard for the United States and its territories.

Normally I stay out of all state business, but this one also impacts us, Loh said in a voicemail message, a copy of which was reviewed by The Times.

Loh went on to ask Baldwin to throw out the findings against Nemeth and bring in an outsider to redo the investigation. Loh noted on the call that Nemeth was about to join his staff. He suggested the guard bring in a woman to conduct a new inquiry, although the principal investigator on the original case was a woman.

Im really asking you to re-look at the whole thing, Loh said.

Baldwin did not grant Lohs request. And thats when tensions began to mount. Eventually, they boiled over when the Washington, D.C.-based Air Force inspector general reversed the California findings with no further investigation and cleared Nemeth, according to internal records reviewed by The Times.

The office has the authority to overrule decisions by state inspectors general, but California guard officials say that rarely happens.

In a memo citing reasons for the reversal, Inspector General Stephen Davis' office said the review of the case "did not identify actions, decisions, or omissions that seriously compromised Col. Nemeths character or standing as an officer."

Among those outraged by the Pentagon's move was Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, who succeeded Baldwin as head of the California guard in 2022.

Quite frankly, it is perplexing to comprehend how the Air Force IG summarily non-concurs with all four substantiated allegations, especially given the lack of any new evidence, Beevers wrote in a scathing memo to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin, which The Times obtained under the California Public Records Act.

This superficial dismissal of this substantiated allegation defies the basic precepts of good order in discipline in a military command while establishing a new, disturbing precedent.

Beevers, who wrote the memo in response to Times' queries, said the flimsy logic used by the Air Force IG to override the findings of the California investigation compromised his efforts to reform an organization that was reeling from scandals involving its senior leaders.The latter included a general fired for having subordinates perform personal tasks, similar to allegations against Nemeth.

When the Air Force IG neglects and/or intentionally refuses to uphold the established ethical standard, as has been clearly accomplished in this case, my ability to effect positive, meaningful change to good order and discipline is undermined, Beevers wrote.

Earlier this month, Loh retired. He declined to comment, and Nemeth did not respond to interview requests from The Times. The U.S. Senate in May confirmed a nomination of Nemeth for the rank of brigadier general, but the National Guard did not respond to queries of whether her promotion has been finalized.

At the time of her nomination, Nemeth was serving as the Air National Guard advisor to the commander, Air Mobility Command, at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, according to the Defense Department.

Ann Stefanek, a Secretary of the Air Force spokesperson, said Loh's phone call had no bearing on Davis' decision to reverse the findings against Nemeth and that he didn't even learn of the call until much later.

"That was not part of their calculus at all," she said.

Davis said in a letter to Beevers that the evidence in the California investigation did not support the allegations against Nemeth and, because the case had been open for more than two years, "finalizing the investigation was the proper course of action."

The 19,000-member California National Guard serves a dual state-and-federal mission that includes responding to earthquakes, wildfires and other emergencies in the state under the direction of the governor as well as, when activated by the Pentagon, aiding U.S. armed forces in military operations overseas. The National Guard Bureau has an administrative role, overseeing staffing, training and equipment needs for the guards.

In recent years, a series of embarrassing episodes involving Guard leaders have fueled a perception that high-ranking officers who break the rules are protected from punishment.

They included a top general who received only a letter of admonishment after having underlings perform personal errands for him, take his mother shopping and complete a part of his cybersecurity training. After The Times reported on the matter, and following a second investigation, Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Magram was ousted from his job.

Magram, who was once director of the Guards air staff, was the fifth general to resign, retire or be fired after Times investigations since 2019.

In another case, Brig. Gen. David Hawkins received a written reprimand after an internal inquiry found that he made antisemitic and homophobic slurs, including that Jews are unrepentant sinners and that gay marriage is a reason terrorists attack the United States. He resigned.

Dwight Stirling, a former judge advocate for the California guard, said it was improper for Loh to disregard the chain of command in the Nemeth case and interfere with a state investigation.

Its the attempt to short circuit the proper ongoings of investigations. Its the attempt to cover up misconduct, he said. This senior federal official had picked this officer and didnt want the misconduct that she engaged in to derail her career. Well, youre not supposed to do that as a senior manager. Youre supposed to respect the investigation.

The saga at the 146th Airlift Wing at Channel Islands, a unit nicknamed the Hollywood Guard because of its proximity to the film industry when it was previously based in Van Nuys, began after Nemeth took the helm in a June 2020 ceremony. Nemeth, a pilot who was new to the Guard, was saluted by the organization as Californias first female wing commander.

The celebration was short-lived.

Staffing for the firefighting program  made up of a team of highly skilled pilots who fly C-130J tankers over backcountry blazes  dropped to critical levels. Most pilots work at the wing part time and hold outside jobs with airlines, and firefighting missions are largely voluntary. Some pilots felt Nemeth was not prioritizing training for the dangerous assignment, according to the California IG report reviewed by The Times.

The commander of the 115th Airlift Squadron, which is part of the 146th wing, quit his post in July 2021, telling investigators he was fielding daily complaints from pilots about wing leadership, the report said.

Guys were coming to me just livid and saying they're not gonna fly ... they're not gonna volunteer for any more trips 'cause as long as, you know, if leadership doesn't care about them, then why should they care about the place, he said, according to a transcript of his interview.

Another firefighting pilot, whose name was redacted in the report, shared a similar sentiment.

It was very apparent that (the program) was not being given the attention that it deserved and not because its a glamour mission but because it  inherently has risks that need to be mitigated, the pilot said.

At one point, wing leaders discussed forcing the pilots to participate in the grueling missions because there werent enough volunteers, which one said contributed to overall burnout, the report stated. And Nemeth did not inform higher-ups in the guard that the staffing shortages had become severe, according to the IG report.

The recurring perception of Col. Nemeth being more concerned with her report card than the morale and welfare of her airmen, is lent credence by this omission to senior leadership, the report said.

According to the report, Nemeth said she felt she was at a disadvantage because pilots were not supportive of female officers.

But the report identified other alleged lapses in judgment.

When Nemeths second-in-command, Col. Bill Green, was arrested in March 2021 on suspicion of drunk driving after crashing into an electrical pole, Nemeth fought to keep him in his position and planned to put him in charge when she had to travel. He was grounded, but allowed to start flying firefighting missions again two months after his arrest. Investigators concluded that Nemeths decision further eroded morale.

Nemeth was also accused of having subordinates care for her Dalmatian at work, which investigators found disrupted operations and distracted people from doing their jobs.

In one incident, the dog urinated on the carpet during a meeting and a flight surgeon left to get supplies to clean it up, according to Beevers memo and the investigative report.

In another, government funds were used to buy expensive pet cleaning supplies, including a carpet cleaner machine, and two Dyson fans. Others on the base took notice and brought their own pets to work, the report said.

Dogs arent allowed on the property other than for official purposes, a rule other senior officers struggled to enforce, according to the report.

Its tough to enforce when the boss brings her dog to work, one operations commander told investigators, the report said. The commanders name was redacted.

During the investigation, the report stated, Nemeth said that she wasnt aware of the rule and that her puppy made people smile and laugh when it was a horrible time.

In his voicemail message, Loh seemed to suggest that the complaints about her could be viewed as reflecting a bias against female commanders.

I guess she went in there and did some cleanup work and now a bunch of IG complaints, Loh said. This is about the third one in Guard Nation where theres allegations of toxic climate by females and of course thats getting the highest scrutiny  Gimme a call back or if not, just please take a look at this case.

The inspector general who was the principal investigator, Col. Shawna Pavey, declined to comment. The attorney who worked on the inquiry is also a woman, Charmaine Betty-Singleton. She did not respond to interview requests.

In an email to The Times, a California guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Brandon Hill, dismissed the suggestion that sexism played a role in the case.

In this matter, the overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary stands on its own, Hill wrote. He said Pavey has an "impeccable record" and has never had a case overturned during her 10 years as an inspector general.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
National Military Memorial Cemetery will be built on the territory of Hatne hromada. Stock photo: Cipango27/Getty Images

The design for the National Military Memorial Cemetery (NMMC), the largest war graves facility in Ukraine, has received positive feedback from a state expert panel. The next step will be announcing a construction tender.

Ukrderzhbudekspertyza, a specialised state-run expert organisation, confirmed that the cemetery's design complies with current building codes, said Oleksandr Porkhun, acting Head of Ukraine's Ministry of Veterans Affairs.

The official confirmed that the memorial cemetery will be built on the territory of Hatne hromada in Kyiv Oblast. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

Oleksandr Porkhun also commented on the concerns of local residents who protested against the construction of a military cemetery in Hatne hromada in April 2024.

"There is a separate issue regarding the environmental impact assessment. No violations of the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population have been identified. There is no impact on the environment. Let me remind you that there was none. Now, this is confirmed by Ukrderzhbudekspertyza," the official said.

The acting minister noted that the tender for the construction contractor is scheduled to be announced early next week.

"The defenders, who will soon find their final resting place here with honours, sacrificed their lives to save our lives, our land, our forests, and our common home," Oleksandr Porkhun added.

Background:

The idea of creating the NMMC was put forward by the Cabinet of Ministers (Ukrainian government) in October 2022, and the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) was tasked with developing the project.

The KCSA approved the construction site in the Lysa Hora tract, which provoked opposition from activists and the government. This forced them to find another location, which became Bykivnia, a historic area in the centre of Kyiv.

Relatives of the fallen soldiers also backed this decision. Following this, the Bykivnia Graves Reserve indicated the possibility that old graves and unexhumed bodies of victims of Stalinist repression may be on the site, potentially delaying the construction of the NMMC.

Eventually, the government moved the construction of the war graves facility to Hatne hromada, which borders the city of Kyiv.

The government has allocated UAH 515 million (roughly US$12.6 million) for the construction and operation of the NMMC, which is coordinated by Ukraine's Veterans Ministry.

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A prominent think tank says China could take control of Taiwan without even launching an invasion  here's how

A prominent think tank says China could take control of Taiwan without even launching an invasion  here's how

China could take control of Taiwan without even launching an invasion, a think tank report says.

The report says that China could use a "quarantine" of Taiwan to exert control over the island.

The report comes amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan.

China could take control of Taiwan without ever having to invade, a prominent think tank has said.

China has long seen Taiwan as a breakaway province destined to come under its control, but Taiwan views itself as distinct from the mainland, with its own government and constitution and a staunchly pro-independence president.

While China has not ruled out using force to take control of Taiwan, it may be able to exert its power over the island without resorting to military means, according to a report by the Washington DC-based think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

China could initiate a full or partial "gray zone" quarantine of Taiwan using its coast guard and other law enforcement agencies to restrict access to the island's ports, per the report.

This would not completely seal off the island from the world, but it would "assert China's control over Taiwan by setting the terms for traffic in and out of the island," the report says.

"A key goal is to compel countries and companies to comply with China's terms. If foreign actors largely comply with the quarantine, it strengthens China's narrative that it has control over Taiwan and undermines Taipei's sovereignty claims," it adds.

China has significantly increased pressure on Taiwan, stoking fears that tensions could erupt into outright conflict. Attention has focused on the threat of Chinese invasion, but @chinapowercsis maps out scenarios likelier than invasion in the near term: https://t.co/RHSKKjXtOu pic.twitter.com/pzmpXbWd0k  CSIS (@CSIS) June 10, 2024

How a quarantine could play out

The China Coast Guard and China's Maritime Safety Administration would likely lead a quarantine, patrolling the waters around the island and intercepting any vessel that might breach the quarantine's terms.

They could be supported by other air, naval, cyber, missile, and other forces "to intimidate Taiwan, deter outside intervention, and provide crucial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance," the report says.

It follows another report that was published last month by experts from the American Enterprise Institute and the Institute for the Study of War, which looked at the idea of a potential Chinese "coercion campaign" that would also fall short of an invasion but would still bring Taiwan under Beijing's control.

China has already begun carrying out certain elements of such a campaign, launching increasing military exercises around the island.

The report also noted that while the US must still prepare for a potential invasion of Taiwan, the possibility of a coercion campaign represented a "significant gap in US strategic thought."

However, Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told CNN: "Historical evidence shows that even severe blockades have limited coercive value, and a limited quarantine might result in a rally around the flag effect."

Chinese fighter jets during military exercises near Taiwan in May. Feng Hao/PLA/China Military/Anadolu via Getty Images

Why a quarantine could suit China

A quarantine might appeal to China for several reasons, the CSIS report says.

Firstly, unlike an invasion or blockade, the latter of which the CSIS defines as a "military-led campaign to significantly curtail the flow of traffic into Taiwan," a quarantine "would not be seen as an act of war."

"It is also more reversible and would not require closing off the Taiwan Strait," the report adds.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the US is obliged to ensure that Taiwan with the means to defend itself  but there is no stipulation on whether US forces would be sent in the event of an invasion. Despite this, President Joe Biden said in 2022 that US forces would defend Taiwan should China invade.

However, a "law enforcement-led gray zone operation" would complicate any third-party intervention, per the CSIS report.

Tensions between China and Taiwan are increasing by the day

Relations between Taiwan and China remain on a knife edge.

At a conference in Singapore earlier this month, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said that the idea of peaceful "reunification" with Taiwan was being "eroded" by Taiwanese separatists and external forces.

"We will take resolute actions to curb Taiwan independence and make sure such a plot never succeeds," he said.

In April last year, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said that Taiwan was at the "core" of China's interests, according to a press statement, adding: "If anyone expects China to compromise and concede on the Taiwan question, they are having a pipe dream and would shoot themselves in the foot."

Beijing has also continued to launch military exercises around the island.

Last month, China began the two-day exercise "Joint Sword" around Taiwan, carrying out "joint sea-air combat readiness patrols, joint seizure of comprehensive battlefield control, and joint precision strikes on key targets," per Chinese state media.

Chinese military exercises off Taiwan. Gui Xinhua/PLA/China Military/Anadolu via Getty Images

The training included mock strikes by fighter jets and drills with a number of naval vessels.

Further large-scale drills occurred in April 2023 and August 2022.

China's armed forces have been able to "essentially start mounting an increased tempo of these large-scale drills that have a lot of the makings of a blockade," Tom Shugart, a former US Navy officer and adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security think tank, previously told BI.

He added that the recent May exercises showed that China's fleet was "very well suited" for a blockade or quarantine of Taiwan.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Protesters outside Solid Rock Church at Market Common in Myrtle Beach were sprayed with a sprinkler by what appears to be a church member Sunday morning, leading some to press charges.

A TikTok video posted by a person who goes by the name Guru showed protesters at the church and a person who grabs a sprinkler and sprays them. Myrtle Beach Police were on the scene. Several people claimed to file assault charges against the church member.

Myrtle Beach Police could not be reached for comment Sunday.

Protesters at Solid Rock Church in Myrtle Beach, SC, on Sunday, June 30, 2024, were allegedly sprayed by a church member a TikTok video shows.

People have been protesting against the church and its former pastor, John-Paul Miller, since the beginning of June. In April, Mica Miller, John-Paul Millers wife, committed suicide, according to police.

On Sunday morning, John-Paul Miller allegedly set up sprinklers around Solid Rock Church grounds before the church service, according to Guru. Protesters showed up, standing along the sidewalk outside the church before the morning service. There was also a man dressed as Jesus.

These people are not protesting. Solid Rock believes in the right to protest. These people are pagans who are trying to stop Christians from worshipping. They slander, they speak evil lies, they take pictures of children, and they wear masks while standing in front of parishioners who try to enter and leave the house of the Lord. These vicious pagans stand in the streets, use illegal blow horns, and laugh at the city police because the city is doing nothing to stop them from harassing Christians who simply want to worship together for one hour, John-Paul Miller wrote in an email to The Sun News. They make a mockery of the Christian faith having a man dressed up like Jesus walk around scaring innocent parishioners as they enter church.

A video uploaded by Guru to TikTok shows a church member picking up a sprinkler and spraying water into the faces of several people for a few seconds as the group shouts, No people, no church. The man then puts the sprinkler back on the ground and a Myrtle Beach Police officer moves the sprinkler head farther away from the group. The man and the officer then walk off.

Guru said six were sprayed and, of those, five filed assault charges against the man. The charges have not yet been confirmed with Myrtle Beach Police. The Sun News was not able to get in contact with the people who were sprayed.

Guru livestreamed what happened and uploaded videos to TikTok.

A group of people have been protesting outside Solid Rock Church since June 2. The Sun News visited the first protest and saw people shouting at members as they entered the church for Sunday service.

Alexandra Cuozzo, who organized the June 2 protest, said she wants to see justice for Mica Miller. When asked what justice would look like, Cuozzo said she wants to see John-Paul Miller in jail for his actions.

There have been theories online saying John-Paul Miller allegedly abused Mica Miller and was directly involved in her death despite police ruling it a suicide. John-Paul Miller has denied abusing Mica Miller and was in Charleston the day of her death.

John-Paul Miller said he has tried to speak to the protesters and the city about church members right to worship but felt his concerns were dismissed.

They scream justice but have no knowledge of the meaning of that word. They did not even know Mica Miller, nor do they care about the truth behind why she died. They dont care about mental illness that she suffered, they dont care about her heart for Africa and the children of Kenya and her home church, and they dont care about the reason Mica passed away too early, John-Paul Miller wrote. Again, we dont mind them protesting, but we do mind not being allowed to worship Jesus for one hour together, in the city of Myrtle Beach.

Why are people protesting?

Mica Miller committed suicide on April 27, according to North Carolina officials. In May, Robeson County Sheriffs Office released a video of her buying a gun before driving from Myrtle Beach to a North Carolina state park. There, she called 911 and told them she was planning to kill herself.

Her body was found in a state park.

Her death has become a national conversation topic, with people making TikToks about her, Facebook groups being started and posts circulating online with the #JusticeForMica.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, believes that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin puts Russias relations with China at risk by making agreements with North Korea, and its a good signal for Ukraine.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview for Trudy Rubin, columnist of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the video of which was published by the Ukrainian leader's press service

Details: Asked whether China wants to "throw a fork into Americas eyes" by indirect support for Russia, Zelenskyy stated: "The meeting between Putin and North Korea is a fork thrown into Xi Jinpings eyes. Putin is still afraid of China but he has no choice".

Zelenskyy stated that over 100 participants of the Peace Summit in Switzerland and the shrinking numbers of Russian artillery had made Putin seek such allies as North Korea.

Quote: "He was forced by political isolation and, secondly, he lacks artillery. He puts the relations with China at risk simply because of the lack of ammunition. And this is a good signal for our troops  Russia is not doing that well on the battlefield."

More details: Zelenskyy noted that North Korea's stockpiles of shells  without taking into account current production  amount to roughly five million, and it is less than Russia used in the war against Ukraine since the beginning of the year.

"This shows that they cannot give him everything because they need [their] stocks. But this shows our partners that we should not talk about a protracted war because he (Putin  ed.) does not have enough resources. We do not want [to wage a protracted war] in Ukraine, and he wants it but he has no resources, and its a fact," Zelenskyy says.

He added that China has a "harsh dialogue with the US" but "tries to find a warm format [of communication] with Europe".

"China needs this because it is a big market, 600 million people, and these are big economies. What is Europe for China, and what is Russia? Russia has a GDP of US$3 trillion, China has US$ 25-26 trillion, and the US US$30 trillion. What is Russia for these states? Honestly, its nothing for them," Zelenskyy stated.

He urged the US not to be afraid of Putin because "he is weak if compared to the world economy".

Zelenskyy also believes that Western countries should persuade China to leave the alliance with Russia.

Quote: "China is afraid that without Russia, the relations between China and the US will become even more complicated. They see Putin as a restraining factor. Im trying to divert Chinas attention from Russia and engage it in our processAnd I think that whatever difficulties there are, Europe and America should try to disconnect China from Russia. I think it will be more fair and make more sense"

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Rare rice seeds hidden by ancestor fleeing from slavery have been harvested for generations  now the rice could be key to climate resilience

In the South American country of Suriname, the Maroon community is growing incredible, rare strains of rice made to flourish in the world's changing weather, The Guardian reported.

The Maroons are descendants of Africans brought to Suriname as slaves by Dutch landowners in the 17th century. Their ancestors escaped from coastal plantations and established hidden communities in the forest.

Albert Aboikoni is the "granman," or highest chief, of the Saamaka, a Maroon subgroup, The Guardian explained. Aboikoni told the outlet the story of Ma Paanza, an ancestor who escaped slavery with rice grains cleverly hidden in her hair.

"After fleeing the plantations, where do you find food to survive?" he asked.

The answer was a strain of rice that is still grown today and is still named after Paanza, who first brought the rice to the secret communities in the jungle.

The Maroon community is home to an incredible number of rice species, The Guardian reported. An agricultural archive called the Svalbard Global Seed Vault includes 183 unique rice samples from Suriname.

That variety is important because it boosts resilience  just like when researchers developed a new disease-resistant rice strain. Maroon farmer Albertina Adjako told The Guardian that some species of rice are "sun-lovers" and others are "water-lovers."

Per the outlet, Surinamese rice expert Nicholaas Pinas explained: "There are varieties that thrive in dry weather, requiring less water than some others. In a year with little rainfall, they naturally produce much more than the varieties that need more water." By cultivating many varieties, he said, "You'd always have something to eat."

That's a growing concern in a world wherein the rising temperature of the planet is causing more extreme weather all the time.

However, floods and storms can still wipe fields away, The Guardian detailed. That's one reason Suriname's state-backed rice research center, SNRI/ADRON, exists. There, Pinas and others have collected and preserved grains from many varieties of rice, a large portion of them from the Saamaka people.

Meanwhile, SNRI/ADRON has distributed rice samples back to farmers after the loss of their crops. The hope is that by growing new crops from those samples, the farmers can both feed themselves and participate in preserving these rare strains of rice for SNRI/ADRON.

"I never knew there were so many rice species," said Adjako, who is one of the farmers experimenting with these strains, per The Guardian. Through their efforts, these rare rice strains will be preserved and promoted  possibly even providing the key to feeding humanity in the future.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
A rare white buffalo calf in Yellowstone national park has not been seen since its birth on 4 June, according to park officials.

In a statement released on Friday, the National Park Service (NPS) confirmed that a white buffalo calf was born in Lamar Valley earlier this month, adding that the parks buffalo management team had received numerous reports of the calf on 4 June from park visitors, professional wildlife watchers, commercial guides and researchers.

However, park staff have since not been able to locate the calf, with the NPS saying: To our knowledge, there have been no confirmed sightings by park visitors since June 4.

The calf is leucistic rather than albino and thus has black eyes and hooves with some pigmentation.

Related: Rare white buffalo born at Yellowstone prompts Lakota Sioux celebration

According to the park, the birth of the calf was a rare natural phenomenon that only occurred once prior to the near extinction of bison in the late 19th century. Describing the event, the park said the birth in the wild is a landmark event in the ecocultural recovery of bison by the NPS as a white calf had never before been born within Yellowstone national park.

The park added that the calfs birth may reflect the presence of a natural genetic legacy that was preserved in Yellowstones buffaloes, which has revealed itself following a successful recovery of the wild buffalo population of 3,000 to 6,000 animals.

In the wild, the chances of a wild white buffalo calf being born are 1 in 1m births, if not less. According to the park, about one in five buffalo calves die each spring shortly after birth due to natural hazards. However, park officials did not disclose in their statement whether they believe the calf has died.

Earlier this month, several Indigenous nations held a spiritual ceremony near Yellowstone national park in which they honored the birth of the calf.

Those in attendance included representatives from the Colville tribes in Washington, Lakota and Sioux in North and South Dakota, Northern Arapaho in Wyoming and Shoshone-Bannock in Idaho, the Associated Press reports.

At the ceremony was a painting of a white calf on a hide with the words Wakan Gli, or Return Sacred in Lakota.

According to Lakota legend, around 2,000 years ago, when food was scarce, the White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared and gave a bowl pipe and a sacred bundle to people and taught them how to pray. She then promised to return again for the sacred bundle in the forms of a black buffalo, a yellow buffalo, a red buffalo and eventually as a white buffalo calf.

Chief Looking Horse, the 19th keeper of the sacred White Buffalo Calf Woman Pipe, said that the holy woman told people: The next time I stand upon the earth as a white buffalo calf that nothing will be good no more, the New York Times reports.

The birth of the calf marks a prophecy that because Mother Earth is sick and has a fever  shes going to speak to these white animals for peace and harmony, he added.
Richard G. Kyle is the president and CEO of The Timken Co.

One of the biggest challenges for businesses  both large and small  is the ability to remain relevant.

Industries evolve. Technology advances. Things change. Whats important to customers today may not be tomorrow. Thats why the most enduring companies always look forward, not resting on their past and present successes.

The Timken Co. is one of those companies.

Timken is celebrating 125 years in business this year because of our ability to adapt with  and for  our customers. Throughout our history, weve consistently identified new markets and applications for our products that will help drive the industrial evolutions of the future. At the same time, weve continued to meet our customers where they are, growing our global presence from Northeast Ohio to locations across six continents.

When Henry Timken patented the tapered roller bearing and moved his company to Canton a few years later, he had no way of knowing our products would help power numerous advancements in aviation and space exploration, from the Wright Brothers first flight to the James Webb Space Telescope. He could never have conceived of the vital role we would play in the automation of industry and the sustainability of renewable energy.

Timken honored: Company named one of 'most innovative' companies twice

Still, none of this would have been possible without the enduring mindset he instilled in us to work with our customers to help solve their greatest engineering challenges.

I write this today not reflecting on the first bearings Timken produced 125 years ago. My focus  and that of my more than 19,000 Timken colleagues around the world  is on the future and how we will continue to apply our broad and deep specialized engineering expertise in friction management, power transmission and materials science to help our growing customer base meet the challenges of tomorrow.

For us, this is year one of the next 125.

We cant predict what new critical engineering questions well be asked to answer over the next century, but well be right by our customers sides, continuing to create tomorrows solutions and innovations for a world in motion and remaining as relevant as ever.

Richard G. Kyle is president and chief executive officer of The Timken Co.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Timken CEO Richard Kyle celebrates Timken Co.'s 125th anniversary
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) on Sunday said the Democratic Party will need President Biden to play a vital role at the Democratic National Convention in August, regardless of whether he will be the partys presidential nominee.

So, were having a serious conversation about what to do. One thing I can tell you is that regardless of what President Biden decides  our party is going to be unified, and our party also needs him at the very center of our deliberations in our campaign, Raskin said Sunday on MSNBCs Velshi.

And so, whether [Bidens] the candidate or someone else is the candidate, he is going to be the keynote speaker at our convention. He will be the figure that we rally around to move forward and beat the forces of authoritarianism and reaction in the country.

Bidens debate performance last week sparked concerns within the Democratic party about keeping him at the top of the partys ticket for the 2024 election after he showed difficulty putting ideas together and appeared tired and confused at times.

A growing number of Democratic voters and some unnamed lawmakers have called on Biden to step aside and allow a different candidate to take his place as the partys nominee. Biden has already won the primary and thus cannot be overthrown at the convention, meaning the decision would be up to him.

Obviously, there was a big problem with Joe Bidens debate performance, and theres also just a tremendous reservoir of affection and love for Joe Biden in our party, Raskin said. And so, this makes it a difficult situation for everybody. But there are very honest and serious and rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party, because it is a political party, and we have differences in point of view.

Raskin argued Biden came back roaring in North Carolina, where he held a rally on Friday after the debate, while still noting the concerns still felt in his party.

I thought that was a very sharp and hard-hitting speech when he was in North Carolina. And so that gave me some comfort, but I know there are still a lot of concerns out there and those are not concerns that are ill-motivated in any way. Again, we love Joe Biden. Hes been a magnificent president.

Names of potential replacements have included Vice President Harris, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).

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.
Real-estate agents are now TV stars as big as the homes they sell, according to 2 men who saw potential 20 years ago

Real-estate agents are now TV stars as big as the homes they sell, according to 2 men who saw potential 20 years ago

TV producers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato created "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles" almost 20 years ago.

It launched a genre of shows following the professional pressure and personal tensions of real-estate brokers' lives.

Bailey and Barbato break down the appeal of the genre as their latest show, "Owning Manhattan" with star broker Ryan Serhant premieres.

One Los Angeles real-estate agent might single-handedly be responsible for launching two decades of reality television.

In 1994, producers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato landed in Los Angeles from New York City and needed a place to live. Friends recommended agent Debby Berg and they were immediately enamored. Berg had a larger-than-life personality, drove "an enormous gold Mercedes," and was so small she had to sit on the Yellow Pages phone book to see over the dashboard, Bailey and Barbato told Business Insider.

"Every time you got in her car, you were kind of taking your life in your own hands," said Bailey.

Together, the trio cruised around LA and Berg found them a four-bedroom Hollywood Hills home she described as "Brigadoon," the magical Scottish village from the 1954 movie.

But the process sparked an idea: Real-estate brokers might be stars who are just as big as the homes they sell.

Bailey and Barbato went on to produce "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles," which followed the lives of agents selling luxury properties in neighborhoods like Brentwood and Beverly Hills. By season 6 in 2013, episodes were averaging over 1 million viewers. As the years passed, agents like Tracy Tutor and the Altman brothers became nationally known personalities with massive social media followings.

Bravo launched spinoffs in New York, Miami, and San Francisco, and streaming giant Netflix made its own version with shows like "Selling Sunset," "Selling the OC," and "Buying Beverly Hills."

Now Bailey and Barbato are launching another real estate show  "Owning Manhattan," premiering June 28 on Netflix  with one of their "Million Dollar Listing New York" stars: Ryan Serhant.

Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey are the masterminds behind "RuPaul's Drag Race" and "Million Dollar Listing." Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Serhant, now 39, leveraged his television career into a massive social media following, with over 2 million followers on Instagram. According to his website, he's closed $8 billion in sales to date and opened his own brokerage.

The pair also produce "RuPaul's Drag Race," which, over 16 seasons, has won 29 Primetime Emmys and minted dozens of drag superstars. They told Business Insider they believe in the star power of agents and say there are marked similarities between the worlds of drag and real estate.

"Brokers are kind of like drag queens," said Barbato. "They're self-made. They're putting on a show for you."

It's no mistake that many agents in Los Angeles and New York are former actors themselves, he added.

Once, the pair were touring Gore Vidal's Los Angeles home during an open house, and a dead rat appeared in the pool. Without missing a beat, they recalled, the agent told everyone attending it was a "sign of good luck."

"That's a born entertainer," said Bailey.

Real estate was not an easy sell to TV executives at first

The cast of Barbato and Bailey's new show, "Owning Manhattan," on Netflix. Courtesy of Netflix

Early on, Bailey and Barbato said, real-estate agents were not obvious television gold.

They said the biggest obstacle was convincing network executives that among the details of dealmaking was a storyline audiences could follow.

Closure became a big obstacle. In real estate, deals fall through all the time, and interested parties back out at the last second. Agents could lose a client for any number of reasons, or a seller may decide to stay put after all. The producing pair has learned to trust the process and follow more storylines than might actually make the air.

"You have to be willing to follow a story that might not end how you want it to," said Barbato. For "Owning Manhattan," the duo said they filmed 20 different sales listings represented by Serhant and his fellow brokers, but only seven resulted in deals.

Audiences naturally want to peek behind the curtains to see how others live, and sometimes it's best to let the brokers work their magic and sell the home's fantasy, they said.

In the first episode of "Owning Manhattan," Serhant shows off a listing atop the world's tallest residence, the three-story penthouse at Central Park Tower, asking $195 million. Standing on the tallest terrace in New York City, he tells another agent that one billionaire who toured the space had a very specific question.

"If I put a ping-pong table here, would it be the tallest ping-ping table in the world?" Serhant recalled the billionaire asking.

The producers like to focus on the business drama

Though brokers' big personalities may make fascinating draws, the producers say they like to focus on business, not interpersonal conflicts.

"We're really interested in the transactional element, not leaning on soap," said Barbato.

In "Owning Manhattan," viewers get a firsthand glimpse of Serhant selling in real time as he attempts to close a deal for the tallest residence in the world.

"You're not just buying luxury, you're buying scale," he says in the first episode of the show, highlighting the windows he adds are among the largest single-pane pieces of glass in the world and emphasizing that the trophy property sits "higher than helicopters" and their usual flight path.

Serhant then brags about his "buydar," his ability to sniff out when a buyer is serious. Standing above the clouds, he points to another luxury building below, explaining to the agent that its penthouse just closed at $22,000 per square foot. With the Central Park Tower pad asking just $14,000 per square foot, it's practically a steal, he argues in the show.

Viewers will follow Serhant in "Owning Manhattan" as he attempts to make his namesake brokerage firm the No. 1 firm in New York. They're already "the greatest real estate brokerage in the history of the known universe," he says to the camera with a wink.

The audience will have to wait to find out if that's true.

When in doubt, the producers have learned to let the houses themselves tell the story.

"Inside these properties is a map of the human mind," Bailey said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Iranian presidential reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian (C) leaves after casting his vote during Iran's 2024 early presidential elections at Firouzabadi Hospital polling station in Shahre Ray, southern Tehran. Following the helicopter crash that claimed the life of conservative president Ebrahim Raisi, Iranians vote on June 28 to choose a new president. Around 61 million Iranians are eligible to participate in the election. Rouzbeh Fouladi/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Reformist Iranian presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has positioned himself against internet censorship in the country days ahead of a run-off election.

In a post on Sunday, the former health minister promised that a government under his leadership would oppose the blocks. He also assured that his Cabinet would campaign against the strict enforcement of headscarf-wearing rules for women in the event of an election victory.

Pezeshkian and conservative hardliner Saeed Jalili are due to face off in a run-off vote in Iran's presidential election on Friday.

A short election campaign phase begins on Sunday with two TV debates on Monday and Tuesday.

Pezeshkian belongs to the reformist camp - the heart surgeon describes himself as a conservative politician who believes reforms are necessary. However, whether a moderate candidate can fulfil election promises at all is controversial.

Iran's authorities have repeatedly restricted the internet in the past, for example during large waves of protest such as in the autumn of 2022. Social networks, including Instagram, X and Telegram, are blocked in Iran.

Despite the block, the authorities, the government and many politicians are active on the platforms. Iranians usually circumvent the blocks using a virtual private network (VPN).

Pezeshkian received around 42.5% of the vote on Friday and Jalili followed at 38.7%. There were two other candidates in the race.

As none achieved an absolute majority, the run-off is due to take place on July 5.

Some 61 million voters in Iran were eligible to elect a successor to hardliner Ebrahim Raisi after he died in a helicopter crash in May.
The remaining victims in a Long Island crash that killed an off-duty NYPD cop have been identified.

Jiancai Chen, 37, of Bayside, Queens; Yan Xu, 41, of Flushing, Queens; and Meizi Zhang, 50, of Flushing, Queens, were named as those killed Friday when a Chevrolet Traverse crashed into Hawaii Nail & Spa on Grand Boulevard, Deer Park, at 4:30 p.m. Friday, the Suffolk County Police Department said in a statement.

NYPD Officer Emilia Rennhack, 30, of Deer Park, was also killed in the crash.

Jiancai Chen, 37, of Bayside, Queens; Yan Xu, 41, of Flushing, Queens; and Meizi Zhang, 50, of Flushing, Queens, were named as those killed Friday when a Chevrolet Traverse crashed into Hawaii Nail & Spa. Paul Mazza

NYPD Officer Emilia Rennhack, 30, of Deer Park, was also killed in the crash. NYC PBA / Facebook

The driver of the vehicle, Steven Schwally, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated. Paul Mazza

Rennhack was getting her nails done ahead of a Friday night wedding for another officer.

Nicole Miele, 54, of Dix Hills; Ana Garcia, 53, of Bay Shore; Wen Jun Cheng, 35, of Bayside, Queens; and Michael Mehale, 58, of Deer Park, were all being treated at area hospitals for serious but not life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

The driver of the vehicle, Steven Schwally, was charged with a DWI. Obtained by The New York Post

Carol Garcia, 23, of Bay Shore; Toni Saccente, 32, of West Islip; Krystal Rodriguez, 37, of Bay Shore; Nicole Saccente, 55, from Cape Coral, Fla., and a 12-year-old girl whose identity is being withheld, were all treated at area hospitals for injuries, police said.

The driver of the vehicle, Steven Schwally, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated.

He remains hospitalized for unknown injuries and will be arraigned on a later date, according to police.
The Democratic Party will be unified regardless of what President Biden decides about his role in the 2024 election, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin told MSNBCs Ali Velshi on Sunday. But he admitted that following Joe Bidens showing in Thursdays debate against Donald Trump, Obviously there was a big problem with Joe Bidens debate performance, and theres also just a tremendous reservoir of affection and love for Joe Biden in our party. And so this makes it a difficult situation for everybody.

The result, the ranking House Oversight Committee member continued, is that very honest and serious and rigorous conversations are happening up and down the party. I mean, if you compare that to the non-existent dialogue and conversation that took place in the Republican Party after Donald Trumps criminal conviction on 34 counts, its remarkable, and so were having a serious conversation about what to do.

One thing I can tell you is that regardless of what President Biden decides, our party is going to be unified and our party also needs him at the very center of our deliberations and our campaign, Raskin continued. And so whether hes the candidate or someone else is the candidate, he is going to be the keynote speaker at our convention.

He will be the figure that we rally around to move forward and beat the forces of authoritarianism and reaction in the country, Raskin added.

Bidens performance at the debate has been the subject of intense scrutiny that began during the debate itself. On Friday, President Obama tweeted, Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself. Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight  and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit.

Biden defended his performance at a North Carolina rally on Friday. He said in part, I dont speak as smoothly as I used to. But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done.

Still, voters appear to have lost some confidence in Bidens ability to lead the country. In a CBS News poll published Sunday, 72% of registered voters who responded said they believe Biden does not have the mental or cognitive health to run for president.

The post Rep. Jamie Raskin Admits Democrats Are Having a Serious Conversation About What to Do After Bidens Terrible Debate | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
The Fort Collins urban renewal board officially opened the door to buy the former Albertsons grocery store on North College Avenue without the cooperation of the property owner.

On Thursday, the Fort Collins Urban Renewal Authority board of commissioners authorized the use of eminent domain to acquire the property, which it has determined is blighted and a detriment to the community without redevelopment.

Eminent domain allows a government to take control of private property in order to provide a public benefit, without the owner's consent but after paying just compensation for it.

Prior to the vote, the board was given a report from a June 11 visual inspection by URA staff, which concluded that blight persists 10 years after the Albertsons closure.

Survey says: 6 areas of blight still present

The old Albertsons sits vacant in Fort Collins, Colo., on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023.

Colorado law defines blight as an area that substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of the municipality, retards the provision of housing accommodations, or constitutes an economic or social liability, and is a menace to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare.

Here's what the survey report observed at the site of the former Albertsons, 1636 N. College Ave., which closed in 2014:

Slum, deteriorated or deteriorating structures: "clear evidence of damage from vandalism and fire (possibly intentional)" along with water damage from possible roof leaks.

Unsanitary or unsafe conditions: Feces, potential bio-hazardous medical waste, exposed electrical wires, tripping hazards, broken glass, discarded undergarments, and general rubbish

Deterioration of site: Damaged parking lot, curb and gutter, and sidewalks. "Stormwater drainage appears to be impaired, and some drains appear to be blocked by rubbish. Landscaping is unkempt, and trees appear damaged."

Conditions that endanger life or property: "Evidence of a recent fire (potentially intentional) was apparent and evident, as well as presumable electrical shock risks."

Environmental contamination: "Evidence of automobile repair is apparent, with used parts and several patches of potentially spilled oil observed in the parking lots. Broken computer parts were also observed."

Health, safety or welfare factors requiring high levels of municipal services or substantial physical underutilization or vacancy: "The vacant former Albertsons remains vacant. Abandoned vehicles with tickets or warning stickers, and no visible license plates, are present in the parking lot. Stormwater drainage systems may be obstructed by rubbish. Fire hazards may continue to be present."

What happens next?

The board's OK doesn't mean the eminent domain process will be used, but it allows for an involuntary sale by using a specific legal process, if the URA decides it wants to pursue that.

"There are many off-ramps on this, so it's not a done deal," board member Kristen Draper said.

URA staff have described the move as a Plan B.

"We've done a lot of due diligence to purchase the property without eminent domain, and we just haven't seen a lot of movement," said Emily Francis, a board member who is also mayor pro tem on Fort Collins City Council, during the meeting. "I think it's a good next step for the board to take in potentially acquiring this building and making this a community asset for the North College community."

Andy Smith, the URA's redevelopment manager, said the board is trying to beat a 2029 sunset date for funding to make improvements along North College Avenue as part of the North College Urban Renewal Plan.

While the seller has provided a few positive updates regarding their discussions with Albertsons, the (board) decided it is time to establish a back-up option to acquire the property if delays persist, Smith said in a news release.

The board remains hopeful we can buy the property from a willing seller, however the continued delays in getting under contract are concerning, Francis stated in the news release. The North College community has made it clear they want blighted conditions at the vacant Albertsons to be cured, and the (board) agrees.

Complaints of criminal behavior and issues related to homelessness have been common at the site.

The URA has been in discussions with the current property owner, Vereit Real Estate, a part of Realty Income Group, since 2022. URA staff said both parties have agreed to a letter of intent detailing the terms of "mutually agreeable" purchase.

Commissioner and City Council member Kelly Ohlson was the lone no vote against authorizing eminent domain, but he didn't offer his reasons in the meeting.

The URA board is made up of Fort Collins City Council members, a Larimer County commissioner, a Poudre School District board member, a mayor's appointee and representatives of special districts in the city.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins Albertsons may be acquired by eminent domain, board says
Residents call out government for controversial energy switch posing 'serious threat' to cornered wildlife: 'I am especially concerned'

The Bangladesh government transitioned one of its small islands from clean to dirty energy, negatively impacting wildlife.

Mongabay reported that residents of Nijhum Dwip Island in the Bay of Bengal were relying on solar power, and the government was supposed to install a "mini solar grid for an uninterrupted power supply a few years back." Instead, the government reversed the transition to cheaper energy by constructing a 15-megawatt heavy-fuel-run power plant in a subdistrict, Hatiya, of Nijhum Dwip. The construction was done under the 100% Reliable and Sustainable Electrification Project to give everyone reliable and renewable energy.

What's happening?

As of October 23, the 2,500 households, mostly in the fishing industry, were transferred to the national grid, powered by the 15-megawatt plant.

Since April 2024, a 31-mile power line network has been built in Nijhum Dwip, including 1,500 metal electric poles ranging from 29.5 to 39 feet. The taller poles carry 11 kilovolts of electricity.

Why is the power line network concerning?

The Nijhum Dwip Island is home to a national park and Bangladesh's second-largest mangrove forest. It's also an "East Asian-Australasian Flyway site and a marine protected area."

The project did not undergo an environmental impact assessment or follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines.

Fisher Kaiyum used to rely on a water pump with electricity and ceiling fans, but after being switched over, he faced disruptions.

"A few days ago, a bird got electrocuted at the nearest electric pole. The incident snapped the electricity connection for around five hours," said Kaiyum.

Conservation biologist and Ph.D. researcher at the University of Cambridge, Sayam U. Chowdhury, acknowledges that the power lines are unfriendly to birds. He said: "The new power line installation poses a serious threat to migratory birds. I am especially concerned about the globally threatened raptors, which are highly vulnerable to power line-related mortality."

He also noted that Nijhum Dwip is a winter home for the vulnerable greater spotted eagle, the endangered steppe eagle, and the resident Indian spotted eagle.

According to the Fifth National Report of Bangladesh to the Convention on Biological Diversity records, the island is also home to 193 species, including 76 migratory species. Half a dozen of the birds are "threatened migratory birds."

A larger issue is that transitioning from solar power to dirty energy is also a hazard for the residents of Nijhum Dwip and for increasing the planet's reliance on fossil fuels rather than driving it down. According to a Harvard study, "8 million people died in 2018" from polluting gases. These toxic gases come from plants like the one built in the subdistrict.

Further, these gases stay in the atmosphere and trap heat like an invisible layer of insulation.

What's being done about protecting wildlife?

Preventive measures can be made to protect the wildlife. International Union for Conservation of Nature guidelines dictate that eclectic poles be made of wood or concrete. In addition, the conductors should be 5 feet apart, and ground wire should be covered for the first 3.3 feet.

While birds can sit on power lines without being shocked unless they are also touching something that allows electricity to pass through to the ground, the problem does happen, especially if the power lines do not have adequate clearing or safety measures. Recent studies have been commissioned to reduce bird deaths from power lines.

Efforts to protect wildlife from human development can be successful. An example of success is Canada's Banff Wildlife Crossings Project in the Rocky Mountains. The overpass provides a safe crossing for deer, elk, coyotes, wolves, moose, cougars, bears, and lynx. It has reduced collisions with animals by 80% and collisions with deer and elk by 96%.

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When Yotam Ottolenghi slashed the opening hours at some of his London restaurants last year, the celebrity chef blamed an inability to recruit enough staff.

He is not alone in struggling to find enough workers as pubs, restaurants and hotel owners are running short across the country.

According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the hospitality industry is scrambling to fill more than 100,000 vacancies, which account for more than 10pc of all unfilled roles in the UK.

Even two of Londons most luxurious hotels, The Dorchester and The Savoy, have been held back by a lack of staff, warning that it is making it harder for them to cater to their wealthy clientele.

It comes amid a wider labour crisis across the UK, as productivity growth is at its slowest since the 18th century.

That has been fuelled by a broader worklessness crisis, as more and more people are neither in employment nor looking for work.

However, when looking at the hospitality sector, industry experts are pointing to a different issue entirely  a shortage of youngsters.

Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UK Hospitality, says: The birth rate fell off a cliff around the millennium so we always knew we were going to have 200,000 fewer 18 to 24-year-olds entering the jobs market between 2020 and 2024.

Charlotte Maulik, director of The Finchs Arms in Oakham, Rutland, says that she now occasionally experiences not receiving a single CV for an entry-level position.

I dont think its as attractive to the younger people coming through, the school leavers, she says.

The consequence of fewer young people entering the workforce has been exacerbated by a decline in European workers, many who left the country post-Brexit.

While net migration to the UK has soared to record highs since the referendum, hospitality jobs have proven to be less attractive for new arrivals, according to The Migration Observatory.

Rishi Sunaks move to raise the salary requirement for hiring overseas skilled workers from 26,200 to 38,700 has also made it more difficult for companies to import staff, bosses say.

As a result, those running pubs, restaurants and hotels have been left pondering how to appeal to domestic workers.

Yet the issue that many businesses are discovering is the fact that few British people want to be waiting tables or pulling pints.

The unemployed and the economically inactive have never been drawn to our sector, says Brendan Padfield, owner of The Unruly Pig in Bromeswell, Suffolk.

We had the European diaspora come in post Tony Blair, and frankly they were the best thing since sliced bread for hospitality because the Brits wont work in hospitality.

Part of the problem is cultural, says Chris Harber, a lawyer who helps hospitality firms recruit from abroad.

I think its fairly systemic snobbery, says Harber. [Hospitality] is seen a little bit as being just like a transient job, and theres a misunderstanding from an educators perspective where its only seen as a career of last resort to a certain degree.

Those who pursue work in the industry are still not viewed with the recognition they would have in countries such as France and Italy, he adds.

Things like cafe culture have only really been a big part of British society for 15 to 20 years, says Harber. The idea of going in and sitting in a cafe and chewing the fat with your friends for an hour, strangely is a very modern concept in Britain.

Others argue that the industry has struggled to shake a reputation for low pay and a poor work-life balance.

The thing with hospitality is that it always struggles naturally with the fact that you are always going to be working unsociable hours, says Harber.

I could be the highest-skilled chef in the world, I could be a three-Michelin-star chef, Im still going to be working late into the night, working weekends. The hours are exceptionally long.

Padfield adds: If youre a family man and youre doing delivery driving, you can get home by 8pm as opposed to working in hospitality. Some would make that judgement for understandable reasons and say, Id rather spend time with the kids.

Attempts are also being made to shed the reputation of restaurants and pubs being difficult workplaces, as popularised by the likes of Gordon Ramsay in the 2000s.

In most kitchens now, certainly that Ive been in across the country, raising your voice or any form of aggressive behaviour is a serious offence, says Veryan Palmer, director of The Headland Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall. A lot of senior chefs are actually realising that teams get on better if you dont do that.

Amid growing reports of staff shortages, government ministers have sought to roll out measures to tackle the problem.

This includes this years rise in the National Living Wage and trials of so-called boot camps to help train unemployed workers.

However, these initiatives are still fresh and post-Covid challenges are still lingering, says Nicholls.

Its taken us time because not only did you close the outlets but you also closed the catering colleges, the schools for vocational training, and you didnt have the apprenticeships, she says. So you havent been able to invest in that pipeline of people being trained to come through.

Pandemic-linked challenges aside, some argue Britains hospitality sector struggles amid a longstanding lack of talent, particularly for more upmarket venues.

Trying to find a very skilled chef to cook at the higher end is far from straightforward, particularly outside London, says Padfield.

Whether the problem will improve under Labour or the Tories is another question.

Both parties have vowed to boost economic growth should they form the next government, which will inevitably rely on the hospitality sector thriving.

However, pubs and restaurants will hope ministers can help them secure the staff to do so.

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Richard Taylor, medic whose campaign to save his hospital spurred him to become an MP  obituary

Dr Richard Taylor, who has died aged 89, was a retired NHS consultant so angered by the downgrading of his hospital, Kidderminster General, that in 2001 he stood for Parliament in protest; not only did he win the Wyre Forest seat, but in 2005 he was re-elected.

A specialist in rheumatology at the hospital for 23 years, Dr Taylor became chairman of its League of Friends after his retirement in 1995.

Two years on, regional NHS chiefs announced that Kidderminster General would be downgraded to a treatment centre, and its A&E department replaced by a minor injuries unit. A Save the Kidderminster Hospital Campaign was launched, with Taylor on its committee, but despite a local outcry the closure went through in 2000.

A former RAF medical officer and a squadron leader in the reserve, Dr Taylor was determined not to let NHS bureaucrats  or the New Labour government  get away with it. And with the 2001 election approaching, he decided to take the fight to Westminster.

Taylor outside Kidderminster Hospital - Barry Batchelor/PA Archive

Traditionally, Wyre Forest was a safe Conservative seat, but in 1997 Labours David Lock captured it with a 6,946 majority. When the hospital downgrade  the first of a series planned around the country  was proposed, Mr Lock supported it, sticking to his guns as local opposition intensified.

When the election was called, Dr Taylor threw his hat in the ring as the Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern candidate. He stood on a single issue: restoring the A&E department.

The Liberal Democrats, who had come a poor third in 1997, decided not to oppose him, but Mr Lock  an able young lawyer who was already a junior minister  and a new Tory candidate, Mark Garnier, fought the seat hard.

Dr Taylor attracted a host of doorstep campaigners, including former colleagues and hospital staff. And on the night of June 7 2001 he pulled off a staggering victory.

He did not just capture Wyre Forest in one of the biggest shocks of the night; he polled 28,487 votes, defeating Mr Lock by a huge 17,630 majority and halving the Conservative vote.

Arriving at Westminster, he was allocated a seat on the Health Select Committee, the Conservatives giving up one of theirs to allow him a strong voice on this influential platform, as Garnier put it. He did not get Kidderminsters A&E reinstated, but he was always listened to, and probably saved other hospitals from downgrading or closure.

Four years on, Dr Taylor was re-elected as a Health Concern candidate, with 18,739 votes and a majority of 5,250 over Garnier  the first independent MP to retain a seat in a quarter of a century. He again sought re-election in 2010, aged 75, but despite polling almost a third of the vote lost to Garnier by 2,643 votes.

That was not the end for Dr Taylor. In 2015 he stood again, this time for the National Health Action Party, and, although he finished fourth behind the Ukip candidate, 7,211 people voted for him. When he did not contest the 2017 election, Garnier paid tribute to Dr Taylors legacy of decency and example by action. His presence on the stump made for a clean, decent fight on issues, not personalities.

Richard Thomas Taylor was born on July 7 1934, the son of Thomas Taylor and the former Mabel Hickley. He boarded at The Leys school, Cambridge; Martin Bell, who as an Independent would oust Neil Hamilton at Tatton in 1997, was two years below him.

Dr Taylor went on to Clare College, Cambridge, completed his training at the Westminster Hospital and was then a houseman at the Westminster, Kingston Hospital, and the London Chest Hospital.

In 1960 he was commissioned into the Medical Branch of the RAF. During 1963 he was senior medical officer on the former nuclear-testing site of Christmas Island in the Pacific, then was MO for a year at the RAF Hospital, Halton. He was transferred to the reserve in 1964 and promoted to squadron leader the following year.

After eight years as a registrar and senior registrar in London hospitals, in 1972 Taylor was appointed consultant physician with a special interest in rheumatology at Kidderminster General and the Droitwich Centre for Rheumatic Diseases.

While he mainly spoke in the Commons on health matters, Dr Taylor held other strong opinions. He advocated the reversal of rail privatisation and the availability of cannabis as a controlled drug, and opposed the Iraq war and student top-up fees.

He was co-chairman of the all-party Local Hospital Group, vice-chairman of the all-party groups on cancer and flood prevention, and secretary of the group on patient and public involvement in health.

He was appointed MBE in 2014 for services to Kidderminster Hospital.

Richard Taylor married, in 1962, Ann Brett; they had a son and two daughters. The marriage was dissolved, and in 1990 he married Christine Miller; they had a further daughter.

Richard Taylor, born July 7 1934, died June 26 2024

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A senior US official has sent chills down Chinese students and their families by suggesting that their studies at American universities will be restricted to the humanities by geopolitics.

Deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell said on Monday that his country needed to recruit more international students in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) - but not from China.

Instead, Washington is setting its sights on attracting students from India - an increasingly important US security partner - he told an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations think tank.

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He noted that US universities were already limiting Chinese students' access to sensitive technology because of security concerns.

According to Campbell, the US should also welcome more students from China, but to study humanities rather than sciences. "I would like to see more Chinese students coming ... to study humanities and social sciences, not particle physics."

While the number of students from China has fallen for three consecutive years through a combination of Covid-19 curbs and strained bilateral relations, the cohort remains the largest international group at US universities.

There were 289,500 Chinese students enrolled in the 2022-23 academic year, according to the Open Doors Report published by the State Department and the Institute of International Education, compared to more than 370,000 in 2019-20.

Indian students make up the second-largest cohort, which saw a 35 per cent increase to 268,900 in 2022-23 on the previous year.

Despite potentially benefiting from a Washington preference for Chinese humanities majors, communications student Julia Zhu said she felt there was "arrogance" in Campbell's remarks.

"His talk defined the role of other states in the international order from a position of superiority," said Zhu, who is studying at Shanghai International Studies University, one of China's best foreign language universities.

"His point is that India is already democratic and Indians are willing to come to America, work for America. By contrast, Chinese need to be re-educated through American humanities," she said.

US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell's remarks that Chinese students should be welcomed to the US, to study humanities not STEM subjects, has caused concern in China. Photo: Kyodo alt=US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell's remarks that Chinese students should be welcomed to the US, to study humanities not STEM subjects, has caused concern in China. Photo: Kyodo>

Story continues

Zhu was also not convinced that Campbell's welcome for Chinese humanities majors was sincere. "Words cannot be trusted. I want to see policies actually implemented. If he really welcomes humanities students, the least he can do is reduce tuition."

Mandy Wang, whose 15-year-old son is a middle school student in Beijing, said she was very worried that tensions and tech rivalry would worsen between the two countries, with Chinese students planning to study in the US falling victim.

"It's my son's dream to study STEM in the US as it has the world's best universities. He's keenly interested in maths and physics, excited about revolutionary changes to benefit the whole world," she said.

"Science should have no borders, nor should it be influenced by any narrow-minded political purpose."

Wang said she had already been upset by stories from friends about Chinese STEM students receiving stricter scrutiny when applying for visas or entering the US. "They should not be treated like that."

Academics from both countries have complained about interrogations as well as laptop and mobile phone checks, as Washington and Beijing play the blame game over intellectual property theft and espionage concerns.

Earlier this year, China's embassy in Washington accused US authorities of "unwarranted" interrogations and harassment of students arriving in the US with valid travel permits. Some had their visas cancelled and were deported, it said.

Telecommunications engineering major Jack Li's university is on Washington's "entity list" of sanctioned organisations, so neither he nor his fellow students included the US in their planned postgraduate applications, he said.

According to an employment report published last year by Li's university, fewer than 70 of its students chose further study abroad, with most going to Britain and Australia.

US worries about Chinese students' motives were unnecessary, said Li. "Most of our teachers are busy making money by operating their own companies."

Very few of his tutors cared about their students' academic performance, let alone asked them to steal intellectual property from other countries, he added.

Gary Shuai, managing director of a Beijing-based agency Weichen Education, which helps students to study abroad, said strict screening of Chinese international students could be a double-edged sword for the US.

Shuai warned that Campbell's comments could be a precursor to new measures to restrict Chinese nationals from some academic disciplines.

"Corresponding policies or measures may be introduced to restrict the study and research of Chinese students in science and engineering fields, which may include stricter visa review and restrictions on research projects," he said.

While some younger students might consider switching to social sciences or business studies as a result of such comments by US officials, others could apply to universities in other countries, according to Shuai.

"Chinese students have made great contributions to scientific research in the US. These restrictions [would] not only affect individual Chinese students, but may also lead to a brain drain and a decline of innovation potential in the US scientific and academic community."

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.
In an age when dictators and authoritarian regimes are all the rage, it becomes all the more imperative for peace-loving democrats to consider ways of getting rid of them. Yet on some happy  albeit rare  occasions, the more repellent members of the dictatorial species, by dint of incompetence or arrogance, manage to do the job themselves.

The demise of Romanias Nicolae Ceausescu is a case in point. When, on December 21 1989, the self-styled Genius of the Carpathians appeared on the balcony of the ruling Communist Partys headquarters in Bucharest to address tens of thousands of Romanians, he confidently assumed that his speech would inspire the adulation that for 24 years had normally accompanied such events. Instead, owing to the regimes heavy-handed response to pro-democracy demonstrators in Timisoara a few days earlier, where scores had been shot dead by security forces, the crowd heckled and booed, causing the state-run television station to cut transmission immediately.

Fearing the worst, Nicolae and Elena, his wife of 43 years, ordered a Romanian military helicopter to fly them to safety. But while airborne, they received the news that the government had been toppled, and the military no longer supported them. Upon landing, they were paraded before a show trial, lined up against a wall and gunned to death with a Kalashnikov.

As Marcel Dirsus observes in How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive, the Ceausescus had only themselves to blame. Nicolaes overconfidence in his popularity meant he had failed to design any plans for a flight into exile. By the time it finally dawned on him that this might be his last day in power, Dirsus concludes, he could no longer escape. In many respects, this was a microcosm of the fate that befell the Soviet Union: owing to its incompetence and economic mismanagement, Moscows tyranny over swathes of eastern Europe had, within months, collapsed.

But as Dirsus explains in this thought-provoking book, which examines in great detail the numerous ways in which tyrants and their regimes can end in failure, not everyone is so obliging. It required a global war, and an estimated 60 million deaths, to remove Adolf Hitler from Germany, and overthrow his Italian counterpart Benito Mussolini. More recently, an elderly Saddam Hussein might still be overseeing his monstrous regime in Baghdad had it not been for the controversial US-led invasion to remove him from power in 2003. Likewise, Muammar Gaddafi would still be spouting the merits of his Third Universal Theory had it not been for his overthrow following another Western intervention in Libya in 2011.

Saddam Hussein is captured by US forces in December 2003 - EPA

But there are plenty of other ways in which repressive regimes can be brought to an end. Dirsus, who has made the study of tyrants his speciality since working in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a failed coup in 2013, suggests that many dictators, having achieved ultimate power, find themselves caught on a treadmill whereby they couldnt renounce that power even if they wanted to. A combination of their own insecurity and deadly rivalries in their inner circle often means that their rule ends in abject failure  even their death. Dirsus cites a recent study in the Journal of Peace Research, which examined the way 2,790 national rulers lost power: it found that a staggering 23 per cent of them ended up exiled or jailed. The percentage rose even higher when it focused purely on those with dictatorial powers, with 69 per cent of such figures jailed, exiled or killed.

The writing in How Tyrants Fall can be glib, and occasionally irrelevant, as when describing how much Boris Johnson now earns from his speaking engagements. But when focused on the task at hand, Dirsus helpfully sets out various scenarios whereby despotic rule can be ushered towards its end. For centuries, the art of assassination has been one popular method. (Benjamin Disraelis remark that assassination has never changed the history of the world is open to question, when the bloody demise of tyrants such as Hitler and Mussolini often results in the establishment of thriving democratic governments.) Armed insurrections, using militias and mercenary forces, can also be effective, as dictatorships across central Africa and Latin America have found in recent years.

Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin in North Korea last month - KNS

When dealing, though, with tyrannies that are both well-established and well-resourced, such as those currently in power in Moscow, Beijing, Tehran and Pyongyang, Dirsus concedes that the options for beleaguered democrats are much more limited. Often, these regimes only fall on account of internal conflict. The 1986 ousting of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines was only achieved when key advisors withdrew their support in protest at his regimes corruption. The 1979 removal of Equatorial Guineas dictator, Francisco Macias Nguema, happened because even his closest allies could no longer tolerate his brutal methods.

Imposing sanctions, then, and making sure theyre effective, is our means of increasing the pressure while demonstrating a regimes inherent weaknesses. For at heart, while tyrants can often look like strong men, they live with the constant fear that, one day, their rule will end, and they will be consigned, like mortals, to the dustbin of history.

How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive is published by John Murray at 22. To order your copy for 18.99, call 0808 196 6794 or visit Telegraph Books

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Rishi Sunak says he is proud of disastrous election campaign - and claims he will win

Rishi Sunak has said he is proud of his disastrous election campaign and claims he will win Thursdays general election.

The prime minister has come under fire in recent weeks for a series of calamities that included a rain-soaked announcement of polling day, leaving D-Day commemorations early and a gambling scandal.

But in a crunch interview with just days to go before the vote, Mr Sunak told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg this campaign is something I am very proud of as he sought to disparage Labours plans.

He also said he believes he will win the election. Asked whether he thought he would still be prime minister on Friday, he said: Yes. Im fighting very hard and I think people are waking up to the real danger of what a Labour government means.

Rishi Sunak, soaked in rain, pauses as he delivers a speech to announce the election date (Getty)

But as the Tory blame game escalated before even a vote has been counted former cabinet minister John Redwood accused Mr Sunak of helping to deliver a large Labour majority.

He hit out at what he called the One Nation leadership of his party and said together with Nigel Farages Reform, they will visit on us a Labour government that may have a lower vote share than Labour led by Jeremy Corbyn gained in 2017 but have a large majority of MPs.

In a small crumb of good news for Mr Sunak, however, the Reform candidate in Erewash, Liam Booth-Isherwood defected to back the Conservatives. Whilst I have campaigned alongside many decent, honest and hardworking people during the course of the General Election campaign in Erewash, the reports of widespread racism and sexism in Reform have made clear that there is a significant moral issue within certain elements of the party, he said.

In a wide-ranging interview, the Leave-campaigning Tory leader also admitted that Brexit has been bad for many British businesses.

He was confronted by comments by his small business minister Kevin Hollinrake that there was no doubt exporting to the EU had been made more difficult by the UKs exit.

Mr Hollinrake said: Theres no doubt, for some businesses, it is more difficult to trade with the European Union. There is no doubt that is the case.

He went on to pick out businesses in the food and drink sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

Kevin Hollinrake admits Brexit was bad for many businesses (Good Morning Britain)

Asked about those remarks, the prime minister said: Of course when you leave the single market and the customs union that is going to change our trading relationships.

He added: But we have the deepest, bilateral free trade agreement with the European continent that any nation has anywhere around the world.

He also claimed the UK is a better place to live in now than it was when the Tories took office in 2010, although he pointed to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine as he conceded the last few years have been difficult for everyone.

But he was then asked to look at a screen on which viewers comments were projected. One of them, Sheila, told the PM: Our biggest worry is not about tax, its about having the basics.

An at times tetchy PM also became involved in a spat with the BBC presenter, who at one point told him: Thats not what I said prime minister.

He also claimed there was a clear difference between his handling of the racism row surrounding Tory donor Frank Hester and how Nigel Farage responded to racist comments made about the PM by a Reform UK canvasser.

On the programme, he was shown a message from a viewer who expressed concern that Mr Sunaks stance on racism had not been zero tolerance and who pointed to the Hester row.

The donor, from whom the party has continued to accept donations, allegedly said Labour MP Diane Abbott should be shot and that she made him want to hate all black women.

Mr Sunak said: I think its reasonable when someone is genuinely contrite about whats happened, accepts what theyve done is wrong, then that apology is accepted.

He added: The difference here is... Nigel Farage has just described these comments as inappropriate.

Theyre not inappropriate. They were vile and racist and wrong, but hes only said that theyre inappropriate.

The person who made them has only apologised to the Reform party for the impact its had on them. Its a very clear difference. Theres no contrition or remorse or acceptance of whats happened in that case.

For his part Mr Farage insisted the bad apples are gone from Reform.

After claiming the audience on BBC's Question Time on Friday, during which he was questioned about his party's supporters, "was rigged", which the BBC denies, he said Reform would campaign to abolish the TV licence fee as "the leading voice of opposition" because it had "abused its position of power.

Earlier, Mr Sunak claimed Sir Keir Starmer could inflict irreversible damage on the UK within 100 days of entering Downing Street.

The PM said Labour cannot be trusted and predicted a plan to impose VAT on private schools would cause chaos for families.

Meanwhile, Labour said Sir Keirs first steps would be restoring economic stability and cutting NHS waiting lists as the work of change begins. The Labour Party leader said his party offered voters hope for a better future.

After the PMs interview, Jonathan Ashworth, Labours shadow paymaster general, said: Its excruciating to watch Rishi Sunak just gloss over the concerns of ordinary working people.

Rishi Sunak has no remorse for his record: prices are up in the shops, NHS waiting lists have rocketed, and mortgages have soared. He just doesnt understand what the Conservatives have inflicted on voters over the past 14 years.

Britain simply cannot afford five more years of the Tories. Their pie-in-the-sky, unfunded manifesto risks heaping 4,800 more onto family mortgages.
Michael Whatley, chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), said Sunday that his party will roll out an overwhelmingly positive vision for America at the convention in a few weeks.

Were going to have a fantastic convention. Were very, very excited about it. Were going to have 50,000 delegates, guests and members of the media that are going to be in Milwaukee, and theyre going to see us roll out a vision for America that is going to be overwhelmingly positive, Whatley said in an interview on NewsNations The Hill Sunday, when Chris Stirewalt asked what media should expect from the convention.

Were really excited about being able to present Donald Trump as our nominee to go forward with it, Whatley added.

The Republican National Convention is slated to take place July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wis., just four days after Trump is slated to face sentencing after he was found guilty in a New York criminal trial last month.

Stirewalt noted that Republicans punted on outlining a specific platform in 2020 and has evolved in its views significantly since 2016, when the party supported military assistance for Ukraine and a national ban on abortions at 20 weeks.

Our platform is going to be pro-America. It is going to be pro-life. It is going to be pro-economy, Whatley said, without providing specifics. It is going to be fantastic across the board in terms of what its going to say about America. And we think that everybody is going to be happy with it, and were really excited about the opportunity to roll out into the general election campaign with Donald Trump as our formal nominee.

Wisconsin is poised to play a major role in Novembers election between Trump and President Biden. Trump narrowly won the state in 2016, then lost it to Biden in 2020 by roughly 20,000 votes. A Decision Desk HQ/The Hill average of polls shows Biden leading in Wisconsin by 0.1 percentage points, a virtual tie.

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Moscow's defense ministry on June 30 claimed to have destroyed 36 Ukrainian drones overnight that targeted several regions in the southwest of Russia.

In a post on Telegram, it said 15 drones were downed over the Kursk Oblast, nine over Lipetsk Oblast, four over Voronezh Oblast, four over Bryansk Oblast, two over Oryol Oblast and another two over Belgorod Oblast.

The defense ministry did not provide details of any damage or casualties caused.

Ukrainian authorities have not commented. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Russian authorities routinely falsely claim to have thwarted Ukrainian drone and missile attacks.

Russia has been reporting drone attacks against its border regions for several months. Ukrainian drones have struck targets in Russia as far as the Tatarstan Republic, some 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) away from the Russia-Ukraine border.

The Kremlin also said it's dealing with what it sees as the threat posed by Western drones.

Moscow's defense minister ordered the Russian army to develop measures to deal with what the ministry called "provocations" from U.S. strategic drones operating over the Black Sea, saying they are increasing the risk of a "direct confrontation" between Russia and NATO.

In a statement on June 28, the Russian Defense Ministry said the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were being used to conduct reconnaissance and find targets for "high-precision weapons supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine by Western states."

"This indicates the increasing involvement of the U.S. and NATO countries in the conflict in Ukraine on the side of the Kyiv regime," the statement added.

NATO drones operating over the Black Sea are no secret and can be followed using publicly available flight-tracking websites.

The Black Sea has become one of the main theaters of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Kyiv having multiple successes striking Russia's naval forces in the region.

Read also: Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia Oblast kills 7, including 3 children

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russia's Defence Ministry has claimed that nearly 40 aircraft-type UAVs attacked several of its oblasts on the night of 29-30 June.

Source: Russia's Defence Ministry

Details: As usual, the Russians claimed to have shot down all 36 drones.

In particular, 15 UAVs were supposedly destroyed by Russian air defence systems over the territory of Kursk Oblast, 9 UAVs over the territory of Lipetsk Oblast, and 4 UAVs each over the territories of Voronezh and Bryansk oblasts.

The Russians also claimed to have shot down two UAVs each over the territories of Orel and Belgorod oblasts.

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Russia is successful in promoting its narratives to Western media  Voice of America

Russia is succeeding in further promoting its narratives in the Western media, changing topics and distorting the perception of its aggressive war to blame Ukraine itself, Western experts say.

Source: Voice of America

Details: Experts demonstrated the promotion of Russian narratives on the example of the events in Crimea: Western media pick up the Kremlins quotes instead of covering the essence of the events in Russia's war against Ukraine.

For example, a number of observers drew attention to the coverage of the US strike on the Space Surveillance and Communications Centre in temporarily occupied Crimea.

The strike, confirmed by Ukraines Defence Ministry, allowed the Ukrainian Armed Forces to neutralise an important military component of the satellite communications and navigation system that helped the Russians target civilian targets in peaceful cities.

Instead, a number of leading Western media outlets quoted the Russian side, which emphasised the injured, who were holidaying on the beaches of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula at the time of the attack.

The publications which reported the incident in such light are the BBC, The Guardian, and CNN.

At the same time, German columnist Jurgen Nauditt noted that Russia is changing its messages, refuting itself.

At first, Russia claimed to have shot down the ATACMS missile (by its air defence system right over the Crimean beach), but then it retracted this version and accused Ukraine of a deliberate attack.

He says "one rule always applies  russians always lie".

Fabian Hoffmann, a researcher at the University of Oslo in Norway and an expert on combat missiles, drew journalists' attention to the fact that the footage in the video "looks nothing like a purposeful attack, and very clearly is the result of  interception".

"Tourists were lucky," Hoffmann writes, "that only a few M74 bomblets ended up detonating in the vicinity of the beach and most in the water. Otherwise this could have been a blood bath."

Joe Lindsley, a journalist for Chicago's WGN Radio, who broadcasts daily from Ukraine, showed in his video on Twitter (X) how English-language media, copying Russian headlines, focused on the loss of life of people who were holidaying on sovereign Ukrainian territory seized by Russia.

Instead of showing the essence of the event: the neutralisation of a strategic military facility that allowed Russians to kill Ukrainian civilians on a daily basis.

"A different, negative story dominated the headlines. Here's how Russia steers an unthinking media," Lindsley writes.

He emphasises that the people were killed by the remnants of Russian air defence systems, not by American weapons launched by Ukrainians. At the same time, the American journalist says, these media do not mention the Ukrainians whom Russians deliberately killed in peaceful Kharkiv.

Quote from Lindsley: "Where are the headlines about the civilians killed by the Russians in Kharkiv just a few days ago? Where are the headlines about the success of the Ukrainians in using precision American weapons to hit the places which Russia uses to attack free people?"

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Serhii Popko, the Head of Kyiv City Military Administration, has noted that Sunday's strike on Kyiv is different from the latest attacks on the capital.

Source: Kyiv City Military Administration; Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office on Facebook

   ,  

Quote: "Today's missile strike on Kyiv differs from the enemy's numerous recent air attacks on the Ukrainian capital. The enemy did not strike in the dark, nor did they use combined or mass bombardment. No ballistic weapons or cruise missiles launched by strategic bombers.

The aggressor is exploring new strategies, looking for the best moment, methods, and means to attack Kyiv. Because the capital of Ukraine has always been and will continue to be a top priority for the invaders!"

Details: Popko emphasised that such an attack should serve as a reminder to Kyiv citizens that no air-raid alarm should be ignored.

"Missiles are shot down, but they do not break up into molecules, and debris is a threat to people's lives," he noted.

On 30 June, due to the Russian attack on Kyiv, a pre-trial investigation was launched in criminal proceedings on the fact of violation of the laws and customs of war (Article 438.1 of Ukraine's Criminal Code).

Background:

A multi-storey building in Kyiv's Obolonskyi district was damaged by falling missile debris, resulting in a fire.

Five of the victims sought medical attention, all of them were women suffering from acute stress. One elderly woman was hospitalised.

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Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson believes that Russia's attack on the North Atlantic Alliance is not inevitable but that Moscow continues to pursue the goal of dividing NATO and European Union allies.

Source: Jonson in an interview with Bild, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Jonson believes that Russia's attack on NATO territory is "not inevitable", however, the Kremlin is "ready to take great political and military risks" and "has great ambitions to reorganise its armed forces".

"The best thing we can do to preserve peace in Europe is to make NATO strong and focus on deterrence and defence," the Swedish minister said.

Jonson stressed that the Alliance's goal is not to win a possible war in Europe but to prevent it.

"I think the Kremlin and Putin himself realise that they will lose this war. But I think Russia is very much interested in dividing us politically, both within the EU and in NATO," Jonson concluded.

Background:

A number of European NATO countries have previously warned of the risk of Russian aggression in the near future.

In particular, General Eirik Kristoffersen, Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces, said he believes the Alliance's window of opportunity to prepare for a possible confrontation with Russia had shrunk to 2-3 years.

In addition, Polish President Andrzej Duda believes that Russia may soon have the military capabilities to attack NATO as early as 2026-2027.

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The aftermath of the unrest in Dagestan, Russia. Photo: Russian media outlets

Russian ultranationalists are increasingly sceptical about the capability of the Russian authorities to prevent new terrorist attacks and address ethnic and religious tensions following the 23 June clashes in the Republic of Dagestan, a federal subject of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: Russian ultranationalists have widely circulated a story that extremists harassed a Russian doctor in Dagestan who refused to see a patient who had not removed her niqab [a long garment worn by some Muslim women to cover the entire body and face, except for the eyes].

Ultranationalists claim that extremists organised the event to foment further ethnic and religious tensions in Dagestan.

They also believe that Dagestani officials are aware of the identities of extremist ideological leaders but have allowed radical Salafi-Jihadists to dominate entire areas of public life in the republic.

These remarks have led to renewed discussions about banning the niqab in Russia, prompting Alexander Bastrykin, Head of Russia's Investigative Committee, to express indirect support for a ban on the style of dress.

ISW analysts note that some Western and Muslim-majority countries have introduced various laws banning religious and face-covering clothing. The Russian ultra-nationalist debate centred on the niqab is surprising given that there are few Muslims in Russia who wear the niqab.

Quote: "The Russian ultranationalist preoccupation with the niqab appears to be a talking point for ultranationalists to express their perception of an extremist threat emanating from Russia's Muslim-minority communities and to criticise Russian authorities for not doing enough to prevent what ultranationalists consider to be inevitable future terrorist attacks."

More details: Russian ultranationalists are likely to continue expressing their fears of further terrorist attacks in ways which will further fuel ethnic and religious tensions.

ISW continues to assess that Russia's ultranationalist rhetoric is partly alienating minority and Muslim majority communities and generating animosity that Salafi-Jihadi groups can exploit to recruit new members.

To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 29 June:

Two prominent Russian officials appear to be spearheading divergent paths for addressing religious extremism in Russia as ethnic and religious tension in Russia continues to rise.

Russian ultranationalists continue to express growing doubt in Russian authorities' ability to prevent another terrorist attack and to address ethnic and religious tensions within Russia following the 23 June terrorist attacks in the Republic of Dagestan.

Ten Ukrainian civilians whom Russian and Belarusian authorities arrested and held in captivity or prison, including individuals detained before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, returned to Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions near Kreminna, and Russian forces recently advanced near Kupiansk, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, and Donetsk City.

Some new Russian military personnel are reportedly receiving insufficient training before deploying to Ukraine.

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By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge said Visa and Mastercard can likely withstand a "substantially greater" settlement with merchants who said they overpaid on swipe fees than the $30 billion accord she rejected this week.

U.S. District Judge Margo Brodie in Brooklyn made her assessment in an 88-page opinion released on Friday, three days after announcing her rejection of the preliminary settlement.

The accord covering more than 12 million merchants would have lowered and capped swipe fees, also known as interchange fees, they pay to handle Visa and Mastercard transactions.

But the judge called the estimated $6 billion of annual savings for merchants "paltry" compared with the estimated $100 billion in fees they paid to accept Visa and Mastercard in 2023.

"Without evidence of Visa's and Mastercard's profitability, the court cannot say with certainty that defendants can withstand a greater judgment; however, the evidence strongly suggests that they could withstand a substantially greater judgment," Brodie wrote.

The antitrust litigation began in 2005, and could go to trial absent a new settlement.

Visa said it was disappointed, and still believes that direct resolution with merchants is the best way forward."

Mastercard also expressed disappointment, saying the settlement would have encouraged competition and given millions of businesses "substantial certainty and enormous value in how they manage their card acceptance activities."

The accord would have lowered the typical 1.5% to 3.5% swipe fee by 0.04 percentage points for three years, capped fees for five years, and given merchants more room to impose surcharges.

Brodie said the proposed changes fell short of "best possible" recovery.

She said it kept fees significantly above where they would be absent the alleged antitrust violations, and still "saddled" merchants with the "Honor All Cards" rule requiring that they accept all Visa and Mastercard cards, or none.

Many merchants objected to the settlement, as did several trade groups including the National Retail Federation.

The case is In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No 05-md-01720.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
On Saturday, 41 combat clashes occurred on the Pokrovsk front. The greatest Russian activity remains near Ocheretyne, while Russian activity has almost doubled on the Vremivka front.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook; information as of 22:15 on 29 June

Details: To date, there have been 117 combat clashes. The most intense situation during the day remained on the Pokrovsk front.

During the day, Russia launched 2 missile strikes (3 missiles) and 40 airstrikes on the territory of Ukraine using 72 guided aerial bombs and 284 kamikaze drones. Russia carried out more than 3,000 attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements using various types of weapons.

Ukrainian Air Force and Rocket Forces and Artillery hit a Russian command post, a fuel and lubricants depot, and three areas where Russian personnel were concentrated.

On the Kharkiv front, Ukrainian defenders successfully stopped 12 Russian attempts to improve their position in Vovchansk during the day. The Russians suffered losses and withdrew.

On the Kupiansk and Lyman fronts, the number of combat clashes increased to 13. The Russians tried to drive the defence forces out of their positions in Synkivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Stelmakhivka, Hrekivka, Nevske and Torske. Five attacks have been repelled so far. Fighting continues. The situation is under the control of Ukrainian defenders.

On the Siversk front, six attempts to drive Ukrainian defenders out of their positions in Spirne and Vyimka were unsuccessful.

On the Kramatorsk front, Russia unsuccessfully attacked Ukrainian defenders near Kalynivka, Hryhoriivka, and Chasiv Yar seven times. Another battle continues near Nove. No positions or territories were lost.

On the Horlivka-Toretsk front, Russia, with the support of aviation, attacked the positions of the Ukrainian army seven times. Another battle continues near New-York. The situation is under the control of the Ukrainian defence forces.

On the Pokrovsk front, the situation remains tense. The number of combat clashes has increased to 41 since the beginning of the day. The greatest Russian activity remains in the vicinity of Ocheretyne. Russia does not give up trying to wedge into Ukrainian defences near Novooleksandrivka, Yevhenivka, Vozdvyzhenka, Sokil, Novoselivka Persha, Prohres and Umanske. Ukrainian soldiers have already repelled 29 Russian attacks. Twelve combat clashes are still ongoing.

Preliminarily, the losses of the Russians amounted to 252 people during the current day on the specified front, of which 106 soldiers were killed. A tank, seven vehicles and a BM-21 Grad MLRS were destroyed. Seven guns and mortars, six vehicles and four Russian armoured combat vehicles were damaged.

On the Kurakhove front, Russia carried out 14 assault operations in the vicinity of Krasnohorivka, Kostiantynivka, and Paraskoviivka. So far, 11 attacks have been successfully repelled. The situation remains tense near Krasnohorivka, where three combat clashes are currently ongoing. The defence forces are taking measures to prevent the Russians from advancing deep into Ukraine's territory. The situation is under control.

Compared to the previous day, the activity of the Russians on the Vremivka front has almost doubled. On Saturday, the Russians stormed the line of defence seven times in Vodiane, Urozhaine and Staromaiorske.

On the Orikhiv front, two Russian attacks took place in Mala Tokmachka and Novodanylivka.

On the Prydniprovske front, four more Russian attempts to take the positions of Ukrainian soldiers in the area of Krynky failed.

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A man was murdered and ten others were injured, including a baby, as a result of a guided aerial bomb hit on the terminal of Nova Poshta courier service in Kharkiv on Sunday.

Source: Oleh Syniehubov, the Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram; Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutors Office on Telegram; Nova Poshta on X

Details: According to Syniehubov, as a result of the guided aerial bomb strike on Kharkiv, a fire broke out in a civilian non-residential building, destroying a post office and seven trucks.

One person was killed and eight were injured, including an eight-month-old toddler.

The fire has been contained.

Updated: At 17:56 Syniehubov specified that a Nova Poshta (Ukrainian postal company) terminal was struck. An employee of the terminal was killed, nine more people were injured. Among the injured there are an eight-months-old child and a woman, the rest are men.

Syniehubov adds that nine more people could also be on site of the strike; the search for them is ongoing. The Russians also hit a car park, destroying eight cars and damaging dozens more.

Russian forces hit Nova Poshtas vehicle fleet, destroying eight vehicles and damaging dozens more.

According to Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutors Office, Russia launched the attack around 16:30 Kyiv time from the village of Nizhny Olshanets in Russias Belgorod Oblast.

The Russian guided bomb hit an area several metres away from the Nova Poshta depot in Kharkivs Slobidskyi district.

One civilian was killed and another nine injured, including an eight-months-old infant.

Eight vehicles were destroyed and another five damaged, the prosecutors office said.

Meanwhile, Nova Poshta said that "[a]ll staffers who were on shift were in a bomb shelter at the time of the attack and did not sustain injuries" and that several civilians and truck drivers were injured in the attack.

Later, the State Emergency Service reported that the number of casualties increased to 10.

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In the first four months of 2024, Russia jammed the GPS signal on every fourth flight of the UK Royal Air Force.

Source: The Telegraph, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The UK publication examined data from the Flight Radar flight tracking service, which covered 63 UK military aircraft between 1 January and 30 April. They completed 1,467 flights over Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

During this time, the United Kingdom\s military aviation flew 504 transport and reconnaissance missions over Eastern Europe, with 142 of them encountering GPS jamming, and in 60 cases, such efforts occurred multiple times.

According to The Telegraph, if flights across the eastern Mediterranean are included, the proportion of the UK military aviation flights that were jammed increases to 40%.

Presumably, the source of the interference is Israel, which is attempting to defend itself against potential GPS-guided weapons launched by Hamas.

At the same time, in Eastern Europe, the Russian GPS jamming station is positioned in Kaliningrad Oblast, a territory on the Baltic Sea's coastlines sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.

The UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, who was aboard a jet jammed with a GPS signal in the spring, described The Telegraph's publication as "another example of Russias recklessness and more evidence that they are an out-of-control hostile state."

"Thankfully our planes and pilots can see off this threat but it illustrates president Putins contempt for the West and for the international rules-based order," Shapps added.

GPS navigation problems in Europe have been reported since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, particularly in Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian enclave overlooking the Baltic Sea.

European governments believe this is a deliberate operation by Moscow.

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Russians lose 1,140 troops and 53 artillery systems over past 24 hours  Ukraine's General Staff

Russian forces have lost about 1,140 soldiers, 53 artillery systems and 19 armoured combat vehicles over the past 24 hours.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Details: The total combat losses of the Russian forces between 24 February 2022 and 30 June 2024 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses  ed.]:

approximately 542,700 (+1,140) military personnel;

8,080 (+7) tanks;

15,524 (+19) armoured combat vehicles;

14,533 (+53) artillery systems;

1,110 (+1) multiple-launch rocket systems;

873 (+2) air defence systems;

360 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft;

326 (+0) helicopters;

11,584 (+46) strategic and tactical UAVs;

2,331 (+0) cruise missiles;

28 (+0) ships and boats;

1 (+0) submarines;

19,643 (+75) vehicles and tankers;

2,448 (+12) special vehicles and other equipment.

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Russians lost three aircraft, over 350 tanks and 58 air defence systems in June  Ukraine's General Staff report

In June, Ukraines Defence Forces targeted 330 clusters of Russian personnel, weapons, and military equipment; the Russians lost over 33.700 personnel, three planes, over 350 tanks, and other equipment.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook; information as of 21:03 on 30 June

Quote: "In June, the Defence Forces' aviation, missile troops and artillery units targeted around 330 clusters of personnel, weapons, and military equipment, 25 command points, 62 air defence systems, five fuel and lubricant bases and warehouses, and 20 ammunition depots.

In June, the enemy lost 33,713 invaders, 352 tanks, 589 armoured vehicles, 1393 artillery systems, 22 MLRS units, 58 air defence systems, three aircraft, 997 UAVs, 1758 automobiles, and 284 pieces of special equipment."

Details: As of 22:00 on 30 June, 124 combat clashes were recorded. The most intense section of the battlefield remained the Pokrovsk front. The situation in affected areas is challenging, but Ukrainian defenders are in control of it.

During the day, the Russians launched three missile strikes (four missiles) and 46 air strikes on Ukrainian territory (63 guided aerial bombs), as well as 401 kamikaze drone attacks. They carried out over 3,300 raids on Ukrainian troop positions and towns with various weaponry.

Nine assaults were carried out in the vicinity of Vovchansk and Hlyboke on the Kharkiv front. Two of these are still continuing. The situation is under the control of the defence forces.

On Kupiansk front, eight combat clashes occurred in this area. The Russians hit the areas of Stelmakhivka, Pishchane and Synkivka. All attacks were repelled.

On the Lyman front, the attacker attempted to breach the Ukrainian defences 16 times during the day in the areas of Nevske, Makiivka, Terny and Torske. Ten attacks were repelled, and one still continues. The situation is under control.

On the Siversk front, Ukraines defence forces effectively withstood six attacks around Spirne, Verkhnokamianske and Vyimka. One fight is still ongoing.

On the Kramatorsk front, the Russian forces assaulted the Ukrainian positions eight times near the settlement of Chasiv Yar. Four attacks were repulsed. Others are still ongoing.

The Russians were active on the Toretsk front, too. They attempted six attacks in the areas of Pivnichne, Pivdenne and Toretsk. All attack attempts are thwarted.

The situation on the Pokrovsk front is still tense. The Russians continued to attempt to wedge themselves into Ukrainian fighting formations near Prohres, Novooleksandrivka, Vozdvyzhenka, Yevhenivka, Novoselivka Persha, and Yasnobrodivka. There have been 39 attacks thus far, with seven still ongoing.

Early reports say the Russian losses on this front totaled 387 soldiers, three tanks, ten armoured vehicles, three artillery systems, and seven pieces of automotive equipment. 10 tanks, 10 armoured vehicles, 10 artillery systems, and five vehicles were damaged.

Throughout the day, the Russians attacked Ukrainian positions on the Kurakhove front 17 times. Two combat clashes are still active. The Ukrainian troops take measures to reinforce their positions and prevent the Russians from advancing.

On the Vremivka front, the Russians advanced at Vodiane, Urozhaine, Kostiantynivka and Makarivka. All attacks are repelled. The Russian forces had no success.

One attack was repelled on the Huliaipole front. There were no other combat clashes.

Three Russian attacks were repulsed in the area of Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka on the Orikhiv front.

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In the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) of Luhansk Oblast, the so-called local authorities are changing legislation to transfer housing they have deemed "ownerless" to security forces and migrants from Central Asia.

Source: National Resistance Centre (NRS)

Details: This week, the so-called "people's council of the LPR" [Luhansk Peoples Republic  illegal Russian republic on the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk Oblast  ed.] considered amendments to the local "law" according to which the Russian administrations identify and appropriate housing that has signs of "ownerless property".

The housing that the Russians have recognised as "ownerless" will be transferred primarily to employees of the "'power bloc", social workers, as well as to citizens who have lost their homes and are registered as being in need of housing.

The Russians practise forced evictions from settlements close to the front line in order to use civilian buildings to accommodate the military.

Quote: "The Russian occupation administrations also allocate such housing for civil servants who are brought in from the Russian Federation to work in the occupation authorities. Such apartments and houses are also sold at low prices to Russians who intend to settle in the TOT of Ukraine. The Kremlin constantly encourages such resettlement, as it wants to fully Russify the occupied territories."

More details: The Russians do not recognise property documents issued in accordance with Ukrainian law and demand that they be reissued in accordance with Russian law. Property owners must first obtain a Russian passport and then confirm their ownership of the property.

As noted by the NRS, such demands of Russia force Ukrainian citizens to risk their lives by returning to the TOT in order to preserve their property.

At the same time, the NRS recalled that such actions of the Russians have no legal consequences and recommended that Ukrainian citizens living in the TOT keep original documents or their certified copies, or scanned/photographed digital copies.

Background:

Ukraine's National Resistance Center reported that the Russians continue to systematically militarise teenagers in temporarily occupied territories. Specifically, about a hundred Ukrainian teenagers have joined the so-called Yunarmiya (the All-Russia Young Army National Military Patriotic Social Movement Association) in Donetsk Oblast.

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Russian troops hit the Kropyvnytskyi district of Kirovohrad Oblast in central Ukraine on Sunday evening.

Source: Andrii Raikovych, Head of Kirovohrad Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram; Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Quote: "The enemy has attacked Kirovohrad Oblast. The relevant services are operating following explosions in the Kropyvnytskyi district."

Details: At 21:17, the Air Force warned of a missile strike on Kropyvnytskyi. An air-raid warning was issued in several oblasts, including Kyiv.

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The buffalo hide with a painting of Wakan Gli that was unveiled on June 26, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller/Daily Montanan)

HEBGEN LAKE, Montana  The birth of a sacred white buffalo calf earlier this month in Yellowstone National Parks Lamar Valley fulfills a tribal prophecy, according to Native American spiritual leaders.

The prophecy means people need to take better care of Mother Earth and must come together to do so, leaders and elders told a group of about 500 people gathered Wednesday on the north shore of Hebgen Lake.

Its up to each and every one of you to make it happen for the future of our children. We must come together and bring that good energy back, said Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the spiritual and ceremonial leader of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota people and the 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe and Bundle.

Looking Horse presided over the ceremony just west of Yellowstone National Park, which encompasses sacred ancestral lands for many western and northern plains tribes. He unveiled a buffalo hide painted with a portrait of the calf, naming it Wakan Gli, which means Sacred Return, Sacred Comes Home, or Comes Holy, according to tribal leaders who were at the ceremony.

A buffalo hide that was painted with a mural of the sacred white buffalo born in Yellowstone National Park, named Wakan Gli or Sacred Return. (Photo by Blair Miller/Daily Montanan)

Representatives from the Shoshone-Bannock, Lakota, Sioux, Northern Arapaho and Colville tribes were among those who told the crowd of tribal members, tourists, and others who had traveled to the ceremony at the Buffalo Field Campaign headquarters that the birth of Wakan Gli was a foreboding message that the world is in a bad place at the moment, but also that it would help bring forth guidance on how to fix things.

Understand that our ancestors come here and that when we come here, those spirits of our ancestors wake up and we introduce ourselves to the land, said Darnell Sam, the Wenatchi Salmon Chief and member of the Colville Confederated Tribes in Washington. When we sing our songs, those spirits visit one another. They hold each other up. And thats what were here to do today is to support one another for this buffalo spirit.

Chief Arvol Looking Horse (center) is the 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe and Bundle and presided over the naming ceremony and celebration on June 26, 2024, of a white buffalo born in Yellowstone National Park. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

Long ago, Looking Horse said, there was a time when food was disappearing, bison were scarce, and the people were sick and hungry. Tribes were looking for buffalo near what is now known as Devils Tower, when the White Buffalo Calf Woman presented herself to two scouts.

The next day, the White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared again, as she had promised, and brought the sacred red-stone pipe and bundle and showed them how to pray to the creator and find food. As she left over the hills, she first took the form of other colors of buffalo, then turned into a white buffalo. She told the people that she would one day return as a white buffalo calf with a black nose, black eyes, and black hooves.

Mother Earth is going to be sick and has a fever. And thats happening right now, as we speak. This is a prophecy that has been fulfilled, Looking Horse said. And thats the only way Mother Earth is going to speak  through these white animals.

Looking Horse called the calfs birth a momentous time in our history. About a dozen tribal members from across the region shared versions of what the white buffalo, and the American bison species in general, mean to the tribes and their heritages, and led the ceremony in prayer and song.

The arrival of the calf also offered a chance for deep reflection, the speakers said, on why it appeared now and how people need to recognize that its coming means they will have to change their behaviors with each other and with nature in order to save Mother Earth.

A photo of the new white buffalo in Yellowstone National Park taken by photographer Jordan Creech. (Copyright Jordan Creech, provided by the Buffalo Field Campaign)

Look at the interactions that we have as human beings, because theres something were missing there, said Devin Old Man of the Northern Arapahoe Tribe on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming. And its just as simple as sitting underneath the tree listening to the birds, watching the bees get the honey. Paying attention to these wild animals because theyre in their natural habitat.

The calf has been elusive after it was first photographed in the Lamar Valley by Kalispell photographer Erin Braaten in early June. The Buffalo Field Campaign has provided photos of the calf taken by Jordan Creech.

Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said in an interview last week the staff at the park had not seen the calf yet but the search was on. He said if the calf survives, he imagines it will become an animal celebrity of sorts, like Grizzly 399, the grizzly bear that lives in Grand Teton National Park and is followed by dozens of photographers.

There will probably be a lot of people going to find the white bison. Maybe that bison figured it out and took off into the deep backcountry just to hang out there, Sholly said. But Im sure itll be news if we see it again.

According to the National Park Service Biological Resources Division and to Looking Horse, the last white buffalo with black eyes, nose and hooves to survive infancy was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1994.

Called Miracle, she was the first white buffalo calf born since 1933; that bison is known as Big Medicine. These types of white buffalo differ from albino buffalo. Another white buffalo calf born in Minnesota in 2012 died two weeks later.

People gathered at Buffalo Field Campaign headquarters at Hebgen Lake on June 26, 2024, to celebrate the birth of a sacred white buffalo. (Photo by Blair Miller/Daily Montanan)

Mike Mease, the campaign coordinator for the Buffalo Field Campaign, said Wednesday that holding the ceremony for the sacred white buffalo calf was the biggest honor of my life. He helped start the organization nearly three decades ago to help preserve the nations largest wild bison herd, which Indian Country and many who work in the field refer to as buffalo.

From that day to this day, Ive had the honor of standing with these buffalo, of learning from these buffalo, understanding them more than I understand most people, to be quite honest, Mease said. And those buffalo teach me about unity and about caring for one another.

He explained that buffalo help each other survive the bitterly cold and long winters each year and help other animals in the ecosystem survive as well through months of deep snow. The lead bison cuts through the deepest snow, and the rest of the herd follows behind in a single file, then allows the lead buffalo to move to the back to rest.

In that lesson, we learn the buffalo as a family, as a herd, share the burden of survival. They work together to make it all work. And when that trail is built back there in the deep snows, then the deer use it. The elk use it. The wolves use it, he said. Because the buffaloes are the protectors of the land, the people, and all the other animals.

Looking Horse said when he was chosen in 1966 at 12 years old to be the sacred pipe and bundle keeper, his grandmother who preceded him in that role had a warning about Mother Earth and the prophecy of the White Buffalo Calf Woman.

She also told the people that if people dont straighten up, then I shall be the last sacred bundle keeper, and that is always in my heart.

Yellowstone National Park statement about white bison calf

Confirmation

At this time, Yellowstone National Park can confirm, based on multiple creditable sightings, that a white bison calf was born in Lamar Valley on June 4, 2024.

Yellowstones Center for Resources Bison Management Team received numerous reports and photos of the calf taken on June 4 from park visitors, professional wildlife watchers, commercial guides and researchers.

To date, park staff have been unable to locate the calf.

To our knowledge, there have been no confirmed sightings by park visitors since June 4.

Photos provided to park biologists indicate the calf is leucistic (black eyes and hooves with some pigmentation), rather than an albino animal.

Significance

The birth of a white bison calf was a rare natural phenomenon that once occurred before the near extinction of bison in the late 19th century, when bison numbered in the tens of millions.

The birth of a white bison calf may reflect the presence of a natural genetic legacy that was preserved in Yellowstones bison, which has revealed itself because of the successful recovery of a wild bison population of 3,000-6,000 animals.

The birth of a white bison calf in the wild is a landmark event in the ecocultural recovery of bison by the National Park Service (NPS).

The NPS has never reported a white calf being born within Yellowstone National Park.

The birth of a white bison calf in the wild is believed to occur in 1 in 1 million births or even less frequently.

The NPS acknowledges the cultural significance of a white bison calf for American Indians.

Bison Population

The bison population fluctuates from 3,000 to 6,000 animals in two subpopulations, defined by where they gather for breeding. The northern herd breeds in the Lamar Valley and on the high plateaus around it. The central herd breeds in Hayden Valley.

The NPS estimates the 2024 pre-calving bison population around 4,550. Calving occurs in a single pulse during late spring and early summer.

The NPS will complete annual post-calving counts this August.

Each spring, about 1 in 5 bison calves die shortly after birth due to natural hazards.

Read more about bison ecology and bison management in Yellowstone.

Daily Montanan is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com. Follow Daily Montanan on Facebook and X.

The post Sacred Return: Tribal ceremony honors birth of prophesied white buffalo calf appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
A buffalo hide with a painting of Wakan Gli was unveiled on June 26, 2024. (Blair Miller/Daily Montanan)

HEBGEN LAKE, Montana  The birth of a sacred white buffalo calf earlier this month in Yellowstone National Parks Lamar Valley fulfills a tribal prophecy, according to Native American spiritual leaders.

The prophecy means people need to take better care of Mother Earth and must come together to do so, leaders and elders told a group of about 500 people gathered Wednesday on the north shore of Hebgen Lake.

Its up to each and every one of you to make it happen for the future of our children. We must come together and bring that good energy back, said Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the spiritual and ceremonial leader of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota people and the 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe and Bundle.

Looking Horse presided over the ceremony just west of Yellowstone National Park, which encompasses sacred ancestral lands for many western and northern plains tribes. He unveiled a buffalo hide painted with a portrait of the calf, naming it Wakan Gli, which means Sacred Return, Sacred Comes Home, or Comes Holy, according to tribal leaders who were at the ceremony.

A photo of the new white buffalo in Yellowstone National Park taken by photographer Jordan Creech. (Copyright Jordan Creech, provided by the Buffalo Field Campaign)

Representatives from the Shoshone-Bannock, Lakota, Sioux, Northern Arapaho and Colville tribes were among those who told the crowd of tribal members, tourists, and others who had traveled to the ceremony at the Buffalo Field Campaign headquarters that the birth of Wakan Gli was a foreboding message that the world is in a bad place at the moment, but also that it would help bring forth guidance on how to fix things.

Understand that our ancestors come here and that when we come here, those spirits of our ancestors wake up and we introduce ourselves to the land, said Darnell Sam, the Wenatchi Salmon Chief and member of the Colville Confederated Tribes in Washington. When we sing our songs, those spirits visit one another. They hold each other up. And thats what were here to do today is to support one another for this buffalo spirit.

Long ago, Looking Horse said, there was a time when food was disappearing, bison were scarce, and the people were sick and hungry. Tribes were looking for buffalo near what is now known as Devils Tower, when the White Buffalo Calf Woman presented herself to two scouts.

The next day, the White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared again, as she had promised, and brought the sacred red-stone pipe and bundle and showed them how to pray to the creator and find food. As she left over the hills, she first took the form of other colors of buffalo, then turned into a white buffalo. She told the people that she would one day return as a white buffalo calf with a black nose, black eyes, and black hooves.

Mother Earth is going to be sick and has a fever. And thats happening right now, as we speak. This is a prophecy that has been fulfilled, Looking Horse said. And thats the only way Mother Earth is going to speak  through these white animals.

Looking Horse called the calfs birth a momentous time in our history. About a dozen tribal members from across the region shared versions of what the white buffalo, and the American bison species in general, mean to the tribes and their heritages, and led the ceremony in prayer and song.

The arrival of the calf also offered a chance for deep reflection, the speakers said, on why it appeared now and how people need to recognize that its coming means they will have to change their behaviors with each other and with nature in order to save Mother Earth.

Look at the interactions that we have as human beings, because theres something were missing there, said Devin Old Man of the Northern Arapahoe Tribe on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming. And its just as simple as sitting underneath the tree listening to the birds, watching the bees get the honey. Paying attention to these wild animals because theyre in their natural habitat.

The calf has been elusive after it was first photographed in the Lamar Valley by Kalispell photographer Erin Braaten in early June. The Buffalo Field Campaign has provided photos of the calf taken by Jordan Creech.

Chief Arvol Looking Horse (center) is the 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe and Bundle and presided over the naming ceremony and celebration on June 26, 2024, of a white buffalo born in Yellowstone National Park. (Blair Miller/Daily Montanan)

Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said in an interview last week the staff at the park had not seen the calf yet but the search was on. He said if the calf survives, he imagines it will become an animal celebrity of sorts, like Grizzly 399, the grizzly bear that lives in Grand Teton National Park and is followed by dozens of photographers.

There will probably be a lot of people going to find the white bison. Maybe that bison figured it out and took off into the deep backcountry just to hang out there, Sholly said. But Im sure itll be news if we see it again.

According to the National Park Service Biological Resources Division and to Looking Horse, the last white buffalo with black eyes, nose and hooves to survive infancy was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1994.

Called Miracle, she was the first white buffalo calf born since 1933; that bison is known as Big Medicine. These types of white buffalo differ from albino buffalo. Another white buffalo calf born in Minnesota in 2012 died two weeks later.

Mike Mease, the campaign coordinator for the Buffalo Field Campaign, said Wednesday that holding the ceremony for the sacred white buffalo calf was the biggest honor of my life. He helped start the organization nearly three decades ago to help preserve the nations largest wild bison herd, which Indian Country and many who work in the field refer to as buffalo.

From that day to this day, Ive had the honor of standing with these buffalo, of learning from these buffalo, understanding them more than I understand most people, to be quite honest, Mease said. And those buffalo teach me about unity and about caring for one another.

He explained that buffalo help each other survive the bitterly cold and long winters each year and help other animals in the ecosystem survive as well through months of deep snow. The lead bison cuts through the deepest snow, and the rest of the herd follows behind in a single file, then allows the lead buffalo to move to the back to rest.

In that lesson, we learn the buffalo as a family, as a herd, share the burden of survival. They work together to make it all work. And when that trail is built back there in the deep snows, then the deer use it. The elk use it. The wolves use it, he said. Because the buffaloes are the protectors of the land, the people, and all the other animals.

Looking Horse said when he was chosen in 1966 at 12 years old to be the sacred pipe and bundle keeper, his grandmother who preceded him in that role had a warning about Mother Earth and the prophecy of the White Buffalo Calf Woman.

She also told the people that if people dont straighten up, then I shall be the last sacred bundle keeper, and that is always in my heart.

Yellowstone National Park statement about white bison calf

Confirmation

At this time, Yellowstone National Park can confirm, based on multiple creditable sightings, that a white bison calf was born in Lamar Valley on June 4, 2024.

Yellowstones Center for Resources Bison Management Team received numerous reports and photos of the calf taken on June 4 from park visitors, professional wildlife watchers, commercial guides and researchers.

To date, park staff have been unable to locate the calf.

To our knowledge, there have been no confirmed sightings by park visitors since June 4.

Photos provided to park biologists indicate the calf is leucistic (black eyes and hooves with some pigmentation), rather than an albino animal.

Significance

The birth of a white bison calf was a rare natural phenomenon that once occurred before the near extinction of bison in the late 19th century, when bison numbered in the tens of millions.

The birth of a white bison calf may reflect the presence of a natural genetic legacy that was preserved in Yellowstones bison, which has revealed itself because of the successful recovery of a wild bison population of 3,000-6,000 animals.

The birth of a white bison calf in the wild is a landmark event in the ecocultural recovery of bison by the National Park Service (NPS).

The NPS has never reported a white calf being born within Yellowstone National Park.

The birth of a white bison calf in the wild is believed to occur in 1 in 1 million births or even less frequently.

The NPS acknowledges the cultural significance of a white bison calf for American Indians.

Bison population

The bison population fluctuates from 3,000 to 6,000 animals in two subpopulations, defined by where they gather for breeding. The northern herd breeds in the Lamar Valley and on the high plateaus around it. The central herd breeds in Hayden Valley.

The NPS estimates the 2024 pre-calving bison population around 4,550. Calving occurs in a single pulse during late spring and early summer.

The NPS will complete annual post-calving counts this August.

Each spring, about 1 in 5 bison calves die shortly after birth due to natural hazards.

Read more about bison ecology and bison management in Yellowstone.

Daily Montanan is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com. Follow Daily Montanan on Facebook and X.
Safety tips, reminders for lighting your Fourth of July fireworks at home

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  As the Fourth of July approaches, fire officials in the Beehive State are reminding Utahns of firework safety.

The Kaysville Fire Department took to social media on Saturday to provide some rules and reminders in a lighthearted post. While the post was primarily targeted toward Kaysville residents, the rules are applicable to most Utahns.

READ NEXT: Where to watch fireworks and drone shows in Utah for July 4th: List

For a list of the areas where fireworks are restricted, click here to visit the Utah Department of Public Safety website. For an interactive map showing restricted areas in Salt Lake County, click here.

We want you to have a fun holiday week with your family, but we also want you to be safe as you set off a majestic light display in the sky, the department said in the post.

Before offering its tips, the Kaysville Fire Department first reminded Utahns that brush fires and missing fingers dont equal patriotism.

Safety tips for fireworks, according to Utah officials

One tip officials reminded Utahns about was not letting children younger than 16 years old handle any fireworks.

Another safety tip was regarding alcoholic beverages and fireworks, with the fire department encouraging those celebrating the holiday to have a designated lighter for the fireworks.

Its never a good idea to mix adult beverages and things that go boom together, the Kaysville Fire Department said.

If you are planning on lighting aerial fireworks, the fire department said there should be no overhead obstacles  including trees, powerlines, or your face. Fireworks should be stored in a cool, dry place  which the fire department should exclude homes or garages.

If a fire is started, you should have a water source available, and the fire department said hoses would be a better option than water bottles. The DPS said having buckets of water available would also be helpful.

If experiencing a fire or medical emergency, you should call 911.

If you have a complaint about the volume of the fireworks are are looking to report illegal fireworks in Kaysville, you are asked to call Davis Dispatch at 801-451-4150 and press option 0.

If you are not in Kaysville, but are looking to report illegal activity, call the local dispatch number instead of 911.

Finally, be safe and use common sense, officials 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 ABC4 Utah.
Warren Buffett said we won't measure success by how much money we have when we're older  here's what counts

Weve all heard it before: money doesnt buy happiness  and investing legend Warren Buffett took that sentiment one step further.

When you get to my age, you will not measure how well youve done with how much money youve got, I can guarantee you that, he once said in a speech to students at Georgia Tech. The money isnt going to be that big a deal.

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Buffett is the 10th richest person in the world  behind Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates, among others  with an estimated net worth of $135 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The Berkshire Hathaway CEO became a millionaire while still in his early-30s and a billionaire by his 50s. Hes now almost 94 years old and offers a unique perspective on wealth and success  one that includes living a simple, frugal life.

Heres a closer look at the Oracle of Omahas method of tracking success.

How to measure your success

Buffett believes that, beyond a certain level of wealth, peoples lifestyles and experiences arent actually all that different.

Think about it, seven hours a day you are in bed, he told the Georgia Tech students. Youve got the exact same mattress Ive got. So, we are on a parity. I cant outdo you in terms of my sleeping enjoyment We eat at the same places We dress more or less the same.

Lifes basic necessities and interests, according to Buffett, arent much different for those with modest means and those with immense wealth.

Considering he was speaking to a congregation of college students, he said their energy and education already made it likely theyll make good money down the road, so that shouldnt be the primary yardstick for gauging success in their lives.

Instead, Buffett prefers a more sentimental measure: Youll measure [wealth] by how many [people] really love you in the end. You cant buy love.

Research appears to back this up. A study published in the Healthcare (Basel) Journal showed that increased social interactions and frequent gatherings with family improved the overall life satisfaction of older adults.

Story continues

On the flip side, social support and frequent interactions with other people were not the only factors determining life satisfaction. Another study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing found that poverty had negative mental health impacts on elderly people as they struggled to meet their basic needs.

Simply put, Buffett is correct in that money isnt everything; however, its still a vital ingredient for a long, fulfilling life. With that in mind, investing and building wealth is actually an important goal.

Read more: Car insurance rates have spiked in the US to a stunning $2,150/year  but you can be smarter than that. Here's how you can save yourself as much as $820 annually in minutes (it's 100% free)

Can money buy (some) happiness?

Studies by Nobel Prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman and happiness researcher Matthew Killingsworth have established a link between wealth and overall life satisfaction. Earning more money, they found, tended to make people happier.

For people seeking more satisfaction in their lives, they could still follow Buffetts principles on wealth-building. The Oracle of Omahas frugal spending habits, focus on long-term investments, diversification, avoidance of debt and value-oriented investment strategies could help many people accumulate sizable fortunes over time  especially if they start young.

You dont need to be an investing guru to start amassing capital. For example, Buffett swears by low-cost index funds, such as an S&P 500 index fund.

During a 2021 shareholders meeting, he said, I do not think the average person can pick stocks.

Therefore, investing in an S&P 500 index fund is a relatively simple passive income strategy. One just has to purchase the fund and hold onto it  without having to select individual stocks.

You can also consider asset classes, such as bonds and real estate. Before making any money moves, talk to your financial adviser and consider your risk tolerance.

These strategies shouldnt come at the cost of your personal and family life. Buffetts philosophy is that nurturing relationships and friendship along the way may be just as important for a well-balanced, satisfying life.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  To date, 71 people are running for the 12 seats on the new Portland City Council. Three candidates will be elected by ranked-choice voting in each of the four city districts.

In District 2, which represents North and Northeast Portland, 23 candidates are running.. So far, its the greatest number of candidates in any of the districts.

Candidate Sam Sachs, founder of the non-profit the No Hate Zone, was this weeks guest on Eye on Northwest Politics. The nonprofit promotes and advocates for racial equality and minority rights.

Over his career, Sachs has been a human rights commissioner for the City of Portland, a diversity instructor with the Oregon Department of Public Safety and Standards, as well as a park ranger, among other roles.

When asked about the origin of the No Hate Zone and its mission, Sachs explained it came from firsthand experience with antisemitism when growing up in a predominantly Christian environment.

In my younger years, I would use violence to deal with antisemitism or hate, he said. Then I got to a point in my life where I realized that violence wasnt the answer, that I cant have hate in my heart for those who have hate for me. And as a reminder to me not to have hate, I created the No Hate Zone.

Sachs added that his current campaign for Portland City Council is ultimately a culmination of his lifes work, which included serving with Avel Gordly, the first African-American woman to be elected to the Oregon State Senate.

I saw the way she carried herself with grace and character and compassion, he recalled. I also noticed that it wasnt about her. It was about the community and what the community needs and how to we bring people together. Thats kind of been an inspiration in my work.

In 2021, the No Hate Zone put up billboards in the city against gun violence. Although this received mixed opinions on both sides of the issue, Sachs argues it achieved the goal of bringing attention to the rash of gun violence Portland continues to see. Even though the campaign spurred city funding to multiple nonprofits, as well as a state of emergency declared by Mayor Ted Wheeler, Sachs noted the fight is not over yet.

Too many Black and brown people, too many people in our community of colors are dying from gun violence and we have to make it a priority, he emphasized. We cant let the foot off the pedal, so to speak.

Sachs, who majored in African American studies at Portland State University, has frequently spoken out on issues related to the Black community in Portland. District 2, which he is looking to represent, has also traditionally been African-American. He says his investment in the fate and future of the community comes from him knowing how it feels to be the focus of hate, due to his Jewish heritage.

If you want people to speak up for you, you have to speak up for others as well, he said. I recognize the influence and the privilege I have as a white guy to be able to try to change or have an impact in moving all of those issues forward to make the world a better place for everyone  not just them  but for all of us.

With District 2s ballot being a crowded field, Sachs notes that what separates him from the other candidates is his ability to bring people together from both sides to find solutions  such as communities of color and police  and his lobbying to pass legislation still in effect today.

I can really only speak to my qualifications, he concluded.

Watch the full interview in the video above.

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.
What San Diego County government worker gets paid the most?

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Have you ever wondered what San Diego Countys highest-paid government employee makes per year?

Last week, the California State Controllers Office released its 2023 Government Compensation in California report, detailing an analysis of payrolls in each county.

Highest-paid statewide

Overall, the highest-paid government workers in all of the Golden State, well at least the top five, are employed in San Joaquin County, according to compensation report.

The total annual wages for a physician manager in this county is $1,247,779, while another physician manager was listed with a close annual wage of $1,173,087.

New law caps rental security deposits starting July 1

Also in San Joaquin County, three physicians were in the top five highest-paid statewide with the following annual wages: $1,132,140, $1,064,742 and $1,007,506 respectfully.

Highest-paid in San Diego County

As for San Diego County, the top four highest-paid positions were all listed as temporary expert professionals in the Health and Human Services Agency. Specifically, the employees are all psychiatrists with the following yearly wages: $503,800, $499,400, $458,160 and $455,400.

The fifth highest-paid San Diego County government job is the retiree management employee who makes $430,303, according to the compensation report.

San Diego mayor responds to Supreme Courts homeless encampments decision

Heres a look at the top 10 government employees in the region, based on this report:

There were a total of 22,978 San Diego County government employees as of 2023, with collective wages adding up to $1,739,507,212. Additionally, retirement and health contributions for these workers totaled $914,286,928.

The full 2023 Government Compensation report for San Diego County can be found 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 FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Elections supervisor wrong for the job

The developer puppet, Supervisor of Elections James Satcher, spells big trouble for Manatee County. He is disenfranchising voters and politicizing his role  and he has only been in the position a couple of months.

He recently followed the authoritarian playbook by not allowing an election for one of the open School Board seats. Gov. Ron DeSantis will decide for us with an appointment.

Satcher is also trotting out his one-trick-pony argument blaming the left for the push to get voters to change their political affiliation so they can vote against him in the Republican primary.

Maybe he doesnt realize, or perhaps he doesnt care, that the voters only have Republican candidates in his race so the primary decides the winner. And maybe there are lots of us who want the highly experienced Scott Farrington to take over this important post.

Satcher may be the incumbent (only because he was appointed by DeSantis) but Farrington is the obvious choice. For a free and fair election, vote for Farrington, former chief of staff in the elections office.

Kristina Skepton, Bradenton

Ten Commandments dont belong in school

Re the June 26 letter advocating the placement of the Ten Commandments in public schools:

The writer is informed by a 1970s seminary course and some 1930s textbooks. Im informed by history and the U.S. Constitution, which makes it clear that the government cannot push or favor any religion.

Civil liberties groups plan lawsuits to block the new Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments in schools, saying it would unconstitutionally breach protections against government-imposed religion

She suggests the Ten Commandments can be taught because they are nonsectarian history, when in fact the first four command us to believe in God.

She suggests the founders believed it was self-evident there was natures God. Perhaps, but they still insisted the government could not require this belief. Many did not practice a religion and were opposed to the establishment thereof.

The writer posits the founders belief in God led them to state all men are created equal. Wrong. To them, men meant white males of a certain class. Most of the founders enslaved people and engaged in human trafficking. They wrote a Constitution that did not prohibit slavery.

The author suggests our rights come from God, when in fact our rights are earned by the sacrifice of people fighting for their rights.

The writer gets right that our Constitution is enduring American law, yet advocates violating the very first amendment.

Robert J. Catineau, Sarasota

GOP stands in way of immigration reform

Several months ago, President Joe Biden successfully negotiated a bipartisan immigration reform package that was set to be passed by Congress. The legislation was stalled by House Republicans at the request of former President Donald Trump to force immigration to become a GOP election issue.

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers observe migrants from behind concertina wire in Eagle Pass in July 2023. (Credit: Omar Ornelas/El Paso Times).

In the absence of congressional action, Biden announced an executive order to address immigration concerns. In response to Republican claims that his executive order was an election ploy, the president declared, I will work with anyone to solve these problems. Thats my responsibility as president. Thats our responsibility as Americans.

I would add its also the responsibility of the U.S. House.

Under the new policy, undocumented spouses of American citizens will be shielded from deportation and given a pathway to citizenship and the ability to work here legally. The policy would help people who have been living in the U.S. for more than a decade.

Were a nation of immigrants, Biden said. Thats who we are.

Its true. All of our families, at some point, traveled here from somewhere outside the U.S.

Cheryl Huber, Port Charlotte

Court decision safeguards Americans online

In rejecting a challenge to the authority of the federal governments ability to communicate with social media companies on issues related to harmful and manipulated information, the Supreme Court demonstrated levelheadedness by safeguarding Americans from the dangers of malformation.

The courts choice to turn down the plaintiffs allegations of being victims of government-backed censorship preserves the ability of independent researchers, civil society groups and the government itself to collaborate on protecting national security and acting to prevent the digital amplification of maligned foreign influence operations.

Ill-intentioned bad actors who subvert the information ecosystem often do so for personal, political or financial gain, and cannot be permitted to put the well-being of Americans communities at risk without repercussions, including fact-checking and removal from digital outlets.

Oscar Portillo, Sarasota

Write to us: How to send a letter to the editor

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Fair elections under threat in Manatee County
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has released new footage of the liberation of Snake Island on June 30 to mark two years since Russian troops were forced to retreat from the strategic Black Sea outpost.

In a post on Telegram, the agency described the "unique and extremely important operation" conducted by Ukrainian soldiers including members of the SBU.

"It consisted of several stages and was of strategic importance because since then the gradual displacement of the enemy from the Black Sea began," it wrote.

The footage begins with an aerial view of an airstrike on the island before Ukrainian troops land by helicopter and engage Russian forces.

Since the liberation of Snake Island on June 30, 2022, Ukraine has had huge success at diminishing the presence and firepower of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, destroying or putting out of service around a third of its vessels.

Snake Island, located 35 kilometers from the mainland of Odesa Oblast, was captured by Russian forces at the onset of the full-scale invasion due to its strategic importance.

On Feb. 24, 2022, two Russian warships attacked the island and told the Ukrainian border guards to surrender.

One of the Ukrainian border guards famously responded, "Russian warship, go f*ck yourself," a phrase which became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.

Occupying Snake Island effectively allowed Russian forces to launch a blockade of Odesa's Black Sea ports and direct missile attacks against Ukraine until April 14, 2022, when Ukraine successfully sunk the Mosvka, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

Russian forces withdrew from Snake Island later that June. Their retreat led to establishment of the U.N. and Turkey brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative, which resumed grain and other agricultural exports to the rest of the world.

Russia's Defense Ministry called the withdrawal "a gesture of goodwill" rather than a defeat, adding troops "had completed their mission" and were withdrawing to demonstrate Russia's willingness to allow for grain exports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.

Andriy Yermak, head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, slammed the statement as "complete fake," adding that Russian troops were pushed out of the outpost as a result of a "remarkable" operation conducted by Ukraine's Armed Forces.

Read also: Kremlin claims provocations from US drones over Black Sea, prepares potential response

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, holds up Wednesday, June 26, 2024, with white gloves the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award given last fall to the five bipartisan "sister senators" who helped block a near-total abortion ban. (Jessica Holdman/SC Daily Gazette)

COLUMBIA  The day after South Carolinas last Republican sister senator lost her re-election bid, she proudly displayed the award that symbolized both why she lost and why she doesnt regret any of her votes.

Giving her farewell speech at the Senate podium, Sen. Katrina Shealy paused to put on white gloves. Then she picked up the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, given last fall to the five female senators who helped block a near-total ban on abortions in South Carolina and stood together in opposing the six-week ban that ultimately became law last year.

I stood up for the right thing. I stood up for women. I stood up for children. I stood up for South Carolina, the Lexington County Republican said Wednesday as the other four sister senators  two Republicans, one Democrat and one Independent  gathered around her in support.

Here it is, and its beautiful.  Take a look, she said of the sterling silver and crystal lantern engraved with the senators names. This is what a Senate seat costs, and Im proud of it!

The awards actual worth is somewhere between $35,000 and $40,000. But its value to the sisters is immeasurable.

Its future home is uncertain. The award has been in Shealys Senate office. But shell be packing that up soon.

Shes looking for a new home for the award, maybe at the State Museum or University of South Carolina. The women say they were told its too controversial to display anywhere inside the Statehouse, though Senate GOP leaders deny saying that.

We only have one, and there are five of us, Shealy told the SC Daily Gazette. Wed raise the money for a pedestal or something to put it on, under glass, because its very expensive.

Only one of the five women will return to the chamber next year.

Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, D-Walterboro, has no opposition at all. Sen. Mia McLeod of Columbia, a Democrat-turned-Independent, didnt seek re-election.

Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, D-Columbia, who won a special election in January, takes a photo Wednesday, June 26, 2024, as Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, reads from the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award the sister senators received last fall. Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, D-Walterboro, will be the only one of the five to return to the chamber next year. (Seanna Adcox/SC Daily Gazette)

Its the three Republican women who knew bucking an abortion ban would draw challengers and provide fuel for nasty attack ads from the partys right flank. All were defeated.

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, whose caucus put money into Shealys runoff race, argued the GOP women did not lose due to their abortion votes alone.

If you look at the campaigns of any of those three races, their opponents did a good job of painting them all as squishy and out of touch, said the Edgefield Republican. I may disagree with some of that, but I think their opponents did a good job of painting them in that light.

Freshman Sen. Penry Gustafson of Camden got trounced in the June 11 primary by a 64-percentage-point landslide to Lancaster County councilman Allen Blackmon. Sen. Sandy Senn of Charleston, first elected in 2016, lost to freshman Rep. Matt Leber of Johns Island by a mere 33 votes.

Shealy, the longest-serving female senator and the chambers only chairwoman, was seen as the strongest of the three for keeping her seat.

She has by far the chambers most winning record: In the last session, 14 of her bills became law, not including the bills she co-sponsored. Two more bills she authored are expected to be signed into law in the coming days. And her long track record fighting for children earned her the nickname among her colleagues as the childrens senator.

That included serving as chief watchdog of the Department of Social Services following the deaths of several children in its care in her first term, which eventually led to the directors resignation in 2014 and the agency settling a federal lawsuit. More recently, her committees scrutiny of the Department of Juvenile Justice, where she once volunteered, led to a no confidence vote in the Senate in 2021 of that agencys director, who resigned later that year.

Last summer, Shealy told the Gazettes editor she didnt think her constituents would believe the name-calling and attack ads that she knew were coming.

She turned out to be wrong.

My opponent spent the last six months lying about me and telling people what a bad job Ive done, and its not true, Shealy told her colleagues from the podium. Ive read billboards that said I was a baby killer. I would never hurt a child.  I have taken children out of foster homes, out of group homes, and I have literally saved their lives from being beaten to death.

Ultimately, Shealy lost to attorney Carlisle Kennedy by 25 percentage points in the June 25 runoff after leading a three-way primary two weeks earlier. Shealy conceded early in the night, knowing as votes were being counted that Kennedys winning margin was too much to overcome.

Shealys primary runoff was the Senate GOP Caucus only loss of the night. It collectively put about $500,000 into four GOP runoff races. (The winners were freshman Sen. Billy Garrett of Greenwood and two state House members seeking a Senate seat: Roger Nutt of Moore and Jason Elliott of Greenville.)

She was an integral part of the team. She was a very effective legislator, Massey told reporters after senators adjourned Wednesday. Im very disappointed to see her go.

Kennedy, the son of former state GOP Rep. Ralph Kennedy, did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Gazette.

During her farewell speech, Shealy called out Personhood South Carolina, a group that seeks to outlaw abortions from the outset of pregnancy with no exceptions for victims of rape or incest or for fatal fetal anomalies. The group was founded in 2015 by Sen. Richard Cash, R-Powdersville, who has long argued that a baby shouldnt be punished for the fathers crime and that doctors diagnoses can be wrong.

It was Personhood South Carolina that bought billboards labeling the GOP women sisters for death and created a website calling Shealy a liberal liar.

To watch what Personhood SC has done to me is just cruel and unheard of, and I hope the lobbyists for those groups are happy with themselves, Shealy said, noting that Cash left the chamber before she spoke.

Cash has said he resigned from the group after winning a special election in 2017 and is no longer directly connected.

Sen. Penry Gustafson, R-Camden, holds up a lantern her husband had engraved to look like the John F Kennedy Profile in Courage Award given collectively to the sister senators. Gustafson showed it to her colleagues during her farewell speech Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (Seanna Adcox/SC Daily Gazette)

In her own farewell speech, Gustafson said she never cried following her primary blowout. But she cried the night of Shealys runoff.

There were a few votes over the last four years Gustafson said she regretted. None involved abortion.

The easy route for me was to go along party lines, no matter, and vote yes, she said. Ultimately, obviously, I had to vote no on the final bill.

Of the Republican women, Senn was the only one who had consistently voted against abortion bans for years, even before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and turned what had been a largely philosophical exercise into a real possibility. She was also the only one of the three not censured by her local Republican party because of her abortion stance.

It was a gut punch to lose by so few votes, Senn said from the podium.

Yet, she said, I feel liberated, as she passes along her Senate responsibilities and constituent requests.

However, she said, for the sake of the state, the Senate needs more balance, not just men to women but Republican to Democrat. Currently, there are 30 Republicans in the 46-member chamber  one Republican short of a supermajority.

Most voters, Senn said, are moderates landing somewhere between the extremes of right and left, and she encouraged her colleagues to stand up against extreme proposals.

A renewed effort for a near-total ban on abortions is coming, she said, and you now no longer have us to take the bullets for you.

Perspectives gone

Asked what he thinks about the Senate potentially having no GOP women next year, Massey said, Im not so much worried about the look as I am that I do think we need the perspectives.

When Shealy initially won her seat in 2012, there were no women of either party in the chamber. She remained the lone female until Bright Matthews won a special election in 2015.

Senators give a standing ovation to the sister senators after Sen. Katrina Shealy gives her farewell speech Wednesday, June 26, 2024, a day after losing her primary runoff. (Abraham Kenmore/SC Daily Gazette)

From 2003 through 2012, South Carolina ranked last nationwide in female representation in the Legislature, according to Rutgers Universitys Center for American Women and Politics.

This year, South Carolinas ranking improved to 47th, after Tameika Isaac Devine, D-Columbia, won a special election in January.

Next year, Bright Matthews and Devine could be the only two women in the chamber. There are women running for Senate in November. But all of them face uphill battles in districts considered safe for the other party.

I think we get different perspectives when we have people of different backgrounds in the body, Massey said. Were going to miss that, no question.

As for Shealy, she intends to stay busy helping children, to include through her nonprofit Katrinas Kids, and plans to do something involving Alzheimers, a disease she knows all too well. Her husband Jimmy has been diagnosed with it.

She concluded her farewell speech with a challenge to her colleagues.

Which one of you will step up to the plate and take up what Ive been doing for the last 12 years, because everybody in here has their little niche? she said.

Yall better suck it up and get busy is all I have to say.

The post SCs GOP sister senators say farewell: This is what a Senate seat costs! appeared first on SC Daily Gazette.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Deputies with the Shelby County Sheriffs Office found a body near a wooded area off Highway 64.

Scene after dead body found in Eads, TN.

Scene after dead body found in Eads, TN.

At around 12:40 p.m., deputies responded to an armed disturbance call in the 12000 block of Highway 64.

When deputies arrived, they found a vehicle in a wooded area next to a closed business, as well as an adult male deceased with a gunshot wound in front of the business.

Highway 64 was down to one lane eastbound near the 385 intersection for several hours.

An eyewitness who spoke with WREG described a chilling scene.

After seeing a car crash at the top of the hill, he said he saw a woman waving for help. When he went to assist the woman, a random gunman opened fire as he approached the wreckage.

It was really loud, the eyewitness said. I heard tire screeches, I heard a boom. When I heard a boom, I started running towards it to help out. All I wanted to do is help but end up getting shot at instead.

At this point, law enforcement hasnt clarified who couldve been firing the shots.

I saw the gun, but it just happened so quickly, the witness said. He shot and I heard the loud things and I just started running.

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.
Search underway in Putnam County for man who fled from THP in stolen patrol vehicle

PUTNAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is searching for a man who they said stole a troopers vehicle from Smith County and then crashed it in Putnam County.

THP said troopers were on patrol in Smith County when they noticed a suspicious vehicle parked at the Buffalo Valley rest area on Interstate 40 around 6:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 30.

Officials said a trooper saw a man and woman sleeping inside the vehicle, which was confirmed as stolen. The trooper reportedly told the occupants to get out of the vehicle and then handcuffed them.

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According to authorities the female occupant was identified as 42-year-old Karen Vallie of Montana. As for the male occupant, he allegedly gave the trooper a fake name and social security number, but he was eventually identified as 55-year-old Charles D. Lawson of Tennessee.

THP said Lawson was secured in a patrol vehicle, but as the troopers inventoried the contents of the stolen vehicle and interviewed Vallie, Lawson got control of the patrol vehicle and fled the scene.

Soon afterward, though, Lawson crashed the stolen THP vehicle around Tucker Ridge Road in Putnam County, officials said. In addition, law enforcement confirmed none of the troopers weapons were taken from the patrol vehicle, so they believe Lawson is not armed.

(Courtesy: THP)

Officials described Lawson as 5-feet 9-inches tall and 145 pounds with brown hair. He was last seen wearing blue shorts and handcuffs without a shirt or shoes.

Authorities shared the following photos of Lawson from a body camera before he escaped:

(Courtesy: THP)

(Courtesy: THP)

If you see Lawson, you are asked not to approach him. Instead, call 911 immediately.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Shortly before 4 p.m., THP announced aviation and K-9 units are in the Putnam County area, trying to track down Lawson.

No additional details have been released about the ongoing investigation into this incident.

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 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.

 Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.

This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.

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 WKRN News 2.
Search underway for teen missing from Far North Side

CHICAGO  A search is underway this weekend for a teen boy who officers say has been missing from the citys Far North Side for a week.

Chicago police say 15-year-old Iziah Flemon is missing from the 1200 block of West Lunt Avenue in Rogers Park and has not been contacted since Saturday, June 22.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

According to police, the missing teen, who stands 5-foot-6 and weighs around 123 pounds, has black hair and brown eyes.

Chicago police say 15-year-old Iziah Flemon is missing from the 1200 block of West Lunt Avenue in Rogers Park and has not been contacted since Saturday, June 22.

Chicago police did not provide details on what kind of clothes the teen was last spotted wearing.

Officers notified the public about the teens disappearance in a news release sent out on Friday afternoon.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of 15-year-old Iziah Flemon is asked to contact the CPD Area Three SVU at 312-744-8266 or call 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.
See them while you can: Climate change is reshaping iconic US destinations

See them while you can: Climate change is reshaping iconic US destinations

As millions of Americans flock to the nation's coasts, islands and national monuments this summer, experts have a sobering message: Climate change is rapidly reshaping some of the United States' most iconic destinations.

Devastated tropical islands. Ruined coastal homes. A flooded capitol. The changes are unfolding in plain sight and at a rapid and terrifying pace, experts told USA TODAY  with no sign of stopping.

Some of the most obvious and dramatic changes can be seen at the bustling coast, where rising seas mean summer vacation spots face a supercharged risk. There, the natural rhythm of water meeting land increasingly results in flooding and erosion that eats away at roads, homes and businesses.

Here is a look at some of the nation's most famous destinations, which are being altered by a warming world:

A hole is visible where a section of southbound Highway 1 broke off and fell in the ocean at Rocky Creek Bridge on April 02, 2024 near Big Sur, California. A section of California's famed Highway 1 collapsed into the ocean following heavy rains.

California's Big Sur Coast Highway is falling into the ocean

One of California's most scenic and best-known attractions is the Big Sur Coast Highway, which clings to the side of cliffs and offers breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.

But it's increasingly inaccessible because of climate change-induced landslides, cliff collapses and rockfalls.

We have much more intense, prolonged winter storms that bring heavy rain and wind. As a consequence, the rate of failure due to landslides has increased significantly, said Peter Swarzenski, interim acting chair with the U.S. Geological Survey's Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center.

The road has been in an ongoing fight against gravity since it was first constructed in the 1930s. But now, a new level of damage is coming from increasingly furious winter storms and climate change-exacerbated wildfires that lead to soil erosion.

The end result: hundreds of millions of dollars in damage that require closures so frequent the California Department of Transportation maintains a website listing them.

Highway 1: California's Pacific Coast Highway is falling into the ocean. Is this the end of the road?

In an aerial view, a section of southbound Highway 1 that broke off and fell in the ocean at Rocky Creek Bridge is visible on April 02, 2024 near Big Sur, California. A section of California's famed Highway 1 collapsed into the ocean following heavy rains.

A massive storm on March 30 caused a section of the roadway a dozen miles south of Carmel to fall into the ocean. Locals only had limited access in and out and it took six weeks to reopen.

On June 23, a section of the highway at Paul's Slide only opened after being closed for a year-and-a-half because of a major slide that poured as much as 500,000 cubic yards of material across the roadway.

Such closures "used to happen once every few years. Now its almost every year," said Swarzenski.

Water surrounds an ocean-front beach home as Hurricane Dorian hits the area, on September 6, 2019 in Nags Head, North Carolina.

Sea level rise threatens Outer Banks coastal escapes

More than 5 million visitors a year flock to the sandy beaches of the barrier islands off North Carolina, visiting lighthouses and soaking up the sun. But its hard to miss the clear evidence that the warming climate is changing this fringe of islands.

While flooding of the low lying oceanfront highway has always been an issue during storms, today it occurs more often.

The impacts of higher sea levels and high tide flooding arent just visible along the beach. Theyre evident on the inland side of the islands, along the Albermarle Sound in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, where scrubby freshwater bogs are being overtaken by salt marsh. Ghost forests are scattered across the landscape as salt water intrusion kills trees. Some local landmarks that once stood on solid ground are now sitting in the water.

High tide flooding  frequently referred to as sunny day flooding  already occurs twice as often along the Outer Banks as it did in 2000, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and thats only expected to increase.

The agency expects high tide flooding to triple by 2030, and to be 10 times higher by 2050.

Construction workers build a sand dune along North Carolina Highway 12, the oceanfront highway along the Outer Banks, to protect the road from high tides and waves that wash over the road.

This year has seen major projects taking place along the beach, to fight the rising tides and maintain the oceanfront highway. The roadway sees so much activity from dune over wash and flooding the North Carolina Department of Transportation maintains a Facebook page just to share NC 12 updates with the public.

A new bridge opened in 2022 to take motorists around some of the most flood-prone spots.

Communities along the Outer Banks are grappling with hard questions about adding sand to replace vanishing dunes and when to retreat from development in some oceanfront areas.

The cherry tree nicknamed "Stumpy" stands in water during high tide at the Tidal Basin on March 28, 2024 in Washington, D.C. The National Park Service announced that it will begin to cut down over 140 Cherry Blossom trees around the Tidal Basin and West Potomac Park in anticipation of construction of an upgraded sea wall to guard against flooding.

Washington, DC's historic sights are sinking

Some of the most iconic tourist sights in Washington, D.C., are sinking.

The man-made Tidal Basin, flanked by treasured monuments including the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and the cherry trees that are a symbol of international friendship, are under siege. Experts say rising water levels, urbanization and subsidence  the sinking of the land  are contributing to the problem.

Over the past century, sea levels in the area have risen over 13 inches, with signs of acceleration. Today, the Tidal Basin's walkways flood at certain times of day. At the Jefferson Memorial, the tops of hand railings along walkways are under water. Thats not how it was 15 or 20 years ago, said Seri Worden, senior director of preservation programs at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

There are certain areas of the Tidal Basin when you're walking, say, from the Jefferson Memorial towards the MLK Memorial, where you cannot walk along the edge of the Tidal Basin at all because it's so flooded and so muddy and slippery, it's closed off, she said. And that's really a shame for one of our most important monuments in the country.

As the Thomas Jefferson Memorial is seen in the background, a park bench sits in water during high tide at the Tidal Basin on March 28, 2024 in Washington, D.C.

The rising water levels from climate change are also killing off cherry trees that line the basin. When walkways are flooded, people end up trampling the trees roots. Plus, rising temperatures year after year are causing the peak bloom season to occur earlier and earlier.

In 70 years, the entirety of the Tidal Basin walkways could be under water if nothing is done, Worden said.

The National Park Service has begun construction on a $113 million project to restore the seawall and widen walkways, according to Superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks Jeff Reinbold. That should curb the twice-daily flooding, he said.

Were confident in the ability of the seawalls to address the majority of the impacts were going to see well into the future, Reinbold said.

Still, other experts think the Tidal Basin will need a longer-term plan that might include changing the way visitors experience the monuments there. Otherwise, we might lose them altogether, Worden said.

People hang out on a wharf next to the Strait of Florida during the seasonal king tides on October 26, 2019 in Key West, Florida. Researchers estimated that the Florida Keys will likely see increased flooding as sea levels continue to rise due to various factors including global warming.

Rising seas, flooding and heat in Key West

When it comes to sea-level rise, Key West, Florida, is "one of the most vulnerable places in the nation to rising sea levels," according to the Partners for Livable Communities.

Like many parts of South Florida, Key West is quite flat, with many sections, including the downtown hub of tourist activity, reaching no more than 3 feet above sea level.

Grimly, Key West could experience up to 7 feet of sea level rise by 2100, NASA reports. Such a dramatic rise would put much of the Keys underwater.

Water floods part of a street that runs near the Strait of Florida during the seasonal king tides on October 26, 2019 in Key West, Florida. Researchers estimated that the Florida Keys will likely see increased flooding as sea levels continue to rise due to various factors including global warming.

But it's not just the slow march of sea-level rise that worries locals: It's also the extremely hot summer days and ferocious hurricanes, Sheetal Almas, the adaptation and energy coordinator for the city of Key West, told USA TODAY. While Key West has always had to deal with heat and hurricanes, climate change is supercharging these threats.

The city is well aware of its vulnerability and is developing a Climate Adaptation Plan to assess the multiple threats, Almas said. "We're seeing what the city can do to be more resilient," she said.

Potential visitors to Key West should pack flexibility into their vacation schedules, Almas said, especially if they're visiting during the heart of hurricane season, from mid-August to mid-October. She recommends purchasing travel insurance and "having a way to get off the island" should evacuation be necessary.

In an aerial view, burned structures and cars are seen two months after a devastating wildfire on October 9, 2023 in Lahaina, Hawaii.

Hawaii faces wildfire threats  and more

Hawaii may have a reputation as an idyllic island getaway, but tourism on the island faces several headwinds.

Last year, Fodor's Travel named Maui among 10 destinations on its 2023 No List that tourists should reconsider visiting because of the threat of environmental damage caused by overtourism and climate change.

And then came the wildfires.

After fires devastated the town of Lahaina, many people were displaced from their homes and forced to live in hotels or leave the island, bringing to light their own concerns about tourists taking up housing accommodations on the island and displacing local families. More than 100 people died in the fires.

The islands of Maui, Oahu and The Big Island are susceptible to more devastation from wildfires and other climate threats this summer, said Abby Frazier, a climatologist who studies the spatiotemporal dynamics and impacts of climate change and climate variability.

Frazier joins other experts who have been warning that climate change will reshape the Aloha State. Researcher Chip Fletcher previously told USA TODAY that Hawaii will face more wildfires, hotter sea surface and air temperatures, more coastal erosion and more extreme rain.

The islands also face sea level rise, an increase in drought and storm frequency and a change in rainfall and stream flow pattern and variability, according to the report Climate Change and the Visitor Industry produced by The University of Hawaii Sea Grant Center for Sustainable Coastal Tourism and funded by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Over the next couple of decades climate change is expected to have an increasingly negative impact on Hawaiis tourism sector, the states primary economic engine, the report said.

Contributing: Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY; Gareth McGrath, USA TODAY NETWORK

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These iconic US destinations are threatened by climate change
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for most of New Jersey on Sunday. The advisory encompasses nearly the entire state, excluding only Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Gloucester counties from the list of affected areas.

Sunday's forecast would mark the third thunderstorm to pass over the region since Wednesday night, according to NWS records from Newark Liberty International Airport, which logged a second torrent on Thursday.

Sunday's alert will remain in effect from 2-8 p.m., said Jay Engle, a meteorologist with the service.

"Rainfall of one to two inches in some areas cant be ruled out," Engle said, although he noted the intensity of the downpour will differ from town to town.

At 4 p.m., The Morris County Office of Emergency Management issued an alert on social media stating heavy precipitation had already caused flooding along routes 80 and 46. But by the evening's onset, the issue appeared relegated to offramps along Route 287 in Morristown and Parsippany-Troy Hills, according to the state Transportation Department.

More: Delaware County tornado kills one in New York state; what we know

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for much the Northeast on Sunday, June 30, 2024.

More: Hurricane Beryl an 'extremely dangerous' Cat 4 storm as it roars toward Caribbean

Power outages

Wednesday night's tempest caused scattered blackouts. But as a result, the state's utility companies are prepared for further disruptions, should they occur.

"If there is any bright side to the recent outages, especially Wednesdays storm, it is that we still have extra contractors on site," said Chris Honig, a spokesperson for Jersey Central Power & Light. "We are staffed up and prepared for this forecast. Our crews are working 16-hour days and ready to respond to anything that comes in tonight."

"Whenever the ground is saturated, its more likely for trees and branches to come down during the next storm," Lauren Ugorji of PSE&G said, explaining that the recent spate of storms could be a factor in further disruptions.

PSE&G's website advises customers to plan ahead by charging mobile phones, tablets, backup power sources and other mobile devices.

As of 4:45 p.m., JCP&L counted as many as 1,817 customers without service across Morris County, although no one municipality accounted for more than a few hundred toward the total outages. Meanwhile, PSE&G wrestled with 2,299 disruptions to customers in Wayne alone until that number quickly decreased to 875.

After the brunt of the storm passes, a chance of continued showers could continue into midnight, according to the NWS forecast. After that, sun is expected from Monday through Tuesday afternoon, with a turn to overcast skies for Tuesday night through Wednesday.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: North Jersey weather: Severe thunderstorm watch issued on Sunday
We recently compiled a list of the 12 Wealthiest People in Norway and in this article, we will look at the richest person in Norway.

Norway's Economy: An Outlook

Norway is a highly developed country with a rather small yet robust economy. It is one of the richest countries in the world with a GDP per capita of $84,851 and a wealth per adult of $385,338. In the first quarter of 2024, the Norwegian economy slowed down with the GDP growth experiencing a 0.2% dip. This represents a significant decline from the previous quarter's 1.6% surge in the. Private consumption and public spending growth also faced contractions in Q1. Despite the overall slowdown, some mitigating factors promise a potential pick up, such as the annual GDP growth improved at 1.1%.

The country benefits from various sectors including aquaculture, shipping, and oil and gas, among others. The top industries in the country are supported by a strong services sector. The emerging markets in Norway include fintech, cleantech, medtech, and biotechnology. The Norwegian government is boosting its investments in cleantech solutions. For instance, a state enterprise, Enova which is owned by the Ministry of Climate and Environment in Norway recently awarded funding for a feasibility study of direct air capture and storage, signifying Norway's commitment to developing clean technology for carbon removal.

A Top Business Destination

Norway is one of the top business friendly countries in the world. It offers attractive opportunities to companies looking to expand internationally. It also provides a market for firms with a strong market position and the ability to compete and collaborate in sectors such as Norways offshore energy, shipping and maritime, healthcare, tourism, consumer staples, defense, and IT. Norway is home to many subsidiaries of US companies including GE Healthcare, Cusco, Tesla, and others. These companies not only boost the market in the country but also play a pivotal role in local employment. In 2018, 655 US companies in Norway invested NOK 153 billion and employed over 45,000 people.

This Sector has the Highest Investments in Norway.

Oil and gas is the biggest sector in Norway, with its government increasing its estimate for 2025 investments in the countrys hydrocarbon operations. According to Statistics Norway, hydrocarbon extraction and pipeline investments are now projected to be 13% higher in 2024. Spending is forecasted to reach 205 billion kroner in 2025.

The oil and gas sector will invest 246.9 billion Norwegian crowns, up 10.22% from a decade ago, representing increased investments in fields on stream, field development, and pipeline transportation. Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) is the biggest company by market cap in Norway. The energy company specializes in the exploration, production, transportation, refining, and marketing of petroleum and other forms of energy in Norway. It boasts a strong presence across the world, extending to 30 countries. It employs nearly 23,000 people and collaborates with a network of 8,000 suppliers. In 2023, the company logged a net operating income of $35.77 billion and produced 2,082 mboe of oil and gas per day. The company is heavily investing to maintain Norway's position as a key supplier of gas in Europe. It has committed an annual $6 billion to fund exploration, drilling, and existing projects in the North Sea. This will help Norway keep its position as an exporter of nearly 40 billion cubic meters of gas per year through 2035 and ensure steady output.

Story continues

Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) is also committed to its transition to net carbon emissions. It aims to reduce net carbon intensity by 40% by 2035. In 2023, it generated 4,235 GWh of renewable energy. It is actively reducing its emissions from its offshore operation by making a switch to shore power for Sleipner and Gudrun platforms and other associated fields in the region. The electrification of this project will reduce carbon emissions by 160,000 tonnes, contributing to EQNR's emission goals and ultimately Norway's goal of reducing oil and gas emissions by 50%. The company has invested 1.08 billion NOK in the project and created 250 jobs.

Moreover, Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) is actively positioning itself as a key market player in the European carbon storage market. It has secured two licenses of 100% share in the North Sea, with a storage capacity of nearly 5 million tonnes of CO 2 per year when in operation. Another significant effort in the carbon storage market by EQNR is its recent partnership with rsted and Nordsfonden for a project in Denmark with a potential capacity to store 12 million tonnes of CO2 annually. EQNR will hold a 60% share in the Danish exploration license, leveraging its 30 years of experience in this field. The company will benefit from these investments to reach its goal of 30-50 million tonnes of CO2 storage capacity annually by 2035.

The Wealthiest Person in Norway

Nightman1965/Shutterstock.com

Methodology

To compile our list of the 12 wealthiest people in Norway, we consulted the real time billionaires data from Forbes and ranked the wealthiest people in Norway in ascending order of their net worths, as of June 28.

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The Wealthiest Person in Norway

1. Ivar Tollefsen

Net Worth as of June 28: $8.1 billion

Ivar Tollefsen is the wealthiest person in Norway, He started his first company, Tollefsen Enterprises at the age of 14. The company rented out DJ services and event equipment. He began his real estate company, Fredensborg AS with his DJ business earnings. His company owns 100,000 apartments in Europe. He also bought a building in Oslo in 2017 that used to house the US embassy. As of June 28, he has a net worth of $8.1 billion.

Curious to learn about other wealthy individuals in Norway? Check out our report on the 12 Wealthiest People in Norway.

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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.
SHELBY  The need for food assistance in Richland County is high and has increased since the pandemic. That's what retired steelworker Rich Banichar told members of the Shelby Area Democratic Club during their recent meeting.

Banichar's work in helping others less fortunate began with his membership in the United Steelworkers union. He and other members would participate in the USW bucket drives raising money to go to help the poor.

Rich Banichar speaks to the Shelby Area Democratic Club.

One of the organizations he now helps is Matthew 25, which provides free fresh produce to hundreds of families in Richland and Ashland counties through a monthly drive-thru at area locations such as Mansfield Senior High. They also provide monthly food boxes to seniors who qualify. For those who cant get out, Banichar and others deliver the produce right to their door. Banichar said he delivers to as many as 60 households in the Shelby area each month.

He also works with a local farmer to give away his surplus product. That includes things like eggs, corn and a variety of produce. Over the past three years, Banichar estimates over 5,000 dozen eggs have been provided to area food pantries and individuals. Sometimes hell get a call to pick up on the weekend when the food pantries are not open. Thats when he gets in his truck and goes door to door in poorer neighborhoods to give it away.

Banichar is also a member of the Shelby Lions Club. As a project, the Club provides and serves a lunch each month at the Peoples Pavilion, a project of People Helping People of North Central Ohio. The organization provides free lunches 365 days a year, rain or shine, to anyone who comes. The Pavilion is located on Bowman Street between Third and Fourth Streets in Mansfield. Banichar says though most of the clients are fortunate to have a roof over their head, many of them live out on the streets.

Banichar has found the people he serves to be proud and kind. He told the story of one woman to whom he delivered a dozen ears of corn that called him back to give him $5 for his ministry. An hour later, he was talking to a young man who had a bad turn of luck. He pulled out the $5 but the young man protested, not wanting to take Banichars last $5. Banichar said he loves the work he does and it is driven by his faith.

More club updates

In other business, Club Secretary Cindy Gordon read a letter from former Shelby City Councilman Garland Gates updating the Club on his and wife Pattis new life in Vermont. All is well, Gates said. They have settled into their new home in the village of Bristol, population 1,936, and he has already become involved in the local Democratic Club there.

A report on Mays Truman-Kennedy Breakfast was given by Treasurer JC Elgin. The speaker, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart, brought in a record crowd, and the Club approved proceeds to go to supporting her campaign for re-election along with local Democratic candidates Emily Adams, running for state representative, the Rev. Aaron Williams, running for Richland County commissioner, and Chris Adams, running for Richland County clerk of courts.

Club President John Makley also spoke about the Clubs effort to get Shelby area residents together to meet the Democratic candidates. Called The Conversation Project, the gatherings will be small and intimate.

It is an opportunity for attendees to not only listen to the candidates but also for the candidates to hear what the needs and issues are for the attendees," Makley said.

The Shelby Area Democratic Club meets the third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Sutter-Roush Room at the rear of 23 E. Main St. All Democrats and persons of good will are welcome to attend.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Shelby Area Democratic Club learns about efforts to feed those in need
SCREVEN COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF)  The Screven County Sheriffs Office is investigating a shooting that left six people injured.

On the night of June 29th into the morning of June 30th, the Screven County Sheriffs Office received calls for a shooting at Lawton Place Neighborhood. The calls indicated a shooting had occurred at an unpermitted block party being held in the neighborhood.

As a result of the shooting, six people suffered gunshot injuries and multiple cars were damaged from being struck by bullets.

Officers arrived on the scene and additional law enforcement was provided by Sylvania Police Department, Georgia State Patrol and Bulloch County Sheriffs.

The investigation has indicated that there were multiple people shot during this incident.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting with this investigation.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Screven County Sheriffs Office at 912-564-2013. Anyone with photographs or videos from this incident or the events leading up to it are asked to provide them to the Screven County Sheriffs Office.

Count on NewsChannel 6 for more details as they become available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
Socialist Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Caban bizarrely claimed at a Pride Month celebration that queer liberation means Free Palestine!'  infuriating some LGBTQ+ and Jewish people.

The speech from the co-chair of the City Councils LGBTQ+ caucus was met with cheers at Queens Colleges Pridefest, according to sources. But others questioned what the 36-year-old Caban was thinking.

One wonders how Caban ties queer liberation with calls for the establishment of a country that would have the death penalty for LGBTQ people, said one outraged Jewish New Yorker.

Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas andCity Councilwoman Tiffany Caban posed at a Pride parade alongside people holding signs that read No pride in genocide and Queer families for Palestine. Instagram @tiffany_caban

Comments and posts from City Councilwoman Tiffany Caban that Queer liberation means Free Palestine' have sparked outrage and criticism from some. Instagram @tiffany_caban

Queens College, which has a 30% Jewish undergrad population, has a history of antisemitic incidents, including hateful Fk Israel and Jews Suck graffiti on campus in the months following Hamas horrific Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The Pridefest event was meant as a celebration for all 25 CUNY campuses, a system that entered a settlement with the US Department of Education earlier this month over ongoing discrimination complaints, including both antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Caban has shared photos on social media throughout Pride Month with posters reading Queer as in Free Palestine and No pride in genocide.

Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Caban claimed at Pride Month celebration that queer liberation means Free Palestine!' William Miller

Posters branded with Cabans name called for the closing of Rikers Island and the funding of libraries  both for queer liberation. Instagram @tiffany_caban

The irony wasnt lost on social media users.

These people amaze me, supporting people who would have them killed at the drop of a hat, one commented.

Other messaging at events Caban attended this month also co-opted pride. Posters branded with her name called for the closing of Rikers Island and the funding of libraries  both for queer liberation.

Caban did not respond to a request for comment.
The News

JOHANNESBURG  South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa finally appointed a cabinet of ministers late on Sunday local time. The new cabinet, which will lead the countrys first national coalition government, includes six members from the Democratic Alliance, previously the official opposition.

Ramaphosa kept key ministries, including finance and defense, for his African National Congress. It will see the return of the countrys Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to the all-important post, given the countrys difficult economy. John Steenhuisen, leader of the DA, will be the new agriculture minister.

Ramaphosa said: All parties have made a commitment to respect the constitution and to promote accountable and transparent governance, evidence-based policy and decision-making, the professionalization of public service, integrity and good governance.





Know More

The ANC was forced to form a coalition government after failing to secure a simple majority in South Africas election on May 29. The center-right DA won the second largest share of the vote in the election and the two parties, traditionally rivals, agreed to form a coalition with smaller parties. That enabled ANC leader Ramaphosa to become the leader of Africas biggest economy for five more years.

It took two weeks for the ANC to negotiate a deal with the DA, to establish what they call a government of national unity, which includes nine other parties.

Top party members of the ANC and the DA had spent the last two weeks in tense negotiations trying to to agree on the right share of ministerial posts. At one point the talks fell apart over claims the DA wanted a number of ministers equivalent to its share of the vote which would have entitled the party up to 11 posts. At one point Steenhuisen was reported to have been aiming for the deputy president role.

The jury is out on whether Ramaphosas team will cohere and manage to deal wtih South Africas intractable problems of increasing poverty and inequality. South Africas unemployment stands at 32.9% if those who have given up looking for work are not counted, according to the countrys national statistics agency.

Room for Disagreement

The South African Democratic Teachers Union, an ally of the ANC, has criticized the coalitions composition, particularly the fact that the education portfolio was assigned to the DA.

We have never been on good terms with the DA  they are anti-trade union and always place the blame for education problems at the door of the trade unions, said Nomusa Cembi, spokeswoman of the 265,000-member body which is South Africas largest teachers union.
The sponsor of a new Florida law designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping in public places praised a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Friday that upheld the constitutionality of an Oregon citys ordinance cracking down on public camping.

Rep. Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island, called the Supreme Court ruling in a Grants Pass, Ore., case a victory for common sense.

The ruling came after Florida lawmakers in March passed a controversial measure (HB 1365) that will prevent cities and counties from allowing people to sleep on public property, including at public buildings and in public rights of way.

It will allow local governments to designate certain property for sleeping or camping if the sites meet standards set by the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Read: Man taken to hospital in critical condition after shark bite at Fernandina Beach

Such areas, which could only be used for one year, would have to include access to such things as restrooms and running water, have security and be deemed alcohol- and drug-free.

Also, the sites could not harm values of nearby properties or safety.

Florida has chosen to reject comfortable inaction and tackle this problem head on, Garrison, who is slated to become House speaker in 2026, said in a prepared statement Friday.

Read: Deputies: Stabbing victim left in stable condition, suspect still on the loose in Orange County

That is our right, and our obligation. We will continue to work with all 67 counties in our state to support innovative solutions that simultaneously protect public spaces and respect the dignity of every human being.

But Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, blasted the ruling. This is a devastating ruling that ignores the reality of homelessness in America, Eskamani said in a statement. We will continue to do what we can at a local and state level to push back against the criminalization of our fellow Americans who deserve evidence based interventions, not incarceration.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
**Related Video Above: Military pilots first-hand UFO encounter

CUBA, Mo. (WJW)  It wasnt an unidentified flying object, but rather an unidentified driving object that got the attention of a sheriffs deputy in Missouri Friday.

You never know what will be traveling through Crawford County but this one was a little out of this world, Crawford County Sheriffs Office said in a Facebook post.

We all watched it vanish: Dozens saw bizarre UFO sighting at Red Rocks

A vehicle that looked very much like a space ship was rolling down I-44, reportedly on its way to Roswell, New Mexico. Take a look at photos below:

Photo courtesy Crawford County Sheriffs Office Missouri/Facebook

Photo courtesy Crawford County Sheriffs Office Missouri/Facebook

Photo courtesy Crawford County Sheriffs Office Missouri/Facebook

The deputy took photos with the friendly humanoids and had a conversation about making sure the vehicles registration was up to date.

No signs of alien life: Pentagon study

He was also warned about our strict enforcement of warp speed on the interstate and to keep his phasers on stun only while traveling, the office said in the post.

The drivers of the vehicle reportedly came in peace.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A Springdale man was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including murder, according to court documents.

Uriel Martinez, 20 (Courtesy: Washington County Detention Center)

Uriel Martinez, 20, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and second-degree battery. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with 10 years suspended.

Martinez was arrested on May 6, 2022, after authorities with the Washington County Sheriffs Office found him and another individual breaking into a residence in Benton County.

According to a probable cause report, witnesses said a man, later identified as Joseph Cueno, was found at a residence on Sonora Road in Springdale with a gunshot wound to his head, and Martinez was holding a rifle.

Martinez immediately fled in Cuenos vehicle after the incident and later ditched it, the report said.

A deputy arrived at the Benton County residence. Martinez reportedly would not comply and yelled at the deputy to kill him. The deputy and homeowner of the residence had to physically fight Martinez to get him handcuffed, according to the report.

The other individual allegedly fled the scene while the homeowner and deputy restrained Martinez.

A live .223 caliber round was found in Martinezs pocket, matching a spent shell casing and another live round that was found at the Sonora residence.

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 KNWA FOX24.
David Karl Kuhn loiters with his pit bull puppy, Casper, at Atlantic and Kernan boulevards in November 2022. Kuhn was without a permanent residence for at least 14 years and is an Army veteran suffering from numerous health issues.

Jacksonville is home to a significant population of veterans who have proudly served our country. However, despite our communitys respect and gratitude, many of these veterans face a harsh reality: homelessness. As we progress through 2024, it is imperative to redouble our efforts to eliminate veteran homelessness in Jacksonville.

By understanding the scope of the issue, building on successful strategies and fostering a collaborative community response, we can ensure that every veteran has a stable place to call home.

Scope

As the largest city in Florida by land area and population, Jacksonville hosts a substantial veteran community. Despite various initiatives aimed at reducing homelessness, veterans remain overrepresented among the homeless population. Recent estimates suggest that approximately 400 veterans are homeless in Jacksonville on any given night.

These individuals, who once stood ready to defend our freedoms, now struggle to find basic shelter and stability.

Veterans also face unique challenges that contribute to their risk of homelessness, including physical and mental health issues such as PTSD, depression and substance abuse. Coupled with a lack of affordable housing and limited access to supportive services, these issues create a perfect storm leading to homelessness.

Successful strategies

Jacksonville has already seen success with several initiatives aimed at reducing veteran homelessness. The HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, which combines housing assistance with supportive services, has been instrumental in helping veterans secure stable housing. Additionally, the Housing First approach, which prioritizes placing individuals into permanent housing without preconditions, has shown promising results in maintaining housing stability for veterans.

A notable success story is the collaboration between the VA, local government and nonprofit organizations, leading to the creation of veteran-specific shelters and transitional housing programs. While these programs have helped many veterans, the problem persists and more must be done.

A comprehensive approach

To end veteran homelessness in Jacksonville, a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach is necessary. This includes an increase in funding and resources for successful programs like the HUD-VA program and Housing First, ensuring these programs are accessible to all veterans, including those in underserved areas.

Health care and supportive services must be integrated with housing initiatives. Many homeless veterans need more than just a roof over their heads; they require mental health care, substance abuse treatment and job training to help them reintegrate into society. Expanding access to these services and ensuring they are delivered in a coordinated manner is crucial.

Community involvement, public awareness

Ending veteran homelessness in Jacksonville requires the active involvement of the entire community. Local businesses can play a vital role by offering employment opportunities tailored to veterans' skills and experiences. Schools, churches and community organizations can support veterans through volunteer efforts and donations.

Public awareness campaigns can help reduce the stigma associated with homelessness and encourage community members to support local initiatives. When the public understands the sacrifices veterans have made and the challenges they face, they are more likely to get involved and advocate for change.

Call to action

The elimination of veteran homelessness in Jacksonville is not only a moral obligation but also a practical necessity. Veterans have given so much to our country; it is our duty to ensure they receive the support they need to live with dignity and stability. This requires a concerted effort from all sectors of society.

Letters: More accidents in Jacksonville? Learn to 'stop the bleed' and help save lives

By adopting a comprehensive approach and leveraging the strengths of various stakeholders, we can make significant strides toward ending veteran homelessness in Jacksonville. It is time for us to come together and ensure that every veteran has a safe, stable place to call home.

Jacksonville has the potential to become a model city in addressing veteran homelessness, but it will require commitment, collaboration and compassion from all of us. Together, we can end veteran homelessness in Jacksonville and provide the support our heroes deserve.

McCafferty

Nate McCafferty is a combat-wounded veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, local social worker and a doctoral student. He lives in St. Augustine.

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: Multi-layered approach needed to help Jacksonville's homeless veterans
(Bloomberg) -- The valleys of South Wales once produced iron that was shipped around the globe. With plentiful local ore, limestone and coal to fire the blast furnaces, thousands flocked to work in the industry at Merthyr Tydfil, generating vast profits for the ironworks owners from the late-18th century on.

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The decline of the town that became known as the Iron Capital of the World now offers a lesson for the next UK government on the hard choices needed to nurture the industries of tomorrow.

South Wales is home to the UKs largest steelworks and its biggest semiconductor plant. With polls showing the opposition Labour Party on the cusp of a landslide election victory on July 4, the region is set to pose an early challenge for would-be Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he tries to forge an industrial policy that can keep up in a world dominated by US-China rivalry.

An indefinite strike is planned from July 8 at the steelworks in the town of Port Talbot. The walkout is against Tata Steels decision to close both coal-fired blast furnaces and invest in a cleaner electric-arc furnace, putting some 2,800 jobs at risk. The BBC reported that the company has told workers the plant may have to cease operating because of the action.

The dispute is not simply a test case for Labours industrial policy in a long-standing heartland after 14 years of Tory rule. Its a benchmark for the partys stance on its relations with the unions and workers that formed the bedrock of its traditional support, and of its ties to business.

This will be the first, and probably one of the biggest challenges now for an incoming Labour government, said Luke Fletcher, a member of the Welsh Senedd, or parliament, who is economy spokesman for the Plaid Cymru party thats in opposition to Labour and wants Welsh independence. These demands are going to come on it from day one.

With friction between Washington and Beijing increasing over everything from artificial intelligence to critical minerals and battery plants, Port Talbot illustrates the scale of the task facing the UK to come up with a viable plan.

The Big Take: Starmer Builds a Big UK Election Victory on a Volatile Base

At once an issue of jobs, Port Talbot also has national security implications with the need to maintain a domestic supply of high-quality steel to supply the likes of the defense industry. Climate commitments play a role too, with the UK facing competition from giant producers like India and China that are still building polluting blast furnaces.

The US under President Joe Biden is leading the way on industrial policy, with some $2 trillion in federal spending over a decade focused on chips, clean tech and infrastructure, including domestic steel production.

Washington accuses China of flooding world markets with artificially low-priced exports and for starting the global subsidy war. But the reality is no advanced economy can afford to stay out the race in a climate of tariffs and protectionism.

For Starmers government, that means requests for public funding will have to be assessed not simply on merit, or on the basis of the UKs strapped finances, but also by geo-strategic measures.

Wales, where the census of 1851 showed more people working in industry than agriculture, lays claim to be the worlds first industrial nation. It boasts a UNESCO World Heritage site at Blaenavon, beside the iron town of Merthyr Tydfil, for the areas past international importance in iron making and coal mining.

Reinvention has been tough in whats now among the UKs most deprived regions. The Conservative government agreed in September to provide 500 million ($632 million) toward Tatas 1.25 billion electric-arc plans. Labour has indicated it wont necessarily agree to the same terms.

The Unite union wants Tata to postpone the planned shutdown of both furnaces by the end of September and allow one to operate until 2030, prolonging employment.

The closures are now underway and immutable, Tata said in June, expressing concern that political uncertainty on the timing and form of the grant will put the long-term future of steelmaking at Port Talbot at significant risk.

Ian Williams, a senior Unite representative at the steelworks who lives in Merthyr Tydfil, sees the fate of the iron industry as a lesson of the need to modernize to stay relevant, but not at the cost of jobs. Strike action four days after the general election will put pressure on Keir to intervene, he said at the towns beachfront, where the plant dominates the skyline to the south.

Labours platform includes plans for a 2.5 billion fund to decarbonize UK steel, without specifying what that means for Port Talbot. It might not be enough: Germany allocated at least the equivalent sum in grants last year alone.

Chinese-owned British Steel has meanwhile requested a package of taxpayer support worth 600 million, the Sunday Times reported. Such a demand would offer another dilemma for the next government: back British jobs and the green transition even if the company profits go to China, or deny public funding and risk the outcome.

South Wales experienced a similar quandary in 2022, when the UK government nixed the sale of the semiconductor plant at Newport on national security grounds to Nexperia Holding NV, a Dutch chipmaker owned by Wingtech Technology Co. of China.

Nexperia, which strongly disagreed with the governments intervention in the form of a divestment order, announced on June 27 it was investing $200 million in Germany to build out production of so-called compound semiconductors. The Newport cluster is focused on the same technology.

The plant was bought by Pennsylvania-based Vishay Intertechnology Inc., whose expansion plans have been welcomed by the Welsh government, which has responsibility for areas such as health, education and the environment.

But with subsidies available elsewhere of as much as 50% of the cost of a new cutting-edge fab, officials are aware that the question of public funding could arise, although Vishay has not asked for support.

For Neil Kinnock, the Welsh former Labour leader, Starmer is being politically adroit by not committing to large sums of public funding during the campaign.

But a Labour government should look to emulate Bidens model of employing the enabling state, with all its massive capability for supporting investment and inducing change and advance, through science, research and development, and infrastructure.

We need to do at least what the Victorians did in providing a legal framework and some public expenditure to provide the security and dependability that private investment requires, said Kinnock, whose son Stephen is Labour MP for Aberavon, which includes Port Talbot.

Kinnock was opposition leader when Margaret Thatcher took on the miners, resulting in the closure of most deep coal mines. He cited steel, chips and biosciences as fields on which the government should now focus.

Jonathan Reynolds, the would-be business secretary in a Starmer government, named financial services, aerospace, automotive and education as key sectors for the UKs future manufacturing industry. An explicit industrial strategy is an absolute prerequisite of success, Reynolds said during Bloombergs election debate on June 24.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, in the same debate, said the Conservative government has picked champions in areas like cars and creative industries, and slammed Labour for this belief in central planning, that industrial strategy is going to fix everything.Just as the physical landscape of South Wales has been shaped by its industrial heritage, so has its politics.

Where artisan workers were once employed on relatively good pay and housing, by the early 19th century slum conditions prevailed, payment was in credits that could be spent only in company shops, and wages subject to the whims of the ironmasters.

In 1831, violent protests erupted and a worker known locally as Dic Penderyn was arrested and hanged for his part in the Merthyr Rising  a martyr of the Welsh working class, as a plaque in the town testifies.

Seventy years later, James Keir Hardie was elected as the member of Parliament for Merthyr Tydfil, becoming the first Welsh Labour MP. Starmer is named after him, but his ambitions for high office come from Ramsay MacDonald, another Scotsman and Labour Party founder who was elected to represent Aberavon in 1922. Two years later, in 1924, he became the first British prime minister of a Labour government.

A century on in Port Talbot, union man Williams  a fitter by training who has worked in steel for 24 years  is looking to Labour to give the steel plant a future. A Labour government that turned away would be like the Tories with the mines in the valleys, he said. Theyd never be forgiven.

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AUSTIN (Nexstar)  Two former Uvalde school district police officers, including the former chief, have been indicted on felony charges of child endangerment and abandonment for their roles in response to the second-worst mass shooting in American history.

It marks the first criminal charges in the highly-scrutinized police response to the May 2022 shooting, in which an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers.

Former Uvalde CISD police officer Adrian Gonzales was booked and released on 29 counts abandoning and endangering a child on Friday. Former Uvalde CISD police chief Pete Arredondo was been booked and released on 10 counts of child endangerment on Thursday. Both men turned themselves in to the Uvalde County jail and were released on $10,000 surety bonds, according to county records.

Nearly 376 law enforcement officers responded from a slew of local, state and federal agencies during and in the aftermath of the May 2022 shooting. It took officers approximately 77 minutes to breach the classroom and take down the gunman. The gunman was ultimately shot and killed by Border Patrol officers.

Pedro Pete Arredondo Mugshot: Uvalde County Sheriffs Office

Adrian Gonzales, 51 Mugshot: Uvalde County Sheriffs Office

In January, Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell Busbee convened a grand jury to investigate why it took law enforcement more than an hour to respond to the active shooter, and whether subsequent criminal charges could be filed.

The grand jury suggested that Gonzales had an opportunity and the time to stop the shooter before he entered Robb Elementary. The allegations against Arredondo are focused on his response to the shooting.

After hearing gunshots and after being advised of the general location of the shooter

and having time to respond to the shooter, they said Adrian Gonzales failed to engage.

distract or delay the shooter and failed to attempt to engage, distract, and delay the

shooter and failed to otherwise act in a way to impede the shooter until after the

shooter entered rooms 111 and 112 of Robb Elementary School and shot at a child or

children in Rooms 111 and 112, Gonzales indictment reads.

The highly scrutinized police response prompted a scathing review from the Department of Justice earlier this year, in which the nations highest law enforcement agency found there were cascading failures in officers response to the massacre.

BACKGROUND: DOJ report finds cascading failures in law enforcement response to Uvalde school massacre

Initially after the massacre, a special Texas House investigative committee also reviewed the shooting, the schools safety and security protocols and police response. The three-member panel concluded there were multiple systemic failures, ranging from a culture of noncompliance in regards to school security, as well as warning signs online from the shooter.

Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, was vice-chair of the committee. In a statement to Nexstar, Moody said accountability is important.

I think anyone who read our report on the shooting knows that I believe Arredondo failed the families of Uvalde, he said. But those same families are always my number one priority, so I hope the way this is handled provides them with justice and closure, not prolonged suffering.

Other responding officers who faced disciplinary action

Arredondo was the first law enforcement official to be fired over the chaotic and uncoordinated police response that day. Through his attorney, Arredondo has said he did not know he was the designated incident commander for the response, despite the UCISD active shooter policy directing its police chief to assume command.

Uvalde Police Department acting chief of police Lt. Mariano Pargas resigned from his position in November, days before the city was set to take a vote on his employment.

Of the 91 Texas Department of Public Safety officers who responded to Robb Elementary on May 24, seven were put under investigation for their response to the shooting. Actions were taken against two officers, Ranger Ryan Kindell and Sgt. Juan Maldonado. Maldonado was terminated.

I was never given a specific role: Former DPS Sgt. Juan Maldonado recounts Uvalde massacre

A third DPS employee, Trooper Crimson Elizondo, retired and then went to work as a police officer with Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District. Elizondo was fired from the district in October, after media reports revealed her new employment with UCISD, despite the fact that she had been under investigation by DPS for her response to the shooting.

After terminating Elizondo, UCISD suspended its entire police department and placed two top officials, Lt. Miguel Hernandez and Student Services Director Ken Mueller, on administrative leave. Mueller has since retired.

House Democrats call for federal electric grid corridors in Texas

Congressman Greg Casar led a congressional effort to establish more connections to the Texas grid. Casar, joined by 21 other members of congress, sent a letter urging the Biden administrations Department of Energy to build transmission lines between ERCOT and national electric grids.

Even if we just build up electric transmission around the state, itll make it easier for us to hook into that. And well be able to use that in times of extreme need. Casar told our Will Dupree in an interview.

Along with this letter to the Biden administration, Congressman Casar co-sponsored the Connect the Grid Act. It would require ERCOT to connect to the nations two major power grids.

Some republicans, including Randy Weber of Texas, opposed the bill, saying that the national grid had its own challenges. At this point the bill has only been referred to the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security.

US Surgeon General: Gun violence is an epidemic

US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy says gun violence in America is now a public health crisis.

Murthy warns the epidemic not only impacts victims of gun violence but also the mental health of our country as a whole.

This type of advisory can help shift the course of public health history, most notably when it raised awareness about the dangers of smoking tobacco and Dr. Murthy says he wants to do that now.

Gun violence is a public health issue, said Murthy. He added, gun violence has now become the leading cause of death among kids and teens and that was not true a decade ago, two decades ago.

Murthy says the advisory not only focuses on the deaths and injuries involving firearms but also the ripple effects.

Those reverberating traumas have taken a toll on the mental health of our country, he said.

Murthy says public health advisories can make a difference, pointing to the 1964 surgeon general report about the dangers of smoking tobacco.

That ultimately dramatically dropped smoking rates from 42% in 1964 to under 12% today, he said.

Murthys advisory on gun violence proposes a ban on automatic rifles, universal background checks and penalties for people who dont safely store their firearms.

The National Rifle Association quickly condemned the advisory saying, this is an extension of the Biden administrations war on law-abiding gun owners. America has a crime problem caused by criminals.

We need Congress to keep pushing for and passing new legislation, said Rob Wilcox of the White House Office of Gun Violence.

Wilcox says the advisory should push lawmakers to put partisan politics aside.

So that we can keep saving lives in this country, Wilcox added.

Murthy says in the absence of action at the federal level, state lawmakers, even community organizations and schools could adopt some of his recommendations

A new White House report found the laws enhanced background checks has stopped about 800 sales of guns to people under 21 years old and more than 500 people, including some linked to cartels and crime rings, have been charged with gun trafficking and other crimes.

Settlement reached in lawsuit claiming doctors left residents alone for heart surgeries

The U.S. Attorneys Office said in a release three Houston heart surgeons left unqualified residents in operating rooms alone for complex surgeries in order to perform other surgeries at the same time.

According to allegations in a federal whistleblower lawsuit unsealed on Monday, the three doctors simultaneously managed two operating rooms, often leaving critical portions of surgeries to inexperienced residents and fellows. Procedures in question included complex operations such as coronary artery bypass grafts and valve repairs.

The lawsuit states the surgeons did this from 2013 to 2020 at Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center, and helped the doctors earn higher compensation while putting patients at risk. It says the practice created $150 million in profits for their institution in the process.

Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, and Surgical Associates of Texas P.A. have agreed to pay $15 million to settle allegations that they improperly billed Medicare for concurrent heart surgeries, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced Tuesday.

The private whistleblower will receive $3,075,000 of the settlement under the False Claims Act, the release said.

Patients entrusted these surgeons with their lives  submitting to operations where one missed cut is the difference between life and death, said Hamdani. This settlement reaffirms the importance of Medicare requirements governing surgeon presence.

In a statement, Baylor College of Medicine General Counsel Robert Corrigan Jr. said the school did not violate federal law or regulations and that no patients were harmed.

The College decided to amicably resolve the dispute prior to a trial on the merits after considering the cost and expense incurred by Baylor to date, and anticipated future costs and expenses, including attorneys fees, Corrigan Jr. said.

The $15 million settlement, the largest of its kind involving concurrent surgeries to date, includes a $3.075 million payment to the whistleblower under the False Claims Act. None of the defendants were found guilty, and charges were dismissed as a part of the settlement.

One of the doctors named in the lawsuit provided Nexstar with a comment following the announced settlement.

We have proven using hospital records and operating timelines that I was in the operating rooms and did the operations I claimed and therefore have done nothing wrong, Dr. David Ott said Tuesday.

KXAN attempted to contact all of the doctors connected with the lawsuit. This story will be updated when responses are received.

The investigation, which began in 2019, said surgeons would sometimes enter a second or third operation without designating a backup surgeon, and would falsify records to suggest they were present throughout the duration of each surgery.

Any time any one of us goes under the knife as a vulnerable patient, we implicitly trust that the surgeons and medical professionals have our best interest at heart, said Douglas Williams, Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs Houston field office. In this case, doctors gambled with their patients care.

The U.S. Attorneys Office, alongside the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and FBI, conducted the investigation.

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.
"We continue to work to position 2024 as a pivotal year as we strive to achieve sustainable and profitable operations." That was how Beyond Meat's (NASDAQ: BYND) CEO Ethan Brown ended his commentary on first-quarter 2024 earnings in the company's earnings news release. Although it is good that the food maker is working on its problems, it is not good that it has to work on any problems. Sadly, those problems are big.

Beyond Meat's past is not good

Before looking at what the next three years might hold for Beyond Meat, it makes sense to look at both the past and present situation. The food maker has yet to figure out a way to generate a consistent profit. It has achieved break-even, or slightly better, results on a quarterly basis a couple of times, but it has never posted positive earnings for a full year.

Image source: Getty Images.

It's not unusual for a small company that is building out its business to bleed red ink, often for a long time. But with Beyond Meat, you also have to consider the revenue trends. If you look at trailing 12-month revenues, up until 2022 the top line of the income statement appeared to be going in the right direction, with steadily rising numbers. Investors are often willing to overlook losses if those losses are driven by spending that increases sales. But since peaking in 2022, the trend has been for lower trailing sales. Losses aren't nearly as agreeable if the top line is also shrinking.

BYND EPS Diluted (Quarterly) Chart

Notably, the company's volume numbers were terrible in Q1 2024. Beyond Meat breaks its business down into U.S. retail and foodservice and international retail and foodservice. Each business line saw volume declines year over year. Overall volume dropped a huge 16%. Revenue in the quarter was lower by 18%, with, as you might expect, drops in each of the company's business lines. Beyond Meat is struggling even as it has to spend on innovation so that it doesn't get left behind in the consumer staples sector, where customers tend to favor products that are "new" and "improved."

Beyond Meat is trying to get back on track

To be fair, as the CEO's comment highlights, Beyond Meat isn't sitting around and doing nothing. It has been cutting costs, continuing to invest in innovation, and working to strengthen its balance sheet. That last one is probably going to be the most important factor for the company over the next three years.

For starters, it highlighted in the risks section of its 10-K that:

As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately $1.3 billion of consolidated indebtedness and other liabilities. We may also incur additional indebtedness to meet future financing needs. Our indebtedness could have significant negative consequences for our security holders and our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Story continues

For a money-losing company with falling revenues, $1.3 billion is a lot of debt to carry. But the really important part of that debt pile is the $1.15 billion in zero coupon convertible debt the company issued with a due date in 2027. That's roughly three years away. In fairness, the zero coupon means there are no interest payments to be made right now. That's good given the earnings picture.

But $1.15 billion is a very large debt cliff to address for a company that isn't doing very well. If it is able to get new financing to roll over that debt, it will likely come with much higher rates, which would make it even harder to turn a profit. Converting that note to stock seems unlikely given that the convertible security was issued when Beyond Meat's share price was much higher. There's no good answer here, which suggests that this food maker could be in deep trouble if 2024 doesn't turn out to be the "pivot" year management hopes.

Beyond Meat is best avoided

Beyond Meat is struggling, and the problems seem to be getting worse, not better, right now. Only the most aggressive investors should be looking at this stock, and even then, buying shares would be questionable from a risk/reward standpoint. The company needs to prove that it can get its business moving in the right direction again, and it isn't achieving that result just yet. It only has about three years before struggling along and barely getting by just won't be enough anymore.

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Steve Bannons Going to Prison, but His Podcast Will Go On

In the minutes before Steve Bannon reports to a federal penitentiary Monday, hell tape one last episode of his War Room podcastoutside the Connecticut lockup hell soon call home.

Well do the morning War Room to kick off a Monday just like everywhere, but Ill do it outside the prison, Bannon told The Daily Beast. Then when I finish, Ill drop the mic and then go surrender.

Once hes officially Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmate No. 05635-509 at the low-security FCI Danbury, guest hosts will keep War Room churning out pro-MAGA messaging and crusading for Donald Trumps 2024 reelection.

The ex-Trump adviser, convicted of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee probing the Capitol riots, had failed to persuade a federal appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court to pause his sentence.

2157145092 Bannon has spent months trying to avoid going to jail for contempt of Congress after he defied a subpoena from the January 6 Committee. He will drop his mic Monday morning. Anadolu

In an interview with The Daily Beast on Sunday, Bannon, 70, seemed unfazed about his four-month prison sentence and presented himself as a MAGA martyr.

Its very simple, said Bannon, who played a central role in the leadup to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Im a political prisoner, because I have a very successful platform that reaches the common man. They hate that, they will do anything to shut that down.

It doesnt matter that Im in prison, he added. The show will be bigger Theyre making me a martyr. Steve Bannon is not. Theyre the ones to overplay their hand.

The ex-Trump strategist said hell be treated like any other prisoner and wont get any special deals. As a former Naval officerBannon served from 1976 to 1983, leaving with the rank of lieutenanthe might be placed in a pod with other veterans but thats not a guarantee, he said.

Im just showing up tomorrow, Bannon said. Lets roll.

While he cant operate his podcast behind bars (it would violate prison rules on running a business), Bannon said he can opine on the days news via War Room or other outlets. Hes just not sure whether hed be able to phone into shows.

About 20 different co-hostsincluding right-wing politicians Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Lauren Boebertare expected to keep War Room afloat as part of a months-long detailed plan until Bannon is free on Nov. 1, just in time for the election.

2158709852 Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO) will be behind the War Room microphone in Bannnon's absence, reflecting the podcast's MAGA fanaticism. AAron Ontiveroz

He said the stand-ins also include conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec, former Trump administration official Kash Patel, far-right attorney Mike Davis, Senate candidate Royce White, former Fox News commentator Monica Crowley, and Noor bin Laden, Osama bin Ladens niece whos previously appeared on Bannons show.

The whos-who of Bannon-world will also include Peter Navarro, another Trump adviser imprisoned for defying a House Jan. 6 committee subpoena, whos expected to chip in once hes released July 17.

War Room is broadcast four hours a day, five days a week (and two hours on Saturdays) from Bannons Capitol Hill residence, once nicknamed the Breitbart embassy when Bannon ran the far-right website from it.

One 2023 study labeled it a top spreader of misinformation; regular topics include election denialism and attacks on the deep state. Recent podcast titles include All Globalists are Guilty, Tears of the Left, and Victory or Death. At the same time, it has become a platform for ambitious, office-seeking MAGA Republicans.

The audience will not notice any difference in the intensity, the urgency, the topics we cover, contributors, Bannon told us. The personnel change will allow Bannon to focus on his aim of creating a lasting anti-establishment right-wing movement, rather than simply boosting Trump.

632915360 Bannon was initially a key part of the Trump administration, hovering in the background as the then-president spoke to Russia's strongman leader Vladimit Putin days after taking office. Drew Angerer

Were telling the audience: Its next man up, he continued. Trumps not always going to be around. [InfoWars conspiracy monger] Alex Jones is getting liquidated. [Gateway Pundit publisher] Jim Hofts in bankruptcy. Bannons in prison. You gotta only depend on yourself.

Bannon said he requested the Danbury prison specifically as a symbolic gesture. The facility once housed Hollywood screenwriter Ring Lardner Jr.one of few people to ever serve time for contempt of Congress. A member of the Hollywood Ten, Lardner refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 about possible communist affiliations.

The Daily Beast asked the BOP whether Bannon calling in to a radio show, in particular his own, would be verboten. The agency doesnt comment on inmates conditions of confinement, but referred us to its policy, which says: Inmates may submit telephone numbers for any person they choose, including numbers for courts, elected officials and members of the news media.

According to the FCI Danbury handbook, inmates can make 15-minute calls, and are allotted up to 300 monthly minutes, to 30 approved numbers, but phones will not be used to conduct a business. That leaves whether he could appear on his own show in 15-minute segments in the hands of prison officials.

Separately, Bannon is facing a criminal trial in New York state in September for allegedly defrauding donors to the nonprofit We Build the Wall online fundraising campaign. He has pleaded not guilty. Before Trump left office, he pardoned Bannon for these crimes on the federal level.

Last week, Bannon urged War Room fans not to write him in prison, saying I dont want you taking time to write a letter, I want you to get to work. This is all about victory.

To Bannon, that victory includes re-electing former President Trump in November and taking down the Leviathan of the federal government.

Since Bidens disastrous debate with Trump last week, Bannon has been strategizing with GOP officials 24/7 on how to portray the Democratic Partys possible transfer to a new candidate in the coming months as toxic.

Prison, it would seem, wont stop his MAGA mission.

This is a unique opportunity we wont have again, Bannon said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Storms kill at least four people in the southern Alps in Switzerland

Storms kill at least four people in the southern Alps in Switzerland

At least four people were killed after extensive flooding and landslides caused by heavy storms struck Switzerland and northern Italy.

The bodies of three people were recovered after a landslide in the Italian-speaking Swiss county of Ticino on the southern side of the Alps.

Heavy rain had pounded the South and West of Switzerland throughout the weekend. Camping sites were evacuated, bridges collapsed, and one person is still missing in the Swiss Lavizzara valley.

Further north, the Rhone river burst its banks in several areas within the Valais region. A motorway and railway line were both flooded.

Local police said that side valleys south of the Rhone saw particularly heavy rain, and the body of a man whose partner had reported him missing was found early Sunday morning. Police said they believed he had been caught by surprise by floodwaters.

Floods, thunderstorms and landslides also hit regions in Italy. Firefighters said they carried out about 80 rescue operations, evacuating dozens of people in the northern Piedmont region.

Near Montanaro, two adults and a three-month-old girl were rescued after the rising waters left them stuck in their car.

Several villages in the Valle DAosta region were isolated due to overflowing streams, storms and landslides.
A summer Covid wave is building, scientists have said, following a rise in hospital admissions amid the rise of the new Flirt variant.

The prevalence of illness caused by Covid is harder to quantify since widespread testing was axed, but hospital admissions indicate a summer wave was underway by mid-June after the number of cases rose by a quarter in a single week.

The number of people hospitalised with Covid was 3.31 per 100,000 in the week ending June 16, up from 2.67 the week before, and was even higher among the elderly, peaking at 34.70 in the over 85s.

There was also a 29 per cent surge in positive cases in the week to June 22, although the majority of testing is now done in hospital and healthcare settings.

Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, consultant epidemiologist for immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said it was seeing an increase in Covid-19 across all indicators, including hospitalisations.

Experts fear the existing vaccines may not provide the same level of protection against the new variants, which are several mutations away from those that initially spread.

The main Flirt variants are known as KP.2 and KP.3, and accounted for a combined 40 per cent of Covid in April  the last time UKHSA published a breakdown of the variants.

Driving force

While the KP.2 was the more prevalent of the two then, its believed that KP.3 is the driving force behind a summer wave. Both are mutations from the previously dominant JN.1 variant, and scientists believe they allow the virus to spread more easily.

Prof Steve Griffin of Leeds University said: This is clearly early days, but it certainly looks as though yet another Covid wave is building.

If the rise in hospitalisations continues, this is obviously worrying. Although weve just had a spring booster campaign for vulnerable populations, the uptake was lower than in 2023.

There is a considerable difference between the current vaccines and circulating viruses, he added.

Around 4.1 million of the seven million eligible for a spring Covid booster took up the offer, which ends on Sunday, meaning 40 per cent wont get the extra protection despite being deemed the most vulnerable. More than a third of care-home residents have not had a booster either.

Prof Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told the i: This is a wake-up call. The virus hasnt gone away and is certainly not a seasonal infection.

Part of everyday life

UKHSA said it still needed more data on the new variants to understand how severe and transmissible they might be, and that it was impossible to tell at this stage whether these variants were behind the rise in hospital admissions and cases.

Prof Paul Hunter, an epidemiology expert from the University of East Anglia, said the increases should not be a cause for alarm, however, because Covid was now part of everyday life.

I think were probably seeing about as much infection this year as we were seeing last year  a little bit less, but not hugely less, he told the BBC.

We are all of us going to get repeated Covid infections from birth through to death, he said. Generally what weve seen is that over the last three years, four years, the severity of illness associated with Covid has gone down a lot.

Ultimately, its going to become another cause of the common cold and, for many people, thats what it is now.

He added: To be honest, you cant really avoid it because its so common.

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Sunday declared a day of mourning in Zaporizhzhia Oblast after Russian strike on Vilniansk

The aftermath of the Russian strike on the city of Vilniansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Photo: Ukraines State Emergency Service in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Zaporizhzhia Oblast declared a day of mourning on 30 June for those killed in the Russian attack on the city of Vilniansk.

Source: Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration

Details: The authorities noted that the Russians fired missiles on the city on the evening of 29 June.

The attack claimed the lives of seven people, including three children.

A total of 31 people, including 8 children, were injured.

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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE)  After the City of Fresno launched an investigation into an alleged, inappropriate off-duty relationship between Fresnos chief of police and a non-city employee, Paco Balderrama then resigned from the department.

Now, the city is tasked with a months-long search for a new chief of police. Meanwhile, Fresno City Council passes a $2 billion budget for next year, despite a possible budget deficit of more than $40 million. We hear from council president Annalisa Perea about the tough choices the council had to make to address the budget shortfall.

Click here for more Sunday Morning Matters

And ahead of the election this November, President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump take to the debate stage to make their pitch to voters before ballots are cast.

Both candidates share some of their messages about why they should be elected this fall.

All of that is on this weeks Sunday Morning Matters. Watch it in the video player above.

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 YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Will it be sunny for the Fourth of July? See the weather forecast for SLO County

Sunday will mark the end of the 2023-24 rainfall season (July 1 through June 30).

We have been fortunate to receive two years of back-to-back, above-average rainfall, which, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, took the Central Coast and the state of California out of a drought classification. It is remarkable to think that at the beginning of 2023, the entire state of California was in a drought condition.

The Central Coasts rainfall totals have exceeded the average for this rainfall season.

To put this into perspective, Rocky Butte near Hearst Castle has recorded 72.3 inches of rain; this is 181% above the average seasonal rainfall at the Butte, which typically gets 40 inches in a year. Similarly, the Paso Robles Municipal Airport has seen nearly 18.3 inches, compared to the usual 13 inches in a typical year. Cal Poly, the home of climatology for San Luis Obispo, has recorded 25.4 inches this rain season, which is 113% of the average.

The Santa Maria Public Airport has recorded over 17.5 inches, or 4.5 inches above the seasonal average of 13 inches. Santa Barbara Municipal Airport reports nearly 25.3 inches of rain, over 9 inches above the typical 16 inches for the rainy season.

For the first part of this week, fresh to strong (19 to 25 mph) afternoon northwesterly winds, decreasing during the night and morning, will allow the marine layer to develop along the coastline and surge into the coastal valleys during the overnight, with areas of fog and pockets of drizzle with daytime clearing through Monday.

Over this period, temperatures will reach the high 90s in the inland valleys (Paso Robles), low 80s in the coastal valleys (San Luis Obispo) and 60s along the beaches, except for Cayucos, Avila Beach and Shell Beach, which will reach the mid-70s.

The weather models show the potential development of a 597-decameter upper-level high-pressure system centered over Central California developing mid-week.

Fireworks at Cayucos.

If the models prove accurate, a significant heat wave away from the coastal regions could begin as early as July 3 and continue through July 8.

Some areas of the Great Central Valley of California could experience temperatures approaching 115 degrees.

Along the Central Coast, the inland valleys will hit triple-digit levels, while the coastal valleys will reach the mid to high 80s. Along the beaches, temperatures will remain in the 60s under overcast skies as this high-pressure ridge will compress the temperature inversion layer for the Fourth of July.

As anyone who has lived along the Central Coast for any length of time will tell you, July tends to feature a lot of low clouds and fog along the beaches at night and in the morning. Unfortunately, the fog can threaten the enjoyment of Fourth of July fireworks displays.

All it takes is a slight change in air temperature, the temperature inversion layer, or the direction or speed in the wind to make the difference between beautiful fireworks display versus a light show in the coastal stratus. If the base of the marine clouds is high enough, you can still see a clear display of the fireworks.

Pyrotechnics are made to burst at different heights, depending on the size of the shell and how the fireworks are packed. Most firework displays along our coastline reach an altitude between a few hundred to 1,000 feet.

Strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) northwesterly winds along the coastline on Friday through next Saturday will produce primarily sunny conditions and warmer temperatures, especially along the 60s along the suddenly facing beaches of Cayucos, Avila Beach, and Shell Beach, which could reach the 80s.

Surface seawater temperatures will range between the low to mid-50s through Friday.

On this date in weather history (June 30)

1942: The temperature at Portland, Oregon, hit 102 degrees  an all-time record for that location.

1972: The entire state of Pennsylvania was declared a disaster area as a result of the catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes, which claimed 48 lives, and caused $2.1 billion damage.

1987: Hot weather prevailed in the Pacific Northwest, with readings above 100 degrees reported as far north as southern British Columbia. Yakima, Washington, reported a record high of 100 degrees, while temperatures near the Washington coast hovered near 60 degrees all day. Thunderstorms prevailed from southwest Texas to New England. Thunderstorm winds gusting to 100 mph at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, killed one person. High winds and large hail caused more than $5 million damage to property and crops in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. (Storm Data)

2016: The high temperature at Diablo Canyon only reached 54 degrees, while Paso Robles hit 106 degrees for a 52-degree temperature differential between the coast and the inland valleys.

This weeks temperatures

LOWS AND HIGHS, PASO ROBLES

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 57, 97 57, 97 61, 98 61, 101 61, 102 62, 100 62, 104 62, 104

LOWS AND HIGHS, SAN LUIS OBISPO AND COASTAL VALLEYS

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 56, 81 58, 82 58, 85 60, 86 61, 87 61, 83 61, 88 60, 89

John Lindsey is a retired PG&E marine meteorologist. Email him at JohnLindseyLosOsos@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @PGE_John.
A major Supreme Court ruling Friday that shifted power from the executive branch to the judiciary stands to transform how the federal government works.

By overturning a 1984 precedent, the courts conservative majority has made countless regulations vulnerable to legal challenge. The types of executive branch moves that the ruling jeopardizes include a plan to put Wi-Fi on school buses, a new ban on noncompete clauses, health care coverage rules being implemented through Obamacare, and the latest plan to forgive student loan debt.

The Supreme Court ruling could boost efforts by conservatives who have taken aim at the Biden Environmental Protection Agencys rules limiting planet-warming pollution from vehicles, oil and gas wells and pipelines, and power plants.

There is no substantive area that this doctrine does not touch, said Kent Barnett, a University of Georgia School of Law professor who specializes in administrative law.

The so-called Chevron doctrine  named after the case, Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council  told courts to defer to an agencys interpretation of a statute in circumstances in which the law in question is vaguely written. The precedent is deeply entrenched in administrative law, with Republican and Democratic administrations alike using it to shield regulatory action from legal attack.

Essentially, anytime where an agency has a dispute with either an individual or some other entity  sometimes even the federal government versus the state government  Chevron deference could come up, said Thomas Berry, a legal fellow at the Cato Institute.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion overruling the precedent, writing for an ideologically split 6-3 court that Courts must exercise their independent judgement in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority.

The Roberts court has been chipping away at the precedent over the years. But in the case before the justices this term  two lawsuits challenging regulations requiring that fishermen pay environmental monitors they are required to carry on their boats  the high court dealt the final blow.

The ruling has injected legal uncertainty into regulations of all types, including those on technology, labor, the environment and health care.

There are so many highly complex scientific policy decisions that it would be nearly impossible for Congress to draft legislation with enough detail to account for every regulatory scenario, legal scholars argue.

Roberts said the new opinion should not be used to upend previous cases upholding regulations absent a special justification.

But Justice Elena Kagan, in a dissent joined by the courts two other liberals, questioned whether that threshold would really constrain the rulings reach, given the possibility of new lawsuits against regulations that went unchallenged because of the protections of Chevron, as well as the ability of lower courts to find a special justification in almost any circumstance.

For now, opponents of regulations are constrained by a six-year statute of limitation for challenging executive branch actions under the relevant law. But the Supreme Court has yet to decide a case heard this term that might gut that limitation. That decision is expected Monday.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sonia Sotomayor stand on the House floor ahead of the annual State of the Union address by President Joe Biden at the Capitol building on March 7, 2024, in Washington, DC. - Shawn ThewPool/Getty Images

Here is a partial look at what could be affected by the new ruling:

Consumer safeguards

Agencies charged with consumer protection, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission, often face opposition from financial service firms and other private-sector companies, which may claim that new rules constrain their ability to compete or cost them too much.

Think of issues like what shows up on your credit report, what fees banks and other consumer service providers can charge, how lenders make credit decisions, and rules governing the protection of consumers from scams and fraud. Lawsuits that block those regulations could be costly for consumers, advocates say.

Adam Rust, director of financial services at the Consumer Federation of America, pointed to a recent ruling in Texas in which a federal court paused CFPBs new rule limiting credit card late fees.

Every day that rule remains stayed, consumers pay $27 million in late fees that they otherwise would not have had to pay if the rule were in place, Rust said.

Giving power to the judicial branch to interpret how agencies can apply consumer laws when there are statutory ambiguities will hurt consumers and rubber-stamp the political aims of activist judges, Rust said, adding that it will also limit the ability of consumer advocates to weigh in on regulatory policy.

I cant get a meeting with the Supreme Court, but I can get a meeting with the CFPB, Rust said, referring to public comments solicited by the agency while regulations are crafted. I dont think many in the public are up to writing an amicus brief.

Proposed employer rules and employee rights may be more constrained

Overtime pay, benefits, workplace retirement plans, the minimum wage, independent contractors and employee rights to unionize are just some of the critical workplace issues for which guardrails set by agencies charged with enforcing workplace laws may be contested more vociferously than they already are now.

The decision may immediately affect a hot-button rule issued this year by the Federal Trade Commission banning noncompete clauses in employer contracts, a regulation the agency says could benefit 1 in 5 US workers but is being challenged by business groups.

The noncompete case is among the most vulnerable, along with many Securities and Exchange Commission cases, said Andrew Schwartzman, senior counselor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.

When it comes to regulatory agencies like the Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, they will no longer be given an automatic advantage when a case is brought challenging how they chose to interpret a law.

What this decision changes is that the agency no longer gets a boost when it comes into court. If a case was like a race, the agency often started a few legs ahead. Today it starts at the same line as the challenger, said Alexander MacDonald, a partner and member of the Workplace Policy Institute at Littler, a law firm representing employers.

Nothing about todays decision means the agency loses. It just means the challenger has an equal opportunity to put forth its interpretation of the law, MacDonald added.

When it comes to supporting and upholding worker rights and protections, the ruling on its face may not signal that courts would necessarily disadvantage federal agencies, said Sharon Block, a Harvard Law School professor and executive director of its Center for Labor and a Just Economy.

But practically speaking, if a court or particular judge is hostile to a given issue, that may tip the scales against them.

The ruling says courts may be informed by the agencys interpretation. That also means they may not. Its up to them, Block said. The least democratic part of the government will determine what kind of protections the American people have  that Congress has entrusted to agencies.

With this ruling, she said, the Supreme Court, has sent an engraved invitation to aggressive challenges to anything these agencies do.

Potential weakening of patient and consumer health care protections

Fridays ruling could open the door to legal challenges to the decisions made by the governments public health agencies, with the American Cancer Society and other health associations warning in a friend-of-the-court brief that the reversal of Chevron could unleash a litigation tsunami, even on long-settled policy.

The US Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Health and Human Services (through its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) rely heavily on the flexibility that the Chevron deference provides to manage a highly detailed and sometimes unavoidably complex regulatory process.

On Medicaid alone, the law is what one federal judge famously described as almost unintelligible to the uninitiated.

The laws created to allow these health agencies the authority to regulate the countrys complex health sector were written in a purposely ambiguous way, legal scholars say. Ambiguity was necessary to give the agencies the flexibility to use their technical and scientific expertise to make the countless real-world policy decisions that make up the regulatory foundation of programs that directly affect the health of nearly every American.

The multitude of Health and Human Services Department regulations that govern the Affordable Care Act exchanges, Medicaid, Medicare, insurance coverage and more could now be more easily challenged in court.

Several regulations  including those involving the Affordable Care Acts federal premium tax credits, annual out-of-pocket limits, the adequacy of in-network doctor options and preventive health services at no cost to patients  could be subject to litigation by those seeking to challenge the agencys interpretations of the congressional statutes, according to KFF, a nonprofit health policy research and polling organization.

In addition, challengers could have more chances of success in lawsuits against HHS regulations issued by the Biden administration that ban health care providers and insurers from discriminating based on gender identity and sexual orientation and that interpret the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA, as prohibiting the disclosure of information on reproductive health care, including abortions, said Andrew Twinamatsiko, a director at the ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University.

It really moves away from the understanding that we have a robust scientific community that protects our health, Twinamatsiko said. Well have everybody coming in and second-guessing what these agencies are doing, and thereby creating this chaos and also a lack of trust in the system.

Other programs that could be in jeopardy include the FDAs Fast Track approval process, with which the agency has sole discretion over which drugs or devices qualify for expedited approval.

Some scholars say the FDA approval process as a whole could also be undermined by Chevrons reversal. Drugs and devices are approved by the FDA based on evidence that companies submit from what the law calls adequate and well-controlled investigations. However, the definition of such an investigation is left up to FDA interpretation.

Challenges to tech regulations, such as new net neutrality rules

The end of Chevron could complicate the US governments efforts to regulate data brokers, social media platforms, generative artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and more as agencies scramble to interpret their congressional mandates to fit those new challenges.

Shifting regulatory power from agencies to the courts gives well-resourced companies with armies of lawyers even more power to fend off regulations they view as harmful.

Congress rarely gets anything done on tech, so agencies do most of the regulatory work, said Paul Gallant, a policy analyst at the market research firm TD Cowen. But if the court reduces their rulemaking power, it would be particularly helpful in protecting the major tech platforms against new regulations that currently appear likely if Biden is reelected.

In the telecom sector, Chevron has been a major reason the Federal Communications Commission is recognized as having the power to regulate  and deregulate  internet service providers (ISPs). Using that authority, the agency voted in April to restore net neutrality rules for ISPs, prohibiting them from blocking or slowing down websites, a move that instantly triggered industry lawsuits.

Major questions doctrine is the next big regulatory legal fight

In some ways, the courts decision overturning Chevron simply makes official what has already been the reality in practice, other legal experts say.

For quite some time, Chevron has been a dead letter for several reasons, said David Vladeck, a Georgetown University law professor and former director of the FTCs consumer protection bureau. By and large, Chevron is no longer cited, let alone relied on, in lower courts.

Faced with a hostile Supreme Court, the EPA has relied on Chevron less and less in recent years. Still, the end of the precedent takes another tool out of the agencys legal toolbox.

For instance, the Supreme Court in 2014 cited Chevron to uphold a version of the EPAs so-called good-neighbor rule, which addresses the problem of air pollution that travels across state lines. The Supreme Court put the latest iteration of the regulation on hold last week after a lower court  in a decision that did not cite Chevron  said the new pollution rules could be implemented.

Overturning Chevron could also theoretically hamstring a future Republican administration trying to implement its own rules.

Chevrons reversal doesnt eliminate agency authority; it shifts the burden of how you interpret a statute, said Ann Carlson, the former acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and an environmental law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In her view, the major questions doctrine  which says agencies cant regulate things of major economic or political significance if Congress hasnt given them explicit authority to do so  is what to watch.

Major questions, if used often and effectively to attack the EPA and other agencies, could render them useless because it argues they cannot operate without Congress passing laws explicitly giving them approval to do things, Carlson and other environmental law experts said.

Given extreme political polarization, things often move at a glacial pace in Congress.

Whether the Supreme Court is overturning Chevron or reviving major questions, David Doniger, a senior federal strategist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told CNN, their goal is enfeebling the federal government.

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The Supreme Courts dismissal of Idahos challenge to a federal emergency care law is offering temporary relief to physicians and patients in the state, but it failed to close the door on whether federal law allows physicians to perform abortions in medical emergencies.

The justices on Thursday ruled 6-3 to dismiss the case as improvidently granted, essentially meaning they shouldnt have taken it up to begin with. They sent it back to the appeals court and lifted an earlier decision that allowed Idahos law to stand unchallenged.

This means doctors in Idaho will be able to perform emergency abortions despite state-level restrictions  at least while the case is making its way through the courts. Litigation will continue at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

But doctors and abortion rights advocates said the ruling is a short-term fix at best, and with no long-term clarity, patients with pregnancy complications who live in states that ban abortion remain in limbo.

The court should have provided the needed clarification to end the chaos and confusion about what EMTALA [the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act] required once and for all, and the failure to do that could well result in more people being denied care, Nancy Northup, president and CEO at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told reporters.

The case centered on that act, a nearly 40 year-old law that requires federally funded hospitals to provide stabilizing care to emergency room patients no matter their ability to pay.

The Biden administration had invoked EMTALA in the wake of the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, saying state laws or mandates that employ a more restrictive definition of an emergency medical condition are preempted by the federal statute.

But EMTALA doesnt specifically mention abortion and doesnt outline which procedures should be provided. Idaho argued state law supersedes the federal requirement.

The state permits an abortion when necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman, but not if the patients health or reproductive future is at risk from a catastrophic health consequence, such as the loss of her uterus.

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador told reporters Thursday he was confident that the appeals court would rule in his favor.

We feel pretty strongly that were going to win this case in the end, Labrador said. We look forward to the Ninth Circuit actually reading the tea leaves from the Supreme Court and understanding that the Biden administrations overreach needs to end.

Yet because the justices did not resolve the underlying questions raised by the case, and because states have been reluctant to provide substantial guidance to doctors about what constitutes a medical emergency, abortion care remains a legal gray area in dozens of states.

What we had really hoped for is the Supreme Court to come down very firmly that doctors should be able to provide care for patients, including in emergency situations where abortion care can often be needed to stabilize patients, Nisha Verma, an OB/GYN in Georgia, said during a press conference.

Georgias heartbeat law bans abortions after about six weeks and includes exceptions for medical emergencies and medically futile pregnancies. But what that means in practice varies across the state, and there is no standard definition or guidance.

I think that working here in Georgia, we are constantly in a state of confusion trying to navigate incredibly confusing laws with exceptions that just dont make sense on the ground, that dont take into consideration all of the complexity that we deal with every day, Verma added.

The Supreme Court may not end up waiting too much longer. An appeal from the federal government in a similar case to Idahos is already pending after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit earlier this year ruled against the Biden administration regarding EMTALA in Texas.

The Biden administration appealed to the Supreme Court but asked the justices to hold the petition until the court resolved the Idaho case. The court will likely make a decision about whether to hear arguments in the fall, allowing it to rule after the November election.

The Supreme Court could also take up the Idaho case again, after the appeals court makes a decision.

Labrador said hes been having conversations with hospitals and doctors to try to clear up any confusion about how Idahos abortion ban applies.

They have been thinking  that theyre going to be prosecuted all the time, when thats just not the case in any way, he said.

But some doctors in the state said they still feel vulnerable.

Attorney General Labrador chooses not to listen to the great majority of physicians who are deeply concerned, fearful. Fearing for the complications that our patients are suffering every day for care regarding abortion and across the reproductive health spectrum, Caitlin Gustafson, an Idaho OB/GYN, told reporters.

Jessica Evans-Wall, an Idaho emergency medicine physician, said she anticipates her hospitals legal team may still need to get involved if theres an instance with a pregnant patient where she or her physician partners are unsure.

If I was to run into a case where I was concerned about a pregnant patients health as opposed to her life, I would still be concerned that I was in gray area, Evans-Wall said. I think that in especially the emergency setting, we have to make decisions based on minimal information. I think that most of us physicians are still feeling a little bit unprotected.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Chevron (NYSE: CVX) is the biggest loser in the integrated energy sector over the past year, with its share price performance lagging behind even long-troubled BP (NYSE: BP). Chevron's stock return since June 2023 trails leader Shell (NYSE: SHEL) by well over 15 percentage points. But that underperformance may make Chevron the best choice among the group for new energy sector-interested investors.

Here's what you need to know and why the next year could be very important to changing the negative sentiment around Chevron's stock.

Chevron isn't faring well on Wall Street

Stocks go in and out of favor all of the time. Chevron is currently in the dog house when it comes to the energy sector's largest and most dominant companies -- namely, the integrated energy giants. The performance highlighted above is a clear indication of that. For additional evidence of this trend, look no further than ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), Chevron's closest U.S. peer. ExxonMobil has seen its stock price rise nearly 10% over the past year compared to the roughly 2% gain Chevron has posted.

CVX Chart

The problem is that nothing has really gone terribly wrong at Chevron from an operational perspective. It is still a conservatively financed oil company with a fairly strong financial foundation and business model. Furthermore, its debt-to-equity ratio remains the lowest among its close peers. That gives Chevron ample flexibility to handle the energy industry's inherent volatility. But the company isn't getting as much credit for this fact today as it seemed to during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

The price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell below zero back then after energy demand was disrupted by the economic closures used to slow the spread of COVID-19. Investors shifted toward quality. Now energy prices have recovered, and Chevron's strong finances have taken a back seat to other issues.

What the next year holds for Chevron

One of the biggest issues facing Chevron right now is its proposed $53 billion acquisition of Hess (NYSE: HES). From a strategic point of view, the deal looks good, but there's a major stumbling block. Hess and Exxon are partners in a large energy project in Guyana, and ExxonMobil believes it has the right to buy Hess out of the project if it sells itself to Chevron. That project is likely one of the main reasons why Chevron wants to buy Hess, so this could scuttle the Hess acquisition or, at the very least, make it a less desirable purchase.

Investors don't like uncertainty, and they are probably punishing Chevron's stock because of the doubts around what is a very large acquisition. But this might just be an opportunity for long-term investors to buy a well-run oil company when it appears relatively cheap. Chevron's dividend yield is roughly 4.2% compared to 3.3% for ExxonMobil. To be fair, ExxonMobil typically has a lower yield than Chevron when times are good in the oil patch, and the current spread between the two isn't out of line with historical norms.

However, the negative sentiment around the Hess deal is a major headwind for Chevron's shares and it will likely be resolved, in one way or another, over the next year. If the outcome of the fight over Hess is good for Chevron, the stock will likely rally. If the outcome is bad, that news is probably largely priced in already. Plus, Chevron can just find another acquisition target. With one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry, it has ample financial strength in that regard.

The Hess issue isn't a compelling reason to give up nearly a full percentage point of yield to buy ExxonMobil. Or, if exposure to oil and natural gas is your goal, to buy Chevron's European peers with higher leverage levels and/or histories of dividend cuts in the face of adversity. Chevron's dividend has been increased annually for more than three decades, while BP and Shell both cut their dividends during the pandemic. The biggest reason to buy France's TotalEnergies (NYSE: TTE), meanwhile, is its diversification into non-carbon energy sources, a path that Chevron hasn't gone down to the same degree.

Oil is the dominant force, but...

To be truly objective, oil and natural gas prices are going to be what determines the outcome of the next year for Chevron. That also applies to all of its peers. But Chevron's relatively poor stock performance compared to its peers is another issue, and it's likely the result of investor concerns surrounding the Hess deal. The next year will be one of headline risk in that regard, but the next year will likely also bring a resolution to the issue. So given Wall Street is downbeat on Chevron now, it could be the right time to step in if you are a dividend investor looking to add exposure to an integrated energy major to your portfolio.

Should you invest $1,000 in Chevron right now?

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Suspect arrested following car fire and standoff in Fairview Heights

Fairview Heights, Ill.  A man was arrested by Fairview Heights police after setting his car on fire with himself inside and starting a standoff with officers.

Around 2:15 p.m., the man set his vehicle on fire while he was inside, near the 100 block of Durley Drive. He previously lived in the area and had a pending order of protection that had not yet been served. Several days before this incident, there was a suspicious fire at his home, which the State Fire Marshals Office has been investigating.

After setting his car on fire, the man fled from the vehicle. Police later received reports that he had fired a gun. It was eventually determined that the sound of windows breaking was likely due to the heat from the fire. Fairview Heights officers, along with several other departments, set up a perimeter, believing they had the man surrounded.

Section 8 home invaded by bats, resident told she has to live with it

A police drone was sent to the scene to assist in locating the suspect, who was found hiding inside a vehicle. Despite numerous commands, the man refused to surrender.

Officers used a less-lethal bean bag to break the vehicles windows, followed by a pepperball launcher to send pepperballs into the vehicle. The man quickly exited the vehicle and surrendered without incident or injury.

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SAFE CONNECTIONS TEXT LINE

314-531-2003 available 24/7.

www.safeconnections.org

SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN

www.rainn.org

800-656-4673

NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE

Text START to 88788

1-800-799-7233 (Text LOVEIS to 22522).

YWCA DESIGNATED SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE

314-531-7273 available 24/7

HEALING ACTION ST. LOUIS

www.healingaction.org

314-833-4515

Services for survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation, in addition to advocacy and providing awareness of human trafficking.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING NATIONAL HOTLINE

1-888-373-7888. TTY: 711. Text BeFree 233733

www.humantraffickinghotline.org

More than 200 languages. Also, many other resources on their website.



CHILD ABUSE HOTLINES

To report suspected child abuse in Missouri or Illinois contact:

Missouri Toll-Free: 800-392-3738

Local (toll): 573-751-3448

Illinois Toll-Free: 800-252-2873

Local (toll): 217-785-4020

Missouri Dept. of Social Services:

www.dss.mo.gov

ELDER ABUSE HOTLINE

To report elder abuse and abuse of people with disabilities:

1-800-392-0210

Missouri Dept. of Health and Senior Services

health.mo.gov/safety/abuse

ALIVE

Alternatives to Living in Violent Environments

www.alivestl.org

St. Louis area 314-993-2777 Crisis Line St. Louis 24-hour Crisis Line: 314.993.2777St. Louis

Franklin County 636-583-5700 or 800-941-9144

Union, MO, PO Box 223, 63048. 636-583-9863

P.O. Box 28733. St. Louis, MO 63146 Office: 314-993-7080

Counseling, emergency sanctuary, and other critical services to adults and children

impacted by domestic abuse.

CALL FOR HELP, INC. (Southern Illinois)

www.callforhelpinc.org

618-397-0968

Comprehensive crisis and other services in Metro East including sexual abuse and assault.

24 hours a day, 7 days a week Hotline Number 618-397-0975

618-397-0975  Main Office/Lebanon Rd.

618-462-0552  Alton

618-271-8990  East St. Louis

618-667-3350- Troy

618-939-0115- Waterloo

618-397-0968- Transitional Living Center

COVENANT HOUSE

2727 N. Kingshighway 63113

www.covenanthouse.org

314-533-2241

Various locations for teens in crisis.

CRISIS NURSERY

www.crisisnurserykids.org/

24-Hour Helpline: 314-768-3201

A 24-Hour Safe Haven Dedicated to Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect Throughout the Region. Many locations.

FAMILY FORWARD: REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN

3309 South Kingshighway 63139

www.familyforwardmo.org/how-we-help/redevelopment-opportunities-women

314-534-9350

A variety of programs and several locations, including housing, for battered women and their children. Emphasis is on financial stability.

KATHY WEINMAN CENTER

6763 Page Ave #201 63133

www.keepingkidsfirst.org

314-423-1117

Temporary, emergency shelter, court advocacy, professional therapy for women and children, support groups. Follow-up supportive services are available. St. Louis County operates this shelter.

LIFE SOURCE CONSULTANTS

www.lifesourceconsultants.org

Crisis hotline: 314-524-0686

119 Church Street, Suite 219, Ferguson, MO 63135

Domestic and sexual violence crisis center. Provides therapy, support groups, case management, legal advocacy, and more.

LYDIAS HOUSE

www.lydiashouse.org

314-771-4411

Community and faith-based domestic violence education, transitional housing, crisis intervention, court advocacy, support groups for women and children, case management. They now have a program that allows residents to keep their pets.

JADASA

www.jadasa.org

314-269-0100

Providing assistance to women and teens of domestic violence, along with training and trauma-informed approach programs to help others who may be suffering.

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Suspect dies after being pursued by man he allegedly robbed at gunpoint in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (KTLA)  A suspect who allegedly robbed another man at a Los Angeles gas station was killed in a crash after the victim pursued him.

Initial reports later confirmed by the Los Angeles Police Department indicate a 21-year-old man was at a gas station in the citys West Adams neighborhood on Saturday evening when a group of armed men approached and robbed him.

The alleged suspects then fled the scene in a white sedan, and the victim gave chase in a Mercedes-Benz SUV.

Sometime during the pursuit, the man rammed his SUV into the suspects sedan, causing it to lose control and smash into a light pole, according to video from the scene obtained by Nexstars KTLA.

Fire captain deployed to Ground Zero on 9/11 dies in Colorado rafting mishap

One of the suspects, said to be the driver of the sedan, was killed in the collision.

After the crash, the other suspects were reportedly able to escape the wreckage and opened fire at the 21-year-old before running away. At least one of them was found hiding in a nearby backyard by a K9 unit and was taken into custody, preliminary information indicates.

The robbery victim stayed at the scene following the crash and cooperated with police; it is not known if he was injured or what he initially had stolen from him.

The incident is now being investigated as a homicide, LAPD said, but it is unclear if the original robbery victim was in custody.

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.
Suspect on U.S. Marshals Most Wanted list arrested

Editors Note: Weve corrected this article to note who arrested the fugitive.

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Ladarrius Fantroy, a fugitive on the U.S. Marshals Most Wanted list, has been arrested by the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force with the assistance of Mobile Police Department.

Family speaks following double murder in Conecuh Co.

Fantroy was wanted in connection to a 2023 double homicide in Conecuh County. In June of last year, 10-year-old JoeJoe Rankin and his mothers boyfriend; Jatonio Williams were shot and killed in front of their home in Evergreen, Alabama.

According to police, Fantroy fled the scene.

Conecuh County deputies seek murder suspect who fled car crash Wednesday

This January, law enforcement was close on Fantroys heels after he was involved in a two-vehicle wreck near the Belleville community. He fled the scene of the accident. That night, a massive manhunt was mobilized to find him  but Fantroy evaded capture.

Last night, the task force captured Fantroy, with MPDs help, and booked him in Metro Jail just after midnight.

Weve reached out to the MPD for more information.

Search for accused killer continues in Conecuh Co. Thursday

This is a developing story and we will keep you updated 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 WKRG News 5.
GREENWICH VILLAGE, Manhattan (PIX11)  Are you ready for the Pride March?

New York Citys Pride March is considered the biggest pride event in North America. It can attract close to two million LGBTQ people and their allies in what, for many, is a joyous celebration of acceptance and inclusion.

More Local News

Saturday was the first full day that the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center was open to the public and, not surprisingly, the day before the NYC Pride March, it was packed. It was also the day after the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising in 1969, where police raids at the gay bar sparked what became a turning point in the LGBTQ rights movement.

For one couple who moved from Oklahoma to New York, it was an eye-opening experience.

What struck me when the inn first opened in the 1960s, it was illegal to serve queer people alcohol, Chimera Comstock, a center visitor, told PIX11 News. Thats just mind-blowing to me, thats not that long ago, he added.

I am learning all about what happened to the people before me. They ran so I could walk, Eliza Miles, another visitor to the center, told PIX11 News.

This couple and thousands of others have come for the Pride March, which kicks off Sunday at 25th Street and 5th Avenue.

The march will pass the Stonewall National Monument on Christopher Street before turning north on 7th Avenue and passing the NYC AIDS Memorial Park.

Earlier in Times Square, there was the Big Broadway Disco for Pride weekend in New York City. For both performers and those in the audience, this was a poignant event.

Im a New Yorker and I grew up on disco, Mike Borowski, the DJ for the disco, told PIX11 News. To be here in Times Square, this is a sweet, sweet, joyous Pride gig, he added.

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.
These Tacoma nurses broke into field when needles were reused, secrets kept from wives

Janet Runbeck is 71 and working the same job she began at age 20. And she doesnt get paid for it.

Nursing, for a lot of us, is a passion, the volunteer public health nurse said. Its almost a calling.

Runbeck was paid until she retired in 2014. Now, the 1976 graduate of the Tacoma General Hospital School of Nursing spends part of her time ensuring new generations of nurses get the schooling she had.

Runbecks work and that of her fellow alumni are no small feat given that the nursing school has been shuttered for 44 years. Its legacy lives on in a handful of mostly gray-haired nurses who hold an annual reunion and award scholarships to nursing students.

Cheryl Davis is president of the School of Nursing alumnae group. The 1969 graduate is 76. She was 18 when she first donned the starched, white uniform and cap of a student. Shes had a front-row seat to a practical revolution in care and attitudes in medicine.

When I first went into nursing, women in general still did not have many rights, Davis said. Your husband could tell the doctor not to tell you that you had cancer.

Nurses were forbidden to tell female patients what their blood-pressure readings were, she said.

Since then, nursing has made what Davis calls major leaps and bounds. Nurses, once tasked with helping radiology and physical therapy, have passed those duties on to specialists. Now, nurses can focus on patient care.

Davis worked in operating rooms for 24 years, joined the Army Reserve at age 39 and eventually became an educator. The ability to switch careers but still stay in nursing has kept her interested in nursing.

If you get tired of something, you can go do something else, she said.

Nursings early days

Paddock Memorial (later to become Tacoma General) was opened at its present location in 1889. The nursing school was opened six years later. Nursing, as a vocation, was itself only two decades old at the time.

The Tacoma schools first student, George Smith, was a mill hand inspired by his stay as a patient in the hospital. He went on to work at the hospital until 1931 and would be the schools only male graduate until 1973.

It wasnt until 1935 when the first full-time instructor was hired. Until then, doctors and working nurses provided instruction. Dr. Charles McCutcheon was the instructor, supervisor and counselor at the school, according to Mildred Bates 1976 book, A House of Mercy: A History of Tacoma General Hospital, The Fannie C. Paddock Memorial.

McCutcheons wife acted as matron.

There were no books or manuals. On-the-job learning came from practical experience. The day began in the chapel at 7 a.m. and concluded at 7 p.m. on the ward. Students were given one afternoon a week off.

The first class of five students, including Smith, graduated in 1897. Nurses soon became a crucial link in all aspects of patient care. In 1906, five Fannie Paddock nurses were sent to San Francisco to care for patients from that citys devastating earthquake.

Admission requirements evolved over time. At first, students need merely show an interest in nursing. Soon, minimum education levels, references and a physical exam were required. Married, widowed or divorced women were ineligible to become nurses.

Sometimes, the training period was lengthened due to misbehavior. Some students were kicked out of the school. Ledgers recorded the comings and goings:

Dismissed Dec. 29, 1914 for very indiscreet actions.

A fairly good all around nurse if she can leave the men alone.

One month added to time for burning a patient (with) hot water bottle.

Team effort

Runbeck said nurses were subservient to doctors in her early days of nursing.

When a doctor walked in, you would have to stand up and give him your chair, she said. Now, Its become more of a team. So the doctor respects and actually looks for the nurses opinion or assessment.

Davis agreed.

Were a team, she said. They have their job. We have ours. And then theres some overlap.

Jackson Hall

By 1919, the training program was three years long. Topics included psychiatry, nursery, communicable diseases, tuberculosis and public health.

In 1947, the nursing school moved to the newly completed Jackson Hall, directly across Martin Luther King Jr. Way from Tacoma Generals main entrance.

The last class to graduate on May 23, 1980 probably went largely unnoticed by the public. The region was dealing with the devastation caused by the eruption of Mount St. Helens just five days prior. By that time, 2,216 nurses had been capped at the school.

Jackson Hall was converted to offices and meeting spaces. It was razed in 2023 and the site will become the new home of Mary Bridge Childrens Hospital in 2026.

Advances

Retired nurse Patricia Palms, 85, spent her career as an operating-room nurse. During her time, medicine underwent vast changes, from the most simple procedures to the complex. Disposable needles had yet to be invented when she started. Syringes and needles were sterilized and reused.

Palms, a 1959 graduate, and other students from her era spent three months working at Western State Hospital, three months at a pediatric hospital in Vancouver, B.C, and six weeks at Firland Sanitorium, a tuberculosis hospital in King County.

Classmate Marie Lennen, also 85, used to give her ulcer patients milk and Maalox. It was later learned that the bacteria H. Pylori caused ulcers. They are now treated with antibiotics.

Heart patients were thought to need weeks of bed rest. Now, movement is encouraged following surgery.

Early cataract surgery seemed downright medieval.

Theyd come out of (surgery) with the bed at 45 degrees, Lennen said. And we duct taped their head to a sandbag on either side, because they could not rotate (their heads). And they were that way for two or three days.

Alumni

The Alumnae Association was founded in 1904 and has been active continuously since 1920.

The endowment which funds grants to senior year nurses now stands at $1.9 million.

The association once gave scholarships to nursing students at any local school. Now, due to legal reasons, Davis said, they can only give scholarships to MultiCare employees who are also nursing students.

So you may have someone whos a unit secretary whos going to nursing school and just supplementing their income while theyre going to school, Davis said.

Tacoma nursing school timeline

1882: Tacomas first hospital, Fannie C. Paddock Memorial Hospital opens. It is today known as MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital.

1895: The first nursing school in Washington opens at Paddock Memorial. Mill employee George Smith is first to apply.

1897: First class of six students, including Smith, graduates.

1935: School hires first full-time instructor.

1980: Last class of 32 nurses graduates. In all, 2,216 nurses trained at the school.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Janet Runbeck had worked for Tacoma General Hospital.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump squared off in their first debate of the 2024 election cycle.

Talk Business & Politics host Roby Brock met with Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist John Brummett to talk about the key takeaways from the debate.

Funeral service held for Fordyce mass shooting victim Callie Weems; locals set up fundraiser for victims and their families

Roby also spoke with Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Executive Director Dr. Victoria Ramirez to discuss the milestones of the last year and what comes next.

Talk Business & Politics airs Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on FOX 16. For more coverage, head to TalkBusiness.net.

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 KLRT - FOX16.com.
Tech billionaire Peter Thiel says he only allows his children 1.5 hours of screen time a week

Tech billionaire Peter Thiel says he only allows his children 1.5 hours of screen time a week

Peter Thiel said he only lets his kids use screens for 1.5 hours a week.

There is a growing push by US officials to regulate the use of social media among children.

Other tech CEOs, like Evan Spiegel and Sundar Pichai, also limit their children's screen time.

Social media for thee, but not for me. Or my kids, says Peter Thiel.

During a conversation with journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado on Thursday, Thiel, the cofounder of PayPal and the first outside investor in Facebook, revealed that he doesn't like his kids spending too much time in front of screens during the week.

Sorkin asked Thiel about the recent announcement from US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy that his office would push for labels on social media platforms warning about the dangers they pose to children's health. Meta, Facebook's parent company, is also facing a lawsuit from 33 states that says Facebook and Instagram harm young people's mental health.

Thiel said it's "too easy" to turn Big Tech into a scapegoat for "all our problems." Still, he said there is an "interesting critique one could make" about the fact that many social media executives limit screen time for their kids.

Thiel said he allows his own children just an hour and a half of screen time a week. Thiel's children are young  3 and 5 years old  so such a limit seems reasonable. But children are using the internet at increasingly younger ages, prompting concern about raising a generation of "iPad kids."

Thiel isn't the first tech leader to admit that they strictly limit their children's screen time. Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel said he also limits his 8-year-old's screen time to one and a half hours a week.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai previously said he didn't give his middle-school-aged son a cellphone and that all televisions in his home are locked with an "activation energy" that makes watching TV not easily accessible.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(KRON)  Three teens were taken into custody after joyriding in a stolen vehicle on Tuesday, according to Fairfield Police Department.

Around 11:48 p.m., Fairfield police officers received an automatic license plate reader FLOCK for a stolen vehicle near North Texas and Airbase Parkway. Responding officers spotted the car and attempted to stop the vehicle. According to Fairfield PD, the driver did not stop and a short pursuit ensued. The chase ended due to the driver colliding into a vacant building at North Texas Street and Travis Boulevard.

Two arrested for stealing gas and catalytic converters: police

Police said the driver was immediately taken into custody and the other two passengers fled. Fairfield PD said the other occupants were caught and detained soon after.

All of the cars occupants were minors, according to Fairfield PD.

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.
Teen in critical condition following targeted shooting on Edmondson Pike, Metro police say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Detectives are investigating a Saturday afternoon shooting and crash in the Nippers Corner area that left a teenager seriously injured.

Metro Nashville dispatch said the shooting was reported shortly before 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 29 in the 5700 block of Edmondson Pike.

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According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), a 17-year-old was shot during a meeting with the occupants of another car in the Taco Bell parking lot. The victim reportedly drove across a berm and collided with the side of a market.

(Source: MNPD)

At 5:40 p.m., officials announced on social media platform X that the teen is in critical condition following the incident.

2 found dead in apparent murder-suicide at Nashville home: MNPD

Authorities said they are pursuing active leads as they continue to investigate this targeted shooting. No additional details have been released.

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 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.

 Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.

This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.

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 WKRN News 2.
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best NYSE Penny Stocks To Buy. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) stands against the other NYSE penny stocks.

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics was released on June 12, which suggests a deceleration in inflation, which could be positive for the US market and economy. Stabilizing prices, particularly in core categories like shelter and food, indicate potential relief for consumers and might influence the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decisions favorably. The steadying of inflation could enhance consumer confidence and support economic stability.

Additionally, the latest inflation report for May, released on June 28, showed that personal income in the U.S. increased by $114.1 billion, up 0.5%, while disposable personal income (DPI) also rose by 0.5% to $94 billion, showing its slowest increase since March 2021. The core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index, a key measure for the Federal Reserve that excludes food and energy costs, rose by 0.1% from April, matching Wall Street's expectations and slowing from April's 0.3% rise. Annually, core PCE increased by 2.6% which was the smallest gain in over three years.

The data showed a steady rise in income and spending. Real DPI, adjusted for inflation, grew by 0.5%, and real PCE rose by 0.3% due to a 0.6% increase in spending on goods and a 0.1% increase in spending on services. Healthcare, housing, and transportation services contributed to the rise in service spending, while prescription drugs led to an increase in goods spending. Overall, the data showed rising incomes, controlled inflation, and increased consumer spending. This combination suggests steady economic growth and stability, along with manageable inflationary pressures.

What Does the Data Mean for Small-Cap Stocks?

We discussed the key developments of the Feds latest meeting in our best Robinhood stocks article, where we mentioned that the chairman's statement indicated that there has been some improvement in lowering inflation toward the desired 2% target. However, he emphasized the need for more data and evidence to confirm that this downward trend is consistent and sustainable. This means that the latest data might not be sufficient enough yet, but it still is a good start to making up the Feds mind toward rate cuts. The CME FedWatch Tool reveals that 58% of the market believes that the Fed will cut rates by 25 basis points.

Back in April, Peter Kraus, CEO of Aperture Investors told CNBC that inflation has restricted the growth of small-cap stocks and they have underperformed the large-cap stocks by 9% per annum for the last three years. While he had some recession concerns, he said that if the interest rates decline, the small-cap stocks are going to outperform. He noted that over the long term, even though the falls of the broader market and the small caps are different, the returns are usually equal.

Story continues

Keeping that in mind, we look at some of the best NYSE penny stocks in our current article. While not all of them are small-cap stocks, they could certainly benefit from a decline in interest rates.

Our Methodology

For this article, we identified over 60 stocks trading under $5 with Buy or better ratings from Wall Street analysts and a market cap of over $200 million. We further narrowed down our list to 10 stocks based on multiple but different metrics such as future growth prospects, valuations, and shareholder returns. We listed the stocks in ascending or of their hedge fund sentiment which was taken from Insider Monkeys database of over 900 elite hedge funds. We preferred the stocks that were profitable over the last twelve months. Nevertheless, some stocks in the list are yet to post profits and analysts keep an optimistic outlook for them.

Why do we care about what hedge funds do? 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 aerial view of the vast Lihtium deposits in the Jujuy province of Argentina.

Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC)

Share Price as of June 27: $2.78

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 4

Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) is a lithium exploration and development company operating in the US and Canada. The company owns the Thacker Pass project, which is situated in McDermitt Caldera where the largest known lithium deposit in the world has been discovered.

The Thacker Pass project is the biggest growth prospect of Lithium Americas. The company is well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for lithium, driven by the global transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. The U.S. Department of Energy's $2.26 billion loan supports the strategic importance of this project for U.S. national interests. Moreover, General Motors' exclusive rights to Phase 1 production for up to 10 years further validate the project's potential. The projects Phase 1 alone could supply enough lithium to meet the battery needs of approximately 800,000 EVs annually, which positions Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) as a key player in the lithium supply chain. Although there has been some pressure on lithium prices recently, the companys management believes that they will normalize when the project is operational in 2026.

As of the first quarter, 4 hedge funds were bullish on Lithium Americas Corp. at a total stake value of $2.5 million. It takes the 9th position on our list of best NYSE penny stocks and takes the top spot on our list of stocks that will 10x in 5 years according to analysts.

Overall LAC ranks 9th on our list of the best NYSE penny stocks to buy. You can visit 10 Best NYSE Penny Stocks To Buy to see the other NYSE penny stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of LAC as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than LAC 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 at Insider Monkey.
Molly Parren was tracking a wood turtle in Vermont when she smelled something surprising, yet familiar. The amphibian scientist for the states wildlife agency traced the smell to a rare wild garlic and snapped a photo.

What she didnt realize at the time was she had found not one but two rare plants  one of which hadnt been seen in the state since 1916.

Parren sent the photo to her colleague Grace Glynn, Vermonts state botanist.

I saw this other plant in the foreground, this tiny, little plant that had a much different color. Glynn told CNN. I immediately knew that it was floerkea. False mermaid-weed.

Glynn has been searching for this plant a little bit obsessively, she said. Its ephemeral nature meant that it could easily go unspotted. Its short blooming window begins in April. To say its white flowers are small is an understatement  they are the size of a pin head. Then by June, the plant is withering away.

There are also only three historic sites for floerkea in the state, according to Glynn. Ive just dreamt of finding it because this is such an inconspicuous little plant with a limited window visibility and I knew that it could be lurking in plain sight. Ive never seen it in person, but I had looked at photos so many times, she said.

When she saw what Parren photographed, Glynn jumped up and screamed.

False mermaid-weed needs open floodplain soil in order to germinate  but this means these kinds of plants are susceptible to invasive species including garlic mustard, reed canary grass and Japanese knotweed, among others, Glynn explained. Invasive species choke out floodplain habitats, making it hard for native plants to compete.

Most of the invasive species come from gardens, Glynn said. But they arent the only threat to native plants.

The increase in flooding in New England is very concerning because it may be altering these habitats in ways that floerkea and other river-shore species are not adapted to, Glynn said. Most river shore plants have evolved to benefit from winter and spring flooding  not flooding in the summer.

During the summer, plants will begin to reproduce and flower. Flooding can damage the plant during that critical process, forcing it to start over again. Glynn said this is really stressful, and while some plants may be able to quickly resprout and send up new flowers, after multiple seasons of this happening, you can imagine that it may be too stressful on the plants and they could die or be outfitted by invasives.

Grace Glynn, Vermont state botanist, studies false mermaid-weed. - Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

The challenge for plants is that they cant run away from bad conditions, said Tim Johnson, the CEO of the Native Plant Trust, an organization that  true to its name  works to restore native plants, educate property owners and implement native species into landscape design.

Plant species and communities have evolved over millions of years, and they have been able to adapt to or migrate away from unfavorable climate conditions, Johnson told CNN. The species we have today are the survivors. Theyre the ones that have been able to navigate this process over time.

Johnson explained certain species of plants have wider distribution than others and that Vermont is on the edge of the range of distribution for the false mermaid-weed, which is why the population size isnt as large as it is in other states, making it more rare.

Plant species and communities have evolved over millions of years, and they have been able to adapt to or migrate away from unfavorable climate conditions, Johnson said. The species we have today are the survivors. Theyre the ones that have been able to navigate this process over time. The challenge, or one of the major challenges, with plants, is that they cant run away.

Native plants have evolved in balance with the rest of the ecosystem. Local pollinators and wildlife rely on native species, and are just as threatened by invasive, non-local plants as the natives themselves.

Some native insects rely on very specific host plants or host species to complete their life cycles, Glynn said. And then the birds rely on (the insects), and so on, throughout the food chain.

Glynn said much of work relies on enthusiasts, volunteers and other professional botanists sending her photos and videos of their observations. Every species has a right to be given a chance to persist on the landscape, and thats really why we do what we do, Glynn said.

The false mermaid-weed discovery shows there is reason to hope the world can undo the harmful effects of climate change, said Johnson.

We might think that we are beyond it because we have supercomputers in our pocket and we have jets thatll carry you across and around the world, but everything about our lives actually is facilitated by plants, Johnson said. They are the primary producers in our world. We eat them. We use them for building materials. They produce the oxygen we breathe. We literally couldnt live without them.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife tracks hundreds of plant species across the state and publishes findings on its website. You can report a sighting of a rare species in Vermont by submitting this form.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said three women were shot in Northeast D.C. early Sunday.

Police said that at about 1 a.m., they were dispatched to the 6100 block of Banks Place for the report of a shooting.

Deputies: Playground fire in Frederick County believed to be arson

Officers said the three women shot there were conscious and breathing.

They were taken to the hospital to be treated.

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.
TikTok is in trouble: In April, President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation that forces ByteDance, the popular social media app's Chinese parent company, to sell its majority stake to a U.S.-based firm. If it fails to do this, the app will be banned in the United States.

Various dubious arguments have been deployed against TikTok, but Congress' stated prime motive to force its divestiture is that the app's Chinese owners are beholden to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and thus having their tech on so many Americans' phones is a dire national security risk. The CCP is an authoritarian menace, and there is some evidence the Chinese government pressures TikTok to censor content about Tiananmen Square and the religious sect Falun Gong, and criticism of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Of course, the U.S. government has also pressured American tech companies to censor content on social media. Thanks to the Twitter Files, the Facebook Files, and other independent investigations, we know that multiple federal agencies instructed social media platforms to take down content relating to Hunter Biden, COVID-19, and other subjects. When President Biden decided the companies had been insufficiently deferential to his pandemic-related diktats, he accused them of killing people and threatened to take action against them.

If Congress really wanted to do something about government censorship of content on social media, legislators could rein in the feds. Instead, they are singularly focused on TikTok, which has responded with a lawsuit.

The legislation approved by Biden would apply to any social media company that is designated as a "foreign adversary controlled application." U.S. law currently defines China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran as foreign adversaries. The law further stipulates that an app is deemed to be controlled by a foreign adversary if it satisfies at least one of three different criteria: It is headquartered in one of those countries, the government of one of those countries owns a 20 percent stake in it, or the app is subject to "direction or control" by one of the foreign adversaries.

This law creates a blueprint for taking future action against social media companies beyond just TikTok. In the wake of the 2016 election, Democratic lawmakers, mainstream media pundits, and national security advisers accused Facebook and Twitter of being complicit in Russia's various schemes to sow election-related discord online. The thrust of this argument was that the CEOs of those companies had allowed their platforms to be compromised by Russian misinformationeven though subsequent studies have shown foreign social media influence campaigns had very little impact on the outcome of the election.

Despite the bill's passage, the federal government is not likely to take direct action against Facebook or X tomorrow. But Biden has rubber-stamped language"direction and control"that is exceedingly slippery. It is not difficult to imagine a future where vengeful bureaucrats accuse a disfavored app of promoting contrarian views, gin up a connection to a "foreign adversary," and punish it accordingly.

The post The TikTok Ban Is a Blueprint for More Social Media Censorship appeared first on Reason.com.
By David Morgan and Jarrett Renshaw

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Top Democrats on Sunday ruled out the possibility of replacing President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee after a feeble debate performance and called on party members to focus instead on the consequences of a second Donald Trump presidency.

After days of hand-wringing about Biden's poor night on stage debating Trump, Democratic leaders firmly rejected calls for their party to choose a younger presidential candidate for the Nov. 5 election.

Biden, 81, meanwhile, was huddling with family members at the Camp David presidential retreat on Sunday.

The New York Times cited people close to the situation as saying that Biden's family were urging him to stay in the race and keep fighting. The paper said some members of his clan privately expressed exasperation at how his staff prepared him for Thursday night's event.

A drumbeat of calls for Biden to step aside has continued since Thursday and a post-debate CBS poll showed a 10-point jump in the number of Democrats who believe Biden should not be running for president, to 46% from 36% in February.

"The unfortunate truth is that Biden should withdraw from the race, for the good of the nation he has served so admirably for half a century," the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said in an editorial on Sunday. "The shade of retirement is now necessary for President Biden."

Democratic leaders rejected this.

"Absolutely not," responded Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, one of several Democrats seen as a possible replacement for Biden.

"Bad debates happen," he told NBC's Meet the Press program. "The question is, 'Who has Donald Trump ever shown up for other than himself and people like himself?' I'm with Joe Biden, and it's our assignment to make sure that he gets over the finish line come November."

House of Representatives Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who could become speaker next year if his party can take control of the House in November, acknowledged that Biden had suffered a setback, but this was "nothing more than a setup for a comeback."

"So the moment that we're in right now is a comeback moment," he told MSNBC.

Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, a leading Biden surrogate, told ABC's This Week program Biden needed to stay in the race to ensure Trump's defeat.

"I think he's the only Democrat who can beat Donald Trump," Coons said.

RASKIN SOUNDS LESS CERTAIN

With Democratic leaders rallying around him, it will be up to Biden to decide whether he wants to end his re-election bid.

But other Democrats held open the possibility of choosing a different presidential candidate.

Representative Jamie Raskin, a prominent Democrat in Congress, told MSNBC that "very honest and serious and rigorous conversations" were taking place within the party.

"Whether he's the candidate or someone else is the candidate, he's going to be the keynote speaker at our convention. He will be the figure that we rally around to move forward," Raskin said.

During the debate, a hoarse-sounding Biden delivered a shaky, halting performance in which he stumbled over his words on several occasions. Some Democrats later said privately that the showing could prove to be a disqualifying factor.

For his part in the debate, Trump made a series of well-worn falsehoods, including claims that migrants have carried out a crime wave, that Democrats support infanticide and that he actually won the 2020 election.

Trump's daughter-in-law Lara, co-chair of the Republican National Committee, told Fox News that Trump was feeling "great" after "probably the best debate of his political career."

Biden headed to Camp David after a frenzied run of seven campaign events across four states following the debate.

While the Camp David trip had been planned for months, the timing and circumstances of Biden being surrounded by family members who have weighed heavily in his past decisions to run for the presidency have added to the scrutiny around the visit.

Two people familiar with the scheduling said the gathering would include a family photo shoot. The attendees include his wife Jill, as well as the Biden children and grandchildren.

The New York Times said one of the strongest voices imploring Biden to resist pressure to drop out was his son Hunter, who on June 11 became the first child of a sitting president to be convicted of a felony after a jury found him guilty of lying about illegal drug use when he purchased a handgun in 2018.

DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez held a Saturday afternoon call with dozens of committee members across the country, a group of some of the most influential members of the party.

The call was part pep talk, part planning meeting for the upcoming national convention, according to two people who were on the call who requested anonymity to discuss private discussions.

(Reporting by David Morgan, Jarret Renshaw, Eric Beech, Tyler Clifford, Ted Hesson and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Ross Colvin, Mark Porter and Don Durfee)
The oddity of European politics is that Britain is moving sharply to the Left while most of the Continent is moving even further to the Right. In Britain, young people and even the middle aged are abandoning Conservatism. Elsewhere in Europe, the young are the pillars of a radical Right-wing upsurge. On the Continent, the cause is largely frustration with the consequences of being in the EU. In Britain, it is largely a backlash against being out of it.

The political struggles of the last few years have centred on demands to take back control by populists and resistance to that demand by elites. Growing numbers of citizens across Europe are realising that membership of the EU brings economic stagnation, political impotence and social upheaval. The Eurozones financial policies and the heavy-handed regulation of the economy have turned Europe into a low-growth or no-growth zone. The failure to control its borders has made immigration a burning topic. Mass protests and even violence have had little effect, so voters are moving to the populist Right. As President Macron repeatedly emphasises, it is the EU that is at stake, and his uncompromising pro-EU stance is a prime cause of his unpopularity.

Brexit was the first successful revolt  though Europes voters (in Italy, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland and elsewhere) had repeatedly voted against the EU, and Macron told Andrew Marr in 2018 that the French would probably have voted to Leave if they had been given the chance.

Why was Britain the first to make a clean break? One reason is that it had in some ways gone furthest towards integration. The British state was an obedient adopter of gold plated EU regulations, often ignored or openly disobeyed elsewhere. In the crucial area of free movement, Tony Blair had allowed  by miscalculation and the desire to make a big gesture  a huge inflow of workers from the time the Eastern Europeans first joined the EU. France and Germany delayed, and still maintain other ways of keeping jobs for native workers, from plumbers (who need the right qualifications) to professors (who are civil servants and hence citizens).

So the British, with the Greeks and the Italians, were early rebels. Crucially, not using the euro, Britain could actually leave, rather than rioting but staying. The euro is the stumbling block for Continental Eurosceptics. Talk of leaving terrifies the middle class, whose savings are endangered. Sudden realisation of this put paid to Marine Le Pens Frexit rhetoric overnight.

When the Brexit vote met stubborn resistance from most of the British elite, resulting in years of political and emotional turmoil, Continental Euroscepticism ground to a halt. Post-Brexit confusion  played up shamelessly by the EU media  made membership seem a lesser evil. So Euroscepticism evolved the strategy of taking over the EU from within. Hence the rise of the populist Right.

If one definition of populism is the provision of simple answers to complex questions, then Britain risks being steered by a populist Left, with Brexit as its scapegoat and closer ties to the EU its panacea. There is no rational reason now for the UK to seek alignment, under whatever name, with the EU. We are saving 20 billion plus in budgetary contributions  over 1,000 a year per family, far more than any marginal loss of trade. The British Left  including the most Europhile elements such as the Greens  will find European politics (once they start noticing them) decreasingly congenial. Above all, the disasters predicted by Project Fear not only did not happen, but the British economy is as good or better than that of the Eurozone. Trade with the EU has not measurably declined, while opportunities for trade with more dynamic regions have opened up.

A recent Opinium poll shows that 56 per cent of the electorate nevertheless think Brexit was economically harmful. Yet only 32 per cent want to rejoin: the diehard Remainers often with an ideological commitment or economic interest. It is the other 24 percent  those who regret but do not want to rejoin  who will decide this weeks election. These are the people who will not be voting Conservative, a mass of disillusioned voters who are not pro-EU, but have been persuaded by eight years of unscrupulous propaganda that Brexit has failed.

This is demonstrably false, as is seen in the latest official figures, which show trade in goods stable and in services buoyant. But who in the government, with the exception of Kemi Badenoch, is ever heard saying this? The Remainers in the Conservative Party will not defend Brexit. They have allowed negative propaganda to go unchecked, even from their own officials. Rather than defending their partys most important act in 14 years of government, they allow it to be used as a weapon by the opposition. They are the authors of their own defeat, and will share the blame for the ensuing damage.

Given the fervour of their core supporters, a Starmer government will have to make at least a token effort to improve relations with the EU. As we have seen since 2016, when Remainers of whatever party negotiate with the EU, the outcome is costly and has unanticipated downsides. Will Brussels be nicer to Labour? I fear the Greeks even when they bring gifts.

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First Alert Meteorologist Corey Simma is keeping an eye on the tropics. He says the tropics are acting like August, meaning its busy.

Hurricane Beryl is the earliest a Cat. 4 has ever formed in the Atlantic. And therefore, Beryl is the strongest June hurricane ever.

Beryl will be a big hit for the Windward Islands (Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent).

The hurricane will move into the Caribbean Sea mid-morning on Monday.

Forecast confidence each day is increasing that Beryl stays south of Florida and the U.S. But Beryl could still be problematic for Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica.

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Long-range forecasts take Beryl to Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula.

Sunday at 5 p.m., Tropical Depression #3 formed in the southern Gulf. It could strengthen to a named storm (would be Chris).

But its about to move on land and doesnt have much time to strengthen.

T.D. #3 also is not a problem for Florida.

Your best resource for all things tropics is Talking the Tropics with Mike updated every day.

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Hurricane Beryl is officially a Category 4. Winds are up to 130 mph. Its between 300-400 miles away from the Windward Islands.

Beryl is the earliest Category 4 in the Atlantic Basin since records began in 1851.

Beryl will cross over the islands and into the Caribbean Sea Monday morning, bringing life-threatening storm surges and wind. Hurricane warnings are posted for several islands, including Barbados and St. Lucia.

Beryl is expected to stay in the Caribbean and then head to Mexico later next week while weakening some.

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Theres a tropical wave behind Beryl that will strengthen (probably to the next named storm) and move along a very similar path as Beryl.

Theres a disturbance in the Southern Gulf of Mexico, headed to Mexico, that may briefly become a depression before moving over land. There are no local impacts expected.

Your best resource for all things tropics is Talking the Tropics with Mike updated every day.

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Traffic stop leads to arrest of man after $2.6M in narcotics found in vehicle, CHP says

An Oregon man was arrested Friday after authorities say they found more than $2.6 million worth of narcotics during a traffic stop in Merced County.

Isaac Abraham Sandoval Lopez, 36, of Portland was arrested Friday after California Highway Patrol officers seized about 262 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 5 pounds of fentanyl and 2 pounds of heroin, during a traffic stop in Merced County. Authorities said the narcotics have an estimated street value of about $2,669,520.

At about 4 p.m., Friday, a Central Division CHIP officer a CHP K-9, conducted a traffic stop on a 2013 Hyundai Elantra on northbound Interstate 5, north of Nees Avenue in Merced County, according to the CHP. Authorities said the stop was for a traffic violation in Fresno County.

Authorities said Lopez was identified as the driver of the vehicle and determined to be unlicensed. While taking inventory of the vehicle prior to impounding it, officers located a plastic bag on the passenger floor containing multiple packages of suspected crystal methamphetamine, the CHP said. Officers also located two suitcases and a backpack in the trunk of the vehicle. The suitcases and backpack contained multiple packages of suspected crystal methamphetamine as well as three packages of unknown suspected narcotics, according to the CHP.

Lopez was arrested and booked into the Fresno County Jail on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine for sale, transportation of methamphetamine across non-contiguous counties, possession of fentanyl or heroin for sale and transportation of fentanyl or heroin across non-contiguous counties, according to the CHP.
After Michigan Central Station restoration, what's next?

Last Sunday's "Letters to the Editor" was dedicated to reminiscences of Detroit's Michigan Central Station and reflections of the station's restored status.

What about any plans or speculation about actual train service, and the state of Detroit's current Amtrak station? The current station in New Center is functional at a bare-bones level. Passengers arriving at the station are greeting with a "Welcome to Detroit" message spelled out in adhesive mailbox-type letters stuck on the wall.

In the 1950s, my mother could take a train from Grand Rapids to Detroit. Not anymore.

Restoration of Michigan Central Station was once thought a near-impossibility. It happened, with universal support and national recognition.

Rail service to Michigan Central Station, and train service to the west side of the state is possible. There are no obstacles that cannot be achieved in this arena.

So often I hear my West Michigan friends and relatives say they would visit Detroit "if they didn't have to drive." Train service from Holland and Grand Rapids to Michigan Central Station would bring thousands of people a new and overwhelmingly positive view of Detroit.

Aaron Dome

Detroit

Michigan Central Station stands in Detroits Corktown neighborhood on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Mitch Albom is 'almost always right,' and 'dangerously wrong'

After Mitch Albom writes a controversial piece, the opinion section is often filled with Mitch is right, and Mitch is wrong letters to the editor. What readers tend to miss is that Albom is almost always right, and also dangerously wrong in the same columns. It starts with his preferred tactic of writing as a moderate, common sense-filled centrist. The only problem is that more often than not, while he straddles the left and the right, he perpetuates false equivalencies between the two major political parties.

In his column last Sunday, he wrote correctly about how the Democrats and Republicans are both using fear as the driving message of their campaigns. ("Both parties have decided: In the 2024 election, 'fear' is the word," June 23, Detroit Free Press.) This is an unfortunate place that our politics have come to, and Albom is dead on about that.

He went astray again when he claimed that both sides are guilty of the same thing. He is, of course, right on the surface. Both sides are using fear as the main force driving their message to vote for them or, more accurately, against their opponent.

However, the examples that Albom used objectively prove my point that he is once again drawing very weak parallels. He pointed out that Trump is scaring voters with a Biden presidency that will cause our economy to tank, allow violent immigrants to pour over the border and result in transgender story hours infiltrating our schools. We have four years of evidence that a Biden presidency will not do and has not done any of that.

The warnings about a second Trump presidency by the Biden campaign are also fear-mongering, but there is a distinct difference; they have already been proven to be true. Alboms column said that the Democrats are also trying to scare us with claims that a Trump presidency will be one of retribution. Trump has actually been quoted as saying exactly that. The claims that he will be a dictator on day one are also Trumps words, not theirs. Albom goes on to say that Democrats are trying to scare everyone into thinking that Trump will try to get rid of Obamacare, abortion rights and give tax breaks to the rich. Again, these are things that Trump either talked about doing, tried to do, or did during his four years in office.

It is one thing to try and scare voters with outrageous hypotheticals. It is something else entirely to remind them to be truly afraid of what theyve already seen.

Bryan Chase

Huntington Woods

I can't accept Mitch Albom's 'both-sides-ism'

Although I'm full of admiration for Mitch Albom's writing and his extraordinary work to make our world and the broader world a better place, I can't accept his "both-sides-ism" expressed in last Sunday's column. ("Both parties have decided: In the 2024 election, 'fear' is the word," June 23, Detroit Free Press.)

Just consider Mitch's major point that citizens are pressed by Trump to fear that " a Biden justice department would come after you  for every time you disagree with it." And at the same time, Mitch says " so does the Biden camp warn about Trump  who will target his enemies (in what will be)  a four-year revenge tour."

So that's what each side says. But responsible journalism requires some evaluation of the evidence.

There's plenty of documentation (much of it from Trump himself) supporting Trump's intention to target and prosecute those in the "deep state" and justice department and others who were not sufficiently loyal or who attempted to administer justice without fear or favor.

But where's the evidence that the Biden team is planning to come after citizens who disagree with it? Documents outlining those plans? Statements from Biden or the attorney general? Campaign materials? Speeches by Biden confidantes or supportive political commentators?

It's just not the same.

Michael Emlaw

Ann Arbor

US President Joe Biden and former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participate in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections at CNN's studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

'Joe Biden will keep this country a democracy  Trump will not'

It was obvious that Joe Biden was not his best during the "debate" on Thursday. The same is true for Donald Trump.

For Trump, it was more like a "lie fest." Trump never answered the questions forthrightly. He danced around them and outright lied.

Trump does not have the slightest clue what needs to be done. All he wants to do is to complain about the border as a talking point. Trump is a 78-year-old bully that has never grown up. Joe Biden is a good president in addition to being of moral character.

Trump would get rid of NATO and allow Russia to completely bulldoze Ukraine  and, why stop there? There's Poland and others as well. Do not forget Trump attempted a coup on Jan. 6.

Trump said on Thursday what he said when he "debated" Hillary Clinton, that he would accept the outcome of the election only if it was fair. Well, IT WAS FAIR, and he did not accept it. What makes you think that he will this time around? Joe Biden will keep this country a democracy  Trump will not. For God sakes for the safety, well-being and freedoms we enjoy and want  re-elect Joe Biden.

Jim Jeziorowski

Wayne

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Central Station, Mitch Albom, Trump-Biden debate | Letters
The Fredericksburg Department of Social Services is usually responsible for 25 children in foster care at a time; currently they have 52. Meanwhile, there are only 10 eligible foster families the children can be placed with.

When children cannot be placed with a family, they will have to go to a group home or other residential facility. However, many of these have long waitlists. In cases when no other option has been available, DSS employees have had to stay overnight with children at their office or at a hospital where the child is receiving care, said Family Services Supervisor Natalie Newton.

Director of Social Services Christen Gallik described the shortage of homes for children as a crisis, and said for the past nine months it has been a problem across Virginia as numbers of children in DSS custody have increased.

Foster care is a temporary solution for children who have been removed from homes due to concerns regarding abuse, neglect or a guardians inability to care for the child. Gallik said the goal is to have children in foster care in a permanent living situation within 11 months. Rebekah Schennum, parent resource coordinator for Childrens Services of Virginia, said children in Virginia spend 18 months in foster care on average. Regardless, the goal is to have children in a stable family setting  whether that means reuniting with their biological family, going to live with relatives, or being put on a path to adoption  as soon as possible.

Statistics from the Virginia Department of Social Services show the number of children in foster care in the commonwealth has increased steadily since the pandemic. Currently there are 5,284 children in foster care in Virginia, compared with 5,071 at this time last year.

A news release from Childrens Services of Virginia told a similar story. The agency, which has an office in Fredericksburg, received 394 referrals from local DSS agencies as of the end of May, compared with 310 total last year.

The pandemic effect

Many attribute the rise in children needing foster care to continued fallout following the pandemic. Newton said that the foster care crisis is caused by the mental health crisis related to isolation and instability during lockdown. Many mental health facilities have long waitlists meaning it is hard for those who need it to receive care. As an effect, these children spend a longer time in foster care because they take longer to become settled, Newton said.

Gallik said a reduction in COVID-era federal benefits has also played a role. Until recently, low-income families received an increased child tax credit, stimulus checks and greater SNAP benefits as part of pandemic relief. Now these benefits have been cut and families are left with fewer resources. Gallik described the combination of the mental health crisis and reduction in financial resources as a perfect storm.

Schennum contributed the uptick in referrals to a lot of contributing factors that are happening nationally, including the ongoing mental health crisis, increased cost of living, and prevalence of substance misuse.

The large number of children currently needing care causes serious problems for social services agencies and the children they serve across the state. Group homes and residential facilities have filled up. This is where stories of children staying with DSS employees have emerged.

In the most recent instance, Fredericksburg DSS employees stayed with a child in a hospital for four days, Newton said. When a child is in DSS custody they are the departments responsibility to care for at all times. She said that cases of children having no other placement option have not been frequent, yet still they are a testament to the difficulties the system is having in finding placements for children.

Gallik said that difficulties placing children in foster homes affects the well-being of children and the whole social services system.

No. 1, it impacts the child, their prognosis and their future, Gallik said, when asked about the negative effects of the shortage of foster families.

Gallik also added that it was a strain on DSS workers and agencies financial resources.

Schennum said that a negative consequence of the foster parent shortage is that children are more likely to be placed outside of their communities. She said that Childrens Services of Virginia seeks to keep children near their original location so they can maintain natural connections, though the agency can place children in homes elsewhere in the commonwealth when it is necessary.

Spotsylvania County Director of Social Services Amy Swift also stated in an email to the Free Lance-Star that children being placed away from their communities as an ill effect of not having enough foster parents.

Placing children outside of their community in an unfamiliar setting is not ideal and can result in a less robust support system, she wrote.

Its difficult to place children in homes

Not all social services agencies in the area report across the board shortages of foster parents like Fredericksburg DSS. However, these agencies emphasized the difficulty in finding families for children with specific needs.

Stafford County DSS Director Michael Muse said that his department is also experiencing an unusually high number of children in their care. Seventy children are in foster care in the county. Still, he is not concerned. The department has grown their pool of foster families as the number of children in their care has increased. Muse said they currently have 47 eligible families, 25 of which are currently fostering children. But this figure does not represent the number of children being cared for, he noted. DSS tries not to separate groups of siblings, so more than one child is likely placed in many of the 24 homes. Also, some children require additional care that can only be received in residential facilities, so they are not placed with families.

Muses concerns revolve around finding homes for children who require families with certain attributes to meet their needs. Particularly, he wants to build a larger pool of foster families fluent in other languages  particularly Spanish  to serve the needs of foster children who may not be proficient in English.

Unlike many areas, Spotsylvania County has seen a decrease in the number of children in foster care in recent years. In January 2019, 142 kids were in foster care in the county. Now the number is 63. Swift said that this was due to a focus on placing children removed from homes with relatives and other personal relations rather than with foster families.

That being said, we have seen an increase in the complexities of behaviors and mental health challenges of the children we do have in care, Swift wrote in an email. This [in] turn has created an increased need for resource (foster) families who are willing to accept children into their homes that may require more intensive care and oversight.

Currently there are 41 foster homes available in Spotsylvania County. Like Fredericksburg and Stafford, Spotsylvania maintains its own pool of foster families.

Now is the time

Because of the large number of children in their care, social services departments and private foster care agencies in the state are seeking to recruit more foster families.

There is a desperate need for foster families across the state, Schennum said. We really want to encourage families who are at all interested in becoming foster families; now is the time.

Those who want to become foster parents must attend training, undergo background checks and other screenings, and have their homes checked for safety. Foster parents are not paid, but they receive a stipend to care for the children.

Newton acknowledged the commitment that becoming a foster family requires. She stressed that they are asking families, not just parents, to make a commitment as the presence of foster children affects everyone in the home, including other children.

Many children in foster care also have additional needs. Newton said many may require transportation to services or require medical care. They also may have trauma or attachment issues that lead to disruptive behavior in the home.

Muse said it was easier to find foster homes willing and able to care for certain age groups and backgrounds. Teenage girls are particularly hard to place, he said.

Swift wrote that it was a challenge to communicate to potential foster parents that we prefer our resource families homes to be open to children of all ages and backgrounds, and not restricted to specific ages or [excluding] children that have faced adversity.

There is also the emotional toll of welcoming a child into your home, knowing they are only there temporarily.

Were asking them to open their homes and hearts to these children, knowing they may not have the child for long, Newton said.

Regardless of the difficulties, foster families do a huge service to children in need and social services agencies are grateful for their help  especially when they are hard to come by.

We couldnt do the work we do without the generosity of families to open their homes, open their hearts, and really open their lives to children who are in need, Muse said.
(NEXSTAR)  Whether its a Disney cruise, a Margaritaville cruise, a cruise hosted by a 90s post-grunge rock band, or one of the nude variety, there are a plethora of items you are not allowed to bring aboard before setting sail.

Commonly prohibited items include weapons, fireworks, hoverboards, and electrical appliances like heating pads, hair dryers, irons and toasters. For safety reasons, it makes sense why you cant bring these items (why youd need to travel with your own toaster is anyones guess), but there may be other items that arent quite as obvious, like marijuana or CBD products. That may be especially true if you live in one of the dozen of states that have legalized the recreational and/or medical use of marijuana in recent years.

Flying with marijuana: Will TSA stop you for edibles, CBD products in your luggage?

Federal authorities also seem poised to reschedule marijuana as a less dangerous drug in the U.S. Several other countries, including Canada and Mexico, have also legalized marijuana.

Does that mean youre cleared to bring marijuana or CBD products aboard your next cruise?

Spoiler alert: no. If you do, you could face some serious consequences.

Major cruise lines  Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Disney and Virgin Voyages  all list marijuana (and all illegal drugs) under their lists of prohibited items. That includes CBD oils and products, hookahs, cannabis and marijuana in any form. Even marijuana products intended for medical use are barred from coming aboard.

The cruise lines note that marijuana is largely illegal in many of the ports they visit as well.

While certain CBD products used for medicinal purposes may be legal in the U.S. based on state and local laws, they are not legal under U.S. federal law and in all the ports we visit and therefore are also considered prohibited items, Carnival writes.

Ready for a nakation? Here are the etiquette rules for nudist retreats

Trying to bring any marijuana product on your next cruise could prove detrimental.

Royal Caribbean and Carnival warn that anyone who tries bringing marijuana on board could be denied boarding or be immediately disembarked, and face being reported to law enforcement or customs  and possible risk being arrested and prosecuted. Carnival adds that if marijuana or other prohibited items are found during security scans of luggage, the cruise line reserves the right to confiscate any item. It will then be removed and disposed of and no compensation will be provided.

In addition to its cruise ships, Disney notes that marijuana, medically prescribed or otherwise, is prohibited at its island destinations, Castaway Cay, and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Guests found in possession of any prohibited items on their person or in their baggage may be denied boarding and are subject to severe legal penalties, Disney Cruises explains.

Travelers have faced consequences before. Earlier this year, two people were charged after allegedly bringing more than 100 bags of marijuana aboard a Norwegian Cruise ship that was sailing out of Miami.

Traveling with marijuana can be difficult, even between states that have legalized it. TSA, for example, allows certain cannabis products, but you may  or may not  be stopped by an agent at a security checkpoint.

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.
Fifteen current or retired Joint Base Lewis-McChord servicemen who say the Army failed to protect them from a military doctor who has been charged with sexual abuse are each seeking $5 million in damages for the emotional distress they say they have suffered.

I have overwhelming feelings of sadness, fear, and anxiety, one serviceman said in his complaint. The severity of this emotional toll has made confiding in and seeking comfort from my family very challenging. I deal with mistrust because of how I was violated.

Army doctor faces charges he sexually assaulted 41 patients

Maj. Michael Stockin, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at the base's Madigan Army Medical Center, faces 52 charges involving claims of abusive sexual contact with 41 victims, said Michelle McCaskill, spokesperson with the U.S. Army Officer of Special Trial Counsel. He has pleaded not guilty.

Stockin is scheduled to face court-martial in January 2025. A court-martial is the military's trial court system. Trials are similar to the criminal justice system, where both sides present evidence and cross-examine witnesses. An abusive sexual content charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years, and the indecent viewing charge has a maximum of one year. If the judge ran the sexual abuse charges consecutively, he would face a maximum of 336 years in prison, McCaskill said.

His lawyer, Robert Capovilla, said they intend to fight every allegation until the jury reaches a verdict.

Soldiers attempt to sue Army for negligence may end before it begins

Until then, we sincerely hope that the United States Army is fully prepared to respect Major Stockins Constitutional rights at every phase of this process, he told The Associated Press. We urge everyone to keep an open mind, to remember Major Stockin is presumed innocent, and understand that this fight is just getting started.

JBLM is the U.S. Armys fifth-largest base and is about 47 miles south of Seattle. It has a population that tops 100,000  with 40,000 active duty, 50,000 family members and 15,000 civilian and contract employees. The personnel includes the Yakama Training Center. The Madigan medical center is the Armys second-largest medical treatment facility.

The group Protect Our Defenders called the Stockin case the largest sexual abuse scandal in recent history and called for a Congressional review.

Stockin must be held accountable. Army leadership must answer for how and why Stockins abuse was allowed to continue, the group said in a November news release ahead of the doctors initial hearing on the charges. We urge the Pentagon to take this case seriously, as well as support and embolden male survivors seeking justice and are reaching out for help. We cannot let history repeat itself by silencing survivors.

Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Ruth Castro said when they received the first 11 claims, they sent out a statement in March saying they are reviewing them and no decision on how to respond will be made until the Army's review is complete and the claims have been investigated. Castro said late Friday that she was trying to learn if they had an update to that response.

The 15 servicemen who filed the complaints were former patients of Dr. Stockin. They primarily saw him for pain management. The most recent filings were made on Thursday on behalf of three Army members and one with the Air Force. All four had been suffering chronic back pain.

One said he had an appointment with Stockin in September 2021 about a pulled muscle in his lower back. He was taken to an exam room and was alone with Stockin when the doctor told him to take off his pants and underwear, according to the complaint. He said Stockin fondled his genitals without wearing gloves.

The three others told similar stories, and they all said they had never had an exam like that before and left feeling uncomfortable and violated.

I do believe this directly led to exacerbating my drinking because I did not know how to cope with this trauma, one of the men said. He spent a year drinking until he blacked out, and finally entered an outpatient rehabilitation program to get sober.

Since 2022, Ive had to ask my wife to attend every medical appointment Ive made because I do not feel comfortable being one on one with a medical professional as a direct result of Dr. Stockin, he said.

The law firm Sanford Heisler Sharp filed Federal Tort Claims Act complaints against the U.S. Army and Department of Defense on behalf of the servicemen, claiming the agencies were negligent in hiring, supervising and retaining Dr. Stockin. They have six months to investigate the claims and after that, the servicemen can file a federal lawsuit, said Christine Dunn, a lead attorney on the cases.

One of the servicemen said he reported Stockins behavior to his superior officer, but nothing was done. Two other complaints say Stockin continued to see and abuse patients as late as April 2022  two months after the army claimed it had removed him from duty, Dunn said.

Each time another victim reaches out to me, I become more and more determined to hold the Army accountable for putting this serial predator in a position to abuse patients, Dunn said. The sheer volume of victims here points to the Armys negligence in failing to keep patients safe.
As The Associated Press (AP) noted in its coverage, Thursdays presidential debate was a rerun that featured two candidates with a combined age of 159, but it went especially poorly for one of them, President Joe Biden.

It didnt take long for Republicans to pounce on what many perceived to be a deficient performance at the CNN Presidential Debate Thursday night by the current president against former President Donald Trump. Multiple outlets, including the AP, noted there were quick concerns among Democrats about Biden, 81, who was halting and seemed to lose his train of thought.

The event led Trump senior campaign adviser Jason Miller, who is a Seattle native and a 1993 graduate of Edmonds Woodway High School, to make a bold statement about the state of Washington Thursday night.

Washington state may now be in play, Miller said in an exclusive text message to KIRO Newsradio.

Miller went on to offer effusive praise of the former presidents performance, labeling Trump as a real leader.

President Trump delivered the greatest performance in debate history, Miller said in a text message sent to KIRO Newsradio. Millions of Americans have now been reminded what a real leader looks like, and have had their hope restored that we can turn around our economy and secure our southern border.

Miller kept his comments to KIRO Newsradio focused on Trump, but he did offer a few words on Biden as well. According to the AP, Miller said the former president delivered on the debate stage and held mostly to discussing issues.

On Joe Bidens performance and any talk of Democrats turning to another nominee, Miller said a move would be structurally impossible.

Sorry, Democrats. You have your nominee, Miller said.

As Politico explained in its coverage last year, Miller  who worked on Trumps 2016 and 2020 bids  joined his 2024 presidential campaign in 2023 as the operation was starting to build out its team based in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Miller left his role as the CEO of GETTR, which Politico called a right-wing social media site that was developed to rival (X, formerly known as Twitter,) but was often overshadowed by Trumps own platform, Truth Social.

Miller served as Trumps spokesperson after his administration ended in 2021. But he left that gig to launch GETTR.

Contributing: Charlie Harger, KIRO Newsradio

Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, or email him here.
WASHINGTON  Amid the buzz of a recent 12-hour work day, Sen. J.D. Vance stepped up to a microphone on the Senate floor to mount a losing argument.

The moment came just over 20 years after Vance had graduated from high school and enlisted in the Marine Corps to join the War in Iraq  a fight he was eager to take on as a young conservative and a believer in President George W. Bushs call to defend the world from grave danger,

Now Vance was telling his colleagues that he considers Republican support for U.S. military engagement in Iraq the most shameful period of the last 40 years. He argued his partys leadership was making the same mistake again, by committing billions in U.S. resources to help Ukraine fight against Russia.

Have we learned nothing? Vance asked.

In the end, only 14 other Republican senators voted with Vance that day against the $95 billion package that President Joe Biden later signed into law. But there was one important observer who shared his skepticism: Donald Trump, for whom Vance has become an ideological standard bearer and a leading contender to be his 2024 vice-presidential running mate.

Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) gestures while speaking during a news conference on Capitol Hill on May 22, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Despite being an early and vocal Trump critic, Vance has spent the last several years proving he has transformed into an effective advocate for Trump and his policies. Political observers and conservative activists close to Vance told USA TODAY that the senators intellectual approach to defending Trumps vision, plus his fundraising ability and his ease on mainstream media platforms are among the attributes that most appeal to the former president as he considers picking a new No. 2.

Both Vance and Trump share a commitment to loyalty above all else  a quality that would be crucial for the presumptive GOP presidential nominee as he seeks to transform the federal government amid what is sure to be fierce opposition from Democrats and moderate Republicans.

But there may be a longer term play for Vance here, too. At 39, he is the vice-presidential contender who most embodies the young Republicans who are in line to inherit the conservative movement Trump elevated.

Its known loosely as the New Right: One thats critical of the international free trade and foreign policy approach that defined the previous generation of Republicans, is staunchly nationalist and populist, and skeptical of the institutions that have served as the scaffolding of society, from universities and the media to elections and the court system.

He's super smart, very sincere, a true believer, said Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, a prominent conservative activist who is close to Trump and has been publicly advocating for Vances selection as VP. He represents the younger wing of the party.

Vance declined to be interviewed for this story. But he has publicly outlined his belief system at length, including in a recent op-ed with the New York Times conservative columnist Ross Douthat.

The Ohio senators vision for the future of the Republican Party would mark a fundamental change to modern conservatism and to the country that goes well beyond what hes doing in his Capitol Hill office. Regardless of whether Trump chooses him to be a running mate, Vances allies expect he will remain instrumental in shaping that future, either in the Senate, in Trumps cabinet, or as a future presidential candidate himself.

Kevin Roberts, president of the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, said he considers Vance a friend. Theres plenty that pulls them together: Difficult childhoods and a commitment to Roman Catholicism, which Vance converted to a few years ago, to name a few.

We also both believe that there needs to be a new conservative movement that is largely based on longstanding policy objectives, but also incorporates some newer ideas and some new constituencies into the movement, Roberts said.

I think that Sen. Vance is the leader of that effort, at least among elected officials in DC, he added.

US Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) takes pictures as former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before departing Manhattan criminal court on May 13, 2024, in New York where he is on trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs.

From decrying Americas Hitler to the inside circle

Vance grew up in the Rust Belt town of Middletown, Ohio, where he was raised in poverty and weathered a tumultuous family life marked by addiction and abuse. When he graduated high school, he did one tour in Iraq before returning home for college at Ohio State and later ascending into the well-heeled worlds of Yale Law School and Silicon Valley venture capital, where he worked with conservative activist and investor Peter Thiel.

His experiences became the basis of Hillbilly Elegy, the best-selling memoir published in the summer of 2016 that would paint a loving but unsparing portrait of the community he grew up in, blame the plight of the working poor on both structural and individual problems, and anger some locals in the process.

The book catapulted him to national fame, where he became a translator for liberal and centrist Americans who sought to understand the white working-class grievances that would help Trump notch an upset win of the presidency that fall. It also gave Vance a celebrity platform that would enable him to successfully run for Senate six years later.

In his memoir, the roots of Vances politics were there  in his criticism of foreign intervention, free trade policies and betrayal by Americas elites. He also insisted at the time that Trump was not the answer. Vance privately mulled whether Trump could be Americas Hitler and publicly called him noxious, reprehensible and an idiot.

Vance did a 180 degree turn on Trump when he decided to run for the Senate in 2022. He became an avid supporter of the former president and espoused a platform that dovetailed with Trumps own criticism of immigration, tech companies and traditional Republicans that they both said failed to deliver for the American people. He said he had been convinced over time that Trump would be an effective person to enact the policies he cared about.

In his interview with Douthat, Vance said in the years between writing "Hillbilly Elegy" and running for Senate, he didnt like what he saw in the respectable circles of bipartisan consensus he found himself in.

I was confronted with the reality that part of the reason the anti-Trump conservatives hated Donald Trump was that he represented a threat to a way of doing things in this country that has been very good for them, Vance said.

Like a lot of other elite conservatives and elite liberals, he continued, I allowed myself to focus so much on the stylistic element of Trump that I completely ignored the way in which he substantively was offering something very different on foreign policy, on trade, on immigration.

Tucker, Thiel and Trumps

As he prepared for a Senate run, Vance started showing Trump hed changed by enlisting a couple of key allies who had the former presidents ear.

Thiel had employed Vance at Mithril Capital and later invested in his venture capital firm. Now the Silicon Valley titan was putting $10 million into a Super PAC supporting Vance, immediately making him competitive in a crowded Ohio GOP Senate primary race.

Kirk had met Vance years before and came to like him. The conservative activist began making calls to strategists in Trumps inner circle in early 2021 that Vance would be worth paying attention to  and that he was a true convert, despite his previous comments.

At the same time, Vance was flooding the airwaves on popular conservative TV programs like Tucker Carlsons then-primetime slot on Fox News. According to a GOP consultant familiar with the relationship between Vance and Trumps oldest son, Donald Trump Jr. liked what he saw  including one key moment in which Vance slammed his primary opponents for endorsing a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

Thiel got Vance a meeting at Mar-a-Lago, where he first met both the former president and his son. Donald Trump Jr. would go on to be a close friend, advocating for Vance to his father in his Senate primary and, now, is a clear fan of Vance for vice president.

The former president was won over by J.D.s authenticity, his sincerity, his skill set, said Kirk. He represented a younger voice.

The flip became a central point of the heated primary race in which Vance eventually triumphed. Trumps endorsement helped; the former president declared to Ohio voters that Vance gets it now, and I have seen that in spades.

Within weeks of his inauguration to Congress, Vance became one of the first senators to endorse Trumps presidential reelection bid. His decision to return the endorsement favor was notable given the Republicans lackluster 2022 midterm showing cast doubt on Trumps efficacy as a political kingmaker and when chatter about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiss White House campaign still had plenty of promise.

Since then, Vance has been one of the most vocal Trump allies in the Senate. He led the charge against a Trump-condemned bipartisan border agreement and slammed the Manhattan judge that oversaw Trumps trial on hush money charges.

I think that it actually makes him more relatable and even a better VP pick than others because he was a little Trump-skeptical early on, Kirk told USA TODAY. He became a believer as he saw that President Trump implemented policies and decisions that were consistent with what he believes in. I think its more genuine and real.

It also became a fundamental part of his story as he entered Washington, often cited by both Democrats and moderate Republicans as a shrewd power play thats evidence of a willingness to debase himself in pursuit of power.

I do wonder, how do you make that decision? How can you go over a line so stark as that  and for what? Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said of Vance in a biography written by The Atlantics McKay Coppins.

Its not like youre going to be famous and powerful because you became a United States senator. Its like, really? You sell yourself so cheap?

US Sen, J. D. Vance, (R-OH) addresses the conservative Turning Point People's Convention on June 16, 2024 at Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan.

The end of neoconservatives

If Vance is chosen as vice president, he would bring a radically different philosophy to the office than former Vice President Mike Pence, who during Trumps first term was guided by his evangelical Christianity but eschewed the rising populism in his party. Pence instead hued more closely to a traditional Reagan-style conservative in his domestic and foreign policy stances.

Earlier this month, Vance got on stage at Turning Point Actions Peoples Convention in Detroit and spoke about what he says conservatives want out of the 2024 elections.

We are for an American nation that is built by American people that employs American workers, he said. Weve got to be self-sufficient. Make our stuff and do it for our own people.

Thats the succinct version of an ideology Vance has outlined in the years since he re-emerged as a leader of the new conservative movement: That the so-called rules-based international order  marked by international cooperation, mutual defense and open markets  has been designed to benefit global elites and hurt working people, resulting in an America in decline.

That puts him at odds with most of the Senates old guard, both liberal and conservative, that had their own fierce debates over foreign policy during the post-9/11 era while maintaining that the United States plays a crucial role in defending democracy around the world.

In February, after the Senate passed the foreign aid bill for the first time, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told USA TODAY that he knows the majority of Republicans these days are in an isolationist place and raised concerns that those members of the party need to not just wet their finger and put it in the air and see which way the wind's blowing.

There are issues that come along where the views of the public at a given time may be inconsistent with what the right thing to do for the country is, McConnell added.

McConnell has continued to indirectly skewer Vance and his Senate allies, who he says are suffering from the delusion that regional conflicts have no consequences for the U.S.

Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation who had a similar ideological transformation in recent years, said his and Vances ideas arent new  they last wielded significant power in the U.S. in the years between the two World Wars  but theyve been stifled by the neoconservatives that have been dominant in Washington for the last several decades.

Whats happening is that their ascendancy is over, Roberts said. So we get the opportunity  President Trump, Sen. Vance, Heritage, many aligned organizations and elected officials  to integrate all of those ideas into a new movement.

One of the things that separates that movement from neoconservatives, Roberts said, is that it is less wary of government power in certain instances  for example, taxing university endowments because of their wokeness.

The senator often says the culture war is class warfare, and thats similarly reflected in his policies, from proposals that would prohibit mask mandates on transportation, criminalize gender-affirming care for minors, or ban all federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

That philosophy also extends to immigration. Vance told that same crowd in Detroit that taxes, the job market, the healthcare system and housing costs would all be improved if they deport every single illegal alien that came to this country under Joe Bidens regime. He contrasted that, in the interview with Douthat, with a CEO complaining about having to pay American workers more when immigrant workers are scarce.

Vance has also defended Trumps more illiberal tendencies: He claims that the the basic democratic will of America was obstructed in the 2020 presidential election; that he would have pushed for alternate slates of electors to be considered on Jan. 6, 2021; and that Trump should replace mid-level bureaucrats in the federal government with our people and ignore the courts if they try to stop it.

Unlike the most prominent right-wing provocateurs in the House, Vance has pursued some bipartisan legislation that aligns with his populist worldview, such as a rail safety bill with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, in the wake of the East Palestine train derailment in their home state; a bill with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to claw back executive salaries if their banks fail; and a bill with Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., to expand low-cost internet access.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), left, and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) during a hearing on protecting public health and the environment in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical release in East Palestine, Ohio, Thursday, March 9, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

Still, the rise of the new right is a prospect that has surprised and concerned their political opponents.

I dont even think its called the right wing. Its more like the reactionary nationalist wing, because theres nothing conservative about J.D. Vance, said Chris Redfern, former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. Politics doesnt drive or define J.D. Vance. Opportunity does, sheer power.

Mabel Berezin, a professor of sociology at Cornell University, says Vance and his ilk have clearly tapped into something that resonates with conservative voters who feel alienated from the changing world around them.

People like Vance have identified a constituency and they will be able to play that constituency long after Trump, she said. They dont come out of the blue. There is an audience for what they have to say.

Vance may have been in the minority among Republicans that day in April as he argued against further funding for Ukraine. But support for his viewpoint had been slowly growing  it took months for Congress to approve the aid, due in part to a coordinated effort led by Vance to rally GOP opposition.

In one instance, he spoke to the Houses Republican Study Committee headed by Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla. and populated, in part, by the conservative bomb-throwers that have upended business in the lower chamber.

His thoughts he shared with us were very spot on, Hern told USA TODAY. He has a great grasp on what the base really wants to see.

Vances allies say its an indicator that his philosophies may not be in the GOPs minority for long.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., another one of the Senates most conservative members, said Vances perspective is a little different, but its always expressed clearly and with solid support.

When he speaks in conference, behind closed doors, she said, everybody listens.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump made MAGA happen. JD Vance represents those who will inherit it
By Ted Hesson and Alexandra Ulmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Minutes before going on stage for the first presidential debate on Thursday, Donald Trump received a phone call from the mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was killed in Houston this month, allegedly by two Venezuelan men in the U.S. illegally. The mother, Alexis Nungaray, was returning a voicemail Trump had left earlier in the day when she was at her daughter's funeral, a friend of the family, Victoria Galvan, who witnessed the call, told Reuters. Nungaray's body was found in a creek near her home on June 17, after her attackers allegedly took her under a bridge, tied her up, took her pants off and strangled her, according to police and prosecutors.

The suspects - Johan Jose Martinez Rangel, 22, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26 - had been detained by U.S. border authorities in Texas earlier this year but released pending a court appearance. During the debate, Trump spoke of Nungaray's case and the phone call as he hammered Biden on his immigration policies, accusing the Democrat of allowing murderers and rapists into the country. "There have been many young women murdered by the same people he allows to come across our border," Trump said. "These killers are coming into our country and they are raping and killing women. And it's a terrible thing."

Citing Nungaray's case, he said: "This is horrible, what's taken place ... We're literally an uncivilized country now."

Trump's attacks are from a well-thumbed playbook he has used repeatedly since first running for office in 2015 to cast immigrants illegally crossing the southern border as violent criminals. He typically focuses on young, usually white, women allegedly killed by Hispanic assailants to drive home that message, eschewing cases that involve male victims. His opponents accuse him of cynically exploiting grieving families to fuel his narrative that foreign-born, often Hispanic, arrivals are part of an invading army.

"Part of what is going on here is an effort to stimulate xenophobia or animus or ethnic hostility," said Christopher Federico, a professor of political science and psychology at the University of Minnesota, adding Trump seems to be playing to racist stereotypes that paint Latino men as threats to "the perceived purity of white womanhood."

Studies generally find there is no evidence immigrants commit crimes at a higher rate than native-born Americans and critics say Trump's rhetoric reinforces racist tropes.

Still, polling shows that the visceral message resonates among many voters. It is amplified by conservative media, pro-Trump influencers online and sometimes the grieving relatives and friends of women killed.

Galvan, 27, blamed Nungarays death on Biden's easing of some restrictions on the U.S.-Mexico border.

"I think Jocelyn would definitely still be here if President Trump was our president," Galvan said, adding that she planned to vote for the first time in a presidential election and would support Trump.

Despite the lack of evidence, about three-quarters of Republicans in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in May said migrants in the U.S. illegally "are a danger to public safety."

WELL-WORN PLAYBOOK

Trump has attacked Biden for record levels of migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Immigration is a major voter concern, particularly among conservatives.

In response, Biden blames Trump for urging Republicans to block a bipartisan U.S. Senate bill earlier this year that aimed to toughen border security and has portrayed Trump's policies as unnecessarily cruel.

"Donald Trump is using the pain and loss of American families for the benefit of one person and one person only: Donald Trump," Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said in a statement. "His sick and dehumanizing comments do nothing to make our border more secure and are beneath the office of president of the United States."

A digital ad featuring violent crimes and criticizing Biden launched last week in seven battleground states as part of a push by the conservative group Building Americas Future.

The ad focuses on Rachel Morin - a mother of five raped and killed while jogging in August 2023 near her Maryland home - and her accused killer, an immigrant from El Salvador in the U.S. illegally.

"Joe Biden's open border, a nightmare for American women," a womans voice says as the face of Morins accused killer is displayed next to Bidens.

Trump's approach echoes the oft-cited Willie Horton ad attacking Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidential campaign, according to Susan Del Percio, a Republican strategist critical of Trump's immigration rhetoric.

Horton was Black and critics said the ad - which effectively boosted Republican George H.W. Bushs candidacy - sought to provoke race-based fear.

"Trump is saying, 'We dont like immigrants and now here's another horrific reason not to like them. They will come after you and kill you,'" she said.

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Bidens border policies had allowed dangerous criminals to enter the U.S. and that Trump sought to support the families of victims.

"President Trump says their names, calls their mothers, and stands with their families, while Joe Biden continues to ignore their suffering and welcome in millions of dangerous criminal illegal immigrants," Leavitt said in a statement.

Trump has used inflammatory language to describe immigrants in the U.S. illegally, including that they are "poisoning the blood" of the country.

MIXED RECEPTION

The parents of some victims have welcomed Trumps efforts to publicize the brutal killings while others say he is simply politicizing the deaths of their loved ones.

In 2018, Trump publicized the case of Mollie Tibbetts after the 20-year-old University of Iowa student was killed by a Mexican immigrant in the U.S. illegally, but Tibbetts father chastised Trump at the time for exploiting the tragedy for political gain.

Laura Calderwood, Tibbetts mother, told Reuters she believed her daughters murderer was a troubled person but that the killing had nothing to do with his immigration status.

"It was an anomaly," said Calderwood, a Democrat who plans to vote for Biden. "There are lots of illegal immigrants here and they don't go out and murder people."

Michelle Root, whose daughter Sarah was killed in Nebraska in 2016 when her car was hit by a drunken driver in the U.S. illegally, told Reuters that then President Barack Obama and Vice President Biden never responded when she wrote them at the time to raise awareness about the case.

Obama's personal office and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.

Trump, then a presidential candidate, invited her to meet with him before a rally in Omaha, she said. The meeting convinced Root - a lifelong Democrat who twice voted for Obama - to back Trump.

He later called her and asked her permission to mention Sarahs case in his acceptance of the Republican presidential nomination that summer, she said.

"If it wasnt for him, Sarah wouldnt have had a voice," she said.

Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, was "incredibly touched" when Trump reached out to her earlier this month to offer condolences, her attorney, Randolph Rice, told Reuters.

"During the 20-minute phone call, the president asked about Rachel and her family and how they are doing," Rice said in an email. She has still not heard from the Biden administration.

(Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington and Alexandra Ulmer in San Francisco; Editing by Ross Colvin, Kieran Murray and Daniel Wallis)
CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  The Transportation Security Administration is expecting to screen more travelers than usual for the 4th of July holiday.

Passengers are already taking to the skies to get to their destination through Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

The Transportation Security Administration expects 28 million people to fly between June 28 and July 8. That is a 5.4% increase from the same time period in 2023.

We go to Torch Lake, we have a cabin up there, said Kelsey Hearns, who was flying in from Florida.

Michelle McGee was traveling to Myrtle Beach for the holiday.

I think its easier leaving out earlier than a couple days before, McGee said.

Since July 4 falls on a Thursday, many people News 8 spoke with Saturday extended their holiday.

Just decided to take the whole week because it did land on an odd day so I couldnt just do the weekend or anything, McGee said.

The TSA expects the busiest travel day to be Sunday July 7, with more than 3 million passengers being screened.

Travelers like Brandan Kimble were anticipating bigger crowds on his flight to Florida, where he will take a cruise to celebrate Independence Day.

Im here a little earlier than I normally are when we get on, flights out of Grand Rapids, but I think it was worth it because when we were pulling in you could see the line was piling in, Kimble 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 WOODTV.com.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy leaves the polling booth before casting his vote in the first round of the parliamentary elections. Arnaud Finistre/AFP/dpa

In the first round of the parliamentary election in France, one in four eligible voters had cast their vote by midday, the Interior Ministry in Paris reported on Sunday.

Voter turnout was at 25.9% at 12 pm (1000 GMT). This was 7.47 percentage points higher than at the same time during the previous parliamentary election two years ago.

Around 49.3 million registered voters can cast their ballots. The last polling stations are expected to close at 8 pm. Projections of the outcome of the first round are expected shortly thereafter.

Several prominent politicians already cast their votes in the morning, including former presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande.

In Nice, the head of a polling station was punched by an election worker who wanted to prevent the opening of the polling station, according to Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi. The police arrested the attacker.

President Emmanuel Macron called the snap election after the far-right National Rally (RN) made large gains in elections to the European Parliament at the beginning of this month.

The RN is leading in pre-election polling ahead of the new leftist alliance, the New Popular Front (NPF), recently established to contest the elections. The Ensemble (Together) alliance, led by Macron's Renaissance party, is trailing in third place.

Recent polls put Macron's centrist camp in third place with between 20% and 20.5%. Le Pen's RN and its allies were clearly ahead with 36% to 36.5%, followed by the NPF with 29%.

People cast their votes at a polling station during the first round of the French parliamentary elections on the island of Tahiti in the third constituency of the French overseas territory of French Polynesia. Suliane Favennec/AFP/dpa

People queue outside a polling station in the Magenta district before casting their vote during the first round of the French parliamentary elections in Noumea, the first electoral district of the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. Theo Rouby/AFP/dpa
ENCINITAS, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  Two people were arrested at a driving under the influence checkpoint in North County Friday night, authorities said.

According to the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, officers conducted the checkpoint in the 1800 block of S. Coast Highway 101, located in Encinitas, between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Saturday.

What San Diego County government worker gets paid the most?

A total of 680 vehicles traveled through the checkpoint and authorities said 27 motorists were sent for a secondary evaluation.

Nine drivers conducted field sobriety tests and two were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, the sheriffs department confirmed. The identities of those taken into custody were not immediately released.

The sheriffs department reiterated the following message to the public:

Dont drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We also want to remind the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

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.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, left, and The Rev. John Malget, senior pastor of First Christian Church of Oklahoma City (Disciples of Christ), are seen in the pulpit of East Sixth Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), where Jackson is senior pastor.

Two local churches are different in some ways, but their leaders are of one mind when it comes to a controversial ideology that blends Christianity and nationalism.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. John Malget recently brought their congregations together for a joint worship service where they shared the pulpit to discuss what they described as the perils of Christian nationalism.

"It's a political movement and let's face it, they're pimping out Jesus for earthly gain," Malget said at the June 23 worship service at East Sixth Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 1139 NE 6, where Jackson is senior pastor.

More: How does Christian nationalism stack up in our state?

First Christian Church of Oklahoma City (Disciples of Christ), where Malget is senior pastor, combined efforts with East Sixth Street for a series that included a Juneteenth-inspired vacation Bible school that began on the holiday on June 19.

The two churches are located in different areas of Oklahoma City, with Jackson's congregation in the northeast part of the city, while Malget's meets on its property at NW 23 and Walker Avenue. Jackson's congregation is predominantly Black, and Malget's congregation is predominantly white.

Churches had condemned Christian nationalism in the past

But both of the churches are part of the international Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which last year approved a statement condemning Christian nationalism. The denomination described Christian nationalism as "a cultural framework that fuses a radically exclusionary form of Christian identity with the public political and civic participation of a nation's citizens."

The ideology emerged as a lightning rod issue in recent years, particularly after the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Jackson, who is Black, said he and Malget, who is white, have been friends for years, and they had been talking for some time about bringing their churches together for combined worship and other activities.

More: Christian denominations took stances on issues like transgender care, Christian nationalism

He said they chose Christian nationalism as their sermon topic because they wanted to convey to their congregations that the ideology is not Christian.

"I wish they would stop calling themselves 'Christian' because they make the rest of us look bad," Jackson said. "They are willing to be violent, as evidenced by Jan. 6, and this is the antithesis of who Jesus is. The gospel of Jesus Christ is predicated on love, period. There is no asterisk. There is no semi-colon."

Jackson also pushed back on the Christian nationalist assertion that Christians must expouse certain rhetoric and perform certain actions as a way to defend Christianity in today's world.

"Our faith does not need to be defended. Our faith needs to be lived," he said. "Folks love God, they can't stand us because of our efforts to be the 'enforcer' for God. In our efforts to do this, we have run countless people away from the church and countless people away from God."

'The Gospel is a gift  it should never be used as a weapon'

Malget told church members that he read a book called "The False White Gospel" and he felt it was important that white Christians, in particularly, hear about the danger of Christian nationalism because the ideology is connected to white supremacy.

"We have to ask what kind of people we want to be, what kind of nation do we want to be, but it needs to be heard by people that look like me," he said. "Somehow, we've forgotten what my kids learned from the movie 'High School Musical'  that we're all in this together."

Malget spoke about the Christian nationalism that surfaced in Nazi Germany and how many Christian leaders allowed the Nazis to perpetrate atrocities on the Jews. He said while Christian nationalism right now is stronger than it's ever been, it does not reflect what Jesus taught.

"The Gospel is a gift  it should never be used as a weapon," he said.

Jackson told the combined church audience that this wouldn't be the last they heard from their ministers about Christian nationalism.

"This is not a one-time thing," he said. "If we are going to fight for the soul of Christianity, this is the time to do it. God is doing something in this space."

Several people in the pews said they enjoyed the time of fellowship between the two churches, and they thought the worship sermon focused on a timely topic.

"I love the unity, and I love that that is the message of the Disciples of Christ," said Anthony Francisco, an East Sixth Street member. "I just hope that we continue."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Two OKC congregations held joint service on Christian nationalism
The upper echelon of the Democratic Party has got to be scrambling this weekend.

President Joe Bidens performance in Thursdays presidential debate with Donald Trump left no doubt that the man is neither physically nor mentally capable of running the country.

Even before the debate was over, analysts were openly wondering if the Democrats might change candidates in midstream and nominate someone else during their convention, which begins Aug. 19 in Chicago.

If they dont, the election is lost, and we will have four more years of chaos with Donald Trump. Thats the long and short of it.

If you are an undecided voter  and the experts swear there are some people out there who have not made up their mind  you could not in good conscience vote for a man whose mental and physical health is so much in question.

The president of the United States, after all, is the leader of the greatest nation on earth, and is in charge of the codes that launch the missiles in our nuclear arsenal. Thats a heavy responsibility for a man in complete charge of his faculties. To a seemingly confused individual, it could result in tragedy.

It was sad to watch Biden dig deep to try to answer questions in a manner that is all too familiar for those who deal with dementia patients. Signs of diminished faculties showed prominently in Thursdays debate.

So, where do the Democrats go from here? To stick with Biden would be tantamount to accepting defeat before the first ballots are cast. Trump, although as egotistical and evasive as ever, at least came across as being alert and in full possession of his faculties. Biden did not.

Many had wondered why the Democrats, concerned about Bidens health and mental status, would even agree to a debate with Trump, much less one some six weeks ahead of their convention. Perhaps they wanted to see just how the voters would react to Biden. If his performance was bad  and it was  there would still be time to select another nominee at their convention.

At this point the Democrats could nominate someone else without losing face. They could declare that Bidens health had taken a turn for the worse just prior to the debate, which led to his rambling and occasionally incoherent responses.

They might also be able to convince Biden to withdraw from the race for health reasons (and the good of the country), which would be the most plausible route. But whatever they do, they better do it as quickly as possible because convention time is getting close.

Who would they choose in his place? Thats a good question. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin would have been the obvious choice, but he left the Democratic Party earlier this year when he contemplated running for president as an independent.

Thats the problem the Democrats face if they drop Biden. They have no other viable candidate waiting in the wings, certainly not Kamala Harris, who is already a ticket liability.

The Democrats are caught between a rock and a hard place. After Thursday night, they know their presumptive candidate has almost no chance of winning and they have no one to replace him.

While Trump supporters are ecstatic, many mainstream Republicans were not thrilled with their presumptive candidates performance, pulling baseless and untrue claims out of thin air and repeatedly calling the sitting president of the United States a liar and a crook, which brought similar responses from Biden.

There was no decorum during the debate, not even a handshake. Most questions went unanswered, including one asking Trump if he would accept the results of this election, no matter who won.

To an outsider, Thursdays debate was an example of an America with no class, a country where civility has become an antiquated idea.

Donald Trump won the debate, theres no doubt about that. And the Democrats are in real trouble. The whole spectacle was sad.

But the saddest part is that one of those two men will almost certainly be our next president.

God help us!
Two sent to hospital after beach melee near Santa Monica Pier

Two people were taken to hospitals with minor injuries Saturday afternoon after a melee that broke out on the beach just north of the Santa Monica Pier, officials said.

Santa Monica Police Watch Commander David Hodgson said five people were in custody  although none had yet been charged with any crimes  after a mutual combat situation on the sand down by the waterline near Lifeguard Tower 14.

Two groups started getting into it with each other, he said. They get into this big altercation.

Police responded and found one person with a non-life-threatening injury consistent with a stab wound. Another person had what appeared to be a broken ankle. Both were taken to hospitals.

Five males were arrested, three in connection with charges of assault with a deadly weapon, one for battery, and one for sexual battery, according to a police department social media post. The incident is still under investigation. Police, Hodgson said, are still trying to sort through what happened.

He stressed that there is no threat to the public.

The incident comes about a month after two German tourists were stabbed and a third person injured in apparently unprovoked attacks near the Santa Monica Pier in late May. In that case, a suspect was apprehended.

And on June 26, a Santa Monica man allegedly attacked three women at the beach north of the pier, attempting to strangle a 17-year-old, then assaulting and biting a woman who tried to come to her aid, and allegedly dragging a 72-year-old woman into the ocean and pushing her underwater. That man, Jawann Dwayne Garnett, 32, is being held without bail, charged with two counts of attempted murder.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(KRON)  The Hayward Police Department is investigating a shooting that injured two teenagers on Thursday, one of whom remains in critical condition.

Stockton couple arrested on suspicion of their babys death

At approximately 11:11 p.m., HPD responded to reports of a shooting near the intersection of Mission Blvd. and Industrial Blvd.

While responding, HPD also received an emergency call from a 17-year-old saying he and his friend had been shot and fled the area. Police said this shooting was a couple of blocks away from the first near the 100 block of W. Tennyson Road.

Despite the proximity, HPD said, there is no indication that this shooting and the homicide that took place are connected. However, that is something being examined, and detectives hope to learn more through the investigative process.

Police said the first victim, a 17-year-old Pleasanton resident, was treated for gunshot wounds and has since been released from the hospital.

The second victim, an 18-year-old Pleasanton resident, sustained critical injuries. Police said he remains on life support as of this report.

No one is in custody in relation to the shooting as of this report. Anyone with information is asked Detective Scinto at 510-293-7176.

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.
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Two large wildfires were burning Sunday near Greece's capital of Athens, and authorities sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate and others to stay at home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke.

The first blaze, southeast of Athens, began in early afternoon. Local authorities said it burned at least four homes and several cars. No casualties were reported by 6 p.m.

The blaze was approaching the port of Lavrio about 60 kilometers (37 miles) southeast of Athens. The area has suffered from wildfires in recent years. A small forest to the south, near Cape Sounio, also could be in danger.

A second, fast-moving fire later began north of Athens near the suburb of Stamata. It was burning through scrubland and forest and moving up 1,100-meter (3,600-foot) Mount Penteli, one of four mountains ringing the capital area.

A total of 230 firefighters, 17 planes and 12 helicopters were trying to put out both fires, the Fire Service said. The planes and helicopters can only operate in daylight.

Hot and dry weather, combined with strong winds, are helping spread the fires. Temperatures in the low 30s Celsius (high 80s F) are expected to rise Monday and Tuesday.

Wildfires have become an annual feature in the Mediterranean. Earlier this month, Greece and Turkey saw large fires.
A secret agent working for an authoritarian ex-Soviet republic who allegedly bribed Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) also pursued ties with Oklahoma and its Republican Gov. Kevin Stittwith U.S. federal funds helping to underwrite his efforts, The Daily Beast has found.

The Daily Beast previously reported that the unnamed operative, who allegedly arranged corrupt contracts between the government of Azerbaijan and the Cuellar family, is Elshan Baloghlanov, a former official at the countrys Los Angeles consulate and the owner of the D.C.-area firm WCC International. The Daily Beast further revealed that WCC International not only matches the description of the company that allegedly supplied some of the illicit cash to the Democrats immediate relatives, but also received hundreds of thousands of dollars in American foreign aid money as a subcontractor for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Now, The Daily Beast can reveal that at least some of that USAID money paid for Baloghlanov and WCC International to conduct outreach efforts in Oklahoma that led directly to Stitt visiting Azerbaijan in 2021, and even meeting with its dictatorial President Ilham Aliyev.

Cuellar has denied wrongdoing. USAID, Baloghlanov, and WCC did not respond to repeated queries from The Daily Beast. A spokesperson for Stitt, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing, maintained any contact between his administration and Baloghlanov and his company was purely incidental.

Oklahoma is particularly important to Azerbaijan because the countrys military receives technical support from the states National Guard under a U.S. Defense Department program. Azerbaijan and Oklahoma also share a heavy economic dependence on fossil fuel extraction, and authorities in the capital of Baku have increasingly looked to the Sooner State as they seek to develop the Central Asian nations farm sector.

It was ostensibly for this last purpose that the nonprofit Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), which contracts with USAID, hired WCC International to help organize the First Oklahoma-Azerbaijan Agricultural Forum in Nov. 2019, according to a report the group filed with the federal agency that year. This report, along with all others CNFA filed referring to its work with WCC International, disappeared from the USAID website following The Daily Beasts original story. However, several documents remain visible in web caches and archives.

The Oklahoma-Azerbaijan Agricultural Forum occurred only 10 months after the Department of Justice alleges WCC International paid a $30,000 bribe to Rep. Cuellars wife, Imelda Cuellar, the last in a series of disbursements totaling nearly $250,000 that the federal indictment says Baloghlanov arranged on behalf of the Azerbaijani government.

Stittthen in the first year of his first termnot only served as a keynote speaker at the forum, but took the occasion to declare Nov. 9 Azerbaijan Day, CNFA noted in its writeup. The event also featured the signing of a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between Oklahoma State University and a government-run agricultural school in Azerbaijan.

For its part, Baloghlanovs company promoted the event and the attendance of Azerbaijani and USAID officials on its Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2498044863800524&set=pb.100063455654849.-2207520000https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2499833960288281&set=pb.100063455654849.-2207520000

But despite the forums pastoral theme, photos and a video the Oklahoma National Guard posted online show top officials from the state military force flanked Stitt during a sit-down with the Azerbaijani government officials, and posed and powwowed with members of the foreign delegation in ballrooms and hallways.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1369922479848299

One photo even shows then-Adjutant General Michael Thompson, the states highest-ranked military and law enforcement officer and a member of Stitts cabinet, chatting with a grinning Baloghlanovnow alleged to be a secret agent and foreign bribe-masterand the rector of the Azerbaijani state agricultural school who signed the memorandum of understanding with OSU the day before.

Then-Oklahoma National Guard Adjutant General Michael C. Thompson, right, speaks with alleged Azerbaijani bag man Elshan Baloghlanov, center, and State Agrarian University of Azerbaijan rector Ibrahim Jafarov, left. Leanna Maschino

Shown the photo over text message and informed of Baloghlanovs activities, the since-retired Thompson said he had no recollection of the discussion or knowledge of the Azerbaijani agents identity or agenda.

I have no idea who the man in the red tie is, nor do I know what the random conversation was about at this event I attended five years ago, he wrote to The Daily Beast, adding that he had no contact with federal authorities during the Cuellar investigation. Obviously I dont know what he did before or after this agriculture event.

In its annual report to the governor, the Guard described the gathering as a defining moment in our 17-year partnership with Baku. CNFA was no less enthused, declaring it such a success that in a subsequent report it said it would deploy WCC to additional states for similar events.

It also argued Stitts presence, along with that of other elected officials, helped lend visibility and credibility to the event. Also exciting, the governor had vowed to have his Azerbaijani guests host him in the near future.

At the Forum, Governor Kevin Stitt committed to leading a delegation to Azerbaijan in the spring of 2020, the first report to USAID read.

When the COVID-19 pandemic intervened, CNFA pivoted to webinars, most posted on a Facebook page called U.S.-Azerbaijan Trade Linkages that the group controlledand most hosted by Baloghlanov.

The most popular of these events that Baloghlanov ledwith the USAID logo displayed above his shoulderwas a December 2020 e-forum with two wheat experts from Oklahoma State University. A little more than a month before, Azerbaijan concluded a brief but bloody war with its neighbor Armenia, and successfully captured the city of Shusha in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which had declared independence and aligned with Armenia in 1991.

The CNFA-run Facebook page, underwritten with American foreign aid dollars, celebrated this military triumph.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=188541752828966&set=pb.100057519006472.-2207520000

It followed up two days later with a post highlighting the Azerbaijani Defense Ministrys partnership with the Oklahoma National Guard.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=189245406091934&set=pb.100057519006472.-2207520000

In July 2021, Stitts trip to Azerbaijan finally came offwhich CNFA credited to the 2019 forum WCC helped run.

Perhaps the most notable event of the year was the follow-on Oklahoma Trade Mission, which in summer 2021 brought a government delegation, headed by Governor Kevin Stitt, to Azerbaijan in follow up from the 2019 PSA-supported Oklahoma-Azerbaijan Agricultural Forum in Oklahoma, the contractors report to USAID reads.

The USAID contractor was not alone in linking the trip to the WCC-supported 2019 summit. An update on the junket posted to Stitts government website stated that the Sooner-Azeri relationship expanded in 2019 when a delegation from Azerbaijan visited Oklahoma for the Oklahoma-Azerbaijan Agricultural Forum. Similarly, in highlighting Stitts visit, the American embassy in Baku asserted Oklahomas friendship with Azerbaijan grew new roots in 2019 thanks to the event Baloghlanov and his company helped stage.

While in the Caucasus autocracy, Stittaccompanied by his National Guard and state agricultural officersdined on caviar and, beneath a banner bearing the USA logo, signed off on a deal for Oklahoma State University to offer a dual degree program with its Azerbaijani counterpart.

I started my day in Azerbaijan with a tour of Bakus Old City and sampled some local caviar before heading to some very productive meetings with our Oklahoma delegation and our Azerbaijani counterparts. More to come soon!  pic.twitter.com/MnozAQITYu  Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) July 28, 2021

The governor and his National Guard brass also sat down with the countrys defense minister to vouch continued support for the strategic partnership with the countrys military.

And Stitt and Adjutant General Thompson even met with, and bestowed a custom-made cowboy hat upon, Azerbaijani President Aliyev. Aliyev has ruled Azerbaijan since the death of his father, the previous president, in 2003, and his regime is known for fraudulent elections, the stifling of the press and political dissent, and the imprisonment and torture of regime opponents.

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project has also uncovered a vast overseas web of companies and properties where the Aliyev family has stashed its colossal private fortune, much of the portfolio in the hands of a former government official named Gafar Gurbanov

As it happens, The Daily Beast revealed last month that Gurbanov was listed as a director of the predecessor entity to WCC International, which Baloghlanov formed in California during his term as vice consul in L.A.

The CNFA report to USAID asserted that its Azerbaijan project, of which WCC has been a part, coordinated with the U.S. Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (which has frequently partnered with Baloghlanov) and other stakeholders to help host the visitors in Azerbaijan and arrange an array of government-to-government, government-to-business, and business-to-business meetings for trade mission delegates.

However, CNFA and Stitts office both denied this when approached by The Daily Beast.

The 2021 Oklahoma Trade mission was managed directly by U.S. and Azerbaijan government relationships. CNFA did not facilitate this event, CNFA spokeswoman Darshana Patel told The Daily Beast.

Patel refused to provide a comprehensive breakdown of WCCs activities and invoices for CNFA in Oklahoma, insisting her organization lacked the bandwidth to do so. She would provide only a total dollar figure that Baloghlanovs company received for all its subcontracted tasks under USAID-sponsored programs: $399,576. She previously told The Daily Beast that CNFA selected WCC as a vendor through a competitive bidding process.

Rep. Cuellar Staring Down Decades Behind Bars as DOJ Indictment Arrives

Similarly, Stitts office did not respond to repeated questions about contact with Baloghlanov or WCC regarding the 2019 forum, but maintained the alleged Azerbaijani operative and his firm were not involved with the international excursion in 2021.

The trip you referenced was organized by the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani government and USAID as an economic development and agriculture trip. Any connection with the company mentioned was incidental. I dont believe any further meetings or contact occurred and there is no recollection from those on the trip of the individual or company referenced.

Less than two months after the governors return, his administration announced that Trece, an Oklahoma-based insect-control company, would begin doing business in Azerbaijan. The official release credited the international expansion to the 2019 forum and the 2021 trip. The Daily Beast further found that Trece and its owner Bill Lingren, a donor to Stitts allies in the Oklahoma legislature, also participated in a USAID-sponsored event in Azerbaijan alongside WCC International in 2019.

In December 2022, Stitt hosted the chief of the general staff of the Azerbaijani in Oklahoma to celebrate the anniversary of their military partnership. A week-and-a-half afterward, Baku blockaded the main supply corridor to the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the first step toward another clash over the province that ultimately led to the mass exodus of its ancient ethnic Armenian population.

The close proximity of the two events prompted criticism of Stitt and the Oklahoma-Azerbaijani partnership from the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute.

The Daily Beast found that Baloghlanov has personally facilitated at least one other Oklahoma companys entry into Azerbaijan, while WCC has since worked with firms in at least half a dozen other states under the auspices of CNFA. However, noneas yethas sent their governor to Baku.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The U.S. Supreme Court, pictured, issued a decision on a case dealing with a legal precedent that gave federal agencies broad discretion to use their judgment to resolve any ambiguity Congress left in a federal statute. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a precedent Friday that had for decades limited judicial power to strike executive branch regulations, in a decision immediately criticized for potentially undermining decisions by scientists and agency experts.

The 6-3 and 6-2 decisions in two cases brought by fishing operators in New Jersey and Rhode Island challenged a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rule and overturned the principle known as Chevron deference.

That precedent gave federal agencies broad discretion to use their judgment to resolve any ambiguity Congress left in a federal statute.

The courts six conservatives reasoned that courts routinely confront statutory ambiguities that have nothing to do with the authority of regulatory agencies, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.

Of course, when faced with a statutory ambiguity in such a case, the ambiguity is not a delegation to anybody, and a court is not somehow relieved of its obligation to independently interpret the statute, Roberts wrote.

Under the 40-year-old precedent, courts gave up their interpretive role and deferred to agencies, Roberts wrote.

But they shouldnt, he added. Judges should apply their own legal reasoning to reach a sound decision.

Courts instead understand that such statutes, no matter how impenetrable, do  in fact, must  have a single, best meaning.

1984 ruling overturned

The decision overturned Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, a 1984 Supreme Court ruling that said courts must defer to federal agencies expertise when considering legal challenges to a rule. The 1984 ruling significantly raised the bar for overturning an agency rule.

The precedent strengthened the executive branch under presidential administrations of both parties, but experts worry its reversal will strip agencies of the power to enact regulatory safeguards across a broad spectrum of issues including clean air and public health.

In a dissenting opinion, the courts three liberals  not including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in one of the cases, after she recused herself because shed heard the case as an appeals court judge before joining the Supreme Court  said the majority erred by misunderstanding the roles of three branches of government.

Congress knows it cannot write perfectly complete regulatory statutes, Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a dissent. Interpretation of those statutes is a given, and Congress usually prefers a responsible agency instead of a court.

Agencies are more politically accountable and have greater technical expertise in a given issue than courts, she wrote.

Put all that together and deference to the agency is the almost obvious choice, Kagan wrote.

Kagan went on to criticize the decision as a power grab by the judiciary at the expense of agency experts.

A rule of judicial humility gives way to a rule of judicial hubris, she wrote. In one fell swoop, the majority today gives itself exclusive power over every open issueno matter how expertise-driven or policy-ladeninvolving the meaning of regulatory law.

Liberals see a weakening of safeguards

Liberal groups and elected Democrats worried the reversal will strip agencies of the power to enact strong regulatory safeguards across a broad spectrum of issues, especially climate and environmental regulations.

It weakens our governments ability to protect us from the climate crisis, threats to worker safety, public health, clean air and water, safe medicines and food, a sound financial system, and more, Manish Bapna, president of the environmental group NRDC Action Fund, wrote in a statement.

Todays reckless but unsurprising decision from this far-right court is a triumph for corporate polluters that seek to dismantle common-sense regulations protecting clean air, clean water and a livable climate future, Wenonah Hauter, the executive director of the advocacy group Food & Water Watch, said in a statement.

Rachel Weintraub, the executive director of the Coalition for Sensible Safeguards, a group that advocates for strong federal regulations, said in an interview before the decision was released that Chevron deference has allowed a host of regulations affecting consumer safety, labor, environmental protections and other issues.

The important role that government plays in ensuring the health and safety of our families and the fairness of our markets could be undermined here, she said.

The ruling takes power away from the experts on a particular subject of a federal regulation  traffic engineers at the Department of Transportation, disease experts at the Food and Drug Administration or scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency, for example  and gives it to the federal judiciary, Weintraub said.

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat who is the ranking member on the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, called the ruling a gift to polluters and the fossil fuel industry.

For 40 years, Congress has passed laws with the understanding that the interpretation of those laws is for the courts, but the implementation laid in the hands of the scientific and policy career experts at our federal agencies, Grijalva said in a statement.

But now, thanks to this extremist power-grab, our most fundamental protections will be at the whim of individual judges  many of whom are far-right ideologues  regardless of their lack of expertise or political agenda.

Conservatives applaud rollback

Republicans in Congress and conservative activists praised the decision for weakening the administrative state, saying it would return power to the legislative branch.

The Constitution vests Congress with the sole authority to make law, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a statement. After forty years of Chevron deference, the Supreme Court made it clear today that our system of government leaves no room for an unelected bureaucracy to co-opt this authority for itself.

Rep. Bruce Westerman, an Arkansas Republican who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, said Fridays ruling should spur Congress to write more prescriptive laws.

Congress has sidestepped our legal duties for far too long and todays ruling puts us back in the drivers seat when it comes to rulemaking and regulatory authority, Westerman said in a written statement. Were no longer going to let federal agencies fill in the details when it comes to the policies we enact.

Roman Martinez, an attorney who argued on behalf of the Rhode Island fishing operators, called the ruling a win for individual liberty and the Constitution.

The Court has taken a major step to shut down unlawful power grabs by federal agencies and to preserve the separation of powers, Martinez said in a statement distributed by the conservative public relations firm CRC Advisors. Going forward, judges will be charged with interpreting the law faithfully, impartially, and independently, without deference to the government.

No plans to reopen old cases

In the majority opinion, Roberts said the court did not plan to reopen cases that had been decided by Chevron despite our change in interpretive methodology.

Even prior to Fridays decision, the court had used Chevron less often. During the oral argument, Roberts cited a study that the court had relied on the precedent sparingly over the past 14 years.

The courts conservative majority has shown a willingness to move away from deference to agency decision-making, demanding more explicit congressional instruction.

In West Virginia v. EPA in 2022, for example, the court ruled that the EPA lacked the authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

Daniel Wolff, an administrative law attorney at the law firm Crowell & Moring, downplayed the effect the ruling would have on the administrative state.

Congress at times explicitly directs agencies to craft regulations, and those rules will still be subject to the same standard that they were written reasonably, Wolff said in an interview prior to the decision.

Rules with solid legal and statutory foundations would survive under either standard, he said.

Rolling back Chevron is simply going to mean agencies dont get the benefit of the doubt in the case of a tie, Wolff said. They have to come into the court and persuade the court that they have the better reading of the statute.

Fishing operators

The cases decided Friday was brought by herring fishing operators from New Jersey and Rhode Island who challenged a NOAA rule requiring the operators to pay for the federal monitors who regularly join fishing boats to ensure compliance with federal regulations.

The fishing operators said the rule forced them to hand over up to 20% of their profits.

After a lower court relied on Chevron deference to rule in favor of NOAA, oral arguments at the Supreme Court in January focused almost entirely on Chevron.

The post U.S. Supreme Court flips precedent that empowered federal agencies appeared first on NC Newsline.
The leader of the UK eurosceptic party Reform UK Nigel Farage has said that the statement about his sympathy for Vladimir Putin was a "Russian hoax."

Source: Farage on Sky Ness on 30 June, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Farage avoided a straight response to a question on his approach towards Putin, stating both the Labour and Conservative parties are "worried" about his stance on the war in Ukraine.

Quote: "I was opposed to the Iraq War. I thought it was absolutely crazy to go into Libya. Ten years ago, I stood up in the European Parliament and I said, you are giving a dangerous man an excuse to give his people to go to war. I said there will be a war in Ukraine," Farage said.

He added that he considers Putin a "very, very dangerous and dangerously clever man."

"I abhor what he's done in Ukraine, totally and utterly. But I was far-sighted. I saw this coming," Farage said.

The Reform UK leader also denied that Russia planned to interfere in the UK elections for his benefit.

Nigel Farage has made a number of controversial statements about Putin and Ukraine in recent days, including claims that the West encouraged the full-scale Russian invasion and that Ukraine should consider peace talks with Russia in order not to "lose all young men."

Nigel Farage's party has greatly raised its rating ahead of the UK parliamentary elections, albeit the electoral system's quirks do not foresee a considerable number of mandates.

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Ukraine now mass-producing strike drones with range of over 1,000 kilometers

Ukraine has launched serial production of strike drones with a range of over 1,000 kilometers, the head of state-owned company Ukrainian Defense Industry, also known as Ukroboronprom, said on June 29.

In an interview with ArmyInform, Herman Smetanin said Russia's "huge resources and super-powerful industry" meant Kyiv had to take a more "flexible and inventive" approach to manufacturing weapons.

Ukraine employs long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields and logistics, as well as oil refineries and depots. The strikes against oil infrastructure are intended to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian military and diminish Moscow's export revenues, crucial for funding the war.

Experimental Ukrainian drones have struck targets in Russia as far as the Tatarstan Republic, some 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) away from the Russia-Ukraine border.

Smetanin said that with the help of "private individuals," Ukrainian Defense Industry was now able to "scale production" of long-range drones.

Moscow's defense ministry on June 30 claimed to have destroyed 36 Ukrainian drones overnight that targeted several regions in the southwest of Russia.

In a post on Telegram, it said 15 drones were downed over the Kursk Oblast, nine over Lipetsk Oblast, four over Voronezh Oblast, four over Bryansk Oblast, two over Oryol Oblast and another two over Belgorod Oblast.

The defense ministry did not provide details of any damage or casualties caused.

Ukrainian authorities have not commented. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Russian authorities routinely falsely claim to have thwarted Ukrainian drone and missile attacks.

Read also: Kremlin claims provocations from US drones over Black Sea, prepares potential response

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Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has met with James O'Brien, US Assistant Secretary of State, to coordinate efforts for supplying Patriot air defence missile systems to Ukraine.

Source: Dmytro Kuleba on X (Twitter)

Details: At the meeting, Kuleba stressed that Ukraine appreciated "the latest critical US decisions to support Ukrainian strikes on military targets in Russia, to prioritise Ukraine in air defence ammunition supplies, and its work with third countries to strengthen Ukraine's defence capabilities".

Quote: "Delivering additional Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine was the main focus of our conversation. We positively assessed progress made and coordinated next steps to this end. We also discussed joint efforts to provide Ukraine with additional weapons and ammunition."

More details: Kuleba noted that the agenda also included the upcoming NATO summit in Washington and its expected outcome.

Background:

On 20 June, the White House confirmed that the United States will give priority to the supply of anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine over other states that have placed orders.

A number of media outlets, including the Financial Times, have previously announced that the US intends to stop all open orders for interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defence system until Ukraine has sufficient equipment to defend itself against Russian air attacks.

Poland, Romania, and Germany are among the European countries that have open orders for Patriot systems. Spain holds an open order for Patriot launchers, and in January, a coalition of NATO states ordered 1,000 Patriot missiles.

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World politics took center stage in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary on Sunday. Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov world premiered his documentary Real from the trenches of the Ukraine War at the 58th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. But beforehand, he met with Czech president Petr Pavel who expressed the Czech Republics support for Ukraine against Russias invasion.

Sentsov, who is on leave from his work as a soldier in the war, had received a warm welcome and huge ovation during the fests opening ceremony on Friday evening. The Sunday premiere of Real at the Hotel Thermal in Karlovy Vary was packed. Among the audience members were Viggo Mortensen and his The Dead Dont Hurt co-star Solly McLeod.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Before the world premiere, Sentsov arrived for his meeting with Pavel in a room at the Hotel Thermal in Karlovy Vary just after 5 p.m. local time. Press and photographers who were on the scene since word of the get-together had spread then had an opportunity to take quick photos of the two men.

After their roughly 15-minute meeting, Sentsov left for the official unveiling of Real in one of the screening rooms at the cinema.

Pavel then held a brief press conference before the world premiere. We will continue our support [for Ukraine] because we believe that it is crucially important, he told reporters.

Asked by THR if he had seen Real yet, Pavel said no, but he has read about it and its contents. I believe that displaying the reality in such a brutal format will be a strong message to all, the Czech president concluded.

Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov leaves a meeting with Czech president Pavel Petr at the Karlovy Vary film festival to world premiere his Ukraine war documentary Real #KVIFF 2024 pic.twitter.com/joEug2bUuB  georgszalai (@georgszalai) June 30, 2024

The entire 90 minutes of Real play out in a single, unedited cut, with the audience seeing everything through Sentsovs eyes, via a GoPro camera attached to his helmet in the trenches of the war. Sentsov repeatedly calls between the units and headquarters and speaks to his men gathered around him, trying to organize the evacuation of troops under fire and the resupply of his unit as Russian forces are closing in.

Real, the title of which comes from the operations codename, was produced by Arthouse Traffic and Cry Cinema in Ukraine together with co-producers Propeler Film in Croatia and Downey Ink in the U.K., with Sentsov, Denis Ivanov, Mike Downey, Boris T. Matic and Lana Matic producing.

KVIFF artistic director Karel Och introduced Sentsov, his team on the project and the film itself by saying screening it was not only an artistic decision but also an act of solidarity with our Ukrainian friends fighting against the aggressor. The audience responded with much applause.

Then Sentsov spoke. As he had told THR in an interview, he emphasized that Real wasnt so much a movie, but a document. He told the festival crowd: A film always has a beginning and an end, it has a script and its being edited. Nothing like that happened to this film, emphasized Sentsov. This video was shot by accident during the counter-offensive on the Southern front in Ukraine. And much of what happens is experienced mainly through the sound, he said.

Sentsov then mentioned that not all men who can be seem in Real are still alive and asked the world premiere audience to honor them and other victims of the war with a minute of silence before the screening started.

After the world premiere, the audience gave Sentsov a standing ovation. During a Q&A that followed, the filmmaker answered various questions, sharing that he is currently on the 30 days off that Ukrainian soldiers are entitled to each year.

He was also asked whether there can be anti-war films. Said Sentsov: I dont know what anti-war film means, but this is the true face of war. This is how true war looks.

Oleh Sentsovs Ukraine war doc Real.

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Key developments on June 29-30:

Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia Oblast kills 7, including 3 children

1 killed, 9 injured in Russian aerial bomb strike on Kharkiv postal depot

Debris strikes residential building in Kyiv

Ukraine now mass-producing strike drones with range of over 1,000 kilometers

Black Sea grain deal provides potential model for talks with Russia, Zelensky says

Law enforcement agency to investigate general accused of heavy losses, media reports

'Tension rises' at border with Belarus, Minsk accuses Kyiv of deploying troops

Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia Oblast kills 7, including 3 children

Russian troops attacked the town of Vilniansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on June 29, killing seven people, including three children, and injuring 36, local officials said.

Vilniansk, a town with a pre-war population of nearly 15,000, lies around 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the city of Zaporizhzhia and around 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the southern front line.

Several explosions were reported after an air raid alert went off in the region.

Russia launched two missiles at Vilniansk, damaging a critical infrastructure facility, a store, and residential buildings, according to Zaporizhzhia Oblast Police. Commercial premises, houses, and vehicles caught fire after the attack.

"(The attack took place) in broad daylight on a weekend in a place where people were spending their leisure time downtown. Without any military infrastructure," Governor Ivan Fedorov said shortly after the attack.

There were eight children among the injured, the State Emergency Service reported on June 29.

"Our cities and communities suffer from such Russian strikes every day," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"There are ways to overcome thisby destroying the terrorists where they are, eliminating Russian missile launchers, hitting them with long-range weapons, and increasing the number of modern air defense systems in Ukraine," Zelensky said.

Read also: Governor: 2 killed, 4 injured in Russian attacks on Donetsk Oblast

1 killed, 9 injured in Russian strike on Kharkiv postal depot

Russia targeted a postal depot in Kharkiv with a guided aerial bomb on June 30, killing one person and injuring nine others, among them an 8-month-old child, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported at 6 p.m. local time.

Earlier on June 30, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia has used over 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine in the past week alone.

According to Syniehubov, the strike killed one employee and destroyed eight vehicles parked outside the depot, which belongs to Nova Poshta, Ukraine's largest privately owned postal service.

"Debris analysis is ongoing. There could have been 9 people at the place of the strike, they are being searched for," Syniehubov added.

Nova Poshta said in a statement on X at 6.30 p.m. local time that the strike had hit near the distribution center, but "all shift workers were in the bomb shelter and were not injured."

"There are victims among the population, as well as truck drivers," Nova Poshta said, adding that the depot was damaged.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the strike was "almost in the city center." An explosion was reported in Kharkiv at around 4:30 p.m. local time.

Russia used a missile to strike a Nova Poshta depot in Korotych in Kharkiv Oblast in October 2023, killing eight people and injuring 17.

Read also: Zelensky: Russia used over 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine this week

Debris strikes residential building in Kyiv

A residential apartment building in the northern part of Kyiv was on fire after being struck by debris, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on June 30.

"Debris fell on a residential building in the Obolonsky District of the capital city. There is a fire on the 8th and 9th floors. All emergency services are on site," Klitschko wrote on Telegram at 7:53 p.m.

The fire was contained by 8:25 p.m., Klitschko added in an update.

Two women were being treated for acute stress by medics on the scene, according to the mayor. Of the 14 stories in the building, two floors were partially destroyed and another balcony was also at risk, he said.

About 20 minutes before the strike was reported, Klitschko said that air defense systems were activated and warned residents to remain in shelters. The Air Force reported missiles were headed towards Kyiv.

Videos circulated on social media, showing an apartment block with at least one apartment on fire, and windows shattered on the floors next to it.

Read also: Ombudsman: More than 14,000 Ukrainian civilians in Russian captivity

Ukraine now mass-producing strike drones with range of over 1,000 kilometers

Ukraine has launched serial production of strike drones with a range of over 1,000 kilometers, the head of state-owned company Ukrainian Defense Industry, also known as Ukroboronprom, said on June 29.

In an interview with ArmyInform, Herman Smetanin said Russia's "huge resources and super-powerful industry" meant Kyiv had to take a more "flexible and inventive" approach to manufacturing weapons.

Ukraine employs long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields and logistics, as well as oil refineries and depots.

The strikes against oil infrastructure are intended to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian military and diminish Moscow's export revenues, crucial for funding the war.

Experimental Ukrainian drones have struck targets in Russia as far as the Tatarstan Republic, some 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) away from the Russia-Ukraine border.

Smetanin said that with the help of "private individuals," Ukrainian Defense Industry was now able to "scale production" of long-range drones.

Moscow's defense ministry on June 30 claimed to have destroyed 36 Ukrainian drones overnight that targeted several regions in the southwest of Russia.

In a post on Telegram, it said 15 drones were downed over the Kursk Oblast, nine over Lipetsk Oblast, four over Voronezh Oblast, four over Bryansk Oblast, two over Oryol Oblast and another two over Belgorod Oblast.

The defense ministry did not provide details of any damage or casualties caused.

Ukrainian authorities have not commented. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Russian authorities routinely falsely claim to have thwarted Ukrainian drone and missile attacks.

Read also: SBU releases new headcam footage of Snake Island liberation

Black Sea grain deal provides potential model for talks with Russia, Zelensky says

Ukraine does not envisage direct negotiations with Russia but could use the model of a tripartite agreement similar to the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by the U.N. and Turkey in 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer published on June 30.

The agreement played a crucial role in mitigating a global surge in food prices partially caused by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine by allowing Kyiv to export its agricultural products via the Black Sea despite the ongoing invasion.

Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, effectively collapsing the deal, in July 2023.

The deal was the result of tripartite negotiations, where Ukraine signed the agreement with Turkey and the U.N., while Russia signed its own corresponding agreement with the same mediators.

This model could be used for issues like territorial integrity, energy, and shipping, Zelensky said, responding to a question on whether Ukraine could hold direct negotiations with Russia.

Zelensky emphasized that the only possible peace negotiations would be based on Ukraine's peace formula, which calls for Russia to completely withdraw from Ukrainian territory and pay reparations, among other points.

Any other form of peace talks with Russia would not end the war, but encourage further territorial aggression, while "a ceasefire is the best option for the Russians so they can prepare for taking even more," Zelensky said.

"If the idea is to give up our territories, no, it will not solve the issue," Zelensky said.

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. Nine more states joined the document after the event.

Kyiv is planning to arrange a second global peace summit before the end of 2024.

Read also: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopts resolution recognizing Russian genocide of Ukrainian people

Law enforcement agency to investigate general accused of heavy losses, media reports

The State Bureau of Investigation will assess Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol's command of Ukrainian troops during the Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainska Pravda reported on June 29.

Sodol was the Joint Forces Commander when the new Russian offensive started on May 10. He also headed the Khortytsia group of forces, which operates in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts, and was repelling the new wave of assaults there.

The general was dismissed on June 24 after Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Krotevych, one of the Azov Brigade's commanders, filed an official complaint to the State Bureau of Investigation calling for an investigation of one of the generals.

Krotevych accuses the general of abuse of power and incompetent command of the troops, which led to the loss of Ukraine's territory, as well as personnel.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, the State Bureau of Investigation reviewed Krotevych's complaint and added it to the criminal case about the circumstances of the Russian breakthrough in the border area in Kharkiv Oblast.

The command of the Khortytsia group of forces during the defense operations in Kharkiv Oblast is also being investigated in the criminal case.

The Bureau promised Krotevych that it would check all the circumstances in his complaint, the outlet said.

Krotevych wrote on X that he is "unsatisfied" with the reply from the Bureau.

"Now it's up to the lawyers. I am grateful to everyone who supports us. I ask the military not to be afraid to testify (including non-publicly), we will not back down," he said.

Read also: DTEK: 90% of companys energy generating capacity lost due to Russian strikes

'Tension rises' at border with Belarus, Minsk accuses Kyiv of deploying troops

The Belarusian military claimed that Ukraine is allegedly deploying its forces to the shared state border for potential "sabotage, terrorist acts," state-run news outlet Belta reported on June 29.

The Kyiv Independent couldn't verify the claim, while Belarusian state-run news outlets have a long history of unsubstantiated claims.

"The situation on the Belarus-Ukraine border is characterized by growing tension," Colonel Vadim Lukashevich, a high-ranking Belarusian military official, told Belta.

"They are attempting to drag our country into the war," he added.

Russian forces launched the all-out invasion of Ukraine from Belarus in early 2022 but suffered a defeat near Kyiv and were forced to pull back.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry announced earlier in June that it was beefing up security at the border with Ukraine after a series of "alleged security incidents."

Lukashevich claimed that Ukrainian forces allegedly stationed military equipment, including American-produced ones, in Zhytomyr Oblast, which borders Belarus.

Lukashevich also claimed that Ukraine allegedly set up mines and other explosives near the border with Belarus. Lukashevich believes that this indicates plans of Ukrainian forces for further assault against Belarus, sabotage, and terrorist acts.

Lukashevich didn't provide evidence to back up his claims.

The Ukrainian Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation said in May that Russia may opt to conduct a new psychological operation aimed at "stirring up mass panic" in Ukraine.

The plan was to force Kyiv to believe that Belarusian troops would join Russia's war against Ukraine, according to the center.

"We expect a series of provocative statements by the top leadership of Russia and Belarus threatening Ukraine soon," the statement said.

Belarus has been a key ally to Moscow and supported Russian aggression against Ukraine but has not committed its own troops to fight directly in Russia's war.

Read also: Companies in Russia supporting war targeted by Ukrainian hackers

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Border guards in western Ukraine were forced to defend themselves against an attack by two armed men, killing one of the assailants and injuring the other, State Border Guard Service spokesperson Andrii Demchenko told Ukrainska Pravda on June 30.

The attack reportedly took place on June 29 at around 9 p.m. local time near Selyatyn in Chernivtsi Oblast, which borders Romania.

Journalist Vitaly Glagov said that according to his sources, the attackers were armed with a machete and a gas canister.

The border guard used his weapon to save his own life, Demchenko said. Medics were called to the scene and a police investigation is currently underway.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said in a recent interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that dozens of people try to illegally cross Ukraine's border into the EU every day.

Men of conscription age are prohibited from leaving the country during martial law, apart from several exceptions. Many men attempt to reach neighboring countries despite this, hoping to avoid mobilization.

Romanian police told RFE/RL in May that about 11,000 Ukrainian men have illegally crossed the border into Romania since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Several men have been found dead while attempting the perilous crossing across the Tysa River, which runs along the borders of Ukraine, Hungary, and Romania.

Read also: Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia Oblast kills 7, including 3 children

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic, met with Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov Sunday ahead of the world premiere of Sentsovs documentary Real at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.

Sentsov was joined at the meeting by Mike Downey, chair of the European Film Academy and one of the films producers, and Veronika Velch, Sentsovs wife, head of Amnesty International in Ukraine, and an associate producer on the film.

More from Variety

The screening of Real was attended by Viggo Mortensen, who received the Festival Presidents Award at the start of the festival, and also presented The Dead Dont Hurt, which he wrote and directed, at the event. Mortensen recently visited Ukraine to attend the Mykolaichuk Open Film Festival in Chernivtsi.

Sentsov is currently serving as a lieutenant in the Ukrainian army, which he joined in the first days of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Real, described as an accidental film, is entirely comprised of footage Sentsov shot in a trench in Ukraines Donbas region after a nearby unit was ambushed by Russian forces.

Speaking after the meeting, Pavel told Variety that Sentsov hadnt made any requests for additional assistance for Ukraine from the Czech Republic. He only appreciated that we are doing our best, especially when it comes to the ammunition initiative and also continued support on bilateral and multilateral fora. We will continue that support because we believe that it is crucially important for us as it is for Ukraine.

Pavel, a former army general, said he hadnt seen Sentsovs film but hed read about its content. He added: And since I know the situation on the battlefield in general but also on the battlefield in Ukraine I can imagine how powerful such a display of ordinary life in Ukraine looks like.

But I believe that displaying the reality in such a brutal form will be a strong message to all those who believe that war in Ukraine is kind of a movie.

Downey told Variety: We had a wide ranging conversation not just about Ukraine, but about the shifting world order around Putin and his friendly satellites. Petr Pavel went out of his way to demonstrate his unshakeable support for Ukraine, and as a soldier empathized with Olehs situation as a front-line warrior. Sentsov brought the ex-soldier a gift  the Ukrainian flag badge from his own uniform, and the President was visibly moved at the gesture.

Asked about the supply of ammunition to Ukraine from its European allies, Pavel said: When you compare the capabilities of Russia and Ukraine, its quite clear that Ukraine is in a clear disadvantage: [in terms of] the size of population, resources, both financial and material. Without our support, Ukraine would definitely fail.

And failure for Ukraine would mean that Russia would be encouraged in their way of pursuing international policy and that would be dangerous to all of us because an assertive and more aggressive Russia would mean it would be much more expensive for us in the future.

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Police use water cannon to disperse ultra-Orthodox Jewish men blocking a street during a protest against army recruitment in Jerusalem on Sunday, June 30, 2024. Israel's Supreme Court last week ordered the government to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the army, a landmark ruling seeking to end a system that has allowed them to avoid enlistment into compulsory military service. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

JERUSALEM (AP)  Thousands of Jewish ultra-Orthodox men clashed with Israeli police in central Jerusalem on Sunday during a protest against a Supreme Court order for them to begin enlisting for military service.

The landmark decision last week ordering the government to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men could lead to the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus governing coalition as Israel wages war in Gaza.

Tens of thousands of men rallied in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood to protest the order. But after nightfall, the crowd made its way toward central Jerusalem and turned violent.

Israeli police said protesters threw rocks and attacked the car of an ultra-Orthodox Cabinet minister, pelting it with stones. Water cannons filled with skunk-scented water and police mounted on horses were used to disperse the crowd. But the demonstration was still not under control late Sunday.

Military service is compulsory for most Jewish men and women in Israel. But politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties have won exemptions for their followers to skip military service and instead study in religious seminaries.

The long-standing arrangement has bred resentment among the broader public, a sentiment that has grown stronger during the eight-month war against Hamas. Over 600 soldiers have been killed in fighting, and tens of thousands of reservists have been activated, upending careers, businesses and lives.

Ultra-Orthodox parties and their followers say forcing their men to serve in the army will destroy their generations-old way of life. Earlier Sunday, thousands of men crowded a square and joined in mass prayers. Many held signs criticizing the government, with one saying not even one male should be drafted.

The ultra-Orthodox parties are key members of Netanyahus governing coalition and could potentially force new elections if they decide to leave the government in protest.

Party leaders have not said whether they will leave the government. Doing so could be risky, with Netanyahu's coalition's popularity lagging since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war.

___

Follow AP's war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid waves as he leaves after a news conference in Kabul. Oliver Weiken/dpa

A two-day UN conference begins on Sunday in Doha which aims to bolster international engagement with the Taliban and includes a Taliban delegation for the first time since their return to power.

The UN announced that representatives from about 30 countries and international organizations have been invited to the third round of such talks to meet with the Afghan de facto authorities to discuss Afghanistan.

The chief spokesman for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, who is leading the delegation, stated in Kabul before their departure that their priorities include discussing economic issues, international sanctions affecting Afghanistan and their governance achievements.

However, Mujahid emphasized that internal Afghan matters, considered domestic concerns, will be off the table.

This marks a shift from February when the Taliban refused to attend a similar meeting. While the UN desires a broader agenda including human rights, women's rights, and political inclusiveness, the Taliban remain wary of outside influence.

They reject the participation of other Afghan groups, including women, insisting on being the sole representative of Afghanistan at international meetings to prevent foreign interference.

UN Under Secretary General Rosemary DiCarlo is expected to chair the two-day meeting. DiCarlo also plans to meet separately with Afghan activists on Tuesday.

According to UN officials, her focus during all Doha discussions will be on raising the concerns of women and girls, human rights in general and the importance of political inclusion within Afghanistan.

The UN's ultimate goal is a peaceful, stable Afghanistan integrated into the international community and fulfilling its human rights commitments, particularly those of women and girls, DiCarlo said ahead of the meeting.
Good morning! 

Welcome to the governors race edition of our Under the Dome politics newsletter with news from correspondent Stephanie Loder and reporter Korie Dean.

Campaigns for North Carolina gubernatorial candidates Josh Stein and Mark Robinson released new televised ads last week.

And Stein, the Democratic attorney general, received President Joe Bidens support at a campaign rally Friday, following Bidens Thursday night debate.

Stein launched a new television ad June 25 targeting Robinsons plan to ban abortion for any reason. Its Steins second ad, and it debuted the day after the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision on abortion.

Two days later, Robinson, the Republican lieutenant governor, posted on social media: Dont miss our first TV ad of the campaign!

Each candidate offers contrasting approaches to their ads, though they may have looked familiar to some.

Steins ads attack Robinson and his position on abortion by using his own words, a tactic he used in an ad earlier this month. Robinson is anti-abortion, while Stein advocates for reproductive rights.

In Steins new ad, news clips show Robinson saying he wants no compromise on abortion. Robinson says abortion is about killing a child and not protecting the life of a mother who wasnt responsible enough to keep her skirt down. An ominous voice at the end says Mark Robinson must never be governor.

In Robinsons new ad, the candidate takes a trip back to the family home and focuses on growing up in Greensboro  with no phone, no air conditioner and no car.

Wearing a zip-up jacket and a blue collared shirt, he walks along the street in front of the house where he was raised. He leans against the fence around his old house while sharing how he grew up poor, always worried about what might come next. He explains how he was the 9th of 10 children raised by a widowed mother who went to work rather than collect assistance.

My mom stepped up and showed us that if you work hard, anything is possible, Robinson says.

The new ad draws from footage that was used in his April 2023 campaign launch video. There are pictures of his siblings and his mother, and he explains how he lost two jobs to NAFTA and declared bankruptcy.

Many of us struggle harder than we should, living paycheck to paycheck, he said. As governor, I will never forget where I came from, and that drives me to serve all of our families.

Stein at Biden Rally

Stein had a high profile moment Friday when he took the stage in Raleigh to warm up the crowd before Bidens campaign event. It was the second time Stein has publicly appeared at a Biden event this election cycle, an indication of how strongly Democrats were trying to rally around the president Friday.

During Bidens remarks, the president thanked Gov. Roy Cooper for his service. Biden said Cooper had been a great governor, which makes it all the more important for North Carolina to elect a great governor to succeed him: Stein.

The appearance came after Thursday nights debate left some political pundits saying Biden needs to end his campaign.

Among other policy areas, Stein told the crowd he wants North Carolina to be a place where our teachers are well-paid  which garnered cheers and chants of Josh! Josh! Josh! from the crowd.

As governor, Stein said he would veto any further restrictions on reproductive freedom. He also vowed to defend peoples right to vote.

These freedoms and so much more is on the line this November, Stein said. And the choice could not be clearer.

When Stein mentioned Robinson, the crowd loudly booed.

His vision is one of division and hate, Stein said, referencing Robinsons history of divisive rhetoric against teachers and the LGBTQ+ community, among other groups.

Friends, we must deny him the governorship, Stein said.

Stein also called on voters to break the Republican supermajority in the General Assembly, gain seats on the Council of State and keep Biden in the White House.

After Steins appearance, Robinson posted a video clip from the rally on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote, Its a great day to be with President Joe Biden. After last nights debate, how can he still support a man who is so clearly unfit to be commander-in-chief?

Thats all for today. Under the Dome will be taking a bit of a break for the summer and will be published on Sundays.

You can sign up to receive the Under the Dome newsletter at newsobserver.com/newsletters. Want your friends to get our email, too? Forward them this newsletter so they can sign up.

We want to know what you would like to see in the Under the Dome newsletter . Do you like highlights from the legislature? Political analysis? Do you have a question youd like The News & Observer team to answer? Tell us here. You can also email us at dome@newsobserver.com

Dont forget to follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and listen to our Under the Dome podcast for more developments.
RED BANK, New Jersey  Instead of taking a post-debate victory lap, President Joe Biden spent Saturday personally reassuring high-powered donors that he was up to the task of running for reelection and beating Donald Trump after flopping on the stage Thursday night.

At a pair of fundraisers, the president acknowledged his poor debate performance and addressed the New York Times editorial board calling on him to drop out of the race. But he argued that voters had a different reaction to the debate, a point his campaign has asserted in the days since the presidents meltdown.

I understand the concern after the debate, Biden said at a Saturday evening reception at the home of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and first lady Tammy Murphy. I get it. I didnt have a great night, but Im going to be fighting harder.

In the days since Bidens disastrous debate performance, his campaign has tried to ease nerves among skittish donors who are worried about the viability of the presidents candidacy and have even been willing to entertain the idea of replacing Biden at the top of the ticket.

I dont see how he continues. Its stunning, a prominent Democratic donor told POLITICO after the debate.



This weekend was a pivotal one for Bidens campaign, even before his debate performance. The presidents once-yawning cash advantage over Trump evaporated this spring, and the campaign is working to calm big donors jitters ahead of the end of the second fundraising quarter on Sunday. The president and first lady attended a political fundraiser on Friday evening in New York City, and on Saturday they visited the Hamptons home of Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner and mega-donor Avram Glazer and his wife, Jill, for a private meeting on Eastern Long Island.

As they pulled into the East Hampton home of hedge fund manager Barry Rosenstein and his wife, Lizanne Rosenstein, for a Saturday afternoon fundraiser, a cluster of people stood along the motorcade route holding signs that read: Please drop out for U.S., Thank you next, Step down for democracy and We love you but its time.

We converted more undecided voters than Trump did, especially on Jan. 6, whos fighting for the working class, the middle class. And by the way, The Times had their editorial, and guess what? They also point out he lied 28 times in a matter of 90 minutes. Its pretty good. The big takeaway were his lies. People remembered how bad things were during his presidency, how much they disliked him, Biden told a star-studded crowd seated under a tent on the Rosensteins perfectly manicured lawn.

I promise you were gonna win this election, Biden said at the end of his remarks.

The East Hampton fundraiser was co-hosted by the Rosensteins, actors Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan (who did not attend), Broadway producer Stacey Mindich and her husband, Eric Mindich, as well as Nicole and Michael Fox. Former Trump White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci and John Avlon, who recently won his Democratic primary for Congress in the district, were also spotted.

Lizanne Rosenstein took the microphone first, telling the crowd that its more meaningful to compare presidencies than debate nights. First lady Jill Biden followed: Joe isnt just the right person for the job. Hes the only person for the job.

As a few dozen donors sipped drinks on the Murphys patio overlooking the Navesink River, the governor introduced Biden to the stage as Americas comeback kid and said he was on fire after his North Carolina rally on Friday. We are all with you 1,000 percent, he said to Biden.



Campaign Chair Jen OMalley Dillon, campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez and deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks met privately Friday morning with top donors and bundlers at The Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta to convince them the debate was not a campaign killer. The trio made clear that Biden would stay in the race.

Trump has outraised Biden in back-to-back months, erasing the massive cash advantage that Democrats had at the start of the year and worrying some in the party. But the Biden campaign has publicly downplayed any concerns that the money could dry up.

In the meeting with donors the morning after the debate, OMalley Dillon touted their grassroots fundraising numbers. The campaign on Saturday also announced it had raised more than $27 million on Thursday and Friday.

OMalley Dillon sent a new campaign memo Saturday afternoon, reinforcing the presidents message. She argued that once again pundits and the media are doubting Biden, while pointing to very early polling data that shows the debate had little effect on how voters viewed the race.

If we do see changes in polling in the coming weeks, it will not be the first time that overblown media narratives have driven temporary dips in the polls, the memo said, followed by several media clips highlighting Barack Obamas 2012 rocky debate performance.
The Uniontown community came together Saturday to celebrate the anniversary of the citys founding.

A classic car show, horse-drawn carriage tours and games drew families to Marshall Park for the citys first-ever Founding Day celebration.

Theres plenty of history in Uniontown city itself and in Fayette County. Theres a lot of beauty in the mountains. I enjoy living here, and Im proud of the city, Bernie Quarrick said.

Uniontown shares a birthday with the United States. It was founded on July 4, 1776.

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Students walk between buildings during a class change at Montana State University in Bozeman. (MSU photo by Colter Peterson/Provided by MSU)

With college costs rising and some students and families questioning the return on investment of a four-year degree, a few pioneering state universities are exploring programs that would grant certain bachelors degrees in three years.

The programs, which also are being tried at some private schools, would require 90 credits instead of the traditional 120 for a bachelors degree, and wouldnt require summer classes or studying over breaks. In some cases, the degrees would be designed to fit industry needs.

Indiana recently enacted legislation calling for all state universities there to offer by next year at least one bachelors degree program that could be completed in three years, and to look into whether more could be implemented. The Utah System of Higher Education has tasked state universities with developing three-year programs under a new Bachelor of Applied Studies degree, which would still need approval by accreditation boards.

More than a dozen public and private universities are participating in a pilot collaboration called the College-in-3 Exchange, to begin considering how they could offer three-year programs. The public universities include the College of New Jersey, Portland State University, Southern Utah University, the Universities of Minnesota at Rochester and at Morris, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Utah Tech University.

Proponents of the three-year degree programs say they save students money and set them on a faster track to their working life. But detractors, including some faculty, say they shortchange students, particularly if they later change their minds on what career path they want to follow.

We think if we are partnering with industry and they help us develop it, I dont think it cheapens the degree. I think it creates a very specific degree.

 Geoff Landward, commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education

The Utah Board of Higher Education in March approved the new three-year degree category. Various areas of study would be tied to specific industry needs, with fewer electives required. These degrees are broader than two-year associate degrees, but narrower than a full four-year bachelors.

We told the institutions to start working on them now and developing the curriculum, Geoff Landward, commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education, said in an interview. Also, we want them to find industry partners that would be willing to hire people with bachelors degrees of this type.

He added: We created a sandbox for our institutions to play in.

Once created, individual programs would need both national accreditation and state Board of Higher Education approval.

Landward said he has taken note of criticism that the three-year programs might cheapen the bachelors degree by shortchanging students who wouldnt receive a broad college education. But he said students could save on tuition, get a head start in the workforce and meet the needs of industries that are looking for certain skilled workers to address shortages in the state.

That includes nursing, he said, where requiring a four-year degree means taking lots of electives that have nothing to do with the career.

Utah State Universitys current four-year nursing program, for example, suggests several electives along with the required anatomy, math and biology courses as prerequisites during freshman and sophomore years.

We think if we are partnering with industry and they help us develop it, I dont think it cheapens the degree, Landward said. I think it creates a very specific degree.

Robert Zemsky, a University of Pennsylvania professor and founding director of the universitys Institute for Research on Higher Education, began proselytizing for the three-year college movement about a dozen years ago.

He said the idea has gotten traction recently because we are wading in the deep waters of righteous anger at colleges and universities because of the perception that four-year degrees are not worth their high costs.

A Pew Research Center survey released last week found only 1 in 4 American adults said it is extremely or very important to have a four-year college degree as a means to getting a good-paying job. Only 22% of the respondents said the cost is worth getting a four-year degree even if the student or their family has to take out loans.

Zemsky suggested that a shorter time span also would lead to higher college completion rates. More than a third of students who began seeking a bachelors degree in fall 2014 at a four-year school failed to complete their education at the same institution in six years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Zemsky said 27 colleges and universities have embarked on creating three-year pilot programs and predicted 100 would be doing so in another year.

Over the past 10 years, Zemsky said, schools have been ignoring the desires of students and instead creating their curricula around the preferences of faculty  which is where most of the opposition is coming from.

Last year, at a conference of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, a bargaining unit for professors, President Kenneth Mash said the overwhelming number of college faculty nationwide have a visceral disdain for the idea.

In an interview with Stateline, he said three-year programs would hurt students too, creating a two-tiered system under which wealthy students would get a full four-year education and lower-income students a cheapened three-year degree.

If its not going to be a four-year degree, they should name it something that indicates its not a B.A., said Mash, who also is a political science professor at East Stroudsburg University. We dont know that employers will treat them the same.

Im on board, as most faculty are, with the notion that people want to increase their job opportunities. But thats not all there is to a college degree, he said. Degrees prepare you to be a better citizen, a better parent, and on and on.

And he said a broad education is what makes it possible for students to change jobs and careers many times during their working lives. Its really that baking in liberal arts  that makes it possible for people to do different things in their lifetimes.

Indiana enacted a law in March that requires each public institution that offers bachelors degrees to review all the four-year degrees with an eye toward making some of them three years. And the law requires that by July 1, 2025, each state university offer at least one bachelors degree that can be completed in three years. Indiana state Sen. Jean Leising, a Republican who sponsored the measure, pointed out that every extra year of college costs the students, their parents and the state. But she noted that not all degrees lend themselves to compressed curricula. If youve got a kid in pharmacy [studies], they are not going to be able to get through it in three years. Engineers arent going to be able to do it in three years. But some of the other kids will. Chris Lowery, Indianas commissioner for higher education, said the law will encourage schools to think about how to create 90-credit-hour bachelors degrees: How feasible is this, would you still have the quality, would you still have the agency? Three-year degrees allow for choice, he added. His daughter, for example, had enough AP credits after high school to make a college degree feasible in three years, but opted to go to school for four, because she wanted to have enough time to study so that she could get straight As as well as to have time for extracurricular activities. But for a lot of students, the finances are tighter, he acknowledged. [subhed] Credentialing requirements

At both public and private universities, the new three-year degree programs that require fewer credits would need national accreditation.

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, a regional credentialing agency, accredited several three-year bachelors degrees at two private schools, Brigham Young University-Idaho and Ensign College, last year. The degrees are in applied business management, family and human services, software development, applied health and professional studies.

Sonny Ramaswamy, the commissions president, said in an interview that the three-year programs underwent two years of evaluation before being awarded accreditation.

He said the evaluation showed that competency in many professions could be attained in three years instead of four, and that graduate schools were willing to accept three-year bachelors as a credential for the pursuit of higher degrees. He noted that European college degrees often are completed in three years.

We said, We will approve you, but this is a pilot, Ramaswamy said. The schools will provide data to show their students have earned a good education, he added.

My intuition is that it will head in the right direction, he said. The public is calling for innovation.

Michael Poliakoff, president of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, a nonprofit organization that says its mission is promoting academic freedom, excellence and accountability at colleges and universities, said fluff courses strengthen the case against a 120-credit hour bachelors degree.

Let people get a good foundation with a strong general education core, strong skills and some electives, Poliakoff said in an interview. Thats what a responsible university should be doing.

The council does an annual survey of higher education institutions and grades them A through F on what the group calls core curricula  the proportion of courses dedicated to mathematics, literature, composition, economics, laboratory science, American history and government, and foreign languages.

Poliakoff said the amount of debt students are accumulating over four years is sinful and unnecessary. Colleges and universities must meet the concerns of students and their families, he said.

A 90-credit baccalaureate degree is a pretty good way to tighten up the bolts, he said.

This story was originally published as part of Stateline a division 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 Universities try 3-year degrees to save students time, money appeared first on Daily Montanan.
Upstate NY teen fatally shot by police after allegedly flashing pellet gun: Oh my god!

Nyah Mway, 13, was shot and killed by Utica Police on Friday night.

An upstate New York city is outraged after a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed in a struggle with cops after allegedly flashing a pellet gun, according to police.

Nyah Mway was fatally shot by a Utica police officer around 10:20 p.m. on Friday night after police stopped him and another minor while they were walking down the street, police said.

Video circulating on social media shows three officers chasing the boy down a dark street and one tackling him to the ground. The two other cops join in the fray as bystanders yell at the officers.

Nyah Mway was shot and killed by Utica Police on Friday night. Nyah Mway family

A woman can be heard yelling Careful, careful, yo, careful. Youre on camera.

Suddenly, a gunshot rings out.

Oh my God! Yo! He just shot him! one shocked witness exclaims.

Community members expressed anger and demanded justice at Saturdays emotional press conference, with people at times shouting over local officials.

The press conference was originally intended to be for media members only, but when officials saw the large crowd that had gathered outside city hall  including 50 of Mways family members  they decided to let the public attend, according to Syracuse.com

The mother of the 13-year-old boy who was shot and killed by Utica Police cries after listening to a translator inside City Hall in Utica. via REUTERS

One person was seen holding a sign that said Our parents did not flee war for their kids to be shot by police, Syracuse.com reported.

Mways heartbroken mother was present and broke down and screamed as officials remarks were translated into her native Burmese, according to the outlet.

Theres a lot of emotions in this room, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said at one point.

But youre asking us to be transparent, and when you shout over us, it makes it very difficult to do so.

Mway, who is Asian, displayed what appeared to be a handgun as he was running from police, Williams said Saturday.

Utica Police Chief Mark Williams and Mayor of Utica Michael Galime spoke to the public at a press conference on Saturday. Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The officers tackled the teen to the ground and fired one shot during a ground struggle the chief said.

The boy was shot in the chest and died from his wounds at Wynn Hospital in Utica, cops said.

A replica Glock pellet gun with a detachable magazine was recovered, according to police.

Utica Mayor Michael Galime said that while the police stop was routine, it became tragic in mere moments.

I cannot express, in words, that this point cannot change what has forever changed as of yesterday evening, Galime said.

A large crowd, many of them Mways family members, lined up outside Utica City Hall on Saturday morning. Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Our condolences to the families, the community and all of Utica and the surrounding areas for what is going on during this event.

After the news conference, Galime approached the boys mother and explained that body camera footage will be released.

As they spoke, a man yelled in the background that the officers needed to be charged with first-degree murder, according to Syracuse.com.

Another person in the crowd yelled about the community members having run from the persecution from the Burmese army.

Utica has a large Burmese population, according to the outlet.

Police said the teenager flashed a pellet gun as they chased him. AP

The Attorney Generals office will be investigating the shooting, the mayor said.

It will also be internally investigated by the Utica Police Department.

This is a tragic and traumatic incident for all involved, Chief Williams said.

The three officers involved have been placed on paid leave.

Their names will be released in a short period of time, he said.

Police confirmed that they are aware of the video of the shooting online but said in a statement it does not portray the incident in its entirety.
Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou attends a meeting during the 63rd Summit of Heads of State of MERCOSUR and Associated States

By Lucinda Elliott

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) -Uruguayans on Sunday chose the presidential contenders who will contest October elections, as opinion polls show the left-wing opposition edging ahead with voters concerned about public safety and rising inequality.

Early primary election results showed Yamandu Orsi, mayor of Uruguay's second-largest region, had won the main left-wing opposition's primary election, topping challenger Carolina Cosse, mayor of the capital Montevideo.

The main force within the incumbent center-right coalition government will be represented by Alvaro Delgado, Sunday's results showed.

Whoever wins in general elections scheduled for Oct. 27, or more likely in a November runoff, will need to bring down high homicide rates, improve the social safety net, balance trade with major partner China and keep on track an economy that is expected to grow nearly 4% this year.

Polls show Uruguayans cooling on the center-right coalition of President Luis Lacalle Pou, despite its successful steering of the farming economy of 3.4 million people through the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic setbacks following the war in Ukraine.

Lacalle Pou, 50, has struggled to back up a pledge to tackle drug crime which is hurting Uruguay's reputation as a beacon of stability in turbulent South America. A perceived weakness of the welfare state and rising corruption has also hurt his party.

That has seen the center-left Broad Front coalition, which ruled from 2004 to 2019, edge ahead of the main center-right parties, latest opinion polls showed.

"Today we have the formula (to win)," Orsi said during his victory speech with his rival Cosse by his side, indicating that she would be his running mate as the campaign got underway.

Uruguayan pollster Cifra predicted the Broad Front getting 47% support in May, some 15 points ahead of Lacalle Pou's National Party, the main force within the ruling coalition. The wider conservative bloc combined, though, would get around 43%.

Around 10% remain undecided suggesting that October's presidential election will be tight. Voter turnout on Sunday reached a historic low of 36%, and although primary elections are not mandatory, analysts warned public discontent was likely to remain high.

Lacalle Pou remains popular but his cabinet has been rocked by accusations of political espionage and corruption. He himself cannot run for immediate re-election.

Lacalle Pou narrowly won election in 2019 by forging a "multicolor coalition" including the centrist Colorado Party which his handpicked successor, Alvaro Delgado, who won the primary race on Sunday, plans to replicate.

Delgado has pitched himself as the continuity candidate, having served as cabinet chief to the president and had been widely expected to secure the National Party nomination.

Several presidential hopefuls for the smaller Colorado Party had said they would unite behind the National Party nominee to prevent the left from returning to power, including Andres Ojeda who secured the party nomination on Sunday.

Orsi's experience and public endorsement from former president Jose Mujica, an icon of the Latin American left, meant he was better placed to win the presidential nomination, analysts said.

"Uruguay today is an insecure and unequal country," Orsi told Reuters ahead of the primary vote, pledging "a modern left" that will reverse damaging rates of "poverty and destitution".

If no presidential candidate receives over 50% of the vote on Oct.27, a second round will be held on Nov. 19.

(Reporting by Lucinda Elliott; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Stephen Coates)
A scientist looks at hypometabolic and hypoperfusion patterns at the single-subject level from a patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease at the Memory Centre at the Department of Readaptation and Geriatrics of the University Hospital (HUG) in Geneva

By Luc Cohen and Marisa Taylor

(Reuters) -A U.S. medical professor has been charged with fraud for allegedly submitting false data to get millions of dollars in public funds for research into a drug to treat Alzheimers disease.

Federal prosecutors said on Friday that Hoau-Yan Wang, 67, fabricated data included in grant applications to the National Institutes of Health on behalf of himself and a publicly-listed Austin, Texas-based pharmaceutical company for which he was a consultant.

The NIH awarded Wang, a professor at the City University of New Yorks (CUNY) medical school, around $16 million between 2017 and 2021, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors did not name the company, but it fits the description of Cassava Sciences, which lists Wang as a consultant. Cassava was not accused of wrongdoing.

In 2021, two physicians unaffiliated with Cassava alleged the research underpinning its Alzheimer's drug, called simufilam, was based on manipulated and misrepresented data.

Wang did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for CUNY said the university "has and will continue to cooperate to the fullest degree" with the investigation. A NIH spokesperson said the institute takes research misconduct very seriously.

Cassava said in a statement that Wang worked on the drug's "early development" but "had no involvement in the company's phase 3 trials of simufilam."

A phase 3 trial refers to a late-stage, large-scale test. The company said on May 10 that over 735 patients had participated in simufilam's phase 3 trial.

A lawyer for Cassava told Reuters in 2022 that allegations about simufilam's research were "false and misleading," and that the company had complied with requests for information from government agencies.

Cassava's website describes Wang as the co-lead scientist on discovery and development of simufilam. Slides of conference presentations available on Cassava's website refer to Wang as a consultant to the company..

Cassava shares surged from $7 in January 2021 to above $135 in July 2021 on investor hopes the company was on the verge of a breakthrough in treating Alzheimer's, a common form of dementia.

The stock plunged after its research results were questioned. Shares were down more than 40% at $11 on Friday afternoon.

Wang could face decades in prison if convicted on all four counts of fraud and false statements he faces, though any sentence would ultimately be determined by a judge. A federal grand jury sitting in Greenbelt, Maryland, indicted him on Thursday, court records showed.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York and Marisa Taylor in Washington; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
U.S. Supreme Court justices pose for their group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington

By Andrew Chung

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority trained its legal firepower this term on curbing federal regulatory authority, cementing its critical role in a longstanding effort by business interests and others to defang the "administrative state."

The court's sweeping rulings have limited the federal government's power to regulate everything from stock trading to pollution, even as the justices opted not to further curtail abortion rights or expand gun rights under the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election.

The court's nine-month term comes to an end on Monday. It issued a major ruling on Friday, with its six conservative justices in the majority and three liberals in dissent, that overturned a 1984 precedent that established an important principle in administrative law known as "Chevron deference." The doctrine had called on courts to give deference to government agency interpretations of federal law.

The outcome - eagerly sought by business and conservative groups - will make it easier for judges to second-guess actions by U.S. agencies, empowering legal challenges to regulations in the federal sphere such as air and water quality, food and drug safety, employment standards and investor protection.

On Thursday, the conservative majority ruled that enforcement actions seeking penalties for fraud that are handled in-house by the Securities and Exchange Commission instead of in federal courts violate the Constitution's Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial. The ruling could reverberate through other agencies, frustrating their enforcement of regulations as well.

"I would say that this area of the law is the clearest one today where there is a 6-3 divide among the justices of the court," said attorney Misha Tseytlin, who has argued cases at the court.

Friday's Chevron deference ruling "is the most significant administrative law decision in decades from the U.S. Supreme Court," Tseytlin added. "That decision will fundamentally change not only litigation over agency rules, but also the manner in which agencies approach their rulemaking processes."

The court has pared back agency power in other cases in recent years, including curbing the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce carbon emissions from power plants in 2022. In that one, the court embraced the so-called "major questions" doctrine favored by conservatives, giving judges broad discretion to invalidate executive branch actions unless Congress clearly authorized them.

The conservative majority has "continued to make limiting the power of administrative agencies one of its highest priorities," said Nicole Saharsky, also a Supreme Court litigator.

"From the major questions doctrine, to limits on agencies' power to adjudicate, to the elimination of Chevron deference, the court has made it much easier for regulated parties to challenge agency actions," Saharsky added.

Legal scholars debated how far the rulings undermined the power of regulatory agencies.

Abner Greene, a Fordham University School of Law expert in regulatory law, said the court has taken "another step toward dismantling the federal regulatory state" by limiting the ability of Congress to use agencies to "develop federal policy over time and in response to complex circumstances."

George Mason University law professor Ilya Somin, however, said that while it is clear the justices have "suspicion of regulatory bureaucracies" they are "very far from destroying the administrative state or even ending all judicial deference to it."

The court upheld in May the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding mechanism in a challenge brought by the payday loan industry that represented an existential threat to the agency. The justices are expected on Monday to decide one more case involving a North Dakota convenience store's challenge to debit card "swipe fee" regulation issued by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

GUNS AND ABORTION

Two major cases on their docket gave the court's conservatives the chance to further curtail access to abortion. The justices declined to do so - but also did not resolve the underlying legal questions, leaving the door open for those issues to return to the Supreme Court in the future.

One case involved a bid by anti-abortion groups and doctors to restrict access to the abortion pill. The justices decided that these particular challengers lacked the necessary legal standing to pursue the case. The court also declined to decide another matter involving the enforcement of Idaho's strict abortion ban in medical emergencies, instead dismissing the case.

The court's conservative majority in 2022 overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade landmark that had recognized a constitutional right to abortion and legalized the procedure nationwide.

The justices also this term declined to further expand gun rights under the Constitution's Second Amendment right to "keep and bear arms" in a case involving a challenge to a federal law that bans domestic abusers from having guns.

The ruling suggested limits to the new test the court had announced in a 2022 ruling that made it easier to challenge gun control measures, requiring them to be consistent with the nation's "historical tradition of firearm regulation."

Somin said the term's abortion cases show that for many of the conservative justices "it's clear it's not necessarily their view that they want to restrict abortion at all costs."

He also noted that in the domestic abuse gun case, the challenger was not a sympathetic figure. "The conservative justices were reluctant to say the right goes as far as to even cover this case, but that doesn't tell us much about what they would do in less extreme cases," Somin said.

In another gun-related case that did not involve the Second Amendment, the court declared unlawful a federal regulation banning "bump stock" devices that enable semiautomatic weapons to fire rapidly like machine guns, suggesting instead that Congress step in.

The court already has another firearms-related case set for review during its next term, which begins in October, involving a challenge to a federal regulation targeting homemade "ghost guns." It could take up, as early as Monday, other Second Amendment challenges to bans on gun possession by non-violent felons and users of illegal drugs, and on assault-type rifles.

In another major case set for next term, the justices are set to decide the legality of Republican-backed state bans on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors in a case involving a state law in Tennessee.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
By John Kruzel and Andrew Goudsward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's bid for criminal immunity from prosecution for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss is set to be decided on Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court. But however it rules, the court already has helped the former president in his effort to avoid trial before the Nov. 5 election.

The ruling from the court, whose 6-3 conservative majority includes three justices appointed by Trump, will be released 20 weeks after he sought relief from the justices. The timeline of the ruling likely does not leave enough time for Special Counsel Jack Smith to try Trump on the federal four-count indictment obtained last August and for a jury to reach a verdict before voters head to the polls.

"The amount of delay that has resulted has made it almost impossible to get the case to trial before the election," said George Washington University law professor Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor. "The court should have treated it with much more urgency than it did."

Trump is the Republican candidate challenging Democratic President Joe Biden in a 2020 election rematch. He is the first former U.S. president to be criminally prosecuted, and already has been convicted in a case in New York state court involving hush money paid to a porn star before the 2016 election. If he regains the presidency, Trump could try to force an end to the special counsel's case or potentially pardon himself for any federal crimes.

The Supreme Court already has handed Trump important victories.

On Friday, it raised the legal bar for prosecutors pursuing obstruction charges in the federal election subversion case against Trump and defendants involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. In March, the court threw out a judicial decision that had disqualified Trump from the presidential primary ballot in Colorado.

The speed with which the court dispatched the Colorado case  quickly agreeing to decide it and ruling in Trump's favor within a month of hearing arguments  contrasted with a sluggish pace in resolving Trump's immunity bid that has been to his benefit.

Trump's trial had been scheduled to start on March 4 before the delays over the immunity issue. Now no trial date is currently set. Trump has pleaded not guilty and called the case politically motivated.

"I don't think that there is any way the case goes to trial before the election," said Georgetown University law professor Erica Hashimoto. "Even if the Supreme Court were to affirm the lower courts and say that Trump does not have immunity, the trial court still has to decide a bunch of other legal issues."

A SLIPPING TIMELINE

Smith, seeking to avoid trial delays, had asked the justices in December to perform a fast-track review after Trump's immunity claim was rejected by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. Trump opposed the bid. Rather than resolve the matter promptly, the justices denied Smith's request and let the case proceed in a lower court, which upheld Chutkan's ruling against Trump on Feb. 6.

After Trump sought Supreme Court relief on Feb. 12, more than 10 weeks elapsed before the justices would heard the case on April 25, their final day of arguments. And now the ruling will be issued on the final day of the term, nearly nine months after Trump first made a motion to dismiss the charges based on his claim of immunity.

If the Supreme Court rules that former presidents have some degree of criminal immunity - an approach some of the justices appeared to favor during arguments - it could delay the case further. Under one such scenario, the justices could order Chutkan to preside over a potentially time-consuming legal battle about whether certain allegations against Trump must be stricken before the case could advance to trial.

The trial judge also likely will have to decide what, if any, impact the Supreme Court's decision to heighten the legal standard for prosecutors pursuing obstruction charges against a Jan. 6 defendant will have on Trump, who faces two charges under the same obstruction law.

Chutkan has previously indicated she would give Trump at least three months to prepare for a trial once the case returns to her courtroom. That timeline leaves only a narrow path for a trial to start in October, in the final weeks before the election. A trial so close to Election Day would almost certainly draw claims of election interference from Trump and his legal team.

"The court's delay in deciding the immunity case has already given Donald Trump a huge win - the delay he sought to push his trial on election interference - and any verdict in the trial -until after the election," University of Michigan law professor Leah Litman said.

(Reporting by John Kruzel and Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Will Dunham and Scott Malone)
US wants Boeing to plead guilty to fraud over fatal crashes, lawyers say

FILE - An airplane flies over a sign on Boeing's newly expanded 737 delivery center, Oct. 19, 2015, at Boeing Field in Seattle. The U.S. Justice Department plans to propose that Boeing plead guilty to fraud in connection with two deadly plane crashes involving its 737 Max jetliners, according to two people who heard federal prosecutors detail the offer Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

The U.S. Justice Department is pushing Boeing to plead guilty to criminal fraud in connection with two deadly plane crashes involving its 737 Max jetliners, according to several people who heard federal prosecutors detail a proposed offer Sunday.

Boeing will have until the end of the coming week to accept or reject the offer, which includes the giant aerospace company agreeing to an independent monitor who would oversee its compliance with anti-fraud laws, they said.

The case stems from the department's determination that Boeing violated an agreement that was intended to resolve a 2021 charge of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government. Prosecutors alleged at the time that Boeing misled regulators who approved the 737 Max and set pilot-training requirements to fly the plane. The company blamed two relatively low-level employees for the fraud.

The Justice Department told relatives of some of the 346 people who died in the 2018 and 2019 crashes about the plea offer during a video meeting. The family members, who want Boeing to face a criminal trial and to pay a $24.8 billion fine, reacted angrily. One said prosecutors were gaslighting the families; another shouted at them for several minutes when given a chance to speak.

We are upset. They should just prosecute, said Massachusetts resident Nadia Milleron, whose 24-year-old daughter, Samya Stumo, died in the second of two 737 Max crashes. This is just a reworking of letting Boeing off the hook."

Prosecutors told the families that if Boeing rejects the plea offer, the Justice Department would seek a trial in the matter, meeting participants said. Justice Department officials presented the offer to Boeing during a meeting later Sunday, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Boeing and the Justice Department declined to comment.

The plea deal would take away the ability of U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor to increase Boeings sentence for a conviction, and some of the families plan to ask the Texas judge to reject the deal if Boeing agrees to it.

The underlying outrageous piece of this deal is that it doesn't acknowledge that Boeing's crime killed 346 people, said Paul Cassell, one of the lawyers for victims' families. Boeing is not going to be held accountable for that, and they are not going to admit that that happened.

Sanjiv Singh, a lawyer for 16 families who lost relatives in the October 2018 Lion Air crash off Indonesia, called the plea offer extremely disappointing. The terms, he said, "read to me like a sweetheart deal.

Another lawyer representing families who are suing Boeing, Mark Lindquist, said he asked the head of the Justice Department's fraud section, Glenn Leon, whether the department would add additional charges if Boeing turns down the plea deal. He wouldn't commit one way or another, Lindquist said.

The meeting with crash victims' families came weeks after prosecutors told O'Connor that the American aerospace giant breached the January 2021 deal that had protected Boeing from criminal prosecution in connection with the crashes. The second one took place inEthiopia less than five months after the one in Indonesia.

A conviction could jeopardize Boeings status as a federal contractor, according to some legal experts. The company has large contracts with the Pentagon and NASA.

However, federal agencies can give waivers to companies that are convicted of felonies to keep them eligible for government contracts. Lawyers for the crash victims families expect that would be done for Boeing.

Boeing paid a $244 million fine as part of the 2021 settlement of the original fraud charge. The Justice Department is likely to seek another, similar penalty as part of the new plea offer, said a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing to discuss an ongoing case.

The deal would include a monitor to oversee Boeing  but the company would put forward three nominees and have the Justice Department pick one, or ask Boeing for additional names. That provision was particularly hated by the family members on the call, participants said.

The Justice Department also gave no indication of moving to prosecute any current or former Boeing executives, another long-sought demand of the families.

Lindquist, a former prosecutor, said officials made clear during an earlier meeting that individuals  even CEOs  can be more sympathetic defendants than corporations. The officials pointed to the 2022 acquittal on fraud charges of Boeings chief technical pilot for the Max as an example.

It is unclear what impact a plea deal might have on other investigations into Boeing, including those following the blowout of a panel called a door plug from the side of a Boeing Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.
US wants Boeing to plead guilty to fraud over fatal crashes, lawyers say

The U.S. Justice Department plans to propose that Boeing plead guilty to fraud in connection with two deadly plane crashes involving its 737 Max jetliners, according to two people who heard federal prosecutors detail the offer Sunday.

Boeing will have until the end of the coming week to accept or reject the offer, which includes the giant aerospace company agreeing to an independent monitor who would oversee its compliance with anti-fraud laws, they said.

The Justice Department told relatives of some of the 346 people who died in the 2018 and 2019 crashes about the plea offer during a video meeting, according to Mark Lindquist, one of the lawyers representing families who are suing Boeing, and another person who heard the call with prosecutors.

During the meeting, family members expressed anger that prosecutors wanted to offer Boeing a chance to plead guilty to a 3-year-old charge instead of pursuing additional charges and a trial. One said the prosecutors were gaslighting the families; another shouted at them for several minutes when given a chance to speak.

We are upset. They should just prosecute, said Massachusetts resident Nadia Milleron, whose 24-year-old daughter, Samya Stumo, died in the second of two 737 Max crashes. They are saying we can argue to the judge.

Prosecutors told the families that if Boeing rejects the plea offer, the Justice Department would seek a trial in the matter, they said.

Boeing declined to comment.

The meeting came weeks after prosecutors told a federal judge that the American aerospace giant breached a January 2021 deal that had protected Boeing from criminal prosecution in connection with the crashes in Indonesia and in Ethiopia.

A conviction could jeopardize Boeings status as a federal contractor, according to some legal experts. The company has large contracts with the Pentagon and NASA.

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In May the destroyer USS Carney returned home to Mayport, Florida, at the end of a seven-month voyage to the Middle East  a voyage unlike any other. For Commander Jeremy Robertson and his crew, the war between Israel and Hamas turned a routine deployment into a running gun battle against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

It began soon after the ship passed through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea. "We started getting indications that there was possibly some sort of attack coming from the south towards Israel," said Lt. Dennis Morral.

The Houthis had come in on the side of Hamas and were launching a stream of cruise missiles and drones (also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs) toward Israel. "I think it was anywhere from 25 to 35 UAVs and land attack cruise missiles had been launched, and some of them were headed up the Red Sea," said Robertson. "We picked up the very first one-way attack UAV on our system approximately 60 or 70 miles away from us."

Robertson headed for the ship's Combat Information Center: "I came down to Combat sometime around 5:00, 5:30 in the afternoon, and didn't leave until about 2 a.m.," he said.

The Carney tracked and intercepted drones and missiles that came within range  the first American shots fired in defense of Israel. "Whether or not they would have actually made it to Israel is unknown," Robertson said, "but they certainly were a long way from home, and there were certainly a lot of them."

The Carney fired on more than 15 targets.

Martin asked, "Had any U.S. Navy ship ever fought a battle like that?"

"Not since World War II," Robertson replied. "It's been a really long time."

The guided-missile destroyer USS Carney launches Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles in response to increased Iranian-backed Houthi malign behavior in the Red Sea, Feb. 3, 2024. / Credit: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Lau, U.S. Navy

Lt. Cdr. Rebekah Fleming, who is in charge of all the systems that come together in the Combat Information Center, said, "It was intense. As soon as it was time for the real deal, I couldn't say anybody was shocked, because we trained to it, but it was surreal."

The battle lasted nine hours. Then, Robertson said, "It just kind of stopped, and we stood around and kind of looked at each other like, 'Wow, did that really just happen?'"

The Carney doesn't look heavily armed  just a single gun mount visible on its forward deck. But Lt. Kenny Shook, the ship's weapons officer, showed "Sunday Morning" the launch tubes which hold its real firepower. "Once we give the order in combat, the cell hatch is going to open and the missile's going to go out and take out the target," Shook said.

During its time in the Red Sea, the Carney shot down 45 out of 50 slow-flying drones and faster flying missiles (ballistic and cruise) that were targeting commercial ships transiting to and from the Suez Canal.

Robertson said the ballistic missiles worried him the most: "You're looking at something that's coming at you at Mach 5, Mach 6. The watch standers have anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds to engage."

It was the Navy's first-ever real-world test against a supersonic missile. "The computer is spitting out where it's going and the altitude and all that very fast, of course," Robertson said, "but the humans have to push the buttons."

Before any buttons got pushed, the captain had to determine if the computer was tracking a legitimate target in a part of the world crisscrossed by commercial airliners.

Here's what the air space looked like that night:

/ Credit: FlightAware

"Obviously, I'm very concerned about shooting down the wrong thing," Robertson said.

The Carney would break away to refuel and replenish its stores at sea, but had to go into port to pick up more missiles, which are too big to be transferred underway.

It was firing million-dollar missiles at thousand-dollar drones. Robertson says no one encouraged him to use fewer missiles: "Not once. I'm entrusted with this $2 billion asset and 300-plus lives, and so the cost-benefit analysis to me shooting a missile is absolutely in my wheelhouse, and I'll do it all day and twice on Sunday."

The Carney also fired its main gun, but it has a much shorter range, and Robertson was determined to keep the Houthi drones and missiles as far away as possible. "We never had anything come even remotely close," he said, close being inside of five miles.

But the Carney and the other Navy ships patrolling the Red Sea could not protect every commercial ship from Houthi attacks. One vessel sank.

The Defense Intelligence Agency plotted the successful attacks over a four-month period:

/ Credit: CBS News

By the time the Carney headed home, the Red Sea was still not safe  and the destroyer's battles still not over. "We got recalled," Robertson said, "and we were back underway and headed over to the Eastern Mediterranean."

On the night of April 14, Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles against Israel. The voyage of the Carney ended as it began, shooting down an incoming missile. "We fired in defense of Israel," Robertson said.

The last shot Carney fired before heading home, its battle flag flying and its crew forever changed.

At Mayport one young crewmember told reporters, "I left as a different person. And I came back as a stronger person. I think I'll be able to live with that the rest of my life."

The destroyer USS Carney returning home to Mayport, Florida, following its seven-month deployment in the Middle East. / Credit: CBS News



For more info:

USS Carney (DDG-64) (Official site)



Story produced by Mary Walsh. Editor: Mike Levine.

California announces largest land return in state's history

Beryl strengthens into a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic

Gov. Wes Moore says "I will not" seek 2024 Democratic nomination, says Biden isn't dropping out
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) said he thinks former Reps. Liz Cheney (Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), two Republicans who are often critical of former President Trump, arent changing hearts and minds.

I dont know that theyre changing anybodys minds, Cox said on a Friday episode of Politicos Playbook Deep Dive podcast. I dont think theyre changing hearts and minds at all.

The Utah Republican said he thinks Kinzinger and Cheney have lumped everybody who supports Trump into being just like Trump, rather than attempting to understand them.

Kinzinger and Cheney were two of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach the former president following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. They also were members of the House Jan. 6 committee.

Cox said on the Politico podcast that he does not consider himself a MAGA Republican, but he also said he wants Trump to succeed.

I always try to point out that Im not anti-Trump, Cox said. I have serious issues with some of the things hes done, I love some of the other things hes done.

Kinzinger has endorsed President Biden in his reelection bid but said that Democrats need to find the best candidate to defend democracy following a shaky performance from the president in Thursdays presidential debate.

Im not gonna go there, because thats gonna be a messy process, Kinzinger said when asked by CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer if he believes it would be a good idea for Biden to step away from the top of the Democratic ticket.

Democrats have to figure out how to put up the best candidate  and that may be Joe Biden  but how to put up the best candidate to defend democracy, because the risk in November is not a joke, Kinzinger said.

The Hill has reached out to Kinzinger and Cheney.

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 Utica Police Department has released bodycam footage from the night 13-year-old Nyah Mway was shot and killed by police.

The footage  now featured on the departments YouTube channel  is broken up into six separate videos of varying lengths. The shortest video is 2:27 in length, while the longest is 23.30 minutes.

Police also released photos of the pellet gun Nyah allegedly had when he was shot by police.

As always, we are committed to transparency and earning the publics trust in our investigations, the Utica Police Department said in a Saturday statement on the officer involved shooting. As much information as allowable will be released during this process.

The shooting

A still taken from bodycam footage of bodycam footage provided by the Utica Police Department. In the still, an officer is seen handling the pellet gone allegedly carried by Nyah Mway.

According to authorities, officers were conducting a pedestrian stop of two juveniles around 10:18 p.m. on Friday, June 28 in the 900 block of Shaw Street.

One of the juveniles, Nyah, fled from police. Police said Nyah displayed what appeared to be a handgun during the chase.

Police said they recovered a replica GLOCK 17 handgun  which was determined to be a pellet gun.

Nyah was taken to Wynn Hospital, where he died from his injuries.

More: Hundreds attend candlelight vigil for 13-year-old Nyah Mway, shot and killed by police

More: Utica police involved in shooting that killed 13-year-old male. What we know.

Body cam footage

The bodycam footage is from three officers, who appear to be Patrick Husnay, Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citrini, according to the released footage and a check of the Utica Police Departments online roster.

The footage starts as the officers approach Nyah and the other juvenile, who was on a bicycle. Patterson is shown in the footage telling the teens they are being stopped because the one teen was riding the bike in the road, while Nyah was walking nearby.

Nyah  who initially had his hands up in the air  was then seen running away, after officers asked if they could pat him down to see if he had any weapons.

Patterson and Husnay ran after Nyah, with Patterson taking the teen down after a short chase as officers can be heard screaming Hes got a gun.

Husnay had his gun drawn and appeared to shoot Nyah when he was down on the ground, according to his released bodycam footage.

It was one shot, Husnay can be heard saying according to the released footage. It was me.

Husnay joined the Utica Police Department in May 2018, according to documentation on the departments website.

All three officers involved in the incident were placed on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation.

Investigations

New York State Executive Law 70b mandates that the New York State Attorney General Office of Special Investigations as the lead criminal investigatory role, in officer-involved shootings.

The attorney generals office announced it had opened its investigation in a statement on Saturday.

The Utica Police Department is conducting a joint parallel internal investigation with its Professional Standards Unit to determine if policies, procedures, and training were followed.

Additionally, UPD will work closely and openly with the City of Utica Public Safety Advisory Committee.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Utica shooting: Police release bodycam footage of Nyah Mway's shooting
Uvalde shooting indictments: What to know about the charges against two former school police officers and what comes next

More than two years after the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde left 19 children and 2 teachers dead, a grand jury indicted two former Uvalde school police officers in the botched law enforcement response to the 2022 mass shooting.

Former Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo and former school police officer Adrian Gonzales were named in the indictments, which represent the first criminal charges filed in the school shooting.

The victims families, who have been fighting for years in search of answers as to why the shooter was left for 77 minutes  with dead, dying and traumatized victims  before he was stopped, are still shattered, heartbroken and grieving.

We still drown in sadness, theres still a whole lot of anger because these men have walked around for the last two years, one month and four days, walking around like they didnt do anything wrong, Brett Cross, the uncle and guardian of victim Uziyah Garcia, 10, told CNN.

Arredondo and Gonzales were among the 376 law enforcement officers who arrived at the school, and it took them more than an hour to confront and kill the teenage shooter from the time he entered the school through an unlocked door. The response to the attack has been denounced as an abject failure with enough blame to be spread widely.

Families are now struggling with mixed emotions. The indictments provided a small measure of hope in their quest for accountability but with only two officers facing charges, they said it is far from enough.

I think these indictments, taking these officers off of the streets so theyre never in the position to put others in danger again, thats a win for the community, for Texas, Kimberly Mata-Rubio, the mother of victim Lexi Rubio, 10, told CNN. As for the families of victims, nothing will ever change what happened. What we want most we cant have, we want our children and those two teachers back.

Whats next? Here are answers to some of the biggest questions.

Who was indicted? What were the charges?

Former Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo surrendered to the custody of the Texas Rangers in Uvalde Thursday, an official with the Texas Department of Public Safety told CNN.

The former chief was booked on 10 felony charges of child endangerment with known criminal negligence for failing to recognize the incident as an active shooting and for failing to take proper action to intervene, the indictment said. According to the filing, the behaviors placed each of the 10 children listed in imminent danger of bodily injury, death, physical impairment and mental impairment.

Arredondo was hired by the school district in March 2020 and fired in August 2022 for his role in the highly scrutinized law enforcement response on May 24, 2022.

For more than two years, Arredondos actions on the day of the shooting have been under scrutiny from the families of victims and survivors, the Uvalde community and in several investigative reports, including one released this year by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Arredondos lawyer has not responded to CNNs request for comment.

Former school police officer Adrian Gonzales posted bail Friday and was released after being charged with 29 counts of abandoning and endangering a child, the Uvalde County Sheriff said in a news release.

Gonzales, who was hired by the school district in July 2021, left the department in February 2023. No specific reason was given for Gonzales departure, according to the Uvalde News Leader.

Gonzales was booked into the Uvalde County Jail early Friday afternoon, the Uvalde Leader-News reported, citing Uvalde County Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Brandon McCutchen.

Jail records show both Arredondo and Gonzales were released on $10,000 bond.

What do the indictments say about the officers?

The indictment listed Gonzales as one of the responders to the scene, something Mata-Rubio said she did not previously know.

As far as Adrian, it was not a name that was on my radar, and I was unaware of the details of his part on that date, said Mata-Rubio. Twenty-one people could have gone home that day had Adrian Gonzales done his job.

After hearing gun shots and after being advised of the general location of the shooter and having time to respond to the shooter, the said Adrian Gonzales failed to engage, distract or delay the shooter to attempt to engage, distract and delay the shooter, and failed to otherwise act in a way to impede the shooter until after the shooter entered rooms 111 and 112 of Robb Elementary School and shot at a child or children in Rooms 111 and 112, the indictment states, with the allegation repeated for each of the 19 children killed and 10 surviving children.

The indictment also said Gonzales failed to follow his active shooter training in his response.

Mr. Gonzales position is he did not violate school district policy or state law, defense attorney Nico LaHood told CNN Friday. The application of this statute, to law enforcement, under these circumstances is unprecedented in the state of Texas. It will take time to evaluate these allegations and the underlying facts.

The indictment also alleges Arredondo failed to respond as trained to an active shooter incident and delayed the response by law enforcement to stop the gunman who was hunting and shooting children inside the classroom.

Are more indictments expected?

The Uvalde County District Attorneys office is not planning to file any more indictments in the botched response to the shooting, according to family members who have spoken to District Attorney Christina Mitchell.

Mata-Rubio and Cross told CNN they were informed by Mitchell there would be no further indictments coming out of the grand jury.

The district attorneys office did not respond to CNNs multiple requests for comment.

Im glad two people are indicted, Mata-Rubio told CNN Friday. Its not justice until there are convictions. But I am also aware that there were others at fault that day, and its hard to accept that they will not face any consequences.

I would be lying if I didnt say I feel like thats not enough, Cross told CNN. Although to be perfectly honest, it will never be enough, because even if all 376 officers get charged, my sons still not here.

What has been the reaction from local officials and police?

The Uvalde Police Department released a statement on Facebook saying they are aware of the news regarding the two indictments.

Our administration has not been contacted by the District Attorneys Office regarding any of our staff and we dont have any comment at this time regarding the matter, their statement read. We have no other information on the matter outside of what has been reported.

The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District offered its condolences to the families of the victims Friday, saying it had no further information to add. As with the rest of the Uvalde community, we have only just learned about the grand jury decision regarding two indictments being issued, school district spokeswoman Anne Marie Espinoza said in a statement.

How about the reaction from families?

Mata-Rubio, wearing a blue shirt reading Im not a regular mom, Im Lexis mom, said she was glad to hear about the indictments but was frustrated state police, or the Texas Department of Public Safety, were not included in the indictments.

When they go to a scene, they know theyre in charge, they know that they could have taken over. They chose not to and this was the result, Rubio said. Theres the part of me that is Lexis mom as a grieving mother that will never understand any of this. Then theres the logical part of me that realizes that in order to get justice, some sort of justice, this is the route the DA had to go.

State Sen. Roland Gutierrez also told CNN Thursday he believes the Texas Department of Public Safety bears substantial responsibility for the failed law enforcement response and should have been included in the indictments.

Nikki Cross, Brett Cross wife and the guardian of victim Uziyah Garcia, said she is disappointed the acting City of Uvalde Police Chief Mariano Pargas was not included in the indictments.

Unfortunately, cowardness is just not against the law apparently, even if you have a badge, Cross said. I do just hope maybe after these two officers and all testimony is out there, maybe we can come back to charges against him.

CNN has reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety and Pargas for comment.

Both Nikki and Brett Cross are trying to remain optimistic about the outcome of the expected trials but hope officials stay on top of the case and do not let this just fall through because its the state of Texas and they back the blue.

This isnt a matter of Oh, we ride the thin blue line or We need to respect cops because they put lives on the line. They showed us that not all cops put their lives on the line and when they actively chose to put their lives above our children when they signed up to serve and protect, you negate everything at that point, Brett Cross said.

Oscar Orona, father of survivor Noah Orona, now 12, said while he was pleasantly surprised by the indictments, his top priority continues to be the health of his son, who was shot in the massacre.

Today was a big day, dont get me wrong and Im not trying to minimize that, Orona said. But in the end, our foremost goal is our sons well-being now, tomorrow, and years to come because thats gonna be the true battle right there.

Jesse Rizo, the uncle of one of the students killed, Jacklyn Cazares, 9, echoed the other parents in their hopes more law enforcement officials would be facing with criminal charges, he told CNN.

Its the beginning of something, right? Rizo said. But in order to bring closure, you would want all the officers that didnt do their job that day, that failed to respond appropriately, you would want them to be held accountable in an equal way.

Will they be tried separately?

It is not yet clear if Arredondo or Gonzales will be tried separately or together.

Where will the trials be held?

Families who spoke with the district attorney told CNN Mitchell will not push for a change of venue in this case and intends to hold the trial in Uvalde.

Victim Uziyah Garcias guardians, Nikki and Brett Cross, voiced their apprehension and said they have little confidence with the trial being held in Uvalde due to the negative response they have received from some community members.

This is the same community that has driven by when weve been doing sit-outs telling us to die, Brett Cross told CNN. Same community that blames us, that tells us to move on, that tells us that were wrong, this is the same community that shows up for a superintendent who didnt do anything but wont show up when 19 children and two teachers are killed.

Do we know when the trials start?

Right now, theres no date set for Arredondo or Gonzales first court appearances, an official with the Uvalde County District Court clerks office said.

Brett Cross said the district attorney indicated it could be months or even up to a year before the case goes to trial because of the amount of evidence and investigative material to be handed over to the defense.

Now that theyve been indicted, you know, their lawyers will have a chance to go through evidence and everything and we saw that it took this long for the prosecution to go through evidence, Cross said. So Im expecting a lengthy time where the defense goes through it.

What type of punishment do the former police officers face?

Each defendant could face jail time of six months to two years and a fine of up to $10,000 for each count, according to state sentencing guidelines.

Whats next for grieving families?

The world will never be the same for the families and friends of the children and teachers who were murdered. Although nothing can bring them back or fill the holes they left behind, their loved ones said they will not stop fighting for them, regardless of how the trials go.

Theres more than one avenue for justice and accountability. If were able to change laws that save lives, then thats even more justice for Uziyah, Brett Cross said.

Many of the families have become outspoken advocates for gun reform, demanding their state enact sensible gun laws to prevent similar future tragedies.

I want to see convictions, at the local level also at the state level and at the federal level, calling for gun reform through work at LivesRobbed, Im never going to stop fighting for her, for all the children. Mata-Rubio said.

Early on I stood at the downtown plaza and I said that what I wanted is my daughter, and if I cant have that, then those who failed her will never know peace and I stand by that.

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VA Memorial Stadium improvements, other projects to be funded under construction budget

COLUMBUSThe Ohio House of Representatives on Wednesday passed Substitute House Bill 2, the states two-year construction budget for capital projects throughout the state.

State Rep. Bob Peterson (R-Sabina) and State Rep. Mark Johnson (R-Chillicothe) announced Ross County projects that are included in the bill.

Veterans Administration Memorial Stadium, home of the Chillicothe Paints, will receive $500,000 to install a turf field, replace outfield wall and seating as part of the state's construction budget bill.

$500,000 to renovate Veterans Administration Memorial Stadium, home of the Chillicothe Paints, to install a turf field, replace outfield wall and seating; and

$250,000 to construct the Paint Creek Youth Center Multipurpose Building that will accommodate therapy rooms, meeting space, a campus dining hall, and a commercial kitchen in Bainbridge.

Creating common spaces for residents to gather is important to have in our communities, said Peterson in a news release . I look forward to seeing the completion of both projects.

The historic V.A. Memorial Stadium has been a cornerstone of the Chillicothe community since 1955, said Johnson. Making stadium improvements will allow more fans to enjoy the space for generations to come.

Johnson also announced one-time funding from the Strategic Community Investment Fund that will directly serve the 92nd House District and the surrounding communities, including $5 million to construct the Hopewell Regional Visitor Center, promoting Ohios first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: VA Memorial Stadium improvements to be funded under construction budget
Vance says he expects to be in the Senate in a few years when asked about VP prospects

Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) said he expects to be in the Senate in a few years when asked about being a potential running mate for former President Trump, but he said he was very interested in the role.

Vance is one of the few people remaining on Trumps shortlist for vice president if he is reelected. He has remained tight-lipped about his conversations with the former president, saying on CBSs Face the Nation that people should focus on Trumps successes instead of whom he will choose as his vice president.

He emphasized that he was focused on serving the people of Ohio and was not expecting to leave anytime soon.

I like being a senator. Im not trying to leave the United States Senate. Its an honor to serve the people of Ohio, and frankly, if you asked me, thats where I expect to be in six months. Thats where I expect to be in a few years, he said.

He said that if Trump asked him to be his running mate, he would want to help him and of course, I will be very interested in the job.

He also touted Trumps accomplishments and hit Biden over his presidency.

Im not running for vice president, and its important for us to remember that Donald Trump has been a very good president. He will be a very good president again. I think in some ways these vice-presidential conversations serve to distract from the fact that we have Donald Trump as president with the success, he said.

Joe Biden as president has been a failure. Lets get back to success. Lets get back to peace and prosperity, he added.

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Vast salt caverns designed to store hydrogen are to be excavated under Britains biggest former naval base as part of plans to bolster the countrys energy security.

Each the size of St Pauls Cathedral, the 19 caverns will be dug under Portland Harbour in Dorset and filled with enough hydrogen to fuel a power station for days.

The hydrogen contained in the caverns will be reserved for emergency use and called upon when wind and solar farms are not generating enough energy to keep Britains lights on.

Claire Coutinho, the energy secretary, is said to have not only backed the scheme but also altered the Governments hydrogen storage business policy to ensure it can secure taxpayer subsidies.

UK Oil and Gas (UKOG), the company behind the scheme, has said it will seek planning permission within months.

Stephen Sanderson, UKOGs chief executive, has said he would make the application under the Governments nationally significant infrastructure system, allowing it to bypass potential local opposition.

He said: Portland Port is ideally situated for the construction of large salt caverns as it overlies a 450-metre thick, high-quality rock salt.

Mr Sanderson added: I have enjoyed one-on-one meetings with the three key figures from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, including Secretary of State Claire Coutinho, Lord Callanan, minister for energy efficiency and green finance, and Graham Stuart, minister for energy security and net zero.

Portland Harbour lies in Weymouth Bay on Englands south coast and was first used as a naval base in the 16th century by Henry VIII.

It was massively expanded last century to accommodate new steam-powered warships, eventually becoming one of the Royal Navys biggest bases until it was closed in 1995.

It remains one of the UKs largest harbours and the training centre for the UKs Olympic sailing teams.

The harbours anticipated new role storing hydrogen relies on a rock known as halite or rock salt.

A massive layer of this has been found two miles beneath the surface  where it has been buried for at least 200m years.

Salt is highly soluble so the fact it has lasted so long shows the rock has no water running through it  making it highly stable and suitable for storing hydrogen.

Matt Cartwright, UKOGs commercial director, said the caverns would be created by drilling wells into the salt and then injecting fresh water to dissolve the rock.

UK Energy Storage, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UKOG, will oversee the project.

Each cavern is set to be 85 metres in diameter and 90 metres high with a capacity of 320,000 metres cubed, which is roughly twice the volume of St Pauls Cathedral.

UKOG is facing a series of controversies over its involvement with onshore oil and gas developments around the UK.

It currently has interests in five oil and gas fields within the Weald and Purbeck areas of southern England but its attempts to exploit them have been subject to repeated court battles.

UKOG won the right to drill in the Loxley gas field near Horsham in Surrey, with production expected from next year.

A spokesman for UKOG said the company was moving away from oil and gas and saw a much bigger future in renewable energy.

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(FOX40.COM)  A person is in critical condition following a shooting in South Sacramento Saturday, the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office said.

According to the sheriffs office, deputies responded to a report around 5:40 p.m. of an adult male being shot on Whisperwillow Drive near Willow Wind Court.

The sheriffs office said the man was taken to the hospital and that his injuries are life-threatening.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
Vladimir Putin met Kim Jong-un in June and promised to send children from Movement of the First to the camp - VLADIMIR SMIRNOV/AFP

Vladimir Putin plans to send Russian children to a summer camp in North Korea where activities include polishing the statues of leaders.

Grigory Gurov, the head of Putins Movement of the First youth organisation, announced the plan despite opposition from worried Russian parents.

We will now form our delegation, he said. Conditions there are good.

The children will be the first Russian group for five years to visit the Songdowon camp, built on North Koreas eastern shore by dictator Kim Jong-uns grandfather in 1960.

Accounts from Russian adult leaders on previous trips described Songdowon camp as a cross between a boarding house with regular blackouts, dawn wake-ups and roll calls, and a Disney-themed water park.

Artem Samsonov, a former Communist party official, visited the camp in 2015 before being imprisoned in 2022 for molesting a child.

He said that children were woken at 6.30am to clean the area in front of statues of Kims father and grandfather.

We received special attention and were given not brooms, but special pads and were allowed to wipe the statue itself, he wrote on the Livejournal blogging platform next to photographs of Russian children polishing a stone plinth.

Samsonov described a tightly packed day that included enforced exercise, state-approved lessons, cleaning and a disco. As for the food, he said they always give you soup, rice, potatoes.

The initiative is the latest sign of blossoming relations between the two countries.

North Korea has become a vital arms supplier for the Kremlin since Kim visited Russia last year. The country is thought to have sent five million artillery shells and dozens of missiles to bolster the forces against Ukraine.

When Putin visited Pyongyang, the capital, last month to sign a military pact and to give Kim a luxury car, he also promised to send children from the Movement of the First to the Songdowon camp.

Putin created the Movement of the First in 2022 a few months after his invasion of Ukraine to instill Kremlin ideology among children.

Its teenage members wear red berets and red neck scarves and are often seen carrying flags at official ceremonies.

But comments from Russian parents worrying about sending their children to North Korea have filled social media, with one joking that the only escape will be to walk through the jungle to South Korea.

One user, though, tried to reassure sceptics that her trip to Songdowon in 2017 had been better than visits to a Russian youth camp in occupied Crimea.

Compared to Artek, its a good camp, she said. It has the same pools, water parks, stadiums, just with a different culture and completely without the internet.

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WA to become third state to punish stealthing. Heres what else will become law on Monday

On Monday, Washington will become the third state in the nation to allow punishment for stealthing, the act of removing or tampering with a sexually protective device before or during intercourse without a partners consent.

While California and Maine also have laws against the practice, Washingtons law is more expansive. It adds dental dams, spermicides, cervical caps, and other devices used to prevent pregnancies and the spread of disease to the list of barriers that cannot be removed or tampered with.

Stealthing is also considered a form of rape and treated as such in some places, such as Germany and Canada.

According to the bills prime sponsor, Rep. Liz Berry, D-Seattle, the new law will create a pathway to justice for survivors of sexual assault.

Under the new law, a person who has been the victim of stealthing would be able to bring a civil case against the perpetrator, and perpetrators could face a $5,000 penalty per violation.

The law also creates room for a court to consider previous findings of liability regarding stealthing, and allows courts to award court fees and attorneys fees to the petitioner.

Several other bills that were passed during the 2024 legislative session also will become law Monday.

Crime victims rights

Senate Bill 5937 supports crime victims and witnesses by promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed responses.

This new law expands crime victims rights to include victims, survivors of victims, and witnesses of crimes. It allows minors 13 or older who are sexually assaulted to consent to forensic examinations without a parent present. It also removes the statute of limitations for first responders who commit offenses by using their position.

Additionally, the law creates the Statewide Forensic Nurse Coordination Program to provide assistance with sexual assault training and to provide assistance to healthcare workers who conduct forensic examinations. The law will also expand eligibility for the Crime Victims Compensation Program, a program that reimburses victims for costs such as forensic examinations associated with crimes.

Cash assistance programs

House Bill 2007 expands time limit exemptions applicable to cash assistance programs.

Currently, federal law places a five-year limitation on benefits through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, but states are allowed to extend those limitations for a certain percentage of families and individuals who receive the benefits. Those who receive TANF are required to attend workforce training through the WorkFirst program, unless they are exempt.

This law expands the time limit for parents and legal guardians of children under 2 years old in the same household if they also qualify for infant, toddler, or postpartum exemptions from the WorkFirst program.

Opioid epidemic in tribal communities

Senate Bill 6099 creates the Tribal Opioid Prevention and Treatment Account.

This new account will be used to address issues related to the opioid epidemic in Tribal communities. Funding from the account can be used for prevention and recovery services, treatment programs including medication-assisted treatment, peer services, awareness campaigns, education, and support for first responders, the bill says.
U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley breaks down why Americans should care about whats happening to the people of Haiti theGrios The Hill with April Ryan.

On this weeks episode of theGrios The Hill with April Ryan, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., lays out why its Americas moral responsibility to help the people of Haiti amid unrest there, and she addresses how stabilizing the Caribbean nation is in the best interests of the United States. Pressley, the co-founder and co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus, said Americas Black and brown migrants are disproportionately impacted by Americas broken system. The congresswoman, who said her district contains the third-largest Haitian population in the nation, said Black Americans owe so much to the people of Haiti, particularly for their role in modeling Black resistance, independence and liberation.

They have experienced so many injustices rooted in colonialism and unjust foreign policy, she told theGrio. Pressley said the influx of Haitians seeking asylum at the U.S. border is a result of years-long destabilization. But in order to address the concerns of asylum seekers in the U.S., the federal government must stabilize Haiti by halting all deportations and providing economic assistance and political infrastructure.

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Wes Moore says he will not pursue Democratic nomination if Biden steps down

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) affirmed that he would not seek the Democratic nomination if President Biden dropped out of the race, emphasizing that Biden will stay in the presidential election.

I will not, and Joe Biden is not going to take himself out of this race, nor should he. He has been a remarkable partner, Moore said on CBSs Face the Nation when asked if he would pursue the nomination.

Moore, 45, has been one of Bidens top surrogates in his reelection campaign. He explained that although Biden did not have a strong debate performance, he deserved to be the nominee and to have the support of the members of his own party.

Bidens debate performance sparked widespread concerns within the Democratic Party after he appeared to stumble over his words and misspeak at times. His performance prompted many, including The New York Times editorial board, to call on Biden to step down from the race.

CBSs Margaret Brennan then asked Moore whether he was confident that the only person, the only Democrat in America that could meet beat Donald Trump is Joe Biden.

Joe Biden is our nominee. Joe Biden is our leader. And Joe Biden has earned and Joe Biden deserves the confidence, the respect, and frankly, the partnership that we now have to provide to him. So I will be in Chicago. I will probably be supporting the president in Chicago. I will be a member to make sure he gets reelected. So yes, I think that President Biden has earned the respect, Moore responded.

When asked why Biden did not have a strong debate performance, Moore said that Biden had a tough night.

I think that the president had a difficult night just like every single one of us do, he said.

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When The New Yorkers editor David Remnick watched Joe Bidens disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, it was the culmination of long-held doubts. On Saturday, he published a column headlined The Reckoning of Joe Biden, calling for the president to end a re-election campaign that Remnick called a national endangerment.

Remnick told the Daily Beast, Its just become more and more evident, and the debate was just the kind of breakthrough moment.

The column is the latest salvo from a media elite demanding Biden step aside. Those making the call have included Bidens long-term friend Thomas Friedman, who wrote in the New York Times that he wept as he watched the debate. Remnick told the Beast that, unlike others, he does not have a personal relationship with the 46th president. I dont know Joe Biden, Remnick said. Thats not my role.

Remnick wrote: Watching Thursdays debate, observing Biden wander into senselessness onstage, was an agonizing experience, and it is bound to obliterate forever all those vague and qualified descriptions from White House insiders about good days and bad days.

You watched it, and, on the most basic human level, you could only feel pity for the man and, more, fear for the country.

The New Yorker editor David Remnick. Bryan Bedder/Getty for The New Yorker

In the column, the New Yorker editor offered candidates including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvaniawhere Biden was bornas alternatives to the president. [These] are just a few of the office-holders in the Party who could energize Democrats and independents, inspire more younger voters, and beat Trump, Remnick wrote. Notably, he did not name Vice President Kamala Harris.

Of those he named, he said that he doesnt have a favorite as a substitute for Biden, who he called a good and decent president. Which Democrat takes the presidential nomination will have to be decided by the final day of the partys convention in Chicago, which is Aug. 22. A lot has to happen between now and then, Remnick told The Daily Beast. The first thing that has to happen is that Joe Biden has to think this through.

The column came hours before NBC News reported that Biden would speak to his wife, children and grandchildren Sunday about whether to remain in the race. It described his mood as humiliated.

Remnicks voice was part of a wave of calls for the 81-year-old president to step aside. Critique after critique of a debate performance that often saw him stumble his sentences and lose his train of thought has piled on the pressure. While former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton reiterated their support for the president on Friday, Obamas was sufficiently lukewarm to fail to staunch the bleeding of elite media support. Bad debate nights happen, Obama wrote on X. A few hours later the New York Times editorial board called for Biden to leave the race.

While the White House did not respond to an immediate request for comment, the Biden campaign pointed to campaign co-chair Cedric Richmonds remark about the Times editorial boards column. "The last time Joe Biden lost the New York Times editorial board's endorsement it turned out pretty well for him, Richmond said, according to NBC News.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Woman arrested for calling cops to get out of a date with man she met online

Sumaya Thomas was arrested after making false reports to the police just to get out of a first date.

A woman was arrested for falsely reporting a crime after she called the cops and fabricated a story in order to get out of a first date .

Sumaya Thomas, 18, scheduled a romantic evening with a stranger she had matched with on a dating app, but when he arrived at her doorstep on Jun. 16. she suddenly got cold feet and phoned the cops.

The North Liberty, Iowa, woman told officers that the man was an abusive ex who was threatening to cause her physical harm, according to an affidavit pertaining to the bizarre case.

Thomas, who also also falsely claimed she was pregnant with the mans child, said he planned to hit, punch, kick and stab her.

When officers arrived at the scene, the man informed them that he had only met Thomas via a dating app approximately one week prior, providing officials with proof of messages between the pair.

Sumaya Thomas was arrested after making false reports to the police just to get out of a first date. Johnson County Sheriff's Office

The conversation showed he was being honest and he really did just meet this female, the affidavit reads.

Thomas, however, had told officers they had known each other for two years and accused the man of being abusive and threatening to cause harm to her, while claiming their written communication had taken place over Snapchat.

Officers later discovered that Thomas was lying and had deleted messages from her phone between her and her date, and she eventually admitted to making these false reports because she got cold feet on meeting him.

According to the affidavit, Thomas falsely claimed that her date was an abusive ex boyfriend who was sending threatening messages. eliosdnepr  stock.adobe.com

The report claims that she didnt think officers would help so she made up this call and the events that she described.

As a result, the man  who was not named  was detained for more than an hour.

According to Daily Mail, Thomas was arrested and charged with two counts of False Report of Indictable Offense to Public Entity, which is a misdemeanor, and one count of False Report on a 911 call.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said a woman was stabbed in Northeast D.C. early Sunday morning.

Police said that at about 1:40 a.m., they were dispatched to the 4000 block of Minnesota Avenue for the report of a stabbing.

MPD looking for suspects involved in armed robbery in Southeast DC

Police said she had non-life-threatening injuries and was conscious and breathing.

MPD said the victim chose not to be taken to a hospital for further treatment.

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Woman's leg torn off by Russian anti-personnel mine in Kharkiv Oblast

A woman born in 1953 was injured when she triggered an explosion of a PFM-1 anti-personnel mine in Kharkiv Oblast on 30 June.

Source: Ukraines State Emergency Service on Telegram

Details: Rescuers report that the incident occurred in the village of Yaremivka, Izium district.

The victim was admitted to the hospital where she underwent an amputation of her right foot.

Quote from the State Emergency Service: "We ask everyone to be as cautious as possible and to keep in mind the significant risk of mines.

Disregarding safety rules may have serious effects.

Do not travel along unknown or untested dirt roads. Avoid touching any strange or unfamiliar objects. Do not visit forests, forest belts, farms, rivers, or other open regions, especially those that witnessed combat or were under enemy occupation."

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Humanitarian aid supplies from the United Nations World Food Program at the Kerem Shalom border crossing to the Gaza Strip on the Israeli side. Christoph Soeder/dpa-Pool/dpa

The United Nations is transferring thousands of tons of humanitarian supplies from a US-constructed pier off the coast of the Gaza Strip after the temporary port was suspended due to poor weather, an aid official said on Sunday.

Workers started on Friday transporting the piled-up aid, mostly food, to warehouses, the World Food Programme (WFP) spokeswoman Abeer Etefa told dpa. The aid will be distributed later.

The transfer operation is ongoing and its completion depends on "easiness of movement" inside the coastal enclave, Etefa added, saying she has no idea about the fate of the pier.

The harbour was dismantled several times because of bad weather. The $300 million pier became operational in mid-May to serve as a hub for the delivery of desperately needed aid supplies to Gaza.

On Friday, the Pentagon said the US military was temporarily dismantling the pier due to heavy seas and high winds. No date was given for reinstalling the facility.

The WFP, a UN agency, has recently halted the distribution of aid following a massive Israeli military operation near the pier.

Israel has been bombarding Gaza for months, since the Palestinian Hamas militants launched unprecedented bloody attacks on Israel in October last year that included massacres of civilians.

Israel responded to the attacks by sealing off the impoverished territory. A lack of basic supplies has led to a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
BIG COUNTRY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  In this weeks episode of Big Country Politics, Dr. Paul Fabrizio, a Professor of Political Science at McMurry University, discussed the recent presidential debate. He highlighted the challenges the Democratic Party may face and explored the potential emergence of a third major party in the U.S. political system.

Ill just say from a historic perspective, it was the worst presidential debate in American history. I mean, it was just a bad show. Im not sure where you want to go, but theres so many things to talk about with this thing, Fabrizio commented.

Trump and Biden face off in 2024 presidential debate

Fabrizio shared that during this debate, Biden needed to demonstrate his competence and prove that he is physically and mentally capable of serving as president.

The pressure was really on him. He took a week off before the debate, to go and stay in Camp David, and practice. He and his advisers went over various scenarios. They gave answers. They studied briefing books, they looked at tapes of old debates. So they wanted Biden ready to go and demonstrate that Biden was competent to be president, Fabrizio said.

According to surveys, about 70% of Americans think that Joe Biden is too old to be president.

So we go to the debate and lo and behold, President Biden comes out and the first thing he does is he waves to an imaginary audience. Theres no audience there. Theres the two moderators in that set. And then his voice is raspy. We hear later he may have had a cold, and he just meanders. He sometimes mumbles was hard to understand him. As a consequence, he seemed to confirm the worst fears of his own side, Fabrizio shared.

Abilenians prepare for first 2024 Biden-Trump debate

In an interview with Reporter Noah McKinney just a couple of days before the debate, Fabrizio said, Instead of looking at this debate as who wins or who loses, I think we have to look for those viral moments that are going to show up on TikTok or Facebook The hope is that people who see those viral moments but miss the debate will at some point go and do their electoral homework and learn more. He noted that those moments were definitely present.

There were so many viral moments. I dont know if President Biden was aware that they had a split screen. So when Donald Trump was talking, the camera was also focused on Joe Biden. He was looking off, he was staring. Sometimes his mouth was open. He just looked, and I hate to say it, he just looked old. He looked like he was not in command, Fabrizio stated. So there were so many moments that the Trump campaign can use to demonstrate, Hey, Biden is not all there. Biden, we saw in the State of the Union message in March, being very much in command. Very different. Very, very different. Last night, it did not work for him.

In a CNN poll from Thursday night, viewers were asked if the debate affected their presidential choice. The results showed that 5% said it changed their mind, 14% said they were reconsidering, and 81% said there was no effect whatsoever. Fabrizio mentioned that he had seen estimates suggesting that 95% of voters were committed to their candidate, but now, it seems like that could be changing.

We need to remember were entering into this contest in a very polarized political atmosphere It looks like its going to be a little bit more who arent as committed to their candidate. So in other words, some of those who say, Yeah, Im gonna vote for Biden or Yeah, Im gonna vote for Trump might be wavering a little bit, Fabrizio said. Can I point to words? No, because this is about images. This is about images. This is about Biden just looking dazed, confused at times. This is about Donald Trump looking sharp, looking like hes in command. Theres only a three year age difference between the two. But it seemed at times to be a 30 year age difference between them.

The governor took a political risk: Dr. Paul Fabrizio reacts to TX HD 71 election & various local races

Media outlets like CNN and MSNBC reported that members of the Democratic Party were very concerned about Bidens performance. Fabrizio said that if they went with another candidate, it would send a bad message.

That would be a horrible message for the Democrats because it would be saying, Oh, were wrong. Weve been building up Joe Biden, and now we cant do it. We have to go in this other direction. Thats going to cause all sorts of problems for them going forward. The last time something like that happened was 1968 when Lyndon Johnson dropped out, and they went with Hubert Humphrey, and Hubert Humphrey lost that race to Richard Nixon, Fabrizio explained. No one wants to see a lame duck. If that were to happen, Biden would continue as president through the end of his term, but he would basically be ignored as all the attention would shift to whoever is going to be the new candidate.

In the fact-check segment on CNN on Thursday night, they reported nine false claims made by President Joe Biden and more than 30 false claims by former President Donald Trump.

If you look at the whole Trump presidency, he was well known. Its well documented that many, many times, he had misstatements; he told lies. He continued that pattern last night, he was not fact checked by the moderators. He was not really fact checked by Joe Biden either. So therefore, in a certain sense, it was a 90 minute opportunity for him to say whatever he wanted, without any rebuttal, Fabrizio said.

Biden makes appeals to donors as concerns persist over his presidential debate performance

Fabrizio shared that he was surprised Biden did not fact-check Trump, but explained that it is a difficult thing to do.

Youre doing a performative debate. If youre Joe Biden, youre a master politician. But youre up against a master entertainer, whos also a pretty good politician, too. So how do you correct him, as well as launch the personal attacks that you launch against him? As well as try to prevent a defense of your own administration and a vision for the future? I think thats simply one too many things to ask of a candidate. In the in the forum, there just simply wasnt opportunity for that kind of fact checking, Fabrizio said.

Over the years, Fabrizio has moderated numerous forums and debates. He hoped that CNN would have stepped in to fact-check during the debate.

There was a couple of times where Donald Trump said things that were just wrong. At one point when talking about abortion, he talked about several states that allow the killing of live babies. Theres no state that does that, thats murder. Thats the sort of thing that should be checked immediately, Fabrizio said. He talked about environmental ratings that hes receiving and approval ratings. What is he talking about? Where did that come from? I dont know of any place where those things exist. So, theres some things were I wish they would have done that at the same time. Do it also to Joe Biden, Joe Biden said a couple things that were also incorrect. So I wish there was that element in there. But the moderators for their own reason, it was CNN show, they chose to do what they did.

Biden and Trump will go head-to-head once again on September 10 on ABC. Fabrizio shared that this debate will be crucial for Biden and his campaign.

Based on what we saw from Joe Biden last night? If he wants one more opportunity with the American people, he has to have that debate. They probably will consider changing the format to one where theres an audience so that both of the candidates can play off that audience, Fabrizio said.

Despair in the air: For many voters, the Biden-Trump debate means a tough choice just got tougher

While most focus on Biden and Trump in the election, there are multiple other candidates such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. However, Fabrizio said he does not believe that a change away from the two-party system will happen.

The American system is built on the idea that only one candidate can win. Its not a coalition, you cant have three candidates or anything like that. Its built on only one candidate winning, therefore that encourages people with different opinions, to get together with other people have similar opinions, to work to get the candidate whos closest to where they believe elected, Fabrizio shared. So, simply the fact that we elect one person encourages, basically mandates that we only have two real parties. Thats the way its been in this country, from basically the beginning. You go back to George Washingtons presidency, there was Thomas Jefferson, against John Adams, Thomas Jefferson is against Alexander Hamilton. But it was Jefferson on one side and these other people on the other side. That is the way its been and thats the way its going to be as long as we keep this one candidate can win system I mean, Robert Kennedy can emerge. But the system is built for two candidates. Theres a bias in the laws for only two candidates.

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Wounded and war weary: Images of soldiers returning from the front in Eastern Ukraine

An injured soldier gets medical care inside a bus that transport the wounded from the front to a hospital in Dnipro Oblast in Eastern Ukraine. CBC News recently got a chance to speak with some of the soldiers on the bus about their experiences at the front. (Corinne Seminoff/CBC - image credit)

After nearly two and a half years of war, it is unclear how many Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or injured. However, the limited data released suggests it's well into the tens of thousands.

CBC News recently gained access to a medical evacuation bus transporting injured soldiers from the front line to a hospital in Dnipro Oblast in Eastern Ukraine.

The 25 patients evacuated on the volunteer-run bus included men who had been conscripted under the new mobilization law and were sent to the front with only very basic training, along with those who volunteered to fight early on in the war.

Here is what a few of them told us.

Tatiana Romaniuk, 33, and another paramedic help an inured soldier

Tatiana Romaniuk and another paramedic help an inured soldier. They are part of a team of volunteers with the organization Hospitallers, which provides medical care and transport soldiers fighting in Ukraine. (Corinne Seminoff/CBC)

Hit by a grenade launcher

Most active Ukrainian soldiers will allow themselves to be identified only by their call sign. This 39-year-old IT specialist is known as "WIFI," and his time at the front line was brief. He was injured after two and a half days on the front. He had been stationed at a position near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, an area Ukrainian officials have described as experiencing some of the most challenging fighting along the front.

WIFI told CBC News that he was in a trench just a few hours earlier, helping to fortify it, when it came under attack. He said they came under fire from a Russian automatic grenade launcher.

This 39-year-old IT specialist, known as 'WIFI,' says his time at the front line was brief. He was injured after two and a half days on the front.

This 39-year-old IT specialist is known by his call sign, 'WIFI.' He was injured after two and a half days into his stint at the front. (Corinne Seminoff/CBC)

After the first shot, he said, fragments flew into his thigh. "It felt like a syringe injection," he said.

The second shot hit him in his opposite foot.

"It was red-hot and immediately, there was a sharp pain and numbness of the foot."

He applied tourniquets to his limbs in an effort to reduce the bleeding. But once tightened, he found it impossible to even crawl out of the trench so he had to be carried out by two of his fellow soldiers.

When CBC News spoke with him, he was lying on a stretcher outside of an undisclosed pickup point, messaging his mother.

Nurses transport a wounded soldier in Dnipro, Ukraine

Nurses move WIFI from the bus to a hospital in Dnipro. (Coprinne Seminoff/CBC)

He said had been exempt from conscription because he has cancer, which is in remission, but when Ukraine passed the new mobilization law, it removed some medical exemptions, and he became eligible.

He said military officers turned up at his home in Poltava near the end of April. After receiving about two months of training, he was sent to the front and could be back there again after he heals.

It will be up to a medical commissioner to decide whether he is able to be called up again.

"It was very difficult both mentally and physically," he said of his time at the front.

Pinned under a tank

Inside the medical evacuation bus, 'Liahk,' an accountant who was mobilized in April and sent to the front a month ago, recovers after surviving a drone attack on the tank he was was in while on the front line in the Donetsk region.

'Liahk' is an accountant in his civilian life. He survived a drone attack on the tank he was was in while on the front line in the Donetsk region. (Corinne Seminoff/CBC)

Before this 34-year-old soldier, who goes by the call sign "Liahk," was mobilized in April and sent to the front a month ago, he worked as an accountant in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

He was in a tank on the front line in the Donetsk region when, at around 7 a.m. local time on June 19, it was hit by a Lancet drone. The drone, which self-destructs when it crashes into targets, was first used by Russia in Syria and has been used repeatedly in Ukraine to target weapons and artillery on the ground.

'Liahk,' 34, a wounded Ukrainian soldier is transported to a hospital in Dnipro, Eastern Ukraine.

'Liahk,' was pinned under a turret that collapsed when the tank was hit. (Corinne Seminoff/CBC)

After the tank was struck, part of the turret collapsed, pinning Liahk and his commander inside. The driver of the tank was able to get out and started to pull Liahk out, too, but then he yelled out that he needed to try to restart the tank, because they were likely going to come under fire a second time.

"It was a miracle the tank started, so he drove us out," Liahk told CBC News as he winced in pain and waited to board the evacuation bus.

As they drove out of the combat zone, the commander kept Liahk talking before himself losing consciousness and lapsing into a coma.

'Liahk,' a 34-year-old, injured soldier from Lviv.

Injured soldiers are usually picked up at an undisclosed location. (Corinne Seminoff/CBC)

A narrow escape

A soldier with the call sign "Kniaz," which means prince in Ukrainian, stood out among the group of soldiers CBC met, because he is 60 years old. On June 19, Kniaz was driving a military vehicle toward Avdiivka, which was seized by Russian forces in February, when his vehicle was struck by a projectile dropped by a first-person view (FPV) drone.

Shrapnel pierced his head, shoulder, arms and leg. He says his ability to escape from the vehicle quickly saved his life because the vehicle went up in flames soon after.

'Kniaz,' whose call sign means prince in Ukrainian, volunteered to fight at the start of Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. He also previously fought against Russia-backed separatists in Donetsk in 2017.

'Kniaz,' 60, volunteered to fight at the start of Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. He was already a veteran of the war against Russia-backed separatists that has been playing out in Eastern Ukraine since 2014. (Corinne Seminoff/CBC)

"The drones bother us the worst," he told CBC News. "We don't have as many as the bastard Russians."

Unlike some of the others being evacuated, he volunteered to fight at the start of Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. He also previously fought against Russia-backed separatists in Donetsk in 2017.

"It is a duty of every man to defend his motherland," he said.

Wounded soldiers share a cigarette while waiting outside a hospital in Dnipro, Eastern Ukraine.

Wounded soldiers share cigarettes while waiting outside a hospital in Dnipro. (Corinne Seminoff/CBC)

Calming fears and tending to injuries

Tatiana Romaniuk, 33, isn't a soldier, but does have a call sign: "Rudy," which means redhead, a nod to her long, copper hair. She is a combat medic with Hospitallers, a group of volunteer paramedics, and spends two weeks a month transporting injured soldiers to hospital.

The repurposed bus transporting soldiers has six beds inside along with medical equipment. On the day CBC visited, it was sweltering inside, and a heavy smell of sweat and blood hung in the air. Romaniuk estimated it was 40 degrees C inside the bus.

Tatiana Romaniuk, 33, whose call sign, 'Rudy,' means redhead, a nod to her long, copper hair, is a combat medic with Hospitallers, a group of volunteer paramedics, and spends two weeks a month transporting injured soldiers to hospital.

Romaniuk, 33, whose call sign, 'Rudy,' means redhead, tends to an injured soldier. (Coprinne Seminoff/CBC)

The most seriously injured were transported by stretcher to the beds and hooked up right away to medical equipment that measured their heart rate and oxygen levels. The rest were crammed on board in whatever space was available. A lucky few got seats while others sat in the aisle.

Medical evacuations can happen with very little advance notice. When soldiers are injured at the front, they receive immediate medical care at military stabilization points and are then transported to a pick-up point, where they are met by the Hospitallers and transported to hospital.

Tatiana Romaniuk, 33, medic with Hospitallers volunteer group.

Romaniuk says the first thing many of the seriously injured soldiers want to know is whether they will have to lose a limb. ( Corinne Seminoff/CBC)

Romaniuk says the most difficult part of a medical transport is if a soldier deteriorates en route, as happened to one patient while CBC was on the bus. Upon arrival at the hospital, the soldier required emergency surgery for shrapnel embedded in his spine.

Romaniuk said the first thing one soldier who had been inured after only a week at the front wanted to do when he got on the bus was borrow her cellphone and call his family.

She said a common question all soldiers ask her while they are being transported is whether their limbs will need to be amputated.

"They are worried about how it will be, what they will do next and what their life will be like," she said.

A wounded Ukrainian soldier rests on his way from the frontline.

A wounded Ukrainian soldier rests after getting off the medical transport. Many of those returning are preoccupied with what comes next and how to resume their lives. (Corinne Seminoff/CBC)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for the first day of the European Council summit. Benoit Doppagne/Belga/dpa

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has complained about ongoing Russian bombing and once again appealed to the West for more help with air defence.

In the past week alone, Russia has dropped 800 glide bombs over Ukraine, Zelensky announced in Kiev on Sunday. He also published a video of the heavy destruction and fires in the Kherson, Dnipro, Odessa and Zaporizhzhya regions, among others.

"Ukraine needs more air defence systems. We need strong help from our partners," said Zelensky.

Ukraine also needs the means to shoot down the Russian fighter bombers, he said.

On Saturday, seven people were killed in an attack on the city of Vilniansk in the Zaporizhzhya region. According to official figures from Sunday, more than 40 people were injured. Lower figures had initially been reported the previous day.

On Sunday, at least one person was killed in a Russian airstrike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Sunday and a further eight people, including an eight-month-old baby, were seriously injured in the attack, according to Mayor Oleh Terekhov.

The glide bomb exploded in the middle of the city centre. The military administrator of Kharkiv, Oleh Synjehubov, specified that a post office had been hit in the attack.

The West is supporting Ukraine in its defence campaign against the Russian invasion, which has been going on for more than two years. The country has repeatedly requested more US Patriot air-defence systems to better protect its cities from Russian airstrikes.

Incident on Ukraine's border with Hungary

On Ukraine's western border with Hungary, a border guard fatally shot one man and injured another after they tried to attack with a machete on Saturday evening, according to a report from the news website Ukrainska Pravda, citing border guards and authorities.

The incident took place in the western Ukrainian region of Chernivtsi. Authorities did not immediately disclose details about the suspected attackers or any information around what may have led to the attack.

There have been clashes along the border due to efforts by guards to enforce rules forbidding men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country outside of exceptional circumstances.

In a separate incident, 17 men travelling in a minibus were apprehended along the border with Hungary while allegedly trying to leave Ukraine illegally, the border guards announced

The men came from different regions of Ukraine and were trying to flee to Hungary. Authorities said an initial investigation revealed that the men were supposed to pay between $3,000 and $12,000 to leave the country.

Russian occupiers seize Ukrainian property

The occupying forces in the Russian-annexed Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine are preparing to transfer residential property to military personnel, the Centre of National Resistance in Kiev said on Sunday.

Flats would not only be handed over to Moscow's occupying forces but also to migrants from Central Asia, the centre said.

The internationally unrecognized leadership in Luhansk is preparing corresponding laws. Many Ukrainians have fled the occupied territories and left their property behind.

Immigrants from Central Asia are mainly used as cheap labour by Russia - not least for the reconstruction of towns and villages destroyed by the war.

According to a statement from the centre, the occupying forces are confiscating homes abandoned during the war and transferring them to homeless people.

Civilians are also being forcibly relocated from areas close to the front. Russian soldiers would then be housed in the civilian buildings, it said.

Russian state employees in Luhansk are being given flats abandoned by Ukrainians in order to carry out administrative tasks in the occupied territory, the centre said. Such flats and houses are offered for sale at low prices.

"The Kremlin is promoting such resettlements because it wants to completely Russify the occupied territories," the statement said.

The occupiers rejected recognizing the documents on residential property issued in accordance with Ukrainian law. Instead, they demanded that ownership be formalized in accordance with Russian laws. Homeowners would thus be forced to first apply for a Russian passport and then go through Russian legal procedures.

The centre emphasized that the Russian approach was illegal and recommended that Ukrainian citizens keep original documents or certified copies of certificates of ownership. The Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly announced its intention to recapture the annexed territories.

Ukrainian citizens have also been expropriated on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. Many homes, including one belonging to the family of President Volodymyr Zelensky, were seized by the Russian state.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has complained about ongoing Russian bombing and once again asked the West for more help with air defence.

In the past week alone, Russia has dropped 800 glide bombs over Ukraine, Zelensky announced in Kiev on Sunday. He also published a video of the heavy destruction and fires in the Kherson, Dnipro, Odessa and Zaporizhzhya regions, among others.

On Saturday, seven people were killed in an attack on the city of Vilniansk in the Zaporizhzhya region. According to official figures from Sunday, more than 40 people were injured. Lower figures had initially been reported the previous day.

"Ukraine needs more air defence systems. We need strong help from our partners," said Zelensky. Ukraine needs means to shoot down the Russian fighter bombers, he said.

The West is supporting Ukraine in its defence campaign against the Russian invasion, which has been going on for more than two years. The country has repeatedly demanded more US Patriot air-defence systems to better protect its cities from Russian airstrikes.
In this image taken from webcam footage provided by the Village of Ruidoso, smoke rises behind Ruidoso, N.M., on 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.
At least 7 people, including children, were killed and at least 31 injured after Russia launched a missile strike on the town of Vilniansk in Ukraines southern Zaporizhzhia region on Saturday, according to Ukrainian officials.

[Today] is a day of mourning in Zaporizhzhia region for those killed in the enemy attack on Vilniansk, Ivan Fedorov, the head of Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, said on Sunday. There is unspeakable pain.

Three children were among those killed and eight children were among the injured, Fedorov said.

The attack damaged critical infrastructure, as well as a retail store and residential buildings, he said Saturday. Ukraines Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said trade pavilions, households and vehicles also caught fire as a result.

Speaking to the National Police, one local resident who witnessed the strike said: It was a weekend, everyone was having a rest  it wasnt even late, it wasnt dark, a missile hit.

She continued: Children died, children were injured. So did adults. For no reason. The children had a graduation party, they were graduating from school. They were planning their future.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered his condolences to those who lost loved ones in the attack and appealed for more long-range weapons, saying Ukraine needs to strike with real long-range capability and to increase the number of advanced air defense systems in Ukraine.

The aftermath of a Russian missile strike in the town of Vilniansk. - Reuters

I am grateful to all partners who are helping. And the decisions we need must be accelerated. Any delay in decisions in this war means losing human lives, he wrote on Telegram.

Recent battlefield developments have seen Russia make slow but steady tactical gains along multiple fronts in Ukraine. Russia also launched a surprise cross-border assault in May.

In the Donetsk region, Russia has made advances towards Chasiv Yar as it attempts to capture the strategic hilltop town.

During its offensive Russia has been exploiting Ukraines weak spots including thinly stretched manpower and delays in western supplies.

As Zelensky repeats his appeals for more long-range weapons, these developments have again highlighted Ukraines reliance on ammunition and weapons from the United States and other allies.

Concerns have been raised over how long aid from the US will continue should former US President Donald Trump be reelected this November.

Thursdays debate saw US President Joe Biden struggle, while Trump questioned continuing to fund Ukraines fight against Russia.

A Ukrainian politician, Oleksiy Goncharenko, told CNN that Trumps comments on the war in Ukraine were worrying.

Were very concerned because we, more or less, understand what it means for Ukraine, [a] Biden presidency, and we really dont know what it means for Ukraine, a Trump presidency. It can be very good, it can be very bad. We just dont know. And thats definitely concerning, Goncharenko said.

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Zelensky: Russia used over 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine this week

Russia has used more than 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine this week alone, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 30.

Guided aerial bombs are precision-guided munitions that have a shorter range than missiles, but are far cheaper to produce. The weapons are launched from aircraft within Russian territory, outside the range of Ukrainian air defense.

Civilian casualties from guided aerial bomb attacks are often reported in areas close to the Russian border, such as Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Sumy oblasts.

"Ukraine needs the necessary forces and means to destroy the carriers of these bombs, in particular, Russian combat aircraft where they are," Zelensky said.

"Long-range strikes and modern air defense are the basis for stopping the daily Russian terror," he said, thanking "all partners who understand this."

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on May 25 that Russia has dropped nearly 10,000 guided bombs on Ukraine since the start of 2024.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for the first day of the European Council summit. Benoit Doppagne/Belga/dpa

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on his country's Western supporters to give the Ukrainian military a free hand to strike back at Russia, given the increasing number of Russian airstrikes on his country.

"The sooner the world helps us to deal with the Russian warplanes dropping these bombs, the sooner we can attack the Russian military infrastructure, the Russian military airfields, the closer we are to peace," Zelensky said in his regular evening video address on Sunday.

The Ukrainian military has long been demanding permission from the West to attack Russian bases and airbases far behind the front line with heavy weapons.

Until now, Ukraine has only been allowed to use the weapons and ammunition supplied by the West near the front and in the border area with Russia.

For attacks in the Russian hinterland, Ukraine has had to rely on domestically produced drones, which are not as effective as more advanced foreign-supplied missiles or cruise missiles.

Zelensky calls for more air defence

Earlier, Zelensky has complained about ongoing Russian bombing and once again appealed to the West for more help with air defence.

In the past week alone, Russia has dropped 800 glide bombs over Ukraine, Zelensky announced in Kiev on Sunday. He also published a video of the heavy destruction and fires in the Kherson, Dnipro, Odessa and Zaporizhzhya regions, among others.

"Ukraine needs more air defence systems. We need strong help from our partners," said Zelensky.

Ukraine also needs the means to shoot down the Russian fighter bombers, he said.

On Saturday, seven people were killed in an attack on the city of Vilniansk in the Zaporizhzhya region. According to official figures from Sunday, more than 40 people were injured. Lower figures had initially been reported the previous day.

On Sunday, at least one person was killed in a Russian airstrike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Sunday and a further eight people, including an eight-month-old baby, were seriously injured in the attack, according to Mayor Oleh Terekhov.

The glide bomb exploded in the middle of the city centre. The military administrator of Kharkiv, Oleh Synjehubov, specified that a post office had been hit in the attack.

The West is supporting Ukraine in its defence campaign against the Russian invasion, which has been going on for more than two years. The country has repeatedly requested more US Patriot air-defence systems to better protect its cities from Russian airstrikes.

Incident on Ukraine's border with Hungary

On Ukraine's western border with Hungary, a border guard fatally shot one man and injured another after they tried to attack with a machete on Saturday evening, according to a report from the news website Ukrainska Pravda, citing border guards and authorities.

The incident took place in the western Ukrainian region of Chernivtsi. Authorities did not immediately disclose details about the suspected attackers or any information around what may have led to the attack.

There have been clashes along the border due to efforts by guards to enforce rules forbidding men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country outside of exceptional circumstances.

In a separate incident, 17 men travelling in a minibus were apprehended along the border with Hungary while allegedly trying to leave Ukraine illegally, the border guards announced

The men came from different regions of Ukraine and were trying to flee to Hungary. Authorities said an initial investigation revealed that the men were supposed to pay between $3,000 and $12,000 to leave the country.

Russian occupiers seize Ukrainian property

The occupying forces in the Russian-annexed Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine are preparing to transfer residential property to military personnel, the Centre of National Resistance in Kiev said on Sunday.

Flats would not only be handed over to Moscow's occupying forces but also to migrants from Central Asia, the centre said.

The internationally unrecognized leadership in Luhansk is preparing corresponding laws. Many Ukrainians have fled the occupied territories and left their property behind.

Immigrants from Central Asia are mainly used as cheap labour by Russia - not least for the reconstruction of towns and villages destroyed by the war.

According to a statement from the centre, the occupying forces are confiscating homes abandoned during the war and transferring them to homeless people.

Civilians are also being forcibly relocated from areas close to the front. Russian soldiers would then be housed in the civilian buildings, it said.

Russian state employees in Luhansk are being given flats abandoned by Ukrainians in order to carry out administrative tasks in the occupied territory, the centre said. Such flats and houses are offered for sale at low prices.

"The Kremlin is promoting such resettlements because it wants to completely Russify the occupied territories," the statement said.

The occupiers rejected recognizing the documents on residential property issued in accordance with Ukrainian law. Instead, they demanded that ownership be formalized in accordance with Russian laws. Homeowners would thus be forced to first apply for a Russian passport and then go through Russian legal procedures.

The centre emphasized that the Russian approach was illegal and recommended that Ukrainian citizens keep original documents or certified copies of certificates of ownership. The Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly announced its intention to recapture the annexed territories.

Ukrainian citizens have also been expropriated on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. Many homes, including one belonging to the family of President Volodymyr Zelensky, were seized by the Russian state.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called the plan of advisers to US presidential contender Donald Trump, which includes potential concessions of Ukrainian territories, a "bad idea."

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirers Trudy Rubin, as reported by European Pravda

Zelenskyy noted that he "had no idea how to end the war in a day."

Quote: "But I am not Trump. If he has such a model, who would mind? Everyone wants to end the war in a day, preferably in an hour. But we only have what we have. If the idea is to give up our territories, it's not a new idea," he added.

Details: Zelenskyy stated that territorial concessions on Ukraine's part will not resolve the situation since Putin has to "feed his society with information about pseudo-emotions," thus the owner of the Kremlin "must be put in place."

"If the idea is to give up our territory, that is a bad idea. This will not contribute to peace in Ukraine, or between Ukraine and Russia," Zelenskyy stressed.

This week, Trump's advisers presented Zelenskyy with a plan to stop the war in Ukraine. It suggests that if Ukraine refuses to engage in peace talks, Trump may withdraw military aid for Kyiv, but Moscow will be informed that any unwillingness to negotiate on their part will result in increased backing for Kyiv.

According to Trump's headquarters, the early resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will be a top priority for his hypothetical second term.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy feels that the present US administration's and Republican leader Donald Trump's position on Ukraine's refusal to join NATO does not reflect the "policy of the world leaders."

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer's Trudy Rubin, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy added that the White House under Joe Biden is not prepared to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance, whereas Trump claims that the war would not have occurred if NATO had not provoked it.

Quote: "Unfortunately, this is the policy of one step forward, two steps back. I dont think this is the policy of world leaders. These are the very cautious steps of my de-miners in the minefield. If NATO is not ready to protect us, and to take us into the alliance, then we ask NATO to give us everything so we can protect ourselves," he added.

The Ukrainian president added that "if the United States is afraid to annoy Putin"  to which he attributed NATOs reluctance to invite Ukraine  then it should provide Kyiv with enough funding to defend itself against Russian aggression.

"We ask our strategic partners to give us what would protect us: Patriots [anti-missile systems], a substantial number of F-16s, and the opportunity to use weapons [inside Russia]," Zelenskyy added.

The US State Department recently indicated that they did not discuss any wording from the planned communique of the NATO summit in Washington, despite the press reporting on disagreements on how the section on Ukraine's membership would be drafted.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, stated that she hoped the NATO Washington Summit resolution would include the wording about the irreversibility of Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic track.

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Zelenskyy names just one viable model for negotiations with Russia  video

As of now, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees just one model for negotiations with Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin: a tripartite agreement with mediators, as utilised on the grain corridor.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirers Trudy Rubin

Details: The journalist questioned Zelenskyy if it was possible for Ukraine to engage with Putin. The Ukrainian leader specified only one option: a paper similar to the grain corridor agreement.

Quote: "Ukraine can find a model to develop solutions.

This concept was initially applied to the grain corridor, when Ukraine reached an agreement with the UN and Turkiye rather than Russia.

They, in turn, took up the commitment of negotiating with us and then signing the equivalent agreement with the Russian Federation.

So it worked: the UN and Turkiye reached two mirror accords...

Similarly, when countries from various continents are formulating a solution to a specific situation, an acceptable model might be employed in the areas of territorial integrity, energy, and shipping. Then, if it suits Ukraine, this document must engage with representatives from the Russian Federation.

We only have this model."

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, has stated that Ukraines NATO membership would not only guarantee the security of Ukraine but also that of Russia.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview for Trudy Rubin, columnist of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the video of which was published by the press service of the Ukrainian leader.

Quote: "What we need is security. I am once again stressing what some of our partners in the US and in Europe are afraid of  its Ukraines NATO membership. NATO membership is good not just for Ukraine; it would provide security for Russia.

The war will end. Sadly, not everyone who has lost their family members, friends, children, will receive satisfaction. So there will be a desire for revenge. Justice is needed so that people get an answer, so that the courts with corresponding verdicts are held, and so that the world is not afraid that Putin would come back again. And justice is in a security alliance, in NATO. And Ukraine being a NATO member is for the sake of Russias security as well."

Details: Commenting on the claims by Donald Trump, candidate for the US President, on the plan of quick end to the war between Ukraine and Russia, Zelenskyy stated once again that ceding Ukraines territories is a "bad idea".

"But if the idea is to give up our territories, no, it will not solve the issue. Putin needs to feed his society, which is getting poorer every day, not with food because he has no money for that  but with information, with fake victories etcIf the idea is to cede our territories, then its a bad idea. It will not work; it will not lead to peace [globally] or between Ukraine and Russia," Zelenskyy stressed.

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Zelenskyy in talks with partners over permission for Ukraine to strike Russian military infrastructure and airfields in Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine will continue talking to its partners in order to get the "bold decisions" it needs to protect its cities. He has stressed that Ukraine needs to be able to strike Russian military infrastructure and airfields in Russia.

Source: President Zelenskyys video address on 30 June

Details: Zelenskyy said that one person was killed and 10 sustained injuries as a result of a Russian guided aerial bomb attack on Kharkiv on 30 June.

Quote from Zelenskyy: "The sooner the world helps us deal with the Russian combat aircraft launching these bombs, the sooner we can strike Russian military infrastructure and military airfields [in Russia]  and be justified in doing so, the closer we will be to peace. A real peace.

The world has enough power to force Russia into peace. In defending Kharkiv Oblast from the Russian offensive, we have proven that our partners determination can really help.

Ukraines ability to strike military targets in areas near the Russian border helped protect lives. So will further decisions  the bold decisions that must be made, that we need and that we are discussing with our partners. In the coming weeks, we will continue our discussions to achieve these vital decisions."

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A new era of smartphone wars is about to begin

Apple, Samsung, and Google are all turning to AI to inject new life into their devices.

They'll be using it to sell phones to consumers who've become less enthusiastic about them.

It signals a new era in the fight between smartphone makers, which used to be vicious and intense.

You almost certainly own a smartphone, though you probably feel like you've owned the same one for years.

Where industry giants like Apple and Samsung once waged fierce smartphone wars to give consumers increasingly high-tech devices to put in their pockets, these devices have become ubiquitous and quotidian in recent years, their capabilities seemingly plateauing.

With billions of people owning smartphones, the companies selling them have had to do less to convince users to buy them.

Competition may have died down but the original smartphone wars were so intense for Steve Jobs he once declared that he'd start a "thermonuclear war."

The late Apple founder was furious about Android, the smartphone operating system Google unveiled just 11 months after the first iPhone was unveiled in January 2007. He felt Apple's hard work had been stolen.

"I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple's $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong," Jobs said, according to an account in his authorized biography by Walter Isaacson.

The animosity went beyond Google. Apple executives were infuriated in 2010 by the Samsung Galaxy S, which they thought was a carbon copy of the iPhone. Samsung's decision to partner with Google to integrate Android into its devices  after years of being a key supplier to Apple  caused more bad blood.

Steve Jobs wanted to start a "thermonuclear war" over Google's Android. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Years of fierce litigation over alleged patent infringements followed, and intense gamesmanship as smartphone makers vied to sell consumers on their visions of pocketable hardware.

Though some years have passed since these bitter feuds  a court settlement in 2018 over patents may have played its part in ending them  there are signs that a new era of the smartphone wars is about to begin. This time, it is about to be supercharged by AI.

Smartphone wars in the AI era

The smartphone market has been lagging. Statistics from data firm Canalys showed that 1.14 billion smartphones were shipped in 2023, down 4% from 2022.

People seem to be holding onto their existing phones for longer, too. Data published in November by business services firm Assurant found that the average age of devices traded in or upgraded was just over 3 1/2 years. The industry had come to expect consumers to upgrade every one to two years, but it's hard to blame consumers for the shift.

Apple has often unveiled new iPhone models that look nearly identical to the one before. New features can seem incremental or pointless, too. The iPhone 15 Pro, which has the same 6.1 inch "Super Retina XDR display" as the iPhone 14 Pro, swapped its ring/silent switch for an "action Button." A 6-core GPU replaced a 5-core one. The story is similar for Samsung's Galaxy series and Google's Pixel phones.

But generative AI looks like it will end the era of small changes.

Apple, Samsung, and Google are all loudly talking about how they will use the technology to inject new life into their devices.

Earlier this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off day one of the company's Worldwide Developers Conference by revealing Apple Intelligence, a suite of new AI features aimed at revamping the company's full roster of hardware and set to be released later this year.

Apple Intelligence features were unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference. Apple

The company said that, on iPhones, Apple Intelligence would help users "enhance their writing" on everything from emails, messages, and documents to summarizing audio and enhancing virtual assistant Siri. Apple has also struck a deal with ChatGPT maker OpenAI to integrate the buzzy chatbot more deeply into its operating system.

iPhones drove more than half the company's revenue  $200.6 billion of its $383.3 billion net sales in its last fiscal year.

The company will be banking on Apple Intelligence being a hit with consumers, potentially revitalizing sales in markets like China. There, people are lapping up new devices from domestic rivals, such as Huawei's Mate 60 Pro. According to figures from Counterpoint, Chinese iPhone sales dropped 19% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024.

The Huawei Mate 60 rivals the latest iPhone. Wang Gang/Getty Images

Google and Samsung have been just as busy.

Last month, Google demoed its AI assistant, Project Astra, at its I/O conference. Supported by its multimodal Gemini model, it's been designed to provide real-time conversation and support on Pixel phones. The new slate of Pixel phones, usually revealed in the fall, will be showcased on August 13 instead.

The company also announced other AI features, which would help detect nuisance calls, create and drop AI-generated images into apps like Gmail, and allow users to quickly retrieve information from huge PDFs by asking simple questions.

At an event in Paris next month, Samsung is planning to reveal updates to "Galaxy AI," its attempt to introduce "meaningful intelligence" with communication that will feature on its Galaxy S24 smartphone lineup.

Samsung Galaxy S24 lineup. Samsung

The South Korean tech giant must be hoping to regain its crown as king of the smartphone market. It lost it last year, data from market research firm IDC shows, as Apple secured the largest market share.

The market may have begun to feel stale after years of uninspiring updates to products you already own, but as they harness and build hype about AI, smartphone makers see 2024 as an open playing field.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sunlight and manure is a combination most people would likely try to avoid.

But at the University of Illinois Chicago, researchers have found a way to make hydrogen fuel using sun rays and biowaste, including droppings and husks.

Importantly, the technique cuts the energy requirement to make the fuel by a whopping 600%.

"We are the first group to show that you can produce hydrogen utilizing biomass at a fraction of a volt," research team lead Meenesh Singh said in a lab summary. "This is a transformative technology."

Hydrogen is considered by many experts to be a clean-burning fuel, producing mostly water vapor as a byproduct, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory reports. As such, scientists around the world are trying to find better ways to make it, as well as to create machines that can be powered by it. There's even a big, government-backed proof-of-concept project in Texas that's examining ways to produce and use the alternative fuel.

The Chicago research, which is a multi-institutional effort, tackles one of the big knocks against hydrogen  the use of fossil fuels and high energy during production.

A common way to make hydrogen includes natural gas.

Electrolysis is a cleaner option that splits hydrogen from water using electricity. It can be powered by renewables.

The Chicago team's breakthrough came by introducing a carbon-rich substance the USDA calls biochar to the electrolysis chamber, decreasing the amount of electricity needed to break hydrogen from water, per the research summary. They created their version of biochar by mixing agricultural waste, manure, or sewage with sulfuric acid. The slurry is packed with needed carbon and is well-suited for the task.

Cow dung produced the best results. The experts said that an AA battery  they used a single solar cell  would provide more than enough power for hydrogen production. Since they use renewable energy and recycled waste streams, the technique could become "net zero." To hit that goal, the team must capture the carbon dioxide generated from the process. Singh suggested using it to carbonate beverages, as one example of a productive use for it.

"It's very efficient, with almost 35% conversion of the biochar and solar energy into hydrogen" study co-author Rohit Chauhan said in the report. "These are world-record numbers; it's the highest anyone has demonstrated."

Hydrogen has some other concerns, according to the Sierra Club. The environmental group notes that the fuel emits nitrogen oxides when burned. The gas is a potent polluter that can cause health problems, per the EPA. But the U.S. Energy Department reports the pollution is "comparable" to natural gas when burned to power a turbine, for example.

In fact, the federal government considers hydrogen to be a viable fuel alternative to help the country reduce world-heating pollution in the coming decades. Public health would benefit if it can be safely rolled out to replace fossil fuels. That's because air pollution is linked by many health experts, including the WHO, to increased risk for stroke, heart, lung, and other diseases.

The Chicago experts also see benefits from their tech being realized even on farms. They plan to test ways to scale the now-patented research.

"This cheap way of making hydrogen could allow farmers to become self-sustainable for their energy needs or create new streams of revenue," study co-lead author Nishithan Kani said in the report.

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The Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Aurora stopped all cardiac surgeries for 11 months amid an exodus of clinical staff and leadership problems that created a culture of fear.

That is according to two VA Office of Inspector General reports released last week. The documents outlined the problems that led to numerous clinical leaders departing the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center while regional leadership remained unaware or unengaged. In addition, the VA's central offices were not notified that cardiac surgeries at the medical center were shut down, according to a report.

The leaders who left included the chief of hospital medicine, the chief of hematology and oncology, the chief of cardiothoracic surgery and the chief of anesthesiology, among others. All but one of the cardiac surgical staff resigned. The other employee was fired.

A survey of former employees found a lack of trust and confidence in senior leaders and a fear of retaliation around reporting concerns. The report quoted former and current facility leaders anonymously about the problems. In some direct quotes, the employees complained specifically about the former facility director and former chief of staff.

"You are not encouraged to have opinions. And if your opinion differs, there are clear repercussions that can be anything from being berated in a meeting to being pushed out on the back end with some false accusations or claims that then have to be investigated, and people are removed from positions," an employee told investigators about the former facility director, according to the report.

In October 2023, Network Director Sunaina Kumar-Giebel removed the director of VA Eastern Colorado Health Care, Michael Kilmer, and Shilpa A. Rungta, the chief of staff, from leadership. Two other leaders the reports cited as contributing to the negative culture resigned, according to a VA news release.

The recent report said investigators remain concerned about continued departures, low morale and "the potential current and future impact on patient safety and services." The report did not find any patient harm in its reviews.

The current interim director of the facility who started in March, Amir Farooqi, addressed facility challenges in an interview Friday with The Gazette, covering the state of cardiac surgeries, morale, hiring, nurse concerns over staff shortages and the residue found on medical instruments that has affected nearly 500 surgeries and about 100 dental procedures.

VA Staff Exodus An Inspector General report found the following senior clinical leaders departed the organization in a short period. The chief of hospital medicine left in June 2022. The chief of hematology and oncology left in July 2022. The chief of care management and social work left December 2022. The chief of cardiothoracic surgery left in March 2023. The deputy chief of anesthesiology left in April 2023. The deputy chief of mental health left in April 2023. The deputy chief of surgery left in April 2023. The chief of physical medicine and rehabilitation left in July 2023. The chief of anesthesiology left in October 2023. The chief of behavioral health left in October 2023.

While the hospital has the staff to complete cardiac surgeries, they are on pause along with all complex procedures because of the residue that has been identified as a kind of plastic. Farooqi could not say when the problem would be resolved, but a team is meeting every day to manage the patient care as a result of the hurdles. A team from the manufacturer of the sterilization equipment is coming next week to take the machines apart to identify the problem.

"It will literally be down to the screws," Farooqi said.

In the meantime, the VA offers veterans the option to have surgeries scheduled at other community hospitals or wait for care. In clinical emergencies, the VA will send veterans to other hospitals, he said.

At the same time, unionized nurses rallied this week in front of the hospital over staffing shortages. In a news release, the union said 57 positions need to be filled to meet safe staffing standards.

The organization remains committed to working with the unionized nurses, Farooqi said.

"We are actively recruiting and hiring for nursing staff," he said.

As for morale, Farooqi said the organization has been through challenging circumstances, but some employees have worked for the organization for decades and continue to be committed. Some have also offered constructive thoughts on improvements.

The VA said in a news release the new leadership has taken steps to correct problems identified in inspector general reports by holding monthly staff town halls and starting a project to revamp daily staff huddles, among other steps. The regional network that supervises the hospital also set up a new Office of Oversight.

Major change rocked ICU

The Office of Inspector General report found the VA paused heart surgeries for two weeks at the hospital in June 2022 because of a shortage of specialized nurse practitioners to care for patients 24/7. They restarted after the former chief of surgery and one other provider agreed to work night shifts in addition to their day shifts through September 2022, the report said.

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In June 2022, the former cardiothoracic chief proposed hiring two specialized physician assistants to help provide care around the clock. The hiring didn't take place.

Without staff to provide constant care, the VA medical center did not provide any cardiac surgeries between October 2022 and August 2023. The medical center did not notify the VA's central offices about the closure. The hospital used contract surgical staff to resume operations in late 2023, the report said.

During the pause, on Jan. 3, 2023, the chief of staff made the abrupt decision to stop allowing hospitalists to work in the ICU because of patient safety concerns. Hospitalists are similar to primary care doctors, but work strictly in hospitals.

The hospital planned to rely on specialists in the ICU instead, the report said, but it was "unsustainable" for them to provide 24/7 staffing.

The day of the change, doctors completing their residency, or in-hospital training, were told that specialists would provide overnight on-call supervision while not at the hospital.

"After the change, ICU residents reported concerns to service leaders and in program evaluations citing lack of on-site supervision, increased patient safety risks, diminished resident education quality, and decreased overall satisfaction," the report said.

In February 2023, the hospital told doctors completing residency to use a telehealth service for advice before calling an off-site supervisor but did not provide written guidance.

In March, the doctors in residency stopped using the telehealth service in their rounds during March, because it was unhelpful. The investigators did not find that the change in the ICU model resulted in harm after reviewing four cases.

Last week, the hospital brought on a new ICU medical director, Farooqi said. The hospital also now allows for hospitalists to provide overnight care in the ICU, he said.

Unsafe working conditions

Investigators found by surveying former facility leaders that a majority felt poor or unsafe working conditions contributed to their departures. The employees described the hospital as psychologically unsafe. A majority also said unethical treatment contributed to their departures, among other concerns.

Part of the problem was monopoly of control held by a handful of senior leaders, according to the inspector general reports.

"In a healthy leadership structure, a medicine chief would be able to advocate for the needs of patients and providers within the section," a physician said in the report. "Instead, we do not have a safe and trusted supervisor, limiting checks and balances."

The medical center is close to hiring a chief of hospital medicine and currently has someone acting in the role, Farooqi said.

During the exodus of staff, the reports found that senior leaders didn't use exit surveys to identify why employees were leaving.

This year, Farooqi said the medical center really encouraged employees to share their thoughts and ideas through an all-employee survey and saw the highest response rate ever of around two-thirds of the staff participating. He said the data would be used to create action plans.

The hospital could see greater oversight going forward because both reports called on the VA undersecretary for health, Dr. Shereef Elnahal, to provide more supervision of leaders at the regional level, an area that includes Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and portions of other states. The report calls on him to determine how regional leaders were unaware of the 11-month pause in surgeries and ensure regional leaders are involved in work at the Aurora center around clinical staffing and hiring and retention of employees, among other goals.

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Aurora, said in a recent statement he planned to continue to push for improvements to care at the medical center, an expansive facility that opened in 2018.

Im deeply concerned by the OIGs report on pervasive staff culture issues and barriers to accessing medical care at the Rocky Mountain VA," he said. "Veterans take an oath to serve and are promised quality care when they return home."
The shadowy new way employees are cheating their way to the top

Remi never intended to secretly outsource her job. It sort of just happened.

After graduating from college in 2019 with a degree in education, the Gen Zer found work at a Chicago publishing company. She did not love it. Most of her colleagues were decades older than her, and their struggles to use basic software forced her to become a one-woman IT operation. The work itself was uninspiring and relentless: On most days she juggled presentation slides, managed spreadsheets and databases, and formatted page layouts.

The pandemic provided a respite from the tedium of in-office interactions. But it didn't lessen her workload, and she quietly began asking her boyfriend, a STEM major working in a lab, for occasional help. Certain she'd be fired for it, she didn't tell her employer.

Then her mother died.

Remi was appointed executor of the estate, and settling her mother's affairs was a never-ending nightmare: wading through countless gambling debts, maintaining the crumbling family home, and distributing the few remaining assets. Though she took a leave of absence from work and continued to rely on her boyfriend when she returned, she couldn't keep up. Soon, she also turned to a childhood friend, who was unemployed and needed money. Remi proposed a plan: She'd pay her friend $100 a book to help with editing and formatting, saving her hours of work every week. The friend eagerly accepted. Her colleagues, meanwhile, remained clueless.

And just like that  although she didn't know it  Remi had become part of a hidden movement that went far beyond her Chicago publishing company.

Across the globe, a wave of workers are secretly outsourcing parts or all of their jobs. Labor has never been easier to invisibly offload, thanks to a perfect storm of factors: globalized social networks, ubiquitous software tools, and the pandemic. An inadvertent byproduct of the rapacious, profit-seeking impulse that drives our global economy, this corporate subterfuge stretches from high-powered Silicon Valley techies to legions of low-paid helpers in India and Pakistan.

Welcome to the world of shadow stand-ins.

Stories about covert outsourcing are nothing new. Essay mills and faux test-taking have become perennial problems in academia, and gig-economy workers are occasionally caught lending their accounts to friends. Walter Keane gained notoriety in the 1960s for passing off "big eyes" paintings by his wife, Margaret, as his own. In 2012, a Verizon engineer was caught farming out his work to a team in China so he could browse Reddit all day. But in most workplaces, the idea of hiring someone to do your job for you seemed so outlandish that The Onion satirized it in 2009 as the natural endpoint to globalization and American laziness.

No longer.

I talked to dozens of players in the shadow stand-in economy, including people like Remi, hired helpers, and those who have watched colleagues or friends partake. (Citing reputational or professional risks, most spoke on condition of anonymity or asked to be identified only by their first or middle name.) Given its clandestine nature, it's difficult to know just how many people the network scoops up. But providers told me they had seen a surge in popularity since 2020, a consequence of the pandemic and its attendant remote-work revolution. The past four years have transformed workplace norms, liberating millions from commutes and precipitating a wave of alienation from professional life  while providing eye-watering opportunities for the hungry or unscrupulous.

"It becomes very easy for people to take the support when working from home," said one shadow stand-in who lives in India and who has been in business since 2019. "After the pandemic," said another from Pakistan, the industry "boomed."

There's no one model for how shadow stand-ins work, and practitioners use different terms: outsourcing, delegating, proxy work, subcontracting, virtual assistants, offshoring, or the delightfully euphemistic "job support." It ranges from doling out small tasks to providing someone login credentials for full remote access. Some people want a mentor, some want a crutch after using "proxy interview" services to cheat their way through the hiring process, and some just want the productivity guru Tim Ferriss' "4-Hour Workweek" on steroids. Others use the free time to rake in cash by working multiple jobs, a twist on the concept of overemployment.

Though Remi recruited people she knew, shadow stand-ins are often sourced from a complex online web of faceless providers. Sites like Fiverr and Upwork are common conduits; a designer in the Southwestern US told me he would periodically hire two freelancers for the same job and discard the inferior work. Platforms like Facebook, Telegram, and WhatsApp are full of job support groups with thousands of members each. dedicated to matching providers and users. In one recent Facebook post, an Atlanta man struggling with his Salesforce-related job offered half his salary to anyone willing to quietly hold his hand through tasks and meetings. In another, a woman in San Jose, California, working for a major tech firm asked for help with a short programming assignment.

Facebook Groups are a popular forum for recruiting shadow stand-ins, providing a two-sided marketplace where workers and providers can connect to one another. Facebook

"Job support is nothing bad," Raj Kumar, the Bengaluru, India-based cofounder of Onlinejobsupport.net, told me. He simply sees it as an "advanced version of training." Like many professional job-support firms, his team often acts as a kind of black-market IT helpdesk, using screen-sharing software to dial in to their clients' computers for a few hours a day to give pointers as they work  or completing the work themselves if the client would rather be elsewhere.

You could hire shadow stand-ins in many workplaces, assuming your boss isn't looking too closely. But it's much more common in jobs in technology and IT. SaaS tools and tech services like Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Amazon Web Services have become the plumbing for our global economy, used by everyone from fast-fashion retailers to nonprofits, and their cookie-cutter systems make it easy for anyone with the right skills to quietly step in.

For the past few years, an American Java developer named Kevin has been living in Southeast Asia and outsourcing his jobs  all three of them. With the help of a Filipino friend acting as a recruiter, he brought on three local "virtual assistants," offloading nearly all of his technical work. He writes formal assignment sheets for each worker; "Implement a test for valid JSON in POST content," reads a typical directive.

Needless to say, none of his employers  finance and construction firms  know about one another, and his workers are similarly in the dark. Even his location is a secret: He told his bosses he was based in the United States, and he works nights to avoid detection. "It's low-cost labor or low cost of living, mostly," Kevin explained. "I'm making three American incomes, but I'm paying Filipino rates to live."

He's an extreme example of a user of shadow stand-ins. But whether they're juggling multiple jobs or outsourcing the odd task, they tend to have one thing in common: a deep skepticism of traditional corporate values.

Some believe if the work gets done, no matter how unconventionally, there's no problem. "Everybody has a different moral compass and a different thing that they say: 'This crosses the line for me,'" said Andrew, a consultant in Colorado who has outsourced work to freelancers and family members. He views "quiet quitting"  deliberately coasting at work  as far more odious. "I don't believe somebody hires me for my time. They hire me to get results for them," he said.

For many devotees, using shadow stand-ins isn't just a preferred way of working  it's a renegade professional philosophy. Lorenzo Matteucci for BI

Others, like the Southern California developer Brandon Nowak, have contemplated dipping their toe in the water. He told me that shadow stand-ins are an inevitable outcome to our system of making money. "Companies themselves are taking advantage of you, by hiring you to do work which they reap more value from you than they give to you. That is the basis of capitalism," he said. "I'm not an anti-capitalist necessarily, but I don't fault anyone  myself included  for looking to turn those tables on the companies themselves."

There is one wrinkle to this line of thinking. Some shadow stand-in connoisseurs  particularly those who ship their work to offshore helpers earning much less  are arguably replicating the same structures they're trying to rebel against.

"For-profit corporations are government-sanctioned psychopaths, existing only to predatorily and parasitically earn profit," Kevin said. "Corporations are owed no moral obligation whatsoever, any more than a hen owes a fox moral consideration. The only rational response is to extract as much as possible."

But, he conceded, "I readily admit I can't provide a consistent response to the problem of pushing predator-parasite further down the line."

Soon after hiring her friend, Remi had an awkward realization: They were bad at the job.

Sometimes, they made glaring errors. Reformatted manuscripts came back with page numbers inserted into paragraphs, or charts were missing data. Remi effectively demoted them, adjusting the arrangement to pay $10 for each individual chapter, but that created new problems: Since they took hours to complete what usually took her 30 minutes, she was effectively paying them less than minimum wage.

Their friendship suffered, too. "I'd give soft corrections on how I would like the work to be done, and they would be a little defensive about it, or wouldn't take the note," Remi said.

After two months, Remi decided to fire them, fibbing that she simply no longer needed help. She turned back to her boyfriend, who began working for her more consistently.

The dustup highlighted a key drawback to shadow stand-ins: While alluring, things can go horribly wrong.

Half a dozen workers at different companies in the US and India told me they knew of colleagues who had secretly outsourced work. Problems invariably piled up, they said: The work was inadequate; there were inconsistencies in communication; and organizational chaos abounded.

"If you can't trust your employee  if they're dishonest and they're not telling you the truth about one thing  that could mean that they're not telling you the truth about other things," said Amber Clayton, a senior director at the Society for Human Resource Management, an HR industry body. "I wouldn't want that individual within the organization, because who knows what they would do?"

Facebook's anonymous posting tools in Goups have made it easy and low-risk for shadow stand-in seekers to advertise their needs. Facebook

Even when it goes right, managing a secret helper or two can be laborious. Your conventional workload may be lightened, but it's replaced with finding and vetting helpers, delegating tasks, reviewing the completed work, and living in constant fear of being found out. "It required a lot of micromanaging," said a backend engineer in Pennsylvania who hired shadow stand-ins to help him juggle multiple jobs. "It's like you were working  but then on top of that, it became another task of just managing them."

Occasionally, the problems can have implications far beyond the workplace.

In December, Tim Woodruff, a ServiceNow developer in Washington state, got a curious LinkedIn message from a "consulting" firm. "We will send job applications to remote jobs and schedule job interviews for you," the message read. If he got the job, the firm promised to "attend everything related to programming." All he had to do for whatever role he landed was attend meetings, and give the firm half of his salary.

Woodruff despised workplace deception, even joining job support and proxy interview-focused Telegram groups to disrupt them in his spare time. "I'm autistic, and rules help me make sense of the world, and I don't like it when they're just ignored and no one seems to care," he told me. He decided to go along with the chicanery to see where it led.

He joined the firm's Slack channel and let it apply for jobs on his behalf, even attending some job interviews. He said he noticed a disquieting trend: Many of the jobs he was interviewing for had national security implications, including tech consultancies working with the Secret Service and the Department of the Treasury. Other applications were to financial institutions. Woodruff said he reported the firm to the FBI. (A bureau spokesperson said they couldn't confirm the existence of any investigations.)

Ranjan, a software engineer from Bengaluru, is regularly approached by job-support firms trying to hire him to work for their clients. "We will keep your name, all data confidential. We do not deduct tax from your salary," one recruiter wrote to him on LinkedIn. "Your package will be Beautiful, trust me."

The pitch hints at the stark economic power disparity that underpins shadow stand-ins, he told me: Most job support comes from countries like India and Pakistan, where wages are low and "desperate" workers will provide cheap labor. Pay rates for shadow stand-ins are "definitely more than what people earn in their regular payday, that's for sure," he said.

Despite mixed feelings about the practice, Kiran, a shadow stand-in based in Bengaluru, has continued to provide help because of the money he earns. "They are faking," he said of clients. He has watched, frustrated, as clients coast through high-paying jobs, lying about skills and taking job opportunities "which are supposed to be for honest people who are actually experienced."

The same economic disparities that underpin much of our globalized economy power the shadow stand-in trade, which stretches from tech workers in the US to low-paid helpers in India. Lorenzo Matteucci for BI

Still, Western pay remains an alluring prospect to many. "I think it's a win-win situation," said Rahul, an Indian developer whose friends have provided job support and who is interested in doing it himself. "We get paid peanuts anyway, so this is an extra source of income. It usually pays better, too." Andrew, the Colorado consultant, argued that both parties agree on a price they're happy with. "I feel like I pay people fairly," he told me.

Peter Steele, a Michigan developer, has an Upwork account and receives unsolicited pitches several times a year offering to apply for and complete jobs using his name in return for a slice of salary. "They talk about how getting clients is extremely difficult when you're not based out of the United States," he said.

High demand has paved the way for intermediaries who match clients and helpers  a veritable nesting doll of outsourced hustle. Many of them aren't shy about their businesses: Kumar's job support firm Onlinejobsupport.net, for example, claims on its website to have more than 500 happy clients across 25 countries  focusing on popular systems or tools like Java, AWS, Hadoop, and React. (It might be wise to be skeptical of any one provider's marketing claims, but there's clearly a bustling ecosystem.)

Many of these intermediaries aren't shy about their business, either. You can even find some marketing their services on LinkedIn.

The pandemic years were a boom time for shadow stand-ins. Now the winds are shifting.

Return-to-office has forced some delegators to give it up  it's harder to screen-share and outsource tasks if you're sitting in a cubicle  while others are reduced to huddling with helpers after returning home. Providers told me they're feeling the pinch, but there's no putting the genie back in the bottle.

The model has been proved, the global supply chain is there, and worker attitudes have shifted. "If I died at my desk tomorrow, my job would be posted online before my funeral," said one Oregon worker whose colleague tried to outsource their job.

Others question why secret delegating might be stigmatized more than other tactics. "Assuming you are not sharing proprietary data," Andrew, the Colorado consultant, asked, "what is the difference from outsourcing your work vs using an AI or software tool to automate your work?"

And while shadow stand-ins feel like a uniquely modern, internet-enabled phenomenon, its roots run much deeper. "Historically, at least in certain trades, both in the US and other countries, the household unit was the unit employed to do the work," said Michel Anteby, a professor of management and sociology at Boston University. He offered up the New England spinning industry as an example. "No one really cared or tracked if it was the husband, the wife, the kids who are doing the job."

Remi fits neatly within that framework.

Her boyfriend, it turned out, was a great worker. He could swiftly complete technical tasks that usually took her all day, and she didn't pay him; they had already merged finances when her mother died. They continued the arrangement until she quit a year later. But even after she left, Remi received intermittent texts from old coworkers asking for help. She never replied. She had no interest in letting the company exploit her labor.

Today, the Chicagoan has no regrets. "I personally come from a background where I am very anti-corporation," she told me. "I don't personally see the harm in it  especially because if my company isn't going to do its best to keep me happy and healthy, and have my best interests in mind, then that falls upon me to ensure that that's happening for myself."

Remi now works in an education-related field. Her boyfriend is employed as a remedial tutor at a school, and she sometimes lends him a hand, formatting his presentation slides and doing other miscellaneous work.

His employer doesn't know, and the couple have no plans to stop.

Rob Price is a senior correspondent for Business Insider and writes features and investigations about the technology industry. If you have experience with shadow stand-ins, you can contact him via Signal/WhatsApp at +1 650-636-6268 or email at rprice@businessinsider.com .

Read the original article on Business Insider
Tech company unveils tiny spheres that outperform solar panels using both sun and artificial light  and the company says they could hit 60 times the current capacity

Solar panels may be replaced by light-catching spheres if innovation company WAVJA's ingenious contraptions fulfill their potential.

That's because the business, which has operations in New York City, says its experts have created tiny globes  from a little more than an inch to nearly 4 inches in size  that can harness both sunlight and artificial light to make electricity, according to the manufacturer.

Called a Photon Energy System, the tech uses "multiple layers of cutting-edge materials in specialized spheres," according to Executive President Shereen Chen, who outlined a list of performance metrics in a video. Each one has a specification that's multiple times better than traditional panels.

The spheres, which resemble tiny Death Stars (or, perhaps for a more niche Star Wars reference, normal-sized training remotes), are 30 times smaller than solar panels, with 7.5 times the output. Astoundingly, she said they are more than 200 times more efficient.

"It revolutionizes how we harness sunlight," Chen said.

In the clip, four spheres are shown sitting atop a square-shaped device, possibly a part of the system that converts light to electricity. Typically, there's no external battery connection involved. Chen said the invention is a "separate battery system."

For the example scenario, the spheres are shown powering a battery. Chen later notes that the power pack can be connected to the system "in various ways compared to solar panels."

Throughout the video, LED lights are used to energize the setup, which in turn charges tablets and phones. The vision gets fairly futuristic from there. Renderings shared by Chen show concept big rigs and flying machines powered by groups of spheres, all providing a 24-hour electricity supply regardless of the weather conditions.

One concept closer to reality is a vehicle being tested to run on a package of 20 spheres, per Chen.

"You are actually looking at real time, current, proof of concept that we are working on," she said about the car.

The tour of the future wrapped up with a rendering of a community powered by a bank of spheres. If the tech can in fact provide the power as advertised, it will be an amazing feat. The third generation is said to be 60 times more powerful than a similar-sized solar panel, per the clip.

"Our commitment to innovation drives us to create transformative solutions," Chen says.

WAVJA cites planet-warming-fueled extreme weather, forest fires, and other calamities as inspiration for the innovations. Its designers even have a proposed fire-extinguishing drone, powered by its spheres, that will "patrol forests for extended periods of time and extinguish fires promptly upon discovery."

Solar innovations are marking impressive milestones. A team in Japan is working on a flexible sun-catching material that can survive a run through a washing machine. But even common sense can provide big results in the effort to be more sustainable. Simply replacing your old light bulbs with LEDs can save you hundreds of dollars a year while also negating the creation of hundreds of pounds of air pollution.

As for the big picture, while WAVJA doesn't get deep into how the technology works, the concept offers appealing potential. The company is looking for partners to start bringing the technology to action, from powering devices to industrial settings, according to its website.

"The future of energy is bright, sustainable, and within reach," Chen said in the clip.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
The Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) arrested the owner of a private school in Gujarat's Godhra on Sunday for alleged involvement in NEET-UG exam malpractices. Speaking to news agency PTI, public prosecutor Rakesh Thakor said, "Dixit Patel, the owner of the Jay Jalaram School in Godhra in the Panchmahal district, where the exam was held, was taken into custody early in the morning from his residence. The CBI is currently taking Patel to Ahmedabad to get his remand."

"As the case has been handed over to the CBI by the Gujarat government, a CBI team will produce him (Dixit Patel) before a designated court in Ahmedabad to acquire his remand," explained Thakor. On May 5, one of the designated locations for the NEET-UG exam was Jay Jalaram School. Patel is the sixth person to be held in the case where the accused reportedly sought Rs 10 lakh from aspirants to assist them pass the test.

This is a developing story.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday thanked countrymen for reposing their unwavering faith in the Constitution and the democratic system of the country.

PM Modi made these remarks while addressing his radio show 'Mann Ki Baat' which was broadcast for the first time after polls. PM's 'Mann Ki Baat' radio broadcasting program had taken a break in February ahead of the general elections.

"Today, I thank the countrymen for reposing their unwavering faith in our Constitution and the democratic system of the country," Modi said.

Modi sais that the 2024 Lok Sabha polls is the biggest election.

"Such a big election has never taken place in any country in the world. More than 65 crore people voted in the election," the prime minister said.

While addressing the country's people through the radio address, the prime minister also took a new initiative named 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'.

"I am glad to see people inspiring others by sharing their pictures of their mothers," Modi said.

The prime minister also cheered Indian athletes who are going to compete in the Paris Olympics next month. He added that the Indian athletes have participated in more than 900 international competitions.

He later urged the people to use the 'cheer4Bharat' hashtag to motivate them.
As the frequent reports of bridge collapses in Bihar are raising concerns among residents about the quality of development work in the state, now, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, also former Bihar Chief Minister, has responded to the issue by raising the possibility of a conspiracy behind the incidents.

In the past nine days, five bridges in Araria, Siwan, East Champaran, Kishanganj, and Madhubani districts of have collapsed in Bihar.

Reflecting on the matter, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Manjhi on Saturday asserted that poor-quality materials might have been used but why these collapses did not occur earlier, asking if there could be a conspiracy behind the recent incidents.

"It is a matter of concern that bridges are collapsing (in Bihar). It looks as if poor-quality material might have been used. But why were the bridges not collapsing before 15 days or a month ago? Why are they collapsing now? Is there a conspiracy behind it?" Manjhi said while addressing the media.

The MSME minister was talking to media when he suggested that the repeated bridge collapses could be a deliberate effort to discredit and tarnish the reputation the government.

Claiming there to be a motive behind these events, he said, These things are being done on purpose to tarnish the image of the government. Bridges are collapsing continuously, I think there is intention behind this.

The Union Minister affirmed that the government is implementing stringent actions against the contractors and engineers accountable for the bridge collapses.

Chronological Order Of Recent Bridge Collapses In Bihar

The series of bridge collapses began on June 18 in Araria, where a newly constructed bridge over the Bakra River collapsed before its inauguration. Subsequently, another collapse occurred on June 22 over the Gandak River in Siwan, a bridge that had been standing for approximately 40-45 years.

The incidents continued with a collapse on June 23 of a bridge under construction in East Champaran, where locals attributed the failure to the use of inferior materials. On the following day, another bridge fell in Kishanganj. The most recent collapse took place in Madhubani, occurring just a day after the Kishanganj incident.

Notably, last year in June, a temporary bridge on the River Ganga in Vaishali suffered partial collapse due to strong winds, connecting Raghopur to the Vaishali District Headquarters.

(Based on inputs from ANI)
New Delhi: Online dating often comes with its share of ups and downs, where each encounter can be a hit or miss. For some, a seemingly promising date can quickly turn into a nightmare. In a similar incident. When a civil service aspirant swiped right on a dating app he had no idea he was entering a scheme designed to scam men seeking love. What started as a hopeful match quickly turned into a cautionary tale about the unexpected risks of online dating.

The victim, an IAS aspirant, whose name was withheld by the police on Sunday arrived at the Black Mirror Cafe in East Delhis Vikas Marg area to celebrate the birthday of Versha, a woman he had recently matched with on Tinder.

At the cafe, they ordered snacks, two cakes, and four shots of a non-alcoholic drink. Everything seemed fine until Versha suddenly left and claimed that theres a family emergency. When the man finished his meal and asked for the bill he was shocked to see a total of Rs 1,21,917.70, an outrageous amount for food that should have cost only a few thousand. (Also Read: Snowblind Malware Explained: Know How It Steals Bank Data From Android Devices)

After this, the victim raised objections to the bill but he faced threats, confinement and was forced to pay the huge amount. He eventually transferred the amount online to Akshay Pahwa, one of the cafes owners. Pahwa, aged 32 resides in Shahdara, East Delhi has completed education up to class 10. (Also Read: TRAI Modifies Rules For New SIM Replacement Under Mobile Number Portability)

Once he got out of the cafe he immediately reported the incident to the police. Inspector Sanjay Gupta led a four-member team to investigate the case which resulted in Akshay Pahwas arrest.

During the investigation, he explained to the police that he along with Ansh Grover and Vansh Patwa own the Black Mirror Cafe. Akshay and Vansh are cousins while Ansh is their friend. The cafe employs several "table managers," with one named Aryan. These managers are supervised by Digranshu. Aryan, who dropped out in Class 7 is currently unemployed.

It was revealed by Akshay that the real identity of Varsha is Afsaan Parveen, a 25 year old woman who also uses the names Ayesha and Noor. When the police located her, she was at another cafe on a date with a man from Mumbai whom she had connected with on Shaadi.com. Ms. Praveen described their plan to the authorities. Aryan had pretended to be Versha and invited the victim to the cafe and claimed it was to celebrate her birthday.

Ms. Parveen left the victim to deal with a fraudulent bill after staging the family emergency and departing. The scam was carefully planned and involved different individuals who received a share of the money. Ms. Parveen received 15% of the total amount, 45% was divided among the table and cafe managers, and the remaining 40% went to the owners.

Police disclosed that similar schemes are operating in major cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. They exploit victims through sophisticated collaborations among cafe owners, managers, and accomplices who specifically target men using dating apps.
Bomb blasts in Nigeria's northeast Borno state killed at least 18 people and injured 48 others, CNN reported, quoting the state's emergency services.

The first blast hit a wedding ceremony around 3 PM local time on Saturday, followed by another at General Hospital Gwoza and a third at a funeral, CNN reported.

According to the head of the local state emergency management agency, the attacks were carried out by suspected suicide bombers.

WION, citing a report by AFP, reported that a state police spokesperson said in one of the three blasts in Gwoza, a woman with a baby strapped to her back detonated explosives in the middle of a wedding ceremony.

The blast took place around 3:45 PM local time when a "woman carrying a baby on her back detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) she had on her at a crowded motor park," Borno State police spokesperson Nahum Kenneth Daso said.

The female suicide bombers also targeted a hospital in the same town and carried out another attack at the funeral for victims of the wedding blast, WION reported, citing AFP.

Baekindo Saidu, Director General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed 18 deaths, including children, adults, and pregnant women.

"The degree of injuries ranges from abdominal ruptures, skull fractures, and limb fractures," Saidu said, as quoted by Reuters.

As per AFP, Saidu said 19 people who had been "seriously injured" were rushed to the regional capital Maiduguri, while 23 people are awaiting evacuation.

The Nigerian town, which lies across the border from Cameroon, has been witnessing violence for more than a decade. Boko Haram had seized Gwoza in 2014, but it was retaken by the Nigerian military with help from Chadian forces the year after.
Officials still do not know the cause for the residue found on reusable medical equipment at the Rocky Mountain VA Medical Center in Aurora that prompted cancellations in surgeries, The Denver Gazette has learned.

The VA system views the discovery not as a failure of its protocols but as an example of the process working  by preventing the use of contaminated equipment in surgeries.

At this time, we havent identified the residue, and we are awaiting results from a contracted lab to identify it, Janelle Beswick, a VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System spokesperson, said in an email.

The material is unknown, and we are working to identify the root cause.

The discovery of the residue compelled the hospital to reschedule or refer, as of last week, more than 200 procedures, including surgeries and dental appointments.

Corrective steps, Beswick said, included replacing filters throughout the system, cleaning the equipment chambers and a scope assessment of the lines in the hospitals steam system. Officials are also working to replace equipment trays and carts to determine if this could be the source of the unidentified residue.

We continue to work with contracted vendors and VA leadership to identify actions to take to resolve the issue, Beswick said.

Not all surgeries involving reusable medical equipment  which is cleaned in-house through a sterilization process  have been resumed. Beswick said only some cases/procedures using reusable equipment have resumed and that these are being sterilized offsite by a vendor.

This volume is limited, and we are evaluating the need to cancel future procedures on a week-by-week basis, Beswick said.

Surgeries that can be done using disposable equipment have continued.

The Denver Gazettes news partner, 9News, first reported the issue last week.

As of May 10, 52 dental appointments and 181 surgeries were either rescheduled or, if emergent, referred to community hospitals or other VA facilities.

Beswick did not say how many of these surgeries necessitated a referral. Nor did she say how many were being rescheduled.

Standard operating procedure requires an equipment inspection prior to all procedures. It was during this inspection that the residue was discovered.

It was initially unknown when the discovery was first made.

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The Denver Gazette has since learned that staff identified black flecks on two surgical trays on April 12.

And then on May 3, officials found residue on 5% of the hospitals surgical trays.

Out of an abundance of caution, our Infection Control team determined that all surgeries should be canceled until the issue is resolved, Beswick said.

Surgical equipment can be disposable or reusable, but contaminated equipment can introduce bacteria, viruses or fungi into the surgical site and lead to infections.

It is unknown how frequently this happens in Colorado hospitals; the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment could not immediately provide data.

A federal entity, the state health department does not provide regulatory oversight of the VA hospital.

Given the reliance on equipment and technology in todays health care settings, issues with equipment do sometimes arise, Cara Welch, a spokesperson for the Colorado Hospital Association, said in an email to The Denver Gazette.

As a result, hospitals typically plan for this as part of their emergency preparedness program. Those plans typically provide guidance on how to manage a variety of equipment issues and are focused on ensuring quality, safety and patient care are prioritized.

The issue appears to be with the hospitals steam sterilization system, Beswick said, which is used to clean reusable medical equipment.

Reusable equipment includes items such as scalpels and dental tools, which affect surgeries and routine dental appointments.

While VA officials are working to determine the cause, they are using a vendor to sterilize the hospitals dental equipment, allowing dental appointments to resume, Beswick said.

The vendor, however, is unable to sterilize the hospitals reusable surgical equipment.

This volume is limited, and we are evaluating the need to cancel future procedures on a week-by-week basis, Beswick said.

Beswick added: This is not a protocol failure; it is an example of safety processes working as intended.
Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute in Denver and hosts The Devils Advocate with Jon Caldara on Colorado Public Television Channel 12. His column appears Sundays in Colorado Politics.
The cloud is becoming the most popular place to store data today, yet many are unsure how to make the leap to the cloud. Here's how to make the leap.

The cloud is becoming the most popular place to store data today, with Gartner predicting that cloud spending in Australia will surpass A$23.3 billion in 2024, an increase by 19.7% in just one year. With this increased spending, its no surprise that many Aussie brands are scrambling to join their data to the cloud in 2024.

With ongoing restrictions and the deprecation of third-party cookies, many businesses are now investigating ways to utilise their own first-party data to build the most accurate, vivid, and dynamic customer view possible.

Yet, many are unsure how they can make the leap to the cloud, especially when it comes to how this will impact valuable first-party data.

We know that setting up a business's first-party data cloud infrastructure can seem challenging, so thats why weve asked data expert - Melanie Hoptman, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, at data collaboration platform, LiveRamp, to share her insights.

Firstly, why first-party data?

At risk of oversimplifying: First-party data is the way ahead in 2024 and beyond.

It is the baseline for getting to know your customers because it comes from genuine engagement with your company across a wide variety of consumer touchpoints. Furthermore, beyond the insights first-party data yields for how to engage with your existing customers, these insights can be used to target new customers that are similar to your current, ideal customers, providing an engine for further growth.

When you connect the constellation of touchpoints per customer and multiply that by millions, you can easily see how powerful first-party data can become for your business as a whole.

Critically, because consumers themselves share first-party data, and publishers and marketers alike need direct, transparent relationships with consumers to build first-party data strategies, first-party data helps businesses build sustainably with privacy and regulations at the forefront.

As companies build first-party data strategies, they should also keep cloud in mind

For companies that have not yet started their first-party data strategies, building your first-party data strategy and your cloud strategy concurrently hold a multitude of synergies. As the data and identity space - as well as the cloud sector - come closer together, integrating both of your solutions together helps bring new outcomes and new levels of value to your investments in both spaces.

In the last year, cloud companies have been making innovative upgrades to their infrastructure to make their data actionable within the cloud. For example, LiveRamp has formed partnerships with Google Cloud and Snowflake to enable identity in the cloud so companies can now access LiveRamps solutions through the Google Cloud Marketplace, as well as Snowflakes Media Data Cloud platform, making their data actionable, unlocking a better view of their customers, and maximising their cloud data investment.

While building your first-party data strategy in the cloud carries a number of benefits, theres a couple where you can expect to see the most impact.

Data movement

Building your first-party data strategy in the cloud helps your data to stay within your customer environment. With the right solution, data will never need to be exposed to other parties, reducing exposure risk while still allowing for the benefits of identity in a secure, privacy-protected manner.

Furthermore, if you dont have to duplicate data to realise the benefits of your first-party data strategy, youll be able to avoid egress costs, as well as sending your data across the internet. This means you can build your connections and get to business faster, improving your speed-to-value.

Ease-of-use

With first-party data solutions for the cloud, everything needed to leverage the benefits of identifiers is loaded into the customers cloud environment, including appropriate permissions. All of this functions within the customers walls, making everything as simple as possible.

Moving forward

As first-party data becomes a key concern in the post-signal loss ecosystem, companies that are not only building their first-party data strategies, but also doing so in the cloud are gaining a critical advantage building their marketing stack to sustain them for years to come. As companies scale up their cloud deployments, as well as their first-party data strategies, theyre able to learn about how these strategies can most benefit their businesses, and quickly reinforce the areas where they add the most value.

With the advantages that a first-party data strategy and cloud deployment offer, making these changes today not only sets up marketers better for the future, but also enables them to start feeling the superior results of first-party data today. As the ecosystem heads towards a new future that better respects consumer privacy, leading marketers will be able to benefit from the head start testing and benchmarking these new solutions, setting themselves up for sustained success into the future.
A 74-year-old Crete man has been identified as the gunman in a Friday shooting that injured seven people, including four children, the Nebraska State Patrol said.

Crete police say they are investigating whether the crime may have been racially motivated based on a previous report of an incident between the man, who fatally shot himself, and the victims.

Billy Booth was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before law enforcement made contact with him, Col. John Bolduc with the State Patrol said during a press conference Saturday. All victims, the youngest of whom is 3 years old, are expected to survive.

The State Patrol said Booth began firing his shotgun at around 4:35 p.m. Friday from inside his home near Parklane Street and Crestline Drive toward a group of about 15 people gathered across the street.

Most of the victims were in the yard, but at least one victim was struck while inside a home on Crestline Drive.

All seven victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The victims included three adults, aged 22-43, and four children, aged 3-10.

While police don't believe Booth and the victims spoke immediately before the shooting on Friday, the State Patrol said they had a prior history.

Crete police had taken a report that Booth flipped off the family and told them to "speak English" and "go home," Crete Police Chief Gary Young Jr. said on Saturday. Crete police said this previous report leads them to believe the shooting may be racially motivated, though it's still being investigated.

The State Patrol said the family had decided not to press charges against Booth for that incident. All of the victims are believed to be Hispanic, police said. Booth was white.

Crete, which is 30 miles southwest of Lincoln, has a population of 7,500. In July 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, about half of the residents were white and about 41% identified as Hispanic or Latino.

When Crete police and Saline County deputies arrived around 4:45 p.m. Friday after receiving multiple 911 calls, they heard shots coming from Booth's home. They found six people  three adults and three children  with gunshot wounds. A seventh victim realized hours later that he had been struck and was transported to the hospital.

The victims found at the home were removed from the rear of the house and taken to safety. Both houses on either side of the victims' house were also evacuated. The victims were transferred to area hospitals.

At around 6:40 p.m. Friday, SWAT team officers entered Booth's home, where he was believed to be barricaded, and found Booth dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

SWAT team officers located two guns inside the home, including a shotgun that was used in the shooting. All rounds are believed to have been shot from inside Booth's house, the State Patrol said.

NSP said they will not identify the family in respect of their privacy.

State Patrol investigators took phones and computers as part of their investigation into possible motive. If anyone has video, they are asked to send it to the Crete Police Department or Nebraska State Patrol.

Top Journal Star photos for June 2024
In Nebraska's Sandhills, a serene retreat has been honored for its quietness. In lieu of visitors, only bird calls among the trees, waterfalls trickling and symphonies of rushing water can be heard.

The Niobrara National Scenic River is 76 miles of free-flowing water with more than 200 waterfalls. It has six ecosystems that overlap one another which creates hybrid plants and animals.

Were there to protect all of these species and protect the water quality and quantity, said Susan Cook, superintendent of Niobrara.

In October 2023, Quiet Parks International named the Niobrara National Scenic River the first Quiet Trail in the United States. Only two other trails have received the designation in the world. Cueifong Lake Circular Trail in Taiwan received the first distinction in 2022 and in May, the Montanas Vacias Bikepacking Trail in Spain was awarded the honor as well.

Quiet places first have to be nominated and then evaluated by Quiet Parks International Field Recordists. Quiet Parks is a nonprofit, volunteer-ran organization that seeks to find and protect quiet places around the world. For the Niobrara, Cook said there had to be a minimum of 15 minutes without any human-made sounds throughout the four-day flow down the river.

You almost dont realize its quiet because its quietness is actually just hearing nature, Cook said.

She said the quietness comes from the working ranches that surround the river and prevents further development.

It is a very rare occurrence that you can go floating down a river and just be one with nature because nature is all around you, Cook said. You dont have cabins and houses and everything on the banks.

Since earning the designation, Cook said theyve had more visitors seeking to experience the quietness  including some visitors from around the world.

Alli Zimmerman of Lincoln traveled to Niobrara earlier this month with a group of friends prior to having any knowledge of the designation. Her friend, Jeanette Greer, had contacts with a nearby Airbnb owner and encouraged the group of friends to venture north.

During their weekend-long trip, the group of five spent six hours tubing down part of the river and explored some of the nearby trails.

A lot of the trails in Lincoln, even like in the middle of Wilderness Park, youll hear cars going, planes and trains, and you just dont hear anything like that, Greer said.

The group of women have a plenitude of experience hiking through Lincoln as they all met in a group called Lincoln Girls Who Walk. The group includes a couple thousand members who meet weekly in smaller groups to socialize, exercise and get fresh air. The national scenic river was a completely different escapade for the group.

It was beautiful, said Victoria Lahm, a group member. The countryside is just so different from this end of the state with the hills and it doesnt really look like the same state.

Occasionally, the women ran into other groups on the river, but since they went in the morning when it was cooler, fewer people were on the water.

While the river has visitors year round, the busiest times are in July and August as visitors tube, kayak and canoe down the river. Saturdays are also a crazy and loud time to visit, according to Cook who says it becomes party central.

The rest of the week, you may only see a few other people around you, Cook said. You have a lot of opportunities to be out there by yourself.

Visitors can access the river through public access sites or campgrounds. Cook said it takes about four days to float down the entire river.

Its very rejuvenating for the mind, body and soul, Cook said.

The first half of the river ranges from 2-foot to 3-foot deep allowing easy floating and plenty of waterfalls.

The first day is beautiful and easygoing, the second days a little more adventure, Cook said. When you hit the halfway point, its very different.

The third and fourth days of the float have narrow paths and shallow braided channels that sometimes require more effort from visitors. In these areas, the water averages only a foot deep.

Numerous trails nearby weave in and out of the river banks and woods with an abundance of wildlife such as deer, bison, otters and eagles.

Once you get out on the river or walking along the roads and things like that and away from people, it is very peaceful out there, Zimmerman said.

It was quite a different experience for Greer who visited Niobrara 25 years ago with all of her nieces and nephews. This time, she could really take in the serene sounds of nature.

You can just kind of hear the water dribbling and wind and just the river, Greer said.

The beauty doesnt end when the sun goes down either. In addition to the lack of human-made noises, Cook said the minimal development causes a lack of light intrusion.

Its just absolutely breathtaking to see the stars, Cook said. I had a couple of people this spring that said they really didnt realize how well you could see the Milky Way.

Top Journal Star photos for June 2024
MOGADISHU, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) on Saturday handed over Abdalle Birolle military base to the Somali National Army (SNA), marking the transfer of the fourth military facility as part of the third phase of the ATMIS troop drawdown.

ATMIS said in a statement issued on Sunday in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, the army base, previously under the responsibility of ATMIS Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), is located in Jubaland State in southern Somalia.

Deputy special representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission to Somalia Sivuyile Thandikhaya Bam who handed over the base underlined the ATMIS commitment to support the Somalia transition plan to restore peace and stability in the region.

Bam said Somalia once provided sanctuary to freedom fighters from other African countries during their struggles for independence.

"It is our duty to reciprocate the support and sacrifices made by the Somali people for our own countries' freedom," he said.

"Although we are handing over security responsibilities, the African Union will not abandon Somalia and will continue supporting a Somali-led peace and security process," Bam added.

ATMIS Sector Two Commander Seif Salim Rashid praised the effective collaboration between the ATMIS KDF contingent and Somali Security Forces, which resulted in successful operations against Al-Shabaab in Jubaland State.

He urged the incoming SNA forces to maintain the security gains and build on the achievements of ATMIS troops, noting that the AU troops have achieved significant successes, greatly impacting the security situation in Kismayo.

Located 52 km southwest of the port city of Kismayo, the Abdalla Birolle FOB has been manned by ATMIS KDF since 2016.

It serves as a strategic security buffer for Kismayo International Airport and protects the main supply routes connecting Buula Xaaji and Kismayo city, as well as the local community.

Deputy chief of the operations department for the SNA Muhudin Ahmed hailed troops for their dedication and contributions to secure Jubaland State.

Muhudin said the Kenya Defence Forces troops have dedicated significant time to fighting for Somalia's liberation and security, contributing to the peace process.

The AU mission withdrew 5,000 troops from Somalia and handed over 17 military bases to the Somali Security Forces during the first and second phases of the drawdown concluded in 2023.

UN Security Council Resolution 2741 (2024) authorizes ATMIS to withdraw 2,000 troops from Somalia by June 30 and another 2,000 by Sept. 30 under the Phase Three drawdown. 
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump warned during his debate with Joe Biden and again at a Friday rally that migrants were taking Black jobs and Hispanic jobs from Americans, angering critics who called it a racist and insulting attempt to expand his appeal beyond his white conservative base.

While President Joe Biden's halting debate performance on Thursday night stirred widespread concerns among fellow Democrats about his readiness, Trump also repeatedly made false claims and repeated conspiracy theories that he's long promoted during his campaign.

Trump suggested without evidence that Democrats want migrants to displace Americans as voters, and he described the state of the nation under Biden as worse than during the deadly 2017 neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville, Virginia. Trump has often downplayed the racist overtones of the march, once saying there were fine people on both sides.

Trump's depiction of a country on the brink, under siege from unfettered migration and beset by racial strife and economic chaos echoed his longstanding rhetoric about the state of the U.S. Its a pessimistic vision that has long appealed to the GOPs largely white, hard-right base but has also alienated other Americans, especially voters of color.

The fact is that his big kill on the Black people is the millions of people that hes allowed to come in through the border. Theyre taking Black jobs now, Trump said during the debate on CNN. Theyre taking Black jobs and theyre taking Hispanic jobs. And you havent seen it yet, but youre going to see something thats going to be the worst in our history, he warned without specifying the danger.

Yet Trump and his allies believe that such rhetoric may hold greater appeal with Black and Hispanic communities this year dissatisfied with Biden's performance in office. Trump repeated the comments during a rally Friday in Virginia.

The phrase Black jobs was widely condemned by Democrats and Black leaders as vague and insulting.

Im still wondering, what is a Black job, Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee, quipped on Friday during a news conference with former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams in Atlanta. Other prominent Biden allies including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Tx., Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., also condemned Trumps words following the debate.

There is no such thing as a Black job. That misinformed characterization is a denial of the ubiquity of Black talent. We are doctors, lawyers, school teachers, police officers and firefighters. The list goes on, said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP. A Black job is an American job. Its concerning that a presidential candidate would seek to make a nonexistent distinction. But the divisive nature of this comment is not surprising for Donald Trump.

Trump's allies pushed back on the critiques as missing the president's broader message.

He meant the jobs of Black people. And weve been using that term for a while, said Diante Johnson, president of the Black Conservative Federation. Its any job. Instead of Black people having unlimited accessibility to all types of jobs, illegal immigrants are taking their jobs from them."

Much economic research shows that immigration has helped to increase employment, with a 2024 paper by the economists Alessandro Caiumi and Giovanni Peri finding that immigration between 2000 and 2019 had a positive effect on the wages of less educated workers born in the United States. Still, separate research have suggested that greater immigration may have hurt the wages of less educated Black men, though it was one of several factors.

Asked to clarify what Trump meant in describing a Black job during an interview with NBC News, Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is Black and is under consideration to be Trumps vice presidential nominee, sidestepped the question, instead discussing homeless veterans.

Some Black adults do think there's a possibility that immigration will affect employment opportunities for workers who are already here. About 4 in 10 Black adults say its a major risk that the number of jobs available to American workers will be reduced when immigrants come to the U.S.  whether they arrive legally or illegally  according to an AP-NORC poll from March. But the poll also found that about 3 in 10 Black adults think it's a major benefit that immigrants will take jobs that Americans don't want.

In some communities like Chicago, an increased number of migrants has generated greater economic anxiety and concern that government resources are not allocated fairly. Yet Black and Hispanic Americans are on average more supportive of immigration than other demographics, and in cities like Chicago, Denver and New York, racial justice groups have been at the forefront of mitigating potential strife between communities of color and undocumented people on issues like jobs.

For some Black activists, the comments changed little about the state of the presidential race.

It is the responsibility for us to then tell the story of the benefits of diversity, rather than the fears of it, said Michael Blake, founder and CEO of the Kairos Democracy Project. And the notion that those people are taking from you is a fear-only message as opposed to asking: How do we all win?

Which common college majors have the highest earning potential? Which common college majors have the highest earning potential? What are the most common degrees? Who earns the most? Which common college majors have the highest earning potential?
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.

Vote

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NY-ALESUND, Norway, June 30 (Xinhua) -- In 1963, French geologist Jean Corbel established a small hut near Ny-Alesund, sparking modern research in Svalbard. Since then, the former mining town has evolved into a global center for science, attracting countries like China to its Arctic research efforts.

"It was a very fine event," recalled Kim Holmen, special advisor at the Norwegian Polar Institute, reflecting on the founding ceremony of China's inaugural Arctic research station.

What struck Holmen most deeply, however, were the discussions centered on "the science that we would be able to pursue."

China's Arctic Yellow River Station is located on the far east side of the town.

According to Hu Zhengyi, the current manager of the station, the institute mainly serves as a support for China's scientific monitoring and research work in various specialties, including glaciology, terrestrial ecology, marine ecology, space physics, and atmospheric studies.

Hu had been focusing on the study of glaciers since his postgraduate period. The second year after graduation in 2015, he was dispatched to the Station for his first term, spending dozens of days almost every year there.

Hu's research centers on meticulously tracking glacial dynamics, including area and thickness fluctuations, as well as the recession of glacial termini from the coastline, which are all crucial metrics in understanding the impacts of climate change.

Glaciology is a young and relatively niche major in China, Hu said, adding that choosing this major normally means that one would be working far from home, sometimes even a quite backbreaking job.

What he meant was the field research work on glaciers, trudging across the frigid ice while carrying equipment weighing dozens of kilograms.

"This job is not for everyone," he joked about the workload.

The Chinese station has been carrying out field research on glaciers for over 10 years, including monitoring and research on glacier material balance, movement, temperature, end position, and meteorology.

Such studies help reveal the response of Arctic glaciers to global warming and provide an important basis for predicting future sea level rise, Hu said.

Basically, most of the research done here is related to climate change, Hu said.

Apart from glacier studies, other research on the changes in terrestrial ecosystems, as well as studies on marine life, also contribute to a better understanding of the common challenges faced by humanity.

By gathering critical data on the health of Arctic ecosystems, the research efforts could contribute to developing better conservation measures.

"The problems we have in front of us are so big that none of us, regardless of how clever we are, could do it alone," Holmen said, stressing the significance of more scientific cooperation between different countries.

Currently, scientists from over 10 countries are based in the town to carry out research in the Arctic.

Holmen said this is a research town where scientists from all over the world could meet, make friends, and build trust, which is essential for dealing with global issues.

"I believe it can make a difference in the world," he said. 
Deadly mass shootings have affected many American communities in recent years. These communities have had to face a decision: Do they keep the buildings where the bloodshed happened? Or do they tear them down?

One example recently happened in Parkland, Florida. That is where, in February 2018, a gunman killed 14 students and three adults and wounded 17 others after opening fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Earlier this month, heavy equipment began tearing down, or demolishing, the three-story building where the victims died.

Community members in Parkland who spoke to the Associated Press (AP) said they felt the destruction of the building was a necessary step. Former student Bryan Lequerique said, Its something that we all need. Its time to bring an end to this very hurtful chapter in everyones lives."

Eric Garner is a broadcasting and film teacher at the school. He told the AP, For 6 years we have been looking at this monument to mass murder that has been on campus every day.

Other places have considered similar decisions.

Uvalde, Texas, is where a mass shooting in May 2022 claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers. Officials there decided to destroy Robb Elementary School and build a new school. The community also chose to build a memorial to the shooting victims.

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Tree of Life synagogue was torn down to make room for a new spiritual center and memorial. The October 2018 shooting at the Jewish religious center killed 11 people. Other communities have made similar choices to demolish buildings where mass shootings happened.

But the Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo, New York, and the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, both reopened after mass killings. Both places experienced race-linked mass shootings.

Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, still stands. The schools library, however, where much of the bloodshed happened, was replaced. The Columbine shooting in 1999 left 15 people dead.

Finding a balance between its function as a high school and the need for memorialization has been a long process, former Columbine student Riley Burkhart wrote earlier this year in an essay looking back at the shooting.

Experts say such decisions involve more than just emotion and tragedy. Sometimes, it is simply a question of resources; not all school districts can afford to tear down and rebuild. And sometimes it is about not wanting to give those who might support the shooter a place to center their attention.

Daniel Fountain is a professor of history at Meredith College in North Carolina. He told the AP he thinks it is a good idea to tear down buildings that could be used by individuals who might support the shooters or their cause and to somehow celebrate the deaths.

Another reason why people might want to destroy such buildings has to do with ideas about mental health.

"There are changing norms about things like trauma and closure that are at play that today encourage the notion of demolishing these spaces," said Timothy Recuber. He is a sociologist at Smith College in Massachusetts.

To some people, keeping a building standing can send a message of defiance. To them, leaving a structure standing does not mean the community is accepting a tragedy. Instead, it can show that people are ready to move on.

But to others, the possibility that people could face trauma again by seeing the building is most important. Why, for example, should a building where people met violent deaths be left standing?

Jennifer Talarico is a psychology professor at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. She has studied how people form personal memories of public events. She noted that, since these decisions can be complex and involve different groups, they are often not easy to make.

Its not a simple choice of should we knock it down or renovate or let it be," Talarico said.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

______________________________________

Words in This Story

story  n. one floor of a building

function  n. the purpose of something or someone

essay n. a moderately short piece of writing expressing a persons thoughts about one subject

trauma  n. severe shock caused by a bad experience

encourage  v. to talk or behave in a way that gives someone confidence to do something

defy  v. to refuse to obey someone or something

renovate  v. repair or decorate a building that is old or in bad condition
The World Banks board of directors approved $1.25 billion in fresh loans to support two Philippine government projects aimed at ensuring safe and resilient schools and bolstering economic recovery.

The bank said in a statement it would grant a $500-million loan for the Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools Project. This project will support the rebuilding of schools in regions hit by recent earthquakes and typhoons.

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Education is a key component of human capital development. By improving the learning environment and making schools safer, children are more likely to attend classes, perform better academically and complete their education, said Ndiame Diop, the World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.

The project will finance repairs, rehabilitation, retrofits, reconstruction and site improvements for schools heavily damaged by natural disasters. These efforts aim to enhance learning environments for over 700,000 students, half of whom are girls.

Strengthening the resilience of educational facilities can minimize disruptions to learning caused by natural disasters, ensuring children can continue their education with fewer interruptions, said Fernando Ramirez Cortes, a World Bank senior disaster risk management specialist.

The project will prioritize areas with the most significant school infrastructure damage and risk, including the Cordillera Administrative Region, Caraga, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Davao Region and Soccsksargen.

Another $750-million loan will fund the Philippines Second Sustainable Recovery Development Policy Loan. This loan supports reforms to increase investment in public service sectors, attract private investment in public infrastructure, particularly domestic shipping, promote renewable energy, protect the environment and improve climate resilience.

The Philippine economy remains resilient despite ongoing global and domestic challenges, said World Bank senior economist Ralph Van Doorn. The reforms supported by this lending program, if implemented, will encourage private investment, innovation and sustained growth. Through these reforms, the Philippines can transition faster to a greener economy and achieve its environmental and climate goals.
At least 18 people were killed and 19 wounded on Saturday in multiple suicide attacks in northeastern Nigeria, local emergency services said.

According to police, at least six people were killed in one of the suicide attacks, which occurred at a wedding in the town of Gwoza, Borno state.

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In one of three blasts in the town of Gwoza, a female attacker with a baby strapped to her back detonated explosives in the middle of a wedding ceremony, according to a police spokesman.

The other attacks in the border town across from Cameroon targeted a hospital and a funeral for victims of the earlier wedding blast, authorities said.

At least 18 people were killed and 42 others injured in the attacks, according to the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

So far, 18 deaths comprising children, men, females and pregnant women have been reported, said Barkindo Saidu, the head of the agency, in a report seen by AFP.

Nineteen seriously injured people were taken to the regional capital Maiduguri, while 23 others were awaiting evacuation, Saidu said in the report.

A member of a militia assisting the military in Gwoza said two of his comrades and a soldier were also killed in another attack on a security post, though authorities did not immediately confirm this toll.

Boko Haram militants seized Gwoza in 2014 when the group took over swathes of territory in northern Borno.

The town was taken back by the Nigerian military with help from Chadian forces in 2015 but the group has since continued to launch attacks from mountains near the town.

Boko Haram has carried out raids, killing men and kidnapping women who venture outside the town in search of firewood and acacia fruits.

The violence has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced around two million in Nigerias northeast.

The conflict has spread to neighbouring Niger, Cameroon and Chad, prompting the formation of a regional military coalition to fight the militants.

Editors Note: This is an updated article.
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on Sunday called on the government to provide protection to Filipino fishermen in the face of Chinas aggressive behavior in the disputed maritime territories in the West Philippine Sea.

Filipino fishermen have the legal right to go fishing within the 200 miles Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone; while the Philippine government is duty-bound to protect our fishermen inside this zone, the IBP said in a statement.

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The call was made a day after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that a Chinese coast guard vessel tried to block the rescue of Filipino fishermen whose boat exploded 17 nautical miles off Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) on Saturday.

The PCG said that two China Coast Guard vessels tried to prevent BRP Sindangan from conducting a rescue operation even after they were informed of the emergency.

Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, spokesman of the PCG, however, said that the vessel was able to rescue the fisherman and tow the half-submerged boat toward Subic in Zambales .

The eight rescued fishermen were given food, and drinking water. Two were given first aid and medication due to second to third-degree burns suffered in the explosion.

The IBP stressed that it stands with Filipino fishermen who are only exercising their right to a livelihood inside our own Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines also supports the legitimate stand of the Philippine government in asserting our countrys lawful and sovereign rights over the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea, it stressed.

It reminded that both the Philippines and China are signatories of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) which in 1982 granted coastal states sovereign rights over their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), extending up to 200 nautical miles from their baselines.

The IBP further said that the EEZ includes the Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, which is 120 miles from Zambales and 196 miles from Palawan.

The government has stationed troops aboard the BRP Sierra Madre which was intentionally run aground in 1999 to become an outpost.

The IBP said the countrys territorial claims was fortified when the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a 2016 decision confirming that the Philippines has sovereign rights over its 200 miles EEZ in the WPS.

Prior to the UNCLOS, the IBP said the 1898 Treaty of Paris, which concluded the Spanish-American War, clearly delineated the territorial boundaries of the Philippine archipelago.

Further reinforcing this, the Spanish-US Treaty of Washington in 1900 supplemented the Treaty of Paris by clarifying and affirming the cession of additional islands to the United States, as part of Philippine territory, it added.

When the Philippines gained independence, the IBP said all these islands covered by the Treaty of Paris and Treaty of Washington that form part of the Philippine archipelago became part of our countrys territory.

Editors Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: IBP speaks up on West Philippine Sea, urges government to protect Filipino fishermen
Popular International coffee brand TOMORO COFFEE officially opened its doors to Filipinos. After opening its first wave of stores last April, the brand held the grand opening of its first flagship store in Manila this June 13, 2024 with an ideal location just in front of Far Eastern University at 908 Nicanor Reyes St., Sampaloc, Manila.

As one of the biggest coffee chains in Indonesia, TOMORO COFFEE is committed to bringing specialty coffee experience here in the Philippine market with an investment of over USD10 million.

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TOMORO COFFEE, after its establishment last 2022, has been one of the fastest-growing coffee chains in Southeast Asia with more than 450 stores in Indonesia and successfully expanding to Shanghai China and Singapore. Here in the Philippines, TOMORO COFFEE is eyeing to open no less than 100 stores this 2024 alone.

TOMORO COFFEEs 3-storey building at 908 Nicanor Reyes St., Sampaloc, Manila

With excellent value for money and quality, TOMORO COFFEE is ready to set off a coffee craze here in the Philippines with its affordable prices starting at only 70 pesos.

The success of TOMORO COFFEE in the local market was apparent during the launch of its flagship store as coffee aficionados, mostly students from the university belt, cued up and patiently waited in line to order their favorite caffeine fix- and then some!

Corporate Vision

TOMORO COFFEEs vision is to allow everyone to enjoy high quality and affordable coffee.

The brand name TOMORO means Tomorrow, symbolizing the brands pursuit of a better future and yearning for tomorrow. After traveling to more than 30 countries searching for the best quality coffee beans and coffee culture, the founder is now committed to passing on this love and pursuit to fellow coffee lovers around the world.

Franchising Opportunity

Professional Training Laboratory

This 3-story coffee flagship store opening in Manila has a professional training laboratory on the third floor to ensure the consistency of high-quality products and services.

At the same time, the brand is also opening its business to franchisees/business partners and plans to open 100 coffee shops in 2024 to bring new energy into the growing business.

Nine-Partner Support

To support the success of franchisees, TOMORO COFFEE provides comprehensive partnership support, including continuous employee training, new store activity support, online delivery platform operation, data analysis support, quality control inspection, market advertising, decoration and construction support, site selection support and quick response of the operations manager ensuring that each branch maintains high-quality products and services.

Franchise Package

As one of the first franchisees, you can enjoy Php 250,000 worth of raw materials, marketing support, and system fees. The franchise fee for three years, worth Php 280,000 will also be waived. This offer is only valid until July 31st. Only a 5% royalty fee every month is required to be paid to enjoy unlimited business opportunities.

In addition, franchisees can quickly expand their business by using their existing business locations to open TOMORO COFFEE franchises.



Interested franchisees can sign up through bit.ly/TOMORO-COFFEE-Franchise.
BOCA CHICA BEACH  At dusk on the evening before a recent Starship launch, dozens of people wandered the tidal flats around Starbase, staring up at the skyscraper-sized rocket looming over them.

The hum of machinery drowned out the sound of the ocean breeze as workers on boom lifts hundreds of feet in the air worked on the giant ship.

At this place thats become both a destination and departure point, the public can get closer to rockets preparing to blast off than at any other launch site in the nation. Here, visitors can wander to within several hundred feet of the spacecraft and about 100 feet from rows of tanks holding tons of liquid oxygen, methane and nitrogen used to fuel and test it.

A test of the water-deluge system under the Starship launch pad draws a crowd ahead of the rockets second launch in mid-November. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer

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Such easy access to view the giant stainless steel rocket  combined with SpaceX CEO Elon Musks hype, his loyal fan base, his companys success with reusable spacecraft, billions in federal contracts and a booming space economy  has made Starbase a tourist destination for fans from around the world.

Its also one of the factors that make it unique among the nations 18 active launch sites.

At Starbase, SpaceX has built a rocket factory and launch site from the ground up in the public eye and largely without the perimeters and limited public access enforced at most other such sites.

The companys momentum, which comes with regulators scrambling to keep up with the fast-moving commercial space industry, has led to Starbases unique situation as the nations only private facility that can send rockets into orbit.

People wait on their balconies at Margaritaville Beach Resort on South Padre Island to view the lift off of SpaceX's second flight test of a fully integrated Starship from SpaceX's Starbase at Boca Chica, TX, on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Max Navarro, from left, his father Scott and his fathers girlfriend Deidra Mares wait for the launch of Blue Origins NS-16 on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, near Launch Site One near Van Horn. Blue Origins founder Bezos and three other people are scheduled to be on the companys first crewed flight. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Friends and family wave goodbye to the crew of Galactic5, as they drive out to the site to be launched into space in the suborbital space mission, by Virgin Galactic, at Spaceport America, Thursday, November 2, 2023, in Truth of Consequences, NM. Virgin Galactics Spaceship was converted into a suborbital space lab for space-based research. Stern flew a biomedical harness to collect physiological data related to human spaceflight and conducted practice activities for an astronomical experiment. This is the sixth spaceflight this year and tenth to date for the company. Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Contributor The view of SpaceXs Starbase facilities on Tuesday morning, June 18, 2024, from the crows nest of Raptor Roost, a property owned by Keith Reynolds. The property is less than 3 miles from Starbase and Reynolds offers paid camping spots for visitors to get a clear view during SpaceX launches. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Keith Reynolds, owner of Raptor Roost, sits outside at his property located along the Rio Grande on Tuesday morning, June 18, 2024. He lives less than 3 miles from Starbase in Boca Chica and offers paid camping spots for visitors to watch SpaceX launches. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Jack Armstrong waits for the watch the launch of Blue Origins NS-16 on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, near Launch Site One near Van Horn. Armstrong used a spotting scope for shooting weighed down with a bail of wire to view the launch activities. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer People view SpaceX's Starship on the launch pad from the nearby dunes at dusk after being drawn to SpaceX Starbase at Boca Chica, TX, on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, for the second launch of SpaceX's Starship on Saturday morning. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer People watch the flight of Blue Origins NS-16 on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, near Launch Site One near Van Horn. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2011, file photo a crowd gathers outside Spaceport America for a dedication ceremony as Virgin Galactic's mothership WhiteKnightTwo sits on the tarmac near Upham, N.M. British billionaire Richard Branson is taking another concrete step toward offering rides into the close reaches of space for paying passengers. Branson announced Friday, May 10, 2019, that Virgin Galactic will immediately begin shifting operations from California to a spaceport and specialized runway in the New Mexico desert in final preparations for commercial flights. He says Virgin Galactic's development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move, which will continue through the summer. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File) Susan Montoya Bryan/Associated Press People watch a test of the fire suppression system on SpaceX's Starship on the launch pad from a distance after being drawn to SpaceX Starbase at Boca Chica, TX, on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, for the second launch of SpaceX's Starship on Saturday morning. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A group of people wait for the launch of Blue Origins NS-16 on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, near Launch Site One near Van Horn. Blue Origins founder Bezos and three other people are scheduled to be on the companys first crewed flight. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

Its not a federal launch site like Kennedy Space Center in Florida or Californias Vandenberg Space Force Base. Nor is it a Federal Aviation Administration-licensed spaceport, which are typically launch or reentry sites where multiple companies operate.

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Instead, the FAA considers Starbase an exclusive use site  a private launch facility. So, while the FAA regulates and approves flights and testing done there, the agency does not license the Boca Chica site itself.

Its unlikely it could be replicated today as federal oversight catches up to the industrys rapid growth across the U.S.

A three-story mural depicting SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is seen along state highway 4 on the way to Starbase in Cameron County, Texas. The mural features the words Ad Astra, which means to the stars in Latin, on the other side. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People work Saturday morning, April 15, 2023, on SpaceXs Starship and Super Heavy rocket system at the companys Boca Chica launch facility in advance of the rockets anticipated launch. The company received FAA approval Friday night for a first launch of the integrated rocket system which could come as early as Monday morning. William Luther/Staff Workers cut through a vertical tank as the removal of the suborbital tank farm continues at SpaceXs Orbital Launch Site (OLS) on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in Boca Chica, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A new Starbase office building is being constructed at SpaceX on Tuesday afternoon, June 18, 2024, in Cameron County, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Workers in lifts join two steel corner beams with bolted plates as construction continues on the new Starfactory, where Starship production will take place at the SpaceX Starbase on Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville, TX, on Thursday, March 14, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer SpaceX houses face the South Bay on Tuesday evening, June 18, 2024, in Boca Chica Village, located down the street from SpaceXs production facility Starbase. Over the years SpaceX has offered buyouts to all the homeowners in Boca Chica Village and only a handful of property owners have held out. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Construction workers continue working on a line of mansions along Tarpon Haven Road about 3 miles away from Starbase on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. The housing, which lines the Rio Grande, will be used by SpaceX executives. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A SpaceX sign is seen at the aerospace manufacturers Orbital Launch Site (OLS) on Tuesday morning, June 18, 2024, near Boca Chica Beach in Cameron County, Texas. SpaceXs private property is less than half a mile from Boca Chica beach, which is free and open to the public. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

Texas is unique with three separate starbase locations. McGregor, near Waco, has never launched any rockets while Blue Origin in Van Horn and Space X in Boca Chica are active launch sites.

Three in Texas

Texas is the only state in the country with such private launch sites, and it has three.

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Beyond Starbase, theres SpaceXs test site near Waco in McGregor and Blue Origins Launch Site One outside Van Horn. Those operations, however, dont compare to Starbase in scope or scale, and the vehicles they fly are tiny compared with the 397-foot Starship.

Nothing has flown from McGregor for 11 years. SpaceXs 106-foot-tall Grasshopper vertical takeoff and landing vehicle made eight flights from the site in 2012 and 2013, including one that reached an altitude of 2,440 feet.

At Blue Origins launch site in West Texas, the 60-foot-tall New Shepard rocket blasts off and lands on the companys private property, which is far from populated and protected wilderness areas. Its capsule only ferries passengers to the edge of space for a few minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth.

In this photo provided by Blue Origin taken on Monday, Nov. 23, 2015, an unmanned Blue Origin booster rocket sits after landing in Van Horn, West Texas. The private company announced Tuesday, Nov. 24, that it landed the rocket upright and gently enough to be used again, a milestone in commercial aeronautics. The booster rocket soared about 62 miles high and released a capsule before it came back to Earth. (Blue Origin via AP) Associated Press Blue Origin launch facilities, photographed Wednesday, June 30, 2021, near Van Horn. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Traffic drives through flood water crossing over Highway 54 on Monday, July 19, 2021, near Launch Site One near Van Horn. Heavy rains moved through the area. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer The sun sets Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Van Horn. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Michelle Yglecias, center, talks with her aunt Sofia Seymour, left, and two family members as they eat lunch Thursday, July 1, 2021, at Lizys Restaurant in Van Horn. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer A sign advertises Hotel El Capitan on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Van Horn. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Handmade postcards, made by Patricia Golden, are displayed on a table Friday, July 2, 2021, at the Culberson County Historical Museum in Van Horn. Blue Origin has built launch facilities nearby. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer New Shepard on the launch pad the morning of April 29, 2018. Blue Origin launched its first crew into space on July 20, 2021. Blue Origin A group of people wait for the launch of Blue Origins NS-16 on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, near Launch Site One near Van Horn. Blue Origins founder Bezos and three other people are scheduled to be on the companys first crewed flight. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Jack Armstrong waits for the watch the launch of Blue Origins NS-16 on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, near Launch Site One near Van Horn. Armstrong used a spotting scope for shooting weighed down with a bail of wire to view the launch activities. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer People cheer as they watch the flight of Blue Origins NS-16 on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, near Launch Site One near Van Horn. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket leaves a smoke trail after lifting off from its spaceport near Van Horn, Texas, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/LM Otero) LM Otero/Associated Press

In contrast, SpaceX is developing the largest and most powerful rocket ever built at Starbase, which is situated on a narrow strip of land surrounded by parkland and sensitive wildlife areas. Over the years, multiple Starship prototypes have exploded or crashed at the site, raining tons of stainless steel and other debris across the tidal flats and dunes that are part of state and federal park lands.

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Even Musk marvels at what his company has accomplished in this remote area of South Texas.

Its wild that this strange spot  were basically on a sand spit by the Rio Grande near the beach  is actually the gateway to Mars, he told employees earlier this year.

FAAs dilemma

The nations non-military spaceports are overseen by the FAAs Office of Spaceports, which was mandated by Congress in 2018.

While theres duplication in the licensing processes for spaceports and the vehicles that operate from them, Pam Underwood, whos been director of the office since it became operational in 2020, says thats by design. Its because the same officials and entities dont always oversee both rockets and facilities.

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For Starbase, where the same company operates the facility and the vehicles, the FAA streamlined the process by handling both under the license the FAA issues for each launch.

So, theres the same level of safety even though its a private site, or what we call exclusive use, Underwood said. We just have reduced the duplicative administrative burden of one company applying for two licenses when we can handle everything under the one.

Scott McLaughlin, whos been executive director of Spaceport America outside Truth or Consequences, N.M., for the past three and a half years, described Starbase as unique and interesting because its development has differed vastly from other launch sites.

If you look at Van Horn (the Texas site where Blue Origin operates New Shepard), its one small vehicle on private land in a remote area, and they havent done the expansion or the risk profile, he said. Everythings very, very different in Boca Chica. You know, I think the original thought by a lot of people was it was not going to have the activity or the footprint  it was just a quick test area because, you know, Elon couldnt quite get into Florida (where Starship will eventually launch from federal launch sites) quick enough.

Instead, Starbase has become a sort of space city including a growing company town, factory and launch sites.

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I dont think that the regulatory structure envisioned something like Boca Chica, McLaughlin said. It doesnt mean that shouldnt be there, but I dont know that it was thought out, so I think its been a dilemma for the FAA.

Underwood said that while the structure may be different, the same policies apply to Starbase as any other launch site.

Left, the Gonzalez family enjoys the waning hours of sunlight near the SpaceX starbase launch site on Boca Chica beach. Right, SpaceX Starship SN9 erupts into a fireball after lifting off for a test flight in 2021 from the SpaceX Launch Facility near Boca Chica beach. Prior to any testing or launch attempts, the surrounding area is off limits to local residents and tourists. File

Spaceport licensing

McLaughlin said that establishing a spaceport today requires a memo of cooperation from affected local governments, information about a representative space vehicle that would fly from the venue, an example trajectory and an assessment of its safety risks.

So, you have to fly this representative vehicle on paper to show that your spaceport can handle it, even given that its going to fail, he said. Nobodys really gotten a spaceport license in quite a while, so I think maybe things are not as easy as they were.

Once a spaceport has its launch site operator license, its owners can look for space companies to set up shop.

If you can get a launch site operator license, its a bit like a hunting license, McLaughlin said. Then you can go find vehicle operators but (they) cant fly out of your spaceport until they also get a license from the FAA.

The nations 14 FAA-licensed spaceports dot Florida, Oklahoma, Alabama, Colorado, New Mexico, California and Alaska. There are two in Texas  Midland International Air & Space Port and Houston Spaceport.

In most cases, theyre seen as economic development projects. The business and ownership models vary, though, as each site has different infrastructure and capabilities catering to different types of spaceflight and operators.

Underwood said each spaceports location and attributes are key to the industrys growth.

From a policy perspective, we should focus on the capabilities that are needed rather than the number of facilities, she said.

Some, like Spaceport America in New Mexico or the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska, are owned by their home state. Others are owned by the county or city where theyre located.

Every spaceport is a little bit different, McLaughlin said. Its interesting to try and compare them.

The overwhelming size and sensory experience of a Starship launch, at top, dwarfs both a Blue Origin rocket launch and the launch of Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo, carrying SpaceShipTwo, takes flight over Spaceport America. The Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic starbases operate in isolated, rural areas of Texas and New Mexico while SpaceX is launching near a popular beach destination and wildlife preserve. Credit top, Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News, top, Mario Tama/Getty Images, middle, and Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images, bottom. Check caption

10,000 miracles

Those in Midland, Houston, Colorado and several others, for instance, are only authorized for spacecraft that take off and land horizontally, like an airplane. The Virginia and Alaska spaceports are only for rockets.

Spaceport America can support both types of launch operations. And a spaceport in Huntsville, Ala., is only for craft returning from space.

Some are more capable and have better locations for operations than others, a fact that sometimes leads to controversy. A spaceport in Georgias coastal Camden County, for instance, is in legal limbo after the state supreme court sided with voters and environmentalists who oppose it.

Some spaceports have never had anything fly to space. A few dont have any space company tenants; theyre setting up the infrastructure for future space economy opportunities as the industry grows.

According to Underwood, the spaceports that arent hosting launches support other parts of the industry.

I like to say theres 10,000 miracles that have to go on in order for that one launch to occur, she said, referring to testing and research that supports eventual launch operations. So spaceports can still, even though they may not actually be hosting launches themselves, play a vital part of those 10,000 miracles.

Spaceport America, however, is further along in its journey to show what a spaceport can be. Operated by the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, Spaceport America bills itself as the worlds first purpose-built commercial spaceport.

With five on-site tenants including Virgin Galactic, the spaceport has created 811 jobs, generated $138 million in economic output and brought in nearly $13 million in tax revenue in 2022, according to its most recent economic impact report.

Despite its tenants and revenue, Spaceport America has been criticized by officials for not recouping quickly enough state and county investments of more than $218.5 million to build the place.

McLaughlin heads the small state agency that was created to design, develop and operate the spaceport.

I have about 29 people who work for the state of New Mexico and the spaceport was created from scratch, he said. We had to bring in our own utilities  water, electricity, fiber  but its a really, really good location.

Spaceport Americas remote location and restricted airspace give it flexibility.

Theres a lot of things we can do, he said.

Dawn begins to light up the desert sky over the Virgin Galactic's Gateway To Space building at Spaceport America on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, in Upham, N.M. The facility is home to Virgin Galactic operations and fleet of motherships and spaceships. ( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle ) (Photo by Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag Virgin Galactic ground crew guide the company's carrier plane into the hangar at Spaceport America following a test flight over the desert near Upham, New Mexico, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019. The carrier plane is now permanently based at the spaceport after arriving earlier this week. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan) Susan Montoya Bryan/Associated Press UPHAM, UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 22: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SUBJECT SPECIFIC TV BROADCAST DOCUMENTARIES OR BOOK USE) Virgin Galactic vehicles WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceshipTwo fly over Spaceport America for runway dedication event at Spaceport America on October 22, 2010 in Upham, New Mexico. (Photo by Mark Greenberg/Virgin Galactic/Getty Images) Virgin Galactic/Getty Images This Saturday, May 22, 2021 image provided by Virgin Galactic shows the release of VSS Unity from VMS Eve and ignition of rocket motor over Spaceport America, N.M. Virgin Galactic finally has the federal governments approval to start launching customers into space from New Mexico. Richard Bransons rocketship company announced the Federal Aviation Administrations updated license on Friday, June 25. Its the final hurdle in Virgin Galactics years-long effort to send paying passengers on short space hops. (Virgin Galactic via AP) Associated Press Friends and family wave goodbye to the crew of Galactic5, as they drive out to the site to be launched into space in the suborbital space mission, by Virgin Galactic, at Spaceport America, Thursday, November 2, 2023, in Truth of Consequences, NM. Virgin Galactics Spaceship was converted into a suborbital space lab for space-based research. Stern flew a biomedical harness to collect physiological data related to human spaceflight and conducted practice activities for an astronomical experiment. This is the sixth spaceflight this year and tenth to date for the company. Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Contributor Friends and family look up to the sky as the Galactic05 space mission by Virgin Galactic takes off from Spaceport America, Thursday, November 2, 2023, in Truth of Consequences, NM. Virgin Galactics Spaceship was converted into a suborbital space lab for space-based research. Stern flew a biomedical harness to collect physiological data related to human spaceflight and conducted practice activities for an astronomical experiment. This is the sixth spaceflight this year and tenth to date for the company. Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Contributor Friends and family look up to the sky during the Galactic05 space mission by Virgin Galactic at Spaceport America, Thursday, November 2, 2023, in Truth of Consequences, NM. Virgin Galactics Spaceship was converted into a suborbital space lab for space-based research. Stern flew a biomedical harness to collect physiological data related to human spaceflight and conducted practice activities for an astronomical experiment. This is the sixth spaceflight this year and tenth to date for the company. Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Contributor Friends and family look up to the sky during the Galactic05 space mission by Virgin Galactic at Spaceport America, Thursday, November 2, 2023, in Truth of Consequences, NM. Virgin Galactics Spaceship was converted into a suborbital space lab for space-based research. Stern flew a biomedical harness to collect physiological data related to human spaceflight and conducted practice activities for an astronomical experiment. This is the sixth spaceflight this year and tenth to date for the company. Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Contributor MOJAVE, CA - NOVEMBER 2 : Sheriff's deputies inspect the wreckage of the Virgin Galactic SpaceShip 2 in a desert field November 2, 2014 north of Mojave, California on The Virgin Galactic SpaceShip 2 crashed on October 31, 2014 during a test flight, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another. (Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images) Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, NM - JULY 10: A general view of Spaceport America, prior to the launch of Virgin Galactics SpaceShipTwo Unity, July 10, 2021 in Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico. Scheduled to travel to space aboard VSS unity on the first fully crewed Virgin Galactic flight, are pilots Dave Mackay and Michael Masucci, and mission specialists Sirisha Bandla, Sir Richard Branson, Colin Bennett, and Beth Moses. (Photo by David Lienemann/Getty Images) David Lienemann/Getty Images

Rise of Starbase

Starbase, however, was built just for SpaceX.

More than a decade ago, Texas competed against Georgia, Florida and Puerto Rico to win the California-based company, recalled Nick Serafy, chairman of the Cameron County Spaceport Development Corp. He was chairman of former Gov. Rick Perrys economic development group that helped attract SpaceX.

More than $33 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund and the City of Brownsville  and Texas business-friendly laws  helped land the company at Boca Chica Beach.

I think one of the reasons that they picked us was because they wouldnt have to compete for launch windows as they do at other sites, he said. In Florida, if you miss your window for a launch, you kind of have to go to the back of the line.

He acknowledged that Starbase has evolved beyond what Cameron County and Brownsville officials envisioned.

We were hoping to get 200 jobs, he said. Instead, theyve created 10 times as many (jobs) as they thought they would, and all of the infrastructure that theyve built  its changed the whole landscape of the place.

SpaceX said this month its invested more than $3 billion in infrastructure at the site, created more than 3,400 full-time company and contractor jobs and generated more than $800 million in state and local tax revenue.

Elon Musk and then-Gov. Rick Perry speak before the groundbreaking ceremony for what became Starbase. Brad Doherty/AP

That growth  along with growth of the commercial space industry both in the U.S. and around the world  is pushing the FAA to keep up.

I dont think they (the FAA) ever envisioned the sort of stresses that are coming because of, you know, that site (Starbase), McLaughlin said.

Thats raising new issues the government is trying to handle, he said, including equity in the way (private sites are) allowed to grow or be used by a single-user as opposed to a multi-user site.

The growth also has raised questions about federal funding for commercial spaceports and how much the federal government should pay for commercial launch sites used by private companies at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg.

Why is federal money going in there? Why arent the other small spaceports, the new spaceports, getting federal money? McLaughlin said. So, theres a lot of big questions about this very small but growing industry.

Underwood, the FAA spaceport director, said her office is focused on promoting interoperability and resilience across the nations spaceports.

At the same time, the FAA is working with other countries to promote U.S. regulations for international adoption, mirroring whats happened in commercial aviation. The concept, Underwood said, not only promotes safety in commercial space but could help U.S. space firms grow international business.

The FAA has had a long history of being a global leader in aviation, she said. And, I will tell you that were suited well for being a global leader in space.

McLaughlin said the industrys future is hard to predict.

This is a very fast-growing thing, he said. Thats why people are trying to develop spaceports and trying to get in on the early stage of this growth market where, maybe in 50 years from now, therell be spaceports all over the place. But its hard. For the launch operators its hard, and for the launch site operators, its hard.
Taiwan has steadily gained popularity as a travel destination among Filipinos, largely due to its accessibility and diverse attractions.

A key factor contributing to its appeal is the visa-free entry policy for Philippine passport holders, recently extended until July 2025. This policy not only simplifies travel logistics but also opens doors to Taiwans rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culinary scene without the bureaucratic hurdles of visa applications.

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After several visits to Taiwan, weve compiled a list of amazing adventures awaiting Filipino travelers.

Check something off your bucket list

First on our list is Taipei 101, once the tallest building in the world. Ride one of the fastest elevators to the 89th-floor Sky Lounge and enjoy stunning views of Taipei.

The Taichung: Classic Attractions and Gaomei Wetlands One-Day Tour allows travelers to explore four popular spots in Taichung

Make unforgettable memories with your family

For an exciting day out, visit Leofoo Village Theme Park in Hsinchu. Taiwans largest safari and amusement park offers over 30 thrilling rides and the chance to see wild animals up close. The park also features shows, parades, and dance performances for everyone to enjoy.

Dive into Taiwanese culture

Take the Taiwan Railway Formosa Express Disney Themed Train for a fun journey. Packed with food, drinks, karaoke, and activities for both kids and adults, it offers seats that spin 360 degrees for a lively and relaxing trip.

Explore Taiwans natural and cultural wonders

Travelers can marvel at unique natural rock formations found at the Yehliu Geopark

Join the Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen, Shifen, and Golden Waterfall Day Tour to see some of Northern Taiwans best sights in one day. Explore unique rock formations at Yehliu Geopark, experience tea houses and coastal views in Jiufen, release sky lanterns in Shifen, and marvel at the Golden Waterfall.

Discover Central Taiwans top spots

Book the Taichung: Classic Attractions & Gaomei Wetlands One-Day Tour from Taipei to visit four popular places in Taichung. Enjoy Rainbow Villages art, stroll through the colorful Zhongshe Flower Market, relax at Gaomei Wetlands with beautiful sunset views, and visit Miyahara for Harry Potter-themed decorations and tasty treats.

The Taiwan Railway Formosa Express Disney Themed Train offers food, drinks, karaoke, and activities for kids and adults

Enjoy Taiwans delicious food

Try A Joy: Taipei 101 Sky Buffet, which offers over 300 tasty dishes across different dining areas. Its a luxurious buffet experience in Taiwans tallest building, perfect for enjoying the countrys famous cuisine.

In addition to skipping visa processing, how does NT$5,000.00 (roughly P9,000.00) off your Taiwan accommodation sound?

Seize the opportunity by logging into your Klook account and taking the quiz to determine your eligibility for the Taiwan Lucky Land accommodation voucher. If youre one of the lucky winners, youll receive an email from Klook the following day on how to officially redeem the NT$5,000 Klook hotel voucher.
Nigeria has launched a campaign to destroy illegal oil refineries in a bid to crackdown on oil thieves which hampered the countrys production and export potential.

So far, Nigerian authorities destroyed 165 illegal refineries, following acts of theft and vandalism that surged in recent days, local media reported

The operation was backed by the Nigerian army in the Niger delta where thieves are often armed and act in organized gangs.

Nigeria is Africas largest oil producer with an average 1.8 million barrels daily. But attacks by armed groups and theft forced many firms like Shell and Exxon to sell their assets.

Theft cost the country 620 million barrels of crude, worth some $46 billion, between 2009 and 2020, DW said in a recent report, citing the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, an organization that promotes accountability in the management of the nations oil, gas and mining revenue.
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:

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Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a highly effective and long-lasting form of birth control placed in the uterus. Research shows that many people who get IUDs experience moderate to intense pain during the insertion. But it wasn't until recently that providers began to acknowledge this and do something about it.

This year, the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts became one of the first providers in New England to advertise the fact that all patients can get sedated during the procedure. According to PPLM, patients will have the option of IV sedation at its health centers throughout the state. PPLM previously offered a local anesthetic for the procedure.

Other local providers may offer sedation, but by patient request and on a case-by-case basis.

"It's a really important advance," said Kathy Simmonds, a reproductive health expert and clinical professor of nursing at Northeastern University.

"The analogy you can think of is childbirth and having people being able to choose what type of birth they want. There are people who want a birth with no medications and there are people who want an epidural. It's about people having control over their own bodies. They know themselves best. That's the ethos that we need to approach this with."

According to Simmonds and other experts, IUDs are appealing because they're highly effective and long-lasting. Hormonal IUDs can be effective for up to eight years while copper IUDs can last up to 12 years.

But insertion is painful because the device is inserted via the nerve-filled endocervical canal, which is the same area that dilates during labor, according to Elyse Watkins, an associate clinical professor of medical sciences at Northeastern.

Clinicians use a device to artificially dilate the cervix during the procedure. However, Simmonds said the cervix is designed to hold things in, like a pregnancy, and keep bacteria out.

"When we're putting in an IUD or going against that natural lockdown state of the cervix," Simmonds said. "That's why there's pain, because you're forcing the cervix to open."

The level of pain varies from patient to patient, said Watkins, who worked in OB GYN practices for about 20 years. But in her experience working in women's health, the process was especially painful for those who'd never given birth vaginally.

The only form of pain management offered for a long time was a cervical block, Watkins said, where anesthetic is injected into the cervixsomething many found just as stressful as the procedure and was not always effective.

Simmonds added that some clinicians recommend patients take ibuprofen before coming to the procedure or they walk them through pain management practices often used on women in labor (like visual techniques). Some doctors offer medication used in medical abortions that softens the cervix, she added, but there is no evidence this helps.

For many years, practitioners dismissed women's pain during the procedure and did not adequately prepare them for what to expect, both experts said.

"There's a historical bias against understanding women's pain or people with uteruses' pain," Simmonds added. "It goes all the way back to hysteria which was believed to be caused by  our uteruses. When you look at the history of medicine, it's riddled with misunderstandings of everything related to our menstrual cycles, our reproduction. It hasn't been researched very extensively."

Clinicians can also take a while to adopt new practices. Watkins said that for a long time, the only IUD available to women was the copper one. Copper IUDs make users prone to certain infections, and as such was only used on women who were finished having children, many of whom found the insertion less painful. This created some misunderstanding about the discomfort felt during the procedure.

"This really speaks to what's wrong in medicine," Watkins said. "We didn't want to insert a copper IUD into a patient who never had a child, because if she ended up with an infection, she might be infertile.  So we weren't used to talking to women about the pain they might experience because everyone who got an IUD before had already had a child."

The shift toward offering sedation came not just from research on pain management, Simmonds said, but from patients speaking outincluding posting videos about the pain they feel during insertion.

"People talking to each other about the experience has been a really powerful tool to generate some of the demand for this option," Simmonds said.

"And there's now increasing research to show (sedation) does help and it's safe.  That will make clinicians stand up and pay attention if they're losing business to the other clinic down the road because they're offering sedation. It's really driving providers to respond and I think it will drive more research."

Allowing for sedation can make the procedure more manageable for patients. Simmonds said the options offered also leave room for patients to decide how much sedation they want, based on their own personal history and pain tolerance. And while it can involve exposure to fentanyl, Simmonds said the amount is controlled by the clinicians.

But offering sedation doesn't come without complications. Watkins said using heavy sedation (as opposed to something like nitrous oxide) requires clinics to hire anesthesiologists. Insurance companies also may not cover sedation and sedating patients means they need someone to bring them home, adding more recovery time to the procedure.

But this move, along with the accompanying research begun on the pain around the insertion and the best ways to manage it, is moving the needle in what Watkins said is a systemic issue of dismissing women's pain.

"It is a tremendous step forward," Watkins said. "This is faith in medicine restored. This is such an incredible positive step towards believing women after hundreds of years of not believing women."

More information: Elaine A. Lopes-Garcia et al, Assessment of pain and ease of intrauterine device placement according to type of device, parity, and mode of delivery, The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care (2023). DOI: 10.1080/13625187.2023.2189500

This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu.
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More than 1,700 pregnant women in South Australia have reportedly been given the wrong "due date" due to a technical error in their computerized medical records. This has prompted concerns some women may have had an early induction of labor as a result.

According to today's ABC report, most of the women whose records are affected have since given birth, while about 100 are still pregnant. Not all women have yet been notified of the error.

An investigation is now under way to find out how the error happened and if the incorrect due dates have impacted care.

But how accurate are due dates anyway? And what happens when we get them wrong?

What is your due date?

What people normally call their "due date" is actually the estimated day your baby will be born. There are a variety of online tools to work out this date, based on something called Naegele's rule, named after the German obstetrician Franz Naegele (17781851).

Naegele's rule works out your estimated due date by taking the first day of your last menstrual period, adding seven days, then adding 40 weeks (nine months).

Naegele's rule has limitations. First, it assumes all menstrual cycles are 28 days long and ovulation occurs on day 14. It also relies on the woman knowing the date of her last menstrual period.

This method is still used by doctors and midwives to work out the expected date of birth.

However, there is an increased reliance on using an ultrasound between eight and 16 weeks to predict the due date. This measures the size and development of the fetus to calculate its gestational age. From there, the sonographer uses that data to work out when the baby is due.

There's also a trend towards identifying a date range rather than an exact due date.

A large retrospective study of over a million births in Germany found 90% of births occurred between 19 days before to seven days after the expected due date. That is a range of 37 weeks to 41 weeks' gestation.

Why are due dates important?

Your due date is important for a number of reasons, beyond allowing you and your family to plan for the months ahead. It's a key piece of information your midwife or doctor uses to monitor your pregnancy, assess whether everything is on track, and if intervention is recommended.

One intervention closely linked to your expected due date is the offer of induction of labor (being induced) if you are "overdue." For women who have had their estimated due date incorrectly calculated there is the possibility they will be induced earlier than required.

Using an ultrasound-predicted date can give more accurate dating than using Naegele's rule, perhaps avoiding unnecessary induction of labor if the woman is not really overdue. However, more evidence is required to confirm this.

Why are we so concerned about inductions?

In Australia there is a rising number of women who have their labors induced compared to waiting for labor to start spontaneously. Now 41% of women pregnant for the first time are induced.

Induction of labor can increase the use of more interventions during labor, such as an epidural and continuous fetal monitoring. It can also increase the chance of a cesarean birth. Research has also found women wish to avoid an induction of labor in a subsequent birth.

The World Health Organization does not recommend women with uncomplicated pregnancies undergo routine induction of labor at less than 41 weeks.

Every week the baby remains in the womb is important as the baby is still growing and developing up to 40 weeks of pregnancy. Every week the baby is born closer to 40 weeks means they are less likely to need to spend time in intensive care.

Can I calculate my own due date?

If you have been told there has been an error in the calculation of your due date you can work it out yourself by:

entering the date of your last menstrual period into an online calculator

looking at the due date calculated during a pregnancy ultrasound up to 16 weeks gestation.

Remember though, there is greater accuracy when you consider a 3741 week range of when your baby's due.

Ultimately, your baby doesn't always play by the rules. And very few babies are born exactly on their due date.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The Ministry of Labour & Employment held a review meeting on the achievements under the Labour Welfare Scheme (LWS) for Beedi, Cine, and Non-Coal Mine Workers in Delhi on Saturday. The ministry stated that the scheme was implemented through 18 Labour Welfare Organisation (LWO) regions, headed by Welfare Commissioners under the administrative control of the Directorate General of Labour Welfare. The meeting, chaired by Sumita Dawra, Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, reviewed the significant achievements of the Labour Welfare Scheme, focusing on the various benefits provided to Beedi, Cine, and Non-Coal Mine Workers and their families. The ministry stated that healthcare facilities were provided through 10 hospitals and 279 dispensaries operational under 18 LWO regions across the country, covering critical diseases with reimbursements and subsistence allowances. In FY 2023-24, 1,802,000 Beedi, Cine, and Non-Coal mine workers and their dependents benefited, with an expenditure of Rs 8.50 crore. Under the scheme, financial assistance was also provided for the education of workers' wards, covering various levels from primary to professional courses, implemented through the online portal--the National Scholarship Portal--and disbursed via the DBT-APB (Direct Benefit Transfer-Aadhaar Payment Bridge) method of payment. The ministry highlighted that in FY 2023-24, a total of 96,051 wards of Beedi, Cine, and Non-Coal mine workers benefited, with a total expenditure of Rs 30.68 crore. During the meeting, the Secretary commended the achievements under the Labour Welfare Scheme and emphasized the need for continuous efforts to enhance the welfare of Beedi, Cine, and Non-Coal mine workers. She urged officials to work collaboratively to ensure effective implementation and to explore new initiatives for expanding social security and improving the ease of living and business. She also highlighted the importance of close coordination with state governments and related officials to create a robust and efficient social security system for these workers. In this regard, the Centre has already directed all states and UTs to extend social security coverage under various schemes for insurance, health benefits, and disability coverage like PMJJBY (Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana), PMSBY, and AB-PMJAY. The ministry added that the Centre is working on building a comprehensive database to assess coverage under both central and state schemes for Beedi, Non-Coal Mine, and Cine workers in the informal sector. The objective is to onboard all workers on the E-Shram portal, facilitating their access to various social security schemes and monitoring coverage through the mechanism of UAN (Universal Account Number) on E-Shram. (ANI)
Buoyed by India's strong consumption patterns, venture capitalists are flocking to fund retail sector startups. Investor confidence in new-age retail companies and startups has surged, with funding in the retail sector increasing by 32 per cent to USD 1.63 billion in the first half (H1) of 2024, up from USD 1.23 billion in H1 2023, according to data intelligence firm Tracxn. The Indian economy is on track to emerge as the third-largest economy in the world by 2026. Last year, the country's consumption grew at a faster pace than that of advanced economies such as China, the US, and Germany, as observed in a UBS report. The report further noted that India's household consumption nearly doubled in the past decade to USD 2.1 trillion last year, with an annual compound growth rate of 7.2 per cent, higher than the aforementioned countries. Additionally, India is expected to surpass Germany (in 2024) and Japan (in 2026) to become the third-largest consumer market in the world. Commenting on venture capitalists' interest in new-age retail companies, Harmanpreet Singh, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Parth Ventures, said, "India's GDP is projected to reach USD 8 trillion by FY32, with consumption expected to remain around 60 per cent of GDP. Thus, Indian consumption is expected to cross USD 4.5 trillion in the same period. For context, this is more than double the current consumption and will equal what China's consumption was in 2015. With this context, there is naturally some catching up to do for venture capital to invest in this space," he said. He opines that companies such as Zomato and Nykaa have yielded attractive outcomes in the consumer-tech space. However, investors have witnessed large failures driven by unsustainable unit economics and misallocation of funds. The industry is perhaps over-correcting by focusing on more conventional businesses like retail and omnichannel brands, where more sustainable business models are being funded. "We expect the focus on profitability and sustainable business models to keep this sector at the forefront of investor interest in 2024 and beyond," he added. Singh highlighted that during 2020-2022, investors strongly favoured online and consumer-tech businesses due to the COVID-19-driven surge in digital adoption, resulting in high growth and controlled customer acquisition costs. However, two key realizations have emerged: the number of consumers willing to spend significant money online is limited to around 40-50 million, and even these customers still value the trust and reliability that offline retail and distribution provide. Shravan Shetty, Managing Director at Primus Partners, said, "The sector's share has increased as interest in the sector has remained buoyant, while exuberance for other sectors has reduced. Venture capital is behaving similarly to the markets, where the long-term story of consumption has picked up compared to other themes like fintech, which has seen reduced interest compared to previous years." According to the Tracxn report, the first half of 2024 witnessed 8 funding rounds surpassing USD 100 million such as Flipkart's USD 350 million Series J round led by Google, Apollo 24|7's USD 297 million PE round, and Meesho's USD 275 million Series F round, underscoring the VCs strong intent for the retail sector companies. Dr Ashwini Mahajan, who led the delegation of economists that met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with suggestions, told ANI, "As far as investors are concerned, they always make comparisons between economies, and India, due to its sustained performance on the GDP front, is among the best places to invest. Due to its expanding economy and consumption, the country is able to attract investments." The Indian economy has witnessed a significant change in spending patterns by consumers. Spending in rural areas increased by 164 per cent and in urban areas by 146 per cent since 2011-12, at current prices, as demonstrated by recently released data from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey. According to the survey, the country saw a significant surge in Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) in 2022-23, with rural spending reaching Rs 3,773 and urban spending at Rs 6,459, reflecting a 164 per cent and 146 per cent increase, respectively, since 2011-12 at current prices. Adjusted to 2011-12 prices, the growth is 40 per cent in rural areas and 33 per cent in urban areas. (ANI)
Melissa Manno is a reporter covering education for the San Antonio Express-News. She can be reached at melissa.manno@express-news.net.

She graduated from Penn State University in 2022 with a bachelors degree in journalism and minors in geography and digital media trends and analytics. She is also the 2021 Hearst National Journalism Writing Champion.
Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah lauded the efforts made under the "Sahkar se Samriddhi" or prosperity through cooperation initiative while inaugurating the 76th Annual General Meeting of Kheda District Central Cooperative (KDCC) Bank Limited, Nadiad, Gujarat through video conferencing. He inaugurated the new building of a bank (Sardar Patel Sahkar Bhavan) constructed at a cost of Rs 18.70 crore, as per an official statement of the Ministry of Cooperation. Sahkar Se Samriddhi scheme aims to maximise the potential of cooperatives to propel economic progress in India. The Ministry of Cooperation is in charge of the initiative. The Union Minister said that Amul set an example of achieving "Sahkar se Samriddhi" (Prosperity through Cooperation) in front of the entire country and the world. Addressing the program, the Union Home and Cooperative Minister said that Kheda is the same district from where Amul was started under the successful guidance of the country's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Shah appealed to the people associated with cooperative institutions to open their bank accounts in the District Cooperative Banks so that a strong economic structure could be built in the cooperative sector, an official release of the Ministry of Cooperation said. He said that the centre is running pilot projects under the new initiative "Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives" in Banaskantha and Panchmahal districts. The Union Minister further stated that the success of "Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives" would allow India's cooperative sector to be self-sufficient, eliminating the need for financial support from the Central or State Government. "If the mantra of "Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives" becomes successful, then India does not need to take help from anyone in the cooperative sector," the Union Minister said. He highlighted that the cooperative movement could flourish solely with the resources of cooperative institutions. Recognising the importance of District Cooperative Banks he said they should also contribute towards strengthening the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). He said that the Government of India has started strengthening PACS by taking 20 different initiatives and the District Cooperative Banks should also come forward in this work. He said that stronger PACS will further strengthen the cooperative banks. (ANI)
The sequel, following the success of its predecessor, aims to delve deeper into the life and legacy of the late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe.

The event saw the presence of key figures such as Prasad Oak, reprising his role as Anand Dighe, and director Pravin Tarde, who received acclaim for their work in the first instalment of the biographical drama.

Among the producers present were Mangesh Desai from Saahil Motion Arts and Umesh Bansal, Chief Business Officer of Zee.

Actor Bobby Deol expressed his gratitude and excitement, remarking, "It's an honour to be part of this celebration. The performance in the first part was commendable, and I congratulate CM Eknath Shinde on his two successful years in government."

CM Eknath Shinde, reflecting on the film and its subject, commented, "Anand Dighe was not just a leader but my guru. His life and contributions continue to inspire us. I am proud to support this cinematic portrayal of his legacy."

The original film, directed by Pravin Tarde, was a commercial hit and received positive reviews for its authentic portrayal of Anand Dighe's life.

The sequel promises to explore new facets of Anand Dighe's life and political journey, aiming to capture the essence of his impactful legacy.

With preparations in full swing, the team is gearing up for a theatrical release on August 9, continuing their cinematic tribute to the late Shiv Sena leader. (ANI)
He also stressed on the need to implement "income generating economic development programmes" for people involved in the profession of fisheries sector.

A detailed action plan for the development of the Fisheries Sector was handed over to the FM Sitharaman for appropriate action, and inclusion in the budget.

This report was originally compiled by Bose in his capacity as the 'One Man Commission' in the Government of India's Labour Advisory Board.

The duo also discussed at length, the emerging role of the Governor in the Federal setup.

Closely following the concept of "Rajyapal Vikas ke Rajdooth", the Governor proposes to undertake periodic monitoring of the implementation of the development projects in the state, particularly those which come under centrally sponsored schemes.

The Governor is also expected to play the role of a watchdog on the finances and other aspects of State administration as mandated in Article 167 of the Constitution of India.

Bose delineated the course of action, proposed to be taken in the development governance of the State.

The Governor proposes to send a critical analysis of the financial management of the state to the Chief Minister with a direction to place it before Council of Ministers. He also demanded a White paper on the finance of the state from the Government of West Bengal. (ANI)
They were caught attempting to enter India illegally, reportedly with intentions to travel to various cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Odisha via train.

A case been registered against these individuals and they will be presented before the court on Sunday.

The accused have been identified as MD Sujan Rana (20), Azizul Shaik (30), MD Limon (19), Nargis Akhtar (34), MD Yousuf Ali (35), MD Sahidul Islam (26), Nipa Mandal (27), Akhe Begam (35), Omi Akhtar (35), Sajib Ali (19) and Asma Biswas (36)

Speaking to ANI, Officer In-Charge, Tapas Das said, "Agartala GRP (Government Railway Police) has registered a case in this regard and the accused will be presented before the court tomorrow."

The incident has drawn attention after the ongoing issues of illegal immigration across the Bangladesh-India border, prompting heightened vigilance from authorities.

Earlier, on Wednesday, it was reported that four Bangladeshi women and one Indian citizen were arrested at Agartala railway station shortly before they were about to board trains to Ahmedabad and Pune.

The arrested individuals are identified as Meem Sultana (23), Rubaiya Sultana alias Asha (20), Ritu Begam (28), and Jyoti Khatun (20) all residents of Bangladesh. The Indian citizen was identified as Kashem Miah (24), a resident of Sepahijala, Tripura.

The arrests were made by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Agartala station.

The detained Bangladeshi individuals had reportedly entered India illegally from Bangladesh.

The investigation revealed that some of the Bangladeshi nationals intended to travel to Ahmedabad, while others were planning to go to Pune by train.

Md Kashem Miah, a resident of Sepahijala in Tripura, is believed to be the facilitator, helping in the illegal entry and travel of these individuals within India.

The GRP has registered a case at the Agartala Police Station, and the accused will be presented in His Majesty's Court tomorrow. (ANI)
After a hiatus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio broadcast, 'Mann Ki Baat', will resume on Sunday (June 30). Mann Ki Baat is Prime Minister Modi's monthly radio programme, where he discusses important national issues with the citizens of India. The programme is broadcast on the last Sunday of every month. Prime Minister Modi's monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast was last aired on February 25, after which it was stopped considering the Lok Sabha elections. "Mann ki Baat will not be broadcast for the next three months in view of upcoming Lok Sabha polls," PM Modi had said in his 110th edition of the programme. Earlier on June 18, PM Modi announced that Mann Ki Baat will resume on June 30. He also called upon the people to share their ideas and inputs for his radio broadcast on MyGov Open Forum, NaMo App or by record message on 1800 11 7800. "Delighted to share that after a gap of some months due to the elections, #MannKiBaat is back! This month's programme will take place on Sunday, 30th June. I call upon all of you to share your ideas and inputs for the same. Write on the MyGov Open Forum, NaMo App or record your message on 1800 11 7800," PM Modi said in a post on X. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections took place from April 19 to June 1, in seven phases. The votes were counted and the results were declared on June 4, leading to the formation of the 18th Lok Sabha. Launched on October 3, 2014, Mann Ki Baat aims to connect with various segments of Indian society, encompassing women, the elderly, and the youth. Apart from 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, 'Mann Ki Baat' is broadcast in 11 foreign languages, including French, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Pashtu, Persian, Dari, and Swahili. Mann Ki Baat was broadcast by more than 500 broadcast centres of All India Radio. A study conducted regarding the impact of 'Mann Ki Baat' on the lives of the people showed that over 100 crore people have connected to 'Mann Ki Baat' at least once, it speaks directly to people, celebrates grassroots-level changemakers and achievements of people, and has influenced people towards positive actions. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday invited the countrymen to tune in to his monthly radio broadcast, 'Mann Ki Baat,' which will resume on Sunday (June 30) at 11 am. "Inviting you all to tune in to this month's #MannKiBaat at 11 AM. Glad to be back on this medium, highlighting collective efforts for societal good," the Prime Minister posted on X. Mann Ki Baat is Prime Minister Modi's monthly radio programme, where he discusses important national issues with the citizens of India. The programme is broadcast on the last Sunday of every month. Prime Minister Modi's monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast was last aired on February 25, after which it was stopped considering the Lok Sabha elections. "Mann Ki Baat will not be broadcast for the next three months in view of upcoming Lok Sabha polls," PM Modi had said in the 110th edition of the programme. Earlier on June 18, PM Modi announced that Mann Ki Baat will resume on June 30. He also called upon the people to share their ideas and inputs for his radio broadcast on MyGov Open Forum, the NaMo App, or by recording a message at 1800 11 7800. "Delighted to share that after a gap of some months due to the elections, #MannKiBaat is back! This month's programme will take place on Sunday, June 30. I call upon all of you to share your ideas and inputs for the same. Write on the MyGov Open Forum, the NaMo App, or record your message at 1800 11 7800," PM Modi said in a post on X. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections took place from April 19 to June 1 in seven phases. The votes were counted and the results were declared on June 4, leading to the formation of the 18th Lok Sabha. Launched on October 3, 2014, Mann Ki Baat aims to connect with various segments of Indian society, encompassing women, the elderly, and the youth. Apart from 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, 'Mann Ki Baat' is broadcast in 11 foreign languages, including French, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Pashtu, Persian, Dari, and Swahili. Mann Ki Baat is broadcast by more than 500 centers of All India Radio. A study conducted regarding the impact of 'Mann Ki Baat' on the lives of the people showed that over 100 crore people have connected to 'Mann Ki Baat' at least once. It speaks directly to people, celebrates grassroots-level changemakers and achievements of people, and has influenced people towards positive actions. (ANI)
Following the core committee meeting in Rajasthan ahead of the by-elections, the party's state chief CP Joshi on Sunday said that the Bhartiya Janata party takes all elections seriously, whether big or small and is preparing for the same. Joshi also said that the party's national organization general secretary, BL Santosh, also visited Rajasthan for discussions centred on election strategies. "The party always takes elections, whether small or big, whether general elections or by-elections, seriously and we are all preparing in this direction. Congress was saying that they will get 156 seats in the assembly elections but BJP got a clear majority," Joshi said. Reflecting on the recent Lok Sabha elections, Joshi acknowledged that the results did not meet the party's expectations. However, he expressed optimism for future successes "The Lok Sabha elections did not yield the expected results but we are hopeful that BJP will definitely get success in the coming times. Everyone will definitely make efforts for this," Joshi said while speaking to the media," he said. Earlier last week, the Election Commission announced the dates to hold bye-elections to fill vacancies in 13 assembly constituencies of seven states. The elections will be conducted on July 10 and the counting of the votes will be done on July 13. The commission to hold by-elections on one seat of Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh, two seats of Uttarakhand, three seats of Himachal Pradesh, and four seats of Uttarakhand. The seats in Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh are Rupauli, Vikravandi, Amarwara (ST) and Jalandhar West (SC) respectively. The last date to file nominations is June 21 and candidates can withdraw their candidature till June 26. These seats were vacant due to the resignations or deaths of the sitting MLAs. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 14 out of 25 seats while the Congress managed to secure eight seats. The CPI (M), Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and Bharat Adivasi Party managed to clinch one seat each. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on his birthday on Sunday. The Prime Minister said that Yadav was making "admirable" efforts to improve the environmental conditions and boost sustainable development. "Birthday wishes to Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav Ji. He is making admirable efforts to improve the environmental conditions and boost sustainable development. May Almighty bless him with a long and healthy life," PM Modi said in a post on X. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma also wished the minister. "Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Honourable Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and MP from Alwar Lok Sabha constituency, Shri Bhupendra Yadav ji on his birthday. I pray to God for your good health and long life," Sharma posted on X. Bhupender Yadav took charge as the Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change in the third Modi government on June 11. He held the same portfolio in the previous Modi government after taking it over from Prakash Javadekar in July 2021. After assuming the charge, Yadav said that he would work with full readiness to discharge the responsibilities of the important ministry. As the Environment Minister in the second Modi government, Bhupender Yadav was known for his strong defence of India's dependence on coal at international climate talks. He has had many achievements when he held the portfolio previously. One of them was when India's climate actions were rated the fourth strongest in an annual performance index released by Germanwatch in 2023, up one place from the previous year. The reintroduction of cheetahs in India, a ban on identified single-use plastic items, and an increase in Ramsar sites in India are other achievements of the ministry under his stewardship. He was at the helm when India made crucial amendments to forest, wildlife, and environmental laws. Yadav's role as environment minister will be crucial with the country proposing to host the international climate talks (COP33) in 2028. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, he won Rajasthan's Alwar constituency defeating Congress' Lalit Yadav with a margin of 48,282 votes. This was his first contest in a Lok Sabha election. He contested his first general election after serving as a party office-bearer for over two decades. From Rajasthan, Yadav has previously been a Rajya Sabha member representing the state since 2012, with a reelection in April 2018. (ANI)
Amid tightened security for the Amarnath yatra, another batch of pilgrims left today from the Pantha Chowk base camp. Visuals showed queues of cars crossing the Pantha Chowk base camp's police checkpoints. Rajesh Gupta, a pilgrim from Delhi, said, "This is my second yatra to worship Baba Bholenath. I am very happy and excited for this. All the facilities, including the security provided by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the camps made for the pilgrims, are very good. Krishna Kumar, who made his 25th journey to Amarnath today, said, "I am very happy. During COVID-19, I travelled via the helicopter route. The transportation and camp facilities are very good. Everyone from the military has cooperated with us properly. It is only because of their cooperation that we are able to complete our journey properly. Another pilgrim from Jammu, Ajay Khajuria, said, "We are going to Baltal right now. The security is very good. We are very happy for the journey ahead." Earlier on June 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his heartfelt wishes to the pilgrims who embarked on the holy Amarnath Yatra, which commenced on June 29 and would culminate on August 19. PM Modi took to social media platform X and wrote, "My heartfelt wishes to all the pilgrims on the commencement of the holy Amarnath yatra. This yatra is associated with the darshan and worship of Baba Barfani, who infuses immense energy in the devotees of Lord Shiva. I wish that all the devotees may prosper with his blessings. Jai Baba Barfani!" The annual yatra, which lasts for 45 days, is a major concern for the government amid the recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. The administration has left no stone unturned to ensure the safety and well-being of the pilgrims amidst the heightening concerns and the challenging terrain of the route. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court is scheduled to pass an order on July 1, 2024, on the maintainability ground of a plea moved by Kejriwal's close aide Bibhav Kumar seeking direction to declare his arrest by Delhi Police as illegal. Bibhav Kumar was arrested by the Delhi Police on May 18, in connection with a FIR registered by Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal assault case. The bench of Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma after hearing the arguments at length, reserved the order on maintainability ground on May 31, 2024. Appearing for Bibhav Kumar, Senior Advocate N Hariharan submitted that, I (Bibhav Kumar) put an anticipatory bail, while around 4:00-4:30 it is being heard, I am arrested around 4:15. If the arrest is happening in such a fashion then the court must intervene. My fundamental right to be arrested in such a fashion was exploited and hence, I am here. You flouted the 41A procedure. However, Senior Advocate Sanjay Jain appeared for Delhi Police and stated that their petition is not maintainable. The accused argued the violation of guidelines of arrest not being followed before the trial court and a separate application was moved for the same on that Magistrate comes to a conclusion that reasons for emergent arrest were mentioned and hence, because, on May 20th an order was passed and is not mentioned here and the same shall be taken seriously. This order is capable of being revised, he can file a revision application and there is a 90 days period for that...but they have skipped this step and directly approached here, said Sanjay Jain appeared for Delhi Police. Bibhav through his plea also sought appropriate compensation for his alleged illegal arrest, in deliberate and blatant violation of the provisions of law. The Departmental Action must be initiated against the unknown erring officials, who were involved in the decision making viz. the arrest of the Petitioner, stated the plea. Recently Delhi High Court's vacation Judge had sought Delhi Police response over his bail plea challenging trial court order which had dismissed his bail plea. Earlier, the trial court has dismissed Bibhav bail petition and stated that said that the investigation is at an initial stage and influencing of witnesses and tampering with evidence cannot be ruled out. Trial Court further said, "The investigation is still at the nascent stage and theapprehension of influencing the witnesses or tampering with the evidence cannot be ruled out. Keeping in view the allegations made against the applicant, at this stage, no ground for bail is made out." " The allegations raised by the victim have to be taken on their face value and cannot be swiped away. The mere delay in registering the FIR would not have much impact on the case as the injuries are apparent in the MLC after four days. There seems to be no pre- meditation on the part of the victim as if it would have been so, then the FIR would have been registered on the same day," said the court. The applicant was present at the CM's house even after his employment has been terminated, it further noted The investigating agency has also reported that the applicant has formatted his mobile phone and has not provided the password for opening his mobile phone. The CCTV footage collected from the Hon 'ble CM's camp office is also stated to be blank, the court noted in the order. The judge said that it has come on record that the complainant was medically examined on 16.05.2024 at AIIMS Hospital. Her statement under section 164 Cr. P.C. was recorded by the learned Metropolitan Magistrate. Her version as mentioned in the complaint finds corroboration from the MLC and her statement recorded under section 164 of the Cr.PC. The court stated that the applicant (Bibhav Kumar) was joined in the investigation, but as per the investigation officer, he did not cooperate in the investigation and he was arrested to prevent him to tampering with the crucial evidence. During the arguements, the Counsel for complainant stated that the victim is the sitting MP of Aam Aadmi Party and earlier also, she has gone to meet the Hon'ble CM and she cannot be termed as trespasser, rather it was the applicant/accused who was present in the Hon 'ble CM office without any authority. It was further contended that no one has reported the matter to the police from the Hon'ble CM office and it was the complainant who has made the complaint to the police from the spot itself. It was also argued that the magnitude of the injuries was such that they were present even after four days when the medical examination was done. (ANI)
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office said they rescued 26 dogs from a Far West Side home this week after they were found living in inhumane conditions. Bexar County Animal Control deemed the case "to be one of the most severe animal cruelty cases they had ever encountered," according to the sheriff's office. Bexar County Sheriff's Office Michael Neil Moore was arrested and charged with animal cruelty. Bexar County Sheriff's Office

A San Antonio man is facing multiple charges after authorities said they rescued 26 dogs from the "deplorable" and "inhumane" conditions inside his home.

Michael Neil Moore was arrested Thursday at his residence in the 7800 block of Fossil Banks.

He was charged with one count of animal cruelty, though additional charges are pending in the case that Bexar County Animal Control deemed "to be one of the most severe animal cruelty cases they had ever encountered," according to the Bexar County Sheriff's office.

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When deputies arrived at Moore's home, they immediately experienced a strong odor of urine and feces and saw the "deplorable" conditions inside the house where multiple dogs appeared to be living. Deputies saw what looked like a foot-high layer of feces covering the living room floor, according to a social media post from the sheriff's office.

Deputies went to Moore's residence after neighbors reported seeing rats around the house and observing dogs that appeared to be in poor condition inside.

Numerous dogs were found inside the home, and 26 dogs were seized. Authorities said they found one dead dog in the kitchen.

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The rescued dogs were taken to a veterinarian to be examined, and most were found suffering from poor weight with visible spines and ribs. The dogs also had urine stains on their fur and feces encrusted in their paws and nails, the sheriff's office said.
Traffic movement is restricted at Okhla Underpass due to waterlogging, the Delhi Traffic Police announced on Sunday. "Movement of traffic is restricted at Okhla Underpass due to waterlogging. Kindly plan your journey accordingly," the Police posted on X. On Saturday, a 60-year-old man drowned in the waters at Okhla Underpass, which submerged following heavy rain on Friday in the national capital. Heavy rains lashed parts of Delhi-NCR on Friday and Saturday, causing waterlogging, traffic jams, rain-related accidents, casualties, and injuries, prompting the government to take measures to tackle the situation. Two boys died allegedly due to drowning near the rainwater-flooded Siraspur underpass in northwest Delhi's Samaypur Badli area on Saturday, police said. According to the Delhi Police, a call about the drowning of a 12-year-old boy near Siraspur underpass was received at Samaypur Badli Police Station at 2:25 PM. Upon reaching the spot, it was observed that the underpass near the metro was flooded with almost 2.5-3 feet of water. Earlier on Friday, two children who had left their homes to play in rainwater drowned after falling into a deep rainwater ditch in the New Usmanpur area of Delhi, police said. The deceased were aged 8 and 10 years old and were residents of Som Bazaar, Gamri, in the New Usmanpur area. Meanwhile, on Saturday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Soma Sen told ANI that heavy rainfall is expected in Delhi over the next two days. "Rain is expected to increase in the coming days in North India. Monsoon has advanced more in Eastern UP, and in the next 2-3 days, Western UP and Haryana will also be covered. An orange alert has been issued for UP, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and East Rajasthan. Heavy rain will be witnessed in the entire central India. Warnings have been issued for Arunachal Pradesh and Assam for extremely heavy rainfall. Rainfall will increase in the West Peninsular region by tomorrow. North Indian states will also witness extremely heavy rainfall. We have declared heavy rainfall in Delhi over the next two days," Sen said. Despite heavy rains lashing the national capital over the past few days, the Delhi Metro saw a significant surge in passenger journeys. On Friday, June 28, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) reported over 69 lakh passenger journeys. "The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) recorded over 69 lakh passenger journeys on Friday, even as the Metro services operated without any disruption with a punctuality of 99.95 percent despite the heavy rains that lashed the city and its peripheries," DMRC said in a post on X. (ANI)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Sunday extended his wishes to Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav on his birthday. https://x.com/BhajanlalBjp/status/1807244388873257415 Taking to X (formerly Twitter), CM Sharma said in Hindi, "Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Honourable Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and MP from Alwar Lok Sabha constituency, Shri Bhupender Yadav ji on his birthday. I pray to God for your good health and long life." Earlier in the day, Bhupender Yadav thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for wishing him on his birthday. In response, the Union Minister expressed his wish to contribute towards building a Viksit Bharat (Developed India). "Thank you for your kind wishes, Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji. Under your leadership and guidance, I wish to continue discharging the duties assigned to me and contribute towards building a Viksit Bharat," Bhupender Yadav said on X. Extending his wishes, PM Modi said on X, "Birthday wishes to Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav Ji. He is making admirable efforts to improve environmental conditions and boost sustainable development. May Almighty bless him with a long and healthy life." Bhupender Yadav took charge as the Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change in the third Modi government on June 11. He held the same portfolio in the previous Modi government after taking it over from Prakash Javadekar in July 2021. After assuming charge, Yadav said that he would work with full readiness to discharge the responsibilities of the important ministry. As the Environment Minister in the second Modi government, Bhupender Yadav was known for his strong defence of India's dependence on coal at international climate talks. He has had many achievements during his previous tenure. One of them was when India's climate actions were rated the fourth strongest in an annual performance index released by Germanwatch in 2023, up one place from the previous year. The reintroduction of cheetahs in India, a ban on identified single-use plastic items, and an increase in Ramsar sites in India are other achievements of the ministry under his stewardship. He was at the helm when India made crucial amendments to forest, wildlife, and environmental laws. Yadav's role as environment minister will be crucial with the country proposing to host the international climate talks (COP33) in 2028. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, he won Rajasthan's Alwar constituency, defeating Congress' Lalit Yadav with a margin of 48,282 votes. This was his first contest in a Lok Sabha election. He contested his first general election after serving as a party office-bearer for over two decades. From Rajasthan, Yadav has previously been a Rajya Sabha member representing the state since 2012, with a re-election in April 2018. (ANI)
The representatives of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) met Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Saturday to discuss key issues in medical education, including the NEET PG postponement. "We congratulated him on his second term at the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Minister assured timely resolution and new exam dates, promising a fair and transparent process. He also wished everyone a Happy Doctor's Day and emphasised his office's dedication to resident doctors' welfare," FORDA said in a statement. The Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, V K Paul, was also present at the meeting. 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. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 out of 720 marks, which led to widespread protests in the country. For the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 23 registered a criminal case over the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the examination by the NTA and formed special teams to probe the matter. Amid the ongoing row over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), Union Education Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday launched a fierce attack on the Congress party and claimed, "Unko apni rajnitik roti sekni hai" (They want to indulge in politics). "Congress does not want discussion, and they are running away from it. They only want chaos, confusion, and want to create obstacles in the entire functioning of the institutional mechanism... The President herself has addressed the issue that Congress wants to debate, admitting the challenges and shortcomings in the process and that we have to look into them. On behalf of the government, I have clearly said that we are ready for any discussion, but Congress doesn't want to address the students' issue, Dharmendra Pradhan said. "Unko apni rajnitik roti sekni hai (They want to indulge in politics)", Pradhan added. (ANI)
An ace infantry officer with vast experience in operations, General Upendra Dwivedi, took over the command of the Indian Army on Sunday. The 30th Chief of the Indian Army belongs to the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and was Vice Chief of Army Staff from February this year. He hails from Madhya Pradesh and has studied in Sainik School Rewa (MP). He joined the prestigious National Defence Academy in January 1981 and was commissioned into the 18th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles on December 15, 1984, which he later commanded in the Kashmir valley and the deserts of Rajasthan. From his school days, he was an outstanding sportsman and excelled in both NDA and IMA, where he was awarded the Blue in Physical Training. He continued to excel post commissioning and was awarded the gold medal in the Physical Training Course. General officer has a unique distinction of balanced exposure along Northern, Western and Eastern Theatres, in varied terrain and operational environment including Deserts, High Altitude, Riverine, Built Up area, North East and Jammu and Kashmir. He commanded his battalion in active counter-terrorism operations in the Kashmir Valley and in the Rajasthan Desert. He has been Inspector General Assam Rifles as Major General and Sector commander as Brigadieri. Assam Rifles participated in intense counterterrorism operations and held various other staff command appointments in the North East, where he pioneered the first ever compendium on Indo-Myanmar border management. Subsequently, he commanded the Rising Star Corps along the Western Front and the prestigious Northern Army from 2022-2024 in an extremely challenging operational environment. During his command, he provided strategic guidance & Operational oversight for planning and execution of sustained operations along the Northern & Western borders, besides orchestrating the dynamic counter terrorism operations in J-K. He was also involved in modernising and equipping of the largest Command of the Indian Army, where he steered the induction of Indigenous equipment as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He synergized with the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for convergent nation-building outcomes and infrastructure development. He has varied staff exposures, which include handling conventional operations of the Armed Brigade in the Punjab Plains, providing logistical support to a Mountain Division in the North East along the Northern Borders and operating a Strike Corps in deserts. At IHQ HQ (Army), he contributed significantly to the Military Secretary's branch and was instrumental in raising a section in the Military Operations Directorate. Later, as the DG Infantry, he steered and fast-tracked capital procurement cases of weapons for all three services, leading to significant and visible capability enhancement for our Armed Forces. As Deputy Chief, he gave impetus to automation and the absorption of niche technology in the Indian Army. Being a tech enthusiast, he worked towards enhancing the tech threshold of all ranks in Northern Command and pushed for critical & emerging technologies like big data analytics, AI, Quantum and blockchain-based solutions. The officer's two overseas tenures include Somalia, as part of HQ UNOSOM II and Seychelles, as Military Advisor to the Government of Seychelles. Besides, attending the Staff College, Wellington & Higher Command Course at AWC, Mhow, the officer was conferred 'Distinguished Fellow' in the coveted NDC equivalent course at USAWC, Carlisle, USA. Complementing his illustrious military career, are an M.Phil. in Defence & Management Studies, in addition to two Master's degrees in Strategic Studies and Military Science, including one from USAWC, USA. He has authored / presented articles in various professional forums/journals. He is married to Sunita Dwivedi, a science graduate, who is a homemaker. Sunita Dwivedi has been associated with Aarushi, an institute for special ability children in Bhopal. The couple are blessed with two daughters who are working with NGOs. (ANI)
Following the heavy rain, many parts of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday witnessed severe waterlogging, with people having to use boats to commute. The residents of Bholanath Colony in Moradabad were seen using boats to navigate the submerged area. The residents say that the situation prevailing in the area is "quite bad" due to the waterlogging. "The situation is quite bad. We are using a boat to commute. The whole area is suffering from waterlogging. Even the boat came only yesterday. We have to travel in this water," Bablu, a resident of Bholanath Colony, told ANI. Another resident told ANI that waterlogging and submergence happen every year during the rainy season. "There is no drainage. A person can drown in this water. We were stuck here for three days. The boat came only yesterday. It happens every year," Julie, a resident of Bholanath Colony, said. The Regional Met Centre of New Delhi on Sunday morning predicted a thunderstorm with light to moderate-intensity rain to occur during the next hour in the western region of Uttar Pradesh. The rain is expected in the overlying and adjoining areas of Jattari, Khair, Aligarh, Iglas, Sikandra Rao, and Hathras. The Regional Met Centre of New Delhi informed this news through a social media post on X, stating, "05:15 IST; Thunderstorm with light to moderate intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of Jattari, Khair, Aligarh, Iglas, Sikandra Rao, and Hathras (U.P.) during the next 2 hours." Meanwhile, on Saturday, the India Meteorological Department had predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in various parts of the nation. "Heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy falls occurred at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim; Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Konkan & Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Gujarat Region, South Interior Karnataka; Heavy rainfall at isolated places over Uttarakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Coastal Karnataka, and Kerala," said a press release. Meanwhile, in an update on the southwest monsoon, the IMD said, "The Monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of East Uttar Pradesh and some more parts of West Uttar Pradesh today, the 29th of June, 2024. The Northern Limit of Monsoon now passes through 26N/65E, Jaisalmer, Churu, Bhiwani, Delhi, Aligarh, Hardoi, Moradabad, Una, Pathankot, Jammu, 33N/74E. Conditions are favorable for further advance of the southwest Monsoon into some more parts of West Rajasthan, Haryana-Chandigarh & Punjab, and remaining parts of West Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu during the next 2-3 days." (ANI)
As the monthly radio programme 'Mann ki Baat' resumed on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the countrymen for reiterating their unwavering faith in the Constitution and the democratic system of the country for Lok Sabha election 2024. Addressing the nation in his Mann Ki Baat programme on Sunday, PM Modi said that he missed the conversation with the countrymen since February when the broadcast was last aired. 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast was last aired on February 25, after which it was stopped considering the Lok Sabha elections. "Today, finally the day has come for which we all were waiting for since February. Through 'Mann Ki Baat', I am once again amongst you, amongst my family members. I told you in February that I would meet you again after the election results and today I am again present amongst you with Mann Ki Baat. The arrival of Monsoon has made your hearts happy as well," he said. "Friends, from February till now, whenever the last Sunday of the month would approach, I missed this conversation with you. But I also felt happy to see that you people sent me lakhs of messages in these months. Mann Ki Baat radio program might have been closed for a few months. but the spirit of Mann Ki Baat..work done for the country, the society good work done every day, work done with a selfless spirit...work that had a positive impact on society continued unabated," he added. The Prime Minister congratulated the Election Commission and everyone associated with the 2024 election. "Today, I thank the countrymen for reiterating their unwavering faith in our Constitution and the democratic system of the country. The 2024 election was the biggest in the world. Such a big election has never taken place in any country in the world. I congratulate the Election Commission and everyone associated with the voting process for this," he said. PM Modi highlighted the 'Hool Diwas' celebrated by the tribal people, adding that the day is associated with the indomitable courage of brave Sidhu-Kanhu, who strongly opposed the atrocities of foreign rulers. "Today, 30th June is a very important day. Our tribal brothers and sisters celebrate this day as 'Hool Diwas'. This day is associated with the indomitable courage of brave Sidhu-Kanhu, who strongly opposed the atrocities of foreign rulers," he said. "Veer Sidhu-Kanhu united thousands of Santhal companions and fought the British with all their might, and do you know when this happened? This happened in 1855, that is, two years before India's first war of independence in 1857. Then our tribal brothers and sisters in Santhal Pargana of Jharkhand took up arms against the foreign rulers," the Prime Minister added. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections took place from April 19 to June 1, in seven phases. The counting of all seven phases of Lok Sabha polls took place on June 4, leading to the formation of the 18th Lok Sabha. (ANI)
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav attended the 109th foundation day celebration of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in Kolkata on Sunday. He was the chief guest of the event. Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State, MoEFCC, was the guest of honour. The Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, MoEFCC, Jitendra Kumar, also attended and addressed the gathering. At a curtain-raiser press conference on Wednesday at the Kolkata Press Club, ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee highlighted the 'Animal Taxonomic Summit-2024' scheduled for July 1-3, 2024, and the launch of the 'Fauna of India Checklist Portal' along with two books on annual animal and plant discoveries. Banerjee informed that the Animal Taxonomic Summit-2024 aims to underline the role of taxonomy in biodiversity conservation. Over 300 research papers will be presented, and 40 institutional heads from India and global experts will participate. She also announced that the 'Fauna of India Checklist Portal' will be the world's first complete fauna checklist, making India the first nation to prepare a comprehensive list of documented fauna. 'Animal Discoveries-2023' comprises more than 600 new animal species and new records from India, while 'Plant Discoveries' includes more than 300 new plant species and new records from the country, all published by scientists, faculty, and researchers from India. Other important releases will include the 'Current Status of Faunal Diversity in Lakshadweep,' 'Fauna of India-109 Barcodes,' 'Catalogue of Hoverflies,' 'Catalogue of Muscidae,' 'Avifaunal Diversity of Important Bird Areas of Goa,' and the 'Handbook on Moths and Butterflies of the Western Ghats' & 'Flora of India Series.' The first-ever 'Barcode Atlas of Indian Fishes,' a joint publication by the ICAR-NBFGR, Lucknow, & ZSI, Kolkata, and 'ROAR - CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF PROJECT TIGER,' a book by Shiladitya Chaudhury and Ketan Sengupta, will also be released. The Minister of State will launch the 'International Society of Zoology (ISZ),' which aims to enhance the ability of individuals and institutions to contribute to the global understanding and protection of biodiversity. The event will include messages emphasizing the exploration and protection of faunal resources, the importance of safeguarding our environment, and ZSI's contributions. More than 10 MoUs will be exchanged between ZSI and universities (such as Vidyasagar University, Berhampur University, Madurai Kamraj University), national institutes (ICAR-NBFGR, ICAR-NBAIR, ICAR-Central Institute, ICAR-CIFA, BITS-Pilani, Goa), and the Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS), Africa, for better coordination and benefits to the masses. A cultural program highlighting environmental issues and ZSI's efforts to reach out to citizens will also be showcased. The Animal Taxonomic Summit-2024 is the second summit being organized by ZSI. During the summit, deliberations will be held under three broad themes: Taxonomy, Systematics and Evolution; Ecology and Animal Behaviour; and Biodiversity and Conservation. More than 350 delegates from four countries, including the Natural History Museum London, will participate in ATS-24. The three-day summit will feature more than 20 plenary/lead lectures by eminent speakers and experts from India and abroad, as well as 142 oral/poster presentations. The summit will conclude on July 3, 2024. The recommendations of the summit will be conveyed to the Government of India related to biodiversity conservation. The ZSI was established on July 1, 1916, in Kolkata as a premier research institution and currently functions under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The ZSI documents India's faunal resources through surveys and exploration, advancing knowledge of the country's exceptionally rich faunal diversity. (ANI)
India Meteorological Department has predicted thunderstorms with light to moderate-intensity rain and gusty winds over and adjoining areas of the National Capital Region on Sunday afternoon. "30/06/2024: 11:50 IST; Thunderstorm with light to moderate intensity rain and gusty winds with speed of 30-40 Km/h would occur over and adjoining areas of NCR ( Dadri, Greater Noida). Light intensity rain/drizzle would occur over and adjoining areas of NCR ( Ballabhgarh) Bawal (Haryana) during next 2 hours," IMD posted on X. Earlier this week, the national capital received the highest rainfall in 88 years. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, Delhi experienced 228 mm of rainfall from 8:30 am on Thursday, June 27, to 8:30 am on Friday, June 28. This is the highest 24-hour rainfall in June that the national capital has seen since 1936 when 235.5 mm was recorded. India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Soma Sen on Saturday said that heavy rainfall is expected in Delhi over the next two days. "Rain is expected to increase in the coming days in North India. Monsoon has advanced more in Eastern UP, and in the next 2-3 days, Western UP and Haryana will also be covered. An orange alert has been issued for UP, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and East Rajasthan. Heavy rain will be witnessed in the entire central India. Warnings have been issued for Arunachal Pradesh and Assam for extremely heavy rainfall. Rainfall will increase in the West Peninsular region by tomorrow. North Indian states will also witness extremely heavy rainfall. We have declared heavy rainfall in Delhi over the next two days," Sen said. IMD has issued an alert for widespread rainfall and thunderstorms across several regions in India on Sunday. Recent satellite imagery indicates the presence of convective clouds, signaling the possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many locations. Intense spells of rain, accompanied by isolated thunderstorms, cloud-to-ground lightning, and gusty winds, are expected in Punjab and adjoining Himachal Pradesh, southwest and adjoining extreme northwest Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh and adjoining extreme north Chhattisgarh, southeast Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, south Gujarat, south Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, south Karnataka, north Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, and Meghalaya, as per the IMD. In addition to these areas, light to moderate rainfall is anticipated at a few places, with isolated thunderstorms, cloud-to-ground lightning, and gusty winds likely to affect Odisha, Konkan, Goa, south Madhya Maharashtra, Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Lakshadweep, and the Nicobar Islands. (ANI)
A van carrying Amarnath pilgrims met with an accident near Chandanwari in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, leaving at least two persons injured, officials said on Sunday. "Today, a van carrying Shri Amarnath Ji Yatris met with an accident near Chandanwari. The pilgrims sustained serious head injuries & were promptly evacuated by the #BSF QRT (Quick Response Team) to a nearby hospital," the Border Security Force (BSF) said in a post on X. https://x.com/BSF_Kashmir/status/1807308765743706552 "The quick response of BSF saved the precious lives of the pilgrims," the BSF added. Though BSF did not mentioned the number of people injured in the accident, visuals showed two of the pilgrims, including a woman could be seen admitted in the hospital. Their identities were not confirmed. Earlier in the day, another batch of pilgrims left from the Pantha Chowk base camp for the Amarnath yatra amid tightened security. Visuals showed queues of cars crossing the Pantha Chowk base camp's police checkpoints. Rajesh Gupta, a pilgrim from Delhi, said, "This is my second yatra to worship Baba Bholenath. I am very happy and excited about this. All the facilities, including the security provided by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the camps made for the pilgrims, are very good." Krishna Kumar, who made his 25th journey to Amarnath today, said, "I am very happy. During COVID-19, I traveled via the helicopter route. The transportation and camp facilities are very good. Everyone from the military has cooperated with us properly. It is only because of their cooperation that we can complete our journey properly." Another pilgrim from Jammu, Ajay Khajuria, said, "We are going to Baltal right now. The security is very good. We are very happy for the journey ahead." The annual yatra, which lasts for 45 days, is a major concern for the government amid the recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. The administration has left no stone unturned to ensure the safety and well-being of the pilgrims amidst the heightening concerns and the challenging terrain of the route. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid his tribute to tribal leaders like Sidhu-Kanhu, Chand-Bhairav and Phoolo-Jhano on the occasion of Hul Diwas. In a post shared on X, Prime Minister Modi said that the Hul Diwas is an occasion dedicated to the unmatched courage, struggle and sacrifice of the tribal society. "Hul Diwas is a great occasion dedicated to the unmatched courage, struggle and sacrifice of our tribal society. On this auspicious day, I pay my respectful tribute to tribal heroes like Sidhu-Kanhu, Chand-Bhairav and Phoolo-Jhano," PM Modi wrote on X. "The stories of their self-respect and valour against the atrocities of the British Empire will always remain a source of inspiration for the countrymen," he added. June 30 marks the 169th anniversary of Santhal Hul (Santhal Rebellion). PM Modi also highlighted the 'Hul Diwas' in his Mann Ki Baat programme, adding that the day is associated with the indomitable courage of brave Sidhu-Kanhu, who strongly opposed the atrocities of foreign rulers. "Today, 30th June is a very important day. Our tribal brothers and sisters celebrate this day as 'Hool Diwas'. This day is associated with the indomitable courage of brave Sidhu-Kanhu, who strongly opposed the atrocities of foreign rulers," he said. "Veer Sidhu-Kanhu united thousands of Santhal companions and fought the British with all their might, and do you know when this happened? This happened in 1855, that is, two years before India's first war of independence in 1857. Then our tribal brothers and sisters in Santhal Pargana of Jharkhand took up arms against the foreign rulers," the Prime Minister added. (ANI)
The San Antonio Police Department said a 'suspicious package' near the pride event downtown was not a legitimate threat. An investigation determined the item was a homemade portable air conditioner. Douglas Sacha/Getty Images

A suspicious package found near the San Antonio Pride Bigger Than Texas Festival on Saturday that San Antonio Police determined was not a threat turned out to be a portable air conditioner that someone had constructed using a fan and cooler, police said.

The incident that involved an investigation by SAPD's bomb squad started around 2:30 p.m., Saturday when officers working at the event at Crockett Park responded to reports of a suspicious package near the intersection of North Main Avenue and Cypress Street.

A woman attending the event noticed the "package" when she accidently picked it up thinking it was her soft cooler, a preliminary police report states. When she opened the bag, the woman saw a tubular shaped object with wires coming from it, police said.

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The woman contacted the sheriff's office and handed it over to a deputy who thought it was suspicious.

Officers then cleared the intersection of event goers and called SAPDs bomb squad. Further investigation revealed the package to be a portable air conditioner.

A person claimed the item and told authorities that someone had mistakenly picked up his homemade portable air conditioner made from a fan and cooler, the report states.

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Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Sunday inspected the Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant in the city where flooding due to rain damaged the motors, causing water supply disruption in many parts of Central Delhi. The Minister said that she ordered the officials to repair the pump house as soon as possible. "Due to unexpected rains, the pumping house of Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant got flooded, damaging the motors. Due to this, supply was disrupted in many parts of Central Delhi. Jal Board has worked quickly to solve this problem and the plant has been repaired by almost 80%, and soon the supply will be normal," Atishi said in a post on X. "Today inspected the plant and ordered the officials to repair the pump house as soon as possible, and through Joint Inspection ensure that this problem does not reoccur in any plant in the future," she added. Heavy rains lashed parts of Delhi-NCR on Friday and Saturday, causing waterlogging, traffic jams, rain-related accidents, casualties, and injuries, prompting the government to take measures to tackle the situation. Traffic movement is restricted at Okhla Underpass due to waterlogging, the Delhi Traffic Police announced on Sunday."Movement of traffic is restricted at Okhla Underpass due to waterlogging. Kindly plan your journey accordingly," the traffic police posted on X. Meanwhile, on Saturday, a 60-year-old man drowned in the waters at Okhla Underpass, which submerged following heavy rain on Friday in the national capital. In a separate incident, two boys died allegedly due to drowning near the rainwater-flooded Siraspur underpass in northwest Delhi's Samaypur Badli area on Saturday, police said. Earlier this week, the national capital received the highest rainfall in 88 years. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, Delhi experienced 228 mm of rainfall from 8:30 am on Thursday, June 27, to 8:30 am on Friday, June 28. This is the highest 24-hour rainfall in June that the national capital has seen since 1936 when 235.5 mm was recorded. (ANI)
In his 111th episode of the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the global presence of local Indian products, and mentioned Araku coffee produced in Andhra Pradesh. "There are so many products from India that are in great demand across the world and when we see a local product from India going global, it is natural to feel proud. One such product is Araku coffee. Araku coffee is grown in large quantities in Alluri Sita Rama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh. It is known for its rich flavour and aroma," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing the 111th episode of Mann Ki Baat. Highlighting the socio-economic impact of Araku coffee, he noted, "About 1.5 lakh tribal families are associated with the cultivation of Araku coffee. Girijan cooperative has played a very important role in taking Araku coffee to new heights. It brought together the farmer brothers and sisters here and encouraged them to cultivate Araku coffee. This has also increased the income of these farmers a lot." "I remember, once I got a chance to taste this coffee in Visakhapatnam with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu Garu. Araku Coffee has received many global awards. Coffee was also popular at the G-20 summit held in Delhi," PM Modi remarked. Continuing his appreciation of local products gaining international recognition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the snow peas from Jammu and Kashmir. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir are also not behind in making local products global. What Jammu and Kashmir has achieved last month is an example for the people of the entire country. The first consignment of snow peas was sent to London from Pulwama here," PM Modi said. "Some people got the idea that why not bring the exotic vegetables grown in Kashmir on the world map. Then Abdul Rashid Mir of Chakura village was the first to come forward for this. He started growing snow peas by combining the lands of other farmers of the village and soon snow peas started reaching from Kashmir to London," he added. (ANI)
Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav informed on X, "Commissionerate Police Jalandhar arrests five operatives of Canada-based Lakhbir Landa Gang in a 15-Day Operation. They were involved in arms and drug smuggling across the border, multiple heinous crimes such as murder, extortion, ransom and many other criminal activities in many districts of Punjab."

He further said that the police have recovered five foreign-made pistols.

"Punjab Police is fully committed to eradicate organised crime in state as per the directions of CM Bhagwant Mann," the DGP further added.

Earlier this month, the Punjab police carried out raids at multiple hideouts of gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa.

Bathinda Superintendent of Police (SP) Narinder Singh said a total of five people have been rounded up and search operations are being carried out.

On June 20, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted multi-state searches and arrested a key operative linked with designated terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa.

The anti-terror agency made the arrest during searches at the premises connected with 10 suspects across Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab, leading to the arrest of Jaspreet Singh from district Ferozepur (Punjab).

The NIA seized one 32-bore revolver, 69 cartridges of various bores, 100 gm heroin, 100 gm opium, Rs 2,20,500 cash and various digital devices from Jaspreet, who was found to be associated with the foreign-based terrorist Landa.

Earlier in February, Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force arrested three associates of terrorists, Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Lakhbir Singh alias Landa Harike.

The arrests were made under the drive to eradicate organised crime from the state as per the directions of Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government. (ANI)
The inauguration ceremony was held at the Chief Minister's residence, with Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar also in attendance.

To mark the beginning of the National Pulse Polio Campaign, Chief Minister Sharma administered polio drops to children. This campaign aims to immunize approximately 1.07 crore children up to the age of five against polio across the state.

The Chief Minister Stop Diarrhea Campaign 2024 and the ABHA ID Creation Campaign were inaugurated under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. The Stop Diarrhea Campaign, set to run from July 1 to August 31, will involve medical personnel visiting homes to provide advice and medicines to prevent diarrhea-related diseases in children.

Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) is an initiative of the National Health Authority (NHA). It is a health savings account launched under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), designed to provide financial assistance for healthcare needs to economically weaker sections.

Each ABHA ID, linked to a citizen's Aadhaar or mobile number, features a unique 14-digit identification number, facilitating digital storage and accessibility of all related health information, consultations, medical records, and prescriptions.

The Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) guidelines, introduced in 2007 and updated periodically with the latest update in 2022, set quality benchmarks for public health facilities from primary to secondary level health care facilities.

These standards ensure consistent, accessible, and accountable healthcare services nationwide. All public health institutions are encouraged to carry out assessments and strive towards bridging the identified gaps.

To expedite this process and support these health institutions, the Health Ministry has developed a dashboard that will aid the national, state, and district health institutions and health facilities in quickly monitoring compliance with IPHS standards and taking action accordingly. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed sadness on Sunday over the death of a soldier from Pauri Garhwal who was among five Indian Army personnel who died during a military exercise in Ladakh. In a post on X, CM Dhami said, "Extremely sad news was received about the martyrdom of Bhupendra Singh Negi of Pauri Garhwal in an accident during a military exercise in Ladakh. May God grant the departed soul a place at His feet and give the bereaved family the strength to bear this immense sorrow." Chief Minister Dhami also highlighted the valour and dedication of the martyred soldier, stating, "The supreme sacrifice made by Shri Bhupendra Singh Negi in the service of Mother India will continue to inspire every youth of the military land of Uttarakhand to protect the nation." Five Indian Army soldiers, including one Junior Commissioned Officer and four jawans, lost their lives when an Army Tank met with an accident in the Daulat Beg Oldie area in Ladakh on Friday evening. All five bodies have been recovered, defence officials said on Saturday. The T-72 tank which the Army personnel were operating met with an accident during a river crossing exercise. The mishap took place on Friday due to a sudden increase in water levels, said defence officials. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday condoled the loss of lives of five Indian Army personnel. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda also expressed their condolences on the demise of Indian Army personnel. Taking to X, Home Minister Amit Shah said, "I am saddened by the news of the accident during the military exercise in Ladakh. I express my condolences to the families of the brave soldiers who lost their lives in this accident. The whole country is with the families of the brave soldiers."Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on X expressed his pain over the loss of five Indian Army soldiers in the accident in Ladakh. Sarma said, "Deeply pained by the loss of 5 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate accident in Ladakh. My deepest condolences to their family members in this hour of grief. The nation will always remember their sacrifices for the motherland."Taking to 'X' Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, said that the entire country stands united with the bereaved families during this hour of grief. Nadda said, "Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of our brave Army soldiers during a training activity in Ladakh. My deepest condolences go out to the families of these soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. Their brave and selfless dedication will always be remembered. The entire country stands united with the bereaved families during this hour of grief." "On the night of June 28, while de-inducting from a military training activity, an army tank got struck in the Shyok River, near Saser Brangsa, Eastern Ladakh, due to a sudden increase in the water level. Rescue teams rushed to the location, however, due to high current and water levels, the rescue mission didn't succeed and the tank crew lost their lives," Defence PRO, Leh said in a statement. (ANI)
Union Minister Pabitra Margherita on Sunday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's radio show 'Mann ki Baat,' highlighting its widespread impact and popularity. Margherita said that the show always encourages, empowers, and energises people both in India and abroad. "It always encourages, empowers and energizes people of India and abroad. PM Modi addressed 'Mann Ki Baat' where he covered right from women's empowerment to the biggest democratic festival in the world that's General election...Through this program he covers all the spheres of life," Margherita said. Margherita also pointed out the program's global popularity stating that Mann ki Baat' is one of the most popular radio programs in the world. The Union Minister further said that people are again happy to listen to the radio show after the 110th episode which took place in February this year. "Like all the booths of our BJP, in the headquarters of the state BJP office in Guwahati, we also assembled to listen to the most awaited 111th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat'. There was a gap of 3-4 months. Now people are happy, all the workers and people in general also assembled here to listen to 'Mann Ki Baat'," Margherita said. While addressing the nation in his 111th episode of the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme on Sunday PM Modi mentioned a special kind of umbrella in his radio programme which is made in Kerela. These are called 'Karthumbhi Umbrella' which are prepared by the tribal women of the state. "Today in 'Mann Ki Baat' I want to tell you about a special kind of umbrella. These umbrellas are made in our Kerala. Although umbrellas have a special significance in Kerala culture. Umbrellas are an important part of many traditions and rituals there. But the umbrella I am talking about is 'Karthumbhi Umbrella' and these are made in Attappady, Kerala," he said. "These colourful umbrellas are prepared by our tribal sisters of Kerala. Today the demand for these umbrellas is increasing across the country. They are also being sold online. These umbrellas are made under the supervision of 'Vattalakki Cooperative Agricultural Society'. This society is led by our Nari Shakti," he added. PM Modi said that the aim of these women is not only to sell their umbrellas but also to introduce their traditions and culture to the world. He also thanked the countrymen for reiterating their unwavering faith in the Constitution and the democratic system of the country for Lok Sabha election 2024. Addressing the nation in his Mann Ki Baat programme on Sunday, PM Modi said that he missed the conversation with the countrymen since February when the broadcast was last aired.'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast was last aired on February 25, after which it was stopped considering the Lok Sabha elections. "Today, finally the day has come for which we all were waiting for since February. Through 'Mann Ki Baat', I am once again amongst you, amongst my family members. I told you in February that I would meet you again after the election results and today I am again present amongst you with Mann Ki Baat. The arrival of Monsoon has made your hearts happy as well," he said. "Friends, from February till now, whenever the last Sunday of the month would approach, I missed this conversation with you. But I also felt happy to see that you people sent me lakhs of messages in these months. Mann Ki Baat radio program might have been closed for a few months. but the spirit of Mann Ki Baat..work done for the country, the society good work done every day, work done with a selfless spirit...work that had a positive impact on society continued unabated," he added. The Prime Minister congratulated the Election Commission and everyone associated with the 2024 election. "Today, I thank the countrymen for reiterating their unwavering faith in our Constitution and the democratic system of the country. The 2024 election was the biggest in the world. Such a big election has never taken place in any country in the world. I congratulate the Election Commission and everyone associated with the voting process for this," he said. PM Modi highlighted the 'Hool Diwas' celebrated by the tribal people, adding that the day is associated with the indomitable courage of brave Sidhu-Kanhu, who strongly opposed the atrocities of foreign rulers. "Today, 30th June is a very important day. Our tribal brothers and sisters celebrate this day as 'Hool Diwas'. This day is associated with the indomitable courage of brave Sidhu-Kanhu, who strongly opposed the atrocities of foreign rulers," he said. "Veer Sidhu-Kanhu united thousands of Santhal companions and fought the British with all their might, and do you know when this happened? This happened in 1855, that is, two years before India's first war of independence in 1857. Then our tribal brothers and sisters in Santhal Pargana of Jharkhand took up arms against the foreign rulers," the Prime Minister added. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections took place from April 19 to June 1, in seven phases. The counting of all seven phases of Lok Sabha polls took place on June 4, leading to the formation of the 18th Lok Sabha. (ANI)
After Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was sent to judicial custody till July 12 in a CBI case, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha said on Sunday that just like JMM leader Hemant Soren was released, Kejriwal will also come out. "Just like Hemant Soren has come out of jail, he (Arvind Kejriwal) will also come out. The Central government is weaponising ED, IT and CBI. The Prime Minister will have to understand the mandate seriously. Hemant Soren getting the bail is a slap on the face of those who used these agencies for political gains," Jha said. The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi on Saturday sent Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till July 12 in connection with the excise policy case. The Delhi High Court recently stayed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail order passed by the trial court, saying that the trial court should have at least recorded its satisfaction with the fulfilment of twin conditions of section 45 of Prevention of the Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before passing the impugned order. Further, speaking on the NEET exam row, RJD MP Manoj Jha said that if the opposition sits idle and watch student's future being destroyed, will history forgive them? "You should ask the students on the streets what they want. Then you will realize that what the opposition is repeatedly saying, there is the future of those lakhs of children. If we sit idle and watch their dreams being destroyed, will history forgive us?" he said. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 23 registered a criminal case over the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams by the NTA and formed special teams to probe the matter. 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. The opposition INDIA bloc has been questioning the government and demanding a discussion over the ongoing NEET-UG row in the Lok Sabha. The lower house was adjourned till July 1 amid an uproar by the opposition. (ANI)
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha along with the local community listened to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 111th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', the programme known for its outreach and connection with the people of India. In an inspiring gathering, residents of Badharghat Legislative Assembly Booth No. 33 came together to listen to 'Mann Ki Baat' aired on Sunday. This episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' highlighted several initiatives and success stories that resonated deeply with the listeners. From the lush coffee plantations of Araku in Andhra Pradesh to the exquisite Karthumbi Chhata from Kerala and the pristine Snow Peas from Kashmir, the Prime Minister's words celebrated the journey of these local products as they gained international recognition. In his 111th episode of the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the global presence of local Indian products, and mentioned Araku coffee produced in Andhra Pradesh."There are so many products from India that are in great demand across the world and when we see a local product from India going global, it is natural to feel proud. One such product is Araku coffee. Araku coffee is grown in large quantities in Alluri Sita Rama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh. It is known for its rich flavour and aroma," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing the 111th episode of Mann Ki Baat. Additionally, the programme paid homage to the Santal hero Sindhu-Kanu, a significant figure in Indian history, and emphasised the importance of the Sanskrit language's resurgence. The 'One Tree, Ma' Ke Naam' campaign, a tribute to mothers and the environment, was also a focal point, encouraging people to plant trees in honour of their mothers. The local event at Booth No. 33 was organised to foster community spirit and collective listening, further enhancing the impact of the Prime Minister's message. The residents expressed their admiration for the programme's ability to bring diverse stories and initiatives from across the nation into their homes. "We feel connected to the entire nation through 'Mann Ki Baat'. It's inspiring to hear about the achievements and efforts of people from different parts of India," said a resident. CM Manik Saha urged the common people to listen to the special programme of PM Modi and accept the suggestions and ideas that he shared. (ANI)
Reacting to the alleged incident of assault on a minority woman in Cooch Behar, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slammed the West Bengal government and said that the attacks on women are "unacceptable", adding such incidents are not being witnessed in any part of the country after the Lok Sabha elections that are being witnessed in Bengal. "Attacks on women, irrespective of their caste, are unacceptable. Elections have been held, results have been declared, and the ruling party has won the maximum seats in the state, so why is the government resorting to violence in the state?" Chowdhury asked. "Nowhere in the country are we seeing such cases as are seen in Bengal after the elections. No one has the right to exercise violence against women," he said. Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar has constituted a seven-member team to investigate the alleged incident of assault on a minority woman in Cooch Behar. The seven-member team includes BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul, MLA Sikha Chatterjee, Phalguni Patra, Shashi Agnihotri, MLA Malati Rava Roy, Mafuja Khatun and MP Jayanta Roy. Meanwhile, West Bengal Police on Friday informed that a case has been registered and three accused have been arrested in connection with the alleged incident of assault on a minority woman in Cooch Behar. The police also said that false rumours are being spread regarding an incident involving a Muslim woman in Coochbehar and urged everyone to refrain from spreading false information and to verify facts before believing or sharing any news. "It has come to our attention that false rumours are being spread regarding an incident involving a Muslim woman in Coochbehar, West Bengal. It is being falsely reported that the woman was stripped and beaten for supporting a political party. This misinformation is being used to give communal and political," Cooch Behar Police said in a statement. "We urge everyone to refrain from spreading false information and to verify facts before believing or sharing any news. The incident is a family matter and should not be given any communal or political colour," they added in the statement. Earlier on June 28, the BJP's fact-finding team, which investigated the alleged post-poll violence during the Bengal elections, submitted its report to BJP President JP Nadda. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fact-finding committee was formed to investigate post-poll violence in West Bengal after multiple reports of violence against BJP workers and vandalism of their offices emerged following the declaration of the 2024 Lok Sabha election results. Incidents of post-poll violence poured in from several areas of West Bengal, where BJP workers were allegedly beaten and their offices were vandalised, after the declaration of Lok Sabha 2024 results. (ANI)
The opposition, INDIA bloc, will hold a demonstration inside Parliament premises on Monday, July 1, against the central government over the alleged misuse of central agencies, including Directorate of Enforcement and Central Bureau of Investigation. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh, in a press conference held on Sunday, announced the decision of the alliance parties to protest against the central government. "The parties of the INDIA bloc had unanimously decided that we will protest against the misuse of ED and CBI in the Parliament premises tomorrow at 10.30 am," Singh said while addressing the press conference in AAP headquarters in Delhi on Sunday. The AAP legislator also alleged that the central government directed the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, adding that the ED has no evidence against the party chief in the excise policy case. "The court (Rouse Avenue Court) said in its order that ED has no evidence against Arvind Kejriwal and that it is working with malicious intent. ED has no money trail against Arvind Kejriwal, no evidence, no recovery of money and hence Arvind Kejriwal is innocent," he said. He further alleged that the "ED people" reached the High Court in an unconstitutional, illegal manner without taking a copy of the order and got a stay on that bail. "Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on the instructions of the Central Government, PM Modi," Singh added. On July 29, the Delhi Court sent CM Kejriwal to judicial custody until July 12 in connection with the ongoing probe into the excise policy case. Advocate DP Singh, who appeared for CBI, submitted that during the police custody remand, the accused Arvind Kejriwal, was interrogated but he did not cooperate with the investigation and deliberately gave evasive replies contrary to the evidence on record. On being confronted with the evidence, he did not give a proper and truthful explanation regarding the enhancement of the profit margin for wholesalers from 5 per cent to 12 per cent under the new Excise Policy of Delhi 2021-22, without any study or justification, the CBI submitted in court. The AAP staged a protest on June 29 against the court's order. The protest was staged in front of BJP office in Delhi that witnessed the participation several AAP leaders and legislators. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 this year. (ANI)
San Antonio police arrested three juveniles in connection to multiple car thefts. Dave Thompson - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

The San Antonio Police Department arrested two 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old juvenile accused of multiple car burglaries.

On Thursday, police received information about a stolen 2024 BMW X3 that was involved in multiple burglaries of vehicles and homes in Bexar County. The car was later found abandoned.

On Friday, San Antonios Fear Free Environment unit was notified of multiple stolen vehicles in the area. During the search, a white Ford Explorer was found in the 4900 block of Woodstone Drive on the Northwest Side.

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Further surveillance revealed a stolen black Infiniti QX 50 being driven near the area. With help from officers and an SAPD helicopter, the stolen car was seen traveling southbound on the access road of Interstate 10 West, weaving through traffic.

Officers attempted to stop the vehicle but were unsuccessful. The driver of the stolen vehicle then crashed into two other vehicles, according to a police preliminary report.

SAPD said the three juveniles got out of the vehicle and on foot, but were later arrested. During the investigation, a BMW X3, a Ford Explorer, and an Infiniti QX 50 were recovered, as well as two firearms.

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The three juvenile males have been charged with evading police, unlawful carry of a firearm, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and criminal mischief between $2,500  $30,000.
Experts in the water resources sector from the United States (US) and Canada on Sunday visited Andhra Pradesh to inspect the Polavaram project site. The four experts, two each from the US and Canada, who had a meeting with officials of the Central Water Resources Department in New Delhi on Saturday, reached Rajahmundry city on Saturday night, said Telugu Desam Party (TDP) sources. The experts include David P Paul and Gain Franco de Sikko from the US while Richerd Dannelli and Sean Hinch Berger from Canada. The experts reached Polavaram on Sunday and after having a meeting with the officials they inspected the project site, including the diaphragm wall, the two cofferdams and the guide bund. These experts in the water resources are expected to stay at the project site till July 3 to have a detailed study of the project design to the current situation and the ongoing works of Polavaram. After completing their visit to Polavaram, these experts will again be holding review meetings with the officials of the Central Water Resources Department and the representatives of the construction organisations. The State Government has taken the assistance of these foreign experts in water resources as the prevailing situation is such that the actual loss to the project caused in the past five years due to the faulty decisions of the previous government could not be assessed. Earlier on Friday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu released a white paper on the Polavaram project in the assembly. He further said that Polavaram is a central government project. He further said that 72 per cent of the Polavaram project was completed during the TDP regime, with all pending work finished. The Polavaram Project is an under-construction multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in the Eluru District and East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh. The project has been accorded National project status by the Central Government of India. The sixteenth Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly began on June 21, and Naidu, along with Nara Lokesh and Nandamuri Balakrishna took oaths as members. Naidu had vowed in November 2021 that he would return to the Assembly only after becoming Chief Minister. The TDP supremo had taken oath as Andhra Chief Minister on June 12 along with his council of ministers. His party had fought the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections as well as the Lok Sabha polls in partnership with the BJP and the Janasena Party. The TDP-BJP-Janasena Party alliance registered a landslide victory in the assembly as well as the parliamentary elections. The TDP has 135 MLAs in the Andhra Pradesh assembly, while the Janasena Party has 21 and the BJP eight. The opposition YSR Congress Party has 11 MLAs. (ANI)
As the three new criminal laws are to be implemented across the country from July 1, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said on Sunday that the three laws were necessary given the developments in technology and forensic science. Meghwal also mentioned that the above-mentioned laws have been introduced after consulting. "The new criminal laws will be implemented from 1 July 2024. The three criminal laws have been introduced after holding consultations. The three laws were necessary given the developments in technology, and forensic science. The present government aims to provide justice to the public of the nation," he said. In a post on X, the Union Law Minister said that the Modi government is implementing three new laws that reflect the spirit of Indianness. "By removing the old laws with a slave mentality, the Modi government is implementing three new laws reflecting the spirit of Indianness, namely, the Indian Justice Code, the Indian Civil Defence Code and the Indian Evidence Act. At the core of these laws is a strong sense of justice instead of punishment," Meghwal said. Uma Shankar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police Academy said on Sunday that the new laws contain several public-friendly provisions and 40,000 personnel have been trained already regarding these. Uma Shankar told ANI that 50 master trainers were appointed to plan the training in three phases. "Following the commissioner's directives, an expert committee was formed to design the training material and the course for training investigating officers (IO). Subsequently, five booklets were created, which are currently being used for training. After that, 50 master trainers were appointed to plan the training in three phases," he said. "In the first phase, training was provided to 9,800 frontline IOs who are posted in various districts or investigative units. In the second phase, training was provided to 5,500 IOs who are not currently posted in any district. In the third phase, the expert committee trained 140 master trainers who are posted in different districts through the appointed master trainers," the DCP of Delhi Police Academy said. He further informed that today, training is ongoing at 32 different locations and 40,000 people have already been trained, and the remaining training will be completed as soon as possible. "The new criminal laws include several public-friendly provisions, such as the provision for zero FIR. If an incident occurs, you can file a complaint at any station, and it will be sent to the complainant's jurisdiction. The provision for online FIR will now be available nationwide. There is also a provision allowing victims to record their statements from wherever they reside without having to visit the court repeatedly," Uma Shankar said. Speaking on the women's crimes, he mentioned that women can file a complaint from wherever she want. "If a crime occurs against a woman, she won't need to go to a specific place to file a complaint; instead, the complaint can be registered wherever she wishes. The IO will visit her location to record the complaint," he added. The three new criminal laws namely, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 are scheduled to come into effect from July 1. These new laws aim to replace the Indian Penal Code of 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will have 358 sections (instead of 511 sections in the IPC). A total of 20 new crimes have been added to the bill, and the imprisonment sentence has been increased for 33 of them. The amount of the fine has been increased in 83 crimes and mandatory minimum punishment has been introduced in 23 crimes. The penalty of community service has been introduced for six crimes and 19 sections have been repealed or removed from the bill. Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita will have 531 sections (in place of 484 sections of CrPC). A total of 177 provisions have been changed in the bill, and nine new sections as well as 39 new sub-sections have been added to it. The draft act has added 44 new provisions and clarifications. Timelines have been added to 35 sections and audio-video provision has been added at 35 places. A total of 14 sections have been repealed and removed from the bill, Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam will have 170 provisions (instead of the original 167 provisions), and a total of 24 provisions have been changed. Two new provisions and six sub-provisions have been added and six provisions have been repealed or deleted from the bill. The Ministry of Home Affairs notified in February that the three laws shall come into force on July 1, 2024. (ANI)
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the decision to implement the new criminal laws from July 1 has been taken in haste and more consultation is required before enforcing them. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "The three criminal laws that will be implemented from tomorrow, have many issues on which more clarity is required. Through centuries, the laws that are being followed, if it is changed overnight, then the common man and the lawyers of smaller courts will face difficulty. The big advocates in the country may understand the laws but the lawyers based in smaller cities may have limited knowledge of them, so more time should be given to make them understand. If any decision is taken in haste then there can be a negative impact." He further said that the common man should be taken into confidence before implementing the laws. He said, "Before implementing it, more debate should be held and people should be taken into confidence. If the implementation is delayed by a few months or a year, it will not make any difference. It is necessary to remove doubts from the minds of the common people," he added. Earlier, Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge) Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the new Criminal Laws, namely Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, will come into force on July 1, 2024. "IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act are changing. After following the due consultation process and keeping in mind the reports of the Law Commission of India, the three laws have been changed," said Meghwal. "The three laws will be implemented from July 1 with the names Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. Training facilities for the three new laws are being provided in all states," said Meghwal. He highlighted that the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) is providing training for it. He added, "Our judicial academies, and national law universities are also providing training for the same. Everything is going hand in hand and from July 1, all these three laws which is crucial for the criminal justice system will be implemented in the country." (ANI)
Jammu and Kashmir police have detained 12 suspects in connection with a case of vandalisation of a religious place in the Darmari area of Arnas in Reasi district. A case having FIR under section 295 of the IPC has been registered by the Reasi police. As per the police, teams swung into action and rounded up three suspects during night hours. A series of raids continued during day time and around nine more suspects were apprehended by teams of Police station Arnas for questioning in the case. Sensing the gravity of the case, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Reasi, Mohita Sharma constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Sharing the details, SSP Reasi conveyed that around 12 suspects were rounded up and apprehended in the case till now for questioning and further investigation in the case is underway. SSP further appealed that the people of Reasi should remain calm and maintain peace and communal harmony in the area. Iftekhar, Reasi Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) said that anti-social elements who want to disturb the Hindu-Muslim brotherhood will be caught. "Yesterday at 7.30 pm, in the Dharmadi area, an incident was reported in which an unknown person entered and tried to vandalise a temple. The police have registered a case and around three suspects have been rounded up. Many more people have been identified. Police teams are on the job. The anti-social elements who want to harm the Hindu-Muslim brotherhood will be caught soon," he said. "The SSP has also formed a Special Investigation Team, to look at the sensitivity of the matter. DSP-level officers will look into the matter. Reasi Police is trying the identify the culprit as soon as possible and punish them under the law so that peace can be maintained," the Reasi ASP added. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in the Sant Samagam organised in the Ladpur region of Rajasthan's Kotkasim on Sunday. CM Yogi also took part in the large 'Tritiya Aathman' Bhandara organised at the renowned Somanath Temple. Greeting all the saints who had come from all over the country, the Chief Minister said, "The Nath sect is an important sect of India's Sanatan Dharma. All our programmes are dedicated to the revered deities, sages, ascetics, and saints. Sanatan Dharma and India complement each other. If India becomes strong, then Sanatan Dharma will also prosper." "It is my privilege to participate in the Bhandara organised on the occasion of the 24th death anniversary of saint Somanath, in this village of Ladpur, which is known as the sacred place of initiation of Maharaj Bhartrihari in the Nath sect," he said. He said that the dedicated efforts and sacrifices of saints contribute to strengthening Sanatan Dharma and India. "Yogi Khetanath Maharaj and his disciple Mahant Somanath devoted their entire lives to welfare activities. Their devotion was to the Sanatan Dharma and its followers. Rajasthan is a land of devotion and power. In the Aravalli hills, many saints practiced for the welfare of society", he remarked. Yogi Adityanath also congratulated all the devotees from Tijara present at the conference for ensuring the victory of Mahant Balaknath in the assembly elections here. On this occasion, he also unveiled the statues of Baba Abhaynath and Baba Kartarpuri. A large number of saints and devotees associated with the Shaddarshan sect, including Rajasthan's Minister of Environment and Forest Sanjay Sharma and Tijara MLA Baba Balaknath, were present. (ANI)
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday strongly condemned former Jharkhand CM and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren's alleged remarks on "tribal leaders appointed by the Bharatiya Janata Party" (BJP). CM Sai referred to Soren's remarks as irresponsible and blatant disrespect to the "progress and dignity of tribal communities." "The reality is that the growing popularity of the BJP among tribal communities, Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, women, and the youth has left the opposition's INDIA alliance visibly shaken. This fear is prompting them to resort to reckless statements. However, the public will not tolerate any comments that demean society. They will respond appropriately to such insults," the Chief Minister said. "The recent criticism from former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren against tribal leaders appointed by the BJP is not only baseless but also an insult to tribal and backward communities across India," he said. CM Sai claimed that the people of Jharkhand are prepared to teach the ruling party a lesson in the upcoming assembly elections. "The Soren family's history of tarnishing the reputation of the tribal community through their actions is well-known and continues to be a matter of public disdain. Their record of corruption, including the recent bribery scandal, remains fresh in the public's memory," he said. "Hemant Soren needs to understand that merely being granted bail does not equate to being exonerated from all crimes. The final judicial verdict is still pending," CM Sai added. Soren, who is facing a probe in an alleged land scam, was released on bail following a Jharkhand High Court directive on June 29 after 149 days in custody since his arrest on January 31, 2024. The investigation concerns the purported generation of substantial proceeds through the forgery of official records, involving fake sellers and buyers to acquire large parcels of land worth crores. The Jharkhand High Court had previously ordered no coercive action against ED officials after the agency filed a petition challenging Soren's FIR. Soren had alleged that the ED's searches at his residences were aimed at tarnishing his image and harassing him for being a tribal. The ED had claimed to have recovered Rs 36 lakh in cash and documents related to the investigation, alleging that Soren had acquired 8.5 acres of land through fraudulent means. The investigation revealed that a syndicate, including Revenue Sub-Inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad, was involved in corrupt property acquisitions. He had resigned as Chief Minister hours before his arrest on January 31 paving the way for senior leader Champai Soren to taken over. (ANI)
Delhi Police have registered a case against a group of people after AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi filed a complaint about vandalism at his residence in the national capital. The case was registered after a group of miscreants smeared black ink on the nameplate and posted pro-Israel posters outside Owaisi's house at 34 Ashoka Road. The AIMIM chief took to social media to condemn the incident, sharing visuals of the vandalism and challenging the perpetrators to confront him directly. "Some 'unknown miscreants' vandalised my house with black ink today. I have now lost count of the number of times my Delhi residence has been targeted. When I asked Delhi Police officials how this was happening right under their noses, they expressed helplessness," posted Owaisi. Tagging Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Owaisi wrote in the post, "This is happening under your oversight. Please tell us if MPs' safety will be guaranteed or not. To the two-bit goons who keep targeting my house: this does not scare me. Stop this Savarkar-type cowardly behaviour and be men enough to face me. Do not scurry away after throwing some ink or pelting a few stones." Meanwhile, the accused in the Owaisi residence vandalism said that their sentiments were hurt after Owaisi's controversial comments supporting a conflict-hit West Asian country. Speaking to ANI, Vijay, an accused in the case said, "Owaisi, who was elected as a parliamentarian and as a servant for the society, raised the Jai Palestine slogan. I want to say that you are living in India and instead of saying Jai Bharat you are raising Jai Palestine slogans. "We did not behave inappropriately, the way the Delhi police has taken action against us. I want to say that we are not fugitives and we are citizens of this country and we will not run away from this." Another accused in the same incident said, "I am just 19 years old but please understand that if a 19-year-old student goes to hold a peaceful protest outside Owaisi's residence, it is because our sentiments as citizens of the country were hurt. AIMIM Owaisi who cannot say 'Jai Bharat' raised pro-Palestine slogans that have deeply wounded our sentiments." 'We are being accused unnecessarily of stone pelting, we have only stuck posters saying Jai Bharat, is that wrong? Also if Owasi has claimed of us smearing ink and a window being broke through stone pelting, he stated that he has 20 cameras, l would want him to come out with the footage of the same," he said. Earlier in the day, members of Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal held a protest against AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi over his 'Jai Palestine' slogan during the oath-taking ceremony in Parliament. The protesters were seen holding placards and posters that read, "The MP who insults the dignity of Parliament is not needed."AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday concluded his oath-taking as a member of the Lok Sabha with the words "Jai Palestine". While being sworn in as an MP in the 18th Session of the Lok Sabha, Owaisi ended his oath with the words, "Jai Bhim, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine." Taking to his official X handle, Owaisi posted, "Sworn in as a member of Lok Sabha for the fifth time. Inshallah, I will continue to raise issues of India's marginalised with sincerity." Speaking with ANI, Owaisi said, "Everyone is saying a lot of things... I just said "Jai Bhim, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine"...How it is against, show the provision in the Constitution?" On being asked the reason for saying 'Jai Palestine', Owaisi said, "Waha ki awaam mahroom hai (The people there are destitute). Mahatma Gandhi has said so many things regarding Palestine and one can go and read." After Owaisi took oath as a member of the Lok Sabha with the words "Jai Palestine", Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Kiren Rijiju criticised Owaisi and condemned his statement. (ANI)
Dhal currently serves as the Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha.

The General Administration and Public Grievance Department of Odisha issued an order in this regard.

An order dated June 30 stated that Nikunja Bihari Dhal, Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha and ex-officio Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Elections) Department, was appointed as Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister, Odisha.

Dhal will replace IAS officer Surendra Kumar as Additional Chief Secretary.

Earlier in the day, Manoj Ahuja took charge as Chief Secretary of Odisha, replacing Pradeep Kumar Jena. (ANI)
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises HD Kumaraswamy, visited the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant in Bhadravati on Sunday and conducted an on-site inspection. The Union Minister arrived at the Bhadravati plant early in the morning from New Delhi and spent considerable time inspecting the entire facility. He primarily conducted a thorough examination of the machinery's capacity, current condition, management system, and workers' conditions. The Union Minister, along with Steel Authority of India Chairman Amarendu Prakash and other senior officials from the Steel Ministry, conducted a detailed inspection of the plant. During this time, senior officials and technical staff of the plant provided the minister with information about the current state of the machinery. Providing information about the visit, the steel minister stated that this plant was once a pride and honor not only for Bhadravati and Shimoga district but for the entire Karnataka. This plant was established by Sir M Visvesvaraya under the guidance of the Mysore Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1923. Kumaraswamy said that this plant, which has such a legacy, has provided livelihood to thousands of people and has been a matter of pride for Shimoga and Karnataka, and efforts must be made to preserve it. "I have brought along the Chairman of the Steel Authority of India and senior officials. The Prime Minister has entrusted me with the responsibility of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. With the blessings of all Kannadigas and the grace of God, I have received this opportunity. I am sincerely trying to do something good," he said. He said that the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Concept is a lifeline for the industry sector. "The Prime Minister's AtmaNirbhar Bharat concept is a lifeline for the domestic industry sector. In that regard, my team and I are working," he mentioned. "During the visit, I listened to the workers' demands, the administration's reports, and the local people's requests. I have inspected the machinery in the plant's four divisions. I have instructed the officials to submit a comprehensive report on this. We will think about what steps need to be taken regarding this," said the Union Minister. He said that efforts must be made to save the plant. "Parliamentary sessions are currently underway. I cannot reveal everything outside. I have collected comprehensive information through an on-site inspection. I have understood the pain of the workers' families. I will discuss this with senior officials. Despite many ups and downs, the plant is still breathing. Efforts must be made to save this plant. MP BY Raghavendra has been striving for this for many years. Former MLA, the late Appaji Gowda, had also fought in this regard, said the Union Minister. He further said that a decision will be announced soon regarding the plant. "After taking charge as the Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Congress Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh asked me five questions about five plants, including the Bhadravati plant. I have come to gather information in response to that. I have gathered all the pros and cons to preserve the plant. A decision will be announced soon," said the Union Minister. He said that currently, this plant is under the management of the Steel Authority of India. "In this context, we will consider the Prime Minister's AatmaNirbhar Bharat and Make in India concepts. Additionally, we will consider measures under the 2017 Steel Policy. The Prime Minister's dream is to produce 300 million tonnes of steel annually. Many programmes have already been launched to achieve that goal, he said. MP BY Raghavendra, MLA Sharada Poorya Naik, JDS leader Sharada Appaji Gowda, and others were present with him. (ANI)
Reports from the venue of the third Doha meeting in Qatar indicate that the head of the UN body for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva and special representatives of the European Union and Pakistan, Thomas Nicholson, and Asif Durrani, arrived in Doha on Saturday, The Khaama Press reported. The third Doha meeting will be hosted by Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Deputy Secretary-General, in the Qatari capital on Monday and Tuesday. DiCarlo has not yet arrived in Doha, but a UN spokesperson confirmed her travel to Qatar. The presence of Roza Otunbayeva and Mark Poots, the head and deputy political head of UNAMA, respectively, at the venue of the Doha meeting, has been confirmed, along with special envoys from the European Union and Pakistan arriving for Afghanistan. Representatives from over 20 countries and delegates from several international organisations are participating in the second session of Doha, and a delegation from the Taliban will also be present at this conference, The Khaama Press reported. Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said that the delegation from the Taliban-led government will engage in talks with special representatives from various countries and institutions on Sunday and Monday, Tolo News reported. "Then on Tuesday in Doha, Ms. DiCarlo and the Special Envoys are set to meet with representatives of Afghan civil society, including human rights and women's organizations and advocates. The Under-Secretary-General will raise the rights of women and girls, human rights in general and political inclusion in the discussions in Doha that she will be having with the de facto authorities," Dujarric said. Civil society and women representatives of Afghanistan, who have been key players in other international conferences on Afghanistan, have not been invited to the third Doha meeting, sparking widespread domestic and international criticism, The Khaama Press reported. According to the UN rapporteur and other international observers, critics argue that excluding women and civil society from the Doha talks will come at a high cost. Ahead of the meeting, Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo said: "The Doha discussions are part of a process; they are not a one-off. The ultimate objective of this process is for Afghanistan to be at peace with itself and its neighbours, fully integrated into the international community and meeting its international obligations, including on human rights, particularly those of women and girls The Taliban has not been internationally recognised since seizing power in August 2021 as US-led forces withdrew after 20 years of war. 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. (ANI)
Too busy to keep up with all the news this week? Dont worry. We got you covered. Heres what captured our readers attention this week.

This segment is the body cam video shows Uvalde Independent School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo speaking on the phone. Just so you understand theres some injuries in there, Arredondo said at 12:43 p.m. What we did is clear off the rest of the building, so we wouldnt have any more than whats in there, obviously. Courtesy City of Uvalde

The former chief of the Uvalde school district police and a former officer have been indicted on charges of child endangerment for their roles in the bungled police response to the 2022 massacre at Robb Elementary School. Click to read more about the charges.

Don Frost, who worked 41 years at Frost Bank, has retired. Frost Bank

For the first time in the 156-year history of Frost Bank, no member of the Frost family will be employed at the San Antonio-based institution. Click to read more about the retirement of Don Frost, a great-great grandson of Frost Bank founder Thomas Claiborne T.C. Frost.

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Maj. Gen. Phillip A. Stewart, right, former commander of the 19th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph walks to his car Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, with one of his military attorneys after an arraignment hearing at Joint Base San Antonio  Fort Sam Houston. Stewart faces a court-marshal for allegedly raping a female officer on a military base in Oklahoma. William Luther/San Antonio Express-News

At the start of just the second trial of its kind in Air Force history, Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart, charged with raping a female subordinate, pleaded guilty Monday to lesser charges on the opening day of his court-martial at Fort Sam Houston. The trial has been riveting. In a recording played in court, the husband of the officer Stewart is accused of raping threatened him in a phone call, saying, Pray you dont see me on the street. Later, the husband testified that he had made a suggestion to the general, and not a threat. Click to read more about the testimony.

KSAT-12 television station on St. Mary's Street near downtown San Antonio. Monte Bach

As six longtime KSAT-TV personalities prepare to depart the station next week, two anchors are making the most of their final days and looking ahead to the future. Click to read more about the anchors' departure.

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The San Antonio Police Department, shown here in this picture from 1903. The summer of 1903 was the coolest summer in San Antonio's history. San Antonio Police Department
Overseas Friends of BJP Germany organised the MODI 3.0 celebration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term after securing a win in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 in Munich on Saturday. BJP's foreign affairs department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale attended the event. Speaking to ANI, BJP Germany Co-Convener Sunil Singh said that more than 60 party workers and Indian diaspora along with family members participated in the event organised by BJP overseas to showcase unwavering support for PM Modi and BJP. During the address, Vijay Chauthaiwale highlighted the emergence of New India and New BJP under the leadership of PM Modi. He also requested the Indian diaspora to keep spreading the news of good work done by the BJP government within and beyond the community. Highly enthusiastic diaspora pledged to continue working for India for New India by 2047 under our PM Modi. Indian Diaspora expressed confidence that Modi will be back once again in 2029 and the path to build a New India will continue beyond 2029. Coming to India's election results, the counting of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was held on June 4. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA's resounding victory in the Lok Sabha elections, securing 293 seats, with BJP alone clinching 240 seats, underscored the overwhelming mandate received by the ruling party. PM Modi's feat of winning a third consecutive term places him in the annals of history alongside India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, making him only the second leader to achieve this milestone. President Droupadi Murmu administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other members of his Union Council of Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 9. (ANI)
Amid rising tensions with the treasury, the opposition in the Punjab Assembly held its session on Saturday, pledging not to accept Maryam Nawaz as the Chief Minister, calling her "fake Form-47" even as the speaker suspended all its leaders, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. Opposition lawmakers from the PTI (Sunni Ittehad Council) and ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers have been at loggerheads after 11 opposition members were suspended for 15 sittings due to "rowdyism" during Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz's address on Friday. The situation escalated after the government stripped the perks and privileges of opposition leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar and closed his chamber in the assembly, according to Dawn report. A heavy contingent of police and a prisoner van were deployed outside the Punjab Assembly as the session commenced on Saturday, with orders to stop the 11 suspended lawmakers from entering. Offering support to the suspended lawmakers, the opposition lawmakers held their own session outside the assembly gate and made remarks against Maryam Nawaz and PML-N leadership. While addressing the charged Members of the Provincial Assembly, Ahmad Khan Bhachar said, "The government wants to silence us through civil dictatorship, but we will never accept fake Form-47 CM Maryam Nawaz." At the time of his speech, the PTI lawmakers shouted slogans like "mandate thieves" and accused Maryam Nawaz's father and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, of corruption. The PTI lawmakers also moved a privilege motion against Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan for "submitting to CM Maryam's pressure" to suspend opposition members. PTI lawmaker Sheikh Imtiaz even presented a resolution, calling for a change in the name of the Nawaz Sharif Cardiology Hospital. Member of Provincial Assembly Mohammad Naeem said it was the first time in Pakistan's history that the government had closed the chamber of opposition leader, as per the Dawn report. During the proceedings in the House, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan proceeded with the budget 2024-25 debate. Around 10 to 12 opposition members, led by Rana Aftab, entered the House to participate in the proceedings. However, after Aftab got up from his seat to speak on the matter, the treasury members paid him in the same coin. Aftab then requested the chair to take action against treasury members involved in rowdy behaviour, questioning whether they too would face suspension. Later, the opposition members walked out of the House, Dawn reported. Punjab's Information Minister Azma Bukhari, who spearheaded the treasury protest against the opposition, said that opposition members would not be allowed to speak if the leader of the House's speech was interrupted by the opposition. The House passed the budget and the speaker adjourned the proceedings indefinitely. (ANI)
Sri Lankan Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe along with his family offered prayers at the Tirupati Balaji Temple in Tirumala on Sunday. Earlier this month, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe 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 USD 3.5 billion." He affirmed his commitment to maintaining a strong partnership with India to achieve the country's development. He emphasised the urgency of expediting joint initiatives between both countries. Wickremesinghe 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. 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. On June 20, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was on a one-day official visit to Sri Lanka. He said that India will always be a "reliable friend and a dependable partner" for Sri Lanka. He also shared a video of glimpses of his visit to Sri Lanka. 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. In a press release, the MEA stated, "The visit of the External Affairs Minister underscores the central place Sri Lanka occupies in India's 'Neighbourhood First' Policy and SAGAR Vision. Following Sri Lanka's economic recovery and stabilization, forging deeper long-term economic cooperation was underlined as a priority for sustainable and equitable growth of Sri Lanka, and mutual prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region." During his visit, Jaishankar called on Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. Wickremesinghe received him at the President's Office in a one-on-one meeting, followed by delegation-level talks that included Sri Lanka's Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva, Sri Lanka's Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mahinda Amaraweera, Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry and Sri Lanka's Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera. Jaishankar also held meetings with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry. 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)
Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi will be on an official visit to Bangladesh for four days from July 1 to 4. The visit is aimed at consolidating bilateral defence relations between India and Bangladesh and exploring new avenues for Naval cooperation,a Navy press release said. The Navy Chief is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Chief of the Naval Staff, Bangladesh Navy in Dhaka, and also review the Passing Out Parade scheduled at Bangladesh Naval Academy (BNA) at Chittagong on July 4, the release added. During the visit, the CNS would also hold bilateral discussions with the chiefs of Bangladesh Army and Air Force, the Principal Staff Officer Armed Forces Division, and senior leadership of the Bangladesh Government. The CNS would also address participants at the National Defence College, Dhaka and visit a few key defence facilities. Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span that includes operational interactions through Port Calls and bilateral Naval Exercises, along with Capacity Building, Capability Enhancement and Training initiatives. The visit of the CNS will further strengthen the strong bonds of friendship between the navies of both countries. India and Bangladesh share bonds of history, language, culture, and a multitude of other commonalities. The excellent bilateral ties reflect an all-encompassing partnership based on sovereignty, equality, trust, and understanding that goes far beyond a strategic partnership. The partnership has strengthened, matured and evolved as a model for bilateral relations for the entire region and beyond. In the defence sector, significant bilateral exchanges took place in 2023 with incoming and outgoing visits of the Chiefs of the Indian and Bangladesh Armed Forces. Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff visited New Delhi from April 27-29, 2023 and on his invitation, the Chief of Staff, Indian Army paid a visit to Bangladesh in June 2023 as presiding officer for the Passing Out Parade at Bangladesh Military Academy. The 5th Annual Defence Dialogue and 4th Tri-Services Talks were held from August 20-21, 2023 in Dhaka to comprehensively review ongoing defence cooperation. Bangladesh Chief of Naval Staff visited India from September 12-15, 2023 in a series of exchanges under defence cooperation, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. (ANI)
Locals in Pakistan's Dera Ghazi Khan and nearby areas in Pakistan have witnessed a steep rise in the number of cancer and skin disease patients. The worsening situation is allegedly due to the extraction of radioactive materials and dumping of the waste untreated in the Koh-i-Sulaiman mountainous areas of the country, a statement by the Baloch Women Forum (BWF) said on Saturday. According to the report titled 'Their denial and our silence both are killing Baloch' of BWF, the locals of DG Khan have reported an alarming rise in illnesses such as bone marrow-related problems, liver cancer, lung cancer, kidney illness, bone cancer, facial tumour, and intestinal cancer. While stating the reason for such a rise in diseases the BWF stated, "The reason is obvious, the extraction of uranium and dumping of waste materials (mainly radioactive materials) in the mountains of Koh-i-Sulaiman. Many cases are reported among these years where youth have been affected and some of them embraced death fighting cancer". The statement mentioned that deposits of rare earth minerals were discovered during the 1960s, resulting in the initiation of mining operations by Pakistan Atomic Energy in 1977 in Baghalchar. These minerals discovered from the area, especially Uranium-235 and U-238, are scientifically known as yellowcake. https://x.com/BalochWF/status/1807066379964575811 The statement also mentioned that eight mining operations have been started in the Koh-i-Sulaiman area, namely Vashafi, Delana, Zain, Nagarnai (Rakhi Gaj), Sawa Prag, Gohand, and Baghalchar, the BWF also mentioned that there are human settlements located within few kilometers of these mining operations that extract radioactive materials. The report also stated that the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission has restricted the movement of the local population from mountainous and urban areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and forcibly evicted local people from their lands. The report said "Various projects are located in those areas from where nuclear weapons are launched and 60 to 80 per cent of people suffer from liver diseases and cancer, which is many times more than other cities". (ANI)
Seven individuals lost their lives and six others sustained injuries in a collision between a coaster and a trailer on Mauripur Road in Karachi, according to authorities, Dawn reported. The Mauripur police station reported that among the deceased were four children and two women. The victims included 40-year-old Sughra, 45-year-old Shazia, 10-year-old Kinza Ahmed, 14-year-old Qadeer Abdul Jabbar, six-year-old Sakeena Manzoor, four-year-old Zeenat Hayat, and one unidentified individual aged 40. The injured, comprising two women and a boy, were identified as 35-year-old Azhar, 35-year-old Bushra, 35-year-old Shabbir, 25-year-old Sadiq, 20-year-old Zainab, and 10-year-old Mudasir. They were rushed to Civil Hospital Karachi for medical treatment, according to Dawn. According to Mauripur SHO Chaudhry Tufail, the victims were relatives en route to a beach picnic when the tragedy occurred. The accident transpired as the trailer executed a U-turn, leading the coaster, which was reportedly speeding from behind, to collide with it and overturn. While the driver of the trailer fled the scene, the coaster's driver was among those injured and receiving medical care. The authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident to determine further details and responsibilities. Expressing his condolences, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the concerned medical facilities to provide the best possible care to the injured. He instructed Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon to furnish a comprehensive report on the incident and urged stringent measures to prevent such accidents in the future. "The [driving] licences of drivers who speed up [vehicles] even on busy roads should be suspended. Speeding has wrecked joyful homes along with [taking lives of] innocent children," CM Shah emphasized. This incident adds to a string of recent road accidents in the region, highlighting ongoing concerns over road safety and the devastating consequences of traffic mishaps. Just last month, similar accidents claimed lives in Nooriabad and Thatta, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced traffic management and public awareness campaigns to mitigate such tragedies, Dawn reported. (ANI)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urgently appealed for additional long-range weapons following a devastating Russian missile strike that killed at least seven people, including children, and injured 31 others in Vilniansk, located in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, CNN reported. Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, declared Sunday a day of mourning, lamenting the "unspeakable pain" caused by what he described as an "enemy attack." According to Fedorov, "Three children were among those killed and eight children were among the injured." The strike damaged critical infrastructure, residential buildings, and a retail store, with fires spreading to trade pavilions and vehicles, as stated by Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. A witness to the strike recounted, "It was a weekend, everyone was having a rest ... it wasn't even late, it wasn't dark, a missile hit." She described the tragic scene: "Children died, children were injured. So did adults. For no reason. The children had a graduation party, they were graduating from school. They were planning their future," according to CNN. President Zelenskyy expressed condolences, acknowledging the "pain" and loss felt by those affected. He emphasised the urgent need for enhanced defensive capabilities, stating, "We need to strike with real long-range capability and to increase the number of advanced air defence systems in Ukraine." Zelenskyy underscored the necessity of swift decision-making to prevent further loss of life, stressing that delays "mean losing human lives." Recent military developments have seen Russia making incremental gains across multiple fronts in Ukraine. In the Donetsk region, Russian forces have advanced towards the strategically important town of Chasiv Yar. These developments highlight Ukraine's vulnerabilities, including stretched manpower and logistical delays in receiving critical supplies from Western allies. The tragedy in Vilniansk has reignited calls for robust international intervention and solidarity with Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression. The international community continues to monitor developments closely, with humanitarian concerns mounting as civilian casualties rise. The urgency of bolstering Ukraine's defences and providing humanitarian assistance remains paramount as the conflict escalates and exacts a devastating toll on civilian populations. Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian politician, expressed concerns over potential shifts in U.S. policy towards Ukraine based on the outcome of the upcoming presidential election. Reflecting on past remarks, he stated, "We're very concerned because we, more or less, understand what it means for Ukraine, [a] Biden presidency, and we really don't know what it means for Ukraine, a Trump presidency. It can be very good, it can be very bad. We just don't know. And that's definitely concerning," CNN reported. (ANI)
Tel Aviv [Israel], June 30 (ANI/TPS): Senior Hamas official Zaher Jabrin called on Jordanians to rise against Israel on Saturday night, placing King Abdullah in a precarious position. Iran's strategic advances along the Lebanese-Israeli border have emboldened Tehran to extend its influence into Jordan. But Jabrin's comments were not the opening salvo of attempts to bring Jordan into Iran's orbit and encircle Israel. Following the December assassination of Jabrin's predecessor, Saleh Arouri, Jabrin called on Palestinians globally to defend Jerusalem. Similarly, Khaled Mashal sparked nationwide unrest in April when he urged Jordanians to "mix Arab blood with Palestinian blood." The speech sent shockwaves through the kingdom, sparking demonstrations and clashes. That same month, senior Hamas official Musa Abu Marzouk suggested that if Qatar were to expel Hamas, the terror group would relocate to Jordan. This statement was perceived as a direct threat by Jordanian officials, who viewed it as a declaration of war. Abu Marzouk's rationale was grounded in the fact that many Hamas members hold Jordanian citizenship. However, Jordan, which expelled Hamas in 1999, views the terror group's return -- especially facilitated by Iran -- as a significant threat to the kingdom's national security. Iran applies pressure on Jordan through its proxy militias stationed along the 179-kilometer Iraq-Jordan border. Reports indicate that tens of thousands of Shi'ite conscripts, including Jordanian and Iraqi recruits, are mobilizing in these militias. King Abdullah of Jordan has found himself increasingly isolated in this struggle. He has urgently called upon Arab nations and the United States for support, highlighting the critical role Jordan plays as a buffer state between Israel and the Iranian bloc. Israel and Jordan share a 350-kilometer border. Many of the missiles and drones launched by Iran in an April attack on Israel were intercepted by the Jordanian military in Jordanian airspace. This prompted Tehran to threaten that Jordan "will be the next target" if Amman intervenes with Israel. The Iranians even launched a disinformation campaign claiming that Amman allowed the Israeli Air Force to use Jordanian airspace and hosted a coalition command center. Moreover, attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed Houthis saw traffic in the Port of Aqaba drop by around 20 per cent in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, according to Jordanian media reports. Beyond political provocations, Jordan has been grappling with a concerted effort to smuggle weapons into its territory, destined for use within Israel. Israeli authorities attribute these operations to Iranian financing and logistical support, channeled through Palestinian youth and Hamas' terrorist infrastructure within refugee camps, particularly the Jenin refugee camp. Iran claims its actions are in support of the Palestinian cause. However, Jordanian authorities recognize that their kingdom could be the next target in Iran's crosshairs. (ANI/TPS)
India attaches high priority to ASEAN's theme of enhancing connectivity and resilience, under the chairmanship of Laos, and is working with the partner countries to promote connectivity in the region, the Indian Ambassador to Lao PDR, Prashant Agarwal, said on Sunday. Notably, Laos is the chair of the ASEAN bloc in 2024. Speaking to ANI, Prakash Agarwal said, "Under Laos' chairmanship of ASEAN this year 2024, the theme is enhancing connectivity and resilience. And we share the high priority attached to this theme. We have been working with ASEAN in promoting connectivity in several dimensions." He also praised India's Indo Pacific Ocean Initiative, and people-to-people connectivity ties between the two nations. "Apart from digital connectivity, I would also like to talk about synergies between India's own Indo Pacific Ocean Initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with ASEAN outlook on Indo Pacific and of course, people to people connectivity, which has a civilizational and cultural dimension, which also getting boost by booming tourist exchanges," he said. "Lao PDR, bilaterally as well as in the ASEAN framework, sees India as a net provider of stability and security. In this regard, our interaction is widely welcomed by ASEAN countries including Lao PDR," the Indian Ambassador added. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a political and economic union of 10 states in Southeast Asia, namely, Brunei Darussalam, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Agarwal hailed India's progress in creating digital public infrastructure and said it is admired widely across the region. He also emphasized that Laos is collaborating to develop DPI both with India, and regionally with ASEAN countries. "India's path-breaking progress for creating digital public infrastructure and through it achieving financial inclusion, is very widely admired across this region. Our collaboration to create digital infrastructure is our shared high priority on which we are working bilaterally as well as regionally with ASEAN member countries, including Laos, bilaterally," the Indian envoy said. "We have offered specific initiatives. We are working on arrangements. The Prime Minister of India announced the digital fund at the ASEAN Summit last year, which is going to be operationalized. So there are specific initiatives taking place in this area," he added. The Indian Ambassador also spoke on the recent incident where some Indian nationals were duped by scammers offering work opportunity there. Agarwal advised Indian youth to exercise "utmost caution" on being offered job opportunities there and ascertain how genuine and safe these offers are, for which they can also contact the Indian Embassy Lao PDR. "The Embassy has issued a very detailed advisory, which is being very well disseminated and is available on our website also. The Ministry of External Affairs has also issued a very detailed advisory in this regard," the Indian envoy said. He added, "Essentially, what we want of our youth is to exercise utmost caution. If they are told of any opportunity in this region, they must do their own diligence and dissidents...We have given our phone numbers and contact details, they are most welcome to contact us to ascertain whether the offers are bonafide and genuine, before they travel out of India or make payments and so on. So that is extremely essential that people exercise utmost caution before accepting any such offers." Last month, Indian Embassy in Laos rescued 13 Indians, who were lured into illegal work in Laos. Prior to this, 17 Indian workers were rescued in Laos and were repatriated to India in April as well. (ANI)
The National Human Rights Committee Chairperson, Arun Mishra and, and Secretary General, Bharat Lal, participated in various international meetings of the Asia Pacific Forum (APF) and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) in Geneva from May 5-9, a monthly newsletter by the NHRC stated. NHRC has been actively forging partnerships and collaborations aimed at enhancing human rights and quality of life, while fortifying the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs). On May 5, Justice Mishra and Barat Lal participated in the Governance Committee meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum (APF) of NHRIs, which reviewed its Mid-term Report, Annual Operational Plan and Budget (2024-25), and APF policies. Subsequently, on May 6, they joined the Regional Meeting of the APF, to build strategies to bolster NHRIs in the region to uphold and safeguard human rights in their respective nations. Bharat Lal, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Finance Committee of the GANHRI, presented the financial report during the General Assembly in Geneva on May 7, 2024. The Assembly adopted the financial and audit report, approved the budget for 2024, and outlined strategies for fundraising. Notably, alongside the NHRC, the Finance Committee also includes representatives from NHRIs of the UK, Malawi, and El Salvador, the newsletter stated. On May 8, Justice Mishra and Bharat Lal participated in the GANHRI 2024 Annual Conference at Palais des Nations, Geneva, on 'Business and Human Rights: The Role and Experiences of NHRIs'. Addressing a session on 'Business and Human Rights Regulations - Towards a Smart Mix', Justice Mishra highlighted India's endeavours to harmonise business activities with human rights principles. He stressed the necessity of a balanced approach, encompassing both voluntary and mandatory measures at national and international levels, to address the impacts of business activities on human rights. Furthermore, Justice Mishra underscored NHRC, India's initiatives, including the formation of a core group on business and human rights and the issuance of various advisories, on different segments of society and vocations, aimed at achieving a harmonious balance between development imperatives and human rights for sustainable development. On the sidelines of the GANHRI 2024 Annual Meeting, NHRC Secretary General, Bharat Lal also took part in the NHRI Knowledge Exchange of Good Practices on the theme, 'Forced Displacement and Statelessness: Knowledge Exchange on the roles and experiences of NHRIs and opportunities under the Global Refugee Forum'. At this session, Lal highlighted India's age-old practice of welcoming the stateless and those who have been forcefully displaced. From Syrian Christians and Jews, to Polish children who were given refuge during World War II, India has been a haven for the refugees since the pre-Independence era. Lal also drew attention to the large number of citizens from Tibet, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar who sought refuge in India after Independence. At the GANHRI Annual Conference, more than 80 NHRIs endorsed the 'Outcome Statement on Business and Human Rights', reaffirming their commitment to leveraging their mandates for human rights promotion, monitoring, and complaint handling, particularly in the realms of environment and climate change, online civic space and digital technologies, and a 'smart mix' of policy and regulatory measures. The Outcome Statement also called for collaboration among NHRIs and UN partners to support the implementation of human rights principles in business practices. Additionally, Justice Mishra and Shri Lal also attended the annual meeting of the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (CFNHRI) in Geneva, where NHRIs from Commonwealth countries convened to review CFNHRI's work and strategize for the future, the newsletter added. (ANI)
A West Side resident shot and killed a man who showed up at the wrong address and was confrontational, according to San Antonio police. kali9/Getty Images/iStockphoto

A West Side resident shot and killed a 25-year-old man who San Antonio police said was confrontational when asked to leave a property he thought was a different address.

The shooting happened around 1 a.m. Sunday in the 800 block of Allende Drive. Police said the 25-year-old man walked up to a home thinking it was a different address and started knocking on the front door.

A 48-year-old male resident of the home asked the man, who was becoming aggressive, to leave the property, according to a preliminary police report.

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The man left but returned to the home, where he was spotted by the resident in the backyard, the report states.

The resident went outside with a shotgun and asked the man to leave. The man was confrontational and lunged at the resident, whose wife had also gone outside, police said.

The resident, scared for his wife's safety, shot the man once in the stomach, police said.

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EMS pronounced the man dead at the scene. His name was not released.
The Olding area of Skardu in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) witnessed a significant protest on Sunday, as residents demanded the swift completion of reconstruction and renovation projects halted by the local administration. The public voiced frustration over the neglect of projects that have been stalled for over three years, according to a report by local news organisation Skardu TV. People from various walks of life participated in the protest, including youth, women, children, and members of the business community. The demonstrators expressed their discontent, stating that despite raising concerns with responsible officials multiple times, they have only encountered empty promises and disregard. They vowed to continue peaceful demonstrations until receiving written assurances and witnessing tangible improvements in Olding's conditions. Local leader Shiaz emphasised the prolonged neglect of crucial projects, saying, "These projects are vital for our city and have been on hold for three years. Every time we've raised our concerns, we've been ignored. This time, we won't back down until our demands are met." Regarding the severe impact of the stalled projects on infrastructure, Shiaz pointed to the dilapidated roads that have remained unchanged for years. "Take this road, for example," he gestured towards the blocked road during the protest, "it has been in this dire condition for over three years, affecting the lifeline of our city. No one is willing to address our grievances." In addition to infrastructure woes, protesters highlighted issues such as severe load shedding during the hot summer months. One protester lamented, "Despite contributing our water resources to generate electricity at Satpara Dam, not a single watt of electricity has been provided to the people of Olding." The local community expressed frustration over the situation, with another protester stating, "Our city resembles a graveyard due to these unfinished projects. The local administration continues to delay developmental work, promising future dates that never materialise." According to Skardu TV's report, the protest in Olding reflects widespread dissatisfaction among residents, who demand immediate action from authorities to address their longstanding grievances. (ANI)
The meeting focused on leveraging synergies and complementarities to foster economic growth and development in both nations.

A key highlight of the discussion was the recently signed agreement concerning the Chahbahar Port.

The Chahbahar Port agreement is expected to facilitate smoother trade routes between India, Iran, and other countries in the region, thereby boosting economic activities and creating new avenues for investment.

https://x.com/india_in_iran/status/1807453054892908842?s=46&t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw

"Amb. Rudra Gaurav Shresth met with members of Iran-India Business Chamber and spoke about the potential to leverage complementarities in Indian and Iranian businesses. Also highlighted the recently signed agreement on Chahbahar Port & it's potential to transform the region," the Embassy of India in Iran said in a post on X.

The Chabahar Port is an India-Iran flagship project that serves as an important transit port for trade with Afghanistan. India has been a key player in the development and operation of Chabahar Port.

India and Iran recently solidified their collaboration by signing a significant long-term agreement to operate the Shahid-Beheshti Port Terminal. This landmark deal, witnessed by ministers from both countries, underscores the strategic importance of the Chabahar port pact. By enhancing regional connectivity, the agreement is poised to streamline trade routes between India, Iran, and Afghanistan, offering an alternative to traditional routes that pass through Pakistan.

The Long-Term Bilateral Contract on Chabahar Port Operation was signed between Indian Ports Global Limited (IPGL) of India and the Port & Maritime Organisation (PMO) of Iran, enabling the operation of Shahid-Behesti in the Chabahar Port Development Project for a period of 10 years.

India and Iran share a millennia-long history of interactions. The contemporary relations between the two countries are marked by high-level exchanges, commercial cooperation, connectivity paradigm and cultural and people-to-people ties. (ANI)
A Chinese rocket, Tianlong-3 crashed on Sunday after an accidental launch during a ground test, its company Space Pioneer said in a statement, CNN reported. Space Pioneer, a leading company in the commercial rocket sphere, specializes in liquid-propellant rockets. According to CNN, the incident occurred when the first stage of the Tianlong-3 rocket detached from its launch pad due to a structural failure. The rocket landed in a hilly area of Gongyi city in central China. In a statement, Space Pioneer explained that the connection between the rocket body and the test platform failed, causing the first-stage rocket to separate from the launch pad. "Due to the structural failure of the connection between the rocket body and the test platform, the first-stage rocket was separated from the launch pad," Space Pioneer, also known as Beijing Tianbing Technology, said. "After liftoff, the onboard computer was automatically shut down, and the rocket fell into the deep mountains 1.5 kilometers [0.9 miles] southwest of the test platform. The rocket body fell into the mountain and disintegrated." As per the company's statement, there were no injuries after the crash as people in the area were evacuated in advance of the rocket test. In April 2023, Space Pioneer successfully launched its Tianlong-2 rocket, becoming China's first commercial launch operator to send a liquid carrier rocket into orbit, according to state media, as per CNN. Tianlong-3, the rocket that crashed on Sunday, is a large liquid carrier rocket. It was made to help construct China's satellite internet network. Space Pioneer claims that the Tianlong-3's performance is comparable to SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, adding that it will be capable of launching the rocket over 30 times per year after the rocket's first successful flight. The accident comes just days after China's Chang'e-6 lunar module returned to Earth from space, where it collected the first ever samples from the far side of the moon. The mission was a key milestone in China's "eternal dream" - as articulated by Chinese leader Xi Jinping - to establish the country as a dominant space power and comes as a number of countries, including the United States, also ramp up their own lunar exploration programs. (ANI)
A same-sex couple with one partner from Taiwan and the other from China has entered their second legal battle with Taiwan authorities to have their marriage legally registered in Taiwan, so that the Chinese partner can legally immigrate there, Taiwan News reported. A same-sex couple, Ryan and Righ from Taiwan and China have launched a second legal challenge against Taiwan's authorities in a bid to have their marriage legally registered in Taiwan and allow Chinese partners to immigrate to Taiwan, Taiwan News reported. Notably, while same-sex marriage is legalised in Taiwan, it is not legal in China. The couple submitted their US marriage certificate and other documents required for immigration, following the same process used for heterosexual couples. The Taipei High Administrative Court heard the first arguments in a case brought by the couple, Ryan and Righ, on June 27. The couple is challenging the decision by the National Immigration Agency (NIA) of Taiwan's Ministry of Interior, which rejected their application for immigration to Taiwan through marriage for the Chinese spouse. The couple's application was first rejected in 2021 on the basis that the couple had not provided a certificate of marriage from China, Taiwan News reported, citing the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR), whose lawyers are representing the couple. In 2022, the couple won a court case against the immigration office, which was ordered to accept their application and process their immigration request. However, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) refused to follow the court's ruling, citing that regulations for cross-strait marriages only apply to couples married in Taiwan, not in the US. The NIA and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) argued that there is no legal framework for handling immigration applications from couples married in the US. The case returned to court last week, with the couple seeking to have their marriage recognised and the Chinese partner's immigration application accepted. TAPCPR issued a statement following the first hearing last week and accused the immigration department of "discriminating" against same-sex couples. TAPCPR Secretary General Chien Chih-chieh said that Chinese-Taiwanese heterosexual couples married in a third jurisdiction should not be asked to supply Chinese marriage certificates for their immigration applications. Chien further said that as China has not legalised same-sex marriage, the immigration department's request for a marriage certificate makes successful applications for same-sex couples in this situation too hard to achieve, Taiwan News reported. The TAPCPR lawyer representing the case, Hsu Hsiu-wen, said that Righ, the Chinese spouse, has been determined by the immigration agency to pose no national security concerns to Taiwan. Because of this, there is no reason to reject his application, Hsu said. Hung Yu-ling, a representative of the Cross-Strait Same-Sex Marriage Advocacy organization, has worked with numerous couples from Taiwan and China who are unable to live together in Taiwan due to immigration regulations. She affirmed hope that the Taiwanese government will eventually recognise the marriage rights of these cross-strait couples. Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR) lawyers announced that the Taipei High Administrative Court will deliver a ruling on August 8. Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage in 2019 and extended marriage rights to transnational same-sex couples in January 2023. However, due to cross-strait regulations, this decision did not apply to couples from Hong Kong, Macau, and China. (ANI)
Abu Dhabi [UAE], June 30 (ANI/WAM): The UAE, represented by the National Library and Archives (NLA), has become the latest member of the Paris-based International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) International Centre of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The NLA on Sunday announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the ISSN International Centre membership in coordination with and support of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science. The MoU was virtually signed by Abdulla Majed Al Ali, Director General of the NLA, and Gaelle Bequet, Director of the ISSN International Centre. Al Ali expressed gratitude and anticipation for future cooperation, highlighting the importance of preserving knowledge. Gaelle Bequet emphasised that the agreement signifies a shared vision and commitment to excellence, marking a significant milestone in their collaborative efforts. Al Ali stated that standardising the periodicals issued in the United Arab Emirates with the ISSN will ensure the standardisation of intellectual production in the country and will help the National Archives and Library to identify this cultural and knowledge product, which contributes to informing researchers, interested parties and the beneficiary public inside and outside the country about the content of these periodicals and achieving the desired benefit from them. For her part, Bequet expressed her optimism about further cooperation between the two parties, stressing that the MoU is a milestone in the course of relations between the two sides and a testament to the shared vision and commitment. The MoU will be a starting point for hard work by all parties concerned, she added. She affirmed that the MoU comes as a confirmation of the aspiration for excellence and commitment to achieving results that satisfy both parties in the field of inventory counting and listing of publications issued in the UAE, which in turn, enriches the knowledge of readers and researchers. (ANI/WAM)
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during signing ceremony for the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement at White House in Washington

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during signing ceremony for the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement at White House in Washington

(Repeats to additional customers)

By Trevor Hunnicutt, John Geddie, Hyonhee Shin and Michael Martina

WASHINGTON/TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) -Donald Trump's allies are assuring officials in Japan and South Korea that the Republican presidential candidate will support a Biden-era effort to deepen three-way ties aimed at countering China and North Korea, five people familiar with the conversations said.

In conversations over the past weeks, policy advisers with Trump's ear have delivered this message to officials in Seoul and Tokyo: if Trump takes office again, the ex-U.S. president will support the two capitals' work to warm once-frigid ties and advance military, economic and diplomatic cooperation to ease global tensions, the people said.

The conversations were described to Reuters by Republicans and officials from each of the Asian countries, several of whom were directly involved.

The previously unreported push is part of an effort by Trump's allies to convince Washington's closest friends in Asia that his smash-mouth approach to traditional alliances ends at the shores of the Indo-Pacific.

There, the U.S. faces ramped-up tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea, a new Chinese partnership with Russia, and Russian President Vladimir Putin's courtship of North Korea.

"I reassured them that the alliance will be strong, that Trump recognizes we have to work closely with our allies to defend their interests," said Fred Fleitz, a former chief of staff in Trump's National Security Council, who traveled to Japan and met officials there including national security adviser Takeo Akiba this month.

These conversations carry extra weight after Bidens disastrous debate performance on Thursday, which may push undecided voters toward Trump and has spurred calls for him to step aside in the 2024 race.

Trump allies have floated other foreign policy plans if he wins in November, including a Ukraine peace plan and one to restructure NATO funding. The reassurances to Japan and South Korea go further because they include direct talks with foreign officials. In May, former Trump foreign policy officials met Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Trump campaign has not confirmed whether he would accept these proposals.

"No one has the authority to speak to a foreign government and make promises on behalf of President Donald Trump," said Chris LaCivita, senior adviser to the Trump campaign, when asked about the assurances. The policy section of the Trump campaign's website does not address the topic.

Fleitz said he was not speaking for Trump and instead offering an assessment based on his experience with the candidate. He said the U.S., Japan and South Korea would likely work together to counter China and North Korea under another Trump term.

Dozens of meetings have been taken or scheduled at the highest levels of the Japanese and South Korean governments with right-wing think tanks, such as America First Policy Institute, the Heritage Foundation and the Hudson Institute, known to be planning policy Trump could deploy in 2025, sources said.

One Asian official briefed on the recent regional meetings with Trump allies said their government was taking the meetings seriously and considered them a plausible representation of where Trump may stand.

TRUMP SECOND TERM PLANS

The conversations show the serious, early effort by Trump allies to sketch policy priorities for a second Trump presidency months before the 2024 U.S. election, in which Trump is leading in battleground states that could decide the race.

Trump's 2016 election win took countries by surprise and left them scrambling to understand the new president's views as he hastily assembled White House advisers.

The consortium of conservative think tanks known as "Project 2025" making detailed plans for a second Trump presidency describe South Korea and Japan in their playbook as "critical allies" in the military, economy, diplomacy and technology.

But the playbook also calls for pushing South Korea "to take the lead in its conventional defense against North Korea," reflecting Trump's concern about taking on too much financial responsibility for other countries' security. Project 2025 has said it does not speak for the Trump campaign.

BACKING BIDEN PLAN

Still, the outreach by Republicans to Asia represents one narrow area of potential continuity between Trump and Biden.

The Democratic U.S. president took over from Trump in 2021 after a bitter election campaign and has prioritized elevating traditional alliances like those Trump sometimes disparaged.

Biden encouraged South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to work together and overcome decades of mutual suspicion and enmity.

The effort culminated in a Camp David summit between the leaders last summer that pledged new defense cooperation amid North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's nuclear threats and Chinese President Xi Jinping's sovereignty claims over democratically governed Taiwan.

"My view, and President Trump shares this, is the deeper we can make the economic ties between the three countries, the stronger the bonds will be," said Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, who served as ambassador to Japan in the Trump administration, remains in touch with Asian governments and is seen by some in those circles as a likely Trump second-term appointee.

Another former Trump official described the conversations as partly campaign tactics, adding that, "the main charge of the Democrats is that he abandoned friends and allies and acted alone. He's now more careful not to give Democrats any new room for attack."

WELCOME SIGNAL

In Seoul and Tokyo, where officials are weighing a possible Trump return to office, Republican messages of solidarity have been received as a welcome signal that Trump's Asia policy may vary from the hard-nosed approach that rankled allies from Ottawa to Brussels.

While polls show Biden and Trump in a close race, Yoon and Kishida face withering public opinion polls at home, raising the question of whether the spirit of Camp David will endure a change of leadership in any of the three countries.

South Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement that it "is not only necessary but also natural" for the three countries to work together, and that the effort had won bipartisan support in the United States, including during the prior administration.

"Japan is following the U.S. presidential election with interest, but is not in a position to comment on elections in third countries individually," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement, adding the alliance enjoys bipartisan support.

Spokespeople for the Biden campaign and the White House did not respond to a request for comment.

"I don't see any reason why trilateral cooperation would languish at all," said Alexander Gray, a former chief of staff of the White House National Security Council under Trump and now CEO of American Global Strategies, a Washington based think tank. "There's a general concern, that I think is unfounded, that President Trump would abandon things that Joe Biden started and, you know, just abandon them because Joe Biden was involved in them."

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Michael Martina in Washington, John Geddie in Tokyo and Hyonhee Shin in Seoul; Additional reporting by Tim Kelly, Gram Slattery, and David Brunnstrom; Writing by Trevor Hunnicutt. Editing by Heather Timmons and Josie Kao)
Did you know that in the City of Milwaukee, fewer people are getting married or having children, and theyre living in much smaller households?

I didnt.

Those shifts have all been happening, largely in the background, for decades. Think about those changes and what they mean for our citys future  from how many housing units are built to the size and shape of schools to how services are delivered.

Mike Gousha, left, distinguished fellow in law and public policy, and John D. Johnson, research fellow at the Marquette Law School.

That information, part of a special report, is the product of something else that has changed over time: Our approach at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to partnerships and collaboration.

Take a close look at that story, and youll see two bylines that should now be familiar to our readers: Mike Gousha and John D. Johnson. Both work at the Marquette Law School, which has long partnered with us to help foster insight into key issues facing our community.

The story is drawn from the deepest of dives into data around changes to the family. It is paired with a story by our higher education reporter, Kelly Meyerhofer, who explores how a plummeting number of students is driving a period of massive change at colleges and universities.

Kelly Meyerhofer, higher education reporter

At the Journal Sentinel, as weve adapted to changes in the news business, we have increasingly used partnerships to expand what we do and to be sure we have the capacity to keep bringing you journalism that matters and has impact. No one else does as much of this type of journalism as we do, or can deliver it as widely or effectively as we can.

For instance, we worked with the Diederich College of Communication at Marquette to pilot and sustain the OBrien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism. Each academic year, one of our reporters joins other top journalists from across the country on campus to complete a public service project.

Through OBrien, we have explored breakdowns in Milwaukees mental health system, ways to repair the damaged Great Lakes, diseases that jump from animals to humans, chemicals that harm the lungs of coffee workers and those who vape, solutions for problems facing Milwaukee, and  most recently  a powerful look at the true nature of gun deaths in Wisconsin.

Likewise, grants from the Pulitzer Center have supported travel that has taken our reporters to China to examine how the country is a new competitor to our homegrown paper industry, Vietnam to explain its ascension in the global dairy industry and, in an ongoing series, Mexico and Honduras to explore how manufacturers are moving jobs back to our corner of the world  and whether Wisconsin is poised to capitalize on it.

We have had partnerships around health reporting, youth issues and environmental reporting. Weve done projects with other news organizations. Weve raised money from readers to help us launch key beats in areas we have neglected or ignored.

Our view: If theres an important story, we will find a way to tell it. Well be creative. Well be smart. Well be relentless. And we will tell it.

If anything, we are aiming to build deeper and stronger partnerships  ones that will allow us to strengthen our reporting across the board, including in our neighborhoods.

The partnership with the Marquette Law School, and its Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education, began more than a decade ago. Its part of Dean Joseph Kearneys vision for making the law school a public square, where ideas are exchanged and debated, and solutions emerge.

The first effort was by longtime business reporter Rick Romell, who produced a series of reports on the regions entrepreneurial history and its prospects for future growth. The next was by political reporter Craig Gilbert, examining the states stark political polarization. (Craig has retired from the Journal Sentinel, but his occasional reports  backed by the Law School  remain a fixture on our pages in print and online).

Many of these projects have won awards and acclaim. Thats great. But more importantly, the projects have each driven important understanding about issues, fueled seminars and discussions, and led to policy changes that aim to push us all forward.

In 2017, thanks to generosity from local investor and philanthropist Sheldon Lubar and his wife, Marianne, the Law School opened the Lubar Center. With Gousha, a longtime Milwaukee journalist, at the helm, the center became the home for the Journal Sentinel collaboration.

These days, rather than one Journal Sentinel reporter working for an extended period on a single project, the idea is to bring more timeliness to the work. Three or four times a year, Gousha and Johnson share research on economic, population, housing and other trends in the Milwaukee area.

Once a specific topic is agreed on, Gousha and Johnson produce an essay based on their research. In turn, the Journal Sentinel identifies a reporter to concurrently produce a separate story that will complement and build off that work.

Thats what were highlighting today.

Give both pieces a read.

Youll surely learn something, just as I did.

Greg Borowski is executive editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @GregJBorowski and reach him via greg.borowski@jrn.com.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Journal Sentinel aims to build partnerships to grow, tell stories
Man in custody after woman found dead in Olathe, Kansas home: police

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Olathe Police Department is investigating a homicide after a woman was found dead in a home Saturday evening.

According to OPD, officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of East Oakview Street just before 6 p.m. for a death investigation.

Man dies in overnight shooting near Power and Light in Kansas City

Upon arrival, officers found an unresponsive 72-year-old, white woman with significant injuries. She was later pronounced dead at the scene.

A 40-year-old man, who is a relative of the woman, was taken into custody and placed on a 48-hour investigative hold, according to OPD.

Officers said public safety is not at risk and all parties involved have been contacted.

Olathe police looking for missing 13-year-old girl

The case is being investigated as a homicide by the Olathe Police Department. If you or anyone you know has information regarding the case, call (913) 971-6363 or contact the TIPS Hotline anonymously at (816) 474-8477.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned at FOX 4 for the latest updates and information.

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.
Avantae Deven faces multiple charges relating to the disappearance and death of Blake and London Deven (FBI/Fayetteville Police Department)

A North Carolina woman has been arrested and charged with killing two of her adopted children who havent been seen in years as new disturbing details reveal they were kept in isolation, beaten and starved.

Avantae Deven, 63, faces multiple charges, including murder, in the disappearance and death of Blake and London Deven, Fayetteville Police Chief Kemberle Braden said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The chilling details released by the authorities this week revealed that the siblings, along with three other adopted children, had lived in brutal conditions while in the care of Deven.

Our evidence shows that both Blake and London are deceased, Chief Braden said, adding investigators believe that Deven abused them and ultimately killed them.

Blake Deven was last seen in 2017, when he was 10 years old, investigators determined. Investigators say evidence collected indicates that he died from starvation and abuse and that his body was burned. During the course of their investigation of Blakes disappearance, police discovered the death of London Deven, who was last seen in 2019.

On April 10, Fayetteville police found a metal burn barrel that contained partial human skeletal remains of two children. One set was confirmed to be London Deven, according to the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The second set of remains, believed to be a boy between the ages of seven and 10, has not yet been identified and is still being tested.

Avantae Deven appeared in court on Thursday and was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of concealment of death, one count of kidnapping related to Londons death, and two counts of felony child abuse related to Blakes death. She is being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center with no bond.

Avantae Deven is accused of killing two of her adopted children Blake Deven and London Deven (Fayetteville Police Department)

Missing since 2017 but not reported until 2024

The investigation began back in November 2023 when officers responded to a mental health call at Devens home in Fayetteville, WRAL reported. The caller claimed to be Blake Devens brother and said he had not seen him in at least five years and that he had a broken arm at the time.

Lead investigator Sgt. Jeff Locklear told reporters on Wednesday that investigators were able to confirm that Blake had been missing since 2017.

However, he was not reported missing by Avantae Deven until January 2024. Deven told police she last saw her son in 2022 when he was allegedly leaving for Buddhist retreat.

Initially, she was giving us a story that Blake was possibly at a Buddhist retreat in the mountains, Sgt Locklear said.

But he said investigators believe that Blake was abused and starved at the familys former home on Eichelberger Drive, until his body could no longer take the inhumane treatment.

Then, Avantae developed a plan to hide Blakes remains, and she forced another person in the household to participate, he added. They dismembered him and burned his remains.

Sgt Locklear did not release the name of the second person.

Blake Deven, pictured here in 2012, has not been seen since 2017 (FBI)

He said that biological evidence found at the home supported evidence of isolation, torture and starvation.

Meanwhile, Deven never reported London missing.

The last confirmed independent sighting of London was in 2019, Sgt Locklear said.

Even though London was an adult, she had special needs and depended on Avantae to care for her.

An investigation revealed that Deven had five adopted children, including Blake and London. The three boys were related, but the two girls were not related to each other or the boys.

Police and the Department of Social Services (DSS) interviewed the three remaining children who all gave graphic details of the horrific treatment they allegedly endured, which included being malnourished and physically abused while being trapped in a small, dark room.

Multiple interviews showed the appalling conditions the kids grew up in, Sgt Locklear said.

London Deven, who was last seen in 2019, has been confirmed dead after her remains were found in April 2024 (FBI)

Deven kept them in small rooms in complete darkness at times. They were given little or no food, they could earn nourishment through doing paperwork. That meant they had to write hundreds of paragraphs to apologize for misbehavior. It is alleged some of the children were also beaten to the point of needing medical care but were only given natural cures like honey.

At the news conference, Sgt. Locklear said there is evidence supported claims of isolation, torture and starvation that led to Blakes death and that he was dismembered and his remains were burned.

We believe he was mentally abused and starved," Locklear said. His body could not sustain the inhumane treatment. Then, Avantae developed a plan to hide Blakes remains. She forced another person in the household to participate.

Its believed that London Deven died in the same painful way that Blake died, starvation and neglect, Locklear said.

She would just drag you down by your hair and beat you

Bryanna Morrow, was one of the children Avantae Deven adopted, according to WRAL. At that time, she went by the name of Cherish Deven.

She spoke to the news outlet about her life in Devens care and the alleged mistreatment she endured, which included being locked in isolation.

Days at a time, she said. It was very horrible. There were days we didnt go with showers. The only time we could turn on the bathroom or the sink was to get water.

Being locked in the bathroom, Morrow added. If we werent locked in a bathroom, having to use pails as the restroom. There were a lot of beatings because we would steal food just to survive. She would just drag you down by your hair and beat you.

When the children misbehaved, Morrow said they had to write apology letters.

The older you got, the more paragraphs you had to do, she said. So by the time I was 15, I was doing top to bottom of a page. Imagine one page [to] 2,000 pages.

Who is Blakes biological mother?

Felicia Chandler, the biological mother of Blake Deven, spoke with WRAL following the news of Devens arrest.

I really just feel like theres more questions, and Im waiting for more answers, Chandler said.

I just want to see my other two boys. I want to know if the remains are going to be sent home to where they belong with their biological families.

Authorities did not answer questions or give further details about Devens three other adopted children.
The $230 million U.S. pier built off the coast of Gaza to bring humanitarian aid to Palestinians has been removed because of rough sea conditions, and the Pentagon is considering not returning it unless already stockpiled supplies can be shipped to those in need, according to reports.

The pier has helped move millions of tons of aid into Gaza, but much of it is still sitting in a storage yard that is already nearly filled to capacity because the aid agencies have been hampered in their deliveries as convoys come under Israeli attack, the Associated Press reported.

"If there's not enough room on the marshaling yard, then it doesn't make sense to put our men and women out there when there's nothing to move," Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said told reporters at a briefing on Friday.

"I don't want to give the impression that it's at capacity. It is certainly full, but we do need to see that marshaling yard open up to allow for aid groups to continue that distribution so that we can get more aid in as we get it from Cyprus," she said.

The United Nations has stopped distributing food and other supplies coming through the pier since June 9, the AP reported.

The pause arose over security concerns for aid workers after the Israeli military used an area near the pier to transport hostages after their rescue earlier this month in a raid that killed hundreds of Palestinians, the report said.

On Friday, U.N. World Food Program spokesman Steve Taravella said the organization's participation is suspended until security concerns are resolved.

The Pentagon said that since May 17, more than 19.4 million pounds of humanitarian aid has moved through the pier.
UPDATE: The man was identified as Michael Harp from Sandy, Utah. The original story follows below.

DENVER (KDVR)  A 54-year-old mans body was recovered after a rafting accident on Thursday on the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument.

According to the National Park Service, staff were notified of a boat pinned against a rock in the rapid named Hells Half Mile at about 4 p.m. on Thursday. One person from the group was missing, suspected to have been pinned under the raft.

The raft was eventually secured and unpinned, but monument staff reported that the person had been dislodged, lost his lifejacket and was unresponsive, causing him to drift downriver.

Utah fire captain, 9/11 hero dies rafting at Canyon of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument

On Friday at about 7:45 a.m., a commercial rafting company, Adrift, told staff they had found and secured the victims body about 10 river miles downstream from the accident. Monument staff, Adrift guides and the Classic Air Medical helicopter crew members transported the body to the Moffat County Coroners Office.

The park straddles the state line between Utah and Colorado in the Yampa River Canyon region. Hells Half Mile is classified as an III/IV rapid in the Canyon of Lodore, which is in the Colorado portion of the monument.

NPS said that the rivers flow rates averaged 4,700 cubic feet per second from June 25-28, which included additional water from a release at the Flaming Gorge Dam. The monument is best known for its dinosaur quarry, according to NPS, but whitewater rafters are also known to travel the globe to raft Dinosaur National Monuments rapids.

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.
VIRGINIA BEACH  As parents drove through the drop-off lane at St. John the Apostle Catholic School one morning last month, they were approached by a woman carrying a stack of flyers.

The woman was the mother of a student at the private school, and the paper she passed through their car windows contained a warning that there had been a pedophile among them whod assaulted at least two female students  including her daughter.

The flyer named the alleged child molester  a Navy pilot and father of three St. Johns students  and informed parents of a previous child sex assault case involving him. It also urged parents of girls who may have spent time at the familys house to question them.

Im providing this information, because if I had been made aware of the first charges and court case, my daughter may have been saved three years of anguish, the flyer said.

Everyone was talking about it, said a father who received the flyer but didnt want to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the allegations. Some people said they knew the story, some had parts of the story, and some had bad information.

It turns out the man named in the flyer, 45-year-old Vincent Jakawich, was dead by the time it circulated. Hed driven to North Carolina and taken his own life a day or two before, according to multiple sources.

His death came as police were starting to  once again  investigate allegations hed sexually assaulted a young female St. Johns student who was friends with one of his daughters, according to a spokeswoman for the Virginia Beach Commonwealths Attorneys Office.

Jakawichs body was discovered shortly before 9 a.m. May 9 in his Tesla, which was parked on the shoulder of Route 168 in Currituck County. An officer driving by saw the vehicle and stopped to check on it, said Currituck County Sheriffs Department Capt. Kevin McCord. Jakawichs death was ruled a suicide, McCord said.

It didnt take long for matters to snowball after the flyer was distributed to St. Johns parents the following day by fellow parent Meredith Hatchell.

In it, she wrote that Jakawich had molested at least two students while they were visiting with his daughters. She also provided a link to online court information about when he was charged three years earlier with aggravated sexual battery of a child younger than 13, but was allowed to plead to a lesser charge.

Before the day was over, the school sent its own letter to parents about the allegations, and Jakawichs widow, Marin, filed a criminal complaint against Hatchell, her once close friend. Much more fallout would come in the days and weeks that followed.

Marin Jakawich wrote in her complaint that Hatchell had sent screen shots of online court records involving her late husband to multiple people, distributed letters calling him a pedophile at the school and in their neighborhood and came to her house and verbally assaulted her and other family members.

This is causing all of us extreme distress, Marin Jakawich wrote. We have left our home for a safe place.

Five days later, Hatchell was arrested and charged with several misdemeanors, including harassment by computer, disorderly conduct, and trespassing, court records show. A charge of violating a protective order would later be added. Hatchells husband, Tim, also was charged with using a computer for harassment and violating a protective order, but he wasnt arrested, according to the records.

A magistrate ordered Meredith Hatchell held without bond, and she spent a night in jail before being released. The case is scheduled for trial July 8 in Virginia Beach General District Court.

The Hatchells attorney, James Broccoletti, declined to comment, as did Kristin Paulding, a lawyer representing Marin Jakawich.

The fallout, however, didnt stop with the criminal charges against the Hatchells. A week later, on May 17, the Diocese of Richmond posted a notice on its website in which it addressed the claims and how it was responding.

The diocese recently learned of allegations of sexual abuse committed against students of St. John the Apostle School by an adult (now deceased), the post said. The appropriate civil authorities and law enforcement agencies are involved. The Diocese is also investigating to confirm whether the Dioceses Safe Environment regulations or other policies were properly followed.

The post went on to say that Father Rob Cole  the longtime pastor of St. John the Apostle Church and school  was placed on temporary leave while the matter was investigated. The schools principal, Miriam Cotton, also was out, having decided to retire.

Less than a month later, on June 12, the diocese posted another announcement in which it reported that Bishop Barry C. Knestout had determined that St. John the Apostle parish would benefit from new pastoral leadership. Fr. Rob Cole will no longer serve as pastor.

Bishop Knestout appreciates Fr. Coles dedication and service as the pastor to this community for more than 15 years, the post said. While this decision and transition will be difficult, the bishop appreciates the patience and support of the community.

Much of St. Johns church community, however, was anything but supportive of the bishops decision, said Chris Magruder and Dom Raso, members of the church and its mens rosary group.

Cole is beloved by the community, they said, and many were hurt by the decision to remove him. In a time when many Catholic churches are losing parishioners, St. Johns nearly tripled in size during Coles tenure, growing from about 1,200 families when he arrived to 3,300 today, they said.

The number of adults who enroll in its yearlong Rite of Christian Initiation program to become Catholics also grew, from about a half-dozen or so each year to about 40 to 50 now, the men said. Church facilities were expanded and improved, and the number of ministries serving the community increased to more than 70, they said.

It just didnt make sense, Magruder, 31, a member of the parish for the past five years, said of how matters were handled by the diocese. There was so little information, we didnt know what to think.

The lack of information was not only frustrating, Magruder and Raso said, parishioners also were concerned that it made it appear as if Cole had been involved in wrongdoing or a cover-up. And it didnt seem to be in alignment with the bishops promise to address abuse allegations quickly and transparently.

I would say the decisions made have been quick but certainly not transparent, Magruder said.

On their rosary group website, the men have asked parishioners to sign a document in support of Cole, which by this week had garnered nearly 700 signatures, Magruder said. Hundreds of letters also have been hand-delivered to the rectory where Cole lives.

Cole didnt respond to a message left for him at the churchs office last week. The diocese also didnt respond to a request for more information.

A father with children at St. Johns school said the reaction from parents has been mixed. While many still support Cole and the principal, there are many who also agreed with the decision to replace them, he said.

The father said that while both were well liked and respected, when the families learned that school officials knew Jakawich had been accused of assaulting a St. Johns student years ago, they were stunned and felt the school should have done more to make sure it didnt happen again.

He also said some of the families hes talked with believe the Jakawich family should have been asked to leave St. Johns once school officials became aware of the allegations in the first incident, out of fairness to the girl involved  who initially stayed enrolled but later left  and to protect others.

In the first case, Jakawich was charged in April 2021 on a felony count of aggravated sexual battery of a victim younger than 13. The charge was considered aggravated because of her age. The girl reported the abuse occurred in May 2020, according to court records.

Jakawich was arrested and released on bond, with conditions requiring he have no contact with the victim and her family, stay away from St. Johns, and have no minor children in his home other than his own, the records state. When the victim later withdrew from the school, he sought to have the conditions amended to allow him to go on the property and for his daughters to be able to have friends over to their house, but the court denied it.

An investigation by Child Protective Services later concluded that the girls accusations were unfounded, the records show. Prosecutors also were concerned with conflicting evidence theyd received, and as a result, offered Jakawich a plea deal to a lesser charge of misdemeanor assault and battery, said Macie Allen, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Beach Commonwealths Attorneys Office. The victims family agreed to the deal, she said.

Jakawich pleaded guilty to the lesser charge in June 2022, was given a one-year suspended jail sentence and ordered to remain on good behavior for a year.

The victims family informed the principal and Cole about the allegations even before Jakawich was charged, said attorney Kevin Biniazan, whos representing the Hatchells in a potential civil lawsuit.

The girl continued to attend St. Johns for a while but later withdrew because she and her family were concerned not enough was being done to keep her from running into Jakawich, Biniazan said.

The Hatchells daughter, now 12, has alleged that Jakawich assaulted her when she was 9, Biniazan said. She told her parents May 8, and they contacted police that day, the lawyer said. Jakawichs body was found the following day.

St. Johns parishioners were recently informed that a new pastor will take over in July, Magruder said. The diocese has not yet said where Cole will be reassigned.

Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
Central Virginia Community College (CVCC) gathered an art-loving crowd on Thursday for its Spring Showcase and Art Open House as part of The Hill, an art series by the college honoring Lynchburgs notorious hills and offering various creative classes and activities.

Francie Dye, CVCCs workforce training coordinator, explained the art series was made possible by a generous, anonymous donor. She collaborated with other art lovers at the college to direct the funds toward the idea of an "art revival," focused on hosting classes, workshops as well as the spring showcase to unite artists and enthusiasts alike.

It's really just open and bringing folks together to appreciate art regardless of where you are along the spectrum, she said. Maybe you're just a beginner  you haven't had much exposure, or maybe you're an artist, and you just want to get your work out there and exhibit it.

Creative events in the series will run from July 9 to Sept. 11, including courses on stain glass-making, window design, playwriting, origami, smartphone photography, slate-painting, porch sign design and several digital art tools.

Registration can be found at cvcc.augusoft.net. All participants younger than the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

The June 27 showcase, also a part of the series, represented the artistic talents of students, faculty, staff as well as Lynchburg-area locals who dazzled attendees with creations across a variety of art mediums.

Read about some of the showcase's featured talents:

Kristopher Collins

Kristopher Collins, former CVCC student and the showcases featured artist, has enjoyed exploring various art mediums since he was a child, he said. On display were various works including paintings, cardboard art, pen and ink drawings, woodblock printings as well as spray-painted work.

Collins helped Dye to spearhead the art revival initiative, aiming to promote artistic talent following the discontinuation of CVCCs liberal arts program in 2021. He said Dye reached out to him when she had the idea for the showcase, knowing him as a reliable, artistic source.

For two months, I shot [Dye] ideas...I literally said the words art revival, he said.

Aside from creating and selling physical art pieces, Collins used his talent to design a streetwear apparel brand, Oaksiders, and he posts art videos and vlogs to his YouTube channel, Get Struck Tuesdays.

He also currently serves as an ELMS-Canvas administrator for CVCC, overseeing the colleges learning management system.

Barry Leigh Vest Sr.

After surviving a near-fatal car crash, local artist Barry Leigh Vest Sr. explained that the tragedy was how he got his start as an artist in 2015.

That kind of rattled my brain...but then I could draw, he said.

The incident led to him suffering memory loss as well as anxiety. As a result, he began occupying himself with adult coloring books, then sketchbooks. Soon enough, Vest was producing extremely intricate illustrations that demonstrated his newfound, acute abilities in detailed line work and shading.

The event was Vests first art showcase.

Trish White

Trish White, a local artist who also manages marketing and PR for CVCC, considers the animated series Sailor Moon and Rainbow Brite to be her original inspiration. White, who studied at CVCC as well as Liberty University, has created and experimented with digital studio art, acrylic paintings as well as marker and pen art among other mediums.

Victoria Olin

CVCC student and self-taught artist Victoria Olin has been creating works for the last seven or eight years, she said. She explained her passion began when she was particularly bored one summer.

Olin shared that her key inspirations include luxury fashion and anime, or Japanese animation. She especially enjoys creating art depicting angels.

Megan Ellis

Local artist Megan Ellis said she has been drawing since she was in high school. She enjoys drawing what she referred to as collages of colorful illustrations. She is also skilled in crochet.

Ellis focuses on creating art surrounding what makes her happy in life.

Artists need to reflect things they like or they wouldnt enjoy doing it, she said.
IBARAKI, Jun 30 (News On Japan) - A 56-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly throwing a knife at his older brother during an argument, resulting in the brother's death.

According to police and other sources, Junichi Tamura, an unemployed resident of Goka, Ibaraki Prefecture, got into a dispute with his 59-year-old brother around 6 p.m. on June 29. During the argument, Tamura is suspected of throwing a folding knife, injuring his brother's head.

Emergency responders arrived following a call and found the brother lying on the ground, bleeding from the top of his head and in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Tamura has denied the charges, and police are investigating the circumstances of the incident and the exact cause of the brother's death.

Source: ANN
Are you planning a trip to Japan and want to experience more than just Tokyo? Look no further than Fukuoka City, a vibrant culinary hotspot that's easily accessible from major cities like Taipei, Shanghai, Busan, and Seoul. Join us as we delve into Hakata's rich food culture and uncover hidden gems that even locals rave about! (Japan by Food)
DALIAN, Jun 30 (News On Japan) - AI continues to advance, significantly impacting various fields, including healthcare. We spoke with Masayoshi Son of SoftBank Group, who announced plans to use AI for analyzing medical data and aiding in cancer treatment, about the future of AI in healthcare.

At the World Economic Forum in China on Tuesday, AI was a major topic. Following the trend of becoming an AI powerhouse, China recently showcased advanced generative AI technology that rivaled America's cutting-edge AI in quality. For instance, images generated by AI depicting a boy throwing a hamburger at tropical fish swimming underwater have garnered attention. Prominent investor Warren Buffett recently warned that AI-powered fraud could become the fastest-growing industry, while Elon Musk highlighted AI as one of humanity's greatest threats. Despite these risks, AI holds the potential for numerous benefits.

In Japan, IT company GMO announced an AI-powered robot capable of navigating stairs and recovering from falls, aimed at addressing the expected labor shortage of 11 million workers by 2040. Additionally, an AI-powered automatic harvesting robot developed by a Miyazaki-based company can determine the optimal harvest time for vegetables, addressing labor shortages in agriculture.

In the medical field, AI could extend healthy lifespans. Tokyo's medical venture recently launched a system in March to aid in the early detection of gastrointestinal diseases. This AI system learns from data that would take a human doctor a lifetime to memorize and assists in diagnosing stomach cancer based on endoscopic images.

On Thursday, SoftBank Group also announced a plan to use AI to analyze medical data for cancer treatment. The strength lies in the volume of data shared. They are collaborating with an American company that holds medical data for half of the U.S. cancer patients, approximately 770,000 people, and are partnering with 13 core hospitals in Japan to integrate and analyze electronic medical records of cancer patients. This comprehensive data sharing and analysis could soon be realized in Japan, similar to the U.S.

AI's capabilities in analyzing diverse data types like CT scans, MRIs, blood tests, and genomic information are revolutionizing cancer treatment. For example, an AI system analyzing data from 770,000 cancer patients across 2,000 hospitals can identify treatment patterns and suggest the most effective treatments in real-time. New drugs are constantly being developed, and AI can streamline the process by instantly translating and analyzing the latest global research for Japanese doctors.

Son expressed his determination to prevent future tragedies, having lost his father to cancer last year. He emphasized the rapid advancements in AI, noting that the computational power of AI has increased a thousand-fold over the past four years and is expected to continue growing exponentially. This progress positions AI to surpass human capabilities in various fields, including medical diagnostics and treatment planning.

SoftBanks AI project aims to integrate and analyze medical data from numerous hospitals, enhancing treatment efficiency and accuracy. With the potential to revolutionize healthcare, AI could bring unprecedented improvements to cancer treatment and other medical fields.

As AI technology continues to evolve, it will be crucial for Japan to embrace these advancements and avoid repeating past stagnations. The fusion of AI and medical technology promises to drive significant progress in healthcare, offering new hope for patients and medical professionals alike.

Source: TBS
Ishikawa, Jun 30 (NHK) - Monday marks six months since the massive New year's day earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula along the Sea of Japan.

The quake left local mobile phone networks paralyzed in many areas. Nearly 60 percent of base station cables were damaged far more seriously than in previous disasters.

The tremor left more than 3,300 people isolated in up to 24 areas in the central prefecture of Ishikawa.

Yamashita Tomotaka, a community leader in a mountainous area of Wajima City, said mudslides blocked all three access roads.

He said all mobile phones and fixed-line phones were useless immediately after the jolt.

Residents were unable to call for help from city authorities or anyone else.

"It was even impossible to call an ambulance. It's truly tough to be left without any means of communication," Yamashita said.

Six days after the quake, residents were finally able to make contact with the outside world. Ten days after the jolt, Self Defense Forces helicopters arrived to airlift about 30 residents to safer locations.

People in other parts of the prefecture had similar troubles. A communications ministry survey found that 57 percent of cables were rendered useless by mudslides or other problems. It was a situation far worse than in the 2011 quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.

Toyo University Professor Nakamura Isao said: "Here in the mountainous terrain of the Noto Peninsula, the quake triggered landslides that caused extensive damage to transmission lines. People's daily lives and administrative functions rely on telecommunications. And that's becoming more important than ever. I think it's necessary to maintain some form of continuous and dependable information channels."

A US satellite communication network called Starlink was installed at evacuation shelters and elsewhere until mobile phone and internet connections were restored. More than 600 devices, including reception antennas, were loaned out by the US firm and Japan's government.

The Starlink system was installed at an evacuation center in Suzu City. Iseki Juichi is a resident who did radio service work. He says some people didn't know how to make full use of the new system.

A medical support group visiting the shelter was unable to use an app to connect to the system, so Iseki helped them sort it out. He says that in other shelters antennas were set up in areas with poor radio wave reception.

The communications ministry is planning ways to improve emergency power sources at major base stations. It wants to make satellite connections available between the stations in the event of severed power cables.

The ministry is also setting up a system in which locals can have secure communications when disasters strike.
TOKYO, Jun 30 (News On Japan) - A 20-year-old university student was caught in the act of sneaking into the women's changing room at a public bathhouse in Tama City, Tokyo, while disguised as a woman.

The suspect, Daiki Kashima, was apprehended on the night of the 27th after being found in the women's changing room of a super sento in Tama City. According to investigative sources, a customer who found Kashima suspicious, wearing a long-haired wig and dressed as a woman, reported it to the staff. The police were then called and made the arrest.

Kashima admitted to the charges, stating, "I wanted to see naked women." Although he did not take any photographs in the changing room, the Metropolitan Police Department is investigating to see if there are any additional offenses.

Source: FNN
TOKYO, Jun 30 (News On Japan) - A dispute has arisen between a maid cafe and a curry shop in Akihabara, Tokyo, a globally recognized hub of subculture.

The representative of "Tsukuyomi Maid Cafe," known for its welcoming maids, announced on the 26th that "our company has been collaborating with an Akihabara curry shop since April, dispatching maids, but the dispatch fees remain unpaid."

In April 2024, the maid cafe began a collaboration with a nearby curry shop, also located in Akihabara, dispatching some of its maids to work there.

Footage from that time shows maids casting their signature spells over the curry ordered by customers.

However, a conflict arose regarding the duties of the maids, leading to the termination of the collaboration.

The cafe claims that approximately 250,000 yen in wages for the maids who worked there remains unpaid.

Konomi from Tsukuyomi Maid Cafe said, "We were told to stand outside and solicit customers, which was different from our contract. It is very disappointing. When we received the collaboration offer, we wanted to help enliven Akihabara."

The maid cafe asserts that tasks such as preparing salads and soliciting customers differ from the agreed maid duties.

The curry shop, just a two-minute walk away, provided a different perspective when interviewed.

A representative from RevolutioneEvolution stated, "As a restaurant, we wanted them to be involved in food-related tasks, but they did not comply."

The curry shop had requested the dispatched maids to help with cooking and dishwashing. However, they claim that the maids frequently refused these tasks, leading to allegations of contract violations.

The representative from RevolutioneEvolution added, "We are being asked to pay the full amount despite the contract violations. We are currently seeking legal advice and are willing to pay the dispatch fees, but we are negotiating a reduction with the other party."

Will the "un-cute rift" between Akihabaras iconic maids and the curry shop be resolved?

Source: FNN
TOKYO, Jul 01 (News On Japan) - In the world of Japanese sake, luxury brands with prices ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of yen are gaining prominence. The driving force behind this trend is startups led by individuals with experience in IT. These outsiders are challenging the high-end sake market using a fabless manufacturing approach, where they don't own the production facilities.

At Shibuya Mark City in Tokyo, a store that offers around 2,000 types of sake is currently highlighting a brand called Sake Hundred. Among its lineup, the "Hikari" variety is priced at approximately 40,000 yen, while the sparkling sake "Byakko" costs 30,000 yen. These high-priced products are rarely available online, making their physical presence in stores highly appreciated by customers, including tourists who buy them as souvenirs.

The startup behind Sake Hundred, which does not own production facilities. CEO Ikoma explains that they delegate sake production to partner breweries across Japan. Clear's role is to design the concept and flavor of the sake, which is then manufactured by the breweries.

In Kumamoto, Clear's manufacturing manager Kawase regularly visits partner breweries to fine-tune the taste. By collaborating closely with brewers, they aim to produce even better sake. Kawase emphasizes that their process involves frequent consultations to ensure the feasibility and quality of their products.

Clear's founder, Komasa, entered the sake industry after working in IT and starting a sake-focused media outlet in 2014. In 2018, he launched the Sake Hundred brand. Komasa's passion for sake and frustration with the industry's economic challenges led him to create a brand that bridges this gap, ensuring that both the product's appeal and the breweries' profitability are enhanced.

Clear collaborates with various breweries instead of owning one to stimulate the entire sake industry. By creating a brand that collectively benefits multiple breweries, they aim to generate substantial revenue and ensure sustainable growth.

Although Clear does not disclose detailed sales figures, their goal is to achieve 10 billion yen in revenue within five years. Despite the declining domestic consumption of sake since its peak in 1973, Clear is optimistic about the growing export market driven by the global popularity of Japanese cuisine.

Komasa believes that creating high-value sake is essential in today's market. He argues that it's unrealistic to expect consumers to drink four times more sake than before. Instead, the focus should be on producing sake that consumers are willing to buy at higher prices, thereby adding value to the product.

Clear's strategy includes creating a sense of aspiration for their brand among younger generations. They aim to position their sake as a luxury item that people aspire to own, similar to high-end fashion brands.

Despite the high prices, Clear's products attract both sake enthusiasts and novices. By continually improving their offerings and expanding their lineup, they strive to cater to a diverse range of consumers' preferences and lifestyles.

Source: BIZ
President Joe Biden bounced back from his disastrous debate against former President Donald Trump with a powerful campaign appearance that a former White House strategist said made him look like a different man.

A split-screen video presentation by CNN contrasted a pale and fumbling Biden searching for words and concepts at Thursday's debate with a clip of him appearing animated and driven the the following day.

At the rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, Biden acknowledged that at 81, "I don't debate as well as I used to" but said he wouldn't be running "if I didn't believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job."

"I know  like millions of Americans know  when you get knocked down, you get back up," he said, raising a fist as his supporters clapped and cheered.

CNN political commentator David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, said Friday night that "it's hard to recognize the guy we saw today in the guy we saw last night."

Axelrod also said the back-to-back performances "reminded me of the 2012  the first debate for President Obama, which didn't go well."

"And one of the things that we stressed was we had an event scheduled the next day" for Obama, he said on "The Source with Kaitlan Collins."

"You gotta be pumped. You gotta be pumped and show life, and so on. So this looked very familiar to me," Axelrod recalled.

Biden, who was aided by teleprompters on Friday, coughed repeatedly during his address, underscording what campaign aides reportedly said were symptoms of a cold that plagued him during Thursday night's CNN-sponsored debate.

That event featured an especially cringeworthy portion in which Biden appeared befuddled, repeatedly correcting statistics he'd cited and rambling about healthcare and the COVID-19 pandemic before saying that "we finally beat Medicare."

His poor performance led the New York Times editorial board to call for him to drop his reelection bid to "protect the soul of the nation" from a second Trump term it said would threaten "nothing less than the future of American democracy."

Trump was widely perceived to have won the face-off, although fact-checkers accused him of making numerous false statements, including claiming credit for the "greatest economy in history" when federal figures show growth has been stronger under Biden.

"He told a lie like once every 100 seconds," former Trump White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci told CNN.
By Gabe Gutierrez, Rebecca Shabad and Mike Memoli

RALEIGH, N.C.  President Joe Biden tried to turn his disappointing debate performance into a rallying cry for his supporters at an event on Friday, painting himself as down but not out as some in his party whisper about replacing him atop the ticket.

"I know I'm not a young man. I don't walk as easy as I used to. I dont speak as smoothly as I used to. I dont debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know  I know how to tell the truth!" an energetic Biden said, nodding at the criticism he received following Thursday night's debate while contrasting it with assessments about the accuracy of several statements by former President Donald Trump.

"When you get knocked down, you get back up," Biden yelled, to a cheering crowd.

"I intend to win this state in November," Biden said about North Carolina. "We win here, we win the election."

The campaign event, in a state that hasnt voted Democrat for a presidential candidate since Barack Obama in 2008, comes after what many political observers and some Democrats have said was a poor debate performance by Biden Thursday night against former President Donald Trump.

The presidents weak energy level and hoarse, raspy during Thursdays debate voice sent some Democrats into a tailspin, worried that a week of prep at Camp David had produced a lackluster performance.

There were moments when Biden, 81, froze during the debate, appearing to lose his train of thought and times when he tripped over his words, though he has struggled with a stutter his entire life.

About last night, Biden said on Friday, "I spent 90 minutes on the stage and debated the guy who has the morals of an alley cat."

Though he coughed at times during Friday's remarks, Biden's demeanor was more lively, delivering attack lines and riling up the crowd.

Biden said that when he thought about Trump's 34 felony convictions, his sexual assault on E. Jean Carroll, and being fined millions of dollars for business fraud, "I thought to myself, Donald Trump isn't just a convicted felon  Donald Trump is a one-man crime wave."

A senior Biden adviser said the campaign team worked closely with the president Friday morning to draft his closing remarks in Raleigh about the debate. It was not, the adviser said, a response to negative coverage or the calls growing in the party for him to consider stepping aside. Biden, the adviser said, knows full well he didnt deliver the performance he needed to last night and knew he needed to directly address it Friday.

First lady Jill Biden, donning a black dress that said "vote" all over it in white letters, delivered remarks before her husband and touted the president's strength and ability to lead.

"Even though he has faced unimaginable tragedies, his optimism is undaunted, his strength is unshakable, his hope is undeterred," she said. "And over the last few years. Joe has helped heal our country, helping us all recover from the chaos of the last administration."

"We dont choose our chapter in history, but we can choose who leads us through it," she continued. "What you saw last night on the debate stage was Joe Biden  a president with integrity and character who told the truth and Donald Trump told lie after lie after lie."

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, said on stage that there are 130 days before "the biggest election of our lifetime."

"I know that tensions are high right now, but this election is not just about what kind of president we want to have. This election is about what kind of country we want to be," said Cooper, who asked the crowd if they wanted to be in "Donald Trump's America." Eventually, the audience began chanting "lock him up!"

At the event, several Biden supporters acknowledged his lackluster performance but defended him.

"It wasnt his best night, but hes a better president," said John Burns. "Hes a better man, and hes going to get my vote and my work for the next five months."

"When you look at the totality of what hes done for our country and what he means for us, then I think that you walk away looking at not just one moment in time, but his contributions to our nation and to our society," Tara Winters said.

Another supporter, David Tillem, said that advisers should "pace" the campaign better. "Who else is there? Thats the question. Hes the one whos been out front. Can he do it? Yeah," he said about Biden. "Is he going to be running his ass into the ground campaigning? Probably should pace it better."

While Biden embarks on post-debate campaign travel, his supporters are quietly fretting in Washington.

Some Democrats, who spoke to NBC News anonymously, began calling after the debate for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race so that the Democratic Party could nominate a new candidate.

Other Democrats who spoke publicly reiterated their support for Biden. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential future presidential candidate, told MSNBC immediately following the debate that Democrats shouldnt be panicking.

I think its unhelpful and I think its unnecessary. Weve got to go in, we got to keep our heads high, and as I say, weve got to have the back of this president, he said. You dont turn your back because of one performance. What kind of party does that?

He added, Democrats delivered. This president has delivered. We need to deliver for him at this moment.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, another possible future Democratic presidential candidate, admitted in an interview Friday morning on MSNBCs Morning Joe that Biden didnt do well last night, but stressed that Democrats should stop worrying.

Ive had the opportunity to work closely with both the former president and President Biden, and you know what I can tell you, Joe Biden is up to the job, he said.

Gabe Gutierrez and Mike Memoli reported from Raleigh, N.C., and Rebecca Shabad, Jonathan Allen and Kelly O'Donnell reported from Washington.

TOP HEADLINES
In the Friday, Nov. 18, 1887, first edition issue of the Daily News, the contents one will find are quite a bit different from what you'd see in a modern paper. Advertisements were of the times, with such services as blacksmithing and livery stables still relevant during the era.
Morocco is fully committed to contributing to global efforts to combat the world drugs problem, as well as to prevent and treat drug addiction, said, this week in Vienna, the Kingdoms Permanent Representative in Vienna, Azzeddine Farhane.

The diplomat, who was speaking at a special event commemorating the United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, recalled that the Kingdom had already vowed, under the terms of the Pledge 4 Action initiative launched at the 2024 Mid-Term Review, to support efforts to strengthen cooperation with African countries in combating the various aspects of the global drug situation, by sharing its experience gained in implementing its national counter-narcotics strategy.

I would like to reiterate the commitment made by my country and reaffirm our commitment to share, on request, Moroccos experience in data collection and analysis with African countries, stressed Farhane.

The Kingdom remains convinced that the world drugs problem is a common and shared responsibility, and consequently, the fight against this phenomenon requires more than ever collective efforts, focused actions, and optimal cooperation at all levels to meet the challenges posed by this scourge, he said.

Morocco also welcomed the choice of theme for the special event, namely Data collection and research for effective drug policy as this theme refers, he said, to one of the fundamental components of the global fight against drug addiction and illicit trafficking, without which our collective efforts to properly tackle the world drugs problem would lack effectiveness.
Africas interests as an important component of the Global South must be preserved in the new global digital order, stressed from London Latifa Akharbach, President of Moroccos High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA).

Speaking at the University of Westminster as part of an international conference on The regulation of digital media and its challenges for the Global South, Ms. Akharbach, who also chairs the Network of African Communication Regulatory Authorities, stated that the reality of digital risks on the continent is not sufficiently known at the international level, and the accountability measures already implemented for global digital players do not take account of African contexts.

Ms. Akharbach, who backed up her comments with numerous examples and statistics, stated that the issue of the resilience of democracies in the face of information disorder in the new public space transformed by economically and technologically powerful private digital players has become particularly acute in Africa.

In addition to the persistence of the digital divide and electronic illiteracy, the continent faces several vulnerabilities induced by the growing dominance of social networks as a source of information and a space for political engagement exposed to all kinds of interference and instrumentalization, explained the chairwoman of the Network of African Communication Regulatory Authorities.

Ms. Akharbach also reiterated HACAs commitment to the online rights of African users of global digital platforms, voicing hope that Big Techs geopolitical vision of the continent would evolve.

In the meantime, she continued, despite the mobilization of African public authorities, particularly regulators, global digital players continue to invest in infrastructure to expand their African market. However, these investments are not correlated with the resources and efforts allocated to ensure a safe digital environment that respects the rights of African users.

The conference, organized by the Communication and Media Research Institute, a world-renowned research center attached to the School of Media and Communication at the University of Westminster in London, brought together experts, researchers, and university lecturers from the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Africa.
A K9 unit with the Nebraska State Patrol SWAT Team tracked down a suspect in a muddy area of a pond near the Platte River Saturday evening after a pursuit and manhunt.

Abraham Pacheco, 32, of Thornton, Colorado, was arrested at 7:25 p.m. south of Brady after a six hour manhunt along the river, Nebraska State Patrol spokesperson Cody Thomas said in a press release Sunday.

Pacheco allegedly stopped a stolen vehicle in the parking lot of the old gas station at the Interstate 80 Brady interchange about 1:25 p.m., exited the vehicle and fled into the woods. A Telegraph reporter witnessed the man run into the woods while armed with a firearm.

Troopers and deputies arrived on scene and established a perimeter. The NSP SWAT Team was also activated, the release said.

The North Platte Police Department and Dawson County Sheriffs Office also responded to assist. Drones were used to search the area and the NSP Aviation Support Unit responded as well.

Once troopers believed they had an approximate location of the suspect, the SWAT team began a closer search of the area, using a light armored vehicle.

A K9 was then able to track the suspect to a muddy area on the bank of a pond. The K9 was used to take the suspect into custody at 7:25 p.m., the release said.

Pacheco was transported to Great Plains Health in North Platte for medical clearance and has since been lodged in Lincoln County Jail on numerous charges. The investigation remains ongoing.

The incident began at about 1 p.m. Saturday, when Lincoln County Sheriffs deputies responded to a report of a vehicle on fire alongside I-80 near Hershey.

A witness told authorities that the driver of the vehicle ran away from the scene toward the interstate lakes in the area.

The man was then seen breaking into and stealing a pickup with a camper attached, the release said. The man ran over the owner of the pickup as he fled.

The owner of the pickup sustained serious, but what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries, the release said.

Lincoln County deputies began a pursuit of the suspect as he fled east on I-80. State Troopers took over pursuit of the vehicle as it passed the North Platte interchange. During the pursuit, the vehicle crossed into westbound lanes, continuing to drive east against traffic at high speeds, the release said.

Additional NSP units worked to slow westbound traffic to avoid any collisions. The suspect nearly struck a westbound trooper and continued driving against traffic for several miles before exiting at the Brady interchange, at mile marker 199.

At about 1:25 p.m., the suspect parked the vehicle in a parking lot and fled on foot into the wooded area.
After absorbing the initial waves of shock from Thursday nights debate debacle, allies of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have begun whispering to the media their reasons why the Democratic ticket must consist of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. It is that, if Biden steps aside, the partys only option would be to anoint Harris. If they fail to do so, Black voters would be outraged and register their dismay at the polls (or by refusing to go to the polls), thus ensuring Donald Trumps election.

The Biden logic then proceeds to its next step: Harris would be a worse nominee than Biden, thus nullifying any reason for him to relinquish his spot on the ticket.

You can see the logic being traced out via the media. Biden allies have played out the scenarios and see little chance of anyone besides Harris winning the nomination if he stepped aside, explains Axios. Is the Democratic Party going to deny the nomination to the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected V.P.?

Most Democrats who want to replace Biden also remain extremely dubious that his incumbent running mate, Kamala Harris, could beat Trump  but if she sought the nomination, then denying that prize to the first woman of color who has served as vice-president could tear apart the party, reports Ron Brownstein. The fear that such a fight could practically ensure defeat in November is one reason Democrats who are uneasy about renominating Biden have held their tongue for so long.

Of course, Harriss allies understandably dispute the premise that her nomination would be disastrous. But they very much cooperate with the implied threat that denying her the nomination would rip open mortal wounds in the Democratic coalition. The fact that people keep coming back to this is so offensive to so many of us. They still dont get that the message youre saying to people, to this Democratic Party, is, we prefer a white person, a veteran Democrat and Harris ally tells Politico, which notes that Harriss allies and aides are not shy about pointing out the optics of substituting any other candidate (likely white, possibly male) for Harris  a move that they suggest would upset not only Black delegates at the convention but also Black voters with whom the Biden campaign is already on shaky ground.

And so, by the logic offered by the Biden and Harris teams, the ticket is frozen in place. Biden cant step down because he would have to hand the role to Harris, and the party doesnt trust her in that position. Harriss allies are aiming a gun at the party, and Biden is pointing at Harris, pleading his own helplessness.

If this reasoning characterized the situation accurately, then the party is indeed doomed to shuffle forlornly toward November and the likely restoration of Trump and all the horrors he would bring. But I find the rationale not only suspiciously self-serving but also wrong on several key points.

First, while there was good reason to believe a year ago that Harris was clearly worse than Biden, there is much less reason to think that today. His catastrophic debate performance was an out-of-sample event. We will await more polling to measure the scale of the destruction, but Bidens campaign had been pointing to the debate as the event that would redirect public attention from Bidens faltering performance and onto Trumps maniacal unfitness. Not only did Biden fail utterly, he achieved the opposite of his intention. Its difficult to imagine anything Trump could do or say that would attract more attention than Biden spending an hour and a half sounding like a cast member in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.

Is Harris a mediocre politician? At this point, mediocrity at the head of the ticket would be a welcome improvement.

Now, while I think Harris is probably a better option than Biden, she is not the Democrats best option. If you undertake a change as radical as swapping out your presidential candidate because hes losing to a sociopathic criminal, then you should really go ahead and pick a candidate whose political and governing skills have the confidence of the party elite. As Napoleon said, if you start to take Vienna, take Vienna.

This brings me to the next problem with the Biden-Harris argument for staying the course. If Harris is passed over, the threat is that Black voters wont give Democrats the necessary landslide margins they need. That is happening already. Almost every poll shows the Biden-Harris ticket is garnering the lowest levels of Black support for any Democratic ticket in decades. The danger of a depressed Black electorate is being used to maintain a ticket that is losing in part because of a depressed Black electorate.

What evidence is there that having Harris as vice-president and heir apparent has any positive effect on a constituency outside of political elites and professional activists who whisper to reporters? What reason is there to believe a different ticket, which could easily feature a different Black vice-presidential candidate on it, would fare any worse?

It helps to think more specifically about the hypothetical complaint that would ensue from Biden-Harris being replaced with, say, Gretchen WhitmerCory Booker. The complaint would be that Harris was passed over for a less qualified white candidate, and Black candidates are being shunted into the vice-presidency, a powerless role, because Democrats dont trust them in the top job.

That complaint might have some rational basis if it werent for the very well-known fact that Democrats did nominate an African American for president in the very recent past. Twice! Indeed, Barack Obama leaped ahead of the older white candidate whose supporters believed it was her turn to get the job. So the main basis of Harriss discrimination charge would be obviously false.

That the hypothetical specter of baseless charges of racism are being used to empower an obviously ineffective white male candidate reveals a deeper problem to the Democratic Partys approach to representational politics.

Identity politics in American elections is not some modern Democratic Party innovation. For most of our history, campaigns were bound by an unstated but extremely firm requirement that the candidate pool be limited to white men. Parties have always deliberately chosen candidates with backgrounds tailored to appeal to identity blocs  Protestant, Catholic, German, Irish, etc. It was long standard practice for presidential tickets to balance a southern presidential nominee with a Northerner or vice versa. None of this was seen as fatally compromising qualifications for the sake of identity politics.

Still, even when parties employed hard regional or ethnic quotas for picking candidates, they still applied some test of candidate skill. The bosses in the smoke-filled room would try to assess whether the candidate could garner votes. That was the candidates job: garnering votes. And there has never been any reason to believe Harris possesses this talent at the level required to win a presidential election.

She won a Senate race in California, but that is a state where winning the nomination is tantamount to winning the general election. It does not require appealing to any voters who are not reliable Democrats. (For this same reason, I would absolutely not consider Gavin Newsom to replace Biden.)

Harris is telegenic and appears forceful in prepared settings when she can use her prosecutorial background. I was an early supporter of her 2020 presidential campaign. But that campaign was utterly shambolic. Despite having the benefit of the media treating her as a top-tier candidate, she committed a series of blunders, including changing her position on Medicare for All  at the time the most important issue in the campaign  three times without ever being able to discuss the issue coherently.

Biden selected her anyway, owing to a strange combination of factors. Early on, he promised to appoint a female vice-presidential nominee. And after he won the nomination, the murder of George Floyd led activists to pressure him to choose someone who was Black.

The combination of those two requirements functionally narrowed the candidate pool to a single person. Biden considered Karen Bass and Val Demings, who were both members of the House of Representatives, and even Susan Rice, who had never held elective office. But the traditional bar for vice-presidents is a governor or senator, and Harris was literally the only Black woman who met that bar. It is surely true that deeply embedded racism and sexism has prevented more Black women from attaining those positions. But where things stood in 2020, Harris applied for a job in which she had the only qualifying resume.

A more sure-footed Biden campaign would have been able to resist demands that had boxed in its options to such an extreme degree. Here, I think, the extreme non-diversity of Bidens inner circle left him highly vulnerable. Biden has long confined his trusted confidantes to a small handful of mostly male and entirely white advisers. This made female and non-white Democratic groups understandably suspicious that Biden was not listening to their perspective and made it harder, especially in the feverish post-Floyd atmosphere, to push back. Bidens path of least resistance was to avoid any identity-politics fights during the campaign and get through to November with a united party.

Democrats hoped Harris learned from her campaign and would develop into a plausible successor. Its clear that few leading Democrats believe she has done so. Assessing the performance of a vice-president who has no real official responsibilities is notoriously amorphous and inherently subject to all kinds of bias, including racism and sexism. Still, Harris has churned through staff. Last year, a New York Times story on her performance contained an absolutely devastating passage:

But the painful reality for Ms. Harris is that in private conversations over the last few months, dozens of Democrats in the White House, on Capitol Hill and around the nation  including some who helped put her on the partys 2020 ticket  said she had not risen to the challenge of proving herself as a future leader of the party, much less the country. Even some Democrats whom her own advisers referred reporters to for supportive quotes confided privately that they had lost hope in her.

Harris can chalk this all up to racism and sexism, but even Democrats her own team selected as character witnesses have said they dont think she is up to the job. If you want to understand why Democrats are so hesitant to replace Biden with Harris, this more than explains their belief.

So where does this leave the party right now? Obviously, Biden cant change decisions he made four years ago. But this history should give Democrats a more skeptical perspective on the use and abuse of political jockeying styled as identity politics.

The modern Democratic Partys laudable and correct interest in expanding its leadership to excluded groups has had the unfortunate side effect of allowing candidates to weaponize insinuation. Just try to recall the endless volley of charges of racism and sexism between supporters of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008, Clinton and Sanders in 2016, and basically everybody in 2020 without cringing.

That history is the backstop of the partys current paralysis. And that toxicity has now returned, with Biden-Harris supporters already taking to social media to tar Democrats who disagree with them as racist, sexist, or both. It may or may not be the case that Democrats are so deeply enmeshed in the most cartoonish form of identity-politics discourse that they cant make clearheaded political choices, even with the highest possible stakes.

What they should not do is passively accept this state of affairs as an unalterable force of nature. Democrats have a choice about how they conduct their public debates over their nominees. When political actors use charges of bias to position their favored candidate for power, they can subject these claims to the appropriate level of skepticism rather than treat them as nuclear weapons aimed at their base. Submitting to this form of extortion is a choice, as is, potentially, ignoring or resisting it.

This doesnt mean Harris cant be the nominee. At the moment, according to one post-debate poll, only 27 percent of Americans believe Joe Biden has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president. This poses an almost-insurmountable obstacle to his election, even with Trumps manifest unfitness. Biden is losing, and he has already squandered what his own campaign considered his best chance to change the race.

Again, even with all her limitations, Harris is probably a stronger candidate now than Biden. I also think there are better options than Harris. My choice would be Gretchen Whitmer, whos displayed a repeated talent at appealing to swing voters and who could be paired with a Black running mate like Cory Booker. There are other promising options, but I wont pretend I can offer any single solution with any confidence that its the best way to go. I do believe that almost any change, including a Harris nomination, makes more sense than keeping a nominee who has so deeply forfeited public confidence.

My overarching point is that Democrats need to summon the collective willpower to make political choices in the interest of their party and their country. Its not too late, but very soon it will be. The Biden campaign has brought the party to a crisis point by a series of choices dictated by personal comfort, short-term thinking, and narrow self-interest. These decisions may be rational for the individuals involved, but they add up to a collective disaster.

If that persists, they will continue to drift toward a potentially irreversible setback for American democracy. If Biden and Harris havent opened their eyes to what we are now facing, everybody else in their party with influence has a duty to grab them by the shoulder and force them to.

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ExxonMobil joined major lithium producers this week in reiterating a bullish outlook on long-term lithium demand despite the current bearish market and recent price slump of the metal critical for the energy transition.

Lithium prices have crashed in recent months, dragged down by piling inventories amid slowing growth in electric vehicle sales. Lithium producers said earlier this year that the current low-price environment is "unsustainable" and could hold back investments in new supply.

However, all lithium producers, including the world's largest, Albemarle, are bullish about the long-term prospects of the key battery metal.

Oil supermajor Exxon, which announced last year plans to produce lithium in Arkansas and become a leading EV battery supplier by 2030, is also optimistic about EV and lithium demand in the long term despite the bearish near-term market prospects.

"What we're seeing right now in lithium is the sentiment is bearish," Exxon's Lithium Global Business Manager, Patrick Howarth, told Bloomberg in an interview on the sidelines of the Fastmarkets Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials Conference in Las Vegas.

"But underlying that is a demand growth story for EVs and the lithium-ion batteries that go into EVs," Howarth said.

"We know the world urgently needs significantly more lithium than it's producing today."

In the energy transition, Exxon is hedging its bets with a project to extract lithium from underground saltwater deposits in southwest Arkansas and process it onsite into a battery-grade material.

Related: Argentina's First Ultra-Deepwater Well Comes Up Dry

In November, the oil giant said it had started drilling the first lithium well in Arkansas as it aims to be a leading supplier of electric vehicles by 2030.

Exxon targets first lithium production for 2027 and is also evaluating growth opportunities globally. By 2030, ExxonMobil aims to be producing enough lithium to supply the manufacturing needs of more than a million EVs per year. The company is in ongoing discussions with potential customers, including EV and battery manufacturers.

This week, Exxon signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with South Korean EV battery developer SK On, which could pave the way to a multi-year offtake agreement of up to 100,000 metric tons of Mobil Lithium from the company's first planned project in Arkansas. SK On plans to use the lithium in its EV battery manufacturing operations in the United States. SK On currently operates two battery plants in Commerce, Georgia, and is building four more plants through joint ventures with Ford Motor Co. and Hyundai Motor Group.

"The world needs more lithium to support its emissions goals, and we're doing our part to drive solutions forward in the United States," Dan Ammann, President of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions, said, commenting on the agreement.

Exxon is touting two strengths in its future lithium offering.

First, the drilling technologies and skills to produce lithium from deep brines like those in Arkansas are very similar to the ones the supermajor has been using for decades in its oil and gas business. Second, Exxon also has a long-standing rich history of deep technical partnerships with the automotive industry.

Still, Exxon believes that its main oil business will be needed in the automotive industry for many more years.

Amid growing EV fleets, the world "also needs ICE vehicles as well for many years to come," Exxon's Howarth told Bloomberg.

"So I think our lithium business and oil business can co-exist."

Despite the recent slump in lithium prices, Exxon and major lithium producers continue to be bullish on the long-term prospects of the critical mineral. Exxon is focused on the long-term fundamentals, which are bullish for lithium suppliers, Howarth said at the Las Vegas conference.

"We're really focused on the fundamentals of the underlying business," the executive noted.

"We're not scared off by low prices, and we're not drawn in by high prices."

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Kazakhstan will unveil its program to curb methane emissions during the UN climate conference in Baku in November, Kazakh officials have revealed. The announcement is the latest in a series of actions to keep the countrys greenhouse gas reduction efforts on track after Astana joined the Global Methane Pledge at the end of 2023.

This voluntary agreement encourages signatories to collectively reduce global methane pollution by at least 30 percent below 2020 levels by 2030. The commitment is in line with international incentives to combat global warming. Kazakhstan is set to cut its emissions by 4.9 percent from 2020 levels, or up to 2 million metric tons. The effort will involve total spending of at least $1.4 billion through 2030, a figure based on US and international projections for Kazakhstans oil and gas sector.

We have developed a roadmap to meet these methane reduction commitments, said Saule Sabieva, a top official at the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, who participated in an early June meeting in Germany that laid the groundwork for the upcoming UN climate conference, known as COP29. Measures will be tailored to each industry, she added.

According to researchers, the energy sector is the largest source of methane emissions, accounting for almost two-thirds of emissions between 1990 and 2021. Agriculture was a distant second as a methane source over the same period, accounting for 30 percent. Waste management rounded out the top three with 6.5 percent of emissions.

Between June and December 2023, Kazakhstan experienced what was reportedly the second-largest anthropogenic methane leak ever documented. A natural gas fire started during well-drilling operation in the Mangystau region of southwestern Kazakhstan. Methane levels in the air were measured at 480 times the legal limit. The well operator, Buzachi Neft, was penalized with $780,000 in fines.

The fire lasted about 200 days and was not extinguished until December 25, more than three weeks after Kazakhstan announced its commitment to the Global Methane Pledge.

In May, Buzachi Neft, the methane super-emitter, announced plans to drill 23 new wells in the Mangystau region. The proposed drilling depth was set at 4,265 feet, with a margin of 820 feet. Construction work could begin as early as September. The wells are expected to start production between 2025 and 2034. The private oil company did not respond to a request for comment on what adjustments have been made to safety measures to prevent methane leaks like the one that occurred in 2023.

Another oil and gas producer, state-owned KazMunayGas, has been more transparent with its methane management strategy. It signed a memorandum of cooperation with Oslo-based Carbon Limits, an environmental consultancy that provides solutions to reduce emissions. The firm deployed its Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program for a test demonstration at one of KazMunayGas production sites.

The technology uses satellite imagery to identify methane super-emitters. Infrared cameras pinpoint the exact source of methane seeps. The leaks can then be promptly sealed. The training involved 24 employees from KazMunayGas and its subsidiaries. In the future, [they] will independently implement the LDAR system at their sites, the company said in the statement. According to media reports, applying the know-how could cost from $1 million.

Beyond the LDAR rollout, several measures are planned as part of Astanas commitment to the Global Methane Pledge. As reported by the LS news agency, an estimated $80 million could be allocated to upgrade coalbed infrastructure and process methane for power generation. Another $200 million could be used for early coal seam degassing at the Tentekskaya mine in northeastern Kazakhstan. This will be done using the plasma pulse impact method. This technique helps create micro-fractures and is used in methane-unsafe mines. At least $70 million a year is needed to deal with methane leaks at Kazakhstans oil and gas facilities.

In April, the Ministry of Energy approached the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to jointly attract investment for new projects. In May, the development of national standards for methane reduction was discussed at the Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue, a format that brought a Kazakh delegation to Washington.

By Ekaterina Venkina via Eurasianet.org

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Former President Donald Trump cautioned his supporters in a macabre "joke" during a rally in Virginia against having dinner with fictional cannibal serial killer Hannibal Lecter, warning: "Don't do it."

Trump again took the opportunity during his campigan stop in Chesapeake to compare the gruesome killer, who enjoyed his victims with some fava beans and chianti, to immigrants streaming across the U.S. border. He mistakenly called the 1991 Oscar-winning film starring Anthony Hopkins the "Silence of the Lamb."

"They're coming from prisons and jails, mental institutions and insane asylums like 'Silence of the Lamb,'" he said of immigrants at the rally, though there is no evidence to support that claim.

Trump: Silence of the lamb. The late great Hannibal Lecter pic.twitter.com/Qp6cta0DjU  Acyn (@Acyn) June 28, 2024

Trump made a similar comparison during a rally last month on the Jersey Shore where he also talked about the "late, great" Hannibal Lecter.

"Has anyone ever seen The Silence of the Lambs?" Trump asked the crowd in Wildwood then, getting the title of the movie right.

"The press always says, 'Why does he ramble about Silence of the Lamb?' The late, great Hannibal Lecter. He'd like to have you over for dinner. Did you ever? Don't do it," Trump warned.

"If he suggests, 'I'd like to have you for dinner,' don't go. But these are the people, these are the people that are coming into our country and they are coming in numbers that nobody can believe," he continued, again inserting immigrants into the bizarre comments.

Trump repeated his claim about migrants in his debate against Joe Biden Thursday, insisting that nations are emptying out "millions" from their prisons and mental institution to send to the U.S

CNN, PBS and the Poynter Insitute's Politifact responded with a fact check that there is no evidence of such a push (calling such a claim "ridiculous"), and that Immigration officials arrested a total of about 103,700 noncitizens with criminal convictions from fiscal years 2021 to 2024, according to federal data.
By David Hollis of TruckersNews

Operating expenses for trucking companies increased in 2023, according to the results of a new study released on Friday.

The American Transportation Research Institute's 2024 Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking found the overall marginal costs of operating a truck hit $2.270 per mile in 2023, a new record high. While the increase was only 0.8 percent over the previous year, when surcharge-protected fuel costs are excluded, marginal costs rose 6.6 percent to $1.716 per mile, according to the study.

ATRI's annual report analyzes line-item costs, operating efficiencies, and revenue benchmarks by fleet sector and size.

Overall, 2023 expenses rose moderately across most categories, with average costs across line-items increasing at less than half the rates experienced during 2021 and 2022, according to the study. It found:

Truck and trailer payments grew by 8.8 percent to $0.360 per mile

Driver wages grew by 7.6 percent to $0.779 per mile

Repair and maintenance costs grew by 3.1 percent to $0.202 per mile

Insurance premiums grew by 12.5 percent to $0.099 per mile after two years of negligible change

ATRI said the soft 2023 freight market -- which continues in 2024 -- posed many challenges for operational efficiency. Deadhead mileage rose to an average of 16.3 percent for all non-tank operations, and driver turnover rose by five percentage points in the truckload sector.

These pressures combined with low freight rates strained profitability across the industry, said ATRI in a statement announcing the release of its study.

Average operating margins were 6 percent or lower in all fleet sizes and sectors other than LTL. The truckload and specialized sectors experienced drops in per-mile or per-truck revenue, and most saw other costs  expenses outside of the core marginal line-items  increase as a share of total revenue.

By Zerohedge.com

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Many foreigners who visit Japan are confused, intrigued and sometimes baffled by Japanese culture and some of the aspects of life that are unique to Japan. Whether it be the amount of anime, manga and cosplay displayed in Akihabara, the unique and traditional Japanese cuisine and themed restaurants or all of the bowing that takes place amongst Japanese people, Japan has an atmosphere unlike any other country.

So it is no surprise that even Japans bathrooms are one of a kind sites that sometimes amaze and perplex visitors. We asked some foreigners living in or visiting Japan what confused, impressed and astonished them about Japanese bathrooms.

1. Automatic Doors

If you are a germaphobe than you are going to love handling your business in a modern Japanese bathroom. Many of the newest and high-tech bathrooms have many features that allow people to enter and exit the bathroom without having touched anything (at least with their hands).

Many newer public bathrooms dont have a swinging door that you must push to enter. Instead, most newer bathrooms have a long corridor that leads to the sectioned off bathroom or have automatic sliding doors like you would find at a supermarket. This allows people to enter and exit the bathroom without pushing or pulling open doors.

2. Automatic Seats

Many new toilets have sensors on the toilet which raise and lower when someone approaches. Not having to lift or lower the toilet seat is not only great for avoiding the spread of germs but also convenient for those who forget to lower the toilet seat when leaving.

Ryan, 33, a businessman from Chicago, was shocked when he first witnessed the seat rising. I was at my hotel and I just entered my bathroom to put my toiletries away when suddenly the seat made a buzzing noise and started rising. It freaked me out because I wasnt expecting it. But now I like it. I feel like I am in a sci-fi movie, he said.

3. Auto-flush

When you are finished using the toilet and stand up, a sensor triggers an automatic flush function. Often people forget to flush so this takes care of that problem. Michelle, 28, from Toronto admitted, I dread opening stalls in Canada to find floaters in the toilet. But in Japan, whenever I went into a stall it would start flushing automatically and then flush again when I left!

As the flush lever or button is most-likely the dirtiest surface you are likely to touch in a bathroom because no one has washed their hands until after leaving the stall, automatic flushing makes sense. Instead of a lever, having a sensor allows you to flush the toilet without contaminating your hands.

4. Hand Washing and Drying

Modern bathrooms also come with a sink that has both water and soap dispensers that react to sensors. There is no need to touch a tap or push a soap lever to properly wash your hands.

Something curious, however, is that many public bathrooms in Japan lack a hand dryer or towels. Youll want to bring a handkerchief or hand towel with you just in case, so youre not drying yourself on your shirt!

5. Surprisingly Clean

Having lived here for 3 years now Ive probably peed in every train station public restroom, and many more outside of stations. Shockingly, theyve all been clean and the busy restrooms well maintained. - Carol (58, USA)

In my experience, both in my home country and when traveling abroad, most public bathrooms I have visited are dirty, dilapidated, foul-smelling, or germ-infested places.

Compared to such bathrooms, the ones I have visited in Japan are surprisingly clean. Many visitors who come to Japan notice that bathrooms at most airports, train stations, hotels, department stores and public restrooms are generally in good working condition and clean.

Most Japanese people seem to be much more careful and cautious about using public spaces. The streets, trains and public spaces in Japan tend to have less garbage, graffiti and filth. Japanese people tend to take their garbage home with them and try to avoid making a mess.

6. Cleaning Staff in the Bathroom

Most public places have cleaning staff that regularly handle the cleaning and upkeep of the bathrooms. Sweeping, mopping, wiping down toilets and counters, replacing toilet paper and throwing away leftover trash, many bathrooms tend not to get to the point where the smells or sights are overwhelming.

However many foreigners are surprised to see female cleaners cleaning both male and female bathrooms while people are using them.

Mickey, 37, an American teacher living in Chiba mentioned, Female cleaning staff dont really care if youre taking a pee, and John, 43, a tourist visiting from Australia, felt really uncomfortable as a female cleaning staff was waiting outside his stall for him to finish. I felt so self-conscious and in the end couldnt do it and left the stall without relieving myself.

The Washlet - Toilet Technology

Japanese toilets are at the forefront of technological advancement with a variety of features and gadgets that no other toilets had until the company TOTO introduced its washlet style toilet in 1997. Guiness Book of World Records also recognized the washlet as the most sophisticated toilet in the world. With a list of amazing features, it is no wonder that foreigners who have never used a washlet style toilet leave quite impressed and satisfied.

7. Musical Bidet

Probably the most popular feature of the washlet is the nozzle that extends and squirts water when the bidet button is activated. Electric toilets that play the sound of a babbling stream and birdsong whilst a robot arm sprays your bum with warm water. Beats western bogs by miles, chimed in Simon, 54, a traveller from Belgium. And many others agreed with him. Im impressed by the singing toilets that make flushing sounds and wash you, said Megan, 24 from Canada who came to Japan as an exchange student in university.

The nozzle of the bidet is self-cleaning and also pulsates to ensure an effective wash. There are different pressure levels for those who want a lighter or stronger flow of water making the waste elimination process unique and customizable for each user.

8. Warm Seat

A common issue with toilets in the winter are the seats get cold and are shocking to the bare skin. Japanese toilets have heated seats to ensure sitting on one will be comfortable and warm.

Seat warmers are great! At first, it was weird but after living in Hokkaido, I love them, said Lina, 38, an American ALT currently living in Northern Japan.

9. Toilet Music

Japanese people, particularly females, are embarrassed by the sounds that accompany relieving yourself so toilet designers created a button when pressed broadcasts either water flushing sounds or music to camouflage the bodily sounds that are emitted. But for some foreigners who rather than using this function to hide their sounds, they are quite entertained by the idea of musical toilets.

Adrianna, 40, from Canada, enjoyed the apparatus. I like the number of music choices I have to go pee to!

Many toilets automatically start a flushing sound or water noise when you sit while others have a specific privacy button that needs to be pressed to activate the feature. Depending on the model, toilets emit flushing sounds, birds chirping, ocean waves and even songs.

10. Privacy

A lot of foreigners from North America were impressed and happy about the level of privacy each stall had to offer. Tyler, 31, from the US really noticed the difference with toilets in Japan compared to back home.

He explained, I like how long the doors go. And that there arent giant cracks where the door meets the hinges. A real sense of privacy that I never got in an American public restroom.

Carol, 58, a fellow American also agreed. I love the doors go all the way to the floor and no gaps anywhere.

11. Deodorizer & Dryer

David, 35, a hotel manager from Lake Louise Canada, was fascinated with the washlet toilets. The high tech toilet with the remote control bidet built in and the perfume gun are incredible.

To fight the odors that might exude from the toilet before flushing, modern Japanese toilets also have a deodorizer button that releases an air-freshener scent into the toilet bowl. And a built in dryer also creates air flow to waft away bad odors. The dryer is also useful for drying excess water from the skin which also replaces or decreased the need of a lot of toilet paper. Both efficient and eco-friendly, the toilets aim to save water and paper waste.

12. Toilet Tank Sink

Many toilets in Japan have a sink attached to the toilet tank that releases clean water to wash hands. This water then goes into the toilet bowl. An efficient and innovative way to save water. Rather than people having to flush the toilet and wash their hands at a seperate sink, this option lets you wash your hands with fresh water before it enters the toilet bowl.

Xavier, 47, a long time expat American in Japan admired the efficiency of the bathrooms with sinks built into the top.

Amanda, 29, a tourist from Seattle, who often visits Japan said, I was impressed with the privacy of the stalls, the small and big flush modes and the sinks on the tanks. I live in the US and would love to have a toilet with those last two features.

Marie, 55 from Australia also noticed some interesting things about bathrooms in Japan. Id never seen the toilets with the hand washing basin on top. Also, I dont know if its a Japan thing, but the womens toilets are almost always further away; for example, in shopping malls and cinemas.

13. Flushing modes

One thing that might be unique to Japanese toilets are the two types of flushing modes they have. Labelled in Kanji as  which means big and  which means small, users can choose which level of flush they require.

Equivalent to the English differentiation between one and two,  is for doing a number two or defecation while  refers to a number one or urination.

Carol, 58 from the US admitted, I have to say though, sometimes Im confused about which button to flush. Once I learned the kanji it got a whole lot better!

14. Squatters are still around

The old school squat toilets felt out of place. - Nathan, 61, US

On the opposite end of the spectrum, many foreigners who come to Japan come to realize how technologically modern the country has become while still maintaining its traditional aspects as well. Along with robots at airports and hotels giving directions and advice and automatic doors and vending machines everywhere, sometimes it is a shock when visitors walk into an older Japanese-style bathroom with squat toilets.

When I first got to Hokkaido my house only had a toilet with an uncovered drop tank like in most port-o-potties, said Sarah, 34 an American English teacher living in Japan.

The traditional squatter toilets that are built into the floor require squatting rather than sitting to use. These relics are still surprisingly widely used and available in train stations, parks, schools and older buildings. Also, many modern bathrooms usually have one squat style toilet stall along with modern western-style sitting toilets for those who prefer the traditional style toilet.

However, Carol, 58, from the US now prefers squatter toilets to western-style ones. Squat toilets are awesome since I never sit on public toilet seats anyway because of germs. I really like the public restrooms here!

15. Going Paperless

Both traditional and modern Japanese bathrooms might or might not have toilet paper and hand towels for drying after washing hands. If you are in a fancy department store or hotel, you should have a washlet toilet with built-in dryer, toilet paper, automatic hand dryers and paper towels.

But some public bathrooms in older parts of Japan do not provide toilet paper or hand towels. This might be done to save money and reduce paper waste but can be quite shocking to visitors who have already begun eliminating wastes before they realize there is no toilet paper available.

Katie, 23 from California was quite surprised when she was in a Japanese bathroom. No soap in like half of the bathrooms. No towels or drying systems either. I learned quickly to carry a small hand towel, she added.

Most Japanese people carry tissue packets to use as toilet paper and hand towels or handkerchiefs for drying hands after washing. So it might be a good idea to have tissue and towels with you just in case.

16. Emergency Button

The emergency button was nice but made me ask what constitutes an emergency, asked David, 35, from Canada, when noticing it when he visited a Japanese bathroom.

One thing that confuses foreigners is the extra button that sometimes gets mistaken for a flush button. Many public bathrooms have an emergency button that can be pressed or pulled in emergency situations. Sometimes pushing it sends out a large alarm while other times it sends a signal to security or staff to check on the stall.

I have accidentally pushed it thinking it was the flush button. A loud beeping sound persisted and I didnt know how to switch it off. So I quickly finished and ran away.

The button is quite useful, especially in a country where the aging population is increasing. Whether it be used for health reasons or safety reasons, having a quick and convenient way to call for help is definitely a feature of the Japanese toilet that most people can appreciate.

Out and about in Japan, when nature calls it is good to know that you will have a bathroom that will most likely be clean, in good working condition and convenient. You will find many cutting edge technological devices and features that will add an even more interesting experience to an already adventurous trip to Japan. Make sure to experience all that Japan has to offer both culturally and technologically. Also make sure to snap a picture of the modern toilet to show your friends back home.
Omaha police are investigating a fatal hit-and-run that occurred early Saturday.

A car was traveling northbound on 24th Street near Decatur Street when a pedestrian was struck while crossing from east to west, authorities said.

The driver of the car did not stop.

The pedestrian, 19-year-old Danayjha Britt, was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Omaha Police Department Traffic Unit at 402-444-5627 or Omaha Crime Stoppers anonymously at 402-444-STOP, at www.omahacrimestoppers.org or on the P3 Tips mobile app.
Unknown gunmen in military uniform have killed a Government House Photographer, Mr. Reginald Dei, and one other person at Oweikorogha, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Dei was killed alongside the Ward Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the area, Mr. Seidougha Taribi.

According to an eye witness account, the two victims of the electoral violence were killed while they were in their houses and waiting for the votes which had been concluded in their Ward to be counted.

The assailants were said to have moved to the houses of the victims to allegedly shoot them dead.

The State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Moses Cleopas, said in a statement on Saturday that the deaths of Dei and Seidougha bring the number of those killed by APC thugs, to three.

Moses had said that thugs identified to be working for the APC with the support of some soldiers had besieged the Bassambiri and Oluasiri axis of Nembe Local Government Area, where they engaged operatives in a shootout all night on Friday.

According to him, the attackers lost a member in the attack while several others were injured and taken to the Hospital in Ogbolomabiri and Yenagoa.

He accused former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, and Surveillance Contractors in Nembe, Kodjo, as being behind the violence that rocked Opu Nembe and Bassambiri.

He stated further that the rampaging APC thugs hijacked the electoral materials for the seven wards of Bassambiri and Oluasiri to Darius Hotel for thumb-printing.

Similarly, soldiers protecting the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, and thugs disrupted the voting in Agbere, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The materials for the elections were reportedly taken to the residence of Brambaifa thereby igniting an ongoing protest by the youths.
Parents of Muslim students at the International School, University of Ibadan, under the umbrella of International School Ibadan (ISI) Muslim Parents Forum have called on well-meaning Nigerians to call Principal of the school, Mrs. Phebean Olowe, to order in order to avert crisis in the school.

The Muslim parents noted that the need to call Olowe to order was necessary so as to avoid further harassment, molestation and inhuman treatments of female Muslim students over the use of Hijab outside the school.

Our correspondent recalls that the use of Hijab by female Muslim students in the school has since November 2018 been generating a lot of controversies which made parents of some Muslim students to jointly sue the school, its principal, University of Ibadan and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the school who also doubled as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the university.

However, an Oyo State High Court under the leadership of Justice Ladiran Akintola, on 26th June 2019 struck out the suit filed by the parents on the basis that the petitioners are not supposed to file the case jointly.

It was gathered that Olowe and other staff of the school had since then been molesting, victimising and persecuting the Muslim students whose parents sue the institution through their parents.

On Thursday, a parent, Dr. Idris Olabode Badiru raised an alarm over what he termed as molestation and inhuman treatment of his daughter, Ikhlas Badiru, by the Principal, Mrs. Phebean Olowe, the School Accountant identified as Mr. Odewale and other staff of the school.

Chairman of ISI Muslim Parents Forum, Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Balogun in a statement made available to reporters on Saturday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital noted that it is necessary for all and sundry to prevail because Mrs. Olowe is out to precipitate crisis in the school with her high handedness and religious fanatism taken too far.

Balogun said, Following our tactical withdrawal from the ISI Hijab matter from the State High Court in Ibadan on June 25, 2019, the Principal through her agents had embarked on harassment intimidation and molestation of some of the Muslim girls who took the school to court to enforce their fundamental human rights to wear hijab in the school premises.

The Principal reportedly told the girls at the school assembly on Monday that no one should adorn Hijab on school uniform within and outside the school premises. We found the directive of the Principal awkward and absurd especially as it relates to wearing hijab outside the school premises on the school uniform.

The Principal, however, carried out her threat when on Wednesday, July 3 and Thursday July 4, some Muslim girls who normally, remove their Hijab at the entrance of the school gate, were barred from coming to the school some 100 metres from the main gate of the school.

A parent, Dr Idris Badaru, narrated his experience. This was corroborated by two other parents who said that the Security personnel of UI under the leadership of the Chief Security officer, carried out the directives of the Principal and were physically assaulting any Muslim girls adorning Hijab outside the gate of the school.

As if that was not enough, we were reliably informed that the Principal, Mrs. Olowe went to the affected girls class to embarrass and scolded her in the presence of her colleagues. We also learnt that the School had hurriedly put up a Student Disciplinary Panel to try all the girls with the hope of suspending them and later expel them from the school.

All efforts by the Muslim Parents Forum representatives to see the Principal or the Vice Principal proved abortive as the gun-wielding security operatives at the entrance said they were under instruction from above not to allow any parents in.

We are therefore putting the Principal on notice that should anything untoward happen to any of our girls due to the psychological and emotional harassment, intimidation or any act of terror on them for wearing Hijab outside the school, we shall use all available legal and legitimate means to protect our children.

However, all efforts made to get reactions of the school principal to speak on the matter proved abortive. Several other calls put through to her telephone line were not answered and an SMS sent to the principal asking her to state her position has not been replied as at the time of filing this report.
Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has released 20 lies from President Muhammadu Buharis Independence Day Speech.

KanyiDaily had reported that President Buhari issued a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, October 1st, 2019, in commemoration with Nigerias 59th Independence Day.

In the broadcast, Buhari outlined his achievements in the critical sector of security, agriculture among others, and spoke extensively about some issues affecting Nigeria as a nation and efforts by his administration to address such issues.

However, shortly after the Presidents speech, Omokri took to his Twitter page and alleged that most of the things Buhari said were lies, calling on readers to read the truth on his page.

Predictably, General Buhari gave an Independence Day broadcast full of LIES. Below, I shall expose the many lies he told this morning and I challenge General Buhari to sue me.

1) General Buhari said In the last four years, we have combatted the terrorist scourge of Boko Haram.

LIE: Boko Haram controls 8 Borno LGAs. Read the TRUTH here. Buhari LIED!

2) General Buhari said The capacity of our forces is enhanced by the acquisition of military hardware

LIE: Our armed forces use guns purchased by Shagari.

3) General Buhari said we uphold the Constitutional rights of our people to freedom of expression

This is such an OBVIOUS LIE. Buhari locked up his critics and refused to obey court orders to free them.

4) General Buhari said I reiterate my call for all to exercise restraint.

This is the JOKE of the CENTURY from a man who threatened to SOAK the DOG and BABOON in BLOOD.

PRACTICE what you PREACH .

5) General Buhari said This Administration inherited a skewed economy

LIE: Buhari inherited an economy rated by CNNMoney and WorldBank as the worlds 3rd fastest growing economy! He ruined it in 1 year.

6) General Buhari said previous governments abandoned the residual Investment-driven Non-Oil Sector

LIE: President Obasanjo paid off our entire debt when oil was a quarter of what it sells today!

7) General Buhari said exchange rate in the last 3 years has remained stable

LIE: Google it. The Naira was rated the 4th worst performing currency 3 years ago and one of the most depreciated 2 years ago.

8) General Buhari said we have robust reserves of US$42.5 B

LIE: What he failed to tell you is that he has more than DOUBLED our debt. When you minus the reserves from our debt, we have NO RESERVES!!!!

9) General Buhari said Learning from the mistakes of the past, this Administration is responsibly managing our oil wealth

LIE: Nigeria now pays more FUEL SUBSIDY than in 2015. Nigerians pay more for FUEL.

10) General Buhari said we are significantly increasing investments in critical infrastructure

LIE: Because Buhari more than DOUBLED our debt, we now spend more on DEBT SERVICING than on infrastructure!

11) General Buhari said we launched the Presidential Power Initiative to modernize the National Grid

LIE: Buhari is modernising NOTHING. The last 3 power plants Nigeria built were built by Goodluck Jonathan.

12) General Buhari said Our efforts to improve the power sector will complement other infrastructure investments

LIE: IMPROVE Gini? Do you have power? Nigeria now generates LESS POWER than in 2015.

13) General Buhari took credit for the 2nd Niger Bridge.

LIE: The 2nd Niger Bridge is a PPP Project that was FULLY paid by Goodluck Jonathan from the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

14) General Buhari said Weve made remarkable progress in almost all segments of the agriculture value chain

LIE: Yet, Nigeria became the world headquarters for EXTREME POVERTY under him? Why such lies?

15) General Buhari said we are committed economic stability and diversification

LIE: Yet, in a leaked memo, his chief of staff admitted that they collect less non oil revenue than under Goodluck Jonathan. LIE!

16) General Buhari said we provide adequate resources to meet the basic needs of our teeming youth

LIE: While Goodluck Jonathan built 165 almajiri schools and 14 new federal universities, Buhari had built NONE.

17) General Buhari said he has deterred rampant theft and mismanagement of public funds that plagued public service

LIE: Yet, according to Transparency Intl, Nigeria is MORE CORRUPT today than in 2015!

18) General Buhari said This Administration has fought against corruption

LIE: Look at the ministers Buhari appointed. Look at those surrounding him.

19) General Buhari said An example is the US$300 million recently identified as part of the Abacha money-laundering case

Yet Buhari said Abacha did not steal. Which is it sir? Did he or didnt he?

20) Finally, General Buhari said I call upon Nigerians to combat Corruption

Is Buhari combating corruption?

 Who owns Ikoyi billions

 When will Aisha Buharis ADC be tried?

 Who reinstated Maina?
A Tesla electric vehicle reportedly steered itself onto train tracks that it apparently mistook for a road in northern California, according to police, in the latest mishap blamed on the company's Autopilot technology.

Police in suburban Woodland, outside the state capital of Sacramento, released a photo of the wayward car stopped on the tracks running along a nearby roadway.

"This morning, there was an incident where Autopilot mistook train tracks for a road, posing a serious danger," the Woodland Police Department said earlier this week on Facebook.

Further details weren't disclosed and authorities said the account of the incident came from the unidentified "involved party or parties."

"We have not verified their accuracy and the traffic investigation is pending," police said. "We provided this information as a safety reminder and to emphasize the importance of understanding your vehicle's features and their limitations."

The incident occurred after Tesla settled a lawsuit over the fiery death of an Apple engineer whose Model X compact SUV steered itself into a highway divider in Mountain View, California, in 2018.

Terms of the April deal with Walter Huang's widow weren't disclosed when the case was resolved the day before it was set to go to trial.

The following month, a Colorado woman sued Tesla over the 2022 death of her husband, Hans Von Ohain, who died when his Model 3 sedan veered off the road, hit a tree and burst into flames in 2022.

Von Ohain was intoxicated and using Autopilot at the time, according to the Associated Press.

In December, Tesla recalled nearly all 2 million of its vehicles in the U.S. to update their software so drivers get more warnings when they don't pay attention while using the Autosteer function.

But in May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that it couldn't find any difference in the warning software, and that Tesla had reported more than 20 crashes involving Autopilot since the recall, according to AP.
President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended Professor Charles Quaker Dokubo as the co-ordinator of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme for Niger Delta militants.

Dokubos suspension takes immediate effect, according to a statement by Femi Adesina, the presidential adviser on media and publicity.

The suspension followed the recommendation of the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, who had set up a Caretaker Committee, on Buharis instruction, to look into the faithful execution of the programme.

The committee emerged after numerous allegations and petitions surrounding the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which has been dogged in the past by similar allegations of financial misdeeds.

Former President Umaru YarAdua established the programme in 2008 to end the rebellion in the Niger Delta by militants.

Part of the Committees task is to ensure that allocated resources are properly utilized in consonance with governments objective of alleviating problems in the Niger Delta region, and stamping out corruption in the Amnesty Programme, said Adesina.

The President has also directed that the Caretaker Committee set up to review the programme should oversee the running of the programme henceforth, with a view to ensuring that government objectives are achieved, Adesina added.

Dokubo was appointed by Buhari in March 2018, to replace Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, who was also accused of misappropriating the funds meant for the programme.

Dokubo, was born in Abonnema, Akuku Toru Local government of Rivers state on the 23rd of March 1952.

His primary and Secondary education were done in Abonnema. He then went to the UK to do his A-Levels at Huddersfield Technical College in West Yorkshire.

From 1978-1980 Dokubo was admitted to the University of Teesside at Middlesbrough, where he undertook a course in modern History and politics and was awarded a BA[Hons.].

He went to the University of Bradford for his Masters Degree in Peace Studies, and followed with a doctoral degree in Nuclear Weapon Proliferation in 1985.

He returned to Nigeria in 1993 after some years of lecturing at Bradford.

He was a research professor at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos before he was appointed to head the amnesty programme.

Other heads of the programme were: Timi Alaibe(2009-2011), Kingsley Kuku(2011-2015).
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.

100 years ago

June 30, 1924: Mr. and Mrs. Noah Franklin, pioneer residents of Lexington, celebrated the 70th anniversary of their marriage on Sunday (June 29) with a family reunion at their home. The couple was married in Bloomington on June 29, 1854. The Chicago & Alton railroad, then in course of construction, sent a special train from Bloomington to Lexington to take the party to the county seat, where the ceremony was performed by the Rev. Mr. Perry, pastor of the Presbyterian church of Bloomington. This was the first passenger train run over the C&A tracks.

75 years ago

June 30, 1949: No matter how clear the sky, night nurses at Brokaw Hospital are carrying umbrellas these evenings. A molesting owl, who sits in wait at night for nurses who pass on and off duty along a tree-shadowed path on the grounds, has taken offense at the white uniforms. He swoops out of the trees in a dive attack at nurses going to and from the hospital, but only attacks people wearing white, the nurses said.

50 years ago

June 30, 1974: After learning that Kraft Foods was marketing something called "Koogle," Verna Louise Koogle of 1018 E. Washington, Bloomington, wrote to the company to ask about the origin of the name and when she might try it. James L. Macdonald, national product manager for Kraft, said it was a made-up name used by a Kraft subsidiary in Australia for many years. After further correspondence, the company sent Mrs. Koogle a case of the product, which comes in cinnamon, banana, vanilla and chocolate.

25 years ago

June 30, 1999: Illinois Brewing Co. has opened in downtown Bloomington and will open the restaurant end of the business for lunch Tuesday (July 6). The pub opened last week at 102 N. Center St. in downtown Bloomington, and the brewery is awaiting federal and state licensing. The pub could be brewing its own beer by fall.

From stilettos to sneakers, Pantagraph shoe ads through the years  Moore & Lain's - Sept. 8, 1891 Boston Shoe Store - July 3, 1896 McLean Moore - April 2, 1909 W.H. Roland - April 5, 1909 Gerhart Shoe Co. - April 13, 1909 William Fahey - Aug. 31, 1923 Gerhart's - Oct. 6, 1926 Carl's - March 4, 1938 Hanger Boot Shop - April 26, 1938 Bunnell Bros. - May 6, 1938 Penney's - May 31, 1946 Town & Country Shoes - Dec. 17, 1948 War Surplus Store - March 29, 1949 Schiff's Shoe Store - April 4, 1949 Schiff's Shoes - April 26, 1949 Kinney's - June 2, 1949 Schiff's Shoe Store - June 2, 1949 Schiff's Shoe Store - June 3, 1949 The Bootery - June 5, 1949 Livingston's - June 5, 1949 Carl's - June 5, 1949 Gerhart's - June 5, 1949 Gerhart's - Sept. 19, 1954 Schiff's Shoe Store - Sept. 19, 1954 Livingston's - Jan. 2, 1956 Roland's - Feb. 22, 1957 Schiff's Shoe Store - Sept. 5, 1958 Branom's Junior Boot Shop - Sept. 7, 1958 The Bootery - Sept. 7, 1958 Livingston's - Aug. 7, 1959 Carl's - Sept. 3, 1959 Barkers - Dec. 1, 1960 Roland's - June 6, 1963 Livingston's - June 6, 1963 Marben's - May 5, 1967 Murray's - Sept. 3, 1973 Roland's - Sept. 3, 1973 Mary Jane Shoes - Sept. 6, 1973 Bergner's - March 30, 1980 Read's of Normal - Aug. 21, 1981 Brown's Sporting Goods - June 3, 1982 Hush Puppies - Feb. 2, 1984 Brown's Sporting Goods - Aug. 9, 1984 Bergener's - Nov. 10, 1985 JC Penney - April 10, 1992 Bergner's - May 26, 1999 Murray's Shoes - June 2, 1999 Bergner's - June 3, 1999
Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has urged the Muslim community of Sorbelle in the Sissala West district of the Upper West Region to continually live in harmony with all persons, Christians and non-believers.



Dr. Bawumia funded and built a new mosque for the community and the beautiful facility was commissioned on Saturday to the excitement of the residents.



Speaking at the launch, Dr. Bawumia stated; "For us in this country, we are Christians and Muslims and I don't discriminate because it is the same God we are worshippingI help everybody. Let us continue to live in harmony with everyone, our brothers and sisters who are Christians, for the continuous peace and harmony of this country.



On the mosque, Dr. Bawumia expressed joy for its successful completion saying "when I made the promise to build the mosque, I prayed to Allah to make it possible and Allah said it is possible so I thank the Almighty Allah for making it possible to build this mosque for you."



He added; "I am happy today because many people think that it is human beings who build mosques but it is only Allah who builds mosques.



The NPP presidential candidate further encouraged all Ghanaians to be kind to one another.



The ecstatic community led by their Paramount Chief expressed immense gratitude to Dr. Bawumia for this kind gesture to the community.



Dr. Bawumia and community members observed prayers in the mosque to commence worshiping in it.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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At least 18 people have been killed and 30 injured in a series of deadly blasts in Nigeria thought to have been carried out by female suicide bombers.



One of the bombings is reported to have killed six people and injured others at a wedding ceremony on Saturday, in the northeastern Borno state.



The state's emergency management agency said the co-ordinated attacks targeted a wedding, the victims' subsequent funeral and a hospital in the town of Gwoza, close to the border of Cameroon.



President Bola Tinubu condemned the attacks calling them "desperate acts of terror".



He vowed stern action against those responsible for the killings in the town of Gwoza and insisted that the incident had not undermined recent gains made against jihadists.



"The president declares that the purveyors of wanton violence shall have a certain encounter with justice and that these cowardly attacks are only but an isolated episode as his government will not allow the nation to slither into an era of fear, tears, sorrow, and blood," a statement issued by his spokesperson on Facebook said.



No one has admitted to carrying out the attacks, but the Nigeria-centred Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents have previously claimed deadly bombings in Borno.



Authorities said 18 deaths had been confirmed on Saturday, a toll that included children, adults and pregnant women.



Some local media have reported a much higher toll - Nigeria's Vanguard and This Day newspapers said at least 30 had been killed in the blasts.



The degree of injuries ranges from abdominal ruptures to skull and limb fractures.



A curfew has been imposed by the military.



Amnesty International Nigeria called for an end to assaults on civilians in Borno.



"These deplorable attacks that took place at a time people were mourning demonstrate complete disregard for human life," it said.



The US Mission in Nigeria also described the attack as "horrific".



These reprehensible acts of violence show a cruel and heartless disregard for human lifethese abhorrent attacks are a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by terrorism in the region."



In the last four months, attackers have twice targeted people through suicide and improvised explosive devices in Borno state.



Borno state has been at the centre of a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram Islamist militants, which has displaced more than two million people and killed more than 40,000.



Boko Haram gained international notoriety in April 2014 when it kidnapped more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, also in Borno state.



Shortly after the kidnapping, the group carried out an attack in June and used their first female suicide bomber.



This was only three years after it deployed its first male suicide bomber.



Since then, there have been speculations that some of the female suicide bombers may be the missing Chibok school girls.



A study found that Boko Haram has utilised more women as suicide bombers than any other group in history.



Recent numbers suggest that over half of all suicide bombers used by Boko Haram are female.



Many suggest that their mode of dressing (usually in hijab  a covering from the head to the feet) offers adequate means for hiding explosives.



Gwoza was seized by Boko Haram in 2014, and taken back by the Nigerian forces in 2015 - but the group has since continued to carry out attacks and kidnappings near the town.



The Gwoza suicide attacks have reignited suspicions that jihadist groups may be trying to reinvent themselves and show that they still have the capacity to do damage.



Last November, 20 people were killed by Boko Haram insurgents while returning from a funeral service in neighbouring Yobe state.



The attack happened a day after militants killed 17 people in a raid on Gurokayeya village, after villagers refused to pay a so-called harvest tax, police said.

Source: BBC









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The Member of Parliament (MP) for Obuasi West, Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng, has been appointed to chair Parliaments newly formed Economy Committee.



The Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, disclosed this in the House yesterday, stating that the Obuasi West MP is capable of confronting the opposition on economic issues.



According to him, Mr. Kwarteng will also function as the Majoritys spokesperson on the economy, while pushing the Minority bench to do the same.



And so, we are challenging you to come up with your spokesperson on the economy. You have not said so officially, but we are going to make sure we have a spokesperson on the economy to challenge your Adongo. Hon. Kwaku Kwarteng is going to face him directly on the economy, he posited.



Mr. Afenyo-Markin pointed out that even though the Economy Committee is new, it will be one of the most significant committees in the House.



I am letting them know some of the proactive steps we have taken on this side of the House to throw a serious challenge that, it is not just about governance. We have a new Economy Committee and it is going to be the most important Committee in this House, he stressed.



Mr. Kwarteng holds a Master of Arts Degree in Economic Policy Management (Macroeconomics) from the University of Ghana.



He served as the Government of Ghana spokesperson on finance from 2006 to 2009 in the erstwhile John Agyekum Kufuor administration.



Until his appointment, Mr. Kwarteng was the Chairman of the Finance Committee, a position he has held since 2021.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 117 million people are displaced worldwide. Many of those displaced from their homes are women and girls. In 2020, women and girls constituted about 46% of the refugees who were resettled in Canada.

Women and girls often contend with unique challenges from being displaced. There is a crucial need to understand the gender-specific challenges and issues they face. As global displacement grows, the stories of those seeking refuge need to be heard and understood, not just to enhance their lives but also to enrich our communities.

Our research focuses on the homestay experiences of Ukrainian refugee women in the Greater Toronto Area. We explore how thoughtful, inclusive homestay programs can make a significant difference in women's lives.

Canada has opened its doors to refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. However, the path to settling these newcomers involves uncovering the complex layers of social, cultural, economic, health and personal challenges.

Homestays in Canada

Homestays are a model that is different from programs like private sponsorship, where individuals, organizations and associations can sponsor refugees by raising funds to support them when they first arrive in Canada. Homestays entail a refugee living with the host family in the same home. These homes are offered by families or individuals, many of whom are refugees or immigrants themselves.

The homestayoften a refugee's first encounter with Canadian societyis not just about providing a roof over their heads. It's also about ensuring safety, dignity and integration into a new place and society.

Although homestay programs aim to ease the transition and improve the well-being of refugees, the intricate dynamics of these interactions and their overall effects on both refugees and their host families are still not thoroughly examined.

Research specifically focused on the dynamics of homestay arrangements and their impact on relationships between refugees and their hosts is quite scarce, yet available studies reveal an array of advantages and disadvantages.

However, research indicates that such arrangements can enhance integration, social connections and a sense of belonging. In addition, studies indicate that hosting refugees in private homes could challenge negative stereotypes and anti-immigrant sentiments.

Challenges of homestays

Homestays play a crucible role in initial stages of integrating into a new place. In homestays, individuals often encounter new cultural, social, or linguistic environments that intensely challenge them and stimulate growth, adaptation, and integration into a new community or setting.

However, the current homestay model can be unpredictable, leaving considerable room for improvement. There is a need for a model that is considerate of the unique vulnerabilities and strengths of refugee women. Living in someone else's home can often come with the pressure to be a good guest. That represents a conditional aspect of private hosting, where refugees need to demonstrate their worthiness of being hosted.

In our ongoing study involving 18 refugee women from Ukraine, we asked them to share some photos that represent their homestay experiences. The study documented the personal stories of Ukrainian refugee women through photography. It provides a powerful narrative vehicle for these women to express their experiences and challenges in navigating the complexities of their settlement and new environments.

The women's experiences illustrate a range of outcomesfrom profound gratitude and mutual cultural enrichment, to significant challenges in privacy, autonomy and adaptation. Many expressed gratitude for the safety and support their hosts provide, which often also includes assistance navigating language barriers and cultural integration. These relationships frequently lead to mutual cultural enrichment, with both hosts and guests learning about each other's customs and traditions.

Many women shared experiences of learning new languages and customs, participating in Canadian traditions and forming lasting bonds with their hosts. These positive interactions underscore the potential of homestays to facilitate smooth transitions for refugees into Canadian society.

On the other hand, some challenges are evident, particularly in terms of maintaining privacy and autonomy. Living in close quarters with hosts can sometimes lead to feelings of dependency and a lack of personal space, which complicates the adjustment process. Additionally, adapting to new household norms and expectations can add an extra layer of stress to the already complex experience of resettlement.

Improving homestays

Issues such as a lack of privacy, limited autonomy, cultural misunderstandings and even exploitation emerged from women's stories. These suggest that the homestay experience can sometimes exacerbate the trauma already endured by refugees.

What Canada needs is an inclusive and responsive homestay model, ongoing support, training for hosts and a commitment to understanding the intercultural dynamics at play. There must be a structured, empathetic approach to organizing homestays, emphasizing the need for comprehensive training for hosts.

This training should cover cultural sensitivity, the basic legal rights of refugees and effective communication strategies. This would better ensure that both hosts and guests have realistic expectations and a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

Assistance from federal, provincial and non-governmental organizations is needed to develop a support network for refugee women in homestaysincluding providing access to counseling, legal advice and emergency assistanceto ensure their safety and well-being.

Our research advocates for a homestay model that better supports refugee women who face particular challenges and vulnerabilities when they arrive in a new country. A well-structured, empathetic homestay program could better ensure they gain a solid foundation for building a new life in a new country.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Mandu Sanctuary Zone in Australia is a prime snorkelling destination and the reserve encourages visitors to look, dont touch when they swim. Credit: Peter Jones, CC BY-ND

The radio crackles into life on a small boat off an idyllic beach in Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia. Two recreational fishers are trying to catch prized spangled emperors in a sanctuary zone, where all fishing is supposed to be banned, to help protect this fish from overfishing.

A recreational fisher further down the coast is using his radio to alert others of the imminent arrival of marine park wardens in a patrol boat. The two fishers calmly stash their rods, power up the large outboard engine, and motor away from the sanctuary zone. By the time the wardens arrive, all appears calm and well. This scenario illustrates how challenging it can be protect marine wildlife from the sometimes damaging effects of human activities, such as fishing.

Almost every country in the world is trying to achieve an internationally agreed legal target to protect 30% of their land and sea area by 2030. Setting up marine protected areas, such as marine parks, is an important way of achieving this target. But they have to be effective in actually reducing the negative effects of human activities, as well as fair to local people in avoiding excessive restrictions. There are concerns that the race to create more marine protected areas or underwater nature reserves could be distracting governments from the challenges of ensuring that conservation measures are as effective as possible in fairly reducing harm from human activities that threaten marine wildlife, such as fishing and tourism.

To explore different ways of addressing such challenges, our research assessed the effectiveness of 50 marine protected areas in 24 countries, from Ecuador to Madagascar and Vietnam. We compared the strengths and weaknesses of different conservation measures for protecting marine wildlife by using a set of 36 "governance incentives"these include providing financial compensation, requiring legal accountability and establishing local groups that encourage community participation in discussions, decisions and related research.

Working with 70 researchers from various countries, we interviewed around 20 people involved in each of the 50 marine protected areas, from fishermen to tourism operators and recreational sea users. We also analyzed marine conservation measures to see how effective they were and observed day-to-day activities on the coast.

Our aim was to understand how people perceive the effectiveness of some of these marine conservation measures and explore their views about which activities, such as fishing, could be better managed.

The 50 MPAs scored a low average of 2/5 for effectivenessa lot of protective conservation measures were in place on paper but they were not effective in reducing the harmful effects of certain human activities to protect marine wildlife. This reveals the need for these marine protected areas to make a more tangible difference, rather than just being what many term "paper parks," that exist in legal texts but not in practical reality.

Our research confirms that there's no one key to successdifferent combinations of conservation measures work best to improve effectiveness in different locations. One clear overall trend was that a more diverse mix of management approaches resulted in greater reduction of the effects of fishing, tourism and other human activities.

Relationship between effectiveness and number of incentives used in marine protected areas. Black points indicate different case studies, with line of best fit (blue) and 95% confidence intervals (grey shading). Red triangles indicate median number of incentives for each level of effectiveness.

Tackling illegal fishing

In Western Australia, Ningaloo and Shark Bay marine parks demonstrate how this can be done relatively well to reduce negative effects and better conserve marine wildlife. Here, fisheries officers enforce legal restrictions on recreational fishing, which has led to the recovery of some previously overfished populations, such as pink snapper, and increases in recreational fishing catches. But it can be challenging to prevent illegal fishing in remote no-take sanctuaries, as the scenario above illustrates. Recreational fishers who are caught breaking the rules are fined, but these fixed penalties are often not enough to discourage further illegal fishing.

Marine wildlife watching, particularly for whale sharks and bottlenose dolphins, is managed through a restricted number of licenses for tour boats to operate. Legal conditions to prevent disturbance to whale sharks and dolphins are attached to these licenses, enforced by vessels competitively watching each others operations, in the hope that they can acquire additional wildlife watching licenses. Satellite surveillance and patrols by wardens helps to monitor wildlife watching vessels.

Ningaloo and Shark Bay marine parks also promote fairness to local people. The traditional ways of life of aboriginal Australians are respected and their understanding of ecosystems generated over many generations is learnt from. They are employed as wardens and research officers for the parks. Each of these two parks has a committee that provides for participation in discussions and decisions by local people representing different interests, including aboriginal Australians.

Ecosystems are more resilient to the impact of human activities if they support a wider diversity of species. Marine protected areas represent complex social and ecological systems, each interacting in different ways with local people in coastal communities. Our research shows that there's no one-size-fits-all solution. There are examples of good practice, such as Ningaloo and Shark Bay marine parks, but even they aren't perfect, as the challenge with illegal fishing illustrates. And what works in one situation may not work in another.

Our research also shows that to successfully protect 30% of their land and sea by 2030, governments and local people should use diverse management approaches in combination, rather than unrealistically seeking one best solution. The key to resilience is diversity, both of species in ecosystems and conservation measures in protected area management systems.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In a world increasingly affected by light pollution, we can take time during the shorter days and longer nights around Matariki to appreciate the superpowers of our nocturnal bugs.

As diurnal creatures, our world view is strongly biased towards a daytime perspective. We pay more attention to events happening during daylight, and sometimes overlook the fascinating world of nocturnal insects.

Human eyes are very poor at gathering enough light particlesphotonsto see clearly at night. We need the light of a full moon to have much hope of navigating safely.

For millennia, then, we've used fire and more recently electricity to artificially light up the night. Nocturnal insects now deal with a very different nightscape than they did even a century ago.

It's been estimated that 23% of the world's land area is affected by light pollution. This is thought to be one of the factors contributing to insect decline worldwide.

Recent research suggests about a third of insects attracted to artificial lights will die by morning, often from exhaustion. If those insects have been prevented from mating and laying eggs, there are huge implications for population survival, as well as for ecosystem functions such as pollination and biocontrol.

Nocturnal superpowers

Many bugs are more active at night, most likely to avoid daytime predators. Some can also make their own light. New Zealand glow worms, the larvae of fungus gnats, use bioluminescence to hunt.

Elsewhere in the world, some flying beetles are commonly known as fireflies due to the fiery crackles of light they produce to confuse and ward off predators.

Moonlight is roughly one million times less intense than sunlight. But nocturnal insects can navigate, see color and detect movement with only the light from the stars and moon.

This superpower is due in part to their incredible compound eyes. These are made up of millions of tiny lenses that each capture the maximum amount of light from a small field of view, and focus it onto a bundle of photoreceptors.

The ability to make sense of very low light levels is also due to higher contrast sensitivity at the expense of detail. Moths in particular boast several adaptations that aid in navigating and perceiving in low light.

Many New Zealand moths are nocturnal, and their eyes are largely specialized for motion detection, differentiating between intensities of light rather than distinct wavelengths.

Compared with day-flying butterflies, which can perceive more detail and differentiate wavelengths as colors, moths have evolved greater perception of contrast and large-scale changes in their visual environment. But this comes at the expense of spatial sensitivity.

LED lights and moths

Contrary to myth, nocturnal insects do not fly around artificial lights because they confuse them with the moon or stars. Recent research, filming moths with high-speed cameras, found they use moonlight and starlight to differentiate between "up" and "down" as they fly.

Their erratic flight around your outside light is actually due to them trying to orientate themselves to a nonexistent horizon.

The color of artificial lights can also affect how attractive they are to nocturnal insects. In recent years, Dunedin (like many cities around the world) has been replacing old high-pressure sodium bulbs in street lights with LEDs that use less energy and have lower maintenance costs.

But this hasn't been so great for night-flying insects. Moths can detect light wavelengths as low as 300 nanometers (invisible to human eyes) and as high as 700nm (orange-red to humans). But many have a peak sensitivity at 400nm (human blue).

The old sodium bulbs produced a warm orange or golden glow. But the brighter LEDs commonly produce a cool white light at the blue end of the spectrum, right at peak sensitivity for many moths. Warmer LED lights (with a lower color temperature) can be less attractive to flying insects, and also help reduce light pollution across the city.

Helping our night bugs

Closer to home, we can make a difference for our own backyard bugs (and other nocturnal and twilight fauna) by reducing light pollution.

Something as simple as closing curtains at night will discourage flying insects from crashing into windowsand getting inside!

Using motion-activated outside lights, rather than having them permanently on, can reduce the deaths toll in your local moth populations. And selecting warmer colored light bulbs and fairy lights will make them less attractive to nocturnal insects.

Finally, turning off your lights and venturing outside will not only give your backyard bugs a break, but also help you appreciate the wonders of the night sky at Matariki.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Thousands of protesters in France have adopted the irreverent lyrics of a 1980s Parisian punk rock band as a slogan during demonstrations against a far-right political party that could be voted into power in Sunday's elections, according to reports.

The words from Berurier Noir's 1985 song Porcherie - "La jeunesse emmerde le Front national" - can be heard chanted at rallies, streamed on social media and shouted by political leaders. It has even appeared on a badge worn by actress Marion Cotillard, the Guardian reported.

Francois Guillemot told the outlet that the song he recorded nearly 40 years ago with his band was in response to the far-right National Party then making gains in the European parliamentary elections.

Now known as the National Rally, the party supports a nationalist, anti-immigration agenda, and polls show it has a good chance to make sizable gains in the election.

Asked what the slogan means, Guillemot said one translation would be "the kids annoy the Front National."

But he said it would be more accurate to say the word emmerder in the song's context would mean "to tell someone to f--k off."

"As far as the kids are concerned, the Front National can f--k right off," Guillemot told the Guardian.

He said when the band wrote the song it echoed their view of the "world as a whole," as a porcherie, meaning pigsty,"full of violence, wars and oppression" rather than the rise of the far-right.

"It really developed into a political statement at our concerts," he said.

Guillemot said the song has enjoyed a resurgence because its "vitality has become the point: it is a kind of virus to counter the virus of National Rally."

"I see a lot of young people, especially young women,use the song or the slogan on social media to say they don't want a far-right party in government managing France," he said.
Ter Tha's last memory of John Adam Moo is a good one.

"We were playing the wresting game on Playstation," Tha said Friday. He smiled as he recalled Monday, June 17  last time he saw the 10-year-old who called him Dad.

"We were playing and one of his friends came knocking to use our bathroom. We finished up. It was always fun to play games with John," Tha said. "We liked to play against each other with the video games. John said they were going to the park. I trusted him."

Moo and his friends instead went to Sunset Marina. He died hours later after drowning, reportedly while trying to save another swimmer.

A report from a Rock Island Police officer retold the statement of a witness who was driving his truck near the marina's 18th Avenue entrance when he saw some juveniles bobbing up and down in the water near the dock at the north side of Lake Potter.

The witness said at first he couldnt tell if the kids were playing or in distress. He drove down to the lake and saw a kid on the bank, two kids in the water struggling to swim, and a fourth kid, older than the others, reaching out to the girl in the water with a stick to help pull her in.

The witness got into the water and helped pull the girl to the shore. The witness went back to help John, but saw his head go below the water. According to the report, the witness said he grabbed for the male juvenile but the juvenile slipped through his fingers. The witness said he tried to swim down to find the male juvenile but he was unsuccessful.

Rock Island Police officers responded to the scene at 1:23 p.m., followed by divers from Big River Rescue and Recovery Dive Team at 2:02 p.m.

Rock Island Alderman Mark Poulos, co-founder of Big River Rescue, arrived first and was in the water by 2:08 p.m. Another member of the dive team arrived and Poulos located Moos body at 2:34 p.m. The child was transported to Unity Point Hospital by ambulance and pronounced dead at 3:09 p.m.

Moo lived with Tha and his mother, Thin Ni Lah, and four other siblings in a two-story brick side-by-side in Rock Island's Century Woods public housing complex. He had just finished fifth grade at Earl Hanson Elementary School.

Tha started the conversation about Moo while he stood on the apartment's front stoop.

Tha said he didn't know Moo was going swimming and that he mostly hung out with friends in the small park located inside the complex.

"John and I, we talked. I'm not his father, I'm his step-father, but he called me Dad," said Tha, who was born in Burma and lived for years in a refugee camp in Thailand before legally immigrating to the United States in 2007.

Tha smiled again.

"He was always asking me questions. 'Can we play a game?' 'Can we watch this together?' 'Can you make me a sandwich?' Always with 'Can you make me a sandwich?' He was good, you know?" Tha said.

He fell silent after those words, bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"You should talk with John's mother," Tha said. "Please, come inside."

Moo's oldest siblings straightened the living room and put away shoes when Tha's guests entered. Lah sat on a blue blanket on one of the two couches facing the television.

She was born in Thailand and, like Tha, lived in a refugee camp before immigrating to this country. Lah explained that Moo was born in Rock Island.

"His name is John Adam Moo," she said with a faint smile. "After the second president."

Lah said her son was well-liked in the little community and many people stopped by the apartment to offer condolences. She proudly showed a framed certificate that commemorated her son's Nov 19, 2023, baptism at the Christ Temple Church Quad Cities.

"He wanted to be in the Army," Tha said, helping Lah find the words.

Moo's sister, Paw Paw, jumped to her feet when asked what was most annoying about her brother.

"He like to put foods together," she said. "Weird, um, combinations. Like pizza with eggs and bacon."

Lah and Tha laughed quietly at the memory.

"He liked to put everything on pizza," Paw said. "But he did not like school. The last time we talked about it, he did say he liked math, I think."

"He liked to put mayonnaise on everything," Lah said quietly.

Lah wiped tears from her eyes and the room fell silent before the sound of a relative knocking on the door created a stir.

Tha said he misses the boy who called him Dad.

"It's like an empty hole in the house," he said. "There is quiet where he used to be."

Correction: An earlier version of this story had the incorrect date for when John Moo died. This version has been corrected.
Geneva: Press Emblem Campaign, the global media safety and rights body, expresses shock over the murder of an Indian journalist based in Bihar on Tuesday evening and demands a fair probe into the incident to identify the culprits for necessary legal actions. The victim, identified as Shivshankar Jha, sustained multiple knife injuries when he was attacked by miscreants on 25 June 2024 near his residence at Maripur village under Muzaffarpur locality. Seriously wounded Shivshankar (40), who worked for several Hindi media outlets, was taken to a nearby hospital, but the attending doctors declared him dead. The family members claimed that the local liquor mafia was involved in the murder.





"Shivshankar Jha becomes the 2nd journalist to be killed this year in India and 57th victim across the world since 1 January. We express profound grief over the incident and demand a fair probe so that the culprits can be punished under the law. PEC will urge Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to take initiatives for a proper investigation into the matter and duly compensate the bereaved family," said Blaise Lempen, president of PEC (https://pressemblem.ch/pec-news.shtml).




Kathmandu The Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony for the Improvement of Water Supply Project in Biratnagar was held today, and Mr. Takahiro TAMURA, Charge d'affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan attended the ceremony.





The Government of Japan has extended 2.541 billion Japanese Yen grant assistance to the Government of Nepal for the implementation of the project under Japans Official Development Assistance.





Under this Grant Assistance, the Project will construct a new water supply pump station and rehabilitate three others, consisting of overhead tanks, water treatment plants, reservoirs, operation facilities and intake wells. The project will also include installation of water transmission and distribution networks and training to ensure the supply of quality drinking water to the population of Biratnagar. The components of this project will have the capacity to filter 1.5 thousand liters of water per day and are expected to be completed by 2028.





On the occasion, Mr. Tamura, Charge d'affaires ad interim expressed his hope that the project will contribute to improving the quality of life and revitalizing the region by providing safe water. He also emphasized the importance of the relevant authorities' positive efforts towards the success of the project, in order to ensure that the Nepali people can benefit from it.




Kathmandu, Nepal, June 30, 2024: Nepal and China have agreed upon to hold a talk over the issues of boundaries between the two countries.





Even though the time is yet to be specified, both the sides have agreed to hold another round of boundary talks in Kathmandu very soon. However, time is yet to be fixed.




Michael Paul Williams Columnist Follow Michael Paul Williams Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

In an open letter on April 12, 1963, eight white Alabama clergymen called ongoing civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham unwise and untimely and lectured their Black fellow citizens on how and when they should seek to remedy their oppression.

Their public statement was directed toward the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., whom they viewed as an outside agitator, and whose role in the demonstrations landed him in the Birmingham City Jail. Tucked in his nearly 7,000-word response was a stern rebuke of a specific target.

I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate, King wrote in a letter that would become famous.

Williams: With Louisiana's 10 Commandments law, America moves toward theocracy In the latest iteration of the long effort to insert religion into the schoolhouse, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry this week signed into law a bill requiring all public elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom.

I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negros great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White citizens Councilor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cant agree with your methods of direst action; who paternalistically feels that he can set the timetable for another mans freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a more convenient season.

He added: Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.

Jonathan Eig, author of the award-winning 2023 biography King: A Life, describes the letter as a blistering, beautiful treatise on the moral obligation to fight oppression, a document that captured the spirt of the civil rights movement and the fierce brilliance of its leader.

But for the administration of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, this incisive document is but another aspect of Americas history of racism ripe for censorship or erasure.

As recently reported by Washington Post education writer Karina Elwood, the Virginia education department in 2023 proposed numerous revisions to a high school-level elective course on African American history launched during the administration of then-Gov. Ralph Northam. The Post story was based on records of the previously unreleased proposals obtained by watchdog group American Oversight and shared with the newspaper.

The records obtained by American Oversight were from a review by the VDOE History Team of the African American History Elective course to comply with Youngkins executive order banning inherently divisive concepts in the classroom  his first action upon taking office.

Virginia Department of Education spokesman Todd Reid told The Washington Post earlier in June that the revisions would be implemented for the 2024-25 school year, but walked that back in that newspapers June 23 article.

A review by VDOE Leadership is ongoing, Reid told me Friday via email. No changes have been made, and no changes are scheduled to be made.

We are proud to offer this unique course, which is a full and comprehensive review of African American history in the nation, with a specific emphasis on Virginias history. It shies away from nothing in full expanse of that history, both good and bad.

The proposed revisions to this high school course would strike references to racism, institutional racism and white supremacy in favor of the euphemistic discriminatory practices.

And then, there was the proposed tweak of Kings words.

King, in his letter, made a half-dozen references to the white moderate, whom he critiques with surgical precision. But the VDOEs proposal edited the specificity out of Kings indictment so that the great stumbling block in the Negros fight for freedom was those moderates.

This obfuscation was in response to Youngkins executive order, which reads in part:

Political indoctrination has no place in our classrooms. The vast majority of learning in our schools involves imparting critical knowledge and skills in math, science, history, reading and other areas that should be non-controversial. Inherently divisive concepts, like Critical Race Theory and its progeny, instruct students to only view life through the lens of race and presumes that some students are consciously or unconsciously racist, sexist, or oppressive, and that other students are victims.

History is inherently controversial. And the proposed changes echoed Virginias legacy of historical revision to protect the historical oppressor.

A little over a century ago, a historian for the United Daughters of the Confederacy wrote the pamphlet A Measuring Rod to Test Text Books and Reference Books in Schools, Colleges, and Libraries. The pamphlet urged Southern school districts to reject any textbook that glorified Abraham Lincoln, vilified Jefferson Davis, stated that Southern slaveholders were cruel or unjust, or asserted that the South fought the Civil War to retain slavery.

Its legacy? Virginia students, well into the 1970s, used textbooks that taught the myth of the contented slave.

This all might seem like so much ancient history until we recall that as recently as last year, VDOEs revisions to the Standards of Learning created an outcry when, among other errors and omissions, Americas Indigenous people were called immigrants.

As part of their anti-DEI agenda, Youngkin and his appointees have gone beyond edits and omissions; they killed a racial literacy requirement developed by faculty and students at Virginia Commonwealth University.

These actions, at best, promote shallow understanding; at worst, they perpetuate a legacy of lies.

These documents show the same pattern of attempts to whitewash and erase Americas legacy of racism that weve seen in other states, like Florida, said Chioma Chukwu, interim executive director of American Oversight, in a statement emailed to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

While those in power have supposedly sought to shield students from divisive concepts, it is clear that such measures are about protecting partisan interests and not about protecting children.

Indeed, the misguided attempt to insulate white students from historical truths  facts most of them are more than capable of handling  is an exercise in the sort of privilege whose mention VDOE proposed striking from the history course.

With apologies to King, I have reached the regrettable conclusion that Youngkin prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice. Its an old narrative  one Virginia interrupts in fits and starts before reverting to form.

The past is never dead, William Faulkner wrote. Its not even past.

Virginia is repeating history even as it attempts to rewrite it.

Close The Rev. Martin Luther King,Jr., and VP Joseph E. Lowery, and Wyatt Tee Walker, Executive Director of the SCLC meet at First African Baptist Church, Sept. 25, 1963 for the SCLC convention Richmond police blocked off a crowd in the 100 block E. Broad St. in April 1968 after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On July 2, 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was in Petersburg for the first convention of the Virginia unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the national civil rights group that King led. Standing with him are SCLC officials Curtis Harris of Hopewell (center) and Milton Reid of Petersburg. The Virginia unit had about two dozen affiliates across the state. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (left) with Virginia SCLC Officials Rev. Curtis Harris of Hopewell (center), Dr. Milton Reid of Petersburg. In August 1963, protesters boarded a bus at the Leigh Street YMCA in Richmond for a trip to the U.S. Capitol to participate in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. An estimated 2,500 Virginians were among the roughly 250,000 marchers at the protest, which called for civil rights legislation and featured Dr. Martin Luther Kings I Have a Dream speech. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Learning Week Tab. 1968 Members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference marched about 30 strong over the Martin Luther King Memorial bridge between Colonial Heights and Petersburg. This was the 29th anniversary of MLK's assassination. Members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference marched about 30 strong over the Martin Luther King Memorial bridge between Colonial Heights and Petersburg. This was the 29th anniversary of MLK's assassination. Jack Mills, Virginia president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, carried this portrait of Martin Luther King during the symbolic walk of social unity across the MLK Bridge connecting Colonial Heights and Petersburg Thursday, October 30, 2003. After the walk he sits with it during the ceremony that dedicated the new bridge. Richmond-based sculptor Paul Di Pasquale prepares an alternative eye configuration for an original full-scale clay model for a bronze bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The sculptor was showing the clay model to a group of visitors from the Hopewell Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation Inc. committee that is overseeing a project to put the bronze bust in the Ashford Civic Plaza in Hopewell. At right is committee member Curtis Harris. Richmond-based sculptor Paul Di Pasquale (left) displays the original full-scale clay model for a bronze bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that is to be placed in the Ashford Civic Plaza in Hopewell early this spring. Curtis Harris (second from right) and Avon Miles, both of whom are members of the Hopewell Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation Inc. committee that is overseeing the project. Committee members John Weigel and Belinda Piercy were also present. They are in Di Pasquale's studio on National St. in Richmond. Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker, chief of staff for Martin Luther King, holds photos of when he and MLK were in the Birmingham jail in 1967. Photo taken Monday, August 12, 2013. Mary Lauderdale, Visitor Services Manager of the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, stands before an image of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the exhibits at the new museum in Richmond, VA Monday, April 18, 2016. With President Obama obscured by television lights and press stands, his image is seen on a giant monitor in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech given on the site. Aug. 28, 2013. Participants pray during the benediction at a Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. at Fifth Street Baptist Church in Richmond, Jan. 16, 2012. Herbert V. Coulton, Sr. is surrounded by memorabilia including photographs of Martin Luther King, Jr. and plaques commemorating his efforts in the Civil Rights movement. Coulton will be honored for his efforts on Wednesday at the Pentagon. In the photograph he is holding, he is on the left and King is on the right. Members of the Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Choir wait for the mass meeting to begin at the Ashe Center commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday Monday, January 15, 2007. 16 photos of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr, from the Times-Dispatch archives The Rev. Martin Luther King,Jr., and VP Joseph E. Lowery, and Wyatt Tee Walker, Executive Director of the SCLC meet at First African Baptist Church, Sept. 25, 1963 for the SCLC convention Richmond police blocked off a crowd in the 100 block E. Broad St. in April 1968 after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On July 2, 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was in Petersburg for the first convention of the Virginia unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the national civil rights group that King led. Standing with him are SCLC officials Curtis Harris of Hopewell (center) and Milton Reid of Petersburg. The Virginia unit had about two dozen affiliates across the state. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (left) with Virginia SCLC Officials Rev. Curtis Harris of Hopewell (center), Dr. Milton Reid of Petersburg. In August 1963, protesters boarded a bus at the Leigh Street YMCA in Richmond for a trip to the U.S. Capitol to participate in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. An estimated 2,500 Virginians were among the roughly 250,000 marchers at the protest, which called for civil rights legislation and featured Dr. Martin Luther Kings I Have a Dream speech. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Learning Week Tab. 1968 Members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference marched about 30 strong over the Martin Luther King Memorial bridge between Colonial Heights and Petersburg. This was the 29th anniversary of MLK's assassination. Members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference marched about 30 strong over the Martin Luther King Memorial bridge between Colonial Heights and Petersburg. This was the 29th anniversary of MLK's assassination. Jack Mills, Virginia president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, carried this portrait of Martin Luther King during the symbolic walk of social unity across the MLK Bridge connecting Colonial Heights and Petersburg Thursday, October 30, 2003. After the walk he sits with it during the ceremony that dedicated the new bridge. Richmond-based sculptor Paul Di Pasquale prepares an alternative eye configuration for an original full-scale clay model for a bronze bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The sculptor was showing the clay model to a group of visitors from the Hopewell Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation Inc. committee that is overseeing a project to put the bronze bust in the Ashford Civic Plaza in Hopewell. At right is committee member Curtis Harris. Richmond-based sculptor Paul Di Pasquale (left) displays the original full-scale clay model for a bronze bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that is to be placed in the Ashford Civic Plaza in Hopewell early this spring. Curtis Harris (second from right) and Avon Miles, both of whom are members of the Hopewell Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation Inc. committee that is overseeing the project. Committee members John Weigel and Belinda Piercy were also present. They are in Di Pasquale's studio on National St. in Richmond. Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker, chief of staff for Martin Luther King, holds photos of when he and MLK were in the Birmingham jail in 1967. Photo taken Monday, August 12, 2013. Mary Lauderdale, Visitor Services Manager of the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, stands before an image of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the exhibits at the new museum in Richmond, VA Monday, April 18, 2016. With President Obama obscured by television lights and press stands, his image is seen on a giant monitor in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech given on the site. Aug. 28, 2013. Participants pray during the benediction at a Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. at Fifth Street Baptist Church in Richmond, Jan. 16, 2012. Herbert V. Coulton, Sr. is surrounded by memorabilia including photographs of Martin Luther King, Jr. and plaques commemorating his efforts in the Civil Rights movement. Coulton will be honored for his efforts on Wednesday at the Pentagon. In the photograph he is holding, he is on the left and King is on the right. Members of the Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Choir wait for the mass meeting to begin at the Ashe Center commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday Monday, January 15, 2007.

Michael Paul Williams (804) 649-6815
Comic actor Martin Mull, whose deadpan humor earned him key supporting roles on TV's "Roseanne," "Veep" and "Arrested Development," has died, prompting tributes from former co-stars.

Mull's death, at 80, followed a "valiant fight against a long illness," daughter Maggie Mull said on social media Friday.

Maggie Mull, a TV writer and comic artist, said her father died at home on Thursday.

"He was known for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable and also for doing Red Roof Inn commercials," Maggie Mull wrote on Instagram. "He would find that joke funny. He was never not funny."

Jennifer Tilly, who co-starred with Martin Mull in the 1988 movie "Rented Lips," which Mull wrote, called him "such a witty charismatic and kind person" in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"As an actress just starting out, it really meant a lot to me to be able to work with such a wonderful actor," wrote Tilly, who provides the voice of Bonnie Swanson on the Fox TV network's long-running animated series "Family Guy."

Paul Feig, director of the 2011 comedy "Bridesmaids," recalled acting with Mull on the short-lived 90s sitcom "The Jackie Thomas Show," and said he "treasured every moment being with a legend."

"Martin was the greatest. So funny, so talented, such a nice guy," Feig wrote on X.

Feig also said the off-beat, 1977 comedy series "Fernwood Tonight," which starred Mull as the host of a late-night TV talk show set in a fictional Ohio town, "was so influential in my life."

In addition to his daughter, Mull is survived by his wife, musician Wendy Haas, according to the Associated Press.
Boat of Cuban nationals located north of Isla Mujeres

Isla Mujeres, Q.R.  Seven men of Cuban nationality remain in the National Institute of Migration (INM) custody after being found aboard a small vessel Saturday.

The Mexican Navy reported making the rescue north of Isla Mujeres earlier that morning after receiving a report in the Command and Control Room of the Ninth Naval Region.

Navy personnel were alerted to a small boat carrying seven men heading for the island. Mexican marina personnel set out in search of the boat, locating it in rocks along the north part of the island.

Marina personnel returned them to port where they were met by INM. Photo: June 29, 2024.

Those on board were transferred onto a Navy vessel and brought to port where they have since been turned over to Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM) officials.

The seven men remain in INM custody. Photo: June 29, 2024.

They were transferred aboard a Defender-type vessel from the Naval Station for Search, Rescue and Maritime Surveillance (ENSAR) of Isla Mujeres to the Naval Station of Puerto Juarez where they were made available to authorities of the National Institute of Migration and International Health in order to carry out the corresponding legal procedures during their stay in national territory, the Navy reported in a statement.
Quintana Roo closely monitoring Hurricane Beryl trajectory as it heads toward Caribbean as Category 3

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  Intense monitoring of already Category 3 Hurricane Beryl is part of permanent surveillance for the state of Quintana Roo. Mexicos National Water Commission (Conagua), part of the countrys Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, continues to monitor its possible trajectory across the Caribbean.

Juan Ramon Diaz, the Deputy Director of the Conagua Basin and Emergency Management Council said there is ongoing Beryl surveillance in the Atlantic.

According to possible trajectories, the cone of uncertainty extends from Nicaragua to Cuba. He says that by Monday or Tuesday there will be a clearer projection of any possible impact on Quintana Roo.

The forecast indicates that the hurricane could approach the coast of Quintana Roo between Thursday night and Friday morning with trajectories still to be defined until Tuesday, he said.

He says its Category 3 status is expected to continue until July 2, however, meteorologists now say Hurricane Beryl, the first of the 2024 Atlantic season, will likely gain even more strength to a Category 4 in coming days as it moves west.

Governor Lezama provides a public update on hurricane potential. Photo: CGC June 29, 2024.

According to The Weather Channel, Beryl could eventually pose a danger to Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Belize and Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula later this week. However, theres uncertainty in that exact track.

Hurricane Beryl is currently a Category 3 but expected to become a Category 4 hurricane in coming days. Image: The Weather Channel

One other uncertainty is how much wind shear Beryl will face in the Caribbean Sea. Typically this time of year, Caribbean wind shear is strong enough to weaken or completely fizzle tropical systems approaching from the east.

However, model forecasts have hinted that wind shear could be lower than usual, which could allow Beryl to maintain its hurricane intensity longer in the western Caribbean Sea later this week, they explained.

Trajectory forecast map: The Weather Channel June 30, 2024.

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama formed a state storm committee that will coordinate with mayors of each municipality in the event of an emergency.

Wind sheer map: The Weather Channel June 30, 2024.

For now, local meteorologists and Conagua (Comision Nacional del Agua) continue to watch Hurricane Beryl as it heads toward the Caribbean Sea.
I wanted to give a bit of context for this piece. I was introduced to Bill one afternoon at the local watering hole by a mutual friend. Bill, a talented and experienced writer, shared some of his work with me, and I was interested to read more. When I asked if he had anything we could publish, he sent over a series of travel vignettes. You can read one below. Also, he has a novel A Gamblers Feast: Summer of 1969 that is worth a read.  Anthony

In Little Havana, across from the boisterous Domino Park, in a cigar store on Calle Ocho in South Miami, settled into a deep leather couch amid feathery potted palms stirred by lazy ceiling fans, a traveler is eager to join five Spanish speaking strangers locked into an animated conversation. His courage fueled by strong tobacco and a bracing shot of Cuban coffee, he chooses his moment: You guys gotta be talking politics, he says in English.

They are.

The five meet every Thursday for lunch, punctuated by a smoke at The Little Havana Cigar Factory. They are not unlike men all over the world of a certain age and inclination who gather in cafes, parks and bars to chew over the events of the day, embroider stories from their past, complain, laugh and occasionally break eye contact to admire a pretty young woman, in this case a tall hostess, well aware of her Thursday Regulars and their innocent flirtations.

They welcome the traveler, speaking English for his benefit, and confirm it is presidential politics up for discussion this afternoon. And as is the norm in this part country, by people forced from their country as children, its all filtered through the lens of U.S. Cuba policy:

Jeb is their man, but feel if the young people vote, Hillary will likely win. Obama gave too much away for the sake of relaxing relations.

None have ever returned and never will as long as the regime is in power. When our generation dies the opposition will be mostly over.

Castro ruined a beautiful country.

They speak wistfully. Resigned.

The traveler confides with trepidation that he is embarking for Havana in the morning and has visited the island previously. He says, Do you all hate me now?

No, they say genuinely. Not at all.

The leggy hostess serves another round of Cafe Cubano. Salud, they say, cups raised. One by one they shake the travelers hands and wish him well as they slowly file out into

the heat and the sound of slapping domino tiles.



***

This is important.

The Spanish word for sandwich is sandwich. Who knew?

Some of us who travel internationally discover from time to time that our appetites are still at home days after weve landed on foreign shores. No matter how much wed like to try the pickled fish or tongue taco, there are occasions when something more familiar and less adventuresome might be in order get one through those squeamish, gurgling, alien food challenges, providing a gastronomic bridge of sorts, to new and unfamiliar cuisines.

Appetite Lag can be problematic. But there is a solution. And it is the simply sublime, ham and cheese sandwich.

Seems almost every country has a version. (Youre on your own in Muslim cultures, although I seem to remember having one in Tangier) In addition to Cuba where they are

particularly delicious, Ive enjoyed them in South Africa, Zambia, Argentina, all over Europe, Thailand, Japan, Mexico and Canada for example. So learn how to ask for one in the native language and make the ham and cheese your safety net road meal until your appetite arrives on a later flight with your luggage.

Youre welcome.

***

Cuba generates more revenue annually by loaningbetter said, rentingdoctors to foreign countries than it brings in from tourism, often cited as the prime source for foreign capital. Reliable 2014 numbers put income from placing doctors abroad at $ 8.2 billion; tourism in the neighborhood of $ 2 billion. Regardless of the trending increase in travel and tourism to the island accelerated by the recent loosening of relations between the U.S. and Cuba, Health Care Diplomacy, as it is known, will continue to provide significant income to Cuban government coffers for years to come.

One example. The niece of a friend in Cuba practices medicine in Brazil. He recently told me she earns the equivalent of $990 per month from which she pays her expenses, approximately $400 monthly. For her services Brazil compensates Cuba the equivalent of between $3000-$4000 each month. Do the math. On the surface it seems like a raw deal for the doctor.

Maybe not.

At home, medical professionals earn what amounts to $44 a month, surgeons and specialists slightly more.

For a Cuban doctor its profitable to practice healing in a foreign land.

***

He strides onto the stage of the Sala Dolores Concert Hall in Santiago de Cuba as if hes just taken off a cape.

And on matters of Cuban music, when Maestro Daniel Guzman speaks, you listen.

The 73 year olda visiting Artist in Residence at the University of Richmond this past April at the invitation of Dr. Mike Davisonis often referred to as the Leonard Bernstein of Cuba, a testament to his long and glorious international career as a musician, teacher, bandleader, composer/arranger and orchestra conductor.

On a steamy late May evening at a long table littered with mojitos on the balcony of the Hotel Casa Granda hanging over the historic Parque Cespedes in Santiago, he commands a group of visiting U.S. musicians and friends taking part in a local festival of music. The Maestro stands and gestures with his glass as if it were a baton and declares that history has been made. With authority, he declares this weeks brass quintet performances by student players from Penn State University, along with five teaching professionals, the first ever played in Santiago, and probably the whole island.

Salud, he says to the young players and their professors, all puffing on celebratory cigars. His smile seems to say more than his words.

The embargo may block us from many things, but not the music.

Main image of Havana, Cuba 2015 by William Hamby
Tolentino urges graduates: 'Use your education to make a difference'

"Use your education to make a difference, inspire others, and create a future filled with hope and promise."

This was the main message of Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino to the graduating batch of the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) in commencement exercises held in Davao City on Friday afternoon, June 28.

In his keynote speech, Tolentino congratulated the young audience composed of over a thousand graduates from USeP's various undergraduate programs.

The senator also urged the graduating batch to strive to become ambassadors of their school - whether they choose to stay in their community, or venture out to explore new horizons.

"As you step into the world, beyond the walls of the University of Southeastern Philippines, remember that your education is not merely about the knowledge that you have acquired but the wisdom that you gained," said Tolentino.

"I encourage the faculty members, the parents - our work does not end in a graduation ceremony. Our graduates should step out not alone, but... with the guidance of the parents and the continuing mentoring, although at a distance, of the faculty members," he continued.

Finally, the senator committed to help in the efforts to establish a general hospital in USeP to complement the university's Doctor of Medicine program, and to provide vital health services to residents of the city and the rest of the Davao region.
Norway's largest pension fund has unloaded its significant $69 million investment in America's Caterpillar company over concerns about its role in Gaza.

Caterpillar is one of a number of American companies that have been targeted in the Mideast over perceived support for Israel in the Gaza conflict that has killed some 37,000 Palestinians.

Texas-based Caterpillar Inc. has been accused of providing heavy machinery being used to build illegal Israeli settlements in Gaza  and to bury the Palestinian war dead in bulldozed mass graves.

KLP sold off is investment in Caterpillar earlier this month after the company failed to provide "satisfactory assurances" that it was taking action to block use of its equipment by the Israeli military against Palestinians in violation of international law, according to a statement from KLP, a $90 billion pension fund managing retirement assets for more than 500,000 Norwegian city, health and other public sector workers.

"For a long time, Caterpillar has supplied bulldozers and other equipment that has been used to demolish Palestinian homes and infrastructure to clear the way for Israeli settlements," Kiran Aziz, head of responsible investments at KLP, said in a statement.

"It has also been alleged that the company's equipment is being used by the Israeli Defense Force ... [in] its military campaign in Gaza. Since the company cannot provide us with assurances that it is doing anything in this regard, we have decided to exclude the company from investment," Aziz added.

KLP officials said they have failed to obtain required assurances in a dialogue with the company over several months concerning the risk that Caterpillar is "contributing to human rights abuses and violation of international law," said the statement.

Caterpillar could not immediately be reached for comment on KLP's divestiture.

KLP has refused to invest in some 200 companies because of evidence of human rights violations, environmental harms, corruption and other "unacceptable risks."

Three years ago KLP excluded Chicago-based telecom equipment company Motorola among other corporations for their links to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
By Ram Anand

(Bloomberg)  Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been a fierce critic of Israel over its war against Hamas. Now hes resisting pressure from his own critics to nix a multi-billion dollar Malaysian airports privatisation deal involving BlackRock Inc. over its ties to Israel.

Anwar told parliament this week that it was not realistic to cut ties with any company for links to Israel. Then he sought to reassure US investors that his government had no issue with BlackRock, which bought Global Infrastructure Partners  a member of the consortium taking over Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd  for 12.3 billion ringgit ($2.6 billion).

The collaboration between Malaysia Airports and GIP for us is critical, he said at a luncheon hosted by the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. We made it clear to all members of parliament and it explains our position on investments from overseas, including the US.

The furore tests the limits of Anwars support for Palestinians and Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organisation by the US and European Union, as he looks to shore up support at home and also court global investors. Malaysia doesnt have trade or diplomatic ties with Israel.

A lot of political capital has been spent to defend the deal,said Adib Zalkapli, a political analyst tracking Malaysia for over a decade. There will be serious consequences to Malaysias reputation should the government decide to cancel the deal.

The privatisation deal, announced May 15, valued the airport operator at about $3.9 billion and keeps 70% of the company in Malaysian hands, namely sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and GIP will control the rest.

Aircraft at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang. (Photo: Richard Humphries/Bloomberg)

The view from Anwars advisers is that his government cannot afford to be selective in how it treats companies regarding Palestinian issues as there are other major investors in Malaysia such as the Vanguard Group that also have substantial investments in Israel, according to people familiar with the matter.

GIP has been treading carefully. It told Malaysian state media that BlackRock would not be involved in privatising Malaysia Airports and GIPs existing leadership team would retain full control.

BlackRock is among the biggest investors in some of Malaysias largest companies, with total holdings worth nearly $5.8 billion in equities and government bonds, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Rozaid Rahman, a media and strategic communications director at the Prime Ministers Office, referred to comments Anwar made in parliament this week on the privatszation deal. Khazanah and BlackRock did not respond to Bloomberg requests for comment.

Boycotts

The campaign against BlackRock first emerged from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel, which came to the fore in the US this year with students pushing elite universities to cut their investments in anything tied to Israel and the weapons that fuel the war in Gaza.

While university administrators, donors and lawmakers in America have rejected the BDS movement for decades, it has found fertile ground in Malaysia where there is a strong anti-Israel sentiment in the Muslim-majority country. Boycotts of global brands such as Starbucks, KFC and Pizza Hut for perceived links to Israel have hurt local franchises in Malaysia and jobs.

Any company with strong ties with Israel is a potential target of our campaigns, said Nazari Ismail, chairman of the Malaysian chapter of BDS. But when it came to BlackRock, it would be impossible to stop it from buying Malaysian shares in the open market, he added.

The protest against the deal has also found traction in the Malay-Muslim opposition ahead of a local election on July 6 with politicians describing Anwar as Americas adopted child. A minister was reported as saying that the deal was not unanimously endorsed by Anwars cabinet, signaling some unease within his coalition.

At the AmCham Malaysia luncheon, Anwar pushed the view that the deal had been politicized. The BlackRock issue is rancorous at the local level, at the by-election with people casting aspersions and allegations, he said.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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Mother and her children may have been coerced to travel to religious rehab in Mexico

A Kansas mother who vanished along with her two young daughters may have been coerced to travel to a religious rehabilitation facility in Mexico, according to investigators.

Martha Unger, 23, and her daughters Madilynn Grace Unger, 2, and Haylie Faith Unger, 1, were reported missing on Friday, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation wrote in a post on Facebook.

Authorities are asking the public for help in locating the young family who were last seen at their home in rural Haskell County just before 7 p.m. on Friday.

Martha Unger, 23, and her young daughters have been missing since Friday (Kansas Bureau of Investigation)

Its believed Unger is driving a 2015 white Ford Explorer with the Kansas plate 301RJY.

Investigators said they believe Unger and her children may have been coerced to travel to Mexico to a religious rehabilitation facility with Corney and Elizabeth Klaasen, a couple who are in their fifties.

It is not clear how Unger and the couple know each other or which religious rehabilitation facility they may be traveling to. They are believed to be driving a white and black Chevy Blazer with a Mexico license plate.

Corney and Elizabeth Klaasen are believed to be driving a white and black Chevy Blazer with a Mexico license plate (Kansas Bureau of Investigation)

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation did not provide further details, but only stated that they want to check the welfare of Martha and her children, and is asking anyone with information about their whereabouts to call 911 immediately.

Unger is described as a white female, approximately 5 foot 6 inches tall, weighing around 120 pounds. She has brown hair, and green eyes. Both of her girls have blonde hair and blue eyes.

Investigators said they believe Unger and her children may have been coerced to travel to Mexico to a religious rehabilitation facility with Corney and Elizabeth Klaasen (Kansas Bureau of Investigation)

Corney and Elizabeth are in their fifties. Corney is a male, approximately 6 foot 2 inches tall, weighing around 200 pounds. He is clean shaven and last known wearing jeans and a button-up shirt.

A description of Elizabeth Klaasen was not shared, but a picture provided showed a woman with brown hair and glasses.

If you see the subjects or vehicles, you are asked to call 911 immediately. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Haskell County Sheriffs Office at 620-675-2289.
WASHINGTON  U.S., European and Arab mediators are pressing to keep cross-border attacks between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militants from spiraling into a wider Middle East war that the world has feared for months.

Hopes are lagging for a cease-fire in Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza that would calm attacks by Hezbollah and other militias allied with Iran.

A senior Biden administration official said the U.S. presented new language to intermediaries Egypt and Qatar to try to jump-start stalled Israel-Hamas negotiations.

The official, who requested anonymity, said the revised text focuses on negotiations that are to start between Israel and Hamas during the first phase of a three-phase deal U.S. President Joe Biden laid out nearly a month ago.

In the meantime, American and European officials delivered warnings to Hezbollah  which is far stronger than Hamas  about taking on the military might of Israel, current and former diplomats say.

They warned that the group should not count on the U.S. or anyone else being able to hold off Israeli leaders if they decide to execute battle-ready plans for an offensive into Lebanon.

On both sides of the Lebanese border, escalating strikes between Israel and Hezbollah, one of the region's best-armed fighting forces, appeared at least to level off this past week. While daily strikes still pound the border area, the slight shift offered hope of easing immediate fears, which prompted the U.S. to send an amphibious assault ship with a Marine expeditionary force to join other warships in the area in hopes of deterring a wider conflict.

It's not clear whether Israel or Hezbollah decided to ratchet down attacks to avoid triggering an Israeli invasion into Lebanon, said Gerald Feierstein, a former senior U.S. diplomat in the Middle East. The message being delivered to Hezbollah is "don't think that you're as capable as you think you are," he said.

Beginning the day after Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel triggered the war in Gaza, Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel and vowed to continue until a cease-fire takes hold.

Israel hit back, with the violence forcing tens of thousands of civilians from the border in both countries. Attacks intensified in recent weeks after Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander and Hezbollah responded with some of its biggest missile barrages.

U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said an "apocalyptic" war could result. Both Israel and Hezbollah, the dominant force in politically fractured Lebanon, have the power to cause heavy casualties.

"Such a war would be a catastrophe for Lebanon," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said as he met recently with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon. "Another war between Israel and Hezbollah could easily become a regional war, with terrible consequences for the Middle East."

Gallant, in response, said, "We are working closely together to achieve an agreement, but we must also discuss readiness on every possible scenario."

Analysts expect other Iran-allied militias in the region would respond far more forcefully than they have for Hamas, and some experts warn of ideologically motivated militants streaming into the region to join in. Europeans fear destabilizing refugee flows.

Iran sees Hezbollah as its strategically vital partner in the region  much more so than Hamas  and could be drawn in. Iran's U.N. mission said in a posting Saturday on X, formerly Twitter, that an "obliterating" war would ensue if Israel launches a full-scale attack in Lebanon.

While the U.S. helped Israel knock down a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones in April, the U.S. likely would not do as well assisting Israel's defense against any broader Hezbollah attacks, said Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It is harder to fend off the shorter-range rockets that Hezbollah fires routinely across the border, he said.

"Obviously if it does look like things are going seriously south for the Israelis, the U.S. will intervene," Feierstein said. "I don't think that they would see any alternative to that."

The Israeli army is stretched after a nearly 9-month war in Gaza, and Hezbollah holds an estimated arsenal of about 150,000 rockets and missiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel.

Israeli leaders pledged to unleash Gaza-like scenes of devastation on Lebanon if a full-blown war erupts.

White House senior adviser Amos Hochstein is Biden's point person on Israel-Hezbollah tensions. The French, who have ties as Lebanon's former colonial power, and other Europeans also are mediating, along with the Qataris and Egyptians.

White House officials blamed Hezbollah for escalating tensions and said it backs Israel's right to defend itself. The Biden administration also told the Israelis that opening a second front is not in their interest. That was a point hammered home to Gallant during his latest talks in Washington with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Austin, CIA Director William Burns, national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Hochstein and others.

White House officials, however, are not discounting the real possibility that a second front in the Mideast conflict could open.

In conversations with Israeli and Lebanese officials and other regional stakeholders, there is agreement that "a major escalation is not in anybody's interest," a senior Biden administration official said.

The official also acknowledged that an elusive cease-fire deal in Gaza would go a long way in quieting tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border.

War in Gaza marks grim 6-month milestone
The travelling Ukrainian exhibition 'In the Eye of the Storm' makes a stop in Bratislava.

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Only after a close look on a dark painting viewers recognise a crocodile, bent, with glowing eyes, teeth and quirks on its skin, laying on a bay, leaving a feeling of a mystery in them. The painting is one of three painting by Mykhailo Sapozhnykov exhibited in the Slovak National Gallery and one of highlights of In the Eye of the Storm exhibition subtitled Secession in Ukraine.

In the Bay by Mykhailo Sapozhnykov (Source: Jana Liptakova )

Its like Magritte before Magritte, Konstantin Akinsha, curator of the exhibition, referring the to the Belgian surrealist artist Rene Magritte, told The Slovak Spectator. He is an absolutely interesting artist who is not known even in Ukraine.

Sapozhnykov, a Ukrainian explorer of the unknown and the mysterious, is one of exhibited artists, who are not well known in the world. Another such artist is Vsevolod Maksymovych, who despite committing suicide just in his 20th year of life, has left behind a sound artistic oeuvre.

Works by Sapozhnykov, Maksymovych and other Ukrainian secession artists have stopped in Bratislava during their tour around Europe.
Behind the project is mother of a Ukrainian ex-MP.

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A new investment worth 14 million is heading to Sobrance, eastern Slovakia. The Kosice-based company ARM Servis wants to renew production in the former Vihorlat plant. The company has submitted the project to the authorities for an environmental impact assessment (EIA).

The content of the proposed activity will be the production and processing of rolled steel products, the document reads. Technology for the production of metal ammunition cases will be installed in the production area.

Production of ammunition cases

In Sobrance the ARM Servis company wants to produce munition bodies for high explosive artillery shells of 122 and 155 millimetre calibre. It plans to produce 100,000 annually and create 220 jobs. The investment is to be divided into smaller projects.

The existing production hall with an area of more than 4,500 square metres is to be rebuilt, and reconstruction is planned for the administration building, warehouses and transformer station. A new paint shop building is also planned.

The production is to be linked with the production of artillery shells by the ZVS Holding armaments factory in Snina, 50 kilometres away.

Vihorlat Snina, to whose Sobrance premises the new investment is directed, used to produce cranes, steel structures, castings, boilers and hydraulic cylinders. In the 1990s, the companys capacities were used by the steelmaker VSZ (today U.S. Steel Kosice), which was its owner.

In 2001, the Vihorlat company went bankrupt and production soon stopped. In 2004, the company was bought by ZVS Holding, an armaments company with plants in Snina and Dubnica nad Vahom, western Slovakia. It is half owned by the state and half by the MSM Group of the Czech armourer Michal Strnad. MSM has been producing 155 millimetre calibre artillery ammunition for decades, which is compatible with weapon systems and howitzers around the world.

Who is behind ARM Servis?

The ARM Servis company was launched in 2020 and has been majority owned since last year by SK Special Goods Trading. The company behind it is UA Special Goods Trading based in Florida, USA.

The ultimate beneficial owner of the company is 71-year-old Liubov Yefimova, who has US citizenship. She has several companies in the US and the UK, making money from arms contracts destined for Ukraine. She is the mother of former Ukrainian MP Maxim Yefimov.

In 2018, she bought the Parkovy convention centre in Kyiv, which belonged to former pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Sme
FILE - Carolina Hurricanes' Jake Guentzel (59) watches the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins in Raleigh, N.C., April 4, 2024. The Tampa Bay Lightning got a head start on free agency by acquiring the rights to high-scoring winger Guentzel. The Lightning sent a 2025 third-round draft pick to Carolina on Sunday, June 30. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker, File)

The Tampa Bay Lightning got a head start on free agency by acquiring the rights to high-scoring winger Jake Guentzel on Sunday.

The Lightning sent a 2025 third-round draft pick to the Carolina Hurricanes. The move allows the Lightning to sign Guentzel before he hits the open market on Monday.

He is coming off scoring 30 goals this past season for the Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins, his fourth time reaching that mark in an eight-year career that has included him getting to 40 twice. Guentzel, who turns 30 in October, won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2017 and is nearly a point-a-game playoff performer in the NHL.

That means everything to the Lightning, who won it all back to back in 2020 and 21, reached the final in 22 and want to keep their contending window open as long as possible. To do so, general manager Julien BriseBois and his staff plotted to shift resources from a strong left side on defense to the forward group.

This is all part of that process. Trading defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to Utah and depth forward Tanner Jeannot to Los Angeles on Saturday cleared more than $11 million in salary cap space over the next two seasons.

We have this cap space (and) we can allocate it in different ways by either getting volume or quality, BriseBois said Saturday. Now is that one player getting most of that cap space? Is it two players splitting it up? Three players splitting it up? Its too early to tell at this point.

Guentzel should take up a nice chunk of it, with some left over for the Lightning to sign another free agent, while also signing cornerstone defenseman Victor Hedman to a long-term contract extension.

Where that money will not be going, at least not right away, is toward re-signing Steven Stamkos, the longtime captain and face of the franchise who is expected to test free agency. BriseBois and Stamkos' agent, Don Meehan, confirmed Saturday their stances on reaching an agreement on a new contract had not changed.

Stevens earned the right to test free agency, BriseBois said. I didnt go to him last season to get a deal done. I did go to him quickly after this season, and I was taking a risk by doing that that we may end up here, and now here we are.

Tampa Bay became the second team to acquire the rights to a pending free agent, after Toronto sent a late pick in the 2026 draft to Dallas for the ability to negotiate exclusively with 34-year-old defenseman Chris Tanev.

Hes just an elite defensive player, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said of Tanev, whom he previously signed when running the Calgary Flames. Listen, I know the age hes at, but I think even in the last year hes shown hes one of the top shutdown defensemen, one of the top defensive players in the league.

New Jersey continued to rebuild its defense by getting Johnathan Kovacevic from Montreal for a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Devils traded John Marino to Utah on Saturday and are expected to target longtime Carolina defenseman Brett Pesce in free agency.

Buyouts initiated Sunday also will clear cap space.

The Buffalo Sabres finalized a buyout of forward Jeff Skinner's contract, ending the tenure of the highest-paid player on their roster. GM Kevyn Adams was unable to trade Skinner, who with a no-movement clause had full control over where he went.

Edmonton, which lost to Florida in seven games in the final, put goaltender Jack Campbell on unconditional waivers to buy out the rest of his contract. The $25 million, five-year deal the Oilers signed him to in 2022 was a bust, with Campbell being sent to the minors this past season.

A couple of defensemen were also on buyout waivers Sunday: Winnipeg's Nate Schmidt and Columbus' Adam Boqvist. Brother Jesper Boqvist, formerly under contract with Boston, was among the players who also will become free agents after not receiving a qualifying offer, a list that includes Buffalo's Jacob Bryson, San Jose's Filip Zadina and Dallas' Nils Lundkvist  less than two years since the Stars traded a first-rounder to the Rangers for him.

Also not qualified were the four NHL players charged with sexual assault in the case involving members of Canada's 2018 world junior team: Philadelphia's Carter Hart, New Jersey's Michael McLeod and Cal Foote and Calgary's Dillon Dube. That was expected after the league did not give those players' teams any special exemption given the ongoing legal matter in London, Ontario.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240629/stanford-quietly-removed-azov-battalion-from-extremist-group-list-1119184164.html

Stanford Quietly Removed Azov Battalion From Extremist Group List

Stanford Quietly Removed Azov Battalion From Extremist Group List

Sputnik International

The influential Mapping Militants Project by Stanford has quietly removed the page listing the Azov Battalion as a "violent militant or extremist" organization.

2024-06-29T23:41+0000

2024-06-29T23:41+0000

2024-07-18T20:11+0000

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azov

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azov battalion

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stanford

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The Azov Battalion was renamed the 12th Special Purpose Brigade Azov, which the State Department claims is a separate unit from the Azov Battalion. Azov began as an all-volunteer group created to fight separatists in the Donetsk Peoples Republic and was officially integrated into the Ukrainian National Guard in 2014.However, despite the rebrand, the leaders of the new Azov Brigade have extensive connections with neo-Nazi groups, including Commander Denys Prokopenko and Deputy Commander Sviatoslav Palamar. It also continues to use Nazi iconography on its uniforms and social media posts, including its official logo, which features the Wolfsangel symbol, a Nazi symbol created by SS leader Heinrich Himmler and used by neo-Nazi groups across the world.Azovs removal from the MMP was first reported by the Noir newsletter.The Stanford MMP has received funding from the US Department of Defense and Homeland Security but is often used as an authoritative voice in academic research, reports and testimonies to Congress. The change means the MMP list no longer contradicts State Department policy.Last month, the State Department claimed that the Azov Brigade/Battalion had completed Leahy vetting as carried out by the US Department of State. Leahy vetting refers to the Leahy law, which prevents the US from funding foreign security forces where there is credible information implicating that unit in the commission of gross violations of human rights.The Azov Battalion has been credibly accused of multiple human rights violations, including torture, extrajudicial killing, forced disappearances, using civilian homes for military infrastructure and looting. Some of those crimes allegedly occurred after the Azov Battalion was officially integrated into the Ukrainian National Guard. Prior to the start of Russias operation in Ukraine, multiple Western media outlets reported on Azov's connections to extremist neo-Nazi groups.Earlier this month, the Ukrainian ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, published a post on Facebook**, celebrating the groups removal from the list. She also thanked the embassy and an organization called the Association of Families of Azovstal Defenders for constantly drawing attention and joint fights against Russian propaganda and disinformation suggesting that she or her colleagues at the embassy may have pressured the MMP to remove the group.The State Department did not respond to Noirs request for comment, but Professor Martha Crenshaw, one of the academics working on the MMP, told the newsletter that it was updating the profile. However, she did not respond to questions asking if it is typical for pages to be taken down while being updated, how long the update will take, what the update will entail, if the page will be made visible again, or if the MMP was contacted by the Ukrainian ambassador.The MMPs now-removed profile of the Azov Battalion included a section on its founder Andriy Biletsky. It says that in 2016, two years after the groups integration into the Ukrainian military, Biletsky created a political arm of the group called the National Corps. It notes that the group was involved with attacks on Roma camps, LGBT activists, and protested the construction of a mosque in Lviv, and that the group was referred to as a hate group by the US State Department.Last week, it was reported that the State Department had been funding the Azov Battalion for months, despite the ban officially still being in place.*Azov Battalion is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.** Facebook and its parent company Meta have been banned in Russia for extremist activities.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240622/us-supported-neo-nazi-azov-battalion-since-2023-despite-ban---report-1119067053.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/bidens-decision-on-campaign-depends-on-his-inner-circle-will-meet-at-camp-david---reports-1119184873.html

Biden's Decision On Campaign Depends On His Inner Circle, Will Meet at Camp David - Reports

Biden's Decision On Campaign Depends On His Inner Circle, Will Meet at Camp David - Reports

Sputnik International

US President Joe Biden's decision on the future of his campaign depends on his inner circle and family and will be discussing it with his family at Camp David, according to two separate reports.

2024-06-30T04:01+0000

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2024-06-30T04:01+0000

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camp david

sputnik

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The report noted on Saturday that a call for Biden to drop out of the race from his inner circle would be shocking and sudden. The inner circle reportedly includes Bidens wife, Jill Biden, his younger sister Valerie, adviser Ted Kaufman and a small group of White House advisers. Later on Saturday, NBC reported that Joe Biden will be meeting with his family at Camp David to discuss the future of his campaign, citing "five people familiar with the matter." Those sources said First Lady Jill Biden will be most influential in steering Joe.The NBC report said that Jill and Joe Biden will be meeting with their children and grandchildren, it did not mention if Ted Kaufman or other advisers will be there.The New York Times Editorial in an op-ed wrote on Friday that Biden should suspend his presidential campaign after a poor showing at the first presidential debate and let a fresh new Democratic candidate take his place. Meanwhile, Biden and his campaign admitted that the US president had a rough showing at the debate in Atlanta but they assured the public that they would not end the reelection bid. The US presidential election is slated for November 2024. The main contenders expected on the ballot are Biden and Trump, who have both won enough delegates' votes to be their respective Democratic and Republican parties' presumptive nominees. Trump and Biden are set to debate again on September 10.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240629/not-fit-for-presidential-duties-ex-pentagon-adviser-on-bidens-debate-with-trump-1119176342.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/chinas-xi-to-visit-kazakhstan-on-july-2-4--1119186694.html

China's Xi to Visit Kazakhstan on July 2-4

China's Xi to Visit Kazakhstan on July 2-4

Sputnik International

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Kazakhstan on July 2-4 and partake in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Council of Heads of State, the Kazakh presidential press service said on Sunday.

2024-06-30T07:32+0000

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"On July 2-4, 2024, at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, and will also take part in the 24th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation," the statement read. The SCO summit in Astana will be held from July 3-4 and will be attended by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. A number of important documents, including the organization's development strategy until 2035, are expected to be signed during the event.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240621/sco-energy-chiefs-agree-cooperation-strategy-until-2030-1119050417.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/icc-decision-on-arrest-warrants-for-israeli-officials-delayed-by-uk-1119184662.html

ICC Decision on Arrest Warrants For Israeli Officials Delayed By UK

ICC Decision on Arrest Warrants For Israeli Officials Delayed By UK

Sputnik International

The UK has requested a review by the ICC over if it has jurisdiction over Israeli citizens. The request will delay the issuance of the warrants, if they are issued at all.

2024-06-30T02:47+0000

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The request by the UK tracks closely with arguments made by the Israeli government that international agreements take precedence over the ICC. The Oslo Accords stipulated that the Palestinian Authority has no criminal jurisdiction over Israelis. Since the Palestinian Authority requested that the ICC open an investigation, Israel argues that it violated the agreement.The UK holds a special friend of the court status that enabled them to issue the request. Israel is unable to because it is not a member of the court. Yedioth Ahronoth, the Israeli paper who first reported on the UK request said that it is believed that the UKs move was made at Israels request, and speculated that other countries are being recruited to support the UK review.The UK submitted the request on July 10, the court gave the country until July 12 to file any comments. That means the arrest warrants, if they come at all, will be delayed until at least then and likely longer. The decision will be made by a three-judge panel. If they rule that the court does not have jurisdiction over Israeli citizens, the court would be unable to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant or any other Israeli official.In May, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and three Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammad Deif and Ismail Haniyeh for crimes against humanity. If the court rules in favor of Israel, the warrants for the Hamas leaders could still go forward because they are Palestinian.The Israeli government is facing significant international pressure to halt its campaign in Gaza. In January, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a preliminary ruling that Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and ordered it to take measures to prevent genocide. In May, it ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Gaza, but Israel ignored the order. Thirteen countries have joined that case.According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 37,800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and at least another 10,000 are missing and presumed dead, a total number that represents more than 2.3% of the Gazan population as of 2020. Another 4.2% of the population has been injured.Israel launched its attacks on Gaza after a surprise attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,189 Israelis and the capture of around 240 more.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240628/spain-joins-south-africas-genocide-lawsuit-against-israel---icj-1119170276.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/kanye-west-arrives-in-moscow-for-gosha-rubchinskiys-birthday-bash-1119195139.html

Kanye West Arrives in Moscow for Gosha Rubchinskiys Birthday Bash

Kanye West Arrives in Moscow for Gosha Rubchinskiys Birthday Bash

Sputnik International

US rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has arrived in the Russian capital city of Moscow, Russian TV show host and producer Yana Rudkovskaya said on Sunday.

2024-06-30T15:28+0000

2024-06-30T15:28+0000

2024-06-30T15:28+0000

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kanye west

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russia

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"Kanye West is already in Moscow. This is super news! He is staying in the heart of the capital," Rudkovskaya said on Telegram. Ye himself posted a greeting to Moscow residents on his Russian online social media VK page, saying "Hello, Moscow." Russian Telegram channel Moskvichka Magazine reported that Ye is paying a visit to the Russian capital to celebrate the birthday of Russian designer and photographer Gosha Rubchinskiy, who was appointed head of design of Ye's music and fashion brand Yeezy in December 2023. On Saturday evening, Ye and Rubchinskiy reportedly visited Russian cuisine restaurant Beluga. Later in the day, Beluga's PR manager Dina Dudieva confirmed to Sputnik that Ye and Rubchinskiy had dined at the restaurant. Moscow's central GUM department store, situated opposite the Kremlin on Red Square, told Sputnik that Ye visited its observation deck on Sunday. The celebrity is reportedly staying at the Four Seasons Hotel, located on Manezhnaya Square next to Red Square. A Sputnik correspondent reported that a crowd of fans and journalists gathered outside the hotel, waiting for the rapper's appearance. Meanwhile, Russian journalist Ksenia Sobchak said, noting that she had a private conversation with Rubchinskiy, that Ye would be visiting concert venues in Moscow on Monday, but "there will be no concert these days, as it is a private visit." Ye garnered public attention in recent years for his presidential ambitions and a series of statements considered anti-Semitic by watchdog groups. In December of last year, Ye publicly apologized to the Jewish community, claiming that he regrets any pain he may have caused.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230125/kanye-west-may-be-denied-entry-to-australia--1106697253.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/north-korea-accuses-us-japan-south-korea-of-creating-asian-version-of-nato-1119188258.html

North Korea Accuses US, Japan, South Korea of Creating 'Asian Version of NATO'

North Korea Accuses US, Japan, South Korea of Creating 'Asian Version of NATO'

Sputnik International

The North Korean Foreign Ministry has accused Japan, the United States and South Korea (ROK) of creating a "Asian version of NATO" over holding trilateral military drills earlier in the month

2024-06-30T10:10+0000

2024-06-30T10:10+0000

2024-06-30T10:10+0000

asia

asian version of nato

north korea

japan

south korea

us

us hegemony

nato

korean central news agency (kcna)

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On Saturday, Freedom Edge, a three-day military exercise involving Japan, the US and South Korea concluded in the East China Sea. The drills, which will be conducted annually, were designed at the three-way summit at Camp David last August to boost military cooperation amid tensions on the Korean peninsula amid North Koreas increased tests of ballistic missiles. At the conclusion of the Camp David summit, the US, Japan and South Korea agreed to respond immediately to any threat against any of them, the statement read. The three countries already share missile threat data in real time, the statement read. Unlike AUKUS, the new trilateral military bloc is a "war and aggression mechanism" and is ready to enter into military confrontation with other countries on Washington's orders, the statement read. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the trilateral military alliance between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo is aimed not only against North Korea, but also to contain Moscow and Beijing. The only real threat in the Indo-Pacific region is US policy, while other issues, including North Korea's missile policy, must be resolved through a collective response, the ministry added.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240628/moscow-says-protested-to-japan-over-plans-to-hold-military-drills-on-hokkaido-1119169583.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/russia-will-recover-not-disappear-due-to-sanctions---us-investor-jim-rogers-1119184483.html

Russia Will Recover, Not Disappear Due to Sanctions - US Investor Jim Rogers

Russia Will Recover, Not Disappear Due to Sanctions - US Investor Jim Rogers

Sputnik International

The anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the West will not make Russia's economy disappear, legendary investor Jim Rogers told Sputnik.

2024-06-30T01:56+0000

2024-06-30T01:56+0000

2024-06-30T02:51+0000

russia

jim rogers

russia

ukraine

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sputnik

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western sanctions

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"Russia is not going to disappear. There have been sanctions against Russia in history, there will be again. There have been sanctions against everybody in history. Russia will recover," Rogers said.The investor noted that Russia is experiencing a record number of sanctions, which would hurt any country. Rogers said that many people in such circumstances would turn to the black market and go around the sanctions, while many others would abide by them, and Russia will have to deal with the reality of sanctions. The investor emphasized that Russia has a lot of oil and agricultural products, which are needed around the world, and has so far done a good job of working around the sanctions. Once the conflict in Ukraine is over, Russia will start opening up again and people will open up to Russia again, Rogers added. The countries of the collective West stepped up sanctions pressure on Russia after the start of the special military operation in Ukraine in 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the collective West's long-term strategy of containing Russia was instead hurting the global economy.Rogers is also optimistic that Russian-US relations will improve, and begin communicating and trading as both are huge countries with consequential economies, renowned US investor Jim Rogers told Sputnik.When asked whether he thinks that relations between Russia and the United States will improve one day, Rogers stated, "Of course, they will someday.""I can remember when Americans wouldn't even talk to Russians. And the Russians wouldn't talk to Americans. That will change again," he said. "Russia is a huge country, America is too. Of course, there will be communication and trade again someday. There always has been and there always will be after the war."

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240531/russia-ranks-as-worlds-no4-biggest-economy-based-on-purchasing-power-parity-1118711623.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/russian-forces-strike-kraken-battalions-base-in-kharkov-suburbs---underground-network-1119195717.html

Russian Forces Strike Kraken Battalion's Base in Kharkov Suburbs - Underground Network

Russian Forces Strike Kraken Battalion's Base in Kharkov Suburbs - Underground Network

Sputnik International

The Russian armed forces struck a base of the Ukrainian national battalion Kraken located in the suburbs of the city of Kharkov, the coordinator of the pro-Russian underground network in Nikolayev, Sergei Lebedev, told Sputnik.

2024-06-30T16:02+0000

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2024-06-30T16:02+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

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"At 4:25 p.m. [11:25 GMT] in the suburbs of Kharkov, in the area of Komsomolskoye Lake, there was an incoming strike. Kharkov residents write that [the Russians] hit the base of the Kraken national battalion, where the Banderites were training and being trained," Lebedev said. He also provided a photo showing a column of black smoke. On June 28, Lebedev reported multiple strikes on the area of deployment of the Ukrainian forces and Kraken militants in the Nikolayev region.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/russian-forces-use-underground-tunnel-to-seize-major-ukrainian-stronghold-in-donbass--1119196147.html

Russian Forces Use Underground Tunnel to Seize Major Ukrainian Stronghold in Donbass

Russian Forces Use Underground Tunnel to Seize Major Ukrainian Stronghold in Donbass

Sputnik International

Russian troops captured a major Ukrainian stronghold in the eastern part of Kirovo in Donbass, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

2024-06-30T17:03+0000

2024-06-30T17:03+0000

2024-06-30T18:39+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

donbass

russia

ukraine

ukrainian armed forces

ministry of defense

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"The major Ukrainian stronghold on the eastern outskirts of the town of Kirovo was taken by assault units from the Veterans squad of the Tsentr Battlegroup using an underground tunnel," the statement said."The soldiers established a supply route through the tunnel, providing the assault troops with ammunition, weapons, and food," the ministry added.The ministry emphasized that the surprise element allowed the unit to successfully take full control of the position. Some Ukrainian soldiers surrendered, while others abandoned their posts and retreated.Earlier on Sunday, the ministry reported that the Tsentr Battlegroup's units had liberated the settlement of Novoalexandrovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, improved their tactical position, and inflicted losses on the formations of the 23rd, 47th Mechanized, 95th Air Assault, 59th Motorized Infantry Brigades and the 2nd Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard in the areas of Toretsk, Kirovo, Mikhailovka, Novgorodskoye, Volch'ye, Shevchenko, Sokol, and Vishnevoye. The enemy suffered losses of up to 370 soldiers, eight vehicles, four howitzers, two anti-tank guns, and a counter-battery radar station.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240514/watch-russian-solntsepyok-heavy-flamethrower-system-destroy-ukrainian-strongholds-near-chasov-yar-1118422216.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/saudi-arabia-calls-on-its-citizens-to-immediately-leave-lebanon---embassy-1119184369.html

Saudi Arabia Calls on Its Citizens to Immediately Leave Lebanon - Embassy

Saudi Arabia Calls on Its Citizens to Immediately Leave Lebanon - Embassy

Sputnik International

Saudi Arabia has reiterated its travel ban to Lebanon and called on its citizens to immediately leave the country.

2024-06-30T01:22+0000

2024-06-30T01:22+0000

2024-06-30T01:22+0000

world

hassan nasrallah

lebanon

saudi arabia

israel defense forces (idf)

hezbollah

israel

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"The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Lebanese Republic is following with concern the current events in southern Lebanon, once again calls on all Saudi citizens to comply with the decision to ban travel to Lebanon and calls on citizens there to immediately leave Lebanese territory," the embassy said on Saturday. On June 18, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it had approved operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz later said that Israel was "very close" to a decision to "change the rules" against Hezbollah and Lebanon, threatening to destroy the movement "in an all-out war" and to "severely hit" Lebanon. Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said that the movement could invade northern Israel if the confrontation intensifies further. The situation on the Israeli-Lebanese border worsened after the start of Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip in October 2023. The IDF and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters fire at each other's positions in areas along the border on a daily basis. The Lebanese Foreign Ministry said that around 100,000 people had to leave their homes in border areas, while the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that 80,000 Israelis had to do the same.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240629/lebanese-prime-minister-says-his-country-in-state-of-war-due-to-threats-from-israel-1119184042.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/thousands-of-nato-troops-on-belarus-border-heightening-tensions--minsk-1119197838.html

Thousands of NATO Troops on Belarus Border, Heightening Tensions  Minsk

Thousands of NATO Troops on Belarus Border, Heightening Tensions  Minsk

Sputnik International

MINSK (Sputnik) - Ten NATO battalion tactical groups remain stationed near Belarus's border with European Union member states, Chief of the General Staff Pavel Muraveiko said Sunday.

2024-06-30T20:47+0000

2024-06-30T20:47+0000

2024-06-30T20:48+0000

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european union (eu)

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belarusian defense ministry

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MINSK (Sputnik) - Ten NATO battalion tactical groups remain stationed near Belarus's border with European Union member states, Belarusian Chief of the General Staff Pavel Muraveiko said Sunday. "Today we have 10 battalion tactical groups of NATO with a total strength of over 20,000 people located near our border," the First Deputy Defense Minister told All-National Television. "Six of these groups are American. Why fly here from overseas and deploy a contingent here? They said it was temporary."Muraveiko recalled there is an adage that goes, "nothing is more permanent than something temporary," adding that such proximity is "bothering and straining." The military official added that the situation encourages Belarus to carefully evaluate every action taken by NATO troops, claiming the country is "studying the techniques and methods" they employ.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240628/belarus-border-committee-says-stopped-ukraines-quadcopter-from-entering-airspace-using-arms-1119164171.html

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Girls boat past Bird Island on a jet ski, June 25, 2024 in Conroe. Residents have grown concerned over the island as it has been decreasing in size throughout the years due to erosion. Ishika Samant/Staff photographer Cattle egrets and double-crested cormorants inhabit Bird Island, June 25, 2024 in Conroe. Residents have grown concerned over the island as it has been decreasing in size throughout the years due to erosion. Ishika Samant/Staff photographer Cattle egrets and double-crested cormorants inhabit Bird Island, June 25, 2024 in Conroe. Residents have grown concerned over the island as it has been decreasing in size throughout the years due to erosion. Ishika Samant/Staff photographer Bird Island is shown from the Seven Coves neighborhood on Lake Conroe Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Willis. Bird Island, a small bird sanctuary, is in jeopardy because of erosion caused by waves and drought. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle The Bird Island on Lake Conroe is photographed Tuesday, June 25, 2024 in Concoe. The island has been eroding and getting smaller and smaller. A group of Lake Conroe residents what to try and save it. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Cattle egrets and double-crested cormorants inhabit Bird Island, June 25, 2024 in Conroe. Residents have grown concerned over the island as it has been decreasing in size throughout the years due to erosion. Ishika Samant/Staff photographer Cattle egrets and double-crested cormorants inhabit Bird Island, June 25, 2024 in Conroe. Residents have grown concerned over the island as it has been decreasing in size throughout the years due to erosion. Ishika Samant/Staff photographer

From his back patio in the Harbour Town community on Lake Conroe, Michael Hallett has a direct view of "Bird Island."

The piece of land that rises up from Lake Conroe off the Seven Coves and Harbour Town neighborhoods is a roosting spot for a variety of native and migratory birds such as white "cattle" egrets, black cormorants, gray herons, ducks and the Anhinga, a black bird known more commonly as "water turkeys."

Hallett's favorite to watch for is the migratory American White Pelican, a bird that is protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He said they come around February and usually stay through May. At times, he's seen as many as 150 pelicans roosting there.

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The Bird Island on Lake Conroe is photographed Tuesday, June 25, 2024 in Concoe. The island has been eroding and getting smaller and smaller. A group of Lake Conroe residents what to try and save it. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Bird Island's future

His bird's eye view of the island also brings concerns about its future and the future of the birds that inhabit it. For the 17 years he's had waterfront property, he's watched Bird Island get smaller and smaller due to erosion.

"If we don't do anything about it that will be nothing but a giant sandbar over time and the birds will be gone," he said. "That will be hard to watch this becoming just a sandbar and then we'll see nothing but boats out here all the time beaching on the sandbar."

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He estimates the original size of Bird Island was at least 2 acres going back to the 1970s. He believes the island is now less than a quarter of an acre. It was three times that size when he moved in 17 years ago.

Bird Island is shown from the Seven Coves neighborhood on Lake Conroe Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Willis. Bird Island, a small bird sanctuary, is in jeopardy because of erosion caused by waves and drought. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle

History of Lake Conroe

According to a history of the lake from the San Jacinto River Authority, the lake was planned and constructed shortly after a record 7-year drought in the 1950s.

Through a partnership agreement, the river authority partnered with Houston and the Texas Water Development Board in 1968 to jointly construct a water supply reservoir, Lake Conroe, on the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.

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The Lake Conroe dam was completed in January 1973 and it was filled by Oct. 31, 1973, after the area received significant rain in 1973. The lake covers a 21,000-acre area.

When Lake Conroe filled, Hallett said there were shallow areas off Seven Coves that created Ayers Island and Bird Island, which rose up from the waters on the east side of the lake.

In the early 2000s, a bulkhead border was placed around Ayers Island, a recreational spot for boaters. The San Jacinto River Authority, with the permission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, completed the project.

An aerial image from 1995 shows the size of Bird Island on Lake Conroe nearly 30 years ago. Photo courtesy Bird Island Rescue group

Saving Bird Island

Madi Bullock, has lived in Seven Coves since she was 5 years old, and fishing from the park off Kingston Coves Lane has been one of her favorite hobbies.

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The park is the closest piece of land to Bird Island, and she, too, is disheartened to see it diminish over the years. Bullock, 23, is studying to become a Texas Game Warden at Sam Houston State University, and the restoration of the island has become a cause close to her.

"The island is mostly without human intervention, but has decreased in size due to increased boat traffic and erosion," she said. She has particular concern for the pelican migration.

She fears that if the island is not there, the pelicans will not stop there and change their migratory path.

She approached Hallett about a year ago to start a community project to restore the island. Earlier this year they launched the website Bird Island Rescue.

They would like to see a riprap border of broken rocks around the 2015 perimeter of the island and then have fill dirt added to build the island back up.

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The Bird Island on Lake Conroe is photographed Tuesday, June 25, 2024 in Concoe. The island has been eroding and getting smaller and smaller. A group of Lake Conroe residents what to try and save it. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Moving the project forward

"I have contacted numerous organizations such as the San Jacinto River Authority and Texas Parks and Wildlife to raise concerns in hopes that they would support a habitat restoration project," Bullock said.

Hallett believes the project is gaining momentum in terms of community support and interest, but they would still have to work with state and government agencies for possible funding and completion of the restoration.

In the past year, Bullock has spoken with representatives of the San Jacinto River Authority and Texas Parks and Wildlife department.

"The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been approached several times over the past few years requesting assistance for the Bird Island restoration initiative. The scope of the project would be significant and would require millions of dollars in funding, which TPWD is not able to provide," according to a statement from the agency.

Still, the duo has not ruled out fundraisers to aid restoration or possible state or federal grants.

Earlier this month, Bullock and Hallett met with state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, on the matter and felt like it was a positive meeting.

"There have been some recent inquiries about the status of the island, from some that want to restore it, and others with concerns about it being a safety hazard," Creighton said. "We have discussed potential solutions with constituents and the SJRA."

Hallett said the birds that roost on the island are protected, but the island is not.

"If we want to protect the birds and we want to keep them here, the only way to do that is to keep the island," he said.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/turkish-intelligence-head-holds-talks-with-hamas-politburo-chief---reports-1119185347.html

Turkish Intelligence Head Holds Talks With Hamas Politburo Chief - Reports

Turkish Intelligence Head Holds Talks With Hamas Politburo Chief - Reports

Sputnik International

Turkish National Intelligence Organization Director Ibrahim Kalin held talks with Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh, during which the parties discussed steps to achieve a permanent ceasefire, exchange hostages with Israel, and deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, Turkish broadcaster TRT Haber reported.

2024-06-30T04:50+0000

2024-06-30T04:50+0000

2024-06-30T04:50+0000

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turkiye

hamas

gaza strip

ibrahim kalin

turkish national intelligence organization

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ismail haniyeh

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Kalin also expressed condolences over the deaths of Palestinians and Haniyeh's sister in particular as a result of Israeli strikes, the report said on Saturday. In addition, Kalin stressed that Ankara will continue to support the Palestinian people. Earlier this week, Palestinian media reported that over 10 people, including Hamas politburo chief's sister and several people whose surname was Haniyeh, died in an Israeli strike on Haniyeh's family house. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel and breached the border, attacking both civilian neighborhoods and military bases. Nearly 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted during the attack. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza. More than 37,650 people have been killed and over 86,000 others have been wounded in Israel's military operations, according to local authorities.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240626/hamas-eyes-political-hq-move-to-iraq-due-to-us-pressure-on-qatar-over-gaza-talks-1119132562.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240622/idf-spokesman-says-israel-cannot-defeat-hamas-so-what-are-they-doing-1119056423.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240630/watch-russian-su-30-sm-fighter-jets-on-combat-duty-in-special-op-zone-1119187082.html

Watch Russian Su-30 SM Fighter Jets on Combat Duty in Special Op Zone

Watch Russian Su-30 SM Fighter Jets on Combat Duty in Special Op Zone

Sputnik International

he Russian Ministry of Defense has released a footage showing a Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM patrolling skies in the special military operation zone. Su-30SM proved to be especially effective against various targets, including naval drones.

2024-06-30T09:02+0000

2024-06-30T09:02+0000

2024-06-30T09:02+0000

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russian armed forces

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The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage showing a Russian Sukhoi Su-30SM patrolling the skies in the Special Military Operation Zone. The Su-30SM proved to be particularly effective against various targets, including naval drones.The footage shows crews patrolling the designated areas and providing fire support to other planes and helicopters pounding Ukrainian infrastructure.

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The Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) will continue its 50th Anniversary celebration tour on Canada Day (July 1) with a pair of OSS Grassroots Series races and a Prospect Series race at Dresden Raceway.

A total of $48,000 will be on the line between the three races with the Grassroots events going in Races 4 and 6 and the Prospect Series race kicking off the 12-race afternoon with Race 1.

With 7-2 morning odds, Livingitlarge is a horse to watch in the $8,000 Prospect Series race for three-year-old trotting colts. The son of Wheeling N Dealin is owned, trained and will be driven by Dresden Raceway regular Lorne House.

Weve been taking our time with him this year coming back as a three-year-old, said House of Livingitlarge. We started him off in Sarnia [Hiawatha Horse Park] because last year he had a little bit of trouble with the turns on the tighter tracks but I think we have that solved, so were gonna take a shot at Dresden this week and see how that goes.

Hes come along quite nicely and has made some real progress in the last few weeks, so were hoping for a good showing.

In four starts this year, Livingitlarge has picked up two second-place finishes in addition to his first career win on June 8 at Hiawatha Horse Park. Chantal Ruijs of Georgian Bluffs, Ont. bred Livingitlarge and co-owns him with House.

We basically raised him, [Ruijs] and I, and hes come along really nice, House said.

Included in Race 1s six-horse field is Prospect Series leader Slayin Theday Away, who has already won two Prospect Series events and is entering Monday with 8-5 morning odds.

The Grassroots series races Monday will each feature $20,000 purses for three-year-old trotting colts.

Race 4s five-horse field will feature House driving Muscle Mass colt Georgeofthejungle for the first time.

Most trainers can give you good insight and the world that we live in today, with replays and whatnot, I can get a feel a know what to expect of a horse, said House. You rely a lot on the trainers insight on a horse youve never driven with stuff like how they are on the gate and stuff like that.

It can be a different experience, but if you do your homework you can prepare yourself well.

Unraced as a two-year-old, Georgeofthejungle is trained by Dominic Gladu, owned by Thestable Georgofthejungl of Guelph, Ont. and was bred by Shmuel Farhi of London, Ont.

The heavy favourite in Race 4 is the Victor Puddy-trained The Canam Banker, who is coming into the race with 8-5 morning line odds. Tyler Borth is listed to drive that son of The Bank.

Borth will also drive Jack N Abs in Race 6s five-horse Grassroots event. The Gregg McNair-trained Muscle Mass colt is even money on the morning line.

As part of the 50th Anniversary celebration, fans coming down to enjoy the races will also be able to win prizes via giveaways, there will be activity books for the young ones and take in a timeline illustrating the 50-year history of the OSS.

For House, participating in the OSS early in his career helped him develop a lifelong passion for the sport.

The first decent Sires Stakes horse that I ever trained, drove and owned was a horse named Grogan, said House reminiscing about his experience with the OSS. He wouldve been at the start of my career driving and training and it was kind of nice to have a horse like him. He won several Grassroots around the small tracks as a three-year-old and it was a lot of fun and it got me hooked on driving and training young trotters.

In advance of Mondays celebration, noted Canadian harness racing writer and historian Robert Smith wrote a brief history of Dresden Raceway that you can read here.

Post time for the first race Monday at Dresden goes at 1:00 p.m. For entries, click the following link: Monday Entries - Dresden Raceway.

(with files from Ontario Racing)
The 12th edition of Legends Day at Clinton Raceway wrapped up with the sun shining for the featured finale as Randy Waples defeated a field of fellow Hall of Fame drivers in rein to Heavy Dude E.

It was a damp, cool and windy June 30 summer afternoon but fans flocked to the Clinton, Ont. oval for the popular biennial harness racing event showcasing many of Canadian harness racing's Hall of Famers in competition on the racetrack and as special guests for a reunion. Legends Day serves as a fundraiser for the community with this year's benefitting charity being the Clinton Public Hospital Foundation. More than $61,000 was raised through a number of initiatives, including a large online auction, 50/50 draw, donations, sponsorships and BBQ dinner for which 900 tickets were sold.

The $10,000 Legends Day Trot closed out the 10-race card, with the Hall of Fame driver lineup including Doug Brown, Chris Christoforou, Steve Condren, Sylvain Filion, Wally Hennessey, Carl Jamieson, Paul MacDonell and Randy Waples. Hall Of Fame announcer Frank Salive stepped out of retirement for the occasion to call the race, highlighting that "this collection of legends, this is a one off. We may not see this [particular group of Hall of Fame drivers] again ever in our lifetime."

As the race began, Waples and Heavy Dude E emerged between three-wide foes into the first turn with Steve Condren and Cool Clifford driving on for the pocket position over the inside pair of Wally Hennessey and Charmbo Prince.

Heavy Dude E continued to lead the field of eight through fractions of :28.4, 1:00.3 and 1:30.3 while Paul MacDonell sent favourite Tijuana Seelster first-up from fourth and Sylvain Filion moved Monteverdi second-over before rallying three-wide for the stretch drive.

Cool Clifford got the jump on Monteverdi turning for home as he slipped out of the pocket for Condren, but Waples and Heavy Dude E held on to win by a neck in 2:01.1 over the 'good' track for local owner and trainer Natalie Elliott. Cool Clifford just missed, with Charmbo Prince between foes to edge out Monteverdi for third.

Heavy Dude E, a six-year-old Holiday Road-Marclif Aisalinda gelding, earned his 25th career win and paid $15.40 for the 6-1 mild upset.

"I originally said I just didn't want to fall off the bike so anything over that is a success, and it ended up being a success," quipped Waples after his first appearance in the sulky since transitioning to a broadcasting role in 2022.

A career winner of 6,646 races who has driven winners of more than $131.9 million in purses, Waples commented on what it meant to take part in Legends Day and being mentioned in the same breathe as Hall of Famers Ron and Keith Waples.

"It's amazing being here, it's amazing competing against these guys. I honestly think this is the first time I've actually beat them in a race, so it took until the end of my career to be able to do that.

"My father is always going to be the driver in my life. I can never put myself at that level, never would. Now I know my father would never put himself at Keith Waples' level, so I just kind of figure I've got a long ways to go. But these guys, they're all great, you know that."



From left to right: Hall of Famers Ron Waples, John Campbell, Paul MacDonell, Steve Condren, Wally Hennessey, Doug Brown, Randy Waples, Dave Wall, Chris Christoforou, Carl Jamieson, Sylvain Filion and Trevor Ritchie.

On the undercard, three $8,000 eliminations set the stage for next Sunday's $50,000 Kin Pace for Ontario-sired three-year-old pacing fillies that were non-winners of $50,000 in 2023.

The heavy favourite in the first elimination, Wicked Leader ($2.30) recovered from a break at the start and swooped the group to win by a neck in 1:58 for driver Trevor Henry and trainer Terry Gallant.

"She always was funny right behind the car when she was a two-year-old, but then she got over it. And then last week, she kind of ran sideways on me and she made a break. Today, she never did nothing, she just threw her head and ran," said Henry of the winning filly, who went three-wide off cover at three-quarters and caught pacesetter Distant Lover (:27.3, :57.1, 1:27) on the line, with Quiet Assurances quick to recover from her own early miscue in the pocket and finishing third.

"I wasn't sure she could win it, but I could see Jason [Ryan's] horse [Distant Lover] was getting tired going into the last turn and I figured I had a pretty good shot then. But I was just happy if she would have made the final really."

A two-time winner from 20 career starts, the McWicked-Designated Leader filly is owned by breeders Bill Manes of Rockwood, Ont. and William Cripps of Acton, Ont.

Trained by Luc Blais, Determination's homebred filly Greatest Pleasure ($2.10) was a standout in the second elimination, cruising through splits of :29.3, :59.4 and 1:29.3 en route to the easy 1-1/2-length victory in 1:58 flat. Halva Hanover and Right Match finished second and third, respectively.

"She did it very easy," agreed winning driver Louis-Philippe Roy of the Bettors Delight-Twin B Imabeach filly coming off a runner-up finish at the Gold level in the Ontario Sires Stakes. "With the rail, I was able to get the control pretty early so I would say that by the first eighth we were kind of walking a little bit, and then when I let her pace the last quarter a little more, she responded well but she had still a lot left."

Greatest Pleasure sports a six-figure bankroll and now boasts seven wins from 17 career starts.

The David Menary-trained How Much ($2.10) was the fastest elimination winner in 1:55, coming just two-fifths of a second of the divisional track record.

Carefully handled through the opening turn by Doug McNair, the big favourite made front through a :28.1 opener then sped to the half in :56 and continued to build up an insurmountable lead as she raced past three-quarters in 1:25 with the race on for place. Pasta Delight finished second, cutting the winner's margin in half to four lengths by the wire, and Peeler was third.

"She likes to go fast, this filly. I was confident as long as she got through the first turn, she was going to be ok," said Menary, noting the daughter of All Bets Off and Dominican Hanover hadn't been on a half-mile track since last summer.

"Once she got around the first turn, she was kind of in a bit of hurry so instead of fighting with her I just let her pace on and she had a lot of pace, even down by the wire," noted McNair. "She's become a pretty nice filly."

From 20 starts, How Much has won five races -- four this year -- for breeders Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi and their partner Knox Services Inc.

A replay of Clinton Raceway's Legends Day card is available below.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Clinton Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada)
Former Governors Plate champion Time To Dance will make his first appearance of the 2024 harness racing season on a special Canada Day program at Red Shores Summerside.

Post time on Monday, July 1 for the 13-race program is 1 p.m., with the $3,700 feature pace scheduled as race 12.

Time To Dance, who will leave from the outside post six in the feature, recorded 11 wins from 34 starts in 2023 including his last two in December in the Preferred at Charlottetown, and comes off a winning qualifier on June 15 where the Charlottetown track was listed three seconds off due to rain. Marc Campbell will be in the drivers seat for trainer Brent Campbell and his co-owners Brady Doyle and Kent MacDonald.

It will not be an easy task with morning line favourite Middleton Terror leaving from post five. David Dowling trains and drives Middleton Terror for owners Kingsley Walsh and Frank Balcom. The son of Stonebridge Terror has won three of his eight assignments this season and was fourth in his last start charted in 1:54.4 with a closing panel of :27.4.

Spectrum Seelster, who also has a shot to take top billing, will start from post two from the Jennifer Doyle stable with Damian MacLellan listed to drive. The field also includes Coasttocoastshark (Jaycob Sweet), Sauble Attack (Ken Murphy) and Melody Maker (Corey MacPherson). The starter will call the field to the gate at 4:18 p.m.

Howmac Charmer (Campbell) is listed at 5-2 odds as the favoured from post position two in the Canada Day Pace in race seven for trainer Kyle Williams and owner Doug Williams. Sharky (post three, Dowling) and Ideal Jet (post four, MacLellan) could knock off the favourite, but the Backstretch Beat has Howmac Charmer to win it all: He was defeated by a monstrous Freemans Legacy last week, but even in defeat, he still paced in 1:56 and change. Lots to like.

The Summerside Legion, Branch #5, will be attendance on the special Canada Day program and will present the cooler to the winner in race nine. Her Honour, Antoinette Perry, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, will also visit the historic Prince County oval. Elroy Shiner is the favourite for driver Brady Sweet, trainer Jeff Holmes and owner Frank Sweet.

Red Shores Summerside will also feature the Isle Pick5 with a $2,000 guaranteed pool in race one, a Super Hi5 carryover of $656.17 in race five and a late Pick 4 carryover of $1,828.29 beginning in race 10.

Play at the track or from home through hpibet.com. For the Race Day broadcast, race programs and more, go to the new Player Portal at redshores.ca.

The Prince County Horsemens Club board of directors and their members will hold a moment of silence following the post parade of race two in honour of Kent Oakes, a member of their harness racing community and industry leader who passed away on Friday.

To view Monday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Monday Entries - Summerside Raceway.

(With files from Red Shores)
Whichwaytothebeach made it two wins in a row with an impressive 1:50.1 victory in the $32,000 Preferred 2 Pace on Saturday, June 29 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Launching from the eight-hole, Whichwaytothebeach moved quickly into contention, never sitting more than a length off the lead. Saulsbrook Victor, who left from post seven, went to the front and turned fractions of :27.1, :55.4 and 1:24. Whichwaytothebeach moved to within a nose of the lead at the top of the stretch, finally driving past the favoured Saulsbook Victor to claim the victory by 2-1/4 lengths, sparking a $19.90 win payout for the mild upset. Write Me A Rose rounded out the top three finishers.

Sylvain Filion was in the bike for trainer Garry Merner and owner Gino Toscani, of Mount Hope, Ont.

The six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding is 4-4-2 in 16 starts this year, good for a bankroll of $101,300. Whichwaytothebeach has 22 wins in 86 career starts, along with earnings of $877,053.

To view Saturday's Mohawk harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada)
Some cruise in the dark, others are daytimers. Our block has 10 dogs, eight cats, 11 possums, 47 squirrels, lotsa bunnies, robins, wrens, sparrows, starlings, blue jays, a couple of hooters and a family of red-tailed hawks. We also see a few transient raccoons, a rare prairie dog scooting across our front yard and the very rare occasional mountain lion searching for its new territory.

That was an experience. Early on a Sunday morning several years back, I was standing on the back patio scoping the neighborhood when all of a sudden the dogs were in a full-out barking match. I confess to being annoyed with neighbors not being sensitive to our drowsy morning moment for final REM sleep.

But then, I suddenly learned there had been a shooting in the alley three doors to the north. Our faithful first responders had been alerted that there was a sighting of a mountain lion in the elms. Unacceptable! It was a lurking danger to children, pets and home dwellers. The decision was made to euthanize the feline. Its last breaths were in the garage of a neighbor.

It was chilling. My annoyance had turned into gratitude. Was I ever observed doing my late night walks by keen eyes and noses and claws? Just this week I looped late at night down the next block. Suddenly, a large loose dog, that I hadnt noticed, came from the shadows across the street and pounded the tranquil silence with menacing loud barking, apparently guarding its territory.

I had become the focus of a dog doing what dogs do. It was the neighbor I was now having an issue with in my mind. No Mace, no defense mallet, no cellphone. What would happen? As I fearfully walked slowly backwards looking the dog in the eye, I had flashes of my two sons who had been severely bitten in recent years. One WAS delivering packages and the other doing his fitness bicycle ride. I knew I was no match for this large growler. So again  I prayed. Whew, God answered.

After the next 30 yards of tiptoeing backwards the canine finally retreated. I may knock on that door someday and gently vent my annoyance. I also think Ill buy and start walking with some bear spray. I like my late-night walks.

Years ago when Walmart was located near the Kmart mall (separated by some small shops and lots of pavement), my late-night walk took me past the west wall of Walmart. From the curb to the wall was a 10-foot strip of lush lawn with a 10-foot leafy tree standing. However, next to the wall I noticed dirt flying repeatedly, 3 feet into the air. Of course, I edged closer and out popped a huge, wide beady-eyed badger. You gotta be kidding!

He disappeared over time and his large dugout was replaced with dirt and sod. I still wonder how that happened (it wasnt me).

So, I still intend to walk at night, hopefully a little more alert to what critters are also doing their nocturnal strolls in our streets, alleys, bushes and lawns. Hopefully, the dogs will be behind fences.

I have a greater appreciation for Gods creation and His willingness to answer prayer. He is described as God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear 

The streetlights reveal lots of critters taking their dark-time strolls. Fascinating. Have you pondered how many critters exist, how unique is species is and how many live their lifecycle totally undetected or noticed by human eyes? What a marvelous world is ours.

Im participating in two funerals this weekend. I was stirred by an emotional solo with the words, This world is not my home, Im just a passing throughthe angels beckon me  and I cant feel at home in this world anymore.

PRAYER NUGGET: Lord, thank you for being present at daybreak, sunset and those pensive night walks. We worship You! Please help us to live well, In Jesus name, Amen.
The Macys building at the Memorial City Mall, on Friday, June 30, 2023 in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

A 61-year-old man sued two major retail companies, alleging their use of artificial intelligence facial recognition technology led to his wrongful arrest and sexual assault in jail.

Days after attorneys representing the man filed a lawsuit over the matter, the Houston Police Department launched an internal investigation stemming from the January 2022 incident.

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But what is the technology? How widespread is its use? And is this the first major issue connected to it? Heres what to know:

Growing use

Miltonette Olivia Craig, an assistant professor in the department of criminal justice and criminology at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, said the technology works by taking surveillance photos and video of a suspect and comparing them with available photographs on record  either through social media or official records.

We know technology can help us in a lot of ways, but nothing is perfect, she said.

Some law enforcement officials and private companies have touted the technology for its ability to speed investigations and help comb through databases for suspects, she said. Because much of the use comes through private companies, like those cited in the lawsuit, its not clear exactly how widespread its use has become, she said.

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Technology draws lawsuit in Harris County

Attorneys representing Harvey Eugene Murphy Jr. filed the lawsuit Jan. 18 against Sunglass Huts parent company, EssilorLuxottica, and Macys, asserting they were to blame for him being falsely accused of a January 2022 armed robbery because the companies were using error-prone facial recognition software. The police department wasnt named as a responsible party and, in a written statement, an attorney said they didnt think police did anything wrong.

Mr. Murphys lawsuit does not allege, nor do we believe, that the Houston Police Department did anything wrong, attorney Daniel Dutko of Rusty Hardin & Associates. We believe the true bad actors are Sunglass Hut and Macys and it was their action in misleading the police that led to Mr. Murphys arrest and incarceration.

Representatives for Murphy did not respond to a follow-up request for comment. Nor did officials with the defendants in the case.

MORE FROM HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Post office audit: Houston facility knew capacity was a concern

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Potential pitfalls of its use

Craig said Murphys case was illustrative of the potential pitfalls that come through use of the new technology. He isnt the first to have been allegedly falsely identified, she said.

One of the biggest issue with this kind of software, an AI tool in generating facial recognition, is that there isnt sufficient diversity in the tech world, she said. Unless its working with a diverse team in the development stage, theres a higher likelihood it wont be able to discern different people of color.

Many instances of high-profile misidentification have happened to people of color, Craig said. She cited a November article in the New Yorker that drew questions about whether facial-recognition comprises the entirety of some police investigations, citing a Baltimore case. A Detroit woman also sued over use of facial recognition technology, Craig said.

If someone is checking over the work of the facial recognition technology, a person can sometimes spot errors the software makes  if someone looks similar, but not identical to the surveillance video, for instance  but the problems occur when no one is double-checking the work, she said.
A Body-Worn Camera is shown on an officer with the Houston Police Department during a media conference at HPD Central Patrol Station, 61 Riesner St., Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Houston. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) during media conference at HPD Central Patrol Station, 61 Riesner Street, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies investigate the scene of an attempted robbery of an armored car at the Comerica Bank at 855 FM 1960 on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, in Houston. Three armed suspects fired at an armored car guard who had been servicing an ATM machine, the guard fired back. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff photographer Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies and its SWAT team responded to a gun range store on the 11300 block of Eastex Freeway following a break-in at the store on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in Houston. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff photographer

With thousands of hours of body camera footage and non-emergency calls and not enough staff to tackle it all, Harris County Sheriffs officials are thinking of turning to artificial intelligence to handle some of the load.

Officials with the office named finding ways they might use AI as one of their chief goals for 2024, becoming one of the agencies on the forefront of the technology in law enforcement. But while some agencies are turning to technology like facial recognition software, administrators at the sheriffs office said they see the biggest benefits are AIs ability to parse through vast quantities of data.

We are exploring the potential of AI to enhance public service by facilitating faster and more efficient data retrieval on our website, said Gary Spurger, director of information technology for the sheriffs office.

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MORE FROM HOUSTON CHRONICLE: What to know about facial recognition tech at center of Macys, Sunglass Hut lawsuit

How it could help

The sheriffs office has not any contracts for the technology, but are testing its use in several different areas, according to Spurger. Those include using it to sort through body camera video and helping people find incarcerated family members.

Spurger gave an example of a deputy looking into a case involving more than 100 hours of body camera video to sort through. The ability to enter keywords, such as man wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt, will help the investigator more efficiently sort through data.

But while the technology can be a good aid, it would ultimately fall on employees to make final determinations, Spurger said.

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Marc Levin, chief policy counsel at the Council on Criminal Justice, said he thought the offices plans for AI use seemed largely a good idea.

The body cam sorting to find a needle in a haystack seems like a major time-saver, he said. The sheriffs offices efforts, he said, are similar to what other agencies around the nation are working on.

Despite signing a contract with a company called AI Airship, a spokesperson for the Houston Police Department said the agency wasnt currently working with any AI technology.

An administrator for an agency in Corona, California, a city of just under 160,000, recently announced the agency hoped to use AI data analysis to look at crime data for hotspot information, according to a June article.

AI crime fighting

Like its counterpart in the Houston Police Department, the sheriffs office is ramping up efforts to recruit more deputies amid a nationwide spate of retirements in law enforcement. As of 2022, the office had around 2,200 certified employees and almost 500 professional employees, but the rate of attrition had increased in recent years, according to a draft report by the consulting firm, KPMG.

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Agencies adopting AI technology hasnt been greeted with universal acclaim. Savannah Kumar, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer specializing in surveillance and police bias, recently expressed concern about the growth of AI software in law enforcement.

Its definitely a source of alarm and concern, particularly when it comes to the use of predictive technology and other tools in law enforcement, Kumar said.

Levin, while acknowledging the potential benefits to law enforcement, said a potential issue would be ensuring defense attorneys have access to the same tools that agencies do to look through video.

Everette Penn, a professor of criminology at the University of Houston  Clear Lake, said more and more agencies are turning toward emerging technology, including AI, in a bid to compensate for staffing troubles.

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Boeing's Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on a mission to the International Space Station, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) John Raoux/Associated Press Boeing's CST-100 Starliner is about to ferry astronauts into space for the first time. Ken Ellis/Staff From left to right, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore pose in front of Boeings Starliner spacecraft in the early morning of Tuesday, April 16, 2024, outside the companys Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett NASA/Kim Shiflett

The Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test mission has been defined by delays in recent months.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched out of Cape Canaveral in Florida earlier in June as the Boeing Starliner finally sent a crew mission to space after years of anticipation. But that only came after two launches were scrubbed right before liftoff.

It is not just the journey up to the International Space Station that started later than NASA and Boeing expected. It is also the journey back home.

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Wilmore and Williams have spent more than three weeks on the space station with no return date currently scheduled after the original plan was for them to spend about one week in orbit.

Here's a look at the delays that have plagued the Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test since a scrubbed liftoff in May.

May 6: Valve issue delays launch

Boeing Starliner's launch on May 6 was scrubbed after United Launch Alliance called it off to review an oxygen relief valve on its rocket.

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The crew was never in any danger, United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno said. The concern is that if it does that for too many cycles you use up the fatigue life of the mechanical parts in the valve, and eventually they would fail.

A new launch date was set for May 17.

May 22: After multiple delays, launch set for June 1

But May 17 came and went without a launch as the Starliner launch was pushed back multiple times. NASA announced May 22 the new plan was to launch on June 1.

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These additional delays were the result of a helium leak discovered on the spacecraft. The spacecraft would later launch with the leak.

It has been important that we take our time to understand all the complexities of each issue including the redundant capabilities of the Starliner propulsion system and any implications to our Interim Human Rating Certification," said Steve Stich, manager of NASAs Commercial Crew Program, in a statement.

WAITING TO LAUNCH: Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is delayed again

June 1: Launch canceled 4 minutes before liftoff

Less than four minutes before liftoff on June 1, the launch was scrubbed due to a computer issue. One of three computers needed for liftoff was not immediately accessible.

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I know its a little disappointing, Stich said. We were all excited. This is kind of the way spaceflight is. Every time you go to the pad for a crewed flight, or really any flight, youve got a chance of scrubbing.

June 5: Boeing Starliner launches first crewed mission

Boeing's Calypso capsule was launched into space at 9:52 a.m. CDT with United Launch Alliances Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

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June 6: Boeing Starliner docks at International Space Station

The Boeing Starliner spacecraft docked at the International Space Station at 12:34 p.m. CDT on June 6. It was not a smooth process to get docked as multiple helium leaks were discovered during orbit and thruster issues arose during docking.

"Starliner made us work a little harder to get docked," Stich said during a news conference. "Today's docking, I think, was challenging."

June 9: Return date pushed back from June 14 to June 18

NASA announced on social media the earliest return date would be pushed back at least four days to June 18.

"The additional time in orbit will allow the crew to perform a spacewalk on Thursday, June 13, while engineers complete #Starliner systems checkouts," NASA posted on its X account dedicated to the International Space Station.

June 13: Original undocking date for the crewed mission

The original undocking date following the successful June 5 launch of the Starliner was set to be no earlier than June 13.

June 14: Original return to Earth date for crewed mission

The Starliner team was expected to return on June 14 following a June 13 undocking. NASA also announced on this date the earliest the Crew Flight Test team would return would be June 22.

June 18: Return date pushed from June 22 to June 26

During a press conference about the status of the mission, NASA again announced it was pushing back the return date to June 26 from June 22.

June 21: Return date pushed back to July

NASA dropped a Friday afternoon press release announcing that the return of the Starliner Crew Flight Test was pushed back again.

This time no future date was given for a return to Earth but NASA did say it wouldn't occur until after its two planned spacewalks. The second of those spacewalks is set for July 2.

We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process, Stich said in a statement. We are letting the data drive our decision-making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking."

June 28: NASA, Boeing say return won't happen until after thruster testing completed

Stich said during a Friday press conference the Starliner won't return to Earth until on-ground testing in New Mexico can be completed to learn more about the thruster issues that faced the team during the docking.

Those tests could take a couple of weeks. Stich and Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager for Boeing's Commercial Crew Program, also emphasized that Wilmore and Williams are not stranded on the space station.
People enjoy fireworks at Freedom Over Texas celebration Monday, July 4, 2022, at Eleanor Tinsley in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Setting off fireworks is illegal in many Texas cities, including Houston, which officials say is meant to protect people from potentially serious injuries during holiday celebrations like the Fourth of July.

Here's what to know about the laws surrounding firework use in Houston.

Are fireworks illegal in Houston?

In Houston, it is illegal for a person to shoot fireworks in the city limits. Anyone who uses fireworks within city limits may be fined $200 to $5,000 for each firework. If a minor possesses and/or uses the fireworks, the parents and guardians will get fined. No warnings will be issued, according to the Houston Fire Department.

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"Although fireworks and celebrations go together, especially during the holiday season, they can be dangerous when used improperly; causing serious burn and eye injuries," according to the citys website.

TOP 14 LIST: Fourth of July festivals and parades in Houston

Where can someone purchase fireworks in Harris County?

Fireworks can be purchased in some unincorporated areas of Harris County, except near churches, hospitals or certain schools, among other locations, unless a person gets authorization in writing from the organization, according to the city's website. The time period to legally sell fireworks for the holiday is between June 24 and July 4.

What is the law for transporting fireworks in Texas?

Texas House Bill 1812 allows for the transportation of fireworks, but some cities prohibit taking fireworks from the outskirts and then bringing them into city limits. Some cities also enforce restrictions on where the fireworks are located in the vehicles and whether the items are opened or unopened.

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WHERE TO GO: Best places to watch Fourth of July fireworks in Harris County

How does Houston keep people from illegally shooting fireworks in the city limits?

The Houston Fire Department has investigators and inspectors who patrol the areas, confiscate illegal fireworks and assess fines. They also send out public service announcements during holidays that involve fireworks.

To report illegal use of fireworks, call the Houston Police Department's non-emergency number at 713-884-3131.

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Are there other illegal celebratory events in Houston, Texas?
William Stewart points at a presentation of proposed route for Segment 2 of METRORapid University Corridor Project at an open house to learn and ask about the project on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, at Houston Community College Central Campus in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee / Staff photographer

In 2019, voters authorized Metro to proceed with the MetroNext plan. It included eight bus rapid transit and light rail projects, numerous improvements to the bus system, and the continuation of Metro spending up to 25% of its sales taxes on street repairs and improvements. The University BRT was one of the projects included in the plan.

It was obvious to those who seriously studied the MetroNext plan at the time that Metro would not be able to afford everything included in the plan and the board would ultimately be forced to pare it back. Although former Metro chair and financial executive Gilbert Garcia supports the University BRT, he penned a Chronicle op-ed in 2019 opposing the referendum saying, Metro cannot afford to borrow $3.5 billion.

The Metro board made the right call Thursday to effectively pause the University Line plans indefinitely.

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Advocates for the construction of the line have relied heavily on the inclusion of the project in the 2019 referendum, suggesting the election was a mandate to build the University BRT. But the referendum provided that all of the projects were subject to future due diligence and that the Metro board had the discretion to modify the plan based on the subsequent information and events.

And quite a bit has changed since 2019. Most importantly, Metros internal projections for the ridership and costs of the University BRT have changed dramatically. A 2019 study used as the basis to include the University BRT, projected the line would generate 42,500 new riders by 2040. However, Metro re-ran the numbers in 2023 with updated data and modeling. The new projection showed only 8,248 new riders. That would represent only about a 3% increase in Metros current ridership.

The estimated costs of the project have also skyrocketed. Metro originally projected the cost at $1.57 billion. However, Metro officials told me the estimate is now $2.4 billion and that even that number is still likely too low.

A drop of 75% in projected ridership and a 50% increase in the projected cost is certainly more than enough justification to take a second look at this project.

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There are those who contend that Metro will miss out on federal funding if it does not proceed with the project. However, it is far from certain that the Federal Transit Administration would fund the project. It did not score particularly well in the FTAs initial evaluation. Of the seven criteria for project justification, it received four medium and three medium-low ratings. And that grading was based on the now outdated estimates.

So far, Metro has not received any federal funding for the project. Earlier this year, the FTA included $150 million in its budget to reimburse Metro for its planning costs. Metro officials have said that Metro will only recover any of its planning costs when, and if, funding is ultimately approved.

Metro has already spent $72 million on planning for the line. Metro officials have said it will take roughly another $90 million to complete the planning. If the project is not funded, Metro will be left holding the bag on about $160 million of planning costs. By my calculation, that is more than three times what Metro needs to build bus shelters at every bus stop in Houston. It is also enough money to repave roughly 160 miles of streets.

Several other critical circumstances have also changed since 2019. Probably the most important is that the population projections for the Houston region have been significantly lowered from the 10 million Metro was expecting by 2040. The current projection from the Texas Demographic Center is 8.8 million. That is a 17% increase as opposed to the 40% increase in Metros assumptions. And most of that growth is projected to come outside of Metros service area.

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We also now have a demonstration project for BRT technology, which we did not have in 2019: the infamous Silver Line on Post Oak. It has been an unmitigated disaster, carrying less than 10% of the projected ridership.

But perhaps the most alarming development is that after several years of robust sales tax growth, sales tax collections for the region have gone flat according to a report from the Greater Houston Partnership. The MetroNext plan relies on strong future growth in sales taxes.

The financial burden does not end with the $2.4 billion construction cost. Metro has estimated the annual operating cost at $35 million. Interest costs on the bonds to finance the project would add about another $60 million per year, bringing the ongoing costs to nearly $100 million annually.

Due to robust sales tax collections during the pandemic and a billion-dollar federal COVID windfall, Metro is currently in good financial shape. However, this project would soak up most of its current cash reserves and nearly double its current debt. That means that Metro would likely be unable to undertake any other major projects for the foreseeable future. It would also sap resources from Metros bus service, which continues to be the backbone of the system on which most Metro riders depend. And it would put the general mobility payments to the City of Houston and the other cities that participate in Metro in jeopardy. The cash-strapped City of Houston is particularly dependent on these funds.

And for what? It would be a gross dereliction of the boards fiduciary duty to taxpayers and those who depend on transit to proceed with a project that would provide few benefits while hamstringing Metro financially for decades.

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Exchange floor for Vietnam rubber products can overcome traditional business limitations: industry insider

By Lan Do Sun, June 30, 2024 | 7:19 am GMT+7

Trading Vietnamese rubber products on the Mercantile Exchange of Vietnam (MXV) will solve the limitations of the traditional business method with a centralized, open, and transparent trading market, said Le Thanh Hung, general director of Vietnam Rubber Group.

Hung was speaking at a conference to introduce and collect opinions on the rubber exchange in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday. The event was held by MXV and Vietnam Rubber Group, listed on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange as VRG.

Le Thanh Hung, general director of Vietnam Rubber Group, speaks at a conference to introduce and collect opinions on the rubber exchange in Ho Chi Minh City, June 28, 2024. Photo courtesy of MXV.

He said MXV was cooperating closely with VRG to effectively implement the listing and trading of specific products including rubber. Rubber products will be listed for trading based on MXV's modern information technology infrastructure, while VRG will play an important role of consulting, testing and standardizing product quality.

Duong Duc Quang, deputy general director, introduced the general content of a rubber exchange, the trading system and operating procedures. He said the exchange will operate according to price quotes and trading methods agreed upon, whether they are spot contracts or futures contracts. Rubber products will be coded according to types and manufacturing enterprises, he said

The difference between rubber trading on an exchange floor compared to traditional business methods lies in the organizational model, operation and application of advanced technology infrastructure in trading. These are experiences that MXV has drawn from the largest rubber markets in the world," Quang said.

It is expected that in the third quarter of 2024, MXV and VRG will coordinate to complete the processes and regulations for the trading of Vietnamese rubber products, and, at the same time, carry out trial operations for listing and trading. The item will officially be listed and traded in Q4/2024.

Vietnam is currently the third-largest rubber exporting country in the world. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the country exported more than 84,000 tons of rubber in May for more than $134 million, up 14.8% in volume and 14.5% in value year-on-year. In the first five months of this year, Vietnam exported rubber worth around $860 million, up 6% over the same period in 2023.

Despite such a large market position and scale, Vietnam is yet to exert corresponding influence on world rubber prices. Its rubber market still has many limitations because it has not been proactive in listing rubber prices on the centralized market, the conference heard.

Conference delegates also noted that products were not consistent in quality, specifications and standards. They said the market was dominated by traditional, simple business methods with traders dominating and controlling prices, which meant farmers were often at a disadvantage. The lack of transparency in market information added to the difficulties facing Vietnam's rubber industry, they said.
Southeast Asian airlines sign big aircraft purchase deals as tourists return

By Vietnam News Agency Sun, June 30, 2024 | 10:51 pm GMT+7

Bouncing back from pandemic-era losses, Southeast Asian airlines are signing big aircraft purchase deals to capture demand as tourists return to the region.

Passengers at an airport in Thailand. Photo courtesy of thainews.prd.go.th

Indonesia's state airline Garuda has planned to lease eight aircraft this year to expand its fleet to 80 aircraft and increase the frequency of flight routes by the end of this year.

According to Garuda Indonesias Finance Director Preasetio, the monthly rental cost for each aircraft is about 200,000 - 500,000 USD.

Thai Airways has signed a contract with Boeing and some other aircraft suppliers to buy a total of 45 aircraft, Nikkei Asia reported.

Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri said that the airline's plan is to increase its fleet from 70 aircraft by the end of 2023 to 96 aircraft by 2033. Meanwhile, the Thai Government has expanded the exemption of tourist visas to 93 countries from 57 nations, creating more motivation for the country's aviation industry to recover after the financial crisis from the pandemic.

Other airlines in Southeast Asia are also actively investing in capacity expansion. Philippine Airlines is tripling its investment this year to 450 million USD to upgrade and maintain its fleet. The airline also plans to order 22 new aircraft to serve North American routes and other routes.

With the recovery of air travel demand, Southeast Asian airlines are forced to find ways to regain growth.

Singapore was the first country in Southeast Asia to partially lift the foreign travel ban in September 2021. To regain market share from competitors in Europe and the Americas, which benefited from the early lifting of travel restrictions, Singapore Airlines increased flights rapidly. Its net profit for fiscal 2023 was more than 1.97 billion USD, up 24% from the previous year.

However, as these airlines have just exited from losses and heavy debts, their financial situation may not be strong enough to withstand another drastic change in the business environment.

In general, they must also consider competing to recruit higher-paid pilots after expanding their fleet, plus calculating reasonable costs to ensure cost effectiveness.
Vietnam enacts key property market-related laws five months early

By Vu Pham, Minh Hue Sun, June 30, 2024 | 3:28 pm GMT+7

Three amended laws will greatly influence Vietnam's real estate market when they come into force on August 1, five months ahead of schedule.

To this effect, the National Assembly, the country's parliament, on Saturday passed a law on amendments and supplements to the 2024 Land Law, the 2023 Law on Housing, the 2023 Law on Real Estate Business and the 2024 Law on Credit Institutions.

The National Assembly passes a law on amendments and supplements to the 2024 Land Law, the 2023 Law on Housing, the 2023 Law on Real Estate Business and the 2024 Law on Credit Institutions on June 29, 2024. Photo courtesy of the parliament's news portal.

Presenting a report explaining the amendments, Chairman of the National Assembly Economic Committee Vu Hong Thanh stated that the early implementation of the three laws related to the property market is both a wish and a requirement of the legislature.

Since the laws were passed, the government and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh have directed ministries, agencies, and localities to develop detailed regulations and guiding documents for their enforcement.

The government has committed to directing the enforcement of the laws, ensuring quality and progress, avoiding legal gaps, and preventing any misuse of policies or legalization of violations, he stressed.

The cabinet is responsible for the effectiveness of enforcement date adjustments and transitional provisions of the laws, as well as handling any issues arising after they become effective, he added.

The National Assembly Standing Committee noted that the new Land Law, Law on Housing, and Law on Real Estate Business institutionalize many new policies and guidelines from the Party and State, fixing the limitations of the previous versions.

Many provisions are innovative and progressive, expected by the people and society to drive socio-economic development in the new period, it said, adding they can be applied immediately without needing detailed guiding documents.

The Land Law was passed by the parliament on January 18, 2024, while the Law on Housing and the Law on Real Estate Business were approved in November 2023.

The enforcement of the laws is expected to improve the legal framework for the sustainable and healthy development of the Vietnamese property market, lawmakers and industry insiders have said.
Vietnam fulfills half of 2024 foreign tourist goal

By Hai Yen Sun, June 30, 2024 | 11:12 am GMT+7

Vietnam welcomed 8.8 million foreign tourist arrivals in the first half of 2024, reaching nearly half of its inbound tourism target of 18 million this year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Number of foreign tourists in Vietnam from January-June, 2024. Source: GSO.

The six-month tally, including 1.2 million in June (up 28.1% year-on-year), was a 58.4% year-on-year rise and surpassed the same period of pre-pandemic 2019 by 4.1%.

This marks a positive sign for Vietnams inbound tourism sector amid off-season international travel, the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism said.

By region, Asia still tops the list of foreign visitors to Vietnam in H1, with 6.94 million arrivals, up 65.7% year-on-year. Europe ranked second with nearly 1.06 million (up 52.4%), followed by the Americas with 536,800 (up 13.4%) and Oceania with 266,600 (up 31.8%).

Foreign visitors tour UNESCO-recognized Hoi An ancient town, Quang Nam province, central Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Mekong ASEAN magazine.

Regarding countries and territories, South Korea has been leading the tourist rush to Vietnam since the latters reopening in March 2022 following the pandemic, except for May when South Korea was overtaken by China.

South Korea made up the biggest share of 2.28 million in H1, or 30%; followed by mainland China with 1.89 million (25%), Taiwan with 630,000 (7.15%), and the U.S. with 415,000 (4.7%).

The Northeast Asian region continues to provide the biggest boost to Vietnams inbound tourism revival, with mainland China witnessing the fastest year-on-year growth rate of 339.4%.

In the six-month period, air travel was the most popular mode of transportation for foreign visitors to Vietnam, with 7.4 million passenger arrivals, up 51.6% year-on-year.

At present, Vietnam unilaterally waives visa requirements for citizens from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Belarus. They can stay for 45 days from the date of entry, regardless of passport types and entry purposes.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said in March that his ministry was in negotiations with 15 countries to mutually exempt visas for citizens to boost tourism.
Vietnam PMs visit set to trigger stronger investment from S Korea: KoCham

By Minh Tuan Sun, June 30, 2024 | 8:00 pm GMT+7

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs ongoing official visit to South Korea is expected to create a breakthrough in investment from the Northeast Asian country, matching potential of the best-ever bilateral relations, said a business representative.

PM Chinh and his wife arrived in Seoul on Sunday afternoon to start a four-day visit to South Korea, with which Vietnam elevated diplomatic ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in December 2022, on par with China and the U.S.

Vietnams PM Pham Minh Chinh reviews South Koreas guard of honor during the welcome ceremony at Seongnam Seoul Air Base, June 30, 2024. Photo courtesy of the governments news portal.

In an interview with The Investor, Hong Sun, chairman of the Korean Chamber of Business (KoCham) in Vietnam, noted that the visit will provide an opportune platform for PM Chinh to hold dialogues with Korean businesses.

During the visit, a large number of Korean enterprises will hold talks with Chinh and participate in the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum. The meetings and other forums will provide more momentum to Korean investment flows into Vietnam as investment potential remains huge, Hong Sun commented.

According to the Foreign Investment Agency under Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment, South Korea has slid to the fifth position among the largest foreign investors in Vietnam, down from a solid second place in the preceding two years.

In the first half of this year, foreign direct investment (FDI) from South Korea increased 15.8% year-on-year to reach $1.41 billion, ranking fourth among 84 economies investing in Vietnam.

Hong Sun, chairman of KoCham in Vietnam. Photo by The Investor/Minh Tuan.

Hong Sun attributed slower FDI inflows from South Korea to several objective causes. PM Chinhs visit will likely remove the hurdles and funnel investment from that country, he added.

During the visit, Vietnamese government head will listen to Korean investors concerns and direct relevant agencies to handle them. For example, several Korean investors are implementing gas-fired power plants in the central province of Quang Tri and the southern province of Long An, while some others are seeking to convert coal-fueled power plants into gas-fired facilities. They are stuck due to administrative issues.

Hong collaborated that most large-scale projects are facing troubles while smaller ones in the renewable energy sector are getting positive responses from the Government Office and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha.

Commitments to be made by a high-ranking Vietnamese leader will assure Korean investors, Hong Sun said.

Fostering economic, high-tech cooperation

In an interview with local media on Saturday, Vietnams Standing Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu highlighted that PM Chinhs Seoul visit is Vietnams first high-ranking trip since the two countries upgraded their relationship in 2022.

Among over 30 activities being held within the framework of the visit, Chinh will attend and deliver keynote speeches at three forums on business; tourism promotion and cultural cooperation; and labor between the two countries. In addition, he will chair two dialogues with Korean economic agencies and enterprises, and with Korean experts in the fields of semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI).

The PM will hold talks with a number of Korean chaebols investing in Vietnam and visit Samsungs semiconductor plant.

Vu noted that economic cooperation is always a bright spot and an important pillar that contributes to promoting the substantive evolution of bilateral relations.

South Korea continues to maintain its leading position in FDI, with a total accumulated registered capital of $87 billion. It is also a major trade partner, with bilateral turnover reaching nearly $80 billion in 2023, and a leading partner in official development assistance (ODA), tourism, and labor.

Besides, South Korea possesses strengths in economic development, high technology, and AI. Through engagements with the Korean business community during this visit, Vietnam expects the two sides to improve quality and quantity in the fields of economic cooperation, trade, investment, and supply chain diversification.

Furthermore, Vietnam hopes to enhance cooperation in emerging fields such as semiconductors, supporting industries, digital transformation, green transition, circular economy, and climate change adaptation; and promote bilateral cooperation in labor, culture, and tourism.

Vu expressed hope that the two sides can achieve the goal of soon increasing bilateral trade turnover to $100 billion and reach the $150 billion mark by 2030 in a balanced and sustainable manner.

South Korea is Vietnams third largest trade partner, just behind China and the U.S. In the first five months of 2024, bilateral trade rose 8.9% year-on-year to $32 billion, with Vietnam incurring a deficit of $11.5 billion, up 5.5%, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
To hear politicians speak, including former President Donald Trump, people should believe reporters and the editors working with them are purveyors of "fake news."

Now the White House is saying videos of President Joe Biden suggesting he is mentally impaired and physically frail are being modified to create what are being described as cheap fakes.

Welcome to the information world of 2024. Distinguishing between real news and the fake is increasingly difficult as media interact with audience and institutions in the same way as those anything but committed to professional standards of reporting. Add the growing importance of artificial intelligence and determining what is legitimate and what is not will become even more difficult.

Putting media of all types into a big pot with an assessment that all operate outside journalistic standards of objectivity is unfair, wrong and dangerous. And as much as criticism is aimed primarily at national media, which too often fail to distinguish between news and opinion, all journalists are being painted with the same brush.

In our country, political leaders from the president to the mayor, from state lawmakers to local school board members are to be watched over by a free and aggressive media. Without the press in the watchdog role, there is no free flow of information to a public that holds the power over government at the ballot box.

To be certain, local government leaders are not always happy with reporting in this newspaper. They call us out when we are wrong -- and they should. They criticize our reporting. But they do not accuse us of reporting "fake news."

Our journalists are serious about their mission. We care deeply about our communities. We care deeply about our nation. We work long hours and face many obstacles in trying to serve our audience in places thousands of miles from the national cable news pundits telling us what to think.

Newspapers are on the front line of bringing people the news of their locales that has little to do with right vs. left in Washington.

Journalists deserve and receive criticism every day. We accept it not as adversaries of the people but as people doing jobs essential to the fabric of our system. Take away a free press and you take away freedom.

If you want to know more about your community, from how it is being governed to the interesting people calling it home, count on local media. Subscribe to our website, TheTandD.com, and give us the opportunity to make "real" local news a necessary part of your life.
It has been a less than two years since the states only comprehensive academic health system acquired the former Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun counties, but its president says the expansion of specialty care services is just part of the systems mission to improve patient care.

The Medical University of South Carolina entered into a 99-year lease for $1 a year with the hospital in 2023. The partnership was deemed necessary to help the RMC, which was consistently operating with significant deficits, but thats not the end of the story for MUSC President Dr. David Cole.

Since 2019, were in eight of the most rural and underserved counties today in South Carolina longitudinally and with purpose. ... When we come into these different communities, we look toward partnership first. We look for where theres an opportunity that can be a win-win. As a basic premise, our goal is ... local care, Cole said.

We have assets that can help elevate others in the process. Thats sort of a conceptual reason for the growth, he said.

MUSC Health Orangeburg MUSC President Dr. David Cole, left, listens as Chief MUSC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Pat Cawley, right, responds to questions from members o

As the health care system of MUSC, MUSC Health has a mission to deliver the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond.

As the Medical University of South Carolina, we have a missional obligation for the entire state. We dont need to own hospitals in every county, but we deliver care in every county. ... We cant solve it all on our own. We dont need to own the world. So, therefore, partnership is a primary principle, Cole said.

Meet people where they are, elevate the best local care and put patients at the center of what your decisions are. Thats how we work, the president said.

Dr. Patrick Cawley, chief executive officer of the MUSC Health System, said the MUSC is committed to bringing specialties to the Orangeburg community and surrounding areas. Cancer specialists, cardiologists and vascular surgeons are among them.

We want people to get care as close to home as possible. So were full-on committed. ... We have a full plan of bringing a variety of different specialties. At the top of the list is more cancer specialists, he said.

Were trying to improve with more surgical oncologists, even bring surgical oncologists here from Charleston or Columbia part-time if we need to. Weve recruited a new radiation oncologist. Were going to add radiation therapy here. We just recruited another medical oncologist. Were going to add medical oncology here. So thats big, Cawley said.

Cardiology services also will be added within the community.

Thats cardiologists, vascular surgeons, anybody that works on the heart system. Then the third area is primary care. Those just happen to be the top three priorities, but were trying to bring more OB (obstetrician care), Cawley said.

The hospitals lost OB services, or significantly decreased, and people are a long way to have their babies. That needs to stop. Women need to have their babies in this county. There needs to be more pediatric care in this county. So were committed there, as well, he said.

MUSC officials cite 'huge gains' in Orangeburg The Medical University of South Carolina took over Orangeburg's Regional Medical Center in 2023 with the intention of helping the financially strapped rural hospital survive in increasingly challenging times for the health care industry. MUSC leaders say steps have been taken over this time to improve the hospital's quality of care, financial stability, viability and community image.

Orangeburg County is home to only one neurologist even while the Alzheimers Associations 2024 Alzheimers Disease Facts and Figures report ranked Orangeburg County eighth highest in the country out of 3,142 counties in Alzheimers prevalence at 15.2% of those 65 and older.

Cawley said MUSC is also targeting that issue with the continued expansion of the South Carolina Alzheimers Network, or SCAN.

SCAN is going to primarily support our primary care doctors with whatever they need to take care of patients with dementia, not just Alzheimers. Theres many kinds of dementia, he said.

Cawley continued, That may be things like bringing specialty neurology, or helping them interpret images, or helping them make a determination. Is this patient somebody thats eligible for some of these new medications that are on the market? Theres more of those coming. ... Anything thats needed, including helping with social work, helping with care coordination, or connecting with community services. Thats how we envision the SCAN network working.

Cawley said SCAN was up and running statewide in the past year.

We anticipate that just continuing to expand over the next several years. Thats an area of focus for us. Because of the aging population, because of the number of people moving into South Carolina, were going to be seeing record amounts of dementia. Unless some miracle cure comes along, were going to be seeing a record number, and thats important for us, he said.

Cole said, We have a fractured system with resources that are not well connected for an individual in, you know, Bamberg, or for, you know, a family member. So how do we get better connectivity? How do we maximize the effectiveness of the doctors that are present? How do we maximize the rare earth thing called the neurologist in terms of when and how theyre needed?

He continued, The worlds not solved by telehealth, but thats definitely a tool thats in the middle of this. So those are the questions were asking. Were not saying, Oh, its solved, but lets maximize how and what we can do in terms of connectivity. ...

'Spring into Wellness': MUSC Health has big turnout for health fair The Spring into Wellness community health fair, held on Saturday, April 13, saw an overwhelming turnout of 219 attendees from Orangeburg, Calhoun and Bamberg counties.

Right now, often primary-care doctors dont have the connectivity, or maybe the background. So they refer to neurology, which is a six-month referral. How do we enable primary-care doctors to take on those dementias where they live better, with better resources? Thats the concept, but we are very much leaning in that space.

Cawley said more neurologists would be trained, but that even that would not sufficiently address the problem with the deficiencies in care for people with Alzheimers and other dementia.

"So weve got to rethink how we use somebody like a neurologist ... and how we get that neurologist to take care of large numbers of population through primary care docs. So thats how thats envisioned, and well work that out, he said.

Cole said, This didnt just sort of come out of the blue. Our neurologist actually spent two years going across the state sort of doing a surface scan and talking to primary care in communities to understand whats out there and then try to envision what might work, or what could actually happen.

Cawley said the completion of the mission to deliver the best local health care continues and will take time.

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We feel very, very good about where Orangeburg is headed. Jobs not done. We find it takes about three years to get into a very stable situation just based upon other hospitals that weve acquired. Were just a little more than a year in, he said, noting that the delivery of care supersedes a patients ability to pay, which may particularly harder in poor, rural communities.

Were not afraid to go into rural communities. We will go into rural communities In fact, were completely embracing rural health because we think it needs to be done differently. Theres people in those communities and, if we do it differently, we can help those people survive, Cawley said.
(TBTCO) - Gia xang dau trong nuoc hom nay (10/10) uoc du bao co the uoc ieu chinh tang manh. Theo o, gia xang trong nuoc co the tang tu 950 - 1.250 ong/lit; gia dau diesel co kha nang tang khoang 820 - 1.050 ong/lit. Tren thi truong the gioi, gia dau giam sau khi du lieu cua Hoa Ky cho thay luong dau tho du tru tang, nhung muc giam bi han che boi rui ro gian oan nguon cung cua Iran do xung ot Trung ong va con bao Milton o Hoa Ky.
Gulf International Bank successfully issued a $500 million five-year bond under its Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) programme on June 5, receiving strong interest from regional and international investors.

The order book peaked at over $1.1 billion, enabling GIB to tighten the pricing to 130 basis points over five-year UST at a coupon of 5.75%. This marked one of the narrowest spreads achieved by GIB thus far, showcasing the strength of the Banks credit profile and the market confidence in GIB and its strategy, the bank said.

The order book was well diversified both geographically and in terms of investor types, with nearly 50% of the deals from outside the MENA region. The offering attracted notable participation from prominent global investors including banks, international fund managers, private banks, and insurance companies. Proceeds from the issuance will allow GIB to support the expansion of its business and maintain an optimal funding profile, it said.

Acting as Joint Lead Managers and Bookrunners for the offering were Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Emirates NBD Capital, GIB Capital, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, and Standard Chartered Bank. Standard Chartered Bank also served as Global Coordinator. - TradeArabia News Service
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded a AED431 million project to construct direct entry/exit points for Dubai Harbour, in partnership with Shamal Holding.

The project encompasses the construction of a two-lane bridge in each direction spanning 1,500m extending from Sheikh Zayed Road to Dubai Harbour.

Strategically located, Dubai Harbour is nestled between Bluewaters Island and Palm Jumeirah, and in proximity to Burj Al Arab and Expo Dubai.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA said: "The project provides a direct entry/exit for Dubai Harbour to ease the movement of visitors and residents. It covers the construction of a bridge of two lanes in each direction spanning 1,500m and accommodating 6,000 vehicles per hour."

The bridge extends from the 5th intersection on Sheikh Zayed Road (near the American University in Dubai) to Dubai Harbour Street passing through the intersection of Al Naseem Street with Al Falak Street and crosses over the intersection of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street up to Dubai Harbour.

The project also includes surface improvements at four intersections along the bridge to improve the flow of traffic and reduce the travel time from 12 minutes to 3 minutes, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed a collaboration agreement with e& UAE, marking a strategic step aimed at outlining joint cooperation to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, a report said.

The partnership seeks to foster the growth of the business community by leveraging innovative communication solutions, digital services, rewarding offers, unique packages, and more, said Emirates News Agency, WAM.

The announcement came during an official signing ceremony held at the Chamber Tower in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Ahmed Khalifa Al Qubaisi, CEO of the Abu Dhabi Chamber; Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e&; and Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO of e& UAE, along with several directors and representatives from both entities.

Ahmed Khalifa Al Qubaisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Chamber, said: We aim to support SMEs and startups, enabling them to unleash their full potential within a competitive and advanced economic ecosystem, thereby realising the strategic vision of the Chamber.

Our collaboration with e& UAE paves the way for a long-term strategic partnership benefiting private sector companies in Abu Dhabi.

It offers a diverse package of high-quality services and preferential benefits that support the business community, representing a significant addition to the Chambers efforts in elevating the competitiveness of the private sector and enabling its growth through support initiatives and programmes, including the 5+5 Pilot Programme for supporting SMEs, which serve as the main catalysts of the national economy, Al Qubaisi added.

Masood M Sharif Mahmood, CEO at e& UAE, said: Our strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Chamber aims to support SMEs growth ambitions, underscoring our dedication to empowering them and enhancing their competitive edge.

We are set to support their advancement through advanced digital services and solutions that align with the National Agenda for Entrepreneurship and SMEs. This cooperation will equip businesses with cutting-edge digital tools, accelerating their growth in a dynamic digital economy thereby contributing significantly to regional economic growth.

As part of this agreement, Abu Dhabi Chamber will disseminate information about the offers and services provided by e& UAE to its members, while at the same time providing a unique package of communication offers and plans to Chambers members through its website, including Business PRO, Office Presence, uTap, digital products, and more.

The agreement entails leveraging e& UAEs expertise in digital technologies to facilitate digital transformation processes for SMEs in Abu Dhabi, providing customised solutions in cloud computing, digital marketing, cybersecurity, and innovative payment solutions.
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), a leading global financial hub in the region, has announced the ground breaking of DIFC Square, a landmark development and commercial project comprising three interconnected buildings.

Featuring offices and retail units, the new project will significantly boost DIFC's real estate offerings while meeting the growing demand for Grade A offices in the heart of Dubais financial district.

Developed on a 113,500 sq ft plot, with a total built-up area (BUA) of nearly 1 million sq ft, DIFC Squares future tenants and talent will benefit from close proximity to the Centres most sought-after destinations, such as Gate Village for fine dining, lifestyle, arts and culture, and Gate Avenues extensive range of restaurants, gyms, and retail facilities.

Providing 600,000 sq ft of office space, DIFC Square will feature 17,200 sq ft of retail space, including a curated mix of shops and F&B outlets, it stated.

With the enabling and foundation works well underway, construction on DIFC Square is being fast-tracked in order to meet the scheduled handover in Q1 2026, it added.

DIFC said todays (June 30) announcement follows the successful ground-breaking of the AED1.1 billion Immersive Tower by DIFC in May, further demonstrating the strong demand for commercial property in the heart of DIFC.

Featuring 8, 10, and 13 floors, sharing one basement and three podiums, the height of the three buildings are 58, 68 and 81 metres respectively.

On the new development, DIFC Governor Essa Kazim said: "DIFC Square will become a valued addition to our growing real estate portfolio by providing future-forward, Grade A office spaces dedicated to meeting the demand for high-quality, future-centric commercial property."

Driven by record-breaking growth in both wealth and asset management and the insurance business, DIFC Square has elicited robust tenant demand, underscoring the projects strategic appeal and prime location, while highlighting the strong interest and growing demand for the Centres premium urban commercial real estate.

Strategically situated in DIFC, the project offers unparalleled proximity to Downtown Dubai, Dubai International Airport, Sheikh Zayed Road and other key business and leisure destinations, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
JACKSON  Brent Bien has high hopes for his ballot initiative that could cut Wyoming property taxes in half for homeowners. And hes one step closer to getting it in front of voters to make it state law.

Joined by co-applicants Cheryl Aguilar and Rich Weber, Bien turned in 644 petition booklets to the Wyoming Secretary of States Office for certification Thursday.

Were anxious to hear the results here in a couple of months, said Bien, a former Republican gubernatorial candidate who spearheaded the effort.

The three organizers have been working with more than 300 volunteers since October to get the support required by state law.

Bien said tax relief is one of the most important issues in the state, and the initiative would exempt 50% of the assessed value for property used as a primary residence at least six months of the year indefinitely. The sole qualification besides being a primary home owner is living in the state for at least one year.

Only 29,730 signatures from registered voters are needed, representing 15% of voters who cast ballots in the preceding general election. Those signatures also must represent residents in at least two-thirds of Wyoming counties.

Bien said his team collected 45,000 signatures.

The Wyoming Secretary of States Office now has 60 days to review and determine if the threshold number of valid signatures has been met. Chief Policy Officer and General Counsel Joe Rubino confirmed the petition books were handed over Thursday and said they would be processed in accordance with state law.

If it achieves the necessary number of valid signatures, the Wyoming State Constitution and Wyoming State law states that it will be on the 2026 ballot, Rubino said.

Bien missed the statutory deadline before the Wyoming Legislatures budget session began this year to get on the 2024 general election ballot, but he is holding out.

He protested the original deadline and the way state law has been interpreted. Bien told the Jackson Hole Daily that he will wait to see if Secretary of State Chuck Gray will fight to put it before voters in November.

We really had 18 months to do it, he said. We knocked it out in about seven and a half. So, were really proud of that. Were proud of the people.

He praised volunteers for doing a phenomenal job despite threats from some state lawmakers who warned that a state income tax or other taxes would be needed if the initiative succeeds. Bien disagrees, and calls it more of a big government spending issue.

Other state and local critics of the initiative have expressed concern in recent months, arguing that losing property tax dollars would put essential services at risk. None of the property tax revenue goes to the state general fund; it largely ends up going to K-12 education and local and county governments.

What we do know is that there are counties that may be able to weather these sorts of changes, whereas others are going to face significant shortfalls, Wyoming County Commissioners Association Executive Director Jerimiah Rieman has warned. No county commissioner is telling me that constituents are calling them and saying that the roads are too smooth, that the ambulance gets there too quickly, that fire resources are adequate.

If passed into law by Wyoming citizens, the ballot initiative would come on top of four property tax bills passed during the last legislative session.

However, Bien said, The stuff that was passed was junk.

The half-baked effort that was passed only affects such a small number of people around this state, he said, adding that the 4% cap for all homeowners wouldnt bring down property tax bills.

Turning over the signatures for the property tax relief measure doesnt mean Bien is done, though. He said his team has started another ballot initiative with the Secretary of States Office that is being edited. This time, organizers are going after E-Poll books and voting machines.

The objective of this next one is to basically do all hand tabulation on ballots, Bien said.
ECONOMIST Marla Dukharan has called for an independent and objective assessment of all countries worldwide to determine which ones are truly tax havens.

Dukharan stated that this approach would help combat the stigma often associated with the Caribbean region.
The mother of the suspect in the double murder of Tara Geeta Ramsaroop and her infant daught
SACATON  Stephen Roe Lewis grew up seeing stacks of legal briefs at the dinner table  often, about his tribes water.

His father, the late Rodney Lewis, was general counsel for the Gila River Indian Community and fought for the tribes rights to water in the Southwest, eventually securing in 2004 the largest Native American water settlement in U.S. history.

Years later, Stephen would become governor of the tribe, whose reservation is about a half-hour south of downtown Phoenix. Amid his tenure, hes been pivotal in navigating a water crisis across the seven-state Colorado River basin caused by existential drought made worse by climate change and decades of Western states overdrawing from the river.

Lewis, 56, has leveraged the Gila River tribes water abundance to help Arizona, making his tribe a power player in the parched region. His fingerprints are on many recent, high-stakes decisions made in the West about the future of the river that supports 40 million people, and the tribes influence is only growing.

You never choose your path, he said, but it was laid out for me through my parents.

Breakthroughs at pivotal moments

The tribe, with about 15,000 members living on its reservation, is one of two in Arizona each with rights to more than 650,00 acre-feet of water from the Colorado and other sources. (The other is the Colorado River Indian Tribes.) An acre-foot is enough water to serve roughly two to three U.S. households in a year. On average, tribal households use significantly less.

For years, the Gila River tribe has made a business of banking the water it gets from the Colorado River and leasing some of it to cities in Arizona in exchange for money. One such deal reached in 2016 with the fast-growing Phoenix suburb of Chandler netted $46 million for the tribe.

In 2019, it broke a stalemate when Arizona was the last Western state in the seven-state basin to sign onto a water-saving plan. The tribe offered to sell nearly 830,000 acre-feet of water over 25 years to a major supplier of water for new homebuilding in central Arizona, after the industry had opposed Arizona joining over concerns it would face water shortages in one of the fastest-growing real estate markets in the country.

In 2023, the tribe reached a deal for $150 million with the U.S. government to help prop up water levels at Lake Mead, the reservoir behind Hoover Dam on the Nevada/Arizona border. The dam stores Colorado River water for Arizona, California, Nevada and northern Mexico. Lake Mead had fallen to historic lows, and the Gila River tribe agreed to conserve 125,000 acre-feet of water each year at the man-made reservoir.

His partnership is absolutely genuine, said Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs. But he also sees it as a means to bring more support for his people. And so hes just very strategic about that.

Tribal politics and infrastructure

Lewis has known tribal politics his entire life.

Where my father fought for our water rights, I see my role now as implementing the settlement, Lewis said.

He described a childhood in Sacaton, about 80 miles north of Tucson, during which he would run into previous governors of the tribe, giants, larger than life.

In describing his job, Lewis often looks to the past. He said he wants younger generations of the tribe to have the same respect for water and natural resources as he was taught growing up. At the same time, hes led it to try pioneering water conservation practices  such as covering canals with solar panels that would reduce water evaporation while producing renewable electricity.

With funding from the Biden administration, the Gila River tribe is working on a pilot program to generate 1.3 megawatts of clean energy providing 2.3 million kilowatt-hours of annual electricity from solar panels on top of canals, with an eventual goal of covering 18.5 miles of canals.

We can look at ways to conserve water in a very modern context, Lewis said, but keeping in line with our cultural traditions.

Rerouting a river

These fortunes are recent. Starting in the 1800s, state and local governments stripped the Gila River tribe of water that it had depended on for millennia by damming the once free-flowing Gila River. The river was put behind concrete or earthen dams, and the water was allocated for non-Native farmers and cities.

It was only in 2004 that the tribe regained its rights with the water settlement secured by Rodney Lewis, who also was the first Native American attorney to appear before the U.S. Supreme Court.

One hundred and fifty years ago, our water was stolen, Lewis said. So we know how devastating that can be.

Today, the Gila River tribes primary water use is farming, Lewis said. Farmers there grow cotton, wheat, alfalfa and vegetables, most of which is consumed locally, though some is exported to Arizona and elsewhere.

As farmers in central Arizona, whose water supply was severely cut in 2021, pare down their operations, Lewis is resolute that the Gila River tribe wants to keep expanding its farms  for which its building more irrigation infrastructure to send water to different parts of the 586 square-mile reservation.

The tribe also operates several casinos, hotels, a theme park and various businesses on the reservation and in the Phoenix metropolitan area, which became the fifth largest city in the U.S. in 2021.

Before we had our casinos, our Gila River farms were really one of our main economic drivers, Lewis said. So were looking at ways we can grow that industry.

Future negotiations

A towering figure in the Southwest, Lewis was re-elected for a fourth time last December.

He has an extended runway in a sense, said Republican Arizona Sen. T.J. Shope, who represents a rural district that intersects with the Gila River reservation. He can think 10 years down the road because of that.

As Western states and nearly 30 Native American tribes that share the Colorado River figure out how to divide the rivers water after 2026, when current rules governing the river expire, Lewis hasnt shied away from rejecting ideas he considers unfair.

He has repeatedly said he wont accept a deal thats bad for Arizona, whose junior water rights resulted in the state losing roughly 20% of its share from the river in 2021. Lewis hopes his tribe can continue to help ease longstanding tension points in negotiations between the seven U.S. states, such as that between California and Arizona.

Its real water diplomacy on the ground, Lewis said of his tribes role. Its complicated. This is still an unfolding story.
Three of the Arizona Republicans indicted as fake electors for their roles in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election will serve as delegates at the Republican National Convention in July. And they are defiant.

Arizona Republicans who picked them for the honor were well aware of the charges.

The voters of America, whether they be Republican or Democrat, are not stupid. And they see whats happening to President (Donald) Trump, they see whats happening to Anthony Kern here in Arizona, state Sen. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, said by phone.

Three days after a Maricopa County grand jury indicted him and 17 others on felony charges, delegates to the state GOP convention gave Kern the most votes of any candidate for at-large delegate to the national convention at which Trump will accept the presidential nomination.

That kinda tells you something, Kern said. People know who I am, they know Im a fighter. Im a member of the Arizona Freedom Caucus, said Kern, elected to the Legislature in 2014, But they know the indictment is nothing but a sham.

State Sen. Jake Hoffman of Queen Creek and Nancy Cottle, who chaired the slate of electors for Trump in 2020, will be in Milwaukee next month with Kern and 40 other Arizona delegates to cast votes for the GOPs 2024 nominee.

Kern, Hoffman and Cottle and other Trump electors signed documents that claimed that hed won the states 11 electoral votes, even though President Joe Biden had carried the state by more than 10,000 votes.

Each of the 11 Trump electors was charged with nine felonies related to trying to subvert the election, including conspiracy, fraud and forgery. All of the defendants pleaded not guilty.

Democrats have castigated Republicans for letting anyone serve as a convention delegate after allegedly committing such crimes.

MAGA Republicans, including three RNC delegates, used our state as a testing ground for election denialism and conspiracy theories last cycle because they cared more about Donald Trump than the will of Arizona voters, Arizona Democratic Party Chair Yolanda Bejarano told Cronkite News by email.

Trump won Arizonas primary with 79% of the vote in March, so hell get all of the states GOP delegates in Milwaukee.

Despite multiple allegations by the former president and many of his allies, and a prolonged recount in Maricopa County, fewer than 200 cases of potential voter fraud were identified out of 3 million ballots  not nearly enough to change the outcome in Arizona.

Hoffman and Cottle did not respond to multiple requests for comment about their roles as RNC delegates.

Let me be unequivocal, I am innocent of any crime, I will vigorously defend myself, and I look forward to the day when I am vindicated of this naked political persecution by the judicial process, Hoffman said in a statement the day after his indictment.

The Arizona GOP called the charges a blatant and unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial power.

Defenders say the accused were fulfilling their constitutional duties, preparing an alternative slate of electors in case pending court challenges could overturn the outcome.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, said in a brief interview at the Capitol that the electors were Republican volunteers who, from what she was told, were advised to follow this strategy.

Kern, seeking the nomination to replace Lesko in Congress in a district that includes Peoria, Sun City and other parts of the northwest Valley, said the indictment has only propelled his campaign.

Trump is going to win the presidency, and Anthony Kern is going to win Congress, Kern said, shrugging aside polls that show him with low single-digit support in a crowded primary.

Trump himself was convicted on 34 felony counts related to hush money payments made to an adult film actress ahead of Election Day in 2016. His sentencing in a New York court is set for July 11, four days before the four-day Republican convention begins.

Trumps conviction, along with three pending criminal cases against him in federal court and the fake electors cases in Arizona and other states, have fueled Republican complaints that biased prosecutors have engaged in partisan lawfare.

The people see through it, said Josh Barnett, a Republican running for Arizona Senate, pointing to Trumps slight lead in Arizona polls and a donation surge after his conviction.

Republicans see a double standard by prosecutors and Democrats in the fake electors case.

Kern and others point to the 1960 election as precedent for what Trumps allies did in Arizona.

In Hawaii, tallies from a close race initially showed a win for former Vice President Richard Nixon. Democrats sent unofficial elector ballots to Congress alongside the certified Republican slate, pending a recount that showed that Democrat John Kennedy had won. The governor then certified the Democratic slate.

Kern also noted that some House Democrats objected, unsuccessfully, to Trumps victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016. No senators joined the objections. Biden, presiding as vice president, rejected the challenges and Congress certified Trumps election as president.

Nothing in the Republican rules, or law, precludes someone under indictment  or convicted of a felony  from serving as a convention delegate.

If anyone thinks otherwise, Kern said, they need to read the Constitution.
Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

The city of Miami has won the most recent round in its decades-long fight with the Grand River Dam Authority over responsibility for flooding above Grand Lake.

On Thursday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission declined to change an earlier order that could lead to the state-owned utility being forced to buy as much as 13,000 acres in the northeast corner of the state.

The agency upheld a January decision to reverse itself and find the Pensacola Dam, which creates Grand Lake, materially responsible for upstream flooding, and ordered the GRDA to acquire adequate property rights in perpetuity to accomplish all project purposes, including flood control.

It further ordered the state-owned utility to conduct a study detailing the flooding impact on specific parcels of land and identifying those that should be purchased or leased.

The GRDA, which did not respond to requests for comment on Friday, has until November to complete that study.

Thursdays decision was the latest in a series of laterals between the agency and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

Legal battles over upstream flooding go back decades, but the current order is the result of a 2018 lawsuit alleging GRDA was in violation of its FERC license to operate the dam because sufficient flowage easement has never been acquired.

The GRDA said liability, if any, rested with the Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for operation of the dam at flood stage. The authority also maintained it was shielded from responsibility by a 2019 provision in a national defense bill.

In its reconsiderations, FERC has ruled that the 2019 legislation, called the Pensacola Act, did not apply to the GRDAs current license, which is set to expire next year.

GRDA says forced acquisition of land will ultimately be paid by its ratepayers  which includes the city of Miami  and hinder its operations.

Established in 1935, the GRDA operates three hydroelectric dams as well as natural gas generation in Chouteau and Luther and has contracts with wind farms across the state. It provides electricity primarily to municipal utilities and electric cooperatives as well as Pryors Mid-America Industrial Park.

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Japan will consider offering new generation ODA loans for Vietnam, with focus put on new fields such as digital transformation, green transformation, climate change response, health and education, said newly-appointed Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki.

Japans ODA loans for Vietnam have played an important role in the country's development over the years, Ambassador Ito Naoki told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper at a press meeting on Friday in Hanoi, on the occasion of his start of his ambassadorship tenure in Vietnam.

It can be clearly seen from the moment when everyone arrives at Hanoi-based Noi Bai International Airport, where they will see the T2 terminal, or when they cross on Nhat Tan Bridge towards the heart of the capital.

These works, like many others, have been built with the ODA loans from Japan, as well as with Japanese technologies during construction.

Besides infrastructure, Japan has also been granting ODA to technical cooperation projects, with Japanese experts coming to Vietnam to transfer knowledge, techniques and technologies.

Over the past 30 years, Japan has provided ODA loans of 3,260 billion yen (US$128.1 million) to Vietnam, stated Naoki.

The new Japanese ambassador affirmed that one of his goals during his term is to revitalize activities using ODA loans.

That means Japanese ODA for Vietnam will not be limited to infrastructure, techniques or technologies, but also cover new fields including digital transformation, green transformation, health and education, Naoki added.

Last year, Japan announced in its White Paper on Development Cooperation that the country would proactively consider offering ODA to developing countries, in addition to the traditional practice in which ODA will be considered based on requests from potential recipients.

Accordingly, Japan will proactively consider ODA loans for Vietnam in the aforementioned new fields.

He also cited the joint statement between the two countries when they upgraded bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in November 2023.

Under the statement, the two countries will promote projects in Vietnam using Japans new-generation ODA loans, which are offered with high preferences, simple procedures and flexible mechanisms.

The ambassador also said Japan is focusing efforts to accelerate three key projects using Japanese ODA loans, including the metro line No. 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, North - South expressways Ben Luc - Long Thanh section connecting southern Long An and Dong Nai Provinces, and the metro line No. 2 in Hanoi.

Investment from businesses of the two countries plays an important role in deepening bilateral relations, the ambassador said.

Currently, Vietnams investment procedures are time-consuming and complicated, Naoki commented, and called on efforts to tackle this issue so that the country can attract more investment from Japan.

In general, Japanese businesses assess that Vietnam has a lot of potential and prospects for foreign investment attraction, the ambassador said, adding that the number of Japanese enterprises in Vietnam now exceeds 2,000, consisting of 1,000 in the southern region, 200 in the central part and the rest in northern localities.

Naoki cited the Japan External Trade Organization's (JETRO) recent survey revealing that Vietnam is the second appealing destination for Japanese enterprises and that about 60 percent of Japanese firms have expressed their wish to expand investment in the Southeast Asian country.

Explaining this, the Japanese ambassador raised three factors that have made Vietnam attractive, including a positive economic outlook, a 100-million strong market, and an abundant and quality workforce.

In addition, Vietnam is currently considered an important link in the global supply chain.

There remain some problems such as incomplete infrastructure, time-consuming paperwork, and unstable electricity supply, but in general, Japanese businesses see Vietnam as an attractive investment destination, the ambassador concluded.

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Doosan Enerbility Vietnam (Doosan Vina), based at the Dung Quat Economic Zone in Vietnams central province of Quang Ngai, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Saturday with Japans Marubeni Corporation for their cooperation on offshore wind power in Vietnam.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Kim Hyo Tae, general director at Doosan Vina, said that the cooperation is part of the companys efforts to help fulfill the net-zero emission goal by 2050 that Vietnam announced at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) held in Glasgow in 2021.

This MoU along with another one earlier signed between Doosan Vina and rsted, a Danish renewable energy company, will pave the way for Doosan Vina to tap into the renewable energy industry.

Doosan Vina is shifting its focus to investment strategies that align with sustainable development goals, Kim said, adding that Vietnam boasts great natural resources like ocean, wind, and solar power to develop renewable energy projects.

Seiji Kawamura, general manager of the overseas power department (Asia-Pacific) under Marubeni Corporation, underlined the importance of offshore wind power in the corporations business strategies.

With its 50 years of operating in the power industry in Vietnam, Marubeni looks to make contributions to the countrys economy and state budget, the Marubeni representative said.

Following the MoU signing, Doosan Vina and Marubeni will study the feasibility of their cooperation in the industry in Vietnam.

Doosan Vina plans to manufacture monopiles as offshore wind power foundations and other components for offshore wind farms at its 100-hectare industrial complex in the Dung Quat Economic Zone.

Marubeni is set to explore the opportunity of expanding its cooperation with other Vietnamese firms to boost the offshore wind power sector in Vietnam.

Doosan Vina and Marubeni are strategic partners in the power industry in the Asia-Pacific region.

Both sides had successfully developed the Nghi Son 2 BOT thermal power plant in Thanh Hoa Province, north-central Vietnam, with Doosan being the general contractor and Marubenie being a member of a consortium comprising three investors, namely Marubeni, South Koreas Korea Electric Power Corporation, and Japans Tohoku Electric Power Company.

Doosan Vina is a US$300-million industrial complex which spans 100 hectares in the Dung Quat Economic Zone.

The company specializes in manufacturing modules, cargo container cranes, steel structures, and power plant equipment.

In Vietnam, Doosan Vina has served as an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) general contractor of major thermal power plants such as Mong Duong 2, Vinh Tan 4, Nghi Son 2, and Song Hau 1.

Regarding Marubeni Corporation, it is one of Japans largest trading and investment companies, with more than 160 years of history.

In the renewable energy industry, Marubeni has developed onshore and offshore wind farms with a combined capacity of over 2,000MW in many countries including Japan and the UK.

In Vietnam, Marubeni served as an EPC general contractor for 11 power plant projects, such as the Thai Binh 1 thermal power plant in northern Thai Binh Province and the Nghi Son 2 BOT thermal power plant in north-central Thanh Hoa Province.

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Catch up on the news in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Japan will proactively propose official development assistance (ODA) loans for Vietnam to develop numerous projects in infrastructure, digital transformation, green transition, response to climate change and healthcare fields, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Naoki Ito told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday.

-- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran and a Vietnamese delegation left Hanoi on Sunday morning for an official visit to South Korea from June 30 to July 3 at the invitation of South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck Soo and his spouse, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Society

-- Scorching weather is forecast to hit the northern and central regions of Vietnam on Sunday, while many localities in southern Vietnam might experience medium to heavy rains and thunderstorms in the late afternoon, according to the national weather center.

-- Paving bricks and concrete around the roots of a series of trees along Nguyen Thai Son and Nguyen Kiem Streets in Go Vap District and Ho Van Hue Street in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City have been removed to ensure the trees could grow unhindered.

Business

-- Doosan Vina, headquartered in Dung Quat Economic Zone in Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding with Japans Marubeni for their cooperation on offshore wind power in Vietnam in a bid to contribute to meeting the countrys commitment of a net-zero emission target by 2050.

Lifestyle

-- The fourth display of the ongoing Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) 2024 with stunning performances from Chinese and Finnish pyrotechnic teams wowed tourists and residents in Da Nang, the capital city of central Vietnam on Saturday night.

-- A 59-year-old South Korean man and his son,14, have been running across Vietnam for 20 days in the hope that his Vietnamese friend will recover well after surgery. Their run is scheduled to be completed on August 30.

-- Vietnam attracted over 8.8 million international visitors in the first half of 2024, up 4.1 percent from the same period in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, reported the Vietnam News Agency.

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Police in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam teamed up with forces of the Ministry of Public Security to capture a Chinese man who is wanted by Chinas Ministry of Public Security on Friday.

A police officer of the province said on Sunday that the man was caught while he was staying at a house in the locality.

The provincial immigration management division worked with the Criminal Police Department under the ministry and police in Dien Ngoc Ward in Dien Ban Town examined a house on Friday night, finding Fan Chao, 39, dwelling in this residence.

Fan Chao had previously been charged with economic and environmental crimes in China.

He was placed on Chinas list of wanted fugitives.

Besides, after checking his passport, the police discovered that his temporary residence in Vietnam expired.

The Vietnamese side is working to extradite the fugitive to the Chinese Ministry of Public Security.

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Hunted returns post-Olympics with 10 shaking up the start of the hunt with the fugitives enacting a $1m robbery in Ballarat.

If they evade capture, the money is theirs to keep.

This is a series twist which was the premise for UK Sky TVs The Heist, produced by Shine, the same production company behind Hunted.

Nine pairs of ordinary Australians turn into shrewd Fugitives, with their eyes on the prize  one million dollars  which is being held at the Savings Bank of Ballarat. Its a modern-day bank heist as the Fugitives break into the bank and steal the money, before making their getaway to disappear without a trace.

The goal is to make it to the extraction point in 20 days, all while evading capture from the Hunters, a team of some of the best investigators formally of the AFP, ADF, and British Intelligence, as well as special operations and cyber security experts.

These dedicated, experienced, and sharply trained Hunters must use their arsenal of tools to capture the Fugitives at large. They must be ruthless in their conclusions, masterful in their tactics, and relentless in their captures.

The Hunters will stop at nothing to outthink, outsmart, and outrun the Fugitives striving to escape.

Produced by Endemol Shine Australia, a series date is yet to be announced.
Short of a planned announcement from the Minister for Communications today, the Albanese Government will miss its planned start date for local quotas on Streaming platforms.

In January 2023 Arts Minister Tony Burke stated legislation for local quotas on Streaming platforms would be introduced into Parliament in the second half of the year, to commence no later than 1 July 2024.

This has not occured.

(National Cultural Policy Launch 1:18:09 mins)

Industry has been patiently waiting for the detail on how local quotas will be regulated with Screen Producers Australia seeking a 20% revenue investment.

It has been the hot topic of successive industry conferences since the pandemic subsided.

Last month Screen Producers Australia said, With only one month left until the Australian Governments proposed regulation of streaming services is due to start, it is clear screen producers and the workforce they employ are only just hanging on.

Australian audiences need some guarantee of access to Australian stories via online streaming services, just like they have for other services. The screen industry has been extraordinarily patient throughout a lengthy consultation process. Still, we need the Albanese Government to deliver on this important cultural commitment with a robust framework that supports both the industry and audiences now and into the future.

Industry chatter suggests the government will backdate the regulation to July 1st to align with its original statement.

While Tony Burke and Michelle Rowland have done considerable good for the arts / media sector, it is clear there is disappointment that the date has finally arrived with no clarity.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R), rumored to be on former President Trumps vice-presidential shortlist, defended the presumptive GOP nominee against criticism over the numerous falsehoods he told on the debate stage Thursday.

In an interview Sunday on NBC Newss Meet the Press, Burgum called the story manufactured, noting Trump has said publicly in the past everything he said Thursday.

I think that the whole manufactured thing this morning of that Donald Trump has said something that he hasnt said before  I mean, everything that he said on Thursday night, hes been saying before. I mean, so this is not news, Burgum said.

Burgum was responding to a question on whether Trump should stop repeating false information, as he did on the debate stage Thursday. Burgum was also asked about a previous interview in which he said he never lies.

NBC Newss Kristen Welker pressed Burgum on the issue further, mentioning some false statements Trump made during the debate.

Just to say a few, he said the Democrats want to kill infants after birth. Thats not true. He again lied about widespread fraud, not true. He lied about his comments after Charlottesville, she said.

Should he be truthful with the American people if he wants to lead this country, especially given what you just said, that you never lie? Thats your standard, governor, Welker pressed before Burgum pivoted to criticizing Democrats positioning on abortion.

CNN, which hosted the debate Thursday, made clear at the outset that moderators would not be responsible for live fact-checking of the candidates statements. Still, the more than 30 false claims Trump made during the debate prompted criticism among pundits and the public.

CNN reported that most false claims had, in fact, been included in prior campaign speeches or other public forums, but some were new, such as his assertions that the U.S. currently has its biggest budget deficit and its biggest trade deficit with China. Both records actually occurred under Trump, CNN 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 Mike Spector and Chris Prentice

NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. prosecutors are meeting with Boeing and fatal-crash victims' relatives as a July 7 deadline looms for the Justice Department to decide whether to criminally charge the planemaker, according to two people familiar with the matter and correspondence reviewed by Reuters.

Justice Department officials met with Boeing lawyers on Thursday to discuss the governments finding that the company violated a 2021 agreement with the department, one of the sources said. That deal, known as a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), had shielded it from criminal prosecution over two 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.

Separately, federal prosecutors are slated to meet with victims family members on Sunday to update them on the progress of their investigation, according to the second person. U.S. officials are working on a "tight timeline", according to an email sent by the DOJ and reviewed by Reuters.

Boeings lawyers from Kirkland & Ellis on Thursday presented their case to officials from the Deputy Attorney Generals office that a prosecution would be unwarranted and that there is no need to tear up the 2021 deal, one of the people said.

Such appeals from companies in the DOJs crosshairs are typical when negotiating to resolve a government investigation.

Officials want input from family members as they consider how to proceed, the email said. Prosecutors from the Justice Departments criminal fraud division and the U.S. attorneys office in Dallas will attend the Sunday meeting, it said.

Spokespeople for the DOJ and Boeing declined to comment.

Boeing has previously said it has honored the terms of the settlement and formally told prosecutors it disagrees with the finding that it violated the agreement.

U.S. prosecutors have recommended to senior Justice Department officials that criminal charges be brought against Boeing after finding the planemaker violated the 2021 settlement, two people familiar with the matter previously told Reuters.

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, they said last week.

The deliberations follow a Jan. 5 mid-flight panel blow-out on a Boeing plane just two days before the companys DPA expired. The incident exposed ongoing safety and quality issues at Boeing.

Boeing had been poised to escape prosecution over a criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) arising from the 2018-2019 fatal crashes.

Prosecutors had agreed to drop a criminal charge so long as Boeing overhauled its compliance practices and submitted regular reports over a three-year period. Boeing also agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle the investigation.

In May, officials determined the company breached the agreement, exposing Boeing to prosecution. The DOJ said in a court filing in Texas that the planemaker had failed to "design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. fraud laws throughout its operations."

(Reporting by Chris Prentice and Mike Spector in New YorkAdditional reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreat; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Explainer-Three-way run-offs and horse-trading: what happens next in French elections?

Reaction to the first round results of the 2024 snap legislative elections

PARIS (Reuters) -Here's how the second round of France's parliamentary election on July 7 will work and the possible scenarios after official results showed Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) party had won Sunday's first round.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Elections for the 577 seats in France's National Assembly are a two-round process.

In constituencies where no candidate won outright in the first round, the top two candidates, as well as any candidate with more than 12.5% of the total number of registered voters in that constituency, move to a second round.

Whoever gets the most votes in the second round wins the seat.

The high turnout on Sunday means some 300 constituencies are now facing potential three-way run-offs which, in theory, favour the RN.

To prevent these three-way run-offs and block the RN, France's centre-right and centre-left politicians have long practiced what they call a "republican front", whereby the third-placed candidate drops out of the race and urges voters to rally behind the second-placed candidate.

All candidates through to the run-off have until Tuesday evening to decide whether to stand down or run in the second round.

HOW IS IT LOOKING THIS TIME?

Many political leaders gave guidance to candidates and voters on Sunday evening.

President Emmanuel Macron urged a "wide-ranging rally behind republican and democratic" candidates for the second round, effectively guiding against both the far-right National Rally and the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party.

His former Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, explicitly called on the candidates from his party to drop out if they were in third position and rally behind candidates from the centre-left to the centre-right, excluding the RN and LFI.

On the left, the Socialist and LFI leaders also called on their third-placed candidates to drop out to block the RN.

The conservative Republicans party, which split ahead of the vote with a small number of its lawmakers joining forces with the RN, has yet to take a stance.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW?

The effectiveness of the "republican front" has weakened over the years, and many voters no longer heed the advice of party leaders.

It is also possible that candidates will refuse to drop out despite guidance from political HQs in Paris.

But talks over the next 48 hours will be crucial and could swing the results significantly, potentially deciding whether the RN reaches an outright majority in parliament or not.

That makes the result of the second round extraordinarily hard to predict. Even pollsters have urged caution on their own seat projections.

(Reporting by Michel Rose; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Alex Richardson)
A remote-controlled screen operated by the political activist group, Led By Donkeys, lowers as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaks in Walton-on-the-Naze

LONDON (Reuters) - A speech being delivered by Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain's right-wing Reform UK party, was interrupted late Saturday when a banner of Russian President Vladimir Putin descended from the ceiling at an election rally.

Campaign group Led by Donkeys, which opposes Farage's views, said it was responsible for the stunt at the Columbine Centre, at Walton on the Naze in southeast England, and posted a video of the unveiling on X.

That showed the banner slowly unfurling behind a speaking Farage, revealing a smiling Putin giving a thumbs-up sign, along with the words "I (heart emoji) Nigel".

Led By Donkeys said on X: "Nigel Farage says Putin is the world leader he 'admires the most' and blames the West for Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine."

That was a reference to comments Farage made earlier this month when he said the eastward expansion of the European Union and NATO had provoked Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

The remarks, made in an interview with the BBC, drew strong criticism across the British political spectrum ahead of a July 4 national election in which Farage's party is predicted to win millions of votes.

On seeing the banner, Farage said: "Who put that up there," adding: "Someone at the Columbine Centre needs to get the sack."

The audience then started chanting: "Rip it down."

Reuters has sought comment from Reform UK.

Farage is seeking election as a lawmaker, or member of parliament (MP), in Clacton-on-Sea, which is nine miles from Walton on the Naze.

On Friday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was hurt and angry that a supporter of Reform UK had been recorded making a racial slur about him, saying it was too important for him not to speak out.

(This story has been corrected to say 'I (heart emoji) Nigel', not Putin, in paragraph 3)

(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
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TISS revokes termination of over 100 faculty members after outrage

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has withdrawn what is billed as mass termination notices of more than 100 staff and faculty members whose contracts were supposed to end today i.e. Sunday June 30, 2024.

Sunday June 30, 2024 10:50 PM , ummid.com News Network

[TISS Tuljapur Campus near Osmanabad, Maharashtra (File image)]

Mumbai: Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has withdrawn what is billed as mass termination notices of more than 100 staff and faculty members whose contracts were supposed to end today i.e. Sunday June 30, 2024.

TISS is a premium institution having campuses in Mumbai and Tuljapur in Maharashtra, Hyderabad in Telangana and Guwahati in Assam.

A bulk of the faculty members facing termination following the end of their contracts on June 30, 2024 were working on the TISS campuses other than Mumbai.

A faculty member said these contracts had been issued for teaching and non-teaching staff from the grants received from the Tata Trust.

Some of the teaching staff members were even part of the interview process which selects candidates for academic sessions for various courses last month, news agency PTI reported quoting a staff member.

TISS is facing financial crisis since last few years. The reports that the contracts of these faculty members will not be renewed sparked outrage following which the university cancelled the mass termination order.

The university also said that the decision to withdraw the termination notice was taken as the Tata Education Trust (TET) agreed to release the funds.

Discussions with the Tata Education Trust have provided assurance that resources will be made available to TISS to resolve this issue. The Tata trust has committed to releasing funds for the salaries of TET project/programme faculty and non- teaching staff, TISS said in a statement.

At the same time, the varsity asked the staff and faculty members to continue their work, and assured them their salaries will be disbursed once the Tata Education Trust (TET) Support Grant is received.

Earlier, the Progressive Students Forum, a student body, blamed the current TISS leadership and the Union government for the situation.

It is completely a failure of the current leadership of TISS administration in running the institute and apathy of the BJP-led Union government, the Progressive Students Forum claimed.





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Goi la vo cho vui, chu nguoi an ba a cho Thuong Tin hanh phuc uoc lam cha o buoi hoang hon cuoc oi khong co noi manh giay hon thu, cung khong he co mot am cuoi voi tai tu lung lay mot thoi. Co nguoi bao vo nhat trong truyen ngan cua co nha van Kim Lan co khi con suong hon vo Thuong Tin.
Unveiling the new stars

True to the reputation of the world-renowned culinary guide, the Michelin Guide Vietnam Ceremony 2024 created a buzz in local and international media for many days before the official list was revealed on the evening of June 27.

In its second year in Viet Nam, in addition to the list of restaurants in Ha Noi and HCM City selected and honoured, Michelin Guide for the first time elevated a Nang to the prestigious global culinary stage.

At this years ceremony, seven restaurants were awarded one Michelin star (including two newcomers and one promoted from Michelin Selected), 58 establishments achieved Bib Gourmand (including 28 new entries and one upgrade from Michelin Selected), and 99 restaurants were listed as Michelin Selected. Among the new additions, 10 are from Ha Noi, 26 are from HCM City and 36 are from a Nang.

The most prestigious names awarded at the Michelin Guide Vietnam Ceremony 2024, three new restaurants achieved one Michelin star, La Maison 1888 at the InterContinental Danang Peninsula Resort; Akuna (HCM City) and The Royal Pavilion (HCM City).

Nen Danang became the first and only restaurant in Viet Nam to be awarded a Michelin Green Star for its commitment to sustainable gastronomy and efforts to promote the use of local ingredients.

The 2024 list in Ha Noi and HCM City featured familiar names from the Michelin Guide 2023, including Anan Sai Gon, Gia Restaurant, Hibana By Koki and Tam Vi.

This years awards also recognised three individuals with Michelin Guide Special Awards, Toan Nguyen from La Maison 1888, who won the Sommelier Award; Duy Nguyen from Little Bear - a new Michelin Selected restaurant in HCM City - achieved the Young Chef Award; and Anh Nguyen from Si Dining - a Michelin Selected restaurant in a Nang - received the Service Award for her exceptional service skills.

a Nang - From culinary heritage to global kitchen

In a Nang, 36 establishments were honoured, 16 restaurants in the Bib Gourmand list, 19 entries in Michelin Selected and notably, La Maison 1888 at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort received one Michelin star.

La Maison 1888, located at the resort recognised as the world's most luxurious by the World Travel Awards for four consecutive years, was the first restaurant in Viet Nam to collaborate with chef Pierre Gagnaire - one of the worlds top 10 chefs who owns multiple Michelin-starred restaurants.

For a Nang, becoming the third culinary destination of the Michelin Guide in Viet Nam highlights the appeal of renowned dishes. It is also an opportunity for the city to reinforce its status as a dynamic and attractive international destination.

The emergence of destinations like a Nang associated with Michelin adds to the city's increasing allure. Choosing a Nang for evaluation and awarding stars is a wise and quality-driven decision by Michelin, as it is an emerging destination and a livable city, said Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism.

a Nang is recognised for its modern urban landscape, civilised lifestyle and iconic tourist attractions, including the Golden Bridge (one of the 10 new wonders of the world), My Khe Beach (one of the six most beautiful beaches in the world), Sun World Ba Na Hills (Asias leading theme park) and large-scale events like the a Nang International Fireworks Festival.

With the presence of prestigious Michelin stars, a Nang is also becoming the kitchen for the most discerning global diners.

Considered a culinary paradise representing the essence of Central Vietnamese culture, a Nang attracts food enthusiasts and anonymous experts with its exceptional quality dishes and rich culinary heritage.

The city has upscale restaurants that meet Michelin's five stringent criteria, product quality, cooking techniques, flavour harmony, the personality of the chef in the cuisine and consistency over time and across the menu.

The city's traditional dishes, including banh trang cuon thit heo (pork rolls with rice paper), mi Quang (Quang Nam-style flat rice noodles), goi ca Nam O (Nam O fish salad) and banh xeo (sizzling pancakes) have now been recognised on the global gourmet map.

Culinary artist Anh Tuyet said: a Nang is a place that offers both mountains and beaches and is rich in cuisine. The seafood from a Nang's coast is globally recognised as something few places can find. Michelin stars present a great opportunity for a Nang cuisine to "cross the ocean" and gain greater recognition from international diners.

A culinary bridge bringing Viet Nam to the world

Nearly two years after the valuable "handshake" between Sun Group and the Michelin Guide, Vietnamese cuisine has gradually established its name and brand worldwide.

Not only do the honoured restaurants enhance their position and appeal, achieving new growth in business, but Vietnamese cuisines status is also elevated on numerous international culinary awards platforms.

In 2022, the World Culinary Awards, part of the World Travel Awards system, listed Viet Nam as Asias Best Culinary Destination. In 2023, Ha Noi, with its three Michelin-starred restaurants, was honoured as Asias Best Emerging Culinary City Destination.

Representative of La Maison 1888 restaurant, Seif Hamdy, General Director of InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort said: Since its opening, La Maison 1888 has continually strived to deliver a perfect culinary experience to elite diners. We couldnt be prouder, achieving a Michelin star affirms our resort as a premier destination for fine dining in Viet Nam.

Bringing Viet Nam to the world and establishing a new position for Vietnamese cuisine and culinary tourism, Sun Group - the companion and destination partner in bringing Michelin to Viet Nam - has built a culinary bridge connecting Viet Nam with the world, as culinary artist Anh Tuyet remarked.

Ha Van Sieu added: Sun Group is a strategically visionary corporation. When big names stand alongside renowned brands like Michelin, they complement each other and drive development."

ang Minh Truong, Chairman of the Director Board of Sun Group, said at the event: Bringing Viet Nam to the world has been the goal and guiding principle throughout Sun Groups development journey. We understand that this journey is long and challenging.

"But by partnering with the Michelin Guide, Sun Group is moving closer to its goal, gradually realising the great aspiration of bringing the essence of Vietnamese cuisine to the world.

While many familiar names retain their distinctions, the Michelin Guide Vietnam Ceremony 2024 featured numerous new dishes from the three major cities.

There was controversy surrounding why Michelin Guide inspectors didnt choose many beloved local restaurants. However, meeting Michelins stringent standards and being selected for evaluation through multiple rounds by anonymous inspectors is no easy feat.

Therefore, being recognised in the Michelin Guide Vietnam 2024 is not only a matter of luck and pride for each culinary establishment but also an honour for destinations, including Ha Noi, HCM City, a Nang and Viet Nam as a whole. Another year, Viet Nam affirms its position as an attractive world-class culinary destination.
HA NOI  Southeast Asia has emerged as a top choice for firms looking to diversify production away from China, including Chinese companies, amid escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Southeast Asia is well-placed to benefit significantly from the China+1 phenomenon as both foreign and Chinese companies diversify their supply chains and operations, CNBC reported Kuo-Yi Lim, co-founder and managing partner of Southeast Asian venture capital firm Monks Hill Ventures as saying.

The 'China Plus One' strategy seeks to reduce the risks associated with a total reliance on that market or supply chain through diversifying manufacturing operations and expanding into other countries even as companies maintain a presence in China.

This has spurred greater investments into the ASEAN bloc. Foreign direct investments into the ASEAN economies of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Viet Nam rose to US$236 billion in 2023, compared with an annual average of $190 billion between 2020 and 2022, OCBC economists said in a May report.

The inflows mostly came from the US, Japan, the EU, mainland China and Hong Kong.

For Viet Nam, the country has become a key manufacturing location for Apple, as the US tech giant seeks to diversify the assembly of its products away from China.

It is already a major research and development hub for Samsung, as well as a manufacturing and export base for Samsungs smartphones.

"Viet Nam's competitive labour costs and market access, with a whole raft of free-trade agreements makes it a lot easier to export to other markets, for example, the EU, Kai Wei Ang, an ASEAN economist at BofA Securities, told CNBC earlier this month.  VNS
HCM CITY  The Investment and Industrial Development Corporation (Becamex IDC) plans to sell 300 million shares to the public at a yet undecided price.

It received shareholders approval at its annual meeting on June 27 for the issuance at the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange, and hopes to raise at least VN15 trillion (US$587 million).

While it has not disclosed the exact issue price, it will not be less than VN50,000.

The Becamex share closed at VN65,000 on June 27.

It said the funds raised from the issuance will be used to expand its Cay Truong and Bau Bang industrial parks, which will cost an estimated VN6.3 trillion.

More thanVN5 trillion will be used to repay debts.

The company operates 18 Becamex VSIP industrial parks in various provinces and cities across the country.

It also has interests in urban real estate, commerce, services, healthcare, and education.

Its revenue and profit targets for this year are VN9 trillion and VN2.35 trillion.

Last year they had been nearly VN8.2 trillion and VN2.4 trillion, up 25 per cent and 43.5 per cent from 2022.  VNS
By Thanh Nga

Co Loa Ancient Citadel is not only a cultural heritage and a testament to the creativity, technical prowess and cultural achievements of ancient Vietnamese people, but also an idyllic destination for tourists.

Beyond its association with Vietnamese legends like the selection of the capital by King An Duong Vuong, the creation of a multiple-shot crossbow and a poignant love story, the citadel is a unique and captivating tourist attraction in ong Anh District, Ha Noi.

According to folklore, An Duong Vuong defeated the last of the Hung Kings in 257 BCE and established the kingdom of Au Lac, choosing the site of Co Loa as his capital.

The citadel is the largest ancient citadel in Viet Nam, spanning approximately 500ha. Its dominant presence in the northern floodplain of the Red River Delta speaks to the immense labour and resources required to construct it.

Legend holds that the citadel once consisted of nine concentric layers, earning it the moniker 'Ancient Spiral', however, only three layers of ancient vestiges remain today - the inner citadel, the middle rampart and the outer rampart - due to the ravages of time and war.

The outer rampart has a perimeter of about 8km, with a surrounding moat and walls ranging from 4 to 12m in height. The more solidly constructed middle rampart has a 6.5-kilometer perimeter and a similar structure. At the heart lies the triangular inner citadel, covering around two square kilometers, which served as the residence of King An Duong Vuong and his royal court.

The citadel has been known by various names, including Loa Thanh (Snail Citadel), Con Lon Citadel, Tu Long Citadel, Viet Vuong Citadel, and Kha Lu Citadel. In the 10th century, it became the capital for a second time when Ngo Quyen was the king.

The Co Loa complex is home to numerous historical, architectural and artistic artifacts, such as the Thuong (Upper) Temple dedicated to King An Duong Vuong, a temple honouring General Cao Lo, a temple for Princess My Chau and the Bao Son Pagoda. Visitors can examine excavated bronze statues, arrows, decorated earthenware and stone utensils within these structures.

The most popular attraction is the Upper Temple, built on a hill that was once the king's palace. Facing south, the main buildings in the temple are aligned along the Dung ao (Shinto) axis. Inside, visitors can admire a bronze statue of An Duong Vuong and numerous historical relics and antiques made of wood, porcelain and fabric.

In front of the Upper Temple is a large lake, in the middle of the lake is an ancient well. Legend has it that if you use water from this well to wash pearls, the pearls will become even brighter. Therefore, this well was named Ngoc (Pearl) Well.

Pearl Well has a circular arc shape, a natural curved bank embanked with stones and is surrounded by walkways and trees. Previously, the lake opened to the moats of the two outer citadels and the river wharf on the east and south of the outer citadel. According to legend, Princess My Chau and Trong Thuy often sailed around this lake before the war broke out.

Another place worth visiting is Am Ba Chua Relic, also known as My Chau Tomb. It is a structure located behind a thousand-year-old banyan tree. In this small temple, there is a statue of My Chau - a natural rock shaped like a headless human being. Legend has it that, after death, My Chau transformed into a large rock that drifted to uong Cam area, east of Co Loa Citadel. People brought a hammock out to carry the rock back. When they reached the banyan tree, the hammock broke and the rock fell. Seeing that, the people built a temple there, called Am Ba Chua.

Co Loa today is a cultural heritage site that demonstrates the creativity, techniques and culture of Vietnam's ancestors in defending the country against foreign invaders. At the same time, the site has become an ideal destination for tourists to explore the cultural values and typical scenery of a peaceful northern Vietnamese village. For the local people, Co Loa Citadel still plays an important role in their spiritual life and cultural practices.

A Co Loa bronze drum dating back over 2,000 years was unearthed in 1982 at the Ma Tre archaeological site in Cho Hamlet, southwest of the south gate of the Co Loa Citadel. The drum was buried face up, inside it contained nearly 200 bronze artifacts including plowshares, axes, spears, arrows and money, dating back over 2,000 years ago.

Co Loa Relic Site is one of the ten monuments and beauty spots in Viet Nam designated as Special National Relics by the Prime Minister on September 27, 2012. Every year, Co Loa Festival is held to commemorate King An Duong Vuong on January 6 in the lunar calendar.

After visiting Co Loa Citadel, you can visit some places in Ha Noi such as Ha Noi Opera House and Ha Noi Old Quarter. The Opera House was designed and built by the French in 1901, simulating the architecture of the Garnier Opera House in Paris. While Ha Noi Old Quarter is an intriguing neighbourhood, home to a mix of Vietnamese architecture, green spaces, ancient shops and fresh-as-it-gets street food - all of it easily explored on foot. VNS

How to get there:

From Noi Bai International Airport in Ha Noi to Co Loa Citadel is about more than 20km, tourists can take bus No 17 to Co Loa Citadel, or take a taxi for about VN250,000 (US$10) for a four-seat car.
by Nguyen My Ha

In the middle of extraordinarily hot summer, when you step into the shades of inh Bang Communal House, it feels as if several degrees had been lowered. The current communal house was built with hardwood during the Latter Le Dynasty in the 18th century and took over 30 years to complete.

inh Bang House has been lauded by many as the most beautiful communal house in Viet Nam, which was built on a  floor plan according to the Han script.

It's summer time and there are not many activities going on in the House as the weather gets too hot. The busiest time when the House gets filled with locals and children visiting from afar, who come back for the village's Festival on the 12th of the second lunar month.

o uc Thuan, 48, takes his family of four, from Ho Chi Minh City to visit inh Bang. He said: "I take my family back here for a visit every summer as I am originally from Thuan Thanh District here in Bac Ninh Province." His children followed a cousin to light incense and pray to the village's gods, the House has become familiar with them over the years and they love it.

Having lived and worked in Ho Chi Minh City for 20 years, with a job in educational services, Thuan said the trips were mostly for his children to visit his parents and relatives, but they also got to learn about the history of the Kinh Bac land, where many beautiful pagodas and temples, craft and quan ho villages are located.

Unique and grandiose

The House has an ornate roofing structure, with four huge raising corners. The roof takes up 5.5m of the total 8-m high of the structure. Each roof corner has an elegant yet grandiose raising tip, ornately carved. The corner curves of the roof reach out farthest in all the communal houses and pagodas around Viet Nam.

The House is actually a stilt house built on a raised foundation built with blue karst stones. Six lines of wooden pillars on the width and ten lines of wooden pillars on the length stand on firm blue karst stones.

Inside the House, locals congregate to pay tribute to three Gods of the village: Cao Son ai Vuong (the Great Land God, Thuy Ba ai vuong (The Great Water God) and Bach Le ai vuong (God of Planting). They oversee the locals' agricultural work and harvests and once a year, in the last lunar month, inh Bang villagers held a traditional festival to pray for enough rain and sunshine and a bumper crop.

Names of the eight kings of the Ly Dynasty (1010-1200AD) were worshipped in the Eight Ly King Temple. In 1948, as the rise of Vietnamese patriotic movement sprung up in the country, the French had to withdraw its forces and when they were not able to hold on to occupying Bac Ninh citadel, they destroyed the temple before they left.

All the Ly kings name placards were removed and placed on a new altar at the Communal House.

Besides the agricultural gods, six other founding fathers, who rebuilt the village in 15th century are revered, with the House becoming not just a place of pilgrimage for Bac Ninh Province people, but also all Vietnamese.

"We love coming here everyday for work," says Nguyen Kim An, 68, a resident of Tinh Cau Ward in inh Bang District. "It's my seventh year, my wife and I both enjoy this work. Today we got a stipend for doing this everyday, but we started out volunteering and we loved it."

Members of the local Elderly Club, whose job is to clean the altar, light incense and keep the House clean and guide and answer questions from visitors if requested. Any donations are written down in a big book and the donors receive a recognition certificate with their names and the amount donated.

Peace at last

Mr. An says he served in the army from 1974 until 1979. He was deployed to be in a Lat in 1975 and served until he de-mobbed in 1979 to go home and live as a farmer.

From 1979 until 1988, his family of five worked hard, but two more wars in the northern and southwestern borders drained most of the agricultural wealth and gains of the population.

"We grew rice on our allotted 3,600 square metres field," An said. "Our household makes over a tonne of rice each crop and we have two each year. But we as a family were still struggling."

As the country followed a strict communal co-operative format, all members had to give all their crops to the cooperative. Their daily work was converted into daily pay, which equalled a few hundreds of grammes of rice a day and the grains were not sufficient for the family to thrive.

In 1988, the country's leadership approved a new format that allotted land to farmers to cultivate through the year, they would have to give back a designated amount of rice, but they can keep the rest of the crop for the family.

It sounds simple today, but this method has become key to all the agricultural success and prosperity of Viet Nam today. Farmers love their land and fields, they work their best to raise productivity on each strip of rice field. Between 1988 until 1991, Vietnamese farmers put an end to the chronic food shortages in the country and Viet Nam became second only to Thailand in rice exports.

Today village roads in inh Bang are clean with transport signals, the people have prospered as they work hard, not only planting rice, but other crops including vegetables and fruit.

"Before Covid, we receive international visitors everyday. Most of them were from France," An said. "They travelled around the country, then come here as the last stop before they depart at Noi Bai International Airport."

The Communal House is huge, its ancient trees give ample shady space and local performers serenade visitors with quan ho songs to give visitors a warm feeling before they leave. The folk song 'My dear, stay, don't go' is a perfect way to remember this land.

A trip to inh Bang can be scheduled to visit ong Ho Folk Painting village, also in the province or But Thap Pagoda. VNS
MILAN  President of the Italian Government Tourist Board (ENIT) Alessandra Priante has described Viet Nam tourism as a rising star in Italy.

Speaking at a tourism promotion programme held in Milan on June 27 by the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) and the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy, the Italian official said the numbers of tourists from Italy to Viet Nam and vice versa is expected to increase.

Addressing the event, VNAT Director Nguyen Trung Khanh said that Italy is a leading traditional and important market of Vietnamese tourism in Europe. In 2023, Viet Nam welcomed about 57,000 Italian visitors, equivalent to over 80% of the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level.

Khanh assessed that the Viet Nam Tourism Roadshow in Italy was a good opportunity for tourism businesses of the two countries to share updated information, seek business cooperation opportunities, increase tourism exchanges, and prepare for a new phase with stronger development.

Convenient direct flights, simple immigration procedures, attractive destinations and tourism products, and hospitable people are ideal conditions to promote tourism development between the two countries, he said.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung affirmed that Italy is the third largest economy in the EU and a potential tourist market for Viet Nam.

The two countries celebrated the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023, which demonstrateed a long-standing friendship and cooperative relations and a good foundation for cultural, economic and tourism cooperation between the two countries.

Hung said the Vietnamese embassy in Italy has carried out many activities to promote cooperation and promote tourism in localities in Italy. The Ambassador also appreciated the cooperation between Italy in general and the Lombardy region in particular with Viet Nam in recent times and emphasised the need for a direct flight connecting Italy and Viet Nam.

At the event, Italian travel businesses expressed their interest and asked many questions to better understand Viet Nams tourism policies and incentives.

Within the framework of the tourism promotion programme in Italy, Khanh had a meeting Alessandra Priante, ENIT President and Raffaele Cattaneo, deputy minister in charge of international relations of Italy's Lombardia region.

At the meeting, the two sides affirmed the need to strengthen tourism cooperation between the two countries in the coming time. They agreed to call on the two governments consider signing a bilateral tourism cooperation agreement in the new period.

They also agreed to propose leaders of the two countries to allow opening a direct flight between Viet Nam and Italy soon. The two sides also committed to strengthening tourism information exchanges and promotion activities in the coming time.

The programme in Italy was part of activities to promote Vietnamese tourism in Europe together with similar programmes held in France and Germany. - VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran and a Vietnamese delegation left Ha Noi on June 30 morning for an official visit to the Republic of Korea from June 30-July 3 at the invitation of RoK Prime Minister Han Duck Soo and his spouse.

This is the first official visit of a high-ranking Vietnamese leader to the RoK since the two countries elevated their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022. It is also the first visit to the RoK by a Vietnamese Prime Minister over the past five years, and the first by Chinh as the PM of Viet Nam.

The visit takes place at a time when the Viet Nam-RoK ties are developing strongly, with political trust increasingly strengthened and exchanges of delegations at all levels held regularly. The two countries cooperate closely and support each other in regional and international forums.

The RoK continues to be a leading economic partner of and the largest investor in Viet Nam with US$86 billion in investment as of April 2024. The Northeast Asian economic power is also the second largest partner in ODA cooperation of Viet Nam, the third largest partner in terms of labour and trade, and the largest source of tourists to Viet Nam in 2023.

Bilateral cooperation in other areas, including culture, education, labour, healthcare, people-to-people exchange and local collaboration has been promoted. The Vietnamese community in the RoK now numbers more than 270,000.

PM Chinhs visit will focus on intensifying cooperation in traditional fields such as politics, national defence, security, economy, labour, culture, tourism, science and technology, healthcare, education, as well as emerging areas in which the RoK has strength and Viet Nam has demand like semi-conductor, supporting industry, digital and green transition, circular economy, and climate change.

The PM will also seek the RoKs continued support for the Vietnamese community in the RoK and enhance bilateral collaboration in issues of regional and international concerns. VNS
BUDAPEST  Viet Nam always attaches importance to developing the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with its traditional partners in the Balkan region, with Croatia being a priority, Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary and Croatia Nguyen Thi Bich Thao has said.

In an interview with Vietnam News Agency's reporters based in south Europe on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Viet Nam-Croatia diplomatic relations (July 1, 1994-2024), she highlighted the robust relations between the two countries which have been expanded across various sectors, with the most impressive being politics-diplomacy, economy and trade, adding they boast huge potential for cooperation to promote their strengths.

They have maintained delegation exchanges at all levels, including a visit to Viet Nam in 2008 by Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, and an official trip to Croatia in 2022 by Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, while meetings between high-ranking leaders have been arranged regularly on the sidelines of the multilateral forums.

According to Thao, the two countries have worked together in regional and international issues of mutual concerns, supported each other at multilateral forums like the UN, and joined hands to bolster the ASEAN-EU strategic partnership. Viet Nam and Croatia have signed various important agreements that laid a legal framework for their cooperation as well as the development of the bilateral ties, particularly diplomacy, economy and trade.

She held that there is ample room for cooperation based on the complementary nature of the two economies and their competitive edge through both bilateral and multilateral channels.

Bestowed with an array of the worlds renowned landscapes and long beaches, they hold huge potential to collaborate in tourism, sea-based economy, logistics and people-to-people exchange, among others, she said, adding Viet Nam stands ready to serve as a gateway for the Croatian goods to enter the ASEAN markets.

The two nations will also enhance cooperation within the framework of the ASEAN-EU, Asia-Europe Meeting, and such domains as peace keeping, climate change response and humanitarian assistance.

To mark the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic ties, a political consultation was held between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Frano Matusic in March. Most recently, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son exchanged a letter of greetings with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman.

She said the embassy will arrange for a delegation of Vietnamese enterprises and associations to visit Croatia to organise the Vietnamese Cultural Days in the nation that will feature art performances, photo exhibitions on Viet Nam, and introduction of Vietnamese cuisine, calligraphy, among others, helping nudge the Vietnamese images closers to the Croatian people.

Regarding measures to promote the bilateral ties, Thao suggested that the two sides enhance delegation exchanges at all levels via the state, parliamentary, ministerial, sectorial and local channels to improve political trust and mutual understanding which she said serve as a foundation to bolster the bilateral cooperation.

Economic-trade-investment collaboration should be an important pillar in the bilateral ties in the coming time while it is necessary to expand the signing of agreements across culture, sports, education, tourism and labour, she recommended, saying they should promote the establishment of an inter-governmental committee on economic cooperation, pay due attention to fully carry out the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement, and the upcoming EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement.

The two sides should focus on providing information and building trade-investment promotion programmes to help their business communities get a better insight into each others business and investment climate.

Based on their sound cooperation, the two countries will set up new cooperation mechanisms and expand parliamentary collaboration, she said, adding they will continue broadening the ties in the potential areas of food processing, logistics, transition to clean energy, high technology, digital economy and pharmaceuticals, among others.

Viet Nam is planning to appoint an honorary consul in Zagreb to promote bilateral relations, especially in the field of economy and trade, and support of the Vietnamese citizens in the nation.  VNS
HA NOI  The association of Vietnamese experts of science and technology in Sweden was set up at a ceremony in Stockholm on Saturday, aiming to connect and promote the potential of Vietnamese scientists in the host country.

The association is identified as a non-profit, non-governmental organisation aiming to update information, share knowledge and experience related to science and technology for members and the Vietnamese community in Sweden, connect them with those in the homeland and other countries, and support the two countries cooperation in this field.

The association elected a 13-member executive board for the first term in 2024-26, with Associate Professor, Dr. o Quang Minh, senior expert at Thermo-Calc Software, as its President.

In addition to experts of Vietnamese origin, the association also established an advisory board gathering Swedish experts who love the country and people of Viet Nam. Many of them have lived and worked in the Southeast Asian country and have made many contributions to its development.

Stressing that the establishment of the association is a highlight among activities in celebration of the 55th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic ties, Vietnamese Ambassador to Sweden Tran Van Tuan expressed his belief that the association will attract more members, contribute to Viet Nam's science and technology sector, and serve as a bridge connecting Viet Nam and Sweden.  VNS
The event was organised by the Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST) and was attended by representatives from South Korea and Vietnam, opening up opportunities to learn from South Korea's successful experiences and techniques, with the goal of developing the Vietnamese ginseng industry for the domestic and international markets.

VKIST also hopes that Vietnamese and South Korean businesses will find opportunities for cooperation in researching and developing ginseng products in the future.

Vietnamese ginseng has been included on the list of national products by the government since 2017, providing a significant advantage for developing it as a healthcare product. The cultivation of ginseng has contributed to economic development and social welfare in several localities, notably Quang Nam, Kon Tum, and Lai Chau.

At the event, participants agreed that Vietnamese ginseng currently lacks clear, modern, and reliable quality standards that meet the strict demands of consumers.

Vu Duc Loi, director of VKIST, said, "To compete with other ginseng species in the market, Vietnamese ginseng needs clear, modern, and reliable quality standards."

Loi explained that VKST is currently researching and evaluating the quality of Ngoc Linh and Lai Chau ginseng with the help of South Korean technologies and standards.

"VKIST will connect Vietnamese research institutes with their South Korean counterparts in the near future, and provide links with South Korean businesses," he added.

Dr. Pyo MiKyung, Geumsan Ginseng Herb Development Agency in Korea, said, "Vietnam needs to thoroughly research the components of its ginseng and establish a set of standards with clear criteria to attain credibility and gain consumer trust."

After studying Vietnamese ginseng, Prof. Park Jeong Hill, Seoul National University, recommended that Vietnam develop standard cultivation methods for the ginseng to grow well and yield high productivity. He emphasised the need for more research, as scientific evidence of its beneficial qualities is essential for creating demand. He also suggested further cooperation between scientists and farmers.

Many Vietnamese people believe that only Korean ginseng is of sufficient quality. Therefore, in addition to establishing a set of standards for Vietnamese ginseng, there is a need to communicate the quality and benefits of Vietnamese ginseng to raise consumer awareness domestically.

Local government boosting promotional activities on Ngoc Linh ginseng As the country's Ngoc Linh ginseng reserves are running low in Vietnam, the Central Highlands province of Kon Tums exhibition preserving the valuable specialty and the prime ministers avid interest in the activities are expected to help Ngoc Linh ginseng become more popular and avoid over-exploitation.

Great potential for Vietnam to develop billions-USD ginseng industry: President Vietnam has high potential to develop a ginseng farming and processing industry that generates billions of USD, stated President Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the opening of the Lai Chau Ginseng Fair 2022 in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau on November 11.
Forensic look at statistics from Meat and Livestock Australia

Live-sheep exports by sea in 2023 increased 22 percent or 107,191 head, to 593,514. Thats the only annual increase in live-sheep-export numbers in the past five years; its the largest year since 2020.

 For the fourth year in a row Kuwait was the largest importer of live Australian sheep by sea, receiving 271,162 head in 2023  46 percent of total sheep exports.

 Kuwait was followed by Israel, importing 16 percent of live-sheep exports or 94,000 feeder animals.

 Jordan, the third-largest importer of sheep in 2023, had the largest increase in exports  increasing by 411 percent or 84,376 head year-on-year.

 The UAE, Oman and Qatar remained in the mix, importing a combined 25 percent of the market  143,876 head.

Live-cattle exports by sea increased 12 percent or 73,612 head from 2022 to 2023  597,179 head in 2022 to 670,791 in 2023.

 Indonesia remained the largest importer of live cattle by sea in 2023, with 359,305 or 54 percent of live exports going into their predominantly feeder market. Those numbers remained relatively stable year-on-year, increasing just 6 percent.

 Vietnam imported 19 percent of total live-cattle exports by sea or 126,930 head  split between slaughter, breeder and feeder cattle. Thats a 118 percent increase from 2022 in exports to the country.

 China imported 12 percent of exports at 78,723, a 44 percent decrease compared to 2022 export numbers.

 Israel has the largest year-to-year shift, increasing export numbers by 149 percent to 68,393 head  10 percent of total live-cattle exports by sea.

 Countries importing the remaining 6 percent were Malaysia, Jordan, Brunei Darussalam, Sarawak, Thailand, Sabah, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
WATERLOO  The two Waterloo police officers who were shot Sunday were attempting to use non-lethal force to detain a suspect with a gun, according to investigators.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said Kelvin Lee Plain Jr., 35, shot the officers after he was Tasered Sunday morning.

The officers returned fire, striking Plain, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

DCI officials said both officers are in stable condition. One underwent surgery and another was expected to be released from the hospital Monday. The officers havent been identified publicly.

Authorities said the officers responded to a report of a man with a gun who was wearing green and riding a bike in the 200 block of Manson Street around 8:22 a.m.

They found Plain riding a bicycle in Sullivan Park. He continued riding his bike away from officers and then dismounted and ran on foot, DCI officials said.

One of the officers fired a Taser at Plain as he was running, knocking Plain to the ground.

Plain then fired several shots from a handgun at both officers, striking one officer who was still inside his vehicle, and another who was shot while on foot. Both officers then fired back.

The incident was captured by a Waterloo Police Department vehicle dash-cam, according to the DCI.

Investigators closed off several blocks around the shooting scene, including a large part of Sullivan Park, as neighbors began to gather.

The deceaseds mother also came to the scene.

My son was shot and killed.  I just wanted to stay down here long enough until they picked my babys body off the ground, and I did that, the mother said.

She said she is still trying to take in what happened.

They said he was running through the park, and the police Tased him, and they say my son ended up shooting two of the police officers after he was down on the ground. But theres a bicycle, and his shoes are still over there in the park, she said.

She said she talked with police and Mayor Quentin Hart, who came to the scene.

This incident remains under investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, which is standard for officer-involved shootings.

Upon completion, the results of the investigation will be forwarded to the Black Hawk County Attorneys Office and the Iowa Attorney Generals Office for review.

This is the second officer-involved shooting in Waterloo this year.

In March, officers were sent to a report of a man with a gun who had threatened people and fired a shot at an automotive shop near his home. Police responded and saw John Piazza point a gun out of the window of his home. Piazza was shot and killed.

Photos: Officers shot, suspect dead June 30, 2024 063024jr-officers-shot-1 063024jr-officers-shot-2 063024jr-officers-shot-3 063024jr-officers-shot-4 063024jr-officers-shot-5 063024jr-officers-shot-6 063024jr-officers-shot-7 063024jr-officers-shot-8 063024jr-officers-shot-9
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (22  28 June 2024)

From 22 June to 28 June 2024, the Russian Armed Forces have carried out 17 group strikes with high-precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles. Enemy energy facilities, infrastructure of military airfields, logistics centres for storing weapons delivered by Western countries to the AFU, as well as assembly and storage facilities for attack unmanned aerial vehicles and uncrewed boats.

Temporary deployment areas of AFU troops and foreign mercenaries have been also hit.

Over the past week, the units of the Sever Group of Forces continued to advance into the depths of the enemy defence and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of three formations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades.

The AFU losses were up to 1,560 Ukrainian troops, 12 armoured fighting vehicles, and 43 motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, 33 field artillery guns, including seven foreign-made howitzers, three Nota electronic warfare stations, Bukovel-AD, and two U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar stations have been eliminated.

The units of the Zapad Group of Forces have improved the tactical situation and inflicted fire damage on four mechanised and two tank brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as on two territorial defence brigades. Six counter-attacks of AFU assault detachments have been repelled.

The AFU losses were up to 3,230 Ukrainian troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, 40 motor vehicles, three Grad MLRS combat vehicles, 24 field artillery guns, six of them were U.S.-made.

In addition, three U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 and AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery warfare radars, as well as 11 field ammunition depots have been destroyed.

The units of the Yug Group of Forces have liberated Razdolovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and seized more advantageous lines.

The strikes have been delivered at manpower and hardware of the three mechanised, two airmobile, and two air assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The AFU losses were up to 4,410 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, eight armoured fighting vehicles, 48 motor vehicles, and 39 field artillery guns, including 11 U.S.-made M777 and M198 howitzers.

In addition, seven Anklav, Bukovel electronic warfare stations, and 25 field ammunition depots have been destroyed.

The units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have improved the situation along the front line and defeated units of four mechanised, two infantry formations of the AFU and two territorial defence brigades. Enemy 39 counter-attacks have been repelled in this direction during the week.

The AFU losses were up to 2950 troops, three tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, including two U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 30 motor vehicles, and 42 field artillery guns, including six U.S.-made M777 howitzers.

The units of the Vostok Group of Forces have improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of two brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, three formations of the Territorial Defence and two National Guard brigades.

The AFU losses were up to 930 Ukrainian troops, six armoured fighting vehicles, 36 motor vehicles, and 19 field artillery guns, including six UK-made FH-70 howitzers.

The units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have defeated units of two formations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and three brigades of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence.

The AFU losses were up to 740 Ukrainian troops, three tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, 48 motor vehicles, and 23 field artillery guns, 11 of them were foreign-made.

? In addition, eight Anklav, Bukovel electronic warfare stations, and six ammunition depots have been destroyed.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have destroyed six M142 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system launchers, one M270 MLRS launcher, and one transport and loader vehicle together with foreign specialists who ensured their use, as well as three P-18 air target detection and tracking radars.

Air defence facilities have shot down two Ukrainian Air Forces MiG-29 aircraft, 589 unmanned aerial vehicles, six U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, eight U.S.-made Patriot anti-aircraft guided missiles, one U.S.-made HARM anti-radiation missile, and 61 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, Czech-made Vampire and Olkha projectiles.

Over the past week, 56 Ukrainian servicemen have surrendered on the line of contact.

?? In total, 615 airplanes and 276 helicopters, 26,777 unmanned aerial vehicles, 533 air defence missile systems, 16,446 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,357 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 11,020 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 23,049 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

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WtR
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation

The units of the Sever Group of Forces have defeated manpower and hardware of 42nd and 57th mechanised brigades of the AFU and the 105th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Neskuchnoye, Volchansk, and Liptsy (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses were up to 270 servicemen, one tank, four motor vehicles, one 155-mm U.S.-made M109 Paladin howitzer, one 152-mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzer, and three 122-mm D-30 howitzers.

The units of the Zapad Group of Forces have taken more advantageous positions and also defeated formations of 1st, 14th, 63rd, 116th mechanised, 4th tank brigades of the AFU, the 112th Territorial Defence Brigade, and the 1st Brigade of the National Guard close to Petropavlovka, Sinkovka, and Berestovoye (Kharkov region), Chervonaya Dibrova and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic).

In addition, two counterattacks by the 3rd Assault Brigade have been repelled.

The AFU losses were over 500 servicemen, one infantry fighting vehicle, three motor vehicles, one 155-mm U.S.-made M198 howitzer, one 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer.

Two AFU artillery ammunition depots and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station have been destroyed.

The units of the Yug Group of Forces have improved their position along the front line and defeated manpower and hardware of the 56th Motor Infantry Brigade, the 72nd Mechanised Brigade, and the 214th Opfor Battalion of the AFU close to Zaliznyanskoye, Grigorovka, Chasov Yar, Kalinino, and Konstantinovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

One counterattack by the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade of the AFU has been also repelled.

The enemy losses were more than 430 troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, and eight motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, two U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, one Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, three 152-mm D-20 guns, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, one UK-made 105-mm L-119 howitzer, one 122-mm Grad MLRS combat vehicle, one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery warfare radar station, and two electronic warfare stations have been destroyed.

In addition, five AFU field ammunition depots have been destroyed.

The units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have liberated Shumy (Donetsk Peoples Republic), improved their tactical position and defeated formations of the 41st Mechanised Brigade and the 109th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Kirovo, Leninskoye, Sokol, Novgorodskoye, and Novosyolovka Pervaya (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Six counterattacks by assault detachments of 47th mechanised, 142nd infantry, and 68th jaeger brigades of the AFU have been repelled during the day.

The enemy losses were up to 360 servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, one motor vehicle, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 gun, and one 100-mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun.

The units of the Vostok Group of Forces have taken more advantageous lines and defeated manpower and hardware of the 58th AFU Motor Infantry Brigade and the 102nd Territorial Defence Brigade near Urozhainoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic), and Kulturnoye (Zaporoshye region).

In addition, two counterattacks by units of the enemy 72nd Motorised Infantry Brigade have been repelled.

The AFU losses were up to 135 servicemen, five motor vehicles, one UK-made 155-mm FH-70 howitzer, one 152-mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzer, one 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one 122-mm Grad MLRS combat vehicle, and one 100-mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun.

One Anklav-N electronic warfare station has been also destroyed.

The units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have defeated 65th mechanised and 128th mountain assault brigades of the AFU, the 35th Marin Brigade and the 15th National Guard Brigade near Pyatikhatki, Rabotino, Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region) and Novotyaginka (Kherson region).

The AFU losses were up to 100 servicemen, six motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 152-mm D-20 gun, and one 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.

One AFU field ammunition depot has been also destroyed.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have destroyed the enemy divisions control centre, one illumination and guidance radar, one low-altitude detector, and two S-300PS anti-aircraft missile system launchers.

In addition, enemy manpower and military hardware clusters have been hit in 119 areas.

Air defence facilities have shot down one MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, 119 unmanned aerial vehicles, five U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, and 10 U.S.-made HIMARS rockets.

In total, 616 airplanes and 276 helicopters, 26,896 unmanned aerial vehicles, 535 air defence missile systems, 16,453 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,359 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 11,060 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 23,076 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

Tags: Special Military Operation

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Since the arrival of San Franciscos first settlers, the city has been a place of cultural confrontation, exchange, and rebirth.

People from all over the world brought their different culinary traditions, but also ingredients that few other places had access to. So, theres a spirit of diversity and adventurous eating here from the start, says Gabrielle Santas, research director for the California Migration Museum.

In June, the California Migration Museuma uniquely non-traditional institution that operates through immersive experiences and exhibits instead of from a brick-and-mortar gallerydebuted a new project tracing the movement of SFs immigrants and refugees through the food theyve left behind. The stories of 38 restaurants, chefs, and dishes are collected in Melting Spots , an interactive map of the citys culinary heritage (an illustrated print edition is also available).

This wasnt about trying to create an exhaustive list of every immigrant kitchen in San Franciscowhich would be a gargantuan and almost impossible task, says Santas. The point was to highlight stories that explain why San Francisco food is unique, and how the citys food culture has evolved to what it is today.

A number of the sites highlighted have either originated or perfected a quintessentially San Franciscan dish, and "bite-sized audio stories reveal the little-known memories belonging to each.

At Thanh Long (#1, 4101 Judah St.) in the Outer Sunset, the granddaughter of the inventor of garlic noodles remembers how her grandmother, Diana An, turned a small Italian deli into her ticket out of war-torn Vietnam in the 1970s. At El Faro (#22, 82 1st St.), legendary Mission burrito creator Raymunda Ramirez and her daughter talk about why the hand-held food was such a success in a city constantly on the go. At Boudin Bakery (#32, Pier 39), the former owner describes how SFs foggy microclimate played an essential role in the creation of sourdough bread in 1849.

Boudin Bakery still makes their dough from a sourdough starter created in 1849. (Courtesy of @boudinbakery)

To represent cioppino, CalMigration looked to the chef-owner of Anchor Oyster Bar (#9, 579 Castro St., Castro), Roseann Grimm. There are probably hundreds of places that serve cioppino in San Francisco but we chose Anchor Oyster Bar because Roseann not only makes an excellent version of that dish, but her grandfather was one of the Italian fisherman that arrived here from Amalfi, so she could speak personally to that migration story, as well, says Santas.

CalMigrations worked with La Cocina the incubator for women, immigrant, and POC food entrepreneurshipto identify more recent stories and culinary contributions.

Of Besharam [#38, 1275 Minnesota St.], she said chef Heena Patels "story is really a testament to how difficult it can be to start somewhere new with the label of immigrant. and how cooking can often be a lifeline in that experience.

Reems California [#21, 2901 Mission St.] is another important spot on the map. Reem Assil is a former labor-organizer turned baker, and her interview really gives her workers their flowers," says Santas.

While some Melting Spots celebrate the authentic flavors of homeland and heritage, others are recognized for their ability to fuse distant food traditions with Californian ones. At Senor Sisig (#17, 990 Valencia St.), for example, co-founder Evan Kidera explains how the juggernaut began combining classic Filipino dishes with Mexican-American cuisine out of a food truck in 2010.

Filipino and Mexican-American fusion at Senor Sisig. (Courtesy of @senorsisig)

Through the stories collected on the Melting Spots map, a clear picture emerges of SF as a beacon of sanctuary and hope for people around the world. The foods and restaurants we cherishand the culinary creations yet to comeare a complex product of more than 175 years of crossing paths.



The whole project also feels like our love letter to San Franciscoespecially in time when visitors and locals alike are hearing so much about the doom loop, and the ghost-town downtown, Santas says.

She hopes the Melting Spots map, as well as upcoming collaborations with its chefs and businesses, and a podcast mini-series in the fall, will help to remind people why the city is special.
Elvis Presley may have left the building, but his blue suede shoes havent.

Presleys blue suede shoes went up for auction at British auction house Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd with an opening bid of 55,000 pounds  the equivalent of $69,654.20 U.S dollars, according to the auction listing.

The shoes fetched over $150,000 at auction on Friday, according to GMA.

The lot simply transcends 20th century popular culture, the auction listing stated.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge, said the price for me reflects the importance of such an iconic object. He added, The sale of the shoes reflects the iconic nature and the enduring fascination in Elvis.

Besides naming his 1956 hit Blue Suede Shoes, after his actual footwear, Presley put the shoes to use on and off the stage, according to Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd.

There is a lot of history wrapped up in these well worn blue suede shoes which are synonymous with the name Elvis Presley, the listing stated.

During his performance on the Steve Allen show in 1956, Presley wore the shoes while singing I Want You, I Need You, I Love You, and Hound Dog, Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd said.

The shoes have an unbroken line of provenance, its listing reads. The shoes were gifted to Alan Fortas, a close friend of Elvis, before Presley left for the Army in 1958.

In addition to the shoes, three documents of authenticity were included in the lot, such as a letter of authenticity signed by Jimmy Velvet, a friend of Elvis, an Elvis Presley Museum certificate of authenticity also signed by Jimmy Velvet and a letter from Alan Fortas.
Key Democrats rallied behind Joe Bidens reelection bid as a poll suggested his stumbling debate performance against Donald Trump last week made more Americans skeptical about the presidents ability to lead.

Representative Jim Clyburn, a critical ally who helped turn around Bidens floundering 2020 candidacy, said the president had a bad debate. While acknowledging there were some trepidations among House members afterward, he said Biden should continue to run on his record and the contrast with Trump.

He should stay in this race, Clyburn, a Democrat from South Carolina, said on CNNs State of the Union. He should demonstrate going forward his capacity to lead the country.

That question has come into sharper focus since Thursdays debate, prompting days of furious public pushback from Bidens congressional supporters and his campaign.

In a defiant series of memos to donors and surrogates over the weekend, the campaign dismissed alarm over Bidens sputtering performance as a creation of pundits and operatives out of tune with ordinary Americans.

Biden would be the 2024 Democratic nominee, they said unequivocally, and any drop in support measured in upcoming polls was merely a temporary reflection of bed wetting by the chattering class.

Still, voters are expressing growing doubt about Bidens health. A CBS News poll of registered voters published Sunday showed 27% believe the president has the mental and cognitive health to serve, compared with 35% in early June.

Bidens allies fanned out on Sunday political talk shows seeking to drive home the message.

I understand theres a lot of hand-wringing and concern and pearl-clutching amongst the commentariat, Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat and Biden campaign co-chair, said on ABCs This Week. Thats great. Thats expected, frankly.

Biden had a bad night, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on CNN. Lets move on from that. Its all an opportunity.

Biden was spending Sunday with family members at Camp David, the reclusive presidential retreat near Washington, for a visit that had been scheduled before his face-off with Trump.

Immediately after the debate, Biden and first lady Jill Biden made a two-day campaign and fundraising swing that included receptions with deep-pocketed donors in New Yorks Hamptons and New Jersey.

I understand the concern about the debate, Biden said Saturday at the oceanfront Hamptons estate of hedge fund manager Barry Rosenstein and his wife, Lizanne, who hosted him at a fundraiser. I get it. I didnt have a great night.

Bidens campaign said Sunday it had raised more than $33 million since Thursday, with $26 million coming from grass-roots donations. Thursday was the best grass-roots fundraising day yet and Friday was the second-best, according to the campaign.

While Biden, 81, acknowledged after the debate that voters might have concerns about his age, he has vowed to stay in the race. Jill Biden, considered a key force in persuading him to run in 2020, said Friday she told her husband we are not going to let 90 minutes define the four years that youve been president.

CBSs June 28-29 poll of 1,130 people has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

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(With assistance from Ian Fisher and Victoria Cavaliere.)

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2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
When Hurricane Sally struck coastal Alabama in 2020, many residents saw the roofs torn from their homes or damaged by the high winds.

But not Matt Fetner.

Every house around had blue tarps on it, except for mine, said the resident of Orange Beach, a small city on the Gulf Coast.

Just a few years before, Fetner had upgraded his roof with materials designed to withstand hurricane-force winds. The new roof met a standard known as Fortified by using specialized nails and shingles, stronger edges and a sealed roof deck.

Fetners roof was paid for by the state of Alabama, which has spent millions of dollars in recent years to help thousands of residents strengthen their homes. The state has invested that money in hopes of staving off a home insurance crisis, as property insurers have pulled out of some regions of the country or dramatically raised premiums in the wake of escalating disasters driven by climate change.

The idea is simple: Homeowners with stronger roofs pay less for their insurance premiums. And over time, as thousands of homes become more resilient, insurance companies will have to pay out less for claims, making Alabama a more attractive place to do business.

A lot of these insurance companies were not going into coastal areas, simply from a risk standpoint, said Travis Taylor, acting director of the Strengthen Alabama Homes program, which is overseen by the state Department of Insurance. But now as people have gotten Fortified roofs, the insurance companies are hounding them.

Other states have taken notice. In recent years, lawmakers in at least five other states have established similar programs to pay for Fortified roofs. While those efforts are still in their early stages, leaders say they hope to replicate Alabamas success.

Alabamas grant program has helped more than 7,000 residents upgrade their roofs. Meanwhile, as participating roofers and contractors have gotten familiar with the standard, theyve begun offering it as a part of their regular business. Of the 60,000 certified Fortified homes nationwide, 50,000 are in Alabama.

Every year, the interest keeps growing, said Brent Sellers, a contractor with Alliance Roofing, which operates in Alabama and Mississippi. [Grant] program or not, people want Fortified roofs.

Fortified roofs meet a standard developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, an industry nonprofit that serves as a leader in safety research. Some local governments have adopted building codes based on that standard, and Alabamas program uses the institutes qualification.

While state leaders say theyre still collecting data on insurance premiums, some industry leaders say the program is clearly working.

There is sufficient resilience now in Alabama that the insurance market is far healthier than the insurance market in neighboring states, said Michael Newman, general counsel with the institute.

Serious about resiliency

Since Alabama issued its first grant in 2016, the state has doled out more than $70 million to cover roof projects on almost 7,100 homes. Residents are entitled to up to $10,000 per project, issued on a first-come, first-served basis. State officials award the funding directly to contractors who bid on the work.

The larger success story, state leaders say, is that more than 40,000 homeowners have installed a Fortified roof without state funding. The change has come as Alabamas coastal counties have updated their building codes to require such roofs on new construction.

The builders in Alabama, once they learn how to do the Fortified thing, they really like it, said Lars Powell, executive director of the Alabama Center for Insurance Information and Research at the University of Alabama. The Fortified construction movement will be remembered as a very important thing that allowed people to continue to live on the coast without being super-wealthy.

Powells research has found that Fortified homes sell for 7% more on average, and owners are far more likely to secure insurance coverage from major carriers. Alabama also mandates that insurers provide discounts of 20% to 60% on wind coverage for Fortified homes, depending on the level of the upgrades.

Meanwhile, other states have seen insurance companies leave the market, drop high-risk customers or raise premiums drastically. Experts note climate change is causing more frequent and severe disasters, forcing insurers to adjust as they pay out more and more for claims.

Louisianas insurance market has been particularly hard hit, following devastating hurricane seasons in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the state launched the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program, modeled on Alabamas, that also offers $10,000 grants.

This program is part of our pitch to insurance companies that Louisiana is serious about resiliency, said John Ford, deputy commissioner of the public affairs division of the Louisiana Department of Insurance.

The legislature set aside $30 million last year in the programs first round of funding, and lawmakers put in another $15 million this year. In total, state officials say that should cover about 4,500 roofs. The agency has issued 900 grants so far.

This year, Louisiana lawmakers passed a measure that will task state regulators with calculating the insurance discounts that Fortified homeowners should receive.

Inland areas join the effort

While hurricanes on the coast have gotten more attention, Midwestern states have been hit with severe hailstorms, windstorms and tornadoes that have driven up insurance costs. Minnesota lawmakers established a home resilience grant program last year to deal with the crisis.

Prevention is a lot cheaper than actually paying for storm damage, said Julia Dreier, deputy commissioner for the Insurance Division of Minnesotas Commerce Department. The hope is that we can prevent the need for insurance payouts.

Agency officials are still setting up the program, which has not yet issued grants. Regulators expect the funding for the initial round of grants to be included in next years state budget. But insurance companies have already begun planning to offer discounts to residents who upgrade their roofs.

In Oklahoma, a state that already ranks among the most expensive for home insurance, more than 100 tornadoes have touched down this year. Earlier this year, lawmakers enacted a grant program for Fortified homes similar to the ones other states have adopted.

We are hoping to see a lot of the same great results that Alabama has seen  not only homeowners seeing premium discounts, but over time lower claim exposure [for insurers], said Ashley Scott, government and community affairs director with the Oklahoma Insurance Department.

Once its up and running, state leaders expect the program to offer about $10 million a year in grants. The agency expects to start issuing funds next year.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Kentucky and South Carolina have established similar programs, also administered by state insurance regulators. And Mississippi set aside $5 million for a program to help residents shore up their homes, including roof upgrades.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, which created the Fortified standard, expects to see a boom in resilient roof construction as more states promote such upgrades.

We cant do a lot in the short term about rising risk from severe weather, said Newman, the groups general counsel. But this particular home can be made more durable, can be made more resilient.

Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a national nonprofit news organization focused on state policy.

2024 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Conservative activists in Georgia and some other states are quietly pushing a way to remove names from the voting rolls without filing a formal legal challenge.

Theyre asking election administrators to use their data to purge voter registrations, which means names could be removed in a less public process than a formal voter challenge. The strategy could mean electors wont be summoned in advance to defend their voting rights and the identities of those seeking to purge voters might not be routinely public.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspergers office insists any living voter stricken from the rolls must be notified. But because Georgia has 159 counties and no formal statewide rules governing these less formal inquiries, its unclear how every county will react. People removed in error could vote a provisional ballot, but local officials might count those votes only in exceptional cases.

The strategy is expanding even as a new Georgia law takes effect Monday that could lead to counties removing a larger share of voters using formal voter challenges.

That law already has been met with alarm by Democrats and voting rights advocates. They view the hundreds of thousands of voter challenges filed since 2020 as part of Georgias long history of blocking voting dating back to slavery. Now, as details of below-radar efforts surface, those advocates fear a double-barreled attack on voting.

Theres built-in transparency into the challenge process, and some level of voter protection in that notice requirements and hearings are required, said state Rep. Saira Draper, an Atlanta Democrat and Joe Bidens 2020 state director of voter protection. You cant sidestep that by just unofficially challenging people and saying its not a challenge because were not calling it a challenge.

The less-formal approach has worked at least once. In suburban Atlantas Cobb County, the county removed some voters after a man sent inquiries listing 245 potentially dead people.

All were doing is a free service. Hey, this group of 500 people, or this group of 800 people said they moved. Maybe you should look into it, Jason Frazier, a Republican who has formally challenged nearly 10,000 voters in Atlantas heavily Democratic Fulton County, said during a presentation Friday.

The effort is one prong of a wide-ranging national effort coordinated by Donald Trump allies to take names from rolls.

An Associated Press survey of Georgias 40 largest counties finds more than 18,000 voters have been challenged in 2023 and 2024, although counties rejected most challenges. Election officials predict challenges will surge under the new law.

Most controversially, that law says officials can use as evidence the U.S. Postal Services National Change of Address list showing people have moved, although not as the sole reason for removing voters. Opponents slam that list as unreliable.

Its unclear how much change the law will bring because the state hasnt issued guidelines to counties on handling challenges.

County officials routinely remove voters who are dead, convicted of felonies, mentally incompetent or no longer living in Georgia, using lists provided by the secretary of states office.

For people who have moved, federal law says Georgia can only cancel an inactive registration if a voter doesnt respond to a mailing and then doesnt vote in two following federal general elections. That process takes years.

Activists fueled by Trumps lies that the 2020 election was stolen say state cleanup efforts are woefully inadequate and inaccuracies invite fraud. Douglas Frank, a former teacher traveling the country peddling election conspiracy theories, urged Georgians to use software called EagleAI to file challenges this spring.

You have the constitutional right to challenge any other voter in your county, Frank said at Cherokee County Republican headquarters in Woodstock. In fact, its not merely your right. Its your duty to clean the voter rolls.

Texas-based True the Vote challenged 364,000 Georgia voters prior to two U.S. Senate runoffs in 2021. Individuals and groups have since challenged many more. Election officials say many challenges are powered by EagleAI. The tool was created by Dr. John Rick Richards Jr., a retired physician and entrepreneur who lives in suburban Augustas Columbia County.

Richards said in a Wednesday interview that people using his software are citizen volunteers, likening the work of finding ineligible voters to picking up roadside trash.

No one is going to be denied the right to vote, Richards said. Thats a bunch of hooey.

In online meetings and in-person appearances over the past year, Richards has pushed EagleAI as a sophisticated platform to cleanse dirty voter lists. The Associated Press found the platform is funded and used by supporters of Trump, some of whom worked to overturn the 2020 vote, and entwined with the Republicans campaign.

An EagleAI document last year touted the systems use of AI and multitiered algorithms to cleanse dirty voter lists, but Richards now says there is no artificial intelligence at work. The software instead draws in part from a database of suspicious voters hand-built by conservative activists, the AP found.

Over past months, an AP reporter joined online meetings publicized among activists before eventually being asked to leave. The AP also obtained additional meeting videos to glean a behind-the-scenes look at how the software is used in states including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Nevada and Ohio.

The left will hate this  hate this. But we love it, Cleta Mitchell, a frequent participant, said during one presentation. Mitchell is a GOP election attorney who took part in the call when Trump implored Raffensperger to find more votes in the 2020 election. While Trump was indicted in Georgia for the call, Mitchell was not. Mitchell now is a leader in multiple organizations pushing to purge voting rolls.

Richards called Mitchells affiliations irrelevant.

This has nothing to do whatsoever with the 2020 election  has nothing to do with the current politicians, he said. It has to do with whats right is right.

Richards hometown election board in Columbia County agreed in December to buy EagleAI software, the only Georgia government known to have done so.

The county agreed to pay $2,000, saying EagleAI would help maintain its voter list but wouldnt be the sole means to remove a voter. But the deal stalled because Richards hasnt returned a signed contract. He said elections officials have been too busy thus far to use the contracts 90-day training period.

Eugene Williams, an active voter challenger and EagleAI user, emailed Cobb County Elections Director Tate Fall three lists totaling 245 potentially dead voters in December, January and March, citing obituaries.

When we investigated, most of them had already been removed from the voter roll, Fall told the AP. But we have removed voters based on the data that he sent us.

However, she added no voter would be removed without evidence and a vote by the county election board.

Others are pushing election officials to act using software other than EagleAI. True the Vote says its IV3 tool has highlighted 317,886 invalid voter records.

Mitchell has repeatedly urged allies to befriend officials, including on a 2023 EagleAI call with Richards.

She suggested asking officials: How can we help you? What are the things that you wish you had that you dont have? And they always say more money and more people. Well, you can say, We have people, and were here to help you.

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Amy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Kate Brumback, Jeff Martin and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta, Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, Garance Burke in San Francisco and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.

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This story is part of an Associated Press series, The AI Campaign, that explores the influence of artificial intelligence in the 2024 election cycle.

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Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org or https://www.ap.org/tips/

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The Associated Press receives financial assistance from the Omidyar Network to support coverage of artificial intelligence and its impact on society. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.










English News Ecology well protected along Qinghai-Xizang Railway, Highway

Alwihda Info | Par People's Daily - 24 Juin 2024



Last year, a 5G base station near the Zhuonai Lake became operational. This has allowed the staff of the protection stations to launch both 5G-enabled remote monitoring and on-site patrols, thus realizing real-time surveillance of the Tibetan antelopes.

By Jia Fengfeng, People's Daily On June 11, amid the gentle morning light, the Z265 train from Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai province to Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, was running on the vast expanses of Hoh Xil (known as Kekexili), a world-famous "no-man's land."



"Look! Tibetan antelopes!"



Upon hearing this sudden shout, passengers all rushed to the window, pulled out their phones and started taking photos of the animals in the distance.



In the cab, driver Li Yuqi quickly motioned to his apprentice, who was controlling the train, telling him to keep quiet.



Train whistles would definitely frighten the Tibetan antelopes and disrupt their migration, Li explained. As a train driver who has been working along the Qinghai-Xizang Railway for more than 30 years, Li, turning 57 this year, has almost become a wildlife expert.



As the world's highest and longest plateau railroad, the Qinghai-Xizang Railway crosses three national nature reserves - the Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve, the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve, and the Siling Lake National Nature Reserve, and various types of natural wetlands that stretch vast expanses. The primitive ecological environment along the railway is unique yet fragile.



Starting every May, Tibetan antelopes that inhabit the Sanjiangyuan region in Qinghai, Changtang in Xizang, and Altun Mountains, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, would migrate to the vicinity of Zhounai Lake, Taiyang Lake, and Hoh Xil Lake, located in the heartland of Hoh Xil, for propagation. After reproducing, they would return to their original habitats with their offspring. The migration route of Tibetan antelopes coincides with the Qinghai-Xizang Railway.



To protect the plateau ecosystem and biodiversity, a total of 1.54 billion yuan ($212.09 million) was invested in ecological conservation along the railway when its construction started. Besides, 33 dedicated passages were built to facilitate the migration of local wildlife.



"Minimizing the impact on the local ecological environment and the disturbance to wildlife has become a 'golden rule' of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway. Train conductors are strictly prohibited from sounding the horn when passing through the dedicated passages for wildlife migration, especially during the migration and calving seasons of Tibetan antelopes, " said Li.



It is learned that all carriages of the passenger trains running on the Golmud-Lhasa section of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway are fully enclosed. These carriages are not only equipped with oxygen generation and supply systems, but also feature waste collection systems. Any garbage produced by passengers during the journey is collected and then transferred to cleaning and sewage trucks for disposal. Additionally, multiple wastewater treatment facilities have been installed along the route. These measures are part of the ongoing effort to minimize the railway's impact on the local ecosystem.



According to statistics, the utilization rate of the dedicated passages along the Qinghai-Xizang Railway has shown a steady increase, rising from 56.6 percent in 2004 to a consistent 100 percent since 2011.



The Qinghai-Xizang Highway is also making positive strides in biodiversity conservation.



In a section of the National Highway 109 of the Qinghai-Xizang Highway, People's Daily journalists encountered a herd of Tibetan antelopes ready to cross the road.



Directed by the staff of the Wudaoliang protection station of the Hoh Xil reserve administration, all approaching vehicles stopped at a distance, waiting patiently for the entire herd to cross the road and move far away before restarting their engines. The whole process was remarkably quiet.



"The Tibetan antelopes are currently at a peak of migration," said Karma Yungphel, deputy head of the Wudaoliang protection station. "Besides our regular patrols, our main focus is 'escorting' the Tibetan antelopes during their migration and return."



During the breeding and migration seasons of Tibetan antelopes, temporary traffic control, honking ban, and patrol-based rescue operations are implemented along the Qinghai-Xizang Highway to ensure safe migration.



The Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve is vast and mysterious. Along the Qinghai-Xizang Highway, there are five protection stations, each safeguarding the habitats of wild animals.



Every month, staff from these stations conduct at least one large-scale mountain patrol, lasting from a week to over ten days.



"Most of our colleagues are at the Zhuonai Lake and Taiyang Lake these days, protecting the Tibetan antelopes during their calving season," said Tserwon Dorje, a staff member of the Sonam Dargye protection station. "The rest of us are handling daily patrols and helping antelopes cross the Qinghai-Xizang Highway."



According to Tserwon Dorje, the five stations have a total of over 50 staff members, with an average age under 30. "Life here may be monotonous, but it's beyond our words to describe how we feel when we see Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks, and Tibetan foxes," he said.



Apart from these five official protection stations, some local herders have taken the initiative to form Tibetan antelope conservation associations. These volunteers would follow the migrating herds from a distance, ensuring their safe passage across the Qinghai-Xizang Highway.



Last year, a 5G base station near the Zhuonai Lake became operational. This has allowed the staff of the protection stations to launch both 5G-enabled remote monitoring and on-site patrols, thus realizing real-time surveillance of the Tibetan antelopes.



Thanks to these collective efforts, the number of Tibetan antelopes in Hoh Xil has seen a remarkable rise, growing to over 70,000 today from less than 20,000 in the 1990s.



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Conspiracy stories come out of Hollywood, and insider plays come out of Washington, D.C., but sometimes there doesnt seem to be much difference between them.

Four years ago in March, before Super Tuesday, Pete Buttigieg, seen as a plausible contender against thenformer vice president Biden, dropped out of the Democrat presidential primary, and within a year was appointed secretary of transportation. Reports indicated hed spoken, before making his decision, with former president Obama. A little over a month later, Bernie Sanders, the left-wing candidate whom Bidens Buttigieg-enabled consolidation of establishment backing had left facing a monolith, withdrew, and within a year was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. A left-wing journalist in The Guardian at the time compared Biden to the Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev: an aging apparatchik guaranteed to push forward the prior Democrat presidents policies and not rock the boat.

Last Thursday, those leftists who saw this 2020 shift as a decisive Democrat turn away from authentic populism got some measure of satisfaction from a disastrous debate performance by the anointed apparatchik. Briahna Joy Gray, the leftist writer and commenter who is also a scourge of Washington shibboleths, was direct, connecting the nights disaster to Super Tuesday four years before: YOU people brought this on yourselves. ... You applauded Obama calling on the other candidates to drop out so Biden could win. Matt Stoller, the antitrust crusader, accused the party of incompetence and wrote flatly: No ones in charge.

This last statement may be true, or it may not be. What the party may do next is stick with President Biden, who does not seem fully in charge of anything. But Democrats also may revert to someone else being very much in charge: former president Obama, who in 2015 encouraged his vice president not to run for president as an exercise in political risk management, and who in 2020 lent him support for the same reason. This year, as a third exercise in risk management, President Obama might again attempt to slide his successor out.

* * *

For the past seven and a half years, former president Obamas post-presidency has been a great unwritten story: the strange piece of furniture in the room no one comments on yet everyone knows is there. Nominally spending his time increasing his net worth, he lives in Washington, D.C., the first ex-president to do so since Woodrow Wilson, who was incapacitated by a massive stroke. At first, this choice was explained as Obamas second daughter, Sasha, wanting to finish her high school education in the city, but soon Sasha was out of the house, and the Obamas remained in Washington. By 2023, two Washington journalists, speaking anonymously to the reporter David Samuels, told him that Secret Service vehicles bearing White House officials were regularly seen pulling in and out of the Obama residence at night, but no one was reporting on the story.

Staffing at the Biden White House seemed to support what this fact implied  that Bidens first term was Obamas third. Susan Rice, Neera Tanden, Samantha Power, John Kerry, Antony Blinken, Robert Malley, Wendy Sherman, John Podesta, Anita Dunn, and Bob Bauer  from domestic to foreign policy to political operatives, the Biden administration has been a reformulation of the Obama world. When the former president visited the White House, footage captured staffers crowding around him as President Biden wandered, vacantly, through the crowd.

In this context, its instructive to consider an article in Axios that appeared some hours before last Thursdays debate, purporting to explain why Michelle Obama was not campaigning for President Biden: her distaste for politics and her dislike of the way the Biden Family had treated her friend Kathleen Buhle, Hunter Bidens ex-wife. Both of these reasons were less than sturdy. After all, the unwilling political participant Michelle Obama coined what the media deemed the most memorable line of recent election cycles  when they go low, we go high  and the idea that a woman who famously values family cohesion would take offense at a familys rallying around its son after a divorce seems like an anomaly. But, viewed politically, this information and the date of its release make sense. If Michelle Obama is seen by her husband or the party as a plausible replacement for President Biden, then theres real incentive to make her lack of participation in the Biden re-election effort seem like something other than a potential candidate avoiding sullying-by-association.

* * *

Viewed from this angle, the response of well placed Democrats to the Thursday debate disaster supports the view that the Biden implosion was part of a planned obsolescence. There was something ritualized about the self-described Democrat freakout after the debate: these spontaneous eruptions all used the same language. Biden, it was said, had one job  to reassure his neurotic party  and he failed. These Democrats were heartbroken, and their voice[s] cracked as they critiqued the President. Biden was doing his best, but his best was not good enough.

Meantime, members of the partys right flank made their voices heard in distinctive ways. The financier William Ackman talked about the country rally[ing] around President Trump while also floating JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon as a replacement Democrat candidate. The message here seemed clear: certain big money players would reconsider their drift toward Trump were a suitably pro-corporate (and anti-antitrust) candidate selected in Bidens stead.

Embracing this interpretation of what happened Thursday night means assuming that the signs of the presidents decline, and its irreversibility, were clear not just to his close advisers, but to a wide swath of Democrat insiders as well. Both common sense and historical precedent support this view, including Franklin Delano Roosevelts widely reported failing health in the winter of 1945, which was known around Capitol Hill.

Its hard to believe, in an era where the presidency has become much more public, that similar interactions didnt occur with President Biden and get widely reported this winter and spring. Its also hard to believe that President Obama, living nearby, was not aware of these reports. In context of a failing President Biden being unwilling to step aside, a play may have gotten formulated: to allow for a planned disaster followed by a gentle replacement urged by President Obama, the one figure in the Party with near-universal authority.

Following this line of reasoning down a logical path, it makes sense that advisers close to President Biden who are also Democrat loyalists with ties to the Obamas (including, reportedly, Anita Dunn) might have supported the unprecedented debate framework, which allowed for an early debate  giving time for the party to take Biden off the ticket, but not too much time for a replacement candidate to be smeared by too much scrutiny other than in a second debate, which might not be too hard to handle. (As President Bidens slow revival on Thursday showed, even the most frail of candidates can score shots in a 90-minute debate.) It also makes sense that many of the liberal columnists who set the terms for and justify the partys policy and political shifts (Paul Krugman, Nicholas Kristof, Thomas Friedman) have been of one accord in their post-debate urgings for the president to step aside.

This wouldnt be the first time such a play was made. Concerted insider aggression against elderly players deemed to be hurting the partys interests has become common among Democrats these past few years. This aggression has ranged from plays against former Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer to those against the late senator Dianne Feinstein. The first play worked (Breyer resigned), and the second did not (Feinstein stayed on), but, in the context of a presidential election, making the same play against an elderly president might have seemed worth the risk.

* * *

Politics is paradoxical because its both intensely human and intensely transactional. It turns on connection and persuasion, but also on negotiations and detentes. In times when power is closer to the ground, these two qualities intersect: interests get played out, and so do personal relationships, in the scrum of local political contestation and the quiet but known intensity of backroom politics.

But when politics centralizes, it enters the genre of theater, where scripted tableaus are staged by small coteries to gain public support for particular moves, whether out of Versailles in the 1780s or Northwest Washington in the 2020s. In the process, a gap gets created between whats said to be happening and whats actually happening, between narrative and reality.

Hypocrisy fills this gap, and so, sometimes, does collateral. That the collateral in the Biden debate tableaux may be a corrupt elderly man becoming an emperor with no clothes in full view of 48 million people is one of the more human, though not the most egregious, testimonies against our centralized style of government.

Matt Wolfson, an ex-leftist investigative journalist, tweets at @Ex__Left and writes at Oppo-research.com.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Its an election year, and the Dems are warming up their tax the rich chorus. Speaking at the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Mark Warner (Commie-Va.) said,

The main goal here is this cant just be a debate about the 2017 tax cuts. This is going to be Tax Armageddon. Its time to suit up.

The Dems want the biggest tax increase in history, and they threaten that if the Republicans dont agree to tax the rich into oblivion, theyll allow the Trump tax cuts to expire. Warner is throwing a tantrum and threatening economic mutually assured destruction. If theyre not allowed to pick the pockets of a minority of citizens (the evil rich), well all go down.

Anyone who learned his multiplication tables and knows how many zeros are in a trillion knows that we have a spending (and debt) problem, not a tax problem. Our federal debt now approaches $35T, and its expected to top $50T by the end of this decade. Thats over $100,000 of debt for every man, woman, and child legally in the United States. We are way beyond being able to fix this problem with a tax increase.

When politicians demand tax increases, they arent talking about increasing tax revenues. Theyre demanding an increase in tax rates  which does not necessarily equate to more money for our public servants to spend.

Economist Arthur Laffer posited that beyond a certain point, tax rate increases cause declining tax collections. His theory is that beyond some critical peak in the rate/revenue curve, tax increases trigger economic slowdown, resulting in less income to be taxed and lower deposits to the federal checking account. When tax revenues went up after both the Reagan and Trump tax cuts, it hinted that Art might be on to something.

The question is, are we currently past the peak in the Laffer curve, where tax increases are counterproductive?

The federal government is currently adding $1T of debt every 100 days. That means our public servants in D.C. are spending $300B more than they have, every month. If we were to balance the budget with a flat rate increase across all income brackets, the taxes for an average family of four would need to increase by $4,000 per month (over what they currently pay)! That would simply make the average taxpayer a felony tax evader. People in prison dont pay taxes, so tax revenues would go down, not up.

But Senator Tax the Rich screams: But wait! Were only going to raise taxes on those who can afford it, the filthy rich. I have a question for our math-challenged senator: how did the rich get rich?

They acquired their wealth by providing a product or service that others wanted, and they generally use their wealth to do more of the same. What the tax the rich crowd hates to hear is that the rich use their money to create jobs for other people  by employing people in their businesses, investing in other creators of employment, or buying products from companies that employ people. In fact, the rich are wealthy only because they are the most efficient growers of the economy among the population.

What happens if we balance the budget by taking $300B per month away from the most efficient creators of employment? That increase in taxes comes out of the productive economy and goes to people who are non-productive (i.e., burdensome overhead). Assuming an average salary of $5,000 per month, about 60 million American employees would need to get their pink slips to allow government overhead to continue at its current rate. Those are employees that will not be

building hotels for Donald Trump,

exploring space for Elon Musk,

delivering products for Jeff Bezos, or

filing 1040 forms with Uncle Sam.

Tax revenues would go down, dramatically. We are clearly on the backside of the Laffer curve, where raising taxes lowers collections. Moving $300B from production to overhead would only exacerbate our problem. Therefore, we cannot tax our way out of this dilemma.

We could cut spending. But it should be obvious to everyone that addicts dont kick their habit while they have free access to their drug of choice. Our junkies in Washington are not going to stop spending if they retain the power to take their drug of choice  our money  from us.

Economists suggest that we could fix our fiscal insolvency by growing the economy. Make the economy vibrant enough to raise employment and taxable income, thereby covering our spendaholics tab without increasing tax rates. It just requires a government designed to be in everyones business to get out of everyones business. Unfortunately, a government organized around taxing and controlling is not likely to cut taxes and regulations voluntarily. Theres currently only one presidential candidate proposing such measures to grow the economy, and the opposition party is promising economic Armageddon if he tries.

We cant tax our way to solvency. Our addicts wont curtail their habit, and we cant grow the economy without a filibuster-proof majority of small-government conservatives. So were most likely going to keep doing what weve been doing  borrowing today to pay the interest on what we borrowed yesterday. Were using a new credit card to pay the minimum balance on an old credit card and calling it high finance.

Interest on our debt is now greater than defense spending, and will soon surpass the cost of Medicare. We are at the crisis point. The growth in interest on our debt is accelerating and will eventually consume all the federal tax revenue and the ability of a slowing economy to meet obligations. At that point, the United States will default on its debt, our currency will become worthless, and everything will come crashing down  Armageddon.

Nobody knows if or when a climate apocalypse will arrive. But an economic collapse is a certainty, given our current practices.

We are at a decision point. We can turn right, and cut spending. We can turn left, and grow the economy. Or we can go straight, continuing our current heading, while waiting for our pilot to come on the intercom screaming, Put your seat backs and tray tables up, lower your heads, and brace for impact!

John Green is a retired engineer and political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He spent his career designing complex defense systems, developing high performance organizations, and doing corporate strategic planning. He is a staff writer for the American Free News Network and can be reached at greenjeg@gmail.com.

Image: pasja1000 via Pixabay, Pixabay License.
Fundamentally transforming a country aint easy.

Just ask Barry O., whos been running the show for twelve consecutive years now, yet has still not fully succeeded in turning America into a third world s-hole.

Obamas made some strides in taking down the country he and his wife so fervently despise, but theres still more work to be done.

How does Barry do it, you ask?

Thats simple. As one of his lackeys, Jonathan Gruber (no relation to Hans), put it while discussing the passage of Obamacare, Barry relies on the stupidity of the American voter.

And based on much of the commentary after the recent presidential debate, the mainstream media also count on the ignorance of the average citizen.

So, in an effort to make whats going on in our country understandable, let me dumb down some of the political argle-bargle so even a purple-haired, gender-fluid, Hamas-loving hipster with a nose ring can understand it.

Obama sincerely hates the United States  not to mention white people. Always has. Rather than making America great, Barrys globalist dream has been to turn our country into France or, God forbid, Greece  a socialist country with oppressive governance, poor services, high taxes and unemployment, and enough welfare goodies to attract every layabout and malcontent in the world.

Thats the Lightbringers dream for us.

So, some questions for you.

Is the American media establishment fair, balanced, and independent?

Do the FBI, CIA, IRS, and Justice Department stand for the rule of law, judicial fairness, and the American way?

Is the GOP a formidable political foe, working hard to contain the excesses of crazed liberal Democrats?

No, not remotely, and you gotta be kidding.

The despicable media spread the lies theyre given, enthusiastically and in unison, often using the exact same language. Its almost as if theyve been given a script to follow.

They have.

If the current American justice system didnt have two standards, why, it would have no standards at all! A simple comparison of the judicial treatment afforded, say, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump makes that abundantly clear. Youre free to burn down a city, if youre BLM, but say prayers across the street from an abortion abattoir, and youre going to prison.

As for the GOP, those pretenders and senders of strongly worded letters and subpoenas that are thrown into the circular file as soon as theyre received, they have a perfect avatar in former Senate leader Mitch McConnell: a chinless, bespectacled turtle.

For those of you familiar with childrens books, patriotic, freedom-loving Americans are fighting the mighty Obamas, their globalist billionaire backers, the entire Democrat party, and every major institution in America with . . . Arthur. No contest there.

So, as president, Barry pretty much had his way for eight years, growing government; siccing the FBI, CIA, and IRS on his opponents; using the imbecile Joe Biden as impeachment insurance; and making our country just as gay as a man who dreams daily about sodomy with other men could.

And when Obamas time in office was almost up, his DNC purposely screwed over every candidate but Crooked Hillary, his media minions pretended she was Albert Einstein with ovaries, and the FBI lied to a compliant FISA court to start spying on Donald Trumps campaign.

In return for having the Oval Office handed to her, Hillary was to be Obamas puppet and do whatever he demanded. But despite all the money, media, and Deep State denizens supporting her, Clinton somehow lost the election.

Not only did Hillary lose, but her shrill, unending caterwauling about being a victim of this and a victim of that also turned off every sentient, bipedal carbon-based life form in the land. Politically, she was toast.

From all directions, the dirty tricks kept coming for now-president Donald Trump, even from his own nominal party led by the RINO Paul Ryan and, of course, Arthur. And in 2019, a new Obama puppet was found to oppose Trump: the dolt Joe Biden.

All the already corrupt and captured institutions listed above immediately did their thing, and with the help of some serious electoral shenanigans, we saw an elderly, clearly senile man with a history of brain injuries installed in the Oval Office. Obama had once again relied on the stupidity of the American voters to win the day.

Some more Q&A for those having a hard time keeping up.

Upon leaving office, why did Barry buy a mansion  one of several the suddenly wealthy socialist purchased  in D.C.? To conveniently keep running the show. Kinda hard to call the shots from Hawaii.

Did Joe Biden ever run anything? As president, did he ever have one original idea? Did he really do anything in four years besides eat ice cream, read badly what was given to him on the teleprompter, and poop himself while visiting the pope?

No, nein, and not a thing.

Not only was Slow Joe the very definition of a puppet, but the powers that be kept him hidden from the American public as much as possible, trotting him out only to garble canned speeches and sniff the hair of women and children.

During Bidens term in office, did everyone around him, including all the media talking heads and the party of Arthur, know that ever more of Joes already limited neurons were blinking out by the minute?

Of course, silly. They knew from day one Biden was fried and only going to get worse. They were simply going to lie through their teeth to the American public for as long as it took, to re-install an ailing octogenarian in the Oval Office and continue Obamas diabolical quest to destroy our nation.

But the policies Puppet Joe promulgated were so awful for the health, wealth, and sanity of the populace that the electorate overwhelmingly turned against him, as measured by polls.

By the time this summer rolled around, the political polls, even those run by Trump-haters, were so awful for Biden that the Lightbringer knew with certainty that Crusty Joe would lose in November.

Time for a new puppet, thought Barry. Hmm.

A big problem for Obamas fourth-term plans, however, is the idiot Kamala Harris, Barrys and the DNCs DIE hire for vice president. The same polls that spelled Bidens doom say that a brainless, cackling Kamala would lose to Trump even worse.

Simple logic, then, tells us she must be sidelined. Perhaps, like Bernie Sanders, shell find herself in possession of a new lake house after politely stepping aside. Maybe, as an inside joke, Barry will make her the head of the Space Force. As Kammy could tell you, Space is exciting! although shes probably not referring to the yawning chasm between her ears. But whatever happens, Harris, too, must go.

If you wish to keep your average neurotic Democrat voter on the plantation, can the Democrats possibly replace Harris with a white man for president?

Heaven forfend! Theres not enough hair gel in the universe to slide slippery Gavin Newsom into the slot, nor sufficient double cheeseburgers with bacon to draw J.B. Pritzker into that position.

Could the Dems possibly replace Harris as a candidate with a white woman, like Governor Half Whitmer or  shudder!  that harridan from Chappaqua?

Nope. Liberal logic, an oxymoron if ever there was one, demands that a black female candidate for office can be replaced only by another black woman, even though libs like Supreme Court justice Jackson struggle mightily to define exactly what a woman is. So whom exactly will the DNC put forth?

This is so simple, so elementary, that I really hate to state it. Joe Biden will soon be kicked to the curb for Michelle Obama.

Shes the perfect Democrat nominee. Shes got dark skin and female genitalia, and she absolutely hates America as founded! And her bicurious hubby is the man behind the curtain giving the orders.

Unless Donald Trump wins in a landslide, thereby overcoming all the Deep State machinations, coordinated media lies, and ballot mischief sure to come, Michelle Obama will be our next president.

And Barry O. will have another four, or possibly eight, years to continue wrecking...er transforming our formerly great country.

Will the stupidity of the U.S. electorate lead to the election of Michelle Obama and the death of the American dream?

Or will we finally smarten up?

As The Donald might say, well have to see.

Image: Ari Levinson via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped).
In the famous psychological drama, Gaslight, it took a Scotland Yard detective to prove the heroine had been driven half-mad by a gaslighting husband. All it took for us to see how we had been deceived was a CNN debate. Who was the villain? How much was the American public the victim of gaslighting designed to dispel the notion that President Biden was mentally and physically unfit to hold the office of president? Let me count the ways.

The Villains

Jeremy Carl is on target about some of the villains. He says the party apparatchiks, and more specifically the Biden apparatchiks, were responsible for agreeing to the debate under terms they thought would be sure to help in hiding Bidens decline:

They wouldn't enjoy anywhere near the same power and access with his successor. For better or worse, their fates are tied to Biden specifically. They had the debate early because they knew that while Biden was not in great shape, they had drunk the Kool-Aid and convinced themselves, at least to some degree, of the lies they have been telling for years to the American people about his mental state. They thought that if they worked with the most favorable rules, on the most favorable network with the most favorable moderators, and gave Biden a full week to prep, they would be able to get through it and even if they didn't "win" it would be far enough from the election that voters would ignore a mediocre performance. They were not counting on what a disaster it would be to have Biden fully unmasked 1:1 vs. a competent and energetic opponent. Yes, Biden's performance was such a disaster that it's tempting to think "this was all planned" but that's only if you ignore the levels of self-deception, lying and magical thinking that have dominated the Democrat party for years now.

(Agreeing to split screen coverage really helped disclose the choice was between a vigorous candidate and one on his last legs.)

To be sure, they were hardly alone in hiding Bidens decline. Both Nate Silver and Bari Weiss have additional candidates.

Nate Silver says:

Bari Weiss is even more straightforward about the medias gaslighting role:

It was a catastrophe for an entire class of experts, journalists, and pundits, who have, since 2020, insisted that Biden was sharp as a tack, on top of his game, basically doing handstands while peppering his staff with tough questions about care for migrant children and aid to Ukraine. Anyone who committed the sin of using their own eyes on the 46th president was accused, variously, of being Trumpers; MAGA cult members who dont want American democracy to survive; ageists; or just dummies easily duped by disinformation, misinformation, fake news, and, most recently, cheapfakes. Cast your mind back to February, when Robert Hur, the special counsel appointed by the Department of Justice to look into Bidens handling of classified documents, came out with his report that included details about Bidens health, which explained why he would not prosecute the president. We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory, Hur wrote. It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him -- by then a former president well into his eighties -- of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness. Can anyone doubt that characterization after watching Bidens debate performance?

What Now?

Whether Biden willingly withdraws or not, his poor polling suggests the Democrats are in a very tough position, and I see no bright choices available to them.

A couple of days ago there was a rumor that Barack Obama was in a private meeting with Biden urging him to withdraw. But Obama scotched that in a tweet reiterating his support and dismissing the debate as a bad night which anyone, even he, could have had. (I guess hes hoping for yet a fourth term running the country, albeit once again under cover of a vastly diminished Biden.) I see no indication of his willingness to withdraw.

The truth is if Biden doesnt willingly withdraw, the Democrats are in big trouble, and even if he does -- at this late stage -- they still are. The problems are legal, political, and financial.

The Heritage Oversight project has set their sights on three contentious swing states where they believe taking Biden off the Democratic ticket would not allow anyone else to replace him: Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin. Wisconsin does not allow withdrawal from the ballot for any reason besides death. In Nevada, no changes can be made to the ballot after 5 p.m. on the fourth Friday in June of an election year or 'a nominee dies or is adjudicated insane or mentally incompetent.' If Biden were to withdraw less than 60 days before the election [in] Georgia his name will remain on the ballot but no votes will be counted. In Texas, the two party's nominees have until the 74th day before the election to withdraw from the ballot. Some states, like South Carolina, do not allow candidates to withdraw for political reasons.

If he does not withdraw, Nate Silver is right -- he will have to survive what will be both relentless media coverage and unsparing Republican attacks against his age on every slow news day between now and November. (The media, after all, has been exposed and must try to cover its nakedness.)

Charles Lipson points out more reasons the Democrats are facing a deluge.

 Pres. Biden has already won enough votes to clinch the nomination. That means you cannot get rid of him unless he agrees to step down. Or Jill Biden does.  There is no coherent party leadership to force him out, much less pick a replacement. Thats a big change from the two parties structure a few decades ago.  Because there is no consensus replacement, there would be a fight at the convention. That would hurt Democrats up and down the ballot. There are multiple plausible contenders. Even if Biden drops out, it will be hard to coalesce around a single replacement candidate. A fight for that spot would be extremely damaging to the partys chances up and down the ballot in November, and it would be even worse because it comes so late in the cycle.  As VP, Kamala Harris is heir apparent, but she's unpopular. Really, really unpopular, even in her party. The dreadful number two in the White House stands in the way of an effective replacement. She will naturally demand to step up as the presidential candidate. But she is a constituency of two: herself and her husband. The rest of the party, indeed the rest of the country, doesnt want her. They loathe the prospect. Theyd rather send her to Central America to find the root causes of the immigration crisis and have her stay there.  Replacing Harris would alienate a crucial Democratic constituency. If the Democrats manage to figure out a way to ditch Kamala as the nominee, they will pay a very heavy price. They will surely lose a constituency they must have to win: black women voters. They wont vote for Trump; they wont vote at all. It doesnt matter that Governors Whitmer (of Michigan), Shapiro (of Pennsylvania) or Polis (of Colorado) would all be stronger candidates than Kamala or Joe in the general election, if they had won a fair primary fight months ago. That didnt happen. Joe stayed in and nobody could force him out. (Did Obama try? Seems like he didnt, or at least didnt try very hard.) Mr. Slick Hair from California is a sure loser. And a convention fight would be a bloody mess, yielding only a Pyrrhic victor.

Under the 12th Amendment Newsom and Harris can be on the same ticket only if the California voters pick one of them -- of course, as a practical matter the vice president -- from another state, which means a Republican and that seems unlikely.

As to finances, Biden has hosed in a lot of campaign cash, but he cant turn that over to any other candidate, only to a super PAC, so any new contender would have to ramp up fundraising fast and would be fishing for it in a rather dry river.

The New York Times ignored the debate entirely on its front page, maybe to spare its loyal readers further shame, but the editors asked Biden to withdraw. Its five months to the election, seven months to the inauguration, during which the nations enemies must certainly smell weakness.

A major campaign charge by the Democrats against Trump is that if he wins, hell be a dictator, instituting lawfare against his enemies, censoring the media, and engaging in intelligence meddling. Wherever did they get that idea? (From them.) To the contrary they should find some relief in that the Supreme Court just reduced the power of the executive in LoperBright Enterprises v. Raimondo, restoring legislative actions to the Congress, and in Fischer v. U.S. excised the power of prosecutors like Jack Smith to prosecute people for prosaic conduct using novel interpretations of the law.
Maybe they will soon call them racistas, but dont bet on it. That terminology applies only to Republicans who believe in orderly immigration.

Anyway, up in Boston, reality is creeping, and mi casa no es tu casa (my home is not your home) is the way to go.

This is the story:

Migrant families will soon be banned from sleeping overnight at Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced Friday. Sleeping at the airport will be prohibited starting July 9. Instead, migrants staying at Logan will be offered a transfer to a controversial new safety-net site at an old prison in Norfolk. Staff at Logan will inform migrants of the new policy and help them get somewhere else where they have family or another option for a safe place to say, the state said. For months, dozens of families have been spending the night at the airport, and sources told WBZs I-Team that Massachusetts State Police are being paid overtime to help them. Weve never thought that Logan was an appropriate place for people to be staying overnight, said Healey.

Indeed, it is not. An airport is for people flying in and out of Boston. Sleeping at an airport is a bad idea, even if your flight is delayed. It is an inconceivable option if the airport space turns into a homeless shelter.

So where are these people going to go? What other city is going to take them, or, frankly, what city can afford to receive them? What school district can take their children?

As we hear from Massachusetts, the state is sending people down to advise the migrants to skip Boston. This is the Bostonian version of no hay mas espacio, or there is no space.

No room in the inn is replacing sanctuary city policies.

PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Image via Pxhere.
Joe Biden taunted Donald Trump several times during Thursdays debate. Biden called Trump a convicted felon, a sucker, and a loser.

It appears as if one (or more) of the people who prepared Biden is a Saul Alinsky fan. In Alinskys Rules for Radicals book, rule number 5 is Ridicule is mans most potent weapon. There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.

It also appears as if Donald Trump is aware of Alinskys Rules for Radicals. Trump (for the most part) ignored Bidens ridicule, Bidens most potent weapon. Trump proved Alinsky wrong and found a defense for ridicule: ignore it, dont acknowledge it, never respond to it. That action visibly infuriated Biden and turned Bidens reaction to Trumps advantage.

Rules 2 and 3 (Never go outside the expertise of your people and Whenever possible go outside the expertise of the enemy) also worked in Trumps favor. Biden, the consummate professional politician, no doubt surrounded himself with similar people who couldnt possibly possess the knowledge to go outside the expertise of Trump. Nor could his people go outside their own expertise since they, as demonstrated by their policies, have or had no expertise.

Trump followed to a T Alinskys rules about what not to react to. All he then had to do was smile and let the bumbling fool make an ass of himself.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Long before the defund, harass and prosecute the police madness, there was trouble aplenty in law enforcement at every level. Police administrators across the country were purposely hiring only people below average in intelligence.

What the?!

There is method to their madness, as Shakespeare said. They figured smart people would quickly get bored, and after spending around a year, and lots of money, training them, would quit. Because they tend not to be themselves smart people, they didnt think about arranging officers assignments to best use that kind of brain power, so anyone calling 911 and needing the police right now were not likely to get the sharpest knife in the drawer. Courts ruled that was just fine, and that problem has not changed.

That was then. This is now. Now is worse.

Graphic: X screenshot.

No police agency is overstaffed. When officers are sick, on vacation, or otherwise absent, shifts run short of personnel or others have to take overtime shifts. This increases stress on overworked officers and lengthens call response times. Defund the police lunacy, even in places it never took hold, has made the profession less enticing.

For example, the Seattle Police Department has lost more than 700 officers in the last five years. Theyre so desperate, theyre recruiting illegal immigrants who cant legally carry guns. Officers remaining on badly understaffed agencies in cities that harass and prosecute them for doing their jobs quickly learn to do as little as possible. They particularly avoid arresting the criminals of favored minority groups who ironically commit most crimes. Its just not worth it to lose their careers or liberty. If they cant get the benefit of the doubt, and if the criminal justice system wont protect them, whats the point?

The case of Meagan McCarthy, a former San Bernardino Sheriffs Deputy is illustrative.

But her career ended after a schizophrenic suspect nearly killed her with her own gun, and a California jury let him off. She suffered post-traumatic stress and medically retired in 2022, she said. A neighbor captured the chaos on cellphone video. Young scrambled to fire multiple shots, none of which struck her. Still, the struggle left her with a broken hand and black eye. Backup arrived moments later, and deputies arrested him on the spot  but jurors later found him not guilty of attempted murder. McCarthy calls his lenient treatment the Minneapolis Effect.

That video at the link shows McCarthys attacker firing multiple rounds at close range at her. We dont know why the jury didnt convict, but it would be hard to imagine a stronger case for attempted murder.

Former NYC Officer Taylor Marino also abandoned police work:

Retention problems also took a heavy toll on officers who remained on the job after their colleagues left for greener pastures, he said. The lack of manpower over the years  slowly but surely, a lot of people were starting to leave, he said. There were less people to work with, and that's an increase in workload for you, an increase in liability. That was a huge concern. When he started in a busy Brooklyn precinct, he said, there were 12 cars on patrol. Two years later, there were just four. Officers could often work 16-hour days, spend hours commuting home and then be expected to report back after barely five hours at home with their families, he said.

Any agency that loses 2/3 of its manpower can no longer serve the public. That kind of staffing problem puts officers and the public in imminent danger.

As one might expect, DEI is also involved in damaging public safety. The FBI is caught up in woke hiring. As long as an applicant checks the right DEI boxes, it doesnt matter if theyre lazy, unqualified, functionally illiterate or actually dangerous, theyve got a career.

Many agencies, particularly cities in blue states, are so desperate theyre reducing qualifications to desperate levels. Theyre accepting people who cant pass a rudimentary physical fitness test, have prior DWIs, histories of drug and alcohol abuse, even misdemeanor and felony convictions that in the near past would have been instant disqualifiers. Some recruits have so many piercings they set off airport metal detectors from the parking lot.

Americans get the politicians, and the police, they deserve. If theyre willing to live with rampant crime, defund the police, harass them, prevent them from doing their jobs, convince the police theyre more likely to be prosecuted than the felons they arrest, theyre not going to have professional police forces. To get the worst, discipline and prosecute the police for lawfully doing their jobs. Thats how cities lose dedicated, smart people like Meagan McCarthy and Taylor Marino.

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.
Some lady  I could never ascertain her name*  hosting on MSNBCs Velshi program (Church and State), recently reported that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was under fire for a recording in which he apparently endorsed the view that America needs to return to a place of godliness. (She sneered a bit when uttering the word godliness, as if it made her somewhat nauseous.) She was obviously offended by such a statement from one of the most powerful figures in the country, a man who is supposed to be impartial and not openly embrace the idea of a theocratic state.

The video is here.

Returning to a place of godliness does not necessarily mean embracing a theocratic state, Ms. Whoeverthehellyouare. It was far more likely that Justice Alito meant returning to a time of decency, dignity, respect, and the rule of law. And perhaps acknowledgement of the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule. You know, like not murdering others, not pooping in the street, or not trying to imprison ones political opponents. Or are you against those restrictions, too? Probably.

The show's guest in the same video, whom I couldnt pick out in a crowd of two even if the other was Rachel Maddow, then stated: The rights embrace of overtly Christian nationalism ideology has been on the rise, and its a trend that many historians and experts have named an existential threat to our democracy. It has been anything but on the rise. Attendance at Christian churches is down significantly from just a few short years ago. Christians are openly mocked in movies, on television shows, by comedians, etc., etc.

She then, with complete objectivity, observed that Christian nationalists were insurrectionists on Jan. 6 and mockingly noted that they prayed in the Senate, and stated on video their goal to elevate Christianity as an explicitly American principle. And, of course, she said they wish to propagate the myth that America was founded as a Christian nation.

By God godlessness, if those dangerous Christian insurrectionists prayed in the Senate, they should get the electric chair, right? Im sure she would agree, even though she is obviously someone who values tolerance and inclusion above all else. Goes without saying. We all know that Christianity and the Judeo-Christian work ethic and values played absolutely no part in American exceptionalism, and had nothing to do with our freedoms and the protections granted us by the Constitution, right?

The presenter was similarly aghast that last year, a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 40% of Americans believe that our laws should be based on Christian values. Egads! As opposed to what, the whims of progressives? Communists? Muslims? Those in the ruling class? Gay Capricorns who were born on a Thursday? People like herself? Having no laws at all?

I was blissfully unaware that the Ali Velshi show and this mystery (to me) woman existed until now -- and fervently wish I could go back to that more pleasant state. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about MSNBC, as I have been painfully aware of its existence for some time.

The U.S., and much of the West, has openly embraced Christianity for hundreds of years, during which these nations have advanced human knowledge, freedom, and prosperity beyond measure. Their inventions  medical and otherwise  have led to dramatically longer life expectancies and more leisure time. And a substantially better quality of life, especially for women. Conversely, most of the nations that have not embraced Christianity have not fared as well.

It is, in fact, only very recently that the West has lost its faith and devolved from practicing Christian nations to hyper-secular ones. And it is no coincidence that it has simultaneously lost its confidence, its raison detre, and its soul. Or that the rates of crime, drug abuse, homelessness, depression, hopelessness, and suicide have skyrocketed  as life expectancy in the U.S. has fallen for the first time in hundreds of years.

Openly embracing unfettered abortion should be shocking. Openly embracing the mutilation of childrens genitalia so that they can never experience natural sexual pleasure should be shocking. Openly asserting that there are an infinite number of sexes/genders should be shocking. Openly embracing open borders with the many attendant horrors should be shocking. Openly supporting the rights of criminals over the rights of citizens should be shocking. Openly supporting the attempted imprisonment of ones political opponents should be shocking. Openly supporting a return to godliness should not be.

We kill hundreds of thousands of babies every year for our own convenience. There is a drag queen in nearly every schoolroom and library. Recreational marijuana is being legalized around the country -- and other illegal drugs in some cases. Gambling is ubiquitous. Strip clubs and liquor stores were left open during the COVID-1984 lockdowns, but churches were not. Yet some of those churches have homosexual priests and pastors leading their flocks and giving sermons  and hosting Pride! events.

All this with a Republican as president for roughly half the years of this century, at least one other branch of government being controlled by Republicans, and with a majority of states having Republican governors. The very last thing we have to worry about is becoming a theocracy! The opposite is the case. And, if we ever do become one, it will likely be a Muslim-led one where Sharia law reigns.

On the other hand, our ever-burgeoning hyper-secularism is a clear and presentindeed existential-- danger to this formerly representative republic. It has led us to fall victim to a case of mass cultural amnesia. And to the brink of a rapidly approaching precipice. Should we go over that precipice, we are unlikely to ever return.

The singular difference between the United States and all the nations that had gone before was its open, explicit recognition of natural rights, the idea that all humans are created equal and granted unalienable rights by their Creator. And that, therefore, governments cant arbitrarily and capriciously take those rights away, as has happened in virtually all monarchical and totalitarian governments throughout history. If that is the godliness that so disturbs the MSNBC talking head, so be it.

The founders did not intend for the United States to be an overtly Christian nation, in terms of an official, government sanctioned religion. Nor did they wish it to be a theocratic state. That said, they did found the nation on certain Christian moral truths. And they did believe that the law of God should form the basis of goodand legitimate-- human laws.

Make no mistake: those who proclaim their progressiveness-- and who disdain godlinessare actually regressiveand looking to take those rights away from us.

We mustnt let them do so.

*Melissa Murray -ed.

Image: Screen shot from MSNBC video, via YouTube
Among the wrongs Democrats/socialists/communists (D/s/cs) delight in inflicting on Normal Americans is renaming all manner of things: military installations, schools, national monuments and landmarks, and anything else to comport with their contemporary woke views. History is useful to them only in that they can warp it to reflect, as all good communists do, the current party line. The Mummified Meat Puppet Administration, as one might imagine, has been busy indeed in this pursuit. But even before Joe Biden, government wasnt resting.

Graphic: Black Elk Peak hike 25, Wikimedia Commons.org. CCA-SA 4.0 International

At 7242 feet, the highest point in South Dakota, Black Elk Peak, known as Harney Peak for more than a century and a half, provides an extraordinary vantage point. At the end of a four-mile hike beginning at Slyvan Lake in the southern Black Hills, a WPA-constructed stone watchtower still stands sentinel over the Hills. It was originally named for General William S. Harney, and locals, who werent consulted about the changesurprisestill refer to it as Harney Peak. It was renamed in 2016, ostensibly for Lakota Sioux shaman Black Elk, whose story was told in the classic western book Black Elk Speaks by John G. Neihardt, a book I taught to AP students.

Now, government is at it again. They want to change the name of our first national monument, Devils Tower, established in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt. In 1875 Col. Richard I. Dodge escorted a U.S. Geological Survey expedition to NE Wyoming.

Graphic: Devil's Tower, Author.

Colonel Dodge is generally credited with giving the formation its present name. In his book, entitled The Black Hills, published in 1876, he called it "Devils Tower," explaining "The Indians call this shaft The Bad Gods Tower, a name adopted with proper modification, by our surveyors." Newton, whose published work on the survey appeared in 1880, explained that the name Bear Lodge (Mateo Teepee) "appears on the earliest map of the region, and though more recently it is said to be known among the Indians as "the bad god's tower," or in better English, "the devils tower," the former name, well applied, is still retained." However, since that time, the name Devils Tower has been generally used. Geologists, on the other hand, have in some instances continued to use the original name.

And as always, localsThe Tower is surrounded by ranch land--arent being consulted:

The federal Reconciliation in Place Names Committee, a subcommittee of the U.S. Board of Geographic Names, is recommending Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland submit a request to the Biden administration to change the name of "the sacred geographic feature in Wyoming known as 'Devils Tower'" and the unincorporated community surrounding it to Bear Lodge, which is what it was called by American Indians before it was Devils Tower.

Those lobbying for change claim some 20 tribes want the change, but those tribes do not agree on a name. Its also being claimed the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, can unilaterally change the name, a contention that would seem to be ill-founded:

Under Title 54 of U.S. Code regarding American Antiquities, "no extension or establishment of national monuments in Wyoming may be undertaken except by express authorization of Congress."

One local objecting to the change is WY state Senate President Ogden Driskill:

Driskill said his family has been living and working the land adjacent to the national monument nearly as long as any Indigenous tribe that would consider it a sacred site. He described the recommendation to rename Devils Tower as "unbelievably offensive" to himself and many other Wyomingites. "Our family's been here as long as anybody," he said. "Our family's intertwined with the tower since before it became a national monument, and it's just unbelievably offensive to me that they face down our family and pay absolutely no attention to the people that neighbor two sides of the monument."

Graphic: Devil's Tower, Author.

Fortunately, Wyomings congressional delegation has long opposed changing the name. Senator Cynthia Lummis:

"As the first national landmark, Devils Tower holds great significance to generations of people across Wyoming and is one of the Cowboy State's most iconic sights," she said. "We should not allow D.C. bureaucrats to unnecessarily change the name of this famous and cherished landmark."

Among the most important lessons I taught my students was not to try to impose contemporary beliefs on the past and not to change history to reflect transitory trends. Doing that denies us the opportunity to learn from the past. Obviously, no one taught the current crop of DC bureaucrats that hard won wisdom.

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.
Tractor Supply is as American a company as companies get. With 2,250 stores nationwide, and tens of thousands of employees, the 85-year-old company is something of a cross between a farm and ranch equipment store, Home Depot and WalMart, with something, including clothing, for everyone, their livestock and their pets. Well, to be accurate, they dont sell much clothing for pets or livestock.

So what could possibly have possessed the executives of a company that every day interacts with Normal Americans, that serves Flyover Country--the heartland of America-- to go woke? Didnt reviewing all those invoices for fertilizer, agricultural products and feed, Carhart clothing and all manner of tools give them a clue about their customers and what matters to them? Are those that haunt Tractor Supplys executive suites the type that hobnob with the self-imagined elite? Do they covet the atmosphere of wine and cheese tastings and the heady company of the wokest of the woke? Are they desperate to be the new winners of the Bud Light Stock Drop Challenge?

Actually, its ridiculously easy for companies to go woke and more or less get away with it, so long as theyre careful to keep it quiet, as Tractor Supply apparently has for some time. Until, that is, Robby Starbuck figured out what was going on and informed the public.

Graphic: Screenshot

Tractor Supply responded, faster and far more sincerely than Bud Light did:

Graphic: Screenshot

As one might imagine, the woke left is shocked and stunned:

Human Rights Campaign said it has worked with Tractor Supply for years to create inclusive policies and slammed the company for pandering to far right extremists. Tractor Supply Co is turning its back on their own neighbors with this shortsighted decision. LGBTQ+ people live in every Zip code in this country, including rural communities, Eric Bloem, vice president of corporate advocacy, told the Post. We are shoppers, farmers, veterans and agriculture students.

I wonder what percentage of Tractor Supply customers are LGBTQ+ farmers and agriculture students? Somehow I doubt the potential loss of that demographic is going to have any effect on Tractor Supplys bottom line. Riley Gaines suggests there was motive for Tractor Supplys reversal other than recognition of the values of their customers:

Graphic: X screenshot

A loss of two billionI havent been able to confirm this through other sourcesmight tend to make the executive suite sit up and take notice of fiscal reality rather than woke virtue signaling. Perhaps the imminent threat of losing billions had a sobering effect? Or perhaps they suddenly realized get woke, go broke is a thing?

Most likely is Tractor Supplys customers immediately, and fervently, made their disgust and future intentions known. Those sorts of folks tend to be polite and calm, but when pushed, direct and determined. Theyre not the kind to swear to shop elsewhere and then fail to follow through, and the executives might have been just smart enough to understand that.

Now comes the hard and boring work of keeping an eye on Tractor Supplys executive suite. Have the people who so willingly abandoned their customers truly seen the error of their ways? Are they now determined to serve their customers and stockholders rather than spend time and money appeasing people who think their customers and stockholders a lower form of life, smelly, WalMart shopping, toothless, pickup-driving, haters and Deplorables? Are their promises of reform and getting back to business a smokescreen to temporarily take the heat off until they can get back to appeasing a tiny portion of a single percent of the population?

I suspect Tractor Supplys customers are up to the task. I also suspect Tractor Supplys executives have gotten at least a hint that they only get one chance to behave like responsible adults with those kinds of Americans. Theyd be wise not to blow it, unless, of course, theyre longing for that sweet Bud Light prize.

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.
Its all about trust now.

An earthquake-size seismic shift occurred this past week on the political landscape with the first presidential debate of 2024. And that tremor exposed something far greater than Joe Bidens severe cognitive impairment; it exposed the entire Democrat party and its allies in the military-industrial-intelligence-academic-media complex: the Deep State.

For more than three years, that evil cabal has sought to deceive, cancel, ridicule, persecute, prosecute, and imprison us. They have relentlessly attacked and vilified Christians, Jews, parents, veterans, police, peaceful demonstrators, and their political opposition  including MAGA-supporters  employing the full coercive powers of government against us. Like Orwells Big Brother, they demanded that we not believe our lying eyes as we watched a senile old man turn America upside-down. Employing an engineered virus, rigged voting systems, corrupt hoaxes, social media manipulation, and lawfare, they installed a puppet to the presidency, with a team of unelected bureaucrats actually running the country.

Make no mistake: Biden has not been in charge of anything. Its Progressive shock troops. The most influential players in the White House have been Obama people, such as Susan Rice. And now, with the truth laid bare, Americans should react to this insulting, unconstitutional behavior by throwing every single Democrat and fellow traveler out of office.

They lied to us. They insulted us. They disenfranchised us. They conducted show trials against us. They imprisoned us. And now their true face has been laid bare for all to see, thanks to Bidens revealing debate non-performance.

They have forfeited our trust. Utterly and completely.

They think were stupid  stupid enough to meekly accept the spin that Biden was suffering a cold or just had a bad day. We all know the truth: he was feeble, mentally as well as physically. He is certainly not up to the presidency. The cabal has known that all along.

That is their crime.

They dont care what we think. They dont want us to have a say in who governs. They view all of us as deplorables and smelly Walmart shoppers. They are as arrogant as they are evil. And we ought to be mad as hell.

Now that the truth is out, we must focus on the real enemy. Focus on the cabal. This wont stop with the defeat of one old man; it will end only with the absolute rejection of those who foisted Brandon upon us. Vote them all out.

West Point Graduate Tony Lentini is a retired energy industry senior executive who served in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of captain. He writes on political and military affairs.

Image: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 (cropped).
On the left, it's axiomatic that they are guilty of whatever they accuse you of doing.

Leftists are lying when they hurl the accusation about President Trump being a threat to "our democracy," having eviscerated our liberty and gone full authoritarian.

They howl about 'destroying democracy' while they are negating your vote.

Or now that Democrats are in a political crisis over their insentient leader, Axios says they're having a Biden oligarchy decide his fate.

Forget the pundits. Ignore New York Times editorials and columnists. Tune out people popping off on X. The only way President Biden steps aside, despite his debate debacle, is if the same small group of lifelong loyalists who enabled his run suddenly  and shockingly  decides it's time for him to call it quits. Why it matters: Dr. Jill Biden; his younger sister, Valerie Biden; and 85-year-old Ted Kaufman, the president's longtime friend and constant adviser  plus a small band of White House advisers  are the only Biden deciders.

The Axios article details the fact that the volks-comrades of a small oligarchy that claims to be defending democracy -- even though the U.S. is a constitutional republic -- are going to be making a major decision at the expense of democracy.

So much for caring about the will of the people.

But you knew already if leftists didnt lie, they wouldnt be saying anything. They interminably project that on the pro-freedom right, except that we have the receipts of how the left lies, and all they can do is tiresomely repeat the charge.

Still, the larger question remains, why havent they already replaced their man? Just what was their plan? Did they expect Biden to last until November  or at least until the bulk of early mail-in cheating  voting was accomplished?

Trying to figure out the meanderings of the Biden puppet regime is like trying to discern the inner workings of the Politburo of the defunct Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei. We proles arent important enough to know what they know or decide our fate for that matter, we are only to cheerfully agree with their decisions like trained seals at a circus.

We can only make an educated guess about what happened behind the scenes  beginning with the question of why they decided on this debate. Why did they schedule it so early and what is going to happen next? And most importantly, will it matter?

There are likely two or more camps within the inner circles of this far-left ruling class. Their only concern in all of this is maintaining a death grip on power  they dont care how they do it, only that they stay in control. Joe Biden is nothing but political cannon fodder for them, disposable like everyone else that they can use and discard when no longer needed.

One camp prefers keeping Biden ostensibly at the top of the ticket - the stay the course confederation. The other camp saw all the problems with Biden and wanted to replace him with someone else -- someone who can win, but will still be under their immediate control. The debate was a quick and dirty way of resolving the issue once and for all.

Why did they push to have it so early? You can easily guess that with Bidens steady decline, the odds favored a debate earlier than later because they probably realized hes going to be a lot worse one or two months from now.

One theory is that they wanted it early to give a possible replacement enough time to campaign and get up to speed. That's fine, except that the national media is arguing amongst themselves about whether this is even possible before the convention. And it wouldnt exactly be democratic if they did, but rank hypocrisy has never stopped them in the past, so why would it now? After the Democratic National Convention, it would be a slightly different story. Here's what the DNC has said:

G. Filling a Vacancy on the National Ticket: In the event of death, resignation or disability of a nominee of the Party for President or Vice President after the adjournment of the National Convention, the National Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee shall confer with the Democratic leadership of the United States Congress and the Democratic Governors Association and shall report to the Democratic National Committee, which is authorized to fill the vacancy or vacancies.

They could, of course, throw out the rule book, ignore the will of the people, and do like dictators have always done. They could replace Biden with Michelle Obama as we and so many others have speculated.

Yes, you do have to wonder about the timing of that other Axios piece at this time. That would undeniably look horrible coming from the supposed defenders of democracy.

But remember, these are people who work day and night to destroy individual liberty while dishonestly calling themselves liberals, so youve got to figure hypocrisy has to be part of their hidden by-laws.

But we still havent answered our original question: Why havent they already replaced Biden? After all, the Biden oligarchy in the words of Axios has been on the inside all this time. Theyve witnessed the decline. They know why they kept the man in the basement four years ago. They ignore the severe national security threat of having a man of this diminished capacity at the helm. Most of the country on the pro-freedom side of the spectrum knew of this problem for years. It just became obvious to the rest of the people last Thursday night when evidence was right in front of their eyes and they couldnt lie and claim it was a cheap fake.

We can gain a little insight from a poll taken a few months ago in February about Biden being the best candidate for the Democrats, but their internal polling likely shows the same thing: Biden performs better against Trump than Harris, Newsom.

In a hypothetical match-up, Trump leads Vice President Harris 46 percent to 43 percent and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) 46 percent to 36 percent. He also leads Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) 45 percent to 33 percent.

The poll showed that Biden performed the best among several high-profile Democrats, but still trailed President Trump. That could explain why they havent made the switch. They could have shown they werent democratic after all and gone all dictatorial, picking someone favored by the dissenting Democrats but the polling shows it wouldnt have helped.

Lets make it clear, whether its Biden or whats behind Door Number 3, its not going to make any difference because whoever it is will still push the disastrous policies of the left. Biden was just a puppet for their Politburo, and so will be anyone else chosen by the oligarchy.

The bottom line is that it wont matter who they put in the puppet presidency. The lefts socialist agenda is nothing but societal slavery and a disastrous dead end. That is why that agenda is being rejected around the world. These leftists can go into aggressive panic all they want, but liberty will always win and it will coincide with a rejection of the fascist far-left.

D. Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history, former director of communications for a civil rights organization, and a long-time contributor to conservative websites. Find him on Substack.

Image: Screen shot from WTHR video, via YouTube
Credit: Getty Images

So youre looking for tricks to teach your cat but youre not sure where to start? Dont worry, weve got you covered!

Teaching your cat a trick is a wonderful way to add some mental and physical enrichment into their day and for the most part, all you need is a pack of the best cat treats to get started.

And if youre concerned that learning how to teach a cat a trick might be a more complicated process than the two of you are ready for, dont be. Tricks range in difficulty from easy through to advanced, so youre sure to find one (or more) that suits.

Ready to help your cat pull a rabbit out of their hat? Okay, maybe that ones asking a little too much. But if youre keen to have them jumping through hoops and giving visitors a high-five then read on because youll find both of those and a whole lot more in this guide.

32 tricks to teach your cat

1. Sit

Cat sitting for a treat

Its not just our canine companions that can be taught to sit, our feline friends can be too! One of the things you only know if youre a cat owner is that our independent-minded kitties arent always very obliging about doing things they dont want to do. However, teaching them to sit is actually really easy. This is a great trick to teach them right before you feed them a bowl of the best cat food . Simply use a hand gesture while saying the word sit. Once theyve done this, reward them by placing their food on the ground and say well done.

2. Stay

Cat sitting

Teaching your cat to stay is another fairly easy trick to start off with. Ask your cat to sit and once theyve done that, issue the command stay. Once theyve held the position for a second or two, reward with a treat. Gradually increase the duration you ask them to stay for, but remember to keep rewarding and praising them. Dishing out lots of positive reinforcement is great for getting cats to repeat desired behaviors.

3. High-five

Bengal giving owner high-five

The high-five trick is one of our favorite simple tricks thats a real crowd-pleaser! What you want to do here is to get your cats paw to touch your opposite hand, and its easier than you might think. Place a treat or a piece of the best dry cat food in a closed hand and hold that hand out to your cat, as soon as they touch your hand with their paw, reward them by giving them the treat. Keep repeating this, gradually bringing your hand into more of a high-five position every time you do.

4. Jump through a hoop

Cat playing with hoops

Its normally our feline friends that make us jump through hoops, so its nice to turn the tables on them now and again! A particularly great trick to teach agile and high energy cat breeds , jumping through a hoop is a brilliant way to add some physical activity into your kittys day. Start by letting your cat check out the hoop  they may want to sniff it or walk around it. Reward them as they do this. Hold the hoop but keep it connected to the ground, use treats to encourage your cat to walk through it. Once your cat has walked through a few times and youve rewarded them, start to raise it off the ground. Keep raising and rewarding until your cat can jump through it.

5. Lie down

Cat lying down

Given that theres nothing our feline friends love more than to snooze the day away, getting your kitty to master this trick shouldnt be too difficult! This is a particularly good trick to teach them if youre looking to make those trips to the vet that little bit easier. The first thing you want to do is to hold a treat close to your cats nose and let them sniff it. Next, gradually lower the treat to the floor, guiding your kitty into a lying down position. Praise and reward. Repeat the above process three times and then add in the command lie down. Once again, praise and reward. Once your cat has gotten the hang of this, you can also add in a hand signal  we like an open palm facing downwards.

6. Roll over

Scottish Fold cat rolling over

Just like dogs, cats can be trained to roll over. Start by asking your cat to lie down and rewarding them with a treat. Sitting in front of your cat and with your palm facing downwards, hold a treat between the very end of your index finger and your thumb. If you want your cat to roll to your right (their left), arc the treat in a slight incline towards their right ear. Once the treat is in front of your cats ear, move it diagonally towards the middle of their back. As their eyes follow the treat, theyll be looking over their shoulder. Continue to move the treat diagonally until your cat rolls all the way over. Praise and reward.

7. Fetch

Kitten with toy in mouth

Can cats play fetch? Absolutely! While we tend to associate fetch with dogs, it turns out that a lot of cat breeds enjoy playing this game too. This is one of those intermediate tricks that can take a while for your kitty to master, but once theyve got the hang of it, it can be a whole lot of fun for both of you. Youll want one of the best cat toys for this and preferably a toy your kitty really loves. Start by playing with them using the toy. Next, toss the toy a few feet away from you and encourage your cat to go and engage with it. When they touch the toy or pick it up, reward them with praise and a treat. You then want to use a command like bring it that encourages your cat to pick up the toy and bring it over to you. Once your cat has brought the toy over, reward again.

8. Stand on hind legs

Cat stood on hind legs

If youre looking for a trick your cat will master quickly, this one is a great choice. Choose a cue word (we love up) and hold a treat above your cats head. This will encourage your cat to stand in order to get their paws on the treat. Keep repeating this until your kitty is confident knowing what to do and then gradually phase out the treat so that theyre able to stand on command.

9. Shake hands

Young woman shaking hands with Scottish Fold kitten

Having your cat be able to shake hands with your visitors is a super impressive trick and its not hard to teach either. Start by touching your cats paw and rewarding them with a treat. Once theyre comfortable with that, offer them your hand with your palm facing upwards and gently touch their paw while saying the word shake. When your cat extends their paw, repeat the word shake and reward them with a treat. Over time, youll be able to issue your command word (shake) before extending your hand.

10. Come when called

Cat running outside

This is a very handy trick to teach your kitty, especially if you have one of the cat breeds that prefer being outdoors . Start by standing next to your cat and pairing their name with the command come. Crinkle a bag of cat treats and then reward your cat with a treat as you do this. Once your cat understands that their name and the word come result in a treat, you can start working on this at greater distances. Each time your cat comes, gradually increase the distance so that your cat has to cross more of the room to get to you. Eventually, you can practice this from different rooms in the house.

11. Spin in a circle

Cat sitting on window ledge

To teach your cat to spin in a circle, start with a simple circular hand motion and pair it with a command word, like spin. Hold a treat near your cats nose and slowly move it in a circular motion using your hand signal and your command word. Your cat will follow the treat causing them to move in a circle, once theyve completed the circular motion reward them with the treat and repeat.

12. Wave goodbye

Cat waving

Is there anything more adorable than a cat who can wave goodbye? We think not! The first thing you want to do is choose a visual cue and a verbal command that signals to your cat you want them to say goodbye to someone. We recommend a wave and the words bye bye. Gently hold your cats paw and move it to create a waving motion paired with your visual cue and verbal command, then reward with praise and treats. Once your cat has got the hang of this, you can let their paw go and simply use your visual cue and verbal command. When your cat moves their paw, be sure to reward heavily.

13. Use a scratching post on command

Cat scratching post

Trying to encourage your kitty to use one of the best cat scratching posts instead of your couch? We hear you! Training them to do this on command can be a great way to save your furniture and keep their claws in tip-top condition. The best way to do this is to sprinkle some cat treats or catnip onto your cats scratching post and reward them every time they show interest in it. Repeat this whenever you want your cat to scratch their post.

14. Walk through a tunnel

Cat in tunnel

When it comes to the best cat toys , tunnels are often a firm favorite of our feline friends  especially active breeds who love to hide and pounce. Put their interest to good use by teaching them to walk through the tunnel on command. Many cats wont need tempting into a tunnel, but if yours does, encourage them in with treats and toys. As your cat enters into the tunnel and begins to walk through, reward with lots of praise and treats. This will help them associate the tunnel with good things happening. Keep practicing this until your cat is able to walk all the way through and out the other side.

15. Go to a specific place

Cat sleeping in cat bed

If youve invested in one of the best cat beds , you can encourage your kitty to use it by teaching them to go to their bed on command. Choose a cue word like bed that youll use every time you want your cat to go to their cozy sleep spot. Then, point to the place you want them to go and say the word bed. Reward with a treat when they do what you ask. However, its important to only give your cat a treat if they make it to the bed so that they associate going there with getting the reward.

16. Open a door

Cat opening door

Some particularly agile breeds (like the Burmese and the Peterbald) are born brilliant at opening doors. But for most breeds, opening a door on command takes a bit of training. To do this, encourage your cat to touch the door with their paw and when they do, reward them with a treat. Once they have the hang of this, work on getting them to stand up and put their weight against the door so that it opens. Again, reward with a treat. After theyve mastered these two steps, add in a command word, such as open the door and use this whenever you want your kitty to do this behavior.

17. Ring a bell for treats

Cat playing with a bell

We know  you likely already feel like your feline friends servant, but you have to admit, having them ring a bell for treats is kind of cute! Place a bell on the ground and let your cat investigate it. Praise them for any interaction. Ring the bell and then immediately give your cat a treat so that they learn to associate the noise of the bell with a food reward. Next, take your cats paw and gently touch the bell with it. As always, follow this up with praise and a treat. Repeat this process as often as needed until your cat is able to ring the bell on their own.

18. Walk on a leash

Cat wearing a harness

Is walking a cat on a leash cruel? Not if your feline friend enjoys it. If you have an active breed that loves being outdoors, leash training is a great way to give them some freedom while keeping them safe. When it comes to how to leash train a cat , you want to start by making the harness interesting, so we recommend leaving it lying around the house and rewarding your cat any time they show an interest in it. Next, slip the harness on your cat but dont do it up. Give your cat a treat and remove the harness. Keep doing this, gradually building up the duration of how long theyre in the harness. After this, introduce the leash by clipping it onto the harness. Walk a few steps and reward your cat with a treat. Repeat this, slowly increasing the distance until your cat is able to walk in the direction they choose at their own pace.

19. Use a human toilet

Cat on toilet

Okay, so maybe opening the door to your bathroom to find your feline friend sitting on the toilet reading the newspaper is a step too far. On the other hand, if youd rather not invest in one of the best self-cleaning cat litter boxes and dont fancy scooping out a regular one, this could be the trick for you. To train your kitty to use the toilet, you first need to relocate their litter box to the bathroom. Put the toilet seat down and pop the litter box on it. This gets your cat used to sitting on the toilet to do their business. Once theyre able to do that, replace the litter box with a potty training kit and reward them with plenty of treats when they use it.

20. Play dead

Cat playing dead

Dogs are masters at the playing dead trick, but cats are capable of doing it too  it just takes a bit of practice. For this one, you want to wait until your cat has chosen to lie down on the floor and stretch themselves out. When you catch them doing that, say play dead and give them a treat. Over time, you can add in a hand gesture to get them to do this when theyre sitting or standing and pair it with your verbal command and a treat.

21. Sit on your shoulder

Cat on woman's shoulder

We know parrots love to sit on shoulders, but do cats? A lot of them do! While you can teach an adult cat this trick, its much easier if theyre a kitten. Start by placing your kitty on your shoulder for just a few seconds before popping them back on the ground. Reward them with a treat. Keep repeating this process, increasing the duration until your cat can confidently sit there.

22. Be gentle

Cat licking person's hand

If your cat has ever taken to your hand like it's a chew toy, then teaching them to be gentle is well worth it. Our favorite way to teach this trick is to smear some treat paste on the back of our hands and knuckles and then say the word gentle while our cat licks it off. If your cat tries to bite, simply remove your hand and try again later.

23. Find it

Cat peeking out of drawer

Looking for ways to be the best cat owner ? We love this trick because as well as being fun, its a great way to offer your feline friend some mental and physical enrichment. To teach this trick, start by tossing treats where your cat can see them and saying find it. Once your cat is used to looking for treats in plain sight, you can increase the difficulty level. Get three cups and hide a treat under one of the cups, then say find it and see if your cat can locate which cup the treat is hiding under.

24. Teach them to hop in their carrier

Cat in carrier

One of the worst things about owning a cat is trying to get them to go into their carrier! But there are times this has to be done and if theyll happily walk into it of their own accord, that will make your life a whole lot easier. The first step is to leave the carrier in a room your cat frequents regularly with all of the doors open. Scatter treats in and around the carrier to encourage your cat to explore it. Let your cat go in and out as they please, praising them and dishing out plenty of treats. After your cat has done this plenty of times, close the door to the carrier with them in it for just a few seconds before opening the door and giving your cat a treat. Slowly increase the duration your cat is inside until theyre comfortable staying in there for longer periods of time.

25. Fist bump

Cat fist bumping man

Paws down one of the coolest tricks you can teach your kitty is the cat fist bump. Place a treat in a cup and place the cup on the ground. When your cat paws at the cup, mark with a yes! and reward them with the treat. Next, repeat this step while holding the cup in your hand. Cover the cup with your hand and when your cat paws at your hand, say yes! and reward with a treat. Repeat this without any treat in the cup. Now, once your cat has mastered this, remove the cup altogether and turn your hand into a fist, rewarding your cat when they target your fist with their paw.

26. Speak

Abyssinian cat

If you have one of the best cats for extroverts , chances are theyre probably already a bit of a chatterbox but this is a great trick to teach quieter cats who youd like to be more vocal. Its really easy too, simply hold up a treat or toy and only give it to your kitty once theyve meowed to ask for it.

27. Navigate an obstacle course

Cat in a box

If you have one of the best indoor cat breeds, mental and physical enrichment is really important for their health and wellbeing  and whats more fun than an obstacle course? You can use absolutely anything you have at home to create this, including furniture, boxes, books, containers  the skys the limit. Set out the obstacle course in a room your cat enjoys spending time in. Use a lure to encourage your cat to move around the course, focusing on one obstacle at a time. As your cat navigates an obstacle, be sure to reward them before asking them to move on to the next part of the course.

28. Turn off a light switch

Cat investigating light

Dont fancy going around the house every night turning off all the light switches? Why not get your cat to do it  provided they can reach them okay, that is! To train your cat to do this, start by encouraging them to investigate the light switch, using lots of praise and treats. Choose a verbal command, like 'lights off', and use it every time you turn the lights off yourself and your cat is watching. Next, you want to gently place your cats paw on the light switch, use your verbal cue (lights off) and reward them with a treat. Over time, move your cats paw off the light switch and wait for them to press the switch by themselves before giving them a treat. Keep repeating this until your kitty is able to turn the switch on and off without a treat.

29. Jump into your arms

Woman holding cat

Getting your cat to jump into your arms? How very Dirty Dancing of you! Begin by crouching down and use a clicker and treats to get your cat to jump onto your lap. Once theyre confident doing this, use praise and treats to get them used to having your arms around them. Next up, sit at the end of your bed and practice from there  this is higher up than when youre crouching and will increase the difficulty for your cat. Finally, stand up and get your cat to jump into your arms.

30. Give you a kiss

Cat kissing man

Soppy but super sweet! If you have a strong bond with your feline friend, why not teach them to give you a kiss? For this one, crouch down and open your arms, call your cats name and when they nudge your face with theirs, reward them with a treat.

31. Leg weaves

Cat weaving between woman's legs

Stand with your legs apart with one foot in front of the other as if youre about to take a step. Toss a treat through your legs and gesture for your cat to walk through to get it using the word weave. Use a second treat and slowly guide your cat around to the front of your leg. Repeat several times. Next, with your cat in front of you, take a step forward and hold a treat on the other side of your leg. Once your cat has passed through your leg you can toss the treat on the floor and take a step forward. Repeat this on the other side and keep practicing until your cat is able to stay in sync with you for multiple steps.

32. Catch

Kitten playing with toy

This one is a bit like teaching your cat to fetch, but instead of throwing a toy away from them, you want to throw it towards them. We recommend starting with cat treats first and then once your cat has got the hang of catching those in their mouth or using their paws, you can practice using a small soft toy.
Douglas Luiz has left Aston Villa for Juventus on a day when a flurry of transfers had been forecast due to the Premier Leagues Profitability and Sustainability Regulations.

With clubs needing to comply with PSR and not make more than the permitted 105million loss over a rolling three-year period, June 30 was destined to take on special significance as it was the cut-off date between accounting periods.

Villa had been prominent in recent days with various additions and departures, and 26-year-old Luizs stay in the West Midlands came to an end after five seasons and over 150 appearances.

Aston Villa can confirm that Douglas Luiz has joined Juventus.   Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) June 30, 2024

Juventus marked the signing on their club website by saying: Douglas Luiz embarks on a new adventure with Juventus after five years with Villa, where he has shown exponential growth technically, physically and tactically.

Welcome to Juventus, Douglas. We cant wait to see you on the pitch!

Leeds teenager Archie Gray also seems set to move after the Yorkshire club rejected a bid in the region of 35million from Brentford for the 18-year-old.

The PA news agency understands Leeds were unwilling to accept the structure of the deal for the England Under-21 international and will only sell on their terms.

Gray, a midfielder who also operated at right-back last season, could still depart Elland Road this summer as there is interest from other Premier League clubs.

Leeds have rejected a 35million bid from Brentford for talented 18-year-old Archie Gray (Jess Hornby/PA)

Chelsea  who are understood to be close to landing Leicester midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for around 30m  and Tottenham are among those reportedly tracking Gray, who signed a new long-term contract in January.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has room in his squad after Omari Hutchinson signed a five-year contract with Premier League rivals Ipswich, the 20-year-old having helped the Tractor Boys secure promotion while on loan at Portman Road last season.

Ipswich have spent a club-record fee on Hutchinson, reported to be an initial 20million with a further 2.5m potentially due subject to performance-related add-ons.

West Ham winger Said Benrahma completed a permanent transfer to Lyon for a fee reported to be in the region of 13m.

The Algeria international spent the second half of last season on loan at the French club, scoring three times in 12 Ligue 1 appearances.

Benrahma joined West Ham from Brentford in October 2020 and registered 24 goals in 155 games for the club.

Barcelona have confirmed Joao Cancelos return to Manchester City after one season on loan in Catalonia (John Walton/PA)

There were also departures on the continent as Barcelona announced the return of Joao Cancelo to Manchester City.

Portugal defender Cancelo spent last season on loan in Catalonia where he made 42 appearances and scored four goals.

Barcelona also confirmed striker Joao Felixs return to Atletico Madrid after his season on loan, while Spain full-back Marcos Alonso is leaving after two years at the club.

Marcos Alonso, Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo are not to continue with FC Barcelona, read a club statement.

The Spanish defenders contract ends on June 30, as do the loan contracts for the two Portuguese players, who will return to their respective clubs.
Nigel Farage has insisted the bad apples are gone from Reform UK after facing accusations from across the political divide that he failed to show leadership over allegations of racism within the party.

Mr Farage said he would never have them back following the withdrawal of support for three candidates over the row that has engulfed the party over the final week of General Election campaigning.

Speaking at a Reform rally in Birmingham on Sunday, he also claimed that footage of a canvasser using a racial slur against Rishi Sunak had been used as a smear campaign against the party.

Campaigners for Reform in the Clacton seat Mr Farage hopes to win in Essex were recorded by an undercover journalist from Channel 4 making racist comments, including about the Prime Minister, who is of Indian descent.

The footage showed canvasser Andrew Parker using a slur about Mr Sunak and suggesting migrants arriving in the UK on small boats should be used as target practice.

Another activist described the Pride flag as degenerate and suggested members of the LGBT community are paedophiles.

5,000 people at Birmingham NEC for Reform UK. Watch the stream now! pic.twitter.com/0Zac3yoi1v  Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 30, 2024

Addressing an audience of thousands on Sunday, Mr Farage said: Look, Reform is a new organisation. Its a start-up and there were requests put out for candidates to stand.

Have we had a few bad apples? We have, although to my knowledge nobody involved in an organised betting ring is standing for us, which is something.

He added: I have to say, the bad apples are gone. Well never have them back.

Mr Farage has suggested that Mr Parker, who is an actor, was used as a plant by Channel 4 in their undercover investigation into his campaign  a claim the broadcaster strenuously denies.

Mr Parker has told the PA news agency that his acting work is separate from his volunteering for Reform UK, which he said he started doing of his own volition because he believed in the partys message.

He has apologised for the remarks, which he said he was goaded into making.

Meanwhile, Reform has confirmed it has dropped support for candidates Leslie Lilley in Southend East and Rochford; Edward Oakenfull in Derbyshire Dales; and Robert Lomas in Barnsley North.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he shared Mr Sunaks disgust at the use of the slur, which the Prime Minister has condemned as vile and racist.

Channel 4 hit back at the claims Mr Parker was a paid actor, with a spokesperson for the broadcaster saying: We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser.

Mr Farage also claimed the audience on BBCs Question Time on Friday, during which he was questioned about his partys supporters, was rigged, which the BBC denies.

Thank you, Birmingham. Reform has big momentum! pic.twitter.com/5urwRoHcJ4  Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 30, 2024

Addressing supporters at Sundays rally, the Reform leader said his party would campaign to abolish the TV licence fee as the leading voice of opposition because it had abused its position of power.

I say that because the Conservative Party will be in opposition but they wont be the Opposition because they disagree with each other on virtually everything  think about it, the last four years all weve had are internal Tory wars, he told the crowd.

They stand for nothing. I was told they were a broad church. Well theyre a broad church without any religion.

It simply doesnt work. So we will again renew our campaign with added vigour to say that the state broadcaster has abused its position of power and we will campaign for the abolition of the BBC licence fee.

In response to applause from the audience, Mr Farage said: Wow, thats popular. You like that dont you? You like that dont you?

He launched direct attacks against both Mr Sunak and Sir Keir, branding the Prime Minister slippery Sunak, the biggest spinner since Blair and saying the Labour leader had the charisma of a damp rag.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Farage denied fanning the flames of prejudice during an appearance on Sky News.

He also suggested that people who had been attracted by the British National Party (BNP) would gravitate in the direction of his party because they no longer had a home to go to.

Ironically, destroying the BNP means people who are minded that way dont any longer have a home to go to, and so some will gravitate in our direction and (when) we find out who they are theyll be gone.
George Russell told Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to just let me f****** drive on his way to claiming only the second win of his career in Austria on Sunday.

Russell was third, 15 seconds behind Max Verstappen, when the Dutchman collided with Lando Norris on lap 64 of 71 on Red Bulls home turf in Spielberg.

The dramatic coming together allowed Russell to assume the lead to provoke team principal Wolff  sensing Mercedes first win since Russell took his maiden victory in Brazil 595 days ago  to shout over the radio: George you can win this. You can win this, George. But an agitated Russell replied: Just let me f****** drive.

"You got very excited there, Toto!" George Russell and Mercedes celebrate a superb win #F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/mqVHV9U9tM  Formula 1 (@F1) June 30, 2024

Speaking after the race, a jovial Russell, 26, said: I almost crashed when I had Toto screaming into my ears.

But it just goes to show the passion that we all share, and its obviously been a tough couple of years for us. It feels great to be back on the top step.

Wolff said: This is the single dumbest thing Ive done in 12 years at Mercedes.

I will be forever ashamed because you look at where you speak to the driver and you dont do it when they are braking or in high-speed corners! But I didnt look at the GPS. I just emotionally pressed the button and said we can win this.

I could have taken him out with that message. Imagine how that would have felt. I was just carried away with the situation, but seriously, embarrassing.

Toto Wolff said he was embarrassed by his radio message to George Russell (David Davies/PA)

Russell crossed the line two seconds ahead of McLarens Oscar Piastri with Carlos Sainz third for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton, hit with a five-second penalty for crossing the white line when he entered the pit lane for his first tyre change, finished fourth.

Russell vowed to celebrate with long-term Spanish girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt in Monaco on Sunday evening.

I am flying back tonight and I have got my girlfriend waiting for me back at home and one of my good friends is there, too, said Russell.

After my first victory I headed straight on to a flight from Sao Paulo to Dubai for 15 hours. I want to celebrate this time because you cannot take these moments for granted.

I feel I have a lot left in me and a lot more victories to come in the future but you need to enjoy it. I wont go as hard as Lando (Norris) did (after his win in Miami). If it is 50 per cent as hard as Landos celebrations it will be a pretty massive night.
George Russell took a dramatic Austrian Grand Prix victory after Max Verstappen and Lando Norris collided with just seven laps remaining as they duelled for the lead.

Verstappen and Norris were caught up in a ding-dong battle for top spot  with the British driver accusing his Red Bull rival of dangerous driving.

Then, on lap 64 of 71, Norris crashed into Verstappens Red Bull as he attempted a move for the lead with both cars suffering significant damage.

Verstappen and Norris limped back to the pits with the former able to continue after stopping for repairs. However, Norris was forced to retire.

Verstappen was then slapped with a 10-second penalty by the stewards for causing a collision.

The remarkable flashpoint provided Russell, who was sitting in third place, 15 seconds back, to assume the lead. And the British driver was able to take advantage to land just the second win of his career.

McLarens Oscar Piastri took second spot, one place ahead of Ferraris Carlos Sainz. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, with Verstappen fifth.

Verstappen converted his pole into a victory in Saturdays sprint, and after blasting away from the front of the grid for Sundays main event, his eighth victory from the 11 rounds so far appeared inevitable.

But a processional race dramatically came alive with 20 laps remaining following a botched pit-stop for Verstappen.

Red Bull were slow to bolt on the Dutch drivers left-rear tyre to allow Norris to take 4.5 seconds out of his seven-second lead.

There was further drama for Verstappen as he ran wide at Turn 4 on his out-lap. Suddenly, Norris was within one second of his rival and, crucially, within DRS range.

On lap 55, Norris made his first bid for the lead at Turn 3 but Verstappen put his Red Bull on the apex to stay ahead.

McLaren driver Lando Norris collided with Max Verstappen (Darko Bandic/AP)

He reacted to my move and you are not allowed to do that, protested Norris over the radio.

Three laps later, and Norris was at it again. He launched his McLaren down the inside of Verstappen at the third bend but carried too much speed into, and the world champion swooped back ahead of the next turn.

Norris was back on the intercom, taking angst at Verstappens tactics.

He cannot keep moving after I move, said the Englishman. It is just dangerous. We will have a big shunt.

With eight laps to run, an increasingly-frustrated Norris tried for a third time to take the lead. Verstappen ran off the road at the third corner in his defence and rejoined the asphalt with his lead still intact.

He has to give the position back, said Norris. I was ahead on the apex.

The moment Russell took the lead passing the two stricken cars of Verstappen and Norris #F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/1ZSieenolu  Formula 1 (@F1) June 30, 2024

Verstappen hit back over the radio. He forced me off again, said the Dutchman. He just divebombed me. That is not how you overtake.

And on the next lap, the two drivers sensationally collided. Again, at Turn 3, Norris moved to Verstappens outside but they came together and banged wheels.

Verstappen suffered a left-rear puncture and one of Norris tyres was also shredded. Verstappen emerged from the pits in fifth but Norris race was over. And the stewards took a dim view of Verstappens driving as he was slapped with a 10-second sanction.

But the demise of the top two allowed Russell to swoop by and claim both his and Mercedes first win since the Brazilian Grand Prix at the end of the 2022 season.

They (Verstappen and Norris) were going for it, said Russell. I knew it [the collision] was a possibility. You are always dreaming and you have got to be there to pick up the pieces.

Verstappen was informed of his 10-second penalty and replied: That is just ridiculous.

He (Norris) didnt behave correctly, said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. You were desperately unlucky.
The man behind the acid attack on TV presenter Katie Piper is up for parole.

Daniel Lynch, a martial arts expert who is a former boyfriend of Piper, was convicted five years ago of arranging for Stefan Sylvestre to throw the corrosive liquid at the former model in March 2008, leaving her blind in one eye.

Lynch was jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years in May 2009 at Londons Wood Green Crown Court for the rape of Piper and for telling Sylvestre to throw acid on her.

Daniel Lynch, who was jailed for life after an assault on Katie Piper and then arranging for acid to be thrown in her face (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Sylvestre was given a life sentence, with a minimum term of six years, in 2009 and released on licence in 2018.

In 2022, he was recalled to prison for breaching his licence conditions, with police issuing an arrest warrant after it was thought he had left the UK.

A spokeswoman for the Parole Board confirmed on Sunday that there will be a private hearing for Lynch on July 23 and 24.

A parole hearing is granted when there is a realistic prospect of release, or to consider a move to an open prison, in the case of fairness or because they need more information from the person convicted.

Victims can send in personal statements and the decision can be challenged.

Lynch, who had a previous conviction for pouring boiling water over a man, was said to have become obsessively jealous after briefly dating Piper before the steroid-fuelled attack.

He and Sylvestre were told by Judge Nicholas Browne QC they planned and then executed an act of pure, calculated and deliberate evil.

Following the trial, Piper, now 40, waived her right to anonymity as a rape victim, and her recovery featured in a Channel 4 documentary.

She went on to found the Katie Piper Foundation to support burns victims.

Piper, who has undergone more than 250 operations over the past decade, hosts a podcast, Katie Pipers Extraordinary People, is a panellist on Loose Women and presents Katie Pipers Breakfast Show, both on ITV.
Labour and Tories ramp up attacks in final week of General Election campaign

Labour has said the Tories election message centres on the view that this is as good as it gets for Britain, while Rishi Sunak doubled down on his warning not to surrender to the opposition party.

As the July 4 polling day fast approaches, each party has ramped up its General Election campaigning with increasingly bitter attacks on its rival.

With Labour still around 20 points ahead in the polls and just four days to go, the Prime Minister has explicitly warned of Sir Keir Starmers party heading for a supermajority.

(PA Graphics)

In a stump speech on Monday, Mr Sunak will say: We have four days to save Britain from a Labour government. Labour would hike taxes by more than 2,000 for every working family, would shunt our politics to the left and change the rules to ensure that they can stay in power for decades.

If they get the kind of majority, the supermajority that the polls suggest, they will set about entrenching themselves in power. They will rewrite the rules to make it easier for them to stay in office and harder for anyone to replace them. So, dont surrender your voice to Labour on Thursday. 

The Prime Minister also sounded the alarm over national security, claiming that Russian president Vladimir Putin does not want us to be re-elected.

Putin would like nothing more than for Britain to step back, to appease his aggression rather than face it down and that is what will happen with another party in power, he told the Telegraph.

Sir Keir has previously criticised desperate Tory suggestions that Labour is a threat to national security, saying that his party has united with government on defence matters such as support for Ukraine.

In an interview with the Guardian, Sir Keir said he plans to restore faith in politics with deeds, not words.

The hope has been kicked out of many people. Theyve been promised lots of things that havent happened and that leads to disillusion, he said.

Theres a near-universal view that almost everything is broken and were going backwards as a country. Thats very demoralising.

Meanwhile, Labour urged voters to move to avoid waking up on July 5 to five more years of economic chaos as it accused the Tories of having presided over a one rule for them and another for everyone else approach to government.

At the heart of the Tory campaign is the view that this is as good as it gets for the UK, the party said.

Yet living standards have stagnated since the Tories took office, NHS satisfaction levels are at their lowest levels ever recorded, and the first response of some of those close to the election decision was not to get ready to face the voters, but to call the bookies.

It comes after the Prime Minister on Sunday insisted that the UK is a better place to live than it was in 2010 as he battles to narrow the gap in the polls.

Mr Sunak defended the Conservative record in government against what he described as a declinist narrative while he faced questions about the state of public services and the economy.

It was put to him that the UK has become poorer by many measures over the past 14 years the Conservatives have been in power, and that public services are deteriorating.

I just dont accept that, Mr Sunak told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

Our schoolchildren are now the best readers in the western world.

Labour said the remarks showed he was out of touch.

Shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: If people dont want to wake up on July 5 to five more years of economic chaos, to wake up knowing that all the future offers is the same as the recent Tory past, then they have to vote Labour and vote for change on Thursday.

Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, Sir Keir said the hope has been kicked out of people and vowed to bring an end to divisive and toxic culture wars if he makes it to Number 10.

In words published as exit polls showed Marine Le Pens National Rally party making gains in the first round of Frances parliamentary election, he suggested Labour would have to stave off a rise of the populist right.

Sir Keir said his party could do this by restoring faith in British politics through deeds, not words, citing his focus on economic growth.

Both Sir Keir and Mr Sunak will hit the trail on Monday for the final push in a six-week campaign, with the Labour leader touring the shires in southern England and the Prime Minister in the Midlands.

Meanwhile, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is battling an ongoing fallout over allegations of racism within his party.

The latest flare-up came on Sunday when the Reform candidate for Erewash, Liam Booth-Isherwood, dropped out of the race to back Tory contender Maggie Throup after becoming disillusioned with what he described as a significant moral issue within party ranks.

It comes after Mr Farage faced accusations from across the political divide of failing to tackle allegations of racism within Reform which have engulfed the party in recent days.

Addressing a rally in Birmingham earlier on Sunday, the party leader insisted that the bad apples are gone after withdrawing support for three candidates over the row.

Campaigners for Reform in the Clacton seat Mr Farage hopes to win in Essex were also recorded by an undercover journalist from Channel 4 making racist comments, including about the Prime Minister, who is of Indian descent.

Party chairman Richard Tice claimed the candidates switch in support showed that Conservatives were offering inducements to Reform rivals to persuade them to talk badly of Reform, stand down and then endorse the Tory candidate.

This shows dark forces at play by desperate Tories, he wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Elsewhere on Monday, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey will promote his partys pledge to spend 440 million a year on supporting widows and bereaved children on a campaign visit in southern England.

Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney will be out in the north east of the country, claiming that only his party offers the hope of a better future in the European Union for Scotland.
Leeds have rejected a bid in the region of 35million from Brentford for 18-year-old Archie Gray.

The PA news agency understands the West Yorkshire club were unwilling to accept the structure of the deal for the England Under-21 international and will only sell on their terms.

Gray starred last season as Leeds quest for an immediate return to the Premier League ended with a 1-0 defeat to Southampton in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Gray, a midfielder who also operated at right back last season, could still depart Elland Road this summer as there is interest from other Premier League clubs.

Archie Gray enjoyed a fine breakthrough season at Elland Road (Mike Egerton/PA)

Chelsea and Tottenham are among those reportedly tracking Gray, who signed a new long-term contract in January.

Leeds are under pressure to make at least one lucrative sale in order to comply within financial fair play rules after failing to return to the top flight.

Gray, who made his senior debut in a 2-2 draw with Cardiff in August and has made 44 league appearances, is among the clubs most valuable assets.

Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville and Italy forward Wilfried Gnonto are among the clubs other bankable assets who could be sold.
Michael J Fox has said it was mind-blowing to perform with Coldplay on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.

The Back To The Future star, 63, joined the British rock band on stage to play guitar on their hit, Fix You, during their headline set on Saturday night at Worthy Farm.

The band made history as they became the first act to headline the festival five times.

Fox shared photos from his time at the festival, including of himself on stage in a wheelchair with his team and of himself in a wheelchair in front of a hoarding that reads Optimism is a political act.

He wrote: My team : Lauren, John and Jeff and Steve.

Glastonbury all the love and thanks to the @coldplay team who took such great care of us.

And many thanks to (Coldplay members) Chris (Martin), Will (Champion), Johnny (Buckland), Guy (Berryman) and Phil (Harvey).

Oh yeah in case you were wondering  it was f****** mind blowing.

Thank you Michael J. Fox for making our dream come true  pic.twitter.com/ahzOzGaP5J  Coldplay (@coldplay) June 30, 2024

There is a time for every band and a band for every time. This is @coldplays time. More pics to come.

The activist and former Hollywood actor was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinsons disease a year after Back To The Future Part III was released in 1990.

Fox first noticed a tremor in his little finger before his diagnosis at the age of 29 and the progressive neurological condition has severely affected his mobility. He has suffered broken bones from numerous falls.

He announced his retirement from on-screen work in 2020, having been open about how the disease affected his memory and made it difficult to remember dialogue.

Fox founded the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons research in 2000, which has raised more than two billion dollars (1.58 billion).

In 2023, he starred in the Apple+ documentary Still: A Michael J Fox Movie, exploring how Parkinsons impacted his life.

As well as starring in the Back To The Future trilogy, Fox is known for films including Teen Wolf and Doc Hollywood along with the TV series Spin City.

In February, he received a standing ovation after making a surprise appearance in a wheelchair at the Bafta film awards in London to present the best film award to Sir Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer.
As of 1 July, parents will be eligible for 110 days a year of paid parental leave, up 10 days. From tax cuts to Centrelink, here are all the 1 July changes in Australia for the 2024-25 financial year. Photograph: Halfpoint/Getty Images/iStockphoto

The 2024-25 financial year is nigh. Parents, federal politicians and (most) taxpayers are among those who will benefit from regulatory changes that kick in 1 July.

Heres everything you need to know about the changes.

Stage-three tax cuts

All Australian taxpayers get a tax cut. Low and middle income-earners in the bottom two brackets get a cut from tax rates of 19% and 32.5% to 16% and 30% respectively. The 30% tax bracket will cover those earning up to $135,000  previously $120,000. The second-highest tax bracket  at 37%  will include income up to $190,000, a $10,000 increase.

Minimum wage increases

The minimum and award wages will increase by 3.75%. It means that those on minimum wage will earn $24.10 per hour (previously $23.23), or $915.90 per week if they work full time.

Superannuation increase

The minimum amount employers must contribute to their employees super has risen by 0.5%  from 11% to 11.5%. The before and after tax contribution caps have also increased slightly  they are $30,000 and $120,000 respectively, up from $27,500 and $110,000 in 2023-24.

Paid parental leave

Parents will get 10 more days a year of paid parental leave, with parents now eligible for 110 days a year. The rate of paid parental leave will also increase, in line with the minimum wage, to $915.91 a week.

Vapes banned

It will be illegal for retailers to sell vapes or vape-related products until 1 October, when over-the-counter vapes will be sold at pharmacies  though the exact details are still being ironed out  after a Labor struck a deal with the Greens this week.

Politicians get a pay rise

Federal politicians will receive a pay rise of 3.5%. It means that for the first time, the prime ministers salary will surpass $600,000, with Anthony Albanese earning $607,471 a year.

Centrelink

Recipients of the age pension, a disability support pension and carer payments will be able to earn more before their payments are reduced. Singles can now earn $212 a fortnight (previously $204) and couples can earn $372 (previously $360). About 1.3m households receiving the family tax benefit and other payments including the newborn supplement and multiple birth allowance will receive higher benefits due to indexation. There will also be increases to multiple birth allowance, newborn supplement, stillborn baby payment and essential medical equipment payments.

NSW night economy reforms

Interstate digital drivers licenses will be recognised in NSW as an evidence of age document, as part of a broader suite of reforms aimed at improving nightlife and the states music and cultural sector. Other changes include streamlined processes for liquor license applications and simpler requirements for former alcohol licensees to re-enter the industry.

Passports

It will become more expensive to get a passport, with the cost of adult passports rising from $325 to $374. It will be easier (but also more expensive) to get one in a hurry, with the new Fast Track passport processing service launching 1 July. It will ensure your passport application is processed within five days, which will set you back $100.

Temporary graduate visas

The maximum age to apply for some temporary higher education visas has been reduced from 50 to 35, but Hong Kong and British national overseas passport holders under 50 will still be eligible.

International graduates with temporary visas who have degrees in areas of skill shortages will no longer have their visas extended by two years.

Energy Rebate

All Australian households will receive $300 in energy bill credit, while eligible small businesses will get $325.

Ban on engineered stone

It will be illegal to work with engineered stone  which is 90% crushed stone bound together with resin  commonly used in kitchen and bathroom bench tops. Australia is the first country to ban engineered stone after silicosis cases rose among those involved in its cutting and handling.

Queensland truth-telling and healing inquiry

Queenslands Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry  which will platform First Nations voices and investigate the history of colonisation in Queensland  will begin 1 July. The inquiry is part of the Queensland governments path to a treaty with First Nations Queenslanders.

 This article was amended on 30 June 2024. A previous version incorrectly suggested only taxpayers earning up to $190,000 received a tax cut in the governments stage-three reforms. It also incorrectly stated that British passport holders were exempt from the age limit on some study visas.
Sir Edward Young has revealed how he averted a "constitutional pickle" for Elizabeth II - Steve Parsons/PA

The late Queens private secretary has revealed how he averted a constitutional pickle for Elizabeth II - with inspiration from an Agatha Christie murder mystery.

Sir Edward Young, who was the late Queens final principal private secretary, has told how the palace and Downing Street were faced with an unexpected issue in May 2015, when the Conservative party won a majority under David Cameron.

Opinion was divided on whether Lord Cameron, who until then was Prime Minister of a coalition government, should be invited to form a new government, or would simply continue in the role, Sir Edward has said.

So, as lawyers at the palace and government disagreed up until the last moment, they turned to Agatha Christie and the literary device of her unarticulated ellipsis.

Agatha Christie came to the rescue - JGregorySF/iStockphoto

The unspoken three dots, in which information is simply left out, was made famous in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Christies crime novel in which the identity of the murderer was protected by his careful omission of information.

In one example, a character says: The letters were brought in at 20 minutes to nine. It was just on 10 minutes to nine when I left him, the letter still unread. He is later revealed to be the murderer, having left out the detail that he was killed between 8.40pm and 8.50pm.

Recalling the 2015 election, in an article for the Heywood Quarterly, Sir Edward, said a solution to the wording of the Prime Ministers victory speech had to be found quickly to solve the unexpected constitutional pickle.

The then-prime minister, David Cameron, and Queen Elizabeth II in 2015 - Steve Parsons/PA

Opinion was evenly divided as to whether the PM should say: I have just been to see Her Majesty The Queen who has invited me to form a majority Conservative Government or I have just been to see Her Majesty The Queen to inform her that I will form a majority Conservative Government, he writes, of discussions with the late Chris Martin, principal private secretary to the then prime minister.

The question was: is the coalition PM being invited to form a new Conservative government (as apparently happened in May 1945) or is he simply continuing as PM (as, say, in 2005)?

The Governments lawyers view was firmly on one side. The Palaces view (supported by The Queen) was firmly on the other.

I am too diplomatic to say who held which position, but time was short. The PMs convoy was speeding up the Mall. A solution had to be found.

We found it by taking a leaf out of Agatha Christies book. We deployed an unarticulated ellipsis.

Thus, the PMs words were: I have just been to see Her Majesty The Queen  and I will now form a majority Conservative government.

We were quietly pleased with those unspoken three dots.

It was a reminder that, when navigating an unwritten constitution, sometimes one must think on ones feet.

Also that, occasionally, some things are better left unsaid.
Friends of Nicole Peltz say her motivation to sue is to prevent the same thing from happening to other pet owners

David Beckhams daughter-in-law, Nicola Peltz, is ready to sue a New York dog groomer after her beloved chihuahua Nala died suddenly, according to reports in the US.

The 29-year-old actress, who is married to Brooklyn Beckham, said she was heartbroken after Nala suffered what was described as a medical emergency.

The dog has been taken to the groomer, who has not been named, in upstate New York and was rushed to an emergency vet but died a few hours later, according to the showbusiness website TMZ.

This has been the hardest month of my life, Ms Peltz wrote on Instagram.

I cant even find the words to describe my heartbreak on so many levels. Nala was perfectly healthy when she went to the groomers yesterday but came out hyperventilating and couldnt catch her breath.

We rushed her to the vet and she passed hours later. Im sharing this in hopes that it might prevent this from happening to other dogs.

Her life was taken away from her way too soon. She was my beautiful queen and stayed by my side for nine years through everything.

Please be careful who you send your dogs to because you dont know what goes on behind closed doors. One day without Nala on earth feels like an eternity.

'This has been the hardest month of my life' Ms Peltz wrote on Instagram

TMZ reported that the dog had fluid in her lungs, a rapid heart rate and neurological problems.

Friends of the family say her motivation to sue is to prevent the same thing from happening to other pet owners.

In a further Instagram post, Ms Peltz said that other people had suffered similar experiences with dog groomers.

I am relentlessly investigating the situation to find out exactly what happened in that groomers van. I am doing everything I can to uncover the truth, she added.

She added that the groomer was not cooperating with the family.

Chihuahuas bought from a breeder cost from $500 to $2,000 (395 to 1,580). A shelter would look for donations ranging from $100 to $600 (79 to 474).

The groomer saga is not the couples first involvement in a legal dispute.

Ms Peltzs father Nelson, a billionaire investor, sued the Miami-based event-planning firm Plan Design Events (PDE) hired to orchestrate the couples wedding on his oceanfront estate in Palm Beach in April last year.

He accused the company, run by Nicole Braghin and Arianna Grijalba, of failing to return a $159,000 deposit. They countersued, describing Mr Peltz as a billionaire bully and accused the family of putting them through wedding planning hell.

The planners were hired six weeks ahead of the wedding and sacked nine days before the event,

The billionaires legal team alleged that the planners viewed this as an opportunity to take advantage of Peltz by making material misrepresentations on both their website and in person regarding their experience, expertise, and capability of planning the wedding,

The dispute was settled out of court in September with the agreement being confirmed by the company in a statement to People magazine.

As part of the settlement, PDE will make a donation in the name of Nicola and Brooklyn to the CARE Ukraine Crisis Fund, it said.
Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak during the last live TV debate of the election campaign, at Nottingham Trent University on 26 June. Photograph: Phil Noble/AFP/Getty Images

Has there ever been such a wretchedly dismal general election campaign (The Guardian view on televised election debates, the voters deserve better, Editorial, 27 June)? Such a miserable indictment of the current state of our politics and thoroughly rotten political system. This has culminated in the sordid betting furore, as potential MPs  public servants, let us remember  gamble on the game that is our shared future.

The final straw was last Wednesdays desperate debate (it was no such thing) between the two leaders, one of whom will be our prime minister as of Friday. Who on earth thinks there is any value in the increasingly impolite exchange of unsubstantiated claims and counter-claims?

There cannot be a single other person who behaves in this way in their professional place of work, and what connection does any of this have to the day-to-day role of being an effective leader and prime minister? Time for change indeed.

Richard Bryant

London

 According to Thomas Jefferson, democracies get the government they deserve  and I believe that includes the campaign, the candidates and the level of debate as well. The only people to blame for the standards in our democracy are we, the voters. We chose to vote for a known liar just because he promised to get Brexit done. (He didnt.) We rejected Ed Miliband because he looked a bit silly eating a bacon sandwich, and we rejected Neil Kinnock because he refused to reduce complex arguments to soundbites and was labelled the Welsh windbag.

We demonise the most vulnerable in our society because the rightwing press tell us to. So I disagree with your headline that voters deserve better. We are getting exactly what we deserve.

Daryl Birden

Great Dunmow, Essex

 Future leaders debates would be improved if the concept of head to head, which invites combat, were replaced by a format more likely to promote civilised discussion. Rather than standing behind podiums, participants should be seated in armchairs, with interruptions prevented by cutting off their microphones when it is not their turn to speak.

Peter Wrigley

Birstall, West Yorkshire

 Have an opinion on anything youve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Azerbaijan Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population Sahil Babayev has met with his Montenegrin Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare Naida Nisi? on the sidelines of the 3rd meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Montenegro, Azernews reports.

In his speech, co-chairman of the commission from the Azerbaijani side Sahil Babayev hailed the constantly expanding relations between Azerbaijan and Montenegro.

He emphasized the high-level reciprocal visits and continuous political dialogue create the basis for the further development of bilateral relations.

Speaking about the bilateral relations in the social sphere, Sahil Babayev stressed the importance of the document signed last year between the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare of Montenegro on cooperation in expanding this partnership.

Naida Nisi? expressed her country's keenness to deepen bilateral relations, actively share experience and information and continue efforts in this field.

The parties also discussed the opportunities for enhancing cooperation in other areas of mutual interest.
Rishi Sunak speaks to Laura Kuenssberg on BBC One - BBC

Rishi Sunak and Nigel Farage were questioned on politics shows this morning as we entered the final days before the election.

The Prime Minister told Laura Kuenssberg that 14 years of Conservative government has left Britain in a better place, while the Reform UK leader dismissed Trevor Phillips claims that Russian bots were interfering with the UK election as cobblers.

Both party leaders have a busy afternoon planned. Mr Farage is set to speak at a major Reform UK rally at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham at midday, while Mr Sunak will visit a Jewish community in London.

Meanwhile, Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, has three more stops on his mammoth 1,343-mile tour of seats that the party is hoping to win from the Conservatives and the SNP.

He visited Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, this morning and will head to Stratford-on-Avon in Warwickshire at around midday before a stop in Bicester in Oxfordshire for mid-afternoon.

In Scotland, John Swinney, the SNP leader and Scottish First Minister, will be on the campaign trail with the SNP candidate for Central Ayrshire, Annie McIndoe.

Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour Party leader, will head to West Dunbartonshire.
Uncle Frogs Mushroom Gummies were withdrawn from sale when some customers were hospitalised with hallucinations. Photograph: NSW Food Authority

Mushroom gummies have made headlines this week after one brand was recalled Australia-wide as customers were hospitalised with disturbing hallucinations.

Attention soon turned to the question of whether cannabis was present.

Related: We are really sorry: man behind Uncle Frogs Mushroom Gummies apologises after people hospitalised across Australia

While the archived website claimed the gummies were free from cannabinoids, NSW Health said on some product packaging psychoactive cannabinoids were also listed in the contents of the gummies.

Prof Jon Wardle, the director of the national centre for naturopathic medicine at Southern Cross University, said whether this is wilful adulteration or accidental contamination or substitution we wont know until the investigation is complete.

Wardle said although the marketing purported not to be recreational cannabis, he suspects they were intended to be part of the healthy high industry.

Why did people get sick?

Prof Oliver Jones, a professor of chemistry at RMIT University, said the ingredients that are listed on the packet  including either fungi cordyceps or lions mane  are not associated with the symptoms reported. So experts say another psychoactive substance must have been present which was not listed on the packet.

The package acknowledged the gummies were infused with hemp, which is the same plant as cannabis but is supposed to have none of the psychoactive component of cannabis.

However, Dr Jack Wilson, a postdoctoral researcher at the Matilda centre for research in mental health and substance use at the University of Sydney, said we are seeing a lot of cases where cannabis products contain parts of the plant that are not included on the label.

Some products say that they dont contain the psychoactive part of cannabis, but when they have been tested, noticeable levels have been detected, Wilson said. It is difficult to say what psychoactive ingredient was present in the Uncle Frogs Mushroom Gummies before any testing is conducted on the batches, he said.

Is this a global phenomenon?

A similar warning was made earlier this month by US authorities investigating reports of severe acute illnesses potentially associated with consuming Diamond Shruumz brand chocolate bars, cones and gummies.

After 10 patients in the US were hospitalised, and several required intubation and mechanical ventilation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned products containing psychoactive compounds such as cannabis or mushroom extracts were increasing in availability and often sold as gummy candies, chocolate or other snack foods.

They might contain undisclosed ingredients, including illicit substances, other adulterants, or potentially harmful contaminants that are not approved for use in food, the warning stated.

Mushroom-containing products have been marketed for promoting health or for achieving nonspecific physical or psychoactive effects. Examples of health claims have included improving focus and increasing energy. Advertising for these products has also implied that consumption would lead to feelings of euphoria, hallucinations, or psychedelic effects.

What is the healthy high industry?

Dr Ian Musgrave, a lecturer in pharmacology at the University of Adelaide, said there are a number of natural substances like herbs and fungi that can produce highs, but the healthy high industry is a misnomer, based on the misperception that natural is good.

Many of these herbal highs are well known in Indigenous communities and used as sacred substances in traditional rites or as medicines by different cultures. Nonetheless, serious adverse effects can occur after consumption of these herbal highs, Musgrave said.

Wilson said there is now a greater understanding of the health benefits of some psychoactive drugs, but they may only be beneficial for some people with certain conditions alongside a range of other treatments such as psychotherapy.

The [healthy high] industry has capitalised on this by offering unregulated products that promise a range of health benefits. Unfortunately, there is little evidence of these benefits. Unlike TGA-approved medicines, their effects have not been scrutinised by high-quality studies, Wilson said.

Wardle said much of the industrys attention is around nootropics, which are said to increase mental alertness and focus, and are increasingly being used in everything from drinks to gummies. The mushrooms listed in Uncle Frogs gummies are used as nootropics, often together with psychoactives drugs like cannabis or psychedelics to enhance the effects of those drugs, he said.

The natural nature and increasing awareness and availability of some psychoactive and psychedelic substances  on top of what they often call legal highs  is making this sector a little greyer than it used to be, as we are finding these products being used in combination more and more, Wardle said.

Jones said the legal high industry tries to reproduce the effects of illegal drugs with compounds that are technically not illegal but cause similar effects.

How is the market regulated?

Unfortunately, the market is not regulated like the medicines we get from a pharmacy or foods we buy from the grocery store. They are therefore not manufactured to the same standard, Wilson said.

Jones said supplements sold on the internet, especially from overseas, may not have been tested to the same level as we might expect. We may not know where they came from, what ingredients they contain, or if they even do what they claim to.

Musgrave said because many products like Uncle Frogs Mushroom Gummies are manufactured overseas, they are not subject to any Australian regulatory authority. Most herbal products do not require strong evidence of effectiveness to get on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods but what they do require is good manufacturing processes  to make sure that what you are getting in the bottle is what is on the label.

Wardle said a lot of the legal high substances are in a legal grey zone and unless they are actively prohibited, they are available, Wardle said. Even when regulations do exist, sometimes companies can be a little loose with their own self-determination. For many foods, like this one for example, preapproval of products is not needed before going to market.

Sometimes companies may present as one thing (eg a food product) and downplay and use euphemisms to hide their ingredients, Wardle said.

Lydia Buchtmann, the communication director of health promotion charity the Food Safety Information Council, said the two fungi in Uncle Frogs Mushroom Gummies are unapproved novel foods and cannot be legally sold as food.

How big is the market for these products?

The healthy high industry appears to be growing, Wilson said. It is difficult to estimate how big, as it is largely conflated with the health and wellness industry which is worth trillions of dollars worldwide, he said.

Jones said, according to the Global Wellness Institute, Australia has the tenth-largest wellness market in the world with a total spend of US$84bn (A$125.9bn).

Wardle also said there has not been much detailed study of the healthy high industry, but for context the medical cannabis industry is worth approximately $100m and recreational cannabis around $8bn per year.
A German politician bit a protester on the leg as thousands gathered for a march against his party - Bild/Bild

A hard-Right German politician bit a protester on the leg as tens of thousands gathered for a march against his party.

Stefan Hrdy of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was driving to his partys event in the west German city of Essen when the street was blocked by some 150 protesters.

The former parliamentary candidate was filmed being told by police he should find an alternative route.

However, disregarding the advice, he went on to thrust himself into the protest and grapple with several people.

Someone kicked me in the calf from behind, I fell and then had three or four people on top of me, Mr Hrdy, 67, told the German tabloid Bild.

The man whose leg I then bit in self-defense had previously kicked me in the face. Then the police came and freed me, he added.

The protest was one of a number across Essen that drew some 50,000 people looking to express their anger over the rise of the AfD.

The party was meeting after its record European Union election result earlier this month. It came second nationally in parliamentary elections.

It was first in all of the eastern German states except for Berlin and is poised for victory in upcoming elections in the states of Thuringia, Saxony and Brandeburg in September.

The party has been accused of racism for its hardline views on immigration, claims that its leaders deny.

On Saturday, protesters projected the anti-nazi slogan never again on the Grugahalle building, where the party was meeting, and attempted to block members from entering.

Several clashes broke out with police, who used tear gas to disperse the crowds. Two officers were hospitalised and 28 were injured.

The congress eventually happened, though half an hour later than scheduled due to the protests.

We are here and we will stay, said the AfD co-president, Alice Weidel.

We have the right, like all political parties, to hold a congress.

The AfD ended its second day of conference early to watch Germany defeat Denmark in the Euro 2024 tournament, in a match that was temporarily suspended due to heavy rain.
Nigel Farage has sought to distance himself from bad apples in Reform UK amid continuing allegations of prejudice in its ranks and the resignation of a candidate who cited concerns about the behaviour and conduct of others in the party.

The Reform UK leader was forced to continue defending his own past remarks about individuals ranging from Vladimir Putin to Andrew Tate as the general election campaign entered its final week.

He told Sky Newss political editor, Beth Rigby, on Sunday that Tate, the misogynist influencer, was a huge, huge voice for men and filled a gap for many young men he said were feeling they arent allowed to be blokes in any way at all.

Related: Reform UK activist filmed making racist comments about Rishi Sunak

Farage said he was horrified by the charges against Tate in Romania, which include human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. Tate denies the charges.

Reform still appears to be in a strong polling position, which would indicate that the rightwing populist party could exacerbate a defeat looming over the Conservatives.

Farage earlier angrily denied he was fanning the flames of prejudice to further his political ambitions, as he doubled down on claims Reform UK had been set up by an expose of racism and prejudice among activists.

However, there was a fresh blow for the party when a candidate said he was leaving and would be backing the Conservatives after becoming increasingly disillusioned with the behaviour and conduct of Reform over the past few weeks.

Liam Booth-Isherwood, who had been the candidate for the Erewash constituency in Derbyshire, said: The reports of widespread racism and sexism in Reform have made clear that there is a significant moral issue within certain elements of the party, and the failure of the partys leadership to not only take this matter seriously, but also to fundamentally address it, has made clear to me that this is no longer a party I want to be associated with.

Earlier, Farage addressed Reform UKs biggest campaign rally of the election, where he told thousands of supporters at Birminghams NEC that recent days had been tough.

The event came a day after another in the Clacton constituency where Farage is running in the general election was overshadowed when the political activist group Led by Donkeys managed to get a banner with Vladimir Putins face on it lowered behind the Reform leader as he addressed an audience.

Who put that up there? asked Farage amid laughter from others at the banner, which featured the Russian leader giving a thumbs-up above the message: I  Nigel. Farage has been criticised over comments that the west provoked Russias invasion of Ukraine, and his description of Putin as a strong leader who believes in his own nation.

Earlier on Sunday, Farage was also confronted about a report in the Sunday Times that there was a threat to the general election from hostile actors such as Russia seeking to influence the democratic process.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said it had uncovered a suspected operation encouraging support for Reform UK, after monitoring five coordinated Facebook pages.

The deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, said: There is a threat in all elections, and indeed we see it in this election, from hostile state actors seeking to influence the outcome of the election campaign. Farage described the claims as cobblers.

Reform continues to face pressure over its general election candidates. It confirmed on Saturday that it had dropped support for three candidates about whom Farage had been confronted on BBC Ones Question Time.

The party told the Guardian, however, that it would not be dropping three other candidates who have been the focus of criticism over remarks attributed to them on social media. Antony Antoniou, in Northampton North, shared a link on 3 June 2016 to a video titled world defeated the wrong enemy; Jacqui Harris, in Kenilworth and Southam, shared, liked, and retweeted a number of posts comparing the modern state of Israel to Nazi Germany.

Another the party is standing by is Charles Bunker, the Reform UK candidate in Hitchin, who has described himself as a proud Islamophobe.

Earlier on Sunday, Farage had bristled when the Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips said he did not believe he was racist but was doing something much worse by fanning the flames of prejudice to further his political goals.

That is totally and utterly untrue  you damn well know that, having known me for 25 years, said Farage, who is boycotting the BBC after accusing the broadcaster of bias over his reception on Friday nights Question Time.

Farage also said people who had been attracted by the British National party would gravitate in the direction of his party because they no longer had a home to go to.

Ironically, destroying the BNP means people who are minded that way dont any longer have a home to go to, and so some will gravitate in our direction, and [when] we find out who they are, theyll be gone.
Marine Le Pen votes in Henin-Beaumont in the first round of the French legislative elections on Sunday. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters

Voter turnout across France has surged to a near four-decade high as voters cast their ballots in the first round of high stakes, snap parliamentary elections that could lead to the far-right party of Marine Le Pen forming a government in a historic first.

While polls suggest support for Le Pens far-right, anti-immigrant National Rally (RN) has strengthened in recent days, the outcome of the two-round election, called three weeks ago by the president, Emmanuel Macron, following the crushing defeat of his allies in the European parliamentary elections, remains highly uncertain.

With three hours remaining until polls closed on Sunday, voter turnout had reached 59.39%  an increase of nearly 20 points compared with the 2022 elections, according to the interior ministry. Turnout is estimated to be the highest since the 1986 legislative vote, the research director for Ipsos France, Mathieu Gallard, told Reuters.

The high turnout is likely to mean that many more third-place candidates will make it to the second round of the election, Mujtaba Rahman, Eurasia Groups managing director for Europe, said on social media. Why does that matter? It allows Left and the Macron centre to make deals to withdraw (the) worst-placed candidates and allow the others a free run against the Far Right candidate in Round 2, he wrote.

The outcome of these tactical alliances could decide whether the RN approaches a majority in the second round, he added.

In the lead-up to Sundays election, one poll carried out for Les Echos newspaper suggested that the RN was on course to win 37% of the national vote, up two points from more than a week ago, while another poll carried out for BFM TV estimated the far-right party could win between 260 and 295 seats  potentially giving it an outright majority among Frances 577 constituencies.

Related: Macron told people detest you as far-right bids to be biggest party in France

Polls suggest the New Popular Front (NFP), a broad but fragile leftwing alliance, could receive 28% of the vote while Macrons centrist bloc trails behind at 20%.

Official campaigning for the first-round vote ended at midnight on Friday. Following Sundays vote, campaigning will resume on Monday for a further five days before voters are called back to the polls for a final, decisive second-round ballot on 7 July.

Much could change in the five days between rounds, particularly if candidates embrace tactical alliances and withdrawals in order to block the far-right from winning a majority.

In recent days, candidates from the leftwing coalition and Macrons centrist alliance have scrambled to remind voters that the RN, launched in the early 1970s as the National Front, once included in its ranks former members of a Waffen-SS military unit under Nazi command during the second world war.

The party was long seen as rife with antisemitic, homophobic and racist views, and widely regarded as a danger to democracy that needed to be kept out of mainstream politics. While Marine Le Pen, Jean-Marie Le Pens daughter, has spent much of the past decade working to soften the partys image, its core message remains one of deep hostility to immigration and the so-called Islamisation of society.

The party has vowed to drastically slash immigration and bar dual nationals from certain state jobs, along with promises to cut taxes on energy, exempt people under the age of 30 from income tax and work towards abolishing Macrons pension reform.

Ahead of Sundays first round, Le Pen urged voters to go out and vote. Victory is within our grasp, so lets seize this historic opportunity and get out and vote! she wrote on social media.

Most analysts suggest the most likely outcome is a polarised parliament, where consensus between the larger far-right and leftwing blocs, and a smaller number of Macrons allies would be nearly impossible, leading to political paralysis.

If the RN wins a majority, the party chief, Jordan Bardella, Le Pens 28-year-old protege who has no governing experience, could become prime minister in a fraught cohabitation with Macron.

The result could pit the two men  who have vastly different visions of Frances future  against each other. One example is Frances strong support for Ukraine, championed by Macron since Russias 2022 invasion. Bardella has said he would use his powers as prime minister to stop Macron from continuing to supply long-range weapons to Ukraine.

Following Sundays first-round vote, Macron is planning to convene a government meeting to decide the further course of action, government sources told AFP.

The presidents shock decision to call parliamentary elections has sparked dissent among his allies and cast Europes second-biggest economy into uncertainty. Even so, Macron has stood by his decision, reportedly hoping it will force voters to confront whether they are ready to allow the far-right to tighten its grip on power.

In the lead-up to Sundays first round vote, Macron sought to hammer home this point, warning that France risked being plunged into a civil war if either of his extreme opponents won a majority.

The president has insisted he will serve out the remainder of his second term until 2027, regardless of which party wins.
Rassemblement National supporters react to a speech by Marine Le Pen in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, on Sunday. Photograph: Francois Lo Presti/AFP/Getty Images

The National Rally (RN) has won 33% of the popular vote in the first round of Frances snap two-round general election, according to final results, with the leftwing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance on 28% and President Emmanuel Macrons centrist Together bloc on 21%.

A national vote share, however, is extremely difficult to translate into a projected number of seats in the assemblee nationale. Thats because the final outcome will depend on the results in the constituencies. Pollsters issue seat estimates, but Frances polling watchdog does not endorse them.

Heres a guide to what comes next as voters gear up for the decisive second round of voting on 7 July, when France could decide to give control of its government to the far-right, anti-immigrant party for the first time in its history.

What are the rules of the two-round system?

To win one of the 577 seats in the national assembly in the first round, a candidate must get more than 50% of ballots cast, representing at least 25% of registered voters.

This happens only rarely, although the 2024 elections high turnout has seen the number of candidates who won in the first round rise sharply to 80.

If no candidate in a constituency achieves that, the two highest scorers plus anyone else who collected at least 12.5% of total registered voters advance to a second round. In that round, the candidate who obtains the most votes is elected.

How does it usually work?

The two-round system is highly disproportionate and artificially boosts larger parties. On a turnout of 65%, for example, the 12.5% hurdle means parties would have to secure the backing of almost 20% of eligible voters to advance to the second round.

In recent legislative elections, turnout has been significantly lower than that, meaning that in almost every constituency, only two candidates have gone through to the second round and the number of three- or four-way contests has been very low.

In the 2012 elections, with a turnout of 57%, there were 34 so-called triangular runoffs. In 2017, when turnout was 49%, there was only one, and last time around in 2022 there were eight on a turnout of just 47%. The previous record was 76, in 1997.

Whats different about this election?

The combination of the highest turnout since the 1980s and fewer candidates  4,011 against 6,290 in 2022  from just three main camps (left, centre and far right)  means the second round of the 2024 ballot will feature a record number of triangular contests.

With 67% of registered voters casting a ballot on Sunday, voters in a huge number of constituencies could, in principle, face a three-way race on 7 July - as many as 306, according to the official results, half the seats in the assembly.

In theory, three- or four-way contests should work in favour of the party with the largest share of the vote in the first round  in these elections, generally RN  because the opposition vote is split. Many three-way contests, however, do not stay that way.

What generally happens in triangular contests?

Until recently, if the RN looked like winning a seat in a three-way race, the second- and third-placed parties would negotiate, at local and national level, to determine whose candidates would drop out.

To be successful, however, that strategy requires both that the mainstream parties are willing to withdraw candidates, and that voters are happy to play along, with centre-left voters backing a candidate from the centre right, and vice-versa.

But that Republican front has been steadily fraying, with voters increasingly unwilling to hold their noses and cast their ballots for parties whose policies do not necessarily align with their political preferences. In 2022, RN returned a record 89 deputies.

So what will happen this time?

As far as the parties go, senior figures in the four-party left-green NFP alliance  including the firebrand leader of the radical left France Unbowed (LFI), Jean-Luc Melenchon  have promised that in all constituencies where RN is in first place and an NFP candidate is in third, the NFP candidate will withdraw.

Macrons camp has been far less clear about what its candidates would do in a similar position, with the president and party leaders calling both rival camps extreme  in the case of NFP, largely because it is dominated by LFI.

The prime minister, Gabriel Attal, said on Sunday that third-placed candidates should step aside: Not one single vote must go to the National Rally. Some candidates from Macrons coalition, however, may not withdraw faced with a candidate from LFI.

As far as voters go, things are even more complicated. An Ipsos poll last week found 87% NFP voters willing to cast their ballot to block RN, but only 62% of Together voters. Another poll, by Odoxa, found that fewer voters (41%) were willing to block RN than to block NFP (47%) or Together (44%).

In short, the situation is highly uncertain and will remain fluid until the actual candidates running in the second round become clear. With up to half the seats in the assembly potentially becoming three-way contests, the scope for an anti-RN Republican front is clearly there  but the extent of inter-party cooperation will be critical, as will be voters willingness to vote tactically.

 This article was amended on 1 July 2024. In an earlier version, the subheading called the National Rally by its previous name, the National Front.
Banksy Glastonbury

James Cleverly has condemned Banksys migrant boat stunt at Glastonbury, claiming that it trivialised the crisis in the Channel.

A black dinghy, meant to look like one of the small boats used to make the perilous crossing from France, was launched into the enormous crowd that had come to hear British rock group Idles on Friday.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Home Secretary wrote: Small boat crossings are deadly and have cost the lives of too many people. Festival-goers cosplaying as migrants, and celebrating the actions of people smugglers, while they party is awful.

Whatever your political views, this isnt something we should trivialise.

Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, also criticised the stunt, telling Times Radio: I was really saddened by it, actually.

If you look at what happens with men, women, children being shoved onto those dinghies  the criminal gangs only fill them half with petrol, so they run out halfway across the English Channel and start to sink, endangering peoples lives. I dont think this is the sort of thing to joke around with at Glastonbury.

Members of the audience were holding up the boat - Luke Brennan/Redferns

Members of the audience could be seen sitting on each others shoulders to get a better look at the boat, which was passed around the middle of the crowd.

There were at least seven dummies, meant to represent migrants, all in orange high-visibility life jackets, who sat atop it with their hoods up or their heads down. One small figure in a grey sweatshirt at the end appeared to represent a child.

It was launched during the song Danny Nedelko, which opens with the lyrics: My blood brother is an immigrant, a beautiful immigrant.

Idles, who are from Bristol  the city that is also home to Banksy  said they were unaware that the stunt would happen, although many fans assumed it to be part of their act.

The band led the crowd with chants of f--- the King, and vocalist Joe Talbot sang an anti-Farage song.

Banksy has long been vocal on migration issues, and in 2019 donating money made from his art to Pia Klemp, a German activist who captains NGO rescue ships.

He previously designed a small sculpture in a baking tray depicting migrants crammed into a small boat, again with their hoods up and heads down. The piece, called Dream Boat, was displayed at a pop-up shortly before Christmas in 2018. It was raffled off to raise funds for a charity.
Jay Slater, 19, has been missing since June 17

Jay Slaters family will remain in Tenerife despite Spanish police ending their search for the missing British teenager, The Telegraph understands.

The Guardia Civil called off its search for the 19-year-old from Lancashire on Sunday, almost two weeks after he disappeared while on holiday on June 17.

A spokesman said: The search for Jay Slater ended yesterday. The case remains open, and any new clues will be investigated.

It can be revealed that Mr Slaters family, who have flown out to Tenerife, will continue their search for him. Rachel Hargreaves, a close family friend who has joined them on the island, told The Telegraph: Nothing has changed. We will continue to search for him.

Mr Slater had travelled to Tenerife with two friends including Ms Hargreaves son, Brad. He went missing on June 17 after he left a music festival in a car with two British men he met that night.

They travelled to Masca, and Mr Slater was last seen walking up a steep road in the early hours of June 17.

After setting off, he rang a friend 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 ran out of power shortly after the call.

Mr Slaters phone was last traced to the Rural de Teno national park in the north of the island. For the last 13 days, the Guardia Civil has led a search operation involving helicopters, drones and sniffer dogs, but without success.

Spanish police said the two men last seen with Mr Slater dont have any relevance to the case. The men, believed to be from south-east England, were interviewed by Spanish police after his disappearance but allowed to return to the UK last week.

At a police press conference on Saturday, the head of the Guardia Civils Greim mountain rescue unit was asked whether police had spoken to the two men.

Cipriano Martin said: Were mountain specialists and were in charge of searching here, and its the Civil Guard investigators who have been responsible for the investigation. Those men have been spoken to and they dont have any relevance whatsoever for the case.

Cipriano Martin speaks with volunteers before beginning a search for Jay Slater in the Masca ravine on Saturday - Borja Suarez/Reuters

A source close to the investigation said: The daily operation which has been going on in and around Masca, close to where Jay was last seen, has been brought to an end. If any information comes in that merits a new search, though, it will be acted upon.

My understanding is Jays parents have been informed of what obviously is a major development. Nothing of any relevance was found during yesterdays large-scale search.

On Saturday, police asked for volunteers to join a massive search for the teenager. It is now clear that search marked a final push to find Mr Slater.

Speaking after just half-a-dozen volunteers arrived to help, including Paul Arnott, a British TikTok creator, Mr Slaters father criticised the lack of British helpers.

Jay Slater's father, Warren, criticised the lack of British helpers - Jamie Lorriman

Mr Slaters family had previously pledged to remain on the island until he was found, and more than 40,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe page to support their living expenses.

Earlier in the search, the Guardia Civil rejected an offer of support from Lancashire Constabulary to help find the missing teenager.

The Lancashire force said it had made an offer of support to the Guardia Civil to see if they need any additional resources but was told Spanish police were satisfied that they have the resources they need.

The search for Mr Slater had focused on the barren and rugged valleys that surround Masca. Police have combed the area each day of the search, starting from 9am and often not finishing until late in the evening.

Two shacks, just a few hundred metres from where the teenagers phone last pinged, were scoured repeatedly. The Telegraph visited one of the run-down buildings and found a mattress and womens clothes inside. But police seemingly believe the properties are not relevant, having not returned to them in the last week.

A volunteer with a search dog in the mountains close to where Jay Slater was last seen - Jamie Lorriman

As the search became more desperate, officers brought in specialist sniffer dogs from Madrid and began to search caves on the coast. Theyseized CCTV from Santiago Del Teide, a town a few miles from Masca, after grainy footage of a figure walking through the town was speculated to be Mr Slater.

There were also reported sightings of him watching the Euro 2024 football tournament in a bar in Puerto de Santiago, another nearby town.

The forces lack of communication about its search, including with Mr Slaters father, who said he felt left in the dark by police, meant wild conspiracy theories were allowed to spread online.

Debbie Duncan, Mr Slaters mother, claimed she had been compared to Karen Matthews, who faked the kidnapping of her daughter Shannon 16 years ago.

Questions have also been asked about a GoFundMe page set up by Lucy Law, a friend of Mr Slater. Ms Duncan said she felt let down by the speculation, and the funds would be used for accommodation and food expenses, to fly friends and family from the UK to Tenerife, and to support mountain rescue teams.

Mark Williams-Thomas, a former British police officer turned TV investigator who is working with Mr Slaters family, has urged them to use the GoFundMe money to pay for further investigations.

He said: The police have put considerable resources into searching for Jay, and of course it is very disappointing for the family that the search by the police has now ended. I have advised the family to use the GoFundMe money to bring in a large team of experts to flood the area from where we know Jay last was.
President Joe Biden with first lady Jill Biden and family arrive at Hagerstown airport, Maryland, close to Camp David - Evan Vucci/AP

Democrats are laying the groundwork for Joe Biden to make a dignified exit from the presidential race.

Following his disastrous performance against Donald Trump in Thursday nights debate, members of the Biden family gathered in Camp David, the presidents country retreat, where they are expected to discuss his future.

One Democrat official said the US president could not be dragged off stage, and needed relatives and trusted advisers to convince him to walk off on his own terms.

Senior Democrats and friends of Mr Biden pushed for this conversation to happen over the weekend.

However, his family are said to have urged him to stay in the race when they met on Sunday, while expressing frustration with aides who prepared him for the debate.

Mr Biden was expected to spend Sunday and Monday surrounded by members of his immediate family, including Jill Biden, the first lady, and their granddaughters, Finnegan and Natalie Biden.

Among those pushing Mr Biden to keep fighting was his son, Hunter, who wants to repair the damage done to his reputation by Thursdays debate, the New York Times reported.

A Biden campaign source downplayed the significance of the gathering, insisting the stay had been planned some time in advance, adding that discussions about his re-election bid would be informal or an afterthought.

However, Mr Biden has previously said he would not run a political campaign without the support of his family. We do everything by family meetings, he said in 2019.

The 81-year-old president repeatedly mumbled, veered off topic and froze while speaking in front of an estimated 50 million viewers during the first showdown between Mr Biden and Trump hosted by CNN on Thursday.

Mr Biden made another gaffe over the weekend as he sought to calm the nerves of anxious donors at a campaign reception in New York.

The US president claimed Trump referred to Americas war dead as losers and suckers when he cancelled a visit to Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, near Paris, in 2018.

Mr Biden mistakenly said the cemetery was located in Italy  remarks that were later corrected on the official White House transcript.

One Democratic official said Mr Bidens sister, Valerie Biden Owens, who ran his campaigns for office for 40 years, and his long-time friend and confidante, Ted Kaufman, should urge him to walk off on his own with dignity.

This is not about him submitting to the will of others yelling at him that he failed. Joe Biden is too proud for that argument. He will not be dragged off the stage, the individual, who is not part of the Biden campaign or White House, told Axios.

The goal is to let him walk off the stage He got rid of Trump; helped prepare America through his legislation for the future; and, under his tenure, a generation of new Democrats have emerged.

Democratic donors, strategists and politicians have all urged Mr Biden to drop out of the race for a younger candidate who could block Trump from reclaiming the White House in November.

Michael LaRosa, a former press secretary to the first lady, said the Biden family would seek to defy gravity and defeat the doubters instead of bending to outside pressure.

Theyre almost in an identical situation from 1987 when they were forced out by the press and the polls and the pundits, he told The Telegraph, referring to Mr Bidens first presidential run.

And I think they learned long ago through that formative experience that they werent going to let outsiders push them out of the race... their natural instinct is not to let their hand be forced.

In an email to supporters at the weekend, the presidents campaign claimed he was the only Democrat capable of beating Trump.

It published polling that shows Mr Biden performs better against Trump than potential successors  but still loses to the Republican in a head-to-head match-up, by 45 per cent to 48 per cent.

Gavin Newsom, the California Governor, took 44 per cent to Trumps 47 per cent, and Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Governor, took 44 per cent to Trumps 46 per cent, according to the data.

Nate Silver, a prominent pollster, noted that the other candidates performed marginally worse despite having a much smaller profile than Mr Biden. That this is the best talking point they can come up with indicates how poor their argument is, he said.

Chandler West, a deputy director of photography under Mr Biden, said his former boss debate performance was not a one-off and called for him to step down.

I know many of these people and how the White House operates. They will say he has a cold or just experienced a bad night, Mr West, who left the White House in May 2022, wrote on Instagram.

But for weeks and months, in private, they have all said what we saw [Thursday] night  Joe is not as strong as he was just a couple of years ago.

The campaign email labelled Mr Bidens critics a bedwetting brigade made up of self-important Podcasters, and MAGA [Make America Great Again] uncles.

Joe Biden is going to be the Democratic nominee, period, it added.

On Saturday afternoon, the Biden campaign sent out an endorsement message to supporters from a veteran Democratic strategist  hours after he predicted the US president would drop out of the election race.

James Carville, the mastermind behind Bill Clintons 1992 election victory, said he was surprised to see a text go out in his name and claimed it was not cleared by his team.

Mr Carville had predicted the end of Mr Bidens campaign after his head-to-head with Trump earlier that day, having previously called for a different candidate to take on the Republican.

Its kind of weird to see your name go out to half-a-million people, he said, adding that the fundraising text didnt bother me as much as the debate.

The Democrats big beasts, including Barack Obama, the former president, and the former House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi, have been outwardly supportive of Mr Biden.

Notably, they have avoided making public criticisms of the US president  possibly hoping he will be convinced to stand aside after taking stock of his campaign this weekend.

05:39 PM BST

Thats all for today.

Thanks for following the Telegraphs live blog.

05:35 PM BST

No other Democrat can beat Trump, says Biden campaign

No other Democrat can beat Donald Trump in Novembers presidential election, Joe Bidens campaign has said.

The US presidents team sent out an email to supporters dismissing suggestions that the 81-year-old could step aside for a younger successor, saying they would end up with a weaker candidate.

It published polling that shows Mr Biden performs better against Trump than those whose names have been floated as a potential replacement since his disastrous debate performance on Thursday.

However, it shows that Mr Biden still loses to the Republican in a head-to-head match-up, by 45 per cent to 48 per cent.

05:24 PM BST

Pictured: Joe Biden walking from Marine One to Air Force One

US President Joe Biden speaks on the phone while walking from Marine One to board Air Force One - Mandel Ngan/AFP

04:35 PM BST

Biden grandchildren flock to Camp David to surround president after debate disaster

Joe Biden has arrived at Camp David surrounded by his family amid reports that they have gathered to discuss the future of his reelection campaign.

The US president arrived on Air Force One at Hagerstown Regional Airport Saturday, near to the presidents country retreat, flanked by Jill Biden, the first lady, and their two granddaughters, Finnegan and Natalie Biden.

A White House official said Saturday that Mr Biden had pre-planned time at Camp David on Sunday and Monday for a family photo taken by Annie Leibovitz. The official disputed the premise of an NBC News report suggesting that he was holding talks with his family over the future of his bid for a second term as president.

It comes as the US president admitted Saturday that he didnt have a great night during the first round of presidential debates earlier this week, which he was roundly perceived to have lost.

04:07 PM BST

Biden critics dismissed as bedwetting brigade

Joe Bidens campaign appears to have dismissed critics of his disastrous debate performance as a bedwetting brigade, writes Benedict Smith, US reporter.

An email sent out on Saturday night dismissed suggestions that the US President could step aside for a younger candidate, and said potential replacements were less likely to win the election.

Actual voters saw the showdown with Donald Trump, in which Mr Biden mumbled, veered off-topic and lost his train of thought, in a different light to political obsessives, it added.

If youre like me, youre getting lots of texts or calls from folks about the state of the race after Thursday, the email begins.

Maybe it was your panicked aunt, your MAGA [Make America Great Again] uncle, or some self-important Podcasters.

03:35 PM BST

Trump campaign hopes Biden stays in race as ex-president changes tone

Donald Trump hailed Joe Biden as his most dangerous rival in a speech on Friday, in what some see as a bid to stave off having the president replaced with a more formidable opponent.

At a rally in Virginia on Friday, Trump revelled in the criticism of President Bidens shambolic performance in the first presidential debate, seeing it as acknowledgement of his victory.

He mocked the presidents apparent overpreparation for the event, saying, He studied so hard that he didnt know what the hell he was doing.

Read the full piece here.

02:39 PM BST

Top Democrats panicking over Bidens debate performance

Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, held a Saturday afternoon call with dozens of influential Democrat party members about Joe Bidens to address concerns about Joe Bidens disastrous performance in the first round of presidential debates.

He did not acknowledge Bidens weak showing Thursday night or the avalanche of criticism that followed.

Multiple committee members on the call, most granted anonymity to talk about the private discussion, described feeling like they were being gaslighted  that they were being asked to ignore the dire nature of the partys predicament. The call, they said, may have worsened a widespread sense of panic among elected officials, donors and other stakeholders.

Instead, the people said, Harrison offered what they described as a rosy assessment of Bidens path forward. The chat function was disabled and there were no questions allowed.

01:58 PM BST

New York Times calls on Joe Biden to step down

The New York Times has called on Joe Biden to stand down from the presidential race and relinquish the Democratic nomination to a stronger candidate who would have a better chance of beating Donald Trump.

In an article by its editorial board, the Times accused Mr Biden of a reckless gamble in continuing his reelection bid after his disastrous appearance on the debate stage with Trump on Thursday night.

Mr Biden repeatedly struggled to deliver his lines, made factual mistakes and froze in response to moderator questions during the debate.

Read the full piece here.

01:47 PM BST

Joe Biden tells donors he won more voters than Trump during disastrous debate

Joe Biden has told donors that his debate performance converted more undecided voters than Donald Trump.

The US president admitted Saturday that he didnt have a great night during the first round of presidential debates, which he was roundly seen to have lost.

However, he claimed he had won over more voters than his Republican rival because people remembered the bad things which happened during Mr Trumps presidency.

Research during the debate shows us converting more undecided voters than Trump did, in large part because of his conduct on Jan 6, Mr Biden said Saturday at a fundraiser at New Jersey governor Phil Murphys home.

I didnt have a great night, but Im going to be fighting harder, Mr Biden added.

12:05 PM BST

European allies hope Democrats replace Biden to prevent Trump victory

European allies have expressed anxiety that Joe Bidens poor debate performance could mean victory for Donald Trump and reduction in US support for Ukraine.

The 81-year-old US president lost his train of thought and stumbled through Thursday nights debate, which contained relatively little discussion of foreign policy.

Mr Biden accused Trump of cosying up to dictators such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un, and boasted of bringing together an alliance of 50 nations to back Kyiv in the war with Russia.

Read the full piece here.

11:11 AM BST

US Supreme Courts slow pace on immunity makes Trump trial before election unlikely

Donald Trumps bid for criminal immunity from prosecution for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss is set to be decided on Monday by the US Supreme Court.

But however it rules, the court already has helped the former president in his effort to avoid trial before the November 5 election.

The ruling from the court, whose 6-3 conservative majority includes three justices appointed by Mr Trump, will be released 20 weeks after he sought relief from the justices.

The timeline of the ruling likely does not leave enough time for Special Counsel Jack Smith to try Mr Trump on the federal four-count indictment obtained last August and for a jury to reach a verdict before voters head to the polls.

The amount of delay that has resulted has made it almost impossible to get the case to trial before the election, said George Washington University law professor Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor. The court should have treated it with much more urgency than it did.

10:33 AM BST

Joe Biden given one week to stand down

Joe Biden has been told he has a week to win over Democrats or they will move to oust him after a disastrous performance in the first presidential debate, writes Tony Diver and Ben Riley-Smith.

Party donors and congressmen called on Mr Biden to abandon his run for re-election to the presidency after he fluffed his lines repeatedly and at one point froze completely during the first head-to-head debate of the 2024 election campaign.

In a shaky, hoarse voice, the 81-year-old launched attacks on Donald Trump and defended his policy record, pausing several times to repeat his sentences or correct himself.

Read the full piece here.

10:12 AM BST

Biden reassures big-money donors after debate debacle

Joe Biden attended a triple-header of campaign fundraisers Saturday, seeking to reassure high-dollar donors he can still win reelection in November despite a debate performance that sparked panic among many Democrats.

Accompanying the US president at the fundraisers in New York and New Jersey was First Lady Jill Biden, who has fiercely defended her 81-year-old husband amid calls for him to step aside.

The president is facing a wave of doubts following Thursday nights debate against Republican rival Donald Trump, after he frequently stumbled over his words and lost his train of thought - exacerbating fears about his age and mental acuity.

09:55 AM BST

Joe is the only person for the job, says Jill Biden

Jill Biden was right at her husbands side Saturday as they exited Air Force One to head for a pair of campaign stops at luxurious vacation homes on Long Island. And she got straight to the point when it was her turn to introduce the president at a tony fundraiser.

Joe isnt just the right person for the job. Hes the only person for the job, she declared.

The first lady also told donors, Anyone can tell you what they want to do, but Joe Biden can tell you what hes done with his judgment, his experience, and his relationships with leaders across the globe.

The first lady is trying to rally support for her husband after a dreadful performance in Thursdays presidential debate created fresh worries about President Joe Bidens age and his ability to compete in Novembers election and to serve another four years.
Republican Senator of South Carolina Lindsey Graham speaks to news media after first presidential election debate between in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA

South Carolinas Republican senator Lindsey Graham warned of retribution against Democrats amid Donald Trumps ongoing criminal cases.

In an interview with CNNs Dana Bash on Sunday, Graham, a staunch Trump ally, said without evidence, The Democrats keep calling president Trump a felon. Well, be careful what you wish for. I expect there will be an investigation of Bidens criminality at the border.

In May, Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in a historic criminal hush money trial that involved adult film star Stormy Daniels and Trumps attempts to influence the 2016 presidential elections.

Speaking to Bash, Graham continued: This country is going to have a reset here and using [Joe] Bidens standard of glorifying political prosecutions, a Pandoras box has been opened. Whether he steps down or not, accountability is coming to him.

Bash, who co-hosted the first presidential debate between Biden and Trump earlier this week, replied: Sir, you just warned of retribution.

In response, Graham said: Yeah. I warned that the Pandoras box opened by the Democrats is going to be applied here. The senator went on to point to the Biden administrations handling of the border crisis, saying, I think the criminality of the Biden border policy should be looked at.

He also pointed to the Democrat-led House select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection, saying, A January 6 committee looking at what happened on January 6, I hope therell be a committee looking at border policies that have led to the rape and murder of lots of Americans.

In Sundays interview, Graham also defended Trumps performance during Thursdays presidential debate in which Trump repeatedly lied while Biden stumbled through his words.

I thought he had a very good night At the end of the day, he was strong, he was clear, he was coherent, said Graham.

Bash went on to ask Graham if he felt comfortable with Trumps response to her question on whether he would accept the 2024 election results, regardless if he wins or not. During the debate, Trump said he will accept the results if they are fair and legal.

In response, Graham replied, Yeah, I mean, what are you supposed to say? You all accept it no matter if I thought I was cheated? Im not worried about him accepting the results of the election. Im worried about between now and November. Does Iran get a nuclear weapon because they think Joe Biden is so compromised, he is not going to do anything about it?

During Thursdays presidential debate, Bash and her co-host Jake Tapper took a hands-off approach in factchecking statements from Trump and Biden, which prompted criticisms towards CNN for letting false claims  mostly from Trump  go unchallenged.

Graham, nevertheless, hailed the network, telling Bash, You all did a good job. You let him talk. Youre not factcheckers. You let him talk.
Valdo Calocane, who is among dozens of convicted violent criminals allowed to claim state benefits - Nottinghamshire Police/PA Wire

The Nottingham killer Valdo Calocane is among dozens of convicted violent criminals in a secure hospital allowed to claim state benefits under a policy that Labour on Monday pledged to review.

Calocane, 32, is one of nearly 80 convicted killers, rapists and other violent criminals detained at Ashworth secure hospital in Merseyside who are able to claim thousands of pounds in universal credit and employment and support allowance, according to a Freedom of Information request by The Telegraph.

Responding to the request, the hospital that held Ian Brady, the Moors murderer, said it was standard practice for criminals like Calocane to get benefits because they had not been handed prison sentences and instead were treated as patients because of their mental disorder.

Unlike prisons where benefit claims are banned, the 390 a month universal credit payments enable convicted criminals to build up pots of thousands of pounds before release because their basic bed and board is already covered by the state.

The Nottingham attack victims - Nottinghamshire Police/PA

Over 20 years, that could amount to 93,000 at the current universal credit rate. One woman, Nicola Edgington, who killed her mother, got 8,000 in back payments in benefits on release after three years in a secure psychiatric unit. She then killed a woman with a butchers knife in a street in London.

Paranoid schizophrenic Calocane was originally charged with the murders of 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace OMalley-Kumar and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, but these were downgraded by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to manslaughter due to his diminished responsibility.

He got an indefinite hospital order instead of a prison sentence because he was judged to be in the grips of a severe psychotic episode during his killing spree on June 13 last year.

Attorney General Victoria Prentis secured a review of the unduly lenient sentence by the Court of Appeal, but the judges upheld the original ruling on the basis that there was no error in law. If it had been upgraded to a jail sentence, it would have barred Calocane from claiming benefits.

A Labour spokesman told The Telegraph: If we are privileged to come into power, Labour would urgently look at this case, including talking to the victims families.

Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby Webber was stabbed to death in Nottingham - Clara Molden for The Telegraph/Clara Molden for The Telegraph

It is understood work and pensions secretary Mel Stride was very concerned about the case and had also ordered a review of it.

Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby, speaking on behalf of three families, told The Telegraph it was absolutely disgraceful that killers such as Calocane could stockpile benefit money into his bank account whilst all of us fight on a daily basis to try and begin to rebuild our lives.

The criminal justice system in this country is broken and support offered to victims and their families is woefully inadequate at best. We support any incoming government to address these as a matter of urgency, she said.

Julian Hendy, from the Hundred Families charity, which supports families after mental health related homicides said: Its indefensible for convicted dangerous offenders who have committed the most serious of crimes to be rewarded with benefit payments.

Nicola Edgington - Metropolitan Police/PA

Its particularly wrong that such offenders can, over the years, accrue many thousands of pounds in taxpayer-funded payments when they have no expenses, whilst their victims struggle to access effective long-term care and support.

It is a slap in the face for bereaved families. Its not right and needs to change. We are calling on the new government to commit to correcting this wrong.

By our calculations many millions of pounds could be saved and much better spent on victim services or more assertive care for people with serious mental illness to prevent further, avoidable tragedies.

Len Hodkin, a lawyer, whose mother was killed by Edgington, now serving a life sentence, said: I would understand paying benefits if they were living in the community, but it cannot be right when they are being housed, fed and looked after in a secure hospital at taxpayers expense.
Polls show the Tories heading for a landmark defeat to Sir Keir Starmer's Labour - Stefan Rousseau/PA

Rishi Sunak has told voters that Vladimir Putin is hoping for a Labour victory as the general election campaign enters its final week.

Speaking to The Telegraph, the Prime Minister said the UKs staunch support for Ukraine meant that Russia does not want us to be re-elected.

In a final appeal to stave off a Labour super-majority, he also accused Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, of appeasing Moscow, and claimed that Sir Keir Starmer would cut defence spending on day one.

Mr Sunak said: The Conservatives have stood up to our adversaries to protect British interests and British values time and time again. We have stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine against Russian aggression, and we will keep doing so if re-elected.

It is clear from the evidence Russia does not want us to be re-elected. Putin would like nothing more than for Britain to step back, to appease his aggression rather than face it down, and that is what will happen with another party in power.

Nigel Farage has talked of appeasing Russia, which will only play into Putins hands, and Labour will cut UK defence spending on day one. This will embolden our enemies and send a signal to our allies that Britain is not with them any more. We cannot allow that to happen. Vote Conservative on July 4.

His last-minute intervention came amid reports that Russia was attempting to bolster Reforms prospects with a coordinated social media campaign.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation claimed to have uncovered a network of five Facebook pages spreading Kremlin talking points ahead of the election, with some encouraging support for Mr Farages party.

It is understood that Richard Holden, the Conservative chairman, has written to Simon Case, Britains top civil servant, and Sir Tim Barrow, the national security adviser, urging them to investigate.

Polls show the Tories heading for a landmark defeat. They go into Thursdays election 20 points behind Labour, and face being reduced to just 100 seats. The intervention is a sign of a change of policy at Conservative headquarters, moving from ignoring the threat posed by Reform to attacking Mr Farages party.

On Saturday night, the Reform leader was embarrassed by a stunt from Led by Donkeys, a campaign group, when a banner featuring a smiling Putin and the phrase I [heart] Nigel dropped down behind him on stage.

Mr Farage dismissed claims that Russian-inspired bots were interfering in the election as cobblers.

The Tories are also keen to highlight what they see as Labours failings on defence. Although Sir Keirs party has pledged to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of national income, it has not  unlike the Conservatives  put a date on it.

Interviewed by the BBCs Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, Pat McFadden, Labours election coordinator, was unable to explain why the party had not made the commitment on defence but had done so on other issues.

Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, warned voters of buyers remorse if they allowed a Labour election victory, telling Sky News: What I would say is just think, think in six months time how youre going to feel. I have a strong feeling the shine is going to come off Labour pretty quickly.

The buyers remorse will set in, and the bigger the Labour majority, the bigger the buyers remorse. Everyone still has it in their hands to stop that. Mark my words  dogs bark, cats meow, Labour put up taxes.

Mr Dowden went on to say the alleged Facebook plot was a classic example of Russian interference, adding that hostile state actors  with Russia as a prime example  had been attempting to influence the outcome of the election.

Asked whether he was accusing Putin of backing Mr Farage, he told Sunday With Trevor Phillips, on Sky News: There is a threat in all elections  and indeed we see it in this election  from hostile state actors seeking to influence the outcome of the election campaign. Russia is a prime example of this, and this is a classic example from the Russian playbook.

The pages uncovered by ABC, with a combined following of 190,000, are said to bear the hallmarks of a Russian influence operation.

The broadcaster said they featured criticism of several political parties including the Conservatives and Labour, with some expressing support for Mr Farage and two reportedly describing him as the peoples champion.

On Monday, Mr Sunak will warn that an unchecked Labour government would be a disaster from which it would take decades to recover.

Speaking at a rally, he will say: We have four days to save Britain from a Labour government. Labour would hike taxes by more than 2,000 for every working family, would shunt our politics to the Left and change the rules to ensure that they can stay in power for decades.

If they get the kind of majority, the super-majority that the polls suggest, they will set about entrenching themselves in power. They will rewrite the rules to make it easier for them to stay in office and harder for anyone to replace them. So dont surrender your voice to Labour on Thursday.

I tell you this  once you have handed Keir Starmer and Labour a blank cheque, you wont be able to get it back. 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.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir will embark on a three-day tour of the country in a final bid to persuade voters to back Labour. Mr McFadden said: This week, people across the country face a clear choice  five more years of chaos with the Conservatives, or Keir Starmers changed Labour Party offering to turn the page and start to rebuild.

If people dont want to wake up on July 5 to five more years of economic chaos, to wake up knowing that all the future offers is the same as the recent Tory past, then they have to vote Labour and vote for change on Thursday. Change will only come if you vote Labour on July 4.
Nigel Farage addresses a Reform rally at the NEC centre in Birmingham on Sunday - Jeff Gilbert for the Telegraph

This blog is now closed. Follow todays General Election updates in our latest live blog

A Reform UK candidate has stepped down and endorsed the Conservatives, accusing Nigel Farage of failing to fundamentally address allegations of racism and sexism in the party.

Liam Booth-Isherwood, who was standing in Erewash, said on Sunday he was suspending his campaign and backing Maggie Throup, the Tory candidate, in order to stop Labour.

The Conservatives seized on the resignation, saying that if 130,000 people intending to vote Reform switched to back the Tories, it would be enough to stop Labours super-majority.

In a statement, Mr Booth-Isherwood said he had become increasingly disillusioned with Reforms conduct, which he suggested pointed to a significant moral issue in its ranks.

He accused the partys leaders of failing to fundamentally address reports of widespread racism and sexism that have plagued Reform in recent days, with one canvasser secretly recorded calling Rishi Sunak a f---ing p--- in a racial slur.

Because nominations for the July 4 election have closed, Mr Booth-Isherwood will still appear on the ballot paper.

He said: Over the past few weeks, I have been increasingly disillusioned with the behaviour and conduct of Reform.

Whilst I have campaigned alongside many decent, honest and hard-working people during the course of the general election campaign in Erewash, the reports of widespread racism and sexism in Reform have made clear that there is a significant moral issue within certain elements of the party.

The failure of the partys leadership to not only take this matter seriously, but also to fundamentally address it, has made clear to me that this is no longer a party I want to be associated with. As a result, I am announcing my endorsement of the Conservative Party candidate, Maggie Throup, for Erewash. Only she can stop Labour.

Mr Booth-Isherwood had previously said he was disillusioned with the Conservatives and that Reform better represents the values I wish to campaign on.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: If just 130,000 voters like him, currently considering a vote for Reform or Liberal Democrat, voted Conservative it would be enough to stop Labours super-majority, which means higher taxes and an illegal immigration amnesty.

There is no doubt only a vote for the Conservatives can prevent an unaccountable majority for Labour and the ruin this would bring for the country.

It came as Mr Farage dismissed claims that Russian-inspired bots were interfering in the election as cobblers, having been targeted by a Vladmir Putin-themed stunt at a campaign rally on Saturday.

Mr Farage was caught off guard at the event in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, when a banner showing a smiling Mr Putin dropped down behind him on stage.

The Reform leader asked: Who put that up there? and said someone at the venue should get the sack after the poster  planted by Led By Donkeys, a campaign group  slowly descended from the ceiling as he spoke.

On Sunday, he batted away the suggestion that Moscow was attempting to influence the vote on July 4 after an Australian broadcaster claimed to have uncovered a network of five coordinated Facebook pages spreading Kremlin talking points ahead of the election, with some encouraging support for Reform.

Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, said the alleged plot to boost Reforms performance was a classic example of Russian interference.

But asked whether he was aware of any interference from Russian-inspired bots, Mr Farage told Sunday with Trevor Phillips on Sky News: Oh, dont talk cobblers.

It is understood that Richard Holden, the Tory chairman, has written to Simon Case, the UKs top civil servant, and Sir Tim Barrow, the national security adviser, demanding to know how the Cabinet Office plans to investigate.

06:59 PM BST

Todays live coverage has ended.

Todays live coverage has ended. Heres a roundup of the days events:

A Reform candidate stepped down and endorsed the Conservatives, citing reports of racism and sexism in Nigel Farages party.

Nigel Farage addressed a 5,000 strong Reform UK rally in Birmingham.

Rishi Sunak said he still believes he can win the general election.

The Prime Minister said Britain is a better place to live now than it was when the Tories came to power in 2010.

Kemi Badenoch said meeting former Tory voters voting for Reform breaks my heart.

06:23 PM BST

Pictured: Ed Davey does aqua aerobics in Cheltenham

Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, winces as he takes part in an aqua aerobics session at Sandford Parks Lido in Cheltenham - Dinendra Haria/LNP/London News Pictures Ltd

Sir Ed Davey takes part in a water aerobics class as he visits Sandford Parks Lido during campaigning for the General Election - Matthew Horwood/Getty Images Europe

06:17 PM BST

Switch to Conservatives and stop Labour supermajority, say Tories

The Conservative Party has said that if 130,000 people intending to vote Reform switched to back the Tories it would be enough to stop Labours supermajority.

A spokesman said: [Liam] Booth-Isherwood knows a vote for Reform is a vote for Keir Starmer.

If just 130,000 voters like him currently considering a vote for Reform or Liberal Democrat voted Conservative, it would be enough to stop Labours supermajority which means higher taxes and an illegal immigration amnesty.

There is no doubt, only a vote for the Conservatives can prevent an unaccountable majority for Labour, and the ruin this would bring for the country.

Liam Booth-Isherwood was the Reform UK candidate for Erewash but said on Sunday that he has stepped down and endorsed the Conservatives, citing reports of racism and sexism within Nigel Farages party.

05:44 PM BST

Pictured: Rishi Sunak visits a north London synagogue

Rishi Sunak speaks during a visit to Machzike Hadath Synagogue in Golders Green, London, while on the General Election campaign trail - James Manning/PA

Rishi Sunak greets locals during a visit to Machzike Hadath Synagogue in Golders Green, London - James Manning/PA

Rishi Sunak speaks with local children during a visit to a bakery in Golders Green - James Manning/Pool PA

05:29 PM BST

Channel 4 refutes Farages claim that racism incident was a set up

Channel 4 has refuted Nigel Farages claim that the Reform racism incident was set up and a smear campaign.

A spokesperson for Channel 4 News said: We strongly stand by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for itself.

We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser.

We did not pay the Reform UK canvasser or anyone else in this report. Mr Parker was not known to Channel 4 News and was filmed covertly via the undercover operation.

The row came after the broadcaster released undercover footage of Andrew Parker, a Reform canvasser, referring to the Prime Minister with a racial slur.

Mr Farage has claimed the man was a professional actor and had worked with Channel 4 in the past.

05:17 PM BST

Sunak: I will be steadfast in standing by Israel

Rishi Sunak has vowed to stand by Israel on the international stage if he is re-elected.

Speaking during a visit to Machzike Hadath Synagogue in Golders Green, the Prime Minister said: I will be steadfast in standing by Israel.

Mr Sunak expressed solidarity with hostages taken during the October 7 attacks on southern Israel and said: I say loudly, and I know that you will join me, bring them home.

The Prime Minister also said there had been a shocking increase in antisemitism here in our country since the October 7 attacks.

This antisemitism is a sickness and I am determined to confront it, he added.

05:03 PM BST

Pictured: Liam Booth-Isherwood, who has defected from Reform to the Conservatives

Liam Booth-Isherwood, who was standing for Reform UK in Erewash, is now supporting the Conservatives amid reports of racism and sexism within the Reform party - Reform UK

04:54 PM BST

Labour is fiercely hostile to immigration, says SNP leader

John Swinney, the SNP leader, said the Labour Partys approach towards immigration is fiercely hostile, and called for urgent clarity from the party to set out its immigration plans for Scotland.

Mr Swinney said: There are some newspaper reports that the Labour Party is proposing some sort of immigration scheme for Scotland.

I would welcome such discussions - I think we need urgent clarity from the Labour Party if that actually is their position because at a UK level, the UK leadership of the Labour Party is fiercely hostile to immigration and are following the agenda of the Conservatives.

04:01 PM BST

Starmer would be first PM in 14 years that cares about Scotland, Scottish Labour leader says

Sir Keir Starmer would be the first prime minister in 14 years that is invested in Scotland, the Scottish Labour Party leader said.

Anas Sarwas also claimed that some Scots were attracted to the SNP because they believe the Conservatives dont care about the country.

I know that we will have a prime minister for the first time in 14 years that understands Scotland and cares about Scotland, Mr Sarwar said.

Its one of the reasons why so many people have been driven towards the SNP and independence as theyve looked at Tory governments and thought these people dont care about us  theyre not delivering for us, he added.

Mr Sarwar campaigned in West Dunbartonshire on Sunday, where he met stallholders and admired Scotch pies and local cheese.

03:41 PM BST

Our relationship with America is absolutely key, Farage says

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, has said Britains relationship with America is essential and accused Labour of wanting to take the UK away from Nato and into a European defence union.

Just as Mrs May wanted to do, Labour will take us into the European defence union, taking us closer to that and further away from Nato, Mr Farage said.

Many of these things are not even being discussed in this general election, he added.

On a television interview with Trevor Phillips on Sunday morning, Mr Farage said that there had been no debate about foreign policy during the election period.

He expressed admiration for Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for Novembers US election, because he said Mr Trump had signed the Abraham Accords and had not launched a foreign war when he was in office between 2017 and 2021.

03:07 PM BST

Farage reiterates criticism of first past the post

Nigel Farage has reiterated his criticism of Britains first past the post voting system.

He said: I know that under the electoral system things are tough - were likely to get fewer seats for the number of votes should deserve - but get seats next Thursday we will, believe it, it is going to happen.

Well likely to see a Labour Party with, you know, not a particularly high share of the vote but a massive number of seats.

The Reform UK leader also described postal voting as potentially corrupt and said his party was also committed to getting rid of the unelected House of Lords in their current form.

02:35 PM BST

Pictured: John Swinney on the campaign trail

SNP Leader John Swinney in Paisley where he met activists and supporters. - Wattie Cheung

01:58 PM BST

Farage: Reform will campaign for the abolition of the BBC licence fee

Reform UK will campaign for the abolition of the BBC licence fee, Nigel Farage announced to a crowd of 5,000 supporters at a rally in Birmingham.

Mr Farage said that his final straw with the BBC came because he faced what he alleged was a biased Question Time special audience on Friday.

I dont expect the first questioner to be somebody who has produced eight separate BBC programmes over the last year, including Doctor Who, which I used to love and theyve completely ruined, the Reform leader said.

He also pointed to the third questioner, who Mr Farage said was a known Palestinian activist.

Mr Farage asked the crowd if anyone thought the Question Time audience was representative of the British public.

No, was the response.

The BBC has refuted Mr Farages claims that the Question Time audience was rigged.

01:43 PM BST

Its not a change of government, its a change of middle management

More from Nigel Farage in Birmingham, who has just described a potential Labour election win as a change of middle management.

Theyre very happy for Keir to take over from Rishi because its not actually a change of government, its a change of middle management, Mr Farage said.

The idea that Labour represents change is for the birds.

Its gunna be more of the same, just perhaps a little bit less competent than the Conservatives  if you can even believe that is possible.

01:35 PM BST

Pictured: Farage takes the stage in Birmingham

Nigel Farage addresses a 5,000-strong crowd at the NEC centre in Birmingham - Jeff Gilbert/Jeff Gilbert

01:32 PM BST

Britain is in societal decline, Farage says

Nigel Farage is addressing a Reform party rally in Birmingham now.

Entering the stage flanked by fireworks, Mr Farage said he could not stand aside with the country in societal decline.

Explaining his return to politics, the Reform UK leader said Britain was a country that has forgotten what it is. A country that has forgotten where we come from.

A country that doesnt seem to value our culture, our inheritance and what we wish to pass on to our children, he added.

01:21 PM BST

1 in 30 people in the UK have arrived since Sunak became PM, Farage says

Nigel Farage has said that one in 30 people in the country have arrived since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister.

Shortly after taking the stage at a Reform rally in Birmingham, Mr Farage criticised the Conservative record on tax and immigration.

Mr Farage said: I couldnt stand aside and be lied to for the fifth manifesto in a row.

They put the tax burden up to the highest its been since 1948.

Under Rishi Sunaks premiership weve let in two and a half million people in the last two years alone. Think about it: one in 30 people in this country has come in since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister.

01:04 PM BST

Net zero is madness, says Richard Tice

Richard Tice, the chairman of Reform UK, has said that net zero is madness.

Taking the stage at a Reform rally in Birmingham, Mr Tice said net zero is making us poorer, its killing our jobs, its killing our industries, its killing our economy - its an absolute piece of madness.

Its the greatest act of financial self harm ever imposed on a nation by the wallies in Westminster, he added.

12:53 PM BST

I can still win the general election, Sunak says

The Tories can still win the election despite languishing in the polls, Rishi Sunak has said.

Asked whether he thought he would still be Prime Minister on Friday, Mr Sunak said: Yes. Im fighting very hard and I think people are waking up to the real danger of what a Labour government means.

Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the Prime Minister also hit out at what he described as a declinist narrative.

He said it was completely and utterly wrong to suggest Britains standing has diminished since Brexit, claiming people are queuing up to work with us because they respect what we do.

Mr Sunak cited building new nuclear submarines with Australia and the United States, negotiating the Windsor Framework with the EU and the UKs support for Ukraine.

12:26 PM BST

Watch: Reform NEC rally live

12:12 PM BST

Nothing can be done for those who have not received postal ballots

John Swinney, the Scottish First Minister, said there was nothing that can be done about postal ballots that have not yet arrived for voters who are now not in the country.

If postal votes cannot be filled out and returned on time, Mr Swinney said some people will be disenfranchised.

There are no other proxy arrangements that can be put in place, but I think its illustrative of the fact there was no thought given to summer school holidays, he added.

Postal votes have not been delivered on time in a string of seats. The crisis has been caused by councils not printing enough ballot papers and Royal Mail not delivering them on time, the Telegraph understands.

The problem has been particularly acute in Scotland, as the election takes place during the Scottish school summer holidays when many voters will be overseas.

12:00 PM BST

Pictured: Heres Nigel - Reform supporters take seats ahead of rally in Birmingham

Nigel Farage supporters take seats ahead of Reform UK's rally at the NEC in Birmingham - Hollie Adams/REUTERS

11:41 AM BST

Badenoch: Meeting former Tory voters voting for Reform breaks my heart

Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary, said that meeting former Conservative voters on the doorstep who have declared they will vote reform breaks my heart.

When I knock on doors, I am meeting former Conservative voters who are voting Reform and it breaks my heart, Ms Badenoch told GB News.

Expanding on her statement, Ms Badenoch said that voters who have switched allegiances to Reform will not get what they think they will get.

She also said that she shared voters frustrations, but that the Conservatives had managed to stop much bad stuff happening behind the scenes.

People have no idea, she added, and said Conservative ministers intervened when Nigel Farages bank account was closed by NatWest.

11:22 AM BST

Watch: Nigel Farage speech interrupted by Putin banner

Nigel Farages speech at the Columbine Centre in Walton on the Naze was interrupted on Saturday when a banner of Vladimir Putin descended slowly from the ceiling.

The banner showed a picture of the Russian president with the words I (heart emoji) Nigel written underneath.

Led by Donkeys, an anti-Brexit campaign group, said it was responsible for the stunt.

10:49 AM BST

Farage: Russian interference claims are cobblers

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, has said claims that bots generated by foreign state agents are interfering with the UKs general election are cobblers.

Speaking on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Mr Farage said dont talk cobblers when Mr Phillips asked him if probably Russian-inspired bots were interfering with the election.

Earlier, Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, said he had grave concerns that alleged Russian bots were boosting Reform UK.

Mr Dowden was responding to claims by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that it had uncovered a suspected Russian influence operation.

09:48 AM BST

Sunak: We will cut taxes for people at every stage of their lives

More from Rishi Sunak on BBC One as he vowed that a vote for the Conservatives means a vote for lower taxes.

We will continue to cut taxes for people at every stage of their lives, giving them the financial security that they rightly want and deserve after what has been a difficult few years, the Prime Minister told Laura Kuenssberg.

None of those things are gunna be made any easier by a Labour government that would whack up everyones taxes by thousands of pounds.

Well continue cutting taxes for everyone in work. Well continue cutting taxes for those who are self-employed, setting up their own businesses, taking that risk.

09:37 AM BST

Britain is a better place now than in 2010, Sunak says

Britain is a better place to live now than it was in 2010, when the Conservative Party came to power, Rishi Sunak has said.

Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg on BBC One, the Prime Minister listed education as one of the areas in which Britain had improved.

Mr Sunak said: Thanks to the reforms of the Conservative government, our schoolchildren are now the best readers in the Western world.

Nine out of ten schools are good or outstanding - a huge improvement compared to what we inherited.

Where Labour are in charge of education in Wales, you havent seen that improvement, Mr Sunak added.

09:20 AM BST

Dowden deeply saddened by Reform UK canvassers racial slur

Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, said he was deeply saddened by the use of racial slur by a Reform UK canvasser to describe Rishi Sunak.

He added that he felt heartened that politicians from across the spectrum had united to condemn the language.

I grew up in the 1980s, and I thought the p-word was long behind us, Mr Dowden told Skys Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme.

Naturally, Ive been quite heartened by the fact that political parties from across the spectrum have come together to condemn the hurt not just felt by the Prime Minister but felt by the Prime Ministers family as well, Mr Dowden said.

The comments come after Sir Keir Starmer backed Rishi Sunaks response to the Reform racism row, saying he thought Mr Sunaks words were very powerful and that he shares the disgust at the language used.

Mr Sunak had said the row left him hurt and angry.

To know my girls may have heard their dad be called a f---ing p--- by someone campaigning for Reform is shocking. We are better than that as a country, the Prime Minister added.

09:08 AM BST

Labour vote share falls to lowest in more than two years

Labours vote share has fallen to its lowest level in more than two years ahead of the general election, new polling shows.

Support for the party dropped by four percentage points in the space of a week following Sir Keir Starmers final head-to-head debate with Rishi Sunak and increased scrutiny of his policies.

A poll of 2,092 adults by Savanta for The Telegraph, conducted between Wednesday and Thursday, saw the firm record the lowest Labour support since January 2022 as the gap between Labour and the Conservatives dropped to 17 percentage points.

You can read the full story here.
Marine Le Pen speaking as the results came in from the first round of voting in the snap election - Cyril Marcilhacy

There is no doubt that the outcome of the first round of voting in Frances general election is a huge slap in the face for Emmanuel Macron.

The French presidents party is languishing in third place and his political gamble  to call a snap vote after being trounced in European elections  now appears a misguided act of pique.

Sunday night was also a major victory for Marine Le Pens National Rally (RN), which clearly came first in terms of votes, at around 33-34 per cent, an all-time record.

However, round two of this lightning contest  on July 7  is still far from an electoral slam dunk for the hard Right.

Firstly, the Left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance  a mix of hard-Leftists, Socialists, Greens and Communists  fared strongly on Sunday, approaching 30 per cent, while Mr Macrons Together coalition was way back in third place, on around 20 per cent.

And while some pollsters forecast that an absolute majority of 289 seats could be within the RNs grasp, such predictions appear hazardous at best, for one simple reason.

Historically most second-round run-offs in French parliamentary elections are between two finalists, namely any candidate who gains more than 12.5 per cent of the registered vote.

But this time there will be a record number of triangular three-way run-offs in round two, at least 243 out of 577 constituencies.

Edouard Philippe, the leader of the Right-wing Horizons party - Alain ROBERT/SIPA/Shutterstock

What will now follow is a complex game of horse-trading and tactical voting.

The situation is relatively simple for the RN, whose only allies are renegade members of the conservative Republicans party who broke ranks with most of the movement to forge an alliance with the Le Pen camp.

But when it comes to all the other parties, the question is, who is prepared to step down for who, and that remained deeply unclear on Sunday night.

Republicans unallied to Ms Le Pen gave no guidance.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, volcanic figurehead of the France Unbowed, LFI, part of the Left-wing alliance, announced that its candidates would systematically step down if in third place in round one and call for voters to back any candidate against RN.

His Socialist allies issued the same call, while the pro-Macron centre was more nuanced.

Edouard Philippe, a Right-wing former prime minister and part of Mr Macrons Together alliance, refused to be categorical, calling on voters to block both RN and Mr Melenchons LFI party.

In other words, he made a distinction between the Melenchon extremists and the rest of the Left-wing alliance, which has divvied up constituencies across the country.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the firebrand leader of the hard-Left LFI - DIMITAR DILKOFF

For his part, Mr Macron was even hazier, saying he hoped to forge a large, clearly democratic and republican rally for the second round.

His prime minister Gabriel Attal later made it clear his party would desist if in third place in round two on a case-by-case basis.

He may be on the ropes, but Mr Macron clearly still hopes that the French will come to their senses and vote intelligently for centre-ground candidates whenever possible, raising the small but not impossible prospect of him forging a coalition within parliament to keep out both the National Rally and the hard-Left.

As France has found out to its dismay, the President is fond of gambling with the countrys future.

This latest bet may have the longest odds of all  and end in him being a lame duck for the next three years alongside the first hard-Right government since the Second World War.
Douglas Ross at First Minister's Questions at Holyrood, where he will give up his seat if elected to Westminster - SST/Alamy Live News

Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, has warned voters in the battleground seat he is fighting that backing Reform UK will lead to an SNP victory there.

John Swinney, the First Minister, is to visit the key Aberdeenshire North and Moray East seat on Monday, and Mr Ross said this showed he knew the constituency would be a close battle between the Conservatives and SNP.

The Scottish Tory leader told The Telegraph that voters backing Nigel Farages Reform UK would lead to the SNP winning this seat by the back door in the knife-edge fight.

Mr Ross faced an outcry when he replaced David Duguid as the Tory candidate for the seat. Mr Duguid, a former Scotland Office minister, was deselected over concerns about his health, but has insisted he would have won the seat from his hospital bed.

The row prompted the SNP to upgrade Aberdeenshire North and Moray East to a tier one target, pouring extra resources into it in an effort to defeat Mr Ross.

In a further blow to the Scottish Tory leader, a poll in the Sunday Times has put Scottish support for Reform at eight per cent.

Internal report warns of loss of three Tory seats

Although it is not enough to win Mr Farages party a seat north of the border, Sir John Curtice, Britains leading polling expert warned: Nevertheless, it is a big threat to Conservative hopes of retaining their six seats in Scotland.

The Tories are fighting the SNP in all six seats they won in the 2019 election, three in the North East and three in the Scottish Borders.

They are also trying to take six SNP-held seats, including Gordon and Buchan in Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross-shire and Angus and Perthshire Glens.

But an internal party report has warned the Scottish Tories could end up with only three seats if Reform hives off some of their support, with the SNP taking the others.

John Swinney, the SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland, campaigning in Paisley on Sunday - Wattie Cheung

On Monday, Mr Swinney will visit Peterhead fish market in the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency to campaign alongside Seamus Logan, the SNP candidate.

The first minister has claimed he will have a mandate to open negotiations with the next UK government for an independence referendum if the SNP wins 29 seats, a majority of the 57 being contested in Scotland on Thursday.

It has also emerged that at least three Reform candidates, including the one in Gordon and Buchan, have previously supported independence.

Every vote here will matter

Mr Ross, who is standing down as Scottish Tory leader after the election and has said he will give up his Holyrood seat if elected to Westminster, said Aberdeenshire North and Moray East was a straight fight between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP.

He said: Every vote here will matter and John Swinney knows this as well as I do, which is why he is here just a few days before the election.

A vote for Reform or any other party  or not voting at all  on Thursday risks the SNP winning this seat by the back door.

Urging voters to support him, he said the Tories could beat the SNP, end their independence obsession for good and ensure the focus moves on to the real priorities of people and communities across Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.

A series of polls has indicated that the SNP will lose well over half the 48 seats it won in the 2019 election, with Labour re-emerging as Scotlands largest Westminster party.

Mr Swinney told BBC Scotlands Sunday Show that he would still have a mandate for independence from the 2021 Holyrood election, despite the SNPs failure to win a majority.

But he struggled to explain why this would trump the mandate Labour would have to deny him a referendum if Sir Keir Starmers party wins a majority of Scottish seats in this weeks general election.

Swinney knows he wont have mandate, says Salmond

Alex Salmond, the former first minister and Alba Party leader, tweeted that he had watched the interview and he knew Mr Swinney very well.

My conclusion is that hes already mentally accepted that he wont have a mandate for anything after Thursday, which is why he tracks back to the 2021 Scottish election mandate, Mr Salmond said.

Thats not the SNPs strongest suit since they did nothing with it. For John, this current election is now about political positioning following defeat.
A still from the police bodycam footage said to show Nyah Mway pointing the replica gun - Reuters

New York police have shot dead a 13-year-old boy who was carrying a replica handgun only capable of firing pellets.

A video released late on Saturday showed an officer in upstate New York fatally shooting the boy, who had been tackled to the ground. Police said he pointed the replica gun at officers.

The teen was killed a little after 10pm local time on Friday (3am BST on Saturday) in Utica city, about 240 miles north-west of Manhattan. He was one of two youths stopped by officers in connection with an armed robbery.

Both 13, they matched descriptions of the suspects and were in the same area at around the same time the following day, police said. One was also walking in the road, a violation of state traffic law.

Police said they wanted to speak to the two boys about a robbery - Reuters

The body-worn camera video released by police captured an officer saying he needed to search the boys to ensure they didnt have any weapons in their possession.

Immediately, one of the two, identified by police as Nyah Mway, ran away. A still from the video prepared by the police appears to show Mway pointing the gun at the pursuing officers while running.

Officers thought gun real

Police also edited the video to insert a red circle around the weapon to highlight it for viewers. The officers believed it was a real handgun, police said, but it was later determined to be a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine.

During a ground struggle with the teen, one of the officers fired a single shot that struck the boy in the chest, Mark Williams, chief of Utica police, said.

Mway was given immediate first aid by the officers and taken to Wynn Hospital, where he died, Mr Williams added.

A still from the police bodycam footage said to show Nyah Mway - Reuters

The replica gun carried by the teen is in all aspects a realistic appearing firearm with Glock markings, signatures, detachable magazine, and serial numbers, Lieut Michael Curley, a police spokesman, said via email.

However, ultimately it fires only pellets or BBs [ball bearings], Lieut Curley added. A video posted to Facebook by a bystander showed one of the officers chasing after Mway and tackling him to the ground.

It also showed the officer punching the teen as two other officers arrived. A gunshot rang out as the teen was on the ground and the officers quickly stood up.

The officer who fired his gun was identified as Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran of the force. He and his fellow officers Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti have been placed on administrative leave with pay.
Sinn Fein wants to maximise the number of progressive MPs returned from Northern Ireland in this years General Election, vice president Michelle ONeill has said.

The party is running 14 candidates, standing aside in East Belfast, North Down and Lagan Valley where Alliance is challenging unionists, as well as South Belfast where the SDLP is hoping to return to the green benches.

Ms ONeill said it had not been an easy decision to stand aside in the four constituencies but said the party wants to see a rejection of those who had propped up the last Conservative government.

First Minister Michelle ONeill, who is vice president of Sinn Fein, speaks with PA Media at Parliament Buildings at Stormont (Liam McBurney/PA)

It comes after the DUP maintained a close relationship with the Conservatives, including taking part in a confidence and supply deal in 2017 following the return of a hung parliament.

We want this election to return the maximum number of progressive candidates, Ms ONeill told the PA news agency.

The maximum number of MPs that want to make politics work here at home, the maximum number of MPs that reject Tory austerity and the cuts that have decimated our public services for the past 14 years, and also to reject those people that actually propped up the Tories throughout that tenure, so that we set aside in those constituencies to actually make space for that progressive candidate to come through.

Sinn Fein won seven seats at the last general election in 2019.

This year, Ms ONeill said the party is hoping to maintain the seven and potentially build its vote.

The party is targeting gains including attempting to win Foyle over SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.

This General Election comes after a disappointing showing for Sinn Fein in the Republic of Ireland where it was widely seen as the government in waiting, but suffered a major setback when its support in the European and local government elections dropped well below what was projected.

Ms ONeill said she does not expect any repeat of that disappointment north of the border.

She said: Obviously, we didnt realise our full ambition in the south but we did make some gains.

Weve work to do there, and well do that, and well regroup and be back in time to fight the next contest in the south but I dont think its having any sort of link into here.

People know this is a Westminster election, and they know that July 4 is about politics here in the north, for making politics work in the north, for that strong leadership and for positive change.

Ms ONeill also rejected criticism over Sinn Fein MPs continuing their long-held policy of not taking their seats at Westminster, insisting the party makes a difference.

Michelle ONeill at Parliament Buildings at Stormont (Liam McBurney/PA).

Sinn Fein MPs work very hard for the constituencies, and people know that whenever they vote for a Sinn Fein MP, that theyre getting that hard-working local MP, she said.

They also know that theyre getting the all-island team that Sinn Fein represents, in the local Executive here, with having the First Minister and other ministers also in the Dail in Dublin, in London and in the United States and now in Europe, with their two MEPs, no other party in the North has two MEPs.

So that strong representation where it counts actually is making the difference. The finest examples I can point to in that regard are Brexit and the international support that we got for protection of the Good Friday Agreement and the Brexit position was borne out.

Also, on a more local basis, our finance minister Caoimhe Archibald knocking on the door of the Treasury has been able to make strong advances in terms of the funding arrangement that we have for the North.

That shows that Sinn Fein can make a difference in terms of going directly to the door of the Treasury or the prime minister of the day in the aftermath of this election.

Westminster has shown that they never have and never will act in our interests.

So I think that people understand that their fortunes are best served by politics working here at home and I think thats the message that certainly I engage with people on the doors, day and daily.

In terms of the next government in London, Ms ONeill said Sinn Fein would hope to build a good relationship with Labour if it wins the election.

I know from the Labour manifesto that they talk about public services and the need to improve public services here so thats something that clearly (we) would want to work with Labour on, she said.

Also, we need to advance the conversation around how were funded, how our public services are funded, and weve made some progress there, but I think weve more to do so that would be the day one conversation for Labour.

We would expect that we would want to build a better relationship with Labour, for the good of all the people that live here.
Sophie Rundle says she is riding a heavenly wave of perfect love following the birth of her second child.

The British actress, known for playing Thomas Shelbys sister Ada Thorne in BBC gangster saga Peaky Blinders and Anne Listers love interest, Ann Walker, in BBC drama Gentleman Jack, shared a photo of her new son relaxing against her chest.

Rundle wrote on Instagram: Hes here. I am fully ready and expecting to nosedive off the hormonal cliff edge at any moment but for now I am riding this heavenly wave of perfect love.

I only want to stay in this bed, tending to my exhausted happy bones, sniffing his delicious head and grandly announcing that he is wearing an archival look from the 2021 collection everytime I put him in one of his brothers old baby grows. (I am perhaps a tad delirious at this point.) Oh wow, the love the love the love.

Rundle also thanked Stroud Maternity Hospital for bringing him here so safely and happily and for looking after us so expertly, we are so grateful.

She is in a relationship with actor Matt Stokoe, known for fantasy series Cursed, true crime drama The Hunt For Raoul Moat and superhero show Misfits.

They reportedly met on the set of the period drama Jamestown, set shortly after the British colony of the same name was founded in the 17th century.

The couple had their first child in 2021.
TikTok suspended the livestream of a Reform UK rally for around half an hour on Sunday, the social media platform has confirmed.

The temporary suspension of the stream on Reform UK leader Nigel Farages account was due to a moderation error, a spokesperson for the site said.

His access to TikToks Live feature has since been restored.

Mr Farage addressed thousands of Reform UK supporters at Birminghams National Exhibition Centre on Sunday afternoon, along with other members of the party.

People complained that the livestream cut out as Reform UK politician Ann Widdecombe addressed the crowd.

Ann Widdecombe speaking during a Reform UK General Election campaign launch (Lucy North/PA)

During her speech, the former Brexit Party MEP and Conservative MP said Mr Farages party would bring common sense back to Britain and get rid of woke.

She told thousands of Reform supporters: We stand for two words above all  common sense.

After accusing the Tories of putting all their eggs in the Rwanda basket without a plan B, Ms Widdecombe said there was no reason why Reform UK should not form the official opposition following Thursdays poll.

These next four days are crucial, she said, adding that she had heard more common sense in the last five years than in her previous 55 years in the Conservative Party.

A spokesperson for TikTok said: Nigel Farage has had their access to Live restored after a temporary suspension (less than 30 mins) due to a moderation error.

More than 40,000 people work alongside technology to keep TikTok safe, and this includes dedicated teams and detection models to moderate Lives in real time.

We continue to invest heavily in training technology and human moderators to detect, review, and remove harmful content.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) blasted some Democrats who have vowed to not support President Biden over his handling over the war in Gaza during an appearance on Fox News Sunday.

Host Shannon Bream asked Fetterman whether he was worried that the Abandon Biden movement may affect Bidens ability to consolidate support within his own base. She noted that many progressives have differed from Fettermans stance on Israel, including the Abandon Biden movement that calls for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Fetterman said those who dont support Biden will be helping former President Trump.

And that that whole abandon Biden thing, its the  thats the dumbest s Ive ever heard, he said Sunday. I mean, if you are more inclined to vote for a Democrat or be a Democrat, if youre willing to walk away from Joe Biden, youre, by defecting, helping Trump, and thats really it.

And they want to play with that kind of fire, they better earn that burn. And now, especially because people now have turned their backs on Joe Biden, now its going to mean, sure, that everyone, its going to be an all hands on the deck, he added later on.

Fetterman has also blasted Democrats calling on Biden to end his reelection bid after Thursdays poor debate performance, advising people on Friday morning to chill the f out.

Fetterman has been a strong supporter of Israel since the onset of the war. He met last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said that his country had no better friend than the Pennsylvania Democrat.

Fetterman said it was an honor to spend time with Netanyahu.

I mean, Ive had the opportunity to meet everybody, and remind everybody that we need to stand with Israel throughout all of this, and its going to get more and more difficult, he said.

He also reiterated his calls to bring back all of the hostages, saying he cant possibly support a deal for peace before Hamas is effectively neutralized.

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.
'Im gonna absolutely lose my mind': Carnival canceled this Kentucky womans $15K cruise without telling her  and didnt offer a refund. How to make sure this doesnt happen to you

Saving up and planning for a nice vacation is one of the best ways to spend your money. But for one Kentucky mom, it became a nightmare.

Last year, Tiffany Banks spent $12,000 to buy the largest suite Carnival cruises have to offer: the Presidential Excel suite. The nurse practitioner says on TikTok that she then shelled out an extra $3,000 for excursions for the family.

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But when she received an email that said two of her excursions were canceled, she called Carnival to understand why. Turns out, her entire trip had been canceled  and no one had told her.

I have to laugh or I have to cry because Im gonna absolutely lose my mind, Banks says in her viral TikTok about the fiasco.

She was flooded with comments that said shes not the first Carnival customer this happened to. Heres how to make sure it doesnt happen to you.

Dont post booking info online

Banks later discovered that the reason Carnival had canceled her cruise wasnt due to a glitch in the system or an error, but identity theft, she explains in a follow-up TikTok.

Before her cruise, Banks and her husband posted a photo of their countdown tracker for the cruise on Facebook. Their booking information was also on the countdown tracker.

An identity thief online saw her post, added her booking information to their account (which you can do) and canceled the cruise that same day, Carnival eventually discovered.

Even when the mystery was solved, Carnival was reluctant to refund her money. They had originally offered her family the cheapest and smallest rooms on the ship, with no refund. Banks refused that because she wanted the Presidential Suite or a full refund.

Due to Bankss persistence and virality on TikTok, Carnival said theyd give her a $10,000 cruise credit  but only if she made a video saying that there has been a positive resolution.

Were not interested in sailing with Carnival ever again, she says in the follow-up TikTok. She refused their offer.

Read more: 'It's not taxed at all': Warren Buffett shares the 'best investment' you can make when battling rising costs  take advantage today

Get travel insurance

Banks doesnt say whether or not she had travel insurance, but several commenters recommended it for her next trip.

Travel insurance is a useful and fairly inexpensive way to avoid losing, say, $15,000 on a cruise due to identity theft.

You can buy regular travel insurance, which often covers cruises. Theres also cruise travel insurance, but CNBC says its usually much more expensive than general travel insurance.

Cruise insurance typically costs 3% to 8% of the cost of the cruise, and covers medical emergencies, lost baggage and job loss cancellation (covering expenses if you lose your job), according to CNBC. Many plans also spell out specific coverage against identity theft such as Banks experienced.

Many credit cards now have travel insurance baked into them. If you use that credit card to purchase your cruise, then any issues before or during the trip can be resolved using that insurance, according to CNBC.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James said her office is launching an investigation into the fatal police shooting of a 13-year-old boy who allegedly pointed a replica handgun at officers during an encounter in Utica.

James's announcement came a day after hundreds of people attended a community vigil for 13-year-old Nyah Mway, who was killed Friday night.

Citing New York state executive law, James said the Office of Special Investigation, which is part of her office, assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer "may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission."

The shooting unfolded around 10:18 p.m. Friday when the Utica officers, who were part of the police's Crime Prevention Unit, conducted a stop of two people as part of an undisclosed police investigation, the Utica Police Department said.

During the stop, the 13-year-old, who was identified as Nyah Mway, allegedly fled from officers who chased him, according to the police. Nyah allegedly pointed what appeared to be a handgun at the officers, which prompted one of the officers to fire one shot at the teen, according to investigators.

PHOTO: Nyah Mway, who family members identified as the victim of a police shooting in Utica, is seen in an undated family photo. (Nyah Mway family)

The Utica Department of Public Safety identified the three officers in a statement as Patrick Husnay, a 6-year veteran of the Utica Police Department, who fired his duty weapon striking the juvenile. Officers Bryce Patterson, a 4-year veteran of the police department, and Andrew Citriniti, who has been on the police force, 2 1/2 -and-a-half years, were also identified as being involved incident. Citriniti previously served with the Oneida County Sheriffs Office."

The mortally wounded boy was taken to Wynn Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said. Investigators uncovered "a replica GLOCK 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine" following the shooting, investigators said.

MORE: 2 New York City police officers hurt in shootout with moped-riding robbery suspect: Officials

Utica Police Chief Mark Williams told reporters on Saturday the replica firearm appeared to be a pellet gun. James said in her statement Sunday that offiers recovered a "BB gun" at the scene.

"Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased juvenile, as well as our officers involved in this incident," the Utica Police Department said in a statement.

Authorities released footage of the incident from Officer Patterson's body camera.

"As will be illustrated in the body worn camera (BWC) footage ... when the officers asked and went to pat frisk Nyah Mway, he immediately fled on foot. While fleeing he produced a replica GLOCK pellet gun from the front of his body, and during the 51 and 53 second mark on PO Pattersons BWC, points the weapon directly at PO Patterson and the other officers," police said in their statement detailing the incident.

"As in any Officer Involved Shooting investigation it is within the purview of the NYS Attorney Generals Office of Special Investigations to determine whether the shooting violated any state laws; however, we felt it prudent to ensure the entirety of the evidence we have available at this time is shared publicly  keeping with our commitment to transparency," police continued in their statement.

The news conference held by Williams and Utica Mayor Michael P. Galime was disrupted multiple times by members of the public shouting at them.

Lay Htoo, Nyah's uncle, told ABC News he saw the video and that he and his family were depressed and saddened.

"They make me feel very, very sad. You know, seeing one [of] my nephews [killed]," Htoo told ABC News of the images.

Htoo said his family was originally from Myanmar and his nephew moved to Utica eight years ago. Nyah had recently graduated from middle school, according to Htoo.

"My nephew is a very good kid. He's never done this before," Htoo said.

PHOTO: In this screen grab taken from Google Maps Street View, the Utical Police Department headquarters is shown in Utica, New York. (Google Maps Street View)

Hundreds of people filled the 900 block of Shaw Street for a community vigil for Mway on Saturday night, just about 24 hours after he was shot and killed. Several people spoke at the vigil, including members of the Mway's family and other prominent members of the community.

Williams said the three officers involved in the incident were placed on paid administrative leave as the New York Attorney General's Office conducts its investigation into the incident.

MORE: LAPD officer who killed teen bystander with stray bullet while she was Christmas shopping will not be charged

In addition to the AG's probe, the Utica Police Department will be conducting its own investigation into the shooting.

"Additionally, we will work closely and openly with the City of Utica Public Safety Advisory Committee. We value their mission and want to ensure through multiple facets the community is fully informed of the facts of this incident," the police said in a statement.

Williams said police would be releasing more information and details to the public in the coming days including the body camera footage from the incident.

State attorney general probing police shooting of teen who allegedly wielded replica gun originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Paul McCartney used his Pentax camera the same way he used his guitar: with total freedom. And in early 1964, the 21-year-old took his new camera on perhaps the most momentous musical journey of the 20th century: The Beatles' invasion of America.

On The Beatles' first visit to the United States, Paul McCartney brought his Pentax camera. The pictures he took, long thought lost, were recently found, and are the basis of a book and photo exhibition. / Credit: Paul McCartney

Hundreds of his photographs from that trip were recently rediscovered in McCartney's archive: "It was really nice," he said, "because I thought they were lost."

An exhibition of the images, collected in the book, "1964: Eyes of the Storm," originated at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The show is now on view at the Brooklyn Museum in New York.

He offered a tour of the exhibit to correspondent Anthony Mason.

McCartney explained his process: "Taking photographs, I'd be just looking for a shot. And so, I'd aim the camera and just sort of see where I liked it, you know, oh, that's it. And invariably, you pretty much take one picture.

"We were moving fast. So, you just learned to take pictures quickly."

Paul McCartney gives correspondent Anthony Mason a personal tour of an exhibition of the former Beatle's photographs. / Credit: CBS News

One picture was taken as the group arrived at the Deauville Hotel in Miami. Mason said, "I think your quote in the book was, 'I can almost hear her scream.'"

"Yeah, you can!" McCartney laughed. "The cop is going to restrain her, you know?"

Fans greet The Beatles in Miami in 1964. / Credit: Paul McCartney

"I also love the cop in the foreground who just sort of looks puzzled by everything," said Mason.

"I like the architecture of that hotel," said McCartney. "But, you know, as we were saying before, that had to be taken really quickly, just to snap that."

"But, you have to have an eye to take that."

"It's my left one!"

The Beatles had started their trip in Paris. "And it was in Paris that we got the telegram, 'Congratulations, boys, number one in the U.S. charts.'"

Setting up for their first appearance on

In America they played "The Ed Sullivan Show." Seventy-three million people would tune in. It was, McCartney writes, "the moment all hell breaks loose."

Mason said, "To look at those pictures, it's kind of you looking at the world, looking at you. You seemed very comfortable with it."

"Yeah. I mean, you know, you got to think about it: We're kids from Liverpool. And we're trying to get famous, and it's not easy. And we were like stars in America, and people loved us. So, we loved it. And having that number one was really the secret  because, if the journalists, you know, New York journalists, 'Hey, Beatle! Hey, Beatle! Why you are here?' whatever. We say, 'We're number one in your country!' Bingo!"

Beatlemania in New York City. / Credit: Paul McCartney

From New York, The Beatles travelled by train to Washington, D.C. McCartney's camera took the ride, too.

As they traveled South, Paul McCartney took this picture of a railroad worker:

So many of McCartney's pictures were taken on the move, including shots from his car of a policeman in Miami who'd pulled up next to him: "And that was basically what I saw. And we'd never seen policemen with guns. We just didn't have that in England."

/ Credit: Paul McCartney

But in Miami, McCartney broke out the color film. "For us, it was like going on holiday," he said.

The Fab Four even had a few days off.

Mason said, "There are some great shots of all of you with, like, it looked like terry-cloth jackets."

"Yeah, the hotel supplied them," McCartney said. "You normally get, like, a robe, but this place, because it was Miami, had these little cool, little short things  and hats! We lived in them for days. Even Brian [Epstein], our manager. We thought they were really cool items of clothing."

John Lennon, Brian Epstein, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in Miami. / Credit: Paul McCartney

He caught George relaxing with an anonymous admirer: "In that picture, yeah, I don't think I was trying to protect her identity," McCartney said. "I love her bathing costume. So great. And, you know, there is George, like I keep saying, living the life. He's got a drink which is probably a scotch and Coke. He's got a tan, the girl in the yellow bikini. For lads from Liverpool, that was exceptionally wonderful!"

George Harrison with an admirer in Miami. / Credit: Paul McCartney

The band went back home to England in late February. By early April, The Beatles had the top five songs on the U.S. charts. McCartney writes, "We spent the months and years after holding on for dear life."

/ Credit: Liveright

Mason asked, "Did you remember all these when you saw them?"

"Kind of," McCartney replied. "It was a very memorable period, you know?"

"But there was so much going on, I'm amazed you could process it and keep it all."

"Yeah, so am I!" McCartney said. "For me, it is like a little slice of American history. And it's my history, it's the Beatles' history. So, it was great to rediscover these pictures."



An earlier version of this story was originally broadcast on June 18, 2023.



For more info:

"1964: Eyes of the Storm" by Paul McCartney (Liveright), in Hardcover, eBook and Spiral-bound formats, available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.orgExhibition: "Paul McCartney Photographs: 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm" at the Brooklyn Museum (through August 18)Paul McCartney



Story produced by Ed Forgotson. Editor: Joseph Frandino.

Zero chance" Supreme Court will rule that Trump has "absolute immunity," Jan Crawford says

Students making history

Redefining old age
Americans binged on grills during the pandemic, but the barbecue industry now faces a number of threats, including high meat prices and interest rates on top of economic uncertainty. Many feel no need to upgrade fairly recent purchases.

Market leaders like higher-end grill manufacturer Traeger, once a pandemic darling, reported its latest quarters grill sales were $76.8 million  a plunge from the $156.1 million the company raked in during the second quarter of 2021.

Best-selling grill brand Weber has also seen its market share decline since 2020, according to data from TraQline. (Weber did not respond to CNNs request for comment.) Home Depot also reported pressure in more expensive patio and garden equipment, including grills, during its first quarter in May, part of a larger dip in sales and earnings.

And its not just the big brands. Local stores that sell grills and other backyard cooking gear similarly reported demand dropping.

Its trending down, said Brian Bushfield, general manager at West Coast BBQ Shop in San Diego, California. He noted a sluggish start to June and a slow Memorial Day, despite the holiday being one of the most popular occasions to purchase new grills.

America might be less interested in buying grills, but theyre still using them a ton. And theres evidence that the great BBQ sales evaporation may have hit a floor.

Lockdown was a grill (seller)s best friend

Americans arent cooking outside on grills less. At least, thats according to statistics from the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association that reported 80% of U.S. homeowners owned a grill or smoker in 2023  up from 64% in 2019. Of the new grill owners surveyed, 27% cited cooking more at home during Covid as the reason for their purchase.

Roy Morchian, owner of American Royal Hardware in Montclair, New Jersey, says grill sales have returned to pre-pandemic levels at the local True Value franchise. - Paul Glader/CNN

Other than barbecue grills, consumables like charcoal pellets and propane tanks make up Home Depots grill category. Home Depot Senior Merchant of Grills Joe Downey said that these items drive a large portion of sales and that they are powered by new customers who purchased grills during the pandemic returning frequently to buy fuel.

More cooks are cooking at home than ever before, he said. The cost of food at home fell earlier this year as the cost of eating out rose, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that reported a 0.2% dip in grocery prices from March to April.

Roy Morchian, owner of American Royal Hardware in Montclair, New Jersey, told CNN that the number of grills sold in 2020 rose to 160 from his stores yearly average range of 80 to 120 grills. And while their sales have come back to normal now closer to pre-pandemic levels, he notices new faces have joined familiar ones when purchasing propane tanks to fuel the Weber grills they stock.

Most grill makers and retailers seem to agree that the pandemic pulled forward demand for grills and other long-lasting home equipment as people searched for ways to fill their days and entertain their families at home.

American Royal Hardware in Montclair, NJ, staff say they place barbecue grills on the sidewalk outside their store as a way to market the grills to motorists and pedestrians passing by at a busy town center. - Paul Glader/CNN

San Diego Grill Pros owner Jessica Hernandez recounted astronomical sales numbers and dubbed 2020 their unicorn year.

Corey Martin, VP of Marketing at Texas Star Grill Shop described droves of people flocking to their Houston branch to buy grills and shelling out thousands of dollars for higher-end models like Webers Genesis, which retails between $800 and $1,800, and Traegers Timberline, which starts at about $3,000.

It was like a really busy grocery store, he said of his shop. But he and his staff knew that 2020 might be an aberration and the windfall might not last.

It would be stupid to be in a grill business and think that Covid was the new normal, Martin said. He said retailers who sell grills know its a slow growth and seasonal industry.

Downey sees Home Depots grill sales stabilizing now following the lockdown-driven high. He anticipates that pandemic-purchased grills will reach the end of their life cycle and bring returning buyers with them in 2025.

The bottom has been reached and we are on the upswing in terms of getting closer to the end of [the grill] life cycle, he said.

A key issue is a grills life cycle: an average grill could last about five years and Americans purchased more than 21 million grills and smokers in 2020. Its clear that the replacement phase still hasnt kicked in quite yet.

Reigniting the market

Meanwhile, grill sellers are looking for ways to stoke demand.

Beyond running familiar summer promotions for popular grilling days like Memorial Day and Fathers Day, Downey said that Home Depot is trying to encourage young first-time homeowners to buy grills by introducing them to well-known brands at lower price points.

Weber Grills are offered for sale at a home improvement store on July 23, 2021 in Palatine, Illinois. - Scott Olson/Getty Images

Downey said somebody purchasing a $99 Weber kettle later might look to buy the compact Weber Spirit. Then as they grow, maybe theyll aspire to get into the Weber Genesis, he said, referencing the brands more expensive model.

Ace Hardware is running advertisements promoting its longstanding free assembly and delivery on grills - from brands such as Big Green Egg, Blackstone, Weber and Traeger  priced $399 and up, for Ace Rewards members, which is a free program to join.

Traeger CEO Jeremy Andrus told CNN of the soft demand period We are not waiting for this to end and riding it out. He pointed to Traeger hosting weekend cooking demonstrations outside of retail stores like Home Depot and Ace Hardware.

If we have an opportunity to get in front of the consumer and not only explain what a Traeger does but give them an opportunity to taste the food cooked off of a Traeger, its a very effective conversion tool, he said.

Traeger Grills holds demos and activations at Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and specialty retailers across the country. - Courtesy Traeger Grills

But firing up demand in a traditionally slow-growth industry is a challenge, according to Simeon Siegel, an analyst at BMO Capital Markets who follows Traeger.

If someone has a barbecue, theyre not going to buy another simply because its on sale, he said. At the end of the day, if someone doesnt need to buy a grill, theres only so many things companies can do to create demand.

And economic trends havent helped. Beef and veal prices rose the fastest among other food categories in 2024 and the US Department of Agriculture expects prices to rise another 4% this year. Some consumers are abandoning meat entirely.

A year and a half ago, Bloomfield, New Jersey, resident Shikhiu Ing traded grilled meat for greens as a part of a conscious health decision. While he describes firing up his grill three times a week during the pandemic, he now finds less use for it after going mostly vegetarian.

Its non-functional right now. Grilling vegetables is kind of a chore to be honest, he said. Its just faster in the air fryer. Throw some broccoli in there, air fry. You got vegetables.

Shikhiu Ing is a frequent customer of American Royal Hardware in Montclair, NJ. He says he bought a grill during the Coronavirus Pandemic but hasnt been using it as much since he became a vegetarian. - Paul Glader/CNN

Hot grill summers are here to stay?

The grill industry isnt a stranger to slumps or about-face shifts in consumer demand.

Andrus pointed to grill sales declining in the years following the 2008 recession before returning to growth for the next 10 years as a testament to the industrys resiliency. Americans love to cook outdoors, he said. They always have, they always will.

For Newark, New Jersey, native Ayla Dunkley, cooking outdoors has been a family tradition. I learned how to grill from my grandfather and my father, so I learned everything from them, she said.

Following her grandfathers advice, Dunkley replaces her Blackstone cooker every three to five years and waits until the summer season is over to shop at lower prices.

Fourth of July cookouts will cost $71.22 on average for 10 guests this summer, according to data from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Thats up 5% from last year and up 30% from 2019.

Yet Dunkleys annual plans to celebrate the holiday with her family in Pennsylvania are still on, grill in tow.

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More than six months after a federal judge froze former President Donald Trump's federal election interference case, the Supreme Court is poised to issue a ruling that will guide the trajectory of the case, including whether the former president could stand trial ahead of the 2024 election.

The justices are expected to issue a decision on whether a former president is shielded from criminal liability for "official acts" taken while in the White House. Trump is claiming such immunity to try to quash the federal election subversion prosecution brought by special counsel Jack Smith.

Smith charged Trump with four felony counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, over his efforts to hold onto power after his 2020 election loss. Trump pleaded not guilty and has denied any wrongdoing. The trial was initially set to start in March but has been delayed while the high court considers the immunity question.

If the justices reject Trump's claim of absolute immunity and remand the case to Judge Tanya Chutkan, she could set a trial date over the coming months, though experts who spoke to ABC News cautioned that a trial beginning before November would be logistically challenging and is nearly guaranteed not to reach a verdict before Election Day.

MORE: Supreme Court poised to rule in Trump presidential immunity case on Monday

"The trial court would have to be exceptionally motivated to find a way to actually hold a trial on this before November," said Justin Levitt, a professor of law at Loyola Marymount University.

Chutkan initially scheduled a March 4 trial date, including having prospective jurors fill out a questionnaire beginning on Feb. 9. She formally scrapped that schedule in early February, as Trump appealed the case based on his claim of near-absolute immunity for his actions as president.

"The court will set a new schedule if and when the mandate is returned," Chutkan wrote in a February order.

On February 28, the Supreme Court said it would take up the case. Trump filed a brief with the court making his formal argument on March 25. In an April 8 filing, the special counsel urged the Supreme Court to reject Trump's appeal. The high court heard oral arguments on April 25.

Chukan's next move will largely be guided by how the Supreme Court rules on Trump's claim of immunity. A clear rejection of Trump's claim -- either the justices clearly limiting the bounds of presidential immunity or determining that Trump's actions were not official acts -- could most clearly pave the way for a trial, one expert said.

"That would be the simplest outcome for everyone, if the court adopts the special counsel's position that there is no immunity for official acts," said Boston College Law School professor Jeffrey Cohen.

MORE: Trump asks Supreme Court to pause ruling that he doesn't have immunity in Jan. 6 case

In pausing the proceedings, Chutkan assured the parties that they would be given the same amount of time to prepare for a trial -- approximately three months based on the timeline to trial when Chutkan paused the case. Chutkan has also kept a relatively free trial schedule over the next four months, with her next trial scheduled to begin on Nov. 4.

That timing suggests a trial could begin in Washington, D.C., in late September or October, though the newfound proximity to the election could prompt a further delay, experts said.

"It's almost impossible, and to do it would open the court to arguments that they're interfering with the general election," Cohen said about a potential September or October trial start date. "It seems to me that the defendant has a pretty good argument that rushing it doesn't serve justice in this case for him."

While Trump's team originally pushed for an April 2026 trial date, special counsel Jack Smith urged Chutkan to schedule the trial to begin in January of this year, arguing that a speedy trial would "vindicate the public's strong interest." Since the case was paused, Smith's team suggested during a hearing in Trump's Florida classified documents case that a trial within 60 days of an election would not violate Justice Department policy intended to avoid influencing an election.

MORE: Supreme Court hears Trump's 'absolute immunity' claim. The shape of the presidency is at stake.

However, the magnitude of the Washington, D.C., case; potential issues on appeal and proximity of the election might discourage prosecutors from even requesting an early trial date, according to Levitt.

"The overriding mandate of the Department of Justice in its exercise of its prosecutorial power is not to be the story in a campaign -- to try to keep the campaign story separate from the criminal story," Levitt said.

If the Supreme Court rules that some of Trump's alleged conduct is protected by immunity or issues an unclear decision, Trump's criminal case could be bogged down in further delays about how the decision impacts the scope of the case or evidentiary issues, Pace University law professor Bennett Gershman said.

"There's going to be some give and take in the opinion that's going to allow Trump's lawyers to start making motions for a hearing, or maybe multiple hearings," said Gershman, who predicted that a trial before the election was unlikely. "I don't think that there could be any decision that would be so clear-cut that Judge Chutkan could just say, 'OK, we have that now. It's behind us. Let's go to trial.'"

MORE: Timeline: Special counsel's probe into Trump's efforts to overturn 2020 election

Trump's lawyers could also attempt to further delay the proceedings by appealing any of Chutkan's future rulings and requesting another stay.

"I have no doubt that Judge Chutkan will be very attuned to the possibility of those appeals and the further delay in every decision she makes," Levitt said.

In another high-profile decision, the Supreme Court on Friday limited the scope of a federal obstruction statute used by prosecutors to charge more than 300 defendants involved with the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, including former President Trump.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the 6-3 majority, said the government must show in those cases that the alleged obstruction related to "impairing the availability or integrity" of "records, documents, or objects" used in the disrupted proceeding.

The Justice Department had applied the charge more broadly in many cases, alleging that the physical presence of some of the rioters inside the Capitol was alone "obstruction of an official proceeding" under the law. While Trump faces two similar obstruction charges over his role in allegedly obstructing the Jan. 6 certification, Smiths prosecutors last year argued that a change in the law would not impact Trumps case because the indictment cites the former presidents role in the fraudulent certificates delivered to swing states by so-called fake electors.

Fridays decision not only provides Trumps lawyers further basis for an appeal but could also potentially be used to request a further delay.

If the Supreme Court finds that Trump's conduct was official acts immune from prosecution, Smith's team would likely have to drop or significantly modify the case, according to Cohen, though he described such an outcome as unlikely and "legally shocking."

Regardless of the exact ruling from the Supreme Court, the case will likely be back in the hands of Chutkan, who will have to navigate the new legal landscape sculpted by the Supreme Court and the historic question of whether the former president should stand trial during the heights of a presidential election, experts said.

"It's the judge's call. The lawyers can make their arguments, but it's the judge who ultimately makes the decision, and the judge can speed things up," Gershman said. "Judge Chutkan is going to have to make a decision."

Will Trump stand trial in DC before the election? Experts say it's unlikely, but not impossible originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Donald Trumps top vice presidential contenders are using his contentious first debate with President Biden to jockey for primacy as the former president prepares to pick his running mate.

Vice presidential prospects like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio)  considered the top three contenders  flocked to Atlanta to support the former president and praise his performance on the debate stage against Biden.

The ones that wall-flower arent going to get picked. This is the moment. This is a key moment for them, Republican strategist Ron Bonjean said of Trumps would-be running mates. Its a real test on whether they rise to the occasion and they defend Trump, and go on the attack.

In an email to supporters before the debate, Trump teased that his future running mate could be there, but youll never know.

The top candidates heaped compliments on the former presidents Thursday night showing, while largely skirting questions about the veepstakes.

Hes winning  he can win this election by himself, so hes got the luxury of picking someone who can help him govern, and thats gonna lead to a good choice, Burgum told Fox News.

Burgum, who ran against Trump in the Republican primary earlier this cycle, called the debate a knockout and lauded Trumps showing as so strong.

Whoever he picks for vice president, hes the guy at the top of the ticket, and hes the guy that we need to govern this country more effectively, Vance told NBC News, touting Trumps high-energy performance while noting that he has not been asked to take on the running mate role. Once a vocal Trump critic, Vance said his move to publicly support the campaign was part of a push to elect better people in Washington whatever happens in the veepstakes.

On CNN, Rubio parried questions about the more than 30 false claims Trump made during the 90-minute program, as tallied by the networks fact-checking tracker, while saying the job hasnt been offered to him. Rubio ran against Trump for the White House in 2016.

I am not the vice presidential choice. No one is right now. And well cross bridges when we get to them. Tonight is about the debate, Rubio said in the spin room, noting that well know who it is at some point in the next two weeks.

Trump said he has already made his pick, and he has teased that hell end the suspense during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next month.

Several other Republicans have also received vetting materials from the Trump campaign, according to CBS News reporting, including Sens. Tim Scott (S.C.) and Tom Cotton (Ark.), Reps. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) and Byron Donalds (Fla.), and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson.

Asked if his choice knows theyve made the cut, Trump said last week that nobody knows.

Some strategists suggest that while a flattering showing from the potential running mates might not be enough to boost their chances, a bad performance could doom them and prompt the former president to change his mind.

Trump has said hes made the decision. He can make a different decision based upon performance, the performance art of these potential picks, Bonjean said. It could be a photo-finish if he was set on one candidate, but [if] Marco Rubio really makes a good impression on him because of his on-air ferocity, he might change his mind. You never know.

Ambitious Republicans might also be auditioning for other top positions in a potential second Trump administration, even if they dont have a shot at the second-in-command slot.

Even for the runner-ups in the VP sweepstakes tonight, there are opportunities for Cabinet positions, GOP strategist Brian Seitchik said. You know, if Marco Rubio is not chosen for VP, he certainly would be considered, likely be considered for Secretary of State. Doug Burgum would seemingly be a great fit for Secretary of Energy.

The roughly two-week stretch between the debate and the kickoff of the GOP convention is set to be a critical window for those hoping to stay in Trumps favor. On July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention begins July 15, Trump is scheduled for sentencing in his Manhattan hush money case, in which a jury found him guilty of falsifying business records last month.

That, too, will be a test of whether a potential running mate would be willing to go to the mat for Trump, who faces the possibility of prison time.

The Republican National Committee has reportedly been making plans in case the former president cant get to Milwaukee, though the party chair said Thursday that they fully expect hell be able to be there even after sentencing.

The loyalty test is particularly important for the Republican ticket because, experts predict, a running mate might not make that much of a difference in swaying an electorate already largely decided on the presidential race.

Burgum is a traditional conservative with deep pockets, while Vance is seen as a star in the America First movement. Rubio could help appeal to more moderate Republicans and pitch his foreign policy bona fides as an advantage. But Trump himself has downplayed the importance of a vice presidential pick, even as he draws out the public announcement.

Trumps very unpredictable, Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak said. The question is going to be: What do they think they need? And right now, I think they want a governing choice. I think they want a partner. I dont think they need anything.

Rumors had swirled that he might pick a woman, like Stefanik, to help him reach suburban female voters, or a Black man like Scott or Donalds to help him with voters of color.

Those figures also took to the airwaves and fired out posts on social platform X in the aftermath of the Trump-Biden showdown that has since sparked Democratic panic over the incumbents performance.

Ahead of the program, Donalds talked to CBS News about Black men turning away from the Democratic Party, arguing that a notable sector is going Donald Trump.

Scott, who was also a Trump rival in the 2024 GOP primary before dropping out and becoming a prominent surrogate, got a shoutout from Trump during the debate. Scott shared campaign fundraising links on X and posted about work he and Trump did together.

Seitchik said after the debate that Bidens performance, which has drawn scathing criticisms from his own party, has distracted from the veepstakes speculation and could give Trump more latitude to rethink his pick.

I dont think who Trump picks for VP is all that critical, Seitchik said. It certainly matters for them and their future, and possibly the future of the GOP  but at the end of the day, this is Donald J. Trump vs. Joe Biden, and then thats really all that matters here.

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The debate at the event promoted at the University of St Joseph on the occasion of the centenary of the Council of Shanghai. Leopold Leeb: In many Chinese there is interest in the newness of the Gospel and this is the precondition for any inculturation. The decisive role of the "sensum fidelium" of Chinese Catholic families in keeping the faith alive in the years of persecution.

Macao (AsiaNews) - The encounter between the Gospel and cultures is never a one-way street: it is always made up of reciprocal exchanges. And it is a discourse that also applies to all discourses on the "sinicisation" of Christianity, in the China of yesterday as in that of today. Among the many ideas debated at the Symposium organised in Macao by the University of St Joseph 100 years after the Council of Shanghai, it is precisely this need to go beyond somewhat schematic readings of history that is the most significant trait that emerged from the three days of work that closed this afternoon with the conclusions entrusted to the scientific co-ordinators of the initiative, Fr Cyril Law and Fr Gianni Criveller.

The Chinese appointment of theanniversary celebrations - which brought together some one hundred scholars from all over Greater China (People's Republic of China, Macao, Hong Kong and Taiwan) - was a moment of frank exchange of opinions among the participants, with space also for interlocutions that allowed for fruitful debate. From this point of view, two speeches, in particular, introduced important elements to reread in a non-ideological way the context of China in which the Shanghai Council was held in 1924.

If it is true, in fact, that that event was an important prophecy on the enhancement of local Chinese culture and clergy that was not fully realised due to too much resistance, on the other hand it is profoundly wrong to claim to reread the history of missions in China in the 19th and early 20th century as a colonial phenomenon. In this sense - also in the light of today's insistence on the sinicisation of religions in China - the emphasis brought by Leopold Leeb, a Verbita scholar who teaches at Renmin University and has many years of presence in Beijing behind him, on the "Christianisation of China" as a precondition for a Church with a Chinese face, was interesting. Because it is not just a question of forms, persons or cultural categories to be valued: there is a newness of the Gospel that must be able to find a place in its entirety in the context of this great nation. On the part of many Chinese,' Leeb recalled, 'there is interest in what Christianity has that is new and different to propose. And one must also consider the path China has had to take to approach and understand Christianity. The true encounter, therefore, calls for this mutual integration.

Equally significant was the reinterpretation proposed by Prof. Rachel Zhu Xiao Hong, of Fudan University in Shanghai, who in her speech emphasised how it was the "sensum fidelium" of Catholic families (formed in the faith and brought up in the educational institutions founded by missionaries) that kept the faith alive in China beyond all the political storms of the 20th century. The scholar did so, in particular, by retracing the experience of the family of Mgr Simon Zhu Kaimin, one of the first Chinese bishops personally ordained by Pius XI in 1926, who would lead the apostolic vicariate of Haimen in the following years with great missionary dynamism. But then - by then an old man - he ended up being branded as a reactionary by the communists, dying essentially in confinement in 1960. The Zhu family itself still counts some priests over ninety years old who have shown with their lives how that 'sensum fidelium' has always remained deeply alive, even in the harshest years of persecution.

Also important at the Symposium were the in-depth studies on some specific aspects of the path that the Shanghai Council had indicated a century ago. For example, Pan Zhi Yuan, a researcher from Shanghai University, retraced the parabola of Chinese Catholic publishing in the first half of the 20th century, while Franz Gassner, from the University of St. Joseph in Macao, spoke about the idea of a Chinese Bible, which had been one of the topics the bishops had discussed in 1924.

Alongside the study sessions, the Symposium also experienced some significant public moments in this same spirit. On the evening of 27 June at the Fatima Auditorium, a large crowd of Macao Catholics attended the screening of Ageless China, a film made in 1949 by US Jesuits Bernard Hubbard and William Klement. A practically unknown document of great quality, it provided an emotional glimpse of what life was like for the Catholic community in Shanghai in the late 1940s. This afternoon, on the other hand, the work concluded with another artistic moment: the performance in the chapel of St Joseph's Seminary of the Missa Regina Pacis, which was composed by the Austrian Salesian Wilhelm Schmid on the occasion of the coronation of the image of the Virgin in the Sheshan shrine in Shanghai. These are all opportunities to rediscover a precious richness also for the journey of the Church in China today.
by Joseph Masilamany

A Creole people descended from the Portuguese, the Kristang celebrate their patron saint every year with four days of celebrations that attract tourists and visitors from all over Malaysia and other countries. "Today there are no more shrimps on our shores and this creates problems for the future. But we strive to maintain our faith and our traditions."

Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews) - Among the many faces of the feast of St Peter around the world, one of the most particular to Asia is the feast of fishermen in the Portuguese settlement of Malacca, Malaysia, which today sees the conclusion of the annual celebrations, which began on Thursday, 27 June.

Theseira, a retired fisherman, tells AsiaNews that the celebrations began on Thursday 27 June. The feast of St Peter is a major four-day annual event attended by about 100,000 visitors from all over Malaysia and foreign tourists. "An important moment of the festival is the blessing of local fishermen's boats, specially decorated for the occasion, in the hope that the saint's intercession will ensure good fishing," Theseira explains.

The Eurasian Portuguese - otherwise known as Kristang or simply as 'Malacca Portuguese' - are a Creole ethnic group, mainly composed of Portuguese descendants who intermarried with local communities such as Malays, Dutch descendants, British descendants, Chinese and Indians. During the festival, one can listen to special Kristang folk songs and watch dancers in colourful costumes perform to the rhythm of Branyu folk music, a genre of upbeat music of Portuguese Eurasians. According to Theseira, about 1,500 Portuguese Eurasians live in the settlement area, excluding the diaspora living in other parts of the country or who have emigrated abroad.

The Portuguese settlement was founded in 1933 on the banks of Ujong Pasir to create a refuge for the Kristang. Known initially as Saint John's Village, it soon attracted Kristang from other parts of Malacca as well. Gradually, it grew to become a major tourist attraction in the area and a refuge to reinforce the rich heritage and cultural traits in the practice of their Catholic faith, as well as to preserve their rituals and traditions.

However, Theseira laments the fact that land reclamation since 1974 has caused the daily catch to plummet. The Kristang are excellent fishermen and are known in particular for their skills in shrimp fishing, better known as udang geragau in Malay and grago in Eurasian Portuguese, which are widely used in their cuisine.

'There are no more gragos on our coasts,' Theseira explains, 'and that means there are no more fisheries for us. There is not even good fishing for fish, which used to be abundant. We are forced to put our nets further ashore and today we are lucky if we can catch 20 kilos of grago'.

"The settlers," he continues, "now have to engage in deep-sea fishing with better, more modern and expensive boats. Traditionally, we do not engage in deep-sea fishing and cannot challenge the competition, so our days as traditional fishermen are over, really, with only about 20 fishermen now putting their boats to sea. But we are people of faith and hope. We are staunch Catholics and we strive to keep our faith and live the traditions of our ancestors, even though fishing is no longer the main occupation of the Kristang who live here. Our community,' he concludes, 'will continue to keep in its heart and spirit the tradition of celebrating these feasts and anniversaries, looking up to St Peter, our patron and model saint.

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30 June 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Currently, Azerbaijan is vigorously implementing the Great Return Program, a comprehensive initiative aimed at restoring all territories liberated from occupation. Significant efforts are underway to rebuild Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur, where new villages, towns, modern trade and logistics centres, and economic zones are being established.

In parallel, against the backdrop of extensive construction activities in formerly occupied regions, Azerbaijan is swiftly advancing large-scale restoration and reconstruction projects. These efforts are complemented by rapid economic reintegration measures in Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur, designed to ensure sustainable settlement and economic activity for forcibly displaced populations.

Recently, from June 27-28, the Ministry of Economy organised the "New Opportunities for Entrepreneurs: Let's Build Garabagh Together" event in Shusha, serving as a pivotal continuation of these endeavours. The event aimed to present investment opportunities and business prospects in the Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur economic regions, fostering discussions on public-private sector partnerships.

Against the backdrop of Azerbaijan's ongoing efforts to rebuild and develop its recently liberated territories, the "New Opportunities for Entrepreneurs: Let's Build Garabagh Together" event in Shusha, organized by the Ministry of Economy, serves as a pivotal continuation of these initiatives. The event's primary objective is to highlight the burgeoning investment opportunities and business prospects within the economic regions of Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur. It also aims to facilitate discussions on effective public-private sector collaboration models.

Azerbaijan's Great Return Program, currently underway, focuses on the comprehensive restoration of territories liberated from occupation. This includes rebuilding infrastructure, establishing new settlements, and developing modern trade and logistics centres along with economic zones in Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur.

During the event, panel discussions were held to address various aspects of entrepreneurial activities in these regions. Topics covered included incentives for businesses, state support measures, and the pivotal role of entrepreneurs in the economic revitalization and integration of these newly regained territories.

As part of the program, a delegation of business representatives visited Aghdam Industrial Park, the country's second-largest after Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park. This park has attracted significant investment, with 25 business entities investing over 216 million manats, leading to the creation of more than 2,000 jobs. Notably, these investments are supported by favorable conditions such as residency status for investors and exemptions from certain taxes and duties.

Seymur Adigozalov, Chairman of the Economic Zones Development Agency under the Ministry of Economy, provided insights into the "Araz Valley Economic Zone" Industrial Park during his address at the event. Currently hosting 10 resident businesses and 2 non-resident entities, this park is projected to receive investments exceeding 83.4 million manats, resulting in the creation of 700 jobs. The park has already seen investments of over 14 million manats, leading to the establishment of more than 20 jobs.

The development plans for these industrial parks include the creation of logistics centres, warehouses, wholesale and retail facilities, as well as service areas like vehicle repair and cold storage. These initiatives are aimed at enhancing local production capacities and promoting economic diversification in the region.

Looking ahead, several investment projects are being considered for implementation in Azerbaijan's liberated territories, reflecting the government's commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth and development in these areas.

In addition to industrial activities, plans are underway for the production of personal sanitary products using local raw materials within Aghdam Industrial Park. This initiative aims to meet domestic demand while reducing reliance on imports, thereby supporting local industries and employment opportunities.

Currently, Azerbaijan hosts seven industrial parks across various districts, including the prominent "Araz Valley Economic Zone" in Sumgayit Kimya, along with parks in Garadag, Pirallahi, Mingachevir, Balakhani, Aghdam, and Jabrayil. Additionally, the country features five industrial districts situated in Hajigabul, Masalli, Neftchala, Sabirabad, and Sharur.

Of particular note, the Agdam Industrial Park spans 190 hectares and was established by presidential decree on May 28, 2021. Similarly, the "Araz Valley Economic Zone," covering 200 hectares, was established by decree on October 4, 2021. Both parks have undergone extensive demining operations, ensuring the safety and accessibility necessary for development. Mobile settlements have been strategically placed to accommodate residents comfortably within these industrial zones.

Overall, these initiatives underscore Azerbaijan's proactive approach towards rebuilding and revitalising its liberated territories, laying the groundwork for long-term economic prosperity and regional stability.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
30 June 2024 15:15 (UTC+04:00)

Representatives of Nizami Ganjavi International Center have met with the member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom Baroness Susan Greenfield, Azernews reports.

Our Members meet with Baroness Susan Greenfield during the London Climate Week to discuss on role of science in fight with Climate Change pic.twitter.com/l403Uo7WX0  Nizami Ganjavi International Center - NGIC (@NizamiGanjaviIC) June 27, 2024

Nizami Ganjavi International Center is a cultural, non-profit, non-political organization that includes a number of highly respected and recognized international figures.

The Center was founded in 2012 under the decree of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

The main goal of the Center is to provide the reader of Global Policy Analysis with a new, well constructed, informative, and educational magazine.

Nizami Ganjavi International Center share the views and opinions of distinguished world leaders, experts, and thinkers to address a wide range of challenges and will be debating those with internationally renowned experts from all fields of research, including politics, science, sociology, economy, culture, humanities, and ethics.

International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation focuses on the preservation of Turkic heritage in member countries as well as conducting projects in collaboration with partners in third countries.

The organization provides assistance in the protection, study and promotion of Turkic culture and heritage through supporting and funding various activities, projects and programs. It carries out its activities in cooperation with TURKSOY and the Turkic Academy.

In 2019, at the 7th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States (Turkic Council), Uzbekistan became a member of the organization, and Hungary received the status of an observer country.

In February 2021, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation and the Lithuanian embassy in Azerbaijan.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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30 June 2024 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan's Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Sabina Aliyeva has participated in the Asian Ombudsmen Association (AOA) Board of Directors 25th Meeting held in Istanbul, Turkiye, Azernews reports.

Heads and representatives of ombuds institutions from Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Turkiye, Tatarstan, and Iran attended the event.

Reports on the AOA activities during the past period were listened to, and discussions were held around ways to improve the efficiency of the association's activities.

In her remarks, the Ombudsperson expressed her views regarding the issues on the meeting's agenda. She stressed the significance of business and human rights, which is a major one on a global scale right now.

The Ombudsperson also drew attention to the measures undertaken by the institution in this direction. Sabina Aliyeva underlined that a national baseline assessment document in the relevant field has been prepared.

The Ombudsman proposed launching a business and human rights regional platform under the organization for exchanging experiences and joint cooperation among Member States of the Association.

Furthermore, representative of the Istanbul Regional Hub of the UNDP made a presentation on "National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights: The Experience of Azerbaijan", highlighting the cooperation between the UNDP's Azerbaijan Office and the Ombudsman Institution, as well as the preparation process of the national baseline assessment document in this field.

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30 June 2024 18:00 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik has met with the President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova, to discuss prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and the foundation, Azernews reports.

The meeting took place in Zomin City, Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of the 2nd Maqom Art International Forum, organized by the Uzbek Culture Ministry.

Over 400 participants from 80 countries attended the event, held under the auspices of UNESCO and ICESCO.

The main objective of the forum is to safeguard traditional music, promote intercultural dialogue, and preserve and develop cultural diversity through supporting creativity. The forum program included maqom performances of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

During the meeting, the parties discussed cooperation in cultural fields, particularly in heritage preservation and valorization.

ICESCO Director-General underlined that heritage preservation and valorization are at the core of ICESCO's new vision and strategic directions, given their importance in achieving sustainable development.

The sides stressed the importance of building strong cooperation between ICESCO and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, stemming from the Memorandum of Understanding signed between ICESCO and the Organization of Turkic States on 13 June 2024.

This includes implementing programs to train a group of young men and women from Member States of the Organization of Turkic States in cultural and heritage fields, as well as agreeing to hold conferences and seminars in these countries.

With its rich cultural legacy, Azerbaijan joined the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) in 1991.

Since then, Azerbaijan has actively promoted the preservation of its Islamic cultural heritage.

The country successfully collaborates closely with various organisations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Conference of Parliamentary Union, and the Islamic Conference of Youth Forum.

Moreover, Shusha city has been designated as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2024.

Initiated in 2012, the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation focuses on the preservation of the Turkic heritage in member countries as well as conducting projects in collaboration with partners in third nations.

The foundation provides assistance in the protection, study, and promotion of Turkic culture and heritage through supporting and funding various activities, projects, and programs.

The organization carries out its activities in cooperation with TURKSOY and the Turkic Academy.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
30 June 2024 13:24 (UTC+04:00)

The Imishli District Police Department has received information about the discovery of various types of weapons and ammunition in the district, Azernews reports.

During the inspection of the area by department employees, 2 AK-74 automatic rifles, a Carbine, an F-1 hand grenade and 167 cartridges were found and taken away.

As a result of preventive measures, residents of the region handed over 21 hunting rifles without relevant documents to the volunteer police.

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30 June 2024 12:23 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Elnur Mammadov has participated in Dubrovnik Forum held in Croatia, Azernews reports.

Within the forum, Deputy Minister Elnur Mammadov addressed the panel session "Leaders' Panel of the Forum. Connecting the Dots: Reliable Supply Chains and Maritime Security".

At the panel session, Elnur Mammadov highlighted the large-scale energy projects implemented by our country in the last 30 years, and the development of transit opportunities.

Recalling that Azerbaijan will host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), the Deputy Minister informed about the cooperation of the Azerbaijani side with foreign partners in the direction of the development and transmission of renewable energy, including the Black Sea submarine cable project. A number of bilateral meetings were also held during the visit.

Current issues on the agenda of bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Croatia, including the intensification of political dialogue between the two countries, economy, trade, transport, energy, culture, humanitarian, and demining were discussed at the meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia Frano Matusic.

In this regard, the necessity of using the existing potential in the direction of further expansion of relations was emphasized.

Deputy Minister Elnur Mammadov informed the other side about the current situation in the region during the post-conflict period, the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the work done in the direction of advancing the peace agenda, as well as the large-scale reconstruction and reconstruction in the territories freed from occupation.

Elnur Mammadov also had a meeting with head of the Civil Defense Department of the Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs Damir Trut.

During the meeting, it was emphasized that Azerbaijan-Croatia relations are developing successfully in many areas, especially in the field of humanitarian demining, which is a priority for our country, and they exchanged views on future development prospects in this direction.

The importance of strengthening the cooperation and expanding the exchange of experience between the Croatian companies specialized in the field of demining and ANAMA was noted as well.

The deputy minister also gave an interview to Croatian state television HRT1.

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30 June 2024 17:47 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov will take part in Global Energy Transition (GET) Congress & Exhibition to be held in Milan, Italy on July 1-3, Azernews reports.

Within the framework of the event, the speech of the energy minister in the session entitled "Climate rights of developing economies: thoughts on the national energy strategy of Azerbaijan before COP29", participation in panel discussions entitled "Sustainable international activities on the energy transition", as well as bilateral meetings are planned.

The Global Energy Transition Congress & Exhibition (GET) is a premier event that brings together thought leaders, innovators, and industry experts from the energy, hard-to-abate sectors, finance, and start-ups to address the critical challenges and opportunities to decarbonise industry and accelerate the global energy transition.

GET serves as a vital platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and showcasing low-carbon solutions and decarbonisation technologies that will shape the future of the energy transition worldwide. With a focus on achieving net-zero emissions, GET is set to attract participants from diverse sectors and countries to foster collaboration and drive meaningful change.

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30 June 2024 22:20 (UTC+04:00)

The Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Tajikistan at the invitation of the republics President Emomali Rahmon on July 4-6, Azernews reports citing TASS.

The state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping will take place on July 4-6.

Bilateral talks with a small and extended number of participants will be held as part of the visit.

The Chinese leader will also partake in other official events.

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30 June 2024 23:00 (UTC+04:00)

Chelsea have signed attacking midfielder Omari Kellyman from Aston Villa on a six-year contract, Azernews reports citing Sky Sports.

The 18-year-old made six first-team appearances at Villa Park and is an England U19 international.

"It is fantastic to be standing here as a Chelsea player. It's a massive club with an amazing history, so it is great to join," Kellyman told Chelsea's official website.

"It is a dream come true for sure. I'm buzzing to have put on the shirt and can't wait to get started."

Kellyman started his career at Derby County and spent 10 years with the club before signing with Aston Villa in 2022.

He featured for Villa's U18s and U21s during his first season and earned a nomination for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award.

Kellyman was part of Villa's pre-season tour of the USA last summer and made his first-team debut in August 2023 during a Europa Conference League victory over Hibernian.

He went on to play five further times for the senior team last season, which included Premier League appearances against Manchester City and Crystal Palace.

On Friday, Villa confirmed the signing of left-back Ian Maatsen from Chelsea.

The 22-year-old has signed a six-year deal and moves to Villa Park for a fee of 37.5m.

Maatsen had a 35m release clause which expired earlier this month, allowing Chelsea to negotiate the higher price they agreed with Villa.

The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.

The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.

The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.

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Home Secretary James Cleverly has hit out at a stunt at the Glastonbury festival (PA)

Home Secretary James Cleverly has accused a stunt at the Glastonbury Festival reportedly devised by the artist Banksy of trivialising small boat crossings in the channel.

A small boat filled with migrant dummies in orange life jackets was hoisted into the crowd gathered to watch the band Idles play on the Other Stage at Worthy Farm on Friday night.

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Cleverly said: Small boats crossings are deadly and have cost the lives of too many people.

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Festival-goers cosplaying as migrants, and celebrating the actions of people smugglers, while they party is awful.

Whatever your political views, this isnt something we should trivialise.

The boat appeared while the Bristol rock band were performing Danny Nedelko, a 2018 release which begins with the lyrics: My blood brother is an immigrant, a beautiful immigrant.

According to The Guardian, the band said the demonstration was devised by Bristol artist Banksy and they were not aware it had happened until after the set had finished.

Joe Talbot, from Idles, performing on the Other Stage at the Glastonbury Festival (Ben Birchall/PA)

The Glastonbury Live account also posted an image on Saturday of the artwork returning for Little Simz Pyramid Stage slot.

Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden also hit out at the stunt, telling Times Radio: I was really saddened by it, actually.

If you look at what happens with men, women, children being shoved onto those dinghies  the criminal gangs only fill them half with petrol, so they run out halfway across the English Channel and start to sink, endangering peoples lives.

I dont think this is a sort of thing to joke around with at Glastonbury.

Representatives of Banksy have been contacted for comment.
Michael J Fox said playing guitar with Coldplay at Glastonbury was mind-blowing (Ian West/PA)

Michael J Fox has said it was mind-blowing to perform with Coldplay on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.

The Back To The Future star, 63, joined the British rock band on stage to play guitar on their hit, Fix You, during their headline set on Saturday night at Worthy Farm.

The band made history as they became the first act to headline the festival five times.

Fox shared photos from his time at the festival, including of himself on stage in a wheelchair with his team and of himself in a wheelchair in front of a hoarding that reads Optimism is a political act.

He wrote: My team : Lauren, John and Jeff and Steve.

Glastonbury all the love and thanks to the @coldplay team who took such great care of us.

And many thanks to (Coldplay members) Chris (Martin), Will (Champion), Johnny (Buckland), Guy (Berryman) and Phil (Harvey).

Oh yeah in case you were wondering  it was f****** mind blowing.

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There is a time for every band and a band for every time. This is @coldplays time. More pics to come.

The activist and former Hollywood actor was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinsons disease a year after Back To The Future Part III was released in 1990.

Fox first noticed a tremor in his little finger before his diagnosis at the age of 29 and the progressive neurological condition has severely affected his mobility. He has suffered broken bones from numerous falls.

He announced his retirement from on-screen work in 2020, having been open about how the disease affected his memory and made it difficult to remember dialogue.

Fox founded the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons research in 2000, which has raised more than two billion dollars (1.58 billion).

In 2023, he starred in the Apple+ documentary Still: A Michael J Fox Movie, exploring how Parkinsons impacted his life.

As well as starring in the Back To The Future trilogy, Fox is known for films including Teen Wolf and Doc Hollywood along with the TV series Spin City.

In February, he received a standing ovation after making a surprise appearance in a wheelchair at the Bafta film awards in London to present the best film award to Sir Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer.
Alliance leader Naomi Long and DUP leader Gavin Robinson are both vying for the East Belfast seat in Thursdays General Election (PA)

In a contest that pits political big-hitters Gavin Robinson and Naomi Long head to head, both are keen to dismiss talk of a grudge match.

But there is undoubtedly an extra edge to the race in East Belfast this time round after Mr Robinson assumed the leadership of the DUP.

That has made for the very rare occurrence of two party leaders vying for the same seat.

There can only be one winner, and the high-stakes nature of this all-or-nothing battle in the constituency where the Titanic was built will see the vanquished candidate feel the sting of defeat all the more sharply.

For Mr Robinson it would surely raise questions about his fledgling leadership of the DUP; while a loss for Ms Long would prompt some to ask whether the Alliance Partys surge of recent years has begun to subside.

It is predicted to be a tight-run thing. Mr Robinson, who has defeated Ms Long in the last three general elections, is defending a 1,819 majority from 2019.

But several variables mean a direct comparison with the race five years ago is not advisable.

The 2019 campaign was framed by the impasse over the Brexit withdrawal and led to various other parties standing aside to assist either the pro-Remain Ms Long or the Brexit-supporting Mr Robinson. Only one other party stood back then  the Ulster Unionists.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson canvasses for votes with a party worker in East Belfast (Niall Carson/PA)

While Sinn Fein has once again opted out of the race in 2024, the SDLP, TUV and the Greens are taking part in what is a seven-strong field.

Add to that some changes to the constituency boundaries and you are left with a very different tussle from five years ago.

That said, Mr Robinson and Ms Long are still seen as the only two realistic victors.

While jousting in most constituency fights plays out predominantly at a local level, the sparring between Mr Robinson and Ms Long has been amplified on to the regional stage, with their claims and counter-claims aired during the two main Northern Ireland TV election debates.

Mr Robinson, however, insists there is no personal animosity.

Theres no grudge, none at all, he said.

Alliance leader Naomi Long (centre) with her canvassing team in East Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)

Ive been a representative of East Belfast for the last nine years in parliamentary terms and Naomi has been there at the Assembly, and we sometimes operate in separate orbits, and its elections that sometimes bring us on to the same track, but its not a grudge.

And I put forward not a criticism of anybody else, but a positive portrayal of what we can achieve in East Belfast, what we have achieved in East Belfast, and what we could do in the future.

Ms Long would only go so far as to describe the race as spicy, as she insisted she is focused on what she sees as her record of delivery, rather than being preoccupied by her rival.

I think its going to be a spicy competition anyway, because its going to be a tight contest  we know that there were less than 2,000 votes in it last time around, he said.

Its also a different constituency with the boundaries redrawn, which I think makes the chances for Alliance all the greater. But, at the end of the day, this is down to the people of East Belfast.

I want to fight on the bread-and-butter issues that matter to them, on the things that I can deliver for them as an MP, and on my record of delivery in the past.

Mr Robinsons elevation to the leadership of his party came after the DUP suffered a seismic shock when former leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson quit after he was charged with a range of historical sexual offences in March  charges he denies.

Apart from the sudden departure of Donaldson from the political stage, the DUP has also been under pressure from unionist rivals amid claims it oversold a Government package of measures on post-Brexit trading arrangements that the party used to justify the end of its two-year boycott on devolution at Stormont in January.

UUP candidate Ryan Warren said he felt motivated to stand in a bid to tackle low voter turnout in working-class unionist areas (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Robinson insists he is focused on the future and making further progress to address concerns on the Brexit barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

Its been a huge privilege for me to represent East Belfast for the last nine years. The opportunity to serve my neighbours, my community, my friends, the place that Ive grown up and the place that I live and raise my family is huge. It means a lot to me, he said.

But it also drives me forward to make sure that Im continuing to represent my neighbours in the years to come.

The campaign backdrop for Ms Long has also been far from ideal.

As Stormonts current justice minister, she has faced questions over her commitment to devolution, with some accusing her of turning her back on her ministerial responsibilities to shift her gaze to Westminster.

The decision to cancel a planned appearance at a recent event to debate Irish unity has also come in for scrutiny, with rivals questioning whether it was a politically motivated move to ensure she did not alienate liberal pro-Union supporters.

Then there is the controversy over a contentious law passed under her watch which granted anonymity to suspected (though not charged) sex offenders for 25 years after their deaths  a law that was recently ruled unlawful by a High Court judge.

The Alliance leader has rejected criticism on all those fronts, defending her handling of the issues. The former MEP has defeated a DUP leader before in a general election  beating Peter Robinson when she won the seat for the first and only time in 2010  and is confident she can do so again.

Im familiar with the role, Ive done it before, I really enjoyed my time in Westminster (2010-2015), she said.

John Ross is running for the TUV and hoping to attract votes from disaffected DUP voters (Liam McBurney/PA)

But I enjoy the job that I do now in the Department of Justice, and I enjoy being in the constituency. So, its not an easy decision (to run), but I did it because I believe that, first of all, its best for East Belfast if I stand, I believe that theres a real opportunity for us to deliver a change in the politics here.

I also believe that its best for the party if I stand. I think it increases our opportunities in terms of being able to take an additional seat.

And I think that overall for Northern Ireland its good that we have positive politicians who are focused on the future, and who want to build a better future for people here and give them more opportunities.

Ulster Unionist candidate Ryan Warren said he felt motivated to stand in a bid to tackle low voter turnout in working-class unionist areas.

I think one of the main concerns about the constituency of East Belfast, particularly where I live, which is from the more working-class background, is theres a big issue with voter turnout and voter apathy, he said.

So, theres a real issue in terms of getting those people to vote and I think for too long weve been failed and havent been given a reasonable voice, and a reason to actually come out and cast their vote.

TUV candidate John Ross, a former paratrooper, is hoping to attract votes from disaffected DUP voters who believe the party has failed to remove Brexits so-called Irish Sea border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Mr Ross rejects the suggestion that by running the TUV runs the risk of unionism losing the seat to a non-unionist candidate in Ms Long.

What were hearing on the doorsteps from many, many people, and many private messages Ive had, is that if we werent standing, they wouldnt vote, he said.

So, the TUV will enhance the unionist vote. The most important thing, in my opinion, is that the cumulative unionist vote exceeds republicans, nationalists and Alliance.

SDLP candidate Seamas de Faoite said it is important to offer people in the traditionally unionist constituency a nationalist voice (Liam McBurney/PA)

SDLP Belfast city councillor Seamas de Faoite said it is important to offer people in the traditionally unionist constituency a nationalist voice and a chance to engage in the conversation about constitutional change.

And there are an increasing number of people in East Belfast who want to be part of that conversation, he said.

Weve seen in the last 14 years of chaos, and failure and Brexit, and all of the madness thats come along with that, and they want to look for something different and want to engage in a conversation about better public services, better outcomes for people, and a fairer, more just society.

Green Party councillor Brian Smyth acknowledged that the first-past-the-post system is horrible for smaller parties as he conceded his party could be hit by tactical voting for the main candidates.

But he said the campaign has still been valuable in building the partys base ahead of the next Assembly election.

I take a lot of comfort because people are saying any other election, Id vote for you, he said.

So, I think weve got a growing profile in East Belfast. I think the party, despite the difficulties of the last couple of years (Greens lost seats in last Assembly and local council elections), theres been real growth for the Greens in East Belfast.

Independent candidate Ryan North makes up the field in East Belfast.

He is aligned to the NI People movement, which describes itself as a collective of passionate individuals united by a common goal: to forge a brighter, more prosperous future for Northern Ireland  one that is founded on the pillars of freedom, community support, and transparent governance.
The PSNI has confirmed it is investigating the appearance of a UVF mural in Co Armagh which has been condemned by an Alliance councillor.

Local representative Peter Lavery criticised the terror groups attempt to mark territory near a park in Lurgan and took to social media to advice the public that police have been alerted.

PSNI Chief Inspector Stevenson confirmed the report was received on Saturday.

"Our enquiries are ongoing," they added.

"Lurgan Neighbourhood Policing Team officers will continue to engage with community representatives and partner agencies around this issue.

Its understood the the giant orange coloured initials of the Ulster Volunteer Force, against a purple backdrop, were painted on a wall near Lurgan Park earlier this week.

Cllr Lavery shared a picture of the scene as he expressed disgust on Facebook.

I completely condemn the erection of a UVF mural in Lurgan which was painted in recent days on a wall near the Avenue Road, he wrote.

This is not history or culture, instead is is a clear attempt to mark territory and intimidate.

The community in Lurgan wants to be left in peace so they can get on with their lives.

"This sinister attempt to try to bring fear into the area will not deter people from continuing to progress towards a more positive future.

The elected representative has urged anyone with information to contact the police on 101.

The mural also contains the words Mid Ulster Brigade  a notorious UVF unit which was behind some of the most savage killings of the Troubles.

It was part of the Glenanne gang, a collaboration of loyalist paramilitaries and some members of the security forces.

Members were involved in several high-profile attacks during its 30 year long terror reign during which dozens of people were murdered.

The blood drenched Portadown based unit was responsible for the the Dublin and Monaghan bomb attacks which claimed the lives of 33 people in May 1974.

It was also behind the murder of top IRA commander John Francis Green, at Tullyash, Co Monaghan, in January 1975.

The shooting dead of six members of the O'Dowd and Reavey families in coordinated gun-attacks at Bleary and Whitecross a gun and bomb attack which claimed the lives of three members of the Miami Showband in August 1976 was also the work of the Mid Ulster Unit.

its former leader Billy Wright was expelled by the UVF in August 1986.

He defied an order to leave the country and went on to set up his own unit, the LVF which led to bloody feuds.

Mr Lavery has previously condemned the appearance of UVF facades in Lurgan.

In 2021 one appeared on the side of a Housing Executive property in the town which was also condemned as an attempt to intimidate residents.

Those signs, depicting images and slogans claiming to represent Mid-Ulster UVF and associated other paramilitaries, were displayed at Pollock Drive close to a community centre and replaced facades of Edward Carson and the Somme among other historical markers.
Peter Robinson at home with a tree which was given to him by the Queen for his 70th birthday. Picture Colm O'Reilly Belfast Telegraph 23-06-2021

Former DUP leader Peter Robinson has branded general election candidates whose hatred of another unionist candidate is greater than their love of the Union as feckless, reckless and political blinkered.

In a thinly-veiled attack on the UUP and TUV, the former First Minister called out what he called spoilers within unionism who he says are intentional vote splitting candidates.
Labour has said the Tories election message centres on the view that this is as good as it gets for Britain, while Rishi Sunak doubled down on his warning not to surrender to the opposition party.

As the July 4 polling day fast approaches, each party has ramped up its General Election campaigning with increasingly bitter attacks on its rival.

With Labour still around 20 points ahead in the polls and just four days to go, the Prime Minister has explicitly warned of Sir Keir Starmers party heading for a supermajority.

(PA Graphics)

In a stump speech on Monday, Mr Sunak will say: We have four days to save Britain from a Labour government. Labour would hike taxes by more than 2,000 for every working family, would shunt our politics to the left and change the rules to ensure that they can stay in power for decades.

If they get the kind of majority, the supermajority that the polls suggest, they will set about entrenching themselves in power. They will rewrite the rules to make it easier for them to stay in office and harder for anyone to replace them. So, dont surrender your voice to Labour on Thursday. 

The Prime Minister also sounded the alarm over national security, claiming that Russian president Vladimir Putin does not want us to be re-elected.

Putin would like nothing more than for Britain to step back, to appease his aggression rather than face it down and that is what will happen with another party in power, he told the Telegraph.

Sir Keir has previously criticised desperate Tory suggestions that Labour is a threat to national security, saying that his party has united with government on defence matters such as support for Ukraine.

In an interview with the Guardian, Sir Keir said he plans to restore faith in politics with deeds, not words.

The hope has been kicked out of many people. Theyve been promised lots of things that havent happened and that leads to disillusion, he said.

Theres a near-universal view that almost everything is broken and were going backwards as a country. Thats very demoralising.

Meanwhile, Labour urged voters to move to avoid waking up on July 5 to five more years of economic chaos as it accused the Tories of having presided over a one rule for them and another for everyone else approach to government.

At the heart of the Tory campaign is the view that this is as good as it gets for the UK, the party said.

Yet living standards have stagnated since the Tories took office, NHS satisfaction levels are at their lowest levels ever recorded, and the first response of some of those close to the election decision was not to get ready to face the voters, but to call the bookies.

It comes after the Prime Minister on Sunday insisted that the UK is a better place to live than it was in 2010 as he battles to narrow the gap in the polls.

Mr Sunak defended the Conservative record in government against what he described as a declinist narrative while he faced questions about the state of public services and the economy.

It was put to him that the UK has become poorer by many measures over the past 14 years the Conservatives have been in power, and that public services are deteriorating.

I just dont accept that, Mr Sunak told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

Our schoolchildren are now the best readers in the western world.

Labour said the remarks showed he was out of touch.

Shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: If people dont want to wake up on July 5 to five more years of economic chaos, to wake up knowing that all the future offers is the same as the recent Tory past, then they have to vote Labour and vote for change on Thursday.

Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, Sir Keir said the hope has been kicked out of people and vowed to bring an end to divisive and toxic culture wars if he makes it to Number 10.

In words published as exit polls showed Marine Le Pens National Rally party making gains in the first round of Frances parliamentary election, he suggested Labour would have to stave off a rise of the populist right.

Sir Keir said his party could do this by restoring faith in British politics through deeds, not words, citing his focus on economic growth.

Both Sir Keir and Mr Sunak will hit the trail on Monday for the final push in a six-week campaign, with the Labour leader touring the shires in southern England and the Prime Minister in the Midlands.

Meanwhile, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is battling an ongoing fallout over allegations of racism within his party.

The latest flare-up came on Sunday when the Reform candidate for Erewash, Liam Booth-Isherwood, dropped out of the race to back Tory contender Maggie Throup after becoming disillusioned with what he described as a significant moral issue within party ranks.

It comes after Mr Farage faced accusations from across the political divide of failing to tackle allegations of racism within Reform which have engulfed the party in recent days.

Addressing a rally in Birmingham earlier on Sunday, the party leader insisted that the bad apples are gone after withdrawing support for three candidates over the row.

Campaigners for Reform in the Clacton seat Mr Farage hopes to win in Essex were also recorded by an undercover journalist from Channel 4 making racist comments, including about the Prime Minister, who is of Indian descent.

Party chairman Richard Tice claimed the candidates switch in support showed that Conservatives were offering inducements to Reform rivals to persuade them to talk badly of Reform, stand down and then endorse the Tory candidate.

This shows dark forces at play by desperate Tories, he wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Elsewhere on Monday, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey will promote his partys pledge to spend 440 million a year on supporting widows and bereaved children on a campaign visit in southern England.

Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney will be out in the north east of the country, claiming that only his party offers the hope of a better future in the European Union for Scotland.
A defiant Rishi Sunak said the Tories can still win the General Election despite languishing in the polls as he insisted the UK is a better place to live now than in 2010.

The Prime Minister defended the Conservative record in government against what he described as a declinist narrative while he faced questions about the state of public services and the economy.

Mr Sunak said it was completely and utterly wrong to suggest Britains standing has diminished since Brexit, claiming people are queuing up to work with us because they respect what we do.

Its entirely wrong, this kind of declinist narrative that people have of the UK I wholeheartedly reject, he told the BBCs Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.

It (the UK) is a better place to live than it was in 2010.

Of course I understand that the last few years have been difficult for everyone.

He cited the pandemic and the war in Ukraine driving up energy bills, insisting we are now on the right track.

It was put to him that the UK has become poorer by many measures over the past 14 years the Conservatives have been in power, and that public services are deteriorating.

I just dont accept that, Mr Sunak replied.

Our schoolchildren are now the best readers in the western world.

Asked whether he thought he would still be in Downing Street after the election next week, Mr Sunak said: Yes. Im fighting very hard and I think people are waking up to the real danger of what a Labour government means.

Labour said the remarks were excruciating and accused the Prime Minister of appearing to gloss over the concerns of ordinary working people.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden ramped up attacks on the opposition party elsewhere during Sundays broadcast round as the Conservatives seek to close an opinion poll lead of around 20 points.

(PA Graphics)

Mark my words: Dogs bark, cats meow, Labour put up taxes, he told Skys Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme.

The Tories have pointed to a series of tax rises which Labour has not ruled out, but which are not party policy, along with speculation about granting votes to EU citizens living in the UK, which is also not in Labours manifesto.

Mr Dowden warned the bigger the Labour majority, the bigger the buyers remorse, as he told voters frustrated with the Tory record: Dont think about the anger just now.

What I would say is just think, think in six months time how youre going to feel. I have a strong feeling the shine is going to come off Labour pretty quickly, he said.

Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth said: Its excruciating to watch Rishi Sunak just gloss over the concerns of ordinary working people.

Rishi Sunak has no remorse for his record: prices are up in the shops, NHS waiting lists have rocketed, and mortgages have soared. He just doesnt understand what the Conservatives have inflicted on voters over the past 14 years.

Labours national campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden with deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper on the BBCs Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg (Jeff Overs/PA)

He said the UK simply cannot afford five more years of the Tories with their pie-in-the-sky, unfunded manifesto.

The public has the chance for change, but change will only happen with a vote for Labour on 4 July, Mr Ashworth said.

Elsewhere, the Prime Minister bolstered his attack Nigel Farage, whose Reform UK Party is embroiled in a racism row after one of its canvassers was filmed by an undercover Channel 4 journalist using a slur to refer to Mr Sunak.

What was said was deeply inappropriate and racist, Mr Sunak said.

But he was also questioned about his own handling of racist remarks allegedly made by Tory donor Frank Hester, who reportedly suggested former Labour MP Diane Abbott made him want to hate all black women.

Mr Sunak suggested there was a clear difference because Mr Hester had shown genuine remorse for his behaviour and because he, as leader, had called the comments out as racist.

Nigel Farage has just described these comments as inappropriate; theyre not inappropriate  they were vile and racist and wrong, but hes only said that theyre inappropriate, he said.

The person who made them has only apologised to the Reform Party for the impact its had on them. Its a very clear difference. Theres no contrition or remorse or acceptance of whats happened in that case.

Reform leader Mr Farage claimed that Andrew Parker, the campaigner at the heart of the row, is a paid actor who was part of a deliberate attempt to derail our campaign.

Mr Parker has told the PA news agency his acting work is separate to his volunteering for the party, which he said he started because he was believed in Mr Farages message.

A screengrab of Reform UK canvasser Andrew Parker who was caught on camera calling Rishi Sunak a racial slur (Channel 4 News/PA)

He has apologised for the remarks and claimed he was goaded on to make them in the heat of the moment.

Channel 4 has said it did not pay Mr Parker to appear in the footage and stands by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for itself.

At a Reform rally in Birmingham on Sunday, Mr Farage insisted the bad apples are gone from the party after it dropped support for three candidates amid the racism row engulfing the party in the final stages of campaigning.

Have we had a few bad apples? We have, although to my knowledge nobody involved in an organised betting ring is standing for us, which is something, he told an audience of thousands of people.

Well never have them back.

Meanwhile, Labour has promised Sir Keirs first steps if elected prime minister would be restoring economic stability and cutting NHS waiting lists as the work of change begins.

The country faces a big choice on Thursday. If you vote Tory on Thursday  or dont vote at all  nothing will change, the partys national campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden said.

Chaos will continue, and theyll continue to put their own interests before the countrys.

Touring Sundays broadcast studios, Mr McFadden was challenged on his partys failure to give a timeline for its commitment to raise defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product.

Mr Sunak has pledged to reach the target by 2030, but Labour has said it will be met only when economic conditions allow.

Asked why Sir Keir had not set out a timeline as a priority, Mr McFadden said: Because date without a proper plan to pay for it is also not a meaningful commitment he wants to show for everything he commits to exactly how its going to be paid for.

Responding to the Tory claim that Labour would wreck Britain within 100 days of government, Mr McFadden told LBC: Well, Im surprised they didnt say that the sky would fall in and a river would start running red.

The trouble with that kind of attack is it just proves how out of touch they are because it assumes that the best that this country can do is how its doing at the moment.
Here is your guide to the main developments in the General Election campaign on Sunday.

 The air war

The final Sunday of the campaign will see Rishi Sunak face the BBCs Laura Kuenssberg for what could be the last time as Prime Minister, if the Tories dire opinion poll ratings are correct.

His appearance will give him the chance to throw some punches at Labour, building on his overnight warning that Sir Keir Starmer would cause irreversible damage within 100 days of coming to power.

His deputy Oliver Dowden will be on Sky News, where he is likely to face questions about reports he could be put in place as a caretaker Tory leader if Mr Sunak quits after a defeat in Thursdays General Election.

Labours Pat McFadden will be touring the broadcaster studios on Sunday (Victoria Jones/PA)

Reform UKs Nigel Farage will also be on Skys Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, where he is likely to come under pressure about the racism row within his party.

But he is boycotting the BBC, claiming that a Question Time audience on Friday was rigged against him  something the corporation has denied.

Labours national campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden will be setting out his partys message that it can stop the chaos  but only if people actually bother to vote.

Scotlands First Minister John Swinney and Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper will also be on the airwaves.

 The ground offensive

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey will be back on the campaign trail (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Campaigning continues, with Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey expected to take part in more eye-catching stunts as he makes his way through Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire on the latest leg of his fun-packed tour.

The Prime Minister will follow up his appearance on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg by campaigning in London.

In Scotland, Mr Swinney is expected to follow up his morning TV appearance with a campaign event while Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will also be campaigning.

 Rallying the troops

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Mr Farage will address a gathering of 5,000 Reform UK supporters at Birminghams NEC, which he said would be our biggest rally ever.

It comes at the end of a difficult week for the Reform leader, who has had to deal with multiple allegations about the behaviour of his candidates and activists.
France is holding the first round of an early parliamentary election that could bring the countrys first far-right government since Nazi occupation during the Second World War (Jean-Francois Badias/AP)

Voters across mainland France began casting their ballots on Sunday in the first round of an exceptional parliamentary election that could put the countrys government in the hands of nationalist, far-right parties for the first time since the Nazi era.

The outcome of the two-round election, which will conclude on July 7, could affect European financial markets, Western support for Ukraine and how Frances nuclear arsenal and global military force are managed.

Many French voters are frustrated about inflation and economic concerns, as well as President Emmanuel Macrons leadership, which they see as arrogant and out-of-touch with their lives.

Marine Le Pens anti-immigration National Rally party has tapped and fuelled that discontent, notably via online platforms like TikTok, and dominated all pre-election opinion polls.

A new coalition on the left, the New Popular Front, is also posing a challenge to the pro-business Mr Macron and his centrist alliance Together for the Republic.

President Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage in northern France (Yara Nardi/Pool/AP)

There are 49.5 million registered voters who will choose 577 members of the National Assembly, Frances lower house of parliament, during the two-round voting.

After a blitz campaign marred by rising hate speech, voting began early in Frances overseas territories, and polling stations opened in mainland France at 8am (0700 BST) on Sunday.

The first polling projections are expected at 8pm (1900 BST), when the final polling stations close, and early official results are expected later on Sunday night.

A voter leaves a booth at a polling station in Lyon, central France (Laurent Cipriani/AP)

In the volatile French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, polls have already closed  at 5pm local time  due to an 8pm-to-6am curfew that authorities on the archipelago have extended until July 8.

Nine people died during two-week-long unrest in New Caledonia, where the indigenous Kanak people have long sought to break free from France, which first took the Pacific territory in 1853.

Violence flared on May 13 in response to attempts by Mr Macrons government to amend the French Constitution and change voting lists in New Caledonia, which Kanaks feared would further marginalise them.

Far-right National Rally president Jordan Bardella poses for a selfie after voting in Garches, outside Paris (Aurelien Morissard/AP)

Voters in Frances other overseas territories from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Saint-Barthelemy, Saint-Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, French Polynesia and those voting in offices opened by embassies and consular posts across the Americas cast their ballots on Saturday.

Mr Macron called the early election after his party was trounced in the European Parliament election earlier in June by National Rally, which has historic ties to racism and antisemitism and is hostile toward Frances Muslim community.

It was an audacious gamble that French voters who were complacent about the European Union election would be jolted into turning out for moderate forces in a national election to keep the far right out of power.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen votes her vote in Henin-Beaumont in northern France (Thibault Camus/PA)

Instead, pre-election polls suggest that National Rally is gaining support and has a chance of winning a parliamentary majority. In that scenario, Mr Macron would be expected to name 28-year-old National Rally president Jordan Bardella as prime minister in an awkward power-sharing system known as cohabitation.

While Mr Macron has said he will not step down before his presidential term expires in 2027, cohabitation would weaken him at home and on the world stage.

The results of the first round will give a picture of overall voter sentiment, but not necessarily of the overall make-up of the next National Assembly.

An election assistant checks a polling card and identity card at a polling station in Strasbourg, eastern France (Jean-Francois Badias/AP)

Predictions are extremely difficult because of the complicated voting system, and because parties will work between the two rounds to make alliances in some constituencies or pull out of others.

In the past such tactical manoeuvres helped keep far-right candidates out of power. But now support for Ms Le Pens party has spread deep and wide.

Mr Bardella, who has no governing experience, as said he would use the powers of prime minister to stop Mr Macron from continuing to supply long-range weapons to Ukraine for the war with Russia. His party has historical ties to Russia.

A man casts his ballot in Strasbourg, eastern France (Jean-Francois Badias/AP)

The party has also questioned the right to citizenship for people born in France, and wants to curtail the rights of French citizens with dual nationality. Critics say this undermines fundamental human rights and is a threat to Frances democratic ideals.

Meanwhile, huge public spending promises by National Rally and especially the left-wing coalition have shaken markets and ignited worries about Frances heavy debt, already criticised by EU watchdogs.
Belfasts first night tsar on mission to transform evening economy into best on the island

Improving public transport and womens safety at top of Michael Stewarts to-do list

Michael Stewart on Royal Avenue last week. Picture by Peter Morrison

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Woman was fatally injured while driving by when the bomb exploded outside apartment housing police in Yala province, officials said.

Thai Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong (in red shirt) visits the site of car-bombing in front of a police residence building in Bannang Sata, district of southern Thailands Yala province, June 30, 2024.

A civilian was killed and 21 other people were injured when a car-bomb exploded outside a police residential complex in Thailands troubled Deep South on Sunday, authorities said.

The person who died in the suspected attack by separatist insurgents in Yala province was identified as a woman who taught at a school in the area. The other 21 who were hurt in the blast in Bannang Sata district sustained non-life threatening injuries, officials said.

The explosion caused significant damage to flats housing police and surrounding buildings, they said.

THE LATEST: 2 suspects arrested after car bombing in Thai Deep South

The fatality was a female teacher from a local Islamic school in Bannang Sata district, said Thai Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong, who visited the site of the bombing. She was reportedly buying food to prepare meals for her students when the explosion occurred as she was driving past.

The explosion occurred at about 10:10 a.m. (local time) by the police apartments in the district, according to Col. Ranon Surawit, superintendent of the Bannang Sata Police Station.

The assailants had parked a vehicle loaded with improvised explosives in front of the police residential building, said Col. Ekwarit Chobchuphon, spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4 Forward Command.

Initially, one person was killed and 21 others were injured. All casualties have been transported to Bannang Sata Hospital for treatment, he said.

Firefighters were deployed to extinguish the flames from a resulting blaze, while security forces cordoned off the area to gather evidence and check for additional suspicious objects, Ekwarit said.

Tawee, the minister, went to the scene of the blast to inspect the damage. He noted that the explosion had ripped a hole in the residential buildings wall and scattered debris across the area.

Authorities said they were still gathering evidence but suspected that the bombing was carried out by insurgents or their supporters.

Thailands southern border region, whose population is predominantly Malay Muslim, has been home to a decades-old separatist rebellion. Thai police, soldiers and government officials are regular targets of roadside bombs and other attacks in this heavily militarized region along the border with Malaysia.

In November 2022, a police officer was killed and dozens of people were injured in a car-bombing that targeted a police housing complex in Narathiwat, another of the provinces in the Deep South.

There have been more than 22,200 violent incidents in the border region since the insurgency reignited 20 years ago, resulting in more than 7,540 deaths and 14,000 injuries, according to Deep South Watch, a local think-tank.

Violence linked to the insurgency has persisted despite Malaysia-brokered direct peace talks that began in 2020 between Thailand and Barisan Nasional Revolusi (BRN), the largest and most powerful among the southern rebel groups and factions.

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India's MedTech industry holds immense potential, with projections estimating a growth rate of 28 per cent annually, and hitting $50 billion by 2030. India is the fourth largest market for medical devices in Asia and among the top 20 globally. Net imports for 2022-23 stands at $4.101 billion with an import coverage ratio of 0.45. The sector has witnessed a surge in imports, driven primarily by countries like the US, China, and Germany, however, India's robust policy ecosystem presents opportunities for exports and reducing import dependence through domestic manufacturing. Exports have overtaken imports in consumables and disposables during the last year. The industry now needs to continue with the momentum in other pillars of the medtech sector. Against this promising backdrop, the Department of Pharmaceuticals rolled out MediTech Stackathon 2024, in a bid to harness the collective expertise of stakeholders to ultimately propel the industry towards unparalleled heights of innovation and self-reliance. Lets explore how the Indian medtech industry is prepping for the big leap.

Indias medtech sector has shown a promising growth trajectory over the past decade. It is a fast-growing industry today, holding strong potential for technological innovations and making unique industrial transformative strides. Being the worlds second most populous country with a rising number of diseases, effective healthcare delivery to improve health outcomes is important. While India hosts an impactful healthcare professionals ecosystem and is home to an excellent pharmaceutical domain, there is a wide gap in healthcare delivery to patients. The development and incorporation of medical devices and technology in healthcare can be a key factor in bridging this gap.

In the past few years, new dedicated policies and initiatives have been introduced to boost the growth and development of Indias medtech sector. Some of the significant ones from the recent past include the National Medical Devices Policy from April 2023, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for medical devices, under which new medical device manufacturing parks will be developed to foster indigenous manufacturing of medical devices; and, in August 2022, the Department of Pharmaceuticals reconstituted the National Medical Devices Promotion Council (NMDPC) under the Chairmanship of the Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals.

Continuing the momentum and supporting this niche space, the Meditech Stackathon initiative launched on May 7, 2024 by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is an important one. During the launch of the Meditech Stackathon, Dr Arunish Chawla, Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers emphasised the importance of policymakers and industry coming together to draw up a sturdy policy stack for the growth of the medical devices industry in the country.

The Meditech Stackathon is designed to catalyse transformative change within India's burgeoning medtech sector by undertaking a comprehensive value chain analysis of select medical devices. It will serve as a platform to bring together policymakers, industry players, healthcare professionals, and experts to strategise the growth of Indias medical devices sector.

Prospects and obstacles

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines a medical device as any instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, appliance, implant, reagent for in vitro use, software, material or other similar or related article, intended by the manufacturer to be used, alone or in combination for a medical purpose. Such a multi-faceted industry spanning several segments, the medtech sector can present its fair share of challenges and opportunities. Streamlining industry operations and establishing strong market growth could enable better accessibility of quality healthcare and affordability to a larger proportion of Indias population. Medical technology innovation can be a significant tool to make this possible by lowering the cost of the product or delivery.

The key focus of the Stackathon will be to identify critical challenges and opportunities and carry out a comprehensive value chain analysis of the various segments of the MedTech industry. In addition, the Stackathon initiative will also focus on targets of reducing import dependence and building a strong and self-sufficient domestic manufacturing of medical devices.

Dr Arunish Chawla, during the launch of Meditech Stackathon, highlighted the critical need to focus on quality to ensure that India becomes globally competitive. Through the Stackathon, Dr Chawla said, the participants will delve into the complexities of different product segments within the medical devices industry to gain insights into their unique challenges and opportunities, analyse and map value chains across various segments of the medical devices industry to identify key stakeholders, processes, and dependencies, identify critical issues hindering the development of the medical devices industry, such as import dependence, regulatory hurdles, and technological gaps.



Regulatory landscape

Focusing on the quality of medical devices and related regulatory frameworks will be instrumental in increasing the market penetration and trust factor at the consumer end for indigenously manufactured medical devices and equipment. Gauging the ground reality through primary and secondary healthcare providers, and driving effective and continuous dialogue between the key stakeholders  from doctors to industry leaders and policymakers  would be crucial in ensuring the highest quality and safety standards are met in the medical devices sector. Initiatives like Meditech Stackathon could help streamline regulatory policies and quality standards and provide a simultaneous boost to domestic production of innovative medical devices; a factor that can prove crucial for the holistic growth of Indias medtech sector.

This is especially important in view of reports around India being at the receiving end of refurbished medical devices and equipment. According to recent reports, the Patient Safety and Access Initiative of India Foundation (PSAIIF) has filed a writ petition, in the nature of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The PIL arises from concerns regarding the laxity in the regulatory framework concerning the quality, safety and efficacy assessment of second-hand or used medical devices, which are compromising the standard of health services in the country. The cause of action also arises in view of refurbished medical devices posing an inherent safety risk to the life of the general public at large. Some of the overseas multinational companies are importing refurbished/ reconditioned medical devices, such as robotic surgical systems. The cause of action in the nature of a PIL inter alia also arises from the risks associated with India being made a dumping ground for such pre-used/refurbished/reconditioned medical devices.

A wholly indigenously operating medtech company, Gurgram-based SS Innovations has been developing cutting-edge, first-in-India robotic surgical systems, with a dedicated goal of making advanced robotic surgeries cost-effective and accessible to a global population. SS Innovations is also driving innovations in Telesurgery. Dr Sudhri Srivastava, Founder and CEO of SS Innovations shared his views on how the Meditech Stackathon can address issues of domestic manufacturers and increase the overall trust in Indian brands in the medtech sector. The whole initiative of Make in India must become a reality. We continue to import a majority of devices, nearly 80 per cent. Refurbished devices and equipment are imported. Government should take actions in the direction of discouraging imports in general, especially in reducing imports of refurbished equipment.

Stressing the fact that India not having the kind of technology yet increases dependence on this kind of import, Dr Srivastava added, The only way to address these issues is to build the technologies in India by fostering innovations. Innovations take time and money and boosting investments in the sector will be the key to encouraging advanced medical technologies in India. He added that the governments help to the medtech sector in this regard would also be needed to reduce the duty on some imported devices to make affordable healthcare delivery accessible to a larger percentage of our population. He also emphasised that there is a huge need for the right kind of governmental support to build an enabling and holistic infrastructure in the medtech sector to achieve a collective goal of equitable healthcare, especially in rural areas.

Speaking about how initiatives like Meditech Stackathon can help address such issues, Prof Dr Somashekhar SP, Chairman  Medical Advisory Board, Aster DM Healthcare (GCC & India) and Board of Director, SS Innovations International shared that the right laws are in place to prevent import of refurbished and outdated devices, but their implementation is the main problem. He also added that there is a bias among healthcare professionals in using indigenous medical devices even now. Further elaborating on the Make in India initiative, he opined that India is a leader in technological advancements, and domestic manufacturing of advanced, technology-heavy medical devices needs to be boosted.

Sharing his views Pavan Choudary, Chairman, Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI) said, As we navigate the evolving landscape of medtech in India, harmonising Indian regulations and standards with global best practices will be the keystone which will not only attract international investment in the sector but will also enable Indian manufacturers to get greater acceptability of their products in global markets, furthering the Make in India objective of the government and keeping India aligned to global supply chains. We feel that domestic and international trends will together help carve out key policy recommendations that will be instrumental in furthering the medtech industry in India.



Make in India ventures

Aligning to initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, supported by the governments schemes such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI), global medtech leading companies have taken strides in advancing their footprints in India aligning with the direction of domestic manufacturing and overall indigenous advancements in medical technology in India.

Dublin headquartered medtech leader, Medtronic, has significant operations in India, including manufacturing facilities. Over the past few years, Medtronic has introduced plans for advancing medical technology in the Indian market. In 2020, the company opened a Medtronic Engineering & Innovation Center (MEIC) in Hyderabad to support their global operations; and in May 2023, Medtronic announced an investment of approximately Rs 3,000 crore ($362.8 million) to expand the MEIC centre in India. The MEIC is Medtronics largest R&D centre outside the USA. Additionally, in 2023, Medtronic announced a partnership with Qure.ai to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) for advanced stroke management in India. In 2021, Medtronic India introduced a surgical robotics experience centre in Gurugram to help clinicians with robotic-assisted surgery technology

In 2022, Wipro GE Healthcare, announced the launch of its new manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, under the Indian governments PLI Scheme. The new facility was launched to further boost local manufacturing of medical devices in India. The company has invested around Rs 100 crore in this facility. Wipro GE Healthcare has also launched its next-generation Revolution Aspire CT (Computed Tomography) scanner in 2022, an advanced imaging solution designed and manufactured end-to-end in India.

With the government emphasising early diagnosis of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and self-reliance, through Ayushman Bharat, there is an increased demand for advanced medical devices. The Revolution Aspire CT aims to address this need and enable access to quality medical equipment across India, including tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Commenting on this development of end-to-end manufacturing in India, Dr Devi Shetty, Founder and Chairman of Narayana Health said, Access to healthcare has been deeply asymmetric in India and innovative medical technology products will help bridge this gap. We are witnessing this change with cutting-edge, locally manufactured, and affordable products such as the Revolution Aspire CT scanner helping democratise the market, taking quality healthcare to tier 2 cities and beyond. It is critical for all health centres, big and small, to have access to quality diagnosis.

Additionally, earlier this year Wipro GE Healthcare strides towards further strengthening a Make in India initiative. The company signed an MoU with IISc, Bengaluru to advance medtech innovation from India  for India and the world. The company also announced an investment of over Rs 8000 crore in manufacturing output and local R&D over the next five years.

In 2020, Siemens Healthineers announced an investment of $179.7 million for five years till 2025 to establish an innovation hub in Bengaluru. The innovation hub will focus on the design and development of entry-level products. Expanding its manufacturing footprint in India, it has launched a new production line of Computed Tomography scanners approved under the Government of Indias PLI scheme. Additionally, the company also inaugurated an MRI facility at Bengaluru, under the Government of Indias PLI scheme. In 2022, Stryker inaugurated a neurovascular research lab at Strykers Global Technology Centre (SGTC) in Gurugram to develop innovative solutions for brain stroke.

Expressing his views on how the Meditech Stackathon initiative is poised to boost the medtech industry, Falgun Jani, Business Head  India, Freudenberg Medical said, Meditech Stackathon is a much needed and timely initiative that will definitely help to propel the growth of Indias medtech industry. Thoughtful selection of 8 chosen medical device segments will encourage more collaborative activities amongst various stakeholders that are involved either directly or indirectly with these segments. Such initiatives will help foster domestic manufacturing, reducing import dependence, and positioning India as a frontrunner in the global medtech arena. Some of the important aspects are the analysis of import-export dynamics & supply chain of these devices, the formation and implementation of industry-friendly policies, and streamlining of the regulatory framework. Through close collaboration and concerted efforts, the initiative aims to address critical challenges, stimulate innovation, and unlock the full potential of Indias medtech industry.

A robust domestic market

Increasing penetration of medical technology into the Indian healthcare ecosystem to grow the medtech market can be a key factor in the overall development of this fast-growing sector. Frugal innovations across the value chain in areas of product development, technology, marketing, business modelling, service delivery, etc. to increase market penetration and drive the growth of the indigenous market.

Given that the Stackathon initiative is designed to drive transformative change in Indias growing medtech sector, catering to the needs of domestic businesses to boost market growth will be a crucial factor.

Speaking about factors that can help to create and drive strong market demand for innovative medical devices within India, Amit Gandhi, Founder & CEO of Insight Tribe, said that government initiatives like incentivising domestic manufacturing can help in creating a more robust ecosystem for innovative devices and potentially lower costs for consumers. In line with this crucial factor, he added, Innovation tailored to Indian needs by developing cost-effective, yet high-quality, medical devices suitable for the Indian market will be crucial for wider adoption. A focus on innovation in devices for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of Indias specific disease burdens/health conditions, will be a particularly attractive factor. Also, encouraging the use of locally sourced materials and components can further reduce manufacturing costs and create a more sustainable supply chain.

Growing public awareness about health issues and preventive care will create a market for innovative devices for early detection and treatment. An untapped rural market, where expanding healthcare access to rural areas, presents a significant opportunity for affordable and portable medical devices, said Amit Gandhi.

He further added that a rising disposable income, increased insurance penetration, and increased health awareness; in addition to important government initiatives are some factors that can accelerate a strong market demand for innovative medical devices within India. He said, As insurance coverage expands, patients become more open to considering advanced medical procedures that were previously cost-prohibitive. Some insurance plans cover the cost of certain medical devices, such as pacemakers or insulin pumps. This makes these devices more accessible to patients, further stimulating the medtech market.

Harmonious to this, leveraging on the opportunities presented by the development and streamlining of a holistic infrastructure needed for boosting Indias medtech sector growth can also aid in driving the sectors growth and expansion.

Sharing his views on how the Meditech Stackathon initiative is poised to boost the medtech industry, Dr Rajiv Chhibber, Vice President External Affairs, Sahajanand Medical Technologies said, The Meditech Stackathon is a much-needed step as India becomes a net exporter in the long run, and also significantly reduces import dependency on high-end medical devices. The fact that Dr Arusnish Chawla emphasised the necessity of anchoring the policy stack on a solid foundation, encompassing precise economic classifications such as HSN and NIC Codes, meticulous assessment of tariffs and taxes at each stage of the value chain gives an impetus to manufacturers and helps them to overcome obstacles within the medtech domain including the need for standard harmonisation, supply chain, raw material and even post-market surveillance and streamlining the regulatory landscape so that better and ease of doing business can be enhanced, side by side, making India a net exporter in earmarked devices.



Further adding on what needs to be priority areas of focus for the With optimal support and participation from all stakeholders, initiatives like Meditech Stackathon are set to make this a reality in the coming years, as India continues to grow its global standing as a leading country in Science and Healthcare innovations and technology. Meditech Stackathon, Dr Chhibber said that the industry had highlighted the imperative of identifying and mitigating policy arbitrage, spanning price, quality, taxation, incentive structures, and regulatory frameworks that need to be relooked at when discussing Ease of Doing Business.

From the industry we requested the DoP to organise segment-wise workshops to build on the Stackathon findings, bridge the gaps and strengthen the value chain analysis to decide on the production-linked and research-linked incentive schemes, which will give a major boost to domestic manufacturing in India, making us more Atmanirbhar, and joining forces with the Government of India towards a Viksit Bharat, added Dr Chhibber.

All in all, Indias medtech sector is a fast-growing industry poised to achieve exponential progress. Several policies and initiatives are in place or expected to be introduced, and key stakeholders at all levels of the medtech sector seem to be carrying the torch forward to see India through to the pinnacle of a global medtech hub. The governments help through initiatives like the Meditech Stackathon and a robust policy and regulatory framework will be instrumental in orchestrating this progress. A growing medtech sector fuelled by innovations and collaborations could bridge the gaps between critical healthcare delivery, including accessibility and affordability, in India. It remains to be seen how this eventuates.

Shivani Thakar

shivani.thakar@biospectrumindia.com
New vaccine platform technologies could dramatically shorten the period from research to development, clinical trials, and vaccination. Reimagining R&D approaches in vaccine design and vaccine immunology may hold the key to significantly elevate the health impact of vaccines. Experts worldwide are adopting novel research approaches in the molecular design of vaccines, and vaccine technology platforms. India is seeing increasing interdisciplinary research, and a rise in cutting-edge technological interventions in fundamental and translational research. The time is ripe for boosting out-of-the-box R&D approaches in vaccinology. Lets explore further.

The National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), one of the 27 institutes and centres that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the US, referred to next-generation vaccines as those with enhanced breadth of protection to variants, improved durability, and enhanced ability to block infection/transmission relative to currently approved vaccines. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global partnership working to accelerate the development of vaccines and other biologic countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic, describes vaccine technology platforms as technologies that are essential for rapid responses to emerging viral threats.

Essentially, vaccine platform technologies are systems that use the same basic components as a backbone but can be adapted for use against different pathogens by inserting new genetic or protein sequences. Rational vaccine design, developed using suitable vaccine technology platforms, could thus present significant advantages in immunisation. Creating such an unprecedented disease agnostic vaccine technology platform can empower the world to be ready for future pandemics. Studies have shown that next-generation vaccines can enable a higher spectrum of protection against multiple variants, increased durability, and minimal safety concerns due to side effects while increasing their immunogenicity.

Each vaccines utility or efficiency is determined by its formulation, adjuvants, and mode of action. The efficacy of the vaccination depends on numeral properties like the generation of antibodies, memory cells, and cell-mediated immunity.

Studies on COVID-19 immunisation have shown that next-generation vaccines hold promise in generating long-lasting, broad immunity against virus variants. Since the launch of the first COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, continuous developments in improving mRNA vaccine technology for the SARS-COV2 virus are underway all over the globe. Research approaches from reverse vaccinology and immunoinformatics to continuous-replicating mRNA carrying the antigen of interest are being used to develop new vaccine platforms and improve the current lot of next-generation vaccines. For the larger goal of enhanced immunogenicity, researchers are exploring new antigenic epitopes, the role of immune cell subtypes, and unique adjuvant or delivery vehicles to generate better immune responses.

Approaches such as exploiting the role of mRNA modifications in attuning their immunogenicity, stability, and translational efficiency are important examples. Research into mRNA modifications has yielded multiple candidate mRNA therapeutics undergoing clinical or preclinical trials, as well as effective SARS-CoV vaccines. The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine highlights that using structurally modified mRNA allows for increased dose tolerance and may be better for eliciting a rapid antibody response. The new mRNA COVID-19 vaccine of Moderna, mRNA-1283, designed for multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains found to offer improved neutralising antibody response in individuals more than 65 years of age.

A team from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore and Monash University, Australia has engineered a COVID-19 vaccine using a novel vaccine platform to fuse the receptor binding domain of the spike protein of the SARS-COV-2 virus to Clec9A antibody (an antibody against the receptor on dendritic cells presenting antigen to T and B cells to generate immune response). This construct showed long-lasting immunity till 21 months in a preclinical study after only a single dose. This would be a promising approach against waning immunity and a useful strategy for adults above 60 years by eliminating the need for repeated boosting.

The platform of the vaccine, number of doses for immunisation, the production capacity, and vaccine storage condition are all important for the rapid development of the vaccine from laboratory to clinical trials and approval. In addition, vaccine designs that can reduce safety concerns hold the advantage of crossing regulatory hurdles and approval stages in a reasonably short period. Moreover, a focus on next-generation vaccines and novel delivery methods, such as intranasal vaccines, may exhibit more effective and user-friendly vaccination strategies. This can prove crucial in India, owing to factors like the emergence of tropical infections, an overall vaccine hesitancy, a large population to vaccinate, and enabling wide-spread accessibility of vaccines, especially in rural areas.

Fostering an ecosystem for R&D in vaccinology could aid in directing focus toward vaccine discovery, vaccine design, and formulation, as well as vaccine administration methods. Experts across different verticals in this field are now making efforts to build an infrastructure to deliver effective but economical vaccines. This could help to achieve a better sense of preparedness for emerging diseases as well as an all-round improvement of the health impact of vaccines, particularly in the cases of HIV, dengue, malaria, and tuberculosis, which have been outsmarting scientists for decades. In addition, some at-risk groups show even low responses to the vaccines or the existing vaccine have severe side effects and need further development of suitable or more immunogenic vaccines (e.g., for elderly individuals or infants).

Given this scenario, enhancing efforts in the development of next-generation vaccines can hold a promise in protection against emerging and re-emerging infections.

Next-gen vaccines in India

Nucleic acid vaccines, viral vector-backbone-based vaccines, and protein subunit vaccines are vaccine platforms being explored for new-generation vaccine developments in many countries. The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic brought the mRNA technology to the forefront. Beyond Pfizer and Moderna, who were pioneering leaders in bringing mRNA vaccine platform to the community, the indigenously developed GEMCOVAC-19 vaccine is the only third mRNA vaccine to be approved for COVID-19 in the world, and is the very first mRNA vaccine developed in India in June 2023. Developed by Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals in collaboration with Department of Biotechnology (DBT), this Omicron-specific mRNA (booster) vaccine GEMCOVAC-OM is thermostable, which does not require ultra-cold chain infrastructure used for other approved mRNA-based vaccines, making it easy for deployment pan India. It is delivered intradermally using a needle-free injection device system.

Upon Drug Control General of India (DCGI) approval for GEMCOVAC-OM for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA), in June 2023, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science and Technology, commended the efforts of the DBT said, I take great pride in DBT fulfilling its mission yet again, enabling technology-driven entrepreneurship through creating this indigenous mRNA-platform technology. We have always supported technology-driven innovation towards the creation of a 'future-ready' technology platform in line with the Prime Ministers vision of Aatmanirbharta. He added, "Infrastructure to deploy vaccines in India, including LMICs, at 2-8C exists today & this innovation is tailored for the existing established supply-chain infrastructure. The vaccine does not need ultra-low temperature conditions for transport and storage."

Dr Rajesh S Gokhale, Secretary, DBT, and Chairperson, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) said Strategic infusion of funds is essential to drive and create an ecosystem for technological innovation. DBT did just that when it provided support for the development of the nations first mRNA-based platform technology in 2021-22 and development of GEMCOVAC-19 vaccine. This is a disease-agnostic platform and can be used to make other vaccines in a relatively short developmental timeline.

Researchers at IIT-Delhi, led by Dr Jayanta Bhattacharya at the institutes Centre for Biomedical Engineering, developed a novel nanovesicle presenting spike protein on the surface of the dendritic cell-derived extracellular vesicles (DEVs) for use as a potential vaccine platform against SARS-CoV-2. Their research explored an approach to establish the immunogenic nature of DEVs and could demonstrate that a low dose of DEVs induces antibodies to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. This warrants that with this approach, IIT Delhi researchers effectively developed a COVID-19 vaccine prototype using the bodys own immune cells.

iNCOVACC, Bharat Biotechs intranasal vaccine for COVID-19, was designed and developed on a novel adenovirus vector. The vaccine demonstrated stimulation of a broad immune response and has the advantage of being non-invasive and needle-free with high compliance. Additionally, the vaccine design and development protocol allows for scalable manufacturing, to even meet global demand. The DCGI under the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) has granted permission for the sale or distribution of iNCOVACC for immunisation against SARS-CoV-2 virus infection for the age group 18 years, for restricted use in emergency situations in public interest. The iNCOVACC vaccine is perhaps an all-round example of a rational vaccine design on a new-generation vaccine technology platform with intranasal delivery as compared to injections.

Zydus Cadila's ZyCoV-D, the worlds first and Indias indigenously developed DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19 is another significant milestone. It was developed by Zydus Cadila in partnership with the DBT, and implemented by BIRAC under the Mission COVID Suraksha. The vaccine received approval for EUA from the DCGI in August 2021, just over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit India. The plug-and-play technology on which the plasmid DNA platform is based can be easily adapted to deal with mutations in the virus, such as those already occurring. In addition, studies have shown, including Zyduss own analysis, that DNA vaccines are stable at higher temperatures, making storage and distribution easier.

A tetravalent dengue subunit vaccine, DSV4, developed by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) is a single-component, non-replicating 4-in-1 vaccine based on a virus-like particle (VLP) platform, produced using the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. In 2016, ICGEB transferred the dengue vaccine technology licence to Sun Pharma for further development. Process scale-up has been conducted in the Sun Pharma affiliated biotech company in Germany in 2019, and has been brought back to India for in-house development under the National Biopharma Mission, Government of India. A GMP facility of Sun Pharma is being established in Bangalore and efforts are being made to reach Phase 1 efficacy trials.

What does the future hold?

While India is a global leader in manufacturing vaccines, vaccine research, especially the development of next-generation vaccine technologies, are thus far relatively unexplored waters. Having an infrastructure for enabling rapid production of economical and safer vaccines in shorter time frames will allow our public health system to stay poised to fend off emerging diseases. Conventional vaccine development approaches have primarily involved live attenuated or inactivated whole pathogens. These approaches followed largely empirical design and developmental cycles. Additionally, attempts for R & D of traditional platforms of vaccines can take up to several years, which will fail to align with the expectations for fast response and control of epidemics and pandemics of an emerging or re-emerging pathogen.

Indian companies have entered into collaborations with global pharmaceutical firms and research institutions to leverage advanced technologies and expertise. The government is funding and providing regulatory support through DBT and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

While next-generation vaccines can have their advantages, several major vaccine candidates that have evolved in India are based on traditional live attenuated and inactivated whole organism-derived approaches. These have proven to be immensely successful models for India, as chronicles of vaccines like MMR, OPV, and BCG, among others, have demonstrated for decades.

COVID-19 has resulted in an innovation surge in vaccine development globally and in India. While traditional vaccine development and delivery platforms have proven to be a successful model for India for many decades, it stands to reason that with pathogens evolving to adapt, it will be crucial for humans to evolve vaccine strategies to stay on top.

Shivani Thakar

shivani.thakar@biospectrumindia.com
On June 1, Uttar Pradesh got its first public hospital-based medical incubation centre, established by the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) of Greater Noida. This centre has been set up with a purpose to revolutionise healthcare innovation by providing a platform for medical startups and researchers to develop groundbreaking solutions. Its mission is to foster collaboration and drive advancements that will transform patient care and the global healthcare ecosystem. In an interaction with BioSpectrum India Dr Rahul Singh, Head of Incubation, Centre for Medical Innovation at GIMS shared the USP of the Centre, its offerings to the healthcare startups and long-term road map of the Centre.

GIMS Startup Centre for Medical Innovation is a public hospital-based incubator and the first-of-its-kind in UP. What was the objective of setting up this Centre?

The GIMS Startup Centre for Medical Innovation was established with the primary goal of addressing a significant challenge in India's healthcare sector: the heavy reliance on imported medical devices and the validation hurdles faced by domestically manufactured devices.

As the first public hospital-based incubator of its kind in Uttar Pradesh, our centre leverages the expertise and resources of a 630-bed hospital that serves over 50,000 patients every month. This unique setup allows us to bridge a crucial gap in the medical device development ecosystem.

Prior to the establishment of our centre, there was a noticeable disconnect between the end users of medical devices, primarily doctors and the innovators developing these technologies. Our incubator addresses this by enabling doctors to initially validate problem statements, ensuring that the solutions developed are practical and effective.

The GIMS Incubation Centre offers comprehensive clinical mentoring for startups through our Startup Clinic, which is accessible to anyone by appointment. Our focus is on fostering innovation in healthcare technology, particularly in rapidly advancing fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. By developing affordable and cutting-edge technologies, we aim to bring all stakeholders to the table, creating a collaborative environment for innovation.

We are currently in discussions with several IITs across the country to establish MoUs for clinical support, reinforcing our strength in clinical trials and efficacy testing. Our ultimate vision is to create medical technologies in India that can serve the world, with doctors incubating their research ideas into market-ready products.

Inaugurated by the Director General of Health Services, Government of India, our centre also holds the distinction of being a Stanford University Biodesign Centre in India.

We currently support 30 startups, primarily focused on medical devices. One of our standout startups, MATRI, which is developing a menstrual pain management device, has even progressed to the current season of Shark Tank, showcasing the potential and impact of our incubation efforts.

What are the unique features of this incubation centre and how will it foster research and medical innovations in the state of UP?

Our mission is to address the significant challenge of India's reliance on imported medical devices and the difficulties faced by domestically manufactured devices in the validation process. By providing a platform where doctors and innovators can work together, we aim to develop solutions that are both innovative and practically applicable, ultimately enhancing healthcare delivery in Uttar Pradesh and beyond.

What kind of infrastructure currently the incubation centre is having?

GIMS has allocated 15,000 square feet of space on the 4th floor of the hospital exclusively for the incubation centre. This comprehensive setup ensures that startups have access to all necessary resources in one location. An entire floor is dedicated to mentoring, with our expert faculty available during working hours to provide guidance and support. This ensures that startups have continuous access to clinical and technical expertise.

A fully equipped clinical trial unit is available, enabling startups to conduct essential clinical trials and validate their products under real-world conditions. The facility includes two meeting rooms and a conference room, providing spaces for collaborative discussions, presentations, and strategy sessions.

Also, there are co-working setups available for 30 startups, fostering a collaborative and dynamic environment. We support both physical and virtual incubation, with a physical capacity for 30 startups and the ability to mentor 100 startups virtually.

Our research wing is a standout feature, equipped with advanced facilities such as genome sequencing, BSL-2 and BSL-3 VRDL (Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories), and a molecular research lab. These state-of-the-art resources enable high-level biomedical research and development.

We have a world-class skill lab that provides practical training and development opportunities, ensuring that startups can build and refine their technologies with hands-on experience.

Our hospital and laboratories are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). This ensures that startups have access to facilities that meet the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Startups require funding at every stage. How does GIMS plans to financially support its incubatees?

GIMS has developed a comprehensive plan to financially support its incubatees, ensuring they have access to necessary resources at various stages of their development. Heres how GIMS facilitates funding and support for its startups:

GIMS has several venture capitalists (VCs) on its panel who act as mentors at the incubation centre. These VCs assist in screening startups and provide funding at different stages based on the startups portfolios. Their involvement ensures that startups receive not only financial support but also strategic guidance tailored to their growth needs.

Startups at GIMS have access to several grants aimed at different aspects of their development. These include grants for sustenance, prototype development, marketing, conferences, and more. This broad spectrum of funding opportunities helps startups navigate the financial challenges of early-stage development.

Most importantly, startups with a registered address in Uttar Pradesh are eligible for specific grants. However, GIMS also accommodates startups from other regions, ensuring they receive necessary support through the incubation programme.

GIMS is a member of various associations such as ISBA (Indian Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Parks and Business Incubators Association), which helps in networking and provides access to funding platforms. This membership broadens the funding and support network available to GIMS startups.

Out of 15 startups, 9 have been selected for the Stanford University Biodesign programme, which offers mentoring and prepares them for funding opportunities.

GIMS startups are part of a funding programme run by Delhi Ecosystem, ISBA, KPMG, and SIDBI. Currently, 10 GIMS startups are participating in this programme, with 3 reaching the final round. This programme provides critical financial support and enhances the visibility of startups to potential investors.

GIMS employs a co-incubation model where other institutions provide additional funds to GIMS startups. For instance, IIT Mandi funded a GIMS startup through the NIDHI PRAYAS programme. This approach has resulted in 30 per cent of GIMS startups receiving funding or grants through collaborative efforts.

Also, GIMS assists other incubation centres in validating their startups devices, reinforcing its role in the broader medical innovation ecosystem. This cross-incubation support helps in building a robust network of validated and market-ready medical devices.

GIMS has submitted a proposal for the BioNEST fund from BIRAC, which includes plans for a cleanroom facility, a bio-bank, and a prototype facility for startups. This proposal aims to further enhance the infrastructure and resources available to GIMS startups.

Many private institutions are joining hands with GIMS, contributing to the funding and support ecosystem. These partnerships expand the financial and developmental resources available to startups.

By leveraging these diverse funding sources and collaborative models, GIMS ensures that its startups receive comprehensive financial support and mentoring, enabling them to thrive and innovate in the competitive healthcare sector.

Has the centre planned to focus on a particular disease for R&D and innovation?

Yes, the GIMS Startup Centre for Medical Innovation has strategically planned to focus on specific diseases for R&D and innovation, with a particular emphasis on disease prevention.

We are actively inviting applications from across India to leverage technology for the prevention of various diseases. This initiative aligns with our broader vision of utilising advanced technology to improve public health outcomes and reduce the incidence of preventable diseases.

We partnered with the Netherlands-based foundation NLR (No Leprosy Remains) on June 11, to launch a dedicated startup cohort focused on early detection and management of leprosy. This collaboration aims to develop and implement technologies that can significantly improve the early diagnosis and effective treatment of leprosy, ultimately striving towards the eradication of this disease.

We are initiating a dedicated cohort to address menstrual hygiene, recognising the critical need for innovation in this area to improve womens health and well-being.

Another focus area is non-communicable diseases (NCDs). By developing point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics and other innovative solutions, we aim to enhance the management and prevention of NCDs, which are a major health challenge globally.

Our vision also includes the development of advanced PoC diagnostic tools. These tools are crucial for early disease detection, timely intervention, and effective disease management, particularly in resource-limited settings.

The disease prevention cohort is already live, and we have received 25 applications to date. This enthusiastic response indicates a strong interest and need for innovative solutions in disease prevention.

Mentorship is key to the development of successful startups. How is GIMS planning to leverage its in-house medical fraternity to mentor the incubatees? Will there be external mentorship collaborations?

GIMS Centre for Medical Innovation has developed a robust mentorship framework to ensure the successful development of its incubated startups.

Our clinical mentors include experienced clinicians from GIMS, encompassing both academic and hospital settings. These mentors provide invaluable insights into the practical and clinical aspects of healthcare innovation.

GIMS has also collaborated with clinicians from other institutions, both public and private. This diverse pool includes clinical researchers who offer expertise in various medical fields, ensuring that startups receive well-rounded guidance on medical and clinical validation.

Industry mentors include venture capitalists who provide financial insights and support, helping startups navigate the complexities of fundraising and financial management.

We have experts in management and technology who mentor startups on business strategy, technological development, and market positioning, ensuring that they are well-prepared to succeed in the competitive healthcare market.

Our Incubation Heads and CEOs bring a wealth of experience in startup incubation and ecosystem development. They offer strategic advice and help startups integrate into the broader innovation ecosystem.

Global mentors from Stanford University Biodesign team provide world-class guidance, helping startups achieve international standards and preparing them for global markets.

A major advantage comes from the in-house medical fraternity at GIMS who offer readily accessible expertise, enabling continuous and immediate support for the startups. This close proximity ensures that startups can rapidly iterate on their ideas with direct input from practicing medical professionals.

GIMS serves as a validation and trial hub, leveraging its clinical mentors to facilitate rigorous testing and validation of medical devices and technologies. This capability is crucial for startups to prove the efficacy and safety of their innovations.

What is the long-term road map of GIMS incubation centre?

Adjacent to the Yamuna Expressway, UP government is establishing one of the largest medical device parks. GIMS will play a pivotal role in providing solutions for validation and trials to many companies located in this park, further enhancing the ecosystem for medical technology startups in Uttar Pradesh.

The main focus is to develop low-cost, high-quality healthcare technologies that can be adopted globally. Our goal is to create solutions that are affordable yet meet international standards, addressing both local and global healthcare needs.

Our initiative, "Make in UP for the World," underscores our commitment to regional development while contributing to global healthcare advancements.

Anusha Ashwin
Since space exploration began decades ago, it has over the years led to new technology and medical advancements

Microbes continue to puzzle us by growing in the most challenging conditions. One such challenging condition is the space environment. The harsh environment of space proves to be ideal for the acquisition of adaptive mutations, particularly in microbial organisms. Adaptive evolution plays a major role in the appearance of new phenotypes in nature and is of key importance in biomedical research, including the onset of carcinogenesis and in the emergence of drug-resistant microorganisms.

A recent study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is focused on exploring the presence of multi-drug resistant pathogens on the International Space Station (ISS), which could have key applications for astronauts health as well on earth. The knowledge gained from this study could shed light on microbial behaviour, adaptation, and evolution in extreme, isolated environments that allow in designing novel countermeasure strategies to eradicate opportunistic pathogens, thus protecting the health of astronauts.

The ISS has previously been used to detect the presence of many bacteria and even fungi in order for scientists to understand the impact that residing and traveling through outer space can have on microorganisms and humans.

This is just one of the many research studies being done within the space environment. For instance, space is also helping scientists find new treatments through stem cell research. Scientists are taking advantage of the space stations microgravity environment to study the properties of non-embryonic stem cells.

The University of California San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute has recently launched several new nano-bioreactor experiments onto the ISS via the second Axiom Space Private Astronaut Mission, to expand research on human stem cell ageing, inflammation and cancer in low Earth orbit.

Increasing evidence shows that microgravity conditions can accelerate ageing, inflammation and immune dysfunction in human stem cells. Understanding this process is not only helpful for keeping astronauts healthy, but it could also teach us how to better treat cancer on Earth.

Another research project in the US is examining the effect of gravity on a type of stem cells derived from bone marrow known as mesenchymal stem cells, or adult stem cells with growth factors and healing potential. They play a key role in tissue repair and regeneration. The experiment could have implications for future space flights that include taking humans to Mars.

Further, to unlock insights into protecting our brains from cognitive decline, a team of researchers in the US are probing the effects of space conditions on the human brain to inform potential applications for treating and preventing late-onset diseases like Alzheimers and dementia. The research team is leveraging the unique space environment to study how microgravity, radiation, and other factors influence the brains ageing process at the molecular level.

Not to forget, 3D printing stands at the forefront of transforming space exploration, offering unprecedented on-demand and rapid manufacturing capabilities. To date, 3D printing has revealed promising opportunities across diverse space applications, including the production of space devices and food, advancements in space biomedicine, repairs of electronics and sensors, and the recovery and utilisation of space resources. While global space leaders have recently explored 3D printing technologies in space, the field is currently in the early stages of technology validation, requiring extensive foundational research and key technological advancements.

But since space exploration began decades ago, it has over the years led to new technology and medical advancements. As a result, scientists across the globe are focusing on multiple projects such as studying bone and muscle loss in microgravity, which impacts care of patients with back pain, osteoporosis or limited mobility; developing new terrestrial and spaceflight applications for ultrasound-based bone health diagnostic tools; conducting first-of-its-kind genomics work on the International Space Station, with many more to come.

Dr Manbeena Chawla

manbeena.chawla@mmactiv.com
Artist Banksy confirmed that a small boat crossing artwork at Glastonbury belongs to him following criticism from high-profile Conservative ministers.

A small boat filled with migrant dummies in orange life jackets was hoisted into the crowd gathered to watch the band Idles play on the Other Stage at Worthy Farm on Friday night.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Banksy (@banksy) Advertisement

On Sunday, Banksy posted a video of the boat sailing through the crowd during the bands set to his Instagram page.

Earlier in the day, UK home secretary James Cleverly and UK deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden hit out at the stunt.

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Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Cleverly said: Small boats crossings are deadly and have cost the lives of too many people.

Festival-goers cosplaying as migrants, and celebrating the actions of people smugglers, while they party is awful.

Whatever your political views, this isnt something we should trivialise.

The boat appeared, while the Bristol rock band were performing Danny Nedelko, a 2018 release which begins with the lyrics: My blood brother is an immigrant, a beautiful immigrant.

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According to The Guardian, the band said the demonstration was devised by Bristol artist Banksy, and they were not aware it had happened until after the set had finished.

Joe Talbot, from Idles, performing on the Other Stage at the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA.

The Glastonbury Live account also posted an image on Saturday of the artwork returning for Little Simz Pyramid Stage slot.

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Mr Dowden also hit out at the stunt, telling Times Radio: I was really saddened by it, actually.

If you look at what happens with men, women, children being shoved onto those dinghies  the criminal gangs only fill them half with petrol, so they run out halfway across the English Channel and start to sink, endangering peoples lives.

I dont think this is a sort of thing to joke around with at Glastonbury.

Representatives of Banksy have been contacted for comment.
A section of the M18 motorway in Co Clare remains closed this afternoon while efforts are made to remove a truck that crashed earlier today.

The driver of the articulated lorry escaped injury after his vehicle ploughed through a crash barrier destroying a long segment of the safety rail.

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The trucks cab remained on its side on the hard shoulder however its trailer was left hanging down a steep embankment.

It is understood the truck was not carrying a load at the time but its fuel tank was ruptured in the collision.

The single vehicle collision occurred at around 9.00am in the southbound lanes of the motorway on the Ennis side of Junction 15 at Crusheen.

Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Ennis and Shannon stations responded to the scene along with National Ambulance Service paramedics and Gardai.

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Traffic Infrastructure Ireland (TII) motorway crew also attended the incident.

The truck driver was assessed at the scene by paramedics but was found to be uninjured and not in need of hospitalisation.

The southbound lanes of the motorway were immediately closed so that emergency services could work safely at the scene. Later, an emergency traffic management system was put in place and one of lane was reopened to traffic for a time.

The motorway was later closed again to facilitate efforts to safely remove the truck from the scene. Several heavy-lift vehicles were brought in right the truck and pull the trailer back up the embankment.

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Efforts to recover the truck are continuing as of 1L40pm.

Meanwhile, one person has been taken to hospital following a road traffic collision near Toonagh in Co Clare this morning. The two-vehicle head-on collision occurred at around 10.30am on a narrow country road at Magowna West.

National Ambulance Service paramedics and gardai responded to the scene.

Some units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Ennis and Shannon, which had already been dealing with the incident on the M18 motorway, were dispatched to the scene.

A unit of the fire service from Ennistymon station was also sent to the incident.

The drivers of both vehicles were assessed at the scene.

The male driver of one car escaped injury, however the driver of the second vehicle has been taken to University Hospital Limerick for treatment. Her injuries are not believed to be serious.
Property fund and landlord ISPT is waging war on waste by re-using office furniture and fit-outs as it upgrades its vast portfolio.

Instead of knocking down a property and rebuilding, the fund is upgrading and retrofitting its assets, sending unwanted desks, ceiling tiles, chairs, carpets and even kitchen sinks to use in other buildings across the country.

The office building at 270 Pitt Street is being renovated and ISPT is recycling as much of the office furniture as possible. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Items that cannot be relocated are being donated to charities or sold, with the cash generated funnelled back to the charities.

This will be the case for its site at 270 Pitt Street, Sydney, where it will invest $170 million to create an A-grade, 25-storey tower with 22,660 square metres of office space while retaining the buildings internal structure and facade.
It was a plate smashing on the kitchen floor that first alerted Catherine Bradshaw that something was amiss with her six-month-old daughter, Kirsten.

She didnt react, Bradshaw recalled.

Catherine Bradshaw with husband Jarrod Gorman and daughter Kirsten. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

The concerned family took Kirsten to a hearing clinic where she was diagnosed with profound deafness. Four months later, after Kirsten failed to meet milestones including holding up her head, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

In their quest for answers, doctors pored over Kirstens newborn blood spot screening card and discovered she was born with cytomegalovirus, or CMV, a common but poorly understood virus that causes about 400 Australian babies to be born with physical or intellectual disabilities every year.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has batted away a question about embattled Labor senator Fatima Payman crossing the floor last week to support a Greens motion recognising the state of Palestine.

Taking a question in Parliament during question time after back and forth on whether it follows the standing orders, Albanese said the phrase from the river to the sea has been condemned by himself and his party.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was questioned about Fatima Payman crossing the floor on a pro-Palestine motion. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

 From the river to the sea is a statement that has been used by both supporters of Israel and supporters of Palestine, who support a single state, he said.

It is important that we take [the] temperature down in this debate, not seek  to inflame it.

I condemn unequivocally the use of the phrase from the river to sea because it speaks about a single state  the fact is that the governments position is very clear.

We support a two-state solution and last week in the Senate we moved an amendment which said this: the need for the Senate to recognise the state of Palestine as part of a peace process in support of a two-state solution.

By her own actions, Senator Payman has placed herself outside the privilege that comes with participating in the federal parliamentary Labor Party caucus and I informed her of that.
Australias top-earning vice chancellors are pocketing six times the salaries of their universitys most senior professors, as the tertiary education union calls for an inquiry into growing wage theft scandals.

The latest annual reports reveal that five of Victorias eight universities paid their vice chancellors more than $1 million last year, as did about half of Sydneys universities.

Analysis by this masthead found about half of Australias vice chancellors have now cracked the million-dollar club, often outstripping the salaries of their counterparts at some of the worlds most prestigious institutions.

Monash Universitys former vice chancellor, Margaret Gardner, topped the list before her departure last year, earning nearly $1.6 million  about $190,000 more than she was paid in 2022, including entitlements, in a role later taken over by acting VC Susan Elliott.
The east coast of Australia will need 13 gigawatts of new gas fired electricity generation - the equivalent of building 26 new gas plants - within the next 25 years to back up the rollout of renewables.

The Australian Energy Market Operators (AEMO) finding that an extra 13 gigawatts would be needed was contained in its latest energy grid road map, released last week. It also warns that eastern Australias gas supply is running so low that emergency diesel fuel supplies would need to be built next to each new gas plant.

The energy grid will need a massive roll-out of new gas plants to back up renewable energy. Credit: Louie Douvis

AEMOs warning is a high stakes challenge to the Albanese government and Peter Duttons opposition given just one gas plant was completed in the past 10 years, with one more in development at Kurri Kurri in NSW.

With 10 months before the election, neither major party has detailed their plans to build crucial energy infrastructure or boost gas supplies.
Two states have criticised the Albanese governments international education crackdown as an overreaction to a short-term migration surge, as Home Affairs says the Commonwealth doesnt have the capacity to manage caps placed on foreign students without significant development.

NSW and South Australia have warned federal Labor its contentious push to drive down international student numbers risks damaging Australias international reputation and economic standing ahead of a slated debate in parliament this week over laws to limit overseas students.

States warn the Commonwealths international student crackdown could harm Australias reputation. Credit: Fiona Bianchinotti

An excessive reduction in student numbers will have significant negative consequences for the economy, including job losses, labour shortages, constrained business environment, reduced tourism activity and research output, NSW Trade Minister Anoulack Chanthivong and Tertiary Education Minister Steve Whan wrote to federal ministers in May.

They said a peak in international student numbers, and an 18.1 per cent reduction in student visa grants for March compared to March 2019, suggested an over-correction in response to last years surge of arrivals.
In 2014, the Scottish novelist Andrew OHagan published in the London Review of Books a 92-page essay narrating his relationship with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, as they worked together on Assanges autobiography in 2011. Assange had signed a 600,000 ($1,144,000) contract with Canongate to deliver the book. It was also sold to the New York publishing house Knopf, as well as a slew of other publishers around the world.

The total value of the book, which didnt yet exist, was more than $US2 million (more than $3 million).

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrives in Canberra on Wednesday. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Assange chose OHagan, an award-winning author and a passionate believer in the WikiLeaks cause, to be his ghostwriter. OHagan attempted to work with Assange over a five-month period before the project derailed. A book was eventually published, without OHagans or Assanges cooperation, as an unauthorised autobiography.

During those five months, Assange was holed up in Ellingham Hall, a 19th-century manor in Norfolk, under what was jokingly called mansion arrest following charges of sexual assault flowing from allegations made by two Swedish women in 2010.
Good luck buying a train ticket to Arles, France, a place hard for Anglophones to pronounce. Make a sound at the ticket counter as if clearing your throat from years of Gauloises cigarettes. Or use a ticket machine to avoid speaking.

Arles - embrace the beauty around the town that inspired Vincent van Gogh.

Alight at a hideous and inconveniently located train station. After that, its all brilliant.

There are wonderful things to see in Arles. The Roman amphitheatre has survived, from its seating to its drains, and is still used for concerts and controversial bullfights. Beside it, the remains of a Roman theatre arent as eye-catching, but are still impressive.

The Museum of Ancient Art presents emperors busts with knocked-off noses, oil lamps, jewellery and a Greco-Roman barge. Most magnificent are the sarcophagi carved with congregations of figures in togas.
Former president Barack Obama came off the sidelines to offer words of encouragement. Biden made a mea culpa of sorts on the stump in North Carolina at a proof-of-life rally. And prominent surrogates, including those on many wish lists of replacements, made the case for Biden on cable news. Some of the most intense advocacy unfolded behind closed doors, at private fundraisers and in a flurry of late-night and early-morning conversations. By Saturday, their efforts appeared to have successfully slowed the tide of prominent Democrats calling for Biden to step aside. Barack Obama (left) has come out supporting Joe Biden after his disastrous debate performance. The pair are pictured in March. Credit: AP The president, for his part, grabbed microphones at campaign events, telling supporters and deep-pocketed donors that he knew he had flubbed the debate. And he repeatedly tried to flip the focus back onto the performance of the presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. I didnt have a great night, Biden told a group of donors in East Hampton on Saturday. But neither did he.

Selling a comeback kid Loading Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey, who hosted a private fundraising dinner for the president at his home on Saturday evening, was among those receiving a call from a senior White House official. It was acknowledging that they had a tough night and also acknowledging that weve got to remember that this has been a heck of a run the past four years, and weve got to keep it going, he said in an interview, adding, They have to hit the gas pedal hard. At his event, which raised $US3.7 million for the campaign, Murphy introduced the president as Americas comeback kid.

As some Democrats dreamed up ways to draft another candidate on private text chains and in quiet conversations, top Biden officials told nearly everyone that there was no viable alternative and Democrats needed to stay focused on the threat posed by Trump. Among those making the case were Bidens top White House advisers  Zients, Bruce Reed, Anita Dunn and Steve Ricchetti  who dialled up a list of legislative leaders, top donors and others, according to multiple people familiar with the calls. Top campaign aides said Biden would need to prove that he could be vigorous enough for the rigours of campaigning. But they reassured their allies that they believed he would be. At a fundraiser for House Democrats with Obama on Friday evening in New York, the overwhelming topics of discussion were Bidens failure on the debate stage and how the party should respond. Along with Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, Obama told donors the debate had been a tough night, but he emphasised the urgent task of defeating Trump, two attendees said. Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden at a campaign event in North Carolina the day after the debate. Credit: Bloomberg Some attendees blamed Bidens aides for the debacle, arguing they should have never agreed to the format or to such a late start time. Representative Gregory Meeks of New York said many donors urged the elected officials in attendance to pressure Biden to end his run for re-election. Meeks said he counselled donors to calm down.

I agree that it was a terrible, terrible night, he said, suggesting that some of that was because Biden tried to cram too much information into his answers. Donors are very concerned, Meeks said. I had a number of them come and said that they were panicked, to be quite honest with you, that we had to do something, we had to do something now. And others who came up to me and said it would be a mess to do something now. As Obama was trying to reassure donors, they were buzzing among themselves about an editorial posted online around the time of the event by The New York Times editorial board calling for Biden to step aside, according to two attendees. It followed other such calls from media figures Biden follows, including MSNBCs Joe Scarborough and Times columnist Thomas Friedman. For months, Democrats have, mostly quietly, worried about Bidens capacity for campaigning at his current age and governing until age 86 if he wins a second term. A full 45 per cent of Democrats did not want him to be the nominee in the days before the debate, according to the latest poll by the Times and Siena College, worries that were most likely only deepened by his performance. Democratic officials were awaiting what the first wave of post-debate polls would show. For now, there seemed to be a sense among top Democrats that there was little they can do.

One of Bidens top advisers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preserve relationships, said the idea that a younger candidate could replace Biden and still beat Trump in November was akin to a DC parlour fantasy. The adviser compared that hope to the speculation that Nikki Haley or other Republicans could have knocked Trump off the GOP ticket. Several advisers said a second debate, scheduled for September, should still happen. They said the president should focus on asserting himself against Trump rather than trying to explain the full Biden agenda. The first 24 hours The effort to stop Democrats from fleeing the campaign started before Biden had even finished his performance on the debate stage Thursday night. Campaign war rooms established in Wilmington and Atlanta began pushing messages to reporters and surrogates, including that Biden had no intention of leaving the race.

The next morning, OMalley Dillon, the campaign chair, marched through the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta, flanked by Fulks and the campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, to debrief some of the campaigns most loyal donors. Later in North Carolina, Biden closed a rally with an acknowledgment of his age and limitations, transforming a scheduled rally in Raleigh into a performance that could be clipped and blasted across social media. I dont walk as easy as I used to. I dont speak as smoothly as I used to, Biden said at the rally. But, he added, I would not be running again if I didnt believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job. At 2:36pm on Friday, the Biden team got one of its most important boosts: A supportive message from Obama. Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know, Obama wrote on social media. That statement was huge, said Ro Khanna, a member of Bidens national advisory board.

At the all-staff meeting Friday afternoon, top campaign officials  OMalley Dillon, Chavez Rodriguez, Fulks and Rob Flaherty, another deputy campaign manager  told the staff that they understood they were facing a deluge of concern and criticism from friends, family and fellow supporters. Were not asking you guys to pull the wool over your eyes about what you saw, said Fulks, according to the recording. Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said Biden aides called after the debate and emphasised the stakes of this election. She joined the president at an annual LGBTQ+ gala on Friday night in New York City. People started to kind of swirl a little bit but at the end of the day were going to be looking at two choices, she said. Folks are coming back to a very pragmatic space and understanding what has to happen this election cycle.

I didnt have a great night The next afternoon, at a Saturday webinar organised to reassure Democratic National Committee members, the partys national chair, Jaime Harrison, spoke of the partys field operation and the $US27 million the Biden campaign had raised since the debate. He did not take questions, according to multiple participants, who said the committees views on Bidens future remained mixed. Throughout the weekend, the Biden operation was eager to present a picture of a unified party  maybe too eager. On Saturday afternoon, the Biden team sent out a fundraising solicitation from James Carville, the Democratic strategist who has repeatedly argued that Biden shouldnt be the partys nominee. What really just set me into orbit was the day after his excuse for not doing well is that hes old. Well, thats the whole point, Carville said in an interview, adding an expletive. It is safe to say there is a pushback, rally-around-the-flag moment here. But well see.
East Hampton, NY: Jill Biden was right at her husbands side as they exited Air Force One to head for a pair of campaign stops at luxurious vacation homes on Long Island. And she got straight to the point when it was her turn to introduce the president at a fundraiser.

Joe isnt just the right person for the job. Hes the only person for the job, she declared.

US First Lady Jill Biden holds President Joe Bidens hand and they descend from Air Force One. Credit: AP

The first lady also told donors, Anyone can tell you what they want to do, but Joe Biden can tell you what hes done with his judgment, his experience, and his relationships with leaders across the globe.

The first lady is trying to rally support for her husband after a dreadful performance in Fridays (AEST) presidential debate created fresh worries about US President Joe Bidens age and his ability to compete in Novembers election and to serve another four years.
Some of the most perfectly preserved trilobite fossils ever found have revealed details of the extinct arthropod unknown until now.

The new specimens, which were killed and fossilised quickly when volcanic ash smothered them underwater more than 500 million years ago, show details never before seen in any trilobite, despite the millions of fossils gathered and studied over the past two centuries.

The trilobites, which are from the Cambrian period, have been the subject of research by an international team of scientists, led by Professor Abderrazak El Albani, geologist based at University of Poitiers and originally from Morocco. This international team include co-authors Harry Berks and Philip Donoghue from the University of Bristols School of Earth Sciences.

They discovered clustering of specialised leg pairs around the mouth giving a clearer picture of how trilobites fed.

Harry Berks explained: The head and body appendages had an inward-facing battery of dense spines like those of horseshoe crabs, manipulating and tearing prey or scavenged carcasses as they were moved forwards to the mouth.

The mouth, a narrow slit behind a fleshy lobe called a labrum, known in living arthropods, has never been so clearly seen in a trilobite before.

The appendages at the edge of the mouth have curved bases like spoons and are so small that they went undetected in less perfectly preserved fossils.

It was widely thought that trilobites had three pairs of head appendages behind their long antennae but both Moroccan species show that there were four pairs.

The Moroccan trilobites date to the Cambrian Period, about 515 million years ago. The fossils are found in rock composed of volcanic ash, deposited on the shallow seafloor on which the trilobites lived. The trilobites, and even tiny lamp shells (brachiopods) that attached to them via a delicate stalk in life, were killed by the hot, suffocating ash and were fossilised very quickly when the ash that encased them transformed to rock. The outer surface of the trilobites, all of their legs and the lamp shells hitching a ride on them were moulded as impressions in the volcanic rock, while the trilobites digestive tract was preserved after it filled with ash.

To see how these impressions in the rock looked just after the trilobites died, the team used a high-resolution X-ray micro-tomography (XRCT). X-rays detect the difference in density between the rock in which a trilobite was moulded and the empty (air) space where the body was before it was obliterated. Co-author, Harry Berks, used computer modelling of X-ray slices through the fossils to study the anatomy of the entire body of the trilobites in 3-dimensions, freed from the surrounding rock. Harry said The computer work is pain-staking but its definitely been worth it. These trilobites look so alive, its almost as though they could crawl out of the rock.

The Pompei trilobites are so remarkable because they are not flattened or deformed like many fossils and every leg is arranged as it was in life, with even small spines and sensory bristles along the joints of the legs preserved. Ive been studying trilobites for nearly 40 years, but I never felt like I was looking at live animals as much as I have with these ones, said co-author Greg Edgecombe from the Natural History Museum, London.

The study sheds new light on the anatomy and biology of the long-vanished trilobites but also signals the enormous potential for volcanic ash deposited in shallow marine settings as a setting to search for exceptionally preserved fossils. Co-author Philip Donoghue said: No one expects to find fossils in volcanic rocks but our study shows that volcanic ash deposits are definitely worth a look. Who knows what secrets remains to be discovered in these understudied rocks?

Trilobites are a completely extinct kind of arthropod, the group of jointed-legged animals that includes more than a million species of insects, crabs, spiders, and centipedes alive today. They are one of the most abundant and diverse lifeforms in fossil deposits of the Palaeozoic Era, surviving from 521 million years ago to 250 million years ago. Palaeontologists have described more than 20,000 species of trilobites, ranging in body length from less than two millimetres to more than 90 centimetres. Most trilobite species are only known from their hard exoskeleton (like a lobsters shell), but only about 30 species preserve a pair of antennae and/or pairs of two-branched legs under the head shield and each segment of the body.

The paper:

'Rapid volcanic ash entombment reveals the 3D anatomy of Cambrian trilobites' by El Albani A, Donoghue P.C.J, Berks, H.O et al in Science.
Representatives of Nizami Ganjavi International Center have met with the member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom Baroness Susan Greenfield, Azernews reports.
On May 7, around 200 cabin crew members of Tata Group-owned Air India Express went on strike to protest against the alleged mismanagement at the airline, resulting in the cancellation of hundreds of flights. (Photo: Reuters/Almaas Masood)

Air India Express' cabin crew union has alleged unfair labour practices by the airline, including in issuance of charge sheets to its members, and sought the intervention of the labour commissioner to resolve the issues.

The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), which is affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, has written a letter to the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) in this regard.

The communication also comes at a time when conciliation proceedings are going on before the CLC (C) on the disputes between the cabin crew members and the airline management.

The union has alleged that the management is adopting various measures that are not conducive to creating good industrial relations.

"... their actions are spoiling the industrial relations already affected by their unfair labour practices and violations of labour legislation," it claimed in the letter dated June 28.

There was no comment from Air India Express.

Among other issues, the union has claimed that charge sheets have been issued to the cabin crew who had availed sick leave from May 6 to 8 and that enquiry is being initiated against selected union members.

On May 7, around 200 cabin crew members of Tata Group-owned Air India Express went on strike to protest against the alleged mismanagement at the airline, resulting in the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

Consequently, the airline management terminated the services of 25 cabin crew members and warned the others to join work or else face the same action.

On May 9, the strike was called off after a conciliation meeting between the representatives of the union and the management convened by the CLC (C). The termination letters were also withdrawn later.

In the letter on June 28, the union claimed that the issues had occurred "due to the monopoly and adamancy behaviour of the management" and sought the intervention of the CLC (C).
According to sources, Ola Electric is targeting a $6-7 billion valuation through the offering

SoftBank-backed Ola Electric, the electric vehicle startup by Bhavish Aggarwal, plans to power its electric vehicles with its own lithium-ion battery cells by early next year.

These cells will be manufactured at its newly set up Ola Gigafactory in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu. This would help reduce reliance on imports and lower electric vehicle production costs, according to industry experts. India's electric vehicle makers currently depend on lithium-ion battery cells from countries such as South Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

We have begun trial production. Globally, only a few countries have gigafactories, and within them, only a few companies have this level of advanced cell technology. Our focus is on doing all the steps required to build a good-quality cell. We have been able to set up a world-class laboratory and develop our intellectual property, said Aggarwal. In terms of timeline, early next year is when you can expect to see our cells in our products. We are well on our way and are in the final stages of the process.

This gigafactory is the first of its kind for Li-ion cell manufacturing in India, with an initial capacity of 5 gigawatt hours (GWh). It will be further scaled up in phases to 100 GWh at full capacity.

Aggarwal said the company has already invested about $100 million for phase A of the gigafactory expansion.

A gigafactory is a facility where equipment and components related to electrification and decarbonisation technologies are manufactured.

Last year in February, Ola signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu government, committing investments of Rs 7,614 crore for manufacturing electric cars, two-wheelers, and the lithium cell gigafactory in the state.

At a time when there has been a reduction in the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) subsidy, Aggarwal said he aligns with the government on this move.

FAME subsidy has been tapering off over the last two or three years, and the government has been very clear in its communication to the industry. As the electric vehicle industry is starting to mature and more component manufacturing is happening in India, the cost of manufacturing is coming down, said Aggarwal. We align with the government's direction of gradually tapering off the FAME subsidies and, in some areas, replacing them with production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes.

Ola Electric IPO

Ola Electric is preparing to file an initial public offering (IPO) by next month, according to people familiar with the matter.

Ola received official approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), on June 20 for its IPO. The firm aims to raise Rs 7,250 crore.

Following the regulators nod, Ola Electric is set to become the first Indian electric vehicle company to go public.

However, when asked during a press briefing, Ola Electric's chairman and managing director Bhavish Aggarwal did not commit to a specific timeline for the IPO. He said that the company is going through various steps.

We are going through the steps, and it would be premature for me to comment on the timeline, said Aggarwal during a media briefing on Saturday. Sebi also has to review other documents and approve things.

According to sources, Ola Electric is targeting a $6-7 billion valuation through the offering.

Aggarwal plans to sell up to 47.4 million shares, equivalent to a 3.48 per cent stake in the IPO. Other selling shareholders include Indus Trust, Alpine Opportunity Fund, DIG Investment, Internet Fund III (Tiger Global), MacRitchie Investments, Matrix Partners, SoftBank Vision Fund, Alpha Wave Ventures, and Tekne Private Ventures.

According to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), the proceeds from the fresh issue will be allocated towards capital expenditure (capex), debt repayment, and research and development (R&D). Of the total capital raised, the firm plans to invest Rs 1,226 crore in capex and allocate Rs 800 crore for debt repayment. Additionally, it intends to spend Rs 1,600 crore on R&D and Rs 350 crore on organic growth initiatives.

Women workforce

At a time when Foxconn, a major manufacturer of Apple devices, has been excluding female candidates from assembly jobs at its Indian smartphone plant because they are married, Aggarwal said that his firm encourages hiring of women.

At full capacity, the Ola Futurefactory is expected to become the worlds largest women-only factory and the only all-women automotive manufacturing facility in the world.

We have an all-women factory, probably the only such factory in the automotive industry, said Aggarwal.

Women are more disciplined and dexterous. We do not have any policy like that of Foxconn to not hire married women. Now that the gigafactory is coming up, it will also be an all-women factory.
Three years after India declared its goal to become a net-zero economy by 2070, the policy design for achieving the target has begun, with the NITI Aayog forming dedicated multi-sectoral committees to prepare a transition plan.

In 2021, India joined a select group of nations that set a target year for becoming net-zero carbon economy. At COP26 in Glasgow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined a five-pronged Panchamitra climate action target for India and committed to a net-zero target by 2070, joining nations like the US, the UK, and China.

A memorandum by the NITI Aayog in April
The government is expediting visa-related issues to bring technicians to India from any country, not just China, as and when required, to ensure the smooth implementation of the flagship production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing.

If those under the PLI scheme need to get their equipment installed, we try to expedite the ability to get technicians into India from any country, whichever it may be, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told Business Standard in an interview.

Goyals response comes against the backdrop of the industry seeking government intervention in resolving visa-processing delays
India has initiated an anti-dumping probe into the import of glass fibre from China, Thailand, Bahrain following a complaint by a domestic player.

The duty is aimed at protecting the domestic industry from cheap imports.

The commerce ministry's investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) is probing the alleged dumping of glass fibres and its articles originating in or exported from these countries.

Glass fibre or fibre glass is reinforced plastic that is strong, lightweight, flexible and can be moulded into many complex shapes. It has many industrial and domestic uses.

Owens-Corning (India) has filed the application seeking initiation of an anti-dumping investigation on the imports. The applicant has alleged that material injury is being caused to the domestic industry due to the alleged dumped imports and has requested for the imposition of anti-dumping duties.

"On the basis of the duly substantiated written application submitted by the applicant and having reached satisfaction based on the prima facie evidence submitted by the applicant concerning the dumping of the product'the Authority, hereby, initiates an anti-dumping investigation," the DGTR has said in a notification.

If it is established that the dumping has caused material injury to domestic players, the DGTR would recommend the imposition of anti-dumping duty on these imports. The finance ministry takes the final decision to impose duties.

Anti-dumping probes are conducted by countries to determine whether domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports.

As a countermeasure, they impose these duties under the multilateral regime of the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO). The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers vis-a-vis foreign producers and exporters.

India has already imposed anti-dumping duty on several products to tackle cheap imports from various countries, including China.
In a bid to find a long-term fix to unrelenting geo-political concerns, Indian engineering and capital goods firms are looking to ditch foreign suppliers, and plan to collaborate with Indian entities instead.

Executives from these companies termed it an attempt to secure supply chains and cut down transit time.

If it works, I need not go to Europe, said Anil Parab, whole-time director, heavy engineering and L&T Valves, with Larsen & Toubro.

He was referring to an investment that L&T is making on research and development and other certification to develop a special grade of steel in India, along with
From left, Siyu Zhu, Codie Horse-Topetchy, Sebastian C. Ferraro and Haifan Xiao accept first- place honors at the University of Oklahomas Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Research and Activity Day on March 1 for their poster over the study.
Back in March, a piece of space garbage from the International Space Station unexpectedly reentered Earths orbit and crashed through the roof of a home in Florida. The family who owns the house is now asking NASA to cover the damages.

When the federal agency disposed of some space junk that weighed about 5,800 pounds, officials believed the garbage would disintegrate in Earths atmosphere. But a small chunk of the debris managed to survive and crashed into a home in Naples, Florida.

The incident took place on March 8. The homeowner, Alejandro Otero, claimed that the trash tore through the roof and two floors of the house, narrowly missing his son.

The object left a gaping hole in the ceiling and floor. Otero was grateful that nobody got hurt, but he pointed out that the situation could have easily been a catastrophic one.

After analyzing the debris at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA confirmed that it came from a 2.9-ton pallet of used nickel-hydrogen batteries jettisoned from the International Space Station in 2021. At the time, new batteries were installed on the space station, so they needed to get rid of the old ones.

However, the old batteries were disposed of in a different way than usual. According to NASA, a robotic arm removed the garbage from the exterior of the space station and flung it into Earths orbit.

Since the batteries would be traveling at more than 22 times faster than the speed of sound, the agency expected that they would take two to four years to burn up.

The European Space Agency stated that some objects in space might reach the ground, but the chances of them hitting a person are very low.

There are thousands of space junk pieces currently floating around in space, and most of them burn up as they plunge toward Earth.

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During his long string of robberies at banks in Seattle, Scott Scurlock managed to evade arrest for many years by dressing up in elaborate disguises and wearing costume makeup. As a result, he was often referred to as the Hollywood Bandit.

Scott Scurlock was born in 1955 and grew up in Virginia. His parents were religious but raised him without much structure. Although he was a smart kid, he didnt really apply himself in school. His friends described him as charming, free-spirited, and somewhat manipulative.

In 1974, he moved to Hawaii to work on a tomato farm, which is when he began engaging in illegal activities. He stole a marijuana plant from a nearby farm and started selling the drug. When his employer discovered the plant on his property, Scurlock was fired.

Afterward, he moved to Olympia, Washington, where he attended Evergreen State College as a premed student in 1978. It wasnt long before he started sneaking into the schools chemistry lab to make methamphetamines and selling them for profit. He became a massive drug distributor in the region and used his earnings to fund a lavish lifestyle.

In the early 1990s, Scurlock made the pivot from drug dealer to bank robber after an associate of his was killed. Between 1992 and 1996, he committed nearly 20 bank robberies and stole over a million dollars.

Scurlock robbed his first bank in 1992 with his college friend Mark Biggins. He entered the Seafirst Bank wearing theater makeup and a prosthetic nose while Biggins covered his face with a Ronald Reagan mask. They left the bank with around $20,000. No one was harmed.

Two months later, Scurlock returned to the same bank by himself, wearing a different getup. He walked away with $8,124 without harming anyone.

For the next three months, Scurlock and his partners in crime robbed four more banks in Seattle. He became known for his authoritative manner, intimidating robbery style, theatrical disguises, and his ability to make quick escapes.

By 1993, Scurlock had stolen over $300,000 from banks. He donated a lot of the money to environmental charities. In 1994, he and his associates robbed five banks in the Pacific Northwest. Overall, they stole more than a million dollars from 19 robberies by 1995. In all that time, Scurlock had never hurt a single person.

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On a hot, sunny day, drinking water from a plastic water bottle comes with some risks, as a new study has found out.

According to an analysis from Grand View Research, about 50 billion plastic water bottles are purchased in America every year.

Bottled water is often thought of as a safer alternative to tap water because it is cleaner and contains fewer contaminants.

However, the safety of bottled water depends on the quality of your local drinking water and how it is stored.

Bottled water actually comes with more hazards than people think. In the past, scientists have discovered thousands of plastic particles in each liter of bottled water.

Additionally, these plastic containers can release harmful chemicals associated with hormonal imbalances, such as bisphenol A and BPA.

Now, researchers have identified a new danger from plastic bottles. When they are left out in the sun, plastic water bottles unleash toxic compounds that can cause cancer.

Scientists from Jinan University in China analyzed the gases that six types of plastic water bottles release when they are exposed to sunlight and UVA radiation.

The bottles were from different countries, including China, Japan, Italy, Canada, and New Zealand. They contained spring water, distilled water, and artesian water.

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Love isnt meant to be conditional, especially when it comes to our understanding of how God loves us. But this episodes guestpastor, author, and podcaster Luke Norsworthysays were far too normalized to the idea that love is contingent upon how we practice our faith, obey, and function in general. On this episode, Norsworthy and Cuss talk about whether or not the phrase unconditional love is redundant. They consider how family language can be misused and what it might look like to become more integrated in our lives. They talk about the parable of the Prodigal Son, what it is to be acquainted with grief as a believer, and how to process disappointment. Their conversation also covers celebrity pastors, loneliness, and the value of vulnerability. The Expectation Gap by Steve Cuss is now availableorder here! Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Being Human with Steve Cuss is a production of Christianity Today: Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones
Home News Child predator hunter who busted Democrat LGBT leader says work brings him 'face to face with evil' 'I can't really not believe in a Hell and devil'

A vigilante child predator hunter who recently conducted a sting operation that exposed a gay Democratic lobbyist in Maryland told The Christian Post that his work has convinced him that Hell and Satan exist.

Alex Rosen, 24, who founded the Houston-based organization Predator Poachers, drew widespread attention on X last week for his video that showed him confronting Michael Knaapen, who served as the chair of the Maryland Democratic Partys LGBTQ+ Diversity Leadership until the sting went viral.

Rosen's organization, which started in 2019, baits sexual predators by posing as underage decoys on hook-up apps such as Grindr or Tinder while waiting for the would-be predators to message them. The organization claims to have aided in arrests in dozens of states.

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According to the full video of the June 20 confrontation with Knaapen that runs for nearly an hour, Rosen grilled him about texts he sent to a supposedly 14-year-old boy named "Luke" over the course of months.

Some of the messages allegedly expressed a desire to rape the boy and implement urine during sex, which Knaapen dismissed as "fantasy" and a "kink." He also reportedly sent explicit photos and video of himself to the boy and gave him his address.

Knaapen, who had visited the White House multiple times, has since been removed from his volunteer position in the Maryland Democratic Party, which issued a statement explaining that Knaapen was no longer with them and they were "aware of a video circulating online that leveled serious accusations against a volunteer with the Party," according to The Baltimore Banner.

"The Maryland Democratic Party is aware of a video circulating online that leveled serious accusations against a volunteer with the Party. We take all accusations seriously. The volunteer is no longer affiliated with the Maryland Democratic Party," the statement said.

Knaapen has also since deleted his social media pages.

Rosen, who spoke to CP while on his way to another sting operation in Michigan, engaged in heated back-and-forth with users on X who dismissed the Knaapen video as somehow fake or doctored. He also claimed the Knaapen story was suppressed on Reddit and that many local journalists were apparently uninterested in covering it.

Rosen said he is not particularly surprised that some liberals on social media have attacked him for exposing alleged pedophilia within the Democratic gay community, though he claimed he has not seen people circle the wagons the same way when they expose a Republican predator.

"I've noticed  because there are a lot of lefties that follow our channel  they always point out, 'Oh, another Trump supporter caught, blah, blah, blah.' And I would say we do catch mostly Republican voters, for sure. But the thing is, you don't see the right-wing coming together to just say the video's fake. They disavow it."

Rosen, who said he is Jewish but not particularly religious, told CP that he believes he has seen demonic evil manifest in the behavior of some predators he has busted. He especially remembered the case of Clayton Tanner, whom Rosen confronted in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 2022.

Tanner communicated to Rosen's decoy, who was posing as an 11-year-old girl, that he desired to cut her with a knife and drink her blood, according to Cowboy State Daily. He also reportedly wanted to drink the blood of the girl's infant sister.

In March, Tanner was sentenced to eight years in prison for possession of child pornography, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Rosen also said he recently encountered a predator they pursued in Ohio who opened his door sporting a satanic necklace. He said they investigated him after a 15-year-old girl reached out to them claiming the person was selling her nudes online.

"So we tried to knock on his door, but luckily he was already under investigation by the cops," he said. "Because he had a lawyer, he didn't talk to us. But he was wearing a black cross. He was very, very demoned-out. He was definitely a satanist. So we see that from time to time."

"Not too often, but we've seen it enough to say it's a recurring thing," he added.

"I'm not too religious," Rosen also said. "I definitely believe in God, I'm a Jew. But with how many people we come face to face with who are pure evil, I can't really not believe in a Hell and the devil. I mean, it has to exist with how evil these people are. So, I'm not religious, but I absolutely know there's a God, and I fully believe in Him."

While he has exposed some people in positions of authority, Rosen also said many of the people his organization exposes "are pretty dysfunctional," and suggested one reason they do not uncover more people in powerful positions is because such people have more discreet ways of satisfying their deviant desires.

"I think the reason we don't get a lot of federal government employees is because they don't need to go on Instagram or Tinder to go find kids, you know? But what we noticed [is] a lot of them are jobless. A good portion  probably 40% of them  are jobless; they're just very lazy. They're just dysfunctional people and are just leeches on society."

Rosen, who told CP that he always wanted to be a police officer, said he started to get into freelance predator hunting when he was 19 after being inspired by "To Catch a Predator" host Chris Hansen and others who followed in his footsteps. When he first started out, he was sometimes reluctant to post some of the videos because he pitied some of the predators, but he said he has since overcome that reticence.

"I was naive enough to think that, 'Oh, it's not evil. They're just lonely or something.' But no, all these people are evil," he said. "I do think people can be born pedophiles, but it's also a bit of a self-control thing, too. I was born to like chocolate cake, but that doesn't mean I eat it all the time."

"I think they're just truly evil. There's something in them that's evil, where they have the capacity to commit evil easier than other people do," he added.
Home News Atheist parolee jailed for refusing to attend church services wins $100K settlement

An atheist parolee in Colorado jailed for refusing to follow a court order requiring him to take part in a Christian mission's worship services has won a $100,000 settlement.

In a settlement agreement with the Colorado Department of Corrections filed in court last week, Mark Janny was awarded $100,000 in monetary damages. Janny was on parole in 2015 and was required to live at a Christian homeless mission and participate in Bible study, church services and religious counseling.

He was incarcerated for five months when he refused to do so.

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Janny was represented by the secular legal groups the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, as well as DLA Piper LLP.

"This is a victory for Mark Janny and for religious freedom," said Americans United President Rachel Laser in a statement.

"Our country's fundamental principle of church-state separation guarantees that everyone has the right to believe as they choose, so long as they don't harm others. Jailing someone for refusing to attend worship services and to engage in Bible study is not religious freedom  it's religious coercion."

In 2015, Janny's parole officer, John Gamez, required him to be placed at the Rescue Mission in Fort Collins, which also operates under the name Denver Rescue Mission. Janny opposed the idea and proposed a friend's home as an alternative place of residence. That proposal was rejected because Gamez believed that Janny's friend was involved in using illegal drugs.

After Janny's parole was revoked because he refused to attend worship services, he filed a complaint, arguing that the condition of his parole violated his First Amendment rights.

Although a district court initially ruled against Janny, a three-judge panel for the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court decision in 2021, remanding the case back to the lower court to consider his First Amendment claims.

"Because Officer Gamez rejected Mr. Janny's proposed residence, while directing him to stay at the Mission, Mr. Janny was given a 'Hobson's choice'  to violate his religious beliefs by following the Program's rules or to return to jail," wrote Judge Carolyn McHugh, an Obama appointee, for the majority.

"It was the state's responsibility, not Mr. Janny's, to locate an alternative residence that did not involve that coercive choice."

McHugh stressed that other courts in the United States "have repeatedly rejected the suggestion that being compelled to attend religious programming is insufficient to make out an Establishment Clause violation."
Home News Gateway Church elders, Robert Morris son take leave of absence amid abuse investigation

Three members of the Board of Elders of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, including the son of founder Robert Morris, have voluntarily taken a temporary leave of absence. The decision comes as part of an ongoing independent investigation into child sex abuse accusations against Morris.

The law firm Haynes and Boone was appointed by Gateway Church to ensure an impartial investigation, and their initial recommendation was for any elder with potential conflicts of interest, particularly those related to events between 20052007, to step down temporarily, the Board of Elders said in a statement.

As a result, three current elders who were on the board during this critical timeframe but not part of the church staff  Kevin Grove, Steve Dulin and Gayland Lawshe have taken leaves of absence. These elders have said they were unaware of the incidents in question.

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Pastor James Morris, Gateways newest elder and son of Robert Morris, also agreed to a temporary leave. Although he did not serve as an elder during the critical period, his familial relationship with Robert Morris warranted a leave of absence to maintain the investigations integrity.

The affected elders will still participate in their roles as staff members at Gateway Church, contributing to its mission and community services, said the Board of Elders.

The congregation has been asked to keep the leadership and the ongoing process in their prayers.

Robert Morris admitted to inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady following allegations that he sexually abused Cindy Clemishire over multiple years, starting when she was 12.

Clemishire first alleged to The Wartburg Watch that Morris began sexually abusing her on Dec. 25, 1982, and continued for four-and-a-half years. She confirmed those details with The Christian Post. She stressed the severity of the abuse, which included inappropriate touching and penetration.

Two days after Clemishire, now 54, confronted Morris in 2005, he accused her of attempting to blackmail him, then asked her to name her price after she demanded he pay for what he had done to her as a child. Clemishire ultimately said she wanted Morris to pay $2 million in restitution.

Morris, who never paid off Clemishire, resigned from Gateway Church on June 18.

Clemishire, who said she has been grappling with the psychological impact of the abuse for decades, revealed in selected emails shared with The Christian Post how she first reached out to Morris in 2005 about the abuse.

Ethan Fisher, senior pastor of Gateway Church, who is also the son-in-law of Morris, revealed last Sunday that his family faced a nightmare week following the revelation of allegations from Clemishire.

After Morris resigned, Fisher said he was also removed as the apostolic and overseeing elder of Gateway Church Houston.

Elaine and I, were processing it, obviously, as family. Elaine is a daughter, and Ive done my best to be there for her. Me, as a son-in-law, we're processing the pain in real-time in the same way I know many of you are, Fisher told his congregants.

Gateway Church attracts around 100,000 worshipers weekly across its nine campuses.
Home News Over 400,000 people formally left Germanys Catholic Church in 2023

In 2023, a substantial number of individuals, totaling 402,694, decided to formally dissociate themselves from the Catholic Church in Germany, a significant figure though slightly less than the record set in 2022.

The German Bishops Conference, which came out with these statistics, said while these numbers are high, they reflect a slight decrease from the 522,821 departures recorded the previous year, indicating that this was the second-highest departure rate to date, according to National Catholic Reporter.

In Germany, church membership has financial implications due to the church tax system, which is a part of the broader tax structure. Members who formally exit the church no longer need to pay this tax, providing a financial incentive for deregistration. Exceptions to this requirement include low earners, the unemployed, retirees, students and others.

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Despite the slight decrease in departures, the overall membership of the countrys Catholic Church stood at roughly 20.35 million by the end of 2023, according to the German Bishops Conference.

The backdrop to these departures includes a longstanding crisis stemming from scandals related to abuse by clergy members, NCR noted. In recent years, many have turned away from the Catholic Church as these issues have persisted.

In an effort to address these concerns, the bishops and a prominent lay organization launched a three-year reform initiative known as the Synodal Path. The process, marked by deep divides between progressive and conservative elements within the Catholic Church, culminated last year with calls for the church to sanction blessings for same-sex unions despite overt opposition from the Vatican.

Further tensions have surfaced in a subsequent reform process initiated this year following Vatican pressures to halt previous reform votes.

The figures are alarming. They show that the church is in a wide-ranging crisis, Limburg Bishop Georg Batzing, the head of the Bishops Conference, was quoted as saying. Reforms alone will not solve the church crisis, but the crisis will get worse without reforms. And so changes are necessary.

The issue of declining church membership is not isolated to the Catholic Church in Germany.

The Protestant Church also reported substantial departures, with around 380,000 members leaving in the past year, mirroring levels seen in 2022 and reflecting challenges facing religious institutions in Germany.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the Catholic Churchs situation presents a contrast in certain areas. While the Northeast sees ongoing declines in church enrollment, areas like South Florida are witnessing growth, largely driven by an increasing Hispanic population, according to an October 2023 piece published on Substack by Pastor Ryan Burge.

Research by Burge noted that from 2008 to 2022, only six states  Vermont, Idaho, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Arizona and Tennessee  saw increases in the proportion of residents identifying as Roman Catholic. In contrast, states such as Hawaii and Connecticut experienced significant declines in Catholic identification.

Furthermore, attendance at weekly Mass showed varied trends across the U.S., with states like Alaska and Hawaii seeing increases, while others like Wyoming and Rhode Island having seen sharp declines.
Home News This week in Christian history: First Crusade battle, Parliament of the Saints, pope kidnapped

Throughout the extensive history of the Church, there have been numerous events of lasting significance.

Each week brings anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births and notable deaths.

Some of the events drawn from over 2,000 years of history might be familiar, while others might be unknown to many people.

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The following pages highlight anniversaries of memorable events that occurred this week in Christian history. They include the Battle of Dorylaeum, Englands Parliament of the Saints, and Napoleon Bonaparte kidnapping the pope.
Home Opinion Stop the Ukrainian meat grinder?

Nearly eleven months ago, in August 2023, The New York Times reported that U.S. officials had estimated that some 500,000 Russians and Ukrainians had been killed, wounded, or missing in the then 18-month Ukrainian War.

Both Russia and Ukraine underreport their losses. Hundreds of thousands of additional casualties have followed in the 28 months of fighting.

In the West, the mere mention of a negotiated settlement is considered a dangerous appeasement of Russias flagrant aggression. In Russia, anything short of victory would be seen as synonymous with the collapse of the Putin regime.

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Yet as the war nears two and a half years this summer, some facts are no longer much in dispute.

Controversy still arises over the circumstances of the 2014 overthrow of Ukraines pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Russia charges that the West engineered the Revolution of Dignity  an effort to Westernize the former Soviet republic, to expand the borders of Europe right to the doorstep of Russia, and eventually to fully arm Ukraine as a member of NATO.

Westerners counter that most Ukrainians wished to be part of Europe and independent from Russian bullyingand they had a perfect right to ask to join either NATO or the E.U. or both despite anticipated escalating tensions.

After the heroic Ukrainian defeat of the 2022 Russian bid to take Kyiv, there have been few significant territorial gains by either side.

Like the seesaw bloodbath on the Western Front of World War I, neither side has developed the momentum to force the other to negotiate or grant concessions.

As nuclear Russian threats against Europe mount, NATO is seeking to regain deterrence capabilities by boosting defense budgets, incorporating robust front-line nations Sweden and Finland, and uniting over shared concerns about Russian aggression.

Many in the U.S. cheer on the conflict as a necessary proxy war to check Russian aggression and bolster NATOs resistance.

But unlike third-party wars during the Cold War, now the Western client, Ukraine, is fighting directly against the chief antagonist of European NATO members.

Arming a proxy in a war waged against the homeland of a nuclear adversary is a new and dangerous phenomenon.

The West counts on supplying Ukraine with more and better weapons than a richer, larger, and more populous Russia.

But Ukraines problem is not so much weapons as manpower. Nearly a fourth of Ukraines population has fled the country.

Ukraine may have suffered some 300,000 causalities. The average age of its soldiers is over 40 years. It already lacks sufficient forces to replay the failed 2023 counteroffensive. The Russian plan of attrition is to wear down and bleed out the Ukrainian people.

In a geostrategic sense, the new alignment of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea is starting to gain opportunistic support from illiberal Middle East regimes, Turkey, and the Islamic world in general.

The Biden administrations respective approaches to the Ukraine and Gaza wars continue to be utterly incoherent.

It lectures our strongest ally Israel on the need for a cease-fire, proportionality, a coalition wartime cabinet, and the avoidance of collateral damage. The administration considers the terrorist group Hamas almost a legitimate state.

However, President Joe Biden and the American diplomatic establishment urge Ukraine to keep fighting without negotiations. They urge Kyiv to seek critical disproportionality through superior weaponry, including hitting strategic targets inside Russia.

The U.S. has overlooked the cancellation of Ukrainian political parties and elections by the Zelenskyy administration. America does not seem to care about Ukrainian collateral damage to the borderlands. And it considers the Russian government a near-terrorist state.

No one in the West, at least prior to the Russian February 2022 invasion  neither the prior Obama, Trump, and current Biden administrations or the Ukrainian government itself  had considered it even possible to regain by force Crimea and the Donbas absorbed by the Russian invasion of 2014.

Add up all these realities, and the only practicable way to avoid another near 1 million dead and wounded would be a settlement, however unpopular.

It would entail the formalization of the 2014 Russian absorption of Crimea and Donbas.

Russia would then agree to withdraw all its forces to its pre-2022 borders. Ukraine would be fully armed but without NATO membership.

Both sides would agree to a demilitarized zone on both sides of the Russian-Ukrainian border. Russia would brag that it prevented its former province from joining NATO while finally institutionalizing its prior incorporation of the Donbas and Crimea.

Ukraine would be proud that, like heroic 1940 Finland, it miraculously stopped Russian aggression. It would remain far better armed than at any time in its history and soon enjoy a status similar to that of non-NATO Austria or Switzerland.

The deal would anger all parties. But it would make public what most concede privately  and stop the ongoing destruction of Ukraine and the further slaughter of an entire generation of Ukrainian and Russian youth.

Originally published at The Daily Signal.
Home Opinion Preach Jesus, not your presidential candidate

While political pundits do their jobs in analyzing the presidential debate, Ill do my job as a spiritual leader and encourage us to keep our priorities straight. In short, as I posted earlier this year, preach Jesus and vote for your presidential candidate of choice, based on scriptural principles. But do not preach your candidate. To do so is to defile your witness.

All too often, we become better known for the candidate we support than the Lord we serve, declaring our allegiance to a party or a person far more passionately than we declare our allegiance to the Savior. And to what end? For what purpose?

Better that we keep our priorities straight and our focus clear, being careful not to allow anything to taint our testimony for our Lord. And then, as responsible citizens, we get involved in the political process.

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For all of us, this should mean informed voting. For some, it will also mean donating to candidates. Or raising awareness about issues. Or working to get out the vote. Or even running for office. Let everyone find their place.

But let none of us get so caught up with the elections that we allow our social media pages or spheres of influence to become partisan political cesspools, filled with ugly attacks, mocking memes, and nasty rhetoric. And all this side by side with our favorite Scripture of the day!

As Jacob (James) said, With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in Gods likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water (James 3:912).

Surely, when our whole nation is shaking and uncertainty rules the day, we can step higher and do better and shine like lights in dark places  all while staying politically active.

Put another way, whether America recognizes it or not, our nation desperately needs the Church to be the Church, to proclaim our faith and live out our faith and offer the hope of the Gospel, the most powerful force on earth to transform hearts and lives. Let us, then, prioritize our role as followers of the Lord.

In that light, here are some dangerous tendencies to avoid:

We wrap the Gospel in the American flag (or any national or state flag).

We equate our country with the Kingdom of God.

We confuse patriotism with spirituality.

We compromise our ethics to keep our party (or leader) in power.

Our church/denomination/ministry becomes an appendage of a political party.

We put more trust in earthly methods than in spiritual methods.

We marry the cause of Christ to the cause of a political party (or leader) as if they were one and the same.

We become as vulgar and rude as the candidates we follow.

We look to the White House or any branch of government in any nation more than to God.

We make a human being into a political savior.

We equate loyalty to God (which should be unconditional) with loyalty to a party or political leader (which should be conditional).

Our prayers and our prophecies become politically partisan.

Unfortunately, we tend to go to one extreme or the other.

Some Jesus followers drop out of politics entirely thinking, The whole system is corrupt, or, Why bother? or, This world is not our home.

Others become so obsessed with politics that they raise up political leaders as savior figures, that they find their primary identity in a political party, and that they look to politics to do what only the gospel can do.

The fact is that politics does matter, affecting the lives of millions of people. Politics affects laws that are passed. And our standard of living. And health care. And our national security. And our international standing. Politics affects our everyday life.

Political leaders, especially our presidents, can do much harm or much good, and if we fail to vote, we deserve whatever we get. Yet, quite tragically, tens of millions of American Christians do not vote at all. This must change.

But by all means, let us keep our heads and guard our hearts, not degenerating into the political madness of the hour, not becoming as carnal as some of our political leaders often become, and not becoming evangelists for our candidate rather than evangelists for our Lord.

What America needs more than anything is for followers of Jesus to live as followers of Jesus.

That will change our nation more than any election possibly could.

So lets vote. And lets shine.
Home Opinion Pride month goes out with a whimper

Its been a long time since Americans could sit back and actually enjoy the month of June. It was always an insufferable four weeks, breathing in the rainbow-saturated air that fell heaviest across our favorite sports, stores, shows and social media. But the most remarkable thing about this years pride month may be just how unremarkable it was. Sure, there were still parades, over-the-top political pronouncements, and colorful flags billowing from too many government buildings, but the characteristic dread and fatigue from pride is gone  replaced by a quiet confidence that maybe, just maybe, weve been heard.

For the conservatives in the movement fighting this battle the longest, 2024 didnt just feel different. It was different. Heading into these final days of June, the biggest story across the mainstream media isnt whos celebrating pride, but where did it go? The Associated Press, NBC News, Vox, and others have talked to countless experts, who all have the same thing to say: Executives are too worried about rocking the consumer boat.

Theyve been rattled, Drexel University Marketing Professor Daniel Korschun insists of CEOs and other industry heads. Theres been a definite scaling back in both big and small ways, Joanna Schwartz, another professor at Georgia College & State University, agreed. I had expected some brand caution, but this year seems [to be] a near full-scale retreat.

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For people whose livelihoods are actually tied to the LGBT activism that June represents, bad doesnt begin to describe the year theyre having. For Tim Bennett, co-founder of a firm called Tribury that specializes in reaching gay  and trans identifying audiences, business has been a bust. A lot fewer clients are reaching out for Pride Month collaborations, Bennett admitted to Vox. In speaking with my peers, he said, most of us are experiencing the same pullback or wait-and-see approach. Brand sponsorships are especially low.

Rob Smith, who sells gender-neutral clothing, told the AP that hes seen a 25% drop in the number of stores carrying his line just over the last several months. That jives with what Alysse Dalessandro has experienced as an LGBTQ content creator. She went from 35 clients who hired her as a model for their pride month campaigns in 2022 to nine in 2023  and just five this year. Even The Trevor Project, an extreme trans-affirming youth nonprofit, conceded to Marketing Brew that its seen a decline in corporate giving in the last couple of years.

Maybe this is just a natural progression, some have tried to spin it. If transgender and queer people are regarded as part of the norm, theres no point in making a big statement, Barbara Kahn, of the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School, argued.

But in a country where corporate America is routinely blackmailed by LGBT pressure groups, any hint of moderating that message would be seen as betrayal. Stephen Soukup, an expert in woke capital, whos tracked the progression of corporate activism for decades, pointed out that for the last 15 years, businesses have tried very hard to please one specific [activist] group, the Human Rights Campaign, which is an LGBTQ interest group. And every year, [HRC] puts out its Corporate Equality Index  and every year, corporations are expected to do different types of things  in order to receive a 100% rating.

Lately, thats included everything from offering health care coverage for gender reassignment surgery to giving a certain amount of dollars and time to LGBT advocacy. If HRC doesnt like the level of support they receive from a business, then, as Outstanding podcast host Joseph Backholm pointed out, theyre going to try to destroy your reputation and make it hard for you to do business. So the companies feel an obligation.

Frankly, Joseph argued, I see this as a kind of extortion, where unless you do the things the [activists] want you to do, they are going to affirmatively try to harm you. Because in the marketplace, of course, your reputation is a big part of what your brand is. He compared it to a gangster showing up at a store, tapping their nightstick on their palms saying, You know, its a great business you have here. Itd be terrible if something happened to it.

The difference now is, American consumers have managed to collectively hurt brands bottom lines more than HRCs ostracization ever could. After Dylan Mulvaneys beer cans and Targets tuck-friendly swimwear, the backlash was so explosive and so sustained that companies had no choice but to recalibrate. These were billion-dollar mistakes that sent plenty of boardrooms into desperate PR tailspins  and everyone else on a year-long soul search.

This whole grassroots sea change thats taken hold in sports, business, and other industries has been an astounding thing for longtime conservatives to witness, especially those like Soukup, whove been fighting the corporate beast virtually alone for the better part of two decades. Theres definitely been a retreat, he agreed. When I sat down to write the book The Dictatorship of Woke Capitol four years ago this summer, he admits, I was pretty pessimistic. I didnt think that there was a whole lot we could do to push back against ESG, to push back against the broader stakeholder movement, to push back against all of this politicization of American corporations  Even after the book came out, the following spring, I did interview after interview [and] I was asked, What do you think is going to happen? I was still pretty dour. I [was] still pretty pessimistic about what our prospects were to get  capital markets back to neutral.



Now, he looks around at this nationwide movement to roll back LGBT activism and can hardly believe it. Over the past three years, theres been really an explosion in the pushback. And there are a lot of people whove been involved in this, a lot of people who deserve a lot of credit for this.

It was almost like a great awakening for everyday Americans, who finally got fed up and realized the amount of power they wield. Weve seen a lot of people say, You know what? This is not right. This is not the way that American capitalism is supposed to function. This is not the way American democracy is supposed to function. And its important for us to get this right, because if we dont, then we lose everything.  Im so much more optimistic now than I was three or four years ago about how effective we can be in halting this ideological, political takeover of business and capital markets.

Originally published at The Washington Stand.
Human rights and the moral debate about abortion

A few weeks ago I was giving a morning's teaching on the topic of human rights and in the course of the morning I sought to get across three fundamental points. The first point was that the breakthrough achieved by the issuing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 was the formal recognition that everyone, whoever they are, and wherever they live, have certain basic rights simply because they are human beings.

The second point was that the concept of rights is inextricably bound up with the concept of obligations. As the Christian theologian Nicholas Wolterstorff argues in his book Justice rights and wrongs, we cannot talk about the one without talking about the other. The language of rights, he argues, gives voice to the truth that human beings have an obligation to treat other human beings in certain morally good ways, and that those other human beings are wronged if they are not treated in this way. In his words, 'One is guilty if one has failed to do what one was obligated to do; one is wronged if one has not been treated as one had a right to be treated.'

What this means is that the criticism that is sometimes made about the notion of human rights, that it is all about rights and says nothing about duties, is misplaced. Obligation and duty mean the same thing, the way one ought to behave, and as we have just seen, rights and obligations necessarily go together. I cannot coherently insist that my rights should be observed, without also accepting that I have an obligation to observe the rights of others.

The third point was that human rights have to be grounded in an understanding of natural rights. Human rights, strictly so called, are those rights which have been recognised in national and international law. This fact begs the question which rights should be so recognised and the answer to this question can only be based on the idea that there is a moral order within which human beings have a right to be treated in certain ways. When Christian theologians have talked about 'natural rights' this is what they have meant.

Such rights are 'natural' because within the moral order that God established at creation those creatures possessed of a human nature should be treated in certain ways and are wronged if this is not the case. For example, the idea of a natural 'right to life' means that the life of a human being should be respected and not brought to an end without good cause, and that a human being is wronged when this is not the case (as when someone is murdered, or executed for a crime they did not commit).

I was stimulated to think about these three points again this week because of a report from the Christian Institute about criticism of the Republic of Ireland by the human rights campaign group Amnesty International for allowing medical staff to refuse to carry out abortions.

The report stated: 'Medics in the Republic of Ireland should not be allowed to refuse to carry out abortions on religious or ethical grounds, Amnesty International has said. The organisation's Executive Director in Ireland, Stephen Bowen, claimed pro-life medics were "failing" pregnant women by causing them to travel overseas for an abortion. Amnesty, which advocates for the decriminalisation of abortion, says human rights protections only "start at birth" and labels laws limiting access to abortion as "human rights violations."'

What really interested me about this report was the last sentence with its insistence that human rights only start at birth. I wondered if Amnesty International had really said this and, if so, how they justified saying it, and so I looked up what Amnesty International themselves actually said.

When I looked at their documents on the matter online, I found that their document Amnesty International's policy on abortion key messages does indeed declare that: 'Human rights start at birth. The updated abortion policy recognises that human rights protections start at birth. In other words, international human rights law and standards do not recognize so-called foetal rights or human rights applications to foetuses, embryos, zygotes or gametes. While Amnesty does not take a position on when human life begins, as this is a moral and ethical question for individuals to decide for themselves, its policy is aligned with international human rights law and standards that confirm that human rights protections start at birth, not before.'

This claim is difficult to defend on two grounds. The first is that while international human rights standards do indeed state positively that human beings have rights from birth (thus Article I of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: 'All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights'), none that I am aware of deny that the unborn child has rights before that point.

Secondly, unless human rights laws and standards are to be totally arbitrary in what they declare, any claim that an unborn child does not have rights would have to be based on a natural law understanding of when human life begins.

Amnesty International's professed agnosticism on this point ('Amnesty does not take a position on when human life begins') does not make any moral sense. This is because if God has so created the world that human life begins at conception (as biology tells us that it does) then the life of an unborn child from that point onwards is a human life and can thus be argued to have the protection that is due to all human life (as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights puts it 'Every human being has the inherent right to life').

Furthermore, even if one held that human life might begin at conception then what is known as the 'precautionary principle' in ethics would mean that one would have an obligation to take this possibility into account and treat life in the womb as human life and therefore entitled to have its life protected. The point here is that if one concludes that life in the womb is human life after one has killed it, then it is too late to go back and rectify the error. Barring a miracle, we cannot resurrect the dead.

The only secure moral ground for allowing abortion would be the certainty that human life begins at birth and Amnesty International offers no grounds for believing that such certainty exists.

If we go on to look for a positive reason why Amnesty International supports abortion, the reason that it puts forward is the principle of 'reproductive autonomy.' As its website on 'Abortion rights' puts it: 'International human rights law clearly spells out that decisions about your body are yours alone  this is what is known as bodily autonomy. The right to make autonomous decisions about one's reproductive life is known as reproductive autonomy.'

The condensed argument that is being offered here is that human rights law says that human beings have the right to decide what to do with their body and a subset of this general right is the freedom to make decisions 'about one's reproductive life' (hence 'reproductive autonomy').

What this argument ignores is the fact that human rights law, and the principle of human rights in general, does not say that I have absolute freedom to do what I like with my body. As I noted at the beginning of this article, rights and obligations go together. Thus, if I as a human being have a right to education, then this comes with a corresponding obligation to recognise that all other human beings have a right to education (and to act accordingly). In similar fashion, if I as a human being have the right to have my right to life protected, then this comes with the obligation to respect the right to life of all other human beings.

Applying this argument to the claim that human beings should be recognised as having 'reproductive autonomy', we can acknowledge that there is no absolute moral obligation to have children. In Christian terms the command to 'be fruitful and multiply' in Genesis 1:28 applies to human beings in general, not to every human being in particular. It follows from this that human beings should have the freedom to decide whether to have children. Forcing a woman to become pregnant (or a man to father a child) would thus be morally wrong. In this sense the idea of a right to 'reproductive autonomy' makes sense.

However, if a child has been conceived then the picture changes. This is because if human life starts at conception, then what exists in a woman's womb is not part of her body but another human being, and neither her right to bodily autonomy nor anyone else's desire to bring the pregnancy to an end (such as a father wanting to 'get rid of that baby') can override that human being's right to life and the moral obligation to respect this. The basic ethical principle here is the one previously noted, namely that someone's life could only be brought to an end if there is a very good cause for doing so, and the mere fact that another person (or persons) don't want someone to live does not count as a very good cause - otherwise it would be open season for murder.

At this point someone might bring up the issue of what should happen if a pregnancy threatens the life of a mother. Is it legitimate to terminate the pregnancy to save the life of the mother in this circumstance? Here the ethical principle known as 'double effect' comes into play. This says that it would not be legitimate to intend to kill an unborn child, but it could be legitimate to save the mother in a way that had the tragic but undesired effect of killing the child. For example, suppose a pregnant woman has a cancerous uterus which if left in place will kill her (and thereby her unborn child). In this situation it is impossible to save both the mother and the child, but the mother's life can be saved if the uterus is removed. In this case although removing the uterus will kill the unborn child this could be seen as the least-worst moral option.

We need to acknowledge that such cases can occur (though thankfully they are rare), but we cannot then make them the basis for an unrestricted right to abortion.
MONTICELLO, Illinois -- Ive decided to stop trying to converse with people. I rarely have a decent conversation anymore, and I think its time to put in place my own personal gag order.

In addition to the annoying distraction of the adult pacifier and constant interrupter  the cellphone  I have found that hardly anyone knows how to have a face-to-face chat that is both equal and engaged.

A typical confab often follows what I call one upmanship, or, enough about you, lets hurry back to me. Someone might ask, So, I heard you traveled to Vietnam last month. My answer: Yes, it was a trip of a lifetime.

Normal responses could be: Wow, what made it special? Or, Cool, what stood out the most? Or, What was the food like?

Instead, I get: You know my trip of a lifetime was to Branson last year when I saw the Terry Bradshaw show! Did you know he can sing? Hes got like a bunch of country albums!

Or, I would never fly overseas. A friend got locked in the airplanes bathroom on his way to Iceland. Hes now in counseling and can no longer use a public toilet without his therapy dog.

At this point, I shut down. How did we just get from Hanoi to Terry Bradshaws musical career and the restroom habits of a skittish traveler? Why continue?

As a journalist, I have spent decades listening to people, knitting their narratives together without interjecting my thoughts. I have learned that the best interviews come from creating space. An interviewee might finish a story, and instead of jumping in immediately with another question, I often say nothing. That pause often elicits a deeper dive into the story. The subject might fill that space with another recollection: Oh, I just remembered something .

I prepare for the interview, but I enter with few questions so that Im not trapped with a rigid set of queries that interrupt the flow of the conversation. My subject might say, I need to tell you that I did indeed, through a complex layer of illegal financial activities that I will now explain, rip off my family for millions of dollars.

A bad interviewer would then look at her list of prepared questions and say, So, tell me about growing up in Kansas. Or, What is your favorite color? And why?

The lessons I have learned through my years as an underpaid, overlooked journalist can also apply to everyday off-the-record conversations: Stop interrupting. Listen.

Lately, the trend is to continue a conversation with a non sequitur.

Ponder this one. Me: My father passed away while I was in Vietnam. I could not attend the memorial service. Instead of offering condolences, the person I am sharing this sad news with might reply, My uncle died 16 years ago. We used to go fishing.

Stephen J. Lyons during his recent trip to Vietnam.Courtesy of Stephen J. Lyons

Another annoying talk trait is to avoid eye contact and, instead, steal glances at ones phone that is attached to ones hand like Velcro. We know that most of the messages testing our short attention spans are spam: We owe hundreds of dollars for a product we did not order sent from an email address that contains all 24 letters of our alphabet plus several from the Cyrillic alphabet. Perhaps its a reminder that, in only five months from now, we have a dental appointment.

But, rest assured, rarely are the missives on your phone better than the conversation you could be having.

I used to think, if I listened attentively to an acquaintance and asked after their family, their health or their pets, that eventually they might inquire the same about me. I no longer believe that. Now, when Im in the middle of a one-sided conversation, my eyes glaze over. I withdraw to my inner happy place and try to imagine who is making my cellphone vibrate.

Stephen J. Lyons is the author of six books of reportage and essays, most recently, Searching for Home: Misadventures with Misanthropes. This was written for The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com.

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Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA)  The outgoing Mauritanian president, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, has taken the lead in Saturday's presidential election, with results from more than 81% of the polling stations collated, reports the special envoy of the Senegalese press agency (APS), quoting the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI)
New York, US (PANA) - The UN Secretary-General on Saturday praised the adoption of a strong outcome document at the end of a conference dedicated to combatting illicit small arms and light weapons worldwide, saying it was an important sign of progress
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Vandalized posters with images of local candidates for the European Parliament election mixed with those from the first round of the 2024 French legislative elections, seen on June 24 2024, in Val d Arry, Calvados. France will hold an early legislative election in two rounds on June 30 and July 7 2024, following President Emmanuel Macrons decision which was triggered by his party's heavy defeat to the far-right National Rally in the 2024 European Parliament election. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

French voters are heading to the polls on Sunday for the first round of voting in a snap parliamentary election that could see the far-right National Rally group become the biggest party in France's National Assembly, polls suggest. France's President Emmanuel Macron shocked the electorate and political pundits in early June when he called the ballot after his Renaissance party suffered a drubbing in European Parliament elections at the hands of National Rally, led by Jordan Bardella and veteran right-wing politician Marine Le Pen.

Jordan Bardella gives his electoral card to vote at a polling station in the first round of parliamentary elections in Garches, in a suburb of Paris, on June 30, 2024. Julien De Rosa | Afp | Getty Images

Calling the snap election, which involves two rounds of polling on Sunday and on July 7, Macron said the vote would provide "clarification" and that "France needs a clear majority to act in serenity and harmony." Analysts said Macron's shock move was likely based on the gamble that, even if National Rally performs well, a potentially chaotic and disordered period in power will reduce the likelihood that his rival Le Pen will assume French leadership in 2027. Close watchers of French politics also note that Macron is ultimately betting on French citizens fearing a far-right government and voting against the nationalist and anti-immigration party. But voter polls in June have consistently put National Rally ahead in the race, predicting the party will take around 35% of the vote, ahead of the leftist New Popular Front bloc with around 25-26% of the ballot and Macron's centrist Together alliance, in third place with around 19% of the vote.

Even if a hung parliament is the most likely outcome of the vote  with no single party looking as if it can achieve an absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly  a strong showing for National Rally will put pressure on Macron to appoint a prime minister from the party. That new PM  who in this scenario would likely be the 28-year-old National Rally President Jordan Bardella  would then have a significant say over France's domestic and economic policy, while President Macron would remain in charge of foreign policy and defense.

Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella at the final rally before the June 9 European Parliament election, held at Le Dome de Paris - Palais des Sports, on June 2, 2024. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

In any case, such an outcome would force ideologically different (and often opposed) politicians into an uneasy and awkward "cohabitation" where government is likely fractious and unstable, prompting some concern among economists as to how the vote could affect the euro zone's second-largest economy. "The market has reacted negatively to the election uncertainty, with French equities underperforming and the France-Germany 10-year yield spread widening," Peter Garnry, head of Strategy at Saxo Bank, said in a note Monday. "Despite this, some views suggest the market may be overreacting, drawing parallels to Italy's experience under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose initially feared policies were more pragmatic than expected," he noted.

Political analysts point out that a period of hard bargaining is likely to follow the election, as parties look to forge alliances that would enable them to achieve parliamentary majority and govern as fractiously as possible. It could be a torturous process, analysts warn. "As with the 2022 elections, no party or bloc is likely to secure enough seats to form a majority government, although some polls give the RN an outside chance of doing so. The next government is highly likely to require some form of negotiation between different parties," George Dyson, senior analyst at Control Risks said in analysis Monday. "In the event that the RN secures enough votes to come close to forming a government, it will potentially be able to secure support from dissident members of the [center-right] Republicans to secure a majority or argue that no other government is feasible." Dyson noted that, as current polling suggests that the united left bloc will be the second largest in parliament after the RN, the next administration may also conceivably be a left-wing government that can cobble together support from the Republicans and Macron's centrist Renaissance party. "Macron will likely push for support from centrist parties to put forwards a candidate of his choosing for prime minister, but the parties would be unlikely to provide their support as his party is projected to perform very poorly," Dyson said.

French President Emmanuel Macron looks on after delivering a speech to the Nexus Institute in the Amare theatre in The Hague on April 11, 2023 as part of a state visit to the Netherlands. Ludovic Marin | AFP | Getty Images
Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister, arrives on day one of the European Union (EU) leaders summit at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Monday, May 30, 2022.

When Hungary takes over the helm of the European Union on July 1, many politicians in Brussels will have the same thing on their minds: whether populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban will use the role to further his reputation as the bloc's main spoiler.

Orban in recent years has seemed to relish opportunities to block, water down or delay key EU decisions, routinely going against the grain of most other leaders on issues like the war in Ukraine, relations with Russia and China, and efforts to defend democracy and the rule of law.

His public opposition to EU policies and stances has long frustrated his partners in the bloc and pushed him to the margins of the continent's mainstream. Hungary's motto for its presidency  Make Europe Great Again  raised eyebrows for its resemblance to the famous tagline of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The EU presidency rotates among its member countries, and while the post holds little real power, it does allow countries to put their priorities high on Europe's agenda.

Now, as Hungary resides over the 27-nation bloc for the coming six months, it will likely keep up its anti-EU rhetoric, said Dorka Takacsy, a research fellow at the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy.

But the timeline of its presidency  beginning with a lengthy summer break and a transitional period of forming a new European Parliament and executive commission  will give Budapest few opportunities to derail the bloc's priorities significantly, she said.

"These six months are altogether not that long, which means that ... Hungary cannot do potentially much harm, even according to the critics," Takacsy said.

As Hungary's takeover approached, leaders in Brussels rushed to push through important policy decisions while Belgium was still at the helm. On Tuesday, for example, the EU launched membership talks with candidate countries Ukraine and Moldova.

Orban has vocally opposed and threatened to block Ukraine's candidacy. His government has also held up EU efforts to supply Ukraine with badly needed funding.

Yet with Ukraine's accession process already initiated, Takacsy said, the most Hungary can do now under its presidency is delay further steps toward its EU membership, a process that in any scenario is likely to take many years.

"All the meaningful steps from the European side regarding Ukraine were already done," she said. "(A Hungarian) delay, according to most European leaders, is already calculated and being taken into consideration as if it's something which is most likely going to happen."

Orban has long been accused of dismantling democratic institutions and violating the EU's standards on the rule of law, leading the bloc's legislature in May to call for the presidency to be taken out of Hungary's hands entirely.
Parade participants are seen marching during the 2024 Kentuckiana Pride Parade on June 15, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. Stephen J. Cohen | Getty Images

Pride month is winding down  and this year, the corporate world took a more cautious approach. June tends to bring a wave of rainbow-themed merchandise and affirming ads and social media posts from retailers and consumers brands, coinciding with parades and other events that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. As the presidential election approaches, however, some companies have grown quieter about diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to avoid stepping into the culture wars or facing the blowback from conservative customers that Target and Bud Light did a year ago. The starkest example of that came late Thursday: Tractor Supply, a retailer that sells animal feed, cowboy boots and lawn supplies in rural parts of the country, said it is ending all spending tied to diversity and environmental causes. That includes no longer sponsoring Pride festivals, the statement said. The move, while an outlier in its magnitude, underscores how some companies that made inclusion commitments in recent years are treading cautiously. It is difficult to track how many companies shared supportive messages, donated to LGBTQ+ causes or sold rainbow-themed merchandise in June compared to previous years. According to Gravity Research, a Washington, D.C.-based reputational research firm, 45% of Fortune 100 companies had at least one social media post on LinkedIn or X explicitly related to Pride as of June 21 this year, compared with 51% last June. Gravity Research President Luke Hartig said the volatility of the presidential election and the two candidates' willingness to call out companies by name has also made companies less likely to go public about their stand. "There's a little bit of like, 'keep our heads down while we go through this election,'" he said. Tim Bennett, cofounder of Tribury Productions, a marketing company that specializes in reaching LGBTQ+ Americans, works with Fortune 500 companies, including recent projects with Procter & Gamble. He said more clients have taken "a wait-and-see" approach to marketing to LGBTQ+ consumers or decided to scatter efforts throughout the year instead of making a big splash in a single month. "June this year has not been like the last five or six," Bennett said. That may not be a bad thing for LGBTQ+ initiatives and charities. Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of nonprofit advocacy group GLAAD, said she's seeing more companies get involved with year-round philanthropy and activism in more meaningful ways. She also pointed to a survey by Gravity Research that found that 78% of companies did not plan to change their Pride strategy this year. Thirteen percent were unsure whether they'd make changes and 9% said they planned to revise their strategy. Gravity Research surveyed 45 corporate executives and Fortune 500 leaders across industries in April. "The visibility of companies putting flags out and having product to celebrate our Pride and to mark a month that's really significant and important for our community is really important, and I don't want to ever devalue that," Ellis said. "I do think, though, those companies must look inside and make sure that they have the policies and the HR practices that match their outward marketing." Major companies are still writing checks for LGBTQ+ causes, too. A GLAAD spokesperson said Friday that the group has not seen donations or corporate support decline this Pride month, though it does not yet have a total tally. On Friday, when the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center officially opened its doors to commemorate the New York City bar that was a catalyst in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, the event had major backing from the business community. Supporters included Google, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and Booking.com. President Joe Biden also made an appearance and remarks at the monument's opening.

Pride Month merchandise is displayed at a Target store on May 31, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images

The Bud Light and Target effect

Consumer staples brands were the most likely to say they planned to shift their Pride month strategy this year, according to Gravity Research's survey. That may stem from the conservative boycotts of Target and Bud Light last year. Target has carried a Pride collection for over a decade. Yet last year, the big-box retailer removed some items and moved displays after employees faced threats. Boycotters targeted items for transgender shoppers, such as "tuck-friendly" swimsuits, and also criticized separate Pride merchandise for kids. Instead of putting Pride merchandise in all stores this year, Target only carried it in the locations that accounted for 90% of total Pride sales in 2022 and 2023. It also stopped selling any Pride apparel for kids. On the company's website and in those select stores, shoppers can find a wide variety of Pride-themed items. The volume of negative feedback to the Pride collection externally and internally is "significantly lower" this year than in 2023, according to a Target spokesperson. In a statement, Target said it is "committed to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community during Pride Month and year-round" and would participate in Pride events across the country and support LGBTQ+ groups, in addition to offering Pride products.

A sign disparaging Bud Light beer is seen along a country road on April 21, 2023 in Arco, Idaho. Anheuser-Busch, the brewer of Bud Light has faced backlash after the company sponsored two Instagram posts from a transgender woman. Natalie Behring | Getty Images

Anheuser-Busch InBev and other large beer brands, on the other hand, have backed away from public support of the LGBTQ+ community. Conservatives like singer Kid Rock and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called for a boycott of the beer and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, after Bud Light sent personalized cans of its beer to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The marketing campaign coincided with the March Madness college basketball tournament. Bud Light sales tumbled around 25%, and the brand lost its spot as the best-selling beer in the U.S., ceding the position it held for more than two decades to Constellation Brands' Modelo. AB InBev distanced itself from Mulvaney and fired Bud Light's vice president of marketing. In October, AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris said the brand would focus its marketing more on events like sports games and concerts. It also returned as the official sponsor of the UFC. In recent months, some consumers have returned to Bud Light, as RBC Europe analysts estimate that the brand's U.S. volume is down only about 10% these days. For its part, Bud Light hasn't posted in support of Pride month on its Instagram or X pages this year. The boycott was unusually sticky for a few reasons, according to Neil Reid, a geography professor at the University of Toledo who researches the beer industry. Studies have shown that consumers' loyalty to top-selling beers may be more tied to the brand than the taste, Reid said. Right-wing news outlets like Fox News also devoted plenty of airtime to the controversy, stretching its duration and potentially reaching new consumers who missed the initial reaction. Plus, once Bud Light sales fell, retailers gave more shelf space to its rivals. "You can look at this issue from a moral, ethical perspective or you can also look at it from a pure business perspective. Those two often don't result in the same strategy," Reid said.

The New York Stock Exchange welcomes e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF), on March 18, 2024, to the podium to celebrate its 20th anniversary of founding. To honor the occasion, Tarang Amin, Chairman & CEO, joined by Tara Dziedzic, NYSE Head of Listings - U.S. Sectors, rings The Opening Bell.

Doubling down on diversity
As a travel reporter, Victoria M. Walker knows that planning a vacation, even if it's just for yourself, requires some mental and financial gymnastics. Add others to the trip and the logistics become an entirely different beast. "I'm not a fan of group trips," she says. "I'll never be a fan. The older I get the more I'm kind of solidified in my beliefs." Walker travels five to six times per year, but she's only been on five group trips total. Still, despite her aversion she says she's had some fun on larger vacations. "I say this, but I just came back from a fantastic group trip," she says. Even if, like Walker, you prefer to travel solo, there are some destinations that are better enjoyed with company. To make those trips go as smoothly as possible, Walker has some tips.

Do: Talk about budget.

"As someone who is a travel writer, I'm aware of the numerous mark-ups that come with traveling and I'm completely fine with that," she says. However, most people aren't. Communicate how much you plan to spend ahead of time. This goes for bigger expenses like the hotel, but also smaller costs like meals. "For whatever reason people never seem to factor in food," she says. "You'll get to a dinner and someone will say, 'Oh this is way too expensive.'" Having a conversation about how many fancy dinners you want to have, what it will cost, and what you would ideally want to spend, in total, on breakfasts and lunches is crucial.

Do: Set deadlines.

Winery tours, concerts, outdoor excursions, all of these cost money and do have to be booked in advance. Let others in your trip know by what date they need to commit to these plans. "Set reasonable deadlines for having activities booked," Walker says. This way, no one is expecting that they can join or drop out last-minute.

Don't: Be inflexible.
Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment on the village of Khiam in south Lebanon near the border with Israel on June 19, 2024.

U.S., European and Arab mediators are pressing to keep stepped-up cross-border attacks between Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah militants from spiraling into a wider Middle East war that the world has feared for months. Iran and Israel traded threats Saturday of what Iran said would be an "obliterating" war over Hezbollah.

Hopes are lagging for a cease-fire in Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza that would calm attacks by Hezbollah and other Iranian-allied militias. With the stalled talks in mind, American and European diplomats and other officials are delivering warnings to Hezbollah  which is far stronger than Hamas but seen as overconfident  about taking on the military might of Israel, current and former diplomats say.

The Americans and Europeans are warning the group it should not count on the United States or anyone else being able to hold off Israeli leaders if they decide to execute battle-ready plans for an offensive into Lebanon. And Hezbollah should not count on its fighters' ability to handle whatever would come next.

On both sides of the Lebanese border, escalating strikes between Israel and Hezbollah, one of the region's best-armed fighting forces, appeared at least to level off this week. While daily strikes still pound the border area, the slight shift offered hope of easing immediate fears, which had prompted the U.S. to send an amphibious assault ship with a Marine expeditionary force to join other warships in the area in hopes of deterring a wider conflict.

Despite this past week's plateauing of hostilities, said Gerald Feierstein, a former senior U.S. diplomat in the Middle East," it certainly seems the Israelis are still ... arranging themselves in the expectation that there will be some kind of conflict ... an entirely different magnitude of conflict."

The message being delivered to Hezbollah is "don't think that you're as capable as you think you are," he said.

Beginning the day after Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel triggered the war in Gaza, Hezbollah has launched rockets into northern Israel and vowed to continue until a cease-fire takes hold. Israel has hit back, with the violence forcing tens of thousands of civilians from the border in both countries. Attacks intensified this month after Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander and Hezbollah responded with some of its biggest missile barrages.

U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths used the word "apocalyptic" to describe a war that could result. Both Israel and Hezbollah, the dominant force in politically fractured Lebanon, have the power to cause heavy casualties.

"Such a war would be a catastrophe for Lebanon," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said as he met recently with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon. "Another war between Israel and Hezbollah could easily become a regional war, with terrible consequences for the Middle East."

Gallant, in response, said, "We are working closely together to achieve an agreement, but we must also discuss readiness on every possible scenario."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, right, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, second from left, sit down for a meeting at the Pentagon in Washington, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. The two, who have been in weekly contact since the Hamas attack on Israel in October, are expected to discuss Israeli operations in Gaza, humanitarian efforts in the region, and tension with Hezbollah in Lebanon. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Analysts expect other Iran-allied militias in the region would respond far more forcefully than they have for Hamas, and some experts warn of ideologically motivated militants streaming into the region to join in. Europeans fear destabilizing refugee flows.

And if it looks like any Israeli offensive in Lebanon is "going seriously south for the Israelis, the U.S. will intervene," Feierstein said. "I don't think that they would see any alternative to that."

While Iran, which is preoccupied with a political transition at home, shows no sign of wanting a war now, it sees Hezbollah as its strategically vital partner in the region  much more so than Hamas  and could be drawn in.

Upping tensions, Iran's U.N. mission said in a posting Saturday on X that an "obliterating" war would ensue if Israel launches a full-scale attack in Lebanon. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz responded by pledging his country would move against Hezbollah with "full force" unless it stopped attacks.

While the U.S. helped Israel knock down a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones in April, the U.S. likely would not do as well assisting Israel's defense against any broader Hezbollah attacks, said Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It is harder to fend off the shorter-range rockets that Hezbollah fires routinely across the border, he said.
NEW MEXICO

FBI seeks suspects in wildfires that killed 2

RUIDOSO  Full-time residents of Ruidoso were allowed to return to their village on June 24 as federal authorities sought to prosecute whoever started a pair of New Mexico wildfires that killed two people and destroyed or damaged more than 1,400 structures.

The FBI said it is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrests and convictions of those responsible for the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire in southern New Mexico, which forced thousands to flee.

The federal agency also said it was seeking public assistance in identifying the cause of the fires discovered June 17 near the village of Ruidoso.

But the notice also pointedly suggested human hands were to blame, saying the reward was for information leading to the arrest and conviction of "the person or persons responsible for starting the fires.

Lincoln County Manager Randall Camp said at a news conference on June 22 that "we are approaching a thousand homes lost" in the fires.

President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration for parts of southern New Mexico on June 20. The move freed 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.

The National Interagency Fire Center said the South Fork Fire, which reached 26 square miles, and the Salt Fire, which spread over 12 square miles, werent expected to be fully containment until July 15.

Constitutional lawsuit over oil, gas pollution moves ahead

SANTA FE  A New Mexico judge cleared the way on June 10 for a landmark lawsuit to proceed that alleges the state has failed to meet its constitutional obligations for protecting against oil and gas pollution.

Environmental groups and Native Americans who live near oil wells in the No. 2 producing state in the U.S. initially filed the case in 2023. They are seeking compliance with a "pollution control clause" in the New Mexico Constitution.

Judge Matthew Wilson denied a motion by the state to dismiss the case, saying there needs to be more scrutiny of New Mexico's responsibilities under the constitution and that granting the state's request would short-circuit that examination.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs celebrated the judge's ruling, saying it will allow residents of New Mexico who have been living with the consequences of more oil and gas development in opposite corners of the state to have their day in court.

A spokesman for Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said that the administration was still reviewing the judge's decision and intends to vigorously defend against the claims.

Lujan Grisham's administration has in recent years adopted rule changes aimed at limiting emissions from the oil and gas industry. However, environmental groups have raised concerns that enforcement isn't keeping pace despite fines being levied against out-of-state energy companies and major settlements being inked to address air pollution.

According to the lawsuit, oil production in New Mexico's portion of the Permian Basin  one of the largest oilfields in the world  has increased nearly tenfold since 2010, leading to a surge in pollution.

ARIZONA

Native Americans challenge to power line project dismissed

A U.S. district judge has dismissed claims by Native American tribes and environmentalists who sought to halt construction along part of a $10 billion energy transmission line that will carry wind-generated electricity from New Mexico to customers as far away as California.

Judge Jennifer Zipps said in her ruling issued June 6 that the plaintiffs were years too late in bringing their challenge. It followed an earlier decision in which she dismissed their requests for a preliminary injunction, saying the Bureau of Land Management had fulfilled its obligations to identify historic sites and prepare an inventory of cultural resources.

The disputed stretch of the SunZia transmission line is in southern Arizona's San Pedro Valley and passes through an area that holds significance for the tribes.

The Tohono O'odham Nation  along with the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Center for Biological Diversity and Archeology Southwest  sued in January in hopes of stopping the clearing of roads and pads so more work could be done to identify culturally significant sites within a 50-mile stretch of the valley.

California-based developer Pattern Energy called the ruling a win for the region, citing the jobs and billions of dollars in economic development and investment that will result from the project.

The Tohono O'odham Nation vowed in April to pursue all legal avenues, and environmentalists said an appeal is likely.

The planned 550-mile conduit would carry more than 3,500 megawatts of wind power to 3 million people.

Hikers sickened during trips to scenic waterfalls

Dozens of hikers say they fell ill during trips to a popular Arizona tourist destination that features towering blue-green waterfalls deep in a gorge neighboring Grand Canyon National Park.

Madelyn Melchiors, a 32-year-old veterinarian from Kingman, Arizona, said she was vomiting severely on June 10 and had a fever that endured for days after camping on the Havasupai reservation.

She eventually hiked out to her car in a weakened state through stiflingly hot weather and was thankful a mule transported her pack several miles up a winding trail, she said.

The federal Indian Health Service said on June 13 that a clinic it oversees on the reservation was providing timely medical attention to people who became ill. Environmental health officers with the regional IHS office were sent to Havasupai to investigate the source of the outbreak and to implement measures to keep it from spreading, the agency said.

While camping, Melchiors said she drank from a spring that is tested and listed as potable, as well as other sources using a gravity-fed filter that screens out bacteria and protozoa  but not viruses.

Thousands of tourists travel to the Havasupai reservation each year to camp near a series of picturesque waterfalls. The reservation is remote and accessible only by foot, helicopter, or by riding a horse or mule.

WYOMING

Attacking grizzly sprays itself with pepper spray

A grizzly that accidentally inflicted itself with a burst of pepper spray while attacking a hiker in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park won't be captured or killed because it may have been trying to protect a cub, park officials said in a statement.

While mauling a hiker on Signal Mountain, the grizzly bit into the man's can of bear repellent and was hit with a burst of it, causing the animal to flee. The 35-year-old Massachusetts man, who'd pretended to be dead while he was being bitten, made it to safety on May 19 and spent the night in the hospital.

The decision not to pursue the bears, which officials determined behaved naturally after being surprised, also was consistent with attacks that don't involve campsite raids, eating food left out by people, or similar behaviors that make bears more dangerous.

Rangers track and study many of the Yellowstone region's 1,000 or so bears but weren't familiar with the ones responsible for the May 19 attack, according to the statement.

The attack happened even though the victim was carrying bear-repellant spray and made noise to alert bears in the forest, the statement said.

Speaking to rangers afterward, the man said he came across a small bear that ran away from him. As he reached for his bear repellant, he saw a larger bear charging at him in his periphery vision.

He had no time to use his bear spray before falling to the ground with fingers laced behind his neck and one finger holding the spray canister.

The bear bit him several times before biting into the can of pepper spray, which burst and drove the bears away.

The man got to an area with cell phone coverage and called for help. A helicopter, then an ambulance evacuated him to a nearby hospital.

Park officials didn't release the victim's name. He was expected to make a full recovery.
Eddie Murphy, in the middle of a media barrage in support of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, explored some painful old wounds in an interview with The New York Times. Not only was Murphy hurt by a joke that David Spade told on Weekend Update, but he now says the bit was racist as well.

For context, Murphy said, Back in the old days, (the media) used to be relentless on me, and a lot of it was racist stuff. That treatment was on his mind as Spade delivered a punchline at Murphys expense. When David Spade said that shit about my career on SNL, it was like: Yo, its in-house! Im one of the family, and youre fucking with me like that? It hurt my feelings.

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The Spade joke that did the damage? Murphy had just released A Vampire in Brooklyn, not one of his best movies, creatively, critically or commercially. Spade, whose most successful SNL bit was roasting celebrities on Weekend Update, decided to kick a man while he was down.

And I know that he cant just say that, Murphy said. A joke has to go through these channels. So the producers thought it was okay to say that. And all the people that have been on that show, youve never heard nobody make no joke about anybodys career. Most people that get off that show, they dont go on and have these amazing careers. It was personal. It was like, Yo, how could you do that? My career? Really? A joke about my career? So I thought that was a cheap shot. And it was kind of, I thought  I felt it was racist.

Saying the joke was mean or undeserved is one thing. Calling it racist ups the ante. Spade has expressed his regret several times over the years, including in his book, Almost Interesting. "It was horrible, Spade wrote. I didnt hate (Murphy). Of course not. He just got caught in friendly fire and my deep desire to make an impression on my bosses and keep my job. How pathetic.

For what its worth, Murphy told off Spade and the two comics patched things up. Im cool with David Spade, he told The New York Times. Cool with Lorne Michaels. I went back to SNL. Im cool with everybody. Its all love.

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The whole affair illustrates the complexities of punching up or punching down as a comedian. Was Spade, a relatively minor player on Saturday Night Live, punching up when he roasted huge stars like Murphy and others? (The joke of Hollywood Minute: Spade was a nobody taking the piss out of more famous celebrities.) Or was Spade, by the privilege of being a white male comedian, punching down by taking a shot at a Black success story? Theres not an easy answer there.

Murphy has every right to be hurt by a joke at his expense, but he also deserves to be called out on his rationale. He claims, All the people that have been on that show, youve never heard nobody make no joke about anybodys career.

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He must have forgotten about this one:

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Nineteen-year-old Murphy joked about the military draft, claiming he should be exempt because it would leave SNL without a token Black cast member. Murphy had a better idea. If you want a tough soldier, he said, holding up a picture, This is the guy right here. This is your man. This guy, Garrett Morris. Serious business. I know hes a little over age, but word has it he has a lot of free time right now.

Oof! The nature of the joke  a current SNL star using the Weekend Update desk to crap on the fading fortunes of a past SNL star  is the same. The only difference is whos dishing it out and whos taking it.
The Military Institute named after Heydar Aliyev has hosted an event on "Books influence on the military-patriotic upbringing of the youth" jointly organized by the Central Scientific Library of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) and the Ideological and Cultural Center of Ganja Garrison, Azernews reports citing the Defense Ministry.

In attendance at the event were the Military Institutes leadership, officers, teachers, cadets, representatives of the Central Scientific Library of ANAS, the Chairman of the Zangezur Societies Public Union, and other guests.

The event commenced with commemorating the bright memory of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and Shehids, who sacrificed their lives for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was performed.

The speakers highlighted the books great role in upbringing the youth as true citizens in the military patriotism spirit, including in their enlightenment. The importance of increasing interest in the book among the younger generation was stressed.

The Acting Rector of the Military Institute named after Heydar Aliyev, the Patriotic War Hero Nizami Movlanov expressed gratitude to the events participants and mentioned the need to hold such events on an ongoing basis.

In the end, representatives of the Central Scientific Library of ANAS presented 30 books to the Military Institute's library.


North Korea condemns joint military exercise by South Korea, US, Japan North Korea vowed Sunday to take "offensive and overwhelming countermeasures" to protect its sovereignty as it condemned South Korea, the US and Japan for their recent joint military exercises. The move came amid a growing North Korea-Russia alignment after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty that calls for providing military assistance to each other without delay if either side comes under an armed attack, Yonhap news agency reported.



North Korea will "never overlook the moves of the US and its followers to strengthen the military bloc ... but firmly defend the sovereignty, security and interests of the state and peace in the region through offensive and overwhelming countermeasures," North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency.



The ministry did not elaborate on what it meant by countermeasures.



On Saturday, South Korea, the US and Japan wrapped up their first, three-day trilateral multi-domain military exercise, titled "Freedom Edge," aimed at strengthening their deterrence against North Korean threats.



The three nations have had combined maritime and aerial exercises before, but Freedom Edge was the first trilateral exercise held across multiple domains, including air, maritime, underwater and cyber.




This countrys Left-wing elite feel it in their fingers and toes, the prospect of full political power flowing back to their faction. Theyre not supposed to gloat before Labour win  as they expect to do on Thursday.

Professional radicals such as Sir Keir Starmer keep their glee under control. They know that you can lose elections in the last 36 hours if you look too sure of yourself. But the Lefts new aristocracy of showbiz grandees have no such discipline.

This is why you should take careful note of the outburst, at yet another awards ceremony, by a very rich and famous actor called David Tennant. I believe he is often on TV.

Mr Tennant decided to attack the Tory Minister Kemi Badenoch, saying he would like to live in a world where Ms Badenoch doesnt exist any more. He also said she should shut up.

David Tennant, pictured receiving his British LGBT Celebrity Ally Award, said Kemi Badenoch should be silenced because he disagrees with her opinions

Sir Keir will have ground his teeth when he heard this. The last thing he wants is for people to notice just how nasty, arrogant and dangerous the Blairite project he leads has become. But he cannot control this branch of his movement, in the way he can discipline MPs and sycophantic media.

What was Mr Tennant saying? He was saying Ms Badenoch should be silenced because he disagrees with her opinions. But far worse than that, he was wishing she was dead. Dont be shocked. What else does it mean to say he wishes she did not exist? She does exist. How else can she cease to exist except by dying?

This is common currency on the modern compassionate Left. Barely a week passes on anti-social media when some idealist does not go on Twitter to suggest that I should become dead. I take it as a compliment. They think themselves so good that those who disagree with them are not just wrong (as I think they are) but evil.

Now, this does not mean that Keir Starmer, if he wins on Thursday, will begin building Stalin-style Gulag camps in which his opponents can be worked and starved to death. Modern Leftism is far more sophisticated than that.

Why lock people up when you can simply threaten them with unemployment if they step out of line? Amnesty International will never intervene because some local authority worker has lost her job for wearing a cross or whatever it is.

And there is no need at all to actually shoot people you wish did not exist. You cancel them instead, denying them access to broadcasting, publishing, and of course to anti-social media  where we learned during Covid of the many methods by which unwanted persons or opinions can be suppressed or made invisible.

Do you think that, under a Starmer government, the BBC and Ofcom will become more sympathetic to conservative points of view? Or that school teachers and university lecturers who do not conform will prosper? The children of conservative patriots will be taught, even more than they are already, to despise their parents and their opinions.

This will be a big part of the coming wave of changes, in taxation, in the justice system, in the constitution, in the operation of new rights for favoured categories, in the granting of votes to people friendly to the Left.

Then there will be a continuing stream of appointments, to the House of Lords, to state bodies, to key committees, of people loyal to Starmerism. I agree with those who accuse the Tories of failing to counter any of this. But the mere existence of a non-Labour majority in Parliament has been a brake on the total swallowing of the state machine by people who think like Mr Tennant and talk like Sir Keir Starmer.

If Labour wins, all this will happen. But it is still preventable. The election does not take place until Thursday. For most of us there is still time to avoid a terrible mistake. The polls mean nothing if we defy them. Why let your mind, will and hand be influenced by a (quite possibly inaccurate) survey of what other people will do?

Be a human, not a flock animal. No doubt many of my readers think the Tories are useless, but they cannot believe this as strongly as I do. Even so, this weeks poll is not a referendum on the Tories. It is an election which will choose the next government.

And if you fail to vote against Labour in sufficient numbers, I reckon you will have 20 hard, dispiriting years in which to regret your mistake, in putting into government people who think they are so good that they wish you and I were dead.

Mariannes right  the 1960s were more fun

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Hurrah for 1960s survivor Marianne Faithfull, pictured, who made all our hearts beat faster back in the dawn of the modern age. She doesnt much like the way it all turned out, saying: I was happier back in the old bohemia. Art was more intense, purer. Sex was hotter, too  more repressed. And there was a genuine intellectual bohemia instead of this hipster-lite culture we have today.

And how right she is. The new dawn was thrilling, but the day it heralded has ended in a grubby, dull, disappointing mess. Perhaps I shall live to see the counter-revolution, bringing back the authority and self-control she calls repression, making sex more fun and restoring a real love of beauty in the arts.
First of all, please do not forget that the election has not yet taken place. There is everything still to play for.

Yes, some postal votes have been cast, but many millions of other votes have not been. The polling stations have not opened, the ballot papers have not been issued. This is no time to accept a defeat that has not happened. Your opinion, your mind and your will all still matter.

Labour has not yet won, however many polls claim that it will do so. The King has not yet summoned Sir Keir Starmer to Buckingham Palace to form a government. He may never do so. Imagine waking up on Friday morning and finding that nightmare has fizzled away.

Millions of voters have not yet put their X next to the name of a Reform candidate, however often the polls suggest that this will be the case.

There has long been a good argument for saying that opinion polls are much more a device for influencing public opinion than measuring it. For indeed they are often wrong and if we feebly let them guide our actions, we are rash and unwise.

Sir Keir Starmer (pictured smiling with his wife Victoria) at a campaign event in central London

The King (left) meets Sir Keir Starmer in September, 2022. The Labour leader has not yet been summoned to Buckingham Palace to form a government

Angela Rayner (left), Keir Starmer (centre) and Victoria Starmer (right) during a Labour campaign rally in central London

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They have been spectacularly mistaken in the past. Many will remember Neil Kinnock's surprise defeat in 1992, and Tory Ted Heath's surprise victory in 1970, plus David Cameron's unexpected failure to secure a majority in 2010.

And it is no good thinking they have perfected their methods since then. For they have been wrong recently (in India, Norway and Australia, and in a major Irish referendum on the family).

But if you want to defeat a powerful opponent, one of the best ways of doing so is to persuade him he is already beaten.

Yellowing leaflets still exist, dropped over Dunkirk by the Germans, telling British and French troops they are surrounded, lying that 'The war is finished for you' and 'Your generals have fled by air'. They urged Allied soldiers to 'Stop fighting!' and 'Lay down your arms'.

Fortunately, those soldiers were not so easily fooled. Few of these lying pamphlets survive because our troops pointedly found a rather basic alternative use for them.

Rather than listen to their seductive demoralising message, they battled on fiercely, retained their spirit and in most cases escaped to fight another day.

As the poet Arthur Hugh Clough wrote, in verses often quoted in bleak moments by Winston Churchill: 'Say not the struggle naught availeth, the labour and the wounds are vain, the enemy faints not, nor faileth, and as things have been they remain.

'If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars. It may be, in yon smoke concealed, your comrades chase e'en now the fliers, and, but for you, possess the field'.

It is good advice in any tight corner. Do not assume you have been beaten. Don't abandon ship. Above all do not be manipulated into failing to act as you should.

David Cameron (pictured) failed to secure a majority in 2010

As the poet Arthur Hugh Clough wrote, in verses often quoted in bleak moments by Winston Churchill (pictured): 'Say not the struggle naught availeth, the labour and the wounds are vain, the enemy faints not, nor faileth, and as things have been they remain'

Just because some market research organisation, by much juggling of figures, has concluded that lots of other people are going to do something silly, it does not mean you have to do the same. It does not even mean that those people will do so either. Millions of us only really make our minds up on polling day.

Next, let us tackle the political arguments. Of course, the Tories are unpopular. No government could be in office for 14 years without being unpopular. Governments are human, make mistakes and react badly to events.

We grow tired of their faces and voices. The Mail on Sunday has been severely critical of many of the Conservatives' actions and inactions.

So we should have been. This has been in so many ways an unsatisfactory and disappointing administration.

But what sort of logic says that this is a reason for letting in Sir Keir, who will beyond doubt be so much worse, and whose face and voice will become wearisome to us pretty quickly?

For in truth, that is the choice before us. As it happens, Rishi Sunak has fought a brave and coherent campaign, besting Sir Keir in debate and continuing to do battle while surrounded by defeatist talk.

Who thinks Sir Keir will be tougher on immigration? Who thinks he will impose fewer taxes on the striving classes?

Who thinks he will combat wokery? But under our voting system, only the Tories or Labour can win the election on Thursday. Reform, for all its boasting, admits in private that it will be lucky to win more than two seats in Parliament, because its vote is so thinly spread. So almost every vote for Nigel Farage's party, coming as it will from Tory ranks, will increase Sir Keir's chances of arriving in Downing Street.

Rishi Sunak (right) has bested Sir Keir Starmer (left) in debate and continuing to do battle while surrounded by defeatist talk

Almost every vote for Reform - whose leader is Nigel Farage (left) - will increase Sir Keir's (right) chances of arriving in Downing Street

Do those who wish to give the Tory Party a punitive shock really think that a long, cold Labour government is a worthwhile price for this momentary pleasure?

And what sort of government will that be? Sir Keir has tried very hard not to tell us, because he knows we will not like what he plans.

There is a precedent for this. Sir Tony Blair, in 1997, trilled all kinds of slogans about how much he cared about education and crime.

But his biggest actions  a savage raid on private pensions, and abandoning government control of the Bank of England  were concealed from voters and indeed from most of his own shadow cabinet.

And when his second term came, all pretences of responsible spending limitations were abandoned in a vast egalitarian splurge. Actually, Sir Keir has offered us many hints without meaning to.

He has blurted out that he views anyone with savings as a target for new taxation  watch out for the likely weaponisation of council tax. He has exposed himself as a purveyor of petty class-war spite by his plans to impose VAT on independent schools, so closing them to all but the super-rich.

He has constitutional plans which would make the Left-wing transformation of this country  begun under Sir Tony  impossible to reverse. And he does not intend to leave No 10 once he arrives, or not for many years.

Sir Tony Blair speaks during the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change's Future of Britain Conference in central London

His cynical scheme to give votes to schoolchildren at 16 reveals a ruthless and shameless hunger for power.

Modern governments  including Labour ones  have repeatedly taken away freedoms (buying cigarettes, going into combat, getting married) from 16-year-olds.

The move is a naked ploy to give the ballot to young voters who are statistically far more likely to vote Left than Right.

If he can do this, how can we be sure he will not revive another policy he recently supported, the granting of votes to EU citizens?

Sometimes in recent years, it may have seemed as if there was not much left to fight for or to fight against.

A dreary sameness descended over our politics, and many turned away from it.

But there are real issues to be decided on Thursday, issues which the supposedly 'changed' Labour Party and its mysterious, mirthless leader have striven with all their might to keep us from noticing. That is why this is no time for gestures or protest votes.

Angela Rayner (left) poses Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and party supporters in front of the battle bus in Hamilton, Scotland

For all their faults, the Tories are what stand between us and Sir Keir's leaden wokery, his green zealotry, his instinctive desire to tax savers, his feeble opaqueness on mass immigration, his embedded sympathy for the Remainer cause, and his party which, for all its makeovers and tweakments, remains what it has always been, a machine for spending other people's money until it runs out.

It is not all over yet. Vote Conservative on Thursday and we may yet escape a long and punishing season of hard Labour.
Have you heard about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's yachts? There are at least two of them, apparently, and they both cost billions . . . all paid for with Western aid.

That story is nonsense of course, a complete fabrication. But it is circulating rapidly on social media. Many different sources are cited and countless people will swear it must be true because they heard it from someone they trust.

The real source, of course, is Russia's intelligence operation, churning out disinformation on an unimaginable scale. The lie about Zelensky's yachts has been particularly successful, fuelling resentment over the cost of backing Ukraine. But the lies are spread over far more than just the war.

This sophisticated disinformation machine is currently working in overdrive in the UK to disrupt Thursday's General Election. Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden warned at the weekend that this industry of lies poses a real threat to our democracy.

Have you heard about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's yachts? There are at least two of them, apparently, and they both cost billions . . . all paid for with Western aid

That story is nonsense of course, a complete fabrication. But it is circulating rapidly on social media. Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin

He was responding to reports by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that Russian propagandists were covertly exerting their influence via a series of Facebook pages to boost support for Nigel Farage's Reform party. The pages have a combined following of 190,000 people.

Dowden called this 'gravely concerning' and blamed 'malign foreign actors'.

Five pages on Facebook are merely the tip of the iceberg. Russia employs thousands of computer operators to flood our social media networks with distortions, doctored reports and outrageous fabrications.

Much of this disinformation can seem plausible. There's so much of it that fact-checking everything is impossible because the 'fake news' spreads so fast and mutates so quickly. Even if it is later discredited, the damage has already been done.

For example, in a marginal seat where the Reform candidate has a chance of overturning a Tory majority, a fake story might start doing the rounds about how immigrants are monopolising local NHS dental services, forcing established residents to go private.

Some people will need no proof. They will accept the claim without question and probably repeat it. Others might be sceptical at first. But when the lie is endlessly repeated, it begins to look true just because it's been said so often.

The surest way of propagating this simple lie is to tell a few people who will be sure to spread it. This is called 'micro-targeting' and it requires access to the data collected by online giants such as X (formerly Twitter), Google and Meta, which owns Facebook.

All the companies insist they have safeguards to prevent misuse of the detailed information on their users. But Russian intelligence networks have decades of experience in spreading disinformation and devising workarounds to access the data.

During the Cold War, disseminating propaganda was slow work. One KGB method was to steal documents from a Western state, reproduce them with a few lies inserted and leak them to newspapers.

Another was to bribe or blackmail British journalists and politicians into planting false news stories. The 1960s Labour junior minister John Stonehouse was suspected of this, after he was lured into a honeytrap by a Czech agent.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden warned at the weekend that this industry of lies poses a real threat to our democracy

He was responding to reports by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that Russian propagandists were covertly exerting their influence via a series of Facebook pages to boost support for Nigel Farage 's Reform party

But these days Russian operatives don't even need to know the identity of their 'useful idiots'. They target social media users by location and use algorithms to flag up highly active posters and their interests.

They also focus on small communities of like-minded individuals, who share something in common  whether that's sport, hobbies or work. This creates an atmosphere of trust, making people more likely to believe what they read.

To add to the credibility of these lies, false reports and news stories are planted elsewhere, a method known as 'surfacing'. One bit of disinformation cross-references to another until the sources are so tangled no one can say where the lie originated.

Russia is not running a conventional PR campaign. The aim is not to win admirers but to sow discord. Forty years ago, Soviet defector Yuri Bezmenov described it as a campaign to demoralise the West: 'A person who is demoralised is unable to assess true information. The facts tell nothing to him.'

This long, slow process is proving ever more toxic to democracy.

Neil Barnett is the co-author of Russia's Hybrid War Against The UK: Time To Fight Back Against The Kremlin, published by the Russia and Eurasia Studies Centre.
President Macron has gambled and failed  disastrously. Far from putting Frances populist Right back in its box after it came first in elections to the European Parliament last month, Marine Le Pens National Rally, which won a predicted 34 per cent of the vote according to exit polls in yesterdays legislative elections, will now be the largest party in the French National Assembly.

It might even win a majority when the second round of elections takes place on July 7.

Macrons centrist Renaissance party was thumped. With only 20 per cent of the vote, it is on track to lose around two-thirds of the 250 seats it now holds.

Many candidates removed his face from their campaign literature. Much good it did them. They discovered a visceral dislike for the president on the doorstep. I suspect they knew they were going down in flames. Last night, his party HQ in Paris was deserted. Not even a wake was being held.

President Macron has gambled and failed in his attempt to knock out the populist right with his shock election which has seen his party hammered at the polls

Macron has not just lumbered France with a populist Right  the second biggest grouping in the National Assembly will be the Left-wing New Popular Front, dominated by Frances Corbynistas and Communists. It won 28 per cent of the vote

Macron has not just lumbered France with a populist Right  the second biggest grouping in the National Assembly will be the Left-wing New Popular Front, dominated by Frances Corbynistas and Communists. It won 28 per cent of the vote.

These were elections Macron did not have to call and had no chance of winning. It was entirely predictable they would give a boost to the hard Right and Left, at the expense of the once mainstream centre-Left and centre-Right.

If, as seems likely, France is gripped by chaos and confusion, its president has nobody to blame but himself.

Macrons legacy  after seven years of elitist, centrist posturing  is a French parliament dominated by opposing extremes, well outside traditional mainstream politics.

The centre has not held. Frances centrist president has been its executioner. He has opened the door to political and economic instability.

The financial markets are already giving France the thumbs down, dumping French assets. Rich folks are preparing to move out; some already have. Companies, looking at the anti-business policies of the hard Left and Right, are making contingency plans to invest elsewhere. Welcome to Frances Liz Truss moment  on speed.

This is not just a crisis for France. It is a crisis for the European Union, one of whose most important founding members will have a parliament  and perhaps even a new government  packed with Eurosceptics opposed to the EUs ever closer union pretensions, and politicians who despise the soft-Left technocratic consensus that rules in Brussels.

Whatever the outcome on Sunday, Macron will see out his remaining three presidential years as a busted flush.

With Olaf Scholz already the walking-wounded Chancellor of Germany, at a time when Europe faces a revanchist Russia to its east and the possibility of the return of an anti-Nato, anti-EU Donald Trump to its west, Europe will be bereft of leadership when it faces serious peril.

The National Rally winning just over one-third of the vote might not seem decisive to British eyes. But in the first round of legislative elections, when there is a huge variety of candidates, it is the French equivalent of a landslide.

It is not easy, however, to translate the share of the vote into seats. In the past, traditional parties would gang up against Le Pens party in the second round, in which the choice is usually between just two candidates, to keep it well away from power.

But that gambit is fraying at the edges. The choice in many places next Sunday will be between the hard Right and the hard Left. Polls suggest that will be to the National Rallys advantage.

There can be little doubt Le Pens party will be the largest in the new parliament. Early seat projections suggest it will be shy of a majority of seats, but the Republicans  Frances old centre-Right  could have enough seats to give the National Rally an overall majority should it so choose.

If the National Rally is the outright winner, Macron will be obliged to ask it to form the next French government.

Though Le Pen has somewhat cleaned up her partys act in recent years, France  which was under the Nazi jackboot only 80 years ago  would be governed by a party with strong neo-Fascist roots, following the example of Italy, which is now run by a party with similar far-Right antecedents.

Le Pens young protege for prime minister, 28-year-old Jordan Bardella, has said he will not accept the premiership unless his party has an overall majority. It remains to be seen if that stance holds when the prospect of power, so elusive for so long, is now dangled in front of the National Rally.

If nobody is prepared to form even a minority government France faces instability, uncertainty and probably unrest. There are no good outcomes from yesterdays results.

Keir Starmer could be the beneficiary. As Britain prepares on Thursday to transfer power, without panic, disruption or chaos, from a centre-Right government with a big majority to a centre-Left government with a massive majority, the markets are likely to see Britain as an island of stability. Good for an incoming Labour government.

But France is also a warning for Starmer. The populist Right has gained ground across so much of Europe because people have been rebelling against the very centre-Left policies Starmer stands for: an expensive obsession with Net Zero, a lax approach to immigration, and ever increasing taxes.

Who knows when that particular worm will start turning in Britain. As Sir Keir Starmer prepares to bathe in the glory of a famous victory, he should perhaps spare a glance across the Channel, where he may well glimpse the seeds of his own future destruction.
Fancy dancing til the sun comes up in Ibiza this summer? Then you better have pretty deep pockets, for the White Isle's famous party spots come with increasingly eye-watering prices - where one small bottle of water costs around 12.

The Balearic Island, once famous for its idyllic hidden coves and laid-back boho vibes, is increasingly boujee, a tourist honeypot for those looking to splash the cash in swanky restaurants, hotels and bars - with outposts of five-star brands such as Nobu and The Standard moving in.

The 2024 clubbing season - marked by a series of 'opening' parties at the island's biggest clubs last month - isn't yet a month old but those who've partied already admit they've been left 'broke' by the price of just one night out at the likes of Amnesia, Pacha and Club Chinois, let alone a whole week.

The Balearic Island has long been a tourist hotspot for Brits...but prices on the White Isle - particularly in its famous clubs - have reached another level, say visitors, with 11-12 now standard for a small bottle of water in clubs

Once a laid-back enclave in the Spanish Balearics, Ibiza has long been Europe's party central, but prices have shot up significantly in more recent years . Pictured: Party hub San Antonio

The current star of the Ibiza club scene Ushuaia, an outdoor poolside venue with a glitzy hotel attached, is among the nightspots where revellers are reporting some of the highest prices.

The club, which has big name resident DJs this summer, including Calvin Harris and David Guetta, currently charges 24 - roughly 20 - for a vodka and coke, with teetotallers facing a 14 - around 12 - charge for a 500ml bottle of water.

And that's after you've coughed up for tickets to actually get in the venue.

At Amnesia, in the party hub of San Antonio, the cheapest entry this summer is 40 (34) and the most expensive from 100 (85) - although you do get one free drink if you get the club before 1:30am. After that, it's 24 for a shot of spirit and a mixer, or 20 (17) for a glass of wine.

Pacha, which opened in 1973, is one of the most famous clubs on the island, with Amnesia, O Beach and Ushuaia all charging princely prices for drinks

Drink prices across the island's major clubs - including Pacha, pictured - are now roughly the same price wherever you go, with water around 12 a bottle, a mixer and spirit coming in at 23 and glasses of wine around 17

Cafe Mambo, on the island's west coast, has long been the place to go for a cocktail and a tangerine sunset - but dinner with a view isn't cheap

Ibiza institution Cafe Mambo, which serves up casual food and stunning sunsets on the White Isle's east coast, charges 100 (85) per person for larger groups, with a burger and fries priced at 35 (around 30)

Meanwhile over at Pacha, which first opened its doors back in 1973, a ticket to Music On, a celebration of the 'purest version of unadulterated techno house' costs 100 a ticket.

Dining out? It's a similar deal. Bag a table at Cafe Mambo, which now has outlets all over the world and is famous for its chilled out sunsets vibes and laid-back DJ sets, and there's a 100 minimum spend per person for larger groups.

A Mambo burger and chips costs 35 (around 30), while grilled salmon and asparagus will set diners back 42 (35). Drinks? Cocktails start from 19 (16), while a bottle of Grey Goose vodka to share is priced at 250 (212) - a bottle in Waitrose currently costs 35.

Celebrity fans and the impact of influencers have certainly helped club and venue owners to swell prices.

Gary Lineker's brother Wayne's O Beach day venue is packed out all summer long - not always to the liking of locals - with high profile names including Maya Jama, Lewis Capaldi and Jack Grealish all fans of the beach club.

Star power: Lewis Capaldi is one of the many celebrities to have visited Wayne Lineker's O Beach bar - the club's famous fans have made it hugely popular with party goers

Party time! Launched in 2012 by Wayne, the beach club has gone on to welcome thousands of revellers, including Manchester City star Jack Grealish

The world's swankiest brands - including Nobu - have landed in recent years, cementing the island's status as one of Europe's most discerning party places

To hire a bed in the VIP section for ten people costs at the very minimum 1450, around 145per person per day to access the club's famous pool parties.

Add in hotel costs across the island - which soar in the summer when families also descend - and the only good news for those hoping to pack their glowsticks this summer?

A raft of low cost airlines fly into the Spanish isle, and peak season prices, according to flight search aggregator Skyscanner, remain amongst some of the most reasonable in Spain, at around 100 return.

British writer Rebecca Barnes has had a flat on the island for many years. She says a 'VIP culture' in Ibiza has existed for 'at least a decade' but has intensified thanks to influencers.

Barnes told MailOnline: 'Ibiza is increasingly seen as a playground for the rich, which has a knock on effect in the clubs, restaurants and bars.

Long-term visitor Rebecca Barnes, who has a flat on Ibiza, says many of the locals are now priced out of renting and buying homes, but there are still affordable places to go as a tourist if you step off the beaten track

'It has never been the cheapest of destinations - when you consider that back in the 2000s you would be paying about 16 euros for a vodka lemonade and 8 euros for a bottle of water in some of the big nightclubs, you can see that the prices are only going to go one way.'

She says the downside of such popularity is locals not being able to afford to live there: 'Rental property prices have skyrocketed, and even residents are being priced out due to sky high rents, especially during the summer season. It's a huge problem, and is causing many long term residents and even people born on the island, to relocate.'

Can you still enjoy the island without burning a hole in your wallet? 'Cafe Mambo?Those in the know take their shop-bought drinks onto the rocks and enjoy the experience for free! There are still places on the island that are great value, you just need to step away from the tourist trail.'
Daphne is sometimes known as 'Britain's most eccentric aristocrat'

You might think that being the heiress to a great brewery fortune and living in a former monastery with Salvador Dali as a neighbour would be as idyllic as a childhood could get.

But brewery heiress Daphne Guinness - sometimes known as Britain's 'most eccentric aristocrat' - has lived a life impinged by tragedy, beginning in her schooldays.

Daphne, 56, is the youngest daughter of banker and brewery heir Jonathan Guinness, Lord Moyne, and the beautiful French actress Suzanne Lisney.

But though glamorous, in a new interview with The Times, Daphne revealed that her parents were 'distant' and 'never really looked after me'.

Her time at boarding school at St Mary's in Oxfordshire didn't help either as strict rules and staff meant she couldn't confide in her peers.

Brewery heiress Daphne Guinness has opened up about her difficult childhood in a new interview with The Times (pictured last week)

Daphne (pictured in 2018), 56, is the youngest daughter of banker and brewery heir Jonathan Guinness, Lord Moyne, and the beautiful French actress Suzanne Lisney

She told the newspaper: 'The teachers and the girls at school didnt really understand or believe me when I told them how I really lived.

'There was no point telling anybody anything about my home life because you were sent to detention for being a downright liar.'

Daphne's grandmother was Diana Mitford (later Lady Mosley, after marrying British Fascist Oswald Mosley) and Daphne said that Diana almost raised her because her own mother was so emotionally detached.

When she announced one day at school that she was related to Mosley, it wasn't received well. It was only later that she would understand why.

She added: 'We all have to come from somewhere. A lot of my life has been a misunderstanding.'

Her distant parents also never reacted to a traumatic kidnapping that took place when Daphne was just five.

As a young girl she was taken hostage by Tony Baekeland - whose mother was friends with her own - in her parents' house in Kensington when she was home alone.

He broke into the house and put a knife to her throat, dragging her out into the street.

Though the housekeeper eventually spotted her and intervened, it marked a very narrow escape for Daphne as Baekeland went on to kill his mother the very next day.

Daphne, now known as one of the 'most eccentric aristocrats', is pictured in 1999

Daphne's parents: British peer and businessman Jonathan Guinness and his second wife Suzanne outside their Kensington home, London, 10th January 1964

Daphne Guinness attends The Fashion Awards 2023 presented by Pandora at the Royal Albert Hall

After spending time in prison, he then stabbed his grandmother in America and died by suicide - again while behind bars.

Though not close with her parents, Daphne was understandably rocked when she discovered her father had a second family with another woman, and her mother's death from cancer in 2005. Daphne would also lose her half-brother Jasper from the same disease in 2011.

Daphne's career began with a day job as a fashion stylist, featuring in Tatler, later establishing herself as a great English eccentric  with the budget to buy couture and an eye for style and art.

The Guinness heiress has lived a wild life in the circles of high fashion, with her closest friends including Kate Moss and American photographer David LaChapelle.

But loss would impact the friends she made through her career too, as her best friends fashion director Isabella Blow and the designer Alexander McQueen both took their own lives.

Daphne met her husband shipping heir Spyros Niarchos on a ski trip to St Moritz, Switzerland.

Though they would later divorce amicably in 1999, they share three children: Nicolas, 35, Lex, 33, Ines, 29. She is said to have been given 20million in a settlement.

Guinness and fashion designer Alexander McQueen in 2004, who passed away in 2010 aged 40

She previously said of her married life: Gosh, being married, that was my caged bird period.

'One long round of boats and bodyguards and Greek islands and glitzy resorts. Not me at all.

I remember, for example, going to that ghastly place in St Tropez, Le Cinquante-Cinq, with all these people at the table eating in their bikinis and getting sprayed by those horrible hoses theyve got in the canopy above. And there I was in full riding gear.

Well, I didnt want to be half- naked in front of all these repulsive pink people in their horrid little floaty dresses getting sprayed with water, did I?

In 2016 she was openly having an affair with a 67-year-old married French philosopher.

Earlier, in 2013, she called French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy the 'love of my life'.

She said: He is quite obviously the love of my life. My greatest sorrow has been the unresolved question of the state of our relationship. Being with him has been the happiest time and the worst of times. Its almost driven me to madness!

I believe in love. Im a terrible romantic. Its so easy to tell everybody else what they should be doing with their lives, but when it comes to my own, I have no idea.

The heiress once held a romance with Night Manager actor Tom Hollander, whom she dated for two years in the early 2000s.

Her famous friends include Kate Moss (pictured together at the V&A summer party last week)

Daphne is also a talented musician - and has recorded music ever since David Bowie encouraged her to. She has just released a fourth album, Sleep.

Netflix has even announced new show - 'House of Guinness' - which will explore the history of the family behind the famous brewery.

The stout, synonymous with Ireland, was first made in Dublin in the 1700s by Arthur Guinness.

It launched a multi-billion pound empire for his family, and in the three centuries since, the Guinnesses have become an Anglo-Irish dynasty with roles in banking, politics and of course, beer-making.

But behind the story of wealth and prosperity lies a tragic tale of seemingly endless misfortune for the family.

The personal losses faced by the Guinnesses have become so infamous that it is thought to be 'cursed', despite holding a fortune of over 900million today.
As Coldplay's Chris Martin announced to Glastonbury Festival that the band had been inspired by legendary 80s flick Back To The Future, the crowd couldn't possibly have predicted the band's special guest would be the iconic film franchise's main star.

But as Michael J. Fox, who is now a wheelchair user, took to the stage and joined the band for Fix You and Humankind, the crowd went wild.

It was a moment that will go down in the history of the festival as the much-beloved 62-year-old actor, who has battled Parkinson's disease for three decades, wowed the crowd on guitar.

And the rousing reception he received reflects a wider public adoration of the actor, who shot to fame as an instant heart throb in the 1980s and has battled the degenerative illness since he was just 29 years old.

Michael J Fox shot to fame as an instant heartthrob in the 1980s after playing Marty McFly in Back to the Future - but after being diagnosed with Parkinson's at the age of 29, he has

The stoic father-of-four hid his condition from the public for seven years after he was diagnosed in 1991, but since revealing his Parkinson's battle, he has battled it with grace and honesty.

In recent years, his public appearances have become more scarce - but that only increases public enthusiasm when he pops up at public events.

In February, he was applauded in a standing ovation as he took to the stage at the Royal Festival Hall at the BAFTAs, at which he was nominated for an Apple TV+ documentary about his illness, Still: A Michael J Fox Story.

After arriving on the stage in a wheelchair, Fox made his way to the podium to announce the winner of Best Film, earning a hugely warm reception from the star-studded audience in London's Royal Festival Hall.

The Hollywood legend delighted crowds at Worthy Farm last night as he joined Coldplay onstage

After arriving on the stage in a wheelchair, Fox made his way to the podium to announce the winner of Best Film, earning a hugely warm reception from the star-studded audience

The actor, who has battled Parkinson's since 1991, was helped to the podium to announce that Best Film had been awarded to Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer

Since being diagnosed, Fox has been praised for his tireless work fundraising in a bid to find a cure for Parkinson's. He founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation to aid research efforts.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder causing tremors and, when the disease has matured, the loss of motor skills.

In a candid interview with People magazine in 2018, he told of how he took to drinking after the devastating diagnosis and the effect it had on his marriage to American actress Tracy Pollan.

Fox said that he was drinking heavily and hiding the wine bottles from his wife because he found it too hard to cope with his new illness.

It caused friction with Tracy, with whom he shares son Sam, twin daughters Schuyler and Aquinnah, and daughter Esme.

'I was isolating myself from my family,' said the Teen Wolf star.

His wife added: 'It was scary because you just don't know how it is going to turn out.'

One morning when she found him passed out on the floor, she let him know she was over it. Instead of being angry, she looked 'bored' with it all, he said.

She asked him, 'Is this what you want? Is this what you want to be?' She then walked out the door.

Since being diagnosed, Fox has been praised for his tireless work fundraising in a bid to find a cure for Parkinson's. He founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation to aid research efforts

A documentary chronicling Michael's 30-year battle with Parkinson's disease, titled Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, was released in May

In 2023, the star released an Apple TV+ documentary about his life in film and his diagnosis

Fox and his wife, American actress Tracy Pollan. In 2018 he told People that his drinking after he was first diagnosed caused issues within his marriage

So the actor then decided his path was to help others so he launched his foundation to collect money for Parkinson's research.

Fox retired from acting in 2020 due to his symptoms, and he confessed that life with Parkinson's is 'getting tougher; every day it gets tougher,' in an interview with CBS Sunday Mornings last year.

On top of dealing with the incurable disease, the actor has also had number of other serious health concerns and injuries over the years.

'I had spinal surgery. I had a tumor on my spine. And it was benign, but it messed up my walking. And then, started to break stuff,' he shared, before revealing a series of scary injuries.

'Broke this arm, and I broke this arm, I broke this elbow. I broke my face. I broke my hand. Which is a big killer with Parkinson's.

'It's falling and aspirating food and getting pneumonia. All these subtle ways that get you,' he explained.

'You don't die from Parkinson's. You die with Parkinson's. So I've been thinking about the mortality of it. I'm not gonna be 80. I'm not going to be 80,' he said.

Speaking to the BBC in light of the documentary's nomination, Fox said: 'I would say it's a gift and people would look at me and I'd say it's a gift that keeps on taking, but it's a gift.'

Since being diagnosed, he has been praised for his tireless work fundraising in a bid to find a cure for Parkinson's.

Fox said that he was drinking heavily and hiding the wine bottles from his wife because he found it too hard to cope with his new illness at the beginning

The actor then decided his path was to help others so he launched his foundation to collect money for Parkinson's research. Picture with his wife in November 2022

He said: 'I realised I had to turn it around and turn it into something and make it some positive thing that affected other people in a positive way.

'So I think that's why I started the foundation, but it took me a long time to get there.'

In his documentary, which was released in May 2023, Fox looks back on his blockbuster career with director Davis Guggenheim and shares how he first noticed the signs of what would be diagnosed as Parkinson's disease.

He said the documentary is about when 'an incurable optimist meets an incurable disease' as he spoke about his battle with the condition.

On why he concealed his Parkinson's for so many years, Fox said: 'Yeah I didn't know what it was going to do, how it was going to manifest itself.

'I didn't know what to expect and no one could really tell me what to expect.'

In his documentary, he detailed the devastating moment in which he revealed the diagnosis to his wife of 35 years and how she vowed to support him all along the way.

Fox, who continued to act for years, recalled: 'I told Tracy the news. "In sickness and in health," I remember her whispering.'

He added that 'no one outside my family' knew of his diagnosis and he took pills to 'hide' his symptoms.

The actor did not specify if it was were recreational or prescription drugs that he was self-medicating with.

In November, Fox revealed he 'does not fear death' as he reflected on his 30 year battle with Parkinson's disease in a candid interview with Town & Country.

He said: 'One day Ill run out of gas. One day Ill just say, "Its not going to happen. Im not going out today". If that comes, Ill allow myself that. Im 62 years old.

'Certainly, if I were to pass away tomorrow, it would be premature, but it wouldnt be unheard of. And so, no, I dont fear that'.

Reflecting on what does scare him, the Hollywood legend brought to mind the safety of his wife, Tracy Pollan, and their four children - Sam, Aquinnah, Schuyler and Esme.

'Anything that would put my family in jeopardy,' he said.
When Karen Thrussell looks in the mirror she sees the body that betrayed her - and is still coming to terms with the fact she may never be able to 'trust it again'.

The mother of two, from Melbourne, was diagnosed at the age of 48 with liposarcoma, an extremely rare cancer that grows in fat cells.

Speaking to FEMAIL, the now 55-year-old explained the cancer was growing in her abdomen for 10 years, wrapping around her vital organs and making her look like she had put on weight.

And she had no idea.

At first Karen thought her 7.5kg weight gain, which began after the birth of her second child, was due to being a busy working mum.

When she started getting tired she blamed the same thing.

Then when doctors and naturopaths tried but failed to help her shed the weight, Karen took their advice that it was hormonal and part of the aging process.

Then the hot sweats started and in her mind - and the doctors - this meant hormones were definitely to blame.

Karen Thrussell, pictured centre with her daughters, had cancer for 10 years before she was diagnosed with the disease

'They told me it was a sign of menopause, even though at that point I looked pregnant, except it wasn't completely smooth or hard it was soft and lumpy,' she said.

But then one day, the marketing lecturer started feeling a familiar downward 'push'.

'It is the same push you feel when your baby is dropping and your body is getting ready for birth,' Karen said.

But she wasn't pregnant. Her daughters were 11 and 14 and she said it would have been 'impossible' at the time.

'I thought it was a prolapse or something - because that was the only thing which made sense.'

Karen immediately went to the doctor who instructed her to get an internal ultrasound.

'The ultrasound tech couldn't see anything so did an external one as well,' she said.

Within minutes she realised something was wrong. The tech's facial expressions had changed and other people had come in and out of the room speaking in whispers.

'They told me they had found something on a kidney but couldn't be sure what it was,' Karen said.

They said they usually don't go that high up but there was obviously something.'

The mother-of-two from Melbourne was diagnosed with liposarcoma - a super rare cancer which grows in fat cells

The mum's stomach had grown slowly over 10 years, she thought it was fat but it was actually a huge 7.5kg tumour

Karen went in for more tests and was given the devastating news that she had cancer.

'At the end of the conversation with the doctor I remember saying "wait, do I have cancer?",' she said.

She had been in such shock the information hadn't processed.

Karen underwent a series of radiotherapy which worked to 'create a sack' around the liquid-like tumour.

Then she had surgery for 11 hours to remove a kidney, some of her bowel and the huge growth.

'People keep asking me how I didn't know - it was the size of two babies,' she said.

'But my doctors didn't know either and I had gone to them about it.'

Karen and her doctors assumed her changing body shape was hormonal and a result of having two children

Karen is telling her story to raise awareness for sarcoma and other rare cancers in the hopes doctors will educate themselves on the signs and symptoms so they can help patients.

According to the Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association (ANZSA) rare cancers make up 30 percent of all cancers diagnosed in Australia.

Long-term survival rates are poor and account for 42 per cent of all cancer deaths in Australia.

Karen's cancer diagnosis happened in 2017 - she still struggles with the idea that her body hid the disease for so long.

And every time she has a scan to check for more growths she fears it has happened again.

'It isn't until the results come through that you can really feel confident,' Karen said.
A veterans' hospital has been accused of putting heart patients at risk after life-saving cardiac surgeries were paused for a year due to catastrophic staff shortages, multiple investigations have revealed.

Two government probes discovered a culture of fear' at Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Colorado, where leaders were demeaning and berating to staff, causing more than 20 top doctors, nurses and support staff to leave between 2020 and 2023.

The hospital, which treated more than 100,000 veterans a year, is accused of breaking with protocol for not disclosing the year-long halt on procedures to officials.

One of the investigations shared the case of a 72-year-old man who died from cardiac arrest after an appropriate heart specialist was not available to monitor him.

Regional VA medical center served 101,400 patients between October 2022 and September 2023, the reports found

The investigations, carried out by the US Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (OIG), included interviews with more than 50 former and current employees.

There are 172 VA medical centers and 1,138 outpatient VA sites across the country, providing care to approximately 6.8million veterans a year.

From October 2022 to September 2023, 101,400 of those veterans received care at the Aurora-based Rocky Mountain facility  the same period that OIG investigators focused on.

Concerns about the state of the national VA healthcare system have been around since at least the 1990s, according to a 2023 review from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the VHA.

They included criticisms that the quality of care was inconsistent and unpredictable and that services were expensive and difficult to access.

Congress passed an act in 2014 to address some of these concerns - allowing veterans who had to wait more than 30 days for care or lived 40 miles from the nearest VA center to go to local hospitals and have their care reimbursed.

This was followed by a 2018 act that created a long-term reimbursement program for veterans using VA insurance who couldn't easily access VA hospitals or clinics.

In the Colorado hospital's case, the reports stated staffing shortages contributed to the year-long gap in heart care.

By 2022 roughly 3.5 percent of all Americans got their healthcare from military programs, down from 4.7 percent in 2015

The first investigation found hospital administration halted heart surgery for the first time in June 2022, after five ICU nurses, critical in monitoring patients who've been through heart surgery, quit.

The leadership notified officials about this pause and resumed operating a month later.

But in September 2022, they stopped again. That pause continued through October 2023. During this time, three of the hospital's four heart surgeons quit and the last was fired.

Throughout this time, however, patients still came in that needed care, but the lack of organization and personnel led to confusion.

Seven providers reported the story of the 72-year-old man whose death was said to be an example of 'unclear guidance' from the hospital.

The man was admitted to the ICU department of Rocky Mountain in early 2023 with shortness of breath and an irregular heartbeat. It was soon discovered he was showing signs of heart failure.

The report states two different doctors recommended two different courses of treatment.

The patient quickly declined and went into cardiac arrest, but the ICU staff had no heart specialists in the hospital to address his failing health  and resorted to consulting a cardiologist by telehealth.

Officials from the OIG wrote the patient died despite best efforts from staff in the intensive care unit, who were left to care for the man only on the advice of a telehealth cardiologist.

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The report stated that this situation illustrates how 'unclear guidance' from administration may have 'put patients at risk for adverse clinical outcomes.'

An anonymous ICU doctor told investigators the advice the virtual consulting specialist gave was 'not helpful.'

Later that year, more resignations followed, with the deputy chiefs of anesthesiology, general surgery and mental health all leaving the eastern Colorado hospital.

The second investigation pinned the majority of the cultural issues within the Colorado hospital on four roles - the facility director, chief of staff, deputy chief of staff for inpatient operations and associate chief of staff for education.

In one anonymous interview, a physician told investigators that during a last minute townhall meeting called in 2023, the chief of staff and facility director began 'just berating us for going outside of the hierarchy...

'...what was ostensibly a town hall meeting was just them grilling us for reaching outside of our chain of command.'

Investigators concluded the leading staff members created the 'widespread disenfranchisement and a culture of fear,' which led to the resignations.

A separate, anonymous psychologist employed at the hospital described distress among staff that had led to an 'exodus' of skilled staff at all levels, which in turn harms veteran care.'

Because staff felt they could not voice opinions without fear of retaliation, the report said, they were hesitant to perform risky, but necessary, procedures. Leadership was said to have used reports of safety issues as 'an avenue to assign blame'.

The 1.2million square foot hospital was completed in 2019. The construction, which cost the Army Corps of Engineers $1.7billion, began in 2014

The OIG report said new leadership staff plans to address these concerns by hosting 'listening sessions' to foster a healthier hospital culture, The Denver Post reported.

Sunaina Kumar, the chief executive officer of the VA Rocky Mountain Network, which oversees veterans' hospitals across Colorado, Oklahoma and Utah, thanked the OIG for its investigation in a public statement.

When asked for a response to commentary for this story, VA representatives told DailyMail.com that Mrs Kumar said: 'These investigations will help ensure Veterans, employees, and stakeholders have full confidence in the quality and integrity of the leaders and care delivery provided.'

There have been major leadership changes at the organization over the past year, and the report said the interim leaders are addressing these issues.

On a larger scale, the OIG report recommended the federal VHA increase it's oversight of its hospitals - including conducting leadership reviews, conducting exit interviews with employees and building a feedback system for employees to share concerns.

Local VA leaders, like Mrs Kumar, seem to be in accordance with the change.

'The VA OIG published two reports that show we have work to do here and I am fully committed to rebuilding trust with the Veterans we serve,' Mrs Kumar said.

Sunaina Kumar, the Chief Executive Officer of the VA Rocky Mountain Network, thanked the OIG for its investigatio

Even with the increased attention on the national VA healthcare system over the past few decades, there are still national discrepancies between veterans who use VA healthcare versus those who opt for private providers.

In this system, veterans can apply for healthcare benefits through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

It covers health care services and supplies for veterans at all VA medical centers - but typically doesn't cover services offered at outside medical clinics.

Veterans can also still opt to use private insurers for their healthcare.

Veterans who use VA services tend to be less healthy than veterans who use private health care - they have higher rates of cancer, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, according to a 2015 report from the RAND Corporation, a think tank that advises American public policy.

Also, veterans across the country struggle to get the care they need from VA hospitals. A 2021 survey of 8,670 military families found their chief concern was accessing care from the VA.

Roughly 9.2million veterans are enrolled in this healthcare system, roughly half of all living veterans.

The respondents said troubles scheduling appointments, accessing the correct care and poor quality of care were their main barriers to getting the help they needed.

In a separate 2021 Mission Roll Call survey it was found there weren't enough appointments available, whether it's for heart surgery or mental health services, for the 16.5 million veterans living in America as of 2021.
Napa Countys population has been declining steadily for nearly a decade, but its number of older residents has increased significantly. Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle

Like its world-renowned wines, Napa County is aging.

The median age of Napa Countys residents rose from 40.3 years in 2013 to 43.4 in 2023, new U.S. Census Bureau data shows. That jump of 3.1 years was one of the biggest among Californias large counties, tying for second place with Los Angeles and Ventura counties. It was just behind the increase in the median age of Santa Cruz County residents, which rose by 3.2 years from 37 to 40.2 over the decade.

Napa Countys median age increase was the largest in the Bay Area, outpacing even those of Marin and Sonoma counties, which currently have the highest median ages in the region.

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Napa Countys population has been declining steadily for nearly a decade, but its number of older residents has increased significantly. The county had about 23,000 people ages 65 and older in 2013, with that figure rising to 29,000 in 2023, according to Census Bureau estimates.

Over the same period, the number of Napa County residents under the age of 18 fell from nearly 31,000 to 25,000. By 2021, older residents outnumbered school-age children.

Napa County is not the only place where retirement age residents outnumber those who cant vote. Out of the 36 California counties with at least 100,000 people, 10 had more residents ages 65 and older than they did people under 18. Four of those counties  Napa, Marin, Sonoma and San Francisco  were in the Bay Area.

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The number of kids in the Bay Area has generally declined over the past decade. Demographers and housing experts often point to the lack of affordable homes for young families in the states coastal metropolitan areas, which has pushed many people to move to inland counties like Fresno or Placer.

But Napa Countys older residents have largely stayed. About two-thirds of residents ages 60 and older have lived in the county for more than 20 years, said Jennifer Yasumoto, Napa Countys health and human services director.

The reason older people have remained in Napa County is simple, said Devereaux Smith, executive director of Napa-based nonprofit Mollys Angels.

Its a really lovely place to live, she explained. People started retiring here and have never left.

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Smith said Napa County has many mobile home parks that allow older residents to downsize, and the county and its service providers create a strong safety net.

Still, some challenges remain. Napa Countys growing population of older people has strained its in-home support system, Yasumoto said. The countys Board of Supervisors raised caregivers wages from $17.45 an hour to $20 an hour this year, a move aimed at recruiting and retaining more health workers. The county has also seen an increase in reports of elder abuse and neglect.

That issue is closely tied with another important topic, Smith said  isolation. Because many older residents live alone, theyre often targets for financial abuse. Mollys Angels organizes volunteers to call the older residents it works with once a week, a service she said both helps clients feel less lonely and allows the nonprofit to gauge whether they might be experiencing neglect, abuse or food insecurity.

I really feel like Napa is a community where people have their eyes on each other, Smith said. Thats a part of why people stay here.

The challenges Napa Countys older community face are especially prevalent among older Latino people, according to a 2023 county-commissioned survey of residents ages 60 and older. About 1 in 5 survey respondents said they were just getting by or finding it difficult to get by. More than half of Latino respondents said the same. Older Latino residents were also more likely to report needing to rely on food banks and free medical clinics.

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The groups report highlighted several recommendations, including creating a single intake system for services, building more affordable housing, and offering shuttles to transport older residents to hospitals and grocery stores. Napa County also received a $5 million housing grant last year from the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority, which Yasumoto said will help pay rent for about 200 older residents in danger of becoming homeless.
Heart failure patients are dying or becoming seriously ill because of severe delays in NHS treatment, experts have warned.

Its feared hundreds or possibly thousands of deaths and hospital admissions every year are occurring among patients waiting a year or more to see a specialist. Many could be prevented if tests and drugs were given sooner.

A new study shows most patients who see their GP with heart failure symptoms, such as breathlessness, extreme fatigue and swollen ankles, wait at least a year to get a diagnosis from a cardiologist.

Although heart failure is not curable, cardiologists can prescribe a variety of vital medicines that prolong survival and significantly improve quality of life.

The most effective of these  known as SGLT2 inhibitors  can slash the risk of being admitted to hospital with heart failure by more than 30 per cent.

But treatment guidelines bar NHS GPs from prescribing the drugs for heart failure, even though they can dish them out for other conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.

Hundreds or even thousands of deaths and hospital admissions are occurring among patients waiting over a year to see a specialist

Critics claim that, as a result, patients are ending up in hospital seriously ill or dying while waiting to see a specialist.

Researchers behind the findings, based on a study of more than 8,000 patients, branded the delays a scandal and called for an immediate shake-up in the way suspected heart-failure cases are handled.

We regularly see patients dying while on the waiting list for a cardiologist, said Dr Lisa Anderson, one of the researchers and a heart failure specialist at St Georges University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in London.

Many also end up seriously ill in hospital. Of those, 40 per cent die from their heart failure within a year. These patients are waiting far too long to see a specialist.

More than a million people in the UK have heart failure, with 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year, according to the British Heart Foundation. It develops when the heart becomes too weak to efficiently pump oxygen-rich blood round the body.

It is common in heart-attack survivors, but it can also be brought on by high blood pressure, faulty heart valves, diabetes and even sleep apnoea.

The Health Foundation charity predicts that, with an ageing population and rising obesity levels, the numbers are set to double to two million by 2040.

People who go to see their GP with worrying symptoms are meant to have a blood test to measure levels of a protein called brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) which is made by the heart and blood vessels. Levels in those with heart failure are usually much higher than normal.

If their levels are extremely high, GPs are meant to fast-track a referral so patients are seen by a specialist within two weeks. A cardiologist may then put them on drugs, including SGLT2 inhibitors, to boost the hearts pumping efficiency. But Dr Anderson says many GPs fail to carry out the tests or, if they do and the BNP level is raised, they dont make the rapid referral.

The new study, presented last week at a heart failure conference in Lisbon, looked at data on 8,000 patients from Sweden. It found that more than two-thirds of those with raised BNP levels and symptoms of heart failure still had no firm diagnosis or the right drug treatment a year after first going to the doctor.

Although its Swedish data, UK researchers said the study reflects whats happening here, too.

Dr Antoni Bayes-Genis, another of the researchers and a leading heart specialist in Spain, told the conference: Its a scandal. Patients go to their GP, get tested for BNP and nothing happens. There are a huge number of deaths that could probably be prevented.

More than a million people in the UK have heart failure, with 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year, according to the British Heart Foundation

The findings mirror those of a recent probe by doctors at a surgery in East London which followed 77 patients with symptoms of heart failure.

Although 72 per cent had worrying BNP levels, the average wait to see a cardiologist was six months or more. Researchers warned: This puts patients at risk. We need a national screening programme for it in primary care.

One Mail on Sunday reader in his 70s wrote in earlier this month to say he was shocked to discover during a routine health check that his BNP levels were raised.

Now I have been given an appointment to speak to a cardiologist on the phone in mid-October, he said. Am I being overly concerned that my interests are not being properly addressed, or is this type of treatment normal in a post-Covid world?

Its estimated that some 100,000 patients a year in the UK end up needing emergency hospital treatment for heart failure, at least partly due to cardiology delays.

Dr Anderson and her colleagues at St Georges are now seeking funding for a trial to see if getting patients on to SGLT2 inhibitors sooner will improve their chances of survival.
Obesity surgery eclipses weight loss wonder drugs like Wegovy when it comes to saving lives, research shows.

The slimming jabs are in short supply due to unprecedented demand from those eager to copy celebrity users including Sharon Osbourne and Oprah Winfrey.

But a new study reveals they are less effective at preventing premature deaths among obese patients from weight-related illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Around 7,000 people a year in the UK undergo obesity (bariatric) surgery.

To qualify on the NHS, body mass index must be 40 or higher.

Scientists at Hasharon Hospital in Israel, suggest obesity surgery carries greater long-term benefits and is more effective at preventing premature death than weight-loss jabs

More than 6,000 obese patients, with an average age of 51, were tracked over six years in the study, which found those who had surgery were 62 per cent less likely to die from obesity-related health problems than those treated with Ozempic-style injections (file pic)

Surgeons make the stomach smaller, usually through a gastric bypass or by inserting a band, so that patients feel fuller sooner and eat less as a result.

The op, costing up to 15,000, requires a short stay in hospital. There has been speculation semaglutide-based obesity drugs  which mimic the effects of a hormone called GLP-1 that tells the brain the stomach is full  could reduce the need for gastric operations.

However, the latest study, by scientists at Hasharon Hospital in Israel, suggests surgery carries greater long-term benefits.

They tracked more than 6,000 obese patients, with an average age of 51, over six years and found those who had surgery were 62 per cent less likely to die from obesity-related health problems than those treated with Ozempic-style injections.

Researchers said the results, in the journal JAMA Open Network, reflected the fact that weight lost through surgery was greater than on the drugs.

Obese patients shed an average of 31 per cent of body weight with surgery while those on GLP-1 inhibitor drugs  which stop working if not taken for life  lost just 12.8 per cent.

'The risk of death falls when patients lose more than 10 to 15 per cent of body weight,' says Prof Alex Miras, consultant endocrinologist at Imperial College, London.

'But the newest GLP-1 drugs help patients lose more, so ten years on, they may be equally effective as surgery.'
Although the state visit of Japan's Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, brought central London to a near standstill last Tuesday, it didn't delay the annual general meeting of investment trust Vietnam Enterprise Investments.

While crowds thronged outside Claridge's in Mayfair to catch a glimpse of the emperor and empress before they were welcomed by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Horse Guards Parade, more than 100 shareholders rocked up at the Stationers' Hall in the shadow of St Paul's Cathedral to learn more about their investments.

They weren't disappointed as lead portfolio manager Tuan Le and Dominic Scriven (founder of Dragon Capital, the investment house that runs the trust), articulated the case for investing in Vietnam. For those who stayed on for lunch, me included, they were treated to refreshing Vietnamese beer (I resisted the urge) and a delightful array of Vietnamese food.

Idyllic: But picture postcard Vietnam is actually one of the world's few engines of economic growth

The choice of venue  home of The Stationers' Company, the City of London Livery company for the communications and content industries  was rather apt.

This is because the trust is on a mission to get its investment story across to a wider audience, hence its first AGM in London since the trust listed in the UK eight years ago.

In theory, the 1.2billion trust should have strong investor appeal. Vietnam is currently one of the few engines of economic growth to be found in the world. It is a beneficiary of massive inward investment as big international companies shift their manufacturing bases southwards out of China and into North Vietnam.

Without breaking the bank, the Government is also heavily investing in the country's infrastructure  while greater urbanisation is creating a burgeoning middle class with money to spend.

The population (100 million) is also young, with an average age of 33, so it has no millstone like the NHS around its neck. Put all this in a pot, and you have an economic environment ideal for companies to thrive and make money for shareholders.

Furthermore, with the country heading towards emerging markets status (it's classified as a frontiers trust), interest in the stock market, especially from foreign investors, should rise.

But it's not quite happening for Vietnam Enterprise Investments. The fund's efforts to grow and make money for investors are being impaired by the fact that its shares are languishing somewhat in the doldrums. They are trading at a significant discount (20 per cent) to the value of the trust's underlying assets.

This undervaluation is not a result of anything that the trust has done wrong, although it did have a difficult 2022. Shares in rival trust VinaCapital also trade at a discount in the high teens.

It's more a reflection of the wider malaise in the UK stock market, resulting in a swathe of listed companies (not just investment trusts) trading at dirt cheap prices  in turn making them attractive to predators such as private equity.

Maybe this market cheapness will disappear as the UK economy improves.

Maybe, maybe not. We just don't know.

Scriven, who has lived in Vietnam since the 1990s, is determined that Dragon Capital's flagship investment fund will fly again, although the board will ask shareholders next year whether they want it to continue. Scriven, fluent in Vietnamese, is nothing but resourceful.

So, the board has just reduced the fund's annual management charge from around 1.75 per cent to 1.5 per cent. A move that is shareholder-friendly.

Further reductions should be made if the trust's assets grow. Dragon is also establishing a London office to help promote the fund. Scriven's view is that Vietnam's bamboo diplomacy (flexible but strong roots) makes it a simultaneous friend of China, India, Russia and the US. This, he adds, works economically in the country's favour, boosting imports and exports.

In a nutshell, Vietnam Enterprise Investments is a super investment trust which gives investors exposure to one of the world's economic growth hotspots.

Over the past year, despite the share price discount issue, it has generated shareholder returns of 8.3 per cent  44.1 per cent over the past five.

Yes, it should only be a periphery investment in a private investor's portfolio, but it's a trust with an exciting mandate. For many reasons (some moral), I would pick it (or its rival, VinaCapital) over a Chinese trust every time.

Six banks on one high street? It'll never catch on...

Thank you for your observations on the withdrawal (or not) of bank branches from our high streets  as Lloyds announced 60 more closures two days ago.

Alan Hartley, a 78-year-old retired finance officer for the NHS, rang to say he had just spent a wonderful time travelling on the Settle to Carlisle railway by steam train. While wandering around Carlisle city centre, he was surprised to see branches of six banks and building societies within 500 yards of each other on the town's English Street  Barclays, HSBC, NatWest, Newcastle, Santander and Virgin Money. There is also a post office.

Bank on steam: Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle to Carlisle railway

'It makes a change to see a high street so well supported by the banks,' says Alan, who lives in Ewloe, just outside Chester. 'Long may it continue.' Absolutely.

In contrast, 68-year-old retired accountant Karen Robinson bemoans the lack of banks in her hometown of Immingham in Lincolnshire. To make matters worse, she says, the town is without a post office as a result of a collapsed ceiling. A pop-up replacement opened in the civic centre, only to be withdrawn last month. Karen is with Lloyds, which was the last bank to withdraw from the town in 2022. She has to travel into Grimsby  a round trip of 40 minutes  if she wants to do any banking.

'It's so frustrating,' says Karen. 'Immingham is a bustling town with a busy dock, two oil refineries and plenty of new houses. It deserves a bank.' She would like a banking hub  a shared bank branch  installed and has contacted cash machine network operator Link about it. The chances of success are limited. Link assessed the town when Lloyds walked away and deemed it not big enough to support a hub. More imperative is that the Post Office re-establishes a presence in the town.

Finally, it is disappointing to learn that Lloyds continues to withdraw staff from its branches who assist customers with queries that can't be dealt with by cashiers. They will now work from home. Peter Wall, a retired solicitor from Birmingham, says it is happening at his Lloyds branch in Harborne. 'It's another blow for elderly customers,' he says. Spot on.
While Sir Keir Starmer may already have his right foot firmly planted inside Number 10 Downing Street, don't expect a future under Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves to be the land of milk and honey that they promise.

A country, they insist, where rates of income tax, National Insurance and VAT won't rise, green energy will blossom, and economic growth abounds.

Far from it. Be warned. If you are a saver or especially an investor, a Labour government will soon have you in its sights with a barrage of tax increases that will bring tears of joy to the eyes of diehard socialists such as Jeremy Corbyn  and tears of financial pain to nearly everyone else.

Although the Conservatives under three Prime Ministers have done little over the past five years to make life easier for those determined to build their own financial castles, their actions will feel like a walk in the park compared to Labour's attack on personal wealth creation. All-out war is planned.

Unlike the Conservatives, the tax assault will be driven by different motives. While the Conservatives made life harder for savers and investors because of having to plug the deep financial holes left by both Covid and Liz Truss's disastrous reign as Prime Minister, Labour's attack will be ideological. It despises wealth creation.

Don't expect a future under Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves to be the land of milk and honey that they promise, writes Jeff Prestridge

While Starmer and his financial lieutenant Reeves have so far refused to show their hand for fear of deterring voters, Labour Party sources confirmed just over a week ago that plans are already being drawn up to raise money through extra wealth taxes.

These include hikes to capital gains tax (CGT) and a reduction in the scope for individuals to shelter wealth from inheritance tax (IHT). Some of these ideas, aimed at 'unlocking wealth and putting it to work,' could frame Reeves' first Budget, likely to take place in the Autumn.

But they might be the tip of the iceberg. A dossier drawn up by the Labour Party's Tribune Group  a centre left cohort of MPs  proposes other tax hikes. Apart from CGT and IHT, it wants a more draconian National Insurance regime, reform of council tax bands (leading to higher taxes in wealthy areas) and a tax on 'extreme wealth'.

As Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday night in the last televised showdown with Starmer: 'Family finances are going to get hammered, taxes are going to get whacked up.'

'Uncertainty around the Labour Party's tax policy is the worst of all worlds,' says Nicholas Hyett, investment manager at Wealth Club, provider of investment services to high net-worth individuals.

'Taxpayers are not able to make informed decisions about their financial future. Fortunately, there are some common sense steps people can take to help mitigate any financial pain that lies ahead.'

So, how can you protect your wealth from Reeves' claws?

Here are some ideas. For the record, not all advisers contacted by Wealth & Personal Finance were prepared to share their thoughts for fear of diving into political waters.

Strange? After all, isn't most tax advice driven by changes to the tax system made by governments, blue and red?

Your capital could become their gain

Capital gains tax is charged on the sale of numerous assets including investments, second homes and buy-to-let properties. The rate you pay depends on your taxable income and the asset sold.

For disposals of shares and unit trusts, basic rate taxpayers typically pay a 10 per cent CGT charge (maybe more), while higher rate and additional rate taxpayers pay 20 per cent. The tax is mitigated by an annual tax-free allowance of 3,000, meaning the first 3,000 of gains are CGT exempt.

While Starmer and Reeves have so far refused to show their hand for fear of deterring voters, Labour Party sources confirmed that plans are being drawn up to raise money through extra wealth taxes

Under the Conservatives, CGT on crystallised share gains has become more onerous. Although the tax rates are the same as when Boris Johnson won the December 2019 election, the annual tax-free allowance has shrunk like a vest given too hot a wash  from 12,300 in the tax year ending April 5, 2023 to 3,000.

Labour could shrink the annual allowance further, but it is more likely to push up CGT tax rates in line with income tax rates. The result would be 20 per cent CGT for basic rate taxpayers (potentially more)  and 40 and 45 per cent respectively for higher and additional rate taxpayers.

For example, take someone who in the current tax year has taxable income (after all allowable deductions and their personal allowance) of 25,000. This means their income is below the upper limit of the basic rate income tax band (37,700).

Let us assume the taxpayer is not Scottish  income tax rates in Scotland are slightly different. Let us then suppose they crystallise a 25,000 capital gain from selling quoted shares. For CGT purposes, the taxable gain is 22,000 (25,000 minus the 3,000 exemption).

As things stand, the individual has 12,700 of their basic rate band left. This means 12,700 of the 22,000 gain is taxed at 10 per cent, the rest (9,300) at 20 per cent. The resulting CGT tax bill is 3,130. But if Labour aligned CGT rates with income tax rates  and did not touch the annual tax-free allowance  the CGT bill would be 6,260. The effective CGT rate would double to 28.5 per cent.

Escape the threat with a tax-free ISA

The key is to take advantage of tax-friendly investments such as Individual Savings Accounts (Isas). Any investment gains made inside an Isa are free from CGT. Currently, a maximum of 20,000 per tax year per adult can be invested inside an Isa. That means 40,000 for married couples and civil partners.

So use as much of your Isa allowances as you can afford  don't waste them. And if you don't have enough disposable income to fully fund an Isa, consider transferring existing shareholdings into them.

Jason Hollands is managing director of Bestinvest, part of wealth manager Evelyn Partners. He says: 'If you own investments in a taxable environment, it would be wise to move as much of these as possible into Isas, thereby protecting them from the taxman.'

This can be done through 'bed and Isa'  where shares are effectively sold and then bought back straightaway inside the Isa. The amount that goes into the Isa counts towards your 20,000 annual allowance.

Investing platforms provide this facility although they will charge  while 0.5 per cent stamp duty is payable on the repurchase.

Starmer and Reeves face questions from journalists during a visit to Morrisons in Swindon where they met shoppers and discussed the cost of living with employees this month

Investors also need to be aware that the bedding may incur a CGT charge if the gain exceeds the 3,000 nil-rate allowance. Bed and Isa can be used to shelter shares, investment trusts, exchange traded funds and unit trusts.

Another shrewd tactic is to transfer investments to your spouse or civil partner if they are on a lower income tax rate. Shares disposed of by a spouse who is a higher rate taxpayer will potentially attract a bigger CGT bill than a partner who is a basic rate taxpayer.

So it makes sense for the basic rate taxpayer to own more of the family investments.

Hollands says: 'Such interspousal transfers do not incur tax and can be a simple way to reduce a family's tax liability.

'Even where tax cannot be avoided, moving investments to whichever spouse or partner pays a lower rate of income tax can help reduce a tax burden.'

One final point on CGT. Wealth Club's Hyett says any shareholdings held outside of an Isa  and standing at a loss  should be left alone. They are better crystallised when (if) Labour hikes up CGT rates, offsetting gains made elsewhere and reducing the size of any CGT bill.

Inheritance tax is set to soar to new highs

The taxman continues to reap rich rewards from inheritance tax on the estates of those who pass away. IHT receipts for April and May this year were 1.4 billion, 0.2 billion higher than the same period last year. Under Labour, the take is likely to soar.

Currently, estates below 325,000 escape the 40 per cent tax. This nil rate band has not changed since 2009, although there is potentially an additional residential nil rate band of 175,000 for those who leave their home to a child or grandchild.

Labour is vehemently opposed to inherited wealth  and Left-leaning newspapers have already reported that 'significant' changes are afoot.

These include making it more difficult to leave assets such as farmland and private businesses tax-free. It could also bring pension funds into the IHT net  currently, most death benefits from pension schemes are IHT free.

Labour might also trim the gifts people can make to family and friends before death.

You can pass on up to 12,000 - tax free

Andrew Tully, technical services director at the retirement specialist Nucleus Financial, says individuals can currently pass on slices of their wealth through the use of permitted allowances, thereby reducing their exposure to IHT.

For example, annual gifts totalling 3,000 can be made  to one person or numerous people.

'If you haven't used last year's exemption,' adds Tully, 'that can be employed too. So, potentially 12,000 for couples to pass on.'

In addition, annual 'small' gifts of 250 can be made to any number of people  with the proviso that they are different to any individuals in receipt of a gift made under the annual gift allowance.

Furthermore, gifts can be made to children, grandchildren or a friend when they marry or enter into a civil partnership.

And they can also be made out of 'normal expenditure' but Tully says 'complex rules' around these gifts mean individuals 'should seek advice'. The same applies to the use of trusts in moving assets out of a person's estate for IHT purposes. Chris Allen, director of wealth planning at private bank Arbuthnot Latham, says: 'There are various types of trust available to individuals, so it is key to receive specialist advice to ensure the correct one is set up.'

Here's wishing you all the financial best ... after the General Election on Thursday.

Cut tax liability with a pension

By the tax year beginning April 6, 2028, the Office for Budget Responsibility  a scrutineer of the country's public finances  estimates that three million more people will be paying 40 per cent tax than in the tax year starting April 6, 2022.

With little chance of income tax cuts under Rachel Reeves, Bestinvest's Jason Hollands says contributing to a pension is a key way to reduce an income tax liability. He adds: 'Pension contributions provide tax relief at an investor's marginal rate of income tax. So a basic rate taxpayer gets 20 per cent tax relief while a higher rate taxpayer gets 40 per cent.

'This relief is incredibly attractive, especially for the ballooning number of people paying higher rate tax.

'So take advantage of it while you can  because Labour could at some stage look to shave it or impose a flat rate.'

The maximum amount you can put into a pension in the current tax year  and benefit from tax relief  is 60,000.
HM Revenue & Customs is under fire for stifling enterprise by denying genuine claims for tax breaks on research and development from innovative small firms.

The taxman is rejecting valid submissions, delaying payments and grabbing back tax credits as part of a wider attempt to crack down on fraud, numerous sources told The Mail on Sunday.

The Government's flagship scheme provides a vital financial lifeline for many start-ups and small firms which need financial support to grow.

The scheme is key to Government plans to make the UK a 'tech superpower' by 2030.

HMRC estimates that 7.6billion in R&D tax relief was claimed by more than 90,000 firms in 2021-22.

Tough approach: HM Revenue & Customs is under fire for stifling enterprise by denying genuine claims for tax breaks on research and development from innovative small firms

But the tax authority also reckons more than 1billion of that was paid out to fraudsters, or in error.

It recently adopted a much tougher approach to claims and now checks one in five applications  compared with one in a 100 previously. Experts warn this increasingly onerous regime is resulting in genuine claims being thrown out and could force future tech champions to move offshore.

'There is a real risk that the handling of some R&D tax relief claims is undermining the Government's own policy to support investment here in the UK,' said Natasha Frangos, managing partner at accountants Haysmacintyre.

'We should be removing hurdles to innovation, but this is hindering rather than helping.'

HMRC has hired hundreds of staff to enforce the clampdown, which has provoked howls of protest from firms and their advisers over the way some claims are being torpedoed. They say newly-recruited case workers are poorly trained, lack experience and assume applications are fraudulent unless proven otherwise.

'Nobody has any faith in the system any more,' said tax credit consultant Vicky Kwenda.

She cites the case of a client in the defence sector who developed a camera that operates at temperatures as low as minus 30C.

HMRC refused a 70,000 claim for R&D tax relief because it argued there were 'similar' cameras available  even though none of them worked below temperatures of minus 15C. Her appeal was rejected because 'similar' technologies worked in temperatures of between plus 400C and minus 1500C, HMRC said.

'Common sense would tell you that these numbers seem off,' Kwenda said. 'The reviewer mixed the data relating to the temperatures a thermal camera can capture with the data relating to the environmental temperatures in which the camera can operate.'

HMRC declined to comment on specific cases, but chief executive Jim Harra recently told MPs that his staff were not tech experts.

'My people are tax inspectors. They are not software engineers or rocket scientists,' he said.

Two-thirds of HMRC inquiries occur after R&D tax credit awards have been made, according to Adam McCann of Claimer, whose software helps submit and handle claims. In one case, a genuine claimant had to hand back 300,000 as junior case workers played 'judge, jury and executioner'.

An HMRC spokesman said the tax authority recognised the importance of R&D in driving innovation and economic growth.

Claimants went through a 'risk screening process,' and most were paid without an inquiry, the spokesman said. 'All claims are handled professionally by colleagues with the relevant level of expertise.'
Raising a glass: Carlsberg's adverts have included the Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen

A major investor in Britvic has called on Carlsberg to sweeten its takeover offer for the group.

Aviva, which is a top ten shareholder in Britvic, the maker of Robinsons soft drinks, said there would be benefits to a merger of the companies, but that the bid price was too low.

Britvic revealed last week it had rejected two bids from the Danish brewer. The highest offer valued it at 3.1billion.

The FTSE 250 firm said it 'carefully considered' the second offer, but that it was still too low to accept.

Kunal Kothari, UK equities fund manager at Aviva, said Carlsberg has 'scope to be more generous' with another bid.

He said the brewing giant could benefit significantly from a takeover  for example, because the firms distribute drinks to similar customers. Kothari said: 'Whether we support the deal or not depends on whether the offer price values the business appropriately.'

He added that the current deal was not high enough because it did not take into account how Britvic's finances are expected to improve over the next few years as a standalone company.

Carlsberg has until July 19 to table a final bid. Its 3.1billion offer, of 1250p per share, was around 29 per cent higher than Britvic's share price before speculation about a deal emerged. Last week PepsiCo, which has a bottling contract with Britvic, said it would not stand in the way. This removed a potential roadblock.

Carlsberg's pursuit of Britvic is one of a slew of deals gripping the City  many of which have been from foreign bidders.

Dubai-based engineer Sidara has until Wednesday to make a final offer for Wood Group.

Royal Mail-owner International Distributions Services, Keywords Studios and Tyman are among the London-listed firms targeted by overseas suitors. Carlsberg is trying to expand its business 'beyond beer' in an age where younger people are drinking less than previous generations.

Britvic's shares were trading at 1181p on Friday  lower than Carlsberg's offer price. City analysts have said the company is likely to need to offer at least 1,300p per share to move forward.

Carlsberg declined to comment.
Sir Peter Wood, one of Britain's most successful entrepreneurs, is unhappy. He is speaking from his Palm Beach villa, a short distance from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago, where he is having a few days of relaxation in the US after attending a board meeting of a Boston insurer.

After that, he is returning to the UK to vote, with a sense of trepidation. He fears Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government may force him to leave the country, even though he has always willingly paid UK taxes on his self-made wealth.

Patriotic: Sir Peter Wood has always willingly paid UK taxes on his self-made wealth

Wood created three businesses that were all FTSE 350 companies in their time  insurance firms Direct Line, Esure and GoCompare  and prides himself on having always paid his taxes in his home country. Indeed, for several years, he has featured high up the list of Britain's top taxpayers. His bills have been in excess of 200million when he has sold businesses.

'I have been in the top ten for years,' Wood says. 'I am the sort of person who always pays my UK tax. It's the patriotic thing to do.'

Wood knows his estate, which includes shareholdings in funeral homes firm Dignity and stamp auctioneer Stanley Gibbons, will be hit by 40 per cent inheritance tax. But he fears Labour, in a desperate grab for tax revenues, is about to target the wealthy again.

So the entrepreneur, who spends five months in his homes in the US and Spain, is now thinking of shielding his wealth overseas. Paradoxically the chemicals billionaire and Manchester United shareholder Jim Ratcliffe, one of the rich who has come out in favour of Labour ahead of the election, opted some years ago to move his personal tax status to Monaco.

Wood regards this as the height of hypocrisy: 'Jim Ratcliffe is not paying any income tax in the UK. His companies do, but he personally won't pay any tax. Now he supports Labour. That's a bit rich.'

Wood is not alone in his fears over Labour wealth taxes. A friend who is still working hard in textiles in his late 70s tells me that his son-in-law, a billionaire real estate magnate, decided some months ago  amid expected rises in taxes on capital and wealth  to move his family and his tax domicile from Britain to Monaco. He was not prepared to see an empire, which owns some of the nation's most recognisable property assets, broken up to pay UK taxes.

Starmer and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves speak often of closing tax loopholes. This is shorthand for imposing new levies. Fear of what is to come already is driving fortunes overseas. The Thatcher revolution, which saw Britain's exiled rich return to spend and invest, is in danger of being reversed. Labour's election vows of 'wealth creation' stand to founder before it has taken office.

The UK's entrepreneurs and super-rich fear the onslaught. It is tempting to say good riddance. But  if Labour is serious about firing up growth and restoring stability to economic policy  attacks on the well-heeled can only dampen spending, saving and investment.

Labour is publicly targeting what it considers privilege with a 20 per cent VAT levy on school fees. And North Sea oil exploration has been brought to a halt by plans to close so-called investment loopholes on an industry already paying a headline tax rate of 75 per cent.

But there could be much more to come from Labour as the fragility of the costings in its manifesto and the great hole in the public finances is exposed. The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies describes a 'toxic mix' in public finances. Labour's triple tax lock, which bars rises in VAT, Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions, requires Reeves to find other targets.

Pre-announced are plans to focus on non-doms and private equity barons. Other targets are likely to be on her unannounced agenda. In 1997, when Labour inherited far more stable public finances, it funded new spending from taxing dividends paid to pension funds and power utilities.

This time a popular suggestion is to tax capital at the same rate as income. Tax relief on pension fund contributions may also be at risk, discouraging already inadequate savings.

Changes started by Jeremy Hunt to the non-domicile regime have already seen many super-rich pack their bags.

One source told me in three years they will all be gone, and a huge amount of money spent and invested in the UK will have vanished for ever.

Entrepreneurs such as Wood are exasperated.

'I have paid UK taxes because I could afford to do so,' he says. One of Wood's daughters is a top interior designer, and he adds: 'Her business is drying up because non-doms and top salespeople are fleeing the country.'

Britain faces both a public and private investment shortfall essential for growth. Driving our most brilliant business brains away can only stunt recovery.
FedEx is using AI-powered cameras to help aid police investigations, a new report has revealed.

The popular postal firm has partnered with a $4billion surveillance startup based in Georgia called Flock Safety, Forbes reported.

Flock specializes in automated license plate recognition and video surveillance, and already has a fleet of around 40,000 cameras spanning 4,000 cities across 40 states.

FedEx has teamed up with the company to monitor its distribution and cargo facilities across the US, but under the deal it is also sharing its Flock surveillance feeds with law enforcement. And it is believed to be one of four multi-billion dollar private companies with this arrangement.

It's led critics to liken the move to rolling out a mass surveillance network - as it emerged that some local police forces are also sharing their Flock feeds with FedEx.

Scroll down for video:

FedEx has partnered with Flock, a $4billion surveillance startup from Georgia

In a statement, FedEx confirmed it uses the technology but made clear that it does so only at its facilities.

A spokesperson for the company said: 'FedEx vehicles do not have these ALPR cameras on them. FedEx only uses this video technology in facility parking lots to safeguard employees and property.'

Jay Stanley, a policy analyst with the ACLU, told the Virginian Pilot: 'There's a simple principle that we've always had in this country, which is that the government doesn't get to watch everybody all the time just in case somebody commits a crime.'

'The United States is not China,' he continued. 'But these cameras are being deployed with such density that it's like GPS-tracking everyone.'

In response to Forbes' report that FedEx was part of Flock's surveillance system, he told the outlet: 'It raises questions about why a private companywould have privileged access to data that normally is only available to law enforcement.'

He went on to bill it as 'profoundly disconcerting'.

Flock Safety's cameras are used to track vehicles by their license plates, as well as the make, model, and color of their cars. Other identifying characteristics are also monitored, such as dents and even bumper stickers.

Lisa Femia, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warned that FedEx's participation could prove problematic because private firms are not subject to the same transparency laws as cops.

This, she told Forbes, could '[leave] the public in the dark, while at the same time expanding a sort of mass surveillance network.'

Flock uses real-time data 'to enable and incentivize safer driving,' a description on its website says

FedEx is believed to be one of four multi-billion dollar private companies to team up with Flock Safety

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee confirmed its partnership with Flock in an email to Forbes.

'We share reads from our Flock license plate readers with FedEx in the same manner we share the data with other law enforcement agencies, locally, regionally, and nationally,' public information officer John Morris told the outlet.

He also confirmed his department had access to FedExs Flock feeds.

Its participation was unmasked after Forbes found the name of the force on publicly available lists of data sharing partners - along with others such as the Pittsboro Police Department in Indiana, located just outside of Indianapolis.

Pittsboro police chief Scott King reportedly did not comment on why his department is participating but insisted the force had not requested access to a private system.

'Only those listed under law enforcement,' he said.

'The United States is not China,' Jay Stanley, a policy analyst with the ACLU, told the Virginian Pilot. 'But these cameras are being deployed with such density that it's like GPS-tracking everyone'

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee confirmed the potentially problematic partnership with FedEx. Lt David Ballars is seen flaunting Flock's technology in a video posted to firm's YouTube

Assistant Chief of Greenwood Police Department Matthew Fillenwarth confirmed its force, also in Indiana, is similarly participating.

Memphis police department also stated it had received camera feeds from FedEx but did not confirm if these were provided by Flock.

When speaking about networks of license plate readers, Brett Max Kaufman, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), told Forbes: 'The scale of this kind of surveillance is just incredibly massive.'

He went on to describe to the outlet how the warrantless monitoring of citizens en masse was 'quite horrifying'.

FedEx declined to answer questions about its partnership with Flock, saying in a statement: 'We take the safety of our team members very seriously. As such, we do not publicly discuss our security procedures.'

There is no suggestion the partnership is illegal, but some critics suggest it is flouting the basic tenets of the Constitution

For now, it is currently unclear just how far-reaching the partnership between law enforcement and FedEx actually is or how much Flock data is being shared.

Forbes also found that FedEx was not alone its decision to sign up - with Kaiser Permanente, the largest health insurance carrier in the US, also taking part.

When asked, FedEx declined to answer questions about the partnership, saying in a statement: 'We take the safety of our team members very seriously. As such, we do not publicly discuss our security procedures.' The Flock interface is seen being used by cops in Tennessee here

Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in East San Francisco Bay Area. The health firm was also unmasked as a firm currently providing cops with data from Flock cameras

The company shared data garnered from Flock cameras with the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, an intelligence hub that provides support to local and federal police investigations involving major crimes across California's west coast.

'As part of our robust security programs, license plate readers are not only an effective visual deterrent, but the technology has allowed us to collaborate with law enforcement within the parameters of the law,' a spokesperson confirmed.

'The technology has been used in response to warrants and subpoenas, as well as in other scenarios regarding potential or ongoing crimes on the facilities' premises -and it has supported the arrest and prosecution of those committing crimes.'

The cameras were labeled to disclose to passersby they were filming - but she declined to comment when asked about where the company had these cameras deployed.

Meanwhile, police forces around the world over the past few years continue to pick up Flock as a partner - with more than 1,800 law enforcement agencies taking part.

Overall, more than 3,000 American communities use Flock technology, only ten years since the startup surfaced in 2014.

The firm today is valued at nearly $4billion, and continues to receive a steady stream of venture capital.

In 2022, it raised an astounding $300 million in just seven months, followed by $38 million in Series B funding February the following year.

It uses real-time data 'to enable and incentivize safer driving,' a description on its website states - describing the effort as 'the world's first fully digital insurance company for connected and autonomous commercial vehicles.'

'Eliminate crime in your community' a chyron geared toward businesses in the private sector - such as grocery stores - reads.
Millions of Americans are preparing to travel across the nation to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday weekend with their families.

But only one set of patriots can claim to be the proudest.

According to a new ranking from WalletHub, Virginia - home of America's capital city Washington D.C. - is the most patriotic of all 50 states.

Alaska and Montana rounded out the podium - while Florida, New York and Arkansas fell to the bottom of the nationalist pack.

The rankings took into consideration a series of star-spangled factors, including military engagement, jury participation, voting rates, number of volunteers and history education in schools.

Virginia (pictured in Old Town Alexandria) has emerged as America's most patriotic state, thanks to its high military recruitment and voting rates

Montana rounded out the podium in third place, thanks to its sky-high volunteering rates

Speaking about the rankings to Fox News, analyst Cassandra Happe of WalletHub said: 'The most patriotic states have a lot of residents who serve or have served in the armed forces, high voter turnouts during elections and a high share of the population volunteering with national and local organizations.'

'Patriotism also isnt concentrated in any one particular area. The top states are located in vastly different geographic regions,' she added.

When it comes to military engagement, Virginia's high number of active-duty soldiers and veterans helped it take first place.

The state ranks third for military engagement nationwide, as WalletHub found that for every 100,000 Virginians, almost 1,900 are active-duty military personnel.

Home of Congress, just over 71 percent of Virginia residents also voted in the 2020 presidential election, compared to a national average of 67 percent.

Virginia also has the seventh-highest number of Peace Corps volunteers per capita and requires US history or civics courses to qualify for high school graduation.

The highest number of military recruits in the nation belongs to Georgia, while the lowest is North Dakota.

Hawaii (pictured on Kailau Beach) has been revealed as the nation's 10th most patriotic state - only being beaten by a handful of states including Maryland and Maine

Florida (pictured) ranked near the bottom of the pack among America's most patriotic states

Alaska was ranked the second most patriotic state in America, while Montana came in third.

For Alaska, the large number of residents who show up for jury service participation helped seal its spot, while Montana has a high volunteer rate.

Alaska also has the highest average number of veterans per capita, while the lowest is in New Jersey - where residents voted in the 2020 election at a higher clip than anywhere else.

The rest of the ranking saw Maine in fourth, Oregon in fifth, and Colorado in sixth, with New Hampshire, Washington, Maryland and Hawaii rounding out the top 10.

But at the bottom of the list, Florida, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York and Arkansas own the unenviable titles of the least patriotic states in America.
A single mum who died of brain cancer was forced to make a difficult decision that will have a lasting impact on her four children.

The world of Teressa Gates from Anglesea in Victoria revolved around her kids, Amber, Ebony, Jade and Zac.

Teressa died at the age of 49 in May.

'Remember me for being a mother, which is what I'm most proud of,' Teressa said in one of her last messages.

'Live well, laugh often, and remember me having fun with my horses and you kids.'

When Simon, her childhood sweetheart and father of her children, died from a heart attack about 10 years ago, Teressa wanted to make sure the kids would be looked after in case something happened to her.

She kept her life insurance policy up to date, then Covid hit, work slowed down, and the bills kept increasing.

Teressa simply couldn't afford the life insurance anymore.

Teressa Gates' final words to her kids: 'I love you all so very much, to the moon and back and all around the universe'

Teressa died on May 18, leaving her children Amber, Ebony, Jade and Zac who were her world

She tried to talk to the insurance company to see if they could reduce the costs but they couldn't. Reluctantly, Teressa was forced to cancel the policy.

Teressa's brother Jordan told Daily Mail Australia: 'Teressa was saying we're getting to a point where she just couldn't afford it.

'And she's like, "Well, I've been fine for the last 49 years. I'll be alright".

'She said, 'I'll get the insurance again, in a few years".

Just three months after cancelling the life insurance, Teressa was diagnosed with lung cancer and told she only had a few months to live.

Jordan remembers her saying, 'Well, that's not happening. I've got kids to provide for, so we're going to do everything we can here'.

Courses of radiation and chemo followed and Teressa's health started to improve.

Then they found cancerous lesions on her brain.

Jordan said Teressa wanted chemo, radiation, the whole works, because she wanted to beat the disease for her kids, like she'd beaten lung cancer.

'Anything she could have, she was having it.'

Jordan said at one point they stopped the radiation.

'They told her, "Look, your body can't handle any more, and essentially it's just going to kill you".

'So Teressa said, "Well, I'm dead anyway. So the radiation might work. So why don't we do it?"

'She had a bit of an argument with the hospital for the last few months, and they eventually said, "You know, you're right, like you're gonna die anyway. So may as well".

Teressa's childhood sweetheart and father of her kids Simon died from a heart attack about 10 years ago

Teressa's eldest daughter Jade turned 21 just two days after her mum's funeral. The only thing she wanted for her birthday was her mother back

Teressa died on May 18.

'She actually passed at the house in home palliative care, because she didn't want to die in hospital,' Jordan said, his voice cracking with emotion.

'She wanted to be with her family and her kids and all her stuff.'

Teressa's funeral, attended by more than 150 people, was emotional and hilarious at the same time.

'My sister was a bit of a funny one', Jordan said.

'She picked one of her favourite songs by Kasey Chambers, 'We're all going to die someday'.

'That that was her end song, and put a big smile on everyone's face and we all had a big laugh.'

Jordan was overwhelmed how the local community came together for the funeral.

He said although Teressa had arranged funeral cover, the local Lions club provided food and drinks at her favourite pub and the local Baptist church's support was amazing.

'Live well, laugh often, and remember me having fun with my horses and you kids,' wrote Teressa (pictured in her younger years)

'The community needs to be praised for what they have done and what they do for people. It's an amazing little town.'

The timing wasn't great: Teressa's eldest daughter Jade turned 21 just two days after her mum's funeral.

The only thing she wanted for her birthday was her mother back.

Jordan said Teressa was petrified her kids were potentially going to end up as orphans.

'Unfortunately, that's what's happened, and I just know that would have hurt her very much.'

The new reality for Jade is now she's not only big sister to Ebony and Amber, she's now their mum.

The three girls are living in a house together.

As Jade's uncle Jordan said, 'They are sisters, but they're still not her children. So it's very, very difficult for Jade to be a friend and a parent at the same time.'

Jordan said he is proud of Jade and how well she's handling this totally unimaginable situation.

'She's been thrown in the deep end. She's a young parent with teenagers,' he said.

'She's stepped up and is really just making sure the girls have what they need.'

The family are doing everything they can to offer support.

'I just tell her, anytime you need to ask me, or you need help with anything, just call. And I'm glad she does,' said Jordan.

As well as juggling her new role in life, Jade is also studying.

Jordan said Jade 'has a business brain on her' and is working on setting up a small business.

Teressa was petrified her kids were potentially going to end up as orphans. 'Unfortunately, that's what's happened'

Although the girls are getting as much support in every way they can from the family, times are very tough.

Jordan's partner Tegan said Teressa did all she possibly could before she died to make sure the girls would be ok, but the reality of life is kicking in and expenses are quickly mounting.

Jordan and Tegan said Jade will be getting government support and they have been great, but it will take a while to come through.

It's the day-to-day stuff.

The rent, the household appliances are on the way out, there are school uniforms, shoes, all the usual expenses of a young family.

'Amber's only got the one jumper that she sort of washes every couple of days,' Tegan said.

'They just hit a kangaroo in the car that Teressa has left them as well. So that now needs a little bit of work.'

To help the girls kickstart their new life they have been thrown into, Jordan and Tegan have created a GoFundMe page.

'Teressa was an absolutely lovely mother. She would have done anything for her children and anything for anybody else as well'

They said any additional money will be put into a trust fund to help the young family.

Jordan said his sister was an amazing person and had just one dying wish.

'Teressa was an absolutely lovely mother. She would have done anything for her children and anything for anybody else as well.

'Teressa's dying wish was just that people would be there for her children, just in any way they could.

'She said, "Please make sure my babies are okay".'

Teressa's final words to her kids were: 'I love you all so very much, to the moon and back and all around the universe. 'I'm so sorry that I am leaving too early.'
Protesters at No Pride in Genocide, offered as an alternative to the S.F. Pride Parade, rally Sunday at Church and Market streets on behalf of Palestinians. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Hundreds of protesters boycotted the S.F. Pride Parade to rally at Church and Market streets on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle The No Pride in Genocide march attracts a large crowd Sunday at Church and Market streets in San Francisco. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Protesters at No Pride in Genocide, offered as an alternative to the S.F. Pride Parade, rally Sunday at Church and Market streets on behalf of Palestinians. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Protesters at No Pride in Genocide, offered as an alternative to the S.F. Pride Parade, rally Sunday at Church and Market streets on behalf of Palestinians. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Protesters at No Pride in Genocide, offered as an alternative to the S.F. Pride Parade, rally Sunday at Church and Market streets on behalf of Palestinians. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

More than 1,000 LGBTQ people and their allies boycotted the SF Pride Parade with an alternative march Sunday afternoon supporting Palestinians and protesting politicians and organizations they accuse of complicity with Israel during its war with Hamas.

A brass band featuring a trio of tubas announced the protesters presence as they marched from Duboce Triangle to the Castro, some waving Pride and Palestinian flags and wearing black and white keffiyehs. Many participants said they had dual aims: to show support for Palestinians and to oppose corporate sponsorship of the citys annual Pride parade.

Pride was originally a protest, said Ana Ram, 25. Its important to have a space to be protesting, especially given how corporate Pride has become.

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Hugh Brinkley, 18, exited a J-Church Muni train and swept a folded keffiyeh over their shoulders before disappearing into the crowd. Brinkley, who flew in Saturday from Eugene, Ore., to catsit for a friend, saw an ad on Instagram for the alternative march and decided to join.

It makes me mad as a gay person to have that identity levied against support for Palestine, Brinkley said. All systems of oppression are connected.

Organizers of the No Pride in Genocide march, whose sponsors included the Brass Liberation Orchestra and Jewish Voice for Peace, accused Pride Parade organizers of accepting sponsorship from companies, including Amazon, that are actively involved in the genocide of the people of Gaza, according to a release ahead of the march.

They also decried the tactic of pinkwashing, accusing Israel and its allies of uniting with the LGBTQ community to demonize Palestinians to deflect from the violence, and in this case ongoing genocide, Israel commits against them.

Ahead of the march, which began at Church and Market streets and ended near the Castro Theater, speakers demanded that Bay Area political leaders  including San Francisco Mayor London Breed and state Sen. Scott Wiener  support a permanent cease-fire in Gaza and stop expressing support for Israel.

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Wearing a T-shirt that read, This is what an old lesbian looks like, Kathleen Duffy watched the speakers while feeding Cheerios to her 17-month-old granddaughter. Duffy, 70, described herself as a longtime anti-war protester and said she felt it was important to pass down the tradition.

Its her first anti-war march, Duffy said, gesturing to her granddaughter. Its important to stand for peace whenever we can.

Shortly before 3 p.m., the marchers set off in a loop toward the Castro district, where Pride revelers spilled out of restaurants onto crowded sidewalks. Spectators turned to watch the marchers block traffic as they coursed beneath the neighborhoods giant rainbow flag before dispersing in every direction.
A woman who lost her father to brain cancer has opened up on how she grieved her dad before he had even died after the disease left the fit and healthy bus driver 'childlike' within just 48 hours.

Peter Pattenden, 59, from Wodonga on the NSW-Victoria border, died in March 2020 just months after doctors discovered tumours in his brain.

Mr Pattenden was once a fit and healthy bus driver who even featured on the front page of his local newspaper after completing a 52km swim in the Hume Weir in 2012.

He became known as the Wodonga Raider's unofficial mascot when he dressed up as a Viking and played his electric guitar to the delight of the crowd.

However, when Mr Pattenden lost his balance trying to put on a pair of socks in late 2019 his partner knew something was wrong and rushed him to hospital.

Doctors attempted to remove the tumours during gruelling 12-hour surgery at Royal Melbourne Hospital the very next day.

He was then approved for six weeks of radiation and chemotherapy in an attempt to shrink the tumours before undergoing two weeks of rehab.

The father-of-four lost the use of the left-hand-side of his body and soon needed help to eat, go to the toilet and perform basic tasks.

Rachael Williams has opened up on how she was left to grieve her father before he had even died after he was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer. They are pictured together after Mr Pattenden enjoyed a meal at her home for the last time

Peter Pattenden, 59, was the unofficial mascot of the Wodonga Raiders. He has been described as a 'character' and much-loved bus driver by his daughter

Ms Williams said her father went from being strong and fit to becoming 'childlike' in less than 48 hours. Mr Pattenden is pictured centre with his three sons and Rachel

His only daughter, Rachel Williams, 33, has opened up on her father's final days, telling Daily Mail Australia his death ultimately inspired her to live life to the fullest.

Ms Williams said her father went from being strong and fit to becoming 'childlike' in less than 48 hours, in a transformation that came as a shock to his loved ones.

They celebrated what would be Mr Pattenden's last Christmas in the wellness room of the cancer centre in Albury, in a day she described as both wholesome and sad.

Eventually, Mr Pattenden was moved to palliative care where a decision was made to limit the number of visitors he could receive to allow him to rest.

'You could see his head was throbbing,' Ms Williams said.

'He was on so many heavy painkillers, his eyes were sort of drooping out of his head.

'You could see that he was really struggling with the amount of people and the conversations and having to stay awake for so long.

'At the end of the day, you just want them to be as comfortable as possible.'

Ms Williams said she began to grieve her father before he had even died.

Mr Pattenden (pictured in hospital with his daughter Ms Williams) was once a fit and healthy bus driver who even featured on the front page of his local newspaper after completing a 52km swim in the Hume Dam in 2012

However, when he lost his balance trying to put on a pair of socks in late 2019 his partner knew something was wrong and rushed him to hospital

'It's really hard to process, it's an emotional f*** around in your head because you're grieving them but they're still alive,' she said.

'And then almost wanting them to die because you know that it's going to be better for them. I knew that he had no life left in him. I knew he had no quality of life.

'He couldn't get out of bed. You feel guilty for just wanting it to hurry up and happen, but it's like, if the inevitable is going to happen, can it just happen already?'

Mr Pattenden passed away peacefully on March 3, 2020 at Wodonga Hospital.

Ms Williams said his death forced her to re-evaluate what she wanted from her life and pushed her to do the things she had previously been scared of.

'It just opened my eyes up so much,' she said.

Loved ones celebrated what would be Mr Pattenden's last Christmas in the wellness room of the cancer centre in Albury, in a day Ms Williams described as both wholesome and sad. He is pictured with his four children

'I was just living in La La Land, day in, day out doing the same thing. It was just this huge slap in the face as to how quickly life can be taken from you.

'Nobody expected my dad to die and nobody expected him to die that way, losing all his mobility and any independence that he had, it was just so unexpected.

'So for me, I took that lesson and I don't want my dad to die in vain. I want to change my life and do things I've been too scared to do and live my life a bit more.

'We ended up selling our house and moving from Victoria up to Queensland, we just sold our house down there and bought a house on the internet up here.'

Ms Williams has shared moments of her 'grief journey' on TikTok where she hopes to inspire people to share their own experiences of loss.

Mr Pattenden is pictured enjoying the sun on his skin after spending three months in a hospital room

A video of Peter coming to her home for dinner for the last time has had more than one million views on TikTok.

Hundreds of people shared their own experiences of losing family members to the same brain cancer, called glioblastoma, in the comments.

'I feel like more people should be open about talking about their grief because it's that saying of we're stronger together, if more people are open to talking about it and normalising it and allowing people to feel what they need to feel, I feel like [grief] would be an easier process for people,' she said.

'Living in a world where illnesses like cancer are so prevalent, it's good to talk about it because it can mentally prepare people for something like this.'
READ MORE: The staggering amount foreign buyers spent on Aussie property

Australia has seen a surge in foreign investors snapping up homes across the country - and one expert has lifted the lid on why buyers from China want to live Down Under.

Cashed-up foreign investors spent almost $5billion on Australian property in just 12 months, according to a recent report by the Australian Taxation Office.

The register of foreign ownership of residential land report analysed data of foreign investors from all countries in the 12 months between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

The report found foreign investors bought 5,360 residential properties - an increase of 27 per cent from the previous year - totalling a whopping $4.9billion in value.

Sales by foreign investors lagged behind with just 1,119 properties at a total value of $1billion.

Daniel Ho, co-founder and group managing director of Chinese-based international property sales website Juwai IQI, told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that Australia was the most popular destination among buyers.

'Most Chinese and Hong Kong buyers today are buying for their own use, as they study, work, vacation or retire in Australia,' Mr Ho said.

'Buyers from mainland China and Hong Kong are among the most active cross-border buyers all over the world... Australia is one of their most popular destinations.'

New data revealed foreign investors bought 5,360 residential properties totalling a whopping $4.9billion in value (stock image, property sold in Sydney)

Mr Ho said investors wanted homes 'convenient for their lives', with Sydney being the top city targeted by Chinese buyers, followed by Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.

Daniel Ho, co-founder and group managing director of Chinese-based international property sales website Juwai IQI, said Australia was the most popular destination among buyers from Hong Kong and mainland China

Sydney's north shore suburbs including Turramurra, St. Ives, Vaucluse and Mosman were popular among buyers because they offer good schools, a leafy environment and a relaxed lifestyle.

He added Chatswood was also a desirable destination with Hong Kong buyers as it offered proximity to desirable schools, the CBD, and Chinese shops and restaurants.

In Melbourne, buyers from mainland China and Hong Kong were interested in Pont Cook, Doncaster, Southbank and Toorak.

Mr Ho said foreign investors have a wide-ranging budget, with the majority spending more than the average price for a home.

He explained one of his clients was a young man who worked and saved hard to buy a one-bedroom apartment in Canberra.

The client, who works and studies at a university in Sydney, plans to live in Australia and bought the apartment as an investment until he finishes his degree.

However, Mr Ho said many families he works with are spending 'tens of millions' on properties considered the most expensive in Australia.

Mr Ho said Sydney's north shore suburbs were popular among buyers as they offered good schools, a leafy environment, a relaxed lifestyle and proximity to the city

Mr Ho said the increase in foreign buyers seen in the ATO report showed overseas investors were bouncing back from the Covid-19 pandemic.

He added in the coming years a significant number of people from mainland China and Hong Kong would be moving to Australia.

'There is a significant wave of post-Covid migration as people act on plans they had to put on hold during the pandemic,' Mr Ho said.

'Economic trends, political relations, and government regulations and fees may push the numbers up or down, but the basic truth is that Australia is an attractive country, and many people would like to live here.'

Mr Ho explained the ATO report encompassed buyers from all over the world including parts of Asia, North America, South Africa, the UK and Europe.

Foreign buyers from all sources preferred Melbourne as the top destination, with offshore buyers investing in Queensland over NSW.

'This is the second consecutive year that more foreign buyers purchased in Queensland than in New South Wales,' Mr Ho said.

However, Victoria and New South Wales attracted more millionaire buyers than the sunshine state.

The Australian Taxation Office's register of foreign ownership of residential land report found Victoria was the most popular state for all overseas buyers, followed by Queensland and then NSW (pictured)

'Foreign buyers purchased 284 homes in New South Wales during the year that were worth at least $1 million, compared to only 200 in Queensland,' Mr Ho said.

'Victoria got by far the most millionaire buyers, with 569 foreign buyer transactions worth over $1 million each.'

The register of foreign ownership of residential land report found prime locations for foreign buyers included Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sydney.

Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland represented 74.9 per cent of all the homes bought by overseas investors.

The average price of a home was $914,000, with the report finding luxury properties worth more than $1million accounted for 78 per cent of purchased homes.

The report didn't provide a breakdown of the percentage of nationalities purchasing property in Australia.
A children's nurse has been arrested and charged with allegedly stalking a female politician after meeting her on a dating app.

The senior MP, who Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to name, was allegedly stalked and harassed by 39-year-old Adrianne McKinney via the nurse's mobile phone, and Instagram page warmhoneyandmilk, after they met on Hinge.

Ms McKinney is also facing stalking charges against two other women and allegedly accessing one of their private hospital records with intent to intimidate.

The former Randwick Children's Hospital specialist child nurse has been stood down from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) amid police investigations.

Ms McKinney, who is from the Hunter Valley and moved to Sydney in 2016, is also accused of using her father's email account to menace and harass.

The alleged campaigns of stalking and harassment of the three women took place between March 2022 and April 2024 in Sydney and in Tenambit, near Maitland.

Detectives first arrested Ms McKinney on April 17 in the Hunter Valley and charged her with seven alleged offences at Maitland police station.

Then in May, police laid a further seven charges against her including five charges of stalking.

Adrianne McKinney (above) is facing multiple charges of stalking

Adrianne McKinney (above) allegedly stalked and harassed three women and is also charged with accessing the hospital records of one woman for the purpose of intimidation

She is charged with one count of possessing data with intent to commit serious indictable computer offence, and police have taken out AVOs on behalf of the three alleged victims.

The AVOs prevent Ms McKinney from going from within 300m of Parliament House or entering the suburbs of the MP's electorate, plus ten other suburbs or precincts.

She is also prevented from having all electronic devices capable of sending messages, and only having access to a 'dumb' phone.

The charges against her are listed in separate courts in late July and early August.

The MP's office said the politician would not be making any comment about the matter.

Daily Mail Australia has sought a response from NSW Health.
A pub boss has hit out at critics after it was blasted for a 'horrific' dark paint job that has been compared to a 'grey plague'.

For at least 200 years, The Wheatsheaf had stood proudly in Caerphilly town centre and for as long as anyone can remember it was painted white.

Over the years the window frames were given a lick of colour - until recently they were purple.

But the new owners have raised eyebrows after going for a contemporary dark shade of grey, one of Britain's favourite colours for homes and cars in the 21st century.

 Slide me  For at least 200 years, The Wheatsheaf had stood proudly in Caerphilly town centre and for as long as anyone can remember it was painted white but the new owners have raised eyebrows after going for a contemporary dark shade of grey, one of Britain's favourite colours for homes and cars in the 21st century

The pub, now named Ten Degrees, stands opposite medieval Caerphilly Castle, the oldest in Wales, famous for its leaning tower, wonkier than the one in Pisa.

In front of the pub is a statue of much-loved comic Tommy Cooper, born in Caerphilly 103 years ago.

But when it comes to the pub's new paint job critics are not seeing the funny side.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, regulars described the paintjob on the exterior of the watering hole as 'gross' and the 'grey plague'.

Retired Asda cashier Sherrene Collins, 66, of Blackwood, said: 'It's just not a happy colour and we could do with some happiness here. It's too dour.

'It doesn't drag you in - perhaps they should have some hanging baskets to cheer it up.'

Retired chartered accountant Robert Jones, 80, from Caerphilly, who had just dined in the restaurant, said: 'The colour isn't my favourite, it's too grey.

'That colour is the trend these days but it looked better when it was white.

'My wife and I had lunch there and it was very good. It's inside that counts.'

A grey wall can be seen on the pub from a Google Street View photo of the pub, which was taken in October 2015

Mother-of-two Charley Davies, 37 added: 'It looks a bit drab and uninviting - it's a modern colour but it doesn't work on a pub.

'Caerphilly needs brightening up - the pub is the colour of some of the skies we've had in the winter.

'If they wanted to change it, why not go for a pastel colour? Something a bit easier on the eye than dark grey.'

But hairdresser Saywan Zainalpoor, who works in a salon close to Ten Degrees, said: 'I'm very happy with it. I know the owner so if that's his choice of colour then that's fine with me.

'He comes here to have his haircut so I'm not going to stay anything against it. If he's happy, I'm happy.'

Waitress Catherine Donovan, 23, who works in a restaurant opposite the pub, said: 'It's a big improvement on what it was like before - I think it looks lovely.

'If you compare it to other buildings in Caerphilly, it is elegant and classy. It's been upgraded compared to what it was like before.'

Electrical contractor Rob Llewellyn, 46, said: 'My kitchen units are that colour and my wife chose them. I call it a sludgy greeny grey, you see it everywhere these days. It's dull and boring.

Locals are up in arms over the changes to the pub following the fresh paintjob by new owners

'I can remember when the pub was white and looked like a traditional town centre pub.

'I don't like the colour but you have to move with the times.'

The pub, once the haunt of drug users and down-and-outs, has been completely revamped since a former NHS nurse and her husband took over.

At Christmas they brightened up the grey by wrapping the building in a huge illuminated bow.

Assistant general manager Alan Tomos told MailOnline: 'You have to come inside to appreciate the theme of copper and charcoal properly.

'We are bringing class and sophistication to the town - if you look around there are many derelict buildings here. Moan about them instead of the colour of 10 degrees.

'The owners should be appreciated for what they've done.'
Surging house prices and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis have resulted in affordable housing being difficult to come by across much of the UK.

This is even more so the case in the capital, where prices are at a premium and space for development is increasingly scarce.

To combat the issue of soaring costs, residents of a Lewisham council estate have been given the chance to build their own homes, which has allowed them to make astronomical savings of 420,000 in the process.

The Church Grove development in the Ladywell area of the south-east London borough is offering 36 price-capped homes to anyone who is willing to put their DIY skills to the test - following an initiative that began in 2016.

The scheme is offering 36 price-capped homes to anyone who is willing to put their DIY skills to the test - following an initiative that began in 2016

Home owner Rory Wakefield is pictured putting his DIY skills to use while working on his home at Church Grove

Church Grove development in Lewisham, south-east London, where homes are being sold uncompleted to allow home buyers to finish off their homes to there own taste

Rory Wakefield, a musician, who was born and raised in the area, has praised the scheme for giving him the chance to live where he was brought up, otherwise he would have been forced to live elsewhere.

Mr Wakefield told the News Shopper: 'I wouldn't have been able to get a house without this scheme. It makes it affordable'.

'I was born and raised in Lewisham, and I would never have been able to stay here without this scheme.

'It is a very positive scheme. They should definitely make more, they need them.

He added that he is still in the process of building his home and is currently working on laying his floors for his abode.

Meanwhile, ambulance worker Martin Oroyan, 61, moved into his partially-owned property with his partner and three sons last month - and has praised the initiative for bringing the local community closer together.

Mr Oroyan said: 'We have been involved in this project here in Ladywell since its inception in 2016 and it has been quite an experience.

'My partner and I were first-time buyers and had been trying to get 'on the ladder' for several years.

'Our three boys were born while living in Forest Hill and we hoped to avoid moving, changing schools and the general upheaval that implies.

'Without this project, we wouldn't have been able to afford living within the M25.'

Couple Pete Bell and Emma Onono - who moved into their property in April with their eight-year-old son - say the welcoming community is a notable difference to how they felt at their old home in Adelaide Avenue, located in nearby Brockley

The new development has used homes which are part of a community land trust, meaning they are owned by a non-profit organisation to keep them affordable for interested buyers

Units are offered in various sizes and tenures, including options for full ownership, part-rent-part-buy, London Living Rent, and social rent

The new development has used homes which are part of a community land trust, meaning they are owned by a non-profit organisation to keep them affordable for interested buyers.

Units are offered in various sizes and tenures, including options for full ownership, part-rent-part-buy, London Living Rent, and social rent.

Indeed, the scheme has been so successful that there is now a lengthy waiting list for anyone wishing to join the development.

Couple Pete Bell and Emma Onono - who moved into their property in April with their eight-year-old son - say the welcoming community is a notable difference to how they felt at their old home in Adelaide Avenue, located in nearby Brockley.

Emma, 48, said: 'We applied for the scheme several years ago. Eventually we got an email saying that we made the top of the list and we jumped at it.

'It has a great community feel. You can't walk from one side to the other without saying hi to someone. Where we used to live no one even knew their neighbours.

'We got one with a kitchen in a concrete shell. We built the floors and painted the walls but that was all.

'I love it. Absolutely love it. There is a really nice community.'

Sydney Thornbury, 57, opted for the full-purchase option on her property over three months ago - and was one of the first residents to move in after opting to downsize.

Indeed, the scheme has been so successful that there is now a lengthy waiting list for anyone wishing to join the development

Sydney Thornbury, 57, opted for the full-purchase option on her property over three months ago - and was one of the first residents to move in after opting to downsize

Miss Thornbury says that she built her own floors, painted the property's walls, as well as building her own custom kitchen.

She added: 'We all love it, it has been fantastic. It has been even better than I thought it would be.

'Not only is this building an incredible testament to what people have achieved but also the community that has been created since going through this process.

'One of the really lovely things about it I think is that every flat is really different. They all have a different style or feel to them.'
Bargain hunters are swooping in on an unlikely boom town in California that was once completely burned to the ground in the deadliest wildfire in the state's history.

Paradise, California, was the scene of Camp Fire in 2018 that left 85 people dead and the quiet community in the Sierra Nevada foothills almost erased entirely.

Nearly six years later - with the help of thousands of people and billions of dollars in aid - the town is now experiencing a construction boom, making it the fastest-growing town in the Golden State.

But the growth has also seen living and housing costs soar, leaving many locals in fear of being priced out amid an influx of out-of-towners.

 Slide me  Bargain hunters are swooping in on an unlikely booming town in California that was once completely burned to the ground in the deadliest wildfire in the state's history

Paradise, California, was the scene of Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history, killing 85 people in 2018 and nearly erasing the quiet community in the Sierra Nevada foothills

The dramatic transformation of Paradise has featured new schools, thousands of new homes and recently installed emergency alert sirens in case of future wildfires.

Plans are also in motion for extensive road paving and modern underground infrastructure.

As well as rebuilding, it is also reimagining itself as a future arts hub and one of America's most wildfire-prepared towns.

Paradise Mayor Greg Bolin, who also owns Trilogy Construction Inc., one of the town's main construction companies, said: 'I can see what it's going to look like. I know how nice it is going to be when it's done'.

But the this resurgence comes with a significant downside: rising living costs.

The expense of living in the revitalized town is climbing - with everything from water to building materials now more expensive.

The price of an average home has also doubled since the devastating wildfire from a median $236,000 to nearly $440,000 today.

Yet while a painful increase for locals, this is still far cheaper than the state average of over $800,000 or $1.25 million in the Bay Area - leading to an influx of newcomers seeking a bargain.

Residents are also battling soaring home insurance costs, the Associated Press reported last year.

Some have received annual premiums that near or exceed $10,000 - leaving many concerned about how they will be able to manage paying insurance so high in an area that is supposed to be among the most affordable in California.

Nearly six years later - with the help of thousands of people and billions of dollars in aid - the town is experiencing a construction boom, making it the fastest-growing town in the Golden State (Pictured:Empty lots and homes built since the Camp Fire line a neighborhood on the east side of Paradise, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023)

Heidi Lange was one of the first residents to rebuild after the deadly wildfire only to later find out her annual home insurance premium had increased from $1,200 to $9,750.

'To see we've come so far, only to have the legs kicked out from under us,' she told the Associated Press. 'This is so crazy to me. How is this the biggest thing we're dealing with?'

Moreover, the town is experiencing supply shortages and rising material costs - making the cost of rebuilding extra pricey, residents told The Guardian.

The increasing cost of living means many former residents may not have the chance to return to the place they once called home.

Today's population is just under 10,000 - less than half of the 16,000 who lived in Paradise before the fire.

The Camp Fire destroyed about 11,000 homes, which amounted to about 90 percent of the town's structures.

So far 2,500 homes have been rebuilt. About 700 are under construction at any one time, many on original lots.

But just six of the town's 36 mobile home parks that served mostly low-income and older residents have reopened.

Plans are also in motion for extensive road paving and modern underground infrastructure

This resurgence comes with a significant downside: rising living cost. The expense of living in the revitalized town is climbing, leaving long-time residents worried about their future in Paradise (Pictured:Homes built after the Camp Fire line a hillside in Paradise, 2023)

Donna Hooton and her husband, who rely on social security, lived in one of the mobile home parks destroyed by the fire.

They told the AP they can no longer afford to move back to Paradise and now live an hour away, in a small, decades-old mobile home.

'We wish we could go home but home is not there anymore,' Hooton said.

Stephen Murray, a contractor hailed as a local hero for helping hundreds escape the fire, has lived in Paradise for over 35 years.

He was determined to return after the disaster, but now worries whether he and his friends and family will be able to continue to call Paradise home.

He is in the process of working out how he and his neighbors can afford to stay.

'I drive around Paradise every day looking at these places that are being built,' Murray told The Guardian. 'There's work here, but prices are just going up and up and up.'

Murray, who knows the town and market better than most, said: 'It's expensive. There's people that can afford it. But what about the people that can't?'

He still lives in Paradise with his family, although his wife is worried the town will someday soon become a trendy upscale tourist destination like Lake Tahoe.

'The rising costs have been challenging, he added, even for someone with more resources. 'It happens about once a month where I'm like, 'You know what, I just need to leave. I need to go where I can afford to.'

There are now endless contracting jobs for Murray, but he does not hesitate to turn some down in an effort to 'keep some semblance of the old Paradise.'

'Somebody was buying six acres of Paradise from out of state and they wanted to come here and build these big mansion houses that we can't afford,' Murray told the outlet. 'It's not the first time I've said no because there's nobody in my circle that I know in this town that can afford a house like that.'

A cadaver dog looks inside a burned out vehicle at the Holly Hills area as search and rescue crews search for human remains in Paradise, California, on November 14, 2018

A burnt car and a gas station remain visible after the 'Camp' fire tore through the region near Pulga, east of Paradise, California on November 11, 2018

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, right, answers questions from the news media as US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue looks on during a visit to the Town of Paradise on Monday, Nov. 26, 2018

'Houses are generally selling fairly quickly,' Warren Bullock, a real estate broker whose worked in Paradise for the last 20 years, told SF Gate.

'And I would say up to 70 percent of the homes or lots we sell today are to people who have not lived here before.'

'They're primarily from California but looking to simplify their lives,' Bullock added.

'A lot of people that I see moving to the area have similar goals or interests to people that were here before the fire: bigger yards, less neighbors right on top of you.'

The deadly fire that destroyed the town broke out on November 8, 2018. Within hours powerful winds had torn through the area that saw the fire snake into the Sierra foothills, forcing residents to flee.

The blaze raged until November 25, with more than 150,000 acres lost and 85 people killed.

In just 36 hours, the Camp Fire laid waste to the town of Paradise, destroying 95 per cent of the buildings in the town of 27,000 residents.

As of May 2019, PG&E estimated they had $10.5 billion in liabilities for the damage caused by Camp Fire and its alleged role in the event. A transmission line belonging to PG&E was officially cited as the cause of the Camp Fire by CalFire.

A burned out car sits in front of a home that burned as the Camp Fire moves through the area

A business burns as the Camp Fire moves through the area on November 8, 2018 in Paradise, California

An exhausted llama lays in a partially burned field in Paradise, California on November 15, 2018

In this aerial photo, a burned neighborhood is seen in Paradise, California, on November 15, 2018

Today, meanwhile, in addition to increasing living costs and surging home prices, many of those who have returned to Paradise are struggling to adjust to the new town it's become.

And while it might be the same place, some say it no longer feels the same.

Paradise was once so thick with trees it was hard to tell the town was perched on a ridge - now the trees are gone, offering a clear view of the canyons.
A North Carolina neighborhood has descended into chaos after the shock discovery of thousands of ancient Native American artifacts - including human bones.

The record archeological find was first unearthed by a construction crew working on a development project along the waterway in Carteret Countys Cedar Point.

A dig then revealed a trove of artifacts believed to have belonged to the Tuscarora tribe - an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States' Carolinas.

Archeologists also uncovered 11 human burial sites - the state's most significant find in the past 30 years and its largest excavation to date.

The multi-million Bridge View neighborhood project has since been paused, but the statehouse is currently considering a controversial law that could allow the development to continue.

Meanwhile, residents are clashing with protestors, with the local sheriff now hunting for a suspect in an alleged stabbing that occurred during a confrontation between the two warring groups, WRAL reported.

Scroll down for video:

A North Carolina neighborhood has descended into chaos after the shock discovery of thousands of ancient Native American artifacts - including human bones

The multi-million Bridge View neighborhood project (seen here partially finished following the discovery) has been paused as a result, but the statehouse is currently considering a controversial law that could allow the development to continue

Carteret County in Cedar Point has a population of just 1,300 people.

There, along the Roanoke, Neuse, Tar, and Pamlico rivers, the Tuscarora lived free until settlers arrived in the early 1700s.

The recent archeological dig uncovered around 2,000 artifacts - including evidence of longhouses, fish drying racks, and ritual sites.

Experts say they all point to an early Native American village inhabited by the Tuscarora tribe, who claim the state's bill to bulldoze the site is a violation of a United Nations resolution with protections for indigenous people.

Sen. Michael Lazzara, a Republican from Onslow, has asked the legislature to overlook the archaeological findings buried there - to pave way for the gated community that would have included a boat ramp pier and fenced in dog park.

As of Monday, there is no word on whether the development will continue, following a forecasted finish of summer 2024.

North Carolina lawmakers, meanwhile, continue to debate the topic at the state legislature - as a separate battle occurs on the ground between those in favor of finishing the waterfront homes and those against.

Those against include the Tuscarora Nation Grand Council, a committee composed of the three traditional Tuscarora communities in nearby Robeson County.

They and others cite how town histories in the nearby region and archeological studies authenticate Tuscarora occupation of areas near Cedar Point until the Tuscarora Wars of 1711, after which the tribe was forced to emigrate to New York.

The findings by the builders and archaeologists this month solidify this, they say - a stance shared by experts like Chris Southerly, the acting state archeologist.

He told WRAL last week of how the site has a rich history of multiple Native American groups - all of whom converged for cross-cultural interactions in the decades before the three-year conflict between the Tuscarora People and European colonists.

'In the [European] contact period, it could have been a part of the Powhatan Confederation - the Indians that were met by the Jamestown settlers.'

As for the weight of this particular discovery, Sen. Mike Woodward, a Democrat from the 22nd district, said: 'In this example Down East, you've got human femurs that have been found - and are still lying there, exposed, on some of these properties.'

'That's a little different than finding a few arrowheads.'

That guidance, officially named House Bill 385, was introduced earlier this month after the find, but was overhauled last week after it was met widespread criticism from Natives and the states Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

Experts say they all point to an early Native American village inhabited by the Tuscarora tribe, who claim the state's bill to bulldoze the site is a violation of a United Nations resolution with protections for indigenous people

North Carolina lawmakers, meanwhile, continue to debate the topic at the state legislature - as a separate battle occurs on the ground between those in favor of finishing the waterfront homes and those against

The trenches dug by an archaeological consultant who found the thousands of additional artifacts, meanwhile, sits marked by small flags, including the 11 human burial sites.

Over the weekend, a clash between residents and Native American protesters from the Tuscarora Nation occurred right across the street, and has since spurred a police investigation.

One man there claimed he was stabbed in the arm with a pocket knife, while others said they were verbally harassed by protestors, WRAL reported.

In a statement, the Carteret County Sheriffs Office confirmed deputies were searching for an alleged perpetrator.

One woman posted a TikTok saying she was part of the Tuscarora tribe and claimed a gun was pulled. She did not return a DailyMail.com request for comment.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Tuscarora National said the altercation began after someone physically assaulted a Native woman and her children.

'Following a peaceful prayer event organized by the 17 Rivers American Indian Movement of NC in Cedar Point near a disturbed ancient Indian burial site, participants were met with violence from nearby residents,' chiefs of the three Native communities wrote.

'Members of the Tuscarora Nation of NC, the Occaneechi Saponi, and other extended Indigenous relatives, allies, and supporters met in Cedar Point to peaceably honor the ancestors' remains unearthed by construction and surveys.

'Residents of the nearby development proclaimed that the 17 Rivers AIM and Tuscarora participants should get off the land across the road from the development, which is currently undeveloped.

'A video of the confrontation on TikTok captured the conflict as it de-escalated, and as local police arrived.

'TikTok removed the video because it violated their policies on gun violence and safety which illustrates the level of aggression the participants faced,' the statement continued.

The nation said members of their group witnessed this, and said that a resident of the Cedar Point development 'physically assaulted a Native woman and her children.'

The statement then points out how 'The NC Tuscarora and NY Tuscarora have separate and distinct governing bodies and represent themselves independently.'

'Despite the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources consulting with members of federally recognized tribes outside the State and with the Commission of Indian Affairs, the State has yet to consult with the NC Tuscarora,' they said.

The tribe added a bill filed in May that seeks to grant North Carolinian Tuscaroras state status would reaffirm their position as a state-protected tribe, stopping the build in its tracks.

'We have received no letter of the findings and no offer to provide evidence of our claims,' Chief Cecil Hunt of the SaddleTree Community, Chief Stanford Locklear of Prospect Longhouse, and Chief Onyas Locklear of Maxton Longhouse said.

A video of the confrontation on TikTok captured the conflict as it de-escalated, and as local police arrived, the tribe claimed. 'TikTok removed the video because it violated their policies on gun violence. The poster, seen here, claimed a gun was pulled in a follow-up clip

Archaeologists have since taken over the site, sparking the debate as to what will become of the finds - and the patch of land where they were found

The tribe is trying to claim rights to the site, and are battling back a controversial bill that would have allowed developers to build on the site and others like it

Referencing treaties from the early 17th century between the Tuscarora and the English Colonies, the trio insisted: 'The State of NC must honor those treaties and embrace their relationship with the Tuscarora to reach equitable justice for our communities who face oppression at the hands of the settler society.

'We demand accountability and equitable justice from the County of Carteret, the State of NC and the United States.'

Meanwhile, in the wake of the initial discovery by the Bridge View builders, archaeologists took over the site, sparking the debate as to what will become of the finds - and the patch of land where they were found.

The defeat of the Tuscaroras more than 300 years before marked the end of their dominance along the North Carolina coastal plains.

Those who remain are now the only Indigenous group in the state to claim rights to the site, and are battling back a controversial bill that would have allowed developers to build on the site and others like it.

That guidance, officially named House Bill 385, was introduced earlier this month after the find, but was overhauled last week after it was met widespread criticism from Natives and the states Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

This was because under it, developers like the one building Bridge View did not need to disclose to possible purchasers of the land whether there is a potentially significant archaeological site on the property.

The original, introduced on June 5, also allowed developments to 'incidentally' disturb archaeological sites, without halting and digs afterwards.

As of writing, no word on whether the development will continue has been air, as many of the homes have already been finished

At the time, Sen. Lazzara complained of how the Bridge View developers had already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars conducting surveys on the Carteret County site.

Those stipulations, however, have since been stripped - along with DNCR not having to seek funding from state, federal or private sources to purchase archaeological or historically significant sites like the one in Cedar Point.

Under the revised legislation, developers like Bridge View's Cedar Point Developers LLC will now be allowed to ask the Office of State Archaeology whether it believes there are culturally sensitive sites on the land during the purchase process.

If a developer uncovers an archaeological site while working, they would need to pause all activity under existing state law.

Moreover, even if the Office of State Archaeology does not have an issue with a site, it will still be able to restrict development for a period of three years.

The provision does not appear to immediately help the builders, but seems to also offer them a way for them to offload the 21-acre site in question,

The legislation, however, doesnt include state money that could be used to purchase it - stopping short of the demands aired by the Tuscarora Nation Grand Council.

They say the bill still violates international laws protecting indigenous groups, even after the watered-down version passed this past Tuesday.

It requires state officials to do more to work with developers ahead of such land purchase, to warn them of the possibility that they may run into a suspected archeological site.

It also no longer allows developments like the one in question to easily go ahead even after archeological finds are discovered, as the original bill had.

One of the lead backers of the abandoned proposal had been Sen. Lazzara, who reportedly received at least $7,500 in campaign contributions from developers in coastal Carteret County, where the community is being built.

Some homes have already been finished, but the rest are held up as the state decides what to do with the finds - which officials have billed as the biggest involving Native Americans in the state's nearly 300-year history.

Cecil Hege, who lives nearby, is among those in favor of pausing the build. Other residents, however, are clashing with protestors, leading to an alleged stabbing that occurred during a confrontation between the two warring groups

The recent archeological dig uncovered around 2,000 artifacts - including evidence of longhouses, fish drying racks, and ritual sites

Officials like Southerly have framed the remains as the remnants of a place where Native Americans lived for 1,000 years - or more - before contact with Europeans, assertions the developers have largely downplayed.

They're likely frustrated at being the only development currently being held up by the archeological rules Lazzara had sought to weaken, as some say that proposal was meant to move the project forward.

When contacted Wednesday, the developers did not respond for comment.

The day before, Lazzara said his formerly proposed change wouldn't have helped the developers at all, even if it hadnt been stripped as it was this week.

'It needs to be made clear - very clear - that neither the previous language nor this language does absolutely anything for the developer in question that has been written about,' Lazzara told The News & Observer. 'It doesn't affect them at all.'

But even with Senate Republicans seeing their plan to weaken local archeological rules now foiled, tensions remain high over the currently paused build.

After the still-shrouded altercation, the entrance to the gated community remains closed, in a bid to to help address both groups' safety.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Carteret County Sheriff's Office for more information.
She followed in her late mother's footsteps this month by being announced as the new president of the Royal Ballet School.

Lady Sarah Chatto, 60, takes on the role nearly 70 years after the late Princess Margaret became the prestigious institution's president in 1956.

But her new position is far from just a formality, for Lady Sarah takes after her mother in being a dancing and ballet enthusiast.

Adorable pictures taken by her photographer father Lord Snowdon in October 1974 - when the then Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones was 10 - show her enjoying a ballet class.

The Daily Mail noted at the time how the young royal - who was dressed in a leotard and neat ballet shoes - had lessons every Monday evening in Hammersmith, West London.

Lady Sarah Chatto seen at a ballet class in Hammersmith, West London, in 1974. The image was taken by her father Lord Snowdon. She was receiving instruction from Dame Ninette de Valois, the founder of the Royal Ballet School

Lady Sarah, pictured above at Royal Ascot earlier this month, was recently named as the new president of the Royal Ballet School

For the photo-op, Lady Sarah had the best teacher any little girl could imagine: dancing icon and Royal Ballet School founder Dame Ninette de Valois.

Dame Ninette was seen putting Lady Sarah through her paces by placing her arms and legs in the correct positions.

The Mail's report said: 'After the personal lesson Dame Ninette placed the young dancer in the hands of former Royal Ballet dancer Miss Nora Roche.

'Princess Margaret, who was also a young ballet dancer, did not have to encourage her daughter to attend classes. She loves to dance.

'But before any lessons take place shoes have to be tied properly - not an easy task with so much pink ribbon to wrap around small ankles.

'But it is all worth while. Miss Roche teaches Lady Sarah for an hour each week. An hour of lessons for which Lady Sarah waits all week...'

Lady Sarah Chatto (left) seen at a ballet class in Hammersmith, West London, in 1974. The image was taken by her father the Earl of Snowdon

Dame Ninette de Valois corrects Lady Sarah's positioning during her lesson with the dancing icon

Lady Sarah with her mother Princess Margaret, father Lord Snowdon and brother David in 1974

Lady Sarah takes a photograph alongside her father at Windsor in 1978

Lady Sarah being presented with a posy by dance students when she was vice president of the Royal Ballet School, 2009

The Daily Mail's report from October 1974 revealing Lady Sarah's ballet lesson

Lady Sarah has taken on the role of president of the Royal Ballet School after King Charles stepped down from the position and became patron.

She previously served as vice-president since 2004.

In her tenure as president, Princess Margaret regularly attended performances by both students at the school and professionals at the Royal Ballet Company.

Lady Sarah, who is Princess Margaret's only daughter, has long been a champion for the arts.

Her interest was fostered in part by her late father. He and Margaret divorced in 1978 - when Lady Sarah was 14 - after 18 years of marriage.

Lady Sarah studied at the Camberwell School of Art and then the Royal Academy Schools.

She spent two years with her father in India when he was working as a photographer for 1984 film A Passage to India.

The royal has long been a respected artist in her own right and her work is regularly exhibited at exhibitions and the Redfern Gallery in London.
A British tidal pool that is free to visit has been compared to swimming in Australia for its crystal clear waters.

Shoalstone Seawater Pool, ideal for swimmers between May and September each year, is in quaint Brixham, Devon.

While Devon may not quite rival Sydney for its glorious sunshine - taking a dip in the lido is not that much different to enjoying the water down under, according to The Lido Guide.

The publication said: 'Any swimmer who has spent any time at all looking at swimming-related social media feeds will be familiar with the Bondi Icebergs sea pool, even if they have never set foot in Australia'.

A British tidal pool that is free to visit has been compared to swimming in Australia for its crystal clear waters

'On the dullest of days this pool glows like something almost other-worldly [...] and if you have ever seen a picture of [Bondi icebergs} it will leap readily to mind.'

Dating all the way back to 1896, the pool is 53 metres long and has been used since the Victorian era, with the designated swimming area built into surrounding rocks.

While no entry fee is required its owners do ask for a voluntary donation of 3.50 per swim or 8 per family to help cover the running costs of the site.

Along with changing cubicles, there is also and on-site restaurant overlooking the pool from above.

The restaurant, which serves locally-caught fish, has a variety of dishes on offer including seafood linguine, fish and chips and prawn curry.

Although the pool is open all year round, bathers are advised not to swim in the winter months due to the tidal pool's proximity to the nearby Atlantic waves.

The pool is lifeguarded from May to September and the water tanks are given regular cleaning - allaying any health and safety concerns you may have in the height of summer.

Regular events include swimming lessons, dog swims, the chance to take dip at twilight - and even partake in yoga and tai chi.

Currently, the pool is campaigning to raise 500,000 so that a large crack in the pool wall can be fixed.

A general view of the coastal rocks in Brixham, Devon, near Shoalstone Pool

Its website states: 'A crack is widening in the decking by the sea wall because the northwest corner of the pool is being pulled away towards the sea.

'Every tide takes more of the 1920s concrete foundation away. All our annual patching and repair work can no longer keep the waves back.'

Giving their feedback on the site, tourists have been highly complimentary of the tidal pool, leaving glowing reviews of their experiences at the venue.

One user wrote: 'Possibly one of the most beautiful places to visit'

A second added: 'The best sea bathing pool I've used.'

Another said: 'Love this place, its Torbay's most hidden gem.'
Americans are bracing for airport chaos this July 4th as millions of travelers descend on travel hubs across the country.

A record 32 million jetsetters are expected to be screened at airports between June 27 and July 8, according to TSA - but some passengers will almost certainly be better behaved than others.

Scores of videos showing shocking airport meltdowns have gone viral in recent years - with one drunk passenger sparking outrage after slapping a black worker in a vicious racist attack just this week.

Here DailyMail.com rounds up six of the wildest airport moments caught on camera...

Can we get Pete Buttigieg on the phone? We have an upset customer

In April this year, one passenger was filmed cursing and screaming at LAX airport staff after reportedly missing her flight.

'Get me the f*** up on the next flight you motherf****rs,' the woman is heard yelling, before demanding to speak to Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Much to the the amusement of the good-natured employees, she eventually discovers she is at both the wrong terminal and airline counter.

'I'm trying to get home to the girls!'

An accountant and his Louis-Vuitton-toting husband set the internet on fire in December 2023 when they were filmed wailing with anger at a departure gate in Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina.

Mid rant, they even cursed at a woman in the wheelchair as they accused American Airlines staff of keeping them from their pet dogs Shelby and Dolly.

'Remember your girls! You don't care about the girls, you don't care about the girls,' Thorne kept repeating, in a seemingly manic state.

A Karen strikes again!

In March this year a woman indulged in a wild meltdown at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport after she was barred from an American Airlines flight for 'abusing staff'.

The woman was seen on police bodycam berating officers, mocking their penis size and 'mediocre' salary - before making a 'wet' mess on the terminal floor.

She claimed to have only had two 'very full' vodka tonics to drink at the airport bar, but was slurring and incoherent for much of her chaotic arrest.

Tantrum on display

The JetBlue check-in desk at Fort Lauderdale International Airport in Florida suffered through a huge earful in 2019 when a 26-year-old woman verbally attacked airline staff, calling one employee a rapist. She also claimed to be armed with a gun.

The woman was later arrested and committed to a hospital for a psychiatric examination.

'Who wants a fight?'

A 280lb, 6ft New York man caused a wild scene at an Orlando airport in 2022, where he tasered several times by police - and still refused to go down.

The altercation escalated when the man got into a physical fight with his wife and six-year-old daughter and had to be separated by security. He later attacked an airline employee before being arrested and charged.

Find my children, bro!

This is the moment an Alabama mom who appears to have misplaced her children takes it out on an innocent bystander at Miami airport...and the computers.

Police said the American Airlines passenger became 'irate and began to scream' at an employee when her two children had walked away without telling her. She then pulled a computer off the counter and threw it at the agent.

The woman was detained by US Customs and Border Protection Officers during the 2022 incident before being arrested and charged by local police.
A crowd heads from San Franciscos Dolores Park to the Castro district Saturday for the unofficial Dyke March after the official event was canceled. Emma Stiefel/The Chronicle A crowd heads from San Franciscos Dolores Park to the Castro district Saturday for the unofficial Dyke March after the official event was canceled. Emma Stiefel/The Chronicle A crowd heads from San Franciscos Dolores Park to the Castro district Saturday for the unofficial Dyke March after the official event was canceled. Emma Stiefel/The Chronicle A space in Dolores Park was designated exclusively for lesbians Saturday during Pride Weekend gatherings in San Francisco. Lydia Sidhom/The Chronicle Lula James sells memorabilia at her stand during Saturdays Pride gathering in San Franciscos Dolores Park. Thomas Sawano/The Chronicle Saturdays gathering in San Franciscos Dolores Park served as a prelude to Sundays Pride celebrations. Thomas Sawano/The Chronicle Thousands of people gathered Saturday in San Franciscos Dolores Park to celebrate Pride. Thomas Sawano/The Chronicle Phillip Ruise dances during a Pride gathering Saturday in San Franciscos Dolores Park. Thomas Sawano/The Chronicle

If you are a lesbian looking for love in the Bay Area, Dolores Park on the Saturday of San Francisco Pride Weekend is the place to be, with lesbians aplenty in sections of the park marked as Dykes Only for the day.

Thousands of people sprawled over every inch of grass in the park Saturday, with Pride flags waving amid wafts of street meat and beer cans sweating under the early evening sun.

Head over to the south side of the park, toward 20th Street, to find an area blocked off by yellow hazard tape and a sign welcoming every single dyke in the great mosaic of dykes.

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Butch lesbians, femme lesbians, young lesbians, trans lesbians, a lesbian old enough to have witnessed the 1969 Stonewall riots and many others gathered in the section, sitting on picnic blankets and under tents. Strangers offered one another White Claw hard seltzers in solidarity.

From left, Blue, V, Ang and Shelby, who declined to give their last names, attend Saturdays Pride gathering in San Franciscos Dolores Park. Thomas Sawano/The Chronicle

While some focused on stripping down for the makeshift slip-and-slide and one couple concentrated, tear-laden, on breaking up in the Dykes Only area, others were busy getting the word out about an unofficial Dyke March, a Pride event for lesbians that has been held at Dolores Park since the 1990s.

Word spread about the march as someone walked around with a sign telling people to gather to start marching at 5 p.m. About 300 people paraded down the marchs usual route  starting at 18th Street, going left on Valencia, 16th, Market and Castro streets, before ending at 19th Street.

Marchers, who had been chanting Stand up, fight back, added Lock him up to the chorus when prompted by a bystander wearing a T-shirt bearing those words alongside a mug shot of former President Donald Trump. The group did not march behind any particular banner, but some people sported signs that read, Dyke for Palestine.

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Confusion around the organization of the march abounded. Earlier this week, organizers of the official Dyke March announced they were canceling this years event due to internal conflicts, leadership deaths and burnout.

A crowd heads from San Franciscos Dolores Park to the Castro district Saturday for the unofficial Dyke March after the official event was canceled. Emma Stiefel/The Chronicle

A fledgling committee said it formed and met to begin planning the 2025 Dyke March and rebuilding the organization.

There hasnt been an organized Dyke March (in the traditions of years past) since pre-pandemic, but that hasnt stopped dykes from marching, read a statement from the newly formed committee. The group said there was no known effort to host a march this year, adding that the last of the previous leadership team stepped down a few weeks ago and no plans were in place for events this year.

The Dykes Only space is organized and run by a different group than the Dyke March and will continue regardless of whether the official Dyke March organization and events return, according to the new committee.

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Branding British Muslims anti-Semites in the wake of October 7 could lead to an increase in Islamist extremism, according to an Islamic scholar.

Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary General of The Muslim World League, said 'unwarranted suspicion' of Islam could drive moderate followers of the religion to form the hardline views that lead to terrorism.

He also warned against the rise of anti-Semitism, after vile chants were reported at several pro-Gaza protests across the country.

In a chilling assessment, Dr. Al-Issa - who is holding private meetings with politicians and Jewish community representatives during a UK visit - said, 'We fear the rise of both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia and warn against pushing moderate Muslims towards political Islam and extremism, which could happen if they are repeatedly described as anti-Semites.

'We must encourage the moderate Islam of the vast majority of Muslims in the United Kingdom, who live here peacefully and contribute to its economy and prosperity.'

Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa (pictured), Secretary General of The Muslim World League, said 'unwarranted suspicion' of Islam could drive moderate followers of the religion to form the hardline views that lead to terrorism

Dr. Al-Issa also warned against the rise of anti-Semitism, after vile chants were reported at several pro-Gaza protests across the country (stock image)

Pro-Israel supporters in London. Recorded incidents of anti-Semitism have soared across the country since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict

Dr Al-Issa's comments followed claims from Michael Gove that Jews felt unsafe in London because of anti-semitic chants at pro-Palestine protests

Dr Al-Issa's comments followed claims from Michael Gove that Jews felt unsafe in London because of anti-semitic chants at pro-Palestine protests.

Gove, who twice ran to lead the Conservatives, was mobbed by a hostile crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters at London's Victoria station in November.

He said afterwards: 'What I worry about is that if you're a 17-year-old Jewish teenager, you think 'I can't go into London, in my own city'.'

Who is Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa?

Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa is the Secretary General of The Muslim World League and is widelt recognsied as a leading supporter of moderate Islam on the world stage. Dr Al-Issa has been described as a trailblazer when it comes to building partnerships among different communities. The Saudi national has embarked on a number of groundbreaking interfaith trips including a visit to Auschwitz in January 2020 - which has been called the most senior Islamic delegation ever to visit the camp. Since becoming secretary general in 2016, Dr Al-Issa has met world leaders including Pope Francis and Angela Merkel. Source: Muslim World League Advertisement

Gove was referring to some Jews claiming to be fearful about going into central London on Saturdays due to the anti-Semitic nature of some placards brandished by crowds, some of whom were heard chanting 'From the River to the Sea'.

Those who expressed such fears include former Justice Minister Lord Wolfson, who said his daughter had been left 'wondering whether it was safe to go on the Tube.'

At the same time, recorded incidents of anti-Semitism have soared across the country since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

In an effort to counter this, Dr Al-Issa's peacekeeping mission to the UK will see him call for Muslims to invite Jews to Mosques across the country, as the capital continues to face weekly protests on Gaza, often separated from counter-protests by police.

Dr Al-Issa - who led a delegation of religious leaders to Auschwitz in 2020 - condemned extremist chants and speeches and claimed that they serve violent agendas.

Dr Al-Issa said: 'The extremist minority who use this conflict to sow hatred between nations and peoples, especially hostility to Islam and anti-Semitism, must be isolated.'

'Spreading hate messages in any way only strengthens the arguments of extremists on all sides, who are using this conflict to achieve their goals. What is happening in Gaza is the responsibility of the Israeli Government, not all Jewish people.'

The Muslim World League Mosque and offices in north London welcomed Jewish representatives at an event to mark the end of Eid last week.

Dr Al-Issa will give a keynote speech at the Policy Exchange think tank in Westminster on Monday.
Top U.S. doctors have issued a chilling warning over the rise of mail-order ketamine therapy after clinics started posting the drug as an injectable.

Tens of thousands of Americans are flocking to the sedative as a growing body of research shows it can be used to treat depression.

But experts have sounded the alarm over firms who post the drug to vulnerable customers following cursory online checks.

Doctors say unsupervised administration of the tranquilizer, despite being legal, is 'a recipe for disaster'.

Now, the American Society of Physicians, Psychotherapists, and Practitioners (ASKP3), the largest think tank for ketamine practitioners, has warned against firms that have started to post the drug as an injectable.

This photo, posted to social media site Reddit, claims to show a mail-order ketamine therapy kit sent to a customer that includes syringes, alcohol swabs and a vial of ketamine

The tragic death of Matthew Perry, who overdosed on ketamine, has put the drug's booming popularity in the spotlight

Previously, clinics largely offered mail-order prescriptions in the form of lozenges and nasal sprays.

ASKP3, however, said it had become aware of at least one telehealth company 'offering liquid injectable ketamine with syringes intended for subcutaneous delivery in unsupervised, at-home settings on an ongoing basis'.

The society said in a statement that this practice can be 'harmful to patients, and poses substantial risk for misuse, abuse and diversion'.

It comes after DailyMail.com revealed the ease with which customers can now access the sedative, which is sometimes abused as a street drug, after a reporter signed up to an online supply within minutes.

Following a tick-box online survey and short virtual consultation, our correspondent was offered a plan that cost $129 a month and included a package of ketamine lozenges.

Another online clinic, Mindbloom, offers mail-order ketamine therapy for up to $359 a month.

Its website says its 'Bloombox' package includes 'essentials' such as 'an eye mask, journal, and blood pressure monitor'.

It does not explicitly state what form the drug arrives in, but an icon suggests it is a lozenge.

However, the firm that has come to the attention of AKSP after reports on social media suggested it was offering ketamine as an injectable.

Jules Evans, an expert on psychedelic therapy at Queen Mary, University of London, shared a post from The Mindbloom Community, a private Facebook group, which said the firm was piloting 'Mindboom Injectables'.

The post, which appears to be from Mindbloom itself, said customers could now self-administer ketamine into their abdomen using a tiny needle in 'the comfort' of their homes.

It added that this should be done with a 'peer treatment monitor present'.

Posts on Reddit by people claiming to be Mindbloom customers said they had been offered the injectables if they had failed to reach a 'dissociative state' from the lozenges they had been sent.

The Mindbloom Community, a private Facebook group, says the firm is piloting 'Mindboom Injectables' for its customers

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

Evidence suggests that ketamine is on the rise both recreationally and medicinally

One user posted a picture of what they said was a Mindbloom mail-order kit that came with syringes, alcohol swabs and a vial of ketamine.

The injectables are said to cost an extra $139.

ASKP3 said in its statement that 'sending syringes and liquid ketamine to patients for home use is substantially outside of community standards and is highly risky at both the individual and community level'.

It said such injections can cause a 'painful' sterile abscess that can last for weeks and even require surgical intervention.

DailyMail.com has contacted Mindbloom for comment.

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.

In October, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voiced concerns over the trend.

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.

Mindbloom's website 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.

Perry was known to have been using ketamine therapy. 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

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 made public in August 2022, but Mindbloom still proudly trumpets the paper as 'the largest ketamine therapy study to date' on its website.

Mindbloom's Chief Strategy Officer, Mike Petegorsky, previously told DailyMail.com 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.
Progressive House Democrat Jamaal Bowman lost his seat in a stunning primary upset last week. Now other liberal members of the Squad could be in danger.

Bowman's loss in his Bronx district to a centrist Democrat has been painted as a a referendum on progressivism.

It was the first time a member of the Squad has been ousted from Congress, in large part due to his anti-Israel rhetoric that crossed the line.

And now other Squad members' jobs may be on the chopping block. DailyMail.com breaks down who is most in danger of being booted from Congress:

Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., a member of The Squad, lost his reelection bid after getting beat in the Democrat primary to George Latimer. He is the ever first member of The Squad to lose

'I think all Democrats should be able to see how bad this is for Democratic politics that there's a huge amount of money coming in to influence a congressional race in a Democratic primary,' said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wa., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Jamaal Bowman: First kicked out

Bowman has been one of the loudest pro-Palestinian politicos on Capitol Hill since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.

He has accused Israel of committing a genocide and has called for the US to cut off all aid to the country.

He joined a group of pro-Gaza demonstrators on the streets of New York and decried reports of beheaded babies and other Hamas atrocities on October 7 as 'propaganda,' though he later apologized.

He was joined by Squad founder Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the curse-laden rally, but her last-ditch effort to save him ultimately failed.

Cori Bush

The staunch support for Palestinians in the conflict is a hallmark of progressivism and as such members of the Squad have hosted many events and dedicated much of their time to the topic.

Earlier this year, for example, Squad members Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., celebrated organizers of George Washington University's 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' which consisted of scores of protestors camping out on a school lawn until local police forcefully cleared it out.

Now Bush is similarly facing a threat to her seat in Congress.

Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., has recently polled behind her Democrat challenger

She is currently in a dead heat with St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, new polling found.

The survey of 400 registered voters in the Missouri 1st District by The Mellman Group put Bush at 42 percent, behind Bell's 43 percent.

Bush is suddenly in a street fight with Bell after looking like a sure thing in January when she was ahead 45 percent to 29 percent.

However, the poll is not run by a nonpartisan pollster, as Mark Mellman is the chairman of DMFI PAC - a lobby group trying to elect pro-Israel Democrats.

Bell, it should be noted, has separated himself from Bush in that he has been more outspokenly pro-Israel, which could play a major factor in the Squad member's election.

Ilhan Omar

Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., could also be facing a tough competition in her primary.

The Somalia-born representative is facing repeat challenger Don Samuels, a 75-year-old former city councilman who lost to her by just two points in 2022.

Samuels has been arguing to voters that Omar focuses too much on issues abroad like the Israel-Hams war and does not spend enough time fighting for constituents.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., (R) addresses a rally with Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, (L) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., speak against Biden border reforms

Omar was also embroiled in a lot of college-based pro-Gaza activism.

She participated in a demonstration in Minnesota and went to the Columbia University encampment, which her daughter helped organize before later being arrested and suspended for her efforts.

Squad members who are safe

Other Squad members like AOC, Tlaib and Reps. Greg Casar of Texas and Summer Lee of Pennsylvania have already cruised through their primaries and have secured their seat atop the Democrat's ticket.

'Bowmans loss must put Democratic voters on notice: billionaires are dumping more money than EVER to smear progressives in primaries,' Casar posted on X this week.

'Whether its AIPAC, crypto deregulators, or the big business lobby, these interests are trying to buy Dem elections and we cant let it continue.'

'Progressives have a winning record this cycle, but now our movement has to adapt and organize. This fight is far from over.'
A new app has sparked extreme blowback after enabling users to use cameras to watch partiers at trendy nightclubs and bars across San Francisco.

2night, the startup behind the app, had hoped that the service would promote nightlife in the area, allowing users to check livestreams of the bars and clubs to determine if they had the right vibe.

But bargoers were quick to lash out after they learned that they were being recorded without their permission, with some going so far as to liken the service to 'Big Brother.'

Some popular San Francisco bars have also objected to the app, complaining that their venues were being listed on the service without their consent.

A new app has sparked extreme blowback after enabling users to 'creepily spy' on patrons at trendy nightclubs and bars across San Francisco

2night, the startup behind the app, had hoped that the service would promote nightlife in the area, allowing users to check livestreams of the bars and clubs and determine if it was the right vibe

2night, which was called NightEye until Wednesday, modeled their business after Surfline, a successful app that allows surfers to observe the quality of waves at different beaches.

'The single thing that I can provide that is the most useful is the livestreams,' said the app's co-creator, Lucas Harris, who graduated from Pitzer College last year.

Harris thought that the demand for the app would be hot because San Francisco's nightlife was 'difficult to navigate.'

'It was blatant to me that everyone was wanting a solution like thisto get the vibe that they are after,' the entrepreneur said.

To his surprise, though, after the app was rolled out this spring, it generated significant controversy among bar owners and patrons, who were often being recorded without their knowledge or permission.

'The single thing that I can provide that is the most useful is the livestreams,' said the app's co-creator, Lucas Harris, who graduated from Pitzer College last year

One person who found himself featured in one of 2night's live streams, told the San Francisco Standard that they had concerns because 'there was no sign or other disclosure he could be on camera.'

One woman in her thirties told the Standard that the app was unnecessary and prevented people from enjoying themselves.

'You should be able to let loose in a bar where Big Brother isn't watching you,' she said.

The woman added: 'Just go to a f****** bar... if it's not cool, you go to another bar.'

The app's founder was initially dismissive of people's concerns over the privacy, noting that drinking and clubbing is not a quiet activity.

The app's founders sought to allay public concern over issues like privacy

'I continue to believe that you don't go to a bar or club for privacy,' he said before adding, 'You are surrounded by strangers.'

2night's reach is limited right now and its services are restricted to five to eight venues, which include the restaurant Boto, Brazilian Bar, Trinity Irish Bar and Mayes Oyster House.

At the Irish Bar and Oyster House, the app features livestreams on Friday and Saturday nights, although Harris hopes these dates will soon include Thursday and Saturday, too.

According to the young entrepreneur, the venues with whom the company is partnered are in control of when the cameras are switched on.

He also explained that the livestreams are primarily meant to highlight the live music shows at bars and clubs.

Still, some local club-owners have offered brutal takes on the controversial startup.

Jamie Zawinski, the owner of DNA Lounge, a local music venue and club, spoke plainly of his disdain for the app:

Matt Corvi, owner of the Mayes Oyster House (pictured), defended the app

'Lemme guess, some techbro has this innovative idea of being the rent-seeking middleman charging venues and bands to run pay-per-view streams.'

Rico Avila, the operator of the bar the White Rabbit, even learned, to his dismay, that an associated bar was featured on a list of 'nearby bars' on the app without their permission.

'We reached out to them- no answer,' Avila told the Standard.

The bar owner denounced the app, saying that the White Rabbit would never allow livestreaming and that the idea behind the service was 'bad in so many ways.'

The Mayes Oyster House is a proud partner of the service

'It's completely invasive for one,' he said, before further stating:

'It could encourage bad actors to use it. Thats another major concern...Liability is a major reason, you know, it opens us up to lots of very precarious legal situations.'

Harris has since removed the name of the bar from the list, and he and cofounder Francesco Bini have taken further measures to mollify the angry locals.

The service now blurs the faces of individuals and the livestreams are not saved.

'All livestreams that you can access inside of the application are blurred.'

Other bar owners are more supportive of the application, seeing in it a way to gin up interest in the local bar scene.

Matt Corvi, owner of the Mayes Oyster House, said the Standard: 'I like the idea. I think it's fun.'

He continued: 'Eventually, its going to help the bar and eventually help the kids decide where they want to go. I think thats the main purpose.'

Rico Avila, the operator of the bar the White Rabbit (pictured), learned, to his dismay, that an associated bar was featured on a list of 'nearby bars' on the app without their permission

Bargoers were quick to lash out at the app after they learned that they were being recorded without their permission, with some going so far as to liken the service to 'Big Brother

Corvi explained that he hadn't expected so many people to take issue with being recorded without their consent, noting that there were already security cameras active in such venues.

'These questions are kind of like, turn this around to make it seem like its weird and creepy,' Corvi said, before adding: 'Its too bad that people feel like that, you know. Thats not the intention. The intention is to promote more business and get people to come out.'

'Bars, restaurants and nightclubs are dying in San Francisco. We need help.'
A mother has divided Aussies after complaining about the cost of groceries at Coles and comparing them to Aldi.

Melbourne mum Alondra Gatae vented her frustration on TikTok revealing she had spent $72 on eight items at Coles.

In her video, Ms Gatae claimed for $100 more she bought a full trolley worth of groceries at Aldi.

Social media users were mixed with some criticising Ms Gatae saying it was an unfair comparison as she bought brands at Coles that were normally more expensive.

Ms Gatae showed the eight items she bought at Coles, then the trolley filled with her Aldi purchases.

The Coles items included deodorant, protein pizza slices, frozen dessert sticks, cottage cheese, a shower glove, an avocado and two cartons of free-range eggs.

Ms Gatae showed both receipts comparing the massive difference.

'Somebody make it make sense,' she said.

In a TikTok titled 'Come with me to get ripped off at Coles' Alondra Gatae from Melbourne showed the stark difference between prices at the two supermarkets

'Make it make sense how an extra hundred dollars, give or take, is the equivalent of a full trolley worth of food for two weeks from Aldi. Coles you suck.'

Some social media users slammed Ms Gatae saying she made an unfair comparison.

'If you are trying to save money why did you spend $25 on two cartons of eggs?' one replied.

Another agreed: 'You can't compare when you buy the super expensive eggs over the home branded eggs.

'Even Aldi sells organic eggs. Go buy the no name eggs and compare.'

'What bs look at the items you brought at Coles  now go buy those items else where the cost will be the same stop lying,' another wrote.

'Buy the SAME items at each store, or it isn't a true comparison,' a fourth wrote.

Others were quick to sympathise with Ms Gatae.

'Coles and Woolies are an absolute criminal thievessaying that Aldi are not as cheap as they once wereim missing Aldi in Tasmania terribly,' one wrote.

'Everyone should stop shopping at Woolworths and Coles for 1 months,' wrote another.

One added: 'Plain and simple dont shop there.'

Ms Gatae described some of the replies 'bloody crazy' in response to the criticism.

'Eight items regardless of what they were from Coles should not cost you $72,' she said.

She said the only reason she shops at Coles is to buy items she can't get at Aldi.

'Otherwise I would not step foot in that place.'

In her video, Ms Gatae complained how only eight items at Coles cost her $72, when for $100 more she bought a full trolley worth of groceries at the German competitor

A Coles spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia they encouraged customers to do their own price comparisons.

'We are always working hard to deliver value to our customers, particularly with ongoing cost of living pressures including higher mortgages and rents, energy and fuel,' she said.

'We know customers are always looking for great value and Coles pricing always aims to deliver this.

'We offer great value from the thousands of weekly specials to longer term Down Down promotions which provide our customers price certainty on specific products for an extended period of time.

'All of our current prices are clearly available on our website, our app and in-store and we know customers look at these every day.

'We welcome our customers doing their own price comparisons; however, in the case of this video, it is unclear whether like-for-like products are being compared.'
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has been slammed after trying to take a playful jab at Sydney and Adelaide.

Ms Allan took to Facebook and Instagram to gloat over Melbourne being placed above the NSW and South Australian capital cities in the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) global liveability rankings.

Melbourne landed at fourth place behind Vienna, in Austria, Copenhagen, in Denmark and Zurich, in Switzerland, while Sydney ranked seventh and Adelaide eleventh.

The EIU ranks 173 cities on several categories including stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education and infrastructure.

'If you're reading this from Sydney, enjoy the fake trams. If you're in Adelaide, flights east are cheap at the moment,' Ms Allan's post read.

'And if you're in Melbourne  have a great Friday night in the sports, live music and major events capital of Australia.'

A number of Melburnians took aim at the premier's banter, saying issues in their city such as infrastructure and crime were still going unchecked.

Those issues saw the city drop from third place in last year's rankings after previously holding the top spot for three consecutive years from 2015-17.

Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan (pictured) has come under fire for a misfired jab at other major Aussie cities after Melbourne was ranked the most fourth most liveable city in the world

One social media user described Ms Allan's post as 'cringeworthy', adding that 'all three cities are good in their own way'.

'At least Sydney has a train to the airport and Adelaide isn't run by constant protesters and youth criminals like Melbourne is,' they wrote.

Melburnians found issue with the city's ranking given the current high cost-of-living alongside deteriorating public services.

'The problem is that education and health are terrible and housing is in a tragic situation,' one wrote.

'The homeless people in the city this morning were so wet. What are they meant to do?'

'You might want to try and work with the federal government on housing and food affordability before gloating too much,' a second wrote.

'I cannot believe the amount of money I am burning through as a renter now.'

The EIU dropped Melbourne's perfect score of 100 for infrastructure to a 96.4 this year due to an 'acute housing crisis' caused by a shortfall in housing availability.

Melbourne placed above Sydney and Adelaide, despite the Victorian capital falling a spot from last year's rankings due to housing supply shortages spurring a rental crisis (stock image of Melburnians on a walk)

Opposition manufacturing minister Bridget Vallance also took aim at the premier for her government driving businesses out of the state.

'Sure, we love the footy, but come Monday morning we'll all know the shameful tax hikes under the Labor government under your "leadership" driving manufacturing businesses out of the state to QLD and SA, causing job losses,' she wrote.

'Your financial incompetence and outrageous high taxes making life harder for everyone else in Victoria.'

Some users even admitted the issues had forced them to flee the state for better living opportunities.

'Couldn't find a house in my home town ... I'm over the border getting some sunshine,' one wrote.

'Melbourne is so great that we left, Labor has destroyed this once great city and they haven't finished yet,' a second said.

Another wrote that 'no one in their right mind would move to this crappy state after what your government has done to it'.
A family has been left fuming after claiming their children were accidentally served insect repellent instead of juice at a restaurant in Western Australia.

Marcus and Michele Lemin claim their daughters Hannah and Olivia were given the poisonous liquid at a venue in Perth on Friday night.

The sisters, aged 11 and 12, had initially ordered cranberry juice with their dinner.

But they were allegedly given citronella torch and lamp oil, a red chemical solution used to repel adult mosquitos.

'My daughters just went to gulp it down and they both spat the cranberry juice out and said "it's poisoned",' Ms Lemin told ABC.

The mother then took a sip and spat it out too.

After smelling the liquid, the girls' father demanded to see the bottle it came from.

Mr Lemin claimed the staff member initially refused, but later handed him a bottle of insecticide which had been pulled from the fridge.

Marcus and Michele Lemin claim their daughters Hannah and Olivia were given the poisonous liquid at a venue in Perth on Friday night

Mr Lemin claimed a staff member handed him a of insecticide which had been pulled from the fridge

Mr Lemin snapped a photograph of the bottle showing it had the label 'Plus Bifenthrin' printed across it along with a prominent warning.

The outraged father said the waiter was apologetic and appeared distraught by the incident.

After receiving advice from the poisons information centre, Hannah and Olivia were taken to Perth Children's Hospital, where they were monitored for six hours.

'I was really scared of what it was, and I was scared I was going to die,' Olivia told 9News.

'It felt like someone had poured fire in your stomach and it felt like you had pins and needles in your arms and legs.'

The girls' mother was also monitored at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

All three have now been discharged and are resting at home.

Mr Lemin said he had contacted the local authorities and made a complaint to the Department of Health.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the restaurant for comment

It is understood that the department will support the local council, which is responsible for investigating the family's claims.

Mr Lemin said he hopes the incident will be thoroughly investigated, so no other family has to go through what they did.

'I think it's pretty simple, right?' Mr Lemin said.

'You can't manage a restaurant and allow chemicals to be in an area where these sorts of mistakes can happen.

'As a minimum, there needs to be some steps taken to ensure that they basically adhere to the state safe handling of chemicals and hazardous materials.'

Micky's Italian Fusion said it was investigating the incident.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the restaurant for further comment.
A special education teacher who describes herself online as a 'passionate' educator has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting one of her students.

Allison Havemann-Niedrach, 43, a special education teacher at Freehold Intermediate School in New Jersey, was taken into custody earlier this week, prosecutors announced on Saturday.

Her arrest comes after an investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the Freehold Police Department revealed she allegedly began sexually abusing a student earlier this year.

It is unclear how many times she allegedly sexually assaulted the student or how old the student may have been, though the intermediate school only teaches students from sixth to eighth grade.

Havemann-Niedrach is now facing one count each of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree child welfare endangerment, and was seen smiling in her mugshot.

Allison Havemann-Niedrach, 43, was seen smiling in her mugshot after being arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a student

Her Linkedin profile describes her as a 'passionate, results-driven and sincere educator'

She has described herself on her Linkedin profile as a 'passionate, results-driven and sincere educator' with a 'demonstrated history of "do what it takes" work ethic and true differentiated instruction.'

She has worked for the Freehold Borough School District since 2022, and has previously held positions at other New Jersey schools and in Philadelphia, the profile shows.

But in a message to parents on Friday, Freehold Borough School District Superintendent Asia Michael referred to Havemann-Niedrach as a 'former staff member' when announcing her arrest.

'It is with a heavy heart that I must share some distressing news with you,' Michael wrote in the email, obtained by the Asbury Park Press.

'We have been informed that a former staff member has been arrested on third-degree aggravated sexual assault and inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor,' the superintendent continued, misrepresenting the charges.

She added that the school district 'has been fully cooperative with the prosecutor's office since the outset of this investigation' and noted that 'the safety and well-being of our students and staff have been our top priority.'

Havemann-Niedrach is now being held without bail as she awaits her first court hearing

She has been working as a special education teacher at the Freehold Borough School District since 2022, but was referred to in an email as a 'former staff member'

Michael went on to say the school district 'took immediate measures to ensure' the student and staff's 'protection,' without going into detail.

'We understand that this news can be deeply upsetting,' she concluded, urging any parent to reach out if their child needs support.

Havemann-Niedrach is now being held at the Monmouth County Jail without bail pending her first court appearance and hearing to determine whether she will continue to be detained while awaiting trial.

That hearing is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, July 3.

In the meantime, Havemann-Niedrach's attorney, Thomas Huth, told the Asbury Park Press that she 'maintains her innocence at this time.'
Keir Starmer would do 'irreversible damage' to Britain within 100 days of taking power if Labour wins the election on Thursday, Rishi Sunak declares today.

In a dramatic last-ditch bid to prevent voters from handing Labour a super-majority, the Prime Minister highlights a series of controversial policies which he says Sir Keir would introduce immediately after entering No 10  including scrapping the Rwanda migrant scheme, imposing VAT on school fees and 'fixing' the electoral system to give the vote to 16-year-olds, who tend to be Labour-leaning.

Mr Sunak said: 'It's clear that Labour would do irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power.

'Whether it's announcing a suite of tax rises or throwing thousands of families' plans for the autumn term into chaos with children wondering if they will have a desk at school to go back to. Labour would throw open our borders with their illegal migrant amnesty... making us the soft-touch migrant capital of the world.'

The dramatic plea comes as a Mail on Sunday poll found that a majority of voters are concerned about the risks of a Labour 'supermajority'. The Deltapoll survey also found that 38 per cent of people said they expected an incoming Labour government to hike taxes.

Rishi Sunak (pictured) declared Keir Starmer would do 'irreversible damage' to Britain

Sir Keir Starmer speaks at a general election campaign event in London

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Additionally, senior Tories warned that Labour's policy of giving votes to 16-year-olds amounts to 'vote-rigging'  and would make Britain resemble the Communist state of Cuba.

Writing in this newspaper, Esther McVey, the 'Minister for Common Sense' said: 'Sir Keir Starmer is too scared to fight elections fair and square so he must resort to these underhand tactics to rig elections in his favour.'

Sunak's warning comes as:

The election faces possible legal challenges as thousands of postal ballots in at least 13 constituencies  eight of them marginal  have not been delivered on time;

Labour strategists are 'praying for rain' in the first weeks of any Starmer administration to deter small-boat Channel crossings that could mire the new government in rows over migrant policy;

Tories called for a Whitehall investigation into concerns that Nigel Farage is being exploited by Russian spies trying to disrupt the election, as Kremlin-backed propaganda pages on Facebook were reportedly making posts in support of his Reform party;

Reform reported Channel 4 to the Electoral Commission for releasing footage of party canvasser Andrew Parker using a racial slur to describe Sunak, with party chiefs claiming Parker was 'a plant'.

Reform dropped three candidates following reports they had made offensive comments  although Edward Oakenfull in Derbyshire Dales, Robert Lomas in Barnsley North, and Leslie Lille in Southend East and Rochford will still appear on ballot papers as Reform candidates as it is too late for them to be removed;

Sir Keir was privately warned that his policy over Gaza was likely to cost him seats in areas with a high number of Muslim voters.

Esther McVey (pictured) said: 'Sir Keir Starmer is too scared to fight elections fair and square so he must resort to these underhand tactics to rig elections in his favour'

Migrants arrive on the beach in Dungeness on an RNLI lifeboat. Sunak says Sir Keir would scrap the Rwanda migrant scheme immediately after entering No 10

In his warning about giving Sir Keir a 'blank cheque', Sunak said that scrapping the Rwanda scheme would be effectively be an amnesty for illegal migrants, with thousands being released on to the streets.

He claimed that a wave of tax rises in an emergency Budget he expected to be called just weeks into a Labour government would take the tax burden to its highest level in history.

The Prime Minister said Labour had conspicuously refused to rule out announcing a revaluation of council tax bands, which could see four million households pay on average 1,230 extra each year, and imposing a pay-per-mile road tax in keeping with London mayor Sadiq Khan's hated Ulez scheme in the capital.

Sunak said that Sir Keir has also not denied plans to raise capital gains tax or inheritance tax, and highlighted deputy leader Angela Rayner's pledge to introduce French-style union laws  which Tory sources said would 'throw the employment market into the deep freeze and trigger wage cuts'.

Labour's plan to add VAT to school fees would, said Sunak, drive up to 134,000 independent schoolchildren into the state sector by September  leaving thousands of children unsure whether they will have a place for the start of the school year

The PM also claimed that Labour would build on the green belt, hit taxpayers to fund its green targets and sign a 'youth mobility scheme deal' with the EU to allow for free movement of all under 30s.

Sunak said that Labour 'cannot be trusted', adding: 'We must not surrender our taxes, our borders and our security to them'.

Last night, Lord Cameron echoed those comments, labelling Sir Keir 'hopelessly naive' about the dangerous state of the world.

Sunak also highlighted deputy leader Angela Rayner's pledge to introduce French-style union laws. Rayner(left) is seen sitting next to Keir Starmer (centre) and his wife Victoria (right)

Lord Cameron (right) echoed the comments made by Sunak (left), adding: We must not surrender our taxes, our borders and our security to them'

The Foreign Secretary warned that Labour will undermine Britain's security unless it commits to raising defence spending.

He told the Sunday Times: 'Keir Starmer is in danger of weakening Britain's position and weakening Britain's defences. All in a way that's completely unnecessary.'

And in this newspaper, former Business Secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg warned that Labour's borders policy amounted to a 'welcome mat' for all migrants, with the scrapping of the Rwanda scheme immediately adding 90,000 people to the asylum queue.
A teenager has been left fighting for life while a woman has suffered suspected spinal injuries following a crash on the Gold Coast.

A Holden Commodore carrying five people mounted a roundabout and crashed into a retaining wall on William Boulevardd in Pimpama just before 1am on Sunday.

A 19-year-old Queensland man suffered critical injuries and was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital.

A 20-year-old Western Australian woman was taken to the same hospital with suspected spinal injuries.

The 18-year-old driver was taken to hospital for assessment and is assisting police with their inquiries.

Paramedics assessed an 18-year-old woman and 19-year-old man at the scene.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, launched a congressional task force this month to investigate and educate the public about Project 2025, a sprawling conservative blueprint for a second Trump administration. Among its many action items, Project 2025 expects a Republican president to attack Californias authority to regulate emissions, provide abortions and protect immigrant communities. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, wants the American public to be alarmed as he is.

In March, the North Bay representative was in a Congressional Progressive Caucus briefing requested by several liberal organizations raising an alarm about Project 2025, the 920-page action plan for a second Donald Trump term.

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Prepared by the Heritage Foundation and a multitude of conservative organizations, the 2025 Presidential Transition Project calls for swift, sweeping action from the next Republican president before his opponents have time to mobilize, and describes its mission to expand executive authority, dilute congressional oversight and replace hundreds of thousands of federal employees in siege-like terms.

Our goal is to assemble an army of aligned, vetted, trained, and prepared conservatives to go to work on Day One to deconstruct the Administrative State, project director Paul Dans, one of 17 former Trump administration officials who produced the document, writes in the introduction.

Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, works in his San Rafael office on June 24. The North Bay member of Congress launched a task force to educate the American public about Project 2025, the conservative action plan for a second Donald Trump term. Huffman called it a wrecking ball that would pursue a national abortion ban, deploy the military against administration critics and end the separation of church and state. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

Huffman, chair of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, took special interest in proposals to dissolve the countrys long history of separation of church and state. He is equally troubled by other detailed strategies to impose a federal abortion ban, militarize the border, outlaw transgender identity and hollow out the Environmental Protection Agency, among other recommendations.

Put it all together and its just jaw-dropping, Huffman said. Its all just a wrecking ball.

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Including for California.

Project 2025 urges numerous collisions between a reelected Trump and the nations most populous state, which responded to the first Trump presidency with lawsuits, legislation and one constitutional amendment to defend its ability to combat climate change and protect immigrants, transgender people and abortion-seekers. The wish list for a second Trump term would test, erode and  in the case of abortion  topple those bulwarks, say legal scholars, attorneys and Democratic politicians.

Former President Donald Trump, photographed during Thursdays CNN debate in Atlanta, has espoused many of the same views that are spelled out in Project 2025, a conservative wish list for his presidency that envisions a federal abortion ban, would outlaw transgenderism and facilitate massive deportations of undocumented immigrants. Anadolu/Getty Images

Its pretty much a doomsday scenario, said Rabia Muqaddam, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights. Its a deeply frightening vision of the future thats presented in this document, but its also not that far from reality.

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Its a vision that could touch California in various ways, from sending the Department of Justice after progressive prosecutors to allowing industrial logging in protected forests to treating trans-friendly schoolteachers like sex offenders, and universities and Silicon Valley companies as agents of China.

Despite its efforts to become a sanctuary state for immigrants, transgender people and abortion seekers, California would struggle to protect these communities if Donald Trump is reelected and enacts Project 2025, a detailed policy agenda for a Republican presidential administration prepared by more than a dozen former Trump officials and myriad conservative organizations, said state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

But the expansive social and economic policy agenda is most explicit about its plans for California with regard to abortion, climate change and immigration. Heres why critics say those plans could be hard to stop and why the states conservative leaders are reluctant to discuss them:

Abortion

Reproductive health care defenders like Muqaddam are most concerned about Project 2025s designs for a Victorian-era purity law called the Comstock Act, passed in 1873 to prohibit the mailing of indecent literature, including material on abortion. Project 2025 contends the long-dormant statute (which it references through a footnoted url) applies to abortion medication, used in nearly two-thirds of all U.S. abortions last year.

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They could use something like that to basically create a national abortion ban without going through Congress, Muqaddam said. There arent a lot of barriers to prevent an administration from doing this kind of thing.

Trump, convicted in New York last month of engaging in a criminal conspiracy involving hush-money payments to an adult film star, has made conflicting statements about his abortion stance lately. But in an April interview with Time, he indicated he would permit Republican-controlled states to monitor womens pregnancies and prosecute people who violate abortion bans, which exist as a result of Trump making good on an earlier promise to appoint Supreme Court justices who eventually overturned Roe v. Wade.

Even without a revived Comstock Act, a Trump presidency could constrain Californias reproductive health care agenda through federal funding levers.

Project 2025 calls on a Republican administration to withdraw $200 million in annual Medicaid funding from California for requiring private health insurance to cover abortion, and to pressure the state to start providing detailed abortion data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a condition of federal Medicaid payments for family planning services.

Muqaddam considered such goals very achievable.

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There are numerable tools that an administration hostile to reproductive rights can use to restrict those rights, she said. Most of that work, as it did under the first Trump presidency, would happen under the rulemaking powers of the Department of Health and Human Services, which can establish new grant conditions and remove others in pushing Project 2025s antiabortion agenda.

The heaviest toll will be on people who traditionally lack access to health care and the resources to travel, Muqaddam said. That will be despite the efforts of California and other states.

Environment

Project 2025 calls on a Republican president to revoke Californias authority to set stronger motor vehicle emission standards than the federal governments and to disallow other states from opting into them, as 17 states and the District of Columbia have done. Trump sought to do this in his first term, but his EPAs revocation was still being litigated in federal court by the time he left office and President Joe Bidens EPA reinstated it.

California received its first waiver to regulate emissions from 1969-model-year passenger cars and heavy-duty vehicles in 1968, two years before the passage of the Clean Air Act, and has obtained more than 100 waivers and authorizations for various emission-control programs since then, according to a 2022 Harvard Law article.

The reason for Californias special permission comes from its undesirable air quality status, said Bill Magavern, policy director at the Coalition for Clean Air, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that grew out of the anti-smog movement of the early 1970s.

Because California had the worst pollution  and we still have the worst pollution, and were actually far away from those national air standards  thats why we were granted the authority to go further than the federal government, he said. If we did have air in California as clean as the rest of the countrys, we might lose the authority.

I wish we had that problem.

Six of the 10 most polluted U.S. cities are in California, according to the American Lung Association.

As the state Air Resources Board noted when it was battling the Trump administration in federal court in 2019, the states authority under the Clean Air Act has been reaffirmed and even expanded multiple times by Congress, and no waiver has ever been rescinded.

Magavern said the state remains on firm legal footing should there be another legal challenge, but acknowledged the right-leaning Supreme Court tossed another 50-year legal precedent when it overturned Roe v. Wade in 2021. Who knows what actually would happen? he said.

Magavern made his comments before the high court on Friday reversed a 40-year legal doctrine known as Chevron, and stripped federal agencies of their authority to adapt the broad brushstrokes of policy into specific regulations. Critics of the ruling, including a broad coalition of civil rights, consumer safety and environmental groups, assailed it for turning over the granular work of governing from policy experts to federal judges with little to no experience in climate science, public health or any number of disciplines.

Immigration

As part of its goal to arrest and deport the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the country (including about 1.85 million in California), Project 2025 calls for greatly expanded detention capabilities that can imprison 100,000 alien detainees per day, the participation of police and military personnel, and financial penalties for jurisdictions with sanctuary policies.

California became one of these jurisdictions in 2017  the same year then-President Trump used his executive powers to slash refugee admissions, boost immigrant arrests, cancel protections for Dreamers and immigrants displaced by natural disasters, and ban immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The California Values Act, signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, prohibits local law enforcement agencies from asking peoples immigration status or sharing information with federal immigration authorities.

Kevin R. Johnson, dean of the UC Davis School of Law and an immigration law expert, said he doubts a reelected Trump could override Californias pioneering sanctuary law by deputizing local law enforcement, as he has indicated he would do. But Johnson said the state will struggle to fend off other incursions.

For instance, a Trump administration could conduct enforcement operations and operate deportation camps in and around California without the states permission.

If the president, under the powers bestowed by Congress, decides that were going to increase detention to remove people  theres very little the states can do to resist, he said.

This includes Trumps campaign promise to launch the largest deportation project in the nations history, which Johnson said recalls the current record-holder with the now-racist name: Operation Wetback, an Eisenhower-era military roundup of 1 million Mexican immigrants in 1954.

Johnson, who has been studying immigration policies and trends for decades, said Trumps agenda harkens back to some of the darkest chapters of U.S. immigration history, like the Chinese exclusion laws that spanned the 19th and 20th centuries and the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

In talking about immigrants poisoning our blood, he brings back memories  horrible memories, really  of language directed to Jews in Hitlers Germany, Johnson said, referring to a speech Trump gave during a December campaign rally. It makes me sad to be watching this happen.

Californias silent right

Asked about Project 2025s plans for California, a Trump campaign spokesperson sent a nonresponsive statement. The California Republican Party, which changed its primary rules to help Trump but has yet to endorse him, didnt respond to requests for comment. Neither did California MAGA, a statewide group supporting a second Trump term and directing online visitors to the Trump campaigns merchandise webpage.

State Sen. Brian Jones, R-San Diego, and Assembly Member James Gallagher, R-Chico  the minority leaders in the state Legislature  declined to be interviewed. Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, who recently assumed former House Speaker Kevin McCarthys congressional seat, didnt respond to interview requests.

At least two conservative organizations from the state signed onto Project 2025s advisory board  the California Family Council in Fresno and the Pacific Research Institute in Pasadena. CFC President Jonathan Keller, whose group opposes transgender rights, stopped responding to emails after initially offering to provide a statement. PRI spokesperson Tim Anaya said the free-market think tank was focused on economic policy, not social issues such as abortion or immigration.

A Project 2025 author with Sacramento ties  former Trump State Department official and Pepperdine University public policy professor Kiron Skinner  didnt answer emails.

Mike Madrid said its clear why some of his partys biggest names and organizations are silent on Project 2025.

Its a manifesto of right-wing fantasy  that doesnt play in California. Hell, most of it doesnt play in Alabama, but this is what the MAGA movement is, said the longtime Republican strategist, who has been urging the GOP to reject Trump for years. The more people know about this nationally, the more they know the Republican Party has become an extremist party.

Huffman has made it his goal to communicate what he has learned about Project 2025. He launched a congressional task force this month in partnership with the organizations that first briefed him and his colleagues, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for American Progress, Interfaith Alliance and the Southern Poverty Law Center. He said the task force has two missions: education and preparation.
The producers of a controversial play have been accused of 'infantilising' audience members by giving advice on how to breathe.

Theatre-goers attending Slave Play in London's West End, which opened last night, are being offered 'self-care' tips to help them cope with the production's plot and sexually explicit themes.

The play  starring Game Of Thrones' Kit Harington and Olivia Washington, the actress daughter of Denzel Washington  is about three interracial couples who undergo relationship counselling, which includes role play on a fictitious slave plantation.

The tips can be accessed via the website for the production, which is at the Noel Coward Theatre.

Audiences to West End show the Slave Play are being offered 'self care' tips to help them cope with the production's plot and sexually explicit themes

The guidance can be accessed from the production's website, and includes tips on breathing and 'grounding exercises' such as doing a 'body scan' and wiggling your fingers

The guidance states: 'Breathing is a great way to induce a feeling of calm. Try breathing in for 4-6 seconds, hold your breath for 4-6 seconds, exhale for 4-6 seconds.'

The website also offers 'grounding exercises', which include doing 'a body scan' to 'notice how parts of your body feel' and wiggling your fingers.

In addition, theatre-goers are advised to connect with nature, to 'plant your feet on the ground with your back supported by a chair'.The theatre has also announced that the auditorium will stay open 15 minutes after the show to give audiences a 'reflective space'.

The London production of the play, which opened on Broadway in 2019, caused uproar in February when it announced that two performances might be set aside for black theatre-goers to watch uninhibited by the 'white gaze'.

The show, which is at the Noel Coward Theatre, caused uproar when it announced that two performances might be set aside for black theatre-goers to watch free from the 'white gaze'

Frank Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent, said: 'It is now normal to infantilise an adult audience through communicating the idea that they may well be traumatised by exposure to a drama.'

And Professor Jeremy Black, author of A Brief History Of History, said: 'Should we all issue trigger warnings? Having written histories both of slavery and the slave trade, I wonder whether I should coat them in warnings?'

A spokesman for Delfont Mackintosh, which owns the Noel Coward Theatre, said: 'We have provided a link to the play's website, where the producers have published information, support and resources for those audience members who may wish to find out more in advance of their visit.'

The play's producers declined to respond to The Mail on Sunday's requests for comment.
Rogue Labor senator Fatima Payman has been suspended from caucus indefinitely after she said she would cross the floor again to support Palestine, defying warnings from the Prime Minister and other senior government leaders.

'By her own actions and statements, Senator Payman has placed herself outside the privilege that comes with participating in the federal parliamentary Labor Party caucus,' an Albanese government spokeswoman said.

'If Senator Payman decides she will respect the caucus and her Labor colleagues she can return, but until then Senator Payman is suspended from the right to participate in federal parliamentary Labor Party caucus meetings and processes.'

Senator Payman had initially been suspended from caucus for one meeting after she broke caucus rules last week to vote in support of a Greens' motion calling for statehood for Palestine.

'Will you abide by the decisions of the Caucus in the future?' she was asked by Insiders host David Speers.

'If the recognition on the state of Palestine was to be brought forward tomorrow, I would cross the floor,' she said.

The 29-year-old Muslim senator from Western Australia said she respected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had what she said was 'a stern-but-fair conversation' with her after she crossed the floor.

Mr Albanese suspended her from caucus meetings for the rest of the sitting fortnight.

Rogue Labor senator Fatima Payman (left) has been suspended from caucus indefinitely after she said she would cross the floor again to support Palestine, defying warnings from the Prime Minister and other senior government leaders

'That's the prerogative and the decision the Prime Minister came down to. When I made the decision on the Senate floor to cross, I did it with the understanding that this could lead to expulsion and costing my Labor membership,' she said in the pre-recorded interview.

Senator Payman said she wanted to remain in the Labor Party, bur realised she had upset some colleagues with her actions.

'I understand there's been various colleagues who've been upset with me and frustrated. I've received the cold shoulder,' she said.

'But there has been an overwhelming majority who have stood up in solidarity doing their welfare checks.

'And I know there are Caucus members who have advocated for this matter longer than I've been on this Earth for.'

Senator Payman said she was taking the action because Palestinians were suffering in the war between Hamas and Israel.

'These Palestinians do not have 10 years and so that's why I will use what is within my power as a backbench senator to continue advocating for a just and lasting solution,' she said.

'And I think that's what fair Australians want.'

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told Insiders said Senator Payman was elected as a member of the Labor Party and needed to follow the rules.

'For all of us who are members of this team, Caucus solidarity - what it is to be a member of the team - is fundamentally important to every one of us.,' Mr Marles said.

Mr Albanese suspended her from caucus meetings for the rest of the sitting fortnight

'It's the heart of the obligations that we have in terms of being members of the Labor Party and being given the great privilege that we have of serving the Australian people in the parliament.'

The Albanese government supports the recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a peace process towards a two-state solution.

It had tried to amend the Greens' motion to include that recognition should happen 'as a part of a peace process in support of a two-state solution and a just and enduring peace'.

Senator Payman told reporters after she crossed the floor that she voted for the Greens' motion because 'we cannot believe in two-state solutions and only recognise one.'

'It was the most difficult decision I have had to make, and although each step I took across the Senate floor felt like a mile, I know I did not walk alone,' she said.
A teenager has died and her passenger seriously injured after a horrific crash involving a minibus and a car.

A Mercedes sedan collided with a Mitsubishi Rosa minibus at the intersection of Bussell Highway and Tuart Drive in Yalyalup, south of Perth, at 6.30pm on Saturday.

The driver of the Mercedes, an 18-year-old woman, sustained critical injuries and died at the scene.

Her 17-year-old female passenger was seriously injured and taken by ambulance to Bunbury Regional Hospital.

The mini-bus driver, a 23-year-old man, was uninjured.

Despite recent upgrades, the road is a notorious crash hotspot.

In April, a 40-year-old man died at the same intersection after his motorbike collided with another vehicle.

In March last year, a 69-year-old man died after his motorcycle was hit by a car.

The accident occurred at the intersection of Bussell Highway and Tuart Drive in Yalyalup about 220km south of Perth at 6.30pm on Saturday night

Residents called for the speed limit to be reduced from 110 km/h to 80km/h after a spate of accidents along the Bussell Highway, including the death of a 29-year-old man killed when a truck collided with his ute.

Major Crash investigators are urging anyone with any information relating to the crash on Saturday to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A former aide to Osama Bin Laden has said he is keen to mentor British Muslim children after spending 20 years in jail for his involvement in terror attacks on US embassies.

Adel Abdel Bary said he wants to give youngsters 'skills' and a 'vision' as he plans his first public interview since returning to the UK after his release from a US prison.

The 64-year-old was convicted over his role in the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.

Since his return to Britain, Bary has been living with his wife, a UK citizen, at their taxpayer-funded Maida Vale home.

In a profile piece on the Islam21c website, which claims to 'educate and inspire' Muslims, Bary is quoted as saying: 'The best things for our world now are the basics  Go play with the children, give them skills, give them a vision,' The Times reports.

Adel Abdel-Bary pictured arriving back at his family flat in the UK following his release from US prison

Adel Abdel Bary, left, a former aide to Osama Bin Laden, right, has said he wants to mentor British Muslim children

Bary, a former lawyer, first came to the UK in 1991 to seek asylum from his native Egypt after he had been imprisoned and tortured for his implication in the assassination of President Anwar Sadat.

Last year, an open letter to the US by Osama Bin Laden justifying his 9/11 terror attacks went viral after being discovered by pro-Palestine Gen-Z TikTokers on the Guardian website.

The 'Letter to America' was circulated amongst British Islamic extremists in 2002, a year after the atrocities, and saw the al-Qaeda leader attempt to justify the murderous acts in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia that killed nearly 3,000.

It was published on the Guardian's website in its entirety, based on a translation it obtained, under a link titled 'Read the Bin Laden letter in full' - but the newspaper has now removed it after people began sharing it in the context of the Israel-Hamas war.

On TikTok and other social media platforms, video creators appear to have equated the 9/11 mastermind's views on Palestine with showing solidarity with Palestinian people in the current conflict in the Middle East.

One user wrote: 'Just read it... my eyes have been opened,' while another said: 'I think this has made a lot of people realize that even 'villains' can speak the truth.'

TikTok is 'proactively and aggressively' removing the content and has launched an investigation into how it appeared on the social media site.

Bin Laden - who was killed by US troops in a Pakistan operation in May 2011 - espoused deeply anti-Semitic views and conspiracy theories in the letter, and said that the American army was 'shamelessly helping the Jews fight against us'.

Last year, an open letter to the US by Osama Bin Laden justifying his 9/11 terror attacks went viral

He also sought to justify the indiscriminate slaughter of American citizens because they indirectly fund American military efforts through paying taxes.

He wrote: 'The American people are the ones who pay the taxes which fund the planes that bomb us in Afghanistan, the tanks that strike and destroy our homes in Palestine, the armies which occupy our lands in the Arabian Gulf, and the fleets which ensure the blockade of Iraq.

'These tax dollars are given to Israel for it to continue to attack us and penetrate our lands. So the American people are the ones who fund the attacks against us, and they are the ones who oversee the expenditure of these monies in the way they wish, through their elected candidates.'

The Guardian's digital edition of the letter was shared to TikTok by a number of users - seemingly deliberately ignoring Bin Laden's role as a terrorist warlord responsible for instigating, and inspiring, atrocities across the world.

Nor do most users make any comment on the most extreme comments Bin Laden makes in the manifesto, including calls for the 'rejection' of homosexuality and a claim that AIDS was a 'satanic American invention'.

The letter also perpetrates a long-running antisemitic conspiracy theory about Jewish people, claiming that they 'have taken control of your economy (and) your media...making you their servants'.
Queensland is now the crime capital of Australia, according to a new study which shows a significant increase in violent crime driven by young offenders.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed on Thursday 289,657 Queenslanders had been the victims of crime in 2023 with more assaults and home break-ins than any other state.

An increase in assaults, sexual assaults, kidnappings, robberies, blackmail, break-ins and thefts saw the total number of victims jump 13 per cent compared to the year before.

It also saw the state's residents become the most likely to experience robberies, break-ins and vehicle thefts - most of which were committed by juvenile offenders.

The shocking statistics come as Queensland faces a youth crime crisis highlighted by a report published by the state's auditor-general.

The report found 55 per cent of all youth crime in the state from 2022-23 had been committed by 'serious repeat offenders'.

It also reported the average daily number of serious repeat offenders had jumped by 64 per cent from 278 in 2018-19 to 457 in 2022-23.

The grim statistics prompted the Miles government on Friday to unveil a new four-year youth justice strategy and the state's first Victims Commissioner.

Police data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed Queenslanders were victims of more crimes than any other state across Australia last year (pictured, file image)

The ABS statistics found that of the almost 50,000 break-ins recorded, more than 34,000 occurred at the victim's home, of which more than half resulted in stolen property.

A further 151,501 people experienced retail theft or theft from another person, an increase of 25,107 from 2022 - making it the highest level on record.

The 18,201 victims of motor vehicle thefts was also the state's highest amount since 2000.

Despite only being on record since 2022, victims of assaults also increased by over 6,000 in just one year.

The statistics also revealed about 30,000 more Queenslanders experienced crime than second place NSW despite having about 3million less residents.

Those figures also uncover about 5.2 per cent of all Queenslanders were victims of a crime, the third highest in the nation.

Western Australia - with about 2.6million less people - had a slightly higher rate of about 5.4 per cent while the Northern Territory sits at about 7.8 per cent - 19,782 victims among 253,634 residents.

The day after the statistics were released, the Miles Government announced Rebecca O'Connor, who is the CEO of DVConnect and Victim Connect, would be appointed as the state's first Victims Commissioner.

An increase in assaults, sexual assaults, robberies, blackmail, break ins and thefts saw the total number of victims jump 13 per cent since last year to just under 300,000 (pictured, file image)

Victims of crimes by state in 2023 Queensland - 289,657 New South Wales - 259,171 Victoria - 194,090 Western Australia - 157,498 South Australia - 90,397 Tasmania - 20,034 Northern Territory - 19,782 Australian Capital Territory - 12,822 Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Advertisement

The establishment of her office cost the government $18million while a further $2.97million was given to 'support the Victims Commissioners functions'.

'The independent Victims Commissioner will conduct systemic reviews and importantly will consult with victims of crime on matters relating to them,' Queensland's attorney-general Yvette DAth said.

'Ms OConnor will make recommendations and provide advice to the Attorney-General about those areas of responsibility and monitor the implementation of those recommendations.'

Just hours later, the 2024-2028 Youth Justice Strategy was revealed by the state's education and youth justice minister Di Farmer.

The plan looks to 'to tackle the root causes of crime and support community safety'.

'The Intensive Bail Initiative, expansion of Electronic Monitoring and other amendments made to the Youth Justice Act will ensure serious repeat offenders are held to account for their actions,' Ms Farmer said in a statement.
A Florida man faces a grueling recovery following a 'severe' shark attack this past Friday, the aftermath of which was caught on camera.

The images, released by The Nassau County Sheriff's Office Saturday, show the unnamed victim sitting in a rescue boat immediately after the vicious thrashing, during which he suffered a bite to his right arm.

Bleeding out, the fisherman was eventually airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he is still listed in critical condition.

The man, who is in his 40s, is expected to survive, and is only the latest to fall victim to a surge of shark attacks on Florida's infamous Gulf Coast.

Local authorities have warned swimmers of the dangers of such waters, as three women were hurt in two separate attacks earlier this month.

Scroll down for video:

Photos show how a Florida man faces a grueling recovery following a 'severe' shark attack this past Friday, where he suffered a bite to his right arm while fishing and was airlifted to a hospital

Cops who responded to the crisis offered an update in the form of a video posted to social media that same day, in which Sheriff Bill Leeper (seen here) detailed what had just happened

Cops who responded to the most recent crisis offered an update in the form of a video posted to social media that same day, in which Sheriff Bill Leeper shared images of the man's injuries.

'At 11:15 a.m. today, the Nassau County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) Marine Unit responded to a distress call reporting a shark bite,' he said.

'A man aboard his vessel had suffered a severe bite to his right arm.

'Upon arrival, NCSO deputies found the victim with a critical injury.

'Acting swiftly, a deputy boarded the vessel and applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. '

The deputy then 'piloted' the mans boat to a nearby boat ramp, where the Fernandina Beach Fire Rescue had been waiting, Leeper said.

'The victim was immediately airlifted to a nearby hospital. He is currently listed in critical condition but is expected to recover,' the sheriff concluded.

Officials did not provide any additional information - aside from the fact that after being airlifted to the nearby UF Hospital, the victim was 'alert and... recovering.'

'At 11:15 a.m. today, the Nassau County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) Marine Unit responded to a distress call reporting a shark bite. A man aboard his vessel had suffered a severe bite to his right arm. Upon arrival, NCSO deputies found the victim with a critical injury,' Leeper said

'Acting swiftly, a deputy boarded the vessel and applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. The deputy then 'piloted' the mans boat to the Dee Dee Bartels boat ramp, where rescue officials were waiting. He was then airlifted to a hospital, where he is currently in 'critical' condition

Earlier this month, three people were injured in shark attacks around Walton County - all on beaches located on the Sunshine State's western shore within a few miles of each other.

At the time, the South Walton Fire District warned onlookers: 'Please do not underestimate the open water and any of the marine life that could be present.'

In the first instance, a 45-year-old woman was 'reportedly swimming just past the first sandbar with her husband' near WaterSound Beach, before being bit on her midsection and pelvic area and left arm officials said.

Her left lower arm had to be amputated, officials in that case said, adding how she too was airlifted to a trauma facility for treatment.

The second attack occurred at the Sandy Shores Court area of Seacrest Beach a few days later, four miles east of the first incident.

Two unnamed girls ages 15 and 17 were in waist-deep water with a group of friends when they were attacked, with with one of the girls suffering significant injuries to her upper leg and one of her hands, and the other receiving more minor injuries to her foot, officials said.

The first girl, at the time, was reported to have been in critical condition while the third was in stable.

Earlier this month, three people were injured in shark attacks around Walton County - all on beaches located on the Sunshine State's western shore. Pictured, A great white not related to any of those attacks, two of which left people in critical condition

The incident also comes weeks after a well-known surfer was killed by a shark in Hawaii on Sunday, after working as a lifeguard with Honolulu Ocean Safety since 2016

The incident also comes weeks after a well-known surfer was killed by a shark in Hawaii on Sunday, after working as a lifeguard with Honolulu Ocean Safety since 2016.

'The world knew Tamayo [Perry as a surfer and an actor, but to those who knew him best, he was a man of deep faith... now taken too soon,' his wife Emilia told ABC news of the 49-year-old victim.

'I feel so upset and devastated. But I also have a weird calmness in my heart knowing that he's in a better place.'

The last fatal shark incident in Hawaii was December 30 when a man surfing off Maui was attacked about 150 yards from shore.

Nassau County, meanwhile, is located about 150 miles north of Volusia County, a part of Florida considered to be shark bite capital of the world,

There, there were 17 recorded shark bite bites in 2021, according to the Florida Museum of Natural Historys International Shark Attack File.

Individuals in the state also were subject to 16 attacks last year, a number that accounts for 44 percent of all of the attacks that year in the entire U.S.

The victim, seen holding out his savaged arm in the censored images, has not been named.
Russian hackers are suspected of attempting to infiltrate one of London's most exclusive clubs, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The Carlton Club, which counts top Tory politicians including former prime ministers among its elite list of members, fell victim to a sinister email 'phishing' campaign last week.

Members of the 200-year-old club  dubbed the spiritual home of the Tory Party  received what looked like a genuine email from the club's fundraising political committee last week. But it turned out to be fake.

The email had a link to a file called 'donations funding'. Once clicked on, it sent recipients to an obscure Russian web address that security experts warn is under the control of cyber criminals.

A former member of the Carlton sounded the alarm on Wednesday. Human rights lawyer David Haigh said: 'It was so well done. An email that purports to provide a list of political donors, of course people are going to be interested in that.'

The Carlton Club, which counts Tory politicians and former prime ministers as its members, fell victim to a sinister email 'phishing' campaign last week

He added: 'And when you think about the membership of the Carlton Club, if it's some kind of ransomware that gets into people's computers, imagine what it could potentially do.'

After he informed the club, it messaged all members, warning that the email had not come from the Carlton and advised them that they should delete it.

The Mail on Sunday worked with cybersecurity company Cyjax to assess the email and its contents.

Ian Thornton-Trump, the firm's chief information security officer, said: 'From our analysis, we can absolutely guarantee that the systems at the Carlton Club have been compromised.

'We found weaknesses around their online security, and staff email addresses from a previous hack on another organisation. It could be that these have been used as source material to launch this sophisticated cyber attack.

'The Russian web link itself appears to have only been created five days ago, meaning that the compromise may have had a relatively short time span. That would indicate that it was created specifically for the purposes of this attack, which we assess to be highly targeted.'

The Carlton Club was the setting of a Conservative-led coup in 1922, when backbench MPs decided to withdraw from David Lloyd George's coalition government.

Women were unable to join the club until 2008, although Margaret Thatcher was given special dispensation to become an 'honorary member' and later went on to become its second president

It was formed in 1832 by the Duke of Wellington, and Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher were members, though women were unable to join until 2008.

Mrs Thatcher was given special dispensation to become an 'honorary member'. She later went on to become its second president. Her portrait still hangs on the wall of the Wellington dining room.

Philip Ingram, a former senior military intelligence officer, said: 'We have seen MPs targeted in honeytrap and online phishing campaigns, and it would not be surprising if an exclusive club for members of the Tory party was seen as a consequential target.

'There's no telling how many people will have clicked on that email, so personal details and privileged financial information could already have been compromised.

'This is a concerning development and yet another indication that we are effectively at cyber-war with Russia.'
Rogue Labor senator Fatima Payman says she would cross the floor again to support Palestine, defying warnings from the Prime Minister and other senior government leaders.

Senator Payman was suspended from caucus for one meeting after she broke caucus rules last week to vote in support of a Greens' motion calling for statehood for Palestine.

'Will you abide by the decisions of the Caucus in the future?' she was asked by Insiders host David Speers.

'If the recognition on the state of Palestine was to be brought forward tomorrow, I would cross the floor,' she said.

The 29-year-old Muslim senator from Western Australia said she respected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had what she said was 'a stern-but-fair conversation' with her after she crossed the floor.

Mr Albanese suspended her from caucus meetings for the rest of the sitting fortnight.

'That's the prerogative and the decision the Prime Minister came down to,' she said in a pre-recorded interview.

'When I made the decision on the Senate floor to cross, I did it with the understanding that this could lead to expulsion and costing my Labor membership.'

Rogue Labor senator Fatima Payman (pictured) says she would cross the floor again to support Palestine , defying warnings from the Prime Minister

Senator Payman said she wanted to remain in the Labor Party, bur realised she had upset some colleagues with her actions.

'I understand there's been various colleagues who've been upset with me and frustrated. I've received the cold shoulder,' she said.

'But there has been an overwhelming majority who have stood up in solidarity doing their welfare checks.

'And I know there are Caucus members who have advocated for this matter longer than I've been on this Earth for.'

Senator Payman said she was taking the action because Palestinians were suffering in the war between Hamas and Israel.

'These Palestinians do not have 10 years and so that's why I will use what is within my power as a backbench senator to continue advocating for a just and lasting solution,' she said.

'And I think that's what fair Australians want.'
Annastacia Palaszczuk has stood by her drastic Covid lockdowns despite families being separated from dying loved ones because of them.

The former Queensland premier will lead a panel discussion around Australia's response to Covid on 7News Spotlight at 8.45pm on Sunday night.

Ms Palaszczuk said the decisions were not made lightly and that she would go home every night and question whether she had done the right thing.

'Not everything was right, not everything was perfect, but we got through it,' she said.

Despite facing widespread criticism at the time, Ms Palaszczuk stood by her decision to enforce harsh lockdown measures and close the state borders.

The measure greatly impacted families who were unable to say goodbye to their dying relatives.

'It was very difficult at the time, but the results for Queensland in the end, I do stand by it, but I do acknowledge it was very difficult and hard for families,' she said.

'The end result was we only had tragically seven deaths during that whole period of that two years before we opened up our borders, so I think the results show that it did work.'

Ms Palaszczuk avoided commenting on what she could have done better or whether she would make the same decisions today.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has spoken out about the backlash she received for separating dying families from each other during Covid

Instead, she focused on the lessons learned during the pandemic, saying they needed better access to vaccines and masks.

'We didn't have the masks and everything else that was needed so, we actually have domestic manufacturing, but we also have, I believe, a stronger economy that's come out of it,' she said.

'For me in the grips of that early time, that early stages when we first heard about this virus, I didn't know, I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we got there, and we got there as a nation.'

Spotlight host Michael Usher said the segment would look back at 'what our leaders and experts did right and wrong during the Covid pandemic'.

'We found it's still a very emotional issue to discuss. It's a very honest debate,' he said.

'Some will never be happy with Australia's pandemic response, some think we did the right things for the greater good, and we found now is the right time to discuss how some people were failed.'

The former Queensland Premier enforced some of the toughest restriction in the country, and has since admitted that some of those decisions have weighed on her mind

During that pandemic, Ms Palaszczuk's strict restrictions were unpopular with many Australians.

She closed the Queensland border to Sydney and Victorian residents for 250 days in 2020, before slamming it shut on another two occasions.

Mark Kilian was among those who lashed out at the former premier for her lack of compassion after he was refused a quarantine exemption to see his 80-year-old father who was dying of pancreatic cancer in a hospital on the Gold Coast.

After the passing of his own mother, former Labor leader Bill Shorten urged Ms Palaszczuk must exercise compassion.

When the borders did reopen, people weren't so complimentary, with many pointing out that families had been separated, Queenslanders couldn't come home and businesses had been destroyed.

The episode 'After Covid' airs at 8.45pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.
An accomplished service member who once won the 'Soldier of the Year' award for her leadership and achievements has revealed how she kept a major secret throughout her military career.

Karen Holmes enlisted in the Maryland Defense Force in 2011 as a corporal, and over the next five years, she climbed the ranks and earned coveted awards.

But for nearly half a decade, Holmes kept quiet about her big secret: she was transgender.

At the time she joined the Force, the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' military policy had only just been repealed, so she was worried how others would take the truth.

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' adopted in 1994 under the Clinton administration, prohibited LGBTQ soldiers from openly expressing their identities to their comrades, with the penalty for doing so potentially being discharged.

An accomplished service member who once won the 'Soldier of the Year' award for her leadership and achievements kept a major secret throughout her military career

Karen Holmes enlisted in the Maryland Defense Force in 2011 as a corporal, and over the next five years, she climbed the ranks and earned coveted awards

Holmes, who joined the force only two months after the policy was repealed, said that 'the transitional period in the years that followed while serving... were challenging.'

At the time, she didn't know how the other soldiers would react to her transgender identity and she feared being outed.

'I just didn't know how the response was going to be,' she told WTOP.

'I kept it very secret.'

In 2001, Holmes began working for Americorps, a governmental agency that offers volunteer service to people in difficult situations across the country.

Through her impressive work with the organization, she caught the attention of the Maryland Defense Force, who recruited her for her service at a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) rodeo.

Early on in the onboarding process, though, Holmes feared that the recruiters would discover that she was transgender.

'After I transitioned - to have to hide who you are - I was afraid if somebody spotted me,' she revealed to WTOP.

But for nearly half a decade, Holmes kept quiet about her big secret: she was transgender

'What if somebody knew that I was transgender?'

Fortunately, she was able to secure a physical from her personal doctor and submit her passport, which featured the name she had changed from birth.

After Harris was accepted by the state force, she began her career as a modest corporal but soon rose through the ranks and drew the admiration of the other service members, who had no idea she was transgender.

During her time in the organization, she joined the Color Guard team and led various teams, the members of which were responsive to her orders.

Then Holmes's sterling performance caught the attention of the Maryland State Guard Association, who named her the NCO Soldier of the year.

In 2013, Holmes garnered national recognition and was honored by the State Guard Association of the United States as 'Solider of the Year.'

At the time of the award, Brigadier General Brian R. Kelm said: 'Sgt. Holmes perseveres through any and all obstacles in her efforts to complete a mission. She is very deserving of this honor and she continues to impress us all.'

'What if somebody knew that I was transgender?' Holmes asked

Holmes said that her success prompted many female soldiers to approach her and thank her for representing them on a national stage.

'The response I heard at both awards were the female soldiers coming up to me and going, 'great job, you're doing it for us,' and I'm like saying to myself, 'yeah,' because that's in my mind, heart and spirit.'

She continued: 'But I'm also doing it for the transgender community which I can't talk about because they didn't want us in there.'

By the time Holmes retired from the Force in 2017, she was a Staff Sergeant.

During a television interview with Baltimore's ABC-TV affiliate, Holmes discussed transgender people serving in the military, at which point everyone in her command learned that she was transgender.

In 2013, Holmes garnered national recognition and was honored by the State Guard Association of the United States as 'Solider of the Year'

Holmes said that the show's producers reached out to the National Guard, which is supported by the Maryland Defense Force, for comment.

She recounted that her fellow soldiers responded with only support.

Holmes added: 'We are always backing up each other. That's who you'd consider a battle buddy, you've got somebody there who's going to watch your back.'

After retiring from the Force, Holmes joined the Veterans Reserve Corps, where she serves as a Chief Warrant Officer.
Santa Rosa police say they recovered firearms, drugs and cash during the traffic stop of a bicyclist. Santa Rosa Police Department

The Santa Rosa Police Department on Friday arrested a man who was in possession of a knife, metal knuckles, an unregistered revolver and a concealed ghost gun, they said.

The man was also found with 14.25 grams of what officers said they suspected to be methamphetamine, as well as a scale and packaging materials to sell drugs.

The incident began around 10:15 p.m., when officers stopped the man, whom they identified as 40-year-old Duston Voorhes, after committing a traffic violation on his bicycle on Cleveland Avenue near Highway 101, police said.

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Officers then searched Voorhes and found the knives and knuckles, police said. They did an additional search and found a 9mm Poly-80 ghost gun, with six 9mm rounds loaded in the magazine, and an unloaded and unregistered .22-caliber revolver, police said.

The state has worked hard to outlaw ghost guns, which account for large percentages of the firearms found at crime scenes, authorities say. Built from parts that are sold individually, and therefore without serial numbers, ghost guns are largely untraceable. A state settlement with ghost gun manufacturers in June banned their sales in the state and resulted in fines for three companies.

Police said they were holding Voorhes on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, carrying a concealed gun and an unregistered gun, and being in possession of metal knuckles and illegal narcotics.

The Sonoma County district attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment, including whether Voorhes had been arraigned and was being represented by a lawyer. The police did not respond to those questions, either.
A doorbell camera caught the moment an illegal immigrant from Ecuador who is accused of killing a 21-year-old girl carried out her limp body from a house.

Jhon Moises Chacaguasay-Ilbis, also 21, can be seen walking into the Airbnb they met at around 4:20 pm on June 18 in the footage with a still-alive Joselyn Toaquiza.

Three hours later, the clip shows carrying Toaquiza on his back, with her arms and legs limp. It's unclear from the footage whether she's still alive, but she would end up buried in a shallow grave a few feet away in Lincoln Park, right across the street.

Toaquiza, who had been celebrating her birthday the day of the murder, studied with Chacaguasay-Ilbis in his native country. Cops say he traveled from Ecuador to Syracuse last week to meet her, after arriving in the US a year before.

He surrendered himself to feds at the border, and as of writing, it remains unknown where he had been staying. It is also unknown whether or not he was in the process of seeking asylum, as cops this week revealed he had been arrested.

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A doorbell camera caught the moment an Ecuadorian man accused of killing a 21-year-old girl carried out her limp body from a residence in Syracuse

Jhon Moises Chacaguasay-Ilbis (not pictured) can be seen walking into the Airbnb at 916 Hawley Avenue on June 18 in the footage, with a still-alive Joselyn Toaquiza, seen here

The newly released footage appears to show her and her alleged murderer- who cops say suffocated her to death - hours before she was murdered.

She is then seen draped over the man's shoulders as he carries her body out of the house and into the driveway.

Syracuse police did not find her body until Saturday morning, after which a coworker of Toaquiza's told CNY Central Thursday, 'I was just overcome.'

'He's caught, and it will all come to light,' Jennifer Engel said through tears, as cops were finally were able to locate her lost daughter and cuff her suspected killer.

'She's not coming back.'

Cops picked up Chacaguasay-Ilbis on Wednesday in Spring Valley, another New York city some 230 miles from the suspected scene of the crime.

The newly released footage appears to show her and her alleged accoster - who cops say suffocated her to death - hours before she was murdered

Toaquiza, who had been celebrating her birthday the day of the murder, studied with Chacaguasay-Ilbis in his native Ecuador. Cops say he traveled to Syracuse last week to meet her, after arriving in the US a year before

Officers at the time added the owner of the Airbnb being rented out to the suspect told officers that there was blood found inside the home, though no other details were provided.

After bringing Toaquiza out to the driveway, the camera loses sight of him, but he later returns and exits with a set of new clothes, the video shows.

He goes onto hop into a waiting Lyft minivan, which cops say brought him to a local Greyhound station.

He went on to board a bus with a ticket to New York City, after which he turned himself in to the police Tuesday evening in Spring Valley.

The city, located in Rockland County, is set about 35 miles northwest of New York City, near the New York-New Jersey border.

Cops in their statement added how much like the past year, Chacaguasay-Ilbis's whereabouts for the past week are for now unknown.

What is known is that Chacaguasay-Ilbis traveled to the United States last year and surrendered himself at the border, after which, like so many others in recent years, he was released into the county.

Cops said he may have been in the process of applying for asylum, but that too remains unknown.

She is then seen draped over the man's shoulders as he carries her body out of the house and into the driveway

Syracuse police did not find her body until Saturday morning, buried in a shallow grave right across the street

he was picked up Wednesday morning by Syracuse cops more than 200 miles away, after which he was transported back to Central New York where he was arraigned Thursday. Several people are seen outside the home last month as a search for the woman began

After he was picked up Wednesday morning by Syracuse cops, he was transported back to Central New York, where he was arraigned on Thursday morning.

Police went on to reveal how Toaquiza too came from Chile, and imigrated from the county last year along with her uncle.

The pair lived together on Syracuse's North Side, not far from the suspected scene of the murder.

The surveillance video, they said, came from the owner of the property being used as an Airbnb, who shared it with the woman's family and police.

As of writing, Chacaguasay-Ilbis is being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center without bail, and will face court again on July 2.

Insiders reportedly employed by Homeland Security told The New York Post that Chacaguasay-Ilbis crossed into the US at El Paso, and was cut loose because there wasnt enough space to hold him.

Last week, three people drowned in the waters of the Rio Grande late Tuesday in far west El Paso, brining the number of migrant deaths in federal run racilitites in the city since October to 102.

In 2023, the El Paso and Del Rio sectors of the border saw more crossings than any other place across the 2,000-mile stretch of land.

That year, some 4.2 million pedestrians crossed into El Paso from Juarez through the Stanton-Lerdo and Paso Del Norte bridges Downtown, National Bureau of Transportation Services data shows.

The Downtown bridges have since seen increases in northbound crossings, though they remain below pre-pandemic numbers.
Five people have been charged over a violent brawl involving dozens of people in a remote Australian town.

An out-of-control gathering caused chaos on Smith Street at Halls Creek, in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia, at 9.20pm on Friday night.

Police were called to the scene where about 60 people were involved in the out-of-control gathering with around 40 people fighting.

WA Police say some were armed with knives, stones, sticks, metal bars and bricks.

Officers broke up the brawl after deploying backup from Broome, Kununurra and Fitzroy Crossing.

A WA Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that proactive patrols continued throughout the night.

Five people will face court charged with numerous offences, including being armed in a way that may cause fear.

Failing to comply with an order relating to an out-of-control gathering were among the charges as well.

An out-of-control gathering caused chaos in Halls Creek in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia on Friday night

Police were called to Smith Street in Halls Creek at about 9.20pm, where between 30 and 40 people were fighting

Liquor stores in Halls Creek were ordered to close to help stop alcohol-fuelled violence.

The troubled town has become infamous as a crime hotspot.

In 2022, unruly teenagers stole cars, destroyed property and caused havoc on the streets - leaving residents too scared to leave their homes.

Groups of boys terrorised locals and bragged about their antics on TikTok.

Videos shared to the social media platform showed them hooning around the streets in stolen cars, driving on the wrong side of the road and performing donuts.
A Louisiana woman has detailed how doctors told her she had less than a day to live after suffering a stomachache.

Danielle Perea, 24, was met with the prognosis more than five years ago, and this week described how she is still alive in an interview with CBS News.

She recalled how she had suffered a blood clot in one of the vessels that carries blood from the small intestines, leaving her vomiting blood and in an emergency room as her symptoms intensified.

'They just saw that everything was completely black, necrotic, dead,' Perea told the station. 'They (told my boyfriend), "There's no way she's going to survive this, you need to call her parents."'

Recalling how they were both told that she 'probably has 24 hours to live,' she went on to reveal how she beat the odds - spending a year and half living on IV -administered nutrition before receiving a successful transplant.

Danielle Perea was told she was hours away from death about five years ago, after showing up to a hospital with stomach pains. The source was her small intestines, plagued by dead tissue. A transplant was necessary, and she was able to live until she was able to secure one

On Saturday, the medical technologist described how she is still alive in an interview with CBS News

'They were just like, "You need to get to the clinic right away." It wasn't an option,' Perea recalled of how in June 2020, she got the call she had been waiting for.

The ensuing surgery took 10 hours, during which doctors worked relentlessly to address her mesenteric ischemia.

Surgeons years before had unsuccessfully attempted to save her small intestines, but were too many dead cells - also known as necrotic tissue - in other words,

'They just saw that everything was completely black, necrotic, dead,' Perea told the publication a little more than 200 days after tying the knot with her husband, Luis.

'They (told Luis), "There's no way she's going to survive this, you need to call her parents. Get anyone here who needs to be here, because she probably has 24 hours to live,"' she recalled.

Doctors would then transfer her to hospice care, ticking by the days until her seemingly inevitable demise.

But there, she surpassed physicians' expectations, maintaining 'strong vitals' for more than a week.

At this point, she, Luis, and her mother looked for some sort of savior, and found one in the Cleveland Clinic's intestinal transplant program.

She recalled how she had suffered a blood clot in one of the vessels that carries blood from the small intestines, leaving her vomiting blood and in an emergency room as her symptoms intensified

Doctors would then transfer her to hospice care, ticking by the days until her seemingly inevitable demise. But there, she surpassed physicians' expectations, maintaining 'strong vitals' for more than a week

The head of the program, Dr. Kareem Abu-Elmagd, afterward agreed to take on the task of replacing Perea's small intestine, giving way to the next stage of the then-grad student's grueling road to recovery - waiting for a suitable match.

At that point, she was relocated to he hospital in Ohio, with the small bowel almost entirely resected.

Her condition, however, soon stabilized, and following several subsequent procedures, she was ready to be added to the program's transplant list in the spring of 2019.

She spent the next year living off of nutrients pumped intravenously, due to the fact that without intestines, she couldn't eat normally.

The duration of this stage saw her forced to undergo yet another surgery - this one repairing the damage done to her trachea from a breathing tube before she could receive the transplant.

This would add to the amount of time she had to wait, with the pandemic further complicating the process by forcing her to pass on an organ that would have been deemed a match in April 2020, she said.

Two months later, she received a call that another organ had become availiable, after which she underwent the 10-hour surgery.

Despite such transplants being notoriously difficult and rare, the operation was a success, she told CBS - before revealing how afterwards she was still confined to a hospital room intermittently for several months, after suffering frequent fevers.

At this point, she, Luis, and her mother looked for some sort of savior, and found one in the Cleveland Clinic's intestinal transplant program. They agreed to take on the task of replacing Perea's small intestine, giving way to the next stage of the then-grad student's grueling road to recovery - waiting for a suitable match

She spent the next year living off of nutrients pumped intravenously, due to the fact that without intestines, she couldn't eat normally. Two months later, she received a call that another organ had become availiable, after which she underwent the 10-hour surgery

Then, in January of 2021, she underwent yet another procedure - this one to repair her abdomen wall and reverse an incision made during the surgery.

Afterwards, she was given a full bill of health, before living out her life with her beloved for the next four years.

In November of last year, they would wed in Lafayette, Perea's hometown.

During that span, she was also able to finish her degree as a clinical lab science student at the University of West Florida, before taking a job as a medical technologist at Pensacola's Ascension Sacred Heart.

She added to CBS how despite now living relatively normally, she has to take 'about 40 pills a day' to keep her condition in check.

She also aired the possibility she still might need a kidney transplant in the future, due to the amount of anti-rejection medications she has been forced to take that inherently damage the organ.

Still, she said that everything has been "super normal" so far, and is looking forward to living a long, healthy life.

'I don't have any restrictions. My incisions healed well,' Perea said, bringing up how she had married in November. 'We bought a house,' she further revealed. 'It's just all going well."

She went on to finish her degree as a clinical lab science student at the University of West Florida, before taking a job as a medical technologist at Pensacola's Ascension Sacred Heart

She wed the boyfriend who stayed by her side through it all in November, after receiving a full bill of health after the successful transplant

As for the parting words from the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, she said, 'They're like, "Just keep living your life. There's nothing stopping you."'

They were responsible for 18 of the US' 95 intestinal transplants last year, with the operation having a low success rate due to being "difficult" organ to monitor, and having the highest rejection rate of any kind of organ transplant.

Pera, however, beat the odds, offering hope to any faced with a similar undertaking.
A small, quaint California town has been torn apart by an internal war that has culminated in 'terrorism,' with residents allegedly deliberately swerving trucks toward each other, spraying enemies with weed killer - and now a bomb squad has been called in.

The battle erupted in the idyllic, historic town called Port Costa, which has a population of 251 seemingly very angry people.

The bitter townsfolk drew lines in the sand in classic 'not in my backyard' (NIMBY) fashion after a non-profit organization called the Field Semester expressed their intention to create an environmental school for high schoolers in the town.

In October, a group calling itself the 'Port Costa Community Alliance' distributed flyers throughout the town warning about the Field Semester Project in 'overly dramatic and purposefully misleading language.'

A small, quaint California town has been riven by an internal war over a NIMBY battle that has culminated in 'terrorism,' with residents allegedly deliberately swerving trucks toward each other, spraying enemies with weed killer- and now a bomb squad has been called in

The townsfolk drew lines in the sand after a non-profit organization called the Field Semester expressed their intention to create an environmental school for high schoolers on a plot of private lakeside land in the town

Port Costa, located 40 minutes from Oakland, had previously been something of a refuge for different bohemian types and San Francisco transplants.

Before the field semester project appeared, the town had been quiet and the townsfolk had been warm and affectionate toward one another.

'But all of a sudden, Port Costa's imploding,' resident Rhea Carvalho told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Members of the the Port Costa Community Alliance apparently desire the town to remain exactly the way it is. They see an enemy in the Field Semester project, whose mission is to teach teenagers about the environment.

'A lot of folks in town really like Port Costa just the way it is: the tranquility, the peace, quiet, lack of traffic,' Billy Vance, the spokesperson for the Alliance, told the Chronicle.

Port Costa, located 40 minutes from Oakland, had previously been something of a refuge for different bohemian types and San Francisco transplants

Before the 251-person town descended into chaos, it was a simple place with a laid-back atmosphere

According to the Alliance, '2/3 of the residents are 100 percent against' the project. The organization claimed the Field Semester would transform their beloved community into a 'private school hub.'

In addition to the flyers, the alliance posted signs throughout the town that said: 'Save Port Costa! NO FIELD SEMESTER.'

The organization's anti-Field Semester petition was signed by 53 out of 85 single-family households they approached. Given that there are 171 total households in Port Costa, it seems like the number of those opposed to the project is substantial.

But those who do support the ecological school claim that they've become targets of the association's wrath.

This month, lifelong Port Costa-resident Aaron Greene placed a letter in residents' mailboxes that alleged one of the association's ten members had called a child a homophobic slur.

The town park featured a whimsical dog statue

The organization's anti-Field Semester petition was signed by 53 out of 85 single-family households they approached

According to the Alliance, '2/3 of the residents are 100% against' the project

Residents were almost always on good terms before the NIMBY battle ratcheted up

But Greene's letter didn't end there. The alarmed resident also accused one of the members of spraying his mom, who supports the Field project, in the face with weed whacker while calling her a 'f****** b****.'

Greene further alleged that a member of the association 'swerved a truck dangerously close to another person' who was walking down the street. And he claimed that another member had shouted expletives at people who favor the Field Semester.

Vance rejected Greene's letter as 'baseless' and 'hurtful.'

In May, things came to a head in Port Costa when a bomb squad had to respond to a call at town-wide garage sale, where it was revealed that a resident had 'live devices.'

In a statement to contracostanews, Steve Trotter, the Public Information Officer, said: 'The items turned out to be a military grade grenade and some type of law enforcement grade ammunition used by swat teams.'

In May, things came to a head in Port Costa when a bomb squad had to respond to a call at town-wide garage sale, where it was revealed that a resident had 'live devices'

Trotter further revealed that the incident caused the fire department to proclaim a community alert for 'a hazardous condition emergency for Port Costa.'

'Crews were called to Canyon Lake Drive for reports of two pieces of military ordinance.'

Supporters of the Field Semester have also found themselves slapped with notices of permit violations from the Contra Costa Department - a move that they allege is another form of pressure from those opposed to the project.

The fire department to proclaim a community alert for 'a hazardous condition emergency for Port Costa.'

Police and other emergency officials were dispatched to the garage sale

Vance, the head of the association, dismissed the idea that permit complaints were politically motivated.

'We have never advocated for retribution against our neighbors,' he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

And yet, when the paper examined one of the permit complaints, they found ample reason to believe that it was motivated by the Field Semester, which was mentioned in the letter five times.

'It seems like if you support or are involved with the group known as The Field Semester/Lake Project it is okay to totally ignore the law,' the complaint said.

The Alliance aims to preserve the town in its current form and sees the project as a threat

The small town is only 40 minutes from Oakland

Many of the town's residents are artists and San Francisco transplants

One of the people named in a complaint, Sarah Louise Humann, the owner of a plant and crystal shop, was accused of hawking psychedelic mushrooms and drug paraphernalia.

She has passionately denied the allegation:

'For someone to so heinously attack me and the community space Ive created, with the motivation to intimidate me and others into thinking twice before supporting Field Semester is, well to be honest, unfathomable.'

Humman said that she had attended a recent Port Costa Community Alliance meeting, during which she was frustrated with how in the dark many of the members were about what the project actually was.

The town boasts many fanciful shops, some of which have closed since the NIMBY fight began

The small town draws visitors who want to experience its rustic charm

'There's so many amazing things about the Field Semester project that seem to get ignored,' she told the Chronicle.

'It's like banging your head against the wall going to those meetings.'

Some of the project's vehement detractors have accused it of being a multinational-dollar corporation.

The field semester, however, is a nonprofit and it collected $745,320 in donor contributions in 2022, according to publicly accessible tax forms.

Some community members are reportedly worried about the presence of young people in their town, fearing that they might cause trouble.

Yaeir Heber, co-founder of Field Semester, said that at a public meeting one resident even said: 'I hear you're going to bring a bunch of gang-bangers from Oakland out here.'

As of right now, the project is making sure that it has all of its ducks in a row before they present their final proposal to the county.

Firefighters had to respond to the bomb call at a Port Coast garage sale

The items turned out to be a military-grade grenade and some type of law enforcement-grade ammunition

Despite the resistance in Port Costa, it seems likely that the project will be approved by the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors.

But the Port Community Alliance has shown no sign that they are ready to capitulate. Instead, they are reportedly raising funds for a potential legal appeal.

It seems like longtime resident Aaron Greene's wish for a return to the old and civil days in Port Costa will be a long time coming.

'What do you do to bring this back down to a rational level where people  can just be free to walk around town without being sprayed with carcinogens and yelled at?'
A homeless man who tattoos his own body has been accused of stabbing a father-of-three to death at a Melbourne pier.

Forrest Stevenson, 36, has been charged with murder after Andres Malmis Pancha, 45, was allegedly killed at Frankston pier at 6am on Saturday.

Police were called to the site after reports of an assault when they found Mr Pancha unresponsive.

Stevenson was arrested on the nearby foreshore shortly after the alleged attack.

Police said the two men are not known to each other.

Stevenson is of no fixed address and promotes himself on social media as an amateur artist who tattoos his own body.

He appeared at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Sunday wearing a disposable face mask and black t-shirt, the Herald Sun reported.

Stevenson closely followed court proceedings and appeared lucid.

Forrest Stevenson, 36 (pictured), has been charged with murder after Andres Malmis Pancha, 45, was allegedly killed at Frankston pier at 6am on Saturday

Police were called to the site after reports of an assault when they found Mr Pancha (pictured) unresponsive.

Homicide Squad detective senior constable Kate Lynch told the court police required 12 weeks to compile a brief of evidence.

The process usually takes six weeks, but the court was told an extension was needed for pathology and DNA test reports to be completed.

Stevenson was remanded in custody until November 6.

Magistrate Marc Sargent told the court the accused needed prompt medical attention to make his custody 'stay more comfortable'.

'The nurse will see you as soon as possible today,' he told Stevenson.

Frankston City Council Mayor Nathan Conroy shared his condolences for the family of Mr Pancha.

'Frankston is a peaceful, vibrant and inclusive community,' Mr Conroy said.

'My thoughts are with the family of the victim.'

Acting Premier Ben Carroll added: 'My heart goes out to that man and his family.'

'There were many passersby that also witnessed it and my thoughts are with them as well.

When police arrived officers found a man unresponsive about halfway along the pier, who died shortly after

'It's a very difficult time. Someone that's literally just gone out to do a recreational activity that they love and enjoy (fishing) and to have a death is really so sad.'

Glenn Cooper, who runs peninsula-based That's The Thing About Fishing charity, described Mr Pancha's death as devastating.

'He was always happy and my volunteers would speak to him while he was fishing,' he said.

'He'll be missed as a regular at the Frankston Pier.

'He would go fishing there (the pier) at least once or twice a week, it's a terrible loss.'

Mr Pancha was a Filipino father to three children.
A mother-of-two mysteriously vanished with her two young daughters, with cops revealing a chilling theory about their disappearance.

Martha Unger, 23, and her daughters - two-year-old Madilynn Grace Unger and one-year-old Haylie Faith Unger - were reported missing from their home in rural Haskell County, Kansas, just before 7pm on Friday.

Just a few hours later, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issued an 'endangered persons advisory' for the mother and her children.

The bureau then released its theory about the mother's disappearance, saying she 'may have been coerced to travel to Mexico to a religious rehabilitation facility with Corney and Elizabeth Klaasen.'

Martha Unger, 23, was reported missing with her two young daughters on Friday night

Two-year-old Madilynn Grace Unger and one-year-old Haylie Faith Unger both have blonde hair and blue eyes

It is unclear how Unger may have known the Klaasens, and which 'religious rehabilitation facility' in Mexico the middle-aged couple may be taking her to.

However, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation says it wants to 'check the welfare of Martha and her children,' and is asking anyone with information about their whereabouts to 'call 911 immediately.'

A relative also posted on Facebook that she is 'praying Martha and the girls will be home soon.'

'If any one is willing please keep my brother and his family in your prayers,' one friend wrote on Saturday.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation believes Unger may have been 'coerced' to travel to Mexico by Corney and Elizabeth Klaasen (pictured)

Unger is described as a white female who is approximately five feet, six inches tall and weighing about 120 pounds. She has brown hair and green eyes.

Her children have blonde hair and blue eyes.

It is believed she is driving a white 2015 Ford Explorer with the Kansas license plate 301RJY.

The Klaasens, meanwhile, are both in their 50s.

Corney was described as an approximately six-foot-two man weighing about 200 pounds.

The Klaasens are believed to be driving a black and white Chevy Blazer with Mexico tags

He is 'clean shaven' and was last seen wearing jeans and a button-up shirt.

A description for Elizabeth Klaasen was not provided, but in a photograph of the couple that the KBI shared, she appears to be a white woman with brown hair and dark-rimmed glasses.

The Klaasens may be driving a black and white Chevy Blazer with Mexico tags.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Kansas Bureau of Information for more information.
A convicted murdered was seen smirking in a Florida courtroom earlier this week as a jury recommended he be put to death for the brutal murders of two women.

Wade Wilson was found guilty of strangling Kristine Melton to death as she slept after meeting her at a bar in 2019.

Later that same day, he beat, strangled and ran over Diane Ruiz with his car after seeing her on the street.

The jury at the Lee County Courthouse in Fort Myers delivered their decision with ten out of twelve jurors voting for the death penalty for the murder of Ruiz and nine out of twelve for Melton's murder.

State law requires at least eight jurors to vote for the death penalty. Judge Nicholas Thompson will make the final decision on July 23.

Wade Wilson was seen with a smirk on his face in a Florida courtroom earlier this week

Wilson was seen smirking as a jury recommended he be put to death for the brutal murders of two women in 2019

Aside from the brutality of his crimes, it is Wilson's demeanor in court, in which he has appeared 'smug' and 'smirking,' that has seen the case go viral.

On social media, commenters called him 'soulless' expressing anger at his perceived lack of remorse.

One user on X wrote, 'He's remorseless & says he'd do it again. I'm not 'an eye for an eye' person. I never have been. But smug aloofness as Wade Wilson displays makes me think life in a cell with 3 meals a day, in genpop, isn't okay.'

Another commented: 'Note the psychopathic smirk on the face of the serial strangler.'

Kristine Melton was strangled to death as she slept after meeting her at a bar in 2019

Later that same day, he beat, strangled and ran over Diane Ruiz with his car after seeing her on the street

'Wade Wilson was given the death penalty in Florida for murdering two women. His own father turned him cause the creature was a soulless monster,' a third noted.

Following the jury's recommendation for Wilson to receive the death penalty, Assistant State Attorney Sara Miller made a statement.

'You know, you're asking someone to take another life, and so it's always a difficult thing. I think in this case it was a justified act given the horrific nature of this case. Both murders were especially heinous, atrocious, and cruel. He inflicted pain, and he showed utter indifference to her [Melton's] life.'

Wade Wilson was seem looking particularly casual during this capital murder trial at the Lee County Courthouse in Fort Myers throughout June

A jury has recommended Wilson be put to death for the brutal murders of two women

Judge Nicholas Thompson will make the final decision on whether Wilson will be sentenced to death, on July 23

During the trial, the brutal details of Wilson's crimes were laid bare while the impact on the victims' families was highlighted.

At the penalty phase of Wilson's murder trial, the defense argued that Wilson had a 'diseased mind' and struggled with drug addiction.

ASA Miller dismissed the claims, telling jurors, 'It's not credible that mental illness caused the defendant to murder Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz. He was under the influence of power, of lust, of control, of hate. Many people suffer from drug addictions, but they don't go out and commit murders.'
Tributes have poured in for a beloved grandfather who was killed in a horror multi-vehicle crash which has left loved ones 'shattered'.

John Iordanis, 58, was driving his green Ford Falcon when the vehicle collided with three other cars and a truck on the Southern Expressway, in Adelaide's south, around 4.50pm on Friday.

The Christies Beach grandfather died at the scene. He was just 8.5km from home.

Friends and family have been rocked by the death of the much loved father, grandfather and colleague.

His stepdaughter Natalie Chown told Daily Mail Australia that he was a loving and caring person.

'We can not express how devastated we are,' she said.

John Iordanis, 58 (pictured) died in a horror multi-vehicle crash on the Southern Expressway, in Adelaide's south on Friday

The green Ford Falcon (pictured) collided with three other cars and a truck on the motorway

Ms Chown added on Facebook: 'You have been there through all the ups and downs in life. Our hearts are broken that you were taken so soon'.

Others remembered Mr Iordanis as a kind man who was full of life.

'Will miss your cheeky smile, our chats and our banter,' one person wrote.

'One of the best humans I've ever known, always loved a laugh. Shattered to hear the news,' another person wrote.

Judy Pearson, who had known and worked with Mr Iordanis for 25 years, said that she was still coming to terms with the tragedy.

'I was so shocked to get the phone call last night,' she wrote.

'[I] had many laughs with you. You will be missed by so many people at work. Still can't believe it.'

Police are investigating whether Mr Iordanis had a medical episode before the crash and if it may have been a factor, 7 News reported.

John (pictured) was described by his stepdaughter as a loving and caring person

The drivers of the three other vehicles (pictured) and the truck were taken to hospital where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries

A South Australia Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia there was no further updates available as investigations continue.

The Southern Expressway and Main South Road at Huntfield Heights were closed for several hours before the highway was reopened.

Mr Iordanis was the 44th person to be killed on South Australian roads this year.

Anyone with information about the crash has been urged to contact police.
The British Museum's former interim director said tourists should have to pay an entrance fee of 20 to visit the institution as the funds could save the attraction.

Sir Mark Jones, 73, also suggested that other major museums and galleries across the country, including the National Gallery, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum, should also consider charging entrance fees to visitors from abroad.

While he believes tourists should have to pay to visit the attractions, he said entrance into the institutions should remain free for British visitors and foreigners under the age of 25.

The UK's museums stand out among their international competitors when it comes to charging entry frees - with The Louvre in Paris costing 22 per adult visitor, The Acropolis Museum in Athens 15, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is $30 for adults.

Jones said that a price of 20 for entry into the British Museum would be reasonable.

The British Museum's interim director Sir Mark Jones has suggested the introduction of a 20 entrance fee to tourists over the age of 25

Sir Mark Jones, 73, told The Times the money could go towards the massive restoration project the museum desperately needs to undergo

He added that charging tourists for entry into the nation's most popular museum attractions could help fund the work needed on the British Museum's buildings and create relationships with foreign museums to loan back artefacts taken from their countries.

Jones told The Times that some of the museum's buildings are in a 'poor state' and when there is heavy rainfall, water can sometimes seep into the galleries.

The British Museum desperately needs to undergo a massive restoration project and redisplay its vast collection of artefacts.

This has an estimated price-tag of between 400million to 500million.

'The British Museum is also too small to do its job. A masterplan would include an increase in space and more space given over to facilities for visitors,' he added.

The policy would also go towards reducing ticket prices for the institution's special exhibitions, fund projects outside of London, and increase pay for staff.

On top of this, a ticket charge could help to reduce crowds, which often appear outside the British Museum at several points throughout the day.

Jones, who was the previous director of the Victoria and Albert Museum backed his entrance fee solution, adding that it was the least bad option.

He told the newspaper: 'The money has to come from somewhere, either a major part of the funding has to be found out of taxation, which is difficult as the public finances are very stressed, or we need reasonably to charge [tourists]'.

MailOnline has reached out to the British Museum for comment.

Jones became the interim director of the British Museum in September after the resignation of Hartwig Fischer, who announced his immediate departure on August 25 after it emerged that around 2,000 items from the museum's collection were lost or missing.

It was later revealed some of these items had been sold on eBay.

One of the artefacts which may have been involved in the trade online of British Museum treasures

In May, the British Museum announced they had recovered 268 of the missing stolen objects from across the globe - bringing the total to 626.

These precious objects were found across the world including as far away as North America.

In an update from the museum in February, it stated that more than 350 artefacts had been returned after the objects, which included classical Greek and Roman gems and jewelry, were taken.

Chairman of the British Museum trustees and former Chancellor George Osborne said at the time: 'Few expected to see this day, and even I had my doubts.

'When we announced the devastating news that objects had been stolen from our collection, people understandably assumed that was it - we were unlikely to ever see more than a handful of them again. That's usually the history with thefts like this.

'But the team at the British Museum refused to give up. Through clever detective work and a network of well-wishers we've achieved a remarkable result: more than 600 of the objects are back with us, and a further 100 have been identified - in total almost half the stolen items that we could recover.

'It's a great result but we're not resting here - the hunt goes on for the remaining missing objects. I urge anyone with any information to follow the example of all who've helped us and get in touch.'

In March, outgoing National Portrait Gallery director Nicholas Cullinan, 46, was announced as the permanent director of the British Museum.
Doctored number plates bought online for as little as 10 are being used to trick enforcement cameras and avoid Ulez charges.

An expert has warned there are about a million 'misreads' a day because of tampered plates.

Some are tinted which means some cameras can't read the plate and identify the driver, despite it looking normal to the naked eye.

Others implement subversive tactics such as using the wrong font or spacing.

Some are stolen, counterfeit or have black tape over them.

Automatic number plate recognition is used to regulate traffic laws, insurance, parking and congestion charges.

Doctored 10 number plates bought online are being used to avoid Ulez charges

Pictured is a cut down speed camera in Cornwall. Some drivers are doctoring their number plates to trick speed cameras through various methods

Pictured is an Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) camera in Chessington, south west London

It is also used in low traffic neighbourhoods and to circumvent charges for clean air regulations like Ulez.

But a less mundane use of the technology which many people may not be aware of is in intercepting terrorism and protecting important places.

Former government surveillance camera commissioner Tony Porter told The Times that around 80 to 90 per cent of the 'misreads' are because of dimming - the practice of tinting a number plate.

Mr Porter warned that those wanting to avoid the Ulez charges in London are purchasing altered plates online for as cheap as 10.

But using tinted number plates is against the law and can result in penalties and fines.

While The National Police Chiefs' Council told the newspaper it doesn't collect data on non-compliant plates, Avon and Somerset police does.

Pictures is a police officer checking car speeds in Edinburgh

Pictured is a traffic sign warning of the speed limit and that cameras are in operation

In the last 18 months, it issued 2,184 notices of intended prosecution letters for doctored plates - tipped off by the public 232 times.

Fake number plates can be bought for as little as 10 from any of the 40,000 largely unregulated sellers while reflective 'stealth' tape to make plates invisible to ANPR infrared cameras can be purchased online for just 80.

MailOnline found one British website selling tinted plates for between 18 and 28, but it does clarify: 'Please note adding a tint to a number plate is not Road legal in the UK.'

A previous study, conducted from an ANPR camera trained on a dual carriageway in Gatwick, found 41 out of 683 number plates used some kind of anti-ANPR tech.

If this were extrapolated to the rest of the country, then this would be one-in-fifteen drivers in the UK.

Another study found 40 per cent of taxis and private hire cars had some sort of ANPR-defeating method on their number plates too.
Dan Wrysinski, a worker-owner, slices pizza that includes crushed tomato, onion, toasted garlic parmesan, mozzarella, garlic olive oil and parsley at Cheese Board Pizza in Berkeley last year. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

The Cheese Board Collective Pizzerias thin-crust, seasonal vegetarian pizza is the best in the Bay Area  at least, according to a survey of Chronicle readers.

Around two weeks ago, the New York Times published a list of 22 top pizzerias around the country, and one local spot made the list: Berkeleys Rose Pizzeria. Rose is beloved for good reason  associate restaurant critic Cesar Hernandez hailed its big, unflinching flavors in his review  but its far from the only standout pizza restaurant in the region. Plus, its currently inundated with customers.

Last week, the Chronicle put out a survey asking readers what other restaurants should have been on the New York Times list. The 104 respondents listed 50 different top contenders but crowned the Berkeley-based Cheese Board as the most popular with 13 votes. (One reader described its offerings as alchemy.)

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The worker-owned shop offers a single pizza each day, using fresh veggies and unusual cheeses from its neighboring shop, like Swiss sbrinz or firm ricotta salata. On one day, customers might get a slice starring local cherry tomatoes and red onions; the next, they might be eating cremini mushrooms, snap peas or broccolini. Each order comes with a piquant green sauce of serrano chili, garlic, citrus and cilantro.

We roll that dough by hand, and we spin that dough by hand, said worker-owner Vanessa Vichit-Vadakan. I think our interest and commitment to creating a good quality product shows.

Chronicle readers also shouted out Tonys Pizza Napoletana and Gioia Pizzeria as top contenders, with eight and seven mentions, respectively. Lesser-known spots like the Station, located at a St. Helena gas station, received nods as well.

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The Tories are demanding an investigation over 'gravely concerning' allegations of Russian interference in the general election campaign, it has been revealed.

Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, has responded to claims that five co-ordinated Facebook pages have been spouting Kremlin talking points.

Some have posted in support of Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Commenting on the investigation, Mr Dowden told the Sunday Times: 'These revelations reveal the real risk our democracy faces in this uncertain world.

'Malign foreign actors, promoting British political parties, policies and views that fit their agenda is just another example of the challenges in the increasingly volatile cyberspace of the 21st century and is gravely concerning to see during an election campaign.'

The newspaper also reported that Conservative chairman Richard Holden has written to Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, and Sir Tim Barrow, the national security adviser, asking for the claims to be investigated.

There is no suggestion that Mr Farage or anyone from Reform were aware of the activities of the Facebook pages.

Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, has responded to claims that five co-ordinated Facebook pages have been spouting Kremlin talking points

Some have posted in support of Nigel Farage 's Reform UK party, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

A disinformation expert told the broadcaster the network's activity had the hallmarks of a Russian influence operation. Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin

Speaking this morning to Sky News, Mr Dowden said the ABC investigation had exposed a 'classic example from the Russian playbook'.

He said: 'There is a threat in all elections, and indeed we see it in this election from hostile state actors seeking to influence the outcome of the election campaign.

'Russia is a prime example of this, and this is a classic example from the Russian playbook.

'What I would say is this is relatively typical, low-level stuff, but we stood up the election cell in the Cabinet Office, we did that at the very beginning of the campaign, and it was designed to look into exactly this sort of thing.

'It should just be a salutary reminder for all of us, when you engage on social media, are these people that you think are posting stuff, are they real or are they bots generated by hostile state actors? It's something we all need to be aware of.'

According to ABC, the Facebook pages appeared to have little in common but were linked through an examination of the location data attached to the pages' administrators, the tracking of paid ads, and an analysis of the pages' similar or shared content.

The network of pages has a combined 190,000 followers, each featuring criticism of several UK political parties, including the Conservatives and Labour, the broadcaster said.

The investigation also reportedly found most of the administrators for each page are based in Nigeria, which is a significant connection as previous online Russian propaganda networks were found to have been operating from Africa.

Disinformation experts told ABC the network's activity had the hallmarks of a Russian influence operation.

'For me, it's Russian,' said Salvatore Romano, head of research at AI Forensics.

Your browser does not support iframes.

'Now if you ask Putin, Putin may say 'no, it's not us'. What is the smoking gun? Do you need to see these people behind their desks with the Russian flag?'

But Mr Farage last night used social media to hit back at Mr Dowden, as he pointed to the Tories' acceptance of cash from Russian-linked donors in recent years.

He posted on X: 'The Tory party now sink even deeper into lies and dishonesty.

'They have taken hundreds of thousands from Russians in the last couple of years. Dowden deserves to lose his seat for this hypocrisy.'

Mr Farage recently faced a backlash over comments about Vladimir Putin's regime.

He claimed that NATO and the EU 'provoked' Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while saying he 'admired' Mr Putin as a 'political operator'.

The Reform leader has now been engulfed in a racism row following the publication of secret recordings of members of his local campaign.

Campaigners for Mr Farage's party in the Clacton seat in Essex he hopes to win were recorded by an undercover journalist from Channel 4 making racist comments, including about the Prime Minister, who is of Indian descent.

The footage showed Reform campaigner Andrew Parker using a racist term about Rishi Sunak and suggesting migrants should be used as 'target practice'.

Another canvasser described the Pride flag as 'degenerate' and suggested members of the LGBT community are paedophiles.

Reform has written to the Electoral Commission, claiming that Mr Parker, an actor, was a 'plant' in the Channel 4 News item.

Mr Farage said the Clacton expose was 'a political set-up of astonishing proportions', highlighting Mr Parker's background as an actor.

He added he was 'not going to apologise' as what had happened was a 'set-up, a deliberate attempt to smear us'.

Meanwhile, Reform has confirmed it has dropped support for candidates Leslie Lilley in Southend East and Rochford, Edward Oakenfull in Derbyshire Dales, and Robert Lomas in Barnsley North.

On BBC Question Time, Mr Farage was challenged about the three's comments and said, 'In most cases, they've been disowned.'

The three will still appear as Reform candidates on the ballot paper because nominations for the July 4 poll have closed.
The former French president and his wife arrived in France on Sunday to vote in the first round of snap parliamentary elections in Paris.

Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy were pictured preparing to vote amid the country's most polarising ballot in decades which could see the anti-immigrant and eurosceptic party of Marine Le Pen sweep to power in a historic first.

Donning chic black suits and shades, the couple arrived at the Paris polling station holding hands before meeting with other voters and staff inside.

Polls opened at 6am and will close at 4pm in small towns and cities, with a 6pm finish in the bigger cities, when the first exit polls for the night and seat projections for the decisive second round a week later are expected.

Voters in France's overseas territories cast their ballots earlier this weekend - with some 49million people eligible to vote in the historic snap election.

French former president Nicolas Sarkozy (L) and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy ( R) arrive to vote for the first round of parliamentary elections in Paris, on June 30, 2024

A divided France is voting in high-stakes parliamentary elections that could see the anti-immigrant and eurosceptic party of Marine Le Pen sweep to power in a historic first

Nicolas Sarkozy pictured inside the Paris polling station as the first day of voting commences

The election has been shaping up as a showdown between the right-wing National Rally (RN) and the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP), which is dominated by the hard-left France Unbowed.

While polls suggest support for Le Pen's RN has strengthened in recent days, the outcome of the two-round election, called three weeks ago by French president Emmanuel Macron, remains uncertain.

One poll carried out by Les Echos newspaper suggested the RN was on track to scoop 37 per cent of the national vote - up to two points from more than a week ago.

Another poll carried out by BFM TV predicted the far-right party could win between 260 and 295 seats out of the 577 up for grabs in the National Assembly.

Polls suggest the left-wing NFP could net 28 per cent of the vote, while Macron's centrist bloc follows behind at 20 per cent.

Official campaigning for the first-round vote ended at midnight on Friday, and following Sunday's much-anticipated vote, campaigning efforts will resume on Monday for another five days before voters are called back to the polls for a final second-round ballot on July 7.

'We are going to win an absolute majority,' said Le Pen in a newspaper interview on Wednesday, predicting that her protege, 28-year-old Jordan Bardella would be prime minister.

Her party has a high-spending economic programme and seeks to reduce immigration.

Donning chic black suits and shades, the couple arrived at the Paris polling station holding hands before meeting with other voters and staff inside

The former French president pictured with his ballot in hand

Sarkozy greeted other voters and staff members at the polling station

If the RN does win an absolute majority, French diplomacy could be headed for an unprecedented period of turbulence: with Macron - who has said he will continue his presidency until the end of his term in 2027 - and Bardella jostling for the right to speak for France.

Bardella has already indicated he would challenge Macron on global issues and unveiled his party's manifesto in a press conference on June 24.

He declared the RN would demand a huge cut of between 2 billion and 3 billion in France's contributions to Europe - part of a wider plan to implement what he called 'realistic, credible' economic policies as France battles spiralling national debt.

France could lurch from being a pillar of the EU to a thorn in its side, demanding a rebate of the French contribution to the EU budget, clashing with Brussels over European Commission jobs and reversing Macron's calls for greater EU unity and assertiveness on defence.

A clear RN victory would also bring uncertainty as to where France stands on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Le Pen has a history of pro-Russian sentiment and while the party now says it would help Ukraine defend itself against Russian invaders, it has also set out red lines, such as refusing to provide long-range missiles.

Bardella's unveiling of the RN manifesto came as Emmanuel Macron warned France faces 'civil war' if either the hard-right or hard-left scores a big win in parliamentary elections.

Macron had claimed the policies of the RN and France Unbowed divided and isolated people, which would ultimately lead to conflict between different communities ahead of today's first round of voting.

Speaking on the Generation Do It Yourself podcast, the French president said: 'I think that the solutions given by the far right are out of the question, because it is categorising people in terms of their religion or origins and that is why it leads to division and to civil war'.

Leaders of both left and right condemned the president's remarks.

French president Emmanuel Macron was slammed for using a 'strategy of fear' after he warned a 'civil war' could be sparked if a populist or hard-left party wins the snap election

Far-right National Rally party president Jordan Bardella, right, leaves with far-right leader Marine Le Pen after a press conference, Monday, June 24, 2024 in Paris

Eric Ciotti, the leader of the conservative Republicans, who sparked outrage among allies by personally agreeing an election pact with the RN, accused the French president of being irresponsible.

'This is a strategy of fear,' he said, speaking on BFMTV-RMC.

Marine Le Pen said Macron's argument was 'weak' and showed 'he thinks he's lost this election'.

Speaking about France Unbowed, he added on the podcast: 'But that one as well, there is a civil war behind that because you are solely categorising people in terms of their religious outlook or the community they belong to'.

Here, Macron was referring to accusations that France Unbowed positions itself to attract Muslim voters through its critical stance on Israel's war in Gaza.

Following the comments, Patrick Kanner, head of the Socialists in the Senate, said: 'We are faced with someone who no longer controls anything.'

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the head of France Unbowed, also criticised Macron, saying on Monday night: 'He's always there to set things on fire.

'A president should not say that'.
More than 15,000 protesters have taken to the streets of Malaga in the latest anti-tourism demo in Spain.

Marchers held up banners which read: 'We feel strangers in our own city' and 'Malaga is for the people of Malaga, tourism forces us out.'

Some of the banners, in many cases pieces of cardboard the protesters had scrawled messages in felt-tip pen on, said: 'One more tourist is one less local resident' and others: 'Padlocks out of our neighbourhoods' in reference to the coded key holders outside tourist apartment blocks.

The demo was organised by the Malaga Tenants Union, with the backing of nearly 50 organisations including Greenpeace and Oxfam, under the slogan: 'Malaga para vivir, no para sobrevivir' which in English translates roughly as 'Malaga to live in, not survive in.'

A right-wing group tried to hijack the protest soon after it started yesterday in central city square Plaza de la Merced by chorusing 'Council housing for nationals' but were met with calls of 'Fascists out of our neighbourhoods' and ended up disbanding.

Thousands of residents take part in a protest to demand their 'right to have a home' and against mass tourism in Malaga, Spain, June 29, 2024

Protesters wandered through the streets of Malaga to demand their 'right to have a home' on June 29, 2024

Marchers held up banners which read: 'We feel strangers in our own city' and 'Malaga is for the people of Malaga, tourism forces us out'

Protesters are seen holding up placards expressing their opinions during a demonstration against mass tourism in Malaga on June 29

The slow walk through Malaga town centre, which finished in emblematic Constitution Square, ended with the reading of a manifesto where protest organisers said: 'We're not going to allow ourselves to be expelled from our own city. We're staying put.

'We're not going to allow Malaga to become a theme park emptied of local residents. We're not going to allow shops to be replaced by franchises, pavements with terraces and rents with eviction letters.'

Santiago Perez, 67, who attended the march, told local press: 'I'm not against tourism but I want it to be regulated so we have quality tourism and not the drunken type of tourism the holiday rentals attract.'

Earlier this year stickers were plastered over the front of tourist apartment blocks in Malaga with messages in Spanish saying: 'F*** off from here' and 'Stinking of Tourists.'

Others that appeared, alluding to the same problems expressed by residents in places like Tenerife about the lack of affordable accommodation caused by mass tourism, say: 'This used to be my house' and 'A family used to live here'.

A Malaga bar owner who was recently told he had to leave the home he has lived in for the past ten years so it could be used by tourists staying on short-term lets, was linked at the time to the campaign.

He had organised a social media initiative proposing customers come up with alternatives revolving around the AT signs on the front of holiday apartment blocks, short for Apartamento Turistico in Spanish, in a play on words game.

They came up with imaginative proposals which included 'A Tu Puta casa' and ApesTando a Turista - English for 'F*** off home' and 'Stinking of Tourist.'

The bar owner, known as Dani Drunko, went on to admit things had got a 'bit out of hand.'

Earlier this month hundreds of anti-mass tourism campaigners took over picture postcard cove Calo des Moro in Majorca, made famous around the world by influencers.

Islanders kept their promise to 'reclaim' stunning cove from foreign holidaymakers by taking up every inch of space on the tiny 98-foot wide stretch of sand with their beach towels shortly after 8am on June 16.

The number of protesters had swelled to more than 300 by around 10am local time, coinciding with the arrival of the first foreign day trippers.

Protesters take part in a demonstration to protest against the massification of tourism and housing prices in Malaga on June 29, 2024

Protesters are seen holding up placards expressing their opinions during a demonstration against mass tourism in Malaga on June 29, following recent protests in the Canary and Balearic islands and Majorca

More than 15,000 protesters have taken to the streets of Malaga in the latest anti-tourism demo in Spain

The demo was organised by the Malaga Tenants Union, with the backing of nearly 50 organisations including Greenpeace and Oxfam, under the slogan: 'Malaga para vivir, no para sobrevivir' which in English translates roughly as 'Malaga to live in, not survive in'

Some of the banners, in many cases pieces of cardboard the protesters had scrawled messages in felt-tip pen on, said: 'One more tourist is one less local resident'

The slow walk through Malaga town centre, which finished in emblematic Constitution Square, ended with the reading of a manifesto

Earlier this month hundreds of anti-mass tourism campaigners took over picture postcard cove Calo des Moro in Majorca, made famous around the world by influencers

Protesters hold a banner reading 'Mallorca is not for sale' during a demonstration to protest against mass tourism and housing prices on May 25, 2024

They turned back after being informed by the campaigners what was going on.

Platform Mallorca Platja Tour said as its protest got underway: 'For one day Calo des Moro will belong to the Majorcans.'

As well as laying down beach towels between the rocks on either side of the sand, campaigners unfurled a huge banner stretching across the cove which said: 'Ocupem Les Nostres Platges' - 'Let's Occupy our beaches'

Protesters, some of whom were already in their bikinis despite the fact the sun was just up, applauded as it was laid out on the front of the sand before chorusing in unison 'Destination Majorca, don't destroy it'.

Another anti-mass tourism protest is due to go ahead in the Majorcan capital Palma on July 21.

Organisers claimed the last one there on April 25, where some holidaymaker were booed and insulted as they ate their evening meals along the demo route, was attended by 25,000 people although government officials put the figure at around 10,000.

Smaller protests have taken place in Ibiza and Menorca.

In the Canary Islands in April, an estimated 130,000 people across the Atlantic archipelago took to the streets with placards and banners to protest at the effect mass tourism was having there.

A leading anti-tourist protester revealed to MailOnline that he will never stop Majorca's war on British tourists.

Pere Joan, 25, a cultural heritage masters student in Palma and was one of the chief protesters at Menys Turism, Mes Vida (Less Tourism, More Life), who led thousands through the streets last month in a march against over-tourism.

After the protests, the Government of the Balearic Islands toughened drinking rules to fine people up to 1,500 (1,350) for drinking in the street, a penalty that could be increased to 3,000 (2,500) for a serious offence.

It also forced shops to stop selling alcohol past 8.30pm.

Protester Pere said Mallorca had become a destination for sex and binge drinking. He blamed this culture on Brits in Magaluf, the Mallorcan party town, and Germans in the other popular resort of Arenal.

The words 'Go Home Tourist' were scrawled in English over a wall underneath a real estate promotion billboard in Nou Llevant, Mallorca, a neighbourhood that has seen a massive influx of foreign buyers over the past few years

Thousands of residents protested in Tenerife, Canary Islands, to demand the government temporarily limit tourist arrivals on April 20

Graffiti reading 'My misery, your paradise' is seen in the Balearic Islands

Protesters pictured at an anti-tourism demonastration in Menorca on June 8

Pere Joan (pictured), 25, a cultural heritage masters student in Palma and was one of the chief protesters at Menys Turism, Mes Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) and led thousands through the streets last month in a march against over-tourism

A woman is seen with two men, heads on their knees, on a Magaluf street as other party-goers walk by, also seeming somewhat worse-for-wear

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, he said: '[Locals] want to relax, to rest in their houses at night. But in [Magaluf] they can't sleep and some of them move homes [because of] this problem. Some neighbourhoods started to complain.

'This kind of tourist in Magaluf and Arenal it's a bad image of Mallorca. Everyone only wants to be in the place to have sex or drink alcohol or do things that in their own countries they can't do.

'For example the balcony-jumping into the swimming pools, sex on the streets, rubbish on the streets. It's not safe to go on the streets. You can't find peace.'

Anti-tourist graffiti such as 'F*** tourists' and 'tourists go home' has been spotted across the sun-kissed island, as well as in other Spanish destinations.

Although Pere said this did not stem from the official Menys Turism, Mes Vida platform, he wasn't against it.

Likening the group to Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion - whose activists have been known to throw paint at famous artworks - he said, 'we can't be violent,' but added that if tourists were scared away by graffiti, then that was not a bad thing.
Spanish police have ended the search for missing raver Jay Slater - almost two weeks after the British teenager vanished on the island of Tenerife.

Apprentice bricklayer Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, near Blackburn in Lancashire, was last seen near the rugged Rural de Teno Park on June 17 and a huge search involving dogs, drones and a helicopter has failed to find any trace.

On Saturday, police launched one final push and appealed for an army of volunteers to help but just six people turned up to join 24 mountain rescue and fire teams in the remote area of Masca, north-west Tenerife.

In a dramatic update on Sunday morning, a spokesperson for Tenerife police said: 'The search is now over but the investigation remains open.' The spokesperson refused to elaborate on whether it was now a criminal investigation.

Jay, 19, was last seen at around 8am on June 17 by the owner of an Airbnb he had gone back to with two men after a rave. He had missed a bus back to his accommodation and was seen setting off on foot for what would have been an 11-hour walk.

The decision to end the search was taken at a senior level following a meeting between investigators and mountain rescue teams at the island's HQ i Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

On Saturday one of the search teams had told MailOnline: 'Nothing was found and now the chief will make a decision whether to carry on, it's up to the senior people to decide, there is no established cut off time.

'But obviously we cannot carry on searching for ever so what we know will be evaluated and then the senior investigators will make that decision.'

Spanish police have ended the search for missing raver Jay Slater (centre) - almost two weeks after the British teenager vanished on the island of Tenerife. He is pictured here with his mother, Debbie Duncan, and brother Zak

The mountain where search parties have gathered for two weeks was quiet this morning

On Saturday police launched one final push and appealed for volunteers to help and just six turned up to join 24 mountain rescue and fire teams at Masca

Jay's father Warren along with with Jay's mother Debbie and a number of his friends have flown to the Spanish island to help over the past two weeks

Spanish police and volunteers gather before searching the remote area yesterday

There has been no sign of Jay since he vanished on Tenerife on June 17

Jay's phone last pinged near to a look-out point where search teams gathered yesterday to begin the last day of the operation.

Jay Slater timeline Sunday June 16: Jay and his friends, including Lucy Mae Law, party at the final day of the NRG music festival at Papagayo night club in the resort of Playa de las Americas, Tenerife. Monday June 17: Between 3am and 6am BST, Jay goes back to an Airbnb with two men after they leave Playa de las Americas in a car. 7.30am: Jay shares a photo on his Snapchat account, which shows him standing at the doorway of a house with the location Parque Rural de Teno. Between 8.30am and 9am: Jay calls Lucy and says he is 'lost in the mountains with one per cent battery and no water' and has missed a bus back south and was attempting to walk. It would take 11 hours. The call cuts out and the phone's last location is a path in the rugged Rural de Teno national park, which is popular with hikers. Grainy CCTV, released on June 24, shows a possible sighting of Jay at Santiago at around 6pm - nearly ten hours after his mobile phone last pinged in the Rural de Teno Park at around 8.50am. The CCTV is taken close to a church, San Fernando Rey, where Jay's mother told MailOnline a man has come forward to say he saw someone matching her son's description sitting on a bench with two men. Tuesday June 18: Friends search the area but there is no sign of Jay and he does not return to his accommodation. Local police and mountain rescue teams start hunting for Jay - and his mother Debbie flies to Tenerife. Wednesday June 19 - Spanish police use drones, dogs and a helicopter but Jay is not found. They change their search to Los Cristianos because of a possible sighting, but it is ruled out and they return to Rural de Teno. Thursday June 20: Guardia Civil, mountain rescue, firefighters and volunteers continue to search the national park. Friday June 21: Lancashire Police offer support but it is declined by the Spanish police. Saturday June 22: Search teams continue scouring the national park and Debbie says: 'We just need you home.' Sunday June 23: Police examine outbuildings at the bottom of a ravine where his phone last pinged. Monday June 24: MailOnline learns Spanish police are investigating whether Jay's past is relevant. Jay's family focus on the area of Santiago de Teide - where the grainy CCTV they think is Jay was taken. Tuesday June 25: Jay's mother issues a heartbreaking plea for her son to come home as more friends fly out to Tenerife. TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas is seen outside Airbnb Jay went to. Wednesday June 26: Mr Williams-Thomas tells the two men that Jay went back with to 'come forward with crucial information' Thursday June 27: Jay's mother says she is in talks to withdraw some of 36,000 from GoFundMe to help with rescue efforts and living expenses. Friday June 28: Police in Tenerife call for an army of volunteers to help them scour the rugged terrain. Saturday June 29: Only six volunteers show up to help with the search. Investigators also say the two men Jay went back with have 'no relevance' to the case. Sunday June 30: Spanish police officially end the search for Jay Slater. They say the investigation 'remains open', however. Advertisement

Friend Lucy Law said Jay had called her shortly after he was last seen to say he was thirsty and had no water and just one per cent battery on his phone.

The Civil Guard says the 'parallel' investigation by police investigators which they are not sharing information on is continuing despite the suspension of the 'visible' mountain search in and around Masca.

After partying on the final night of the three-day NRG festival in Tenerife's Playa de las Americas resort, Jay had gone back to an Airbnb in Masca with two men he had met on holiday. It was here that he sent two Snapchat messages from there to his friends.

Ofelia Medina Hernandez, the owner of the villa, said she saw Jay standing at a nearby bus stop at around 8am.

He asked her when the next bus was to Los Cristianos, but when he was told it wasn't until 10am, he set off on foot.

Jay's father, Warren Slater, yesterday said he was 'disappointed' after only a handful of volunteers turned out to join the hunt for his son.

Just six volunteers including British TikTok mountaineer Paul Arnott and a few Spanish nationals joined the search on Saturday, with temperatures pushing 23C.

'It's a bit disappointing that there are no British apart from Paul but I suppose to them he's just a British lad who's come out here and got drunk,' Warren said.

The father added he was 'grateful' to those who gathered to look for his son.

'You can see just how dangerous it is and what gets me is the trollers who are having a go at us for not searching,' he said.

Wild conspiracy theories online have threatened to derail the investigation, with Jay's family hitting out at trolls making unfounded claims. Some internet sleuths have even travelled to Tenerife to try and find him.

Police revealed yesterday that two mystery British men who were with Jay the night he disappeared were 'not relevant' to their investigation.

The development raised eyebrows among many as TV sleuth Mark Williams-Thomas, who worked on the missing people cases of Madeleine McCann and Nicola Bulley, had described the men as 'key witnesses' and appealed for them to come forward.

Cipriano Martin, head of the Spanish Civil Guard's Mountain Rescue team in Tenerife, said: 'Those men have been spoken to and they don't have any relevance whatsoever for the case.'

However little is known about the two mystery men, who have not spoken publicly, besides the fact that they are British, black and in their late 30s to early 40s.

One is said to go by the nickname Johnny Vegas and one is described as around 6ft, stocky and with short dark hair. He was seen with an orange wristband but little else is known about the other man.

It comes after police said they were investigating a scuffle outside Papagayo Beach Club, where Jay was seen partying on June 17.

It is believed a fight - involving an Eastern European man who reportedly had his valuable Rolex stolen - broke out after the venue had closed.

One of Jay's friends, who had travelled to Tenerife to help in the search told detectives the alleged incident could have led to his disappearance.

Authorities were reviewing CCTV footage from the venue where the incident occurred.

Another theory which is understood to be on the table is that the valuable watch had somehow wound up in the cottage where Jay had travelled - and that he then ventured into the wilderness in an attempt to steal it.

Earlier this week, MailOnline revealed new photos of Jay chatting to friends at a hotel pool party just two days before he vanished.

The investigation also took a strange twist when the mayor of Tenerife revealed that police were quizzing locals who claimed they had seen Jay 'watching the Euros' in a bar in Puerto de Santiago - a coastal resort on the island.

After partying on the final night of the three-day NRG festival in Tenerife's Playa de las Americas resort, Jay had gone back to an Airbnb in Masca with two men he had met on holiday

There was no sign of Spanish police on the Masca mountains on Sunday morning as the search was called off

The search for missing teenager Jay Slater has officially ended, 14 days after he went missing

Guardia Civil agent Cipriano Martin has confirmed the two mystery men who invited Jay Slater back to their Airbnb hours before he vanished 'don't have any relevance whatsoever for the case'

Spanish police begin a final search for Jay yesterday

TV detective Mark Williams Thomas previously called on the two mystery men who were with missing teenager Jay Slater to come forward

Earlier this week, MailOnline revealed pictures showing apprentice bricklayer Jay, 19, lounging by the pool of the Hard Rock Hotel in Playa de las Americas with dozens of other holidaymakers before he went missing. Pictured: With friends Brandon Hodgkin and Lucy Mae Law

Dressed in camouflage style swimming trunks the picture was taken on the second day of the NRG festival at a pool party which was described on social media as 'epic'

Also, in the picture with her back to the camera in a white skirt, is Jay's friend Lucy Mae Law, 19, left, and it was taken on June 15  just two days before he vanished

Holding a plastic cup in his hand (right) he appears to be standing by himself while Lucy (left) is talking to another group of boys

The claim followed the earlier release of a grainy CCTV image from Santiago del Teide which Jay's family were hopeful was him, and which police were looking at.

The image shows a figure walking past a church at around 6pm the day he went missing - ten hours after his phone last pinged.

The CCTV was taken close to a church, San Fernando Rey, where Jay's mother previously told MailOnline that a man has come forward to say he saw someone matching her son's description sitting on a bench with two men.

On Friday, Jay's friend Brad Hargreaves told ITV's This Morning he had been on a video call with him before his disappearance when he heard him go off the road.

Jay Slater has not been seen since he went back to an Airbnb with two men after a night out in Tenerife

Jay's family released this CCTV image of a figure they believe to be the 19-year-old. It was taken at around 6pm on the day he went missing - 10 hours after his phone last pinged

The apprentice bricklayer went back to the Casa Abuela Tina Airbnb (pictured) near the rugged Rural de Teno national park with two mystery men

In its Airbnb listing Casa Abuela Tina is described as being a farmhouse within the 'unique natural landscape' surrounding it

It is known that Jay sent pictures of himself inside the house and from outside on Snapchat to his mum and friends

The teenager posted this Snapchat image on the morning he went missing in Spain

The search pictured beginning yesterday in the early morning near to Jay's last-known location in the village of Masca

The volunteers pictured as they begin the co-ordinated search which took place in a steep rocky area, with ravines, trails and paths all searched thoroughly

He said: 'He was on the phone walking down a road and he'd gone over a little bit - not a big drop - but a tiny little drop and he was going down, and he said 'I'll ring ya back, I'll ring ya back' because I think someone else was ringing him.'

He confirmed he could see his friend's feet 'sliding' down the hill and could hear he was walking on gravel.

But, Mr Hargreaves said he and his friend were both laughing at that point.

He added: 'He didn't seem concerned on the phone until we knew how far away he was.'

He told the programme he still had hope for Jay and was 'praying' for him to come home.

Earlier this week, his mother Debbie Duncan, who travelled to the island following his disappearance, said money raised online would be used to support mountain rescue teams, and to cover her own accommodation and food costs.

Warren Slater and his son Zak, 24, pictured last Saturday at the remote mountain spot where Jay's mobile phone last pinged

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan revealed her choice not to attend with Jay's father and brother had caused her to be on the receiving end of vile social media trolls who have compared her to Karen Matthews

Donations flooded in after GoFundMe appeal 'Get Jay Slater home' was set up by Lucy Law which has raised 43,000 as of Sunday.

In an update on Thursday, Ms Duncan said: 'We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held.

'I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay.

'Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.'

Ms Duncan has described her son's disappearance and the wait for news as a 'living nightmare'.
A spate of Russian missile strikes have killed seven people, including two children, and wounded another 36 after they slammed into a town in southern Ukraine as the conflict continues to intensify.

Tyrant Putin's forces fired a number of missiles at the town of Vilniansk, outside the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, on Saturday with officials in Ukraine releasing photos of bodies stretched out under picnic blankets in a park in the city.

Other grim images showed deep craters in the blackened earth next to the charred remains of a building.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his appeal to allies, urging them to provide his battered country with more long-range weapons and enhanced air defences to stop what he claimed were daily attacks.

Vilniansk lies less than 20 miles from the local capital and north of the front lines with Russian forces continuing to occupy part of the province.

A fire engine arrives at a scene of heavy wreckage in Vilniansk after a devastating series of missile strikes

A car pictured charred and ruined after a Russian strike on Vilniansk

A car is heavily damaged in the Ukrainian city after an attack on June 29

Rescuers pictured working on conducting search and rescue operations on the area with one carrying a painting from the wreckage

Firefighters use hoses to tackle the blaze following the brutal attack on the city

Two bodies pictured beneath picnic blankets in a park in Vilniansk

Local governor Ivan Fedorov confirmed that three children were among the dead and nine more were wounded. Following the devastating attack authorities declared a day of mourning on Sunday.

In a separate Telegram post hours earlier, Mr Fedorov said the strike damaged a shop, residential buildings, and an unspecified 'critical infrastructure' facility in the city, which had a population of around 14,300 prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Russia continues to stretch out Ukrainian forces in several areas along the 600-mile front. Moscow has stepped up airstrikes in a bid to drain Ukraine's resources, often targeting energy facilities and other vital infrastructure.

In the aftermath of the Vilniansk attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Kyiv's Western partners to bolster its air defences and long-range munitions to deter Russian attacks.

Meanwhile in Ukraine's war-torn eastern Donetsk region, eight civilians died and 14 more suffered wounds on Saturday and overnight, according to local governor Vadym Filashkin, as near-daily shelling continues in much of the province.

Attacks also killed one civilian and wounded five more in the southern Kherson region, its governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Telegram.

And according to Kharkiv local governor Oleh Syniehubov, four people were wounded in the northeast province, which has been the site of fierce battles in recent months as Russia launched a cross-border push that threatened Ukraine's second-largest city.

The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday claimed its forces overnight shot down three dozen Ukrainian drones over six regions in Russia's southwest.

Debris from one drone fell on a village in the Kursk region, blowing out windows and damaging roofs and fences, according to a Telegram post by regional governor Aleksey Smirnov.

Smoke billows from a building battered by the Russian attacks on Saturday

The strikes have killed seven people, including two children, and wounded another 36 after they slammed into a town in southern Ukraine as the conflict continues to intensify

A wounded man pictured with blood streaming from his shoulder after Saturday's strikes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his appeal to allies, urging them to provide his battered country with more long-range weapons and enhanced air defences

Glass in a shop window is smashed following the strikes in the city

Local governor Ivan Fedorov confirmed that three children were among the dead and nine more were wounded. Following the attack authorities declared a day of mourning on Sunday

In the city of Lipetsk, further north, a drone was shot down as it appeared to target the industrial zone. There were no casualties in either case.

The latest attacks come after Russia blamed the United States for the deaths of three people including two children when a Ukrainian missile was shot down over a crowded beach in Russian-occupied Crimea earlier this month.

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.

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.

'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.

Earlier in the day one person had been 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.

A man holds up debris found after the rocket strikes on Vilniansk

A shop pictured heavily damaged after a series of missiles landed on the city on Saturday

A crater filled with mud formed after the heavy strikes on Vilniansk

Russia continues to stretch out Ukrainian forces in several areas along the 600-mile front. Moscow has stepped up airstrikes in a bid to drain Ukraine's resources

A damaged house pictured after the missile strikes on Vilniansk in Ukraine

The shocking strikes were the latest in a spate of damaging attacks from Putin's Russia

A car is pictured completely gutted after rockets were fired onto the city of Vilniansk this weekend

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, 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.

Earlier, Russian strikes had 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.
The Tories today warned about Labour's threat to the green belt as it was revealed the party are preparing to swifly order councils to think again about protected land.

Sir Keir Starmer vowed to 'hit the ground running' and turbocharge housebuilding from 'day one' of taking office after pledging to build 1.5million new homes.

In a joint newspaper interview with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, he promised Labour would be building more than 300,000 homes a year within five years.

But Ms Reeves sparked concerns as she explained how Labour would pursue what she has previously called a 'common sense' approach to building on green belt land.

She told the Sunday Times: 'Just because something's designated 'green belt' does not mean it's green.'

The newspaper reported that, by the third week of a Labour government, incoming housing secretary Angela Rayner will have written to local councils.

The party's deputy leader will order them to start a process of 'regularly reviewing' their green belt boundaries to ensure they are hitting housing targets, it said.

The intention will be that councils will identify areas to be reclassified for development.

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Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, seized on the report as he urged previous Conservatives voters not to abandon the party on Thursday.

He told Sky News: 'I have many conversations with voters whose pen is sort of proverbially hovering over which box to put the cross in.

'If you're worried - and so many voters I speak to are genuinely worried about what Labour will do to their taxes, whether they're a pensioner or a first time buyer.

'They're worried about what Labour will do to the green belt.

'The only way, if you share our Conservative values of cutting taxes, of controlling migration, it's only by voting Conservative that you can stop Labour getting in.'

There are around 6,300 square miles of green belt land in England, which is designed to prevent urban sprawl into the countryside.

In the Sunday Times interview, Ms Reeves said there was an 'urgency' for Labour to become the party of housebuilders because 'we know that for kids like us today [from working-class backgrounds], some of those opportunities [to own a home] don't exist'.

Research by Searchland, a specialist development site sourcing company, has found reclassifying just 1 per cent of the green belt in England could produce as many as 738,000 new homes.

Ms Reeves added: 'We all know that there is building on greenfield [sites] today, but it's chaotic.

'We also know there are different types of green belt land. Just because something's designated 'green belt' does not mean it's green.'

According to the newspaper, under Labour's plans for government, the council-led review of green belt land to be reclassified for development will be announced by the end of July.

Local authorities will have to release green belt land if brownfield sites are insufficient, it reported.

A recruitment drive for 300 more planning officers, to speed up the rate at which permissions are granted for developments, will also be unveiled.

At the end of July, Labour will publish a draft of the national planning policy framework.

It will restore top-down targets to ensure councils are meeting housing needs in their areas.

Earlier this month, Sir Keir was forced to deny Labour plans to 'flatten the whole green belt' to build houses if the party wins the election n 4 July.

The Labour leader insisted he would 'protect the countryside' if he enters Downing Street, while also meeting his party's pledge to build 1.5million new homes within five years.

He was forced to respond after Rishi Sunak claimed to have exposed Labour's 'real views on Britain's green belt'.

The PM highlighted an article from the Politico website, which quoted a Labour official as saying: 'I don't care if we flatten the whold green belt, we just need more houses in this country.'

Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter , Mr Sunak wrote: 'Just been sent this article from Politico this morning. Good to finally get Labour's real views on Britain's green belt.'

But, during a visit to a housing development in York, Sir Keir told journalists: 'No, that wasn't Labour Party officials. That wasn't Labour Party policy.

'What we will do is we will build the one and a half million houses that we need over the next five years on projects like this, with the facilities they need.

'Because what you need here is the schools and the GPs and the facilities that are needed for housing.

'We will get on and do the building we need to do, but we'd of course protect the countryside, as you'd expect.'
Glastonbury has been at the centre of a lip-syncing storm this weekend after stars including Dua Lipa were accused of miming their performances.

Fans have taken aim at artists including Camila Cabello and Coldplay's Chris Martin for allegedly not singing their lyrics live on stage at the world-famous festival.

Music lovers took to social media in their droves to comment about the issue, with one posting: 'Does anyone actually sing at festivals anymore? It's all miming I swear.'

The BBC, which is broadcasting the festival, has been on the receiving end of a number of complaints from fans who have complained about the sound issues.

But music experts have now revealed the problem could be caused by the use of backing tracks.

Glastonbury has been at the centre of a lip-syncing storm this weekend after stars including Dua Lipa were accused of miming their performances

Earlier this month Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Taylor Swift clashed over the accusation that Swift was not singing live - a claim she swiftly rejected

Grohl said on stage: 'We've had more than a few eras, and more than a few f***ing errors as well. That's because we actually play live'

Earlier this month Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Taylor Swift clashed over the accusation that Swift was not singing live - a claim she swiftly rejected.

'We like to call our tour the Errors Tour,' said Grohl on stage.

'We've had more than a few eras, and more than a few f***ing errors as well. That's because we actually play live.'

The next night Swift made sure to loudly thank her band 'who's playing live for you for three and a half hours'.

The pressure of playing to 90,000 fans at Wembley like Swift or 200,000 at Worthy Farm for Glastonbury requires sound engineering on a large scale.

Becky Pell, a sound engineer from Oxfordshire who is on tour with Take That, told The Sunday Times that the 'vast majority' of pop artists sing live.

Artists including Camila Cabello and Coldplay's Chris Martin have been called out for allegedly lip-syncing

Dua Lipa's almost two-hour headliner performance at Glastonbury involved high-intensity dance routines and running up and down the stage

When asked by our reporter if she sung her songs live during the performance, Lipa denied that she mimed her setlist

But that it was 'not practical' to have the 16 musicians which would appear on a recorded track, performing on stage.

Another sound engineer who has toured with Blondie, claimed to achieve the same effect, stars use extra guitarists or an orchestra on a backing track to 'thicken the sound out' - helping to replicate the recorded version of the song.

Vocals may be added too, but these will be in addition to live singing - not instead of.

On studio recorded albums, artists often sing multiple parts or layer their voice, something that can't be replicated live.

Dua Lipa's almost two-hour headliner performance at Glastonbury involved high-intensity dance routines and running up and down the stage.

It is thought she might have needed to pre-record some elements to support her live vocals on some of the more difficult songs.

But rock'n'roll purists such as Grohl have a tendency to look down their noses at artists who rely heavily on backing tracks.

Music lovers took to social media in their droves to comment about the sounds issues

Pictured: Dua Lipa performed on day three of the festival at Worthy farm

Another fan complained that fans had paid money only for Lipa to 'mime the song and not even sing it'

It is thought Lipa might have needed to pre-record some elements to support her live vocals on some of the more difficult songs

When Live Aid was held at Wembley in 1985 the sound quality to the crowd of 72,000 varied extensively between bands

Some artists prefer to go without the heavily regimented use of backing tracks, which they claim take the spontaneity and thrill out of a live performance. Pictured: Freddie Mercury of Queen at Live Aid

Some artists prefer to go without the heavily regimented use of the tracks, which they claim take the spontaneity and thrill out of a live performance.

They don't use tacks used to help them keep the tempo, known as click tracks, and instead want to let the music 'breathe', according to one 66-year-old guitarist who has performed live with David Bowie and Iggy Pop.

But going without any backing track can be a big gamble, resulting in a patchier sound and less consistency.

Live music fans who have been listening for decades have noticed the improvements.

When Live Aid was held at Wembley in 1985 the sound quality to the crowd of 72,000 varied extensively between bands.

One of the most striking examples was Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon who painfully failed on a high note in a rendition of A View to a Kill.

A music fan described the difference in listening to live music between the two eras as 'like comparing a cassette tape to Spotify'.

BBC spokesperson said: 'This year, we are bringing audiences extensive and world class music coverage from Glastonbury across the weekend.

'This includes over 90 hours of live performance from the five main stages on BBC iPlayer, which are broadcast as they happen, and 90 hours of radio broadcasts live from the festival, plus more on TV and BBC Sounds.'
Heathrow staff are allowed to wear Palestine flag badges because it illustrates that they can speak Arabic, the airport bosses have told an angry Jewish passenger.

On May 26, a Jewish passenger had his bag pulled for an extra security check by a female worker wearing one of the badges.

And while staff at the airport aren't allowed to wear political or religious items, the passenger was told the badge was an exception to this rule.

This is because it was used to 'indicate an employee speaks a particular language or dialect from a certain region', according to The Telegraph.

This comes after the Home Office professional standards unit began an investigation into a complaint that Heathrow Border Force staff 'harassed' Israeli passengers arriving in the UK.

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.

A stock image of a protester wearing a Free Palestine badge during a demonstration

Pictured is the departures hall at Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport

After the passenger complained about the flag badge, Heathrow's passenger customer support department replied: 'If a person speaks a language or dialect from a certain region as a secondary/tertiary language, a flag representing the region or country would be present which is provided by Heathrow.'

The Telegraph reported the letter as saying: 'The flag is used to be more easily identifiable from a distance.'

But a spokesperson from UK Lawyers for Israel told the newspaper that passengers would assume staff were Palestine supporters amid the conflict in Gaza.

They said it creates an 'intimidating, hostile, and offensive environment for Jews and Israel supporters'.

It follows Israeli passengers claiming they were subjected to 'degrading treatment'.

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.

Heathrow staff wearing pro-Palestine badges harassed Israeli passengers after noticing an Israeli flag on their luggage as they passed through customs. Stock image of Terminal 5

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. Pictured is Heathrow

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 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.'

A Heathrow spokesperson said: 'Everyone should feel safe and welcome at Heathrow. We have guidance on what colleagues can wear at work, if that guidance is not followed we will ensure those items are removed immediately.'
David Cameron has branded Sir Keir Starmer 'hopelessly naive' and warned the Labour leader will 'weaken Britain's defences' if he becomes PM on Friday.

The Foreign Secretary said he was 'really shocked' that Sir Keir had yet to match the Conservatives' promise to raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030.

Labour has promised to set out a path for reaching the same level of military funding if they win power, but not put a timescale on when they hope to do so.

In a fierce attack on Sir Keir's failure to provide a firmer commitment, Lord Cameron told the Sunday Times: 'Keir Starmer is in danger of weakening Britain's position and weakening Britain's defences. All in a way that's completely unnecessary.'

The former PM also took a swipe at Sir Keir's past career as a barrister, adding: 'The last thing we need in Britain now is another liberal leftie lawyer running the country.'

David Cameron, pictured with Rishi Sunak at the recent ceremonial welcome of Japan's Emperor Naruhito, claimed Sir Keir Starmer will 'weaken Britain's defences'

The Foreign Secretary said he was 'really shocked' that Sir Keir had yet to match the Conservatives ' promise to raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030

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If he does win the general election, one of the Labour leader's first duties as premier will be to attend a NATO summit in Washington between 9-11 July.

But Lord Cameron suggested Sir Keir would struggle to make the argument that other allies should be spending more on defence.

'You can't argue that others should do more if you aren't doing it yourself,' he said.

Referring to Labour's failure to match the Tories' promise on defence spending, the Foreign Secretary added: 'I was really shocked.

'Given that we had found the money to pay for it, I was absolutely certain Labour would match it.'

He continued: 'Keir Starmer is in danger of weakening Britain's position and weakening Britain's defences. All in a way that's completely unnecessary.'

In a further attack on the man who is widely expected to replace Rishi Sunak as PM, Lord Cameron also said: 'Labour is hopelessly naive about the dangerous world in which we're living.

'If the next world war is fought between international lawyers, we'll win hands down.

'But that's not going to be the case, so you've got to make sure you strengthen your defences.

'You strengthen your intelligence and security. The last thing we need in Britain now is another liberal leftie lawyer running the country.'
As Joe Biden spends the weekend trying to revive his besieged re-election campaign, high-ranking Democrats are weighing the odds of his potential replacement.

Even Biden's most ardent supporters have begun to call on the president to dropout of the race following his disastrous debate against Donald Trump that saw him stumbling over his words and losing his train of thought.

Biden has insisted he is still the Democrat's best bet at beating Trump, but there is still time to replace him as the party's nominee - and the names of possible replacements are being floated.

The Democratic National Committee's official procedures for the convention, adopted in 2022, give the committee the authority to choose a new candidate if either member of the ticket dies or withdraws.

Joe Biden is set to discuss his political future with is family after critics have called on him to dropout of the race following his disastrous debate against Donald Trump

The party's presidential candidate is formally nominated Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August where delegates remain bound to support him  unless Biden himself announces that he's leaving the race.

The Convention would then assume responsibility for voting on an alternative, of which there are plenty of options.

Here are where the betting odds to win the presidential election - meaning the amount one could win for every $100 staked on each candidate - stand for some of the most popular Biden replacements according to Oddschecker.

Gavin Newsom - Odds +1150

The governor of California, who is in the middle of his second and final term, has placed himself in spotlight of Biden's campaign leaving many to speculate if he is eyeing up the job.

His odds have jumped to +1150, despite polling showing he would lose to a matchup against Trump.

Post presidential debate polling conducted by Data for Progress research asked more than 1,000 people who they would vote for in an election between Trump and leading Democrats.

Newsom, 56, the governor of California and a top Biden surrogate lost 44 percent to 47 percent against Trump in a hypothetical matchup

Newsom, 56, lost 44 percent to 47 percent to 78-year-old Donald Trump.

His role as one of the Biden campaign's top surrogates has made him a target of Republicans who have repeatedly held up California as an example of Democrats' mismanagement.

On Newsom's track record in the Golden State is huge budget deficit and major cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles have been devastated by crime and homelessness.

Michelle Obama - Odds +1650

The former first lady's odds to replace Biden have intensified following the debate and she has long been rumored to be considering launching her own political career.

Oddschecker put her up +1650. However, exclusive DailyMail.com/J.L. Partners polling in March of 1,000 likely voters found that she would lose to the former president by three points in a hypothetical match-up.

The idea of Michelle Obama running for president has occasionally been touted by Democrats worried about Biden's advance age and his ability to win a second election.

Michelle Obama's odds to replace Biden have intensified following the debate and she has reportedly steered clear of campaigning for Joe Biden

They think her easy touch with voters, star power and, at the age of 60, relative youth could keep the White House from falling into Republican hands.

Her potential candidacy has gained traction among rightwing pundits, who talked up her potential candidacy as a way of undermining Biden's run.

Following the presidential debate Republican Senator Ted Cruz said he thinks the former first lady could be the next presidential candidate.

'Nine months ago, on Verdict I predicted that the Dems would replace Biden with Michelle Obama. I think thats going to happen,' Cruz said on X.

Michelle has steered clear of campaigning for Joe Biden over her private frustration with how the family treated friend Kathleen Buhle during her messy divorce from Hunter Biden, according to reports.

Gretchen Whitmer - Odds +3300

The 52-year-old governor of Michigan, which is a vital swing state for the 2024 election, is considered a rising star in the party.

In the post-debate polling by Data for Progress research Whitmer lost 44 percent to Trump's 46 percent in a potential match up. However, her betting odds to with the election have risen to +3300.

Whitmer is widely popular in the swing state, which went red for Donald Trump by a tiny 0.3 percent margin and swung blue for Biden in 2020 by a 2.8 percent margin.

Whitmer is widely popular in her swing state but lost 44 percent to 46 percent for Trump in post presidential debate polling

'That woman in Michigan', as Trump describes her, is a former prosecutor and mother- of-two who supports stricter gun laws and the repeal of abortion bans.

In 2020, the FBI famously thwarted a plot by a right-wing militia group to kidnap Whitmer after she antagonized conservatives with her tough response to the Covid pandemic.

She has a memoir coming out next month which some cynically believe was timed perfectly for a possible presidential run.

Kamala Harris - Odds +3300

An obvious choice to replace Biden would be the Vice President Harris, 59, who reportedly has been referred to as a 'work in progress' by her president.

Harris is the natural successor of the presidency if Biden steps down during his term. But for years, Democrats have criticized Harris performance and feel she should not take over for Biden before the election.

The Data for Progress polling has Harris losing 45 percent to Trump's 48 percent, same as her current running mate, while her odds to win the election are +3300.

Harris is said to be 'furious' that she is not being considered as a replacement for Biden, reported Politico.

Harris is said to be 'furious' that she is not being considered as a replacement for Biden

One Washington, DC political operative described to DailyMail.com the 'Kamala conundrum' as a result of Biden and Democrats playing the 'dangerous game' of identity politics to boost their numbers with the black community.

'She could be great for the base right?' he said. 'But you still need independent voters who just don't have confidence in her.'

Other Possibilities

Additional names being thrown into the ring of potential replacement candidates include up and coming party members and even former presidential hopefuls.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and New Jersey Senator Corey Booker both lost 44 percent to Trump's 47 percent in the Data for Progress matchup.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker all lost 43 percent to 46 percent in a matchup against Trump.

Pritzker, a venture capitalist billionaire and heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune has the considerable advantage of being able to sink a lot of money into a presidential campaign.

His odds, along with Shapiro's, stand at +20000, while Booker's is at +40000.
Diners order and enjoy their meals at Copra in San Francisco last year. Restaurant surcharges remain legal in the state, and some patrons arent happy. Adam Pardee/Special to the Chronicle 2023

Bay Area diners who had hoped to see restaurant surcharges banned in California as of next week said they feel disappointed that theyll remain legal after all  and some may change their dining habits because of it.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB1524 into law Saturday, allowing restaurants to continue to charge fees such as automatic service charges as long as theyre clearly disclosed to customers. The laws approval came just two days before SB478, the states junk fees law, would have prohibited them, along with fees in other industries like hotels and concert tickets.

Are you kidding me? was diner Gary Furlongs first reaction.

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Dining out should be a fun, hassle free experience, the Pacifica resident wrote in an email to the Chronicle. Sitting there trying to figure out all the surcharges and how to tip on all this mess makes the experience less enjoyable.

Bay Area native Loren Heiman said he was extremely disappointed by the exemption for restaurants.

Restaurants are the primary offender of adding mandatory fees/surcharges which are fundamentally deceptive and harm consumers by making prices look lower than they actually are, Heiman wrote in an email to the Chronicle. It is unfair to both consumers and other businesses to give restaurants special treatment by allowing them to charge junk fees.

Many others agree. More than 81% of 1,000 respondents to a recent Chronicle reader survey said restaurant surcharges should be illegal.

A menu note about San Francisco restaurant Ancoras service charge, pictured in 2022. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle 2022

Some customers are channeling their frustration into concrete action. Heiman recently created a crowdsourced list of California restaurants that do and dont charge fees thats been circulating on social media. Two software engineers in San Francisco, meanwhile, are pursuing a petition to ban drip-pricing with a potential future ballot measure. The debate will probably continue at a federal level, as the Federal Trade Commission has proposed its own hidden fees ban.

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I hope that a silver lining of SB1524 and the coverage thereof is that it makes consumers aware of and less tolerant of fees, said Nicholas Currault, one of the authors of the draft ordinance.

Restaurant patrons told the Chronicle they wont necessarily dine out less, but plan to seek out restaurants without additional fees. On social media, some posters said they would tip less or not at all as a result, or leave negative online reviews for restaurants with surcharges.

Chen-Chen Huo, a co-owner at San Francisco bar Polkcha, is himself frustrated by fees as a customer, and wanted SB478 to apply to bars and restaurants. Hes worried that diners will lump all hospitality businesses into the same category because of the legislation.

What I worry is if this causes a blanket decline in eating out and patronizing establishments, he said. I dont want people to think restaurants are the new Ticketmaster.

Others expressed frustration at the political process that resulted in the carveout for restaurants. SB1524 was introduced after months of confusion and lobbying from the restaurant industry, who argued that the junk fees legislation wasnt intended for food businesses. To diner John Newman, it felt like more business-as-usual politics with constituent concerns taking a back seat.

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On Thursday, Newman was surprised by a 4% surcharge for employee health insurance on his bill at Acre in Oakland (though it is noted at the bottom of the menu, along with a note that customers can request to remove it). Coupled with a bacon-tomato-avocado sandwich he didnt notice was $25, plus tip, the fee felt grating.

This is where the proverbial rubber hits the road. Do I fundamentally care about $2 for someones healthcare coverage? Not really, Newman wrote in an email to the Chronicle. But I do care about being surprised.

He decided he wouldnt return.
A masked gang has killed one and wounded five in a terrifying attack with two Kalashnikovs and a shotgun on a wedding ceremony in France.

Sources suggested that the attack in the northeastern city of Thionville was linked to a settling of scores between drug traffickers.

The shooting took place at reception hall Eden Palace overnight Saturday to Sunday, with around a hundred people - reportedly members of the local Turkish community - in attendance.

A man in his 30s was killed and three other people were seriously injured in the attack around 1am. Two of them are said to be in life-threatening condition.

A pregnant woman also suffered minor injuries and was reported to be in shock, while a man was injured by shards of glass. The victims are between 25 and 50 years old.

The perpetrators of the shooting, three men reportedly wearing face coverings and black hoodies, had fled the scene by the time police arrived. They have not yet been identified and are understood to still be on the run.

Police officers at work on the site of a shooting that occurred overnight during a wedding party in Thionville, eastern France

Sources suggested that the attack in the northeastern city of Thionville was linked to a settling of scores between drug traffickers

The shooting took place at a reception hall in the early hours of Sunday morning, with around a hundred people in attendance

Thionville is located close to the borders of Luxembourg and Germany

'It was during a wedding,' a police source said. 'At a quarter past one in the morning, a group of people went outside to smoke in front of the hall, and then three heavily armed men arrived and opened fire in their direction.'

Three of the victims were reportedly stood outside the venue and two in the entrance hall when the gunmen opened fire, shooting more than 15 rounds at the wedding guests, according to local media.

Witnesses told local media that the perpetrators used two Kalashnikovs and one shotgun for the attack.

'Several dozen rounds of ammunition were fired. Four people were hit by bullets,' prosecutor Nancy Francois Capin-Dulhoste said in a statement.

'Currently, one has died, three others are in a state of absolute emergency. Two other people suffered minor injuries due to shards of glass.'

The assailants arrived in a 4X4 vehicle, 'probably a BMW', the source said. It was not immediately clear where the vehicle had come from.

Members of law enforcement believe that a settling of scores linked to drug trafficking was behind the violence.

The deceased and the three injured men are known to the authorities for drug cases, according to Le Parisien.

Investigators are trying to understand how the criminals knew that their targets would be away from the other guests when they launched their attack.

'The wedding was not targeted as such, it was people who were at the wedding,' a source said.

Police officers on the site of a shooting that occurred overnight

Two people were seriously injured and one of them was in a critical condition

A glass door pierced with bullet holes could be seen on Sunday morning

'It was during a wedding,' a police source said. 'At a quarter past one in the morning, a group of people went outside to smoke in front of the hall (pictured), and then three heavily armed men arrived and opened fire in their direction'

'At this stage, the motives for the shooting remain unknown,' the prosecutor said.

It is understood that the venue has CCTV and that the attack was captured on camera.

A glass door pierced with at least five bullet holes could be seen at the scene, which is likely how some of the victims were injured by glass shards.

Police have been at the scene since early thismorning and were pictured as they secured evidence outside the venue.

They also appeared to take samples from a car parked at the scene.

Several dozen munitions were discovered at the scene, according to local media.

Thionville is located close to the borders of Luxembourg and Germany and the area where the attack took place is a well-known target for drug trafficking.

In the neighbouring town of Villerupt shootings between rival gangs at a drug dealing point left five people injured in May 2023.

Venue Eden Palace can seat 600 guests and accommodate up to 800 people for events.

The property is located in a commercial area outside of Thionville.
An elderly homeless man has died sleeping in his car outside a men's homeless shelter after overnight temperatures plummeted.

Dominic, aged in his 80s, was discovered dead inside his white Landcruiser, which was parked outside St Vincent's Men's Crisis Centre in Adelaide's CBD early Sunday morning.

His devastated friends believe Dominic succumbed to the chilling temperatures, which dipped down to 3C overnight.

Shocked staff at the shelter described Dominic as a kind gentleman who kept to himself.

'You know, I really teared up because he was a very polite man,' Thomas Gaye told 7 News

'He comes out here and sleeps in his car. He can go in there but, you know, he sticks to himself like a lot of guys do.'

It's understood that Dominic, who had his entire belongings packed inside his vehicle, had a bed at the shelter available for him- an offer that he often declined.

He chose to sleep in his car outside the facility because it was where he felt the safest.

Dominic, in his 80s, chose to sleep in his Landcruiser (pictured) as he felt safer in the car. All his possessions were inside, which can be seen in the rear window

Dominic was discovered dead in his car on Sunday morning in Adelaide's CBD. The temperature plummeted to just 3C overnight

'Not everyone is perfect in there (in the shelter). You're rubbing shoulders with all sorts of life,' shelter client Jay Kellett said.

Another resident had just left the shelter to catch a bus recalled seeing someone desperately banging on Domini's car window after coming across the sad discovery.

The Landcruiser was later towed away by police and will be returned to Dominic's closest relatives.

Dominic's tragic death highlights the urgent need for more permanent housing for Australians who have been forced to sleep rough or who rely on shelters for a night's sleep.

The federal government has announced a plan to tackle homelessness and lack of social housing, which comes into effect on Monday (July 1).

Worth a whopping $9.3billion, states and territories must match the money put forward by the Anthony Albanese government over the five-year agreement.

NSW is set to receive $2.82 billion - the most funding - while Victoria was allocated $2.36billion.

Dominic was found dead inside his car outside the St Vincent's Men's Crisis Centre in Adelaide's Whitmore Square (pictured)

The ACT will get the smallest amount of the funding allocated - just $157.4million.

The Northern Territory was allocated $290.2 million - despite the Top End having 12 times the national average of homelessness.

Additionally, Aussies who get the Commonwealth Rent Assistance will receive a ten per cent increase upon the maximum amount given, which was announced in May's federal budget.

But Australian Council for Social Services chief Cassandra Goldie said the increase would mean a single person would gain just an extra $9.40 weekly, if they are receiving the maximum rate.

Ms Goldie also said that people would still be in 'deep housing stress' if on JobSeeker or Youth Allowance as they would still be paying half of their payment on rent.
The wife of a prominent Miami property developer has accused him of poisoning her with deadly narcotics and hiring someone to kill her, according to bombshell divorce records.

Tatiana Pino, 55, married Sergio Pino, 67, the president of Century Homebuilders Group, in 1992. The couple share two daughters together, Alexander and Carolina Pino.

In 2022 Tatiana filed for divorce against Sergio and a startling detail emerged during their divorce proceedings, just hours after the FBI raided the developer's $7.9 million Coral Gables home and his office headquarters on Monday.

The raid was conducted after divorce records revealed that Tatiana was hospitalized on multiple occasions as doctors found fentanyl in her system, the Miami Herald reported. The agency is also investigating arson and hit-and-run related crimes against her and her sister.

During her deposition in September 2022, Tatiana said that she was sick for three years and was 'in and out of hospitals.'

Tatiana Pino, 55, filed for divorce against her wealthy property developer husband Sergio Pino, 67, in 2022. She has accused him of poisoning her on multiple occasions

On Monday, the FBI raided Sergio's home and business as part of an investigation into the alleged poisonings. (pictured: Tatiana (middle) and her two daughters in 2022)

At the time, Sergio's defense attorney, Sam Rabin, asked his client's wife: 'Do you believe that your husband poisoned you?'

'I believe that he did,' Tatiana replied.

She was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2022, as doctor's struggled to diagnose her.

Tatiana struggled to breathe and had to intubated six times before doctors discovered that she had the deadly narcotic in her system, divorce records reviewed by the Miami Herald, revealed.

Once she was released, doctors told Sergio's wife not to return to her 'normal surroundings,' as she stayed at her sister's home while she recovered.

'They were scared for me because had this happened to me again, I would have been dead,' Tatiana said, according to records.

During her recovery Tatiana recalled that after moving out of the home with her husband, her symptoms started to disappear.

When asked by her husband's attorney what motive Sergio might have to poison her, Tatiana suggested that he was allegedly trying to kill her for financial gain.

'Well, I just don't think that my housekeepers would have a motive. He would have a money motive maybe. A financial motive' she previously said.

Rabin continued to question Tatiana but she was advised by her attorney, Raymond Rafool, not to speak about the investigation conducted by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.

Tatiana struggled to breathe and had to intubated six times before doctors discovered that she had fentanyl in her system, divorce records revealed. (pictured: Tatiana and Sergio in 2018)

On Friday, Rafool told the Miami Herald that the FBI and the US Attorney's Office have since taken over the ongoing investigation.

Deanna Shifrin, Sergio's family lawyer, said that although Tatiana has been seen by multiple medical professionals over the years, she admitted under oath that none of her illnesses were confirmed to be caused by poisoning.

'In other words, there is no objective evidence that Mrs. Pino was poisoned by anyone,' Shifrin told DailyMail.com.

'To be clear, Mr. Pino is devastated by these attacks against him and his family and denies any suggestion that he is responsible for them.'

The lawyer added that the husband has also been the victim of threats and acts of vandalism during his divorce proceedings.

DailyMail.com contacted Rabin for comment.

In addition to the alleged attempts to poison his wife, Sergio has also been accused of trying to kill her in a hit-and-run.

In August 2023, a Home Depot truck reversed into Sergio's estranged wife's blue BMW while she pulled into the driveway of her home in Pinecrest.

According to home video surveillance, the unlicensed rental truck quickly fled the scene. Investigators believe that the incident was not an accident, the Miami Herald reported.

In March 2024, Bayron Bennett, a part-time employee of Sergio, told federal investigators that he and others were allegedly enlisted to harm Tatiana. The affidavit did not specify who recruited Bennett and his accomplices.

During the raid on Monday night, Sergio's estate on Isla Dorada Blvd in Coral Gables (pictured) was searched by the FBI

Sergio runs Century Homebuilders Group- the 'largest Hispanic-owned homebuilder in the nation' (pictured). The FBI raided the building on Monday night as well

'It was apparent that this was an intentional act and not an accidental collision,' the FBI said in the criminal complaint against Bennett.

Along with Bennett, Micahael Dulfo, Edner Etienne and Jerren Howard, were charged with stalking Tatiana.

Dulfo, Bennett and Howard were also charged with arson after attacking Tatiana's sister's vehicle. They were also charged with a racketeering-related offense.

According to the indictment, the four men had 'the intent to kill, injure and intimidate' in acts that placed Tatiana and her sister 'in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury.'

The group of men are accused of committing the criminal acts between June 2022-March 2024, according to the indictment.

The four of them have all pleaded not guilty and are expected to face trial in Miami federal court in August.

Rabin, who is representing Sergio in respect to the FBI investigation, told DailyMail.com: 'We are aware of the investigation and we are cooperating fully with the authorities.'

During the raid on Monday night, Sergio's estate on Isla Dorada Blvd in Coral Gables, and his office headquarters on Ponce de Leon street were searched by the FBI.

In divorce court filings, Tatiana has said that she is entitled to alimony as she stopped working and became a stay-at-home mom for her and Sergio's children.

The filing added that the family lives 'a lavish and luxurious lifestyle' that Tatiana is not able to keep up with living on her own.

Sergio said that his wife 'expressly waived their right' to alimony through their original marital agreement, according to a counter-petition.

In divorce court filings, Tatiana has said that she is entitled for to alimony as she stopped working and became a stay-at-home mom. (pictured: Tatiana and her daughter's in 2017)

Tatiana came back and said that she signed a post-nuptial agreement 'under duress and coercion.'

The filing revealed that the pair first got married on April 9, 1992 in a civil ceremony, but on the day before their 'long-planned religious wedding ceremony and party,' Sergio allegedly 'ambushed' her with the agreement.

'These factors caused Ms. Pino to feel like she could not say no to signing the Postnuptial Agreement without disappointing her Husband  who she trusted  and also her family and friends who were looking forward to the following days celebration,' the filing said.

'For that reason, Tatiana argues that that the marital agreement is not enforceable.'

Sergio runs Century Homebuilders Group - the 'largest Hispanic-owned homebuilder in the nation,' according to the company's website.

He is largely known for his high-profile businessman status with influential connections to both state and local politicians.

In 2022, Sergio's company partnered with another successful Miami-based real-estate developer, Treo Group, and bought 10.5 acres in Florida City with plans to construct 131 townhomes, The Real Deal reported.

Century Homebuilders paid $6.3million for the project. The group recently finished a four-bedroom complex with 537 condos in Doral.
A 21-year-old Canadian woman shared a horror story on TikTok about her parents' 2014 Kia Sorento suddenly coming to a screeching halt while immersed in fast highway traffic.

She said the engine failed while the family was traveling at 68mph, a speed at which most insurance companies agree a collision could have been fatal.

'About a month ago, the motor of the Kia broke down in the middle of the road...the motor just stopped working and the car slowed down to a full stop,' she said in a TikTok with over 1.6 million views as of Sunday.

'We got out of the car safely, but it was an extremely dangerous situation.'

Irate over how close they came to getting into a serious accident, she said she and her parents visited the Kia dealership to hopefully get their car fixed, only to be floored by a salesman's astounding lack of empathy.

The French-born TikToker who goes by Croissant Woman online said she and her parents 'could have died' after their 2014 Kia Sorento malfunctioned on the highway

The French-born TikToker who goes by Croissant Woman online said the salesman recognized her from her videos and started off by saying that the Kia Sorento is known for having 'engine problems.'

One of Kia's most recent recalls came last year and involved 1.73 million of its vehicles - including the Sorentos from 2011 to 2014 - due to increased risks of an engine compartment fire while driving or parked.

Based on the multiple recalls Kia Sorentos have gone through, the woman said she asked the salesman why the company hasn't initiated another recall to take care of this engine malfunction.

His alleged response shocked her.

'What he said to me was, "Well, to be honest with you, we know were in the wrong, but Kia just couldnt spend the money to recall all of the cars and change all the motors on the cars because it would be too expensive,"' she said.

'We could have died. We genuinely could have died. We could have been rear ended.'

Since she said this man was speaking on behalf of Kia, she asked the South Korean car manufacturer to give her an answer as to why action hasn't been taken.

Kia told DailyMail.com the viral TikTok video will be reviewed by company representatives, adding that it 'cannot comment on such a broad complaint without first knowing the VIN of the vehicle to research service and maintenance history.'

Pictured: A 2014 Kia Sorento - the same one the TikToker was driving - stands on display at the 2014 Brussels motor show.

The TikTok creator, who now has nearly 2 million followers, added that the salesman talked down to her and made jokes in poor taste about the family's car.

One of these wisecracks, according to her, was that their car might have been made on Friday, the joke being that the workers who built it were rushing and made careless mistakes just so they could get home for the weekend.

'We were serious this entire time, I didn't laugh once. And all he did was crack jokes about the situation. It's not a funny situation.'

The dealership reportedly offered them a used 2021 Kia Sorento for $25,800 to replace their faulty vehicle, something the salesman apparently called an 'amazing deal.'

The catch was that her parents would have to transfer the loan they are still paying on their current car to the new one.

She told the salesman that this deal was 'ridiculous' and 'disgusting.'

'I said, "If we're going to spend $25,000, it's not going to be a Kia, after what you just told me and after what we just experienced. That's not a deal, we're not gaining anything out of this."'

In a follow-up video, she called the company and spoke to a female representative about the car malfunctioning, her awful experience at the dealership and whether the engine burning oil had any impact on the vehicle failing

She added that their Kia was prone to burning oil, something she claims Kia technicians told her to solve by simply topping it up every so often.

In a follow-up video, she called the company and spoke to a female representative about the car malfunctioning, her awful experience at the dealership and whether the engine burning oil had any impact on the vehicle failing.

The representative allegedly told her that the car's propensity to go through oil faster than normal had nothing to do with the engine shutting down.

That is contrary to what experts say, as one of the well-known consequences of allowing a car's oil to run low is 'seizing the vehicle's engine,' according to CarExamer.

She said the representative she spoke with also addressed the salesman's treatment of her, saying Kia wouldn't confirm or deny the conduct but agreed that it was 'unprofessional.'

Kia also told her and her dad that their Kia Sorento wasn't included in the latest recall due to confusion over who in the family the vehicle was registered to.

She concluded her video by saying that she was going to have it towed to Kia so they could conduct tests on it.

In early June, Kia issued an urgent recall for nearly 463,000 Kia Telluride SUVs due to a malfunction in their power adjustable seats that could cause the cars to catch fire.

The same model vehicle was also recalled in March because some were discovered to roll freely even when in park.
Nikki Haley has issued an ominous warning to Donald Trump after slamming President Joe Biden's debate performance.

Haley told The Wall Street Journal that given how poorly Biden performed on Thursday night, the Democratic Party will likely replace the current nominee with a younger, more coherent candidate.

She said: 'They are going to be smart about it: they're going to bring somebody younger, they're going to bring somebody vibrant, they're going to bring somebody tested.'

Trump and the Republicans need to 'get ready for what's to come,' she said.

Biden's team have repeatedly denied that he will step aside, but rumors of potential replacements are swirling as the president and his team hunker down at Camp David.

Nikki Haley told The Wall Street Journal that given how poorly Biden performed on Thursday night, the Democratic Party are likely going to replace him with a younger candidate

In Thursday's 90-minute debate, Biden appeared to repeatedly lose his train of thought and struggle to finish sentences.

After the debate, Biden himself said: 'I don't walk as easily as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to.'

His performance sparked panic among the Democrats with former key Barack Obama adviser David Axelrod saying there was a 'sense of shock' in the party and there would be 'discussions about whether he (Biden) should continue'.

Haley insisted that the Democratic party has been left with no other option but to replace the aging president.

She told The Journal: 'What we saw was that Trump was strong, but I don't even think that mattered because Biden was so amazingly unfit.

'The way he lost his train of thought, the way he couldn't grasp topics of what he needed to talk about.

'This is a time for Republicans to prepare and get ready for what's to come because there is no way that there will be a surviving Democratic Party if they allow Joe Biden to continue to be the candidate.

'If they continue down this path and they have Biden as their nominee, they are committing to hurting America.'

Top contenders for a potential replacement include Vice President Kamala Harris, California governor Gavin Newsom or Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer.

But Biden stepping aside may not help Republican chances, Haley warned, saying that a replacement will be younger, sharper and more charismatic.

Top contenders for a potential replacement include Vice President Kamala Harris, California governor Gavin Newsom or Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Regardless, Haley called for all politicians over the age of 75 to be required to undergo a mental fitness test.

She said Washington is 'full of older people,' and voters need to know 'who is up to the challenge and who is not'.

Biden's campaign team did not directly respond to Haley's comments, but spokesman, Ammar Moussa told The Journal: 'To the millions of Nikki Haley supporters who are tired of Donald Trump and his MAGA allies constantly attacking them, running moderates and independents out of the party, and repeatedly refusing to commit to accepting the 2024 election results, you have a home in President Bidens coalition.'
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A leading economist was seen rolling her eyes at an infectious diseases expert during a lively televised debate about Australia's response to the Covid pandemic.

Professor Gigi Foster, from the School of Economics at UNSW made no effort to hide her displeasure at Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake's comments during a panel discussion on 7News Spotlight on Sunday night.

The panel discussion featured Sydney GP Kerryn Phelps, infectious diseases paediatrician Professor Robert Booy and former Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk , along with an often vocal live audience.

Professor Senanayake, an academic from the ANU School of Medicine and Psychology, said the drastic lockdown measures stopped people from dying.

He said stricter rules could have been enforced when hotel quarantine was introduced for domestic and international travellers after Australia first went into lockdown in March 2020.

'When we locked down Australia, we should have made sure that hotel quarantine was impenetrable,' he explained.

'If you look at the Victorian report, it looks like the hotel quarantine... the policy was from conception to inception, it was just a couple of days.'

Professor Senanayake added that was an invaluable lesson, which needs to be learned to be better prepared for a future pandemic.

The cameras captured Professor Foster, a Yale-educated academic and former Young Economist of the Year rolling her eyes and shaking her head at his comments.

Professor Gigi Foster (pictured) from the School of Economics at UNSW rolled her eyes while Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake was speaking during a panel discussion on 7News Spotlight

Professor Foster said the lockdown measures failed because she claimed it was a 'mass one size fits all policy'.

'We have failed to protect the most vulnerable,' she said.

'It was lives against lives... it's always lives against lives and lives are what matters, quality lives, length of lives, number of lives'.

She said Aussies were let down by the way the outbreaks of the disease were handled.

'The more we put in people in authority... bureaucracies, which are unaccountable to the people and unelected, the worst outcomes we are going to get,' she said.

A mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine rule was introduced for all international arrivals into Australia in late March 2020.

The public health measure, which was instituted by the then-Morrison government, kept the number of cases at a low rate during the first 18 months of the pandemic.

States and territories also instituted hotel quarantine protocols for interstate travellers.

Professor Senanayake said drastic public health measures like hotel quarantine stopped people from dying (stock image)

Ms Palaszczuk said even though hotel quarantine was not popular at the time, the move stopped people from getting infected.

'I did hotel quarantine myself and it was not good,' she conceded.

'At the time it was the best answer in terms of what we could do in terms of the longevity of the virus and to contain it.'

She defended the move by saying the decision was made in consultation with chief health officers from each state and territory.

Ms Palaszczuk, who closed off the Queensland border several times during the height of the pandemic, said lockdowns were necessary to 'fight the virus'.

Professor Foster rejected her assertion that the measure was effective.

'People's quality of life has suffered and also the direct mental health cost of the lockdowns and the crowded out healthcare that's been killing more people,' she said.

'We've lost tens of thousands more people since mid 2021 than we should have - one of the reasons could be delayed effects of lockdown.'

Professor Foster also said there were 'other coronaviruses' that happened before the Covid pandemic, which she said helped people develop better immunity.

Professor Booy was left shaking his head at the suggestion and said Covid-19 was a completely different virus.

The Queensland Premier said that while hotel quarantine was not popular at the time, the strict rule stopped more Aussies from getting infected (stock image)

Professor Foster claimed that lockdown measures such as hotel quarantine (pictured in Sydney) failed Australians

'This was a virus that went around the world and killed probably over 20million people,' he said.

The excess death rate in Australia was about 20,000 in 2022 when we opened up [the borders] even though we had very high vaccination rates. This is a serious virus'.

Dr Phelps said Covid has not gone away and said public health responses during a future health crisis needs to be better.

'The problem was we went from these quite draconian measures, to nothing other than vaccines,' she said.

'The vaccines approach isn't working and we need to revisit that'.

Elsewhere on the program, Ms Palaszczuk stood by her drastic lockdowns despite families being separated from dying loved ones because of them.

'Not everything was right, not everything was perfect, but we got through it,' she said.

'It was very difficult at the time, but the results for Queensland in the end, I do stand by it, but I do acknowledge it was very difficult and hard for families.

'The end result was we only had tragically seven deaths during that whole period of that two years before we opened up our borders, so I think the results show that it did work.'

She avoided commenting on what she could have done better or whether she would make the same decisions today.
Democrat donors and insiders are growing furious that First Lady Jill Biden won't advise her husband to drop out of the race.

In recent days after President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance, it seems the person pushing most for him to continue running is his wife.

A chorus of Democrats are openly calling for the presumed Democratic nominee to be replace after stumbling over his words and losing his train of thought multiple times during his Thurday's night debate with Donald Trump.

But Jill, 73, is insistent that President Biden, 81, continue running for reelection, according to hedge fund manager and market expert Dougie Kass.

And Biden is set to discuss the future of his re-election campaign on Sunday with his family at Camp David, NBC News first reported Saturday night.

A person familiar with the matter told the network Biden will only listen to his wife of almost 50 years.

'The only person who has ultimate influence with him is the first lady,' they said. 'If she decides there should be a change of course, there will be a change of course.'

Some are now accusing First Lady Jill Biden of 'elder abuse' as reports emerge that she is insisting her husband continue running for president despite calls for him to drop out

Democrat donors and experts say it's time for President Joe Biden, 81, to end his bid for reelection after his car crash debate performance on Thursday with Donald Trump where he on several occasions froze, lost his train of thought and stumbled over his words

His return to the presidential retreat comes after Biden already spent seven days before the debate at Camp David with advisers in debate prep sessions.

On Friday, Jill was mocked for saying at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina that her husband did extremely well at the debate and 'answered all the questions.'

Some Republicans are going as far to accuse Jill of 'elder abuse.'

Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wy.) slammed the first lady for 'rolling President Biden out on stage to engage in a battle of wits while unarmed.'

In private, according to The New York Times, the school teacher believes that Biden's debate performance was just a 'bad night.'

After the debate and calls for him to step down, NYT columnist Maureen Dowd predicted that Jill and White House staff 'will build their protective wall ever higher and shoo away reporters.'

Biden also already had crisis talks with former President Barack Obama and his former White House Chief of Staff after the debate.

But top Democratic Party leaders, including Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are still offering public support for Biden despite reports of a different tune behind the scenes.

Some donors skipped Biden's $250,000-per-head Hamptons fundraiser at hedge fund manager Barry Rosenstein's 18-acre beach estate this weekend after his car-crash debate performance.

'Lots of people are blaming his wife for not telling him [to step aside],' one told the New York Post.

Jill had to help lead President Biden off stage and assisted him on a step off stage

Biden is expected to discuss the future of his re-election campaign Sunday with his family at Camp David  the 125-acre country retreat located in northern Maryland. Pictured: Biden walks to board Air Force One on Saturday night in New Jersey with Jill and granddaughters Natalie and Finnegan Biden

While Biden's trip to Camp David was planned ahead of Thursday's shocking performance, the getaway will serve as a break in the campaign trail with his children and grandchildren.

His retreat at the 125-acre country cabin in the hills of Maryland comes as his team keeps insisting that the idea of him dropping out of the race would only 'lead to weeks of chaos,' calling the concern of several Democrats the work of 'bedwetting brigade.'

'Any discussion about the campaign is expected to be informal or an afterthought, a source told NBC. 'No one is sitting down for a formal or determinative discussion.'

'That is the best possible way for Donald Trump to win and us to lose,' Biden's deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty argued in an email after the president's Hamptons visit, which saw the president being faced with people holding signs bearing the same message: drop out.

'First of all: Joe Biden is going to be the Democratic nominee, period. End of story. Voters voted. He won overwhelmingly,' Flaherty went on.

'And if he were to drop out, it would lead to weeks of chaos, internal foodfighting, and a bunch of candidates who limp into a brutal floor fight at the convention, all while Donald Trump has time to speak to American voters uncontested.

At the Hampton's event, the first couple were rubbing shoulders with a slew of moneyed donors - as the Times reported several 'megadonors' in Silicon Valley were trying to reach the first lady to sway her to convince Biden to bow out in favor of a younger candidate.

According to Anthony Scaramucci, who attended the fundraiser, Biden used a teleprompter when speaking to donors in the living room of the beach house.

There, a plane reportedly deployed by a rival Republican donor, brandished a banner bearing the pointed message 'Bi-done!' - an apparent jab at the president's chances following his poor debate performance

Hours earlier, Biden and First Lady Jill arrived on Marine One at East Hampton Airport, for a fundraiser attended by several wealthy donors

'Spotted flying over East Hampton this evening' Trump tweeted afterwards, as he continues to come out fighting against his aging rival despite uncertainty surrounding his own court cases

On Friday, Biden continued to defend his cognizance his debate performance the day before, speaking out at a rally in North Carolina. There, he told onlookers that he was still the party's best bet at beating Trump, despite what millions saw on TV.

'I know I'm not a young man, I don't walk as easy as I used to, I don't speak as smoothly as I used to, I don't debate as well as I used to.

'But I know what I do know,' he continued, before receiving a round of uproarious applause.

'I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done.'

'I know, like many of Americans know, when you get knocked down, you get back up,' he concluded.

One Democratic House member who spoke to NBC News for its Saturday night piece about how the president will use the visit to reassess his reelection bid said they too believe Biden should drop out, but has yet to call for that publicly.

They said three colleagues expressed the same sentiment during votes on the House floor on Friday, as Biden continued to defend himself in North Carolina.

Afterward, an email from Biden's team sent to supporters continued to defend the president, claiming that his dropping out would only 'lead to weeks of chaos'

Members of the House have also not wavered publicly, and their aides have also rejected the idea they are having second-thoughts behind closed doors.

That said, the Democrats could be giving the president space as he mulls his next steps, with Camp David appearing to be a critical juncture in this decision making process as insiders say First Lady Jill holds the most influence out of her husband's inner circle.

'The decision-makers are two people  it's the president and his wife,' one of the sources familiar with the discussions told NBC of this already known dynamic.

They added: 'Anyone who doesn't understand how deeply personal and familial this decision will be isn't knowledgeable about the situation.'

The statements echoed those from insiders aired earlier in the day, after The New York Times reported that in private, she viewed Biden's bumbling faceoff with his old rival as merely 'a bad night.'

In the interim, Biden's top aides have told his staff to stay strong in meetings, airing the mission statement, 'We'll weather the storm, just like we always have,' according to one senior administration official.

The Democratic National Committee's official procedures for the convention, adopted in 2022, give the committee the authority to choose a new candidate if either member of the ticket dies or withdraws.

Biden also has the power to bow out of the race himself - by releasing all the pledged delegates he has accumulated.

That's 3,894 of 3,937 so far, according to a tally by The Associated Press.
Britain's pothole problem is five times worse than previously believed, according to fresh new data which has revealed there are a staggering 11.5 million craters on roads.

Data collected by a new mobile app - Stan the App - which uses AI to spot and categorise potholes scattered through British roads implies the issue is far greater than initially thought.

Long-time anti-pothole campaigner, Mark Morrell, also known as Mr Pothole, hopes the statistics push politicians to take action regarding the 'awful condition of our roads'.

Stan the App analyses driver's video footage with AI technology to detect craters in the road.

This comes after Britain's pothole backlog was estimated to cost a record 16.3 million, with the estimated repair bill increasing by 1.22 billion for local authorities to reach their own target road conditions.

Birtain's pothole is five times worse than originally thought, according to new data from Stan the App

The AI app, which uses footage to detect craters in the road estimates there are 11.5 million potholes across the UK (pictured: Stan The App)

The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) said in March it would take 11 years for local authorities to fix every crumbling road in England and Wales, up from nine years in 2022.

The AIA's Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) report also found there were 8,000 fewer miles of road classified as 'good' compared with last year - a fall of 4 per cent.

The RAC had previously estimated there were around a million potholes around the UK at any given time, whilst an eye-watering 2.2 million were fixed in 2023.

However footage captured by the 7,000 who use Stan The App, suggests there are 1.5 million potholes in only 13 per cent of UK roads it had tracked so far.

Mr Morrell hopes the new data will urge politicians to take action against Britain's pothole plague.

'Finally, AI via Stan the App reflects the true awful condition of our roads,' he told The Telegraph.

'This app gives power to the public to survey the roads they use. I am not surprised by the 11.5 million potholes and defects on existing carriageways.

The AA says its patrols in 2023 went out to 16% more pothole-related breakdowns than the yeaer previous

Britain's pothole backlog was estimated to cost a record 14 billion last year, with the repair bill believed to rise by an eye-watering 1.5 billion annually

'I have been warning about this situation over my 11 years of campaigning.'

'Until the Government and the authorities face up to the massive challenge of resurfacing our roads, it will end up costing more and more.'

The transport campaigner believes that if the issue is not tackled now, then over half the country's roads will be 'structurally unsound' in 15 years time.

In the run-up to the general election, the Conservative have promised to invest 8 billion from cancelled HS2 funding into local councils to fix roads.

Labour on the other hand have pledged to fund councils so they can repair a million potholes annually.

The AI app - Stan the App - utilises machine learning technology to pick out potholes from video - captured by motorist - of roads around the country.

According to the spokesman for Metricell - the company behind Stan the App - confirmed the technology had already documented 45,000 kilometres of roads.

Avid anti-pothole campaigner, Mark Morrell, also known as Mr Pothole, hopes the new statistics will push politicians to take action regarding the 'awful condition of our roads'

'We've mapped out 12 per cent of the entire UK,' Mr Mockford said.

Not only does the software detect craters in the ground, it also can decipher their size, including their depth and width.

The Department for Transport do not collect data on the number of potholes in England.

Cllr Claire Holland, transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said:

'Councils already invite road users to report highways defects and any new ways that support this and make this easier is helpful.

'Whilst this information will help councils in their planning of road repairs, limited resources and a 16.3 billion backlog of repairs mean councils will need to continue to prioritise according to local circumstances, and want to focus on preventive measures where they can.

'Longer-term, whoever forms the next government should award council Highways Departments with five yearly funding allocations to give more certainty, bringing councils on a par with National Highways so they can develop resurfacing programmes and other highways improvements, tackling the scourge of potholes.'

RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: 'Drivers who are sick and tired of negotiating roads peppered with potholes know only too well how bad the problem across the country is  but up until now, there's been little hard data to back that up.

'That's all changing with Metricell's excellent Stan app as for the first time we can see which roads are worst, as well as the local authorities that are doing a better job looking after them.

'What we need now is for the incoming government to address the problem head on.

'As well as more cash for councils, the answer to Britain's pothole woes is to take preventative steps to extend the life of the roads under their control by surface dressing them to stop potholes forming in the first place.

'Only where roads are so poor do they need to be completely resurfaced.'

A spokesperson for National Highways said: 'The motorways and major A roads we are responsible for represent around 3% of all roads in England.

'Our most recent assessment shows that over 96% of them are in good condition.

'We undertake road condition surveys across our entire network every year and the results are used to identify resurfacing requirements.

'These defects are categorised and we aim to repair the most serious ones within 24 hours.'
Russia has been jamming the GPS on hundreds of RAF flights travelling over Eastern Europe this year with Grant Shapps' flight targeted on its way back from Poland in March.

In-depth analysis has revealed the dangers of such practices to both civil and military flights and gives an insight into the extent of Russia's meddling with aviation.

And a whopping one in four transport and surveillance journeys from January to April 2024 were affected by the interference into GPS (global positioning system), according to a Flight Radar 24 study into data from thousands of flights.

The detailed analysis into 1,467 flights made by 63 RAF aircraft across Eastern Europe and the Middle East showed 142 RAF transport and surveillance flights out of 504 across Eastern Europe had been subject to the jamming.

One in eight, amounting to 60 journeys, were the victim of repeated attempts to jam GPS systems.

A study has found Russia jams GPS on hundreds of RAF flights. In March Grant Shapps's RAF Dassault Falcon 900's GPS system was blocked on its way back from Poland (Stock Photo)

Shapps pictured in Poland. The Defence Secretary told The Telegraph : 'This is another example of Russia's recklessness and more evidence that they are an out-of-control hostile state'

Vladimir Putin pictured in June. In-depth analysis has revealed the dangers of such practices to both civil and military flights and gives an insight into Russia's meddling with aviation

The number of RAF flights affected soared to 40 per cent went taking into account flights travelling across the eastern Mediterranean.

Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary told The Telegraph: 'This is another example of Russia's recklessness and more evidence that they are an out-of-control hostile state.

'Thankfully our planes and pilots can see off this threat but it illustrates president Putin's contempt for the West and for the international rules-based order.'

Shapps was affected by Russian jamming three months ago while heading back from a trip to Poland as it flew near its Kaliningrad enclave yesterday.

The RAF Dassault Falcon 900's primary GPS system and its satellite communications were blocked for approaching 30 minutes.

The attack took place on his return journey from Poland. Details of the Defence Secretary's flight out to the UK's NATO ally was tracked on social media.

Mr Shapps was conducting a day trip to eastern Europe to meet UK troops taking part in Exercise Steadfast Defender  the biggest NATO manoeuvres since the Cold War.

The aircraft flew within 60 miles of Kaliningrad on its return journey yesterday evening having departed RAF Northolt in west London that morning.

Hundreds of commercial flights operating in the same airspace have reported similar problems in recent months as the Kremlin steps up its Electronic Warfare (EW) campaign against the West.

Without GPS, pilots lose their situational awareness  effectively, they are unaware of their location  which in a worse case scenario could cause a fatal collision.

According to UK defence sources there was no threat to Mr Shapps' aircraft yesterday as it is equipped with back-up systems which Russia failed to penetrate.

Typhoons, F-35 fighter jets, A400M transport aircraft and Voyager troop planes have all been affected.

The planes analysed in the recent study each had a transponder which broadcasts a number valuing how accurate the GPS is and when this figure drops below a given threshold, experts say it is a reliable sign that jamming is taking place.

C-17 cargo and A400M carrying fleets, as well as the RC-135 surveillance plane were also involved in the analysis.

While the jammer which targeted the Defence Secretary's flight was located in the Kaliningrad exclave, which is a section of Russian territory on the shores of the Baltic Sea, Moscow also conducts some jamming from Syria, according to geopolitical experts.

Shapps pictured in March with Polish Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on a trip which saw his flight's GPS jammed by Russia

Airbus A400M carrying fleets were involved in the analysis among other aircraft (Stock Photo)

C-17 cargo planes were also affected by GPS jamming (Stock Photo)

Meanwhile, some jamming signals may originate in Israel as a buffer against potential GPS-guided weapons launched by Hamas.

The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment.

MailOnline has also approached the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for comment.
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Shocking video shows a suspect pulling at the headscarves of Muslim women in west London this week in which appeared to be unprovoked attacks.

Several clips showed women wearing coverings targeted by an unseen videographer in Kensington, shared on Instagram on Saturday. One version of the video was seen over 800,000 times by Sunday afternoon.

Bahar Mahroo circulated the video online and wrote: 'Just as you take democracy away from us in Iran and force us to wear headscarves, since we have democracy in this country, we'll pull off those very headscarves from you.'

The comments were re-shared with unfounded allegations Mahroo was involved. She 'unequivocally' denied personal involvement and said CCTV footage would corroborate her innocence.

It came at a heightened period of tensions for Iranian diaspora with millions heading to the polls in Iran on Friday to vote in presidential elections widely regarded a 'sham' and huge protests calling for regime change across Europe.

Iran has seen huge demonstrations erupt in recent years against the perceived hardening of ultraconservative positions and crackdowns on liberal dissent following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman arrested by Iran's so-called 'morality police' for alleged improper wearing of a headscarf in 2022.

An unknown suspect was seen grabbing at the headscarves of women in Kensington

Women standing on High Street Kensington appeared to become victims of random attacks

Two separate videos shared online showed women wearing scarves targeted in Kensington as bystanders watched on.

Dilly Hussain, an editor at 5Pillars, a British Muslim news website, shared the videos with Mahroo's post and claimed she had 'admitted to pulling the hijab off Muslim women in London'.

Mahroo said she was only sharing news and 'unequivocally' denied her involvement in pulling the scarves from women in London.

Some Muslim women choose to wear head coverings in line with Islamic customs about observing modesty, while others claim women are repressed by rules on how to dress.

Earlier this month, Mahroo was attacked by supporters of the Iranian regime outside the Dewan Al-Kafeel community centre in Wembley during a protest at the memorial service for late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi.

Mahroo told the Jewish Chronicle that minutes after arriving she and Navid Bavi, 32, were attacked by men dressed in black.

'I cried out, telling them to stop. But then they sexually assaulted me, trying to grab my breasts,' she told the outlet.

Bavi was seen in horrifying footage lying unconscious after being beaten and thrown to the floor.

He was reportedly beaten so badly that he 'may never walk again', according to the report.

Iranians went to the polls this week to find a replacement for 63-year-old President Raisi following his death in a helicopter accident in May.

But with the elections widely regarded to be a sham, large scale protests have been organised around the world calling for total regime change and an election boycott.

Thousands of adjacent rallies have taken place since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022.

Amini was arrested in Tehran, supposedly for opposing mandatory hijab laws in Iran.

She fell into a coma after her arrest and died in suspicious circumstances in hospital in Tehran on 16 September 2022.

The Islamic Republic's officials told media that Amini suffered a heart attack while detained by 'morality police', denying reports she had been beaten.

Leaked medical scans and assertions of police brutality led observers to believe she had died at the hands of the police.

Iran witnessed its largest protests since at least 2009 in response to her death, amid a clash between a state tending towards stricter observation of inferred religious law and a more liberal Iranian community.

Twitter user Bahar Mahroo denied being involved following widespread allegations

It was not clear what caused the suspect to attack the pedestrians in west London this week

Two separate videos shared online showed women wearing scarves targeted in Kensington as bystanders watched on

Wearing a veil has been mandatory in Iran since 1983, reflecting the new values of the regime assuming power in the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

The revolution gained momentum from discontent with the previous pro-Western Reza Shah Pahlavi, abruptly ending a period of relative liberalism spanning several decades.

Pahlavi had mandated the other way, banning the wearing of the veil in public altogether in 1936 - a new vision of modernity influenced by Turkey's reformist Ataturk.

For much of the 20th century, however, women were nominally free to choose whether they would wear the veil - though some were restricted by male members of the family.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told MailOnline: 'There is no place for this sort of behaviour in London.

'We are in contact with one of the victims and an investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances and deal with any offences.

'Anyone who has witnessed an incident of this type is asked to call police on 101 or post @MetCC, ref 3273/29jun'

MailOnline was unable to reach Bahar Mahroo for comment.
Justice Samuel A. Alito is part of a conservative majority on the Supreme Court that is giving itself new power to make all manner of technical and scientific judgments far outside of its institutional competencies. Joe Raedle/Getty Images 2005

Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito wears a black robe, not a white coat. But this week, youd be forgiven for thinking otherwise.

In his dissenting opinion in Moyle v. United States, Alito argued that Idaho should be able to block pregnant women from receiving medically necessary abortions to save their lives or prevent serious injury. Delving into the intricacies of emergency obstetrics, Alito offered his views on preterm pre-labor rupture of membranes and the proper treatment protocols for life-threatening pregnancy complications.

This medical cosplay is more than just an oddity  its a revealing look into the future of American law.

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Alitos zeal to weigh in on complex medical matters is symptomatic of his hubris and a court that supplants expert knowledge with judicial pontification. In a barrage of three decisions within 24 hours of Moyle, Alito and his conservative brethren gave themselves sweeping new power to make all manner of technical and scientific judgments far outside their institutional competencies.

Throughout his career, Alito has worn many hats. Theres Historian Alito, cherry-picking from the past to support his cause du jour, whether rolling back abortion rights or expanding the Second Amendment. Theres Economist Alito, packing his opinion undercutting public sector unions with free-market musings befitting a Wall Street Journal columnist. And theres Columnist Alito himself, taking to those very pages to preemptively counter embarrassing reporting on Globetrotter Alito  specifically how a Republican billionaire with business before the court paid for his extravagant vacation and private jet travel to Alaska.

Dont forget Vexillophile Alito, whose homes have flown flags associated with the Stop the Steal movement; Fundraiser Alito, who speaks at galas for right-wing advocacy groups, legal ethics be damned; Pundit Alito, who grants wide-ranging interviews to chummy conservative reporters and a Republican lawyer with business pending before the high court; and even Vaccinologist Alito, who repeated anti-vax talking points from the highest bench as the pandemic raged.

Moyle wasnt even Alitos first foray as an amateur OB/GYN. In 2014, Doctor Alito based his opinion for rolling back employee access to contraceptive benefits on a basic misunderstanding of the science behind the contraceptives.

This dizzying array of identities has a common thread. Impervious and aggrieved, Alito routinely oversteps his judicial role to further a partisan agenda. More polemicist than jurist, hes intent on scoring points in the culture war rather than impartially interpreting the law. And as he battles the culture war, he positions himself as the ultimate authority in fields about which he knows zilch.

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It might be comforting to dismiss Alito as an isolated, bitter partisan. But his dogmatic overconfidence imbues the court as a whole. Within hours of Moyle, the courts conservatives handed down three consequential decisions aggrandizing their own power at the expense of representative democracy and expert authority.

In Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, decided Friday, the courts conservatives overturned the long-standing Chevron doctrine, which required courts to defer to federal agencies reasonable interpretations of ambiguous statutes. As Justice Elena Kagan noted in her dissent, In one fell swoop, the majority today gives itself exclusive power over every open issue  no matter how expertise-driven or policy-laden  involving the meaning of regulatory law. Grasping for power in a stunning display of judicial arrogance, the court effectively appointed itself and other federal courts as the decision-makers on an array of hot-button policy issues.

The previous day, in Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy, the conservatives struck another blow against the authority of regulatory agencies. Rejecting one of the main ways the SEC enforces rules against securities fraud, the court imperiled the enforcement of myriad federal laws that conservatives dont like. It was just the latest example of a court hungry for power and disdainful of restraint.

And in Ohio v. EPA, also decided Thursday, five conservative justices issued an emergency stay against clean air protections that shield millions of people from nitrogen oxide, a dangerous pollutant causing premature death and cardiopulmonary disease. (Doctor Alito signed onto this one.) It was an extraordinarily reckless decision. The justices know little about the noxious pollutant in question, let alone devising a multistate plan with various stakeholders to combat it. They belied their ignorance by repeatedly mixing up nitrogen oxide with an entirely different chemical compound. Should those who cant spell a pollutants name be entrusted with regulating it?

Thats the reality of overturning Chevron. Key policy decisions like regulating nitrogen oxide will now be decided by judges with no relevant disciplinary expertise, rather than by environmental scientists and regulators acting through congressional and presidential will. By seizing the power to make scientific, technical and policy judgments in every sphere of federal regulation, the Supreme Court has abandoned the role carved out for judges under Americas democratic structure.

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About Opinion Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies

Justices barely pretend to not be partisan politicians anymore. Since joining the bench, Tub-thumper Alito has regularly given fiery speeches to conservative audiences that fan the flames of grievance, attacking President Barack Obama, liberals, the media, law professors and even specific foreign leaders and dignitaries by name. At the 2010 State of the Union, while every other justice sat stoically as President Obama criticized Citizens United v. FEC, Heckler Alito broke decorum, mouthing not true as the president spoke. And today, with the decorum of the Obama years a quaint memory, we get MAGA Alito. At the recent oral argument in the Trump immunity case, he showed up as a Trump defense lawyer rather than a disinterested judge, wondering whether the peaceful transition of power required giving presidents absolute immunity.
The American media has weighed in on Joe Biden's disastrous presidential debate and joined the growing calls for him to step down.

Biden is set to discuss the future of his re-election campaign this weekend amid the fallout of of Thursday's trainwreck debate performance. But if the liberal media has finally caved on the 81-year-old president, his options may be limited.

Polls indicate that even fewer voters believe Biden is prepared for another four years in The White House after they witnessed his mental and physical fitness appeared to have deteriorated.

Liberal Media giants have added fuel to fire by making bombshell demands of the commander-in-chief and asking him to finally throw in the towel and quit the presidential race.

Major media outlet's have called on Joe Biden to step down following his car crash debate performance

TIME Magazine released a startling cover on their August edition that showed the president appearing to wander off the page with the singular word 'Panic' for the title.

The magazine reported Democratic Party leaders were in a state of disarray while they were watching the debate unfold.

'Biden appeared every bit the 81-year-old grandfather that he is, stammering with a thin voice through unintelligible arguments and often staring blankly, mouth agape, as Trump lobbed one verbal attack after another,' TIME senior correspondent Philip Elliott wrote.

'Biden froze up repeatedly and fumbled even some set-piece lines he had prepared in advance for the moment.

'Panic is not too strong a word to describe the sentiment that coursed through the Democratic Party from top to bottom as the debate unfolded.'

The Washington Post Editorial Board also took Biden to task by asking him whether continuing to stay in the race at the sake of his own pride was worth the damage it could do the country.

TIME Magazine's August edition cover shows the president wandering off the page with just one word: 'Panic'

The Washington Post Editorial Board told Biden to do some 'soul-searching' following the debate

'If President Biden had weekend plans, he should cancel them in favor of some soul-searching,' the editorial board wrote.

'His calamitous debate performance on Thursday raises legitimate questions about whether he's up for another four years in the world's toughest job.

'It's incumbent on this incumbent to determine, in conversation with family and aides, whether continuing to seek reelection is in the best interests of the country.'

On MSNBC's Morning Joe - one of the president's favorite programs - host Joe Scarborough gently urged Biden to step aside on Friday.

'He spent much of the night with his mouth agape and his eyes darting back and forth,' the anchor said.

Joe Scarborough, host of one of Biden's favorite shows MSNBC's Morning Joe, lightly told the president to step down

'He couldn't fact-check anything Donald Trump said. He missed one layup after another after another.

'The question is though, despite my belief that Joe Biden has had an extremely successful first term, is it time for him to step down?'

In Georgia, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution issued a shocking front page ultimatum for Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race following his 'excruciating' debate flop.

The editorial board wrote that 'retirement is now necessary' for the 81-year-old incumbent - asking him to pass the torch to a more competent candidate.

'The unfortunate truth is that Biden should withdraw from the race, for the good of the nation he has served so admirably for half a century,' the editorial board said in an op-ed that appeared on the front page of Georgia's largest newspaper Saturday.

Editorial boards of The New York Times and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution issued ultimatums to the president

'This wasn't a bad night; it was a confirmation of the worst fears of some of Biden's most ardent supporters - that after 36 years in the US Senate, eight more as vice president and a term in the White House, age has finally caught up to him.'

The New York Times Editorial Board has demanded Biden drop out of the race for The White House.

In a scathing opinion piece, the board said Biden appeared to be a 'shadow' of himself and the argument that he was the best Democratic candidate to take on Trump was no longer valid.

Unable to ignore the president's performance, the publication put it bluntly, saying: 'Mr. Biden can't continue this race.'
Britain's most senior civil servant is preparing to quit next year after overseeing a transition to a Labour government, it has emerged.

Simon Case, whose spell in charge of Whitehall has been dogged by the Partygate scandal, will reportedly stand down as cabinet secretary and head of the civil service in January 2025.

According to the Sunday Times, Sir Oliver 'Olly' Robbins - who drafted Theresa May's disastrous Brexit deal - has been lined up as a potential replacement.

The newspaper reported that Sue Gray, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff, has held secret talks with Sir Oliver about returning to a top role in Whitehall.

Mr Case has been the UK's most senior official since September 2020, when he replaced Sir Mark Sedwill as cabinet secretary and head of the civil service.

Simon Case, whose spell in charge of Whitehall has been dogged by the Partygate scandal, will reportedly stand down as cabinet secretary and head of the civil service in January 2025

Sir Oliver 'Olly' Robbins - who drafted Theresa May 's disastrous Brexit deal - has been lined up as a potential replacement

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The 45-year-old, a former GCHQ boss and top aide to Prince William, returned to work at the beginning of this year after taking leave due to a 'private medical matter'.

This meant he missed a scheduled appearance in front of the Covid Inquiry, although he belatedly gave evidence to the pandemic probe last month.

According to the report, Mr Case is still working from home at least two days a week in his 200,000-a-year role - but insiders stressed he is taking calls and fully engaged when not physically present in Whitehall.

He is expected to quit in the New Year after overseeing the transfer of power from the Tories to Labour, if Sir Keir wins the general election on 4 July.

Ms Gray, who oversaw the Partygate report into lockdown parties across Whitehall before joining Sir Keir's team, is said to have held informal talks with Sir Oliver about replacing Mr Case.

He is said to be in contention for the role of cabinet secretary or Downing Street permanent secretary, which has been unoccupied for two years.

Any return for Sir Oliver to a senior Whitehall job would likely anger Tory Brexiteers due to his past role as the architect of Mrs May's Brexit deal.

The former PM's agreement, negotiated by Sir Oliver with the EU, was rejected three times by the House of Commons before her downfall as PM.

Sir Oliver is currently working at Hakluyt, a Mayfair-based strategic advisory firm, having previously worked for Goldman Sachs after leaving the civil service in 2019.
Jay Slater's family and friends have vowed to stay in Tenerife after the Spanish police officially ended their search for the missing British teenager today.

Apprentice bricklayer Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, has not been seen since he went back to an Airbnb near the remote village of Masca with two men following a night out on the infamous Veronicas strip in Playa de las Americas.

The 19-year-old was last seen near the rugged Rural de Teno Park on the morning of June 17 and a huge search involving dogs, drones and a helicopter around the area where his phone last pinged has failed to find any trace.

On Saturday, police launched one final push and appealed for an army of volunteers to help but just six people turned up to join 24 mountain rescue and fire teams in the Masca valley.

In a dramatic update on Sunday morning, a spokesperson for Tenerife police said: 'The search is now over but the investigation remains open.' They refused to elaborate on whether it was now a criminal investigation.

Reacting to the police update, family friend Rachel Hargreaves, whose son Brad was partying with Jay at the three-day NRG festival in Tenerife, told MailOnline today: 'No one is leaving until we find Jay.'

She added: 'We stay and we do what we need to do. Nothing has changed. We will continue to search for him.'

Volunteers who have joined the desperate hunt for Jay in Tenerife are also set to stay - and will explore new areas over the coming days.

Spanish police have ended the search for missing raver Jay Slater (centre) - almost two weeks after the British teenager vanished on the island of Tenerife. He is pictured here with his mother, Debbie Duncan

Jay's family are set to remain in Tenerife despite the search ending. Pictured: Jay's father and brother, Warren and Zak

TikTok climber Paul Arnott (pictured) has said he will be focusing on a another area either this evening or tomorrow

Family friend Rachel Hargreaves, whose son Brad (pictured) was partying with Jay at the three-day NRG festival in Tenerife, told MailOnline today: 'No one is leaving until we find Jay, that's all I have to say.'

Mr Arnott (pictured) said on Monday: 'I'm possibly going to move the search over to another area, either tomorrow (Monday) or this evening (Sunday) but I will tell you about that later.'

The mountain where search parties have gathered for two weeks was quiet this morning

On Saturday police launched one final push and appealed for volunteers to help and just six turned up to join 24 mountain rescue and fire teams at Masca

Spanish police and volunteers gather before searching the remote area yesterday

There has been no sign of Jay since he vanished on Tenerife on June 17

Although Spanish authorities claim the case has been clouded by 'inaccurate' conspiracy theories on social media, Jay's desperate family have called in the help of one social media sleuth - Paul Arnott.

The TikTok climber, who has spent more than a week in Tenerife, posted on his Down The Rapids account today: 'I'm possibly going to move the search over to another area, either tomorrow (Monday) or this evening (Sunday) but I will tell you about that later.'

Jay's mother, Debbie Duncan, told The Telegraph earlier this week: '[I] can't thank Paul Arnott enough, also Callum Rahim [another TikTok creator] and his friends for working alongside with the search and rescue teams.

Jay Slater timeline Sunday June 16: Jay and his friends, including Lucy Mae Law, party at the final day of the NRG music festival at Papagayo night club in the resort of Playa de las Americas, Tenerife. Monday June 17: Between 3am and 6am BST, Jay goes back to an Airbnb with two men after they leave Playa de las Americas in a car. 7.30am: Jay shares a photo on his Snapchat account, which shows him standing at the doorway of a house with the location Parque Rural de Teno. Between 8.30am and 9am: Jay calls Lucy and says he is 'lost in the mountains with one per cent battery and no water' and has missed a bus back south and was attempting to walk. It would take 11 hours. The call cuts out and the phone's last location is a path in the rugged Rural de Teno national park, which is popular with hikers. Grainy CCTV, released on June 24, shows a possible sighting of Jay at Santiago at around 6pm - nearly ten hours after his mobile phone last pinged in the Rural de Teno Park at around 8.50am. The CCTV is taken close to a church, San Fernando Rey, where Jay's mother told MailOnline a man has come forward to say he saw someone matching her son's description sitting on a bench with two men. Tuesday June 18: Friends search the area but there is no sign of Jay and he does not return to his accommodation. Local police and mountain rescue teams start hunting for Jay - and his mother Debbie flies to Tenerife. Wednesday June 19 - Spanish police use drones, dogs and a helicopter but Jay is not found. They change their search to Los Cristianos because of a possible sighting, but it is ruled out and they return to Rural de Teno. Thursday June 20: Guardia Civil, mountain rescue, firefighters and volunteers continue to search the national park. Friday June 21: Lancashire Police offer support but it is declined by the Spanish police. Saturday June 22: Search teams continue scouring the national park and Debbie says: 'We just need you home.' Sunday June 23: Police examine outbuildings at the bottom of a ravine where his phone last pinged. Monday June 24: MailOnline learns Spanish police are investigating whether Jay's past is relevant. Jay's family focus on the area of Santiago de Teide - where the grainy CCTV they think is Jay was taken. Tuesday June 25: Jay's mother issues a heartbreaking plea for her son to come home as more friends fly out to Tenerife. TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas is seen outside Airbnb Jay went to. Wednesday June 26: Mr Williams-Thomas tells the two men that Jay went back with to 'come forward with crucial information' Thursday June 27: Jay's mother says she is in talks to withdraw some of 36,000 from GoFundMe to help with rescue efforts and living expenses. Friday June 28: Police in Tenerife call for an army of volunteers to help them scour the rugged terrain. Saturday June 29: Only six volunteers show up to help with the search. Investigators also say the two men Jay went back with have 'no relevance' to the case. Sunday June 30: Spanish police officially end the search for Jay Slater. They say the investigation 'remains open', however. Advertisement

'Myself, well you know the state of my mental health and my paranoia, you saw it first hand. As a family, we are in a living nightmare.'

Mr Arnott - who is normally based in Bedfordshire - spent 400 on a flight to Tenerife from the Scottish Highlands last Saturday to join the search. He has posted dozens of videos to his 290,000 followers, racking up millions of views, comments and likes.

When asked by MailOnline earlier this week how long he was planning to stay, he said: 'It's been exhausting and it's been really hard work but I'm not giving up until we find Jay.'

Jay, 19, was last seen at around 8am on June 17 by the owner of an Airbnb he had gone back to with two men after a rave. He had missed a bus back to his accommodation and was seen setting off on foot for what would have been an 11-hour walk.

The decision to end the search was taken at a senior level following a meeting between investigators and mountain rescue teams at the island's HQ i Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

On Saturday one of the search teams had told MailOnline: 'Nothing was found and now the chief will make a decision whether to carry on, it's up to the senior people to decide, there is no established cut off time.

'But obviously we cannot carry on searching for ever so what we know will be evaluated and then the senior investigators will make that decision.'

The Civil Guard says the 'parallel' investigation by police investigators which they are not sharing information on is continuing despite the suspension of the 'visible' mountain search in and around Masca.

After revealing that the family would stay in Tenerife, Ms Hargreaves later slammed Jay's local pub The Bees Knees, Accrington, after they posted an offensive meme about him on their Facebook page which the MailOnline is not repeating.

In reply to the post she wrote: 'So this is how much I will never understand how cruel some people really are. Jay's hometown he is a customer in the bar too and they posted (that) in error apparently.

'Sickening, I mean sick, How can anyway (sic) even share stuff like that, very disgusting and very disrespectful.'

She added: 'Think twice before you give them your hard earned money.'

Later the pub said: 'Apologies the external social media guy posted something in bad taste and we deleted it instantly. We will deal with this accordingly. Sorry for any offence caused.'

Jay's phone last pinged near to a look-out point where search teams gathered yesterday to begin the last day of the operation.

Friend Lucy Law said Jay had called her shortly after he was last seen to say he was thirsty and had no water and just one per cent battery on his phone. Brad also said he also spoke to Jay that morning and thought he had veered off the main road and may have slid down rocks.

After partying on the final night of the three-day NRG festival in Tenerife's Playa de las Americas resort, Jay had gone back to an Airbnb in Masca with two men he had met on holiday. It was here that he sent two Snapchat messages from there to his friends.

Ofelia Medina Hernandez, the owner of the villa, said she saw Jay standing at a nearby bus stop at around 8am.

He asked her when the next bus was to Los Cristianos, but when he was told it wasn't until 10am, he set off on foot.

Jay's father, Warren Slater, yesterday said he was 'disappointed' after only a handful of volunteers turned out to join the hunt for his son.

Just six volunteers including Mr Arnott and a few Spanish nationals joined the search on Saturday, with temperatures pushing 23C.

'It's a bit disappointing that there are no British apart from Paul but I suppose to them he's just a British lad who's come out here and got drunk,' Warren said.

The father added he was 'grateful' to those who gathered to look for his son.

'You can see just how dangerous it is and what gets me is the trollers who are having a go at us for not searching,' he said.

Police revealed yesterday that two mystery British men who were with Jay the night he disappeared were 'not relevant' to their investigation.

The development raised eyebrows among many as TV sleuth Mark Williams-Thomas, who worked on the missing people cases of Madeleine McCann and Nicola Bulley, had described the men as 'key witnesses' and appealed for them to come forward.

Cipriano Martin, head of the Spanish Civil Guard's Mountain Rescue team in Tenerife, said: 'Those men have been spoken to and they don't have any relevance whatsoever for the case.'

However little is known about the two mystery men, who have not spoken publicly, besides the fact that they are British, black and in their late 30s to early 40s.

One is said to go by the nickname Johnny Vegas and one is described as around 6ft, stocky and with short dark hair. He was seen with an orange wristband but little else is known about the other man.

It comes after police said they were investigating a scuffle outside Papagayo Beach Club, where Jay was seen partying on June 17.

It is believed a fight - involving an Eastern European man who reportedly had his valuable Rolex stolen - broke out after the venue had closed.

One of Jay's friends, who had travelled to Tenerife to help in the search told detectives the alleged incident could have led to his disappearance.

Authorities were reviewing CCTV footage from the venue where the incident occurred.

Another theory which is understood to be on the table is that the valuable watch had somehow wound up in the cottage where Jay had travelled - and that he then ventured into the wilderness in an attempt to steal it.

Earlier this week, MailOnline revealed new photos of Jay chatting to friends at a hotel pool party just two days before he vanished.

The investigation also took a strange twist when the mayor of Tenerife revealed that police were quizzing locals who claimed they had seen Jay 'watching the Euros' in a bar in Puerto de Santiago - a coastal resort on the island.

After partying on the final night of the three-day NRG festival in Tenerife's Playa de las Americas resort, Jay had gone back to an Airbnb in Masca with two men he had met on holiday

Jay's father Warren along with with Jay's mother Debbie and a number of his friends have flown to the Spanish island to help over the past two weeks

Jay Slater is pictured with his mother Debbie and his brother Zak

There was no sign of Spanish police on the Masca mountains on Sunday morning as the search was called off

The search for missing teenager Jay Slater has officially ended, 14 days after he went missing

Guardia Civil agent Cipriano Martin has confirmed the two mystery men who invited Jay Slater back to their Airbnb hours before he vanished 'don't have any relevance whatsoever for the case'

Spanish police begin a final search for Jay yesterday

TV detective Mark Williams Thomas previously called on the two mystery men who were with missing teenager Jay Slater to come forward

Earlier this week, MailOnline revealed pictures showing apprentice bricklayer Jay, 19, lounging by the pool of the Hard Rock Hotel in Playa de las Americas with dozens of other holidaymakers before he went missing. Pictured: With friends Brandon Hodgkin and Lucy Mae Law

Dressed in camouflage style swimming trunks the picture was taken on the second day of the NRG festival at a pool party which was described on social media as 'epic'

Also, in the picture with her back to the camera in a white skirt, is Jay's friend Lucy Mae Law, 19, left, and it was taken on June 15  just two days before he vanished

Holding a plastic cup in his hand (right) he appears to be standing by himself while Lucy (left) is talking to another group of boys

The claim followed the earlier release of a grainy CCTV image from Santiago del Teide which Jay's family were hopeful was him, and which police were looking at.

The image shows a figure walking past a church at around 6pm the day he went missing - ten hours after his phone last pinged.

The CCTV was taken close to a church, San Fernando Rey, where Jay's mother previously told MailOnline that a man has come forward to say he saw someone matching her son's description sitting on a bench with two men.

On Friday, Jay's friend Brad Hargreaves told ITV's This Morning he had been on a video call with him before his disappearance when he heard him go off the road.

Jay Slater has not been seen since he went back to an Airbnb with two men after a night out in Tenerife

Jay's family released this CCTV image of a figure they believe to be the 19-year-old. It was taken at around 6pm on the day he went missing - 10 hours after his phone last pinged

The apprentice bricklayer went back to the Casa Abuela Tina Airbnb (pictured) near the rugged Rural de Teno national park with two mystery men

In its Airbnb listing Casa Abuela Tina is described as being a farmhouse within the 'unique natural landscape' surrounding it

It is known that Jay sent pictures of himself inside the house and from outside on Snapchat to his mum and friends

The teenager posted this Snapchat image on the morning he went missing in Spain

The search pictured beginning yesterday in the early morning near to Jay's last-known location in the village of Masca

The volunteers pictured as they begin the co-ordinated search which took place in a steep rocky area, with ravines, trails and paths all searched thoroughly

He said: 'He was on the phone walking down a road and he'd gone over a little bit - not a big drop - but a tiny little drop and he was going down, and he said 'I'll ring ya back, I'll ring ya back' because I think someone else was ringing him.'

He confirmed he could see his friend's feet 'sliding' down the hill and could hear he was walking on what sounded like rocks or stones.

But, Mr Hargreaves said he and his friend were both laughing at that point.

He added: 'He didn't seem concerned on the phone until we knew how far away he was.'

He told the programme he still had hope for Jay and was 'praying' for him to come home.

Earlier this week, his mother Debbie Duncan, who travelled to the island following his disappearance, said money raised online would be used to support mountain rescue teams, and to cover her own accommodation and food costs.

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan revealed her choice not to attend with Jay's father and brother had caused her to be on the receiving end of vile social media trolls who have compared her to Karen Matthews

Donations flooded in after GoFundMe appeal 'Get Jay Slater home' was set up by Lucy Law which has raised 43,000 as of Sunday.

In an update on Thursday, Ms Duncan said: 'We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held.

'I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay.

'Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.'

Ms Duncan has described her son's disappearance and the wait for news as a 'living nightmare'.
A retired Scotland Yard officer who investigated several missing persons has urged Spanish police to accept an offer of help from their British counterparts.

Graham Wettone, who was in the Met for 30 years, has poured over the evidence and the investigation since Jay vanished seemingly into thin air after a three-day dance music festival on the morning of June 17.

Speaking to MailOnline he said: 'I've been following this case closely and discussing it with colleagues and it's certainly a very bizarre one, lots of things just don't add up.'

Apprentice bricklayer Jay has not been seen since he was driven to the isolated 40 Airbnb by the two Britons following a rave after party in the heady resort of Playa de las Americas on Tenerife.

Apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater, 19, pictured here with his mother Debbie Duncan

Policing commentator Graham Wettone has poured over the evidence and the investigation since Jay vanished seemingly into thin air after a three-day dance music festival

This is the two-bedroom property called Casa Abuela Tina where Jay Slater spent the night

In its Airbnb listing Casa Abuela Tina is described as being a farmhouse within the 'unique natural landscape' surrounding it

Little is known about the two men other than that they are in their late 30s and early 40s and they have been questioned by Spanish police and allowed to fly back to the UK.

Amazingly the Spanish police have described the men as 'irrelevant' and Mr Wettone also suggested the Tenerife authorities should swallow their pride and accept an offer of help from Lancashire police where Jay is from.

They have now called off their search after almost two weeks of looking although they insist the case is 'still open' and they are asking for anyone with any information to contact them.

Mr Wettone said: 'I'm sure the Spanish police kept their details and if need be can go back to them and investigate them with the help of British police.

'I know people are saying these two should have been kept but unless there is any real incriminating evidence it would be hard to keep them in Spain.

'That's why I would start again from the beginning and speak to all the witnesses again, my gut feeling is that many of them may not be telling the truth.

It is known that Jay sent pictures of himself inside the house and from outside on Snapchat to his mum and friends

The Airbnb is in the village of Masca about 20 miles from the party spot of Playa Americas

'There are so many inconsistencies in what I am seeing and reading. I think the Spanish police need to take a step back and think 'Why did he go missing where he did and in what circumstances?'

'They seem to be focusing primarily on the fact that they were told he wandered off into the mountain, but we are now almost two weeks in, and nothing has been found up there.

'I would hope that they have at least secured the Airbnb because if evidence is there then it will need to be gathered.

'But to be honest, I would even go back further to the days leading up to his disappearance, have they checked his bank accounts for anything untoward in the hours before he went missing.

'Were there any patterns forming that would point to him going wandering off but the fact he is said to have done that just doesn't square with me.

'Was there anything sinister and untoward there, that would have made him go off with these two men, is there anything in his past that needs looking at more fully.

'That is where help from Lancashire would have been vital, they would have resources to look into his background.

'He's young, he's fit, so if he did wander off and something happened why hasn't he been found?

Mr Wettone added: 'I think after almost two weeks searching and with nothing found, the Spanish police should go back their starting point and take another look.

'It seems to me on the face of it that they are just focusing on the mountain, but I would hope they are looking at other avenues and those include criminality.

'I think I would have put some form of block on that road to stop and ask witnesses if they had seen anything, it was 9am so I would have thought people would be around.

Police officers and a sniffer dog are pictured in the search for Jay on June 19

Police officers and firefighters talk while searching for the missing 19-year-old

'It seems to be they haven't done that, and you have to ask is it resources, maybe they haven't got the officers to spare to stop people and ask questions.'

The retired Met officer conceded that the Spanish detectives have a difficult task because they are questioning witnesses, many of whom would have spent the three days before Jay vanished at the three-day NRG music festival. Drink and drugs may have been taken at the event, which may have distorted witnesses' memories, he said.

'I would also be challenging some of the witnesses as well, and that's always the most difficult part of an investigation because you are questioning their honesty.

'With a suspect you know they will try and lie but a witness is different and that's why you need to try and find something else that corroborates what they are saying.

'And that can be a very difficult conversation to have with them but you need to be 100 per cent sure of what they are saying.

'As we know you can ask four or five people the same thing and get four or five different answers.

'On the face of it they say they seem to be just focusing on the mountain, but I would hope they are looking at other avenues, it just doesn't seem open-minded enough to me.'

Mr Wettone added: 'After this length of time and with nothing being found you have to ask is he even there and he is perhaps somewhere else?

'The fact no body or evidence of him up there has been found would start leading me to another avenue, I'd even be asking are we sure he was up there in the first place.

'They seem to be thinking that he is up there sadly under a rock may somewhere maybe but I'm not so sure and that's why I think they should have accepted Lancashire's help even just to get a second opinion.'
A mother suicide bomber has blown herself up along with her baby in a terror attack in Nigeria which left 18 people dead.

The woman had the baby strapped to her back when she detonated explosives in the middle of a wedding ceremony at a crowded motor park in the northeastern town of Gwoza on Saturday around 3pm, according to a state police spokesman.

It was one of three terror attacks in the country on the same day, with women suicide bombers also targeting a hospital in the same town shortly after the first attack.

Another attack was later carried out by a female bomber disguised as a mourner at the funeral for victims of the wedding blast, authorities said.

At least 18 people were killed and 42 wounded in the suicide attacks, many of whom were pregnant women and children.

An injured boy laying in a van his attended to as he arrives for treatment after a wave of suicide attacks in the North East of Nigeria, in Maiduguri on June 29, 2024

Relatives consoles each other as relatives arrive for treatment after a wave of suicide attacks in the North East of Nigeria, in Maiduguri on June 29, 2024

A young boy was among the victims being treated in hospital following a series of suicide attacks on a wedding, hospital and a funeral in Nigeria on June 29

A man is being treated in hospital on June 30 for injuries he sustained in a terror attack in Nigeria

'So far, 18 deaths comprising children, men, females and pregnant women' have been reported, agency head Barkindo Saidu said in a report.

Nineteen 'seriously injured' people were taken to the regional capital Maiduguri, while 23 others were awaiting evacuation, Saidu said.

A member of a militia assisting the military in Gwoza said two colleagues and a soldier were also killed in a separate attack on a security post, though authorities did not immediately confirm this toll.

The region has been scarred by more than a decade of violence by jihadist group Boko Haram, which did not immediately claim responsibility for the string of attacks.

Although Boko Haram has lost ground in recent years, jihadists continue to attack rural communities in Nigeria on a regular basis.

Over the course of the insurgency, Boko Haram has repeatedly deployed young women and girls to carry out suicide attacks.

The group seized Gwoza in 2014 when its militants took over swathes of territory in northern Borno.

The town was taken back by the Nigerian military with help from Chadian forces in 2015 but the group has continued to launch attacks from mountains near the town.

Boko Haram has carried out raids, killing men and kidnapping women who venture outside the town in search of firewood and acacia fruits.

The violence has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced around 2.6million in Nigeria's northeast.

The conflict has spread to neighbouring Niger, Cameroon and Chad, prompting the formation of a regional military coalition to fight the militants.

A boy is holding his bandaged head after he was injured in a terror attack a day prior in Gwoza, Nigeria, on June 30

A victim of a recent wave of suicide attacks arrives for treatment at a hospital in Maiduguri on June 29, 2024

Victims of a recent wave of suicide attacks are treated at a hospital in Maiduguri on June 29, 2024

Nineteen 'seriously injured' people were taken to the regional capital Maiduguri, while 23 others were awaiting evacuation, Saidu said

An injured victim of a suicide bomb attack receives treatment at a hospital in Maiduguri, Nigeria, Sunday, June 30

Boko Haram, which has one branch allied to the Islamic State group, wants to install an Islamic state in Nigeria, West Africa's oil giant with a population of 170 million divided almost equally between a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north.

The resurgence of suicide bombings in Borno raises significant concerns about the security situation in the region.

Mr Saidu said the degree of injuries ranged from abdominal ruptures to skull and limb fractures.

'I am now coordinating for a chopper tonight,' he said. 'I have mobilised emergency drugs to complement the shortage of drugs in Gwoza.'

Authorities imposed a curfew in the city, and the community remained on high alert following reports of another suspected bomber in Pulka, a town just over a mile away from Gwoza.

Gwoza is located a few miles from Chibok, in southern Borno, where 276 schoolgirls were abducted in 2014. Nearly 100 are still in captivity.

Since then, at least 1,500 students have been kidnapped across the country as armed groups increasingly find the practice a lucrative way to fund their criminal activities and take control of villages.
Joe Biden's aides have revealed that the aging President alternates between being alert and utterly confused - but is 'dependably engaged' for only a few hours each day.

Biden's performance in Thursday's Presidential debate shocked many in the Democratic party with his rambling answers and apparent disorientation.

But White House aides told Axios that they were not surprised, and that it was common knowledge within his inner circle that there were seemingly two versions of the president.

The first version, they said, is confident and focused while the second appears confused, tired and old.

White House aides told the outlet that Biden is only 'dependably engaged' between the hours of 10am and 4pm each day and outside of these times he is more likely to misspeak or seem lost.

White House aides told Axios that they were not surprised by Biden's performance at the debate, and that it was common knowledge within his inner circle that there were two versions of the President

In Thursday's 90-minute debate, Biden appeared to repeatedly lose his train of thought and struggle to finish sentences.

Afterwards, Biden himself said: 'I don't walk as easily as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to.'

His performance sparked panic among the Democrats with former key Barack Obama adviser David Axelrod saying there was a 'sense of shock' in the party and there would be 'discussions about whether he (Biden) should continue'.

But some aides told Axios that they were not surprised by his performance and expressed fresh concerns about whether the president is fit for another term.

They reported that his limitations and mistakes are well known in the White House with many referring to the sense that there are two presidents: one competent, one old and confused.

They said which Biden you get at any one time depends on a number of factors including the time of day.

Biden is 'dependably engaged' from 10am to 4pm and so many of his events are held within these hours, they told Axios.

They told the outlet that Biden is only 'dependably engaged' between the hours of 10am and 4pm each day and outside of these times he is more likely to misspeak or seem lost

Thursday's debate on the other hand, started at 9pm.

Outside of those hours they said Biden is more likely to become tired and confused or misspeak.

They also said he is worse when traveling abroad and more easily tired.

In response, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Axios that there 'is one Joe Biden'.

He added: '[He] works his heart out fighting for families like the one he grew up in in Scranton, and who, because of his determination, experience and decency, keeps achieving unprecedented results for them.'
FURIOUS holiday makers jetted off from Glasgow over the weekend having been robbed off the chance to have a say in Thursdays election amid the postal vote shambles.

It was thought areas like Edinburgh and Fife were showing the greatest disruption to the distribution of voting forms to people unable to vote in person.

But it looks increasingly like other local authority areas have also failed to comply with their electoral responsibilities.

Last night, the Electoral Commission which oversees the vote, said it would be examining the affair.

Wendy Smith, who was heading for Angola for work on Saturday, said she felt a bit cheated that her vote wont count either on Thursday.

Many Scots have had to choose a postal vote this year instead of voting in person as the date of the election clashes with the holiday season

Cliff and Karen Woodman, from Annan in Dumfriesshire, were flying out from Glasgow and said their postal vote packs didn't arrive despite applying in time

The 59-year-old oil industry worker from Aberdeen said: We got my dads postal vote through and helped him send it off.

But I was disappointed to discover that mine did not come through on time. The application was made in good time, so why didnt I get it?

Yes, I do feel a bit cheated at being left out.

After checking in for her flight to Australia on Saturday, Lucy Urquhart-Dixon said: I am raging I didnt get a postal vote.

The teacher with North Ayrshire Council said she had applied for her postal vote on June 14, five days before the deadline for applications.

However, the necessary paperwork had not arrived in time ahead of her departure to Brisbane on a three-week holiday.

The 54-year-old, from the Isle of Arran, said: I am staying with friends on the fourth of July and planned to watch the coverage in Australia.

But I will be sitting there, knowing I had no influence in its outcome. Picking an election date when many Scots are on holiday just shows what they think of us.

Cliff and Karen Woodman were booked on a flight to Boston, in the United States, knowing that they too were being denied a part in the national vote.

Mrs Woodman, 61, from Annan, in Dumfries-shire, said the couple had applied for their postal votes around two weeks ago but they never arrived.

Her 60-year-old husband said: We wanted to play our part. Dumfries-shire is a long-standing Conservative stronghold and it would have been good to have had some kind of say in the outcome.

Some councils have admitted problems over the length of time it has taken to print postal voting packs and a number opened emergency polling stations to allow Scots, who would have missed out, to have their say.

Royal Mail has strenuously denied any part in the scandal, saying there were no electoral packs lying around in Scottish sorting offices.

East Renfrewshire Council had teams out over the weekend, delivering packs to those in urgent need of a postal vote form.

The Electoral Commission, which has responsibility for the vote, said it was aware of issues caused by the election coinciding with the holiday season.

A spokesman said: Following the election, we will undertake research with voters and electoral administrators to understand their experiences at this poll. The administration of postal voting is one of the areas we will look at.

First Minister John Swinney admitted there was nothing that can be done about postal votes that have not yet arrived for voters who are now overseas.

The SNP leader said he had made it very clear about the fact some people will be disenfranchised if their postal votes cannot be filled out and returned on time.

He added there had been significant reports of people who were trying to vote by post who had applied properly for a postal vote before the deadline of June 19.

Local councils are responsible for sending postal ballot forms to voters.

Completed postal votes must have reached councils by 10pm on polling day, July 4.

They can be returned by post or handed in at council offices and can also be dropped at the correct polling station on election day.

Lucy Urquhart-Dixon was flying to Australia to visit friends and was angry that she had not been able to cast her vote

A Tory insider has already raised the prospect of legal challenges after polling day saying Conservatives do better on the postal votes in most constituencies pointing out other parties may also believe theyve lost seats because of the issues with the distribution of voting packs.

A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: We are concerned that some people may miss the chance to vote to beat the SNP, but we have no plans to challenge the result.
She is the glamorous international model daughter of two Scottish aristocrats.

However, a ski-ing accident when she was 12 has left Jean Campbell in constant pain for the past 15 years.

Now in a podcast called Im Fine she has talked for the first time about living with the condition and how meditation and gentle exercise has helped her cope.

The models parents are Colin Campbell, seventh Earl of Cawdor, and Lady Isabella Campbell, a former editor of British Vogue.

The 27-year-old told the Sunday Telegraph: I was small for my age at 12 and a man crashed into me from the side, sending me flying ten metres through the air.

Meditation and gentle exercise has helped Jean Campbell, 27, cope with constant pain following a ski-ing accident when she was 12

Ms Campbell had a long recovery after major surgery when she was just 16

I crashed down, with my right arm flung behind me at such an angle that it ripped apart muscles, tendons and tissue in my shoulder.

This accident was the catalyst for the chronic pain Ive known ever since.

At 16, had surgery to break her pelvis in three places and readjust it with three six-inch screws.

After the operation it was more than 18 months before she could walk properly having spent a month in a wheelchair and three months on crutches.

The constant pain also impacted her mental health.

However, she did not allow it to hinder her career, despite having on occasions to turn up for shoots on crutches, and is now one of Britains leading models having worked on campaigns for Burberry, Ralph Lauren and Louis Vitton.

Ms Campbell now wants to help others cope with chronic pain and added: I now know that I had complex chronic pain - which, as well as physical structural issues, results in complications for your mental health.

Throughout my teens and earlier 20s, I had no idea that this is what I was dealing with and felt so guilty.

I didnt know how to deal with my pain, or talk about it. It was a very lonely place to be.

I knew I couldnt just take painkillers for the rest of my life so began exploring alternatives. The last thing that I expected was that low intensity exercise and meditation could help me  but thats how I now cope with my ongoing agony.

Two things I cant live without are meditation and moving my body. Meditation connects me to something outside myself, while reconnecting me to my body.

Im telling my story because its important to hear about the reality of pain. It is an absolute given in everyones life.
A man who murdered a family, including a five-year-old boy, in a Detroit home has been sentenced to a maximum of 60 years in prison.

Malcom Ray Hardy, 18, pleaded guilty earlier this year to three counts of second-degree murder for shooting and killing Aaron Benson, LaShon Marshall, and her son, Caleb Harris, in February 2022, FOX 2 Detroit reported.

He committed the gruesome killings when he was just 16, but that didn't stop a judge from sentencing Hardy to 28 to 60 years for each of the three second-degree murder charges, which will be served concurrently.

Since he was sentenced to two years for an illegal gun charge, Hardy will serve at least 30 years in prison.

Based on Hardy's prior relationship with Benson, Marshall's boyfriend, it's believed he was main target on the night of shooting, but Hardy ended up killing little Caleb because he was afraid the boy was 'going to snitch on him,' according to prior court testimony.

Pictured: Malcom Ray Hardy, 18, who pleaded guilty to a triple murder he committed when was just 16. He was sentenced to 28 to 60 years for shooting and killing Aaron Benson, LaShon Marshall, and her son, Caleb Harris in February 2022

Hardy and several of his friends ran errands for Benson, such as delivering weed for him, FOX 2 Detroit reported.

A friend of Hardy's who saw him the night of the triple murder testified that Hardy returned from the house with Benson's gun.

This friend also testified that Hardy acted in self defense, saying that Hardy told him Benson grabbed his shirt and attempted to throw a punch.

According to this initial version of events, Benson's escalation is what caused Hardy to grab Benson's gun and shoot him.

Hardy then reportedly told this friend that he shot Marshall in the butt accidentally before shooting her in the head.

His last victim was Marshall's son Caleb. Twenty-two shots were fired, with Caleb and Benson both being shot nine times. Marshall was shot four times.

During a hearing in 2022, Judge Kenneth King didn't buy Hardy's story that he acted in self-defense, and later, Hardy would admit guilt.

From left to right: Aaron Benson, Caleb Harris and LaShon Marshall, Caleb's mother. All three were murdered by Hardy at their Detroit home

Caleb Harris, pictured, was just five years old when he was shot nine times by Hardy. He would have been eight years old now had he survived

On Thursday, the day of the sentencing, the court heard victim impact statements, with one of the most devastating being delivered by Marshall's sister.

'My sister decided to give you a chance at life because she could relate to the lifestyle you were living,' Chenell Marshall said in court. 'My sister cared for you.  LaShon had so much life to give the world and you stopped it because your own selfish reasons.'

She then pivoted to the senseless act of cruelty against her nephew.

'Caleb, the name you should never forget didnt get to see life beyond the age of five. You took life from a precious baby who was innocent,' she said.

'You were the one who took him to the store, played with him. My nephews life did not deserve to be taken by your hand.'

In her victim impact statement, Caleb's grandmother said her grandson's death 'has devastated our entire family, especially his brothers and sisters.'

'I have 32 grandchildren,' she said. 'This young man has stole something from me... today he would have been eight. The week after he was murdered would have been his birthday.'

Family members are pictured in court awaiting Hardy's sentencing

'He was so little, and so innocent, why would you do that?' Calebs grandmother asked the killer through tears. 'God asks us to forgive, but this is something that I have not forgiven this young man for.'

Hardy wore a face mask in court and was behind plexiglass barriers as sat wordlessly listening to the people whose lives he upended with his crime.

After the victim impact statements were done being read, Hardy addressed them and apologized.

'I apologize to the court and the family and everybody that's out there in the world. I didn't mean for this to happen, and I pray for their family and my family,' Hardy said.

Judge Wanda A. Evans, who sentenced Hardy, said she hoped the family would 'find some peace' now that consequences have been handed down.

'It wont be easy, the pain will be there for some time, I truly hope that you can find some peace,' Evans said.

After 30 years, Hardy will be eligible for parole and by that time, he'll be 48 years old.
Democratic Party leaders desperately pleaded with rank and file committee members to not abandon President Joe Biden despite his train wreck debate performance.

During a secret call after the CNN debate in Atlanta on Thursday, DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden's campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez tried to quell concerns over the President's viability as their 2024 candidate.

But those on the call claim leaders are gaslighting them and asking them to ignore obvious signs of mental decline. They believe that Biden, 81, might not be the best one for the job anymore.

With just a month-and-a-half until the Democratic Convention, many Party members, strategists and donors are wondering if they should seek a replacement.

Meanwhile, Biden is back at Camp David after spending seven days there before the debate to prepare for the showdown. Reports claim he is set to discuss with his family at the presidential retreat his path forward.

Democratic Party members are feeling 'gaslighted' by leaders of the party after they tried to calm concerns over President Joe Biden's debate performance during a call about the upcoming convention

One person described Biden's mood after the debate as humiliated and devoid of confidence, according to a searing NBC News report. And the President is aware that the physical images of him that showed a blank, million-mile stare and agape mouth will live beyond his presidency.

Harrison downplayed the significance of the conference call during an MSNBC interview. He said it was just a regularly scheduled call 'to talk about the state of the race' with elected officials across the country and discuss the upcoming national convention.

Harrison and Rodriguez, two of the most influential members of the Party, ignored Biden's perceived weakness and gave what some call participants described as a rosy assessment of Biden's future.

'I was hoping for more of a substantive conversation instead of, 'Hey, let's go out there and just be cheerleaders,' without actually addressing a very serious issue that unfolded on American television for millions of people to see,' Joe Salazar, an elected DNC member from Colorado who was on the call, said, according to the Associated Press.

He added: 'There were a number of things that could have been said in addressing the situation. But we didn't get that. We were being gaslit.'

While many calls for Biden to step aside have remained private over the last several months, now Democrats are saying the quiet part out loud.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) went further than most Democrats when saying: 'There are very honest and serious and rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party.'

'We're having a serious conversation about what to do,' he said in an interview on MSNBC program Velshi. 'One thing I can tell you is that regardless of what President Biden decides, our party is going to be unified.'

'Whether he's the candidate or someone else is the candidate, he is going to be the keynote speaker at our convention,' he added. 'He will be the figure that we rally around to move forward and beat the forces of authoritarianism and reaction in the country.'

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are back at presidential retreat Camp David in Maryland to discuss the future after his debate. Here the first couple is pictured with granddaughters Finnegan and Natalie Biden after landing in Westhampton Beach, New York on Saturday for a fundraiser

Biden is meant to officially become the Democratic Party's 2024 presidential nominee at the Convention in Chicago, Illinois in mid August. It's unclear if that will still happen.

A sense of concern is growing inside the top ranks of the Democratic Party that leaders of Joe Biden's campaign and the Democratic National Committee are not taking seriously enough the impact of the president's troubling debate performance earlier in the week.

DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez held a Saturday afternoon call with dozens of committee members across the country, a group of some of the most influential members of the party. They largely ignored Biden's weak showing Thursday night or the avalanche of criticism that followed.

Multiple committee members on the call described feeling like they were being gaslighted  that they were being asked to ignore the dire nature of the party's predicament. The call, they said, may have worsened a widespread sense of panic among elected officials, donors and other stakeholders.

Instead, the people said, Harrison offered what they described as a rosy assessment of Biden's path forward. The chat function was disabled and there were no questions allowed.

Just after Saturday's DNC call, Biden's campaign released a memo claiming the debate had no impact on the election.

'On every metric that matters, data shows it did nothing to change the American people's perception, our supporters are more fired up than ever, and Donald Trump only reminded voters of why they fired him four years ago and failed to expand his appeal beyond his MAGA base,' Biden's senior adviser Jen O'Malley Dillon wrote.

'If we do see changes in polling in the coming weeks, it will not be the first time that overblown media narratives have driven temporary dips in the polls,' she added.
Lost Coast Camp counselors Solomon Reinman, right, and Jack Davis, left, aid an injured hiker protected under their tarp along the Lost Coast Trail on Tuesday morning as a rescue helicopter approaches. Maria Vollmar/Lost Coast Camp

As dawn arrived last Tuesday, six teenage boys and their two counselors set off on a four-day backpacking trip along the Lost Coast Trail in Humboldt County.

A few hours later, they saw a man on the ground in front of them.

He was lying on his back by the tall grass at the edge of the trail.

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He was also shivering violently. Blood seeped through his black jacket, and his blue jeans were soaked. Part of a silver emergency blanket was uselessly stuffed into the front of his jacket.

The campers  all Humboldt County teens  were stunned.

It took a second to realize, Ok, this is a serious situation,  said 15-year-old Cassidy Wheeler. The boys, who had taken a crash course in wilderness first aid one day before as part of their camp experience, immediately hunkered down and followed the counselors instructions. We need to do anything we can to make sure hes all right, Wheeler remembered thinking.

The two counselors, Solomon Reinman and Jack Davis  both experienced hikers with wilderness first-aid certification  told the kids to stay back and got to work. Knowing the man could be hypothermic, they put him into a sleeping bag and tucked a tarp around him to further protect him from the elements.

They tapped out a distress message via a small satellite phone that reached first responders.

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At the Lost Coast Camp headquarters, founder Josie Brown and program director Maria Vollmar also received the distress note, but didnt know who had been injured. They immediately feared it was a camper.

Vollmar raced down the trail.

Arriving 45 minutes later, she found everyone calm and confirmed it wasnt one of their campers who was injured. The boys sat in a circle eating snacks and helping when asked: At Vollmars instruction, one camper brought out a stove to heat water, and the group put hot water bottles in the mans sleeping bag.

We tried to make sure everyone was breathing and getting water, said Jasper Rathbun, a 15-year-old camper.

Once the injured hiker got the warm water bottles in the sleeping bag, he started to look more comfortable even while still shivering, said Davis, who kept trying to talk to the man and keep his eyes open.

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The man was largely incoherent. He was carrying a Nintendo Switch, a Camelback water backpack and bear spray, according to Davis and the teen campers.

The hiker told Davis and Reinman that it was his first time backpacking, and that he was alone. He said he thought he got attacked by something but didnt remember anything, Davis said.

A small number of injuries occur on the King Range National Conservation Area trail annually, according to Paul Sever, who works for the Bureau of Land Management. Issues range from dehydration to rattlesnake bites and hypothermia. Bears, sea lions and elephant seals populate the area and can attack humans if threatened. Over 25 miles to the south, the Black Sands Beach is very dangerous due to sneaker waves and a steep drop to the shoreline, Sever said.

Stretches of the Lost Coast Trail cut through the beach and require monitoring tides in order to pass safely. Windy Point, the area where the injured hiker was found, has a pinch point considered impassible at high tide.

What happened to the hiker found Tuesday morning, however, is a bit of a mystery, Sever said.

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About 90 minutes after the message for help went out, Cal Fire arrived with a helicopter landing low in the field of grass.

Seeing the helicopter was a huge moment of relief, Davis said.

After the hiker was taken to safety, the counselors checked in with the kids and talked with them about what they had witnessed, as first reported by the Lost Coast Outpost. One camper asked if the man would be OK, and they said yes.

A group of teen campers and their counselors with Lost Coast Camp sign an agreement before a backpacking trip on the Lost Coast Trail that led to rescuing an injured hiker on Tuesday. Provided by Josie Brown

Everybody was a bit shocked but feeling pretty good and feeling proud of each other, Vollmar said.

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With Reimans sleeping bag and pad covered in blood, the counselors decided to head back to the Lost Coast Camp headquarters to regroup.

Most of the group returned to the trail the same day and completed their hike several days later.

Attempts to reach the injured hiker were unsuccessful. Cal Fire transferred him to an ambulance in Redway (Humboldt County), but area hospitals declined to state whether the patient had been transferred to their facility. His condition as of Saturday evening was not immediately clear.

For the teens, the experience underscored the importance of wilderness safety skills and careful backpacking planning. Rathbun and Wheeler have attended the nonprofit camp since they were 5 years old.
Heroic bystanders rescued three helpless children out of a sweltering car in San Antonio, Texas after their mother left them locked in the vehicle while she went to shop.

On Friday around 2pm, a one-month-old, two-year-old and four-year-old were rescued from a turned off car after a passerby found them trapped inside.

The mother, Angela Garza-Amador, parked the car in a shopping center on the 16600 block if Highway 281 as the outside temperature reached the high 90s. Police estimated that they were inside the hot car for about 50 minutes.

A dramatic video shared online showed the moment people got inside the car and saved the young children from imminent danger.

The children were taken to the hospital and are expected to make full recoveries, though their current conditions are unclear. Garza-Amador was arrested on three counts of child endangerment.

On Friday around 2pm, a one-month-old, two-year-old and four-year-old were rescued from a turned off car after a passerby found them trapped inside. (pictured: A little boy crying inside the car)

A one-month-old baby dressed in a long sleeve onesie was pulled out of the backseat of the hot car

Studies show temperatures inside a car can rise to 104F in just half an hour on a 70F day, and reach 115F in an hour. The body's organs begin to shut down at 107F.

Video of the heart-stopping moment begins with a little boy dressed in a red t-shirt and jeans sitting in the front car seat breathing heavily.

The woman saving him, Pati Valezquez, asks him and his sister if he needs water as she wipes tears from his face.

The camera then shows a little girl in a striped outfit and ponytail, standing in the backseat near her brother.

The young boy continues to cry and tries to catch his breath as the woman says: 'It's ok... it's ok.'

Two women then walk up to the car as the woman recording asks: 'Is she in there?'

'No, so we can call the police,' one of them replies.

The woman recording then shows the little boy again as he is visibly overheated and red in the face.

Garza-Amador (pictured) was arrested on three counts of child endangerment

The mother, Angela Garza-Amador, parked the car in a shopping center on the 16600 block if Highway 281 as the outside temperature reached the high 90s. Police said they were in there for about 50 minutes

'Crazy, and there's another one in the back,' one woman says.

'Here, let's take those babies outa there,' another says as they move to the back of the car to get the little girl.

The little boy is removed from the car as he cries in terror and more people start to gather around the vehicle.

It was then they realize an infant was sitting in a car seat in the back.

The good Samaritan says: 'Is there a baby back there? Oh my God!'

She opens the door and discovers the one-month-old as another woman quickly climbs in through the other side and unbuckles the infant, dressed in a long sleeved onesie, from the car seat.

The bystanders then spot the mother coming from inside the store as the video ends.

It is unclear what store she went into, but according to Valezquez the mother said she left the car on and that her boyfriend was in the car with the kids. (pictured: Garza-Amador being handcuffed at the scene)

It is unclear what store she went into, but according to Valezquez the mother said she left the car on and that her boyfriend was in the car with the kids.

'So this happened my heart sunk. I'm so shook up,' she said.

'Her story was she left the car on, but took the keys with her so Im thinking after a while the car turned off and she didnt realize it.

'Whats messed up is she tried to cover her story by saying her boyfriend was in the car when there was no man ever seen.'

Valezquez also posted a picture of Garza-Amador being handcuffed by San Antonio Police officers.

She told officers that she did not realize how long she was in the store.

DailyMail.com contacted the San Antonio Police Department for comment.

Diana Sofia Aleman Roman was found unresponsive in the SUV outside her parents' home in Santee, San Diego around 12.20am on June 13

Diana's parents Romer and Jayson De Los Santos (pictured) took her home on April 11 after flying to Arizona where they met the baby girl in hospital for the first time

A similar incident turned fatal for newborn baby after being left in the back of a hot car just two months after her adoptive parents took her home as a newborn.

Diana Sofia Aleman Roman was found unresponsive in the SUV outside her parents' home in Santee, San Diego around 12.20am on June 13.

She had been left in the car for several hours in 63F weather when a family member found her and called 911. The baby girl was rushed to hospital but did not survive.

Diana's parents Romer and Jayson De Los Santos took her home on April 11 after flying to Arizona where they met the baby girl in hospital for the first time.

San Diego County Sheriff's Office detectives are investigating how Diana was forgotten in the car and who left her there. No charges have been filed.
Tragedy struck as three people were killed in a motorway plane crash east of Paris on Sunday.

A light aircraft was reported to have come down on the A4 motorway in Nosiel around 4pm after the plane hit an electric power cable, according to a police source.

The motorway was blocked in both directions, the source confirmed, asking not to be named. No vehicles were hit.

Images from the scene showed officials in hi-vis jackets attending to the scene of an unturned plane straddling the central reservation.

Meaux prosecutor Jean-Baptiste Bladier told the Afp news agency the victims were 'two men and a woman', adding the pilot had only held a pilot's licence since last year.

The plane was reported to have crashed around 3:45pm on Sunday into the A4 motorway

Police claim the plane crashed after the plane hit an electrical power cable

Smoke appeared to billow from the wreckage as cars were slowly diverted

Two men and a women were reported to have sadly died in the crash on Sunday

Footage from the scene showed cars being moved away from the crash site on the other side of the road as an ambulance arrived.

Smoke appeared to billow from a part of the plane stranded in the road, with officials on hand to guide the traffic.

The Meaux prosecutor's office identified the plane as a Cesna 172, as reported by Le Figaro.

It was said to have taken off from the Lognes-Emerainville airfield around half an hour before the tragedy.

The plane is believed to have 'struck a high voltage line' before crashing down into the road.

Jean-Baptiste Bladier told local media the pilot had been born in 1989 and had little over 100 hours of flight time to his name at the time of the crash.

The Meaux prosecutor's office has since ordered an investigation into involuntary manslaughter, led by the air transport gendarmerie, according to Le Figaro.

The Bureau of Investigation and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) has also opened an 'administrative investigation', according to Le Parisien.

'A tourist plane from Lognes-Emerainville (aeroflight flying club) has crashed for the second time in a year on the A4 near Collegien,' the Association of residents of the Lognes aerodrome said in a statement.

The residents' association has been critical of the risk of planes flying over an urban area in the past.

The horror followed a similar incident last July in which a small tourist plane missed its landing at Lognes-Emerainville airstrip and hit the barrier on the A4.

All three onboard escaped alive, with only the pilot sustaining minor injuries.
A whopping 135 batches of blood pressure medication have been recalled over fears that the pill capsules won't properly dissolve when ingested by patients.

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals initiated a voluntary recall of 114 batches of 750 mg Potassium Chloride in bottles containing 100 and 500 pills, with all of the specific batch numbers and expiration dates listed in a document circulated by the FDA.

Likewise, American Health Packaging voluntarily recalled 21 batches of the same medicine on behalf of BluePoint Laboratories.

According to a company announcement, the failed dissolution of the potassium chloride extended release capsules could cause high potassium levels in the blood, also known as hyperkalemia.

Hyperkalemia can cause an 'irregular heart beat that can lead to cardiac arrest.'

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals recently initiated a voluntary recall of 114 batches of 750 mg Potassium Chloride in bottles containing 100 and 500 pills

Pictured: The faulty pill capsules that have been recalled by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and American Health Packaging

Pictured: The label found on the 500-capsule bottle of the recalled blood pressure medicine

Pictured: The label found on the 500-capsule bottle of the recalled blood pressure medicine carrying the BluePoint Laboratories brand name

Patients who take this medicine to manage high blood pressure and prevent heart or kidney failure are at extreme risk, since the bodily delivery of the pills have been compromised.

Individuals who are prescribed these particular recalled batches could experience a range of hyperkalemia symptoms, including 'cardiac arrhythmias, severe muscle weakness, and death.'

Glenmark hasn't yet received reports of hyperkalemia or any of the described adverse events.

These potassium chloride pills have already been distributed to wholesale, distributor and retail outlets all across the nation, leading Glenmark to write these customers letters telling them to immediately take the products of the shelves.

People who have been prescribed this medicine are being told to consult with their doctor before they stop taking it.

Additionally, the company recommends consumers call their doctor or healthcare provider if they experience the beginnings of any hyperkalemia symptoms.

The FDA is urging people to report adverse events to its MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.
Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) won the first round of legislative elections on Sunday, leaving incumbent president Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance lagging in third behind the left, projections by polling groups said.

The projections gave the RN 34% of the vote, compared to 29.1% for the left-wing New Popular Front alliance, and just 22% for Macron's centrist camp.

Many French voters are frustrated about inflation and other economic concerns, as well as Macron's leadership, seen as arrogant and out-of-touch with their lives. The National Rally party has tapped that discontent, notably via online platforms such as TikTok.

Le Pen, the daughter of the party's racist and anti-Semitic father Jean-Marie, said Macron's alliance was 'almost wiped out' during the first round of voting.

The first round of this year's election, called by Macron after a devastating loss in the European Parliament elections earlier this month, saw record levels of turnout.

Polls suggested 67.5% of people votes in the national election, the highest participation in a regular format legislative election in France since 1981. The final turnout in 2022, the last time national elections were held in the nation, was just 47.5%.

Despite the win, it is still not currently clear whether Le Pen's party would win an absolute majority of seats in the new National Assembly lower house in the July 7 second round and claim the post of prime minister.

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally won the first round of legislative elections on Sunday

The second round will see run-off votes take place in seats where there was no absolute majority, allowing the final shape of the National Assembly to form

Emmanuel Macron's (pictured) centrist alliance lagged in third behind the left

The vote could give 28-year-old RN party chief Jordan Bardella (pictured), a protege of its longtime leader Marine Le Pen, the chance to form a government

The second round will see run-off votes take place in seats where there was no absolute majority, allowing the final shape of the National Assembly to form.

The vote could give 28-year-old RN party chief Jordan Bardella, a protege of its longtime leader Marine Le Pen, the chance to form a government, making it the first time the far-right takes the reins of power in France since the Nazi occupation during WWII.

The last far-right leaders of France were Philippe Petai and his prime minister, Pierre Laval, who headed the Vichy regime that collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.

Bardella has previously said he would only form a government if the RN wins an absolute majority in the elections, but the party has said that the far-right wunderkind would become the country's prime minister, while Macron would stay president until his term expires in 2027 in an awkward power-sharing arrangement called 'cohabitation' in France.

Gabriel Attal, France's current prime minister, said tonight that the 'extreme right is on the verge of power', adding:

'Not a single vote should go to the National Rally in such circumstances. France deserves that we do not hesitate. Never.'

Speaking from her constituency of Henin-Beaumont, in northern France, where she was elected to parliament without the need for a second round, Le Pen said she said the RN was finally preparing for power for the first time in its history.

 FLASH - "La jeunesse emmerde le Front National" : des milliers de personnes se rassemblent contre lextreme droite a Paris, apres les resultats du premier tour des #Legislatives2024 donnant le RN en tete. (via @xztim_) pic.twitter.com/BzwIVSWaTs  Mediavenir (@Mediavenir) June 30, 2024

People gather on the Terreaux square to demonstrate against French far-right party Rassemblement National (RN) in Lyon, on June 30, 2024

The first round of this year's election, called by Macron after a devastating loss in the European Parliament elections earlier this month, saw record levels of turnout

Demonstrators gesture as they take part in a rally after the announcement of the results of the first round of parliamentary elections in Nantes

A supporter of French far right leader Marine Le Pen reacts after the release of projections based on the actual vote count in select constituencies

Demonstrators hold a banner reading 'what we don't get through the ballot box, we'll get through the street' as they take part in a rally after the announcement of the results of the first round of parliamentary elections in Nantes, western France

Demonstrators hold French flags and 'Popular Union' flags in support of the 'Nouveau Front Populaire' (New Popular Front - NFP) as they gather to protest against the French far-right

'In democracy, nothing is healthier than political change,' said Ms Le Pen. 'We need an absolute majority for Jordan Bardella to be appointed prime minister by Emmanuel Macron.

'I call on you to join the coalition of freedom, security and unity. No French person will lose rights  hope is reborn!'

Despite his humiliating third-place finish in the first round of voting, Macron called for a broad coalition to come together to stop the RN next weekend.

He said: 'Faced with the National Rally, the time has come for a large, clearly democratic and Republican rally for the second round.'

Bardella hit back, telling voters that he would be the 'protector' of their rights and freedoms.

'Next Sunday, victory is possible and the alternative is possible', he added.

A demonstrator holds a placard reading 'Enough hate' (C) as people gather during a rally after the announcement of the results of the first round of French parliamentary elections, at Place de la Republique in Paris on June 30, 2024

Demonstrators hold a banner reading 'eat five cops and nazis a day' as they take part in a rally after the announcement of the results of the first round of parliamentary elections in Nantes

A man watches on a television the results of the first round of the legislative election in a bar in Lyon, on June 30, 2024

Supporters of the far-right National Rally applaud after the release of projections based on the actual vote count in select constituencies, in Strasbourg, eastern France

Demonstrators raise their arms as they gather to protest against the French far-right National Rally party

At time of publication, just 176 of the 577 constituencies in France have declared definitive results. While Rn has won over a hundred of them, very few have declared as wins of absolute majority, meaning they will run off to the second round.

Ipsos, the polling company, previously estimated that nearly half of France's constituencies will go to three-way runoffs, making a prediction of the final results incredibly difficult.

Senior figures in the New Popular Front, the left-wing coalition that came second in the first round, have pledged to pull out of any races where NFP candidates came third and RN candidates came first, in order to allow citizens to vote out the far-right.

Ensemble, the coalition that Macron leads, has done the same, local media reported.

Talks over the next 48 hours will be crucial and could swing the results significantly, potentially deciding whether the RN reaches an outright majority in parliament or not.

But much has already been decided by the voters, who have suffered through the anti-government 'yellow vest' movement, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine.

Macron aligned with allies offering support to Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion, but he irritated many by continuing to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Two years later however, some criticise him for his hawkish stance. Macron refuses to rule out sending troops to Ukraine, a move criticised by other Western countries as unnecessarily inflammatory.

The late Gerard Collomb, former mayor of Lyon, was more direct in his criticism, calling out Macron's 'hubris' and a 'lack of humility' in the government.

The perception that Macron is increasingly isolated is part of the problem, said one former advisor.

'He has no grassroots network... the people around him are the same, they don't express the mood of the times,' they added.

On the evening of his 2017 victory, Macron pledged in front of the Louvre museum to do 'everything' in his power to ensure the French 'no longer have any reason to vote for the extremes'.

For many, though, the young centrist whom they voted for has shifted further and further right, opening the door for other extremes to take hold.

The same man who drew inspiration from an anti-capitalist party slogan to win re-election in 2022 later adopted the words of extreme right-wing figure Eric Zemmour 'so that France remains France'.

For Le Pen, who senses a chance to take the presidency in 2027, Macron has 'a plasticity, an incredible self-confidence which is both his strength and his weakness'.

A former special advisor sees that plasticity differently.

'He's turning his back on ... 2017 and humanist values,' said Philippe Grangeon. 'There is no right-wing turn... the president is adapting to shifting opinion.'

Macron dismisses these criticisms, saying he ultimately relies on himself. 'You make the toughest decisions on your own,' he said.
FDNY boss Laura Kavanagh slammed her force in an apology to the New York State Attorney General after she was booed by pro-Donald Trump firefighters.

Attorney General Letitia James spoke at a department promotion ceremony on March 7, but was mercilessly booed by pro-Trump firefighters and other attendees.

The next day, Kavanagh texted James to apologize, according to messages seen by The New York Post.

She wrote: 'I should have called you last night, but Ive been trying to find a way to say Im sorry that doesnt involve me apologizing for men who dont deserve such grace.'

Kavanagh said she wishes she could 'fix' the behavior of the FDNY's predominantly male workforce, but doesn't know how.

Kavanagh (pictured) texted James to apologize after members of the FDNY booed her at their graduation ceremony, according to messages seen by The New York Post

James spoke at the March 7 ceremony but was swiftly drowned out by booing from the audience.

The booing then turned into pro-Trump chants.

Her appearance at the ceremony came just weeks after James' office won a $454 million civil fraud judgment against Trump.

The next day, Kavanagh messaged James to apologize and to express her support.

She told her: 'I havent succeeded. I am sorry that we didnt stop them and that I cant fix them.'

She went on to thank James for teaching her that 'bullying, threats and lots of booing with grace would be part of the gig if you ever wanted to make big change.'

'So thank you for that. I care about you and will do anything for you, always,' she added.

James spoke at the March 7 ceremony but was swiftly drowned out by booing from the audience

James thanked her for messaging but denied she had ever been booed before.

She said: 'The guys who were there are new to the dept and dont know my history as it relates to fdny.'

'We have work to do and I am willing to put in the time. BTW  this is my first time that I have been booed.'

James has vowed to seize Trump's assets if he fails to fork over the massive settlement - which is increasing $87,502 each day until he pays.

FDNY spokesman Jim Long told the Post Kavanaghs texts to James 'reflect her deep disappointment and frustration about the actions of a few bad actors, who may or may have not been active' FDNY employees.
A Canadian woman was sentenced to prison for falsely claiming her daughters were Inuit to get scholarships and business grants.

Karima Manji was given three years behind bars on Thursday after pleading guilty in February to one count of fraud over $5,000, reported The Canadian Press.

The woman fraudulently filed out forms claiming her twin daughters, Amira and Nadya Gill, were Inuit children so they could receive benefits from the Nunavut land claim through Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.

Manji's sentence is the first of its kind in Canada for a 'Pretendian' - a person who has falsely claimed Indigenous identity.

'This is an egregious example of the exploitation of Indigenous Peoples,' said the judge who sentenced Manji, Nunavut Justice Mia Manocchio.

Karima Manji was given three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to falsely claiming her twin daughters were Inuit

Manji filed out forms claiming her twin daughters, Amira and Nadya Gill (pictured), were Inuit children so they could receive benefits from the Nunavut land claim

'Ms. Manji's case must serve as a signal to any future Indigenous pretender that the false appropriation of Indigenous identity in a criminal context will draw a significant penalty.'

Manji claimed her children were the biological daughters of Inuit woman Kitty Noah, and that she had adopted them.

Once the Gill twins were enrolled in the benefits program, the sisters received more than $158,000 total from two organizations, according to court records.

'Justice Manocchio set a precedent with her ruling today, making it clear to potential fraudsters that Indigenous identity theft will not be tolerated,' NTI president Aluki Kotierk said in a statement.

The sisters won scholarships and grants for their online business that sold COVID face masks, and regularly advertised the brand as Inuit-owned.

They were initially charged with fraud but those were dropped once their mother pleaded guilty.

Manji has paid back $130,000 of the money and was ordered to return the remaining balance.

Noah Noah, Kitty Noah's son, told CBC he was relieved by the sentencing after his mother died last year.

Once the Gill twins were enrolled in the benefits program, the sisters received more than $158,000 total from two organizations

Manji claimed her children (pictured) were the biological daughters of Inuit woman Kitty Noah, and that she had adopted them

'I didn't think she [Manji] would get anything longer than two years less a day, so I'm very pleased with the outcome,' Noah.

'I just feel better, knowing that it's a message sent to anyone that's trying to defraud Indigenous, Inuit, First Nations. It's a good day.'

Manji's lawyer Scott Cowan said the sentencing was 'much higher than most similarly situated people' and his client was being used as an example.

'The unique factors in this case led the judge to make this an exemplary sentence,' Cowan said.

'The only answer, based on the totality of the judgment, is that it was to make an example.'
Five people were killed and at least 63 injured in a gas explosion at a restaurant in Turkey on Sunday, the country's interior minister said.

Horrifying footage shared on Twitter/X showed the moment a huge explosion near a Sunday market sent debris flying through the Fevzi Cakmak neighbourhood in Torbal, Izmir, on the Aegean coast.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Twitter/X the blast is believed to have been caused by an industrial gas cylinder exploding at a restaurant. Victims were taken to several hospitals nearby - with at least one person still in 'serious' condition.

Yerlikaya confirmed an investigation had been ordered as multiple ambulances and rescue teams were sent to the scene - as locals have been evacuated and placed in social housing over fears of possible structural damage to buildings still standing.

The blast, which happened in the town of Torbali south of the city of Izmir, was so powerful that it was heard for miles around, the Anadolu news agency reported.

In an instant, a huge orange blast shook the neighbourhood, throwing debris metres high

An aerial view of the damaged area where at least five people were killed on June 30

Windows were blown out of buildings in the sudden blast earlier today

As many as 63 people are believed to have been injured in the blast on Sunday

Rescue teams and eight ambulances were immediately reported to have been dispatched

The victims were later named as Birgul Sarsilmaz (born 1980), Ruken Cagur (b. 1993), Evin Aslan (b. 1988), Dilek Bag (b. 2000) and Havin Ergin (b. 2007).

Three were reported to have died at the scene while two died later at a nearby hospital.

The explosion occurred earlier today on Bars Manco Street in Ayranclar District, according to the Interior Minister.

Images broadcast on television channels showed the facades of several buildings party destroyed by the explosion and the windows of cars blown out.

Video showed disoriented people walking through the street as dust began to settle, with scraps of metal and plastic strewn across the ground.

Bystanders helped each other away from the scene of the explosion. A woman could be heard crying as two men tried to assist her.

Yerlikaya said the public would be updated as new information comes out.

An earlier post reported four citizens had died and 35 had been injured, before revised figures were shared.

Dr Cemil Tugay, the Metropolitan Municipality Mayor of Izmir, shared his condolences for the families of the victims and wrote: 'Our teams continue all necessary work.

'We started working to meet all the needs of our citizens who were victimized in the region, including accommodation.'

He said in a statement that the explosion had occurred opposite a popular cafe and patisserie, and that there had been 'many' injured with a Sunday market taking place nearby.

'There are many injured people currently under treatment,' Tugay told reporters after a visit to the victims at local hospitals.

'Some of them are under treatment in Torbal State Hospital, some are in private hospitals in Torbal, and 5 people are under treatment in hospitals in Izmir.

'We have one seriously injured person. There appear to be 63 injured in total,' he said.

He confirmed a member of the staff from the restaurant was among the casualties, and said nine buildings had been damaged in the blast.

Torbal Mayor Ovunc Demir said those evacuated from the blast zone had been placed in temporary housing organised by the local authority.

'We are evacuating the buildings and our Metropolitan Municipality is working on providing accommodation and social support,' he said.

'We, as a municipality, have been doing our best since the beginning. Our surrounding district mayors are here and I would like to thank them too. I pray God's mercy to those who passed away. I wish the injured to recover as soon as possible.'

Damage to a van in the aftermath of the explosion in a popular neighbourhood in Izmir

Devastating scenes show the extent of damage from Sunday's blast

A view of the destruction after an explosion that took place in a restaurant in Turkey today

Rescue teams are still working tirelessly to help the affected to safety

A quiet Sunday in Izmir was thrown by a horrifying blast at a restaurant, killing five people

Locals tried to help each other to safety as debris lay scattered across the ground

He added that it would have to be determined whether the structures of the buildings hit by the blast had been damaged to safely return residents.

Munir Karaloglu, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, later shared an overhead view of the aftermath as officials in hard hats looked on.

Damage was extensive, with windows blown out and debris strewn across the pavement.

'May God have mercy on our citizens who lost their lives as a result of the explosion caused by an industrial cylinder in a restaurant in Torbal, Izmir, and I wish a speedy recovery to our injured,' he wrote.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not immediately comment.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphatically threw his support behind Britain's Jewish community saying, 'I will always stand by you', as he also vowed to fight the 'sickness' of rising antisemitism in Britain.

Mr Sunak made the comments during a campaign trail appearance on the final weekend ahead of Thursday's general election, in Golders Green, north London.

Addressing an audience at Machzike Hadath Synagogue on Sunday afternoon and wearing a black kippah, a traditional Jewish skullcap, Mr Sunak said: '[Like you] I do know something about what it is like to be seen as different from others and even to experience hatred directed towards you and your community because of who you are.'

He added: 'Antisemitism is a sickness, and I'm determined to confront it.'

Reports of antisemitic incidents in the UK have seen a huge surge since the Hamas terror attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023 and the ensuing Israeli military action in Gaza.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphatically threw his support behind Britain's Jewish community saying, 'I will always stand by you' at a synagogue in north London on Sunday afternoon

Addressing an audience at Machzike Hadath Synagogue, Mr Sunak added: 'Antisemitism is a sickness, and I'm determined to confront it'

Mr Sunak was warmly greeted by members of the Jewish community during his visit on Sunday

According to Community Security Trust (CST), a charity established to protect the Jewish community in Britain from antisemitism and related threats, there were 4,103 instances of anti-Jewish hate recorded, equating to a 147 per cent rise, in 2023 - the highest annual total ever reported by the charity.

The Prime Minister referenced the Governments multi-year funding deal for the CST, now worth more than 70 million over the next four years for the charity.

In video footage posted of his seven-minute speech on X, Mr Sunak referred to the events of October 7 and a previous address to the Jewish community in north London.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greets local Conservative candidate Alex Deane in Golders Green

His visit to the area also included meeting volunteers of Hatzola Northwest, a charity ambulance service with a station next to the synagogue

The Prime Minister popped into a kosher bakery in Golders Green and purchased challah, a traditional Jewish bread

He said: 'I'll never forget coming to Finchley to Kinloss [Synagogue] days after October 7.

'I wanted to be with the Jewish community to show I would stand with you in that hour of grief as we mourn victims of an ugly and horrid attack of terror.

'And let me tell you this, I will always stand with you.

'Others might forget the horror of that day. I never will.'

He added that he would 'never equivocate on who was to blame for this ugly horrid attack of terror'.

On the continuing Israeli military action in Gaza following the October 7 attacks, Mr Sunak said he would 'not try and bully Israel into making concessions that are not in its interest.'

He told the crowd: 'Israel deserves to live in peace and security.'

Mr Sunak continued: 'We must never forget that there are still hostages being held by Hamas terrorists.

'I say loudly, and I know that you will join me, 'bring them home'.'

Mr Sunak added: 'When Jewish children are hiding their school uniforms, Jewish students are facing harassment on campuses, the birth certificates of Jewish babies are being defaced, and Jewish families feel unable to enter the capital city of our country at the weekend, the whole fabric of our nation is under threat.

'This antisemitism is a sickness and I am determined to confront it. Now sadly, we cannot cure it overnight, but I will lead a long-term effort to strengthen your security, defend our liberal democratic values and change our culture so we tackle the root causes of this hatred.'

Mr Sunak went on to state he was 'proud' of the role British military played in thwarting Iran's recent missile attack against the state.

Hamas led a horrifying incursion into southern Israel on October 7, killing some 1,170 people and seizing more than 250 hostages, according to official figures from Israel.

Mr Sunak addressed the Jewish community amid a 147 per cent rise in reported antisemitic incidents in 2023 - the highest annual total ever reported by charity CST

In the months since, Israel has pounded the dense Gaza Strip with aerial attacks, displacing 80 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million people.

There are also reports of severe hunger and UN officials say parts of the territory are experiencing famine.

As of June 29, nearly 38,000 people are reported to have been killed in Israel's military strikes, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

Israel has stated its war objectives to be returning the hostages and definitively vanquishing Hamas, but has drawn criticism from its allies over civilian casualties and the failure to return some 120 hostages still captured in Gaza after nearly nine months of fighting.

Before addressing the crowd, Mr Sunak spent time visiting a kosher bakery and meeting dispatchers and first responders from Hatzola Northwest, a charity ambulance service with a station next to the synagogue.

He looked inside an ambulance - a fully converted Mercedes Sprinter used for the most serious emergencies - and support cars which are also equipped for serious incidents.

Mr Sunak also greeted local Conservative candidate Alex Dean during his north London stop.

His visit to Golders Green is the latest stop in a packed campaign trail to try and bolster Tory chances at Thursday's General Election.

Despite overseeing an election campaign buffeted by major rows over his skipping of a D-Day commemoration event and a growing gambling scandal, Mr Sunak said he was 'proud' of the Tory effort.

He also told BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg he would still be PM on Friday, adding: 'I'm fighting very hard and I think people are waking up to the real danger of what a Labour government means.'
Scientists behind a new genomic study now claim the last woolly mammoths on Earth were wiped out in an extreme storm or a plague - which means if an extinction event hadn't occurred, they might still be around to this day.

These giant Ice Age beasts traversed the then-tundras of North America, Europe and Asia as far back as 300,000 years ago. They later went extinct roughly 4,000 years ago on an isolated island off the coast of Siberia in the Arctic Ocean.

The latest analysis shows that a few hundred woolly mammoths were cooped up on small Wrangel Island for about 6,000 years, but scientists say they didn't die due to inbreeding, The Guardian reported.

The long held theory was that woolly mammoths eventually racked up enough harmful genetic mutations to cause a 'genomic meltdown.'

'We can now confidently reject the idea that the population was simply too small and that they were doomed to go extinct for genetic reasons,' said evolutionary geneticist Love Dalen at the Centre for Palaeogenetics, a collaboration between Stockholm University and the Swedish Museum of Natural History.

Woolly mammoths traversed the Ice Age tundras of North America, Europe and Asia as far back as 300,000 years ago. They later went extinct roughly 4,000 years ago on an isolated island off the coast of Siberia in the Arctic Ocean

Scientists now believe mammoths were killed off from a random event - such as a bird flu or a storm - and not from inbreeding as was previously thought

'This means it was probably just some random event that killed them off, and if that random event hadnt happened then we would still have mammoths today,' he continued.

Dalen and his colleagues analyzed the genomes of 21 mammoth specimens found on Wrangel Island and the Siberian mainland, accounting for 50,000 years of existence.

Pictured: Professor Love Dalen

They found that the prehistoric creatures went through a 'severe bottleneck' once they were trapped on Wrangel Island due to rising sea levels as the earth was warming.

At one point during the Holocene period (11,500 years ago to the present day), the total population was eight or fewer.

'These findings suggest that Wrangel Island may have been founded by a single herd of woolly mammoths,' according to the study.

The authors of the study said you'd normally expect a species to undergo 'an accelerated genomic decline,' but that's not what happened.

'The population recovered quickly after the bottleneck and subsequently remained stable. More precisely, we even find evidence that the recovered population was large enough, or possibly changed its behavior, to avoid inbreeding with close relatives...throughout 6,000 years of island isolation,' the study reads.

So if they were able to eventually avoid inbreeding, what killed them all?

Rising sea levels cut off Wrangel Island from the mainland, this kept a population of woolly mammoths alive for 6000 years after the mainland population had gone extinct

Wrangel Island, where woolly mammoths made their last stand as a species, is seen just above the northeastern tip of Russia

The tusk of an extinct woolly mammoth. It is about 4000 years old and was found on Wrangel Island

It's not clear, and it will likely never truly be known with exact specificity, but Dalen believes something like a bird flu could have doomed the species.

Other theories the researchers pose include a severe weather event or a sudden accumulation of volcanic ashes, which would lead to a lack of food on the island.

'Perhaps the mammoths would have been vulnerable to that given the reduced diversity we identified in the immune system genes,' Dalen said.

'Alternatively, something like a tundra fire, a volcanic ash layer or a really bad weather season could have caused a really bad growth year for the plants on Wrangel.'

'Given how small the population was, it would have been vulnerable to such random events.

The stable population on Wrangel Island suggests that the remaining mammoths were killed by something like a plague rather than genomic collapse

'It seems to me that maybe the mammoths just got unlucky.'

And while this might seem like a rather bleak story of sudden extinction, lead author Marianne Dehasque of Uppsala University says she prefers to see this as a positive.

She told MailOnline: In a way this is a hopeful message, because it shows that small populations are not necessarily doomed to extinction.'

That could spell good news for current species such as Siberian Tigers or Snow Leopards which have been reduced to extremely low population sizes.

This new tale of how mammoths died off also holds a lesson for the world today as biodiversity wanes more and more each year.

The World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Report of 2022 found that wildlife populations have declined by an average of 69 percent in the past 50 years.

'Mammoths are an excellent system for understanding the ongoing biodiversity crisis and what happens from a genetic point of view when a species goes through a population bottleneck because they mirror the fate of a lot of present-day populations,' Dehasque said.
Health experts have raised concerns about the growing number of mega practices in Scotland amid concerns that more patients will be treated by nurses and cut-price medics rather than GPs.

A nationwide shortage of family doctors has led to health facilities merging, with huge leaps in the number of people being treated by some.

Now a study shows some practices have seen their patients lists grow to more than 100,000 people.

Health leaders are concerned the move threatens the treasured doctor-patient relationship, as patients are less likely to see the same medic each time.

Experts fear the mega practices could use cost-cutting measures such as hiring more nurses instead of GPs and have called for more research to understand the impact.

Experts warn that the patient and doctors relationship will be impacted if practices have a large number of people on its list

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said that smaller GP practices play a vital role in their communities

A study led by the University of Glasgow has found one practice has a total list of more than 101,000 patients in nine surgeries across Glasgow, Edinburgh and West Lothian, making it the biggest GP practice in Scotland. The second biggest, with 11 surgeries in Lanarkshire, Forth Valley and Glasgow, had a patient list of 77,000.

Study lead author Gerry McCartney, Professor of Wellbeing Economy at the University of Glasgow, said: Very little is known about the effects of the emergence of mega practices.Concerns about the availability and accessibility of GP services have been raised.

The impacts of these changes to service provision, patient experience and population health outcomes are unknown.

Dr Chris Johnstone, study co-author and a former GP added: There are no specific rules or regulations around how mega practices operate, so things like patient access and staff pay all comes down to their own particular ethos.

The trend has occurred amid a shortage of GPs, with the number of surgeries in Scotland down from 994 in 2013 to 905 in 2023. The number of GPs dropped by 40 between 2022 and 2023, from 4,514 to 4,474.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: Smaller practices play a crucial role in their communities and I worry that a rise in so-called GP mega practices could threaten patients continuity of care and access to GPs.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has said huge leaps in practice list sizes have been seen across most of Scotland, driven, in part, by the merger of many health centres.

Dr Andrew Buist, chair of the BMAs Scottish GP committee, said: There are questions over how the centralised approach needed for mega-practice models influences the services available to patients in some cases.

In practices with large numbers of clinicians, continuity can sometimes be reduced, which can be particularly important for elderly patients and those in more deprived areas.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: We are fully committed to increasing the number of GPs in Scotland and have invested over 1.2billion in General Medical Services in 2023-24 to ensure more people get the right care in the right place at the right time.